Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sameera S. Abeyrathna, Nisansala S. Abeyrathna, Priyanka Basak, Gordon W. Irvine, Limei Zhang, Gabriele Meloni
Summary: Transmembrane P-1B-type ATPase pumps are crucial for maintaining cellular metal homeostasis and detoxification. We developed a platform to study metal selectivity, translocation events, and transport mechanism in real-time using fluorescent sensors and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Our findings demonstrate that Zn(ii)-pumps are electrogenic uniporters with promiscuous coordination plasticity.
Article
Microbiology
Ildiko Vig, Zsigmond Benko, Barnabas Cs. Gila, Zoltan Palczert, Agnes Jakab, Fruzsina Nagy, Marton Miskei, Mi-Kyung Lee, Jae-Hyuk Yu, Istvan Pocsi, Tamas Emri
Summary: PcaA and CrpA in Aspergillus species play important roles in protecting fungal cells from heavy metal and oxidative stress, contributing to the virulence of pathogenic Aspergillus species. These P-1B-type ATPases, located on the fungal cell surface, may serve as a novel drug target in the future.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nina Salustros, Christina Gronberg, Nisansala S. Abeyrathna, Pin Lyu, Fredrik Oradd, Kaituo Wang, Magnus Andersson, Gabriele Meloni, Pontus Gourdon
Summary: The authors report the molecular structure of CopA, a copper-transporting P-1B-ATPase in an inward-facing E1 conformation. The findings provide insights into the mechanism of copper transport and are likely applicable to human P-1B members.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Huanhuan Li, Mengxue Zhang, Hongji Li, Hai Yu, Shuo Chen, Wenhui Wu, Peng Sun
Summary: A new venturicidin biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) was discovered, along with four 20-membered macrolides. Venturicidin A and E showed high selective cytotoxicity against acute monocytic leukemia cells.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kyrylo Pyrshev, Naghmeh Hassanzadeh Khayyat, Anna Stavniichuk, Viktor N. Tomilin, Oleg Zaika, Nirupama Ramkumar, Oleh Pochynyuk
Summary: The inhibition of ClC-K2 can be used to distinguish between A-type and B-type intercalated cells in the collecting duct and monitor changes in their functional status and abundance in response to systemic acid/base stimuli.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Gerardo Flores-Iga, Carlos Lopez-Ortiz, Celeste Gracia-Rodriguez, Aldo Almeida, Padma Nimmakayala, Umesh K. Reddy, Nagamani Balagurusamy
Summary: The study conducted a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of the HMA gene family in Cucurbitaceae species and identified two major clades. Functional divergence was observed between clades based on gene structure and conserved motifs analysis. Expression analysis identified CpeHMA genes related to arsenic stress in C. pepo.
Article
Microbiology
Lyubomir Dimitrov Stanchev, Juliana Rizzo, Rebecca Peschel, Lilli A. Pazurek, Lasse Bredegaard, Sarina Veit, Sabine Laerbusch, Marcio L. Rodrigues, Rosa L. Lopez-Marques, Thomas Gunther Pomorski
Summary: Lipid flippases of the P4-ATPase family, particularly the Apt1p in Cryptococcus neoformans, play crucial roles in regulating lipid transport and fungal virulence. Apt1p forms a heterodimeric complex with the Cdc50 protein, which is essential for both transporter complex localization and activity. The lipid flippase activity of this heterodimeric complex exhibits a wide substrate specificity, indicating its potential as a target for antifungal drug development.
