Article
Microbiology
Miranda Judd, Allen R. Place
Summary: Dinoflagellates are unicellular protists with unique nuclear features and genetic regulation at the transcriptional level. The initiation factor eIF4E plays a crucial role in gene expression. Researchers successfully delivered fluorescently-tagged morpholinos into the cytosol of dinoflagellate cells to achieve specific knockdown of eIF4E.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Akshay Moharir, Lincoln Gay, Markus Babst
Summary: ATP-driven proton pump Pma1 establishes a proton gradient for nutrient import, which requires high energy. Acute loss of respiration leads to low Pma1 activity, triggering the downregulation of APC transporters and rapid endocytosis, likely observed during environmental stresses. Respiration is crucial in providing ATP to maintain a strong proton gradient for efficient nutrient uptake.
Article
Toxicology
Zuzana Hatokova, Andrea Evinova, Peter Racay
Summary: STF-083010 is an inhibitor of IRE1α endonuclease activity, which is involved in the activation of IRE1α-XBP1 axis in the unfolded protein response after ER stress. It exhibits antitumor activity and increases the sensitivity of tumor cells to other neoplastic agents. Additionally, it has hepatoprotective effects in various models of liver injury and steatohepatitis. Our study reveals that STF-083010 has a significant impact on mitochondrial functions, which is not dependent on its ability to inhibit IRE1α endonuclease activity.
TOXICOLOGY IN VITRO
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Huan Yang, Wanda van der Stel, Randy Lee, Caroline Bauch, Sam Bevan, Paul Walker, Bob van de Water, Erik H. J. Danen, Joost B. Beltman
Summary: Mitochondria are the main bioenergetic organelles of cells and exposure to chemicals targeting mitochondria generally results in toxicity. Different mitochondrial respiration inhibitors have varying effects on mitochondrial membrane potential, and mathematical modeling can help understand these dynamics. Additionally, incorporating pharmacokinetic decay into the model can improve the fit for certain compounds, showing a complex interplay between pharmacokinetics and MMP dynamics within mitochondria.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Luis Almeida, Ayesha Dhillon-LaBrooy, Carla N. Castro, Nigatu Adossa, Guilhermina M. Carriche, Melanie Guderian, Saskia Lippens, Sven Dennerlein, Christina Hesse, Bart N. Lambrecht, Luciana Berod, Leif Schauser, Bruce R. Blazar, Markus Kalesse, Rolf Mueller, Luis F. Moita, Tim Sparwasser
Summary: Linezolid and other ribosomal-targeting antibiotics effectively inhibit T cell activity, disrupt mitochondrial function, reduce oxidative phosphorylation levels, and prevent the occurrence of autoimmune diseases.
Article
Biology
Natalia Belosludtseva, Vlada S. Starinets, Alena A. Semenova, Anastasia D. Igoshkina, Mikhail Dubinin, Konstantin N. Belosludtsev
Summary: The metabolic agent S-15176 difumarate salt affects mitochondrial function by disturbing the catalytic function of enzyme complex III and inducing nonspecific membrane permeability. It leads to the dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential and a decline in ATP production. These findings suggest that S-15176 can induce mitochondrial dysfunction in mammal tissues and organs that are most vulnerable to chemical toxicity or exposed to higher concentrations of the drug.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xuefei Hu, Shuaiyun Gao, Peng Wang, Yulin Zhou, Kehua Chen, Qiaowen Chen, Bo Wang, Weiguo Hu, Peng Cheng, Rita Eid, Marie-Joseph Giraud-Panis, Lei Wang, Eric Gilson, Jing Ye, Yiming Lu
Summary: In this study, gene silencing was successfully achieved in a zebrafish cell line ZF4. By comparing the effects of siRNA transfection and vivo-MO treatment, potential gene silencing approaches for zebrafish cell lines were identified, providing a systematic optimization strategy for further gene loss-of-function studies.
Article
Ophthalmology
Marina Rodriguez-Arrizabalaga, Ismael Hernandez-Nunez, Eva Candal, Anton Barreiro-Iglesias
Summary: Work in the catshark Scyliorhinus canicula reveals that postnatal neurogenesis in vertebrates originated earlier than previously assumed. This makes the catshark an interesting model for studying postnatal neurogenic processes and their evolution in vertebrates. However, the lack of genetic tools in sharks inhibits in-depth research on the genes involved in neurogenesis. In this study, the researchers developed a method using Vivo-Morpholinos to knock down genes in the catshark retina, specifically targeting the proliferation marker PCNA. The method was found to effectively reduce mitotic activity in the peripheral retina, providing a valuable tool for studying the role of other genes in postnatal neurogenesis in this animal model.
EXPERIMENTAL EYE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biology
Rui Guo, Fei Li, Minxia Lu, Kangkang Ge, Lin Gan, Donglai Sheng
Summary: Lhx9 is found to be expressed in the heart, pectoral fin, and retina during zebrafish development, but its knockdown by MO does not affect retinal development and related processes.
