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Wang Y, Fan J, Liu Y, Du J, Liang B, Wang H, Song Z. Identification and validation of DHCR7 as a diagnostic biomarker involved in the proliferation and mitochondrial function of breast cancer. Aging (Albany NY) 2024; 16:5967-5986. [PMID: 38526324 PMCID: PMC11042931 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Energy metabolism has a complex intersection with pathogenesis and development of breast cancer (BC). This allows for the possibility of identifying energy-metabolism-related genes (EMRGs) as novel prognostic biomarkers for BC. 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR7) is a key enzyme of cholesterol biosynthesis involved in many cancers, and in this paper, we investigate the effects of DHCR7 on the proliferation and mitochondrial function of BC. METHODS EMRGs were identified from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and MSigDB databases using bioinformatics methods. Key EMRGs of BC were then identified and validated by functional enrichment analysis, interaction analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, Cox analysis, and immune infiltration. Western blot, qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry (IHC), MTT assay, colony formation assay and flow cytometry assay were then used to analyze DHCR7 expression and its biological effects on BC cells. RESULTS We identified 31 EMRGs in BC. These 31 EMRGs and related transcription factors (TFs), miRNAs, and drugs were enriched in glycerophospholipid metabolism, glycoprotein metabolic process, breast cancer, and cell cycle. Crucially, DHCR7 was a key EMRG in BC identified and validated by WGCNA, LASSO regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. High DHCR7 expression was significantly associated with tumor immune infiltration level, pathological M, and poor prognosis in BC. In addition, DHCR7 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, induced apoptosis and affected mitochondrial function in BC cells. CONCLUSIONS DHCR7 was found to be a key EMRG up-regulated in BC cells. This study is the first to our knowledge to report that DHCR7 acts as an oncogene in BC, which might become a novel therapeutic target for BC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfeng Wang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Shaanxi, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital of Yan’an University, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jiaxin Fan
- Department of Geriatric Neurology, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yongcheng Liu
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Yan’an University, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jie Du
- Department of Health Examination Center, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Shaanxi, China
| | - Boyu Liang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Shaanxi, China
| | - Huxia Wang
- Department of Breast Disease Center, Shaanxi Provincial Tumor Hospital, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhangjun Song
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Shaanxi, China
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Mei X, Xiong J, Liu J, Huang A, Zhu D, Huang Y, Wang H. DHCR7 promotes lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer through cholesterol reprogramming-mediated activation of the KANK4/PI3K/AKT axis and VEGF-C secretion. Cancer Lett 2024; 584:216609. [PMID: 38211648 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Cervical cancer (CC) patients with lymph node metastasis (LNM) have a poor prognosis. However, the molecular mechanism of LNM in CC is unclear, and there is no effective clinical treatment. Here, we found that 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR7), an enzyme that catalyzes the last step of cholesterol synthesis, was upregulated in CC and closely related to LNM. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments proved that DHCR7 promoted the invasion ability of CC cells and lymphangiogenesis in vitro and induced LNM in vivo. The LNM-promoting effect of DHCR7 was partly mediated by upregulating KN motif and ankyrin repeat domains 4 (KANK4) expression and subsequently activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Alternatively, DHCR7 promoted the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C), and thereby lymphangiogenesis. Interestingly, cholesterol reprogramming was needed for the DHCR7-mediated promotion of activation of the KANK4/PI3K/AKT axis, VEGF-C secretion, and subsequent LNM. Importantly, treatment with the DHCR7 inhibitors AY9944 and tamoxifen (TAM) significantly inhibited LNM of CC, suggesting the clinical application potential of DHCR7 inhibitors in CC. Collectively, our results uncover a novel molecular mechanism of LNM in CC and identify DHCR7 as a new potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Mei
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Jinfeng Xiong
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430022, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Anni Huang
- Department of Medical, Guangxi Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530022, China
| | - Da Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China.
| | - Yafei Huang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, And State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China.
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China; Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310006, China.