Article
Cell Biology
Zhuanli Bai, Yiping Qu, Lin Shi, Xinju Li, Zhen Yang, Meiju Ji, Peng Hou
Summary: NF1 is generally caused by NF1 inactivation, but other gene abnormalities can also lead to similar phenotypes. A germline variation in the CSPG4 gene was identified to increase susceptibility to a NF1-like phenotype, promoting cell proliferation through activation of the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. This is the first report of mutations in the CSPG4 gene in human diseases.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Liliana S. O. Silva, Pedro M. Matias, Celia Romao, Ligia M. Saraiva
Summary: Repair of Iron Center proteins (RIC) are a family of di-iron proteins found widely in microbes. This review summarizes the data on microbial RICs, including their gene regulation and contribution to pathogenic bacteria survival. The focus is on Escherichia coli RIC, with extensive biochemical characterization and new structural data featuring a di-manganese site. The networking of protein interactions involving RIC and its proposed physiological role as an iron donor for repairing damaged iron-sulfur centers are also described.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Thang Quyet Nguyen, Seri Koh, Jiin Kwon, Soyeon Jang, Wonchull Kang, Jin Kuk Yang
Summary: p97 is a human AAA+ ATPase involved in various cellular processes. METTL21D is a Lys-specific methyltransferase that methylates Lys315 of p97, known as VCPKMT. The structures of S-adenosyl-L-methionine-bound VCPKMT and S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine-bound VCPKMT complexed with p97 N/D1 were reported, revealing the molecular details of p97 recognition and methylation by VCPKMT. The study also investigated the enhancement of p97 methylation through cooperation between VCPKMT and ASPL C-terminus.
Article
Microbiology
Wen Pan, Xiaowen Huang, Zeyuan Guo, Rekha Nagarajan, Eleftherios Mylonakis
Summary: Effector proteins in Caenorhabditis elegans play a role in host defense, and this study focused on identifying pathogen-dependent cytokine-like molecules, specifically C-type lectin domain-containing proteins (CLECs). The results show that CLEC-47 functions as a novel cytokine-like signaling molecule, attracting and recruiting macrophages and activating proinflammatory cytokine expression.
Article
Microbiology
Julya Sorokina, Irina Sokolova, Ivan Rybolovlev, Natalya Shevlyagina, Vasiliy Troitskiy, Vladimir Zhukhovitsky, Yury Belyi
Summary: The study identified gene clusters in Clostridioides difficile strain 630 encoding proteins related to the VirB4/D4 type 4C secretion system from Streptococcus suis strain 05ZYH33. It was found that these variants play specific roles in the physiology of C. difficile. Further investigation revealed the characteristics of the VirB4- and VirD4-like components, providing insights that could aid in the development of antivirulence drugs for the treatment of C. difficile infection.
JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Shuai Liu, Limei Li, Yanwu Deng, Yongsheng Bai, Chao Sun, Shili Huang, Jiajie Zhou, Liyu Shi, Xuewei Yang, Ling Li, Xuemei Chen, Yulin Tang
Summary: This study discovered a Cd-responsive metal ion transporter gene BrpHMA2 in Brassica parachinensis, which is specifically expressed in the vascular tissues of the plant and can enhance Cd accumulation and sensitivity in transgenic Arabidopsis and yeast. The study also identified the transcription factors BrpNAC895 and BrpABI449 as key regulators of BrpHMA2 expression.
HORTICULTURE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yugo Miyata, Kyoko Yamada, Shigekazu Nagata, Katsumori Segawa
Summary: Phospholipids in plasma membranes are asymmetrically distributed, and ATP11A and ATP11C can flip PtdSer to the inner leaflet. Introducing the functions of ATP11A and ATP11C can restore PtdSer asymmetry in ATP11A(-/-) ATP11C(-/-) cells. ATP8A1 and ATP11B achieve this function through endocytosis at 37℃.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Qiuling Wang, Qianqian Qin, Meifei Su, Na Li, Jing Zhang, Yang Liu, Longfeng Yan, Suiwen Hou
Summary: This study reveals the crucial role of the protein phosphatase TOPP in regulating autophagy in Arabidopsis. By dephosphorylating ATG13a, TOPP stimulates the formation of the ATG1a-ATG13a complex, thus activating autophagy under fixed-carbon starvation conditions.