1
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Conde-Torres D, Calvelo M, Rovira C, Piñeiro Á, Garcia-Fandino R. Unlocking the specificity of antimicrobial peptide interactions for membrane-targeted therapies. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 25:61-74. [PMID: 38695015 PMCID: PMC11061258 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.04.022] [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: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are increasingly recognized as potent therapeutic agents, with their selective affinity for pathological membranes, low toxicity profile, and minimal resistance development making them particularly attractive in the pharmaceutical landscape. This study offers a comprehensive analysis of the interaction between specific AMPs, including magainin-2, pleurocidin, CM15, LL37, and clavanin, with lipid bilayer models of very different compositions that have been ordinarily used as biological membrane models of healthy mammal, cancerous, and bacterial cells. Employing unbiased molecular dynamics simulations and metadynamics techniques, we have deciphered the intricate mechanisms by which these peptides recognize pathogenic and pathologic lipid patterns and integrate into lipid assemblies. Our findings reveal that the transverse component of the peptide's hydrophobic dipole moment is critical for membrane interaction, decisively influencing the molecule's orientation and expected therapeutic efficacy. Our approach also provides insight on the kinetic and dynamic dependence on the peptide orientation in the axial and azimuthal angles when coming close to the membrane. The aim is to establish a robust framework for the rational design of peptide-based, membrane-targeted therapies, as well as effective quantitative descriptors that can facilitate the automated design of novel AMPs for these therapies using machine learning methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Conde-Torres
- Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus Vida s/n, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Facultade de Física, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Martín Calvelo
- Departament de Química Orgànica and Institut de Química Teòrica i Computacional (IQTCUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carme Rovira
- Departament de Química Orgànica and Institut de Química Teòrica i Computacional (IQTCUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ángel Piñeiro
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Facultade de Física, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Rebeca Garcia-Fandino
- Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus Vida s/n, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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2
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Coronado S, Herrera J, Pino MG, Martín S, Ballesteros-Rueda L, Cea P. Advancements in Engineering Planar Model Cell Membranes: Current Techniques, Applications, and Future Perspectives. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 14:1489. [PMID: 39330645 PMCID: PMC11434481 DOI: 10.3390/nano14181489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2024] [Revised: 08/28/2024] [Accepted: 09/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024]
Abstract
Cell membranes are crucial elements in living organisms, serving as protective barriers and providing structural support for cells. They regulate numerous exchange and communication processes between cells and their environment, including interactions with other cells, tissues, ions, xenobiotics, and drugs. However, the complexity and heterogeneity of cell membranes-comprising two asymmetric layers with varying compositions across different cell types and states (e.g., healthy vs. diseased)-along with the challenges of manipulating real cell membranes represent significant obstacles for in vivo studies. To address these challenges, researchers have developed various methodologies to create model cell membranes or membrane fragments, including mono- or bilayers organized in planar systems. These models facilitate fundamental studies on membrane component interactions as well as the interactions of membrane components with external agents, such as drugs, nanoparticles (NPs), or biomarkers. The applications of model cell membranes have extended beyond basic research, encompassing areas such as biosensing and nanoparticle camouflage to evade immune detection. In this review, we highlight advancements in the engineering of planar model cell membranes, focusing on the nanoarchitectonic tools used for their fabrication. We also discuss approaches for incorporating challenging materials, such as proteins and enzymes, into these models. Finally, we present our view on future perspectives in the field of planar model cell membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Coronado
- Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Zaragoza, Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
- Centro de Investigaciones en Catálisis (CICAT), Escuela de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Parque Tecnológico de Guatiguará, Km 2 vía El Refugio, Piedecuesta, Santander 681911, Colombia
| | - Johan Herrera
- Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Zaragoza, Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
- Centro de Investigaciones en Catálisis (CICAT), Escuela de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Parque Tecnológico de Guatiguará, Km 2 vía El Refugio, Piedecuesta, Santander 681911, Colombia
| | - María Graciela Pino
- Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Zaragoza, Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Santiago Martín
- Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Zaragoza, Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Luz Ballesteros-Rueda
- Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Zaragoza, Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
- Centro de Investigaciones en Catálisis (CICAT), Escuela de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Parque Tecnológico de Guatiguará, Km 2 vía El Refugio, Piedecuesta, Santander 681911, Colombia
| | - Pilar Cea
- Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Zaragoza, Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
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3
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van der Gulik PTS, Hoff WD, Speijer D. The contours of evolution: In defence of Darwin's tree of life paradigm. Bioessays 2024; 46:e2400012. [PMID: 38436469 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202400012] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Both the concept of a Darwinian tree of life (TOL) and the possibility of its accurate reconstruction have been much criticized. Criticisms mostly revolve around the extensive occurrence of lateral gene transfer (LGT), instances of uptake of complete organisms to become organelles (with the associated subsequent gene transfer to the nucleus), as well as the implications of more subtle aspects of the biological species concept. Here we argue that none of these criticisms are sufficient to abandon the valuable TOL concept and the biological realities it captures. Especially important is the need to conceptually distinguish between organismal trees and gene trees, which necessitates incorporating insights of widely occurring LGT into modern evolutionary theory. We demonstrate that all criticisms, while based on important new findings, do not invalidate the TOL. After considering the implications of these new insights, we find that the contours of evolution are best represented by a TOL.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wouter D Hoff
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Dave Speijer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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4
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Erazo-Oliveras A, Muñoz-Vega M, Salinas ML, Wang X, Chapkin RS. Dysregulation of cellular membrane homeostasis as a crucial modulator of cancer risk. FEBS J 2024; 291:1299-1352. [PMID: 36282100 PMCID: PMC10126207 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16665] [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: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Cellular membranes serve as an epicentre combining extracellular and cytosolic components with membranous effectors, which together support numerous fundamental cellular signalling pathways that mediate biological responses. To execute their functions, membrane proteins, lipids and carbohydrates arrange, in a highly coordinated manner, into well-defined assemblies displaying diverse biological and biophysical characteristics that modulate several signalling events. The loss of membrane homeostasis can trigger oncogenic signalling. More recently, it has been documented that select membrane active dietaries (MADs) can reshape biological membranes and subsequently decrease cancer risk. In this review, we emphasize the significance of membrane domain structure, organization and their signalling functionalities as well as how loss of membrane homeostasis can steer aberrant signalling. Moreover, we describe in detail the complexities associated with the examination of these membrane domains and their association with cancer. Finally, we summarize the current literature on MADs and their effects on cellular membranes, including various mechanisms of dietary chemoprevention/interception and the functional links between nutritional bioactives, membrane homeostasis and cancer biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Erazo-Oliveras
- Program in Integrative Nutrition and Complex Diseases; Texas A&M University; College Station, Texas, 77843; USA
- Department of Nutrition; Texas A&M University; College Station, Texas, 77843; USA
| | - Mónica Muñoz-Vega
- Program in Integrative Nutrition and Complex Diseases; Texas A&M University; College Station, Texas, 77843; USA
- Department of Nutrition; Texas A&M University; College Station, Texas, 77843; USA
| | - Michael L. Salinas
- Program in Integrative Nutrition and Complex Diseases; Texas A&M University; College Station, Texas, 77843; USA
- Department of Nutrition; Texas A&M University; College Station, Texas, 77843; USA
| | - Xiaoli Wang
- Program in Integrative Nutrition and Complex Diseases; Texas A&M University; College Station, Texas, 77843; USA
- Department of Nutrition; Texas A&M University; College Station, Texas, 77843; USA
| | - Robert S. Chapkin
- Program in Integrative Nutrition and Complex Diseases; Texas A&M University; College Station, Texas, 77843; USA
- Department of Nutrition; Texas A&M University; College Station, Texas, 77843; USA
- Center for Environmental Health Research; Texas A&M University; College Station, Texas, 77843; USA
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5
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Guo XY, Yi L, Yang J, An HW, Yang ZX, Wang H. Self-assembly of peptide nanomaterials at biointerfaces: molecular design and biomedical applications. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:2009-2021. [PMID: 38275083 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc05811e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Self-assembly is an important strategy for constructing ordered structures and complex functions in nature. Based on this, people can imitate nature and artificially construct functional materials with novel structures through the supermolecular self-assembly pathway of biological interfaces. Among the many assembly units, peptide molecular self-assembly has received widespread attention in recent years. In this review, we introduce the interactions (hydrophobic interaction, hydrogen bond, and electrostatic interaction) between peptide nanomaterials and biological interfaces, summarizing the latest advancements in multifunctional self-assembling peptide materials. We systematically demonstrate the assembly mechanisms of peptides at biological interfaces, such as proteins and cell membranes, while highlighting their application potential and challenges in fields like drug delivery, antibacterial strategies, and cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Yuan Guo
- College of Chemistry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Shizishan 1, Hongshan District, Wuhan, 430070, China
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), Beijing, 100190, China.
| | - Li Yi
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), Beijing, 100190, China.
| | - Jia Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), Beijing, 100190, China.
| | - Hong-Wei An
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), Beijing, 100190, China.
| | - Zi-Xin Yang
- College of Chemistry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Shizishan 1, Hongshan District, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Hao Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), Beijing, 100190, China.
