Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Tonatiuh Molina-Villa, Lizbeth Ramirez-Vidal, Valentin Mendoza, Diana Escalante-Alcalde, Fernando Lopez-Casillas
Summary: In this study, zebrafish Tgfbr3-null mutants were generated using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. The mutants showed unaltered embryonic angiogenesis and developed into fertile adults. A consistent phenotype in these mutants was delayed chordacentra mineralization, which did not lead to vertebral abnormalities in adult fishes.
DEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Gisela Rangel-Yescas, Cecilia Cervantes, Miguel A. Cervantes-Rocha, Esteban Suarez-Delgado, Anastazia T. Banaszak, Ernesto Maldonado, Ian Scott Ramsey, Tamara Rosenbaum, Leon D. Islas
Summary: The study identified the presence of genes encoding voltage-dependent proton channels in reef-building corals and characterized their biophysical properties. An allosteric gating model was developed to provide mechanistic insight into the modulation of voltage-dependence by protons.
Editorial Material
Neurosciences
Leon D. Islas
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Tamara Rosenbaum, Sara L. Morales-Lazaro, Leon D. Islas
Summary: Recent studies on transient receptor potential (TRP) channel structure have provided valuable insights into their role in normal sensations and pain. This review article examines the recent advances in understanding the relationship between the structure and function of TRP ion channels and their involvement in pain. The perception of nociceptive signals and the avoidance of pain are crucial for survival. TRP channels, as transducers of harmful signals, play a significant role in detecting and translating these signals into pain. Cryogenic electron microscopy has allowed researchers to explore the molecular details of TRP channels, complementing functional studies and enhancing our understanding of their contribution to pain generation and maintenance.
NATURE REVIEWS NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Miguel Benitez-Angeles, Ana E. Lopez Romero, Itzel Llorente, Ileana Hernandez-Araiza, Ariela Vergara-Jaque, Fernando H. Real, Oscar Eduardo Gutierrez Castaneda, Marcelino Arciniega, Luis E. Morales-Buenrostro, Francisco Torres-Quiroz, Refugio Garcia-Villegas, Luis B. Tovar-y-Romo, Wolfgang B. Liedtke, Leon D. Islas, Tamara Rosenbaum
Summary: In this study, it was found that the TRPV4 channel is activated by lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), making it one of the few known endogenous agonists for TRPV4. Mechanistic details of the activation of TRPV4 by LPA and lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) were also provided, demonstrating that LPA interacts with both the N- and C-terminal regions of TRPV4 to activate this channel. Furthermore, it was shown that LPC activates TRPV4 by producing an open state with a different conductance than LPA.
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Cesar Arcos-Hernandez, Esteban Suarez-Delgado, Leon D. Islas, Francisco Romero, Ignacio Lopez-Gonzalez, Hui-Wang Ai, Takuya Nishigaki
Summary: Heterologous expression systems are important for studying protein function, but some proteins can be toxic to bacteria, hindering vector preparation. In this study, we overcame this problem by inserting amber stop codons or synthetic introns, allowing successful expression of the protein of interest in HEK293 cells.
PROTEIN EXPRESSION AND PURIFICATION
(2023)
Article
Biology
Esteban Suarez-Delgado, Maru Orozco-Contreras, Gisela E. Rangel-Yescas, Leon D. Islas
Summary: Through patch-clamp fluorometry combined with the incorporation of fluorescent non-canonical amino acid Anap, we have obtained data on the voltage-dependent opening mechanism of H(V)1 channels. Our results suggest that motion of the S4 helix relative to an aromatic residue in the S2 helix leads to fluorescence increases upon depolarization, and Anap is quenched by this residue. Additionally, we found that the absolute value of the pH can impact the movement of the voltage sensor after channel opening.
Article
Biology
Martha E. Montane-Romero, Ana V. Martinez-Silva, Augusto C. Poot-Hernandez, Diana Escalante-Alcalde
Summary: In recent decades, the study of bioactive lipids such as LPA and S1P has increased due to their involvement in regulating various processes. PLPP3 has been identified as a key player in maintaining the balance of these lipids and their signaling, and it may also play a role in endoderm development. This study used mouse ESCs to investigate the function of PLPP3 in self-renewal and differentiation, and found that PLPP3 deficiency primarily affected endoderm formation. Impaired endoderm differentiation was associated with decreased YAP1 nuclear localization, and these phenotypes were rescued by restoring the expression of catalytically active hPLPP3.
Article
Biology
Miguel Benitez-Angeles, Emmanuel Juarez-Gonzalez, Ariela Vergara-Jaque, Itzel Llorente, Gisela Rangel-Yescas, Stephanie C. Thebault, Marcia Hiriart, Leon D. Islas, Tamara Rosenbaum
Summary: The TRPV4 ion channel, present in various tissues, has been associated with diseases such as skeletal dysplasias, neuromuscular disorders, and respiratory malfunction. This study reveals that the bronchodilator salbutamol can inhibit TRPV4's activation by interacting with specific residues and causing channel closing through an allosteric mechanism.
LIFE SCIENCE ALLIANCE
(2022)
Review
Physiology
Tamara Rosenbaum, Leon D. Islas
Summary: The ability to detect environmental stimuli is crucial for survival, and ion channels, such as TRP proteins, play a key role in this process. The TRPV subfamily, which belongs to the TRP family, responds to various chemical and physical changes. Despite intensive research in the past two decades, controversies still exist regarding the function of these proteins due to their complexity. In this article, we discuss important features of their regulation and highlight efforts to advance the field.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Physiology
Miriam Garcia-Avila, Javier Tello-Marmolejo, Tamara Rosenbaum, Leon D. Islas
Summary: TRPV1 ion channels play important roles in thermal and chemical sensation, as well as in pathological states. This study reveals that large cations are more permeable than smaller ones and uncovers fast conformational changes modulated by the cation occupying the pore. The findings also demonstrate that ion permeation influences the voltage dependence of TRPV1 channels.
JOURNAL OF GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
