Article
Neurosciences
Anna Simankova, Norihisa Bizen, Sei Saitoh, Shinsuke Shibata, Nobuhiko Ohno, Manabu Abe, Kenji Sakimura, Hirohide Takebayashi
Summary: Ddx20 is essential for the terminal differentiation of oligodendrocytes and maintenance of myelin gene expression. Knockout of Ddx20 in mice led to abnormal behaviors, muscle weakness, and reduced lifespan, with significant reductions in mature oligodendrocytes and myelin-associated gene expression levels.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sarah Venus, Kaba Tandjigora, Eckhard Jankowsky
Summary: The protein K7 from vaccinia virus is shown to inhibit the biochemical activities and cellular functions of DDX3X by binding to its N-terminus, restraining its association with stress granules.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Ravi Shankar Singh, Ananna Bhadra Arna, He Dong, Manisha Yadav, Aanchal Aggarwal, Yuliang Wu
Summary: DDX43, a member of the DEAD-box protein family, exhibits ATP-dependent RNA and DNA helicase activity. Its KH domain selectively binds pyrimidine-rich ssDNA and ssRNA. DDX43 is overexpressed in many tumors and thus holds potential as a target for cancer therapy.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Paul T. Winnard, Farhad Vesuna, Venu Raman
Summary: DDX3X, a multifunctional protein utilized by various viruses, plays a crucial role in viral metabolism. Modulating the functions of DDX3 during viral infections could effectively suppress viral production and have a significant impact on safely and efficiently subduing a broad spectrum of viral infections.
ANTIVIRAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jun-Xiu Wang, En-Bo Ma, Jian-Zhen Zhang, Shu-Ping Xing
Summary: Cellular and molecular mechanisms play a key role in maintaining midgut homeostasis, with LmDDX47 acting as an important regulator by controlling 18S rRNA synthesis and protein modification levels.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biology
Yaqiong Jin, Jin Shi, Huanmin Wang, Jie Lu, Chenghao Chen, Yongbo Yu, Yaru Wang, Yeran Yang, Dong Ren, Qi Zeng, Xin Ni, Yongli Guo
Summary: The study found that the DDX1 gene polymorphism rs72780850 is associated with an increased risk of NB, especially in aggressive cases. This association may be due to the regulation of DDX1 gene expression affecting tumor risk. Additionally, the molecular mechanism of the rs72780850 polymorphism leading to increased NB risk may be related to the binding affinity of the MAX transcription factor.
SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qi Li, Ningkun Liu, Qing Liu, Xingguo Zheng, Lu Lu, Wenrui Gao, Yang Liu, Yan Liu, Shicheng Zhang, Qian Wang, Jing Pan, Chen Chen, Yingjie Mi, Meiling Yang, Xiaofei Cheng, Guodong Ren, Yao-Wu Yuan, Xiaoming Zhang
Summary: The RNA helicases RH6, RH8, and RH12 play key roles in modulating the formation of membraneless nuclear dicing bodies (D-bodies) in Arabidopsis via liquid-liquid phase separations (LLPSs). Their accumulation decreases in the nuclei upon Turnip mosaic virus infections, leading to a decrease in D-bodies.
Article
Plant Sciences
Chi Xu, Zhanhui Zhang, Juan He, Yongsheng Bai, Jie Cui, Lin Liu, Jihua Tang, Guiliang Tang, Xuemei Chen, Beixin Mo
Summary: RCF1 is shown to play a role in pri-miRNA processing and splicing, as well as pre-mRNA splicing in Arabidopsis thaliana. A mutant with miRNA biogenesis defects was identified, and it was found to be caused by a recessive point mutation in RCF1 (rcf1-4). RCF1 promotes D-body formation and facilitates the interaction between pri-miRNAs and HYL1, and rcf1-4 exhibits a global splicing defect in intron-containing pri-miRNAs and pre-mRNAs. This study uncovers the importance of RCF1 in miRNA biogenesis and RNA splicing in Arabidopsis.