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6
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Maestri A, Garagnani P, Pedrelli M, Hagberg CE, Parini P, Ehrenborg E. Lipid droplets, autophagy, and ageing: A cell-specific tale. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 94:102194. [PMID: 38218464 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102194] [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: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Lipid droplets are the essential organelle for storing lipids in a cell. Within the variety of the human body, different cells store, utilize and release lipids in different ways, depending on their intrinsic function. However, these differences are not well characterized and, especially in the context of ageing, represent a key factor for cardiometabolic diseases. Whole body lipid homeostasis is a central interest in the field of cardiometabolic diseases. In this review we characterize lipid droplets and their utilization via autophagy and describe their diverse fate in three cells types central in cardiometabolic dysfunctions: adipocytes, hepatocytes, and macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Maestri
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Paolo Garagnani
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Matteo Pedrelli
- Cardio Metabolic Unit, Department of Laboratory Medicine, and Department of Medicine (Huddinge), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Medicine Unit of Endocrinology, Theme Inflammation and Ageing, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carolina E Hagberg
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Paolo Parini
- Cardio Metabolic Unit, Department of Laboratory Medicine, and Department of Medicine (Huddinge), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Medicine Unit of Endocrinology, Theme Inflammation and Ageing, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ewa Ehrenborg
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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7
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Borkens Y. Malaria & mRNA Vaccines: A Possible Salvation from One of the Most Relevant Infectious Diseases of the Global South. Acta Parasitol 2023; 68:916-928. [PMID: 37828249 PMCID: PMC10665248 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-023-00712-y] [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: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is one of the most dangerous infectious diseases in the world. It occurs in tropical and subtropical regions and affects about 40% of the world´s population. In endemic regions, an estimated 200 million people contract malaria each year. Three-quarters of all global deaths (about 600 per year) are children under 5 years of age. Thus, malaria is one of the most relevant tropical and also childhood diseases in the world. Thanks to various public health measures such as vector control through mosquito nets or the targeted use of insecticides as well as the use of antimalarial prophylaxis drugs, the incidence has already been successfully reduced in recent years. However, to reduce the risk of malaria and to protect children effectively, further measures are necessary. An important part of these measures is an effective vaccination against malaria. However, the history of research shows that the development of an effective malaria vaccine is not an easy undertaking and is associated with some complications. Research into possible vaccines began as early as the 1960s. However, the results achieved were rather sobering and the various vaccines fell short of their expectations. It was not until 2015 that the vaccine RTS,S/AS01 received a positive evaluation from the European Medicines Agency. Since then, the vaccine has been tested in Africa. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, there are new developments in vaccine research that could also benefit malaria research. These include, among others, the so-called mRNA vaccines. Already in the early 1990s, an immune response triggered by an mRNA vaccine was described for the first time. Since then, mRNA vaccines have been researched and discussed for possible prophylaxis. However, it was not until the COVID-19 pandemic that these vaccines experienced a veritable progress. mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 were rapidly developed and achieved high efficacy in studies. Based on this success, it is not surprising that companies are also focusing on other diseases and pathogens. Besides viral diseases, such as influenza or AIDS, malaria is high on this list. Many pharmaceutical companies (including the German companies BioNTech and CureVac) have already confirmed that they are researching mRNA vaccines against malaria. However, this is not an easy task. The aim of this article is to describe and discuss possible antigens that could be considered for mRNA vaccination. However, this topic is currently still very speculative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Borkens
- Charité, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
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8
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Gondhalekar R, Kempes CP, McGlynn SE. Scaling of Protein Function across the Tree of Life. Genome Biol Evol 2023; 15:evad214. [PMID: 38007693 PMCID: PMC10715193 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evad214] [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: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Scaling laws are a powerful way to compare genomes because they put all organisms onto a single curve and reveal nontrivial generalities as genomes change in size. The abundance of functional categories across genomes has previously been found to show power law scaling with respect to the total number of functional categories, suggesting that universal constraints shape genomic category abundance. Here, we look across the tree of life to understand how genome evolution may be related to functional scaling. We revisit previous observations of functional genome scaling with an expanded taxonomy by analyzing 3,726 bacterial, 220 archaeal, and 79 unicellular eukaryotic genomes. We find that for some functional classes, scaling is best described by multiple exponents, revealing previously unobserved shifts in scaling as genome-encoded protein annotations increase or decrease. Furthermore, we find that scaling varies between phyletic groups at both the domain and phyla levels and is less universal than previously thought. This variability in functional scaling is not related to taxonomic phylogeny resolved at the phyla level, suggesting that differences in cell plan or physiology outweigh broad patterns of taxonomic evolution. Since genomes are maintained and replicated by the functional proteins encoded by them, these results point to functional degeneracy between taxonomic groups and unique evolutionary trajectories toward these. We also find that individual phyla frequently span scaling exponents of functional classes, revealing that individual clades can move across scaling exponents. Together, our results reveal unique shifts in functions across the tree of life and highlight that as genomes grow or shrink, proteins of various functions may be added or lost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riddhi Gondhalekar
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Shawn Erin McGlynn
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN, Saitama, Japan
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9
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Annes K, Ferreira CR, Valente RS, Marsico TV, Tannura JH, da Silveira JC, Silva FH, Landim-Alvarenga FDC, Mesquista FS, Sudano MJ. Contribution of lipids to the organelle differential profile of in vitro-produced bovine embryos. Theriogenology 2023; 208:109-118. [PMID: 37311262 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.06.005] [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: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Each living organism is unique because of the lipid identity of its organelles. The diverse distribution of these molecules also contributes to the role of each organelle in cellular activity. The lipid profiles of whole embryos are well documented in the literature. However, this approach can often lead to the loss of relevant information at the subcellular and consequently, metabolic levels, hindering a deeper understanding of key physiological processes during preimplantation development. Therefore, we aimed to characterize four organelles in vitro-produced bovine embryos: lipid droplets (LD), endoplasmic reticulum (ER), mitochondria (MIT), and nuclear membrane (NUC), and evaluate the contribution of the lipid species to each organelle evaluated. Expanded blastocysts were subjected to cell organelle isolation. Thereafter, lipid extraction from cell organelles and lipid analysis using the Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) profiling method were performed. The LD and ER displayed a greater number of lipids (Phosphatidylcholine - PC, Ceramide - Cer, and Sphingomielin - SM) with high signal-to-noise intensities. This result is due to the high rate of biosynthesis, lipid distribution, and ability to store and recycle lipid species of these organelles. The NUC had a more distinct lipid profile than the other three organelles, with high relative intensities of PC, SM, and triacylglycerols (TG), which is consistent with its high nuclear activity. MIT had an intermediate profile that was close to that of LD and ER, which aligns with its autonomous metabolism for some classes of phospholipids (PL). Our study revealed the lipid composition of each organelle studied, and the roles of these lipids could be associated with the characteristic organellar activity. Our findings highlight the lipid species and classes that are relevant for the homeostasis and function of each associated organelle and provide tentative biomarkers for the determination of in vitro embryonic development and quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Annes
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Federal University of São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luis - Km 235, 13565-905, São Carlos, SP, Brazil; Center of Natural and Human Sciences, Universidade Federal do ABC, Av. dos Estados, 5001, 09210-580, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
| | - Christina Ramires Ferreira
- Bindley Bioscience Center, and Center for Analytical Instrumentation Development, Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
| | - Roniele Santana Valente
- Center of Natural and Human Sciences, Universidade Federal do ABC, Av. dos Estados, 5001, 09210-580, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
| | - Thamiris Vieira Marsico
- Center of Natural and Human Sciences, Universidade Federal do ABC, Av. dos Estados, 5001, 09210-580, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
| | | | - Juliano Coelho da Silveira
- Department of Veterinary Medicine Faculty of Animal Sciences and Food Engineering, University of Sao Paulo, Pirassununga, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Flávio Henrique Silva
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Federal University of São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luis - Km 235, 13565-905, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
| | - Fernanda da Cruz Landim-Alvarenga
- Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
| | - Fernando Silveira Mesquista
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Pampa, BR 472 - KM 592, PO Box 118, 97501-970, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil.
