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Kim J, Seo M, Lim Y, Kim J. START: A Versatile Platform for Bacterial Ligand Sensing with Programmable Performances. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2402029. [PMID: 39075726 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202402029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Recognition of signaling molecules for coordinated regulation of target genes is a fundamental process for biological systems. Cells often rely on transcription factors to accomplish these intricate tasks, yet the subtle conformational changes of protein structures, coupled with the complexity of intertwined protein interaction networks, pose challenges for repurposing these for bioengineering applications. This study introduces a novel platform for ligand-responsive gene regulation, termed START (Synthetic Trans-Acting Riboswitch with Triggering RNA). Inspired by the bacterial ligand sensing system, riboswitch, and the synthetic gene regulator, toehold switch, the START platform enables the implementation of synthetic biosensors for various ligands. Rational sequence design with targeted domain optimization yields high-performance STARTs with a dynamic range up to 67.29-fold and a tunable ligand sensitivity, providing a simple and intuitive strategy for sensor engineering. The START platform also exhibits modularity and composability to allow flexible genetic circuit construction, enabling seamless implementation of OR, AND, and NOT Boolean logic gates for multiple ligand inputs. The START design principle is capable of broadening the suite of synthetic biosensors for diverse chemical and protein ligands, providing a novel riboregulator chassis for synthetic biology and bioengineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeongwon Kim
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 37673, South Korea
| | - Minchae Seo
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 37673, South Korea
| | - Yelin Lim
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 37673, South Korea
| | - Jongmin Kim
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 37673, South Korea
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2
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Moore JP, Kamino K, Kottou R, Shimizu TS, Emonet T. Signal integration and adaptive sensory diversity tuning in Escherichia coli chemotaxis. Cell Syst 2024; 15:628-638.e8. [PMID: 38981486 PMCID: PMC11307269 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2024.06.003] [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: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
In uncertain environments, phenotypic diversity can be advantageous for survival. However, as the environmental uncertainty decreases, the relative advantage of having diverse phenotypes decreases. Here, we show how populations of E. coli integrate multiple chemical signals to adjust sensory diversity in response to changes in the prevalence of each ligand in the environment. Measuring kinase activity in single cells, we quantified the sensitivity distribution to various chemoattractants in different mixtures of background stimuli. We found that when ligands bind uncompetitively, the population tunes sensory diversity to each signal independently, decreasing diversity when the signal's ambient concentration increases. However, among competitive ligands, the population can only decrease sensory diversity one ligand at a time. Mathematical modeling suggests that sensory diversity tuning benefits E. coli populations by modulating how many cells are committed to tracking each signal proportionally as their prevalence changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Philippe Moore
- Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Quantitative Biology Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Keita Kamino
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Rafaela Kottou
- Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Quantitative Biology Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | | | - Thierry Emonet
- Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Quantitative Biology Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
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3
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Mittal D, Narayanan R. Network motifs in cellular neurophysiology. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:506-521. [PMID: 38806296 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2024.04.008] [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: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Concepts from network science and graph theory, including the framework of network motifs, have been frequently applied in studying neuronal networks and other biological complex systems. Network-based approaches can also be used to study the functions of individual neurons, where cellular elements such as ion channels and membrane voltage are conceptualized as nodes within a network, and their interactions are denoted by edges. Network motifs in this context provide functional building blocks that help to illuminate the principles of cellular neurophysiology. In this review we build a case that network motifs operating within neurons provide tools for defining the functional architecture of single-neuron physiology and neuronal adaptations. We highlight the presence of such computational motifs in the cellular mechanisms underlying action potential generation, neuronal oscillations, dendritic integration, and neuronal plasticity. Future work applying the network motifs perspective may help to decipher the functional complexities of neurons and their adaptation during health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divyansh Mittal
- Centre for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rishikesh Narayanan
- Cellular Neurophysiology Laboratory, Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
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4
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Moore JP, Kamino K, Kottou R, Shimizu TS, Emonet T. Signal Integration and Adaptive Sensory Diversity Tuning in Escherichia coli Chemotaxis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.02.08.527720. [PMID: 36798398 PMCID: PMC9934624 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.08.527720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
In uncertain environments, phenotypic diversity can be advantageous for survival. However, as the environmental uncertainty decreases, the relative advantage of having diverse phenotypes decreases. Here, we show how populations of E. coli integrate multiple chemical signals to adjust sensory diversity in response to changes in the prevalence of each ligand in the environment. Measuring kinase activity in single cells, we quantified the sensitivity distribution to various chemoattractants in different mixtures of background stimuli. We found that when ligands bind uncompetitively, the population tunes sensory diversity to each signal independently, decreasing diversity when the signal ambient concentration increases. However, amongst competitive ligands the population can only decrease sensory diversity one ligand at a time. Mathematical modeling suggests that sensory diversity tuning benefits E. coli populations by modulating how many cells are committed to tracking each signal proportionally as their prevalence changes.
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5
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Erneux T. Strong delayed negative feedback. FRONTIERS IN NETWORK PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 4:1399272. [PMID: 38903729 PMCID: PMC11188390 DOI: 10.3389/fnetp.2024.1399272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
In this paper, we analyze the strong feedback limit of two negative feedback schemes which have proven to be efficient for many biological processes (protein synthesis, immune responses, breathing disorders). In this limit, the nonlinear delayed feedback function can be reduced to a function with a threshold nonlinearity. This will considerably help analytical and numerical studies of networks exhibiting different topologies. Mathematically, we compare the bifurcation diagrams for both the delayed and non-delayed feedback functions and show that Hopf classical theory needs to be revisited in the strong feedback limit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Erneux
- Université Libre de Bruxelles, Optique Nonlinéaire Théorique, Bruxelles, Belgium
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6
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Fung SYS, Xǔ XJ, Wu M. Nonlinear dynamics in phosphoinositide metabolism. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2024; 88:102373. [PMID: 38797149 PMCID: PMC11186694 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2024.102373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Phosphoinositides broadly impact membrane dynamics, signal transduction and cellular physiology. The orchestration of signaling complexity by this seemingly simple metabolic pathway remains an open question. It is increasingly evident that comprehending the complexity of the phosphoinositides metabolic network requires a systems view based on nonlinear dynamics, where the products of metabolism can either positively or negatively modulate enzymatic function. These feedback and feedforward loops may be paradoxical, leading to counterintuitive effects. In this review, we introduce the framework of nonlinear dynamics, emphasizing distinct dynamical regimes such as the excitable state, oscillations, and mixed-mode oscillations-all of which have been experimentally observed in phosphoinositide metabolisms. We delve into how these dynamical behaviors arise from one or multiple network motifs, including positive and negative feedback loops, coherent and incoherent feedforward loops. We explore the current understanding of the molecular circuits responsible for these behaviors. While mapping these circuits presents both conceptual and experimental challenges, redefining cellular behavior based on dynamical state, lipid fluxes, time delay, and network topology is likely essential for a comprehensive understanding of this fundamental metabolic network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suet Yin Sarah Fung
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8002, USA
| | - X J Xǔ
- Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Min Wu
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8002, USA.
