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Bianchi I, Grassi S, Nardi E, Castiglione F, Focardi M. Dental DNA Mutations Occurring after Death: A Novel Method for Post-Mortem Interval (PMI) Estimation. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8832. [PMID: 39201518 PMCID: PMC11354992 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25168832] [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: 07/01/2024] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/10/2024] [Indexed: 09/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-mortem interval (PMI) estimation remains one of the major challenges in forensic practice, especially for late PMIs beyond 7-10 days after the death of the subject. In 2022, an innovative method to investigate the occurrence of mutations induced by the death of a subject in the DNA of post-mortem dental pulps at different PMIs was developed, applying a next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis. The present study aims to apply the same method of analysis to a small sample of teeth belonging to the same subject and analyzed at different PMIs/accumulated degree days (ADDs), and of teeth extracted from different subjects but analyzed at the same PMI/ADD to verify the repeatability of the results obtained in relation to the time elapsed since death. A total of 10 teeth were collected from 6 patients (3 males and 3 females) with PMI varying from 8 to 35 days, and ADD from 157.4 to 753.8. We found 1754 mutations in 56 genes, with more than 700 mutations having a prevalence > 5% and more than 300 variants considered of interest for the purposes of the study. Mutations that were not present at lower PMIs but manifested in later PMIs in pulps belonging to the same subject demonstrate that they can only have been acquired by the subject after death and according to the time elapsed since death. In total, 67 somatic mutations in 29 out of the 56 genes of the used panel occurred in a fashion that allows an association with specific PMI/ADD ranges (within 8 days, between 17 and 28, and beyond 30 days after death). The results suggest that temperature and humidity could influence the rate of DNA degeneration in dental pulps, thus PMI should be estimated in ADD more than days. The preliminary validation supports the hypothesis that the innovative method could be a useful tool for estimating the post-mortem interval even beyond the first week after death, but further analyses are needed to customize a specific genetic panel for forensic investigations and verify the influence of degenerative processes of soft tissues surrounding dental elements on DNA degeneration of pulps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilenia Bianchi
- Laboratory of Personal Identification and Forensic Morphology, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy; (S.G.); (M.F.)
- Forensic Medical Sciences, Department of Health Science, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy
| | - Simone Grassi
- Laboratory of Personal Identification and Forensic Morphology, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy; (S.G.); (M.F.)
- Forensic Medical Sciences, Department of Health Science, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy
| | - Eleonora Nardi
- Section of Anatomic Pathology, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Careggi University Hospital, Largo Brambilla, 50134 Florence, Italy; (E.N.); (F.C.)
| | - Francesca Castiglione
- Section of Anatomic Pathology, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Careggi University Hospital, Largo Brambilla, 50134 Florence, Italy; (E.N.); (F.C.)
| | - Martina Focardi
- Laboratory of Personal Identification and Forensic Morphology, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy; (S.G.); (M.F.)
