Article
Biology
Ravi Yadav, Srinivas Govindan, Courtney Daczkowski, Andrew Mesecar, Srinivas Chakravarthy, Nicholas Noinaj
Summary: Lactoferrin-binding protein B (LbpB) is a lipoprotein on the surface of Neisseria that plays dual roles in iron acquisition from lactoferrin and protection against cationic antimicrobial peptides. Structures of LbpB from N. meningitidis and N. gonorrhoeae in complex with holo-Lf reveal interactions and preferences, shedding light on how LbpB captures and preserves lactoferrin for iron piracy and antimicrobial defense evasion.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Clement Chan, Dixon Ng, Marie E. Fraser, Anthony B. Schryvers
Summary: Iron is essential for lifeforms, but its insolubility is a challenge. Moraxella catarrhalis acquires iron from human transferrin and lactoferrin, with the involvement of surface receptors and a transporter. The role of periplasmic iron-binding proteins in this process is explored, and FbpA is found to be crucial.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sergey A. Vishnivetskiy, Liana D. Weinstein, Chen Zheng, Eugenia V. Gurevich, Vsevolod V. Gurevich
Summary: Arresin-1 shows selectivity for light-activated phosphorylated rhodopsin, and this selectivity is mediated by two structural elements in the molecule. In the crystal structure, there are some residues close to rhodopsin that do not belong to the selectivity mechanism. Mutations in these residues enhance binding to unphosphorylated rhodopsin and increase its selectivity for phosphorylated rhodopsin. This challenges the current model of arrestin-receptor interactions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tamara Hoffmann, Devid Mrusek, Patricia Bedrunka, Fabiana Burchert, Christopher-Nils Mais, Daniel B. Kearns, Florian Altegoer, Erhard Bremer, Gert Bange
Summary: Biofilm formation in Bacillus subtilis requires the expression of matrix production genes, which are upregulated by the transcriptional activator RemA. The study revealed that RemA forms octameric rings with the potential to form a 16-meric superstructure, and it can wrap DNA through a LytTR-related domain.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Abbas Abou-Hamdan, Roman Mahler, Philipp Grossenbacher, Olivier Biner, Dan Sjostrand, Martin Lochner, Martin Hogbem, Christoph von Ballmoos
Summary: Superoxide anion, produced in large amounts in enzymatic and adventitious reactions, serves various cellular functions but can also lead to the production of more harmful species. Recent findings suggest that the membrane protein CybB from E. coli may function as a superoxide:quinone oxidoreductase.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS
(2022)
Article
Biology
David J. Turner, Alexander Saveliev, Fiamma Salerno, Louise S. Matheson, Michael Screen, Hannah Lawson, David Wotherspoon, Kamil R. Kranc, Martin Turner
Summary: In this study, we used a CRISPR/Cas9 knockout screen to identify the roles of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) in the differentiation and survival of antibody secreting plasma cells. Through this screen, we discovered that CSDE1, STRAP, and YTHDF2 promote the accumulation of CD138 + cells, while EIF3K, EIF3L, and components of the CCR4-NOT complex inhibit CD138 + cell accumulation. Additionally, YTHDF2-deficient plasma cells were found to fail in accumulation in chimeric mouse models.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaoyu Jiang, Teng Feng, Bolin An, Susu Ren, Jufeng Meng, Ke Li, Suying Liu, Haiying Wu, Hui Zhang, Chao Zhong
Summary: A genetically modified double-layer protein gel patch for treating heart failure is reported, which has shown promising therapeutic effects in mouse models of myocardial damage.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Barbara Lisowska-Myjak, Ewa Skarzynska, Monika Wrobel, Grzegorz Manka, Mariusz Kiecka, Michal Lipa, Damian Warzecha, Robert Spaczynski, Piotr Piekarski, Beata Banaszewska, Artur Jakimiuk, Tadeusz Issat, Wojciech Rokita, Jakub Mlodawski, Maria Szubert, Piotr Sieroszewski, Grzegorz Raba, Kamil Szczupak, Tomasz Kluz, Marek Kluza, Miroslaw Wielgos, Piotr Laudanski
Summary: An evaluation of the concentrations of vitamin D-binding protein and lactoferrin in the plasma and peritoneal fluid of women with suspected endometriosis revealed a correlation, suggesting their potential role in the molecular mechanisms of the disease.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Leo A. Baumgart, Ji Eun Lee, Asaf Salamov, David J. Dilworth, Hyunsoo Na, Matthew Mingay, Matthew J. Blow, Yu Zhang, Yuko Yoshinaga, Chris G. Daum, Ronan C. O'Malley
Summary: This study presents a high-throughput method for characterizing TF-target gene interactions across species, revealing themes of ancient conservation and rapid evolution of regulatory modules, as well as identifying new TF DNA binding motifs.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shukun Luo, Bruna G. Coutinho, Prikshat Dadhwal, Yasuhiro Oda, Jiahong Ren, Amy L. Schaefer, E. Peter Greenberg, Caroline S. Harwood, Liang Tong
Summary: Some plant-associated proteobacteria have LuxR family transcription factors known as PipR subfamily members that play important roles in interactions with plant hosts and bacterial virulence of plants. The ethanolamine derivative, HEHEAA, was identified as an effective effector of PipR-mediated gene regulation in the plant endophyte Pseudomonas GM79. Crystallization of a HEHEAA-responsive SBP revealed the molecular basis of PipR system responses to plant factors, showing that different PipR-associated SBPs bind different effectors.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anthony B. Schryvers
Summary: Gram-negative bacteria in the upper respiratory or genitourinary tracts of hosts rely on surface receptor proteins to acquire iron and proliferate independently. The diversity in these receptors supports the development of long-lasting vaccines.
