Editorial Material
Oncology
Samson H. Fong, Brenton P. Munson, Trey Ideker
Summary: The study explores the complex gene networks that give rise to tumorigenesis by using CRISPR-Cas9 system to knockout pairwise combinations of tumor suppressor genes and identifying clear cooperation among NF2, PTEN, and TP53. Further characterization of strongly synergistic interactions is done through single-cell transcriptomic profiling. This methodology provides a scalable approach to move beyond single-gene drivers in mapping the complex gene networks involved in cancer development.
Article
Biology
Mengqiao Cui, Verena Gobel, Hongjie Zhang
Summary: Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive sphingolipid metabolite that functions as a signaling molecule in various cellular processes, with a crucial role in organ morphogenesis. Research has shown the complexity and importance of S1P signaling mechanisms and functions, expanding our understanding of the multifaceted role of S1P-dependent pathways in organ structure development and function maintenance.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Florian Beignon, Naig Gueguen, Helene Tricoire-Leignel, Cesar Mattei, Guy Lenaers
Summary: Understanding temperature production and regulation in endotherm organisms is a crucial challenge. Mitochondria can act as cellular radiators, controlling heat production and cell temperature. Considering these new thermic paradigms, we discuss conventional wisdom linking mitochondrial functions to cellular thermogenesis.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Viviana Nguyen, Pu Xue, Yifei Li, Huimin Zhao, Ting Lu
Summary: This study uses a combination of experimentation and mathematical modeling to investigate the growth optimization mediated by signaling in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The results show that cAMP-mediated control plays a crucial role in achieving maximal or nearly maximal steady-state growth under different conditions. The study also reveals the dynamic adaptation of yeast cells through tuning cAMP levels and the involvement of other regulatory systems in growth maximization.
METABOLIC ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Yao-Wen Wu
Summary: New red-green optogenetic dimerizers allow precise control of gene expression activation and deactivation with high spatiotemporal resolution.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Matteo Galli, Stefan Jacob, Ying Zheng, Parviz Ghezellou, Martin Gand, Wendell Albuquerque, Jafargholi Imani, Valerie Allasia, Christine Coustau, Bernhard Spengler, Harald Keller, Eckhard Thines, Karl-Heinz Kogel
Summary: This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the MIF protein in the plant pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae. The results show that the protein is expressed during the biotrophic phase of the fungus and down-regulated during necrotrophic growth. Additionally, the secretion of MoMIF1 affects the production of the mycotoxin tenuazonic acid and inhibits plant cell death.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Pengjie Hu, Hao Ding, Lan Shen, Guang-Jun He, Huimin Liu, Xiuyun Tian, Changyu Tao, Xiangzheng Bai, Jingnan Liang, Cheng Jin, Xinping Xu, Ence Yang, Linqi Wang
Summary: The study found that GlcN specifically induces a unique hyperactive cell wall synthetic response in Cryptococcus, which determines the key event of GlcN-induced filamentation (GIF). The Mpk1-directed cell wall signaling pathway connects the cell wall synthetic response and GIF activation in different Cryptococcus pathogens. These results reveal a previously unrecognized function of GlcN in stimulating cell wall signaling and biosynthetic machinery, providing a unique dimorphism commitment mechanism underlying the signal specificity of the yeast-to-hypha transition in Cryptococcus pathogens.
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Xiaodong Xia, Jackie Li, Juanjuan Zhang, George J. Weng
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between glass-transition temperature and temperature-dependent storage modulus of graphene-polymer nanocomposites with graphene loading. A two-scale homogenization scheme based on irreversible thermodynamics is proposed to explain the experimental observations. Results show that the addition of graphene fillers increases glass-transition temperature and storage modulus, but within the glass-transition range, the storage modulus decreases significantly.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Xiuyun Tian, Hao Ding, Weixin Ke, Linqi Wang
Summary: Quorum sensing (QS) in fungi is a well-studied cell-cell communication mechanism that plays a significant role in fungal biology and evolution. Recent research suggests that using fungi as model systems to study how QS regulation integrates into eukaryotic reproductive strategies and molecular or cellular processes could provide important insights for QS research.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF MICROBIOLOGY, VOL 75, 2021
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
John Abramyan, Poongodi Geetha-Loganathan, Marie Sulcova, Marcela Buchtova
Summary: The study summarizes the important role of apoptosis in odontogenesis, including its regulation of cell proliferation and death, as well as its key roles in the budding of oral epithelium, tooth germ morphogenesis, and enamel knot signaling center removal. Additionally, the study discusses the molecular signaling of apoptosis in tooth development and its connection to the autophagic pathway.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Bruno Galy, Marcus Conrad, Martina Muckenthaler
Summary: This review discusses the importance of iron in cellular functions and its tightly regulated mechanisms in mammals. Cells acquire, traffick, and export iron through various sensory and regulatory systems, and interact with systemic iron homeostasis control through multiple pathways. This knowledge is crucial for preventing diseases related to iron mismanagement.