Article
Biology
Suzanne Angeli, Anna Foulger, Manish Chamoli, Tanuja Harshani Peiris, Akos Gerencser, Azar Asadi Shahmirzadi, Julie Andersen, Gordon Lithgow
Summary: Mitochondrial activity plays a crucial role in determining aging rate and the onset of chronic diseases. Research suggests that the destabilization of OSCP in the inner mitochondrial membrane may promote aging by initiating the mPTP. Inhibition of mPTP can suppress UPRmt and restore normal lifespan, indicating a potential protective role of UPRmt inhibition in aging and age-related diseases.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Guo-Rui Yuan, Meng-Ling Chen, Meng-Lan Peng, Wei Lei, Li-Wei Meng, Wei Dou, Jin-Jun Wang
Summary: Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) play a crucial role in mediating the fast action of acetylcholine in synaptic transmissions. In this study, a gene encoding nAChR beta1 subunit was identified and characterized in a destructive pest, Bactrocera dorsalis. The results suggest that this subunit is involved in the susceptibility of B. dorsalis to a specific class of neonicotinoid insecticides.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luis Daniel Cruz-Zaragoza, Sven Dennerlein, Andreas Linden, Roya Yousefi, Elena Lavdovskaia, Abhishek Aich, Rebecca R. Falk, Ridhima Gomkale, Thomas Schondorf, Markus T. Bohnsack, Ricarda Richter-Dennerlein, Henning Urlaub, Peter Rehling
Summary: The study introduces a novel in vitro system to silence translation in mitochondria, shedding light on mechanisms of mitochondrial gene expression including ribosome/mRNA engagement and the recruitment of assembly factors by nascent chains. The research also reveals an unexpected role of the cytosolic oncofetal IGF2BP1 in mitochondrial translation.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Shan Zhou, Meiyi Chen, Yi Yuan, Yan Xu, Qinlin Pu, Xilei Ai, Shuai Liu, Feng Du, Xin Huang, Juan Dong, Xin Cui, Zhuo Tang
Summary: Trans-acting hammerhead ribozyme inherits the advantages of being the smallest and best-characterized RNA-cleaving ribozyme, offering high modularity and the ability to cleave any desired sequence without the aid of any protein, as long as the target sequence contains a cleavage site. Precise control over the trans-acting hammerhead ribozyme has been achieved through intracellular selection of hammerhead aptazyme, leading to the development of new cis-acting hammerhead aptazymes that can efficiently knock down targeted genes in eukaryotic cells through induction by theophylline. The best aptazyme, T195, exhibits a ligand-dependent and dose-dependent response to theophylline, with enhanced cleavage efficiency when multiplex aptazymes are incorporated.
MOLECULAR THERAPY-NUCLEIC ACIDS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Olivier Lurette, Hala Guedouari, Jordan L. Morris, Rebeca Martin-Jimenez, Julie-Pier Robichaud, Genevieve Hamel-Cote, Mehtab Khan, Nicholas Dauphinee, Nicolas Pichaud, Julien Prudent, Etienne Hebert-Chatelain
Summary: The architecture of mitochondria is regulated by the tyrosine kinase Src, which affects mitochondrial morphology independently of mitochondrial size, cellular respiration, or ATP levels. This study highlights a novel function for Src in the control of mitochondrial dynamics.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biology
Barbara Uszczynska-Ratajczak, Sreedevi Sugunan, Monika Kwiatkowska, Maciej Migdal, Silvia Carbonell-Sala, Anna Sokol, Cecilia L. Winata, Agnieszka Chacinska
Summary: Most mitochondrial proteins are encoded by nuclear genes, synthesized in the cytosol, and targeted into the organelle. The presence of nuclear-encoded mRNA5 in the mitochondrial fraction confirms that large proteins with specific properties, like transmembrane domains, are predominantly encoded. Under proteostatic stress conditions, the population of transcripts on the mitochondrial surface is further restricted, allowing only the largest and most evolutionarily conserved proteins to be synthesized there.
LIFE SCIENCE ALLIANCE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Juan Manuel Gutierrez-Villagomez, Juan Vazquez-Martinez, Enrique Ramirez-Chavez, Jorge Molina-Torres, Vance L. Trudeau
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kimberly Mitchell, Wo Su Zhang, Chunyu Lu, Binbin Tao, Lu Chen, Wei Hu, Vance L. Trudeau
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Subhayan Sur, Hiroshi Nakanishi, Robert Steele, Dapeng Zhang, Mark A. Varvares, Ratna B. Ray
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexandre P. J. Salat, David C. Eickmeyer, Linda E. Kimpe, Roland Hall, Brent B. Wolfe, Lukas J. Mundy, Vance L. Trudeau, Jules M. Blais
Summary: The study reveals that since 1980, a decrease in Athabasca River floodwaters and activities such as upstream oil sands mining have led to an increase in petroleum hydrocarbons in lake sediment cores from the PAD and AOSR regions. In reference lakes outside the surface minable area, there is a relatively low presence of petrogenic hydrocarbons.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Madelaine A. Empey, Molly Lefebvre-Raine, Juan Manuel Gutierrez-Villagomez, Valerie S. Langlois, Vance L. Trudeau
Summary: Insecticides play a crucial role in agriculture and environmental protection, but they may have toxic effects on nontarget organisms. Existing research on the effects of Bti on amphibians has produced varying results, leading to controversies in the field.
ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bernard Robaire, Geraldine Delbes, Jessica A. Head, Vicki L. Marlatt, Christopher J. Martyniuk, Stephane Reynaud, Vance L. Trudeau, Jan A. Mennigen
Summary: Studies have mainly focused on the effects of EDCs on adult males and females, but exposure of mature or developing gametes can lead to multigenerational and transgenerational effects. By synthesizing knowledge across vertebrate species, potential mechanisms of EDC effects are discussed, and recommendations for advancing the field are proposed.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yong Juan Zhao, Wei Ming He, Zhi Ying Zhao, Wan Hua Li, Qian Wen Wang, Yun Nan Hou, Yongjun Tan, Dapeng Zhang
Summary: SARM1 can be activated by NMN, CZ-48, VMN and acid, with acid being even more effective through protonation of negative residues. Mutations can lead to constitutive activation of SARM1, with the E689Q mutation forming a salt bridge with R216 to maintain the autoinhibitory structure. Two inhibitory mechanisms of SARM1, through K597E mutation to inhibit activation and H685A mutation to eliminate catalytic activity, were revealed using an 'acid activation' protocol.
Article
Microbiology
Yongjun Tan, Cindy Wang, Theresa Schneider, Huan Li, Robson Francisco de Souza, Xueming Tang, Kylie D. Swisher Grimm, Tzung-Fu Hsieh, Xu Wang, Xu Li, Dapeng Zhang
Summary: This study conducted an in-depth comparative genomic analysis of Liberibacter pathogens and their nonpathogenic ancestral species, identifying various types of prophage loci and novel toxins that are evolutionarily linked to the emergence of the pathogens. Genomic genes that were lost or gained in the ancestor of the pathogens were identified, with the lost genes related to the biosynthesis of cellular building blocks and the gained genes including previously unrecognized toxins.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2021)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Yonathan Zohar, Nilli Zmora, Vance L. Trudeau, Jose A. Munoz-Cueto, Matan Golan
Summary: This review article presents a chronological history of fish GnRH biology over the past fifty years, highlighting the paradigm shift in our understanding of GnRH systems and functions in vertebrates, driven by discoveries in fish research.
JOURNAL OF NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Theresa Schneider, Yongjun Tan, Huan Li, Jonathan S. Fisher, Dapeng Zhang
Summary: By conducting computational analyses, the authors identified a new type of non-heme binding globin called photoglobin, which may act as a light sensor in complex prokaryotic signal transduction systems.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Huan Li, Theresa Schneider, Yongjun Tan, Dapeng Zhang
Summary: This study revealed that many proteins remain unclassified in current protein databases. By reconstructing the structure of RNase T2 and comparing it with other BECR RNases, a hidden relationship was discovered. This suggests that reconstruction and modeling of ancestral topology can be an effective strategy to identify remote relationships between proteins.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Chunyu Lu, Di Peng, W. C. K. Udeesha Erandani, Kimberly Mitchell, Christopher J. Martyniuk, Vance L. Trudeau
Summary: The detection and quantification of hormones are crucial for assessing experimental models and diagnosing diseases. Traditional methods involve separate experiments, while the new approach allows simultaneous measurement of different categories of hormones. This study presents a novel sample processing strategy for the simultaneous extraction and detection of peptides, steroids, and proteins.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Huan Li, Yongjun Tan, Dapeng Zhang
Summary: Bacteria have developed various molecular conflict systems, including polymorphic toxin systems (PTSs), to facilitate kin recognition and non-kin competition for growth niches and limited resources. However, the highly divergent nature of these systems makes it challenging to identify and characterize them using traditional experimental and bioinformatic approaches. In this study, the researchers used unique genome-mining strategies and pipelines based on the organizational principles of domain architectures and genomic loci to systematically discover a new type of PTS (S8-PTS) in gram-positive bacteria. They revealed the components and organization of the S8-PTS, classified the toxin domains into different superfamily groups, and identified the associated immunity proteins. Furthermore, they found that the peptidases associated with S8-PTS are similar to processing peptidases found in other secretion systems and proprotein-processing peptidases. The S8-PTSs are mostly found in animal and plant-associated bacteria, including many pathogens, suggesting their role in microbial competition and pathogen-host interactions.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Virology
Yongjun Tan, Theresa Schneider, Prakash K. Shukla, Mahesh B. Chandrasekharan, L. Aravind, Dapeng Zhang
Summary: This study reveals the evolutionary history of ion channel proteins in the coronavirus family, unifying various protein families in different viral strains and suggesting the importance of conserved polar residues in forming water pores for virion assembly. The research demonstrates the significant role of ion channels in virion assembly and membrane budding, with different evolutionary pressures observed for structural components like M protein and ORF3, indicating potential interaction with host molecules and immune responses.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Marilyn N. Vera-Chang, Thomas W. Moon, Vance L. Trudeau