Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Morgan E. Meissner, Nora A. Willkomm, Jamie Lucas, William G. Arndt, Sarah F. Aitken, Emily J. Julik, Sunanda Baliga, Louis M. Mansky
Summary: This study comprehensively characterized the restrictive capacity of A3 proteins against HIV-2 and found that A3F, A3G, and A3H can inhibit HIV-2 infectivity and increase the frequency of viral mutations, while A3D does not exhibit this restrictive activity.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Camille Libre, Tanja Seissler, Santiago Guerrero, Julien Batisse, Cedric Verriez, Benjamin Stupfler, Orian Gilmer, Romina Cabrera-Rodriguez, Melanie M. Weber, Agustin Valenzuela-Fernandez, Andrea Cimarelli, Lucie Etienne, Roland Marquet, Jean-Christophe Paillart
Summary: The HIV-1 Vif protein decreases the expression of cellular restriction factors APOBEC3G, A3F, A3D, and A3H, which inhibit viral replication. The translation of A3G is regulated by a conserved uORF in the 5' untranslated region of its mRNA. This uORF is also important for Vif-mediated translation inhibition and redirection of A3G mRNA into stress granules.
Article
Parasitology
Imane Belbacha, Meryem El Azzouzi, Rajae Bensghir, Kamal Filali Marhoum, Khadija Hajjout, El Mir Elharti, Khalid Sadki, Hicham Oumzil
Summary: This study investigates the association of three SNPs in the APOBEC3G gene with disease outcomes in Moroccan HIV-1 infected patients. The rs2294367 CG genotype is strongly associated with protection against HIV-1 infection, particularly in older individuals.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dustin E. Bosch, William R. Jeck, David P. Siderovski
Summary: The study reveals the presence of multiple transcribed G protein signaling components in the Naegleria fowleri genome, shedding light on the functional significance of G protein signaling in this pathogen and identifying potential targets for future drug discovery.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Long Li, Shujuan Xu, Xueyu Peng, Yuzhuo Ji, He Yan, Cheng Cui, Xiaowei Li, Xiaoshu Pan, Lu Yang, Liping Qiu, Jianhui Jiang, Weihong Tan
Summary: The use of aptamers in bio analytical and biomedical applications exploits their ability to recognize cell surface protein receptors, making them valuable tools in targeted therapeutics. A strategy of constructing structure-switching aptamers has been developed, enhancing target cell recognition by engineering aptamers with DNA intercalated motifs responsive to the microenvironment. Structure-switching sensitivity can be tuned by manipulating i-motif sequences, but estimating this sensitivity is challenging.
NATIONAL SCIENCE REVIEW
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Amjad Ali, Vivek Kumar, Akhil C. Banerjea
Summary: HIV-1 accessory protein Vif neutralizes the cellular restriction factor APOBEC3G through ubiquitination and degradation, which is regulated by the E3 ubiquitin ligase CHIP. Increased CHIP expression leads to reduced Vif levels and destabilization of APOBEC3G, confirming CHIP's role as a negative regulator of Vif.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jun Yuan, Xiaomei He, Yinsheng Wang
Summary: High-order chromatin organization is crucial for biological processes and disease development. This study investigated the role of guanine quadruplex (G4) structures in RNA polymerase II (RNAPII)-mediated DNA interactions and transcription activity. Data analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between RNAPII-linked DNA loops and G4 structures in chromatin. Treatment with PDS, a G4-binding ligand, was found to diminish RNAPII-linked long-range DNA contacts, especially those involving G4 structure loci, leading to changes in gene expression.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Qian Wang, Xiangmei Li, Jiayue Qiu, Yalan He, Jiashuo Wu, Ji Li, Wei Liu, Junwei Han
Summary: Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy is effective for melanoma, but gene-based predictive biomarkers are unstable. This study proposes a novel pathway mutation signature (PMS) model that predicts the survival and efficacy of ICI therapy based on accumulated gene mutations in biological pathways.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Naxin Sun, Dongdong Zhao, Siwei Li, Ziteng Zhang, Changhao Bi, Xueli Zhang
Summary: Base editing techniques have been developed for precise base conversion on cellular genomic DNA, with the potential for treating human genetic diseases. In this study, the glycosylase base editor (GBE) was improved by replacing the human Ung1 with Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ung1, resulting in increased editing efficiency. Further modifications led to the development of GBE2.0, which achieved even higher editing efficiency and purity, making it a powerful tool for genetic research and potential therapies.
