1
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Téblick L, Lipovac M, Molenberghs F, Delputte P, De Vos WH, Vorsters A. HPV-specific antibodies in female genital tract secretions captured via first-void urine retain their neutralizing capacity. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2024; 20:2330168. [PMID: 38567541 PMCID: PMC10993920 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2330168] [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: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, primarily relying on neutralizing antibodies, have proven highly effective. Recently, HPV-specific antibodies have been detected in the female genital tract secretions captured by first-void urine (FVU), offering a minimally invasive diagnostic approach. In this study, we investigated whether HPV16-specific antibodies present in FVU samples retain their neutralizing capacity by using pseudovirion-based neutralization assays. Paired FVU and serum samples (vaccinated n = 25, unvaccinated n = 25, aged 18-25) were analyzed using two orthogonal pseudovirion-based neutralization assays, one using fluorescence microscopy and the other using luminescence-based spectrophotometry. Results were compared with HPV16-specific IgG concentrations and correlations between neutralizing antibodies in FVU and serum were explored. The study demonstrated the presence of neutralizing antibodies in FVU using both pseudovirion-based neutralization assays, with the luminescence-based assay showing higher sensitivity for FVU samples, while the fluorescence microscopy-based assay exhibited better specificity for serum and overall higher reproducibility. High Spearman correlation values were calculated between HPV16-IgG and HPV16-neutralizing antibodies for both protocols (rs: 0.54-0.94, p < .001). Significant Spearman correlations between FVU and serum concentrations were also established for all assays (rs: 0.44-0.91, p < .01). This study demonstrates the continued neutralizing ability of antibodies captured with FVU, supporting the hypothesis that HPV vaccination may reduce autoinoculation and transmission risk to the sexual partner. Although further protocol optimizations are warranted, these findings provide a foundation for future research and larger cohort studies that could have implications for the optimal design, evaluation, and implementation of HPV vaccination programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Téblick
- Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Marijana Lipovac
- Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Freya Molenberghs
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Peter Delputte
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Winnok H. De Vos
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Antwerp Centre for Advanced Microscopy, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- µNEURO Centre of Research Excellence, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Alex Vorsters
- Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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2
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Wang J, Zheng Y, Huang H, Ma Y, Zhao X. An overview of signal amplification strategies and construction methods on phage-based biosensors. Food Res Int 2024; 191:114727. [PMID: 39059923 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Phages are a class of viruses that specifically infect host bacteria. Compared to other recognition elements, phages offer several advantages such as high specificity, easy to obtain and good environmental tolerance, etc. These advantages underscore the potential of phages as recognition elements in the construction of biosensors. Therefore, the phage-based biosensors are currently garnering widespread attention for detecting pathogens in recent years. However, the test performance such as detection limit, sensitivity and stability of exicting phage-based biosensors require enhancement. In the design of sensors, the selection of various materials and construction methods significantly influences the test performance of the sensor, and employing appropriate signal amplification strategies and construction methods to devise biosensors based on different principles is an effective strategy to enhance sensor performance. The manuscript primarily focuses on the signal amplification strategies and construction methods employed in phage-based biosensors recent ten years, and summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of different signal amplification strategies and construction methods. Meanwhile, the manuscript discusses the relationship between sensor performance and various materials and construction methods, and reviews the application progress of phage-based electrochemical biosensors in the detection of foodborne bacteria. Furthermore, the manuscript points out the present limitations and the future research direction for the field of phage-based biosensors, so as to provide the reference for developing high-performance phage-based biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahao Wang
- College of Light Industry and Food Science, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China.
| | - Yuqing Zheng
- College of Light Industry and Food Science, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China.
| | - Hongkai Huang
- College of Light Industry and Food Science, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China.
| | - Ya Ma
- College of Light Industry and Food Science, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China; Key Laboratory of Green Processing and Intelligent Manufacturing of Lingnan Specialty Food, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Lingnan Specialty Food Science and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China.
| | - Xiaojuan Zhao
- College of Light Industry and Food Science, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China; Key Laboratory of Green Processing and Intelligent Manufacturing of Lingnan Specialty Food, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Lingnan Specialty Food Science and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China.
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3
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Wright MT, Timalsina B, Garcia Lopez V, Hermanson JN, Garcia S, Plate L. Time-resolved interactome profiling deconvolutes secretory protein quality control dynamics. Mol Syst Biol 2024:10.1038/s44320-024-00058-1. [PMID: 39103653 DOI: 10.1038/s44320-024-00058-1] [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: 05/23/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Many cellular processes are governed by protein-protein interactions that require tight spatial and temporal regulation. Accordingly, it is necessary to understand the dynamics of these interactions to fully comprehend and elucidate cellular processes and pathological disease states. To map de novo protein-protein interactions with time resolution at an organelle-wide scale, we developed a quantitative mass spectrometry method, time-resolved interactome profiling (TRIP). We apply TRIP to elucidate aberrant protein interaction dynamics that lead to the protein misfolding disease congenital hypothyroidism. We deconvolute altered temporal interactions of the thyroid hormone precursor thyroglobulin with pathways implicated in hypothyroidism pathophysiology, such as Hsp70-/90-assisted folding, disulfide/redox processing, and N-glycosylation. Functional siRNA screening identified VCP and TEX264 as key protein degradation components whose inhibition selectively rescues mutant prohormone secretion. Ultimately, our results provide novel insight into the temporal coordination of protein homeostasis, and our TRIP method should find broad applications in investigating protein-folding diseases and cellular processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison T Wright
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - Bibek Timalsina
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - Valeria Garcia Lopez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - Jake N Hermanson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - Sarah Garcia
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - Lars Plate
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
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4
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Lin CH, Yang XR, Lin MW, Chang HJ, Lee CH, Lin CS. Engineering a NanoBiT biosensor for detecting angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (hACE2) interaction with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and screening the inhibitors to block hACE2 and spike interaction. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 263:116630. [PMID: 39102773 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2024.116630] [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: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 08/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is facilitated by its trimeric surface spike protein, which binds to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor. This critical interaction facilitates viral entry and is a primary target for therapeutic intervention against COVID-19. However, it is difficult to fully optimize viral infection using existing protein-protein interaction methods. Herein, we introduce a nano-luciferase binary technology (NanoBiT)-based pseudoviral sensor designed to stimulate the dynamics of viral infection in both living cells and animals. Infection progression can be dynamically visualized via a rapid increase in luminescence within 3 h using an in vivo imaging system (IVIS). Inhibition of viral infection by baicalein and baicalin was evaluated using a NanoBiT-based pseudoviral sensor. These results indicate that the inhibitory efficacy of baicalein was strengthened by targeting the spike protein, whereas baicalin targeted the hACE2 protein. Additionally, under optimized conditions, baicalein and baicalin provided a synergistic combination to inhibit pseudoviral infection. Live bioluminescence imaging was used to evaluate the in vivo effects of baicalein and baicalin treatment on LgBiT-hACE2 mice infected with the BA.2-SmBiT spike pseudovirus. This innovative bioluminescent system functions as a sensitive and early-stage quantitative viral transduction in vitro and in vivo. This platform provides novel opportunities for studying the molecular biology of animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Han Lin
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
| | - Xin-Rui Yang
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
| | - Meng-Wei Lin
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
| | - Ho-Ju Chang
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
| | - Che-Hsiung Lee
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan; Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Sheng Lin
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan; Center for Intelligent Drug Systems and Smart Bio-devices (IDS(2)B), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan.
