Review
Immunology
Julio Sempere, Mirella Llamosi, Idoia del Rio Menendez, Beatriz Lopez Ruiz, Mirian Domenech, Fernando Gonzalez-Camacho
Summary: Current vaccines for Streptococcus pneumoniae infections only cover some serotypes, there is a need for new vaccines to cover a wider range of serotypes. Choline-binding proteins are considered potential vaccine candidates as they may protect against different serotypes.
Review
Immunology
Jessica R. Lane, Muralidhar Tata, David E. Briles, Carlos J. Orihuela
Summary: Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) is an opportunistic pathogen that colonizes the upper airway. Pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) is a key component that helps the bacteria evade the immune system and enhance virulence. Understanding the molecular aspects of PspA is crucial in understanding pneumococcal pathogenesis and utilizing it as a target for treating or preventing pneumococcal pneumonia.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Beatriz Maestro, Hector Zamora-Carreras, M. Angeles Jimenez, Jesus M. Sanz
Summary: This study investigates the beta beta-solenoid structures of choline-binding modules from Streptococcus pneumoniae, revealing the importance of the number of beta-hairpins and linker sequences in determining the tertiary structure. The findings pave the way for the rational structural engineering of beta beta-solenoids for novel applications.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Hongsheng Ji, Yingshun Zhou, Luhua Zhang, Ying Wang, Feiyang Zhang, Jiawei Bai, Qin Li, Zhikun Zhang
Summary: In this study, the functions of LytA, LytC, and CbpD in biofilm formation were analyzed. It was found that CBD-C and CBD-D promote biofilm formation in Streptococcus pneumoniae. CBD-C promotes the formation of membrane-like structures, while CBD-D promotes the formation of regular reticular structures. In addition, the binding of CBDs affects membrane transport pathways and the bacterial reactions to extracellular substances.
MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Kun Cao, Tianlong Zhang, Nan Li, Xiao-Yan Yang, Jianping Ding, Qing-Yu He, Xuesong Sun
Summary: Iron and iron-containing compounds play a crucial role in bacterial virulence and host infection. This study reveals the structure and function of the hemin intermediate transporter SPD_0310, shedding light on its important role in Gram-positive bacteria.
Article
Microbiology
Cassandra Lenoir, Anais Pelletier, Sylvie Manuse, Hugo Millat, Adrien Ducret, Anne Galinier, Thierry Doan, Christophe Grangeasse
Summary: This study characterizes the regulatory function of the previously unknown protein Spr1400 in controlling the activity and localization of two important Penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), PBP1a and PBP2b, in Streptococcus pneumoniae. The research utilizes a combination of techniques including genetic manipulation, protein biochemistry, and microscopy imaging to demonstrate that Spr1400 interacts with PBPs and influences their dynamics during the cell cycle. These findings highlight the importance of Spr1400 as a spatio-temporal regulator of PBP1a and PBP2b in pneumococcal morphogenesis.
