Article
Microbiology
Mutsumi Komeyama, Kohsuke Kanno, Hiroyuki Mino, Yoko Yasuno, Tetsuro Shinada, Tomokazu Ito, Hisashi Hemmi
Summary: The archaeal modified mevalonate pathway in archaea involves the biosynthesis of isopentenyl diphosphate and dimethylallyl diphosphate through trans-anhydromevalonate phosphate. A key enzyme called phosphomevalonate dehydratase catalyzes the formation of trans-anhydromevalonate phosphate from (R)-mevalonate 5-phosphate. This enzyme belongs to the aconitase X family and has a [4Fe-4S] cluster, unlike its bacterial counterparts which have a [2Fe-2S] cluster.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Qixuan Su, Ping Cheng, Jiyuan Sun, Yulin Zhang, Yang Zheng, Xiao-Ran Jiang, Xiancai Rao
Summary: In this study, H. bluephagenesis strain was engineered to produce lycopene by introducing a heterologous MVA pathway. By optimizing downstream genes and promoters, the lycopene yield was significantly increased to 1.22 mg/g. This research demonstrates that genetic engineering and optimization of production systems can enhance lycopene overproduction.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Jie Han, Jian Yang, Qiqi Wang, Xiang Yin, Zewei Sun, Chaoyang Huang, Guoping Chen, Liangrong Zheng, Dongmei Jiang
Summary: This study found that IBAN enhances autophagy by inhibiting the Rac1-mTOR signaling pathway and alleviates Ang II-induced injury in endothelial cells under hypertension conditions.
CELL DEATH DISCOVERY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Peng-Fei Zheng, Zhanfei Wei, Yingli Zhou, Qingmei Li, Zhao Qi, Xiaoping Diao, Yong Wang
Summary: Thermoplasmatota are a group of organisms that are widely found in various ecosystems, but their distribution and ecological role in marine sediments are still not well understood. In this study, four draft genomes affiliated with a newly identified order, Candidatus Yaplasmales, of the Thermoplasmatota phylum, were obtained from sediments in the South China Sea. The genomes revealed the potential for alkane degradation and other metabolic pathways, suggesting that Candidatus Yaplasmales may play a vital role in the carbon cycle of marine sediments.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Emanuela Chiarella, Clelia Nistico, Anna Di Vito, Helen Linda Morrone, Maria Mesuraca
Summary: Metabolic reprogramming is crucial for tumorigenesis, and targeting metabolic pathways with drugs such as bisphosphonates can have potential anti-cancer effects. Bisphosphonates inhibit the mevalonate pathway, leading to interference with cancer cell survival and proliferation, particularly in myeloid hematological malignancies like acute myeloid leukemia.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mark T. Young, Charlotte I. W. Bowman, Arthur Erb, Julia A. Schwab, Lawrence M. Witmer, Yanina Herrera, Stephen L. Brusatte
Summary: Thalattosuchian crocodylomorphs were a diverse group that lived in water from the Early Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous. The subclade Metriorhynchoidea went through a remarkable evolution from semi-aquatic ambush predators to fully aquatic forms living in open oceans. Thalattosuchians share a unique palatal morphology with fossil cetaceans, having paired grooves along the palatal surface. By investigating CT scans of thalattosuchian and extant crocodylian species, this study reveals that all thalattosuchians had osseous canals connected to the oral cavity, which transmitted hypertrophied nasal vessels for heat exchange. This suggests that thalattosuchians had a complex thermoregulatory system to maintain stable temperatures for their neurosensory tissues.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xing Du, Yunsheng Ou, Muzi Zhang, Kai Li, Wei Huang, Dianming Jiang
Summary: This study found that the mevalonate pathway promotes osteosarcoma metastasis by regulating YAP1 activity, and inhibiting this pathway may be an effective strategy for treating osteosarcoma metastasis.