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5
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Song C, Wang LP. A Polarizable QM/MM Model That Combines the State-Averaged CASSCF and AMOEBA Force Field for Photoreactions in Proteins. J Chem Theory Comput 2024. [PMID: 39088696 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.4c00623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2024]
Abstract
This study presents the polarizable quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) embedding of the state-averaged complete active space self-consistent field (SA-CASSCF) in the atomic multipole optimized energetics for biomolecular applications (AMOEBA) force field for the purpose of studying photoreactions in protein environments. We describe two extensions of our previous work that combine SA-CASSCF with AMOEBA water models, allowing it to be generalized to AMOEBA models for proteins and other macromolecules. First, we discuss how our QM/MM model accounts for the discrepancy between the direct and polarization electric fields that arises in the AMOEBA description of intramolecular polarization. A second improvement is the incorporation of link atom schemes to treat instances in which the QM/MM boundary goes through covalent bonds. A single-link atom scheme and double-link atom scheme are considered in this work, and we will discuss how electrostatic interaction, van der Waals interaction, and various kinds of valence terms are treated across the boundary. To test the accuracy of the link atom scheme, we will compare QM/MM with full QM calculations and study how the errors in ground state properties, excited state properties, and excitation energies change when tuning the parameters in the link atom scheme. We will also test the new SA-CASSCF/AMOEBA method on an elementary reaction step in NanoLuc, an artificial bioluminescence luciferase. We will show how the reaction mechanism is different when calculated in the gas phase, in polarizable continuum medium (PCM), versus in protein AMOEBA models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenchen Song
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Lee-Ping Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616, United States
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6
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Best AJ, Braunschweig U, Wu M, Farhangmehr S, Pasculescu A, Lim JJ, Comsa LC, Jen M, Wang J, Datti A, Wrana JL, Cordes SP, Al-Awar R, Han H, Blencowe BJ. High-throughput sensitive screening of small molecule modulators of microexon alternative splicing using dual Nano and Firefly luciferase reporters. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6328. [PMID: 39068192 PMCID: PMC11283458 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50399-6] [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: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Disruption of alternative splicing frequently causes or contributes to human diseases and disorders. Consequently, there is a need for efficient and sensitive reporter assays capable of screening chemical libraries for compounds with efficacy in modulating important splicing events. Here, we describe a screening workflow employing dual Nano and Firefly luciferase alternative splicing reporters that affords efficient, sensitive, and linear detection of small molecule responses. Applying this system to a screen of ~95,000 small molecules identified compounds that stimulate or repress the splicing of neuronal microexons, a class of alternative exons often disrupted in autism and activated in neuroendocrine cancers. One of these compounds rescues the splicing of several analyzed microexons in the cerebral cortex of an autism mouse model haploinsufficient for Srrm4, a major activator of brain microexons. We thus describe a broadly applicable high-throughput screening system for identifying candidate splicing therapeutics, and a resource of small molecule modulators of microexons with potential for further development in correcting aberrant splicing patterns linked to human disorders and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Best
- Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | | | - Mingkun Wu
- Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shaghayegh Farhangmehr
- Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Adrian Pasculescu
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Justin J Lim
- Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lim Caden Comsa
- Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mark Jen
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jenny Wang
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Alessandro Datti
- Department of Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Jeffrey L Wrana
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sabine P Cordes
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Rima Al-Awar
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Hong Han
- Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Benjamin J Blencowe
- Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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7
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Beigl TB, Paul A, Fellmeth TP, Nguyen D, Barber L, Weller S, Schäfer B, Gillissen BF, Aulitzky WE, Kopp HG, Rehm M, Andrews DW, Pluhackova K, Essmann F. BCL-2 and BOK regulate apoptosis by interaction of their C-terminal transmembrane domains. EMBO Rep 2024:10.1038/s44319-024-00206-6. [PMID: 39048751 DOI: 10.1038/s44319-024-00206-6] [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: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The Bcl-2 family controls apoptosis by direct interactions of pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins. The principle mechanism is binding of the BH3 domain of pro-apoptotic proteins to the hydrophobic groove of anti-apoptotic siblings, which is therapeutically exploited by approved BH3-mimetic anti-cancer drugs. Evidence suggests that also the transmembrane domain (TMD) of Bcl-2 proteins can mediate Bcl-2 interactions. We developed a highly-specific split luciferase assay enabling the analysis of TMD interactions of pore-forming apoptosis effectors BAX, BAK, and BOK with anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins in living cells. We confirm homotypic interaction of the BAX-TMD, but also newly identify interaction of the TMD of anti-apoptotic BCL-2 with the TMD of BOK, a peculiar pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein. BOK-TMD and BCL-2-TMD interact at the endoplasmic reticulum. Molecular dynamics simulations confirm dynamic BOK-TMD and BCL-2-TMD dimers and stable heterotetramers. Mutation of BCL-2-TMD at predicted key residues abolishes interaction with BOK-TMD. Also, inhibition of BOK-induced apoptosis by BCL-2 depends specifically on their TMDs. Thus, TMDs of Bcl-2 proteins are a relevant interaction interface for apoptosis regulation and provide a novel potential drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias B Beigl
- Robert Bosch Center for Tumor Diseases, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Alexander Paul
- Robert Bosch Center for Tumor Diseases, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Thomas P Fellmeth
- Cluster of Excellence SimTech, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Dang Nguyen
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Biological Sciences Platform, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Lynn Barber
- Robert Bosch Center for Tumor Diseases, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Sandra Weller
- Robert Bosch Center for Tumor Diseases, Stuttgart, Germany
| | | | - Bernhard F Gillissen
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumorimmunology, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Hans-Georg Kopp
- Robert Bosch Center for Tumor Diseases, Stuttgart, Germany
- Robert-Bosch-Hospital, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Markus Rehm
- Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
- Stuttgart Research Center Systems Biology, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - David W Andrews
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Biological Sciences Platform, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Frank Essmann
- Robert Bosch Center for Tumor Diseases, Stuttgart, Germany.
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Interfaculty Institute for Biochemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
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8
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Lam NM, Tsang TF, Qu J, Tsang MW, Tao Y, Kan CH, Zou Q, Chan KH, Chu AJ, Ma C, Yang X. Development of a luciferase-based Gram-positive bacterial reporter system for the characterization of antimicrobial agents. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024:e0071724. [PMID: 39016615 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00717-24] [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: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Mechanistic investigations are of paramount importance in elucidating the modes of action of antibiotics and facilitating the discovery of novel drugs. We reported a luciferase-based reporter system using bacterial cells to unveil mechanisms of antimicrobials targeting transcription and translation. The reporter gene Nluc encoding NanoLuciferase (NanoLuc) was integrated into the genome of the Gram-positive model organism, Bacillus subtilis, to generate a reporter strain BS2019. Cellular transcription and translation levels were assessed by quantifying the amount of Nluc mRNA as well as the luminescence catalyzed by the enzyme NanoLuc. We validated this system using three known inhibitors of transcription (rifampicin), translation (chloramphenicol), and cell wall synthesis (ampicillin). The B. subtilis reporter strain BS2019 successfully revealed a decline in Nluc expression by rifampicin and NanoLuc enzyme activity by chloramphenicol, while ampicillin produced no observable effect. The assay was employed to characterize a previously discovered bacterial transcription inhibitor, CUHK242, with known antimicrobial activity against drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Production of Nluc mRNA in our reporter BS2019 was suppressed in the presence of CUHK242, demonstrating the usefulness of the construct, which provides a simple way to study the mechanism of potential antibiotic candidates at early stages of drug discovery. The reporter system can also be modified by adopting different promoters and reporter genes to extend its scope of contribution to other fields of work. IMPORTANCE Discovering new classes of antibiotics is desperately needed to combat the emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens. To facilitate the drug discovery process, a simple cell-based assay for mechanistic studies is essential to characterize antimicrobial candidates. In this work, we developed a luciferase-based reporter system to quantify the transcriptional and translational effects of potential compounds and validated our system using two currently marketed drugs. Reporter strains generated in this study provide readily available means for identifying bacterial transcription inhibitors as prospective novel antibacterials. We also provided a series of plasmids for characterizing promoters under various conditions such as stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nga Man Lam
- Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Tsz Fung Tsang
- Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jiayi Qu
- Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Man Wai Tsang
- Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Yuan Tao
- Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Cheuk Hei Kan
- Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Qingyu Zou
- Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - King Hong Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Adrian Jun Chu
- Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Cong Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Xiao Yang
- Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
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9
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Marinho MDS, Zhang YN, Cassani NM, Santos IA, Costa Oliveira AL, dos Santos Pereira AK, Corbi PP, Zhang B, Jardim ACG. Development and validation of Mayaro virus with luciferase reporter genes as a tool for antiviral assays. Heliyon 2024; 10:e33885. [PMID: 39071632 PMCID: PMC11283106 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e33885] [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: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Arboviruses are etiological agents in an extensive group of emerging diseases with great clinical relevance in Brazil, due to the wide distribution of their vectors and the favorable environmental conditions. Among them, the Mayaro virus (MAYV) has drawn attention since its emergence as the etiologic agent of Mayaro fever, a highly debilitating disease. To study viral replication and identify new drug candidates, traditional antiviral assays based on viral antigens and/or plaque assays have been demonstrating low throughput, making it difficult to carry out larger-scale assays. Therefore, we developed and characterized two DNA-launched infectious clones reporter viruses based on the MAYV strain BeAr 20290 containing the reporter genes of firefly luciferase (FLuc) and nanoluciferase (NLuc), designated as MAYV-firefly and MAYV-nanoluc, respectively. The viruses replicated efficiently with similar properties to the parental wild-type MAYV, and luminescence expression levels reflected viral replication. Reporter genes were also preserved during passage in cell culture, remaining stably expressed for one round of passage for MAYV-firefly and three rounds for MAYV-nanoluc. Employing the infectious clone, we described the effect of Rimantadine, an FDA-approved Alzheimer's drug, as a repurposing agent for MAYV but with a broad-spectrum activity against Zika virus infection. Additionally, we validated MAYV-nanoluc as a tool for antiviral drug screening using the compound EIDD-2749 (4'-Fluorouridine), which acts as an inhibitor of alphavirus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikaela dos Santos Marinho
- Laboratory of Antiviral Research, Institute of Biomedical Science, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Ya-Nan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Natasha Marques Cassani
- Laboratory of Antiviral Research, Institute of Biomedical Science, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Igor Andrade Santos
- Laboratory of Antiviral Research, Institute of Biomedical Science, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Ana Laura Costa Oliveira
- Laboratory of Antiviral Research, Institute of Biomedical Science, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Pedro Paulo Corbi
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Bo Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Ana Carolina Gomes Jardim
- Laboratory of Antiviral Research, Institute of Biomedical Science, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
- Institute of Biosciences, Humanities, and Exact Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Campus, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
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10
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Sun D, Meyer BK, Deevi DS, Mirza A, He L, Gruber A, Abbondanzo SJ, Benton NA, Whiteman MC, Capen RC, Gurney KB. Development of a Cell-Based Reporter Potency Assay for Live Virus Vaccines. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:769. [PMID: 39066407 PMCID: PMC11281433 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12070769] [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: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The rapid development of potency assays is critical in the development of life-saving vaccines. The traditional plaque assay or fifty percent tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50) assay used to measure the potency of live virus vaccines is time consuming, labor intensive, low throughput and with high variability. Described here is the development and qualification of a cell-based reporter potency assay for two vaccines for respiratory viral infection, one based on the recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) backbone, termed Vaccine 1 in this paper, and the other based on the measles virus vector, termed Vaccine 2. The reporter potency assay used a Vero E6 cell line engineered to constitutively express NanuLuc® luciferase, termed the VeroE6-NLuc or JM-1 cell line. Infection of JM-1 cells by a live virus, such as rVSV or measles virus, causes a cytopathic effect (CPE) and release of NanuLuc® from the cytoplasm into the supernatant, the amount of which reflects the intensity of the viral infection. The relative potency was calculated by comparison to a reference standard using parallel line analysis (PLA) in a log-log linear model. The reporter assay demonstrated good linearity, accuracy, and precision, and is therefore suitable for a vaccine potency assay. Further evaluation of the Vaccine 1 reporter assay demonstrated the robustness to a range of deliberate variation of the selected assay parameters and correlation with the plaque assay. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that the reporter assay using the JM-1 cell line could be used as a potency assay to support the manufacturing and release of multiple live virus vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dengyun Sun
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (M.C.W.); (K.B.G.)
| | - Brian K. Meyer
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (M.C.W.); (K.B.G.)
| | - Dhanvanthri S. Deevi
- Regulated Bioanalytical Immunogenicity & Molecular, Preclinical Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA
| | - Asra Mirza
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (M.C.W.); (K.B.G.)
| | - Li He
- Research CMC Statistics, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA
| | - Ashley Gruber
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (M.C.W.); (K.B.G.)
| | - Susan J. Abbondanzo
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (M.C.W.); (K.B.G.)
| | - Noah A. Benton
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (M.C.W.); (K.B.G.)
| | - Melissa C. Whiteman
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (M.C.W.); (K.B.G.)
| | - Robert C. Capen
- Research CMC Statistics, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA
| | - Kevin B. Gurney
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (M.C.W.); (K.B.G.)
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11
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Zhao JY, Uddin M, Unsihuay D, Butler W, Xia TW, Xu JZ, Wang S, Sheng X, Jannetto PJ, Wang P, Xia X. Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Fentanyl and Its Analogs by a Novel Chemiluminescence Immunoassay. Clin Chem 2024; 70:978-986. [PMID: 38757262 DOI: 10.1093/clinchem/hvae071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Abuse of fentanyl and its analogs is a major contributor to the opioid overdose epidemic in the United States, but detecting and quantifying trace amounts of such drugs remains a challenge without resorting to sophisticated mass spectrometry-based methods. METHODS A sensitive immunoassay with a sub-picogram limit of detection for fentanyl and a wide range of fentanyl analogs has been developed, using a novel high-affinity antibody fused with NanoLuc, a small-size luciferase that can emit strong and stable luminescence. When used with human urine samples, the assay has a sub-picogram limit of detection for fentanyl, with results fully concordant with LC-MS. RESULTS When applied to clinical samples, the novel chemiluminescence immunoassay can detect low positive fentanyl missed by routine screening immunoassays, with a limit of detection of 0.8 pg/mL in human urine. When applied to environmental samples, the assay can detect levels as low as 0.25 pg fentanyl per inch2 of environment surface. Assay turnaround time is less than 1 h, with inexpensive equipment and the potential for high-throughput automation or in-field screening. CONCLUSIONS We have established a novel assay that may have broad applications in clinical, environmental, occupational, and forensic scenarios for detection of trace amounts of fentanyl and its analogs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mezbah Uddin
- Instanosis Inc., King of Prussia, PA, United States
| | - Daisy Unsihuay
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - William Butler
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Jayson Z Xu
- ATGC Inc., King of Prussia, PA, United States
| | - Simon Wang
- ATGC Inc., King of Prussia, PA, United States
| | | | - Paul J Jannetto
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Xiaofeng Xia
- ATGC Inc., King of Prussia, PA, United States
- Instanosis Inc., King of Prussia, PA, United States
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12
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Kuchimaru T. Emerging Synthetic Bioluminescent Reactions for Non-Invasive Imaging of Freely Moving Animals. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7338. [PMID: 39000448 PMCID: PMC11242611 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is an indispensable technique for visualizing the dynamics of diverse biological processes in mammalian animal models, including cancer, viral infections, and immune responses. However, a critical scientific challenge remains: non-invasively visualizing homeostatic and disease mechanisms in freely moving animals to understand the molecular basis of exercises, social behavior, and other phenomena. Classical BLI relies on prolonged camera exposure to accumulate the limited number of photons that traveled from deep tissues in anesthetized or constrained animals. Recent advancements in synthetic bioluminescence reactions, utilizing artificial luciferin-luciferase pairs, have considerably increased the number of detectable photons from deep tissues, facilitating high-speed BLI to capture moving objects. In this review, I provide an overview of emerging synthetic bioluminescence reactions that enable the non-invasive imaging of freely moving animals. This approach holds the potential to uncover unique physiological processes that are inaccessible with current methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Kuchimaru
