Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yuanyu Zhang, Lijun Xu, Jun Ge
Summary: This study establishes a multienzyme system consisting of lactate oxidase (LOx) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in living cells using amorphous metal-organic frameworks (aMOFs). This system, acting as artificially constructed organelles, shows high activity and selectivity for intracellular lactate detection, significantly improving the signal to noise ratio. The concept of constructing multienzyme systems holds promise for detecting various intracellular metabolites.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alejandro Garcia-Nunez, Gema Jimenez-Gomez, Antonio Hidalgo-Molina, Juan Antonio Cordoba-Dona, Antonio Leon-Jimenez, Antonio Campos-Caro
Summary: This study investigates circulating biomarker levels and systemic inflammatory indices in patients with silicosis caused by occupational exposure to engineered stone. The study finds that levels of lactate dehydrogenase, angiotensin-converting-enzyme, and fibrinogen show a significant sequential increase in different stages of the disease. Systemic inflammation indices also show significant differences between patient groups. These biomarkers and indices can help predict the progression of silicosis.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Roland Beckmann, Kristian Jensen, Sebastian Fenn, Janina Speck, Katrin Krause, Anastasia Meier, Melanie Roeth, Sascha Fauser, Raymond Kimbung, Derek T. Logan, Martin Steegmaier, Hubert Kettenberger
Summary: The study introduces a platform of dual targeting Fab molecules with two independent binding sites, allowing simultaneous binding of two target molecules. These molecules exhibit high affinity, physico-chemical stability, solubility, and superior efficacy compared to anti-VEGF monotherapy in vivo.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Mathangi Janakiraman, Alexei Leliavski, Jeeva Varadarajulu, Dieter Jenne, Gurumoorthy Krishnamoorthy
Summary: Current therapies for autoimmune diseases mainly rely on immunomodulation of T and B cell responses. However, therapeutic removal of autoantibodies remains challenging. In this study, a fusion protein targeting both T cells and autoantibodies was developed and shown to efficiently clear autoantibodies and promote T cell tolerance, providing a therapeutically advantageous approach for autoimmunity.
JOURNAL OF NEUROINFLAMMATION
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Hangyu Sun, Ziyi Yang, Ling Zhou, Vagelis G. Papadakis, Maria A. Goula, Guangqing Liu, Yi Zhang, Wen Wang
Summary: This study combined experimental investigation and model simulation to explore the effect of metal ions on mitigating ammonia inhibition during anaerobic digestion. The results showed that the addition of Ca can increase methane production through enhancing dehydrogenase activity and reinforcing protein binding structure. Gene sequencing results indicated an increase in the activity of acetotrophic and hydrogenotrophic dehydrogenases after Ca addition.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Veronica L. Li, Yang He, Kevin Contrepois, Hailan Liu, Joon T. Kim, Amanda L. Wiggenhorn, Julia T. Tanzo, Alan Sheng-Hwa Tung, Xuchao Lyu, Peter-James H. Zushin, Robert S. Jansen, Basil Michael, Kang Yong Loh, Andrew C. Yang, Christian S. Carl, Christian T. Voldstedlund, Wei Wei, Stephanie M. Terrell, Benjamin C. Moeller, Rick M. Arthur, Gareth A. Wallis, Koen van de Wetering, Andreas Stahl, Bente Kiens, Erik A. Richter, Steven M. Banik, Michael P. Snyder, Yong Xu, Jonathan Z. Long
Summary: Exercise stimulates the production of a blood-borne metabolite called Lac-Phe, which suppresses feeding and obesity. This metabolite is synthesized in specific cells and controls appetite, reduces fat content, and improves glucose balance. It is also observed in humans and racehorses, suggesting that it is a molecular effector associated with physical activity in multiple species.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Simon Sretenovic, Desuo Yin, Adam Levav, Jeremy D. Selengut, Stephen M. Mount, Yiping Qi
Summary: This study presents a new plant genome-editing system based on the hybrid iSpyMacCas9 platform, allowing for targeted mutagenesis and base editing at A-rich PAMs. It fills a significant technology gap in the CRISPR-Cas9 system for editing NAAR PAMs in plants, greatly expanding the targeting scope of CRISPR-Cas9. The vector systems are fully compatible with Gateway cloning and existing single-guide RNA expression systems, making it easy for others to adopt.