| | - Mateus José Sudano
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Federal University of São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luis - Km 235, 13565-905, São Carlos, SP, Brazil; Center of Natural and Human Sciences, Universidade Federal do ABC, Av. dos Estados, 5001, 09210-580, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
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10
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Wang J, Sheng Z, Liu Y, Chen X, Wang S, Yang H. Combined proteomic and transcriptomic analysis of the antimicrobial mechanism of tannic acid against Staphylococcus aureus. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1178177. [PMID: 37654613 PMCID: PMC10466393 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1178177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a zoonotic opportunistic pathogen that represents a significant threat to public health. Previous studies have shown that tannic acid (TA) has an inhibitory effect on a variety of bacteria. In this study, the proteome and transcriptome of S. aureus were analyzed to comprehensively assess changes in genes and proteins induced by TA. Initial observations of morphological changes revealed that TA damaged the integrity of the cell membrane. Next, proteomic and genetic analyses showed that exposure to TA altered the expression levels of 651 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs, 283 upregulated and 368 downregulated) and 503 differentially expressed genes (DEGs, 191 upregulated and 312 downregulated). Analysis of the identified DEPs and DEGs suggested that TA damages the integrity of the cell envelope by decreasing the expression and protein abundance of enzymes involved in the synthesis of peptidoglycans, teichoic acids and fatty acids, such as murB, murQ, murG, fmhX and tagA. After treatment with TA, the assembly of ribosomes in S. aureus was severely impaired by significant reductions in available ribosome components, and thus protein synthesis was hindered. The levels of genes and proteins associated with amino acids and purine synthesis were remarkably decreased, which further reduced bacterial viability. In addition, ABC transporters, which are involved in amino acid and ion transport, were also badly affected. Our results reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of TA on S. aureus and provide a theoretical basis for the application of TA as an antibacterial chemotherapeutic agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhicun Sheng
- Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yunying Liu
- Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, China
- Zhongchong Sino Biotech Taizhou Co., Ltd., Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xiaolan Chen
- Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Shuaibing Wang
- Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Haifeng Yang
- Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, China
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11
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Jin Z, Vighi A, Dong Y, Bureau JA, Ignea C. Engineering membrane architecture for biotechnological applications. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 64:108118. [PMID: 36773706 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Cellular membranes, predominantly described as a dynamic bilayer, are composed of different lipids, transmembrane proteins, and carbohydrates. Most research on biological membranes focuses on the identification, characterization, and mechanistic aspects of their different components. These studies provide a fundamental understanding of membrane structure, function, and dynamics, establishing a basis for the development of membrane engineering strategies. To date, approaches in this field concentrate on membrane adaptation to harsh conditions during industrial fermentation, which can be caused by temperature, osmotic, or organic solvent stress. With advances in the field of metabolic engineering and synthetic biology, recent breakthroughs include proof of concept microbial production of essential medicines, such as cannabinoids and vinblastine. However, long pathways, low yields, and host adaptation continue to pose challenges to the efficient scale up production of many important compounds. The lipid bilayer is profoundly linked to the activity of heterologous membrane-bound enzymes and transport of metabolites. Therefore, strategies for improving enzyme performance, facilitating pathway reconstruction, and enabling storage of products to increase the yields directly involve cellular membranes. At the forefront of membrane engineering research are re-emerging approaches in lipid research and synthetic biology that manipulate membrane size and composition and target lipid profiles across species. This review summarizes engineering strategies applied to cellular membranes and discusses the challenges and future perspectives, particularly with regards to their applications in host engineering and bioproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zimo Jin
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0E9, Canada
| | - Asia Vighi
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0E9, Canada
| | - Yueming Dong
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0E9, Canada
| | | | - Codruta Ignea
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0E9, Canada.
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12
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van der Gulik PTS, Hoff WD, Speijer D. Renewing Linnaean taxonomy: a proposal to restructure the highest levels of the Natural System. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:584-602. [PMID: 36366773 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12920] [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: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
During the last century enormous progress has been made in the understanding of biological diversity, involving a dramatic shift from macroscopic to microscopic organisms. The question now arises as to whether the Natural System introduced by Carl Linnaeus, which has served as the central system for organizing biological diversity, can accommodate the great expansion of diversity that has been discovered. Important discoveries regarding biological diversity have not been fully integrated into a formal, coherent taxonomic system. In addition, because of taxonomic challenges and conflicts, various proposals have been made to abandon key aspects of the Linnaean system. We review the current status of taxonomy of the living world, focussing on groups at the taxonomic level of phylum and above. We summarize the main arguments against and in favour of abandoning aspects of the Linnaean system. Based on these considerations, we conclude that retaining the Linnaean Natural System provides important advantages. We propose a relatively small number of amendments for extending this system, particularly to include the named rank of world (Latin alternative mundis) formally to include non-cellular entities (viruses), and the named rank of empire (Latin alternative imperium) to accommodate the depth of diversity in (unicellular) eukaryotes that has been uncovered. We argue that in the case of both the eukaryotic domain and the viruses the cladistic approach intrinsically fails. However, the resulting semi-cladistic system provides a productive way forward that can help resolve taxonomic challenges. The amendments proposed allow us to: (i) retain named taxonomic levels and the three-domain system, (ii) improve understanding of the main eukaryotic lineages, and (iii) incorporate viruses into the Natural System. Of note, the proposal described herein is intended to serve as the starting point for a broad scientific discussion regarding the modernization of the Linnaean system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wouter D Hoff
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and Department of Chemistry, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA
| | - David Speijer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, AmsterdamUMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 15, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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13
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Discovery of endosomalytic cell-penetrating peptides based on bacterial membrane-targeting sequences. Bioorg Chem 2023; 134:106424. [PMID: 36868126 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are prominent scaffolds for drug developments and related research, particularly the endocytic delivery of biomacromolecules. Effective cargo release from endosomes prior to lysosomal degradation is a crucial step, where the rational design and selection of CPPs remains a challenge and calls for deeper mechanistic understandings. Here, we have investigated a strategy of designing CPPs that selectively disrupt endosomal membranes based on bacterial membrane targeting sequences (MTSs). Six synthesized MTS peptides all exhibit cell-penetrating abilities, among which two d-peptides (d-EcMTS and d-TpMTS) are able to escape from endosomes and localize at ER after entering the cell. The utility of this strategy has been demonstrated by the intracellular delivery of green fluorescent protein (GFP). Together, these results suggest that the large pool of bacterial MTSs may be a rich source for the development of novel CPPs.
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14
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Bouquiaux C, Castet F, Champagne B. Influence of the Nature of the Lipid Building Blocks on the Second-Order Nonlinear Optical Responses of an Embedded Di-8-ANEPPS Probe. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:528-541. [PMID: 36606294 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c08093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The extensive collection of lipids found in cell membranes is justified by the fact that each lipid contributes to their overall structure, dynamics, and properties and so to the biological processes taking place within them. It also showcases that, in order to deepen our understanding of membranes, we need to have a tool to differentiate lipid bilayers of varying composition. In this work, we investigate a suite of single-component saturated glycerophospholipids varying only in their headgroup structure by analyzing the second harmonic generation (SHG) nonlinear optical (NLO) response of a probe, di-8-ANEPPS, embedded into the membranes. The seven hydrophilic heads chosen (phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), diaglycerol (GL), phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylinositol (PI), and phosphatidyc acid (PA)) represent all the major headgroups that are part of mammalian plasma membranes and provide an assortment of neutral, zwiterrionic, and charged species. First, molecular dynamics simulations revealed that the lipidic arrangement is strongly sensitive to the nature of the hydrophilic head and less to the variety in the hydrophobic region. Membranes exhibiting drastically opposite structural properties can be pointed out: 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-rac-glycerol (DPGL) is the thickest and most ordered and aligned system, whereas 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1'-sn-glycerol) (DPPG) is thinnest and least ordered and aligned system. The structural analyses are then confronted with the molecular NLO responses, β, computed at the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) level. As the orientation of the chromophore is impacted by the various degrees of order within the lipid bilayers, the diagonal component of the β tensor parallel to the bilayer normal, βZZZ, is as well. In the end, this computational approach provides insights into the link between lipid building blocks and the NLO responses of the embedded dye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Bouquiaux
- University of Namur, Theoretical Chemistry Lab, Unit of Theoretical and Structural Physical Chemistry, Namur Institute of Structured Matter, rue de Bruxelles, 61, B-5000Namur, Belgium
| | - Frédéric Castet
- University of Bordeaux, Institut des Sciences Moléculaires, UMR 5255 CNRS, cours de la Libération 351, F-33405 CedexTalence, France
| | - Benoît Champagne
- University of Namur, Theoretical Chemistry Lab, Unit of Theoretical and Structural Physical Chemistry, Namur Institute of Structured Matter, rue de Bruxelles, 61, B-5000Namur, Belgium
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15
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A Five-LLPS Gene Risk Score Prognostic Signature Predicts Survival in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Genomics 2023; 2023:7299276. [PMID: 36873244 PMCID: PMC9977538 DOI: 10.1155/2023/7299276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Primary liver cancer, dominated by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is one of the most common cancer types and the third leading cause of cancer death in 2020. Previous studies have shown that liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) plays an important role in the occurrence and development of cancer including HCC, but its influence on the patient prognosis is still unknown. It is necessary to explore the effect of LLPS genes on prognosis to accurately forecast the prognosis of HCC patients and identify relevant targeted therapeutic sites. Methods Using The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset and PhaSepDB dataset, we identified LLPS genes linked to the overall survival (OS) of HCC patients. We applied Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) Cox penalized regression analysis to choose the best genes for the risk score prognostic signature. We then analysed the validation dataset and evaluated the effectiveness of the risk score prognostic signature. Finally, we performed quantitative real-time PCR experiments to validate the genes in the prognostic signature. Results We identified 43 differentially expressed LLPS genes that were associated with the OS of HCC patients. Five of these genes (BMX, FYN, KPNA2, PFKFB4, and SPP1) were selected to generate a prognostic risk score signature. Patients in the low-risk group were associated with better OS than those in the high-risk group in both the training dataset and the validation dataset. We found that BMX and FYN had lower expression levels in HCC tumour tissues, whereas KPNA2, PFKFB4, and SPP1 had higher expression levels in HCC tumour tissues. The validation demonstrated that the five-LLPS gene risk score signature has the capability of predicting the OS of HCC patients. Conclusion Our study constructed a five-LLPS gene risk score signature that can be applied as an effective and convenient prognostic tool. These five genes might serve as potential targets for therapy and the treatment of HCC.
