Article
Genetics & Heredity
Tala Bakheet, Khalid S. A. Khabar, Edward G. Hitti
Summary: This study reveals that mRNAs containing AREs are preferentially upregulated in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection globally. Particularly, they are most highly upregulated in mild COVID-19 cases. The levels of these ARE-mRNAs, measured by RNA-seq, may serve as a reliable indication of COVID-19 severity.
Article
Cell Biology
Anjaneyulu Murari, Shauna-Kay Rhooms, Divya Vimal, Kaniz Fatima Binte Hossain, Sanjay Saini, Maximino Villanueva, Michael Schlame, Edward Owusu-Ansah
Summary: The function of phospholipids intertwined with mitochondrial complex I subunits in the membrane domain of CI is unclear. However, disrupted PL transporter STARD7 impairs assembly of OXPHOS system and CI subcomplexes, while restrained knockdown of STARD7 affects incorporation of NDUFS5 and NDUFA1 into the proximal part of CI membrane domain. The knockdown also induces modest cardio-lipin remodeling, indicating alteration in mitochondrial phospholipid composition.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Haruhide Udagawa, Nobuaki Funahashi, Wataru Nishimura, Takashi Uebanso, Miho Kawaguchi, Riku Asahi, Shigeru Nakajima, Takao Nammo, Masaki Hiramoto, Kazuki Yasuda
Summary: The study aimed to investigate the effects of adipocyte-derived factors on pancreatic beta-cell functioning. The results showed that a conditioned medium from adipocytes suppressed insulin secretion by inducing a negative regulator of insulin secretion, NECAB1. Additionally, steroid hormones present in the conditioned medium were found to contribute to this effect. The findings suggest that NECAB1 may play a novel role in obesity-related diabetes mellitus.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Timothy Fuqua, Jeff Jordan, Aliaksandr Halavatyi, Christian Tischer, Kerstin Richter, Justin Crocker
Summary: The study presents a semi-automated pipeline for fixing, staining, and imaging Drosophila embryos, with a liquid handling robot at its core. The efficiency of this pipeline is demonstrated, along with detailed technical overview and implementation steps.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Alexander P. Rezvykh, Sergei Yu. Funikov, Lyudmila A. Protsenko, Dina A. Kulikova, Elena S. Zelentsova, Lyubov N. Chuvakova, Justin P. Blumenstiel, Michael B. Evgen'ev
Summary: The pericentromeric heterochromatin in Drosophila is composed of repetitive DNA and associated with gene silencing. During evolution, active genes have been retained within pericentromeric regions in D. virilis, with amino acid composition under purifying selection and gene introns expanding due to TE invasion. The formation of pericentromeric heterochromatin in the virilis group species began more than 20 million years ago through TE invasions, with ongoing invasions by TEs under piRNA silencing regulation.
Article
Cell Biology
Cecilia Artico Banho, Daniel Siqueira Oliveira, Annabelle Haudry, Marie Fablet, Cristina Vieira, Claudia Marcia Aparecida Carareto
Summary: Interspecific hybridization in Drosophila may result in sterility and inviability due to differential gene expression and transposable element mobilization. Studies on the impact of TE mobilization in recently diverged species like Drosophila arizonae and D. mojavensis are limited. Research findings suggest that the differential expression of genes and TE regulation in gonadal tissues of parental species play a significant role in hybridization outcomes.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jung-Hwan Choi, Lauren Bayer Horowitz, Niels Ringstad
Summary: The study reveals that in a C. elegans chemosensory circuit, regulation of neurotransmitter packaging via the antagonistic interaction between VGLUT and VST-1 influences synaptic glutamate signaling strength and neurotransmitter release, which in turn affects chemotaxis behavior.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Sarah Signor, Jeffrey Vedanayagam, Bernard Y. Kim, Filip Wierzbicki, Robert Kofler, Eric C. Lai, Harmit S. Malik
Summary: The flamenco gene plays a key role in suppressing transposable elements in Drosophila, producing piRNAs to target active transposons. However, the sequence and copy number of the flamenco gene have changed in different Drosophila species. The flamenco genes in D. simulans and D. mauritiana show features of dual-stranded clusters and have increased copy numbers of germline transposons.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Astrid Giesecke, Peter S. Johnstone, Angelique Lamaze, Johannes Landskron, Ezgi Atay, Ko-Fan Chen, Eva Wolf, Deniz Top, Ralf Stanewsky
Summary: This study characterizes a novel mutation in the per clock gene of Drosophila melanogaster, which affects temperature compensation of the circadian clock. The mutation alters the nuclear export of PER protein and leads to longer behavioral periods and clock oscillations at higher temperatures. The study also reveals the involvement of PER nuclear export and the transcription factor CLK in temperature compensation of the circadian clock.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Tao Jiang, Ruobing Qu, Xuan Liu, Yanjun Hou, Li Wang, Yimin Hua
Summary: This study reveals a novel mechanism contributing to mis-splicing of SMN2 exon 7. The researchers found that hnRNPR interacts with SMN1/2 pre-mRNAs and inhibits exon 7 inclusion.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Rafael Galupa, Gilberto Alvarez-Canales, Noa Ottilie Borst, Timothy Fuqua, Lautaro Gandara, Natalia Misunou, Kerstin Richter, Mariana R. P. Alves, Esther Karumbi, Melinda Liu Perkins, Tin Kocijan, Christine A. Rushlow, Justin Crocker
Summary: Developmental enhancers bind transcription factors and dictate patterns of gene expression during development. Their molecular evolution can underlie phenotypical evolution, but the contributions of the evolutionary pathways involved remain little understood. Our findings suggest that the phenotypic landscapes of developmental enhancers are constrained by enhancer architecture and chromatin accessibility. The evolution of existing enhancers is limited in its capacity to generate novel phenotypes, whereas the activity of de novo elements is a primary source of phenotypic novelty.