Article
Microbiology
Sang-Sang Park, Norberto Gonzalez-Juarbe, Eriel Martinez, Joanetha Yvette Hale, Yi-Han Lin, Joshua T. Huffines, Katherine L. Kruckow, David E. Briles, Carlos J. Orihuela
Summary: The study demonstrates that the major virulence factors of Streptococcus pneumoniae, PspA and PspC, can bind to host-derived lactate dehydrogenase A through their proline-rich domain and a conserved 22-amino-acid nonproline block, enhancing the survival of pneumococci in the lungs. This interaction allows pneumococci to utilize lactate as a vital energy source, contributing to their virulence in vivo.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Mitsuyo Kawaguchiya, Noriko Urushibara, Meiji Soe Aung, Kenji Kudo, Masahiko Ito, Satoshi Habadera, Nobumichi Kobayashi
Summary: This study identified novel penicillin binding protein (PBP) profiles and mutations associated with penicillin nonsusceptibility in nonencapsulated Streptococcus pneumoniae (NESp). The results revealed that the PBP profiles 13-16-ne1 and 13-7-ne4, as well as PBP1a type-13 and-131, PBP2b type-7,-ne1, and-ne2 were closely associated with penicillin nonsusceptibility in NESp.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Marina L. Zupan, Zhenyao Luo, Katherine Ganio, Victoria G. Pederick, Stephanie L. Neville, Evelyne Deplazes, Bostjan Kobe, Christopher A. McDevitt
Summary: The pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae acquires essential zinc ions from the host through the proteins AdcA and AdcAII, which is crucial for infection. AdcAII plays a larger role during initial infection, and the Zn(II)-coordinating residues are found to be important for metal binding. Through structural and biochemical analyses, it was shown that specific conformational changes in AdcAII are necessary for effective metal uptake.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Chenglin Miao, Yali Cui, Ziyi Yan, Yongmei Jiang
Summary: The pilus is an extracellular structural part that plays an important role in the adhesion, colonization, and pathogenesis of Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae). It has the potential to be a candidate antigen for protein vaccines.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Zhenyao Luo, Jacqueline R. Morey, Evelyne Deplazes, Alina Motygullina, Aimee Tan, Katherine Ganio, Stephanie L. Neville, Nikolaos Eleftheriadis, Michael Isselstein, Victoria G. Pederick, James C. Paton, Thorben Cordes, Jeffrey R. Harmer, Bostjan Kobe, Christopher A. McDevitt
Summary: This study elucidates a novel mechanism for zinc binding in Streptococcus pneumoniae's AdcA protein and highlights the importance of the N-terminal domain for zinc import, as well as a conserved loop region crucial for zinc acquisition. These findings provide insights into the structural and functional basis of selective zinc uptake in prokaryotes.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Clara Ines Agudelo, Carlos Castaneda-Orjuela, Maria Cristina de Cunto Brandileone, Gabriela Echaniz-Aviles, Samanta Cristine Grassi Almeida, Maria Noemi Carnalla-Barajas, Mabel Regueira, Sofia Fossati, Pedro Alarcon, Pamela Araya, Carolina Duarte, Jacqueline Sanchez, Mirna Novas, Gilda Torano-Peraza, Misladys Rodriguez-Ortega, Gustavo Chamorro-Cortesi, Anibal Kawabata, Gabriela Garcia-Gabarrot, Teresa Camou, Enza Spadola, Daisy Payares, Ana Lucia Andrade, Jose Luis Di Fabio, Elizabeth Castaneda
Summary: A multicentre, retrospective observational study in eight Latin American and Caribbean countries assessed the direct effect of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) on the distribution of pneumococcal serotypes causing invasive pneumococcal disease in children younger than 5 years. The study found a significant decrease in the percentage of vaccine serotypes in PCV countries after PCV introduction.
LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Peng Liu, Xiaoxia Qin, Tingting Cao, Yuying Yang, Xiaomin Shi, Dejun Liu, Yang Wang, Zhangqi Shen, Shaolin Wang
Summary: This study investigated the potential resistance mechanism of telithromycin resistance in Campylobacter and found that the widely spread 23S_A2075G and erm(B) genes mediate high levels of resistance to telithromycin in C. coli.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vikrant Minhas, Arnau Domenech, Dimitra Synefiaridou, Daniel Straume, Max Brendel, Gonzalo Cebrero, Xue Liu, Charlotte Costa, Mara Baldry, Jean-Claude Sirard, Camilo Perez, Nicolas Gisch, Sven Hammerschmidt, Leiv Sigve Havarstein, Jan-Willem Veening
Summary: Competence development in Streptococcus pneumoniae controls genetic transformation, biofilm formation, and virulence. During competence, the genes involved in teichoic acid biosynthesis are essential. LytR and ComM play crucial roles in WTA synthesis and immunity against CbpD. Moreover, key virulence factors PspA and PspC become more surface-exposed at midcell during competence, in a CbpD-dependent manner.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Jasmin Bazant, Benjamin Ott, Martina Hudel, Torsten Hain, Rudolf Lucas, Mobarak Abu Mraheil
Summary: H2O2 negatively affects the activity and release of PLY. Decreased H2O2 production leads to a decline in PLY release, possibly due to the upregulation of certain genes.
