Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ahmet C. Berkyurek, Giulia Furlan, Lisa Lampersberger, Toni Beltran, Eva-Maria Weick, Emily Nischwitz, Isabela Cunha Navarro, Fabian Braukmann, Alper Akay, Jonathan Price, Falk Butter, Peter Sarkies, Eric A. Miska
Summary: PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are small RNAs that regulate germ cell development in animals, and in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the core subunit RPB-9 of RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) is identified as essential for piRNA-mediated gene silencing. RPB-9 is required for piRNA biogenesis by recruiting the Integrator complex at piRNA genes for transcriptional termination, suggesting the piRNA pathway has evolved to utilize a mechanism originally used for transcription fidelity.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Juliana Garcia, Alexandra Carvalho, Ricardo Pires das Neves, Rui Malheiro, Daniela F. Rodrigues, Pedro R. Figueiredo, Antonio Bovolini, Jose Alberto Duarte, Vera Marisa Costa, Felix Carvalho
Summary: Amanita phalloides is a highly toxic mushroom, and its toxin alpha-Amanitin can cause liver and renal failure. The study found that cyclosporine A may protect cells from the toxic effects of alpha-Amanitin and showed full survival in mice. These results indicate the potential antidotal effect of cyclosporine A.
FOOD AND CHEMICAL TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Zhijun Wu, Jing Dai, Jingguang Fan, Chunguang Ding, Wenjin Zhao, Chengmin Yu, Qunmei Yao, Jian Sun, Haijiao Li, Chengye Sun
Summary: Approximately 70% to 90% of mushroom poisoning deaths are caused by amatoxins, but their rapid elimination from plasma limits their use as a diagnostic indicator. To overcome this, a new method was developed to detect protein-bound alpha-amanitin using trypsin hydrolysis and conventional LC-MS. This method showed a higher detection rate and longer window for protein-bound alpha-amanitin compared to free alpha-amanitin.
Article
Toxicology
Zhijun Wu, Haijiao Li, Yizhe Zhang, Chunguang Ding, Wenjin Zhao, Jing Dai, Chengmin Yu, Qunmei Yao, Fenshuang Zheng, Jingguang Fan, Chengye Sun
Summary: This study established a model of alpha-amanitin poisoning in mice and investigated the cellular pathways and activation mechanisms involved in liver regeneration. The researchers found that the mTOR signaling pathway may play a crucial role in liver regeneration, providing a promising basis for drug development.
ARCHIVES OF TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Guiyang Yao, Simone Kosol, Marius T. Wenz, Elisabeth Irran, Bettina G. Keller, Oliver Trapp, Roderich D. Suessmuth
Summary: This article reports the use of the term "ansamer" to describe the isomers of the bicyclic octapeptide alpha-Amanitin. The researchers synthesized analogs of alpha-Amanitin and analyzed their isomers, proposing and describing the term "ansamer" for these isomers.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kaveh Matinkhoo, Alla Pryyma, Antonio A. W. L. Wong, David M. Perrin
Summary: Amanitin is widely used as a research tool and toxic payload for targeted therapy, with the first ever photocaged analog being non-toxic and pre-loadable into cells. Light serves as a means to inhibit RNA Pol II and induce cell death as needed.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Mezmur D. Belew, Emilie Chien, Matthew Wong, W. Matthew Michael
Summary: A new molecular pathway in C. elegans germline has been identified, showing how cells globally regulate gene expression in response to nutritional stress. It involves a global chromatin compaction (GCC) pathway triggered by the energy-sensing kinase AMPK and mediated by a novel mechanism. Inactivation of the GCC pathway leads to continued transcription during starvation, defining a new mode of whole-genome control of transcription.
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Peng Wang, Qiushi Wang, Lianwan Chen, Zheng Cao, Hailian Zhao, Ruibao Su, Ning Wang, Xiaojing Ma, Jin Shan, Xinyan Chen, Qi Zhang, Baochen Du, Zhiheng Yuan, Yanmei Zhao, Xiaorong Zhang, Xuejiang Guo, Yuanchao Xue, Long Miao
Summary: This study identifies a germline-specific mitochondrial RBP AMG-1, which is crucial for spermatogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. AMG-1 mainly binds to mtDNA-encoded ribosomal RNA and regulates mitochondrial protein homeostasis. Additionally, SLRP-1 interacts with AMG-1 to regulate germline development and reproductive success.