TRENDS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Madhu Nagaraj, Zahra Najarzadeh, Jonathan Pansieri, Henrik Biverstal, Greta Musteikyte, Vytautas Smirnovas, Steve Matthews, Cecilia Emanuelsson, Janne Johansson, Joel N. Buxbaum, Ludmilla Morozova-Roche, Daniel E. Otzen
Summary: The study analyzes the impact of four different human chaperones on the aggregation process of functional amyloids in bacterial biofilms, showing that they primarily target primary nucleation during fibrillation rather than elongation or secondary nucleation, and the inhibition efficiency is correlated with their affinity for monomeric CsgA and FapC.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Yue Huang, Yuan Liu, Shrey Shah, Dongyeop Kim, Aurea Simon-Soro, Tatsuro Ito, Maryam Hajfathalian, Yong Li, Jessica C. Hsu, Lenitza M. Nieves, Faizan Alawi, Pratap C. Naha, David P. Cormode, Hyun Koo
Summary: The study utilized nanotechnology to design a novel treatment that can produce reactive oxygen species under pathological conditions of dental caries in order to target biofilm pathogens, reducing the occurrence of cavities.
Article
Fisheries
Zengjue Zhao, Rongxiao He, Pinpin Chu, Haiming Cai, Haokun Shen, Zitong Zhao, Saixiang Feng, Ding Cao, Ming Liao, Guanhua Gan, Hejia Ye, Zhiyang Chen, Weihong Qiu, Jinbo Deng, Feiping Ming, Miaopeng Ma, Junhao Jia, Jiahui Wu, Haobin Huang, Chongjun Sun, Jiayi Li, Linghua Zhang
Summary: The research demonstrates that CpG-B provides good protection against infection under low temperature conditions, expanding the study of CpG-ODN under cold stress and providing a new application for low temperature fish farming by interacting with YBX1.
FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Ankith Sharma, Rajdeep Chowdhury, Siegfried M. Musser
Summary: A single molecule photobleaching analysis reveals that the Tat receptor complex is a tetramer with equal stoichiometry of TatB and TatC in its native membrane environment. This finding provides insights into the structure and function of the receptor complex.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anan Chen, Pam D. Arora, Christine C. Lai, John W. Copeland, Trevor F. Moraes, Christopher A. McCulloch, Brigitte Lavoie, Andrew Wilde
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2020)
Review
Microbiology
Ravi Yadav, Nicholas Noinaj, Nicholas Ostan, Trevor Moraes, Julie Stoudenmire, Stavros Maurakis, Cynthia Nau Cornelissen
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Microbiology
Anastassia K. Pogoutse, Trevor F. Moraes
JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Cell Biology
Zhaojia Wu, Parker L. Andersen, Trevor Moraes, Sean A. McKenna, Yiran Zhang, Weiwei Zhang, Michael J. Ellison, Wei Xiao
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nicholas K. H. Ostan, Trevor F. Moraes, Anthony B. Schryvers
Summary: The interaction between Gram-negative bacteria and mammals has led to the development of iron acquisition systems, with lactoferrin gene evolving to adopt new functions, including bactericidal degradation products. Meanwhile, evolving bacterial receptors have countered the bactericidal properties of lactoferrin.
