Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Juraj Koci, Sandhya Bista, Payal Chirania, Xiuli Yang, Chrysoula Kitsou, Vipin Singh Rana, Ozlem Buyuktanir Yas, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Utpal Pal
Summary: I. scapularis ticks produce multiple orthologs for the widely studied tick gut protein Bm86, termed as Is86, which features at least three identifiable regions with EGF-like domains. Immunization with specific recombinant EGF antigens in murine hosts marginally reduced spirochete loads in the skin during B. burgdorferi infection, but the impact of EGF immunization on tick engorgement and pathogen survival in the vector is limited. Further investigations of Is86 and other tick antigens would enrich our understanding of tick biology and contribute to the development of anti-tick measures.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Arun Sridharan, Alexandra C. Brown, Daniel L. M. Suess
Summary: This study reports the synthesis and characterization of the first terminal imido complex of an Fe-S cluster, demonstrating competency for C-H activation. The Fe-imido site is described as a high-spin Fe3+ center, with a long Fe-N(imido) distance of 1.763(2) angstrom.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Michael W. Curtis, Christa H. Fierros, Beth L. Hahn, Matthew C. Surdel, Julie Kessler, Phillip N. Anderson, Marine Vandewalle-Capo, Mari Bonde, Jieqing Zhu, Sven Bergstrom, Jenifer Coburn
Summary: This study demonstrates the importance of conserved domains of P66 in the infection and dissemination of Borrelia burgdorferi, and suggests a crucial role of P66 porin function in murine infection.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Maria Kazimirova, Lenka Mahrikova, Zuzana Hamsikova, Michal Stanko, Maryna Golovchenko, Natalie Rudenko
Summary: Lyme borreliosis is a prevalent tick-borne infection in Europe, particularly in Slovakia. A study in Slovakia found spatial and temporal variations in the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) species in ticks collected from different ecological habitats. The findings highlight the epidemiological risk of Lyme borreliosis in various areas of Slovakia.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Defen Lu, Guijun Shang, Xiaojing He, Xiao-chen Bai, Xuewu Zhang
Summary: This study presents the cryo-EM structure of the extracellular Sema3A/PlexinA4/Neuropilin1 complex, providing further insights into the interactions among semaphorin, plexin and neuropilin, and revealing the importance of long flexible linkers in semaphorin and neuropilin for complex formation.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Sabrina Hepner, Konstantin Kuleshov, Ave Tooming-Kunderud, Nikolas Alig, Alexander Gofton, Sherwood Casjens, Robert E. Rollins, Alexandra Dangel, Evangelos Mourkas, Samuel K. Sheppard, Andreas Wieser, Johannes Huebner, Andreas Sing, Volker Fingerle, Gabriele Margos
Summary: This study developed a workflow pipeline using high-fidelity PacBio sequencing to obtain complete and high quality Borrelia genome assemblies. The results demonstrated that the pipeline successfully resolved both chromosomal and plasmid sequences.
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Himani Ahuja, Harleen Kaur, Rebeca Arevalo
Summary: The manganese(ii) complex [Mn(SiNSi)Cl2] is an efficient catalyst for the chemoselective C(sp)-H borylation of terminal alkynes.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY FRONTIERS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Taylor Van Gundy, Dhara Patel, Bruce E. E. Bowler, Michael T. T. Rothfuss, Allie J. J. Hall, Christopher Davies, Laura S. S. Hall, Dan Drecktrah, Richard T. T. Marconi, D. Scott Samuels, Meghan C. C. Lybecker
Summary: This study found that PlzA protein has RNA chaperone activity, which is inhibited by c-di-GMP binding. PlzA can bind RNA and accelerate RNA annealing, and only apo-PlzA can strand displace and unwind double-stranded RNA. It is proposed that PlzA regulates gene expression during both the vector and host phases of the B. burgdorferi life cycle through complex RNA-mediated mechanisms.