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Hui Chong, Chuan Tan, Siyu Fang, Xichen Chen, Qi Tao, Xiaohui Yuan, Jinzhi Li, Cunhui Zhai, Chengxin Fei, Di Yang, Hongying Fan, Hongxia Shao, Aijian Qin, Guoxiu Wang, Zhonghua Shi, Ting Z'hang, Hang Yao, Hualing Li, Chengyin Wang
Summary: Two novel BODIPY-bearing complexes with pyridine and pyrimidine motifs showed stronger interactions with DNA compared to cisplatin. They exhibited improved anti-chemoresistance capabilities and significantly decreased lifespan and body length in a cisplatin-resistant model. Upregulation of certain genes related to chemoresistance was observed upon exposure to cisplatin, but not to the synthesized Pt(II) complexes.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Nicola Facchinello, Claudio Laquatra, Lisa Locatello, Giorgia Beffagna, Raquel Branas Casas, Chiara Fornetto, Alberto Dinarello, Laura Martorano, Andrea Vettori, Giovanni Risato, Rudy Celeghin, Giacomo Meneghetti, Massimo Mattia Santoro, Agnes Delahodde, Francesco Vanzi, Andrea Rasola, Luisa Dalla Valle, Maria Berica Rasotto, Tiziana Lodi, Enrico Baruffini, Francesco Argenton, Natascia Tiso
Summary: The study successfully generated zebrafish Polg models to faithfully mimic multiple defects detected in POLG disorders, providing a valuable platform for therapeutic research on the disease.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Wenjing Zhang, Zinan Li, Guojun Li, Ling Kong, Haiming Jing, Nan Zhang, Junyu Ning, Shan Gao, Yong Zhang, Xinyu Wang, Jing Tao
Summary: This study investigated the toxic effects of water-soluble components of PM2.5 in the air during winter in northern China. The results demonstrated that exposure to PM2.5 can lead to developmental abnormalities, shortened lifespan, and deteriorated health in organisms. The study also suggested that the IIS pathway and lipid metabolism/transport might be involved in the mechanism.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Mihajlo Todorovic, Paul Rivollier, Antonio A. W. L. Wong, Zhou Wang, Alla Pryyma, Tuan Trung Nguyen, Kayla C. Newell, Juliette Froelich, David M. Perrin
Summary: For 70 years, alpha-amanitin, the most cytotoxic peptide in its class, has been without a synthetic rival. Through synthesis, new amatoxins and analogues with higher cytotoxicity than the natural product on CHO, HEK293, and HeLa cells were discovered, whereas decreased cytotoxicity was observed on liver-derived HepG2 cells.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shiling Feng, Chunyan Zhang, Tao Chen, Lijun Zhou, Yan Huang, Ming Yuan, Tian Li, Chunbang Ding
Summary: The study found that OLE significantly prolongs the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans and increases their resistance to lethal heat shock and oxidative stress. OLE regulates stress resistance and lifespan extension in nematodes through the activation of the IIS and SKN-1/Nrf2 signaling pathways.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Gefei Huang, Feng Zhang, Dongying Xie, Yiming Ma, Pengxi Wang, Guodong Cao, Leijian Chen, Siyi Lin, Zhongying Zhao, Zongwei Cai
Summary: In this study, a high-throughput analytical platform combining ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and complementary mass spectrometry (MS) was developed to identify and quantify RNA modifications. Sixty-four types of RNA modifications were successfully monitored within a 16-minute single run of UPLC-MS. The method can also aid in the discovery of RNA-modifying enzymes in genetic studies.
Article
Neurosciences
Linjing Shen, Changliang Wang, Liang Chen, Garry Wong
Summary: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) were found to be dysregulated in Parkinson's disease (PD) tissues. When comparing miRNA and piRNA dysregulation in transgenic C. elegans nematodes overexpressing human alpha-synuclein wild-type (WT) or mutant A53T, genetic crosses with tdp-1 null mutants improved behavioral deficits and altered the number of dysregulated miRNAs and piRNAs. Prediction of target genes by specific miRNAs shed light on the molecular landscape of small non-coding RNA dysregulation in PD-associated neurodegenerative disorders.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