DEVELOPMENTAL CELL
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Abijeet Singh Mehta, Prajakta Deshpande, Anuradha Venkatakrishnan Chimata, Panagiotis A. Tsonis, Amit Singh
Summary: The study demonstrates that unique newt genes can restore missing photoreceptor cells in the Drosophila eye model by regulating cell proliferation and blocking cell death, and acting on the conserved Wingless (Wg)/Wnt signaling pathway. These newt genes show powerful repair capability in the Drosophila eye model.
Article
Cell Biology
Francesco Napoletano, Gloria Ferrari Bravo, Ilaria Anna Pia Voto, Aurora Santin, Lucia Celora, Elena Campaner, Clara Dezi, Arianna Bertossi, Elena Valentino, Mariangela Santorsola, Alessandra Rustighi, Valentina Fajner, Elena Maspero, Federico Ansaloni, Valeria Cancila, Cesare Fabio Valenti, Manuela Santo, Osvaldo Basilio Artimagnella, Sara Finaurini, Ubaldo Gioia, Simona Polo, Remo Sanges, Claudio Tripodo, Antonello Mallamaci, Stefano Gustincich, Fabrizio D'Adda di Fagagna, Fiamma Mantovani, Valeria Specchia, Giannino Del Sal
Summary: PIN1 is a crucial protein in maintaining heterochromatin, preventing neurodegeneration and cognitive defects caused by TE mobilization. Its mechanism is conserved from Drosophila to humans.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elzbieta Krzywinska, Luca Ferretti, Jianwei Li, Jian-Chiuan Li, Chun-Hong Chen, Jaroslaw Krzywinski
Summary: The evolutionary puzzle of insect sex determination and dosage compensation pathways has been mostly solved in Drosophila melanogaster, with only terminal genes in the pathway being well conserved. The doublesex (dsx) gene, an ancient sex-determining gene, is present in all studied species except lepidopterans. In Anopheles gambiae, the femaleless (fle) gene controls sex determination in females by regulating splicing of dsx and fruitless (fru) and represents a novel molecular link between sex determination and dosage compensation pathways, making it a potential target for genetic control of malaria vectors.
Article
Oncology
Jennifer A. Jimenez, April A. Apfelbaum, Allegra G. Hawkins, Laurie K. Svoboda, Abhijay Kumar, Ramon Ocadiz Ruiz, Alessandra X. Garcia, Elena Haarer, Zeribe C. Nwosu, Joshua Bradin, Trupta Purohit, Dong Chen, Tomasz Cierpicki, Jolanta Grembecka, Costas A. Lyssiotis, Elizabeth R. Lawlor
Summary: Ewing sarcomas are driven by EWS-ETS fusions, with EWS-FLI1 being the most common fusion gene. Both EWS-FLI1 and menin regulate serine biosynthesis by modulating ATF4, a stress-response gene. Inhibition of EWS-FLI1 or menin leads to loss of ATF4 and downregulation of serine synthesis pathway genes.