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16
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Gäbelein C, Reiter MA, Ernst C, Giger GH, Vorholt JA. Engineering Endosymbiotic Growth of E. coli in Mammalian Cells. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:3388-3396. [PMID: 36194551 PMCID: PMC9594318 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Endosymbioses are cellular mergers in which one cell lives within another cell and have led to major evolutionary transitions, most prominently to eukaryogenesis. Generation of synthetic endosymbioses aims to provide a defined starting point for studying fundamental processes in emerging endosymbiotic systems and enable the engineering of cells with novel properties. Here, we tested the potential of different bacteria for artificial endosymbiosis in mammalian cells. To this end, we adopted the fluidic force microscopy technology to inject diverse bacteria directly into the cytosol of HeLa cells and examined the endosymbiont-host interactions by real-time fluorescence microscopy. Among them, Escherichia coli grew exponentially within the cytoplasm, however, at a faster pace than its host cell. To slow down the intracellular growth of E. coli, we introduced auxotrophies in E. coli and demonstrated that the intracellular growth rate can be reduced by limiting the uptake of aromatic amino acids. In consequence, the survival of the endosymbiont-host pair was prolonged. The presented experimental framework enables studying endosymbiotic candidate systems at high temporal resolution and at the single cell level. Our work represents a starting point for engineering a stable, vertically inherited endosymbiosis.
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17
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Borkens Y. Malaria-Antigene in der Ära der mRNA-Impfstoffe. Monatsschr Kinderheilkd 2022; 170:828-838. [PMID: 35855690 PMCID: PMC9281189 DOI: 10.1007/s00112-022-01554-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
ZusammenfassungBereits in den frühen 1990er-Jahren wurde erstmals eine durch einen mRNA-Impfstoff ausgelöste Immunantwort beschrieben. Seitdem wurden mRNA-Impfstoffe für eine mögliche Prophylaxe erforscht und diskutiert. Doch erst mit der COVID-19-Pandemie erlebten diese Impfstoffe einen wahren Boom. Die ersten mRNA-Impfstoffe wurden gegen SARS-CoV‑2 zugelassen und zeigten große Erfolge. Es ist daher nicht verwunderlich, dass sich die Hersteller auch auf andere Krankheiten und Pathogene konzentrieren. Neben viralen Krankheiten wie Influenza oder Aids steht Malaria weit oben auf dieser Liste. Viele Pharmaunternehmen (u. a. die deutschen Unternehmen BioNTech und CureVac) haben bereits bestätigt, an mRNA-Impfstoffen gegen Malaria zu forschen. Dabei ist die Entwicklung eines funktionierenden Impfstoffes gegen Malaria kein leichtes Unterfangen. Seit den 1960ern wird an möglichen Impfstoffen geforscht. Die Ergebnisse sind dabei eher ernüchternd. Erst 2015 erhielt der Impfstoff RTS,S/AS01 eine positive Bewertung der Europäischen Arzneimittel-Agentur. Seitdem wird der Impfstoff in Afrika getestet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Borkens
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Science, James Cook University, 1 James Cook Drive, 4811 Townsville, Queensland Australien
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18
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Okamoto Y, Hamaguchi K, Watanabe M, Watanabe N, Umakoshi H. Characterization of Phase Separated Planar Lipid Bilayer Membrane by Fluorescence Ratio Imaging and Scanning Probe Microscope. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:770. [PMID: 36005685 PMCID: PMC9415343 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12080770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The lipid membrane forms nanodomains (rafts) and shows heterogeneous properties. These nanodomains relate to significant roles in various cell functions, and thus the analysis of the nanodomains in phase-separated lipid membranes is important to clarify the function and role of the nanodomains. However, the lipid membrane possesses small-sized nanodomains and shows a small height difference between the nanodomains and their surroundings at certain lipid compositions. In addition, nanodomain analysis sometimes requires highly sensitive and expensive apparatus, such as a two-photon microscope. These have prevented the analysis by the conventional fluorescence microscope and by the topography of the scanning probe microscope (SPM), even though these are promising methods in macroscale and microscale analysis, respectively. Therefore, this study aimed to overcome these problems in nanodomain analysis. We successfully demonstrated that solvatochromic dye, LipiORDER, could analyze the phase state of the lipid membrane at the macroscale with low magnification lenses. Furthermore, we could prove that the phase mode of SPM was effective in the visualization of specific nanodomains by properties difference as well as topographic images of SPM. Hence, this combination method successfully gave much information on the phase state at the micro/macro scale, and thus this would be applied to the analysis of heterogeneous lipid membranes.
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19
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Mitchell MI, Ma J, Carter CL, Loudig O. Circulating Exosome Cargoes Contain Functionally Diverse Cancer Biomarkers: From Biogenesis and Function to Purification and Potential Translational Utility. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:3350. [PMID: 35884411 PMCID: PMC9318395 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143350] [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] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Although diagnostic and therapeutic treatments of cancer have tremendously improved over the past two decades, the indolent nature of its symptoms has made early detection challenging. Thus, inter-disciplinary (genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and lipidomic) research efforts have been focused on the non-invasive identification of unique "silver bullet" cancer biomarkers for the design of ultra-sensitive molecular diagnostic assays. Circulating tumor biomarkers, such as CTCs and ctDNAs, which are released by tumors in the circulation, have already demonstrated their clinical utility for the non-invasive detection of certain solid tumors. Considering that exosomes are actively produced by all cells, including tumor cells, and can be found in the circulation, they have been extensively assessed for their potential as a source of circulating cell-specific biomarkers. Exosomes are particularly appealing because they represent a stable and encapsulated reservoir of active biological compounds that may be useful for the non-invasive detection of cancer. T biogenesis of these extracellular vesicles is profoundly altered during carcinogenesis, but because they harbor unique or uniquely combined surface proteins, cancer biomarker studies have been focused on their purification from biofluids, for the analysis of their RNA, DNA, protein, and lipid cargoes. In this review, we evaluate the biogenesis of normal and cancer exosomes, provide extensive information on the state of the art, the current purification methods, and the technologies employed for genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and lipidomic evaluation of their cargoes. Our thorough examination of the literature highlights the current limitations and promising future of exosomes as a liquid biopsy for the identification of circulating tumor biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan I Mitchell
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
| | - Junfeng Ma
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Claire L Carter
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
| | - Olivier Loudig
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
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20
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Haldar S. Delving into Membrane Heterogeneity Utilizing Fluorescence Lifetime Distribution Analysis. J Membr Biol 2022; 255:553-561. [PMID: 35486159 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-022-00235-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Lipid bilayer membranes are indispensable parts of cellular architecture. One of the integral properties of bilayer membranes is the environmental heterogeneity over a wide range of spatiotemporal scales. The environmental heterogeneity is a manifestation of the dynamic and compositional anisotropy in the plane of the membrane as well as along the bilayer normal. Fluorescence lifetime distribution analysis provides a spectroscopic tool to quantitatively characterize such heterogeneities. The review discusses recent applications of fluorescence lifetime distribution analysis utilizing the maximum entropy method to characterize horizontal and vertical heterogeneities in membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sourav Haldar
- Division of Virus Research and Therapeutics, CSIR- Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226031, India.
