Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Eric Wang, Hua Zhou, Bettina Nadorp, Geraldine Cayanan, Xufeng Chen, Anna H. Yeaton, Sofia Nomikou, Matthew T. Witkowski, Sonali Narang, Andreas Kloetgen, Palaniraja Thandapani, Niklas Ravn-Boess, Aristotelis Tsirigos, Iannis Aifantis
Summary: This study identified the RNA-binding protein ZFP36L2 as a critical regulator of AML maintenance and differentiation. Mechanistically, ZFP36L2 interacts with the 3' untranslated region of key genes to promote mRNA degradation and suppress terminal cell differentiation. Epigenome profiling revealed enhancer modules near ZFP36L2 associated with different AML cell states, establishing a coordinated epigenetic and post-transcriptional mechanism shaping leukemic differentiation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Danielle E. Anderson, Jin Cui, Qian Ye, Baoying Huang, Ya Tan, Chao Jiang, Wenhong Zu, Jing Gong, Weiqiang Liu, So Young Kim, Biao Guo Yan, Kristmundur Sigmundsson, Xiao Fang Lim, Fei Ye, Peihua Niu, Aaron T. Irving, Haoyu Zhang, Yefeng Tang, Xuming Zhou, Yu Wang, Wenjie Tan, Lin-Fa Wang, Xu Tan
Summary: Bats are found to play a crucial role in the zoonotic transmission of major viral diseases, and they exhibit unique innate immune characteristics that are essential for viral replication. The gene MTHFD1 is identified as a key player in the viral tolerance of both bat and human cells, presenting a potential target for developing broad-spectrum antiviral therapy. Research on bats provides valuable insights into understanding genetic factors influencing viral interactions and responses.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Neil Kuehnle, Scout Mask Osborne, Ziyan Liang, Mark Manzano, Eva Gottwein
Summary: KSHV infection causes PEL. Human or viral cFLIP and MC159L can effectively rescue the loss of endogenous cFLIP activity in PEL cells. However, KSHV vFLIP is unable to fully rescue the loss of endogenous cFLIP and is functionally distinct.
CELL DEATH AND DIFFERENTIATION
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Jicheng Yang, Fusheng Guo, Hui San Chin, Gao Bin Chen, Chow Hiang Ang, Qingsong Lin, Wanjin Hong, Nai Yang Fu
Summary: Through genome-wide loss-of-function CRISPR-Cas9 screens, this study identified multiple genes involved in endoplasmic reticulum targeting, different biological processes in the Golgi apparatus, and protein trafficking, which are potential regulators of tetraspanin trafficking. Additionally, the study found that biantennary N-glycans generated by MGAT1/2 are crucial for cell-surface tetraspanin expression. Furthermore, SPPL3 was discovered to control cell-surface tetraspanin expression through mechanisms associated with lacto-series glycolipid biosynthesis. These findings provide critical insights into the molecular regulation of tetraspanin presentation on the cell surface and have implications for manipulating their functions, including cancer cell invasion.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ying Xu, Raghuvir Viswanatha, Oleg Sitsel, Daniel Roderer, Haifang Zhao, Christopher Ashwood, Cecilia Voelcker, Songhai Tian, Stefan Raunser, Norbert Perrimon, Min Dong
Summary: This study identifies Visgun (Vsg) as a protein receptor for a Photorhabdus luminescens toxin complex (Tc) toxin. The toxin recognizes a specific domain of Vsg and forms a complex with it. Knocking out Vsg in fruit flies increases resistance to P. luminescens infection. These findings contribute to our understanding of the specificity and pathogenesis of Tc toxins.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Roarke A. Kamber, Yoko Nishiga, Bhek Morton, Allison M. Banuelos, Amira A. Barkal, Felipe Vences-Catalan, Mingxin Gu, Daniel Fernandez, Jose A. Seoane, David Yao, Katherine Liu, Sijie Lin, Kaitlyn Spees, Christina Curtis, Livnat Jerby-Arnon, Irving L. Weissman, Julien Sage, Michael C. Bassik
Summary: This study developed a platform for unbiased identification of factors that impede antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) in cancer cells, revealing the important roles of the enzyme APMAP and the G-protein-coupled receptor GPR84 in this process. This helps to expand our knowledge of the mechanisms governing cancer resistance to macrophage phagocytosis.
