Review
Plant Sciences
Carmen Castell, Luis A. Rodriguez-Lumbreras, Manuel Hervas, Juan Fernandez-Recio, Jose A. Navarro
Summary: The text discusses the evolution and functional differences of the copper-protein plastocyanin (Pc) among different groups of organisms, as well as the mechanisms of electron transfer in the green, red, and diatom lineages.
PLANT AND CELL PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Raquel Garcia-Canas, Joaquin Giner-Lamia, Francisco J. Florencio, Luis Lopez-Maury
Summary: The study reveals the involvement of proteins PetR and PetP in regulating the soluble electron carrier in cells. Transcriptomic analysis shows that the PetRP system specifically regulates four genes (petE, petJ, slr0601, and slr0602), with their presence potentially representing an early adaptation to decreased iron bioavailability following the GOE.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Claire C. Mammoser, Ryan E. Agh, Nicholas M. Garcia, Yiqi Wang, Megan C. Thielges
Summary: This study demonstrates the utility of carbon-deuterium labels for selective analysis of metal sites and reveals substantial strengthening of the key Cu-Cys89 bond in plastocyanin upon association with cytochrome f.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Kuo Song, Stefan Tholen, Desiree Baumgartner, Oliver Schilling, Wolfgang R. Hess
Summary: This protocol describes the purification of intact and active ATPase from the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. The purification is based on the fusion of a 3xFLAG tag to the beta subunit. The enzymatic activity and purity of the ATPase are demonstrated using mass spectrometry, denaturing, and blue-native PAGE.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stefania Viola, Julien Selles, Benjamin Bailleul, Pierre Joliot, Francis-Andre Wollman
Summary: Recent studies have shown that both cytochrome c(6) and plastocyanin can bind to photosystem I (PSI) and participate in the fast reduction of P-700 in the dark, although the pre-bound fraction of PSI is smaller with cytochrome c(6). Inhibition of cytochrome c oxidase in cyanobacteria leads to over-reduction of the photosynthetic electron transfer chain in the dark, resulting in a delay in the kinetics of P-700 oxidation upon light exposure. This electron transport partitioning between respiration and photosynthesis is regulated in a similar manner irrespective of the lumenal electron carrier present, but the underlying mechanisms remain to be fully understood.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Fatemeh Khosravitabar, Fikret Mamedov
Summary: Periodic surges of H2 evolution were observed in the green unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in the presence of electron transport inhibitors. Fluorescence, thermoluminescence, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy indicate the involvement of different metabolic pathways in the H2 production.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tatiana Y. Hargrove, David C. Lamb, Jarrod A. Smith, Zdzislaw Wawrzak, Steven L. Kelly, Galina Lepesheva
Summary: This study investigates the molecular evolution of cytochromes P450 and oxidative catalysis by using X-ray crystallography, molecular dynamics simulations, phylogenetics, and electron transfer measurements. The results provide insights into the electron transfer mechanism and protein binding in P450 enzymes. The findings have implications for understanding the early evolution of cytochromes P450 and the redox reactions in sterol biosynthesis.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Coral Mycroft, Guilherme Dal Poggetto, Thaiis M. Barbosa, Claiudio F. Tormena, Mathias Nilsson, Gareth A. Morris, Laura Castanar
Summary: The NMR analysis of fluorine-containing molecules is important in pharmaceuticals and biochemistry, but faces challenges due to severe peak overlap. This study introduces a new method, IPAP-FESTA, that simplifies measurements of proton-fluorine couplings. Its usefulness is demonstrated in the structural study of the drug fluticasone propionate and in assessing solvent effects on fluorohydrin conformational equilibrium in a mixture.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Mechanics
Alfonso M. Ganan-Calvo, Jose M. Lopez-Herrera
Summary: Using dynamical scaling analysis, this study predicts the size and speed of ejected droplets within the experimental range of Ohnesorge and Bond numbers, showing a delicate balance in the transient ejection process around a critical Ohnesorge number and sensitivity to initial conditions. The model presented in this study impacts the statistical description of phenomena such as sea spray.
JOURNAL OF FLUID MECHANICS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yixin Lan, Qi Chen, Mengmeng Kong, Yanyun Liu, Ming-Ju Amy Lyu, Shahnaz Perveen, Hualing Mi
Summary: The study revealed that the PetM mutant in Arabidopsis exhibited a similar phenotype to the PetC mutant, suggesting the crucial role of PetM in maintaining the function of the cyt b(6)f complex.