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan
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13
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Lankford KP, Hulleman JD. Protocol for HiBiT tagging endogenous proteins using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. STAR Protoc 2024; 5:103000. [PMID: 38598333 PMCID: PMC11022101 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2024.103000] [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: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
We present a method of in vitro/in vivo protein detection by pairing CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing with the NanoBiT system. We describe steps for cell culturing, in vitro CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoprotein delivery, cell monitoring, efficiency assessments, and edit analysis through HiBiT assays. We then detail procedures to determine edit specificity through genomic DNA analysis, small interfering RNA reverse transfection, and HiBiT blotting. This protocol is simple to execute and multifunctional, and it enables high-throughput screens on endogenous proteins to be conducted with ease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaylee P Lankford
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - John D Hulleman
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota, 2001 6(th) St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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14
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Durmusoglu D, Haller DJ, Al'Abri IS, Day K, Sands C, Clark A, San-Miguel A, Vazquez-Uribe R, Sommer MOA, Crook NC. Programming Probiotics: Diet-Responsive Gene Expression and Colonization Control in Engineered S. boulardii. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:1851-1865. [PMID: 38787439 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.4c00145] [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: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Saccharomyces boulardii (Sb) is an emerging probiotic chassis for delivering biomolecules to the mammalian gut, offering unique advantages as the only eukaryotic probiotic. However, precise control over gene expression and gut residence time in Sb have remained challenging. To address this, we developed five ligand-responsive gene expression systems and repaired galactose metabolism in Sb, enabling inducible gene expression in this strain. Engineering these systems allowed us to construct AND logic gates, control the surface display of proteins, and turn on protein production in the mouse gut in response to dietary sugar. Additionally, repairing galactose metabolism expanded Sb's habitat within the intestines and resulted in galactose-responsive control over gut residence time. This work opens new avenues for precise dosing of therapeutics by Sb via control over its in vivo gene expression levels and localization within the gastrointestinal tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deniz Durmusoglu
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
| | - Daniel J Haller
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
| | - Ibrahim S Al'Abri
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
| | - Katie Day
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
| | - Carmen Sands
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Andrew Clark
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
| | - Adriana San-Miguel
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
| | - Ruben Vazquez-Uribe
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Morten O A Sommer
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Nathan C Crook
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
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15
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Sultana A, Geethakumari AM, Islam Z, Kolatkar PR, Biswas KH. BRET-based biosensors for SARS-CoV-2 oligonucleotide detection. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1353479. [PMID: 38887615 PMCID: PMC11181354 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1353479] [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: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The need for the early detection of emerging pathogenic viruses and their newer variants has driven the urgent demand for developing point-of-care diagnostic tools. Although nucleic acid-based methods such as reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) have been developed, a more facile and robust platform is still required. To address this need, as a proof-of-principle study, we engineered a prototype-the versatile, sensitive, rapid, and cost-effective bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET)-based biosensor for oligonucleotide detection (BioOD). Specifically, we designed BioODs against the SARS-CoV-2 parental (Wuhan strain) and B.1.617.2 Delta variant through the conjugation of specific, fluorescently modified molecular beacons (sensor module) through a complementary oligonucleotide handle DNA functionalized with the NanoLuc (NLuc) luciferase protein such that the dissolution of the molecular beacon loop upon the binding of the viral oligonucleotide will result in a decrease in BRET efficiency and, thus, a change in the bioluminescence spectra. Following the assembly of the BioODs, we determined their kinetics response, affinity for variant-specific oligonucleotides, and specificity, and found them to be rapid and highly specific. Furthermore, the decrease in BRET efficiency of the BioODs in the presence of viral oligonucleotides can be detected as a change in color in cell phone camera images. We envisage that the BioODs developed here will find application in detecting viral infections with variant specificity in a point-of-care-testing format, thus aiding in large-scale viral infection surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asfia Sultana
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Anupriya M. Geethakumari
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Zeyaul Islam
- Diabetes Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Prasanna R. Kolatkar
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
- Diabetes Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Kabir H. Biswas
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
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16
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Ahmed WS, Geethakumari AM, Sultana A, Fatima A, Philip AM, Uddin SMN, Biswas KH. A slow but steady nanoLuc: R162A mutation results in a decreased, but stable, nanoLuc activity. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 269:131864. [PMID: 38692549 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131864] [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: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
NanoLuc (NLuc) luciferase has found extensive application in designing a range of biological assays, including gene expression analysis, protein-protein interaction, and protein conformational changes due to its enhanced brightness and small size. However, questions related to its mechanism of interaction with the substrate, furimazine, as well as bioluminescence activity remain elusive. Here, we combined molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and mutational analysis to show that the R162A mutation results in a decreased but stable bioluminescence activity of NLuc in living cells and in vitro. Specifically, we performed multiple, all-atom, explicit solvent MD simulations of the apo and furimazine-docked (holo) NLuc structures revealing differential dynamics of the protein in the absence and presence of the ligand. Further, analysis of trajectories for hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) formed between NLuc and furimazine revealed substantial H-bond interaction between R162 and Q32 residues. Mutation of the two residues in NLuc revealed a decreased but stable activity of the R162A, but not Q32A, mutant NLuc in live cell and in vitro assays performed using lysates prepared from cells expressing the proteins and with the furimazine substrate. In addition to highlighting the role of the R162 residue in NLuc activity, we believe that the mutant NLuc will find wide application in designing in vitro assays requiring extended monitoring of NLuc bioluminescence activity. SIGNIFICANCE: Bioluminescence has been extensively utilized in developing a variety of biological and biomedical assays. In this regard, engineering of brighter bioluminescent proteins, i.e. luciferases, has played a significant role. This is acutely exemplified by the engineering of the NLuc luciferase, which is small in size and displays much enhanced bioluminescence and thermal stability compared to previously available luciferases. While enhanced bioluminescent activity is desirable in a multitude of biological and biomedical assays, it would also be useful to develop variants of the protein that display a prolonged bioluminescence activity. This is specifically relevant in designing assays that require bioluminescence for extended periods, such as in the case of biosensors designed for monitoring slow enzymatic or cellular signaling reactions, without necessitating multiple rounds of luciferase substrate addition or any specialized reagents that result in increased assay costs. In the current manuscript, we report a mutant NLuc that possesses a stable and prolonged bioluminescence activity, albeit lower than the wild-type NLuc, and envisage a wider application of the mutant NLuc in designing biosensors for monitoring slower biological and biomedical events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesam S Ahmed
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - Anupriya M Geethakumari
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - Asfia Sultana
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - Asma Fatima
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - Angelin M Philip
- Division of Genomics and Translational Biomedicine, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - S M Nasir Uddin
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - Kabir H Biswas
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar.
