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Kreiser RP, Wright AK, Sasser LR, Rinauro DJ, Gabriel JM, Hsu CM, Hurtado JA, McKenzie TL, Errico S, Albright JA, Richardson L, Jaffett VA, Riegner DE, Nguyen LT, LeForte K, Zasloff M, Hollows JE, Chiti F, Vendruscolo M, Limbocker R. A Brain-Permeable Aminosterol Regulates Cell Membranes to Mitigate the Toxicity of Diverse Pore-Forming Agents. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:1219-1231. [PMID: 35404569 PMCID: PMC9026273 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
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The molecular composition
of the plasma membrane plays a key role
in mediating the susceptibility of cells to perturbations induced
by toxic molecules. The pharmacological regulation of the properties
of the cell membrane has therefore the potential to enhance cellular
resilience to a wide variety of chemical and biological compounds.
In this study, we investigate the ability of claramine, a blood–brain
barrier permeable small molecule in the aminosterol class, to neutralize
the toxicity of acute biological threat agents, including melittin
from honeybee venom and α-hemolysin from Staphylococcus
aureus. Our results show that claramine neutralizes
the toxicity of these pore-forming agents by preventing their interactions
with cell membranes without perturbing their structures in a detectable
manner. We thus demonstrate that the exogenous administration of an
aminosterol can tune the properties of lipid membranes and protect
cells from diverse biotoxins, including not just misfolded protein
oligomers as previously shown but also biological protein-based toxins.
Our results indicate that the investigation of regulators of the physicochemical
properties of cell membranes offers novel opportunities to develop
countermeasures against an extensive set of cytotoxic effects associated
with cell membrane disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan P. Kreiser
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Aidan K. Wright
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Liam R. Sasser
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Dillon J. Rinauro
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
| | - Justus M. Gabriel
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Claire M. Hsu
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Jorge A. Hurtado
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Tristan L. McKenzie
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Silvia Errico
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
| | - J. Alex Albright
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Lance Richardson
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Victor A. Jaffett
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Dawn E. Riegner
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Lam T. Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Kathleen LeForte
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Michael Zasloff
- MedStar-Georgetown Transplant Institute, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, District of Columbia 20010, United States
| | - Jared E. Hollows
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
| | - Ryan Limbocker
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, United States
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Ferraz P, Cássio F, Lucas C. Potential of Yeasts as Biocontrol Agents of the Phytopathogen Causing Cacao Witches' Broom Disease: Is Microbial Warfare a Solution? Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1766. [PMID: 31417539 PMCID: PMC6685038 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant diseases caused by fungal pathogens are responsible for major crop losses worldwide, with a significant socio-economic impact on the life of millions of people who depend on agriculture-exclusive economy. This is the case of the Witches’ Broom Disease (WBD) affecting cacao plant and fruit in South and Central America. The severity and extent of this disease is prospected to impact the growing global chocolate market in a few decades. WBD is caused by the basidiomycete fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa. The methods used to contain the fungus mainly rely on chemical fungicides, such as copper-based compounds or azoles. Not only are these highly ineffective, but also their utilization is increasingly restricted by the cacao industry, in part because it promotes fungal resistance, in part related to consumers’ health concerns and environmental awareness. Therefore, the disease is being currently tentatively controlled through phytosanitary pruning, although the full removal of infected plant material is impossible and the fungus maintains persistent inoculum in the soil, or using an endophytic fungal parasite of Moniliophthora perniciosa which production is not sustainable. The growth of Moniliophthora perniciosa was reported as being antagonized in vitro by some yeasts, which suggests that they could be used as biological control agents, suppressing the fungus multiplication and containing its spread. Concurrently, some yeast-based products are used in the protection of fruits from postharvest fungal spoilage, and the extension of diverse food products shelf-life. These successful applications suggest that yeasts can be regarded a serious alternative also in the pre-harvest management of WBD and other fungal plant diseases. Yeasts’ GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) nature adds to their appropriateness for field application, not raising major ecological concerns as do the present more aggressive approaches. Importantly, mitigating WBD, in a sustainable manner, would predictably have a high socioeconomic impact, contributing to diminish poverty in the cacao-producing rural communities severely affected by the disease. This review discusses the importance/advantages and the challenges that such a strategy would have for WBD containment, and presents the available information on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying fungi antagonism by yeasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Ferraz
- Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Fernanda Cássio
- Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Cândida Lucas
- Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
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Karlsborn T, Tükenmez H, Mahmud AKMF, Xu F, Xu H, Byström AS. Elongator, a conserved complex required for wobble uridine modifications in eukaryotes. RNA Biol 2015; 11:1519-28. [PMID: 25607684 DOI: 10.4161/15476286.2014.992276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Elongator is a 6 subunit protein complex highly conserved in eukaryotes. The role of this complex has been controversial as the pleiotropic phenotypes of Elongator mutants have implicated the complex in several cellular processes. However, in yeast there is convincing evidence that the primary and probably only role of this complex is in formation of the 5-methoxycarbonylmethyl (mcm(5)) and 5-carbamoylmethyl (ncm(5)) side chains on uridines at wobble position in tRNA. In this review we summarize the cellular processes that have been linked to the Elongator complex and discuss its role in tRNA modification and regulation of translation. We also describe additional gene products essential for formation of ncm(5) and mcm(5) side chains at U34 and their influence on Elongator activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony Karlsborn
- a Department of Molecular Biology ; Umeå University; Umeå , Sweden
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Huang B, Lu J, Byström AS. A genome-wide screen identifies genes required for formation of the wobble nucleoside 5-methoxycarbonylmethyl-2-thiouridine in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2008; 14:2183-94. [PMID: 18755837 PMCID: PMC2553728 DOI: 10.1261/rna.1184108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
We recently showed that the gamma-subunit of Kluyveromyces lactis killer toxin (gamma-toxin) is a tRNA endonuclease that cleaves tRNA(mcm5s2UUC Glu), tRNA(mcm5s2UUU Lys), and tRNA(mcm5s2UUG Gln) 3' of the wobble nucleoside 5-methoxycarbonylmethyl-2-thiouridine (mcm(5)s(2)U). The 5-methoxycarbonylmethyl (mcm(5)) side chain was important for efficient cleavage by gamma-toxin, and defects in mcm(5) side-chain synthesis correlated with resistance to gamma-toxin. Based on this correlation, a genome-wide screen was performed to identify gene products involved in the formation of the mcm(5) side chain. From a collection of 4826 homozygous diploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, each with one nonessential gene deleted, 63 mutants resistant to Kluyveromyces lactis killer toxin were identified. Among these, eight were earlier identified to have a defect in formation of the mcm(5) side chain. Analysis of the remaining mutants and other known gamma-toxin resistant mutants revealed that sit4, kti14, and KTI5 mutants also have a defect in the formation of mcm(5). A mutant lacking two of the Sit4-associated proteins, Sap185 and Sap190, displays the same modification defect as a sit4-null mutant. Interestingly, several mutants were found to be defective in the synthesis of the 2-thio (s(2)) group of the mcm(5)s(2)U nucleoside. In addition to earlier described mutants, formation of the s(2) group was also abolished in urm1, uba4, and ncs2 mutants and decreased in the yor251c mutant. Like the absence of the mcm(5) side chain, the lack of the s(2) group renders tRNA(mcm5s2UUC Glu) less sensitive to gamma-toxin, reinforcing the importance of the wobble nucleoside mcm(5)s(2)U for tRNA cleavage by gamma-toxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Huang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
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Schmitt MJ, Reiter J. Viral induced yeast apoptosis. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2008; 1783:1413-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2008.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2007] [Revised: 01/17/2008] [Accepted: 01/18/2008] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Abstract
Growth inhibition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by the plasmid-encoded trimeric (alphabetagamma) zymocin toxin from dairy yeast, Kluyveromyces lactis, depends on a multistep response pathway in budding yeast. Following early processes that mediate cell-surface contact by the chitinase alpha-subunit of zymocin, later steps enable import of the gamma-toxin tRNase subunit and cleavage of target tRNAs that carry modified U34 (wobble uridine) bases. With the emergence of zymocin-like toxins, continued zymocin research is expected to yield new insights into the evolution of yeast pathosystems and their lethal modes of action.