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Sugawara T, Nevedomskaya E, Heller S, Böhme A, Lesche R, von Ahsen O, Grünewald S, Nguyen HM, Corey E, Baumgart SJ, Georgi V, Pütter V, Fernández‐Montalván A, Vasta JD, Robers MB, Politz O, Mumberg D, Haendler B. Dual targeting of the androgen receptor and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways in prostate cancer models improves antitumor efficacy and promotes cell apoptosis. Mol Oncol 2024; 18:726-742. [PMID: 38225213 PMCID: PMC10920092 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer is a frequent malignancy in older men and has a very high 5-year survival rate if diagnosed early. The prognosis is much less promising if the tumor has already spread outside the prostate gland. Targeted treatments mainly aim at blocking androgen receptor (AR) signaling and initially show good efficacy. However, tumor progression due to AR-dependent and AR-independent mechanisms is often observed after some time, and novel treatment strategies are urgently needed. Dysregulation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in advanced prostate cancer and its implication in treatment resistance has been reported. We compared the impact of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibitors with different selectivity profiles on in vitro cell proliferation and on caspase 3/7 activation as a marker for apoptosis induction, and observed the strongest effects in the androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cell lines VCaP and LNCaP. Combination treatment with the AR inhibitor darolutamide led to enhanced apoptosis in these cell lines, the effects being most pronounced upon cotreatment with the pan-PI3K inhibitor copanlisib. A subsequent transcriptomic analysis performed in VCaP cells revealed that combining darolutamide with copanlisib impacted gene expression much more than individual treatment. A comprehensive reversal of the androgen response and the mTORC1 transcriptional programs as well as a marked induction of DNA damage was observed. Next, an in vivo efficacy study was performed using the androgen-sensitive patient-derived prostate cancer (PDX) model LuCaP 35 and a superior efficacy was observed after the combined treatment with copanlisib and darolutamide. Importantly, immunohistochemistry analysis of these treated tumors showed increased apoptosis, as revealed by elevated levels of cleaved caspase 3 and Bcl-2-binding component 3 (BBC3). In conclusion, these data demonstrate that concurrent blockade of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and AR pathways has superior antitumor efficacy and induces apoptosis in androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cell lines and PDX models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsuo Sugawara
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Early Development OncologyBerlinGermany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Eva Corey
- Department of UrologyUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWAUSA
| | - Simon J. Baumgart
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Early Development OncologyBerlinGermany
| | - Victoria Georgi
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Early Development OncologyBerlinGermany
| | - Vera Pütter
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Early Development OncologyBerlinGermany
| | - Amaury Fernández‐Montalván
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Early Development OncologyBerlinGermany
- Present address:
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KGBiberach an der RißGermany
| | | | | | - Oliver Politz
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Early Development OncologyBerlinGermany
| | - Dominik Mumberg
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Early Development OncologyBerlinGermany
- Present address:
Adcento ApSCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Bernard Haendler
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Early Development OncologyBerlinGermany
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Chen J, Fan S, Guo J, Yang J, Pan L, Xia Y. Discovery of anticancer function of Febrifugine: Inhibition of cell proliferation, induction of apoptosis and suppression steroid synthesis in bladder cancer cells. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2024; 484:116878. [PMID: 38431229 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2024.116878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Bladder cancer is a prevalent malignancy affecting the urinary system, which presents a significant global health concern. Although there are many treatments for bladder cancer, identifying more effective drugs and methods remains an urgent problem. As a pivotal component of contemporary medical practice, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) assumes a crucial role in the realm of anti-tumor therapy, especially with the identification of active ingredients and successful exploration of pharmacological effects. Febrifugine, identified as a quinazoline-type alkaloid compound extracted from the Cytidiaceae family plant Huangchangshan, exhibits heightened sensitivity to bladder cancer cells in comparison to control cells (non-cancer cells) group. The proliferation growth of bladder cancer