BIOCHEMISTRY AND CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Megha Shah, Veronique L. Taylor, Diane Bona, Yvonne Tsao, Sabrina Y. Stanley, Sheila M. Pimentel-Elardo, Matthew McCallum, Joseph Bondy-Denomy, P. Lynne Howell, Justin R. Nodwell, Alan R. Davidson, Trevor F. Moraes, Karen L. Maxwell
Summary: The study identified a new phage anti-activator protein, Aqs1, which inhibits phage infection by suppressing the quorum-sensing master regulator LasR. Aqs1 also inhibits the bacterial type IV pilus assembly ATPase protein PilB, preventing phages from superinfecting host cells. This research highlights the potential of small phage proteins to disrupt key biological pathways and offers insights into the evolutionary dynamics between phages and their hosts.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anan Chen, Luisa Ulloa Severino, Thomas C. Panagiotou, Trevor F. Moraes, Darren A. Yuen, Brigitte D. Lavoie, Andrew Wilde
Summary: During cell division, the opposing regulation of beta-actin and gamma-actin networks is crucial for successful cytokinesis. Depletion of gamma-actin at cell poles through localized deactivation of DIAPH1, and production of a beta-actin contractile ring at the cell equator, are necessary for the completion of cell division.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michael Overduin, Catharine Trieber, R. Scott Prosser, Louis-Philippe Picard, Joey G. Sheff
Summary: Membrane proteins play essential roles in biological structures within asymmetric lipid bilayers. The use of native nanodiscs formed with specific copolymers allows for extraction of these proteins directly from diverse cell and organelle membranes. Understanding the interactions between transmembrane targets and lipids is crucial for the development of next-generation native nanodiscs with therapeutic applications.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Thomas J. Bateman, Megha Shah, Timothy Pham Ho, Hyejin Esther Shin, Chuxi Pan, Greg Harris, Jamie E. Fegan, Epshita A. Islam, Sang Kyun Ahn, Yogesh Hooda, Scott D. Gray-Owen, Wangxue Chen, Trevor F. Moraes
Summary: This study investigates the protein machinery required for heme uptake in Acinetobacter baumannii, identifying the hemO locus, HphA heme scavenger, and TonB-dependent receptor HphR as crucial components. These proteins play a key role in the bacterium's ability to acquire heme from host hemoglobin and serum albumin, which is important for its survival and dissemination in a mouse model of infection.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sungwon Hwang, Chuxi Pan, Bianca Garcia, Alan R. Davidson, Trevor F. Moraes, Karen L. Maxwell
Summary: In this study, the activity of an anti-CRISPR protein isolated from a Haemophilus parainfluenzae prophage was investigated, revealing its ability to block CRISPR-Cas9 DNA cleavage activity. The researchers determined the three-dimensional crystal structure of this protein and found that it binds to the Cas9 Recognition Domain. Although the binding does not disrupt the interaction between the Cas9-anti-CRISPR complex and target DNA, it inhibits DNA cleavage by blocking the conformational changes required for the HNH and RuvC endonuclease domains to contact the DNA sites to be nicked.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Minh Sang Huynh, Yogesh Hooda, Yuzi Raina Li, Maciej Jagielnicki, Christine Chieh-Lin Lai, Trevor F. Moraes
Summary: This study investigated the translocation mechanism of SLP TbpB through a Slam1-dependent pathway, discovering that the periplasmic chaperone Skp can enhance the translocation efficiency of TbpB. The findings confirmed the essential role of Skp in the translocation of surface lipoproteins.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sungwon Hwang, Megha Shah, Bianca Garcia, Noor Hashem, Alan R. Davidson, Trevor F. Moraes, Karen L. Maxwell
Summary: In this study, it was found that the AcrIIC5Nch protein can inhibit the CRISPR-Cas immune system by preventing Cas9 from binding to target DNA. AcrIIC5Nch targets the PAM-interacting domain (PID) of Nme1Cas9 for inhibition and requires guide RNA to be pre-loaded on Cas9. The crystal structure of AcrIIC5Nch was determined and critical amino acid residues for its function were identified. Protein docking analysis suggests that AcrIIC5Nch likely occupies the Cas9 DNA binding pocket, inhibiting target DNA binding through a mechanism similar to AcrIIA2 and AcrIIA4.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Epshita M. Islam, Jamie C. Fegan, Takele Tefera, David Curran, Regula Waeckerlin, Dixon Ng, Sang Kyun Ahn, Chun Heng Royce Lai, Quynh Huong Nguyen, Megha W. Shah, Liyuwork Tesfaw, Kassaye Adamu, Wubet Medhin, Abinet Legesse, Getaw Deresse, Belayneh Getachew, Neil B. Rawlyk, Brock D. Evans, Andrew F. Potter, Anthony Schryvers, Scott Gray-Owen, Trevor Moraes
Summary: The researchers discovered a predicted lipoprotein called PmSLP that can be used as a new vaccine to prevent hemorrhagic septicemia (HS) and bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in cattle. They found that PmSLP provides immune protection, especially in cattle. This study offers an effective and cost-effective solution for preventing related infections.
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
Immunology
Jamie E. Fegan, Charles Calmettes, Epshita A. Islam, Sang Kyun Ahn, Somshukla Chaudhuri, Rong-hua Yu, Scott D. Gray-Owen, Trevor F. Moraes, Anthony B. Schryvers
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2019)