NATURE REVIEWS MOLECULAR CELL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Songbai Xu, Guangxin Zhang, Meng Wang, Tie Lin, Wei Liu, Yicun Wang
Summary: Nanocarriers, including bacteriophages, have been widely utilized in the prevention and treatment of fungi. Bacteriophages have flexible genetic engineering properties and can easily carry proteins and drugs. They can be modified through phage display technology to target specific fungi and can also be conjugated with other nanoparticles for precise detection. Moreover, bacteriophages can reduce drug toxicity, prolong drug circulation, and exhibit anti-fungal effects.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Koushik Debnath, Suman Pal, Nikhil R. Jana
Summary: Nanoparticles play a significant role in biomedical applications, where their ability to enter cells, target subcellular compartments, and control intracellular processes depends on appropriate design of size and surface chemistry. There have been great advancements in understanding the principles of cellular uptake of foreign materials, with size-dependent endocytotic uptake being a key factor in nanoparticle interaction with cells.
ACCOUNTS OF CHEMICAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chao Fang, Xi Wei, Xueying Shao, Yuan Lin
Summary: The study developed a unified dynamic model to explain how cellular anisotropy and plasticity affect the elongation process of Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. It was found that the alignment of actin filaments and cell plasticity play crucial roles in embryo elongation dynamics.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Isao Matsui, Ayumi Matsumoto, Kazunori Inoue, Yusuke Katsuma, Seiichi Yasuda, Karin Shimada, Yusuke Sakaguchi, Masayuki Mizui, Jun-ya Kaimori, Yoshitsugu Takabatake, Yoshitaka Isaka
Summary: The coordinated growth and differentiation of multiple cells in kidney development were examined through re-analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing data, revealing lineage relationships and insights into differentiation processes. RNA velocity and NicheNet analyses provided insights into the self-renewal processes of nephron progenitors and the potential influence factors on cells involved in nephron development.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jennifer Geddes-McAlister, Rebecca S. Shapiro
ANNALS OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
(2019)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Viola Halder, Caroline B. M. Porter, Alejandro Chavez, Rebecca S. Shapiro
Article
Microbiology
Lauren Wensing, Jehoshua Sharma, Deeva Uthayakumar, Yannic Proteau, Alejandro Chavez, Rebecca S. Shapiro
Correction
Biochemical Research Methods
Viola Halder, Caroline B. M. Porter, Alejandro Chavez, Rebecca S. Shapiro
Article
Microbiology
Yikun Mei, Tong Jiang, Yun Zou, Yuanyuan Wang, Jia Zhou, Jinyang Li, Lin Liu, Jingcong Tan, Luqi Wei, Jingquan Li, Huanqin Dai, Yibing Peng, Lixin Zhang, Jose L. Lopez-Ribot, Rebecca S. Shapiro, Changbin Chen, Ning-Ning Liu, Hui Wang
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2020)
Review
Microbiology
Viola Halder, Brianna McDonnell, Deeva Uthayakumar, Jane Usher, Rebecca S. Shapiro
Summary: Genetic interaction (GI) analysis is a powerful genetic strategy used to dissect epistatic interactions between genes by analyzing the fitness and phenotypes of mutant cells. It has been applied in diverse microbial pathogens to study virulence, antimicrobial drug resistance, and host-pathogen interactions, providing important insights into complex genetic networks.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2021)
News Item
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jehoshua Sharma, Rebecca S. Shapiro
Summary: Research investigates the biochemical mechanism behind the inhibition of virulence in the fungal pathogen Candida albicans by mucus glycans.