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7
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Del Olmo M, Legewie S, Brunner M, Höfer T, Kramer A, Blüthgen N, Herzel H. Network switches and their role in circadian clocks. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107220. [PMID: 38522517 PMCID: PMC11044057 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Circadian rhythms are generated by complex interactions among genes and proteins. Self-sustained ∼24 h oscillations require negative feedback loops and sufficiently strong nonlinearities that are the product of molecular and network switches. Here, we review common mechanisms to obtain switch-like behavior, including cooperativity, antagonistic enzymes, multisite phosphorylation, positive feedback, and sequestration. We discuss how network switches play a crucial role as essential components in cellular circadian clocks, serving as integral parts of transcription-translation feedback loops that form the basis of circadian rhythm generation. The design principles of network switches and circadian clocks are illustrated by representative mathematical models that include bistable systems and negative feedback loops combined with Hill functions. This work underscores the importance of negative feedback loops and network switches as essential design principles for biological oscillations, emphasizing how an understanding of theoretical concepts can provide insights into the mechanisms generating biological rhythms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Del Olmo
- Institute for Theoretical Biology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Stefan Legewie
- Department of Systems Biology, Institute for Biomedical Genetics (IBMG), University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany; Stuttgart Research Center for Systems Biology (SRCSB), University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Michael Brunner
- Biochemistry Center, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Höfer
- Division of Theoretical Systems Biology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Achim Kramer
- Laboratory of Chronobiology, Institute for Medical Immunology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nils Blüthgen
- Institute for Theoretical Biology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Institute of Pathology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hanspeter Herzel
- Institute for Theoretical Biology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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8
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Li X, Fomitskaya P, Smaliak VA, Smith BS, Skorb EV, Semenov SN. Selenium catalysis enables negative feedback organic oscillators. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3316. [PMID: 38632338 PMCID: PMC11024130 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47714-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The construction of materials regulated by chemical reaction networks requires regulatory motifs that can be stacked together into systems with desired properties. Multiple autocatalytic reactions producing thiols are known. However, negative feedback loop motifs are unavailable for thiol chemistry. Here, we develop a negative feedback loop based on the selenocarbonates. In this system, thiols induce the release of aromatic selenols that catalyze the oxidation of thiols by organic peroxides. This negative feedback loop has two important features. First, catalytic oxidation of thiols follows Michaelis-Menten-like kinetics, thus increasing nonlinearity for the negative feedback. Second, the strength of the negative feedback can be tuned by varying substituents in selenocarbonates. When combined with the autocatalytic production of thiols in a flow reactor, this negative feedback loop induces sustained oscillations. The availability of this negative feedback motif enables the future construction of oscillatory, homeostatic, adaptive, and other regulatory circuits in life-inspired systems and materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuxiu Li
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Department of Chemistry and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Synthesis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Polina Fomitskaya
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Viktoryia A Smaliak
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Barbara S Smith
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Ekaterina V Skorb
- Infochemistry Scientific Center, ITMO University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Sergey N Semenov
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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9
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Kapuy O. Mechanism of Decision Making between Autophagy and Apoptosis Induction upon Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4368. [PMID: 38673953 PMCID: PMC11050573 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Dynamic regulation of the cellular proteome is mainly controlled in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Accumulation of misfolded proteins due to ER stress leads to the activation of unfolded protein response (UPR). The primary role of UPR is to reduce the bulk of damages and try to drive back the system to the former or a new homeostatic state by autophagy, while an excessive level of stress results in apoptosis. It has already been proven that the proper order and characteristic features of both surviving and self-killing mechanisms are controlled by negative and positive feedback loops, respectively. The new results suggest that these feedback loops are found not only within but also between branches of the UPR, fine-tuning the response to ER stress. In this review, we summarize the recent knowledge of the dynamical characteristic of endoplasmic reticulum stress response mechanism by using both theoretical and molecular biological techniques. In addition, this review pays special attention to describing the mechanism of action of the dynamical features of the feedback loops controlling cellular life-and-death decision upon ER stress. Since ER stress appears in diseases that are common worldwide, a more detailed understanding of the behaviour of the stress response is of medical importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orsolya Kapuy
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Semmelweis University, H-1085 Budapest, Hungary
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10
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Ghomlaghi M, Theocharous M, Hoang N, Shin SY, von Kriegsheim A, O’ Neill E, Zhang T, Nguyen LK. Integrative modeling and analysis of signaling crosstalk reveal molecular switches coordinating Yes-associated protein transcriptional activities. iScience 2024; 27:109031. [PMID: 38380257 PMCID: PMC10877689 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109031] [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] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The transcriptional co-activator YAP forms complexes with distinct transcription factors, controlling cell fate decisions, such as proliferation and apoptosis. However, the mechanisms underlying its context-dependent function are poorly defined. This study explores the interplay between the TGF-β and Hippo pathways and their influence on YAP's association with specific transcription factors. By integrating iterative mathematical modeling with experimental validation, we uncover molecular switches, predominantly controlled by RASSF1A and ITCH, which dictate the formation of YAP-SMAD (proliferative) and YAP-p73 (apoptotic) complexes. Our results show that RASSF1A enhances the formation of apoptotic complexes, whereas ITCH promotes the formation of proliferative complexes. Notably, higher levels of ITCH transform YAP-SMAD activity from a transient to a sustained state, impacting cellular behaviors. Extending these findings to various breast cancer cell lines highlights the role of cellular context in YAP regulation. Our study provides new insights into the mechanisms of YAP transcriptional activities and their therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milad Ghomlaghi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Mandy Theocharous
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Nhan Hoang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Sung-Young Shin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Alex von Kriegsheim
- Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh EH4 2XR, UK
| | - Eric O’ Neill
- CRUK/MRC Institute for Radiation Oncology and Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Tao Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Lan K. Nguyen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
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11
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Andrews SS, Wiley HS, Sauro HM. Design patterns of biological cells. Bioessays 2024; 46:e2300188. [PMID: 38247191 PMCID: PMC10922931 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202300188] [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: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Design patterns are generalized solutions to frequently recurring problems. They were initially developed by architects and computer scientists to create a higher level of abstraction for their designs. Here, we extend these concepts to cell biology to lend a new perspective on the evolved designs of cells' underlying reaction networks. We present a catalog of 21 design patterns divided into three categories: creational patterns describe processes that build the cell, structural patterns describe the layouts of reaction networks, and behavioral patterns describe reaction network function. Applying this pattern language to the E. coli central metabolic reaction network, the yeast pheromone response signaling network, and other examples lends new insights into these systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven S. Andrews
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - H. Steven Wiley
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Herbert M. Sauro
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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12
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McDaniel C, Simsek MF, Chandel AS, Özbudak EM. Spatiotemporal control of pattern formation during somitogenesis. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk8937. [PMID: 38277458 PMCID: PMC10816718 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk8937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Spatiotemporal patterns widely occur in biological, chemical, and physical systems. Particularly, embryonic development displays a diverse gamut of repetitive patterns established in many tissues and organs. Branching treelike structures in lungs, kidneys, livers, pancreases, and mammary glands as well as digits and bones in appendages, teeth, and palates are just a few examples. A fascinating instance of repetitive patterning is the sequential segmentation of the primary body axis, which is conserved in all vertebrates and many arthropods and annelids. In these species, the body axis elongates at the posterior end of the embryo containing an unsegmented tissue. Meanwhile, segments sequentially bud off from the anterior end of the unsegmented tissue, laying down an exquisite repetitive pattern and creating a segmented body plan. In vertebrates, the paraxial mesoderm is sequentially divided into somites. In this review, we will discuss the most prominent models, the most puzzling experimental data, and outstanding questions in vertebrate somite segmentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra McDaniel
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Systems Biology and Physiology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - M. Fethullah Simsek
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Angad Singh Chandel
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Systems Biology and Physiology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Ertuğrul M. Özbudak
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
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13
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He S, Shang J, He Y, Wang F. Enzyme-Free Dynamic DNA Reaction Networks for On-Demand Bioanalysis and Bioimaging. Acc Chem Res 2024. [PMID: 38271669 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.3c00676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
ConspectusThe pursuit of in-depth studying the nature and law of life activity has been dominating current research fields, ranging from fundamental biological studies to applications that concern synthetic biology, bioanalysis, and clinical diagnosis. Motivated by this intention, the spatiotemporally controlled and in situ analysis of living cells has been a prospective branch by virtue of high-sensitivity imaging of key biomolecules, such as biomarkers. The past decades have attested that deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), with biocompatibility, programmability, and customizable features, is a competitive biomaterial for constructing high-performance molecular sensing tools. To conquer the complexity of the wide extracellular-intracellular distribution of biomarkers, it is a meaningful breakthrough to explore high-efficiently amplified DNA circuits, which excel at operating complex yet captivating dynamic reaction networks for various bioapplications. In parallel, the multidimensional performance improvements of nucleic acid circuits, including the availability, detection sensitivity, and reliability, are critical parameters for realizing accurate imaging and cell regulation in bioanalysis.In this Account, we summarize our recent work on enzyme-free dynamic DNA reaction networks for bioanalysis from three main aspects: DNA circuitry functional extension of molecular recognition for epigenetic analysis and regulation, DNA circuitry amplification ability improvement for sensitive biomarker detection, and site-specific activation of DNA circuitry systems for reliable and accurate cell imaging. In the first part, we have designed an epigenetically responsive deoxyribozyme (DNAzyme) circuitry system for intracellular imaging and gene regulation, which enriches the possible analyzed species by chemically modifying conventional DNAzyme. For example, an exquisite N6-methyladenine (m6A)-caged DNAzyme was built for achieving the precise FTO (fat mass and obesity-associated protein)-directed gene regulation. In addition, varieties of DNAzyme-based nanoplatforms with self-sufficient cofactor suppliers were assembled, which subdued the speed-limiting hardness of DNAzyme cofactors in live-cell applications. In the second part, we have developed a series of hierarchically assembled DNA circuitry systems to improve the signal transduction ability of traditional DNA circuits. First, the amplification ability of the DNAzyme circuit has been significantly enhanced via several heterogeneously or homogeneously concatenated circuitry models. Furthermore, a feedback reaction pathway was integrated into these concatenated circuits, thus dramatically increasing the amplification efficiency. Second, considering the complex cellular environment, we have simplified the redundancy of multicomponents or reaction procedures of traditional cascaded circuits, relying on the minimal component complexity and merely one modular catalytic reaction, which guaranteed high cell-delivering uniformity while fostering reaction kinetics and analysis reliability. In the third part, we have constructed in-cell-selective endogenous-stimulated DNA circuitry systems via the multiply guaranteed molecular recognitions, which could not only eliminate the signal leakage, but could also retain its on-site and multiplex signal amplification. Based on the site-specific activation strategy, more circuitry availability in cellular scenarios has been acquired for reliable and precise biological sensing and regulation. These enzyme-free dynamic DNA reaction networks demonstrate the purpose-to-concreteness engineering for tailored multimolecule recognition and multiple signal amplification, achieving high-gain signal transduction and high-reliability targeted imaging in bioanalysis. We envision that the enzyme-free dynamic DNA reaction network can contribute to more bioanalytical layouts, which will facilitate the progression of clinical diagnosis and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shizhen He
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Jinhua Shang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yuqiu He
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Fuan Wang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- Research Institute of Shenzhen, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518057, People's Republic of China
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14
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Holczer M, Besze B, Lehel A, Kapuy O. The Dual Role of Sulforaphane-Induced Cellular Stress-A Systems Biological Study. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1220. [PMID: 38279216 PMCID: PMC11154497 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25021220] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) plays a crucial role in cellular homeostasis. When ER stress is generated, an autophagic self-digestive process is activated to promote cell survival; however, cell death is induced in the case of excessive levels of ER stress. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of a natural compound called sulforaphane (SFN) upon ER stress. Our goal was to investigate how SFN-dependent autophagy activation affects different stages of ER stress induction. We approached our scientific analysis from a systems biological perspective using both theoretical and molecular biological techniques. We found that SFN induced the various cell-death mechanisms in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The short SFN treatment at low concentrations promoted autophagy, whereas the longer treatment at higher concentrations activated cell death. We proved that SFN activated autophagy in a mTORC1-dependent manner and that the presence of ULK1 was required for its function. A low concentration of SFN pre- or co-treatment combined with short and long ER stress was able to promote cell survival via autophagy induction in each treatment, suggesting the potential medical importance of SFN in ER stress-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Orsolya Kapuy
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary; (M.H.); (B.B.); (A.L.)