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17
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Decker JT, Hall MS, Nanua D, Orbach SM, Roy J, Angadi A, Caton J, Hesse L, Jeruss JS, Shea LD. Dynamic Transcriptional Programs During Single NK Cell Killing: Connecting Form to Function in Cellular Immunotherapy. Cell Mol Bioeng 2024; 17:177-188. [PMID: 39050513 PMCID: PMC11263395 DOI: 10.1007/s12195-024-00812-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Natural killer (NK) cell-based therapies are a promising new method for treating indolent cancer, however engineering new therapies is complex and progress towards therapy for solid tumors is slow. New methods for determining the underlying intracellular signaling driving the killing phenotype would significantly improve this progress. Methods We combined single-cell RNA sequencing with live cell imaging of a model system of NK cell killing to correlate transcriptomic data with functional output. A model of NK cell activity, the NK-92 cell line killing of HeLa cervical cancer cells, was used for these studies. NK cell killing activity was observed by microscopy during co-culture with target HeLa cells and killing activity subsequently manually mapped based on NK cell location and Annexin V expression. NK cells from this culture system were profiled by single-cell RNA sequencing using the 10× Genomics platform, and transcription factor activity inferred using the Viper and DoRothEA R packages. Luminescent microscopy of reporter constructs in the NK cells was then used to correlate activity of inferred transcriptional activity with killing activity. Results NK cells had heterogeneous killing activity during 10 h of culture with target HeLa cells. Analysis of the single cell sequencing data identified Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-κB), Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 1 (STAT1) and MYC activity as potential drivers of NK cell functional phenotype in our model system. Live cell imaging of the transcription factor activity found NF-κB activity was significantly correlated with past killing activity. No correlation was observed between STAT1 or MYC activity and NK cell killing. Conclusions Combining luminescent microscopy of transcription factor activity with single-cell RNA sequencing is an effective means of assigning functional phenotypes to inferred transcriptomics data. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12195-024-00812-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph T. Decker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 1600 Huron Parkway, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
- Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences, and Endodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Matthew S. Hall
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 1600 Huron Parkway, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Devak Nanua
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 1600 Huron Parkway, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Sophia M. Orbach
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 1600 Huron Parkway, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028 USA
| | - Jyotirmoy Roy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 1600 Huron Parkway, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Amogh Angadi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 1600 Huron Parkway, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Julianna Caton
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 1600 Huron Parkway, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Lauren Hesse
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 1600 Huron Parkway, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Jacqueline S. Jeruss
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 1600 Huron Parkway, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Lonnie D. Shea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 1600 Huron Parkway, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
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18
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Loveland AB, Koh CS, Ganesan R, Jacobson A, Korostelev AA. Structural mechanism of angiogenin activation by the ribosome. Nature 2024; 630:769-776. [PMID: 38718836 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07508-8] [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: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/15/2024]
Abstract
Angiogenin, an RNase-A-family protein, promotes angiogenesis and has been implicated in cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and epigenetic inheritance1-10. After activation during cellular stress, angiogenin cleaves tRNAs at the anticodon loop, resulting in translation repression11-15. However, the catalytic activity of isolated angiogenin is very low, and the mechanisms of the enzyme activation and tRNA specificity have remained a puzzle3,16-23. Here we identify these mechanisms using biochemical assays and cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Our study reveals that the cytosolic ribosome is the activator of angiogenin. A cryo-EM structure features angiogenin bound in the A site of the 80S ribosome. The C-terminal tail of angiogenin is rearranged by interactions with the ribosome to activate the RNase catalytic centre, making the enzyme several orders of magnitude more efficient in tRNA cleavage. Additional 80S-angiogenin structures capture how tRNA substrate is directed by the ribosome into angiogenin's active site, demonstrating that the ribosome acts as the specificity factor. Our findings therefore suggest that angiogenin is activated by ribosomes with a vacant A site, the abundance of which increases during cellular stress24-27. These results may facilitate the development of therapeutics to treat cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna B Loveland
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
| | - Cha San Koh
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Robin Ganesan
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Allan Jacobson
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
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19
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Baginska U, Balagura G, Toonen RF, Verhage M. High-throughput assay for regulated secretion of neuropeptides in mouse and human neurons. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107321. [PMID: 38677517 PMCID: PMC11170154 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107321] [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: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuropeptides are the largest group of chemical signals in the brain. More than 100 different neuropeptides modulate various brain functions and their dysregulation has been associated with neurological disorders. Neuropeptides are packed into dense core vesicles (DCVs), which fuse with the plasma membrane in a calcium-dependent manner. Here, we describe a novel high-throughput assay for DCV exocytosis using a chimera of Nanoluc luciferase and the DCV-cargo neuropeptide Y (NPY). The NPY-Nanoluc reporter colocalized with endogenous DCV markers in all neurons with little mislocalization to other cellular compartments. NPY-Nanoluc reported DCV exocytosis in both rodent and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived human neurons, with similar depolarization, Ca2+, RAB3, and STXBP1/MUNC18 dependence as low-throughput assays. Moreover, NPY-Nanoluc accurately reported modulation of DCV exocytosis by known modulators diacylglycerol analog and Ca2+ channel blocker and showed a higher assay sensitivity than a widely used single-cell low-throughput assay. Lastly, we showed that Nanoluc coupled to other secretory markers reports on constitutive secretion. In conclusion, the NPY-Nanoluc is a sensitive reporter of DCV exocytosis in mammalian neurons, suitable for pharmacological and genomic screening for DCV exocytosis genes and for mechanism-based treatments for central nervous system disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urszula Baginska
- Department of Functional Genomics, Faculty of Exact Science, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ganna Balagura
- Department of Functional Genomics, Faculty of Exact Science, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, and Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS 'G. Gaslini' Institute, Genoa, Italy
| | - Ruud F Toonen
- Department of Functional Genomics, Faculty of Exact Science, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthijs Verhage
- Department of Functional Genomics, Faculty of Exact Science, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Human Genetics, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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20
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Russo F, Civili B, Winssinger N. Bright Red Bioluminescence from Semisynthetic NanoLuc (sNLuc). ACS Chem Biol 2024; 19:1035-1039. [PMID: 38717306 PMCID: PMC11106743 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.4c00033] [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: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Red-shifted bioluminescence is highly desirable for diagnostic and imaging applications. Herein, we report a semisynthetic NanoLuc (sNLuc) based on complementation of a split NLuc (LgBiT) with a synthetic peptide (SmBiT) functionalized with a fluorophore for BRET emission. We observed exceptional BRET ratios with diverse fluorophores, notably in the red (I674/I450 > 14), with a brightness that is sufficient for naked eye detection in blood or through tissues. To exemplify its utility, LgBiT was fused to a miniprotein that binds HER2 (affibody, ZHER2), and the selective detection of HER2+ SK-BR-3 cells over HER2- HeLa cells was demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Russo
- Department of Organic Chemistry,
Faculty of Sciences, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Beatrice Civili
- Department of Organic Chemistry,
Faculty of Sciences, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Winssinger
- Department of Organic Chemistry,
Faculty of Sciences, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
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21
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Bradley SA, Hansson FG, Lehka BJ, Rago D, Pinho P, Peng H, Adhikari KB, Haidar AK, Hansen LG, Volkova D, Holtz M, Muyo Abad S, Ma X, Koudounas K, Besseau S, Gautron N, Mélin C, Marc J, Birer Williams C, Courdavault V, Jensen ED, Keasling JD, Zhang J, Jensen MK. Yeast Platforms for Production and Screening of Bioactive Derivatives of Rauwolscine. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:1498-1512. [PMID: 38635307 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.4c00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Monoterpene indole alkaloids (MIAs) make up a highly bioactive class of metabolites produced by a range of tropical and subtropical plants. The corynanthe-type MIAs are a stereochemically complex subclass with therapeutic potential against a large number of indications including cancer, psychotic disorders, and erectile dysfunction. Here, we report yeast-based cell factories capable of de novo production of corynanthe-type MIAs rauwolscine, yohimbine, tetrahydroalstonine, and corynanthine. From this, we demonstrate regioselective biosynthesis of 4 fluorinated derivatives of these compounds and de novo biosynthesis of 7-chlororauwolscine by coexpression of a halogenase with the biosynthetic pathway. Finally, we capitalize on the ability of these cell factories to produce derivatives of these bioactive scaffolds to establish a proof-of-principle drug discovery pipeline in which the corynanthe-type MIAs are screened for bioactivity on human drug targets, expressed in yeast. In doing so, we identify antagonistic and agonistic behavior against the human adrenergic G protein-coupled receptors ADRA2A and ADRA2B, and the serotonergic receptor 5HT4b, respectively. This study thus demonstrates a proto-drug discovery pipeline for bioactive plant-inspired small molecules based on one-pot biocatalysis of natural and new-to-nature corynanthe-type MIAs in yeast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel A Bradley
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Frederik G Hansson
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Beata J Lehka
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Daniela Rago
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Pedro Pinho
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Huadong Peng
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Khem B Adhikari
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Ahmad K Haidar
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Lea G Hansen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