PLANT COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yuqing Tong, Meng Gu, Xingyu Luo, Haifeng Qi, Wei Jiang, Yu Deng, Lulu Wei, Jun Liu, Yin Ding, Jianfeng Cai, Yong Hu
Summary: A new type of nanoparticles has been developed to address the challenges of tumor extracellular acidity and chemoresistance. These nanoparticles selectively accumulate in tumors and regulate the release of drugs depending on the extracellular acidity, effectively killing tumor cells without causing resistance.
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Maria Eduarda Sevilla, Mario D. D. Garcia, Yunierkis Perez-Castillo, Vinicio Armijos-Jaramillo, Santiago Casado, Karla Vizuete, Alexis Debut, Liliana Cerda-Mejia
Summary: Due to the lack of efficient treatment of plastic waste, extensive plastic production has become a serious environmental and health problem. This study focuses on the enzymatic degradation of PET by IsPETase, a cutinase-like enzyme, to completely break down the polymer. Through rational design and mutation of the active site, the researchers were able to enhance the PET-degrading activity of IsPETase, particularly with the S238Y mutant. The modified enzyme showed a 3.3-fold increase in degradation activity compared to the wild-type enzyme and was capable of breaking down highly crystalline PET found in commercial soft drink bottles.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jannik Zimmermann, Julian Oestreicher, Fabian Geissel, Marcel Deponte, Bruce Morgan
Summary: A novel high-throughput assay has been developed for rapid and semi-quantitative evaluation of glutathione-dependent oxidoreductase activity. This method combines genetic fusion constructs between glutathione transporter and redox-sensitive fluorescent protein, enabling rapid characterization of enzyme activity and structure-function relationships. The assay allows direct screening of glutaredoxin activity and efficient detection of enzyme activity with physiological substrates.
FREE RADICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Athanasios Dousis, Kanchana Ravichandran, Elissa M. Hobert, Melissa J. Moore, Amy E. Rabideau
Summary: The purity of synthetic mRNA is improved with a double-mutant T7 RNA polymerase. This mutant produces substantially less immunostimulatory RNA during in vitro transcription (IVT), leading to a simplified production process with similar mRNA potency and lower immunostimulatory content.
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biophysics
Cyril Charlier, Sabine Gavalda, Vinciane Borsenberger, Sophie Duquesne, Alain Marty, Vincent Tournier, Guy Lippens
Summary: Plastic environmental pollution is a major issue. Plastic recycling and degrading enzymes can play an important role in the circular economy.
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Jing Zhang, Zhengfu Yue, Zhigao Zhou, Changfeng Ding, Taolin Zhang, Muhammad Kamran, Liping Wan, Xingxiang Wang
Summary: This study investigated the dynamic characteristics of antibiotics in anaerobic digestion (AD) systems, including physiochemical factors, microbial communities, and functional genes. The results revealed that antibiotic removal mainly occurred in the first 21 days, with sulfonamides having the highest removal rate. Key microorganisms involved in antibiotic biodegradation belonged to Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Key enzymes involved in the process included deaminases, peptidases, C-N ligases, decarboxylases, and alkyl-aryl transferases. Structural equation modeling showed that low concentrations of propionic acid promoted microbial activity during the first 21 days, but its accumulation inhibited activity afterwards. Therefore, regulating propionic acid in engineered AD systems is important to prevent the adverse effect of acid inhibition on antibiotic-degrading bacteria.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Mario Dudjak, Goran Martinovic
Summary: The study identified noise as the characteristic that most impairs classifier performance on imbalanced datasets, followed by class overlapping and class imbalance. To mitigate these issues, oversampling and undersampling procedures were tested, and guidance is provided for selecting appropriate techniques.
EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Boyang Guo, Ximena Lopez-Lorenzo, Yuan Fang, Eva Backstrom, Antonio Jose Capezza, Sudarsan Reddy Vanga, Istvan Furo, Minna Hakkarainen, Per-Olof Syren
Summary: Recycling plastics is crucial for achieving a sustainable materials economy. Biocatalytic degradation of plastics using microwave irradiation as a pre-treatment process, followed by enzymatic reaction, shows promising results in improving substrate accessibility and increasing conversion yield.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Manjunatha Shivaraju, Udbhav K. Chitta, Robert M. H. Grange, Isha H. Jain, Diane Capen, Lan Liao, Jianming Xu, Fumito Ichinose, Warren M. Zapol, Vamsi K. Mootha, Jayaraj Rajagopal
Summary: Recent research has shown that airway basal stem cells have the ability to sense hypoxia and differentiate into solitary NE cells, which secrete a protective peptide called CGRP to mitigate hypoxic injury. This mechanism helps to explain the role of NE cells in the respiratory system and their response to environmental stimuli.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Robert M. H. Grange, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Shah, Bryn Reinstadler, Olga Goldberger, Marissa K. Cooper, Akito Nakagawa, Yusuke Miyazaki, Allyson G. Hindle, Annabelle J. Batten, Gregory R. Wojtkiewicz, Grigorij Schleifer, Aranya Bagchi, Eizo Marutani, Rajeev Malhotra, Donald B. Bloch, Fumito Ichinose, Vamsi K. Mootha, Warren M. Zapol
Summary: Leigh syndrome, a severe mitochondrial neurodegenerative disease, has no effective treatment yet. However, in a mouse model of Leigh syndrome, hypoxia treatment has shown promise in preventing neurodegeneration and significantly extending lifespan. Mild hypoxia alone may not be effective, but when combined with nicotinic acid supplementation, it can provide modest improvement in neurodegeneration and lifespan. Therapies targeting both brain hyperoxia and NAD(+) deficiency may hold promise for treating Leigh syndrome.
MOLECULAR GENETICS AND METABOLISM
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexis A. Jourdain, Bridget E. Begg, Eran Mick, Hardik Shah, Sarah E. Calvo, Owen S. Skinner, Rohit Sharma, Steven M. Blue, Gene W. Yeo, Christopher B. Burge, Vamsi K. Mootha
Summary: Oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis are two major pathways for ATP production in cells, and their relative expression and balance are regulated by genes. Research has shown that LUC7L2 inhibits oxidative phosphorylation and promotes glycolysis through various mechanisms, connecting it to cellular energy metabolism.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yuchen Zhang, Rui Guo, Sharon H. Kim, Hardik Shah, Shuting Zhang, Jin Hua Liang, Ying Fang, Matteo Gentili, Colin N. O' Leary, Steven J. Elledge, Deborah T. Hung, Vamsi K. Mootha, Benjamin E. Gewurz
Summary: The study demonstrates that SARS-CoV-2 infection alters host cell metabolism to support viral replication, with a clear sensitivity to inhibitors of folate and one-carbon metabolism. Targeted therapy focusing on host metabolism may be a valuable tool in fighting future coronavirus outbreaks.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Toxicology
Yusuke Miyazaki, Eizo Marutani, Takamitsu Ikeda, Xiang Ni, Kenjiro Hanaoka, Ming Xian, Fumito Ichinose
Summary: The study showed that the sulfonyl azide-based sulfide-specific scavenger SS20 has a rescue effect on H2S intoxication, improving survival rates and neurological outcomes. SS20 demonstrated efficacy not only in the ongoing exposure model but also when administered after cardiopulmonary arrest.
TOXICOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eizo Marutani, Masanobu Morita, Shuichi Hirai, Shinichi Kai, Robert M. H. Grange, Yusuke Miyazaki, Fumiaki Nagashima, Lisa Traeger, Aurora Magliocca, Tomoaki Ida, Tetsuro Matsunaga, Daniel R. Flicker, Benjamin Corman, Naohiro Mori, Yumiko Yamazaki, Annabelle Batten, Rebecca Li, Tomohiro Tanaka, Takamitsu Ikeda, Akito Nakagawa, Dmitriy N. Atochin, Hideshi Ihara, Benjamin A. Olenchock, Xinggui Shen, Motohiro Nishida, Kenjiro Hanaoka, Christopher G. Kevil, Ming Xian, Donald B. Bloch, Takaaki Akaike, Allyson G. Hindle, Hozumi Motohashi, Fumito Ichinose
Summary: The sensitivity of the brain to hypoxia is inversely related to the levels of sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase (SQOR) and its capacity to catabolize sulfide in mice, rats, and naturally hypoxia-tolerant ground squirrels. Silencing SQOR increased brain sensitivity to hypoxia, while neuron-specific SQOR expression prevented hypoxia-induced sulfide accumulation and ischemic brain injury. Pharmacological scavenging of sulfide maintained mitochondrial respiration in hypoxic neurons and made mice resistant to hypoxia, indicating a potential therapeutic target for ischemic brain injury.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Hematology
Rajeev Malhotra, Christopher J. Nicholson, Dongyu Wang, Vijeta Bhambhani, Samantha Paniagua, Charles Slocum, Haakon H. Sigurslid, Christian L. Lino Cardenas, Rebecca Li, Sophie L. Boerboom, Yin-Ching Chen, Shih-Jen Hwang, Chen Yao, Fumito Ichinose, Donald B. Bloch, Mark E. Lindsay, Gregory D. Lewis, Jayashri R. Aragam, Udo Hoffmann, Gary F. Mitchell, Naomi M. Hamburg, Ramchandran S. Vasan, Emelia J. Benjamin, Martin G. Larson, Warren M. Zapol, Susan Cheng, Jason D. Roh, Christopher J. O'Donnell, Christopher Nguyen, Daniel Levy, Jennifer E. Ho
Summary: This study finds an association between ucMGP levels and arterial stiffness, as well as future HFpEF. Experimental studies using mice also support the link between Mgp heterozygosity and arterial stiffness. These findings suggest a potential role of therapeutic targeting MGP in HFpEF.