- Forensic Medical Sciences, Department of Health Science, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy
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2
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Mittal P, Sinha AK, Pandiyan A, Kumari L, Ray MK, Pavankumar TL. A type II toxin-antitoxin system is responsible for the cell death at low temperature in Pseudomonas syringae Lz4W lacking RNase R. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107600. [PMID: 39059490 PMCID: PMC11375266 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
RNase R (encoded by the rnr gene) is a highly processive 3' → 5' exoribonuclease essential for the growth of the psychrotrophic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae Lz4W at low temperature. The cell death of a rnr deletion mutant at low temperature has been previously attributed to processing defects in 16S rRNA, defective ribosomal assembly, and inefficient protein synthesis. We recently showed that RNase R is required to protect P. syringae Lz4W from DNA damage and oxidative stress, independent of its exoribonuclease activity. Here, we show that the processing defect in 16S rRNA does not cause cell death of the rnr mutant of P. syringae at low temperature. Our results demonstrate that the rnr mutant of P. syringae Lz4W, complemented with a RNase R deficient in exoribonuclease function (RNase RD284A), is defective in 16S rRNA processing but can grow at 4 °C. This suggested that the processing defect in ribosomal RNAs is not a cause of the cold sensitivity of the rnr mutant. We further show that the rnr mutant accumulates copies of the indigenous plasmid pLz4W that bears a type II toxin-antitoxin (TA) system (P. syringae antitoxin-P. syringae toxin). This phenotype was rescued by overexpressing antitoxin psA in the rnr mutant, suggesting that activation of the type II TA system leads to cold sensitivity of the rnr mutant of P. syringae Lz4W. Here, we report a previously unknown functional relationship between the cold sensitivity of the rnr mutant and a type II TA system in P. syringae Lz4W.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pragya Mittal
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Hyderabad, India; Celtic Renewables Ltd, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Anurag K Sinha
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Hyderabad, India; National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Apuratha Pandiyan
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Hyderabad, India; Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Leela Kumari
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Hyderabad, India
| | - Malay K Ray
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Hyderabad, India
| | - Theetha L Pavankumar
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Hyderabad, India; Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, California, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, California, USA.
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Pavankumar TL. RNase R vs. PNPase: selecting the best-suited exoribonuclease for environmental adaptation. Extremophiles 2024; 28:35. [PMID: 39052080 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-024-01350-6] [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: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
3' → 5' exoribonucleases play a critical role in many aspects of RNA metabolism. RNase R, PNPase, and RNase II are the major contributors to RNA processing, maturation, and quality control in bacteria. Bacteria don't seem to have dedicated RNA degradation machineries to process different classes of RNAs. Under different environmental and physiological conditions, their roles can be redundant and sometimes overlapping. Here, I discuss why PNPase and RNase R may have switched their physiological roles in some bacterial species to adapt to environmental conditions, despite being biochemically distinct exoribonucleases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theetha L Pavankumar
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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4
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Mishra A, Chakraborty S, Jaiswal TP, Bhattacharjee S, Kesarwani S, Mishra AK, Singh SS. Untangling the adaptive strategies of thermophilic bacterium Anoxybacillus rupiensis TPH1 under low temperature. Extremophiles 2024; 28:31. [PMID: 39020126 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-024-01346-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
The present study investigates the low temperature tolerance strategies of thermophilic bacterium Anoxybacillus rupiensis TPH1, which grows optimally at 55 °C , by subjecting it to a temperature down-shift of 10 °C (45 °C) for 4 and 6 h followed by studying its growth, morphophysiological, molecular and proteomic responses. Results suggested that although TPH1 experienced increased growth inhibition, ROS production, protein oxidation and membrane disruption after 4 h of incubation at 45 °C yet maintained its DNA integrity and cellular structure through the increased expression of DNA damage repair and cell envelop synthesizing proteins and also progressively alleviated growth inhibition by 20% within two hours i.e., 6 h, by inducing the expression of antioxidative enzymes, production of unsaturated fatty acids, capsular and released exopolysaccharides and forming biofilm along with chemotaxis proteins. Conclusively, the adaptation of Anoxybacillus rupiensis TPH1 to lower temperature is mainly mediated by the synthesis of large numbers of defense proteins and exopolysaccharide rich biofilm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Mishra
- Laboratory of Cyanobacterial Systematics and Stress Biology, Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Sindhunath Chakraborty
- Laboratory of Microbial Genetics, Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Tameshwar Prasad Jaiswal
- Laboratory of Cyanobacterial Systematics and Stress Biology, Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Samujjal Bhattacharjee
- Laboratory of Microbial Genetics, Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Shreya Kesarwani
- Laboratory of Cyanobacterial Systematics and Stress Biology, Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Arun Kumar Mishra
- Laboratory of Microbial Genetics, Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Satya Shila Singh
