Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Christopher W. Bakerlee, Alex N. Nguyen Ba, Yekaterina Shulgina, Jose I. Rojas Echenique, Michael M. Desai
Summary: Epistasis plays a significant role in evolutionary trajectories, with idiosyncratic interactions observed among specific mutations. Protein-level fitness landscapes have shown such interactions, while genome-wide mutations demonstrate ubiquitous patterns of diminishing-returns and increasing-costs epistasis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Matteo Bisardi, Juan Rodriguez-Rivas, Francesco Zamponi, Martin Weigt
Summary: The study proposes stochastic models of experimental protein evolution based on reconstructed data-driven fitness landscapes, predicting important features of experimentally evolved sequence libraries. It showcases the potential of the approach in determining protein structure from epistasis signals in experimental sequence libraries, offering a quantitative explanation for outcomes of recent experiments and enabling forecasts for future evolution experiments.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Zhifang An, Linna Wei, Bo Xu, Zhijie Wang, Conghui Gao, Jimei Li, Lian Wei, Delin Qi, Peng Shi, Tongzuo Zhang, Dengbang Wei
Summary: This study investigates the expression of the protein HBD in the lungs of plateau pikas and finds that when HBD expression is downregulated, the pikas show hypoxemia. These findings provide insights into the adaptive mechanisms of plateau pikas in high-altitude environments.
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Allan Haldane, Ronald M. Levy
Summary: Inverse Ising inference is a method used in protein physics to infer coupling parameters of a Potts/Ising model based on observed site-covariation. The Mi3-GPU software, utilizing GPU-accelerated Markov-Chain Monte Carlo sampling, solves the inverse Ising problem for protein-sequence datasets, generating models that accurately replicate observed MSA covariation patterns.
COMPUTER PHYSICS COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andreas Wagner
Summary: This study suggests that adaptive landscapes contain mutations that can enhance the evolvability of evolving molecules and promote the evolution of high fitness populations. The research found that these evolvability-enhancing mutations enable populations to evolve significantly higher fitness.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jia Zheng, Ning Guo, Andreas Wagner
Summary: Translation errors during protein synthesis can lead to phenotypic mutations that are more frequent than DNA mutations. This study found that high mistranslation levels can amplify the fitness effects of deleterious DNA mutations and reduce a population's mutation load, but have no effect on the occurrence of beneficial mutations. This interaction between phenotypic and DNA mutations can ultimately impact a population's evolvability.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria-Agustina Rossi, Timothy Palzkill, Fabio C. L. Almeida, Alejandro J. Vila
Summary: Protein evolution involves the adaptation of molecules to different functional challenges through the accumulation of mutations. This study focuses on CTX-M beta-lactamases and demonstrates the optimization of protein dynamics through two mutations outside the active site, which enhance the enzyme's activity against a specific substrate. NMR analysis reveals that these mutations increase backbone dynamics and the exposure to solvent of a buried beta-sheet. The conformational changes induced by the mutations in this beta-sheet trigger further changes in loops at the opposite side of the active site. These findings highlight the importance of alternative conformations in protein evolution.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
Osmar Freitas, Lindi M. Wahl, Paulo R. A. Campos
Summary: Deterministic and stochastic evolutionary processes contribute to adaptation in natural populations, with the former prevalent in large populations and the latter in small populations. Population bottlenecks shape the process of adaptation, but populations experiencing regular bottlenecks show relatively robust adaptation rates and increased predictability of evolutionary trajectories. Additionally, predictability of adaptive pathways is influenced by population size and fitness landscapes.
