Article
Microbiology
Li Sun, Dandan Wang, Zhiqiu Yin, Chengsheng Zhang, Amber Bible, Zhihong Xie
Summary: This study characterized the transcriptional regulator ActR in Azorhizobium caulinodans and investigated its biological function by constructing an actR gene deletion mutant. The results showed that ActR is involved in flagellar biosynthesis and essential for competitive nodulation in symbiosis with Sesbania rostrata.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Qinggang Yin, Tianze Wu, Ranran Gao, Lan Wu, Yuhua Shi, Xingwen Wang, Mengyue Wang, Zhichao Xu, Yueliang Zhao, Xiaojia Su, Yanyan Su, Xiaoyan Han, Ling Yuan, Li Xiang, Shilin Chen
Summary: Despite being known for artemisinin production, Artemisia annua contains phenylpropanoid glucosides (PGs) with significant bioactivities. The biosynthesis of A. annua PGs has been insufficiently studied. Different A. annua ecotypes accumulate varying amounts of metabolites, including artemisinin and the PG scopolin. UDP-glucose:phenylpropanoid glucosyltransferases (UGTs) play a role in PG biosynthesis. This study identified candidate AaUGTs and confirmed their role in glycosylating phenylpropanoids. Additionally, an alternative route for producing the precursor of scopolin was discovered, contributing to the high-level accumulation of scopolin in A. annua leaves.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xianke Meng, Geert-Jan Boons, Marc M. S. M. Wosten, Tom Wennekes
Summary: A new metabolic labeling method using azide-modified Leg precursors on bacterial flagella probes has been developed, facilitating the study of Leg glycosylation in Campylobacter jejuni. This method helps to further investigate the glycosylation of flagella and the functional role of Leg in the motility and invasiveness of C. jejuni.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Guangxin Sun, Jieren Liao, Elisabeth Kurze, Timothy D. Hoffmann, Wieland Steinchen, Kate McGraphery, Ruth Habegger, Ludwig Marek, Dragana A. M. Catici, Christina Ludwig, Tingting Jing, Thomas Hoffmann, Chuankui Song, Wilfried Schwab
Summary: Glycosyltransferases are versatile enzymes that modify the properties of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and small molecules by transferring sugars. This study reveals that C13-apocarotenoids can interact with plant glycosyltransferases, inducing conformational changes and enhancing their catalytic activity towards hydroxycoumarin substrates. This discovery has potential applications in agriculture and pharmaceutical industries.
Article
Plant Sciences
Qian Liu, Guang-rui Dong, Yu-qing Ma, Shu-man Zhao, Xi Liu, Xing-kun Li, Yan-jie Li, Bing-kai Hou
Summary: The UGT85E1 gene plays a crucial role in mediating plant response to drought stress, leading to enhanced tolerance in transgenic rice plants. Its overexpression induces various physiological and metabolic changes in plants under drought conditions. The ectopic overexpression of UGT85E1 in Arabidopsis also results in increased drought tolerance, indicating its potential as a candidate gene for cultivating drought-tolerant crops in both dicots and monocots.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biology
Shuangzhi Yuan, Yong Sun, Wenqiang Chang, Jiaozhen Zhang, Jifa Sang, Jiachun Zhao, Minghui Song, Yanan Qiao, Chunyang Zhang, Mingzhu Zhu, Yajie Tang, Hongxiang Lou
Summary: Herbivores have evolved detoxification mechanisms for feed components. Silkworms that feed on Cudrania tricuspidata leaves (CTLs) have smaller bodies, slower growth, and lower silk production compared to those fed mulberry leaves. The high content of prenylated isoflavones (PIFs) in CTLs is converted into glycosylated derivatives (GPIFs) in silkworm faeces through gut microbiota, and this biotransformation is essential for PIFs detoxification. Adding Bacillus subtilis as a probiotic can improve gut microbiota and promote silkworm growth and development.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Rui Liu, Daqing Gao, Zhengzou Fang, Lijiang Zhao, Zeyan Xu, Chuyu Qin, Ruolan Zhang, Jinfeng Xu, Chengping Lu
Summary: Biofilms formed by Edwardsiella tarda play a role in antibiotic resistance and host immune evasion. This study highlights the impact of the AroC gene in the shikimate pathway on biofilm formation, flagellar synthesis, and indole production. The results demonstrate that Delta aroC mutants exhibit reduced motility, smaller flagella, and decreased indole levels, which are all associated with the formation of biofilms. These findings contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying biofilm formation in E. tarda.