- Laboratory of Cyanobacterial Systematics and Stress Biology, Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
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5
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Smith JL. Evaluating the impact of hot water killing larvae on gene expression using the transformer gene in Cochliomyia macellaria (Diptera: Calliphoridae). J Forensic Sci 2024; 69:1467-1472. [PMID: 38691242 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15532] [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: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
In forensic entomology, determining the age of a larva from a body to estimate time since death is commonly performed through the measurement of a physical trait. Gene expression has been studied as an alternative age estimation approach, but the storage conditions required for these studies are different than those used in forensic entomological casework. Studies analyzing gene expression prioritize the preservation of RNA, which requires fresh tissue and ultra-cold storage. Casework, in contrast, utilizes hot water killing specimens that may not be analyzed for a long period after collection. In the current study, the impact of hot water killing on gene expression was assessed for larval samples of the forensically important blow fly, Cochliomyia macellaria. Successful amplification of the sex-determining gene, transformer, was tested across larvae ranging in size from 3.22 to 16.85 mm in length after storage times of 1-2 weeks, 4-5 weeks, and 8-9 weeks at 4°C in RNAlater. Larvae hot water killed were processed in tandem with larvae stored live to allow for a direct assessment of the impact of boiling on gene expression. As expected, the transformer gene was successfully amplified in all larvae stored live. For the hot water-killed larvae, the success rate was only slightly lower, with 3 out of 75 larvae not generating a sex-specific band pattern. The results show gene expression can be used for hot water-killed samples, though future work across different genes, species, and extending to quantitative gene expression methods is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua L Smith
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA
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6
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Boychev N, Lee S, Yeung V, Ross AE, Kuang L, Chen L, Dana R, Ciolino JB. Contact lenses as novel tear fluid sampling vehicles for total RNA isolation, precipitation, and amplification. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11727. [PMID: 38778161 PMCID: PMC11111455 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62215-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The tear fluid is a readily accessible, potential source for biomarkers of disease and could be used to monitor the ocular response to contact lens (CL) wear or ophthalmic pathologies treated by therapeutic CLs. However, the tear fluid remains largely unexplored as a biomarker source for RNA-based molecular analyses. Using a rabbit model, this study sought to determine whether RNA could be collected from commercial CLs and whether the duration of CL wear would impact RNA recovery. The results were referenced to standardized strips of filtered paper (e.g., Shirmer Strips) placed in the inferior fornix. By performing total RNA isolation, precipitation, and amplification with commercial kits and RT-PCR methods, CLs were found to have no significant differences in RNA concentration and purity compared to Schirmer Strips. The study also identified genes that could be used to normalize RNA levels between tear samples. Of the potential control genes or housekeeping genes, GAPDH was the most stable. This study, which to our knowledge has never been done before, provides a methodology for the detection of RNA and gene expression changes from tear fluid that could be used to monitor or study eye diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolay Boychev
- Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.
| | - Seokjoo Lee
- Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Vincent Yeung
- Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Amy E Ross
- Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Liangju Kuang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Lin Chen
- Department of Optometry and Visual Science, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Reza Dana
- Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Joseph B Ciolino
- Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
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7
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Bourn JJ, Dorrity MW. Degrees of freedom: temperature's influence on developmental rate. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2024; 85:102155. [PMID: 38335718 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2024.102155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Temperature exerts a fundamental influence across scales of biology, from the biophysical nature of molecules, to the sensitivity of cells, and the coordinated progression of development in embryos. Species-specific developmental rates and temperature-induced acceleration of development indicate that these sensing mechanisms are harnessed to influence developmental dynamics. Tracing how temperature sensitivity propagates through biological scales to influence the pace of development can therefore reveal how embryogenesis remains robust to environmental influences. Cellular protein homeostasis (proteostasis), and cellular metabolic rate are linked to both temperature-induced and species-specific developmental tempos in specific cell types, hinting toward generalized mechanisms of timing control. New methods to extract timing information from single-cell profiling experiments are driving further progress in understanding how mechanisms of temperature sensitivity can direct cell-autonomous responses, coordination across cell types, and evolutionary modifications of developmental timing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jess J Bourn
- Structural and Computational Biology, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany. https://twitter.com/@bournsupremacy
| | - Michael W Dorrity
- Structural and Computational Biology, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany.