Article
Biology
Wellington S. Miranda, Q. Cong, A. L. Schaefer, E. K. MacLeod, A. Zimenko, D. Baker, E. P. Greenberg
Summary: Researchers have identified selectivity residues within AHL synthases and receptors using covariation methods, demonstrating their importance in the Las system. This study deepens the understanding of how communication systems evolve and diversify.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chathura D. Suraweera, Suresh Banjara, Mark G. Hinds, Marc Kvansakul
Summary: The B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) family of genes regulates intrinsic apoptosis by coordinating the integrity of the mitochondrial outer membrane. Bcl-2 genes are present in early metazoans and have different variations among species. The structure of Bcl-2 proteins is highly conserved over evolutionary time, and some Bcl-2 proteins may have non-apoptotic functions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ellen L. Shrock, Richard T. Timms, Tomasz Kula, Elijah L. Mena, Anthony P. West Jr, Rui Guo, I-Hsiu Lee, Alexander A. Cohen, Lindsay G. A. McKay, Caihong Bi, Keerti, Yumei Leng, Eric Fujimura, Felix Horns, Mamie Li, Duane R. Wesemann, Anthony Griffiths, Benjamin E. Gewurz, Pamela J. Bjorkman, Stephen J. Elledge
Summary: Despite a diverse antibody repertoire, infected individuals often produce antibodies against the same epitopes within antigens. The underlying immunological mechanisms are still unknown. Mapping 376 immunodominant public epitopes and studying the corresponding antibodies, researchers found that germline-encoded sequences in antibodies play a role in recurrent recognition. They also identified human and mouse germline-encoded amino acid-binding (GRAB) motifs critical for public epitope recognition. Overall, GRAB motifs contribute to the immune system's architecture, promoting pathogen recognition and species-specific public antibody responses that can influence pathogens.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Juan Luis Pacheco-Garcia, Dmitry Loginov, Bruno Rizzuti, Pavla Vankova, Jose L. Neira, Daniel Kavan, Noel Mesa-Torres, Rita Guzzi, Petr Man, Angel L. Pey
Summary: The phosphomimetic mutation S82D in hNQO1 causes a decrease in flavin-adenine dinucleotide-binding affinity and intracellular stability, while the neutral mutation R80H nearby can alter the functional effects of S82 phosphorylation through electrostatic interactions. The reverse mutation H80R prevents the effects of S82D phosphorylation on hNQO1 by modulating the local stability. Apparently neutral and evolutionarily divergent mutations may determine how mammalian orthologues respond to phosphorylation.
Article
Cell Biology
Lorena Suarez-Artiles, Tilman Breiderhoff, Rossana Girardello, Hannes Gonschior, Sophie Rodius, Antoine Lesur, Ulf Reimer, Evelyn Ramberger, Daniel Perez-Hernandez, Dominik Muller, Philipp Mertins, Gunnar Dittmar
Summary: This study investigates the interaction of the C-terminal tails of the Claudin family with other proteins, revealing their potential involvement in specific biological processes in epithelial cells and their regulation by post-translational modifications.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dili Lai, Jun Yan, Ailing He, Guoxing Xue, Hao Yang, Liang Feng, Xiaobao Wei, Long Li, Dabing Xiang, Jingjun Ruan, Yu Fan, Jianping Cheng
Summary: In this study, we analyzed and categorized the MADS-box genes in foxtail millet, and found that they can be divided into M-type and MIKC-type. The MIKC-type genes differentiated earlier than monocots and dicots. Additionally, there is a high collinearity between foxtail millet and maize MADS-box genes. Furthermore, the induced expression of SiMADS33 and SiMADS78 under various stresses suggests their potential role in stress tolerance. This study provides valuable insights for gene mining and molecular breeding of foxtail millet.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Aidan L. Huene, Steven M. Sanders, Zhiwei Ma, Anh-Dao Nguyen, Sergey Koren, Manuel H. Michaca, James C. Mullikin, Adam M. Phillippy, Christine E. Schnitzler, Andreas D. Baxevanis, Matthew L. Nicotra
Summary: Most colonial marine invertebrates have the ability to distinguish between themselves and conspecifics, known as allorecognition. In the cnidarian Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus, allorecognition is controlled by at least two genes, Allorecognition 1 (Alr1) and Allorecognition 2 (Alr2), which encode highly polymorphic cell-surface proteins. These proteins are members of the immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF), with V-set and I-set Ig domains unlike any previously identified in animals. The discovery of these genes expands our understanding of invertebrate histocompatibility.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Giorgia Chinigo, Helene Castel, Oana Chever, Dimitra Gkika
Summary: Malignant glioma, especially glioblastoma (GBM), is a common primary brain tumor with high resistance to standard treatment. Recent studies have identified TRP channels as potential new molecular targets for glioma treatment, offering directions for innovative strategies to overcome high resistance and recurrence.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Vadim Le Joncour, Pierre-Olivier Guichet, Kleouforo-Paul Dembele, Alexandre Mutel, Daniele Campisi, Nicolas Perzo, Laurence Desrues, Romain Modzelewski, Pierre-Olivier Couraud, Jerome Honnorat, Francois-Xavier Ferracci, Florent Marguet, Annie Laquerriere, Pierre Vera, Pierre Bohn, Olivier Langlois, Fabrice Morin, Pierrick Gandolfo, Helene Castel
Summary: The study demonstrated that urotensin II induces aggressive behavior in GBM, leading to necrosis and angiogenesis through integrin activation, which can be targeted by UT biased ligands/antagonists.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Nathalie Magne, Veronique Rousseau, Kevin Duarte, Sandrine Poea-Guyon, Vincent Gleize, Alexandre Mutel, Charlotte Schmitt, Helene Castel, Ahmed Idbaih, Emmanuelle Huillard, Marc Sanson, Jean-Vianney Barnier
Summary: PAK3 plays a unique role among PAKs in glioma development, exhibiting differential expression patterns and potential therapeutic implications. Inhibition of PAK3 may lead to excessive proliferation of glioma cells and tumor growth.