Article
Virology
Joao Pereira-Vaz, Pedro Crespo, Luisa Mocho, Patricia Martinho, Teresa Fidalgo, Lurdes Correia, Fernando Rodrigues, Vitor Duque
Summary: This study described a previously unreported amino acid insertion in the IN coding region of HIV-1 isolates from antiretroviral treatment-naive individuals. The inserted threonine (T) and asparagine (N) between codon 255 and 256, designated as S255N_TN, did not affect susceptibility to INSTIs, as individuals with this insertion maintained undetectable HIV-1 RNA viral load after treatment.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Jia Li, Huahua Li, Chenyue Zhang, Chenxing Zhang, Lifeng Jiang, Haiyong Wang, Huaimin Liu
Summary: A three-gene signature related to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment was identified to predict the risk and prognosis of patients with EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma. The signature accurately identified high-risk patients with significantly shorter overall survival, showcasing its potential clinical utility. Additionally, immune cell infiltration analysis revealed distinct immune activities in different risk groups, highlighting the importance of immune response in EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
HariOm Singh, Sushama Jadhav, Abdul Arif Khan, Shubham K. Aggarwal, Ranjana Choudhari, Sheetal Verma, Sumit Aggarwal, Vivek Gupta, Amita Singh, Sumitra Nain, Harjeet Singh Maan
Summary: AIDS restriction genes (ARGs) act as immunological detectors of the body's innate protective mechanism and influence viral pathogenesis and disease progression. The genetic polymorphism of APOBEC3s, TRIM5 alpha, and BST2 may be associated with HIV transmission.
MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hongquan Chen, Renxi Lin, Weibin Lin, Qing Chen, Dongjie Ye, Jing Li, Jinan Feng, Wenxiu Cheng, Mingfang Zhang, Yuanlin Qi
Summary: This study constructed a stable immune gene signature for lung adenocarcinoma patients, which can be used to predict prognosis and the benefits of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) treatment. The research found that the low-risk group of the immune gene signature had a higher survival rate and lower gene mutation rate, which were associated with a better prognosis. In contrast, the high-risk group had higher immune cell infiltration but was associated with a poorer prognosis.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Huigao Luo, Qiyuan Zhuang, Yuanyuan Wang, Aibaidula Abudumijiti, Kuangyu Shi, Axel Rominger, Hong Chen, Zhong Yang, Vanessa Tran, Guoqing Wu, Zeju Li, Zhen Fan, Zengxin Qi, Yuxiao Guo, Jinhua Yu, Zhifeng Shi
Summary: The study developed and validated a radiomics model based on image signatures for multilayer preoperative diagnosis and prognostic stratification of gliomas. By investigating 655 patients, the model showed potential in achieving noninvasive histo-molecular pathological diagnosis and molecular subtyping of gliomas.
LABORATORY INVESTIGATION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kai-Bo Wang, Yushuang Liu, Jinzhu Li, Chengmei Xiao, Yingying Wang, Wei Gu, Yipu Li, Yuan-Zheng Xia, Tingdong Yan, Ming-Hua Yang, Ling-Yi Kong
Summary: The authors report the NMR solution structures of a bulge-containing KRAS-G4 that bound to two small molecules. The study provides molecular details of ligand interactions with KRAS-G4 and contributes insight into the design of specific KRAS-G4-interactive drugs.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mohammed Kaleem, Maryam Perwaiz, Suza Mohammad Nur, Abdulrasheed O. Abdulrahman, Wasim Ahmad, Fahad A. Al-Abbasi, Vikas Kumar, Mohammad Amjad Kamal, Firoz Anwar
Summary: TNBC is a highly resistant, lethal, and metastatic subtype of breast cancer characterized by the deficiency of ER, PR, and HER2. It shows higher aggressiveness and poorer prognosis in women, with a higher recurrence rate during reproductive age. TNBC is defined by the presence of EMT and exhibits specific epigenetic markers.