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Siobhan L. McGrath, Shu Hui Huang, Kerri Kobryn
Summary: Linear replicons in some prokaryotic organisms solve the problem of replicating the lagging strand end of linear DNAs through the presence of covalently closed DNA hairpin telomeres. This study shows that the N-terminal domain of the telomere resolvase TelA in Agrobacterium tumefaciens is involved in inhibitory interactions with the rest of TelA, which can be relieved by the binding of divalent metal ions. The N-terminal domain also regulates telomere resolution by suppressing inappropriate enzymatic activities.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gregory B. Cole, Thomas J. Bateman, Trevor F. Moraes
Summary: The outer membrane of gram-negative pathogens provides protection from environmental insults and restricts vital nutrient entry, but surface lipoproteins (SLPs) can aid in immune evasion and nutrient acquisition. As more bacterial genomes are sequenced, the prevalence and different roles of SLPs are being discovered, offering potential as antimicrobial targets. Through understanding the structures and mechanisms of SLPs, alongside bioinformatics and genome sequencing, we may develop new therapies and vaccine antigens.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mrinal Bhunia, Christian Sandoval-Pauker, Mehrafshan G. Jafari, Lauren N. Grant, Michael R. Gau, Balazs Pinter, Daniel J. Mindiola
Summary: A dinuclear hafnium complex with a parent imido ligand was synthesized by reduction reaction and exhibited short Hf-N bond lengths. DFT calculations revealed the formation mechanism of the complex and showcased its reactivity with various electrophiles.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Michal S. Dutkiewicz, Conrad A. P. Goodwin, Mauro Perfetti, Andrew J. Gaunt, Jean-Christophe Griveau, Eric Colineau, Attila Kovacs, Ashley J. Wooles, Roberto Caciuffo, Olaf Walter, Stephen T. Liddle
Summary: Neptunium, the first artificially synthesized actinide, has been less studied compared to its famous neighbors uranium and plutonium. This study reports the synthesis, isolation, and characterization of a stable molecular neptunium(V)-mono(oxo) triamidoamine complex, demonstrating the possibility of stabilizing and studying high-oxidation-state transuranic complexes with a single metal-ligand bond.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Benedek Stadler, Nikolaus Gorgas, Andrew J. P. White, Mark R. Crimmin
Summary: In this work, we report the first double deprotonation of acetonitrile (CH3CN) using a bimetallic iron-aluminium complex. The products of this reaction contain a simple yet rare [CHCN](2-) dianion moiety that bridges two metal fragments. DFT calculations suggest that the bonding to the metal centres occurs through heavily polarised covalent interactions. Mechanistic studies reveal the intermediacy of a monomeric [CH2CN](-) complex, which has been characterised in situ. Our findings provide an important example of a bimetallic metal complex achieving a new type of reactivity not previously encountered with monometallic counterparts. The isolation of a [CHCN](2-) dianion through simple deprotonation of CH3CN also offers the possibility of establishing a broader chemistry of this motif.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xing-Xing Su, Xia-He Chen, De-Bo Ding, Yuan-Bin She, Yun-Fang Yang
Summary: The mechanism and origins of the site-selectivity of Rh-2(S-tfpttl)(4)-catalyzed C(sp(3))-H bond aminations were investigated using DFT calculations. The combination of Rh-2(S-tfpttl)(4) and TBPhsNH(2) composed a pocket that could access both tertiary and benzylic C-H bonds, leading to selective amination of the tertiary C-H bond in the presence of an electronically activated benzylic C-H bond. The computational results demonstrated the importance of the triplet stepwise pathway and the attractive pi-pi stacking interaction in achieving the amination of the nonactivated tertiary C-H bond.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ryan J. Garrigues, Sheila Thomas, John M. Leong, Brandon L. Garcia
Summary: A study has discovered that two surface lipoproteins of the Lyme disease spirochete can inhibit antibody-mediated complement activation by competing with C1s binding and blocking the cleavage of complement component C4, thereby revealing a novel molecular mechanism for selective C1s inhibition by microbial pathogens and expanding the known complement evasion mechanisms.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jessica Colombo, Adrien Antkowiak, Konstantin Kogan, Tommi Kotila, Jenna Elliott, Audrey Guillotin, Pekka Lappalainen, Alphee Michelot
Summary: Researchers have identified a family of highly sensitive fluorescent nucleotide analogues that bind to actin and provide energy for actin-based processes, enabling monitoring of actin assembly and nucleotide exchange. These probes serve as robust and highly versatile tools for studying actin dynamics and the functions of actin-binding proteins.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Markku Hakala, Hugo Wioland, Mari Tolonen, Tommi Kotila, Antoine Jegou, Guillaume Romet-Lemonne, Pekka Lappalainen
Summary: Hakala et al. demonstrate that twinfilin dissociates capping proteins from actin filament barbed ends to promote actin turnover at leading-edge lamellipodia.
NATURE CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Correction
Cell Biology
Markku Hakala, Hugo Wioland, Mari Tolonen, Tommi Kotila, Antoine Jegou, Guillaume Romet-Lemonne, Pekka Lappalainen
NATURE CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Konstantin Kogan, Karita Haapasalo, Tommi Kotila, Robin Moore, Pekka Lappalainen, Adrian Goldman, Taru Meri
Summary: Relapsing fever and Lyme Disease are caused by borrelia bacteria, which utilize host proteins to protect themselves in the human host. By analyzing the structure of the FhbA protein from Borrelia hermsii in complex with human complement regulator factor H, the study reveals how FhbA binds factor H specifically and protects the bacteria from the immune system.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andreas R. Kiessling, Sarah A. Harris, Kathleen M. Weimer, Geoffrey Wells, Adrian Goldman
Summary: Gram-negative pathogens like Burkholderia pseudomallei utilize trimeric autotransporter adhesins in their pathogenicity. We studied the structure of the membrane-proximal part of BpaC head domain and found unique features, such as composition of hydrophilic residues and the position in the protein. We suggest including this BpaC-like head domain as a separate subtype and speculate that the function may depend on its location in the structure.
