Review
Immunology
Joanna C. Dawes, Anthony G. Uren
Summary: Cancer genome sequencing has identified numerous mutations potentially involved in lymphomagenesis and leukemogenesis. Forward and reverse genetic strategies in mice validate human driver genes and direct the identification of new drivers in human malignancies. Mouse models using forward and reverse genetic screens can identify cooperating mutations, aiding in understanding the mechanisms of oncogenesis.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Akos Gasparics, Attila Sebe
Summary: Forward genetic screens have been instrumental in identifying oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, and genes related to metastasis and therapy resistance. EMT, regulated by complex signaling networks, plays a crucial role in chronic fibroproliferative diseases and cancer. Investigating the mechanisms leading to EMT and understanding its role in cancer is essential for therapeutic interventions.
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Mehrdad Hashemi, Mohammad Arad Zandieh, Yasmin Talebi, Parham Rahmanian, Sareh Sadat Shafiee, Melina Maghsodlou Nejad, Roghayeh Babaei, Farzaneh Hasani Sadi, Romina Rajabi, Zahra Oryan Abkenar, Shamin Rezaei, Jun Ren, Noushin Nabavi, Ramin Khorrami, Mohsen Rashidi, Kiavash Hushmandi, Maliheh Entezari, Afshin Taheriazam
Summary: Prostate cancer is a highly malignant tumor caused by genomic mutations. The lack of specific symptoms in early stages leads to late diagnosis and low response to chemotherapy. Docetaxel and paclitaxel inhibit depolymerization of microtubules and delay cell cycle progression, but resistance to these drugs can occur due to upregulation of oncogenic factors and downregulation of tumor suppressor genes. Phytochemicals such as naringenin and lovastatin have been used to impair tumor progression and enhance drug sensitivity. Nanostructures like polymeric micelles and nanobubbles have also been utilized to deliver anti-tumor compounds and reduce the risk of chemoresistance development. This review provides new insights for reversing drug resistance in prostate cancer.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Congcong Jiang, Miaomiao Lei, Yu Guo, Guangqi Gao, Lijie Shi, Yanlong Jin, Yu Cai, Axel Himmelbach, Shenghui Zhou, Qiang He, Xuefeng Yao, Jinhong Kan, Georg Haberer, Fengying Duan, Lihui Li, Jun Liu, Jing Zhang, Manuel Spannagl, Chunming Liu, Nils Stein, Zongyun Feng, Martin Mascher, Ping Yang
Summary: In this study, we created an EMS-mutagenized population of barley and established a highly efficient and cost-effective TILLING platform using a three-dimensional DNA pooling strategy and multiplexed amplicon sequencing. We successfully identified abundant allelic mutants for various genes, including the BRI1 gene. Additionally, we demonstrated the value of this resource by rapidly determining the causal gene responsible for a chlorotic mutant.
PLANT COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sandra M. Rocha, Daniel Nascimento, Rafaella S. Coelho, Ana Margarida Cardoso, Luis A. Passarinha, Silvia Socorro, Claudio J. Maia
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity of prostate cancer (PCa) cells to taxane-based drugs in response to STEAP1 gene expression. The results showed that STEAP1 knockdown or treatment with taxane-based drugs significantly reduced the viability and survival pathways of PCa cells.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Setsuko Wakao, Patrick M. M. Shih, Katharine Guan, Wendy Schackwitz, Joshua Ye, Dhruv Patel, Robert M. M. Shih, Rachel M. M. Dent, Mansi Chovatia, Aditi Sharma, Joel Martin, Chia-Lin Wei, Krishna K. K. Niyogi
Summary: This study identified 253 candidate genes potentially related to photosynthesis, including 70 known photosynthesis genes and 169 previously uncharacterized genes. Through analysis of insertion mutants, 1470 affected genes were identified, with 254 considered higher-confidence candidate genes associated with photosynthesis. These findings contribute to the discovery of photosynthesis genes and advance protein functional analysis in photosynthesis.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jogender Singh
Summary: Forward genetics is a powerful tool for unraveling molecular mechanisms of biological processes, with C. elegans being a favored model due to ease of genetic manipulation and availability of tools. Recent advancements have accelerated mutation identification, making forward genetic screens the method of choice for understanding biological functions.
MOLECULAR GENETICS AND GENOMICS
(2021)
Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Yi Sun, Guang Liu, Yue Huang
Summary: The piggyBac (PB) transposon system, known for its high transposition efficiency and seamless excision capacity, has become increasingly important in stem cell research. Through forward genetic screens based on PB transposons, genes associated with drug resistance and stem cell characteristics can be successfully identified. PB transposon is considered a promising gene therapy vector and has been utilized in certain clinically relevant stem cells.