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da Silva S, Calado S, Lucas C, Aguiar C. Unusual properties of the halotolerant yeast Candida nodaensis Killer toxin, CnKT. Microbiol Res 2007; 163:243-51. [PMID: 17761407 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2007.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2007] [Revised: 03/22/2007] [Accepted: 04/08/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
CnKT, the Killer toxin from the extreme halotolerant yeast Candida nodaensis, presents a strong salt-stimulated phenotype and is a resilient toxin, able to cope with very diverse and aggressive environmental conditions. This zymocin is active in a broad range of pH and temperature and tolerates freezing and conservation for long periods of time. CnKT stability is increased under very high ionic strength and its activity is stimulated by sodium ions, which might interfere in the zymocin structure/stability. All these characteristics make CnKT a promising candidate for several biotechnological applications, e.g. in the high-salt food products preservation from spoilage by other yeasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sónia da Silva
- Centro de Biologia (CB-UM)/Departamento de Biologia, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
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Paluszynski JP, Klassen R, Meinhardt F. Pichia acaciae killer system: genetic analysis of toxin immunity. Appl Environ Microbiol 2007; 73:4373-8. [PMID: 17483256 PMCID: PMC1932769 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00271-07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The gene responsible for self-protection in the Pichia acaciae killer plasmid system was identified by heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Resistance profiling and conditional toxin/immunity coexpression analysis revealed dose-independent protection by pPac1-2 ORF4 and intracellular interference with toxin function, suggesting toxin reinternalization in immune killer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P Paluszynski
- Institut für Molekulare Mikrobiologie und Biotechnologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Corrensstr 3, Münster, Germany
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Jablonowski D, Zink S, Mehlgarten C, Daum G, Schaffrath R. tRNAGlu wobble uridine methylation by Trm9 identifies Elongator's key role for zymocin-induced cell death in yeast. Mol Microbiol 2006; 59:677-88. [PMID: 16390459 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2005.04972.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Zymocin-induced cell death in Saccharomyces cerevisiae requires the toxin-target (TOT) effector Elongator, a protein complex with functions in transcription, exocytosis and tRNA modification. In line with the latter, trm9Delta cells lacking a tRNA methylase specific for wobble uridine (U(34)) residues survive zymocin and in excess, the Trm9 substrate tRNA(Glu) copies zymocin protection of Elongator mutants. Phenotypes typical of a tot3/elp3Delta Elongator mutant are absent from trm9Delta cells but copied in a tot3Deltatrm9Delta double mutant suggesting that Elongator acts upstream of Trm9. Consistent with Elongator-dependent tRNA modification being more important to mRNA decoding than Trm9, SUP4 and SOE1TRNA suppressors are highly sensitive to loss of Elongator and tRNA U(34) hypomodification. As Trm9 overexpression counteracts the effect of high-copy tRNA(Glu), zymocin suppression by high-copy tRNA(Glu) may reflect tRNA hypomethylation of trm9Delta cells. Thus, Trm9 methylation may enable recognition of tRNA by zymocin, a notion supported by a dramatic reduction of tRNA(Glu) levels in zymocin-treated cells and by cytotoxic zymocin residues conserved between bacterial nucleases and a tRNA modifying GTPase. In sum, Trm9 is a bona fideTOT pathway component whose methylation may be hijacked by zymocin to target tRNA function and eventually, mRNA translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Jablonowski
- Biologicum, Institut für Genetik, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Weinbergweg 10, D-06120 Halle, Saale, Germany
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Lu J, Huang B, Esberg A, Johansson MJO, Byström AS. The Kluyveromyces lactis gamma-toxin targets tRNA anticodons. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2005; 11:1648-54. [PMID: 16244131 PMCID: PMC1370851 DOI: 10.1261/rna.2172105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Kluyveromyces lactis killer strains secrete a heterotrimeric toxin (zymocin), which causes an irreversible growth arrest of sensitive yeast cells. Despite many efforts, the target(s) of the cytotoxic gamma-subunit of zymocin has remained elusive. Here we show that three tRNA species tRNA(Glu)(mcm(5)s(2)UUC), tRNA(Lys)(mcm(5)s(2)UUU), and tRNA(Gln)(mcm(5)s(2)UUG) are the targets of gamma-toxin. The toxin inhibits growth by cleaving these tRNAs at the 3' side of the modified wobble nucleoside 5-methoxycarbonylmethyl-2-thiouridine (mcm(5)s(2)U). Transfer RNA lacking a part of or the entire mcm(5) group is inefficiently cleaved by gamma-toxin, explaining the gamma-toxin resistance of the modification-deficient trm9, elp1-elp6, and kti11-kti13 mutants. The K. lactis gamma-toxin is the first eukaryotic toxin shown to target tRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Lu
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Sweden
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