ARTERIOSCLEROSIS THROMBOSIS AND VASCULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pernille Bulow, Anupam Patgiri, Victor Faundez
Summary: The human brain consumes a significantly larger amount of energy than the sun by unit of mass and time. Defects in the machinery for cellular energy production, particularly in mitochondrial protein synthesis, may be a causative mechanism for neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders.
Article
Anesthesiology
Takamitsu Ikeda, Edilberto Amorim, Yusuke Miyazaki, Risako Kato, Eizo Marutani, Michael G. G. Silverman, Rajeev Malhotra, Ken Solt, Fumito Ichinose
Summary: The study found that early administration of sedation with propofol or dexmedetomidine can improve survival and neurological outcomes in mice resuscitated from cardiac arrest. The beneficial effects of sedation may be achieved through attenuation of cerebral hyperemia and enhancement of electroencephalographic slow-wave activity.
Article
Oncology
Eric M. Bressler, Ngoc-Quynh Chu, Robert C. Sabatelle, David A. Mahvi, Jenny T. Korunes-Miller, Fumiaki Nagashima, Fumito Ichinose, Rong Liu, Mark W. Grinstaff, Yolonda L. Colson, Chandrajit P. Raut
Summary: This study reports a novel local drug delivery approach that can prevent tumor recurrence and minimize drug-related adverse events following surgical resection of soft-tissue sarcomas.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mariko Ezaka, Eizo Marutani, Yusuke Miyazaki, Eiki Kanemaru, Martin K. Selig, Sophie L. Boerboom, Katrina F. Ostrom, Anat Stemmer-Rachamimov, Donald B. Bloch, Gary J. Brenner, Etsuo Ohshima, Fumito Ichinose
Summary: This study found that glutathione trisulfide (GSSSG) can mitigate paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy by preventing axonal degeneration and mitochondrial damage in peripheral sensory nerves, providing a new approach for the treatment or prevention of paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eiki Kanemaru, Yusuke Miyazaki, Eizo Marutani, Mariko Ezaka, Shunsaku Goto, Etsuo Ohshima, Donald B. Bloch, Fumito Ichinose
Summary: The study investigates the effects of polysulfides on delayed paraplegia after spinal cord ischemia. The results show that administration of GSSSG can prevent paraplegia in mice and increase levels of polysulfides in the lumbar spinal cord, leading to decreased neurodegeneration and cell death. These findings suggest that targeted delivery of sulfane sulfur by polysulfides may have potential as a novel treatment approach for neurodegenerative diseases.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sneha Rath, Rohit Sharma, Rahul Gupta, Tslil Ast, Connie Chan, Timothy J. Durham, Russell P. Goodman, Zenon Grabarek, Mary E. Haas, Wendy H. W. Hung, Pallavi R. Joshi, Alexis A. Jourdain, Sharon H. Kim, Anna Kotrys, Stephanie S. Lam, Jason G. McCoy, Joshua D. Meisel, Maria Miranda, Apekshya Panda, Anupam Patgiri, Robert Rogers, Shayan Sadre, Hardik Shah, Owen S. Skinner, Tsz-Leung To, Melissa A. Walker, Hong Wang, Patrick S. Ward, Jordan Wengrod, Chen-Ching Yuan, Sarah E. Calvo, Vamsi K. Mootha
Summary: MitoCarta3.0 is a catalog of over 1000 genes encoding the mammalian mitochondrial proteome, with 1136 human genes after manual review. It includes annotations of sub-mitochondrial localization and hierarchical 'MitoPathways', serving as a valuable resource for mitochondrial biology and medicine.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2021)