Article
Neurosciences
Ying Sun, Zhuojie Li, Wenzhe Li, Lei Xue
Summary: This study reveals a novel function of the Bicra gene in cognition-related courtship behaviors in fruit flies, showing that its expression in neurons but not glia is responsible for male courtship learning and choice performance.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2022)
Review
Polymer Science
Xuerui Jin, Jixin Dong, Xufan Guo, Mingzhu Ding, Rui Bao, Yunzi Luo
Summary: This article summarizes the research progress on the biodegradation of polyurethane, including the degradation mechanisms of polyester-polyurethane and polyether-polyurethane, the involvement of microorganisms and enzymes in the degradation process, and potential solutions for future polyurethane biodegradation.
POLYMER INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yangyi Zhang, Songyang Yuan, Yaxuan Yuan, Yunkai Bao, Qing Ran, Enming Liu, Jiandong Fan, Wenzhe Li
Summary: This study successfully designed two novel perovskite single crystals with tunable light emission from pink to blue and achieved extremely short photoluminescence lifetime. Density functional theory calculations revealed that the unique luminescence characteristics are associated with specific molecular transitions and exciton quenching.
ADVANCED OPTICAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yingjie Song, Yitao Ke, Mei Kang, Rui Bao
Summary: Members of the HtrA protein family play crucial roles in regulating protein quality, bacterial infection, and survival. Bacterial HtrA proteins are increasingly recognized as important targets for antibacterial drug development. Studying the molecular mechanisms of HtrA proteins in different bacteria can enhance our understanding of their functions in microorganisms.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Biophysics
Changjian Zhao, Kaiju Li, Xingyu Mou, Yibo Zhu, Chuan Chen, Ming Zhang, Yu Wang, Ke Zhou, Yingying Sheng, Hao Liu, Yunjin Bai, Xinqiong Li, Cuisong Zhou, Dong Deng, Jianping Wu, Hai-Chen Wu, Rui Bao, Jia Geng
Summary: This study developed a new protein nanopore for direct sensing of dNTP and pyrophosphoric acid without any modification. The performance of the nanopore could be adjusted by regulating osmolarity differences. A diagnosis method was established for rapid detection of disease-associated nucleic acids.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chang Zhao, Wangjian Sheng, Ying Wang, Jie Zheng, Xiangqian Xie, Yong Liang, Wanqing Wei, Rui Bao, Huan Wang
Summary: Lanthipeptides are a significant group of natural products that require LanP(M1) enzymes to remove N-terminal leader peptides (LPs) during biosynthesis. This study focuses on the biochemical and structural characterization of EryP as a LanP(M1) enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of class III lanthipeptide erythreapeptin. By analyzing the X-ray crystal structures of EryP in different conformations, the researchers identified a unique Ca2+ binding site that regulates the domain dynamics and proteolytic activity. Inspired by this regulatory Ca2+ binding, they developed a strategy to enhance the catalytic activities of LanP(M1) enzymes by strengthening interdomain associations and promoting the conformational equilibrium towards the closed forms.
NATURE CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xiaowei Guo, Zhuojie Li, Xiaojie Zhu, Meixiao Zhan, Chenxi Wu, Xiang Ding, Kai Peng, Wenzhe Li, Xianjue Ma, Zhongwei Lv, Ligong Lu, Lei Xue
Summary: Autophagy is a degradation process that regulates various physiological and pathological activities. SNAI2, a crucial factor in cancer progression, has been identified as a regulator of autophagy. The binding of DNA targets is critical for FOXO3 to regulate protein nuclear localization, and SNAI2 expression is mediated by FOXO3. These findings reveal a new regulatory loop for inducing autophagy gene expression under energy stress.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Huayi Liu, Yi Zhou, Yingjie Song, Qianqian Zhang, Yeyi Kan, Xinyue Tang, Qingjie Xiao, Qianyin Xiang, Huanxiang Liu, Yunzi Luo, Rui Bao
Summary: CRISPR-Cas9 from Streptococcus pyogenes is a powerful biotechnological tool for DNA sequence modification. Understanding the dynamic mechanism of the REC lobe is crucial for designing and engineering better Cas9 enzymes. The structure analysis of the xCas9 P411T variant and molecular dynamics simulations revealed the central role of REC1 in the activation and target site binding process of Cas9.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yingjie Song, Siping Zhang, Zirui Ye, Yongyan Song, Lin Chen, Aiping Tong, Yongxing He, Rui Bao
Summary: This study describes a group of GNAT-Xre TA modules widely distributed among Pseudomonas species, with one member - PacT toxin positively regulating iron acquisition in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Additionally, PacT can directly bind to Fur and attenuate its DNA-binding affinity to permit expression of downstream iron-acquisition-related genes.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yibo Zhu, Yu Wang, Yanjing Zhang, Mengjun Pu, Wenqian Miao, Mingran Bai, Rui Bao, Jia Geng
Summary: In this study, we investigated the Bpss1228 channel from Burkholderia pseudomallei, which has been shown to be associated with pseudomallei infection. We found that Bpss1228 is a strictly cation-selective channel and is modulated by magnesium ions. Additionally, we proposed a synergistic gating mechanism by which CorA family channels control intracellular magnesium homeostasis.