MOLECULAR CANCER RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tala Bakheet, Edward Hitti, Khalid S. A. Khabar
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2018)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tala Bakheet, Edward Hitti, Maher Al-Saif, Walid N. Moghrabi, Khalid S. A. Khabar
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS
(2018)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Latifa Al-Haj, Khalid S. A. Khabar
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Latifa Al-Haj, Khalid S. A. Khabar
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Linah Mahmoud, Walid Moghrabi, Khalid S. A. Khabar, Edward G. Hitti
Article
Respiratory System
Eid A. Al-Mutairy, Faiga Ahmad Imtiaz, Mohammed Khalid, Somaya Al Qattan, Soad Saleh, Linah Mahmood Mahmoud, Maher Mohammed Al-Saif, Latifa Al-Haj, Azizah Al-Enazi, Abdullah M. AlJebreen, Shamayel Faheem Mohammed, Abdullah Fahad Mobeireek, Khalid Alkattan, Muzamil Amin Chisti, Irina G. Luzina, Mohammed Al-Owain, Ihab Weheba, Abeer Mohamed Abdelsayed, Khushnooda Ramzan, Luke J. Janssen, Walter Conca, Ayodele Alaiya, Kate S. Collison, Brian F. Meyer, Sergei P. Atamas, Khalid S. Khabar, Jeffrey D. Hasday, Futwan Al-Mohanna
EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY JOURNAL
(2019)
Article
Immunology
Linah Mahmoud, Alaa S. Abdulkarim, Shaima Kutbi, Walid Moghrabi, Sulaiman Altwijri, Khalid S. A. Khabar, Edward G. Hitti
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Oncology
Qamraa H. Al-Qahtani, Walid N. Moghrabi, Suhad Al-Yahya, Latifa Al-Haj, Maher Al-Saif, Linah Mahmoud, Falah Al-Mohanna, Norah Al-Souhibani, Ayodele Alaiya, Edward Hitti, Khalid S. A. Khabar
Summary: PLK1 inhibition reduces the expression and stability of ARE mRNAs in cancer cells by decreasing the phosphorylation level of ZFP36/TTP, a protein promoting mRNA decay.
MOLECULAR ONCOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Jenan Al-Matouq, Latifa Al-Haj, Maher Al-Saif, Khalid S. A. Khabar
Summary: This study investigated the post-transcriptional control of amplified cancer genes and found that ERBB2 overexpression could enhance this effect. Treatment with ERBB1/2 inhibitors reversed the aberrant ARE-mediated process and accelerated ARE-mRNA decay in ERBB2-amplified breast cancer cells. Targeting the ARE-mediated pathway itself may offer alternative therapeutic approaches.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fatima Cairrao, Cristiana C. Santos, Adrien Le Thomas, Scot Marsters, Avi Ashkenazi, Pedro M. Domingos
Summary: This study reveals that the mRNA binding protein Pumilio in fruit flies can protect Xbp1 mRNA from the non-canonical endoribonuclease activity of Ire1 by binding to it. The phosphorylation of Pumilio is crucial for its stabilization of Xbp1 mRNA.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Minjing Zou, Suhad Al-Yahya, Monther Al-Alwan, Huda A. BinEssa, Khalid S. A. Khabar, Falah Almohanna, Abdullah M. Assiri, Abdulmohsen Altaweel, Amal Qattan, Brian F. Meyer, Ali S. Alzahrani, Yufei Shi
Summary: BRAF(V600E) mutations are common in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), and beta-catenin is often overexpressed in PTC. Tumors driven by BRAF(V600E) rely on Wnt/beta-catenin signaling for growth and progression.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Tala Bakheet, Khalid S. A. Khabar, Edward G. Hitti
Summary: This study reveals that mRNAs containing AREs are preferentially upregulated in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection globally. Particularly, they are most highly upregulated in mild COVID-19 cases. The levels of these ARE-mRNAs, measured by RNA-seq, may serve as a reliable indication of COVID-19 severity.
Article
Oncology
Mysoon M. Al-Ansari, Maher Al-Saif, Maria Arafah, Abdelmonneim M. Eldali, Asma Tulbah, Taher Al-Tweigeri, Abdelhabib Semlali, Khalid S. Khabar, Abdelilah Aboussekhra
BREAST CANCER RESEARCH
(2020)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Dorota Monies, Hussam Abou Al-Shaar, Ewa A. Goljan, Banan Al-Younes, Muna Monther Abdullah Al-Breacan, Maher Mohammed Al-Saif, Salma M. Wakil, Brian F. Meyer, Khalid S. A. Khabar, Saeed Bohlega
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Nisha Patel, Arif O. Khan, Maher Al-Saif, Walid N. Moghrabi, Balsam M. AlMaarik, Niema Ibrahim, Firdous Abdulwahab, Mais Hashem, Tarfa Alshidi, Eman Alobeid, Rana A. Alomar, Saad Al-Harbi, Mohamed Abouelhoda, Khalid S. A. Khabar, Fowzan S. Alkuraya