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15
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Stengl M, Schneider AC. Contribution of membrane-associated oscillators to biological timing at different timescales. Front Physiol 2024; 14:1243455. [PMID: 38264332 PMCID: PMC10803594 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1243455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Environmental rhythms such as the daily light-dark cycle selected for endogenous clocks. These clocks predict regular environmental changes and provide the basis for well-timed adaptive homeostasis in physiology and behavior of organisms. Endogenous clocks are oscillators that are based on positive feedforward and negative feedback loops. They generate stable rhythms even under constant conditions. Since even weak interactions between oscillators allow for autonomous synchronization, coupling/synchronization of oscillators provides the basis of self-organized physiological timing. Amongst the most thoroughly researched clocks are the endogenous circadian clock neurons in mammals and insects. They comprise nuclear clockworks of transcriptional/translational feedback loops (TTFL) that generate ∼24 h rhythms in clock gene expression entrained to the environmental day-night cycle. It is generally assumed that this TTFL clockwork drives all circadian oscillations within and between clock cells, being the basis of any circadian rhythm in physiology and behavior of organisms. Instead of the current gene-based hierarchical clock model we provide here a systems view of timing. We suggest that a coupled system of autonomous TTFL and posttranslational feedback loop (PTFL) oscillators/clocks that run at multiple timescales governs adaptive, dynamic homeostasis of physiology and behavior. We focus on mammalian and insect neurons as endogenous oscillators at multiple timescales. We suggest that neuronal plasma membrane-associated signalosomes constitute specific autonomous PTFL clocks that generate localized but interlinked oscillations of membrane potential and intracellular messengers with specific endogenous frequencies. In each clock neuron multiscale interactions of TTFL and PTFL oscillators/clocks form a temporally structured oscillatory network with a common complex frequency-band comprising superimposed multiscale oscillations. Coupling between oscillator/clock neurons provides the next level of complexity of an oscillatory network. This systemic dynamic network of molecular and cellular oscillators/clocks is suggested to form the basis of any physiological homeostasis that cycles through dynamic homeostatic setpoints with a characteristic frequency-band as hallmark. We propose that mechanisms of homeostatic plasticity maintain the stability of these dynamic setpoints, whereas Hebbian plasticity enables switching between setpoints via coupling factors, like biogenic amines and/or neuropeptides. They reprogram the network to a new common frequency, a new dynamic setpoint. Our novel hypothesis is up for experimental challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Stengl
- Department of Biology, Animal Physiology/Neuroethology, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany
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16
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Kahramanoğulları O. Chemical Reaction Models in Synthetic Promoter Design in Bacteria. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2844:3-31. [PMID: 39068329 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-4063-0_1] [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] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
We discuss the formalism of chemical reaction networks (CRNs) as a computer-aided design interface for using formal methods in engineering living technologies. We set out by reviewing formal methods within a broader view of synthetic biology. Based on published results, we illustrate, step by step, how mathematical and computational techniques on CRNs can be used to study the structural and dynamic properties of the designed systems. As a case study, we use an E. coli two-component system that relays the external inorganic phosphate concentration signal to genetic components. We show how CRN models can scan and explore phenotypic regimes of synthetic promoters with varying detection thresholds, thereby providing a means for fine-tuning the promoter strength to match the specification.
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17
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Nanda S, Calderon A, Sachan A, Duong TT, Koch J, Xin X, Solouk-Stahlberg D, Wu YW, Nalbant P, Dehmelt L. Rho GTPase activity crosstalk mediated by Arhgef11 and Arhgef12 coordinates cell protrusion-retraction cycles. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8356. [PMID: 38102112 PMCID: PMC10724141 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43875-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Rho GTPases play a key role in the spatio-temporal coordination of cytoskeletal dynamics during cell migration. Here, we directly investigate crosstalk between the major Rho GTPases Rho, Rac and Cdc42 by combining rapid activity perturbation with activity measurements in mammalian cells. These studies reveal that Rac stimulates Rho activity. Direct measurement of spatio-temporal activity patterns show that Rac activity is tightly and precisely coupled to local cell protrusions, followed by Rho activation during retraction. Furthermore, we find that the Rho-activating Lbc-type GEFs Arhgef11 and Arhgef12 are enriched at transient cell protrusions and retractions and recruited to the plasma membrane by active Rac. In addition, their depletion reduces activity crosstalk, cell protrusion-retraction dynamics and migration distance and increases migration directionality. Thus, our study shows that Arhgef11 and Arhgef12 facilitate exploratory cell migration by coordinating cell protrusion and retraction by coupling the activity of the associated regulators Rac and Rho.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suchet Nanda
- Fakultät für Chemie und Chemische Biologie, TU Dortmund University, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
- Department of Systemic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Abram Calderon
- Fakultät für Chemie und Chemische Biologie, TU Dortmund University, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
- Department of Systemic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Arya Sachan
- Fakultät für Chemie und Chemische Biologie, TU Dortmund University, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Thanh-Thuy Duong
- Fakultät für Chemie und Chemische Biologie, TU Dortmund University, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
- Department of Systemic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Johannes Koch
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Center of Medical Biotechnology, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141, Essen, Germany
| | - Xiaoyi Xin
- SciLifeLab and Department of Chemistry, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Djamschid Solouk-Stahlberg
- Fakultät für Chemie und Chemische Biologie, TU Dortmund University, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
- Department of Systemic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Yao-Wen Wu
- SciLifeLab and Department of Chemistry, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Perihan Nalbant
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Center of Medical Biotechnology, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141, Essen, Germany.
| | - Leif Dehmelt
- Fakultät für Chemie und Chemische Biologie, TU Dortmund University, 44227, Dortmund, Germany.
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18
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Ramesh V, Krishnan J. A unified approach to dissecting biphasic responses in cell signaling. eLife 2023; 13:e86520. [PMID: 38054655 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86520] [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: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Biphasic responses are encountered at all levels in biological systems. At the cellular level, biphasic dose-responses are widely encountered in cell signaling and post-translational modification systems and represent safeguards against overactivation or overexpression of species. In this paper, we provide a unified theoretical synthesis of biphasic responses in cell signaling systems, by assessing signaling systems ranging from basic biochemical building blocks to canonical network structures to well-characterized exemplars on one hand, and examining different types of doses on the other. By using analytical and computational approaches applied to a range of systems across levels (described by broadly employed models), we reveal (i) design principles enabling the presence of biphasic responses, including in almost all instances, an explicit characterization of the parameter space (ii) structural factors which preclude the possibility of biphasic responses (iii) different combinations of the presence or absence of enzyme-biphasic and substrate-biphasic responses, representing safeguards against overactivation and overexpression, respectively (iv) the possibility of broadly robust biphasic responses (v) the complete alteration of signaling behavior in a network due to biphasic interactions between species (biphasic regulation) (vi) the propensity of different co-existing biphasic responses in the Erk signaling network. These results both individually and in totality have a number of important consequences for systems and synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaidhiswaran Ramesh
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Sargent Centre for Process Systems Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - J Krishnan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Sargent Centre for Process Systems Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Institute for Systems and Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, United Kingdom
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19
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Tyson JJ, Monshizadeh A, Shvartsman SY, Shingleton AW. A dynamical model of growth and maturation in Drosophila. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2313224120. [PMID: 38015844 PMCID: PMC10710029 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313224120] [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: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The decision to stop growing and mature into an adult is a critical point in development that determines adult body size, impacting multiple aspects of an adult's biology. In many animals, growth cessation is a consequence of hormone release that appears to be tied to the attainment of a particular body size or condition. Nevertheless, the size-sensing mechanism animals use to initiate hormone synthesis is poorly understood. Here, we develop a simple mathematical model of growth cessation in Drosophila melanogaster, which is ostensibly triggered by the attainment of a critical weight (CW) early in the last instar. Attainment of CW is correlated with the synthesis of the steroid hormone ecdysone, which causes a larva to stop growing, pupate, and metamorphose into the adult form. Our model suggests that, contrary to expectation, the size-sensing mechanism that initiates metamorphosis occurs before the larva reaches CW; that is, the critical-weight phenomenon is a downstream consequence of an earlier size-dependent developmental decision, not a decision point itself. Further, this size-sensing mechanism does not require a direct assessment of body size but emerges from the interactions between body size, ecdysone, and nutritional signaling. Because many aspects of our model are evolutionarily conserved among all animals, the model may provide a general framework for understanding how animals commit to maturing from their juvenile to adult form.