Article
Cell Biology
Melissa A. Roberts, Kirandeep K. Deol, Alyssa J. Mathiowetz, Mike Lange, Dara E. Leto, Julian Stevenson, Sayed Hadi Hashemi, David W. Morgens, Emilee Easter, Kartoosh Heydari, Mike A. Nalls, Michael C. Bassik, Martin Kampmann, Ron R. Kopito, Faraz Faghri, James A. Olzmann
Summary: In this study, we used CRISPR-Cas9 loss-of-function screens to identify genetic modifiers that influence the expression and stability of perilipin-2 (PLIN2) under different metabolic conditions and in different cell types. These modifiers include genes involved in lipid metabolism, ubiquitination, transcription, and mitochondrial function. We also found that the E3 ligase MARCH6 plays a role in regulating triacylglycerol biosynthesis, LD abundance, and PLIN2 stability. Furthermore, our study provides an online data resource, CRISPRlipid, for exploring lipid-related functional genomics data.
DEVELOPMENTAL CELL
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Martin W. LaFleur, Arlene H. Sharpe
Summary: Cancer immunotherapies have been beneficial in various tumor types, but there is a need to discover new targets and combination therapies to extend the benefits. Systems biology approaches and CRISPR screens are promising tools for evaluating and selecting gene targets.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF CANCER BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Gilberto Garcia, Raz Bar-Ziv, Maxim Averbukh, Nirmalya Dasgupta, Naibedya Dutta, Hanlin Zhang, Wudi Fan, Darius Moaddeli, C. Kimberly Tsui, Toni Castro Torres, Athena Alcala, Erica A. A. Moehle, Sally Hoang, Ophir Shalem, Peter D. D. Adams, Max A. A. Thorwald, Ryo Higuchi-Sanabria
Summary: The actin cytoskeleton plays a crucial role in regulating cellular pathways and its deterioration can lead to aging and stress-related problems. This study identifies the bromodomain protein BET-1 as a key regulator of actin function and longevity. Overexpression of bet-1 preserves actin function and promotes lifespan and healthspan in C. elegans.
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Jiangjun Wang, Chen Zhang, Yi Huang, Yan Ruan, Yan Hu, Jiaqi Wang, Fengsheng Wang, Meng Yu, Yixiao Xu, Lianlian Liu, Yuda Cheng, Ran Yang, Yutong Dong, Jiali Wang, Yi Yang, Jiaxiang Xiong, Yanping Tian, Qiangguo Gao, Junlei Zhang, Rui Jian
Summary: In this study, the effects of different candidate genes on self-renewal in different pluripotency states of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) were investigated using genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 knockout screens. The genes were classified into seven groups based on their positive or negative effects and whether they were general or state-specific. The functions of novel pluripotent candidate genes Usp28, Zfp598, and Zfp296 were further evaluated in mouse ESCs, revealing their roles in ESC self-renewal under different culture conditions. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular regulation of ESC self-renewal in different pluripotency states.