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21
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Fylymonenko VP, Galuzinska LV, Kravchenko GB, Kravchenko VM, Bryukhanova ТО, Мaloshtan LМ, Lytkin DV. Effectiveness of food concentrate phenolic compounds of apples in experimental membrane pathologies. REGULATORY MECHANISMS IN BIOSYSTEMS 2022. [DOI: 10.15421/022209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Apple fruits are an available source of phenolic compounds that exhibit a wide range of biological activities (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, membrane stabilizing, etc.). The antioxidant properties of food concentrate phenolic compounds of apples (Concentrate) were studied in vitro in models of spontaneous and ascorbate induced lipid peroxidation (LPO) in rat liver homogenate, and acute carbon tetrachloromethane hepatitis was chosen as in vivo model in rats. Membrane stabilizing activity was evaluated by the degree of hemolysis in blood samples from the tail vein. The effect of Concentrate on vascular permeability was studied considering the time of animal skin papules staining at the site of injection of phlogogenic substances. Hepatoprotective activity in the model of acute carbon tetrachloride hepatitis was assessed by changes in prooxidant-antioxidant status in liver homogenate and liver enzymes activity in serum. Significant antioxidant effect of Concentrate was fixed in models of spontaneous and ascorbate induced LPO (TBA reactants’ content was 3.12 times and 2.25 times lower than control for spontaneous LPO and ascorbate induced LPO, respectively) and under tetrachloride hepatitis (Concentrate antioxidant activity was 47.8%). The membrane-protective activity of the studied Concentrate was also high and reached 50.1%. Also, Concentrate demonstrated capillary-strengthening properties, reducing the permeability of the vascular wall, which was caused by three different chlorogens, most notably by zymosan (Concentrate significantly delayed the stain utilization from the bloodstream by 2.14 times compared to control). Newly developed concentrate showed complex hepatoprotective activity, improving the indices of antioxidant-prooxidant status and activity of liver cytolysis enzymes in rats with tetrachloromethane hepatitis. The transparent corrective effects of Concentrate are the result of synergism and additivity of its multiple components and indicate the prospects of its further research in order to develop medications for the prophylaxis and treatment of diseases associated with membrane damage.
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22
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On the osmotic pressure of cells. QRB DISCOVERY 2022. [PMID: 37529285 PMCID: PMC10392628 DOI: 10.1017/qrd.2022.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The chemical potential of water (
$ {\mu}_{{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}} $
) provides an essential thermodynamic characterization of the environment of living organisms, and it is of equal significance as the temperature. For cells,
$ {\mu}_{{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}} $
is conventionally expressed in terms of the osmotic pressure (πosm). We have previously suggested that the main contribution to the intracellular πosm of the bacterium E. coli is from soluble negatively-charged proteins and their counter-ions. Here, we expand on this analysis by examining how evolutionary divergent cell types cope with the challenge of maintaining πosm within viable values. Complex organisms, like mammals, maintain constant internal πosm ≈ 0.285 osmol, matching that of 0.154 M NaCl. For bacteria it appears that optimal growth conditions are found for similar or slightly higher πosm (0.25-0.4 osmol), despite that they represent a much earlier stage in evolution. We argue that this value reflects a general adaptation for optimising metabolic function under crowded intracellular conditions. Environmental πosm that differ from this optimum require therefore special measures, as exemplified with gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. To handle such situations, their membrane encapsulations allow for a compensating turgor pressure that can take both positive and negative values, where positive pressures allow increased frequency of metabolic events through increased intracellular protein concentrations. A remarkable exception to the rule of 0.25-0.4 osmol, is found for halophilic archaea with internal πosm ≈ 15 osmol. The internal organization of these archaea differs in that they utilize a repulsive electrostatic mechanism operating only in the ionic-liquid regime to avoid aggregation, and that they stand out from other organisms by having no turgor pressure.
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23
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Pathak BK, Dey S, Mozumder S, Sengupta J. The role of membranes in function and dysfunction of intrinsically disordered amyloidogenic proteins. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2021; 128:397-434. [PMID: 35034725 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2021.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Membrane-protein interactions play a major role in human physiology as well as in diseases pathology. Interaction of a protein with the membrane was previously thought to be dependent on well-defined three-dimensional structure of the protein. In recent decades, however, it has become evident that a large fraction of the proteome, particularly in eukaryotes, stays disordered in solution and these proteins are termed as intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs). Also, a vast majority of human proteomes have been reported to contain substantially long disordered regions, called intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs), in addition to the structurally ordered regions. IDPs exist in an ensemble of conformations and the conformational flexibility enables IDPs to achieve functional diversity. IDPs (and IDRs) are found to be important players in cell signaling, where biological membranes act as anchors for signaling cascades. Therefore, IDPs modulate the membrane architectures, at the same time membrane composition also affects the binding of IDPs. Because of intrinsic disorders, misfolding of IDPs often leads to formation of oligomers, protofibrils and mature fibrils through progressive self-association. Accumulation of amyloid-like aggregates of some of the IDPs is a known causative agent for numerous diseases. In this chapter we highlight recent advances in understanding membrane interactions of some of the intrinsically disordered proteins involved in the pathogenesis of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bani Kumar Pathak
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Jadavpur, Kolkata, India
| | - Sandip Dey
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Jadavpur, Kolkata, India
| | - Sukanya Mozumder
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Jadavpur, Kolkata, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Jayati Sengupta
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Jadavpur, Kolkata, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India.
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24
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Wu T, Yu L, Zhang Y, Liu J. Characterization of fatty acid desaturases reveals stress-induced synthesis of C18 unsaturated fatty acids enriched in triacylglycerol in the oleaginous alga Chromochloris zofingiensis. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2021; 14:184. [PMID: 34535156 PMCID: PMC8447527 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-021-02037-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The green microalga Chromochloris zofingiensis is capable of producing high levels of triacylglycerol rich in C18 unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs). FA desaturation degree is regulated by FA desaturases (FADs). Nevertheless, it remains largely unknown regarding what FADs are involved in FA desaturations and how these FADs collaborate to contribute to the high abundance of C18 UFAs in triacylglycerol in C. zofingiensis. RESULTS To address these issues, we firstly determined the transcription start sites of 11 putative membrane-bound FAD-coding genes (CzFADs) and updated their gene models. Functional validation of these CzFADs in yeast and cyanobacterial cells revealed that seven are bona fide FAD enzymes with distinct substrates. Combining the validated functions and predicted subcellular compartments of CzFADs and the FA profiles of C. zofingiensis, the FA desaturation pathways in this alga were reconstructed. Furthermore, a multifaceted lipidomic analysis by systematically integrating thin-layer chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques was conducted, unraveling profiles of polar membrane lipids in C. zofingiensis and major desaturation steps occurring in these lipids. By correlating transcriptional patterns of CzFAD genes and changes of lipids upon abiotic stress conditions, our results highlighted collaboration of CzFADs for C18 UFA synthesis and supported that both de novo FA synthesis and membrane lipid remodeling contributed C18 UFAs to triacylglycerol for storage. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our study for the first time elucidated the pathways of C18 FA desaturations and comprehensive profiles of polar membrane lipids in C. zofingiensis and shed light on collaboration of CzFADs for the synthesis and enrichment of C18 UFAs in triacylglycerol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wu
- Laboratory for Algae Biotechnology & Innovation, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871 China
| | - Lihua Yu
- Laboratory for Algae Biotechnology & Innovation, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871 China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Laboratory for Algae Biotechnology & Innovation, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871 China
| | - Jin Liu
- Laboratory for Algae Biotechnology & Innovation, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871 China
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25
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Krystyjan M, Khachatryan G, Grabacka M, Krzan M, Witczak M, Grzyb J, Woszczak L. Physicochemical, Bacteriostatic, and Biological Properties of Starch/Chitosan Polymer Composites Modified by Graphene Oxide, Designed as New Bionanomaterials. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:2327. [PMID: 34301083 PMCID: PMC8309611 DOI: 10.3390/polym13142327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The application of natural polymer matrices as medical device components or food packaging materials has gained a considerable popularity in recent years, this has occurred in response to the increasing plastic pollution hazard. Currently, constant progress is being made in designing two-component or three-component systems that combine natural materials which help to achieve a quality comparable to the purely synthetic counterparts. This study describes a green synthesis preparation of new bionanocomposites consisting of starch/chitosan/graphene oxide (GO), that possess improved biological activities; namely, good tolerability by human cells with concomitant antimicrobial activity. The structural and morphological properties of bionanocomposites were analyzed using the following techniques: dynamic light scattering, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, wettability and free surface energy determination, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The study confirmed the homogenous distribution of GO layers within the starch/chitosan matrix and their large particle size. The interactions among the components were stronger in thin films. Additionally, differential scanning calorimetry analysis, UV-vis spectroscopy, surface colour measurements, transparency, water content, solubility, and swelling degree of composites were also performed. The mechanical parameters, such as tensile strength and elongation at break (EAB) were measured in order to characterise the functional properties of obtained nanocomposites. The GO additive altered the thermal features of the composites and decreased their brightness. The EAB of composite was improved by the introduction of GO. Importantly, cell-based analyses revealed no toxic effect of the composites on HaCat keratinocytes and HepG2 hepatoma cells, although a pronounced bacteriostatic effect against various strains of pathogenic bacteria was observed. In conclusion, the starch/chitosan/GO nanocomposites reveal numerous useful physicochemical and biological features, which make them a promising alternative for purely synthetic materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Krystyjan
- Faculty of Food Technology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Balicka Street 122, 30-149 Krakow, Poland; (G.K.); (M.G.); (M.W.); (L.W.)