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Affiliation(s)
- John J. Tyson
- Department of Biology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA24061
| | - Amirali Monshizadeh
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL60607
| | - Stanislav Y. Shvartsman
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
- Center for Computational Biology, Flatiron Institute, Simons Foundation, New York City, NY10010
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20
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Nalbant P, Wagner J, Dehmelt L. Direct investigation of cell contraction signal networks by light-based perturbation methods. Pflugers Arch 2023; 475:1439-1452. [PMID: 37851146 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-023-02864-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Cell contraction plays an important role in many physiological and pathophysiological processes. This includes functions in skeletal, heart, and smooth muscle cells, which lead to highly coordinated contractions of multicellular assemblies, and functions in non-muscle cells, which are often highly localized in subcellular regions and transient in time. While the regulatory processes that control cell contraction in muscle cells are well understood, much less is known about cell contraction in non-muscle cells. In this review, we focus on the mechanisms that control cell contraction in space and time in non-muscle cells, and how they can be investigated by light-based methods. The review particularly focusses on signal networks and cytoskeletal components that together control subcellular contraction patterns to perform functions on the level of cells and tissues, such as directional migration and multicellular rearrangements during development. Key features of light-based methods that enable highly local and fast perturbations are highlighted, and how experimental strategies can capitalize on these features to uncover causal relationships in the complex signal networks that control cell contraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Perihan Nalbant
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Center of Medical Biotechnology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Room T03 R01 D33, Universitätsstrasse 2, 45141, Essen, Germany.
| | - Jessica Wagner
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Center of Medical Biotechnology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Room T03 R01 D33, Universitätsstrasse 2, 45141, Essen, Germany
| | - Leif Dehmelt
- Department of Systemic Cell Biology, Fakultät für Chemie und Chemische Biologie, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, and Dortmund University of Technology, Room CP-02-157, Otto-Hahn-Str. 4a, 44227, Dortmund, Germany.
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21
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Pizzurro GA, Miller-Jensen K. Reframing macrophage diversity with network motifs. Trends Immunol 2023; 44:965-970. [PMID: 37949786 PMCID: PMC11057955 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2023.10.009] [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: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
A binary classification of macrophage activation as inflammatory or resolving does not capture the diversity of macrophage states observed in tissues. However, framing macrophage activation as a continuous spectrum of states overlooks the intracellular and extracellular networks that regulate and coordinate macrophage responses. Here, we suggest that the systems biology concept of network motifs, which incorporate rules of local molecular interactions, is useful for reframing macrophage activation. Because network motifs can be used to regulate distinct biological functions, they offer a simplified unit that can be compared across organismal, tissue, and disease contexts. Moreover, defining macrophage states as combinations of functional modules regulated by network motifs offers a framework to ultimately predict and target macrophage responses arising in complex environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela A Pizzurro
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Kathryn Miller-Jensen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
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22
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Araujo RP, Liotta LA. Only a topological method can identify all possible network structures capable of Robust Perfect Adaptation. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011638. [PMID: 37992051 PMCID: PMC10664938 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Robyn P. Araujo
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Lance A. Liotta
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia, United States of America
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23
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Glimm T, Kaźmierczak B, Newman SA, Bhat R. A two-galectin network establishes mesenchymal condensation phenotype in limb development. Math Biosci 2023; 365:109054. [PMID: 37544500 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbs.2023.109054] [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: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Previous work showed that Gal-1A and Gal-8, two proteins belonging to the galactoside-binding galectin family, are the earliest determinants of the patterning of the skeletal elements of embryonic chicken limbs, and further, that their experimentally determined interactions in the embryonic limb bud can be interpreted via a reaction-diffusion-adhesion (2GL: two galectin plus ligands) model. Here, we use an ordinary differential equation-based approach to analyze the intrinsic switching modality of the 2GL network and characterize the network behavior independent of the diffusive and adhesive arms of the patterning mechanism. We identify two states: where the concentrations of both the galectins are respectively, negligible, and very high. This bistable switch-like system arises via a saddle-node bifurcation from a monostable state. For the case of mass-action production terms, we provide an explicit Lyapunov function for the system, which shows that it has no periodic solutions. Our model therefore predicts that the galectin network may exist in low expression and high expression states separated in space or time, without any intermediate states. We test these predictions in experiments performed with high density cultures of chick limb mesenchymal cells and observe that cells inside precartilage protocondensations express Gal-1A at a much higher rate than those outside, for which it was negligible. The Gal-1A and -8-based patterning network is therefore sufficient to partition the mesenchymal cell population into two discrete cell states with different developmental (chondrogenic vs. non-chondrogenic) fates. When incorporated into an adhesion and diffusion-enabled framework this system can generate a spatially patterned limb skeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Glimm
- Department of Mathematics, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, 98229, USA
| | - B Kaźmierczak
- Institute of Fundamental Technological Research Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland
| | - S A Newman
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, NY, 10595, USA
| | - R Bhat
- Department of Developmental Biology and Genetics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India; Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India.
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24
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Kumar N, Mukhtar MS. Integrated Systems Biology Pipeline to Compare Co-Expression Networks in Plants and Elucidate Differential Regulators. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3618. [PMID: 37896081 PMCID: PMC10610404 DOI: 10.3390/plants12203618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
To identify sets of genes that exhibit similar expression characteristics, co-expression networks were constructed from transcriptome datasets that were obtained from plant samples at various stages of growth and development or treated with diverse biotic, abiotic, and other environmental stresses. In addition, co-expression network analysis can provide deeper insights into gene regulation when combined with transcriptomics. The coordination and integration of all these complex networks to deduce gene regulation are major challenges for plant biologists. Python and R have emerged as major tools for managing complex scientific data over the past decade. In this study, we describe a reproducible protocol POTFUL (pant co-expression transcription factor regulators), implemented in Python 3, for integrating co-expression and transcription factor target protein networks to infer gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - M. Shahid Mukhtar
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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25
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Lever JJ, Van Nes EH, Scheffer M, Bascompte J. Five fundamental ways in which complex food webs may spiral out of control. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:1765-1779. [PMID: 37587015 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14293] [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: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Theory suggests that increasingly long, negative feedback loops of many interacting species may destabilize food webs as complexity increases. Less attention has, however, been paid to the specific ways in which these 'delayed negative feedbacks' may affect the response of complex ecosystems to global environmental change. Here, we describe five fundamental ways in which these feedbacks might pave the way for abrupt, large-scale transitions and species losses. By combining topological and bioenergetic models, we then proceed by showing that the likelihood of such transitions increases with the number of interacting species and/or when the combined effects of stabilizing network patterns approach the minimum required for stable coexistence. Our findings thus shift the question from the classical question of what makes complex, unaltered ecosystems stable to whether the effects of, known and unknown, stabilizing food-web patterns are sufficient to prevent abrupt, large-scale transitions under global environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Jelle Lever
- Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Egbert H Van Nes
- Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marten Scheffer
- Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jordi Bascompte
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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26
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Sparta B, Kosaisawe N, Pargett M, Patankar M, DeCuzzi N, Albeck JG. Continuous sensing of nutrients and growth factors by the mTORC1-TFEB axis. eLife 2023; 12:e74903. [PMID: 37698461 PMCID: PMC10547473 DOI: 10.7554/elife.74903] [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: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
mTORC1 senses nutrients and growth factors and phosphorylates downstream targets, including the transcription factor TFEB, to coordinate metabolic supply and demand. These functions position mTORC1 as a central controller of cellular homeostasis, but the behavior of this system in individual cells has not been well characterized. Here, we provide measurements necessary to refine quantitative models for mTORC1 as a metabolic controller. We developed a series of fluorescent protein-TFEB fusions and a multiplexed immunofluorescence approach to investigate how combinations of stimuli jointly regulate mTORC1 signaling at the single-cell level. Live imaging of individual MCF10A cells confirmed that mTORC1-TFEB signaling responds continuously to individual, sequential, or simultaneous treatment with amino acids and the growth factor insulin. Under physiologically relevant concentrations of amino acids, we observe correlated fluctuations in TFEB, AMPK, and AKT signaling that indicate continuous activity adjustments to nutrient availability. Using partial least squares regression modeling, we show that these continuous gradations are connected to protein synthesis rate via a distributed network of mTORC1 effectors, providing quantitative support for the qualitative model of mTORC1 as a homeostatic controller and clarifying its functional behavior within individual cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breanne Sparta
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Nont Kosaisawe
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Michael Pargett
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Madhura Patankar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Nicholaus DeCuzzi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - John G Albeck
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
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27
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Ter Harmsel M, Maguire OR, Runikhina SA, Wong ASY, Huck WTS, Harutyunyan SR. A catalytically active oscillator made from small organic molecules. Nature 2023; 621:87-93. [PMID: 37673989 PMCID: PMC10482680 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06310-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Oscillatory systems regulate many biological processes, including key cellular functions such as metabolism and cell division, as well as larger-scale processes such as circadian rhythm and heartbeat1-4. Abiotic chemical oscillations, discovered originally in inorganic systems5,6, inspired the development of various synthetic oscillators for application as autonomous time-keeping systems in analytical chemistry, materials chemistry and the biomedical field7-17. Expanding their role beyond that of a pacemaker by having synthetic chemical oscillators periodically drive a secondary function would turn them into significantly more powerful tools. However, this is not trivial because the participation of components of the oscillator in the secondary function might jeopardize its time-keeping ability. We now report a small molecule oscillator that can catalyse an independent chemical reaction in situ without impairing its oscillating properties. In a flow system, the concentration of the catalytically active product of the oscillator shows sustained oscillations and the catalysed reaction is accelerated only during concentration peaks. Augmentation of synthetic oscillators with periodic catalytic action allows the construction of complex systems that, in the future, may benefit applications in automated synthesis, systems and polymerization chemistry and periodic drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthijs Ter Harmsel
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Oliver R Maguire
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Sofiya A Runikhina
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Albert S Y Wong
- Department of Molecules and Materials, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Wilhelm T S Huck
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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28