Article
Oncology
Celeste Nicola, Martine Dubois, Cynthia Campart, Tareq Al Sagheer, Laurence Desrues, Damien Schapman, Ludovic Galas, Marie Lange, Florence Joly, Helene Castel
Summary: Cognitive side effects and fatigue are major challenges in oncology after cancer treatment. Next-generation therapies such as Abiraterone acetate plus prednisone (AAP) and enzalutamide (ENZ) have shown improvements in patient survival but may also lead to neurological disturbances. This study on aged castrated mouse models receiving AAP or ENZ treatment highlights the impact of ENZ on motivation to exploration and cognition, emphasizing the need for reconsideration in management strategies for elderly prostate cancer patients.
Article
Cell Biology
Daniele Campisi, Laurence Desrues, Kleouforo-Paul Dembele, Alexandre Mutel, Renaud Parment, Pierrick Gandolfo, Helene Castel, Fabrice Morin
Summary: ATG9A protein plays a critical role in chemotactic migration by promoting the formation of lamellipodia and the adhesion of cells to the extracellular matrix.
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Daniele Campisi, Laurence Desrues, Kleouforo-Paul Dembele, Alexandre Mutel, Renaud Parment, Pierrick Gandolfo, Helene Castel, Fabrice Morin
Summary: ATG9A protein contributes to cell chemotaxis and controls cell protrusion and adhesion dynamics through interactions with other proteins.
Article
Oncology
Renaud Parment, Martine Dubois, Laurence Desrues, Alexandre Mutel, Kleouforo-Paul Dembele, Nicolas Belin, Laure Tron, Charlene Guerin, Moise Coeffier, Vincent Compere, Celine Feger, Florence Joly, Pascal Hilber, David Ribet, Helene Castel
Summary: Qiseng (R) has a preventive effect on fatigue and cognitive impairment caused by chemotherapy. It also regulates gut microbiota and inhibits inflammation.
Article
Oncology
Marie Lange, Benedicte Clarisse, Alexandra Leconte, Kleouforo-Paul Dembele, Justine Lequesne, Celeste Nicola, Martine Dubois, Laurence Derues, Yori Gidron, Helene Castel, Florence Joly
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the impact of immunotherapy on cognitive function in cancer patients without simultaneous anti-cancer treatment and to explore its effects on quality of life. The study will assess the incidence of cognitive decline and investigate secondary endpoints such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, clinical characteristics, biological data, and neurophysiological measures.