STEM CELLS AND DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Theresa Lauster, Dorothee Stoeckle, Katharina Gabor, Theresa Haller, Natalie Krieger, Pia Lotz, Ravikumar Mayakrishnan, Ellen Spaeth, Steffi Zimmermann, Pantelis Livanos, Sabine Mueller
Summary: In this study, the role of PLECKSTRIN HOMOLOGY GTPase ACTIVATING PROTEINS (PHGAPS) in pavement cell shape establishment was investigated. It was found that PHGAPS interacted with ROP2 and showed distinct enrichment in the indentation regions of pavement cells. This localization was established upon undulation initiation and was maintained throughout cell expansion. These findings highlight the importance of PHGAPS in the establishment of ROP activity gradients and the coordinated establishment of multipolarity in epidermal cells.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nathan M. Belliveau, Matthew J. Footer, Emel Akdogan, Aaron P. van Loon, Sean R. Collins, Julie A. Theriot
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the molecular factors critical to neutrophil proliferation, differentiation, and migration. The researchers identified the role of mTORC1 signaling in cell differentiation and discovered genes involved in cell migration.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Won-Min Song, Praveen Agrawal, Richard Von Itter, Barbara Fontanals-Cirera, Minghui Wang, Xianxiao Zhou, Lara K. Mahal, Eva Hernando, Bin Zhang
Summary: This study establishes predictive gene network models of molecular alterations in primary melanoma by integrating various types of data, revealing key factors influencing melanoma development. Tumors with high immune infiltrates are associated with good prognosis, potentially due to induced CD8+ T-cell cytotoxicity. Experimental validation shows that 17 key regulators associated with poor prognosis have pro-tumorigenic effects in melanoma.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Michal Sheffer, Emily Lowry, Nicky Beelen, Minasri Borah, Suha Naffar-Abu Amara, Chris C. Mader, Jennifer A. Roth, Aviad Tsherniak, Samuel S. Freeman, Olga Dashevsky, Sara Gandolfi, Samantha Bender, Jordan G. Bryan, Cong Zhu, Li Wang, Ifrah Tariq, Govinda M. Kamath, Ricardo De Matos Simoes, Eugen Dhimolea, Channing Yu, Yiguo Hu, Olli Dufva, Marios Giannakis, Vasilis Syrgkanis, Ernest Fraenkel, Todd Golub, Rizwan Romee, Satu Mustjoki, Aedin C. Culhane, Lotte Wieten, Constantine S. Mitsiades
Summary: This study systematically defines molecular features in human tumor cells that determine their sensitivity to human allogeneic natural killer (NK) cells. The findings reveal that NK cell-sensitive tumor cells tend to exhibit specific transcriptional programs and levels of certain genes, with implications for immune checkpoint inhibitor resistance in clinical samples. The study provides a comprehensive map of mechanisms regulating tumor cell responses to NK cells, with potential applications in future biomarker-driven NK cell immunotherapies.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Havva Ortabozkoyun, Pin-Yao Huang, Hyunwoo Cho, Varun Narendra, Gary LeRoy, Edgar Gonzalez-Buendia, Jane A. Skok, Aristotelis Tsirigos, Esteban O. Mazzoni, Danny Reinberg
Summary: The study identifies MAZ as a cofactor involved in CTCF-mediated insulation, regulating gene expression and genomic architecture. Its deletion leads to derepression of genes and homeotic transformations in mice.
Editorial Material
Biology
Buzz Baum, David A. Baum
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andrea Dimitracopoulos, Pragya Srivastava, Agathe Chaigne, Zaw Win, Roie Shlomovitz, Oscar M. Lancaster, Mael Le Berre, Matthieu Piel, Kristian Franze, Guillaume Salbreux, Buzz Baum
Review
Cell Biology
Anna Taubenberger, Buzz Baum, Helen K. Matthews
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anna-Katharina Pfitzner, Vincent Mercier, Xiuyun Jiang, Joachim Moser von Filseck, Buzz Baum, Andela Saric, Aurelien Roux
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gautam Dey, Sian Culley, Scott Curran, Uwe Schmidt, Ricardo Henriques, Wanda Kukulski, Buzz Baum
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mateusz Trylinski, Buzz Baum
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Isabelle Anna Zink, Thomas Fouqueau, Gabriel Tarrason Risa, Finn Werner, Buzz Baum, Udo Blasi, Christa Schleper
Summary: CRISPR type III systems in archaea can be utilized for gene knockdown technologies to study essential genes, with results showing gene-specific silencing thresholds which can induce growth retardation phenotypes. Strong miniCRISPR constructs exceeding these thresholds can lead to specific mutation of the silencing miniCRISPR array and phenotypical reversion in cultures, with over two thirds of sequenced reverted cultures exhibiting precise excision of targeting spacers from the miniCRISPR array, suggesting an active recombination system acting on CRISPR arrays.