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Holterhus PM, Kulle A, Busch H, Spielmann M. Classic genetic and hormonal switches during fetal sex development and beyond. MED GENET-BERLIN 2023; 35:163-171. [PMID: 38840820 PMCID: PMC10842585 DOI: 10.1515/medgen-2023-2036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Critical genetic and hormonal switches characterize fetal sex development in humans. They are decisive for gonadal sex determination and subsequent differentiation of the genital and somatic sex phenotype. Only at the first glace these switches seem to behave like the dual 0 and 1 system in computer sciences and lead invariably to either typically male or female phenotypes. More recent data indicate that this model is insufficient. In addition, in case of distinct mutations, many of these switches may act variably, causing a functional continuum of alterations of gene functions and -dosages, enzymatic activities, sex hormone levels, and sex hormone sensitivity, giving rise to a broad clinical spectrum of biological differences of sex development (DSD) and potentially diversity of genital and somatic sex phenotypes. The gonadal anlage is initially a bipotential organ that can develop either into a testis or an ovary. Sex-determining region Y (SRY) is the most important upstream switch of gonadal sex determination inducing SOX9 further downstream, leading to testicular Sertoli cell differentiation and the repression of ovarian pathways. If SRY is absent (virtually "switched off"), e. g., in 46,XX females, RSPO1, WNT4, FOXL2, and other factors repress the male pathway and promote ovarian development. Testosterone and its more potent derivative, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) as well as AMH, are the most important upstream hormonal switches in phenotypic sex differentiation. Masculinization of the genitalia, i. e., external genital midline fusion forming the scrotum, growth of the genital tubercle, and Wolffian duct development, occurs in response to testosterone synthesized by steroidogenic cells in the testis. Müllerian ducts will not develop into a uterus and fallopian tubes in males due to Anti-Müllerian-Hormone (AMH) produced by the Sertoli cells. The functionality of these two hormone-dependent switches is ensured by their corresponding receptors, the intracellular androgen receptor (AR) and the transmembrane AMH type II receptor. The absence of high testosterone and high AMH is crucial for anatomically female genital development during fetal life. Recent technological advances, including single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, will likely shed more light on the nature of these molecular switches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul-Martin Holterhus
- Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel (CAU)Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics IKielGermany
| | - Alexandra Kulle
- Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel (CAU)Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics IKielGermany
| | - Hauke Busch
- University of LübeckMedical Systems Biology Group, Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology (LIED)Ratzeburger Allee 16023562LübeckGermany
| | - Malte Spielmann
- University of LübeckInstitute of Human GeneticsLübeckGermany
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29
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Torres A, Cockerell S, Phillips M, Balázsi G, Ghosh K. MaxCal can infer models from coupled stochastic trajectories of gene expression and cell division. Biophys J 2023; 122:2623-2635. [PMID: 37218129 PMCID: PMC10397576 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene expression is inherently noisy due to small numbers of proteins and nucleic acids inside a cell. Likewise, cell division is stochastic, particularly when tracking at the level of a single cell. The two can be coupled when gene expression affects the rate of cell division. Single-cell time-lapse experiments can measure both fluctuations by simultaneously recording protein levels inside a cell and its stochastic division. These information-rich noisy trajectory data sets can be harnessed to learn about the underlying molecular and cellular details that are often not known a priori. A critical question is: How can we infer a model given data where fluctuations at two levels-gene expression and cell division-are intricately convoluted? We show the principle of maximum caliber (MaxCal)-integrated within a Bayesian framework-can be used to infer several cellular and molecular details (division rates, protein production, and degradation rates) from these coupled stochastic trajectories (CSTs). We demonstrate this proof of concept using synthetic data generated from a known model. An additional challenge in data analysis is that trajectories are often not in protein numbers, but in noisy fluorescence that depends on protein number in a probabilistic manner. We again show that MaxCal can infer important molecular and cellular rates even when data are in fluorescence, another example of CST with three confounding factors-gene expression noise, cell division noise, and fluorescence distortion-all coupled. Our approach will provide guidance to build models in synthetic biology experiments as well as general biological systems where examples of CSTs are abundant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Torres
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado
| | - Spencer Cockerell
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado
| | - Michael Phillips
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado
| | - Gábor Balázsi
- Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Kingshuk Ghosh
- Molecular and Cellular Biophysics, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado.
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30
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Beta C, Edelstein-Keshet L, Gov N, Yochelis A. From actin waves to mechanism and back: How theory aids biological understanding. eLife 2023; 12:e87181. [PMID: 37428017 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Actin dynamics in cell motility, division, and phagocytosis is regulated by complex factors with multiple feedback loops, often leading to emergent dynamic patterns in the form of propagating waves of actin polymerization activity that are poorly understood. Many in the actin wave community have attempted to discern the underlying mechanisms using experiments and/or mathematical models and theory. Here, we survey methods and hypotheses for actin waves based on signaling networks, mechano-chemical effects, and transport characteristics, with examples drawn from Dictyostelium discoideum, human neutrophils, Caenorhabditis elegans, and Xenopus laevis oocytes. While experimentalists focus on the details of molecular components, theorists pose a central question of universality: Are there generic, model-independent, underlying principles, or just boundless cell-specific details? We argue that mathematical methods are equally important for understanding the emergence, evolution, and persistence of actin waves and conclude with a few challenges for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Beta
- Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | | | - Nir Gov
- Department of Chemical and Biological Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Arik Yochelis
- Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
- Department of Physics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel
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31
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Sawicki J, Berner R, Loos SAM, Anvari M, Bader R, Barfuss W, Botta N, Brede N, Franović I, Gauthier DJ, Goldt S, Hajizadeh A, Hövel P, Karin O, Lorenz-Spreen P, Miehl C, Mölter J, Olmi S, Schöll E, Seif A, Tass PA, Volpe G, Yanchuk S, Kurths J. Perspectives on adaptive dynamical systems. CHAOS (WOODBURY, N.Y.) 2023; 33:071501. [PMID: 37486668 DOI: 10.1063/5.0147231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Adaptivity is a dynamical feature that is omnipresent in nature, socio-economics, and technology. For example, adaptive couplings appear in various real-world systems, such as the power grid, social, and neural networks, and they form the backbone of closed-loop control strategies and machine learning algorithms. In this article, we provide an interdisciplinary perspective on adaptive systems. We reflect on the notion and terminology of adaptivity in different disciplines and discuss which role adaptivity plays for various fields. We highlight common open challenges and give perspectives on future research directions, looking to inspire interdisciplinary approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Sawicki
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
- Akademie Basel, Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz FHNW, Leonhardsstrasse 6, 4009 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rico Berner
- Department of Physics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Newtonstraße 15, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sarah A M Loos
- DAMTP, University of Cambridge, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA, United Kingdom
| | - Mehrnaz Anvari
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Algorithms and Scientific Computing, Schloss Birlinghoven, 53757 Sankt-Augustin, Germany
| | - Rolf Bader
- Institute of Systematic Musicology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Wolfram Barfuss
- Transdisciplinary Research Area: Sustainable Futures, University of Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany
- Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Nicola Botta
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Nuria Brede
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
- Department of Computer Science, University of Potsdam, An der Bahn 2, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Igor Franović
- Scientific Computing Laboratory, Center for the Study of Complex Systems, Institute of Physics Belgrade, University of Belgrade, Pregrevica 118, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Daniel J Gauthier
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Sebastian Goldt
- Department of Physics, International School of Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Aida Hajizadeh
- Research Group Comparative Neuroscience, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Philipp Hövel
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Omer Karin
- Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Philipp Lorenz-Spreen
- Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christoph Miehl
- Akademie Basel, Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz FHNW, Leonhardsstrasse 6, 4009 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jan Mölter
- Department of Mathematics, School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, Boltzmannstraße 3, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany
| | - Simona Olmi
- Akademie Basel, Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz FHNW, Leonhardsstrasse 6, 4009 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Eckehard Schöll
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
- Akademie Basel, Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz FHNW, Leonhardsstrasse 6, 4009 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alireza Seif
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Peter A Tass
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94304, USA
| | - Giovanni Volpe
- Department of Physics, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Serhiy Yanchuk
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
- Department of Physics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Newtonstraße 15, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Kurths
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
- Department of Physics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Newtonstraße 15, 12489 Berlin, Germany
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32
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Singhania R, Tyson JJ. Evolutionary Stability of Small Molecular Regulatory Networks That Exhibit Near-Perfect Adaptation. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:841. [PMID: 37372126 DOI: 10.3390/biology12060841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Large-scale protein regulatory networks, such as signal transduction systems, contain small-scale modules ('motifs') that carry out specific dynamical functions. Systematic characterization of the properties of small network motifs is therefore of great interest to molecular systems biologists. We simulate a generic model of three-node motifs in search of near-perfect adaptation, the property that a system responds transiently to a change in an environmental signal and then returns near-perfectly to its pre-signal state (even in the continued presence of the signal). Using an evolutionary algorithm, we search the parameter space of these generic motifs for network topologies that score well on a pre-defined measure of near-perfect adaptation. We find many high-scoring parameter sets across a variety of three-node topologies. Of all possibilities, the highest scoring topologies contain incoherent feed-forward loops (IFFLs), and these topologies are evolutionarily stable in the sense that, under 'macro-mutations' that alter the topology of a network, the IFFL motif is consistently maintained. Topologies that rely on negative feedback loops with buffering (NFLBs) are also high-scoring; however, they are not evolutionarily stable in the sense that, under macro-mutations, they tend to evolve an IFFL motif and may-or may not-lose the NFLB motif.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajat Singhania
- Graduate Program in Genetics, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - John J Tyson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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33
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Kong LW, Shi W, Tian XJ, Lai YC. Effects of growth feedback on gene circuits: A dynamical understanding. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.06.543915. [PMID: 37333159 PMCID: PMC10274713 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.06.543915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
The successful integration of engineered gene circuits into host cells remains a significant challenge in synthetic biology due to circuit-host interactions, such as growth feedback, where the circuit influences cell growth and vice versa. Understanding the dynamics of circuit failures and identifying topologies resilient to growth feedback are crucial for both fundamental and applied research. Utilizing transcriptional regulation circuits with adaptation as a paradigm, we systematically study 435 distinct topological structures and uncover six categories of failures. Three dynamical mechanisms of circuit failures are identified: continuous deformation of the response curve, strengthened or induced oscillations, and sudden switching to coexisting attractors. Our extensive computations also uncover a scaling law between a circuit robustness measure and the strength of growth feedback. Despite the negative effects of growth feedback on the majority of circuit topologies, we identify a few circuits that maintain optimal performance as designed, a feature important for applications.