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8
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Dohnalová H, Matoušková E, Lankaš F. Temperature-dependent elasticity of DNA, RNA, and hybrid double helices. Biophys J 2024; 123:572-583. [PMID: 38340722 PMCID: PMC10938081 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.01.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid double helices in their DNA, RNA, and DNA-RNA hybrid form play a fundamental role in biology and are main building blocks of artificial nanostructures, but how their properties depend on temperature remains poorly understood. Here, we report thermal dependence of dynamic bending persistence length, twist rigidity, stretch modulus, and twist-stretch coupling for DNA, RNA, and hybrid duplexes between 7°C and 47°C. The results are based on all-atom molecular dynamics simulations using different force field parameterizations. We first demonstrate that unrestrained molecular dynamics can reproduce experimentally known mechanical properties of the duplexes at room temperature. Beyond experimentally known features, we also infer the twist rigidity and twist-stretch coupling of the hybrid duplex. As for the temperature dependence, we found that increasing temperature softens all the duplexes with respect to bending, twisting, and stretching. The relative decrease of the stretch moduli is 0.003-0.004/°C, similar for all the duplex variants despite their very different stretching stiffness, whereas RNA twist stiffness decreases by 0.003/°C, and smaller values are found for the other elastic moduli. The twist-stretch couplings are nearly unaffected by temperature. The stretching, bending, and twisting stiffness all include an important entropic component. Relation of our results to the two-state model of DNA flexibility is discussed. Our work provides temperature-dependent elasticity of nucleic acid duplexes at the microsecond scale relevant for initial stages of protein binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hana Dohnalová
- Department of Informatics and Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Praha 6, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Matoušková
- Department of Informatics and Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Praha 6, Czech Republic
| | - Filip Lankaš
- Department of Informatics and Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Praha 6, Czech Republic.
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9
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Dohnalová H, Seifert M, Matoušková E, Klein M, Papini FS, Lipfert J, Dulin D, Lankaš F. Temperature-Dependent Twist of Double-Stranded RNA Probed by Magnetic Tweezer Experiments and Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:664-675. [PMID: 38197365 PMCID: PMC10823466 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c06280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
RNA plays critical roles in the transmission and regulation of genetic information and is increasingly used in biomedical and biotechnological applications. Functional RNAs contain extended double-stranded regions, and the structure of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) has been revealed at high resolution. However, the dependence of the properties of the RNA double helix on environmental effects, notably temperature, is still poorly understood. Here, we use single-molecule magnetic tweezer measurements to determine the dependence of the dsRNA twist on temperature. We find that dsRNA unwinds with increasing temperature, even more than DNA, with ΔTwRNA = -14.4 ± 0.7°/(°C·kbp), compared to ΔTwDNA = -11.0 ± 1.2°/(°C·kbp). All-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using a range of nucleic acid force fields, ion parameters, and water models correctly predict that dsRNA unwinds with rising temperature but significantly underestimate the magnitude of the effect. These MD data, together with additional MD simulations involving DNA and DNA-RNA hybrid duplexes, reveal a linear correlation between the twist temperature decrease and the helical rise, in line with DNA but at variance with RNA experimental data. We speculate that this discrepancy might be caused by some unknown bias in the RNA force fields tested or by as yet undiscovered transient alternative structures in the RNA duplex. Our results provide a baseline to model more complex RNA assemblies and to test and develop new parametrizations for RNA simulations. They may also inspire physical models of the temperature-dependent dsRNA structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hana Dohnalová
- Department
of Informatics and Chemistry, University
of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Praha
6, Czech Republic
| | - Mona Seifert
- Junior
Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstr. 3, Erlangen 91058, Germany
| | - Eva Matoušková
- Department
of Informatics and Chemistry, University
of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Praha
6, Czech Republic
| | - Misha Klein
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy and LaserLaB Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Flávia S. Papini
- Junior
Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstr. 3, Erlangen 91058, Germany
| | - Jan Lipfert
- Soft