Article
Cell Biology
Jooske L. Monster, Lisa Donker, Marjolein J. Vliem, Zaw Win, Helen K. Matthews, Joleen S. Cheah, Soichiro Yamada, Johan de Rooij, Buzz Baum, Martijn Gloerich
Summary: During mitosis, epithelial cells exert tensile forces on neighboring cells by recruiting vinculin to maintain cell-cell junctions. Vinculin recruited from neighbors creates asymmetric cadherin junctions. Lack of vinculin in mitotic cells is essential for successful cell rounding.
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jiwei Liu, Matteo Tassinari, Diorge P. Souza, Souvik Naskar, Jeffrey K. Noel, Olga Bohuszewicz, Martin Buck, Tom A. Williams, Buzz Baum, Harry H. Low
Summary: Membrane remodeling and repair are essential for all cells, and proteins involved in these processes, such as Vipp1/IM30 in photosynthetic plastids, PspA in bacteria, and ESCRT-III in eukaryotes, share a common ancient evolutionary origin. Cryo-electron microscopy structures of Vipp1 rings from cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme show homology and suggest conserved mechanistic principles underlying membrane remodeling in different domains of life.
Review
Cell Biology
Gautam Dey, Buzz Baum
Summary: The defining feature of eukaryotic cells, the nucleus, is bounded by a double envelope with nuclear pores critical for separating the genome from the cytoplasm. Eukaryotes have evolved various strategies to remodel the nuclear compartment boundary during mitosis, from disassembling and reassembling the nucleus in daughter cells to maintaining an intact boundary throughout division. This review discusses common features of the division process, topological challenges, and the selective pressures that may drive the evolution of distinct modes of division.
CURRENT OPINION IN CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nitya Ramkumar, Jigna Patel, Jannis Anstatt, Buzz Baum
Summary: The isotropic metaphase actin cortex polarizes and reorganizes independently during mitotic exit, with different events coordinated in time. Aurora B kinase is identified as a regulator of actin clearance at cell poles, with a novel role in facilitating DNA-mediated polar relaxation, actomyosin cortex polarization, and cell division.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Agata Nyga, Jose J. Munoz, Suze Dercksen, Giulia Fornabaio, Marina Uroz, Xavier Trepat, Buzz Baum, Helen K. Matthews, Vito Conte
Summary: The study found that activation of the RAS oncogene induces changes in cell morphology and tissue mechanical properties, driving the transformation from 2D to 3D.
Review
Microbiology
Marleen van Wolferen, Andre Arashiro Pulschen, Buzz Baum, Simonetta Gribaldo, Sonja-Verena Albers
Summary: This review explores archaeal morphology, internal organization, and cell division, and discusses their importance in ecology, biotechnology, and human health. Recent studies have revealed the diversity and ubiquity of archaea in nature, expanding the phylogenetic scope of archaea and shedding light on their role in the evolutionary origins of eukaryotes. Advances in culturing and live imaging techniques have contributed to a better understanding of archaeal biology. The review also highlights technical challenges and discusses the potential of new technologies to address key unanswered questions.
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Agata Nyga, Katarzyna Plak, Martin Kraeter, Marta Urbanska, Kyoohyun Kim, Jochen Guck, Buzz Baum
Summary: Animal cells undergo repeated changes in shape, such as rounding up and respreading during division. The process of cell rounding can also be observed in interphase cells, particularly when cancer cells switch from a mesenchymal to an ameboid mode of migration. However, the mechanism of interphase cell rounding remains unclear.
Review
Microbiology
Buzz Baum, Anja Spang, Amy K. Schmid
Summary: This article explores the origin of the eukaryotic nucleus and proposes a model for the archaeal origin of the nucleus.
MICROBIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2023)