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34
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Jaruszewicz-Błońska J, Kosiuk I, Prus W, Lipniacki T. A plausible identifiable model of the canonical NF-κB signaling pathway. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286416. [PMID: 37267242 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023] Open
Abstract
An overwhelming majority of mathematical models of regulatory pathways, including the intensively studied NF-κB pathway, remains non-identifiable, meaning that their parameters may not be determined by existing data. The existing NF-κB models that are capable of reproducing experimental data contain non-identifiable parameters, whereas simplified models with a smaller number of parameters exhibit dynamics that differs from that observed in experiments. Here, we reduced an existing model of the canonical NF-κB pathway by decreasing the number of equations from 15 to 6. The reduced model retains two negative feedback loops mediated by IκBα and A20, and in response to both tonic and pulsatile TNF stimulation exhibits dynamics that closely follow that of the original model. We carried out the sensitivity-based linear analysis and Monte Carlo-based analysis to demonstrate that the resulting model is both structurally and practically identifiable given measurements of 5 model variables from a simple TNF stimulation protocol. The reduced model is capable of reproducing different types of responses that are characteristic to regulatory motifs controlled by negative feedback loops: nearly-perfect adaptation as well as damped and sustained oscillations. It can serve as a building block of more comprehensive models of the immune response and cancer, where NF-κB plays a decisive role. Our approach, although may not be automatically generalized, suggests that models of other regulatory pathways can be transformed to identifiable, while retaining their dynamical features.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ilona Kosiuk
- Institute of Fundamental Technological Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Wiktor Prus
- Institute of Fundamental Technological Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tomasz Lipniacki
- Institute of Fundamental Technological Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
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35
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Zhou Z, Lin N, Ouyang Y, Liu S, Zhang Y, Willner I. Cascaded, Feedback-Driven, and Spatially Localized Emergence of Constitutional Dynamic Networks Driven by Enzyme-Free Catalytic DNA Circuits. J Am Chem Soc 2023. [PMID: 37257165 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c02083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The enzyme-free catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) process is introduced as a functional reaction module for guided, high-throughput, emergence, and evolution of constitutional dynamic networks, CDNs, from a set of nucleic acids. The process is applied to assemble networks of variable complexities, functionalities, and spatial confinement, and the systems provide possible mechanistic pathways for the evolution of dynamic networks under prebiotic conditions. Subjecting a set of four or six structurally engineered hairpins to a promoter P1 leads to the CHA-guided emergence of a [2 × 2] CDN or the evolution of a [3 × 3] CDN, respectively. Reacting of a set of branched three-arm DNA-hairpin-functionalized junctions to the promoter strand activates the CHA-induced emergence of a three-dimensional (3D) CDN framework emulating native gene regulatory networks. In addition, activation of a two-layer CHA cascade circuit or a cross-catalytic CHA circuit and cascaded driving feedback-driven evolution of CDNs are demonstrated. Also, subjecting a four-hairpin-modified DNA tetrahedron nanostructure to an auxiliary promoter strand simulates the evolution of a dynamically equilibrated DNA tetrahedron-based CDN that undergoes secondary fueled dynamic reconfiguration. Finally, the effective permeation of DNA tetrahedron structures into cells is utilized to integrate the four-hairpin-functionalized tetrahedron reaction module into cells. The spatially localized miRNA-triggered CHA evolution and reconfiguration of CDNs allowed the logic-gated imaging of intracellular RNAs. Beyond the bioanalytical applications of the systems, the study introduces possible mechanistic pathways for the evolution of functional networks under prebiotic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixin Zhou
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Nina Lin
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Yu Ouyang
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Songqin Liu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Yuanjian Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Itamar Willner
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
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36
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Schaumburger N, Pally J, Moraru II, Kositsawat J, Kuchel GA, Blinov ML. Dynamic model assuming mutually inhibitory biomarkers of frailty suggests bistability with contrasting mobility phenotypes. FRONTIERS IN NETWORK PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 3:1079070. [PMID: 37216041 PMCID: PMC10192762 DOI: 10.3389/fnetp.2023.1079070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Bistability is a fundamental biological phenomenon associated with "switch-like" behavior reflecting the capacity of a system to exist in either of two stable states. It plays a role in gene regulation, cell fate switch, signal transduction and cell oscillation, with relevance for cognition, hearing, vision, sleep, gait and voiding. Here we consider a potential role for bistability in the existence of specific frailty states or phenotypes as part of disablement pathways. We use mathematical modeling with two frailty biomarkers (insulin growth factor-1, IGF-1 and interleukin-6, IL-6), which mutually inhibit each other. In our model, we demonstrate that small variations around critical IGF-1 or IL-6 blood levels lead to strikingly different mobility outcomes. We employ deterministic modeling of mobility outcomes, calculating the average trends in population health. Our model predicts the bistability of clinical outcomes: the deterministically-computed likelihood of an individual remaining mobile, becoming less mobile, or dying over time either increases to almost 100% or decreases to almost zero. Contrary to statistical models that attempt to estimate the likelihood of final outcomes based on probabilities and correlations, our model predicts functional outcomes over time based on specific hypothesized molecular mechanisms. Instead of estimating probabilities based on stochastic distributions and arbitrary priors, we deterministically simulate model outcomes over a wide range of physiological parameter values within experimentally derived boundaries. Our study is "a proof of principle" as it is based on a major assumption about mutual inhibition of pathways that is oversimplified. However, by making such an assumption, interesting effects can be described qualitatively. As our understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in aging deepens, we believe that such modeling will not only lead to more accurate predictions, but also help move the field from using mostly studies of associations to mechanistically guided approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Schaumburger
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
- Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, United States
| | - Joel Pally
- Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, United States
| | - Ion I. Moraru
- Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, United States
| | | | - George A. Kuchel
- UConn Center on Aging, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, United States
| | - Michael L. Blinov
- Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, United States
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37
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Martínez N, Deza RR, Montani F. Characterizing the information transmission of inverse stochastic resonance and noise-induced activity amplification in neuronal systems. Phys Rev E 2023; 107:054402. [PMID: 37329070 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.107.054402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Purkinje cells exhibit a reduction of the mean firing rate at intermediate-noise intensities, which is somewhat reminiscent of the response enhancement known as "stochastic resonance" (SR). Although the comparison with the stochastic resonance ends here, the current phenomenon has been given the name "inverse stochastic resonance" (ISR). Recent research has demonstrated that the ISR effect, like its close relative "nonstandard SR" [or, more correctly, noise-induced activity amplification (NIAA)], has been shown to stem from the weak-noise quenching of the initial distribution, in bistable regimes where the metastable state has a larger attraction basin than the global minimum. To understand the underlying mechanism of the ISR and NIAA phenomena, we study the probability distribution function of a one-dimensional system subjected to a bistable potential that has the property of symmetry, i.e., if we change the sign of one of its parameters, we can obtain both phenomena with the same properties in the depth of the wells and the width of their basins of attraction subjected to Gaussian white noise with variable intensity. Previous work has shown that one can theoretically determine the probability distribution function using the convex sum between the behavior at small and high noise intensities. To determine the probability distribution function more precisely, we resort to the "weighted ensemble Brownian dynamics simulation" model, which provides an accurate estimate of the probability distribution function for both low and high noise intensities and, most importantly, for the transition of both behaviors. In this way, on the one hand, we show that both phenomena emerge from a metastable system where, in the case of ISR, the global minimum of the system is in a state of lower activity, while in the case of NIAA, the global minimum is in a state of increased activity, the importance of which does not depend on the width of the basins of attraction. On the other hand, we see that quantifiers such as Fisher information, statistical complexity, and especially Shannon entropy fail to distinguish them, but they show the existence of the mentioned phenomena. Thus, noise management may well be a mechanism by which Purkinje cells find an efficient way to transmit information in the cerebral cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataniel Martínez
- IFIMAR (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, B7602AYL Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Roberto R Deza
- IFIMAR (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, B7602AYL Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Fernando Montani
- IFLP (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, B1900 La Plata, Argentina
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38
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Li Z, Wang J, Willner B, Willner I. Topologically Triggered Dynamic DNA Frameworks. Isr J Chem 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ijch.202300013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhen Li
- The Institute of Chemistry The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
| | - Jianbang Wang
- The Institute of Chemistry The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
| | - Bilha Willner
- The Institute of Chemistry The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
| | - Itamar Willner
- The Institute of Chemistry The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
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39
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Nabuco Leva Ferreira de Freitas JA, Bischof O. Dynamic modeling of the cellular senescence gene regulatory network. Heliyon 2023; 9:e14007. [PMID: 36938415 PMCID: PMC10015196 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular senescence is a cell fate that prominently impacts physiological and pathophysiological processes. Diverse cellular stresses induce it, and dramatic gene expression changes accompany it. However, determining the interactions comprising the gene regulatory network (GRN) governing senescence remains challenging. Recent advances in signal processing techniques provide opportunities to reconstruct GRNs. Here, we describe a GRN for senescence integrating time-series transcriptome and transcription factor depletion datasets. Specifically, we infer a set of differential equations using the "Sparse Identification of Nonlinear Dynamics" (SINDy) algorithm, discriminate genes with potential hidden regulators, validate the inferred GRN for time-points not included in the training data, and comprehensively benchmark our approach. Our work is a proof of concept for a data-driven GRN reconstruction method, consolidating an iterative, powerful mathematical platform for senescence modeling that can be used to test hypotheses in silico and has the potential for future discoveries of clinical impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Américo Nabuco Leva Ferreira de Freitas
- IMRB, Mondor Institute for Biomedical Research, INSERM U955 – Université Paris Est Créteil, UPEC, Faculté de Médecine de Créteil 8, rue du Général Sarrail, 94010 Créteil
- Sorbonne Université, UMR 8256, Biological Adaptation and Ageing B2A–IBPS, F-75005, Paris, France
- INSERM U1164, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Oliver Bischof
- IMRB, Mondor Institute for Biomedical Research, INSERM U955 – Université Paris Est Créteil, UPEC, Faculté de Médecine de Créteil 8, rue du Général Sarrail, 94010 Créteil
- Corresponding author.
