Article
Cell Biology
Kari L. Price, Dyuthi M. Tharakan, Lynn Cooley
Summary: This study uses time-lapse imaging in Drosophila to reveal a process of ring canal formation during germ cell division. The study shows that the reorganization of germ cell midbody cores and changes in centralspindlin dynamics lead to the formation of stable intercellular bridges. This process is conserved in different species and provides insights into the broader functions of incomplete cytokinesis events.
DEVELOPMENTAL CELL
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tohnyui Ndinyanka Fabrice, Christelle Bianda, Haiyan Zhang, Rajesh Jayachandran, Julie Ruer-Laventie, Mayumi Mori, Despina Moshous, Geoffrey Fucile, Alexander Schmidt, Jean Pieters
Summary: This study describes a cell-intrinsic cell density-sensing pathway that enables T cells to reach and maintain an appropriate population size. This pathway operates within cells and maintains the stability of the cell population in tissues or organs through the regulation of specific proteins.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stephanie F. Maurina, John P. O'Sullivan, Geetika Sharma, Daniel C. Pineda Rodriguez, Andrea MacFadden, Francesca Cendali, Morkos A. Henen, Beat Vogeli, Jeffrey S. Kieft, Anum Glasgow, Anna-Lena Steckelberg
Summary: Non-structural protein 1 (Nsp1) is an important pathogenicity factor of SARS-CoV-2 and related coronaviruses. It inhibits host gene expression and antiviral signaling. Nsp1 binds the ribosome and suppresses translation, and its C-terminal domain (CTD) has high-affinity ribosome binding capability. However, the Nsp1 ribosome-binding domain is not an efficient translation inhibitor. A viral RNA element has co-evolved to fine-tune SARS-CoV-2 Nsp1 function, but does not provide similar protection against Nsp1 from related viruses.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Davia Prischich, Nuria Camarero, Javier Encinar del Dedo, Maria Cambra-Pelleja, Judit Prat, Laura Nevola, Andres Martin-Quiros, Elena Rebollo, Laura Pastor, Ernest Giralt, Maria Isabel Geli, Pau Gorostiza
Summary: Clathrin-mediated endocytosis is a common cellular process in eukaryotes. TL2, a light-regulated peptide inhibitor, can precisely control endocytosis. Interestingly, TL2 retains its inhibitory activity in yeast, even though the corresponding target is not conserved in yeast.
Review
Evolutionary Biology
Richard Jaeger, Laura A. Moody
Summary: The transition of plants from water to land approximately 470 million years ago marked a significant change in plant body plan. Physcomitrium patens, a moss and representative of the earliest land plant lineage, provides insights into the genetic mechanisms regulating tip growth and differentiation. The differentiation of chloronemal initial cell into caulonemal initial cell in P. patens is tightly regulated by auxin-induced remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton, revealing a key cellular and molecular mechanism in the transition process.
EVOLUTION & DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Nan Ma, Yohanes Cakrapradipta Wibowo, Phillip Wirtz, Doris Baltus, Thomas Wieland, Sepp Jansen
Summary: Tankyrase inhibitors have an impact on endothelial cell function by altering junctional dynamics, permeability, and migration. Mechanistically, tankyrase inhibition stabilizes angiomotin-like proteins 1 and 2, leading to the suppression of YAP1/TAZ nuclear translocation and TEAD-mediated transcription. Additionally, tankyrase inhibitors disrupt adherens junctions through RhoA-ROCK-mediated F-actin bundling. The actin cytoskeleton plays a role in the regulation of YAP1 and TAZ in endothelial cells.
NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERGS ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Hannah Wurzer, Liza Filali, Celine Hoffmann, Max Krecke, Andrea Michela Biolato, Jerome Mastio, Sigrid De Wilde, Jean Hugues Francois, Anne Largeot, Guy Berchem, Jerome Paggetti, Etienne Moussay, Clement Thomas
Summary: The study found that CLL cells can undergo rapid actin cytoskeleton remodeling during NK cell attack, leading to resistance against cytotoxicity. Pharmacological targeting of CLL cell actin cytoskeleton can increase granzyme B levels and restore sensitivity to NK cells.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ophthalmology
Alexander Kirschner, Ana N. Strat, John Yablonski, Hannah Yoo, Tyler Bagu, Haiyan Li, Jing Zhao, Kathryn E. Bollinger, Samuel Herberg, Preethi S. Ganapathy
Summary: In glaucoma, early rearrangement of actin cytoskeleton in astrocytes within the optic nerve head is associated with reactivity and ECM deposition. Inhibition of mechanosensitive channels may attenuate TGF132-mediated actin cytoskeletal remodeling in these astrocytes, suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy for glaucoma.
EXPERIMENTAL EYE RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Besmir Hyseni, Ilir Mazreku, Kemajl Bislimi
Summary: Cancer, especially cervical cancer, is a significant public health threat. Although progress has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer, metastatic cervical cancer still presents a challenge. Therefore, there is a need to understand the mechanisms of cervical cancer and explore new therapies.