- Biomia ApS, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Daria Volkova
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Maxence Holtz
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Sergi Muyo Abad
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Xin Ma
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Konstantinos Koudounas
- EA2106 Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales, Université de Tours, F-37200 Tours, France
| | - Sébastien Besseau
- EA2106 Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales, Université de Tours, F-37200 Tours, France
| | - Nicolas Gautron
- EA2106 Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales, Université de Tours, F-37200 Tours, France
| | - Céline Mélin
- EA2106 Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales, Université de Tours, F-37200 Tours, France
| | - Jillian Marc
- EA2106 Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales, Université de Tours, F-37200 Tours, France
| | - Caroline Birer Williams
- EA2106 Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales, Université de Tours, F-37200 Tours, France
| | - Vincent Courdavault
- EA2106 Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales, Université de Tours, F-37200 Tours, France
| | - Emil D Jensen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Jay D Keasling
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, California 94608,United States
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720,United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Center for Synthetic Biochemistry, Institute for Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technologies, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
- Biomia ApS, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael K Jensen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
- Biomia ApS, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
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22
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King CR, Dodge MJ, MacNeil KM, Tessier TM, Mymryk JS, Mehle A. Expanding the adenovirus toolbox: reporter viruses for studying the dynamics of human adenovirus replication. J Virol 2024; 98:e0020724. [PMID: 38639487 PMCID: PMC11092356 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00207-24] [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: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
To streamline standard virological assays, we developed a suite of nine fluorescent or bioluminescent replication competent human species C5 adenovirus reporter viruses that mimic their parental wild-type counterpart. These reporter viruses provide a rapid and quantitative readout of various aspects of viral infection and replication based on EGFP, mCherry, or NanoLuc measurement. Moreover, they permit real-time non-invasive measures of viral load, replication dynamics, and infection kinetics over the entire course of infection, allowing measurements that were not previously possible. This suite of replication competent reporter viruses increases the ease, speed, and adaptability of standard assays and has the potential to accelerate multiple areas of human adenovirus research.IMPORTANCEIn this work, we developed a versatile toolbox of nine HAdV-C5 reporter viruses and validated their functions in cell culture. These reporter viruses provide a rapid and quantitative readout of various aspects of viral infection and replication based on EGFP, mCherry, or NanoLuc measurement. The utility of these reporter viruses could also be extended for use in 3D cell culture, organoids, live cell imaging, or animal models, and provides a conceptual framework for the development of new reporter viruses representing other clinically relevant HAdV species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cason R. King
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Mackenzie J. Dodge
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Katelyn M. MacNeil
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tanner M. Tessier
- Division of Protective Immunity, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Joe S. Mymryk
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- London Regional Cancer Program, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew Mehle
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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23
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Desroches Altamirano C, Kang MK, Jordan MA, Borianne T, Dilmen I, Gnädig M, von Appen A, Honigmann A, Franzmann TM, Alberti S. eIF4F is a thermo-sensing regulatory node in the translational heat shock response. Mol Cell 2024; 84:1727-1741.e12. [PMID: 38547866 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.02.038] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Heat-shocked cells prioritize the translation of heat shock (HS) mRNAs, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. We report that HS in budding yeast induces the disassembly of the eIF4F complex, where eIF4G and eIF4E assemble into translationally arrested mRNA ribonucleoprotein particles (mRNPs) and HS granules (HSGs), whereas eIF4A promotes HS translation. Using in vitro reconstitution biochemistry, we show that a conformational rearrangement of the thermo-sensing eIF4A-binding domain of eIF4G dissociates eIF4A and promotes the assembly with mRNA into HS-mRNPs, which recruit additional translation factors, including Pab1p and eIF4E, to form multi-component condensates. Using extracts and cellular experiments, we demonstrate that HS-mRNPs and condensates repress the translation of associated mRNA and deplete translation factors that are required for housekeeping translation, whereas HS mRNAs can be efficiently translated by eIF4A. We conclude that the eIF4F complex is a thermo-sensing node that regulates translation during HS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Desroches Altamirano
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Tatzberg 47/49, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Moo-Koo Kang
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Tatzberg 47/49, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Mareike A Jordan
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Tom Borianne
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Tatzberg 47/49, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Irem Dilmen
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Tatzberg 47/49, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Maren Gnädig
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Tatzberg 47/49, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Alexander von Appen
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Alf Honigmann
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Tatzberg 47/49, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Titus M Franzmann
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Tatzberg 47/49, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Simon Alberti
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Tatzberg 47/49, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
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24
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Gonzalez-de-Miguel J, Montero-Blay A, Ciampi L, Rodriguez-Arce I, Serrano L. Developing a platform for secretion of biomolecules in Mycoplasma feriruminatoris. Microb Cell Fact 2024; 23:124. [PMID: 38689251 PMCID: PMC11059754 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-024-02392-3] [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: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Having a simple and fast dividing organism capable of producing and exposing at its surface or secreting functional complex biomolecules with disulphide bridges is of great interest. The mycoplasma bacterial genus offers a set of relevant properties that make it an interesting chassis for such purposes, the main one being the absence of a cell wall. However, due to their slow growth, they have rarely been considered as a potential platform in this respect. This notion may be challenged with the recent discovery of Mycoplasma feriruminatoris, a species with a dividing time close to that of common microbial workhorses. So far, no tools for heterologous protein expression nor secretion have been described for it. RESULTS The work presented here develops the fast-dividing M. feriruminatoris as a tool for secreting functional biomolecules of therapeutic interest that could be used for screening functional mutants as well as potentially for protein-protein interactions. Based on RNAseq, quantitative proteomics and promoter sequence comparison we have rationally designed optimal promoter sequences. Then, using in silico analysis, we have identified putative secretion signals that we validated using a luminescent reporter. The potential of the resulting secretion cassette has been shown with set of active clinically relevant proteins (interleukins and nanobodies). CONCLUSIONS We have engineered Mycoplasma feriruminatoris for producing and secreting functional proteins of medical interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Gonzalez-de-Miguel
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
| | - Ariadna Montero-Blay
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
- Orikine Bio, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
| | - Ludovica Ciampi
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Irene Rodriguez-Arce
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona, 08003, Spain.
| | - Luis Serrano
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona, 08003, Spain.
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.
- ICREA, Pg. Lluis Companys 23, Barcelona, 08010, Spain.
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25
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Mazzocco C, Genevois C, Li Q, Doudnikoff E, Dutheil N, Leste-Lasserre T, Arotcarena ML, Bezard E. In vivo bioluminescence imaging of the intracerebral fibroin-controlled AAV-α-synuclein diffusion for monitoring the central nervous system and peripheral expression. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9710. [PMID: 38678103 PMCID: PMC11055870 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60613-6] [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: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Among the several animal models of α-synucleinopathies, the well-known viral vector-mediated delivery of wild-type or mutated (A53T) α-synuclein requires new tools to increase the lesion in mice and follow up in vivo expression. To this end, we developed a bioluminescent expression reporter of the human A53T-α-synuclein gene using the NanoLuc system into an AAV2/9, embedded or not in a fibroin solution to stabilise its expression in space and time. We first verified the expression of the fused protein in vitro on transfected cells by bioluminescence and Western blotting. Next, two groups of C57Bl6Jr mice were unilaterally injected with the AAV-NanoLuc-human-A53T-α-synuclein above the substantia nigra combined (or not) with fibroin. We first show that the in vivo cerebral bioluminescence signal was more intense in the presence of fibroin. Using immunohistochemistry, we find that the human-A53T-α-synuclein protein is more restricted to the ipsilateral side with an overall greater magnitude of the lesion when fibroin was added. However, we also detected a bioluminescence signal in peripheral organs in both conditions, confirmed by the presence of viral DNA corresponding to the injected AAV in the liver using qPCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Mazzocco
- Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Univ. de Bordeaux, 33000, Bordeaux, France
- Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CNRS, 33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Coralie Genevois
- VIVOPTIC-TBM-Core Univ Bordeaux, UAR 3427, 33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Qin Li
- Motac Neuroscience, Manchester, M15 6WE, UK
| | - Evelyne Doudnikoff
- Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Univ. de Bordeaux, 33000, Bordeaux, France
- Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CNRS, 33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Nathalie Dutheil
- Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Univ. de Bordeaux, 33000, Bordeaux, France
- Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CNRS, 33000, Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Marie-Laure Arotcarena
- Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Univ. de Bordeaux, 33000, Bordeaux, France
- Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CNRS, 33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Erwan Bezard
- Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Univ. de Bordeaux, 33000, Bordeaux, France.
- Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CNRS, 33000, Bordeaux, France.
- Motac Neuroscience, Manchester, M15 6WE, UK.