Review
Oncology
Charlotte Sleurs, Ali Amidi, Lisa M. Wu, David Kiesl, Philipp Zimmer, Marie Lange, Anne Rogiers, Benedicte Giffard, Giulia Binarelli, Cindy Borghgraef, Sabine Deprez, Mylene Duivon, Michiel De Ruiter, Sanne Schagen, Djihane Ahmed-Lecheheb, Helene Castel, Cecilie R. Buskbjerg, Melanie Dos Santos, Florence Joly, Joy Perrier
Summary: Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) has been increasingly identified in non-CNS system cancer patients over the last two decades in Europe. Researchers in Europe have contributed to the field by developing preclinical models and exploring underlying mechanisms. New challenges need to be addressed, including data sharing, standardization of assessments, and assessing additional biomarkers and neuroimaging investigations. This consensus paper summarizes the current state of CRCI research in Europe and proposes specific actions for future intervention programs based on shared scientific expert opinion.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN ONCOLOGY HEMATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Taraneh Sadat Zavvar, Anton Amadeus Hormann, Maximilian Klingler, Dominik Summer, Christine Rangger, Laurence Desrues, Helene Castel, Pierrick Gandolfo, Elisabeth von Guggenberg
Summary: Different modifications were explored for the minigastrin analog DOTA-MGS5, and five new derivatives were synthesized for radiolabeling. The new derivatives showed high receptor affinity and resistance against enzymatic degradation. Among them, [In-111]In-DOTA-[(N-Me)1Nal(8)]MGS5 exhibited the most promising targeting properties.
Review
Oncology
Andreas Bikfalvi, Cristine Alves da Costa, Tony Avril, Jean-Vianney Barnier, Luc Bauchet, Lucie Brisson, Pierre Francois Cartron, Helene Castel, Eric Chevet, Herve Chneiweiss, Anne Clavreul, Bruno Constantin, Valerie Coronas, Thomas Daubon, Monique Dontenwill, Francois Ducray, Natacha Entz-Werle, Dominique Figarella-Branger, Isabelle Fournier, Jean-Sebastien Frenel, Mathieu Gabut, Thierry Galli, Julie Gavard, Gilles Huberfeld, Jean-Philippe Hugnot, Ahmed Idbaih, Marie-Pierre Junier, Thomas Mathivet, Philippe Menei, David Meyronet, Celine Mirjolet, Fabrice Morin, Jean Mosser, Elisabeth Cohen-Jonathan Moyal, Veronique Rousseau, Michel Salzet, Marc Sanson, Giorgio Seano, Emeline Tabouret, Aurelie Tchoghandjian, Laurent Turchi, Francois M. Vallette, Somya Vats, Maite Verreault, Thierry Virolle
Summary: Glioblastoma (GBM) is a highly lethal brain tumor, and recent studies have emphasized the importance of the tumor microenvironment (TME) as a therapeutic target. However, a comprehensive understanding of the different cellular and molecular components involved in the GBM TME and their interactions is still needed for the development of more effective treatments. This review presents a comprehensive report on the GBM TME, combining the contributions of researchers and physicians in France, and provides a holistic view of the subject by describing the specific features of the GBM TME at the cellular, molecular, and therapeutic levels.
Article
Chemistry, Organic
E. D. Sitsanidis, P. M. Kasapidou, J. R. Hiscock, V Gubala, H. Castel, P. I. A. Popoola, A. J. Hall, A. A. Edwards
Summary: In this study, we present the first diphenylalanine dipeptide hydrogelator capped with the cinnamoyl functional group (Cin-l-F-l-F) and evaluate its effect on molecular self-assembly and physical properties of the formed hydrogel. Furthermore, we report preliminary results of its cytotoxicity against glioblastoma (GBM) cancer cells.
ORGANIC & BIOMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Paraskevi M. Kasapidou, Emmanuel Laillet de Montulle, Kleouforo-Paul Dembele, Alexandre Mutel, Laurence Desrues, Vladimir Gubala, Helene Castel
Summary: A new hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel design was proposed for attracting and eradicating residual glioblastoma cells. The hydrogel showed high chemoattractant properties and significant cytotoxicity against the tumor cells when loaded with chemotherapeutic drugs.
Article
Psychology, Experimental
Carina L. Fan, Herve Abdi, Brian Levine
Summary: This study focused on the relationship between autobiographical episodic memory and spatial navigation, finding that they are dissociated abilities. Autobiographical episodic memory overlapped with object imagery, while spatial navigation overlapped with spatial schematics and manipulation. These results suggest that trait episodic autobiographical memory and spatial navigation correspond to distinct mental processes.
MEMORY & COGNITION
(2021)
Meeting Abstract
Oncology
H. Castel, E. Laillet De Montulle, M. Dubois, F. Ferracci, A. Mutel, K. Dembele, L. Desrues, S. Derrey, O. Langlois, O. Chever, P. Gandolfo, F. Morin