Condensed Matter and Biophysics, Department of Physics and Debye Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3584 CC, The Netherlands
| | - David Dulin
- Junior
Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstr. 3, Erlangen 91058, Germany
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy and LaserLaB Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Filip Lankaš
- Department
of Informatics and Chemistry, University
of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Praha
6, Czech Republic
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Baes R, Grünberger F, Pyr dit Ruys S, Couturier M, De Keulenaer S, Skevin S, Van Nieuwerburgh F, Vertommen D, Grohmann D, Ferreira-Cerca S, Peeters E. Transcriptional and translational dynamics underlying heat shock response in the thermophilic crenarchaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. mBio 2023; 14:e0359322. [PMID: 37642423 PMCID: PMC10653856 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03593-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Heat shock response is the ability to respond adequately to sudden temperature increases that could be harmful for cellular survival and fitness. It is crucial for microorganisms living in volcanic hot springs that are characterized by high temperatures and large temperature fluctuations. In this study, we investigated how S. acidocaldarius, which grows optimally at 75°C, responds to heat shock by altering its gene expression and protein production processes. We shed light on which cellular processes are affected by heat shock and propose a hypothesis on underlying regulatory mechanisms. This work is not only relevant for the organism's lifestyle, but also with regard to its evolutionary status. Indeed, S. acidocaldarius belongs to the archaea, an ancient group of microbes that is more closely related to eukaryotes than to bacteria. Our study thus also contributes to a better understanding of the early evolution of heat shock response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rani Baes
- Research Group of Microbiology, Department of Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Felix Grünberger
- Institute of Microbiology and Archaea Centre, Universität Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | | | - Mohea Couturier
- Research Group of Microbiology, Department of Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sarah De Keulenaer
- NXTGNT, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sonja Skevin
- NXTGNT, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Didier Vertommen
- Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Dina Grohmann
- Institute of Microbiology and Archaea Centre, Universität Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sébastien Ferreira-Cerca
- Cellular Biochemistry of Microorganisms, Biochemie III, Universität Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Laboratoire de Biologie Structurale de la Cellule (BIOC), UMR 7654 -CNRS, Ecole polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau, France
| | - Eveline Peeters
- Research Group of Microbiology, Department of Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
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11
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Ndraha N, Lin HY, Tsai SK, Hsiao HI, Lin HJ. The Rapid Detection of Salmonella enterica, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus via Polymerase Chain Reaction Combined with Magnetic Beads and Capillary Electrophoresis. Foods 2023; 12:3895. [PMID: 37959014 PMCID: PMC10649415 DOI: 10.3390/foods12213895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Food safety concerns regarding foodborne pathogen contamination have gained global attention due to its significant implications. In this study, we developed a detection system utilizing a PCR array combined with an automated magnetic bead-based system and CE technology to enable the detection of three foodborne pathogens, namely Salmonella enterica, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus. The results showed that our developed method could detect these pathogens at concentrations as low as 7.3 × 101, 6.7 × 102, and 6.9 × 102 cfu/mL, respectively, in the broth samples. In chicken samples, the limit of detection for these pathogens was 3.1 × 104, 3.5 × 103, and 3.9 × 102 cfu/g, respectively. The detection of these pathogens was accomplished without the necessity for sample enrichment, and the entire protocols, from sample preparation to amplicon analysis, were completed in approximately 3.5 h. Regarding the impact of the extraction method on detection capability, our study observed that an automated DNA extraction system based on the magnetic bead method demonstrated a 10-fold improvement or, at the very least, yielded similar results compared to the column-based method. These findings demonstrated that our developed model is effective in detecting low levels of these pathogens in the samples analyzed in this study. The PCR-CE method developed in this study may help monitor food safety in the future. It may also be extended to identify other foodborne pathogens across a wide range of food samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nodali Ndraha
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 202301, Taiwan; (N.N.); (H.-Y.L.)
| | - Hung-Yun Lin
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 202301, Taiwan; (N.N.); (H.-Y.L.)
- Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 202301, Taiwan
| | | | - Hsin-I Hsiao
- Department of Food Science, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 202301, Taiwan;
| | - Han-Jia Lin
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 202301, Taiwan; (N.N.); (H.-Y.L.)
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12
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Zhu YJ, Liao ML, Dong YW. Exploring the adaptability of the secondary structure of mRNA to temperature in intertidal snails based on SHAPE experiments. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb246544. [PMID: 37767692 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246544] [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: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
RNA-based thermal regulation is an important strategy for organisms to cope with temperature changes. Inhabiting the intertidal rocky shore, a key interface of the ocean, atmosphere and terrestrial environments, intertidal species have developed variable thermal adaptation mechanisms; however, adaptions at the RNA level remain largely uninvestigated. To examine the relationship between mRNA structural stability and species distribution, in the present study, the secondary structure of cytosolic malate dehydrogenase (cMDH) mRNA of Echinolittorina malaccana, Echinolittorina radiata and Littorina brevicula was determined using selective 2'-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension (SHAPE), and the change in folding free energy of formation (ΔGfold) was calculated. The results showed that ΔGfold increased as the temperature increased. The difference in ΔGfold (ΔΔGfold) between two specific temperatures (25 versus 0°C, 37 versus 0°C and 57 versus 0°C) differed among the three species, and the ΔΔGfold value of E. malaccana was significantly lower than those of E. radiata and L. brevicula. The number of stems of cMDH mRNA of the snails decreased with increasing temperature, and the breakpoint temperature of E. malaccana was the highest among these. The number of loops was also reduced with increasing temperature, while the length of the loop structure increased accordingly. Consequently, these structural changes can potentially affect the translational efficiency of mRNA. These results imply that there were interspecific differences in the thermal stability of RNA secondary structures in intertidal snails, and these differences may be related to snail distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Jie Zhu
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Fisheries College, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China
| | - Ming-Ling Liao
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Fisheries College, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China
| | - Yun-Wei Dong
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Fisheries College, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China
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Rahaman S, Faravelli S, Voegeli S, Becskei A. Polysome propensity and tunable thresholds in coding sequence length enable differential mRNA stability. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh9545. [PMID: 37756413 PMCID: PMC10530222 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh9545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
The half-life of mRNAs, as well as their translation, increases in proportion to the optimal codons, indicating a tight coupling of codon-dependent differential translation and degradation. Little is known about the regulation of this coupling. We found that the mRNA stability gain in yeast depends on the mRNA coding sequence length. Below a critical length, codon optimality fails to affect the stability of mRNAs although they can be efficiently translated into short peptides and proteins. Above this threshold length, codon optimality-dependent differential mRNA stability emerges in a switch-like fashion, which coincides with a similar increase in the polysome propensity of the mRNAs. This threshold length can be tuned by the untranslated regions (UTR). Some of these UTRs can destabilize mRNAs without reducing translation, which plays a role in controlling the amplitude of the oscillatory expression of cell cycle genes. Our findings help understand the translation of short peptides from noncoding RNAs and the translation by localized monosomes in neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayanur Rahaman
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 41, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
