Article
Microbiology
Ines Castro, Hugo Costa, Israela Turgeman-Grott, Thorsten Allers, Sonia Mendo, Tania Caetano
Summary: Research on Archaea's secondary metabolites is still behind that of Bacteria and Eukarya. This study focused on analyzing lanthipeptide clusters in Archaea, particularly in the class Halobacteria. The analysis revealed a diverse group of lanthipeptides with novel structures and potential biological and ecological roles, despite the fact that antimicrobial activity in one specific case was not directly related to lanthipeptide production.
MICROBIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Virology
Brendan Russ, Friedhelm Pfeiffer, Mike Dyall-Smith
Summary: The genome of Halovirus HF2 contains two classes of intergenic repeat sequences with AT-rich motifs that are believed to be promoters. These sequences are highly conserved among other members of the same virus genus. Furthermore, transcription analysis using RT-PCR revealed the production of long transcripts from both strands, indicating potential regulatory roles or unrecognized coding potential.
Article
Microbiology
Rafael R. de la Haba, Hiroaki Minegishi, Masahiro Kamekura, Yasuhiro Shimane, Antonio Ventosa
Summary: This study clarified the controversy related to the genera Natrinema and Haloterrigena by conducting a comparative genomic analysis of the type strains. The results indicated that certain species should be transferred to the genus Natrinema, while others should remain in the genus Haloterrigena. Synteny analysis and phenotypic features supported these proposals.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Friedhelm Pfeiffer, Mike Dyall-Smith
Summary: The recent report of the genome of Halobacterium strain 63-R2 provides an opportunity to determine the source of the widely used model strains of Halobacterium salinarum, NRC-1 and R1. Comparative analysis of the genomes revealed that strain 63-R2 is highly similar to NRC-1 and R1, with only a few differences in the chromosome and plasmids. Based on these findings, it is proposed that strain 63-R2 is the immediate ancestor of the twin laboratory strains NRC-1 and R1.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Mike Dyall-Smith, Friedhelm Pfeiffer, Pei-Wen Chiang, Sen-Lin Tang
Summary: Hardycor1 virus, isolated in 1998 infecting Halorubrum coriense, has a large genome with low similarity to known viruses. The virus stock also contains two induced proviruses of the host.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elisa B. Randi, Karim Zuhra, Laszlo Pecze, Theodora Panagaki, Csaba Szabo
Summary: In mammalian cells, cyanide exhibits a biphasic effect on mitochondrial Complex IV activity, stimulating it at low concentrations and inhibiting it at higher concentrations. Low levels of cyanide lead to increased cell proliferation and ATP production, while higher levels result in inhibition of cellular bioenergetics. The presence of cyanide-producing enzymes in mammalian cells suggests a regulatory role for endogenous cyanide.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Jie Chen, Wenxun Song, Yong-Min Lee, Wonwoo Nam, Bin Wang
Summary: The development of environmentally benign selective catalytic oxidation systems for alkene cis-dihydroxylation has been a long-standing goal in the fields of synthetic and biomimetic chemistry and catalysis. Inspired by the structural features and reaction mechanisms of nonheme iron-dependent Rieske dioxygenases, nonheme iron complexes have been designed as functional models and demonstrated selective cis-dihydroxylation of alkenes using H2O2 as a terminal oxidant. This review summarizes recent developments in biologically inspired nonheme iron complexes for cis-dihydroxylation catalysis and discusses the structure-reactivity correlation of catalysts, aiming to provide insights into enzymatic reaction pathways and the rational design of efficient cis-dihydroxylation catalysts.
COORDINATION CHEMISTRY REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Justin M. Di Trani, Zhongle Liu, Luke Whitesell, Peter Brzezinski, Leah E. Cowen, John L. Rubinstein
Summary: In this study, the structure of Candida albicans CIII2 was determined using cryo-EM, revealing the continuous conformational changes of the Rieske head domain. Analysis showed no cooperativity or ligand binding between the Rieske head domain positions in the CIII2 dimer. Additionally, inhibition of CIII2 with the inhibitor Inz-5 was found to alter the equilibrium of Rieske head domain positions.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael Ropke, Daniel Riepl, Patricia Saura, Andrea Di Luca, Max E. Muehlbauer, Alexander Jussupow, Ana P. Gamiz-Hernandez, Ville R. Kaila
Summary: Cellular respiration is powered by redox enzymes that convert chemical energy into an electrochemical proton gradient, driving energy metabolism. Studying conformational changes in mammalian complex I reveals details of proton pumping mechanism. Deactivation of complex I blocks proton transfer, while a potential gating region between membrane domain subunits regulates proton transfer through conformational changes.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Hafiz Ishfaq Ahmad, Muhammad Bilal Bin Majeed, Muhammad Zulfiqar Ahmad, Abdul Jabbar, Babar Maqbool, Shakeel Ahmed, Hamid Mustafa, Mario Juan Simirgiotis, Jinping Chen
Summary: Mitochondrial proteins in Fasciola species were analyzed to investigate amino acid diversity and functional implications. The study revealed conservation of these proteins in different species of Fasciola and identified differences in binding sites and structure. These results provide insights into the variations in mitochondrial proteins among Fasciola species.
MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wenjuan Zhu, Akhilesh Kumar, Jin Xiong, Macon J. Abernathy, Xiao-Xi Li, Mi Sook Seo, Yong-Min Lee, Ritimukta Sarangi, Yisong Guo, Wonwoo Nam
Summary: The nature of reactive intermediates and the cis-dihydroxylation mechanism of arenes and olefins have been studied extensively in the past few decades. In this study, the reaction between a spectroscopically characterized mononuclear nonheme iron(III)-peroxo complex and olefins and naphthalene derivatives has been investigated. The results show that the nonheme iron(III)-peroxo complex is a nucleophile and reacts with olefins and naphthalenes to yield cis-diol products. This study presents the first example of cis-dihydroxylation of substrates by a nonheme iron(III)-peroxo complex.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marley Brimberry, Alejandro Arcadio Garcia, Jianxin Liu, Jiayi Tian, Jennifer Bridwell-Rabb
Summary: Enzyme engineering is crucial for various applications, including biotechnology, chemical manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and environmental remediation. Traditionally, protein design focused on active site residues for desired catalytic properties, but recent studies show that structural elements beyond the active site, like subunit-subunit interactions and flexible loops, also impact enzyme catalysis. This is particularly true for Rieske oxygenases, where the architectural features inside and outside the active site play a significant role in catalysis. Therefore, future Rieske oxygenase engineering efforts should consider these features.
CURRENT OPINION IN CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Guillermo Martinez Martinez, Carmen Pire, Rosa Maria Martinez-Espinosa
Summary: Extremophilic microbes have unique metabolism due to their adaptations to extreme environments. They have potential biotechnological applications, such as wastewater treatment. Alicante county in Spain has many salty environments, and this review summarizes the relevant biotechnological applications of halophilic microbes and emphasizes the microbial biodiversity of ecosystems like the Torrevieja lagoons and inland salt marshes.
CURRENT RESEARCH IN MICROBIAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Physiology
Robert L. Chevalier
Summary: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects a significant portion of the world population, particularly middle-aged individuals. The risk for CKD is related to the loss of functioning nephrons, which are vulnerable to both internal and external stressors. The factors responsible for CKD are not well understood, and there is a lack of effective biomarkers or therapies to slow its progression. This review explores the role of evolutionary medicine and bioenergetics in understanding the heterogeneous nephron injury in progressive CKD after episodes of acute kidney injury. It suggests that the adaptations of the mammalian nephron to ancestral environments can become maladaptive with aging, leading to nephron loss. The elucidation of bioenergetic adaptations may provide valuable insights for developing new biomarkers and therapies for CKD.
PHYSIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Vanja Bugarski-Stanojevic, Gorana Stamenkovic, Vida Jojic, Nada Cosic, Dusko Cirovic, Oliver Stojkovic, Jelena Velickovic, Ivo Savic
Summary: This study explores cryptic speciation in blind mole rats, providing molecular genetic records and proposing conservation strategies based on the analysis of chromosomal forms and mitochondrial gene sequences. The findings highlight the need for taxonomic revision and detailed monitoring of cryptic species for conservation purposes.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wolfgang Nitschke
Review
Microbiology
Frauke Baymann, Barbara Schoepp-Cothenet, Simon Duval, Marianne Guiral, Myriam Brugna, Carole Baffert, Michael J. Russell, Wolfgang Nitschke
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sven De Causmaecker, Jeffrey S. Douglass, Andrea Fantuzzi, Wolfgang Nitschke, A. William Rutherford
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2019)
Review
Biology
Simon Duval, Frauke Baymann, Barbara Schoepp-Cothenet, Fabienne Trolard, Guilhem Bourrie, Olivier Grauby, Elbert Branscomb, Michael J. Russell, Wolfgang Nitschke
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Souhela Boughanemi, Pascale Infossi, Marie-Therese Giudici-Orticoni, Barbara Schoepp-Cothenet, Marianne Guiral
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS
(2020)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Simon Duval, Elbert Branscomb, Fabienne Trolard, Guilhem Bourrie, Olivier Grauby, Vasile Heresanu, Barbara Schoepp-Cothenet, Kilian Zuchan, Michael J. Russell, Wolfgang Nitschke
APPLIED CLAY SCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Julie Szyttenholm, Florence Chaspoul, Marielle Bauzan, Anne-Lise Ducluzeau, Mahmoud Hajj Chehade, Fabien Pierrel, Yann Denis, Wolfgang Nitschke, Barbara Schoepp-Cothenet
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS
(2020)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Karl J. Koebke, Toni Kuehl, Elisabeth Lojou, Borries Demeler, Barbara Schoepp-Cothenet, Olga Iranzo, Vincent L. Pecoraro, Anabella Ivancich
Summary: De Novo metalloprotein design explores the relationship between metal active site structure and catalytic activity by controlling iron coordination geometry in an artificial protein scaffold. This study reveals a reversible pH-induced switch in heme axial ligation and characterizes specific coordination modes using spectroscopy. The stability of heme coordination during redox cycling and its catalytic activity under different pH conditions are crucial properties for potential applications.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Schoepp-Cothenet Barbara, Magalon Axel
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Giulia D'Ermo, Marianne Guiral, Barbara Schoepp-Cothenet
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Orion Farr, Nil Gaudu, Gregoire Danger, Michael J. Russell, Daniel Ferry, Wolfgang Nitschke, Simon Duval
Summary: The shared coordination geometries between metal ions in reactive minerals and enzymatic metal cofactors suggest a similarity in mechanisms and evolution between biological metabolism and non-biological chemical mineralogy. By simulating the oxidation reaction of reactive minerals in the presence of seawater, we found that methane oxidation yields not only methanol but also other organic compounds. This discovery reveals a previously unidentified carbon cycling mechanism in modern and ancient environments, and provides insights into the synthesis of organic compounds necessary for the emergence of life.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY INTERFACE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ahmed Djeghader, Melanie Rossotti, Saleh Abdulkarim, Frederic Biaso, Guillaume Gerbaud, Wolfgang Nitschke, Barbara Schoepp-Cothenet, Tewfik Soulimane, Stephane Grimaldi
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2020)