cells T24 and SW780 was effectively inhibited by Febrifugine, and the IC50 was 0.02 and 0.018 μM respectively. Febrifugine inhibits cell proliferation by suppressing DNA synthesis and induces cell death by reducing steroidogenesis and promoting apoptosis. Combined with transcriptome analysis, Febrifugine was found to downregulate low density lipoprotein receptor-associated protein, lanosterol synthase, cholesterol biosynthesis second rate-limiting enzyme, 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase, flavin adenine dinucleotide dependent oxidoreductase and other factors to inhibit the production of intracellular steroids in bladder cancer T24 cells. The results of animal experiments showed that Febrifugine could inhibit tumor growth. In summary, the effect of Febrifugine on bladder cancer is mainly through reducing steroid production and apoptosis. Therefore, this study contributes to the elucidation of Febrifugine's potential as an inhibitor of bladder cancer and establishes a solid foundation for the future development of novel therapeutic agents targeting bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyuan Chen
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China; Precision Medicine Laboratory for Chronic Non-communicable Diseases of Shandong Province, Jining 272067, China
| | - Shuhao Fan
- Precision Medicine Laboratory for Chronic Non-communicable Diseases of Shandong Province, Jining 272067, China
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Precision Medicine Laboratory for Chronic Non-communicable Diseases of Shandong Province, Jining 272067, China
| | - Jian Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Le Pan
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China.
| | - Yong Xia
- Precision Medicine Laboratory for Chronic Non-communicable Diseases of Shandong Province, Jining 272067, China.
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Ma Y, Wang Z, Sun J, Tang J, Zhou J, Dong M. Investigating the Diagnostic and Therapeutic Potential of SREBF2-Related Lipid Metabolism Genes in Colon Cancer. Onco Targets Ther 2023; 16:1027-1042. [PMID: 38107762 PMCID: PMC10723182 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s428150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Colon cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and screening of effective molecular markers for the diagnosis is prioritised for prevention and treatment. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic and predictive potential of genes related to the lipid metabolism pathway, regulated by a protein called sterol-regulatory element-binding transcription Factor 2 (SREBF2), for colon cancer and patient outcomes. Methods We used machine-learning algorithms to identify key genes associated with SREBF2 in colon cancer based on a public database. A nomogram was created to assess the diagnostic value of these genes and validated in the Cancer Genome Atlas. We also analysed the relationship between these genes and the immune microenvironment of colon tumours, as well as the correlation between gene expression and clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis in the China Medical University (CMU) clinical cohort. Results Three genes, 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR7), hydroxysteroid 11-beta dehydrogenase 2 (HSD11B2), and Ral guanine nucleotide dissociation stimulator-like 1 (RGL1), were identified as hub genes related to SREBF2 and colon cancer. Using the TCGA dataset, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed the area under the curve values of 0.943, 0.976, and 0.868 for DHCR7, HSD11B2, and RGL1, respectively. In the CMU cohort, SREBF2 and DHCR7 expression levels were correlated with TNM stage and tumour invasion depth (P < 0.05), and high DHCR7 expression was related to poor prognosis of colon cancer (P < 0.05). Furthermore, DHCR7 gene expression was positively correlated with the abundance of M0 and M1 macrophages and inversely correlated with the abundance of M2 macrophages, suggesting that the immune microenvironment may play a role in colon cancer surveillance. There was a correlation between SREBF2 and DHCR7 expression across cancers in the TCGA database. Conclusion This study highlights the potential of DHCR7 as a diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuteng Ma
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhe Wang
- Department of Pathology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jian Sun
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jingtong Tang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianping Zhou
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ming Dong
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, People’s Republic of China