PLANT AND CELL PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Carlos Gutierrez-Merino, Oscar H. Martinez-Costa, Maria Monsalve, Alejandro K. Samhan-Arias
Summary: Membrane cytochrome b(5) reductase is an oxidoreductase that reduces multiple acceptors localized in cellular membranes using NADH as an electron donor. The understanding of the electron transfer process of the reductase towards potential acceptors is still only partially understood. Computational analysis of protein structures provides a potential method to further investigate the roles of different domains within the reductase structure.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Na Li, Wing Shing Wong, Lei Feng, Chunming Wang, King Shing Wong, Nianhui Zhang, Wei Yang, Yueming Jiang, Liwen Jiang, Jun-Xian He
Summary: The study reports the discovery and characterization of a new tiny albino 1 (nta1) mutant in Arabidopsis, which shows severe defects in the accumulation of cytochrome b6f (Cyt b6f) complex and chloroplast development. The nta1 phenotype is caused by disruption of a single nuclear gene, NTA1, which encodes a conserved thylakoid membrane protein. NTA1 interacts with multiple subunits of Cyt b6f and plays an essential role in its assembly and the development of chloroplast.
PLANT COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Christopher Hepworth, William H. J. Wood, Tom Z. Emrich-Mills, Matthew S. Proctor, Stuart Casson, Matthew P. Johnson
Summary: The phosphorylation of LHCII by TAP38/STN7 regulates the excitation rates of PSI and PSII, as well as the size of thylakoid grana stacks. By comparing different plant mutants, it was found that smaller grana enhance PSI reduction and photosynthesis under low light, while larger grana optimize photosynthesis by preventing PSI photoinhibition under high light. State transitions and dynamic thylakoid stacking work synergistically to regulate photosynthesis in variable light conditions.
Article
Physics, Particles & Fields
K. Dialektopoulos, G. Leon, A. Paliathanasis
Summary: The Noether symmetry analysis is used to investigate a multiscalar field cosmological model in teleparallel gravity. Specifically, the study focuses on two scalar fields interacting in scalar-torsion theory. The field equations are described in a minisuperspace framework, and the evolution of physical variables depends on the potential function governing the dynamics of the scalar fields. By requiring the field equations to possess non-trivial Noether point symmetries and utilizing the first theorem of Noether, restrictions are imposed on the functional forms of the potential. Finally, symmetry vectors and corresponding conservation laws are employed to determine exact and analytic solutions in multiscalar-torsion cosmology.
EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL C
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Jian Wu, Qingzhu Teng, Yushuai Mao, Yabing Duan, Xiayan Pan, Shu Xu, Yiqiang Cai, Yuemin Pan, Mingguo Zhou, Yong Zhang
Summary: The study found that the cytochrome bc1 complex plays a critical and conserved role in tolerating phenazines in Xanthomonas, and that cytochrome C4 is key in revealing the tolerance mechanism. This research provides a potential strategy to improve the activity of phenazines against Xanthomonas.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Antonella Di Savino, Johannes M. Foerster, G. Matthias Ullmann, Marcellus Ubbink
Summary: Formation of protein complexes heavily relies on electrostatic interactions, which guide recognition and binding through optimized charge distributions on the surface of redox proteins. Investigating the interactions between cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP) and cytochrome c (Cc), it was found that additional charge patches can either enhance or disrupt productive complex formation depending on the presence of negative residues in the regular binding site.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ilona van Alen, Aleksandra Chikunova, Adil A. Safeer, Misbha Ud Din Ahmad, Anastassis Perrakis, Marcellus Ubbink
Summary: The rise of antibiotic resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis poses a global health threat, necessitating the development of new antibiotics. A study on the evolution of BlaC showed that a single amino acid mutation can easily lead to reduced sensitivity to the inhibitor sulbactam, potentially hindering the use of combination therapies.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Simon P. Skinner, Alec H. Follmer, Marcellus Ubbink, Thomas L. Poulos, Jeanine J. Houwing-Duistermaat, Emanuele Paci
Summary: The research found that during the catalysis of camphor by P450cam, an allosteric camphor binding site is opened upon camphor binding, facilitating the binding of Pdx; the state to which Pdx binds comprises an ensemble of structures with features of both the open and closed state.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Antonella Di Savino, Johannes M. Foerster, G. Matthias Ullmann, Marcellus Ubbink
Summary: Optimal charge distribution is important for efficient formation of protein complexes, as electrostatic interactions guide encounter complex formation. However, introducing extra charged patches on a protein surface does not necessarily reduce productive encounters. A complex with a high population of encounter complex may be more affected by suboptimal charge distribution, as demonstrated in interactions between cytochrome c mutants and wild-type or variant cytochrome c peroxidases.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fredj Ben Bdira, Amanda M. Erkelens, Liang Qin, Alexander N. Volkov, Andrew M. Lippa, Nicholas Bowring, Aimee L. Boyle, Marcellus Ubbink, Simon L. Dove, Remus T. Dame
Summary: H-NS family proteins play important roles in genome organization and regulation of foreign genes, with gene repression directly dependent on their DNA binding modes. The protein gp4 encoded by Pseudomonas lytic phage LUZ24 can specifically interfere with the formation and stability of the bridged MvaT-DNA complex, relieving gene silencing and adversely affecting P. aeruginosa growth. Controlling H-NS conformation may provide new ways to combat Pseudomonas multidrug resistance.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qing Miao, Christoph Nitsche, Henry Orton, Mark Overhand, Gottfried Otting, Marcellus Ubbink
Summary: Paramagnetic chemical probes have been widely used in EPR and NMR spectroscopy, especially in the study of biological macromolecules. Recent developments include an increase in the variety of paramagnetic probes, the development of lanthanoid probes for protein studies, and the development of isotropic paramagnetic probes for NMR and EPR measurements.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Aleksandra Chikunova, Marcellus Ubbink
Summary: Evolution minimizes the number of highly conserved amino acid residues in proteins to ensure evolutionary robustness and adaptability. This study analyzes the roles of all highly conserved, non-catalytic residues in class A beta-lactamase and reveals their importance in fine-tuning the active site structure, maintaining protein folding and stability.