CURRENT MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Deborah Cromer, Arnold Reynaldi, Megan Steain, James A. Triccas, Miles P. Davenport, David S. Khoury
Summary: The vaccine candidate CVnCoV (CUREVAC) exhibited lower efficacy compared to other mRNA vaccines in a recent phase 3 trial, which can be attributed to the dosage used and the presence of SARS-CoV-2 variants. The neutralizing antibody response induced by the vaccine can predict the low efficacy.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Jillian S. Y. Lau, Deborah Cromer, Mykola Pinkevych, Sharon R. Lewin, Thomas A. Rasmussen, James H. McMahon, Miles P. Davenport
Summary: This study used mathematical models to explore ways to improve ATI study design to maximize statistical power and minimize risks to participants.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Arya SheelaNair, Aleksandra S. Romanczuk, Rosemary A. Aogo, Rohit Nemai Haldar, Lianne I. M. Lansink, Deborah Cromer, Yandira G. Salinas, R. Kiplin Guy, James S. McCarthy, Miles P. Davenport, Ashraful Haque, David S. Khoury
Summary: This study compared the effects of different anti-malarial drugs on mice infected with malaria. The results showed that different drugs varied in their ability to reduce parasite count and had different mechanisms of action. This suggests that although the parasite clearance curves may be similar, the drugs have different capacities to inhibit, kill, and clear parasites.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sandile Cele, Laurelle Jackson, David S. Khoury, Khadija Khan, Thandeka Moyo-Gwete, Houriiyah Tegally, James Emmanuel San, Deborah Cromer, Cathrine Scheepers, Daniel G. Amoako, Farina Karim, Mallory Bernstein, Gila Lustig, Derseree Archary, Muneerah Smith, Yashica Ganga, Zesuliwe Jule, Kajal Reedoy, Shi-Hsia Hwa, Jennifer Giandhari, Jonathan M. Blackburn, Bernadett Gosnell, Salim S. Abdool Karim, Willem Hanekom, Anne von Gottberg, Jinal N. Bhiman, Richard J. Lessells, Mahomed-Yunus S. Moosa, Miles P. Davenport, Tulio de Oliveira, Penny L. Moore, Alex Sigal
Summary: The study found that the Omicron variant has reduced neutralizing effectiveness in individuals vaccinated with Pfizer BNT162b2, but those who had previously been infected with SARS-CoV-2 showed better neutralization against Omicron.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Muhammad Shahid Nadeem, Imran Kazmi, Inam Ullah, Khushi Muhammad, Firoz Anwar
Summary: Allicin is a defense molecule produced by garlic cells, which has antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. It has potential therapeutic effects on various diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Fahad Al Ghamdi, Salma Naqvi, Fahad A. Alabassi, Sultan Alhayyani, Mirza Rafi Baig, Vikas Kumar, Firoz Anwar
Summary: This study analyzed various factors, including blood type, blood pressure, age, and physical characteristics, related to the prognosis of COVID-19 infection. The results found that individuals with blood type O+ were more susceptible, and blood pressure and pulse rate increased with age. Males exhibited greater variation in systolic blood pressure, with the Rh+ factor playing a predominant role. Individuals above 45 years of age and with a high BMI had significantly elevated blood pressure and pulse rate.
CURRENT PHARMACEUTICAL DESIGN
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Firoz Anwar, Sultan Alhayyani, Fahad A. Al-Abbasi, Muhammad Shahid Nadeem, Vikas Kumar
Summary: Emerging evidence suggests a strong association between gut microbiota and cardiovascular metabolic functions. Cardiac diseases may alter the richness, diversity, and composition of the gut microbiome. Vitamin C plays an important role in cardiovascular diseases. In a study using a forced swim stress model in rats, cardiac remodeling was induced, resulting in dysbiosis. Treatment with high doses of Vitamin C showed positive outcomes on cardiac complications by modulating the gut microbiota.
JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Kathleen M. Wragg, Wen Shi Lee, Marios Koutsakos, Hyon-Xhi Tan, Thakshila Amarasena, Arnold Reynaldi, Grace Gare, Penny Konstandopoulos, Kirsty R. Field, Robyn Esterbauer, Helen E. Kent, Miles P. Davenport, Adam K. Wheatley, Stephen J. Kent, Jennifer A. Juno
Summary: Wragg and colleagues tracked clonal populations of spike-specific CD4(+) cT(FH) cells using MHC class II tetramers and TCR beta sequencing in convalescent individuals with COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2-vaccinated individuals. They found that both infection and vaccination induced CD4(+) T cell responses to the spike protein and that these responses correlated with neutralizing antibodies. Secondary exposure led to the recall of CD4(+) T cells with a transitory CXCR3(+) phenotype and expansion of cT(FH) cells temporarily expressing ICOS, CD38, and PD-1. The study demonstrates that stable pools of cT(FH) and memory CD4(+) T cells established by infection and/or vaccination can be efficiently recalled and may contribute to long-term protection against SARS-CoV-2.
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Hyon-Xhi Tan, Miles P. Davenport, Stephen J. Kent, Adam K. Wheatley
IMMUNOLOGY AND CELL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Cybelle Tabilas, David S. Iu, Ciaran W. P. Daly, Kristel J. Yee Mon, Arnold Reynaldi, Samantha P. Wesnak, Jennifer K. Grenier, Miles P. Davenport, Norah L. Smith, Andrew Grimson, Brian D. Rudd
Summary: Microbial exposure during development can have long-lasting effects on an individual's health, but how early microbial exposure leads to permanent changes in the immune system is still unclear. This study shows that early microbial exposure results in the preferential expansion of specific CD8+ T cell populations, which persist and provide enhanced immune protection against intracellular pathogens. Interestingly, this microbial education occurs during thymic development and involves changes in epigenetic programming.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Firoz Anwar, Turky Omar Asar, Fahad A. Al-Abassi, Vikas Kumar, Sultan Alhayyani
Summary: This study investigates the effect of a diet mixed with sea and table salts on cardiac remodeling and finds that the addition of natural sea salt has a significant beneficial effect on cardiac dysfunction.
JOURNAL OF TAIBAH UNIVERSITY FOR SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David S. Khoury, Steffen S. Docken, Kanta Subbarao, Stephen J. Kent, Miles P. Davenport, Deborah Cromer
Summary: Booster vaccination is necessary to combat waning immunity and variants of SARS-CoV-2. Data on neutralization titers from multiple sources suggest that using ancestral vaccines can enhance protection against symptomatic and severe disease caused by variant viruses. Variant-modified vaccines may provide additional benefits. This study provides evidence-based guidance for future COVID-19 vaccine regimens.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Deborah Cromer, Megan Steain, Arnold Reynaldi, Timothy E. Schlub, Shanchita R. Khan, Sarah C. Sasson, Stephen J. Kent, David S. Khoury, Miles P. Davenport
Summary: The study demonstrates a strong correlation between neutralising antibody titres and vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic and severe COVID-19. Predicted neutralising antibody titres are strongly correlated with observed vaccine effectiveness, and the loss of neutralising antibodies over time and to new variants is predictive of observed vaccine protection against severe COVID-19.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Stephen J. Kent, David S. Khoury, Arnold Reynold, Jennifer A. Juno, Adam K. Wheatley, Eva Stadler, E. John Wherry, James Triccas, Sarah C. Sasson, Deborah Cromer, Miles P. Davenport
Summary: Understanding the role of T cells in SARS-CoV-2 infection is crucial for the design of next-generation vaccines. This perspective discusses the challenges in determining the causal relationship between vaccine-induced T cell immunity and protection from COVID-19, and proposes an approach to gather evidence and clarify the role of vaccine-induced T cell memory in protecting against severe COVID-19.
NATURE REVIEWS IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)