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Jiang H, Zhu S, Wu B, Su Y, Wang Q, Lei Y, Shao Q, Gao Y, Gao K, Wu G. CDK2 and CDK4 targeted liensinine inhibits the growth of bladder cancer T24 cells. Chem Biol Interact 2023; 382:110624. [PMID: 37423554 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2023.110624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Bladder cancer (BCa) is a urinary tumor with limited treatment options and high mortality. Liensinine (LIEN), a natural bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid, has shown excellent anti-tumor effects in numerous preclinical studies. However, the anti-BCa effect of LIEN remains unclear. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the molecular mechanism of LIEN in the management of BCa. First, we identified the treatment-related targets of BCa; those that repeatedly occur in more than two databases, including GeneCards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, DisGeNET, Therapeutic Target Database, and Drugbank. The SwissTarget database was used to screen LIEN-related targets, and those with a probability >0 were possible LIEN targets. The prospective targets of LIEN in the treatment of BCa were then determined using a Venn diagram. Second, we discovered that the PI3K/AKT pathway and senescence mediated the anti-BCa action of LIEN by using GO and KEGG enrichment analysis to explore the function of LIEN therapeutic targets. A protein-protein interaction network was created using the String website, and six algorithms of the CytoHubba plug-in were then used in Cytoscape to assess the core targets of LIEN for the therapy of BCa. The outcomes of molecular docking and dynamics simulation demonstrated that CDK2 and CDK4 proteins were the direct targets of LIEN in the management of BCa, among which CDK2 was more stable in binding to LIEN than CDK4. Finally, in vitro experiments showed that LIEN inhibited the activity and proliferation of T24 cells. The expression of p-/AKT, CDK2, and CDK4 proteins progressively decreased, while the expression and fluorescence intensity of the senescence-related protein, γH2AX, gradually increased with increasing LIEN concentration in T24 cells. Therefore, our data suggest that LIEN may promote senescence and inhibit proliferation by inhibiting the CDK2/4 and PI3K/AKT pathways in BCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanbing Jiang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Tangdu Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710038, China
| | - Siying Zhu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Tangdu Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710038, China
| | - Bin Wu
- Department of Urology, Xi'an People's Hospital(Xi'an Fourth Hospital), School of Life Sciences and Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710199, China
| | - Yinyin Su
- Department of Emergency, Tangdu Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710038, China
| | - Qiming Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Tangdu Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710038, China
| | - Yonghua Lei
- Department of Urology, Xi'an People's Hospital(Xi'an Fourth Hospital), School of Life Sciences and Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710199, China
| | - Qiuju Shao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Tangdu Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710038, China
| | - Yun Gao
- Department of Neurosurgery, 521 Hospital of Norinco Group, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710065, China
| | - Ke Gao
- Department of Urology, Xi'an People's Hospital(Xi'an Fourth Hospital), School of Life Sciences and Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710199, China.
| | - Guojun Wu
- Department of Urology, Xi'an People's Hospital(Xi'an Fourth Hospital), School of Life Sciences and Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710199, China.
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Sanya DRA, Onésime D. Roles of non-coding RNAs in the metabolism and pathogenesis of bladder cancer. Hum Cell 2023:10.1007/s13577-023-00915-5. [PMID: 37209205 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-023-00915-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Bladder cancer (BC) is featured as the second most common malignancy of the urinary tract worldwide with few treatments leading to high incidence and mortality. It stayed a virtually intractable disease, and efforts to identify innovative and effective therapies are urgently needed. At present, more and more evidence shows the importance of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) for disease-related study, diagnosis, and treatment of diverse types of malignancies. Recent evidence suggests that dysregulated functions of ncRNAs are closely associated with the pathogenesis of numerous cancers including BC. The detailed mechanisms underlying the dysregulated role of ncRNAs in cancer progression are still not fully understood. This review mainly summarizes recent findings on regulatory mechanisms of the ncRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, microRNAs, and circular RNAs, in cancer progression or suppression and focuses on the predictive values of ncRNAs-related signatures in BC clinical outcomes. A deeper understanding of the ncRNA interactive network could be compelling framework for developing biomarker-guided clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ruben Akiola Sanya
- Micalis Institute, Diversité génomique et fonctionnelle des levures, domaine de Vilvert, Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
| | - Djamila Onésime
- Micalis Institute, Diversité génomique et fonctionnelle des levures, domaine de Vilvert, Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
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