| | - Gohar Khachatryan
- Faculty of Food Technology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Balicka Street 122, 30-149 Krakow, Poland; (G.K.); (M.G.); (M.W.); (L.W.)
| | - Maja Grabacka
- Faculty of Food Technology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Balicka Street 122, 30-149 Krakow, Poland; (G.K.); (M.G.); (M.W.); (L.W.)
| | - Marcel Krzan
- Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 31-120 Krakow, Poland;
| | - Mariusz Witczak
- Faculty of Food Technology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Balicka Street 122, 30-149 Krakow, Poland; (G.K.); (M.G.); (M.W.); (L.W.)
| | - Jacek Grzyb
- Faculty of Agriculture and Economics, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Mickiewicza 24/28, 30-059 Krakow, Poland;
| | - Liliana Woszczak
- Faculty of Food Technology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Balicka Street 122, 30-149 Krakow, Poland; (G.K.); (M.G.); (M.W.); (L.W.)
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'Whole Organism', Systems Biology, and Top-Down Criteria for Evaluating Scenarios for the Origin of Life. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11070690. [PMID: 34357062 PMCID: PMC8306273 DOI: 10.3390/life11070690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
While most advances in the study of the origin of life on Earth (OoLoE) are piecemeal, tested against the laws of chemistry and physics, ultimately the goal is to develop an overall scenario for life's origin(s). However, the dimensionality of non-equilibrium chemical systems, from the range of possible boundary conditions and chemical interactions, renders the application of chemical and physical laws difficult. Here we outline a set of simple criteria for evaluating OoLoE scenarios. These include the need for containment, steady energy and material flows, and structured spatial heterogeneity from the outset. The Principle of Continuity, the fact that all life today was derived from first life, suggests favoring scenarios with fewer non-analog (not seen in life today) to analog (seen in life today) transitions in the inferred first biochemical pathways. Top-down data also indicate that a complex metabolism predated ribozymes and enzymes, and that full cellular autonomy and motility occurred post-LUCA. Using these criteria, we find the alkaline hydrothermal vent microchamber complex scenario with a late evolving exploitation of the natural occurring pH (or Na+ gradient) by ATP synthase the most compelling. However, there are as yet so many unknowns, we also advocate for the continued development of as many plausible scenarios as possible.
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Jayaram AK, Pappa AM, Ghosh S, Manzer ZA, Traberg WC, Knowles TPJ, Daniel S, Owens RM. Biomembranes in bioelectronic sensing. Trends Biotechnol 2021; 40:107-123. [PMID: 34229865 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2021.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cell membranes are integral to the functioning of the cell and are therefore key to drive fundamental understanding of biological processes for downstream applications. Here, we review the current state-of-the-art with respect to biomembrane systems and electronic substrates, with a view of how the field has evolved towards creating biomimetic conditions and improving detection sensitivity. Of particular interest are conducting polymers, a class of electroactive polymers, which have the potential to create the next step-change for bioelectronics devices. Lastly, we discuss the impact these types of devices could have for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Jayaram
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CB2 1EW, Cambridge, UK; Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0JH, UK
| | - A M Pappa
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, CB30AS Cambridge, UK
| | - S Ghosh
- RF Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Olin Hall, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Z A Manzer
- RF Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Olin Hall, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - W C Traberg
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, CB30AS Cambridge, UK
| | - T P J Knowles
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CB2 1EW, Cambridge, UK; Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0JH, UK
| | - S Daniel
- RF Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Olin Hall, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - R M Owens
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, CB30AS Cambridge, UK.
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Torday JS. Cellular evolution of language. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 167:140-146. [PMID: 34102232 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2021.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The evolutionary origin of language remains unknown despite many efforts to determine the origin of this signature human trait. Based on epigenetic inheritance, the current article hypothesizes that language evolved from cell-cell communication as the basis for generating structure and function embryologically and phylogenetically, as did all physiologic traits. Beginning with lipids forming the first micelle, a vertical integration of the evolved properties of the cell, from multicellular organisms to the introduction of cholesterol into the cell membrane, to the evolution of the peroxisome, the water-land transition and duplication of the βAdrenergic Receptor, the evolution of endothermy, leading to bipedalism, freeing the forelimbs for toolmaking and language, selection pressure for myelinization of the central nervous system to facilitate calcium flux, bespeaks human expression, culminating in the evolution of civilization. This process is epitomized by the Area of Broca as the structural-functional site for both motor control and language formation. The mechanistic interrelationship between motor control and language formation is underscored by the role of FoxP2 gene expression in both bipedalism and language. The effect of endothermy on bipedalism, freeing the forelimbs for toolmaking and language as the vertical integration from Cosmology to Physiology as the basis for language bespeaks human expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- John S Torday
- Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Evolutionary Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Westwood, CA, USA.
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29
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Effects of insecticide acephate on membrane mimetic systems: The role played by electrostatic interactions with lipid polar headgroups. J Mol Liq 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2021.115868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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30
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Speijer D. Zombie ideas about early endosymbiosis: Which entry mechanisms gave us the "endo" in different endosymbionts? Bioessays 2021; 43:e2100069. [PMID: 34008202 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202100069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Recently, a review regarding the mechanics and evolution of mitochondrial fission appeared in Nature. Surprisingly, it stated authoritatively that the mitochondrial outer membrane, in contrast with the inner membrane of bacterial descent, was acquired from the host, presumably during uptake. However, it has been known for quite some time that this membrane was also derived from the Gram-negative, alpha-proteobacterium related precursor of present-day mitochondria. The zombie idea of the host membrane still surrounding the endosymbiont is not only wrong, but more importantly, might hamper the proper conception of possible scenarios of eukaryogenesis. Why? Because it steers the imagination not only with regard to possible uptake mechanisms, but also regarding what went on before. Here I critically discuss both the evidence for the continuity of the bacterial outer membrane, the reasons for the persistence of the erroneous host membrane hypothesis and the wider implications of these misconceptions for the ideas regarding events occurring during the first steps towards the evolution of the eukaryotes and later major eukaryotic differentiations. I will also highlight some of the latest insights regarding different instances of endosymbiont evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dave Speijer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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31
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Abstract
All living cells interact dynamically with a constantly changing world. Eukaryotes, in particular, evolved radically new ways to sense and react to their environment. These advances enabled new and more complex forms of cellular behaviour in eukaryotes, including directional movement, active feeding, mating, and responses to predation. But what are the key events and innovations during eukaryogenesis that made all of this possible? Here we describe the ancestral repertoire of eukaryotic excitability and discuss five major cellular innovations that enabled its evolutionary origin. The innovations include a vastly expanded repertoire of ion channels, the emergence of cilia and pseudopodia, endomembranes as intracellular capacitors, a flexible plasma membrane and the relocation of chemiosmotic ATP synthesis to mitochondria, which liberated the plasma membrane for more complex electrical signalling involved in sensing and reacting. We conjecture that together with an increase in cell size, these new forms of excitability greatly amplified the degrees of freedom associated with cellular responses, allowing eukaryotes to vastly outperform prokaryotes in terms of both speed and accuracy. This comprehensive new perspective on the evolution of excitability enriches our view of eukaryogenesis and emphasizes behaviour and sensing as major contributors to the success of eukaryotes. This article is part of the theme issue 'Basal cognition: conceptual tools and the view from the single cell'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty Y. Wan
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Gáspár Jékely
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
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32
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Leung HY, Cheung KC, Ko KM. Differential Effects of Ursolic Acid and Oleanolic Acid on Mitochondrial ATP Generation in H9c2 Cardiomyocytes and Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Cell Proliferation in Mouse Splenocytes: Yang versus Yin. Chin Med 2021. [DOI: 10.4236/cm.2021.123005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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Terao R, Kaneko H. Lipid Signaling in Ocular Neovascularization. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21134758. [PMID: 32635437 PMCID: PMC7369954 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21134758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Vasculogenesis and angiogenesis play a crucial role in embryonic development. Pathological neovascularization in ocular tissues can lead to vision-threatening vascular diseases, including proliferative diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, retinopathy of prematurity, choroidal neovascularization, and corneal neovascularization. Neovascularization involves various cellular processes and signaling pathways and is regulated by angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF). Modulating these circuits may represent a promising strategy to treat ocular neovascular diseases. Lipid mediators derived from membrane lipids are abundantly present in most tissues and exert a wide range of biological functions by regulating various signaling pathways. In particular, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids exert potent pro-angiogenic or anti-angiogenic effects, according to the findings of numerous preclinical and clinical studies. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge regarding the regulation of ocular neovascularization by lipid mediators and their metabolites. A better understanding of the effects of lipid signaling in neovascularization may provide novel therapeutic strategies to treat ocular neovascular diseases and other human disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Terao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-3-3815-5411
| | - Hiroki Kaneko
- Department of Ophthalmology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan;
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Liu HY, Kumar R, Takai M, Hirtz M. Enhanced Stability of Lipid Structures by Dip-Pen Nanolithography on Block-Type MPC Copolymer. Molecules 2020; 25:E2768. [PMID: 32549371 PMCID: PMC7356513 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25122768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Biomimetic lipid membranes on solid supports have been used in a plethora of applications, including as biosensors, in research on membrane proteins or as interfaces in cell experiments. For many of these applications, structured lipid membranes, e.g., in the form of arrays with features of different functionality, are highly desired. The stability of these features on a given substrate during storage and in incubation steps is key, while at the same time the substrate ideally should also exhibit antifouling properties. Here, we describe the highly beneficial properties of a 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) copolymer for the stability of supported lipid membrane structures generated by dip-pen nanolithography with phospholipids (L-DPN). The MPC copolymer substrates allow for more stable and higher membrane stack structures in comparison to other hydrophilic substrates, like glass or silicon oxide surfaces. The structures remain highly stable under immersion in liquid and subsequent incubation and washing steps. This allows multiplexed functionalization of lipid arrays with antibodies via microchannel cantilever spotting (µCS), without the need of orthogonal binding tags for each antibody type. The combined properties of the MPC copolymer substrate demonstrate a great potential for lipid-based biomedical sensing and diagnostic platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Yu Liu
- Institute of Nanotechnology (INT) & Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMF), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany; (H.-Y.L.); (R.K.)