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Pekka Lappalainen, Tommi Kotila, Antoine Jegou, Guillaume Romet-Lemonne
Summary: Actin cytoskeleton plays a crucial role in cellular processes and its aberrant dynamics are associated with various diseases. Understanding the mechanisms of actin filament assembly, disassembly, and force production is essential for studying cellular, developmental, and pathological processes.
NATURE REVIEWS MOLECULAR CELL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tommi Kotila, Hugo Wioland, Muniyandi Selvaraj, Konstantin Kogan, Lina Antenucci, Antoine Jegou, Juha T. Huiskonen, Guillaume Romet-Lemonne, Pekka Lappalainen
Summary: The authors report the structure and function analysis of highly divergent actin from Leishmania parasite. The study reveals the rapid dynamics and molecular basis of parasite actin, providing insight into the evolution of the actin cytoskeleton. The findings show how divergent parasites achieve rapid actin dynamics using a simple set of actin-binding proteins, elucidating the evolution of the actin cytoskeleton.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yixin Liu, Orquidea De Castro Ribeiro, Outi Haapanen, Gregory B. Craven, Vivek Sharma, Stephen P. Muench, Adrian Goldman
Summary: The common mutation RET(C634R) in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN2A) causes ligand-independent dimerization of the RET extracellular domain (ECD), disrupting normal signaling dimer formation. The mutant RET ECD can also form complexes with canonical RET ligands, resulting in distinct structures compared to the wild-type RET ECD upon ligand binding. This structural analysis provides insights into the potential mechanism of cancer induction in MEN2A and suggests new therapeutic targets.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Alexandra O. M. Holmes, Adrian Goldman, Antreas C. Kalli
Summary: In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that membrane-integral pyrophosphatases (mPPases) form specific anionic lipid interactions at specific sites. These interactions are important for protein stability and function, and may play a crucial role in future research.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mimmu K. Hiltunen, Alex J. Timmis, Maren Thomsen, Danai S. Gkotsi, Hideo Iwai, Orquidea M. Ribeiro, Adrian Goldman, Natalia A. Riobo-Del Galdo
Summary: Deleterious mutations in the X-linked PTCHD1 gene may contribute to 1% of autism cases. The function of the PTCHD1 protein is not well understood, but it may be involved in sterol transport and Hedgehog signaling. Experimental evidence suggests that PTCHD1 has distinct cellular functions and binds cholesterol similarly to PTCH1.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Muniyandi Selvaraj, Shrikant B. Kokate, Gabriella Reggiano, Konstantin Kogan, Tommi Kotila, Elena Kremneva, Frank DiMaio, Pekka Lappalainen, Juha T. Huiskonen
Summary: The actin cytoskeleton plays a critical role in various cellular processes. Tropomyosins are important proteins that regulate actin filaments. This study reveals the molecular mechanisms of how different tropomyosin isoforms interact with actin filaments, leading to their differential functions in myosin II activation and protection against ADF/cofilin-catalyzed severing.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jessica C. Boakes, Steven. P. D. Harborne, Jessie T. S. Ngo, Christos Pliotas, Adrian Goldman
Summary: Human equilibrative nucleoside transporters are important targets for cardiovascular, cancer, and viral therapies. This study identified variants of human equilibrative nucleoside transporter isoform 1 that stabilize different states of the transporter, providing insight into its transport mechanism and gating.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexandra Colin, Tommi Kotila, Christophe Guerin, Magali Orhant-Prioux, Benoit Vianay, Alex Mogilner, Pekka Lappalainen, Manuel Thery, Laurent Blanchoin
Summary: Intracellular organization is regulated by actin turnover, where actin networks continuously assemble and disassemble while maintaining overall appearance. This study developed an experimental system to evaluate the consumption and lifetime of actin monomers by observing the speed and size of actin comet tails. The study found that recycling mediated by cyclase-associated protein (CAP) is crucial for the reuse of monomers, while ATP supply and protein aging also limit actin turnover lifetime. This work reveals the balancing mechanism for long-term network assembly with a limited amount of building blocks.
Meeting Abstract
Biophysics
Alexandra O. M. Holmes, Adrian Goldman, Antreas Kalli
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2022)