MICROBES AND INFECTION
(2022)
Article
Developmental Biology
Siyu Liu, Jintao Zhang, Zine Eddine Kherraf, Shuya Sun, Xin Zhang, Caroline Cazin, Charles Coutton, Raoudha Zouari, Shuqin Zhao, Fan Hu, Selima Fourati Ben Mustapha, Christophe Arnoult, Pierre F. Ray, Mingxi Liu
Summary: This study reveals the pathogenic mechanism related to ciliary and flagellar motility defects caused by CFAP61 gene mutations. The research on CFAP61 splice variant c.143+5G>A demonstrates the impact of exon skipping/intron retention on flagellar morphology. Additionally, the study uncovers the important role of CFAP61 in male infertility.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Song An, Maho Yamashita, Sho Iguchi, Taketo Kihara, Eri Kamon, Kazuya Ishikawa, Masaru Kobayashi, Takeshi Ishimizu
Summary: This study identified two enzymes, PcGlcT and PcApiT, involved in the synthesis of flavonoid glycoside apiin in parsley. Their expression profiles were closely correlated with the accumulation of flavonoid 7-O-apiosylglucosides in parsley organs and developmental stages.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Charles Ng Wai Chun, Husnul Azan Tajarudin, Norli Ismail, Baharin Azahari, Muaz Mohd Zaini Makhtar, Leong Kah Yan
Summary: Bacterial flagella and carbon nanotubes are both important structures with applications in nanotechnology, but the high production cost and environmental pollution associated with carbon nanotubes make researching bacterial flagella as a potential alternative material significant.
Article
Plant Sciences
Baiyu Zhang, Zhichao Zhang, Saijiang Yong, Shuyang Yu, Hui Feng, Maozhu Yin, Wenwu Ye, Yuanchao Wang, Min Qiu
Summary: This study identifies a leucine-rich repeat (LRR) protein that plays a crucial role in the development of Phytophthora sojae zoospores. Its absence leads to reduced mobility and chemotaxis of zoospores, as well as decreased cyst germination and virulence.
Article
Microbiology
Victoria Palma, Maria Soledad Gutierrez, Orlando Vargas, Raghuveer Parthasarathy, Paola Navarrete
Summary: Bacterial motility is a common characteristic that can be studied through various methods, with three-dimensional imaging being advantageous in microscopic approaches. Understanding bacterial motility is also important for studying bacterial-host interactions.
Article
Entomology
Kangsheng Ma, Qiuling Tang, Pingzhuo Liang, Jianhong Li, Xiwu Gao
Summary: UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) play a crucial role in the resistance of cotton aphids to sulfoxaflor, with overexpression of UGTs contributing to increased resistance.
Review
Agronomy
Yue Chen, Haifan Wen, Jian Pan, Hui Du, Keyan Zhang, Leyu Zhang, Yao Yu, Huanle He, Run Cai, Junsong Pan, Gang Wang
Summary: An unusual flower and tendril (uft) mutant in cucumber was caused by a mutation in the gene encoding an F-box protein, resulting in down-regulation of organ development genes and significantly decreased expression level of CsUFO gene. This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of flower organogenesis in cucumber.
THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Pieter Nibbering, Romain Castilleux, Gunnar Wingsle, Totte Niittyla
Summary: Cellulose deficiency in Arabidopsis thaliana mutants with impaired CAGE1 and CAGE2 enzymes may be caused by defects in arabinogalactan biosynthesis, resulting in primary and secondary cell wall defects.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Xue-Gong Li, Ze-Xi Jiao, Huan-Huan Zhang, Jun Xu, Wei-Jia Zhang, Xiao-Qing Qi, Long-Fei Wu
Summary: In this study, the complete genome sequence of a putative new species, Crassaminicella sp. 143-21, isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney on the Central Indian Ridge (CIR), was presented. Genomic analysis revealed numerous genes related to organic matter transport and catabolism, as well as genes involved in translation and signal transduction, which might facilitate microbial survival in the deep-sea hydrothermal vent environment.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Di Wu, Pierre-Andre Gilormini, Sakura Toda, Christophe Biot, Cedric Lion, Yann Guerardel, Chihiro Sato, Ken Kitajima
Summary: This study investigated the role of the C-domain in the CMP-Kdn-dependent inhibition in rainbow trout and mice. The results showed that the C-domain affects the catalytic activity of rtCSS when using Kdn as a substrate, and the inhibition is C-domain-dependent.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexandre Mery, Samir Jawhara, Nadine Francois, Marjorie Cornu, Julien Poissy, Maria Martinez-Esparza, Daniel Poulain, Boualem Sendid, Yann Guerardel
Summary: Early diagnosis of invasive candidiasis (IC) is crucial for patient survival. The current gold standard diagnostic test has limitations such as low positivity rate and delayed results. However, mass spectrometry-based detection of circulating glycans provides a reliable and cost-effective early diagnostic method. Furthermore, high resolution mass spectrometry improves the performance of IC diagnosis.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENERAL SUBJECTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Veronique Roig-Zamboni, Sarah Barelier, Robert Dixon, Nicola F. Galley, Amani Ghanem, Heloize Cahuzac, Quoc Phong Nguyen, Bartlomiej Salamaga, Peter J. Davis, Yves Bourne, Stephane Mesnage, Florence Vincent
Summary: The cleavage of septal peptidoglycan during cell division helps in separating the daughter cells. The N-acetylglucosaminidase AtlA in Enterococcus faecalis plays a crucial role in cell separation and its mutants show decreased virulence. AtlA has structural homologs in other pathogens, making it a potential target for developing inhibitors of bacterial pathogenesis.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alena Stsiapanava, Chenrui Xu, Shunsuke Nishio, Ling Han, Nao Yamakawa, Marta Carroni, Kathryn Tunyasuvunakool, John Jumper, Daniele de Sanctis, Bin Wu, Luca Jovine
Summary: The study reveals the mechanism of how glycoproteins GP2 and uromodulin catch pathogenic bacteria by presenting a high-mannose glycan that acts as a decoy for the bacterial fimbrial adhesin FimH. This finding has implications for understanding kidney diseases and cast nephropathy.