| | - Ravi Kumar
- Institute of Nanotechnology (INT) & Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMF), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany; (H.-Y.L.); (R.K.)
| | - Madoka Takai
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan;
| | - Michael Hirtz
- Institute of Nanotechnology (INT) & Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMF), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany; (H.-Y.L.); (R.K.)
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Neveu E, Khalifeh D, Salamin N, Fasshauer D. Prototypic SNARE Proteins Are Encoded in the Genomes of Heimdallarchaeota, Potentially Bridging the Gap between the Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes. Curr Biol 2020; 30:2468-2480.e5. [PMID: 32442459 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.04.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
A defining feature of eukaryotic cells is the presence of numerous membrane-bound organelles that subdivide the intracellular space into distinct compartments. How the eukaryotic cell acquired its internal complexity is still poorly understood. Material exchange among most organelles occurs via vesicles that bud off from a source and specifically fuse with a target compartment. Central players in the vesicle fusion process are the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins. These small tail-anchored (TA) membrane proteins zipper into elongated four-helix bundles that pull membranes together. SNARE proteins are highly conserved among eukaryotes but are thought to be absent in prokaryotes. Here, we identified SNARE-like factors in the genomes of uncultured organisms of Asgard archaea of the Heimdallarchaeota clade, which are thought to be the closest living relatives of eukaryotes. Biochemical experiments show that the archaeal SNARE-like proteins can interact with eukaryotic SNARE proteins. We did not detect SNAREs in α-proteobacteria, the closest relatives of mitochondria, but identified several genes encoding for SNARE proteins in γ-proteobacteria of the order Legionellales, pathogens that live inside eukaryotic cells. Very probably, their SNAREs stem from lateral gene transfer from eukaryotes. Together, this suggests that the diverse set of eukaryotic SNAREs evolved from an archaeal precursor. However, whether Heimdallarchaeota actually have a simplified endomembrane system will only be seen when we succeed studying these organisms under the microscope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Neveu
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 9, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Computational Biology, University of Lausanne, Génopode, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Dany Khalifeh
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 9, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Computational Biology, University of Lausanne, Génopode, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Salamin
- Department of Computational Biology, University of Lausanne, Génopode, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Dirk Fasshauer
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 9, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Computational Biology, University of Lausanne, Génopode, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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36
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Jeffery KJ, Rovelli C. Transitions in Brain Evolution: Space, Time and Entropy. Trends Neurosci 2020; 43:467-474. [PMID: 32414530 PMCID: PMC7183980 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
How did brains evolve to become so complex, and what is their future? Brains pose an explanatory challenge because entropy, which inexorably increases over time, is commonly associated with disorder and simplicity. Recently we showed how evolution is an entropic process, building structures – organisms – which themselves facilitate entropy growth. Here we suggest that key transitional points in evolution extended organisms’ reach into space and time, opening channels into new regions of a complex multidimensional state space that also allow entropy to increase. Brain evolution enabled representation of space and time, which vastly enhances this process. Some of these channels lead to tiny, dead-ends in the state space: the persistence of complex life is thus not thermodynamically guaranteed. Evolution of brain complexity is (counterintuitively) an entropy-enhancing process leading organisms to new regions of a space of states, which in turn allow access through channels to additional new spaces, and thus entropy to continue growing. Step transitions in evolution have occurred as organisms acquired new abilities to reach out in space and time, vastly increasing the visitable space of states, and thereby access to new channels. The ability of brains to represent space and time, culminating in human language and hence human technological civilisation, was an important set of transitions that magnified this process. Continued evolution of biological complexity is not assured, because some newly accessible regions of the state space may be small and have no exits, resulting in extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate J Jeffery
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, 26 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AP, UK.
| | - Carlo Rovelli
- Aix-Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS, CPT, 13288 Marseille, France; Perimeter Institute, 31 Caroline Street North, Waterloo N2L 2Y5, Canada; The Rotman Institute of Philosophy, 1151 Richmond St. N, London N6A 5B7, Canada
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37
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Fakhree MAA, Blum C, Claessens MMAE. Shaping membranes with disordered proteins. Arch Biochem Biophys 2019; 677:108163. [PMID: 31672499 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2019.108163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Membrane proteins control and shape membrane trafficking processes. The role of protein structure in shaping cellular membranes is well established. However, a significant fraction of membrane proteins is disordered or contains long disordered regions. It becomes more and more clear that these disordered regions contribute to the function of membrane proteins. While the fold of a structured protein is essential for its function, being disordered seems to be a crucial feature of membrane bound intrinsically disordered proteins and protein regions. Here we outline the motifs that encode function in disordered proteins and discuss how these functional motifs enable disordered proteins to modulate membrane properties. These changes in membrane properties facilitate and regulate membrane trafficking processes which are highly abundant in eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christian Blum
- Nanobiophysics Group, University of Twente, 7522, NB, Enschede, the Netherlands
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38
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Dunn CD, Paavilainen VO. Wherever I may roam: organellar protein targeting and evolvability. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2019; 58-59:9-16. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2019.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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39
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Wein T, Romero Picazo D, Blow F, Woehle C, Jami E, Reusch TB, Martin WF, Dagan T. Currency, Exchange, and Inheritance in the Evolution of Symbiosis. Trends Microbiol 2019; 27:836-849. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2019.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 05/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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40
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Nikoleli GP. Advanced lipid based biosensors for food analysis. ADVANCES IN FOOD AND NUTRITION RESEARCH 2019; 91:301-321. [PMID: 32035600 DOI: 10.1016/bs.afnr.2019.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The investigation of lipid films for the construction of nanosensors has recently given the opportunity to manufacture devices to selectively determine a wide range of food toxicants. Biosensor miniaturization using recent advances in nanotechnology has given the opportunity to investigate novel techniques to immobilize a wide range of enzymes, antibodies and receptors within the lipid film. This chapter reviews novel revent platforms in nanobiosensors based on lipid membranes that are used in food chemistry to determine various food toxicants. Examples of applications are described with an emphasis on novel systems, sensing techniques and nanotechnology-based transduction schemes. The compounds that can be monitored are insecticides, pesticides, herbicides, metals, toxins, hormones, etc. Finally, limitations and future prospects are presented herein on the evaluation/validation and eventually commercialization of the proposed sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia-Paraskevi Nikoleli
- Laboratory of Environmental & Sanitary Engineering, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Caring Professions, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece.