Article
Microbiology
Brittany N. Zepernick, Elizabeth R. Denison, Justin D. Chaffin, George S. Bullerjahn, Christa P. Pennacchio, Thijs Frenken, Daniel H. Peck, James T. Anderson, Derek Niles, Arthur Zastepa, R. Michael L. McKay, Steven W. Wilhelm
Summary: This study reports the assembled metatranscriptomes of microbial communities in Lake Erie surface water, revealing the dominance of diatoms in both winter and spring months. The analysis was conducted across spatial, temporal, and climatic gradients from 2019 to 2020.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Katelyn M. McKindles, R. Michael McKay, George S. Bullerjahn
Summary: In this study, 20 new Planktothrix agardhii isolates were obtained from early blooms and subjected to genomic sequencing and analysis. The study found that each genome of these isolates had unique characteristics, demonstrating the unexplored diversity of this genus.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Brittany N. Zepernick, Steven W. Wilhelm, George S. Bullerjahn, Hans W. Paerl
Summary: This article discusses the problem of the freshwater-marine continuum, which refers to the effects of nutrients and toxic cyanobacterial blooms spreading through water bodies. Historically, marine and freshwater research have been conducted independently, failing to address the exchange of nutrients and biology between these systems.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Katelyn M. McKindles, R. Michael L. McKay, George S. Bullerjahn, Thijs Frenken
Summary: This article investigates the impact of fungal infections on cyanobacteria and harmful algal bloom formation. It reveals that competition between different fungal parasites can alter infection outcomes and prevalence.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ilona van Alen, Aleksandra Chikunova, Danny B. van Zanten, Amber A. de Block, Monika Timmer, Steffen Brunle, Marcellus Ubbink
Summary: Conserved residues are usually essential for protein function, but mutations in highly conserved residues of BlaC did not significantly affect the enzyme. One mutation, D179N, even increased ceftazidime resistance while maintaining good activity against penicillins. Crystal structures of BlaC D179N revealed minor structural changes compared to wild-type BlaC, and introducing this mutation in other beta-lactamases resulted in decreased antibiotic resistance. The importance of the interaction with Arg164 explains why Asp179 is not essential in BlaC.
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Qing Miao, Rene Dekkers, Karthick Babu Sai Sankar Gupta, Mark Overhand, Rubin Dasgupta, Marcellus Ubbink
Summary: A hydrophilic rigid macrocyclic ligand was designed and synthesized for investigating the conformational dynamics of its complex with europium using NMR spectroscopy. The results showed that the complex exists in two conformers, with the twisted square antiprismatic one being favored. This ligand is suitable for developing rigid probes for paramagnetic NMR of proteins and is less likely to cause protein precipitation due to its hydrophilic nature.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Gwendolyn F. Stark, Robbie M. Martin, Laura E. Smith, Bofan Wei, Ferdi L. Hellweger, George S. Bullerjahn, R. Michael L. Mckay, Gregory L. Boyer, Steven W. Wilhelm
Summary: The increase in microcystin quota per cell in Microcystis aeruginosa PCC 7806 provides a fitness advantage during growth at lower temperatures, while a non-toxigenic mutant strain employs compensatory mechanisms to defend against reactive oxygen species without the presence of microcystin.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qing Miao, Christoph Nitsche, Henry Orton, Mark Overhand, Gottfried Otting, Marcellus Ubbink
Summary: This review provides a comprehensive overview of the existing paramagnetic chemical probes, including chemical synthetic approaches, functional properties, and selected applications in the study of biological macromolecules. Recent developments have seen a rapid expansion of lanthanoid probes with anisotropic magnetic susceptibilities and isotropic paramagnetic probes for protein studies and investigations of biological macromolecules.