Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elizaveta Krol, Lisa Stuckenschneider, Joana M. Kastle Silva, Peter L. Graumann, Anke Becker
Summary: In Rhizobiales bacteria, such as Sinorhizobium meliloti, cell elongation specifically occurs at new cell poles generated by cell division. The FtsN-like protein RgsS and peptidoglycan amidase AmiC play crucial roles in reliable selection of the new cell pole as the cell elongation zone. Absence of these components can lead to inverted growth polarity and incomplete chromosome segregation.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Reinier F. Prosee, Joanna M. Wenda, Isa Oezdemir, Caroline Gabus, Kamila Delaney, Francoise Schwager, Monica Gotta, Florian A. Steiner
Summary: In C. elegans, the N-terminal tail of CENP-A is necessary for the establishment of new centromeres, but becomes dispensable for centromere maintenance during development. Mutants lacking the CENP-A tail can maintain functional centromeres during development, but produce inviable offspring due to the failure to reestablish centromeres in the maternal germ line. The N-terminal tail of CENP-A is identified as a critical domain for interaction with the conserved kinetochore protein KNL-2, suggesting its importance in setting centromere identity in the germ line.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Goro Kato
Summary: This review discusses the structural and functional aspects of Src protein and its regulatory mechanism. By reviewing nuclear magnetic resonance analyses and recent studies, the authors explore new characteristics and regulatory roles of Src protein. Finally, the new regulatory roles are integrated with the canonical model to elucidate the functions of full-length Src.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Sabine Brumm, Manoj K. Singh, Choy Kriechbaum, Sandra Richter, Kerstin Huhn, Tim Kucera, Sarah Baumann, Hanno Wolters, Shinobu Takada, Gerd Juergens
Summary: Evolutionary changes following gene duplication can lead to functional differences in paralogous proteins. In this study, GNOM and GNL1, two paralogous proteins in Arabidopsis, were found to form homodimers but not heterodimers. Heterodimer formation between GNOM and GNL1 was shown to result in developmental defects. The interaction between the N-terminal dimerization and cyclophilin-binding (DCB) domain was found to play a crucial role in preventing the formation of detrimental GNOM-GNL1 heterodimers.
Article
Cell Biology
Guanlan Fan, Fan Wang, Yurou Chen, Qian Zheng, Jie Xiong, Qiongying Lv, Kejia Wu, Jiaqiang Xiong, Lei Wei, Dongqing Li, Jiachen Zhang, Wei Zhang, Feng Li
Summary: In this study, OTUD1 is identified as an Akt-associated protein and is downregulated upon Akt activation. Ectopic OTUD1 inhibits Akt phosphorylation, and a short peptide (OUN-36) located in the OTUD1 N-terminal intrinsically disordered region strongly binds to the Akt PH domain. OUN-36-based therapy efficiently abrogates Akt feedback reactivation and sensitizes cancer cells to chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Anand Divakaran, Cole R. Scholtz, Huda Zahid, Wenwei Lin, Elizabeth C. Griffith, Richard E. Lee, Taosheng Chen, Daniel A. Harki, William C. K. Pomerantz
Summary: Targeted protein degradation is a powerful tool for controlling cellular protein concentrations. In this study, the researchers designed a selective inhibitor of the first BRD4 bromodomain and developed a selective degrader for BRD4. This approach allowed for specific degradation of BRD4 without inhibiting other BET family members such as BRD2/3.