Article
Horticulture
Gangqiang Cao, Huihui Gu, Wenjing Jiang, Zhaoran Tian, Gongyao Shi, Weiwei Chen, Baoming Tian, Xiaochun Wei, Luyue Zhang, Fang Wei, Zhengqing Xie
Summary: This study reveals that the BrDHC1 gene enhances the drought resistance of Brassica rapa, providing new insights and theoretical basis for developing drought-resistant plants.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jan Philip Wurm, Katarzyna-Anna Glowacz, Remco Sprangers
Summary: DbpA, an ATP-dependent DEAD-box RNA helicase from Escherichia coli, plays a crucial role in ribosome biogenesis. By binding to hairpin 92 of the 23S rRNA, DbpA's activity is endorsed, indicating its importance in the maturation of ribosomes. The study elucidates how DbpA interacts with maturing ribosomes and the regulatory mechanism that modulates its activity.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Lili Zhang, Yanjie Xu, Xuening Liu, Meizhu Qin, Shenglan Li, Tianhua Jiang, Yingjie Yang, Cai-Zhong Jiang, Junping Gao, Bo Hong, Chao Ma
Summary: The chrysanthemum DEAD-box RNA helicase gene CmRH56 plays a role in modulating rhizome outgrowth in response to drought stress by repressing gibberellin biosynthesis.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Boris Bonaventure, Antoine Rebendenne, Ana Luiza Chaves Valadao, Mary Arnaud-Arnould, Segolene Gracias, Francisco Garcia de Gracia, Joe McKellar, Emmanuel Labaronne, Marine Tauziet, Valerie Vivet-Boudou, Eric Bernard, Laurence Briant, Nathalie Gros, Wassila Djilli, Valerie Courgnaud, Hugues Parrinello, Stephanie Rialle, Mickael Blaise, Laurent Lacroix, Marc Lavigne, Jean-Christophe Paillart, Emiliano P. Ricci, Reiner Schulz, Nolwenn Jouvenet, Olivier Moncorge, Caroline Goujon
Summary: DDX42 has been identified as an intrinsic antiviral inhibitor, restricting HIV-1 and other RNA viruses. It does not impact the replication of several negative-strand RNA viruses, suggesting a specific mode of action on target cells.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Denise S. Whitford, Brendan T. Whitman, George W. Owttrim
Summary: The study conducted a phylogenetic analysis of DEAD-box RNA helicases in cyanobacteria, revealing three distinct clades and limited distribution across cyanobacterial diversity. Additionally, extensive conservation of gene synteny surrounding the rimO?crhR operon was observed, indicating a role in the maintenance of photosynthesis.
MICROBIAL GENOMICS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yuxin Cui, Adam Hunt, Zhilei Li, Emily Birkin, Jane Lane, Fiona Ruge, Wen G. Jiang
Summary: This study evaluated the potential of DEAD/H box helicases as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in lung cancer through integrated bioinformatic analysis. Four biomarkers with significant alterations were identified, providing valuable insights for prognostic prediction and targeted therapeutic development in lung cancer.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Shan Li, Jinfei Ma, Ang Zheng, Xinyue Song, Si Chen, Feng Jin
Summary: DDX27 is significantly high expressed in breast cancer and associated with clinical pathological features. High DDX27 expression is related to worse overall survival and disease-free survival in breast cancer patients. Overexpression of DDX27 can enhance stemness-related biomarkers and promote stem cell-like activities in breast cancer cells.