CURRENT CANCER THERAPY REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Teresa R. Wagner, Daniel Schnepf, Julius Beer, Natalia Ruetalo, Karin Klingel, Philipp D. Kaiser, Daniel Junker, Martina Sauter, Bjoern Traenkle, Desiree Frecot, Matthias Becker, Nicole Schneiderhan-Marra, Annette Ohnemus, Martin Schwemmle, Michael Schindler, Ulrich Rothbauer
Summary: The study identified two high-affinity biparatopic nanobodies that can neutralize multiple emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, providing protection against virus infection in vivo and demonstrating a significant reduction in disease progression.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Christoph Harmel, Samy Sid Ahmed, Robin Koch, Jana Tunnermann, Tania Distler, Andrea Imle, Luca Giorgetti, Emanuel Bahn, Oliver T. Fackler, Frederik Graw
Summary: This article presents VisuStatR, a platform-independent software package that allows the direct visualization of time-resolved summary statistics of morphological characteristics or motility dynamics onto raw images.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
JiaWen Lim, Moritz Petersen, Maximilian Bunz, Claudia Simon, Michael Schindler
Summary: Flow cytometry based-FRET is a widely used technology for analyzing protein interactions. It allows for quick evaluation of FRET in a large number of cells and provides statistically robust quantification. Recent developments in this field offer promising future perspectives.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Iart Luca Shytaj, Mohamed Fares, Lara Gallucci, Bojana Lucic, Mahmoud M. Tolba, Liv Zimmermann, Julia M. Adler, Na Xing, Judith Bushe, Achim D. Gruber, Ina Ambiel, Ahmed Taha Ayoub, Mirko Cortese, Christopher J. Neufeldt, Bettina Stolp, Mohamed Hossam Sobhy, Moustafa Fathy, Min Zhao, Vibor Laketa, Ricardo Sobhie Diaz, Richard E. Sutton, Petr Chlanda, Steeve Boulant, Ralf Bartenschlager, Megan L. Stanifer, Oliver T. Fackler, Jakob Trimpert, Andrea Savarino, Marina Lusic
Summary: The lack of effective antiviral treatments against SARS-CoV-2 is a significant limitation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. This study highlights cobicistat as a potential therapeutic candidate for treating SARS-CoV-2 infection and as a building block for combination therapies for COVID-19. Cobicistat inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication through the inhibition of spike protein-mediated membrane fusion and enhances the antiviral effect of remdesivir.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel Junker, Alex Dulovic, Matthias Becker, Teresa R. Wagner, Philipp D. Kaiser, Bjoern Traenkle, Katharina Kienzle, Stefanie Bunk, Carlotta Struemper, Helene Haeberle, Kristina Schmauder, Natalia Ruetalo, Nisar Malek, Karina Althaus, Michael Koeppen, Ulrich Rothbauer, Juliane S. Walz, Michael Schindler, Michael Bitzer, Siri Gopel, Nicole Schneiderhan-Marra
Summary: This study developed a new serological multiplex assay to analyze ACE2 binding inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 VOCs and VOIs. The study found that ACE2 binding inhibition correlated with disease severity and antibody levels in COVID-19 patients.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
JiaWen Lim, Elke Straub, Frank Stubenrauch, Thomas Iftner, Michael Schindler, Claudia Simon
Summary: Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are DNA tumor viruses that can cause anogenital carcinoma. The E6 protein of HPV directly interacts with cellular regulatory proteins, affecting cell cycle, differentiation, and polarization. Different types of HPV have different effects on the Notch pathway. Our study found that beta-HPV E6 proteins repressed the Notch reporter expression, while alpha-HPV E6 of HPV16 activated it significantly.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Philipp Klein, Stefan M. Kallenberger, Hanna Roth, Karsten Roth, Thi Bach Nga Ly-Hartig, Vera Magg, Janez Ales, Soheil Rastgou Talemi, Yu Qiang, Steffen Wolf, Olga Oleksiuk, Roma Kurilov, Barbara Di Ventura, Ralf Bartenschlager, Roland Eils, Karl Rohr, Fred A. Hamprecht, Thomas Hoefer, Oliver T. Fackler, Georg Stoecklin, Alessia Ruggieri
Summary: This study elucidated the molecular mechanism of stress granules formation by integrating quantitative experiments and mathematical modeling. The study revealed that the stress response is controlled by a stochastic switch, with key elements including cooperative activation of PKR, ultrasensitive response of SG formation to eIF2 alpha phosphorylation, and negative feedback via GADD34. Furthermore, the study identified GADD34 mRNA levels as a molecular memory of the ISR that plays a central role in cell adaptation to acute and chronic stress.
