Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Adeel Nasir, Peter Rolf Richter, Aude Le Bail, Viktor Daiker, Julia Stoltze, Binod Prasad, Sebastian Michael Strauch, Michael Lebert
Summary: Euglena gracilis uses light and gravity as environmental cues to regulate its position in water, but the molecular mechanism is largely unknown. This study reports the localization of the photoreceptor photoactivated adenylyl cyclase and its relationship with kinase A.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Kazunari Ozasa, Hyunwoong Kang, Simon Song, Shota Kato, Tomoko Shinomura, Mizuo Maeda
Summary: The study examined gravitaxis and cell multiplication of microalgae, finding different gravitaxis trends in cells after transferring to fresh culture medium. Cells with initially positive gravitaxis showed a higher rate of cell multiplication.
Article
Plant Sciences
Eshan Sharma, Akanksha Bhatnagar, Avantika Bhaskar, Susmita M. Majee, Martin Kieffer, Stefan Kepinski, Paramjit Khurana, Jitendra P. Khurana
Summary: The rice FB protein-coding gene OsFBX257 is differentially expressed under drought conditions and other abiotic stresses. It plays a significant role in modulating root architecture and improving drought stress tolerance in rice. OsFBX257 is a potential breeding target for alleviating drought stress-induced damage in rice.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Paul Gehrtz, Shir Marom, Mike Buehrmann, Julia Hardick, Silke Kleinboelting, Amit Shraga, Christian Dubiella, Ronen Gabizon, Jan N. Wiese, Matthias P. Mueller, Galit Cohen, Ilana Babaev, Khriesto Shurrush, Liat Avram, Efrat Resnick, Haim Barr, Daniel Rauh, Nir London
Summary: High-throughput nanomole-scale synthesis allows for efficient and economical late-stage functionalization of compounds. Copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition has been demonstrated to be capable of nanoscale late-stage functionalization of covalent kinase inhibitors, enabling the synthesis of hundreds of compounds that do not require purification for biological assay screening. This study presents a promising approach to improving the properties of lead chemical matter through high-throughput late-stage functionalization of covalent inhibitors.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Hiroshi Yamashita, Touya Kamikubo, Kazuki Muku, Nobuhiko J. Suematsu, Shunsuke Izumi, Makoto Iima
Summary: Microorganisms exhibit taxis, a behavioral response to stimuli, which interacts with fluid dynamic instability and leads to a macroscopic flow known as bioconvection. This study demonstrates the existence of an isolated, single, three-dimensional bioconvection cell called a bioconvection spot within Euglena suspension. Position-control experiments were conducted in a non-uniform light environment to investigate the formation of the bioconvection spot in a cylindrical container. The results show that Euglena aggregates into the darker red region due to its phototactic response, thereby creating the bioconvection spot by manipulating the local cell density and light environment.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Risa Matsunami-Nakamura, Jun Tamogami, Miki Takeguchi, Junya Ishikawa, Takashi Kikukawa, Naoki Kamo, Toshifumi Nara
Summary: By replacing amino acid residues in the photoreceptor HsSRII and its transducer HsHtrII of Halobacterium salinarum, it was found that the hydrogen bonding interaction between Thr204(NpSRII) and Tyr174(NpSRII) plays an important role in phototactic behavior. However, replacing the corresponding residues Ser201(HsSRII) and Tyr171(HsSRII) did not eliminate negative phototaxis function, suggesting the presence of an unidentified molecular mechanism for photophobic signal transduction different from NpSRII-NpHtrII.
Review
Biology
Donat-P Haeder, Ruth Hemmersbach
Summary: Human exploration of space faces numerous challenges, and unicellular algae, such as Euglena gracilis, hold potential for various applications. This review highlights the characteristics of Euglena and its responses to gravity. Euglena could be utilized for life support systems in space missions due to its oxygen production, carbon dioxide uptake, and edibility. It also has commercial uses as a food producer and a source of medicines.
Review
Microbiology
Vadim M. Gumerov, Ekaterina P. Andrianova, Igor B. Zhulin
Summary: Chemosensory system is a complex and specialized signal transduction mode in bacteria and archaea, which can respond rapidly to environmental changes. Both experimental and computational studies have revealed substantial diversity in system design, functional regulation, cellular localization, and phyletic distribution of chemosensory pathways.