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Armenta-Leyva B, Munguía-Ramírez B, Giménez-Lirola LG, Lin X, Ye F, Zimmerman J. Critical evaluation of strategies to achieve direct real-time PCR detection of swine pathogens in oral fluids. J Vet Diagn Invest 2023; 35:521-527. [PMID: 37337714 PMCID: PMC10467463 DOI: 10.1177/10406387231182102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Based on publications reporting improvements in real-time PCR (rtPCR) performance, we compared protocols based on heat treatment or dilution followed by direct rtPCR to standard extraction and amplification methods for the detection of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), influenza A virus (IAV), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), or Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (MHP) in swine oral fluids (OFs). In part A, we subjected aliquots of positive OF samples to 1 of 4 protocols: protocol 1: heat (95°C × 30 min) followed by direct rtPCR; protocol 2: heat and cool (25°C × 20 min) followed by direct rtPCR; protocol 3: heat, cool, extraction, and rtPCR; protocol 4 (control): extraction and then rtPCR. In part B, positive OF samples were split into 3, diluted (D1 = 1:2 with Tris-borate-EDTA (TBE); D2 = 1:2 with negative OF; D3 = not diluted), and then tested by rtPCR using the best-performing protocol from part A (protocol 4). In part A, with occasional exceptions, heat treatment resulted in marked reduction in the detection of target and internal sample control (ISC) nucleic acids. In part B, sample dilution with TBE or OF produced no improvement in the detection of targets and ISCs. Thus, standard extraction and amplification methods provided superior detection of PRRSV, IAV, PEDV, and MHP nucleic acids in OFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betsy Armenta-Leyva
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Berenice Munguía-Ramírez
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Luis G. Giménez-Lirola
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Xue Lin
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Fangshu Ye
- Department of Statistics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Jeffrey Zimmerman
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
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Reis RS. Thermomorphogenesis: Opportunities and challenges in posttranscriptional regulation. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023:7134107. [PMID: 37082809 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Plants exposed to mildly elevated temperatures display morphological and developmental changes collectively termed thermomorphogenesis. This adaptative process has several undesirable consequences to food production, including yield reduction and increased vulnerability to pathogens. Understanding thermomorphogenesis is, thus, critical for understanding how plants will respond to increasingly warmer temperature conditions, such as those caused by climate change. Recently, we have made major advances in that direction, and it has become apparent that plants resource to a broad range of molecules and molecular mechanisms to perceive and respond to increases in environmental temperature. However, most of our efforts have been focused on regulation of transcription and protein abundance and activity, with an important gap encompassing nearly all processes involving RNA (i.e., posttranscriptional regulation). Here, I summarized our current knowledge of thermomorphogenesis involving transcriptional, posttranscriptional, and posttranslational regulation, focused on opportunities and challenges in understanding posttranscriptional regulation-a fertile field for exciting new discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo S Reis
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, Bern, Switzerland
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Götz KP, Chmielewski FM. Metabolites That Confirm Induction and Release of Dormancy Phases in Sweet Cherry Buds. Metabolites 2023; 13:metabo13020231. [PMID: 36837849 PMCID: PMC9961560 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13020231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Here we report on metabolites found in a targeted profiling of 'Summit' flower buds for nine years, which could be indicators for the timing of endodormancy release (t1) and beginning of ontogenetic development (t1*). Investigated metabolites included chrysin, arabonic acid, pentose acid, sucrose, abscisic acid (ABA), and abscisic acid glucose ester (ABA-GE). Chrysin and water content showed an almost parallel course between leaf fall and t1*. After 'swollen bud', water content raised from ~60 to ~80% at open cluster, while chrysin content decreased and lost its function as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. Both parameters can be suitable indicators for t1*. Arabonic acid showed a clear increase after t1*. Pentose acid would be a suitable metabolite to identify t1 and t1*, but would not allow describing the ecodormancy phase, because of its continuously low value during this time. Sucrose reached a maximum during ecodormancy and showed a significant correlation with air temperature, which confirms its cryoprotective role in this phase. The ABA content showed maximum values during endodormancy and decreased during ecodormancy, reaching 50% of its content t1 at t1*. It appears to be the key metabolite to define the ecodormancy phase. The ABA-GE was present at all stages and phases and was much higher than the ABA content and is a readily available storage pool in cherry buds.
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