Review
Oncology
Borja Guerra, Carlota Recio, Haidee Aranda-Tavio, Miguel Guerra-Rodriguez, Jose M. Garcia-Castellano, Leandro Fernandez-Perez
Summary: Cancer cells exhibit metabolic reprogramming for energy and signaling, with lipid metabolism playing a key role in cancer progression and drug resistance. Targeting the mevalonate (MVA) biosynthetic pathway may offer a potential strategy to improve therapeutic window in cancer treatment.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Miguel A. A. Lasuncion, Javier Martinez-Botas, Covadonga Martin-Sanchez, Rebeca Busto, Diego Gomez-Coronado
Summary: The mevalonate pathway is essential for the synthesis of isoprenoids, including sterols, and plays a crucial role in cell division and cell cycle progression.
BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Kagiso Laka, Lilian Makgoo, Zukile Mbita
Summary: Cholesterol is implicated in carcinogenesis and finding effective strategies to lower cholesterol is important. Phytochemicals may help lower cancer-causing cholesterol and their mechanisms can be targeted for anticancer drug development.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Arne Schatteman, Chloe L. Wright, Andrew T. Crombie, J. Colin Murrell, Laura E. Lehtovirta-Morley
Summary: This study demonstrates that hydrazines are inhibitors of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and that AOA can oxidize hydrazine to dinitrogen gas coupled with ATP production. This provides important insights into the metabolism of AOA and expands the list of energy-yielding compounds that AOA can use. The study also highlights the usefulness of hydrazines as tools for studying AOA metabolism, similar to their use in bacterial ammonia oxidizers.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Tao Cheng, Lili Wang, Chao Sun, Congxia Xie
Summary: In this study, a high-yield strain of E. coli capable of producing a large amount of lycopene was obtained by fine-tuning gene expression and visual screening. This research provides a reference for the synthesis of other terpenoids.
MICROBIAL CELL FACTORIES
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Minakshi Mukherjee, Rachael Hageman Blair, Zhen Q. Wang
Summary: The production of terpenoids from engineered microbes plays a significant role in providing essential medicines, sustainable materials, and renewable fuels. The study focuses on the individual contribution of non-rate-limiting enzymes in the mevalonate pathway to the overall pathway flux and final terpenoid yield. It identifies the mevalonate kinase as the critical enzyme influencing product titer. Additionally, a platform strain is created by targeting the mevalonate pathway to both the cytosol and peroxisomes, resulting in significantly improved terpenoid production.
METABOLIC ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jared Aldridge, Sean Carr, Karrie A. Weber, Nicole R. Buan
Summary: The study shows that renewable isoprene with high yield can be achieved by manipulating Methanosarcina species methanogens. Engineered methanogens direct a significant portion of carbon flux to isoprene, producing higher yields than other engineered organisms. This research offers the potential for industrial production of inexpensive renewable isoprene using methanogens.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ryushi Kawakami, Tatsuya Ohshida, Junji Hayashi, Kazunari Yoneda, Toshio Furumoto, Toshihisa Ohshima, Haruhiko Sakuraba
Summary: The Orn-AT activity of the enzyme encoded by the PH1423 gene from Pyrococcus horikoshii OT-3 was detected. Crystal structures of this novel archaeal omega-aminotransferase were determined in complex with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP), in complex with PLP and L-ornithine (L-Orn), and in complex with N-(5'-phosphopyridoxyl)-L-glutamate (PLP-L-Glu). The P. horikoshii OrnAT monomer showed notable similarity to that of human Orn-AT. However, the residues recognizing the alpha-amino group of L-Orn differed between the two enzymes. Asp93* was found to play a critical role in maintaining high affinity for the substrate. The structure of the enzyme with the reaction-intermediate analogue PLP-L-Glu bound provided the first structural evidence for the Glu switch mechanism in the dual substrate specificity of Orn-AT.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhaohui Yang, Zheng Cao, Hao Sun, Yan Li
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2008)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zheng Cao, Jonathan P. Schlebach, Chiwook Park, James U. Bowie
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2012)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Heedeok Hong, Tracy M. Blois, Zheng Cao, James U. Bowie
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2010)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zheng Cao, James U. Bowie
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2012)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jonathan P. Schlebach, Zheng Cao, James U. Bowie, Chiwook Park
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zheng Cao, James U. Bowie