FRONTIERS IN CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Mingyuan Sun, Mingyu Ma, Yang Guo, Songyang Yuan, Hui Xiong, Ziyu Tan, Wenzhe Li, Jiandong Fan, Zhijun Ning
Summary: Molecular design of low-dimensional structure is a promising approach to improve the stability and efficiency of tin perovskite solar cells.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Fangnon Firmin Fangninou, Zhenyang Yu, Zhuo Li, Awoke Guadie, Wenzhe Li, Lei Xue, Daqiang Yin
Summary: Metastasis is a major cause of cancer mortality, and environmental carcinogens have serious effects on this process. In this study using a fruitfly model, it was found that PCB126, PFOA, and CdCl2 significantly increased tumor invasion rates and decreased larval body weight and locomotion behavior. These effects were associated with disturbances in the expression of target genes in the MAPK and UPR pathways, which were attenuated by inhibitors of p38, JNK, and IRE1. The results highlight the important role of sna/E-cad in connecting the effects of carcinogens on UPR and MAPK regulations and the resultant metastasis.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Chang-Cheng Li, Huan Yi, Yan-Mei Wang, Xin-Yue Tang, Yi-Bo Zhu, Ying-Jie Song, Ning-Lin Zhao, Qin Huang, Xing-Yu Mou, Gui-Hua Luo, Tong-Gen Liu, Gang-Long Yang, Yu-Jiao Zeng, Li-Jie Wang, Hong Tang, Gang Fan, Rui Bao
Summary: This study evaluated the activity of the beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase Am2136 from A. muciniphila in mucin glycan cleavage, demonstrating it to be a generalist enzyme. The researchers also discovered that the hydrolysis activity of Am2136 is enhanced by nucleotides, which may be associated with conformational motions of the enzyme. This is the first report of a nucleotide effector-regulated beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase and sheds light on its novel biological functions.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ninglin Zhao, Yingjie Song, Xiangqian Xie, Ziqi Zhu, Chenxi Duan, Cheng Nong, Huan Wang, Rui Bao
Summary: Synthetic biology provides genetic tools to reprogram and engineer cells for improved performance and diverse applications in biomedicine. However, applying genetically engineered cells in clinical practice faces limitations and challenges. This literature review updates the recent advances in biomedical applications of cell engineering, including diagnosis, treatment, and drug development, and discusses future directions to optimize therapeutic activities in specific diseases.
SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION AND TARGETED THERAPY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Bihao Zhuang, Zicong Jin, Dehua Tian, Suiyi Zhu, Linqian Zeng, Jiandong Fan, Zaizhu Lou, Wenzhe Li
Summary: Luminescent materials, especially Pb-based and Sn-based perovskites, have shown promise for various applications. However, their high toxicity and low stability limit their practical use. In this study, Sb-based perovskites were investigated as a potential alternative due to their low toxicity and high stability. The researchers reported a novel series of (4-HBA)SbX5·H2O single crystals and found that manipulating the Cl- concentration can improve their optical properties and photoluminescence efficiency.
ACTA PHYSICO-CHIMICA SINICA
(2023)