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40
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Ramesh V, Suwanmajo T, Krishnan J. Network regulation meets substrate modification chemistry. J R Soc Interface 2023; 20:20220510. [PMID: 36722169 PMCID: PMC9890324 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2022.0510] [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] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Biochemical networks are at the heart of cellular information processing. These networks contain distinct facets: (i) processing of information from the environment via cascades/pathways along with network regulation and (ii) modification of substrates in different ways, to confer protein functionality, stability and processing. While many studies focus on these factors individually, how they interact and the consequences for cellular systems behaviour are poorly understood. We develop a systems framework for this purpose by examining the interplay of network regulation (canonical feedback and feed-forward circuits) and multisite modification, as an exemplar of substrate modification. Using computational, analytical and semi-analytical approaches, we reveal distinct and unexpected ways in which the substrate modification and network levels combine and the emergent behaviour arising therefrom. This has important consequences for dissecting the behaviour of specific signalling networks, tracing the origins of systems behaviour, inference of networks from data, robustness/evolvability and multi-level engineering of biomolecular networks. Overall, we repeatedly demonstrate how focusing on only one level (say network regulation) can lead to profoundly misleading conclusions about all these aspects, and reveal a number of important consequences for experimental/theoretical/data-driven interrogations of cellular signalling systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaidhiswaran Ramesh
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Sargent Centre for Process Systems Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Thapanar Suwanmajo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Sargent Centre for Process Systems Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK,Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand,Center of Excellence in Materials Science and Technology, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - J. Krishnan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Sargent Centre for Process Systems Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK,Institute for Systems and Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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41
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Bian S, Zhang Y, Li C. An improved approach for calculating energy landscape of gene networks from moment equations. CHAOS (WOODBURY, N.Y.) 2023; 33:023116. [PMID: 36859199 DOI: 10.1063/5.0128345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The energy landscape theory has widely been applied to study the stochastic dynamics of biological systems. Different methods have been developed to quantify the energy landscape for gene networks, e.g., using Gaussian approximation (GA) approach to calculate the landscape by solving the diffusion equation approximately from the first two moments. However, how high-order moments influence the landscape construction remains to be elucidated. Also, multistability exists extensively in biological networks. So, how to quantify the landscape for a multistable dynamical system accurately, is a paramount problem. In this work, we prove that the weighted summation from GA (WSGA), provides an effective way to calculate the landscape for multistable systems and limit cycle systems. Meanwhile, we proposed an extended Gaussian approximation (EGA) approach by considering the effects of the third moments, which provides a more accurate way to obtain probability distribution and corresponding landscape. By applying our generalized EGA approach to two specific biological systems: multistable genetic circuit and synthetic oscillatory network, we compared EGA with WSGA by calculating the KL divergence of the probability distribution between these two approaches and simulations, which demonstrated that the EGA provides a more accurate approach to calculate the energy landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirui Bian
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yunxin Zhang
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Chunhe Li
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
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42
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Araujo RP, Liotta LA. Design Principles Underlying Robust Adaptation of Complex Biochemical Networks. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2634:3-32. [PMID: 37074572 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3008-2_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
Biochemical networks are often characterized by tremendous complexity-both in terms of the sheer number of interacting molecules ("nodes") and in terms of the varied and incompletely understood interactions among these molecules ("interconnections" or "edges"). Strikingly, the vast and intricate networks of interacting proteins that exist within each living cell have the capacity to perform remarkably robustly, and reproducibly, despite significant variations in concentrations of the interacting components from one cell to the next and despite mutability over time of biochemical parameters. Here we consider the ubiquitously observed and fundamentally important signalling response known as robust perfect adaptation (RPA). We have recently shown that all RPA-capable networks, even the most complex ones, must satisfy an extremely rigid set of design principles, and are modular, being decomposable into just two types of network building-blocks-opposer modules and balancer modules. Here we present an overview of the design principles that characterize all RPA-capable network topologies through a detailed examination of a collection of simple examples. We also introduce a diagrammatic method for studying the potential of a network to exhibit RPA, which may be applied without a detailed knowledge of the complex mathematical principles governing RPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn P Araujo
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), Kelvin Grove, QLD, Australia.
| | - Lance A Liotta
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Manassas, VA, USA
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Di Pietro V, Govoni P, Chan KH, Oliveira RC, Wenseleers T, van den Berg P. Evolution of self-organised division of labour driven by stigmergy in leaf-cutter ants. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21971. [PMID: 36539468 PMCID: PMC9768137 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26324-6] [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: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Social insects owe their widespread success to their ability to efficiently coordinate behaviour to carry out complex tasks. Several leaf-cutter ant species employ an advanced type of division of labour known as task partitioning, where the task of retrieving leaves is distributed between workers that cut and drop and those that collect the fallen leaves. It is not entirely clear how such highly coordinated behaviour can evolve, as it would seem to require the simultaneous mutations of multiple traits during the same generation. Here, we use an agent-based simulation model to show how task partitioning in leaf-cutter ants can gradually evolve by exploiting stigmergy (indirect coordination through the environment) through gravity (leaves falling from the treetop on the ground forming a cache). Our simple model allows independent variation in two core behavioural dimensions: the tendency to drop leaves and the tendency to pick up dropped leaves. Task partitioning readily evolves even under these minimal assumptions through adaptation to an arboreal environment where traveling up and down the tree is costly. Additionally, we analyse ant movement dynamics to demonstrate how the ants achieve efficient task allocation through task switching and negative feedback control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Di Pietro
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Patrick Govoni
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Dynamics in Biological Systems Lab, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kin Ho Chan
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Genomics, Charles Deberiostraat 32, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ricardo Caliari Oliveira
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium ,grid.7080.f0000 0001 2296 0625Departament de Biologia Animal, de Biologia Vegetal I d’Ecologia - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona Spain
| | - Tom Wenseleers
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pieter van den Berg
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Evolutionary Modelling Group, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Almowallad S, Alqahtani LS, Mobashir M. NF-kB in Signaling Patterns and Its Temporal Dynamics Encode/Decode Human Diseases. LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:life12122012. [PMID: 36556376 PMCID: PMC9788026 DOI: 10.3390/life12122012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Defects in signaling pathways are the root cause of many disorders. These malformations come in a wide variety of types, and their causes are also very diverse. Some of these flaws can be brought on by pathogenic organisms and viruses, many of which can obstruct signaling processes. Other illnesses are linked to malfunctions in the way that cell signaling pathways work. When thinking about how errors in signaling pathways might cause disease, the idea of signalosome remodeling is helpful. The signalosome may be conveniently divided into two types of defects: phenotypic remodeling and genotypic remodeling. The majority of significant illnesses that affect people, including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and many types of mental illness, appear to be caused by minute phenotypic changes in signaling pathways. Such phenotypic remodeling modifies cell behavior and subverts normal cellular processes, resulting in illness. There has not been much progress in creating efficient therapies since it has been challenging to definitively confirm this connection between signalosome remodeling and illness. The considerable redundancy included into cell signaling systems presents several potential for developing novel treatments for various disease conditions. One of the most important pathways, NF-κB, controls several aspects of innate and adaptive immune responses, is a key modulator of inflammatory reactions, and has been widely studied both from experimental and theoretical perspectives. NF-κB contributes to the control of inflammasomes and stimulates the expression of a number of pro-inflammatory genes, including those that produce cytokines and chemokines. Additionally, NF-κB is essential for controlling innate immune cells and inflammatory T cells' survival, activation, and differentiation. As a result, aberrant NF-κB activation plays a role in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory illnesses. The activation and function of NF-κB in relation to inflammatory illnesses was covered here, and the advancement of treatment approaches based on NF-κB inhibition will be highlighted. This review presents the temporal behavior of NF-κB and its potential relevance in different human diseases which will be helpful not only for theoretical but also for experimental perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanaa Almowallad
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71491, Saudi Arabia
| | - Leena S. Alqahtani
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah 23445, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (L.S.A.); (M.M.)
| | - Mohammad Mobashir
- SciLifeLab, Department of Oncology and Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, P.O. Box 1031, S-17121 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Natural Science, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi 110025, India
- Special Infectious Agents Unit—BSL3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21362, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (L.S.A.); (M.M.)
