Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Arvind Arul Nambi Rajan, Ben Montpetit
Summary: The DEAD-box protein Dbp5 is a member of the SFII helicase superfamily and plays multiple important roles in gene expression, including regulating mRNA export, non-coding RNA export, translation, transcription, and DNA metabolism. It has the ability to function in different cellular compartments and modulate various stages of RNA lifecycle. Despite over 20 years of research on Dbp5, unanswered questions remain regarding its localization, substrate selection, and mechanistic principles in gene expression.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Fakhar E. Waqas, Mahmoud Shehata, Walid A. M. Elgaher, Antoine Lacour, Naziia B. Kurmasheva, Fabio Begnini, Anders Kiib, Julia Dahlmann, Chutao Chen, Andreas Pavlou, Thomas Poulsen, Sylvia Merkert, Ulrich S. Martin, Ruth Olmer, David S. Olagnier, Anna K. H. Hirsch, Stephan S. Pleschka, Frank Pessler
Summary: Virus infections can cause organ damage through inflammation and oxidative stress. This study evaluated NRF2 activators as potential host-directed treatments for influenza virus infection. The compounds reduced viral replication, inflammation, and reactive oxygen species by interfering with the export of viral RNA/protein complexes, independent of the NRF2 signaling pathway.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Paola De Magistris
Summary: Nuclear export of mRNA through the NPC is crucial for protein translation in eukaryotic cells, with mRNAs forming ribonuclear particles with proteins for translocation. mRNPs undergo compositional and conformational changes during NPC transport, with multiple quality control steps to ensure proper export of mature transcripts to the cytoplasm. Opportunities for mechanistic understanding of nuclear export are mentioned in the review.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kamil Sekulski, Victor Emmanuel Cruz, Christine S. Weirich, Jan P. Erzberger
Summary: Biogenesis of the large ribosomal (60S) subunit requires the assembly of rRNAs and proteins, which is aided by ribosome biogenesis factors (RBFs). The methyltransferase Spb1 and the GTPase Nog2 are essential RBFs that play roles in 60S maturation. Unmethylated G2922 nucleotide leads to premature activation of Nog2 GTPase activity. This study provides insights into the regulation of 60S production through G2922 methylation levels and the recruitment of Nog2.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Virology
Kevin M. Rose
Summary: Proper assembly and dissemination of progeny virions is crucial for virus replication, with viruses evolving various strategies to exploit cellular mechanisms for successful infection. Different viruses, such as retroviruses and herpesviruses, utilize host ESCRT complexes in distinct ways to ensure viral particle formation. Despite occurring in separate subcellular compartments and at different steps, the role of ESCRTs in viral lifecycles appears to be conserved.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Patrizia Sommi, Agostina Vitali, Stefania Coniglio, Daniele Callegari, Sofia Barbieri, Alberto Casu, Andrea Falqui, Lorenzo Vigano', Barbara Vigani, Franca Ferrari, Umberto Anselmi-Tamburini
Summary: This study demonstrates an alternative internalization route of nanoparticles mediated by microvilli adhesion, its characteristics, and influencing factors. Modifications of microvillus lipid rafts can reduce this internalization pathway.
Review
Cell Biology
Katharina S. Keuenhof, Verena Kohler, Filomena Broeskamp, Dimitra Panagaki, Sean D. Speese, Sabrina Buttner, Johanna L. Hoog
Summary: The nuclear pore complex (NPC) is the main mechanism of nucleo-cytoplasmic transport, but viral egress pathway and nuclear envelope budding (NEB) have been observed to be potentially used in healthy cells for transporting various substances. NEB can facilitate the transport of RNA granules, aggregated proteins, inner nuclear membrane proteins, and mis-assembled NPCs. However, there are still many unanswered questions regarding these nuclear events.
