Article
Cell Biology
Darko Maric, Aleksandra Paterek, Marion Delaunay, Irene Perez Lopez, Miroslav Arambasic, Dario Diviani
Summary: The study demonstrates that AKAP2 plays a role in promoting cardioprotection in infarcted hearts, with its knockout leading to increased infarct size and worsened cardiac function. AKAP2 forms a complex with PKA and Src3 in cardiomyocytes, facilitating the activation of ERα and upregulation of genes involved in anti-apoptosis and angiogenesis. Decreased AKAP2 expression results in increased myocardial apoptosis and impaired formation of new blood vessels in infarcted hearts.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Matthew Watson, Teresa B. Almeida, Arundhati Ray, Christina Hanack, Rory Elston, Joan Btesh, Peter A. McNaughton, Katherine Stott
Summary: Disordered scaffold proteins play an important role in orchestrating cellular processes through the interaction of Short Linear Motifs (SLiMs). One such protein, AKAP5, was found to interact with Calcineurin through multiple lower-affinity SLiMs. This interaction is similar to the binding of DNA-binding proteins to DNA, but involves the interaction between two proteins.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Developmental Biology
Naoya Yamaguchi, Holger Knaut
Summary: Cell-extracellular matrix interactions are essential for cell anchoring and migration, with focal adhesions (FAs) playing a key role. However, the role of FAs in vivo is still not well understood.
Article
Oncology
Jie Zeng, Xuan Li, Long Liang, Hongxia Duan, Shuanshuan Xie, Changhui Wang
Summary: CAP1 is a cancer-related protein that plays a role in promoting proliferation, migration, and invasion of lung cancer cells. Phosphorylation sites of CAP1 may be a novel target for lung cancer treatment.
JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH AND CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Yang Li, Shijuan Gao, Yingchun Han, Li Song, Yu Kong, Yao Jiao, Shan Huang, Jie Du, Yulin Li
Summary: This study investigated the genetic characteristics of sporadic isolated thoracic aortic aneurysm (iTAA) and revealed the potential role of focal adhesion scaffold genes in the pathogenesis of iTAA. Pathogenic mutations and suspected functional variants were found to be significantly enriched in iTAA patients, with Testin (TES) identified as a potential causal gene. The study also showed that knockdown of focal adhesion scaffold genes like TLN1 and ZYX resulted in decreased contractility of vascular smooth muscle cells in iTAA patients.
CIRCULATION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Dahai Jiang, Zhidi Min, Jing Leng, Huanqing Niu, Yong Chen, Dong Liu, Chenjie Zhu, Ming Li, Wei Zhuang, Hanjie Ying
Summary: In this study, two novel class III ACs with halophilic property were discovered from Thermobifida halotolerans DSM 44931 (ThAC) and Haloactinopolyspora alba DSM 45211 (HaAC), respectively. The presence of NaCl significantly enhanced the enzyme activities of ThAC and HaAC, and several divalent metal ions were found to activate the recombinant ACs to different extents. This is the first report of halophilic Class III ACs, which is important for further investigations.
CHINESE JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Guoyi Tang, Yuan Guo, Li Zhang, Tao Wang, Ruotong Li, Jie Yang, Yixuan Wang, Jian Liu
Summary: This study found that the BLA's 5-HT1B receptors regulate anxiety-like behavior, but the effects on PD-related anxiety are unclear. The results showed that the 5-HT1B receptor agonist induced anxiety-like effects, while the antagonist produced anxiolytic-like responses. Further investigation revealed the involvement of the AC-PKA signaling pathway in this process.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Richard A. Stein, Hassane S. Mchaourab
Summary: This study presents a general approach to drive Alphafold2 to model alternate protein conformations through manipulation of the multiple sequence alignment. The applicability of this approach is demonstrated through the investigation of membrane proteins, expanding the potential uses of Alphafold2.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ophthalmology
Angela Garriz, Junji Morokuma, Danny Toribio, Driss Zoukhri
Summary: The involvement of the second messenger 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and its downstream effectors in oxytocin (OXT)-mediated lacrimal gland myoepithelial cell (MEC) contraction was investigated. The expression of adenylate cyclase coupling G proteins, Gαs, Gαo, and Gαi, was observed in lacrimal gland MEC. OXT increased intracellular cAMP levels and cAMP agonists stimulated MEC contraction via PKA and EPAC activation, playing a major role in OXT-induced MEC contraction.
EXPERIMENTAL EYE RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zhan-Bin Sun, Shu-Fan Yu, Chu-Lun Wang, Ling Wang
Summary: This review discusses the functions and applications of the cAMP signaling pathway in biocontrol fungi and proposes future research suggestions.
CURRENT ISSUES IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Alexis Voegele, Mirko Sadi, Darragh Patrick O'Brien, Pauline Gehan, Dorothee Raoux-Barbot, Maryline Davi, Sylviane Hoos, Sebastien Brule, Bertrand Raynal, Patrick Weber, Ariel Mechaly, Ahmed Haouz, Nicolas Rodriguez, Patrice Vachette, Dominique Durand, Sebastien Brier, Daniel Ladant, Alexandre Chenal
Summary: The P454 segment of the CyaA toxin is capable of translocating across membranes and interacting with calmodulin, with key residues involved in membrane destabilization and calmodulin binding. Inhibitors of calmodulin can efficiently block CyaA internalization. This suggests a potential mechanism for the vectorial translocation of the toxin into host cells.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Christopher J. DiRusso, Maryam Dashtiahangar, Thomas D. Gilmore
Summary: Scaffold proteins play a crucial role in organizing efficient functional units for signaling cascades. They can undergo conformational changes that affect their dependent signaling pathways. Understanding these conformational dynamics can provide insights into the flexibility of signaling cascades and may enhance our ability to treat scaffold-associated diseases.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Ximin Tan, Yuheng Yan, Bin Song, Shuangli Zhu, Qi Mei, Kongming Wu
Summary: Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) plays a crucial role in cellular functions and tumor microenvironment. Increased FAK expression and activity are strongly associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes and metastatic characteristics in cancer. Modulating FAK activity has potential as an effective approach in cancer therapy.
EXPERIMENTAL HEMATOLOGY & ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Sara L. Banerjee, Frederic Lessard, Francois J. M. Chartier, Kevin Jacquet, Ana Osornio-Hernandez, Valentine Teyssier, Karim Ghani, Noemie Lavoie, Josee N. Lavoie, Manuel Caruso, Patrick Laprise, Sabine Elowe, Jean-Philippe Lambert, Nicolas Bisson
Summary: This study unravels the signaling networks of EPHRs in regulating cellular phenotypes by identifying protein complexes and their interactions. The results show that EPHRs directly phosphorylate PAR-3 and recruit CSK, which are crucial for cell sorting.
Article
Oncology
Yumeng Zhang, Shu Liu, Shu Zhou, Dandan Yu, Junjie Gu, Qin Qin, Yu Cheng, Xinchen Sun
Summary: Oesophageal cancer is highly invasive and prone to recurrence and metastasis, with a low five-year survival rate, making the development of new therapeutic interventions crucial. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) plays a key role in survival, proliferation, and migration of cancer cells, making it a potential therapeutic target for oesophageal cancer. The combination of FAK inhibitors with other treatments is expected to improve patient survival.