STEM CELLS INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Limnology
Zhongyi Zhang, Hang Liu, Xiaohui Pan, Yanan Zong, Leili Feng, Lixian Liu, Li Guo, Guanpin Yang
Summary: In this study, a highly efficient transformation method was established to construct a random insertional mutant library of Nannochloropsis oceanica. A gene that may control the growth rate and cell size was successfully isolated. This method is of great significance for genetic studies of N. oceanica and can serve as a reference for other microalgal species.
JOURNAL OF OCEANOLOGY AND LIMNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Jiwei Zhang, Shengli Li, Jianian Zhang, Wen Zhang, Jiawen Jiang, Hao Wu, Enjiang Wu, Yutao Feng, Li Yang, Zhe Li
Summary: This study found that LINC01085, as a tumor suppressor, has significant clinical relevance in patients with aggressive hormone-independent prostate cancer (HIPC) who have acquired docetaxel resistance. The overexpression of LINC01085 inhibits TBK1 dimerization and affects the interaction between TBK1 and GSK313, resulting in changes in the expression levels of PD-L1, NF-xB, and interferons. Overexpression of LINC01085 combined with immune checkpoint blockade is proposed as an effective strategy for treating HIPC patients.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jakob Haldrup, Simone Weiss, Linnea Schmidt, Karina Dalsgaard Sorensen
Summary: Enzalutamide, docetaxel, and cabazitaxel treatment resistance in mCRPC remains a challenge, and the genetic determinants are not well understood. By using CRISPR/Cas9 knockout screens, we identified several genes that modulate treatment response to these drugs, including BCL2L13, CEP135, E2F4, IP6K2, KDM6A, SMS, XPO4 for enzalutamide; DRG1, LMO7, NCOA2, ZNF268 for docetaxel; ARHGAP11B, DRG1, FKBP5, FRYL, PRKAB1, RP2, SMPD2, TCEA2, ZNF585B for cabazitaxel. Validation studies confirmed the impact of IP6K2, XPO4, DRG1, PRKAB1, and RP2 on treatment response. Individual validation of candidate hits from genome-wide CRISPR screens is crucial. The generalizability and translational potential of these findings need further investigation.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Shaoxiong Wang, Li Sun
Summary: High expression of AURKA was found in DLBCL tissues and cells. Silencing AURKA inhibited cell viability and promoted apoptosis, while CHOP had no effect on AURKA expression but reduced viability and promoted apoptosis. Silencing AURKA enhanced the therapeutic effects of CHOP on DLBCL cells by inhibiting the expressions of RAS and beta-Catenin as well as the ratio of p-ERK1/2/ERK1/2 and promoting the ratio of p-beta-Catenin/beta-Catenin.
Article
Plant Sciences
Mareike Jezek, Fernanda A. L. Silva-Alvim, Adrian Hills, Naomi Donald, Maryam Rahmati Ishka, Jessica Shadbolt, Bingqing He, Tracy Lawson, Jeffrey F. Harper, Yizhou Wang, Virgilio L. Lew, Michael R. Blatt
Summary: Research shows that plant stomata close to conserve water when photosynthesis demand for CO2 is reduced. However, the slow stomatal responses compared to photosynthesis can lead to decreased assimilation and water-use efficiency under fluctuating light. Modelling and experiments revealed a central role of endomembrane Ca2+ stores in regulating guard cell responsiveness to light and CO2 fluctuations, impacting stomatal dynamics and plant photosynthesis.
Article
Biology
Edoardo Andrea Cutolo, Roberto Caferri, Zeno Guardini, Luca Dall'Osto, Roberto Bassi
Summary: The light-harvesting antennae of photosystem I and photosystem II are pigment-protein complexes responsible for converting sunlight into chemical energy. Adjusting the light absorption by photosystems is crucial to ensure efficient electron flow. State transitions, a photoacclimation mechanism, involve the phosphorylation of light harvesting complex II proteins.
Article
Oncology
Nikola Ptakova, Petr Martinek, Lubos Holubec, Vaclav Janovsky, Jana Vancurova, Petr Grossmann, Paloma Alcaraz Navarro, Juan F. Rodriguez Moreno, Reza Alaghehbandan, Ondrej Hes, Ondrej Majek, Milos Pesek, Michal Michal, Ondrej Ondic
Summary: NRG1 fusion genes are newly discovered potential oncogenic drivers, with a frequency of 0.2% in a large-scale tumor database. The most common tumor type with NRG1 fusion was lung adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemical testing for CK20 showed focal expression in lung adenocarcinoma, suggesting it may be an incidental finding.
GENES CHROMOSOMES & CANCER
(2021)