Article
Virology
Amber Vu, Shaowen White, Tiffany Cassmann, Richard J. Roller
Summary: Herpesvirus nuclear egress involves a regulated process coordinated by two virus proteins, with a heterodimeric nuclear egress complex (NEC) that drives budding of capsids at the inner nuclear membrane. Mutants with unregulated budding phenotype were studied, showing the significance of this regulation for virus replication and a structural requirement for nuclear lamina disruption.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Virology
Luis Adrian De Jesus-Gonzalez, Selvin Noe Palacios-Rapalo, Jose Manuel Reyes-Ruiz, Juan Fidel Osuna-Ramos, Carlos Noe Farfan-Morales, Carlos Daniel Cordero-Rivera, Bulmaro Cisneros, Ana Lorena Gutierrez-Escolano, Rosa Maria del Angel
Summary: Recent evidence suggests that nuclear elements play a role in the replication of Flaviviruses, with certain viral proteins being imported into the nucleus. Furthermore, nuclear localization of these proteins has been observed in infected cells. The presence of ZIKV NS3 in the nucleus has been investigated, showing that NS3 is imported into the nucleus via the importin pathway and exported back to the cytoplasm.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Natalia Gomez-Navarro, Julija Maldutyte, Kristina Poljak, Sew-Yeu Peak-Chew, Jonathon Orme, Brittany J. Bisnett, Caitlin H. Lamb, Michael Boyce, Davide Gianni, Elizabeth A. Miller
Summary: This study explores the possibility of selectively inhibiting protein secretion by perturbing protein-protein interactions involved in capture into transport vesicles. The researchers discovered a specific small molecule that can disrupt the function of the SEC24 protein, leading to decreased secretion of specific proteins.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Nanami Kobayashi, Shuh-ichi Nishikawa
Summary: Nuclear fusion plays a crucial role in the sexual reproduction of various organisms, including plants. Recent studies have shown that the nuclear membrane fusion machinery is conserved between plants and budding yeast. The completion of sperm nuclear fusion is essential for proper embryo and endosperm development.
Article
Transportation Science & Technology
Denissa Sari Darmawi Purba, Eleftheria Kontou, Chrysafis Vogiatzis
Summary: This paper investigates the problem of evacuation planning for alternative fuel vehicles and proposes a novel algorithm to solve it. The study reveals the significant role of each vehicle fuel type's characteristics in determining evacuation routes, and shows that driving range constraints can increase the total evacuation time.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PART C-EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Murat Ulutas, Kadir Cinar, Ihsan Dogan, Mehmet Secer, Semra Isik, Kaya Aksoy
Summary: This study reported the clinical and surgical results of 54 patients with intracranial aneurysms who underwent surgery via LTOA. The LOZYGS route provided a safe and effective alternative surgical approach for microsurgical clipping of anterior circulation aneurysms. The LTOA allowed enhanced broad-perspective exposure of the operative field, early proximal control, and satisfactory surgical freedom.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSURGERY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Per Niklas Hedde, Leonel Malacrida, Barbara Barylko, Derk D. Binns, Joseph P. Albanesi, David M. Jameson
Summary: Arc is a protein induced by activity/experience and necessary for various modes of synaptic plasticity, with its main cellular function being the enhancement of AMPA receptor internalization. Studies have shown that Arc can form viral capsid-like structures and be internalized by neighboring cells, participating in plasma membrane budding both into and out of the cell.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Saurav Bhattacharyya, Catia Algieri, Mariano Davoli, Vincenza Calabro, Sudip Chakraborty
Summary: This study evaluated the photocatalytic degradation of reactive dye using titanium dioxide nanoparticles deposited on nanofiltration membranes. The results showed that the photocatalytic membrane with 0.25 wt% of TiO2 degraded 82.3% of the methyl orange within four hours, following a pseudo-second-order kinetics model. The reusability of the prepared membranes was also confirmed.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING RESEARCH & DESIGN
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Karissa L. Milbury, Biplab Paul, Azra Lari, Claire Fowler, Ben Montpetit, Peter C. Stirling
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Benoit Kornmann, Karsten Weis
Correction
Biology
Azra Lari, Arvind Arul Nambi Rajan, Rima Sandhu, Taylor Reiter, Rachel Montpetit, Barry P. Young, Chris J. R. Loewen, Ben Montpetit
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Evgeny Onischenko, Elad Noor, Jonas S. Fischer, Ludovic Gillet, Matthias Wojtynek, Pascal Vallotton, Karsten Weis
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Arvind Arul Nambi Rajan, Ben Montpetit
Summary: The DEAD-box protein Dbp5 is a member of the SFII helicase superfamily and plays multiple important roles in gene expression, including regulating mRNA export, non-coding RNA export, translation, transcription, and DNA metabolism. It has the ability to function in different cellular compartments and modulate various stages of RNA lifecycle. Despite over 20 years of research on Dbp5, unanswered questions remain regarding its localization, substrate selection, and mechanistic principles in gene expression.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Karsten Weis
Summary: DEAD-box ATPase proteins are found in all clades of life and play a role in various RNA processing reactions, acting as RNA helicases or chaperones. They globally regulate the phase-separation behavior of RNA-protein complexes and control the dynamics of RNA-containing membraneless organelles in both pro- and eukaryotic cells. Their biochemical activities help keep cellular condensates dynamic and regulate the composition and fate of ribonucleoprotein complexes in different RNA processing steps.
BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anthony P. Schuller, Matthias Wojtynek, David Mankus, Meltem Tatli, Rafael Kronenberg-Tenga, Saroj G. Regmi, Phat V. Dip, Abigail K. R. Lytton-Jean, Edward J. Brignole, Mary Dasso, Karsten Weis, Ohad Medalia, Thomas U. Schwartz
Summary: Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) form large conduits for cargo transport between the nucleus and cytoplasm, composed of various nucleoporins distributed in inner, cytoplasmic, and nucleoplasmic rings. Cryo-electron tomography on DLD-1 cells revealed structural differences in the human NPC compared to previous models, showing wider inner ring, increased central channel volume, and reorganized rings. The study highlights the flexibility of NPC and its dependence on the cellular environment for maintaining structural integrity.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Karsten Weis, Maria Hondele
Summary: DEAD-box ATPases, a large protein family present in all cells, play critical roles in various aspects of RNA metabolism. They contribute to the regulation of gene expression by controlling the liquid-liquid phase separation of RNP condensates.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Damian Wollny, Benjamin Vernot, Jie Wang, Maria Hondele, Aram Safrastyan, Franziska Aron, Julia Micheel, Zhisong He, Anthony Hyman, Karsten Weis, J. Gray Camp, T-Y Dora Tang, Barbara Treutlein
Summary: In this study, the authors demonstrate the use of single cell RNA sequencing technology to characterize the RNA content of membrane-free condensates formed by liquid-liquid phase separation processes. They find that certain RNA sequences efficiently accumulate in these condensates and show high sequence similarity to short interspersed elements (SINEs). This study provides a new approach to explore the RNA composition of phase-separated droplets at single condensate resolution.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Miriam Linsenmeier, Maria Hondele, Fulvio Grigolato, Eleonora Secchi, Karsten Weis, Paolo Arosio
Summary: In this study, the material properties and aging of biomolecular condensates were analyzed using Differential Dynamic Microscopy (DDM). The results showed that the fluidity of the condensates is regulated by protein domains and structured RNA. Biochemical reactions can maintain the fluid-like properties of the condensates.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Annemarie Kralt, Matthias Wojtynek, Jonas S. Fischer, Arantxa Agote-Aran, Roberta Mancini, Elisa Dultz, Elad Noor, Federico Uliana, Marianna Tatarek-Nossol, Wolfram Antonin, Evgeny Onischenko, Ohad Medalia, Karsten Weis
Summary: The nuclear pore complex (NPC) plays a central role in macromolecular exchange between the nucleus and cytoplasm, and the transmembrane protein Brl1 has been identified as an important factor in NPC assembly and fusion of the inner and outer nuclear membranes in budding yeast.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lisbeth-Carolina Aguilar, Biplab Paul, Taylor Reiter, Louis Gendron, Arvind Arul Nambi Rajan, Rachel Montpetit, Christian Trahan, Sebastian Pechmann, Marlene Oeffinger, Ben Montpetit
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ryuta Asada, Satoshi Senmatsu, Ben Montpetit, Kouji Hirota
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria Hondele, Stephanie Heinrich, Paolo De los Rios, Karsten Weis
EMERGING TOPICS IN LIFE SCIENCES
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Carmen A. Weber, Karthik Sekar, Jeffrey H. Tang, Philipp Warmer, Uwe Sauer, Karsten Weis
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2020)