CURRENT OPINION IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Iain C. Clark, Bruk Mensa, Christopher J. Ochs, Nathan W. Schmidt, Marco Mravic, Francisco J. Quintana, William F. DeGrado, Adam R. Abate
Summary: Using a hybrid valve- and droplet-based microfluidic system, a combinatorial DNA library encoding an engineered histidine kinase based on bacterial CpxA was successfully constructed. Surprising results were found, such as the different effects on catalytic activity caused by the combinations of the S helix and TM domain. It was concluded that the intervening HAMP domain passively transmits signals and shapes the signaling response depending on subtle changes in neighboring domains, leading to a richness in functional outputs as HKs vary in response to changing evolutionary pressures.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biology
Rajesh Sharma, Jeong Joo Kim, Liying Qin, Philipp Henning, Madoka Akimoto, Bryan VanSchouwen, Gundeep Kaur, Banumathi Sankaran, Kevin R. MacKenzie, Giuseppe Melacini, Darren E. Casteel, Friedrich W. Herberg, Choel Kim
Summary: This study reveals the mechanisms of auto-inhibition and cGMP relief in PKG I beta through crystal structures and biochemical analysis. The findings suggest that auto-inhibition of PKG I beta is mediated by internal contacts within each monomer, and a model for the regulation and cooperative activation of PKGs is proposed based on the available structural and biochemical data.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nicholas K. K. Tonks
Summary: In October 2020, a celebration for Eddy Fischer's 100th birthday was held via ZOOM due to COVID restrictions. Eddy Fischer, along with Ed Krebs, made significant contributions to the field of signal transduction through their discovery of reversible protein phosphorylation. This work has had a profound impact on the biotechnology industry and the treatment of various cancers.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jens Staal, Yasmine Driege, Mira Haegman, Marja Kreike, Styliani Iliaki, Domien Vanneste, Marie Lork, Inna S. Afonina, Harald Braun, Rudi Beyaert
Summary: The study identified 21 PKC::CARD-CC functional combinations, with CARD10 being responsive to most PKCs and CARD14 predominantly activated by PKC delta. Furthermore, mixed protein complexes between different CARD-CC proteins were discovered to influence their PKC response profile. These findings highlight the combinatorial space of PKC::CARD-CC signal transduction nodes and provide insights for future studies on the regulation of CBM signaling.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Scott E. Roffey, David W. Litchfield
Summary: CK2, an acidophilic serine/threonine kinase, regulates various biological processes such as apoptosis and cell proliferation. Studies have linked CK2 to human malignancies and diseases, but the mechanisms regulating CK2 activity remain incompletely understood.
Article
Cell Biology
Xue-Hua Du, Shao-Bo Ke, Xin-Yi Liang, Jie Gao, Xiao-Xiao Xie, Lin-Zhi Qi, Xue-Yi Liu, Guo-Yuan Xu, Xiao-Dong Zhang, Run-Lei Du, Shang-Ze Li
Summary: Our study demonstrates that USP14 functions as a deubiquitinase that interacts and stabilizes JNK, promoting MAPK/JNK signaling and colorectal carcinogenesis. Increased expression of USP14 is associated with elevated levels of JNK protein and downstream gene expression in colorectal cancer patients. Inhibition of USP14 reduces cancer cell proliferation and tumorigenesis by downregulating the activation of the MAPK/JNK pathway.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Aziz M. Rangwala, Victoria R. Mingione, George Georghiou, Markus A. Seeliger
Summary: Phosphorylation plays a vital role in regulating biological processes, and protein kinases have been extensively studied for their involvement in human health and disease. Some kinases possess additional catalytic functions in addition to phosphotransferase activity, while others have lost their catalytic activity completely. In this study, we analyzed the UniProtKB database for bifunctional protein kinases and focused on those crucial for bacterial and human cellular homeostasis. These kinases have diverse functional roles in environmental sensing, metabolic regulation, immune-host defense, and cell cycle control. This article explores their dual catalytic activities and their contributions to disease pathogenesis.