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41
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Brunk CF, Martin WF. Archaeal Histone Contributions to the Origin of Eukaryotes. Trends Microbiol 2019; 27:703-714. [PMID: 31076245 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2019.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2018] [Revised: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The eukaryotic lineage arose from bacterial and archaeal cells that underwent a symbiotic merger. At the origin of the eukaryote lineage, the bacterial partner contributed genes, metabolic energy, and the building blocks of the endomembrane system. What did the archaeal partner donate that made the eukaryotic experiment a success? The archaeal partner provided the potential for complex information processing. Archaeal histones were crucial in that regard by providing the basic functional unit with which eukaryotes organize DNA into nucleosomes, exert epigenetic control of gene expression, transcribe genes with CCAAT-box promoters, and a manifest cell cycle with condensed chromosomes. While mitochondrial energy lifted energetic constraints on eukaryotic protein production, histone-based chromatin organization paved the path to eukaryotic genome complexity, a critical hurdle en route to the evolution of complex cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clifford F Brunk
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Molecular Biology Institute University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - William F Martin
- Institute of Molecular Evolution Heinrich-Heine-Universitaet Duesseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany.
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42
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Membrane Lipid Composition: Effect on Membrane and Organelle Structure, Function and Compartmentalization and Therapeutic Avenues. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20092167. [PMID: 31052427 PMCID: PMC6540057 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20092167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 410] [Impact Index Per Article: 82.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological membranes are key elements for the maintenance of cell architecture and physiology. Beyond a pure barrier separating the inner space of the cell from the outer, the plasma membrane is a scaffold and player in cell-to-cell communication and the initiation of intracellular signals among other functions. Critical to this function is the plasma membrane compartmentalization in lipid microdomains that control the localization and productive interactions of proteins involved in cell signal propagation. In addition, cells are divided into compartments limited by other membranes whose integrity and homeostasis are finely controlled, and which determine the identity and function of the different organelles. Here, we review current knowledge on membrane lipid composition in the plasma membrane and endomembrane compartments, emphasizing its role in sustaining organelle structure and function. The correct composition and structure of cell membranes define key pathophysiological aspects of cells. Therefore, we explore the therapeutic potential of manipulating membrane lipid composition with approaches like membrane lipid therapy, aiming to normalize cell functions through the modification of membrane lipid bilayers.
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43
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Abstract
The investigation of lipid films for the construction of biosensors has recently given the opportunity to manufacture devices to selectively detect a wide range of food toxicants, environmental pollutants, and compounds of clinical interest. Biosensor miniaturization using nanotechnological tools has provided novel routes to immobilize various “receptors” within the lipid film. This chapter reviews and exploits platforms in biosensors based on lipid membrane technology that are used in food, environmental, and clinical chemistry to detect various toxicants. Examples of applications are described with an emphasis on novel systems, new sensing techniques, and nanotechnology-based transduction schemes. The compounds that can be monitored are insecticides, pesticides, herbicides, metals, toxins, antibiotics, microorganisms, hormones, dioxins, etc.
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44
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Mix AK, Cenci U, Heimerl T, Marter P, Wirkner ML, Moog D. Identification and Localization of Peroxisomal Biogenesis Proteins Indicates the Presence of Peroxisomes in the Cryptophyte Guillardia theta and Other "Chromalveolates". Genome Biol Evol 2018; 10:2834-2852. [PMID: 30247558 PMCID: PMC6203080 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evy214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Peroxisomes are single-membrane-bound organelles with a huge metabolic versatility, including the degradation of fatty acids (β-oxidation) and the detoxification of reactive oxygen species as most conserved functions. Although peroxisomes seem to be present in the majority of investigated eukaryotes, where they are responsible for many eclectic and important spatially separated metabolic reactions, knowledge about their existence in the plethora of protists (eukaryotic microorganisms) is scarce. Here, we investigated genomic data of organisms containing complex plastids with red algal ancestry (so-called “chromalveolates”) for the presence of genes encoding peroxins—factors specific for the biogenesis, maintenance, and division of peroxisomes in eukaryotic cells. Our focus was on the cryptophyte Guillardia theta, a marine microalga, which possesses two phylogenetically different nuclei of host and endosymbiont origin, respectively, thus being of enormous evolutionary significance. Besides the identification of a complete set of peroxins in G. theta, we heterologously localized selected factors as GFP fusion proteins via confocal and electron microscopy in the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Furthermore, we show that peroxins, and thus most likely peroxisomes, are present in haptophytes as well as eustigmatophytes, brown algae, and alveolates including dinoflagellates, chromerids, and noncoccidian apicomplexans. Our results indicate that diatoms are not the only “chromalveolate” group devoid of the PTS2 receptor Pex7, and thus a PTS2-dependent peroxisomal import pathway, which seems to be absent in haptophytes (Emiliania huxleyi) as well. Moreover, important aspects of peroxisomal biosynthesis and protein import in “chromalveolates”are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Kathrin Mix
- Laboratory for Cell Biology, Philipps University Marburg, Germany
| | - Ugo Cenci
- Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, UMR 8576 CNRS-USTL, Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille, Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex, France
| | - Thomas Heimerl
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology (Synmikro), Philipps University Marburg, Germany
| | - Pia Marter
- Laboratory for Cell Biology, Philipps University Marburg, Germany
| | | | - Daniel Moog
- Laboratory for Cell Biology, Philipps University Marburg, Germany
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Zhou C, Feng X, Wang R, Yang G, Wang T, Jiang J. Hierarchical Assembly of l-Phenylalanine-Terminated Bolaamphiphile with Porphyrin Show Tunable Nanostructures and Photocatalytic Properties. ACS OMEGA 2018; 3:10638-10646. [PMID: 31459184 PMCID: PMC6645274 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b01822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Demands related to clean energy and environmental protection promote the development of novel supramolecular assemblies for photocatalysis. Because of the distinctive aggregation behaviors, bolaamphiphiles with two hydrophilic end groups could be theoretically the right candidates for the fabrication of high-performance photocatalysis. However, photocatalytic applications based on bolaamphiphilic assemblies were still rarely investigated. Especially, the relationship between diverse assembled nanostructures and the properties for different applications is urgently needed to be studied. Herein, we demonstrate that using the hierarchical assembly of bolaamphiphiles could correctly induce the porphyrin supramolecular architectures with much better photocatalytic performances than the aggregations containing 450 times of the porphyrin molecules, even though both molecular structures as well as the J-aggregations of porphyrin building blocks are same in two different systems. Thus, the co-assembly of l-phenylalanine terminated bolaamphiphile (Bola-F) and the porphyrin containing four hydroxyl groups (tetrakis-5,10,15,20-(4-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin) can form microtube in methanol and forms fibers/spheres in methanol/water mixture. For catalyzing the photodegradation of rhodamine B, the small amount of J-aggregated porphyrin within Bola-F microtubes show much better photocatalytic performance comparing with that of huge porphyrin J-aggregations in fibers/spheres. The supramolecular assemblies as well as the photocatalysis were thoroughly characterized by different spectroscopies and electron microscopy. It is demonstrated that the co-assembly with bolaamphiphiles could inhibit the energy transfer of porphyrin aggregation and subsequently benefit the electron transfer and corresponding photocatalysis under photo-irradiation. This work is not only useful for further understanding the hierarchically supramolecular assembly but also provides a new strategy for making novel functional supramolecular architectures based on the assembly of bolaamphiphiles and porphyrins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuiyun Zhou
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Science
and Application of Functional Molecular and Crystalline Materials,
Department of Chemistry, University of Science
and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xuenan Feng
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Science
and Application of Functional Molecular and Crystalline Materials,
Department of Chemistry, University of Science
and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Rong Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Science
and Application of Functional Molecular and Crystalline Materials,
Department of Chemistry, University of Science
and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Gengxiang Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Science
and Application of Functional Molecular and Crystalline Materials,
Department of Chemistry, University of Science
and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Tianyu Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Science
and Application of Functional Molecular and Crystalline Materials,
Department of Chemistry, University of Science
and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Jianzhuang Jiang
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Science
and Application of Functional Molecular and Crystalline Materials,
Department of Chemistry, University of Science
and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
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Abstract
All known life forms trace back to a last universal common ancestor (LUCA) that witnessed the onset of Darwinian evolution. One can ask questions about LUCA in various ways, the most common way being to look for traits that are common to all cells, like ribosomes or the genetic code. With the availability of genomes, we can, however, also ask what genes are ancient by virtue of their phylogeny rather than by virtue of being universal. That approach, undertaken recently, leads to a different view of LUCA than we have had in the past, one that fits well with the harsh geochemical setting of early Earth and resembles the biology of prokaryotes that today inhabit the Earth's crust.
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