JOURNAL OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stephanie Ghio, Angelique Camilleri, Mario Caruana, Viktoria C. Ruf, Felix Schmidt, Andrei Leonov, Sergey Ryazanov, Christian Griesinger, Ruben J. Cauchi, Frits Kamp, Armin Giese, Neville Vassallo
ACS CHEMICAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2019)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Angelique Camilleri, Stephanie Ghio, Mario Caruana, Daniel Weckbecker, Felix Schmidt, Frits Kamp, Andrei Leonov, Sergey Ryazanov, Christian Griesinger, Armin Giese, Ruben J. Cauchi, Neville Vassallo
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2020)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Luis Sanchez-Pulido, Chris P. Ponting
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Amy S. Findlay, Lisa McKie, Margaret Keighren, Sharon Clementson-Mobbs, Luis Sanchez-Pulido, Sara Wells, Sally H. Cross, Ian J. Jackson
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rebecca Cacciottolo, Joanna Ciantar, Maia Lanfranco, Rebecca M. Borg, Neville Vassallo, Remy Bordonne, Ruben J. Cauchi
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maria Ylenia Farrugia, Mario Caruana, Stephanie Ghio, Angelique Camilleri, Claude Farrugia, Ruben J. Cauchi, Sara Cappelli, Fabrizio Chiti, Neville Vassallo
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rebecca Borg, Maia Farrugia Wismayer, Karl Bonavia, Andrew Farrugia Wismayer, Malcolm Vella, Joke J. F. A. van Vugt, Brendan J. Kenna, Kevin P. Kenna, Neville Vassallo, Jan H. Veldink, Ruben J. Cauchi
Summary: Genetic isolates like the Maltese population are useful for mapping genes related to inherited disorders like ALS. The Maltese ALS patients are predominantly male, with spinal onset of symptoms, and onset age around mid-age. While some patients have rare genetic variants associated with ALS, the genetic cause of many fALS cases in this population remains unknown. Further studies are needed to discover novel genes causing ALS in this unique genetic isolate.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mario Caruana, Angelique Camilleri, Maria Ylenia Farrugia, Stephanie Ghio, Michaela Jakubickova, Ruben J. Cauchi, Neville Vassallo
Summary: Padina pavonica extract exhibits protective effects on mitochondrial membranes against amyloid protein damage, potentially offering therapeutic benefits in neurodegenerative proteinopathies such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Maia Farrugia Wismayer, Rebecca Borg, Andrew Farrugia Wismayer, Karl Bonavia, Malcolm Vella, Adrian Pace, Neville Vassallo, Ruben J. Cauchi
Summary: The study found that ALS patients were more likely to have blue-collar jobs, with carpentry and construction occupations being positively associated with ALS and bulbar-onset ALS. The findings suggest that manual workers, particularly in the carpentry and construction industries, have an increased ALS risk due to a history of intense or sustained physical activity.
AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS AND FRONTOTEMPORAL DEGENERATION
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luis Sanchez-Pulido, Chris P. Ponting
Summary: This review discusses how co-evolution-based contact and distance prediction methods expand the horizons of homology detection, providing new functional insights and experimentally testable hypotheses. These methods reveal three-dimensional constraints among amino acids in protein sequences previously devoid of annotated domains and repeats, exposing hidden structures in featureless sequence landscapes. The algorithms have a revelatory impact akin to the use of ground-penetrating radar by archaeologists to discover long-hidden structures underground.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maia Farrugia Wismayer, Andrew Farrugia Wismayer, Adrian Pace, Neville Vassallo, Ruben J. Cauchi
Summary: The report highlights the high prevalence of the D91A variant in Europe, despite a North-South gradient in its frequency, and confirms that this variant can be associated with dominant cases in Mediterranean countries.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS
(2022)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Paul Herrera, Ruben J. Cauchi
Summary: This article discusses the research on ACE and ACE2 in Drosophila, highlighting their shared functions in vivo and pointing out ways to further study and enhance the fruit fly as a research model.
Review
Biology
Eman Zaffar, Pedro Ferreira, Luis Sanchez-Pulido, Dominik Boos
Summary: The initiation of DNA replication is a crucial step for the accurate inheritance of genetic information. Recent studies have revealed important insights into the molecular processes and cellular regulation of replication initiation in eukaryotic cells, with the identification of the MTBP protein as a key factor. MTBP plays a critical role in the initiation of replication and is regulated by kinases and controlled degradation.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Rebecca Borg, Angie Purkiss, Rebecca Cacciottolo, Paul Herrera, Ruben J. Cauchi
Summary: This study found that genetic variations in the SCFD1 gene are associated with an increased risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Gene silencing experiments in fruit flies showed that loss of SCFD1 function can cause motor defects and neuromuscular junction deficits. The study also suggests that SCFD1 dysfunction may contribute to ALS through protein misfolding.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marie Antoine, Kristin L. Patrick, Johann Soret, Pauline Duc, Florence Rage, Rebecca Cacciottolo, Kelly E. Nissen, Ruben J. Cauchi, Nevan J. Krogan, Christine Guthrie, Yannick Gachet, Remy Bordonne