NATURE CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Emily Puumala, Olga Zaslaver, Amy Chen, Dustin Duncan, Meea Fogal, Rebecca S. Shapiro, Mohammad T. Mazhab-Jafari, Luke Whitesell, J. Rafael Montenegro-Burke, Nicole Robbins, Leah E. Cowen
Summary: Candida species, including Candida auris, are becoming increasingly resistant to antifungal drugs. In this study, researchers identified a compound called MMV688766 from a drug library that displayed potent fungicidal activity against C. auris and other fungal pathogens. They discovered that MMV688766 disrupts cellular lipid homeostasis, leading to a decrease in certain lipid intermediates and fatty acids and an increase in lysophospholipids. Further experiments revealed that the loss of a transcriptional regulator called HAL9 confers resistance to MMV688766, suggesting a novel stress response mechanism in fungi. These findings highlight the importance of targeting lipid homeostasis to combat drug-resistant fungal infections.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alyssa Ann La Bella, Marissa Jeme Andersen, Nicholas C. Gervais, Jonathan Jesus Molina, Alex Molesan, Peter V. Stuckey, Lauren Wensing, Clarissa J. Nobile, Rebecca S. Shapiro, Felipe Hiram Santiago-Tirado, Ana Lidia Flores-Mireles
Summary: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are a common type of hospital-acquired infection, accounting for 40% of cases. However, little is known about how fungal CAUTIs are established. This study reveals that the catheterized bladder environment induces biofilm formation, dependent on Efg1 and fibrinogen (Fg), which leads to CAUTI. The adhesin Als1 is identified as a critical factor for fungal biofilm formation. The findings provide insights into the mechanisms of fungal CAUTI establishment and may contribute to the development of new preventive therapies.
Article
Microbiology
Brooke Rathie, Bart Theelen, Martin Laurence, Rebecca S. Shapiro
Summary: This study tested the efficacy of four antifungal drugs against three Malassezia species, finding new drugs isavuconazole and artemisinin with antifungal properties. Itraconazole was found most effective against Malassezia. This research is important for identifying effective antifungal therapies.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Editorial Material
Microbiology
Rebecca S. Shapiro
NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Microbiology
Rebecca S. Shapiro, Aleeza C. Gerstein
Summary: Fungal pathogens pose a significant infectious disease challenge, and combination therapy using adjuvants shows potential in enhancing the efficacy of antifungal drugs. Recent research has identified 1,4-benzodiazepines as promising molecules to enhance the activity of azole drugs against Candida spp. These molecules exhibited potentiation of fluconazole, increased fungicidal activity, inhibited filamentation, and improved host survival. This study contributes to the important goal of reducing mortality due to antimicrobial resistance.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Nicholas C. Gervais, Viola Halder, Rebecca S. Shapiro
Summary: Functional genomic screening of genetic mutant libraries has been conducted to characterize gene function in diverse organisms, including the fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Compilation and organization of screening data from approximately 400 screens has led to the creation of a genetic mutant strain database for quantitative and comparative analysis, providing valuable insight into this critical fungal pathogen.
FEMS YEAST RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Sierra Rosiana, Liyang Zhang, Grace H. Kim, Alexey Revtovich, Deeva Uthayakumar, Arjun Sukumaran, Jennifer Geddes-McAlister, Natalia Kirienko, Rebecca S. Shapiro
Summary: This study utilized a CRISPR-based platform to construct a library of Candida albicans adhesin mutants, and identified key roles of adhesin proteins in fungal virulence through high-throughput screening using a Caenorhabditis elegans host system. In vitro analyses showed the importance of adhesins in cellular morphogenesis, biofilm formation, and host colonization. Genetic interaction analysis revealed novel significant negative interactions, highlighting the complex role of adhesins in mediating virulence of this fungal pathogen.
Review
Microbiology
Jehoshua Sharma, Sierra Rosiana, Iqra Razzaq, Rebecca S. Shapiro