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26
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Deichmann M, Hansson FG, Jensen ED. Yeast-based screening platforms to understand and improve human health. Trends Biotechnol 2024:S0167-7799(24)00095-7. [PMID: 38677901 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.04.003] [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: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Detailed molecular understanding of the human organism is essential to develop effective therapies. Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been used extensively for acquiring insights into important aspects of human health, such as studying genetics and cell-cell communication, elucidating protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks, and investigating human G protein-coupled receptor (hGPCR) signaling. We highlight recent advances and opportunities of yeast-based technologies for cost-efficient chemical library screening on hGPCRs, accelerated deciphering of PPI networks with mating-based screening and selection, and accurate cell-cell communication with human immune cells. Overall, yeast-based technologies constitute an important platform to support basic understanding and innovative applications towards improving human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Deichmann
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Frederik G Hansson
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Emil D Jensen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
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27
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Dolberg TB, Gunnels TF, Ling T, Sarnese KA, Crispino JD, Leonard JN. Building Synthetic Biosensors Using Red Blood Cell Proteins. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:1273-1289. [PMID: 38536408 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00754] [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: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
As the use of engineered cell therapies expands from pioneering efforts in cancer immunotherapy to other applications, an attractive but less explored approach is the use of engineered red blood cells (RBCs). Compared to other cells, RBCs have a very long circulation time and reside in the blood compartment, so they could be ideally suited for applications as sentinel cells that enable in situ sensing and diagnostics. However, we largely lack tools for converting RBCs into biosensors. A unique challenge is that RBCs remodel their membranes during maturation, shedding many membrane components, suggesting that an RBC-specific approach may be needed. Toward addressing this need, here we develop a biosensing architecture built on RBC membrane proteins that are retained through erythropoiesis. This biosensor employs a mechanism in which extracellular ligand binding is transduced into intracellular reconstitution of a split output protein (including either a fluorophore or an enzyme). By comparatively evaluating a range of biosensor architectures, linker types, scaffold choices, and output signals, we identify biosensor designs and design features that confer substantial ligand-induced signal in vitro. Finally, we demonstrate that erythroid precursor cells engineered with our RBC-protein biosensors function in vivo. This study establishes a foundation for developing RBC-based biosensors that could ultimately address unmet needs including noninvasive monitoring of physiological signals for a range of diagnostic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor B Dolberg
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Taylor F Gunnels
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Te Ling
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105-3678, United States
| | - Kelly A Sarnese
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - John D Crispino
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105-3678, United States
| | - Joshua N Leonard
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Training Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Member, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
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28
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Brunderová M, Havlíček V, Matyašovský J, Pohl R, Poštová Slavětínská L, Krömer M, Hocek M. Expedient production of site specifically nucleobase-labelled or hypermodified RNA with engineered thermophilic DNA polymerases. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3054. [PMID: 38594306 PMCID: PMC11004144 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47444-9] [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: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Innovative approaches to controlled nucleobase-modified RNA synthesis are urgently needed to support RNA biology exploration and to synthesize potential RNA therapeutics. Here we present a strategy for enzymatic construction of nucleobase-modified RNA based on primer-dependent engineered thermophilic DNA polymerases - SFM4-3 and TGK. We demonstrate introduction of one or several different base-modified nucleotides in one strand including hypermodified RNA containing all four modified nucleotides bearing four different substituents, as well as strategy for primer segment removal. We also show facile site-specific or segmented introduction of fluorophores or other functional groups at defined positions in variety of RNA molecules, including structured or long mRNA. Intriguing translation efficacy of single-site modified mRNAs underscores the necessity to study isolated modifications placed at designer positions to disentangle their biological effects and enable development of improved mRNA therapeutics. Our toolbox paves the way for more precise dissecting RNA structures and functions, as well as for construction of diverse types of base-functionalized RNA for therapeutic applications and diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mária Brunderová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam. 2, CZ-16000, Prague, 6, Czech Republic
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 8, CZ-12843, Prague, 2, Czech Republic
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Vojtěch Havlíček
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam. 2, CZ-16000, Prague, 6, Czech Republic
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 8, CZ-12843, Prague, 2, Czech Republic
| | - Ján Matyašovský
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam. 2, CZ-16000, Prague, 6, Czech Republic
| | - Radek Pohl
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam. 2, CZ-16000, Prague, 6, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Poštová Slavětínská
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam. 2, CZ-16000, Prague, 6, Czech Republic
| | - Matouš Krömer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam. 2, CZ-16000, Prague, 6, Czech Republic.
- The Rosalind Franklin Institute, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK.
| | - Michal Hocek
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam. 2, CZ-16000, Prague, 6, Czech Republic.
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 8, CZ-12843, Prague, 2, Czech Republic.
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29
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Hannula L, Kuivanen S, Lasham J, Kant R, Kareinen L, Bogacheva M, Strandin T, Sironen T, Hepojoki J, Sharma V, Saviranta P, Kipar A, Vapalahti O, Huiskonen JT, Rissanen I. Nanobody engineering for SARS-CoV-2 neutralization and detection. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0419922. [PMID: 38363137 PMCID: PMC10986514 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04199-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the quest for coronavirus inhibitors has inspired research on a variety of small proteins beyond conventional antibodies, including robust single-domain antibody fragments, i.e., "nanobodies." Here, we explore the potential of nanobody engineering in the development of antivirals and diagnostic tools. Through fusion of nanobody domains that target distinct binding sites, we engineered multimodular nanobody constructs that neutralize wild-type SARS-CoV-2 and the Alpha and Delta variants at high potency, with IC50 values as low as 50 pM. Despite simultaneous binding to distinct epitopes, Beta and Omicron variants were more resistant to neutralization by the multimodular nanobodies, which highlights the importance of accounting for antigenic drift in the design of biologics. To further explore the applications of nanobody engineering in outbreak management, we present an assay based on fusions of nanobodies with fragments of NanoLuc luciferase that can detect sub-nanomolar quantities of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in a single step. Our work showcases the potential of nanobody engineering to combat emerging infectious diseases. IMPORTANCE Nanobodies, small protein binders derived from the camelid antibody, are highly potent inhibitors of respiratory viruses that offer several advantages over conventional antibodies as candidates for specific therapies, including high stability and low production costs. In this work, we leverage the unique properties of nanobodies and apply them as building blocks for new therapeutic and diagnostic tools. We report ultra-potent SARS-CoV-2 inhibition by engineered nanobodies comprising multiple modules in structure-guided combinations and develop nanobodies that carry signal molecules, allowing rapid detection of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Our results highlight the potential of engineered nanobodies in the development of effective countermeasures, both therapeutic and diagnostic, to manage outbreaks of emerging viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liina Hannula
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Suvi Kuivanen
- Department of Virology, Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jonathan Lasham
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ravi Kant
- Department of Virology, Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Tropical Parasitology, Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdynia, Poland
| | - Lauri Kareinen
- Department of Virology, Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mariia Bogacheva
- Department of Virology, Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), Helsinki Institute of Life Sciences (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tomas Strandin
- Department of Virology, Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tarja Sironen
- Department of Virology, Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jussi Hepojoki
- Department of Virology, Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Vivek Sharma
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Petri Saviranta
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., Espoo, Finland
| | - Anja Kipar
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Laboratory for Animal Model Pathology, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Olli Vapalahti
- Department of Virology, Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- HUSLAB, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Juha T. Huiskonen
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ilona Rissanen
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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30
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Treschow AF, Valente MJ, Lauschke K, Holst B, Andersen AR, Vinggaard AM. Investigating the applicability domain of the hiPSC-based PluriLum assay: an embryotoxicity assessment of chemicals and drugs. Arch Toxicol 2024; 98:1209-1224. [PMID: 38311648 PMCID: PMC10944425 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-023-03675-1] [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] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