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Tobias Sinnberg, Christa Lichtensteiger, Omar Hasan Ali, Oltin T. Pop, Ann-Kristin Jochum, Lorenz Risch, Silvio D. Brugger, Ana Velic, David Bomze, Philipp Kohler, Pietro Vernazza, Werner C. Albrich, Christian R. Kahlert, Marie-Therese Abdou, Nina Wyss, Kathrin Hofmeister, Heike Niessner, Carl Zinner, Mara Gilardi, Alexandar Tzankov, Martin Rocken, Alex Dulovic, Srikanth Mairpady Shambat, Natalia Ruetalo, Philipp K. Buehler, Thomas C. Scheier, Wolfram Jochum, Lukas Kern, Samuel Henz, Tino Schneider, Gabriela M. Kuster, Maurin Lampart, Martin Siegemund, Roland Bingisser, Michael Schindler, Nicole Schneiderhan-Marra, Hubert Kalbacher, Kathy D. McCoy, Werner Spengler, Martin H. Brutsche, Boris Macek, Raphael Twerenbold, Josef M. Penninger, Matthias S. Matter, Lukas Flatz
Summary: COVID-19 can cause severe respiratory distress syndrome, and dysregulated immune responses, including autoimmunity, play a key role. This study investigated the presence of IgA autoantibodies targeting lung-specific proteins and their effects on pulmonary surfactant in severe COVID-19 cases.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Ophthalmology
Tarek Bayyoud, Georgios Vavouras Syrigos, Natalia Ruetalo Buschinger, Johanna Wude, Ramona Businger, Dan Hu, Angelika Iftner, Sebastian Thaler, Michael Schindler
Summary: This study suggests that cornea and cornea-derived epithelial cells are resistant to productive SARS-CoV-2 infection, possibly due to low receptor expression levels.
GRAEFES ARCHIVE FOR CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL OPHTHALMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Simon Heumos, Sandra Dehn, Konstantin Braeutigam, Marius C. Codrea, Christian M. Schuerch, Ulrich M. Lauer, Sven Nahnsen, Michael Schindler
Summary: This study identified specific cell surface receptor biomarkers for colon and renal cancer through analyzing the surface receptors of tumor cells, with CD106 (VCAM1) identified as a promising novel immunotherapeutic target for renal cancer treatment.
CANCER CELL INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Natalia Ruetalo, Simon Berger, Jennifer Niessner, Michael Schindler
Summary: Exposing aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 to a low dose of UV-C irradiation (0.42-0.51 mJ/cm(2) at 254 nm) resulted in more than 99.9% reduction in viral titers, demonstrating the high effectiveness of UV-C-based decontamination of aerosols in reducing SARS-CoV-2 infectivity.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Thomas Majer, Keshab Bhattarai, Jan Straetener, Justus Pohlmann, Patrick Cahill, Markus O. Zimmermann, Marc P. Huebner, Marcel Kaiser, Johan Svenson, Michael Schindler, Heike Broetz-Oesterhelt, Frank M. Boeckler, Harald Gross
Summary: Two new ircinianin-type sesterterpenoids, ircinianin lactone B and ircinianin lactone C, were isolated from the marine sponge Ircinia wistarii. The structures were determined using spectroscopic data and computational chemistry. In addition, ircinianin showed moderate antiprotozoal activity.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sophie L. Winter, Gonen Golani, Fabio Lolicato, Melina Vallbracht, Keerthihan Thiyagarajah, Samy Sid Ahmed, Christian Luechtenborg, Oliver T. Fackler, Britta Bruegger, Thomas Hoenen, Walter Nickel, Ulrich S. Schwarz, Petr Chlanda
Summary: During Ebola virus entry into host cells, the virus disassembles and releases the nucleocapsid into the cytosol. This process is driven by the weakening of viral protein 40 (VP40) interactions caused by low endosomal pH. The disassembly of VP40 acts as a molecular switch coupling viral matrix uncoating to membrane fusion.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lara Gallucci, Tobias Abele, Raffaele Fronza, Bettina Stolp, Vibor Laketa, Samy Sid Ahmed, Annica Flemming, Barbara Mueller, Kerstin Goepfrich, Oliver T. Fackler
Summary: Compared to 2D suspension cultures, 3D collagen as a tissue-like environment alters immature dendritic cell (iDC) properties and their response to HIV-1 infection. iDCs in 3D collagen have an elongated morphology with increased deformability, reduced HIV-1 particle uptake, and increased fusion efficiency. Adhesion to a 2D collagen matrix is sufficient to increase iDC deformability, HIV-1 receptor exposure, and permissivity to infection. These findings suggest that mechano-physical cues of 2D and 3D collagen environments regulate iDC function and shape divergent roles during HIV-1 infection.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Georgios Vavouras Syrigos, Maximilian Feige, Alicia Dirlam, Ramona Businger, Iris Gruska, Luder Wiebusch, Klaus Hamprecht, Michael Schindler
Summary: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a dangerous virus that causes serious infections in certain groups of people. It interacts with cellular kinases and encodes a viral kinase called pUL97, which phosphorylates an antiviral factor called SAMHD1. Researchers discovered that CDK inhibitors (CDKIs), drugs approved by the FDA, can inhibit the phosphorylation of SAMHD1 and effectively inhibit HCMV replication in macrophages. This study highlights the potential of CDKIs as antiviral drugs against HCMV and establishes SAMHD1 as a therapeutic target.
ANTIVIRAL RESEARCH
(2023)