ACS MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Naveenchandra Suryadevara, Andrea R. Shiakolas, Laura A. VanBlargan, Elad Binshtein, Rita E. Chen, James Brett Case, Kevin J. Kramer, Erica C. Armstrong, Luke Myers, Andrew Trivette, Christopher Gainza, Rachel S. Nargi, Christopher N. Selverian, Edgar Davidson, Benjamin J. Doranz, Summer M. Diaz, Laura S. Handal, Robert H. Carnahan, Michael S. Diamond, Ivelin S. Georgiev, James E. Crowe
Summary: This study identifies a rare human antibody, COV23434, that disrupts the integrity of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein and possesses a distinct class of functional activity. The findings suggest that the trimer interface region of the S protein may be a vulnerable site for the virus.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2022)
Article
Virology
Chelsea T. Barrett, Hadley E. Neal, Kearstin Edmonds, J. Lizbeth Reyes Zamora, Carole L. Moncman, Andreea Popa, Everett Clinton Smith, Stacy R. Webb, Rebecca Ellis Dutch
Summary: Hendra virus uses two surface glycoproteins to infect host cells, with the TM region of the F protein playing a key role in stability and fusion. Mutations at residues M491 and L492 have been shown to alter F protein function, indicating their involvement in the fusion process.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Femi Olawale, Opeyemi Iwaloye, Olusola Olalekan Elekofehinti
Summary: The over-expression of PLK1 is linked to cancer prognosis, and this study identified potential inhibitors by targeting the NCD and PBD domains of PLK1 through pharmacophore modeling and molecular docking. The hit compounds showed promising inhibitory activity and drug-like properties for further experimental validation.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Emilie Aponte, Marie Lafitte, Audrey Sirvent, Valerie Simon, Maud Barbery, Elise Fourgous, Mariano Maffei, Florence Armand, Romain Hamelin, Julie Pannequin, Philippe Fort, Miquel Pons, Serge Roche, Yvan Boublik
Summary: This study reveals the important role of the unique domain ULBR in Src tyrosine kinase in malignant cell transformation. The ULBR is involved in membrane anchoring, MAPK signaling, and phosphorylation of specific membrane-localized tyrosine kinases needed for Src oncogenic signaling.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Margit Kaldmae, Thibault Vosselman, Xueying Zhong, Dilraj Lama, Gefei Chen, Mihkel Saluri, Nina Kronqvist, Jia Wei Siau, Aik Seng Ng, Farid J. Ghadessy, Pierre Sabatier, Borivoj Vojtesek, Medoune Sarr, Cagla Sahin, Nicklas Osterlund, Leopold L. Ilag, Venla A. Vaananen, Saikiran Sedimbi, Marie Arsenian-Henriksson, Roman A. Zubarev, Lennart Nilsson, Philip J. B. Koeck, Anna Rising, Axel Abelein, Nicolas Fritz, Jan Johansson, David P. Lane, Michael Landreh
Summary: Disordered proteins pose challenges to structural biology. Researchers have found that fusing the protein with a highly soluble spider silk domain can modulate its characteristics and enhance translation efficiency. This mechanism is of great significance for cancer treatment.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tong Zhang, Wei An, Jiawei Sun, Fei Duan, Zeyu Shao, Fan Zhang, Ting Jiang, Xuliang Deng, Cyrille Boyer, Weiping Gao
Summary: Microbial resistance to antibiotics is a major challenge in global healthcare. A study found that a photoinduced cationic polymer conjugated with lysozyme can effectively overcome bacterial resistance and improve therapeutic efficacy in a rat periodontitis model. This discovery provides an efficient strategy to enhance antimicrobial activities and overcome antimicrobial resistance.
Article
Microbiology
Victor M. Chavez-Jacobo, Victor A. Becerra-Rivera, Gabriela Guerrero, Michael F. Dunn
Summary: We previously showed that specific polyamines (PAs) in the extracellular environment affect EPS production, biofilm formation, and motility in Sinorhizobium meliloti Rm8530. We found that NspS and MbaA proteins are responsible for sensing and transducing extracellular PA signals in S. meliloti. The NspS-MbaA system modulates biofilm formation, EPS production, and motility in response to environmental or host plant-produced PAs.
Article
Developmental Biology
Andrea L. Miranda, Ana C. Racca, Lucille T. Kourdova, Maria Laura Rojas, Mariano Cruz Del Puerto, Gonzalo Rodriguez-Lombardi, Andrea Salas, Claudia Travella, Elaine C. O. da Silva, Samuel T. de Souza, Eduardo J. S. Fonseca, Aldilane L. X. Marques, Alexandre U. Borbely, Susana Genti-Raimondi, Graciela M. Panzetta-Dutari
Summary: KLF6 plays an important role in placental development by triggering cell fusion and vCTB differentiation. It accomplishes this transformation by reducing NADH levels and increasing cell Young's modulus, along with the upregulation of p21 and the downregulation of cell proliferation.