NATURE STRUCTURAL & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Kaixuan Cui, Hongmiao Pan, Jianwei Chen, Jia Liu, Yicong Zhao, Si Chen, Wenyan Zhang, Tian Xiao, Long-Fei Wu
Summary: This article describes a species of multicellular magnetotactic prokaryotes (MMPs) collected from intertidal sediments. The study identified two types of magnetosome gene cluster (MGC), one related to magnetite biomineralization and the other to greigite biomineralization, in the genome of the MMP species. The study also discovered paralogous proteins that may function independently in magnetosome biomineralization.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shi Yan, Adnan Hodzic, Giulia Bandini, Ganglong Yang, Jorick Vanbeselaere, Yann Guerardel
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Firas Fadel, Violla Bassim, Vanessa Francis, Steven L. Porter, Thomas Botzanowski, Pierre Legrand, Maria Mate Perez, Yves Bourne, Sarah Cianferani, Florence Vincent
Summary: This study provides structural and functional insights into the interaction between GacS and RetS in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, including the signaling pathway and autokinase mechanism of GacS. The findings are of great significance for a better understanding of these regulatory networks and their roles in bacterial physiological activities.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sarah Barelier, Romain Avellan, Giri Raj Gnawali, Patrick Fourquet, Veronique Roig-Zamboni, Isabelle Poncin, Vanessa Point, Yves Bourne, Stephane Audebert, Luc Camoin, Christopher D. Spilling, Stephane Canaan, Jean-Francois Cavalier, Gerlind Sulzenbacher
Summary: We report the synthesis of new CyC alkyne-containing inhibitors (CyCyne) and their use for the direct fishing of target proteins in M. tb culture via bio-orthogonal click-chemistry activity-based protein profiling (CC-ABPP). This approach led to the capture and identification of a variety of enzymes, including HsaD, which is required for the survival of M. tb within macrophages and is a potential therapeutic target. The specificity of HsaD inhibition by the CyC analogues was confirmed through biochemical and structural approaches.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Segolene Ladaigue, Anne-Charlotte Lefranc, Khadidiatou Balde, Monica Quitoco, Emilie Bacquer, Didier Busso, Guillaume Piton, Jordane Depagne, Nathalie Dechamps, Nao Yamakawa, Louise Debusschere, Chunxue Han, Fabrice Allain, Valerie Buard, Georges Tarlet, Agnes Francois, Vincent Paget, Fabien Milliat, Olivier Guipaud
Summary: This study found that the expression of endothelial alpha-mannosidase MAN1C1 protein decreases after radiation therapy. Using in vitro models and gene silencing techniques, the researchers demonstrated the important role of MAN1C1 in the recruitment of monocytes.
Article
Biology
Nikos Nikolopoulos, Renata C. Matos, Stephanie Ravaud, Pascal Courtin, Houssam Akherraz, Simon Palussiere, Virginie Gueguen-Chaignon, Marie Salomon-Mallet, Alain Guillot, Yann Guerardel, Marie-Pierre Chapot-Chartier, Christophe Grangeasse, Francois Leulier
Summary: This study investigates the role of an uncharacterized protein (DltE) encoded by the dlt operon in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. It is found that DltE acts as a D-Ala carboxyesterase, removing D-Ala from lipoteichoic acids (LTAs). The D-Ala-LTAs are shown to be important cues supporting intestinal peptidase expression and juvenile growth in Drosophila melanogaster.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Laure Papin, Martin Lehmann, Justine Lagisquet, Ghizlane Maarifi, Veronique Robert-Hebmann, Christophe Mariller, Yann Guerardel, Lucile Espert, Volker Haucke, Fabien P. Blanchet
Summary: DC-SIGN is a critical receptor involved in host immunity and autophagy pathway, promoting autophagy flux and enhancing the body's antiviral immune response. It is associated with early endocytic events and plays a role in virus resistance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Letter
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Masae Hosoda, Kazuhiro Aoki, Yann Guerardel, Issaku Yamada, Kiyoko F. Aoki-Kinoshita
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wassim Daher, Louis-David Leclercq, Matt D. Johansen, Claire Hamela, Jona Karam, Xavier Trivelli, Jerome Nigou, Yann Guerardel, Laurent Kremer
Summary: Mycobacterium abscessus is a difficult-to-manage mycobacterial species that can exhibit different morphotypes and glycosylation patterns. This study reveals the importance of glycopeptidolipids in internalization, morphotype transition, virulence, and infection outcomes of M. abscessus.
CELL CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Hong Chen, Deng Hui Li, Ai Jun Jiang, Xue Gong Li, Shi Jun Wu, Jian Wei Chen, Meng Jie Qu, Xiao Qing Qi, Jie Dai, Rui Zhao, Wei-Jia Zhang, Shan Shan Liu, Long-Fei Wu
Summary: Studies suggest the widespread distribution of phototrophic bacteria in deep-sea hydrothermal vents, which can rely on the light emitted by the vents for photosynthesis, providing them with a competitive advantage for growth in the vent ecosystems.
MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)