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Baker R, Hontecillas R, Tubau-Juni N, Leber AJ, Kale S, Bassaganya-Riera J. Computational modeling of complex bioenergetic mechanisms that modulate CD4+ T cell effector and regulatory functions. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2022; 8:45. [DOI: 10.1038/s41540-022-00263-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractWe built a computational model of complex mechanisms at the intersection of immunity and metabolism that regulate CD4+ T cell effector and regulatory functions by using coupled ordinary differential equations. The model provides an improved understanding of how CD4+ T cells are shaping the immune response during Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), and how they may be targeted pharmacologically to produce a more robust regulatory (Treg) response, which is associated with improved disease outcomes during CDI and other diseases. LANCL2 activation during CDI decreased the effector response, increased regulatory response, and elicited metabolic changes that favored Treg. Interestingly, LANCL2 activation provided greater immune and metabolic modulation compared to the addition of exogenous IL-2. Additionally, we identified gluconeogenesis via PEPCK-M as potentially responsible for increased immunosuppressive behavior in Treg cells. The model can perturb immune signaling and metabolism within a CD4+ T cell and obtain clinically relevant outcomes that help identify novel drug targets for infectious, autoimmune, metabolic, and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Hajdú B, Holczer M, Horváth G, Szederkényi G, Kapuy O. Fine-Tuning of mTORC1-ULK1-PP2A Regulatory Triangle Is Crucial for Robust Autophagic Response upon Cellular Stress. Biomolecules 2022; 12:1587. [PMID: 36358936 PMCID: PMC9687272 DOI: 10.3390/biom12111587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Autophagy-dependent cellular survival is tightly regulated by both kinases and phosphatases. While mTORC1 inhibits autophagy by phosphorylating ULK1, PP2A is able to remove this phosphate group from ULK1 and promotes the key inducer of autophagosome formation. However, ULK1 inhibits mTORC1, mTORC1 is able to down-regulate PP2A. In addition, the active ULK1 promotes PP2A via phosphorylation. We claim that these double-negative (mTORC1 -| PP2A -| mTORC1, mTORC1 -| ULK1 -| mTORC1) and positive (ULK1 -> PP2A -> ULK1) feedback loops are all necessary for the robust, irreversible decision making process between the autophagy and non-autophagy states. We approach our scientific analysis from a systems biological perspective by applying both theoretical and molecular biological techniques. For molecular biological experiments, HEK293T cell line is used, meanwhile the dynamical features of the regulatory network are described by mathematical modelling. In our study, we explore the dynamical characteristic of mTORC1-ULK1-PP2A regulatory triangle in detail supposing that the positive feedback loops are essential to manage a robust cellular answer upon various cellular stress events (such as mTORC1 inhibition, starvation, PP2A inhibition or ULK1 silencing). We confirm that active ULK1 can up-regulate PP2A when mTORC1 is inactivated. By using theoretical analysis, we explain the importance of cellular PP2A level in stress response mechanism. We proved both experimentally and theoretically that PP2A down-regulation (via addition of okadaic acid) might generate a periodic repeat of autophagy induction. Understanding how the regulation of the cell survival occurs with the precise molecular balance of ULK1-mTORC1-PP2A in autophagy, is highly relevant in several cellular stress-related diseases (such as neurodegenerative diseases or diabetes) and might help to promote advanced therapies in the near future, too.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bence Hajdú
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Semmelweis University, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Marianna Holczer
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Semmelweis University, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gergely Horváth
- Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Szederkényi
- Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Orsolya Kapuy
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Semmelweis University, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
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Gupta A, Khammash M. Universal structural requirements for maximal robust perfect adaptation in biomolecular networks. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2207802119. [PMID: 36256812 PMCID: PMC9618122 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2207802119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Adaptation is a running theme in biology. It allows a living system to survive and thrive in the face of unpredictable environments by maintaining key physiological variables at their desired levels through tight regulation. When one such variable is maintained at a certain value at the steady state despite perturbations to a single input, this property is called robust perfect adaptation (RPA). Here we address and solve the fundamental problem of maximal RPA (maxRPA), whereby, for a designated output variable, RPA is achieved with respect to perturbations in virtually all network parameters. In particular, we show that the maxRPA property imposes certain structural constraints on the network. We then prove that these constraints are fully characterized by simple linear algebraic stoichiometric conditions which differ between deterministic and stochastic descriptions of the dynamics. We use our results to derive a new internal model principle (IMP) for biomolecular maxRPA networks, akin to the celebrated IMP in control theory. We exemplify our results through several known biological examples of robustly adapting networks and construct examples of such networks with the aid of our linear algebraic characterization. Our results reveal the universal requirements for maxRPA in all biological systems, and establish a foundation for studying adaptation in general biomolecular networks, with important implications for both systems and synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankit Gupta
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zurich, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mustafa Khammash
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zurich, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
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48
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Márton M, Bánhegyi G, Gyöngyösi N, Kálmán EÉ, Pettkó‐Szandtner A, Káldi K, Kapuy O. A systems biological analysis of the ATF4-GADD34-CHOP regulatory triangle upon endoplasmic reticulum stress. FEBS Open Bio 2022; 12:2065-2082. [PMID: 36097827 PMCID: PMC9623533 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13484] [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: 04/17/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-dependent accumulation of incorrectly folded proteins leads to activation of the unfolded protein response. The role of the unfolded protein response (UPR) is to avoid cell damage and restore the homeostatic state by autophagy; however, excessive ER stress results in apoptosis. Here we investigated the ER stress-dependent feedback loops inside one of the UPR branches by focusing on PERK-induced ATF4 and its two targets, called CHOP and GADD34. Our goal was to qualitatively describe the dynamic behavior of the system by exploring the key regulatory motifs using both molecular and theoretical biological techniques. Using the HEK293T cell line as a model system, we confirmed that the life-or-death decision is strictly regulated. We investigated the dynamic characteristics of the crucial elements of the PERK pathway at both the RNA and protein level upon tolerable and excessive levels of ER stress. Of particular note, inhibition of GADD34 or CHOP resulted in various phenotypes upon high levels of ER stress. Our computer simulations suggest the existence of two new feedback loops inside the UPR. First, GADD34 seems to have a positive effect on ATF4 activity, while CHOP inhibits it. We claim that these newly described feedback loops ensure the fine-tuning of the ATF4-dependent stress response mechanism of the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margita Márton
- Department of Molecular Biology at the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologySemmelweis UniversityBudapestHungary
| | - Gábor Bánhegyi
- Department of Molecular Biology at the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologySemmelweis UniversityBudapestHungary
| | - Norbert Gyöngyösi
- Department of Molecular Biology at the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologySemmelweis UniversityBudapestHungary
| | - Eszter Éva Kálmán
- Department of Molecular Biology at the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologySemmelweis UniversityBudapestHungary
| | | | - Krisztina Káldi
- Department of PhysiologySemmelweis UniversityBudapestHungary
| | - Orsolya Kapuy
- Department of Molecular Biology at the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologySemmelweis UniversityBudapestHungary
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49
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Discovering design principles for biological functionalities: Perspectives from systems biology. J Biosci 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12038-022-00293-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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50
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Xing J. Reconstructing data-driven governing equations for cell phenotypic transitions: integration of data science and systems biology. Phys Biol 2022; 19:10.1088/1478-3975/ac8c16. [PMID: 35998617 PMCID: PMC9585661 DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/ac8c16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Cells with the same genome can exist in different phenotypes and can change between distinct phenotypes when subject to specific stimuli and microenvironments. Some examples include cell differentiation during development, reprogramming for induced pluripotent stem cells and transdifferentiation, cancer metastasis and fibrosis progression. The regulation and dynamics of cell phenotypic conversion is a fundamental problem in biology, and has a long history of being studied within the formalism of dynamical systems. A main challenge for mechanism-driven modeling studies is acquiring sufficient amount of quantitative information for constraining model parameters. Advances in quantitative experimental approaches, especially high throughput single-cell techniques, have accelerated the emergence of a new direction for reconstructing the governing dynamical equations of a cellular system from quantitative single-cell data, beyond the dominant statistical approaches. Here I review a selected number of recent studies using live- and fixed-cell data and provide my perspective on future development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhua Xing
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- UPMC-Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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