Article
Immunology
Rhys W. Dunphy, Ayla A. Wahid, Catherine R. Back, Rebecca L. Martin, Andrew G. Watts, Charlotte A. Dodson, Susan J. Crennell, Jean M. H. van den Elsen
Summary: This study reveals a new mechanism by which Staphylococcus aureus modulates B-cell activation using dimeric C3d, and provides detailed descriptions of the structural characteristics and functional mechanisms of this mechanism.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Delia Casas-Pastor, Raphael Rene Mueller, Sebastian Jaenicke, Karina Brinkrolf, Anke Becker, Mark Buttner, Carol Gross, Thorsten Mascher, Alexander Goesmann, Georg Fritz
Summary: Extracytoplasmic function sigma factors (ECFs) play a major role in bacterial signal transduction mechanisms, with our comprehensive phylogenetic analysis identifying numerous new ECF groups and expanding classification efforts. This detailed description of the phylogenetic distribution of the ECF family will serve as a powerful tool for guiding future research in the field.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elizaveta Krol, Lisa Stuckenschneider, Joana M. Kastle Silva, Peter L. Graumann, Anke Becker
Summary: In Rhizobiales bacteria, such as Sinorhizobium meliloti, cell elongation specifically occurs at new cell poles generated by cell division. The FtsN-like protein RgsS and peptidoglycan amidase AmiC play crucial roles in reliable selection of the new cell pole as the cell elongation zone. Absence of these components can lead to inverted growth polarity and incomplete chromosome segregation.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Francisco J. Albicoro, Walter O. Draghi, Maria C. Martini, Maria E. Salas, G. A. Torres Tejerizo, Mauricio J. Lozano, Jose L. Lopez, Carolina Vacca, Juan H. Cafiero, Mariano Pistorio, Hanna Bednarz, Doreen Meier, Antonio Lagares, Karsten Niehaus, Anke Becker, M. F. Del Papa
Summary: The study identified adaptive mutations of RR proteins in Sinorhizobium meliloti under acidic conditions, indicating the significance of these proteins for optimal symbiosis development.
JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Sofya Kuzmich, Patrick Blumenkamp, Doreen Meier, Dobromir Szadkowski, Alexander Goesmann, Anke Becker, Lotte Sgaard-Andersen
Summary: The second messenger c-di-GMP plays an important role in both stages of Myxococcus xanthus' nutrient-regulated biphasic life cycle, with the formation of predatory swarms in the presence of nutrients and spore-filled fruiting bodies in the absence of nutrients. However, different enzymes are involved in c-di-GMP synthesis and degradation during distinct life cycle stages.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Monica Oyuela Aguilar, Florencia Alvarez, Daniela Medeot, Edgardo Jofre, Liliana Semorile, Mariano Pistorio
Summary: The rhizosphere-associated microbiome plays important roles in supporting plant growth and health, with different compositions found among plant species, growth stages, and habitats. Bacteria such as Pseudomonas, Arthrobacter, Serratia, Bacillus, and Pantoea were identified as having plant growth-promoting activities, with Bacillus isolates showing potential for biocontrol activities against fungal pathogens. This study highlights the biological potential of these bacterial isolates and the importance of further testing for environmentally friendly bio-products in vineyard management.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Vera Bettenworth, Simon van Vliet, Bartosz Turkowyd, Annika Bamberger, Heiko Wendt, Matthew McIntosh, Wieland Steinchen, Ulrike Endesfelder, Anke Becker
Summary: In quorum sensing, bacteria use frequency-modulated pulsing mechanism to make collective decisions. Each cell's physiological state and behavioral needs are encoded in the pulse frequency of autoinducer synthase gene expression, and the integration of pulse frequencies with other cells determines the initiation of collective behavior.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Daniel Stukenberg, Josef Hoff, Anna Faber, Anke Becker
Summary: The bacterium Vibrio natriegens has gained attention for its potential in genetic research and biotechnology. This article presents a method called NT-CRISPR, which combines natural transformation with CRISPR-Cas9 counterselection to achieve efficient genome editing and cell killing. This method allows for scarless, markerless edits with single-base precision.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Chisom Ezekannagha, Anke Becker, Dominik Heider, Georges Hattab
Summary: DNA is increasingly being used as a long-term archival data storage medium due to its high capacity, high storage density, and ability to store data for thousands of years. The performance of DNA under different processing and storage conditions significantly affects the capabilities of the data storage system. Design considerations for a DNA storage system include error reduction, robustness, and reliability.
MATERIALS TODAY BIO
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marco Guedes Salgado, Irina Demina, Pooja Jha Maity, Anurupa Nagchowdhury, Andrea Caputo, Elizaveta Krol, Christoph Loderer, Gunther Muth, Anke Becker, Katharina Pawlowski
Summary: Datisca glomerata is an actinorhizal plant that forms root nodules in symbiosis with actinobacteria. In this study, a highly expressed gene family encoding nodule-specific defensin-like peptides was investigated. The results showed that the defensin domain of DgDef1 has cytotoxic effects and can induce the expression of oxidative stress-related genes. These findings suggest that nodule-specific defensin-like peptides were part of the original toolkit for root nodule formation and have been maintained in actinorhizal lineages.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mauricio J. Lozano, Ezequiel G. Mogro, M. Eugenia Salas, Sofia A. Erdozain, Nicolas E. Zuber, Anke Becker, Antonio Lagares
Summary: Through genome-wide screening of Ensifer meliloti mutants, it was found that persistence in peat inoculants involves a complex phenotype connected to diverse cellular activities, mainly related to satisfying bacterial nutrition requirements and coping with specific stresses. These results provide a base knowledge that could be used to understand the survival mechanisms used by rhizobia during the maturation of peat-based inoculants and to improve inoculant formulations.
JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Stefanie M. Herbel, Lambert Moyon, Marvin Christ, Eslam M. Elsayed, Brian E. Caffrey, Silke Malmsheimer, Iwan Grin, Kerstin Hoffmann, Kristin Surmann, Sascha Blankenburg, Anna Lena Jung, Christina E. Herkt, Marco Borso, Beyza Bozdag, Axel Imhof, Anke Becker, Samuel Wagner, Gert Bange, Uwe Voelker, Wilhelm Bertrams, Annalisa Marsico, Bernd Schmeck
Summary: Legionella pneumophila is a common pathogen that causes pneumonia and it acquires eukaryote-like protein motifs that contribute to its pathogenicity. The study identified a bacterial factor, Smh1, with histone deacetylase activity that moderates host gene expression and promotes bacterial replication.
Article
Microbiology
Laura Werel, Neda Farmani, Elizaveta Krol, Javier Serrania, Lars-Oliver Essen, Anke Becker
Summary: In bacteria, the receptor proteins of cAMP and cGMP are found among transcription factors of the Crp-Fnr superfamily. The prototypic Escherichia coli CAP can bind cAMP and cGMP, whereas Sinorhizobium meliloti Clr can activate transcription with both cyclic nucleotides. Crystal structures of Clr-cAMP and Clr-cGMP bound to the DNA binding site reveal similar active conformations induced by the cyclic nucleotides. Clr shows similar affinities for cAMP and cGMP in the presence of DNA, but different affinities in their absence.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marius Welzel, Peter Michael Schwarz, Hannah F. Loechel, Tolganay Kabdullayeva, Sandra Clemens, Anke Becker, Bernd Freisleben, Dominik Heider
Summary: The extensive information capacity of DNA and decreasing costs for DNA synthesis and sequencing make it an attractive alternative to traditional data storage. DNA-Aeon is a concatenated coding scheme for DNA data storage that supports the generation of variable-sized encoded sequences with user-defined constraints.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Natalia I. Garcia-Tomsig, Fernando M. Garcia-Rodriguez, Sabina K. Guedes-Garcia, Vicenta Millan, Anke Becker, Marta Robledo, Jose I. Jimenez-Zurdo
Summary: The N status transduced by the NtrBC system is an important signaling cue in the root nodule endosymbiosis, and the sRNA NfeR1 influences the symbiotic performance of Sinorhizobium meliloti by fine-tuning NtrBC output.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Daniela B. Medeot, Armando Nilson, Raul D. Miazzo, Viviana Grosso, Walter Ferrari, Edgardo Jofr, Arnaldo Soltermann, Maria Fernanda Peralta
Summary: This study investigated the effects of 1% Stevia mash (SM) on productive parameters, gut health, and the cecal microbiome in broilers between 15 and 21 days old. The results showed that SM improved intestinal functionality and early immunologic maturity in broilers, and increased the abundance of beneficial microbial genera and microbial diversity in the cecal microbiome.
VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCE
(2023)