To meet the growing demand for developmental toxicity assessment of chemicals, New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) are needed. Previously, we developed two 3D in vitro assays based on human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) and cardiomyocyte differentiation: the PluriBeat assay, based on assessment of beating differentiated embryoid bodies, and the PluriLum assay, a reporter gene assay based on the expression of the early cardiac marker NKX2.5; both promising assays for predicting embryotoxic effects of chemicals and drugs. In this work, we aimed to further describe the predictive power of the PluriLum assay and compare its sensitivity with PluriBeat and similar human stem cell-based assays developed by others. For this purpose, we assessed the toxicity of a panel of ten chemicals from different chemical classes, consisting of the known developmental toxicants 5-fluorouracil, all-trans retinoic acid and valproic acid, as well as the negative control compounds ascorbic acid and folic acid. In addition, the fungicides epoxiconazole and prochloraz, and three perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), PFOS, PFOA and GenX were tested. Generally, the PluriLum assay displayed higher sensitivity when compared to the PluriBeat assay. For several compounds the luminescence readout of the PluriLum assay showed effects not detected by the PluriBeat assay, including two PFAS compounds and the two fungicides. Overall, we find that the PluriLum assay has the potential to provide a fast and objective detection of developmental toxicants and has a level of sensitivity that is comparable to or higher than other in vitro assays also based on human stem cells and cardiomyocyte differentiation for assessment of developmental toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Frederik Treschow
- Cell Toxicology Team, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Maria João Valente
- Cell Toxicology Team, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Karin Lauschke
- Cell Toxicology Team, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- Cell Therapy TRU, Novo Nordisk A/S, Måløv, Denmark
| | | | - Anders Reenberg Andersen
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Anne Marie Vinggaard
- Cell Toxicology Team, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
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31
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Porta-de-la-Riva M, Morales-Curiel LF, Carolina Gonzalez A, Krieg M. Bioluminescence as a functional tool for visualizing and controlling neuronal activity in vivo. NEUROPHOTONICS 2024; 11:024203. [PMID: 38348359 PMCID: PMC10861157 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.11.2.024203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
The use of bioluminescence as a reporter for physiology in neuroscience is as old as the discovery of the calcium-dependent photon emission of aequorin. Over the years, luciferases have been largely replaced by fluorescent reporters, but recently, the field has seen a renaissance of bioluminescent probes, catalyzed by unique developments in imaging technology, bioengineering, and biochemistry to produce luciferases with previously unseen colors and intensity. This is not surprising as the advantages of bioluminescence make luciferases very attractive for noninvasive, longitudinal in vivo observations without the need of an excitation light source. Here, we review how the development of dedicated and specific sensor-luciferases afforded, among others, transcranial imaging of calcium and neurotransmitters, or cellular metabolites and physical quantities such as forces and membrane voltage. Further, the increased versatility and light output of luciferases have paved the way for a new field of functional bioluminescence optogenetics, in which the photon emission of the luciferase is coupled to the gating of a photosensor, e.g., a channelrhodopsin and we review how they have been successfully used to engineer synthetic neuronal connections. Finally, we provide a primer to consider important factors in setting up functional bioluminescence experiments, with a particular focus on the genetic model Caenorhabditis elegans, and discuss the leading challenges that the field needs to overcome to regain a competitive advantage over fluorescence modalities. Together, our paper caters to experienced users of bioluminescence as well as novices who would like to experience the advantages of luciferases in their own hand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montserrat Porta-de-la-Riva
- ICFO—Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luis-Felipe Morales-Curiel
- ICFO—Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adriana Carolina Gonzalez
- ICFO—Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michael Krieg
- ICFO—Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
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32
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McCarty SM, Clasby MC, Sexton JZ. High-Throughput Methods for the Discovery of Small Molecule Modulators of Pancreatic Beta-Cell Function and Regeneration. Assay Drug Dev Technol 2024; 22:148-159. [PMID: 38526231 PMCID: PMC11236284 DOI: 10.1089/adt.2023.119] [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: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The progression of type II diabetes (T2D) is characterized by a complex and highly variable loss of beta-cell mass, resulting in impaired insulin secretion. Many T2D drug discovery efforts aimed at discovering molecules that can protect or restore beta-cell mass and function have been developed using limited beta-cell lines and primary rodent/human pancreatic islets. Various high-throughput screening methods have been used in the context of drug discovery, including luciferase-based reporter assays, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, and high-content screening. In this context, a cornerstone of small molecule discovery has been the use of immortalized rodent beta-cell lines. Although insightful, this usage has led to a more comprehensive understanding of rodent beta-cell proliferation pathways rather than their human counterparts. Advantages gained in enhanced physiological relevance are offered by three-dimensional (3D) primary islets and pseudoislets in contrast to monolayer cultures, but these approaches have been limited to use in low-throughput experiments. Emerging methods, such as high-throughput 3D islet imaging coupled with machine learning, aim to increase the feasibility of integrating 3D microtissue structures into high-throughput screening. This review explores the current methods used in high-throughput screening for small molecule modulators of beta-cell mass and function, a potentially pivotal strategy for diabetes drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean M. McCarty
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Martin C. Clasby
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jonathan Z. Sexton
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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33
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Pan T, Su L, Zhang Y, Xu L, Chen Y. Advances in Bio-Optical Imaging Systems for Spatiotemporal Monitoring of Intestinal Bacteria. Mol Nutr Food Res 2024; 68:e2300760. [PMID: 38491399 DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.202300760] [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: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Vast and complex intestinal communities are regulated and balanced through interactions with their host organisms, and disruption of gut microbial balance can cause a variety of diseases. Studying the mechanisms of pathogenic intestinal flora in the host and early detection of bacterial translocation and colonization can guide clinical diagnosis, provide targeted treatments, and improve patient prognosis. The use of in vivo imaging techniques to track microorganisms in the intestine, and study structural and functional changes of both cells and proteins, may clarify the governing equilibrium between the flora and host. Despite the recent rapid development of in vivo imaging of intestinal microecology, determining the ideal methodology for clinical use remains a challenge. Advances in optics, computer technology, and molecular biology promise to expand the horizons of research and development, thereby providing exciting opportunities to study the spatio-temporal dynamics of gut microbiota and the origins of disease. Here, this study reviews the characteristics and problems associated with optical imaging techniques, including bioluminescence, conventional fluorescence, novel metabolic labeling methods, nanomaterials, intelligently activated imaging agents, and photoacoustic (PA) imaging. It hopes to provide a valuable theoretical basis for future bio-intelligent imaging of intestinal bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongtong Pan
- Hepatology Diagnosis and Treatment Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University & Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Liver Diseases, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Lihuang Su
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Yiying Zhang
- Alberta Institute, Wenzhou Medical University, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Liang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Yongping Chen
- Hepatology Diagnosis and Treatment Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University & Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Liver Diseases, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
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34
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Choi G, Kang H, Suh JS, Lee H, Han K, Yoo G, Jo H, Shin YM, Kim TJ, Youn B. Novel Estrogen Receptor Dimerization BRET-Based Biosensors for Screening Estrogenic Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals. Biomater Res 2024; 28:0010. [PMID: 38464469 PMCID: PMC10923609 DOI: 10.34133/bmr.0010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The increasing prevalence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in our environment is a growing concern, with numerous studies highlighting their adverse effects on the human endocrine system. Among the EDCs, estrogenic endocrine-disrupting chemicals (eEDCs) are exogenous compounds that perturb estrogenic hormone function by interfering with estrogen receptor (ER) homo (α/α, β/β) or hetero (α/β) dimerization. To date, a comprehensive screening approach for eEDCs affecting all ER dimer forms in live cells is lacking. Here, we developed ER dimerization-detecting biosensors (ERDDBs), based on bioluminescence resonance energy transfer, for dimerization detection and rapid eEDC identification. To enhance the performance of these biosensors, we determined optimal donor and acceptor locations using computational analysis. Additionally, employing HaloTag as the acceptor and incorporating the P2A peptide as a linker yielded the highest sensitivity among the prototypes. We also established stable cell lines to screen potential ER dimerization inducers among estrogen analogs (EAs). The EAs were categorized through cross-comparison of ER dimer responses, utilizing EC values derived from a standard curve established with 17β-estradiol. We successfully classified 26 of 72 EAs, identifying which ER dimerization types they induce. Overall, our study underscores the effectiveness of the optimized ERDDB for detecting ER dimerization and its applicability in screening and identifying eEDCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyuho Choi
- Department of Integrated Biological Science,
Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunkoo Kang
- Department of Integrated Biological Science,
Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Soo Suh
- Department of Integrated Biological Science,
Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Haksoo Lee
- Department of Integrated Biological Science,
Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Kiseok Han
- Department of Integrated Biological Science,
Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Gaeun Yoo
- Department of Integrated Biological Science,
Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyejin Jo
- Food Safety Risk Assessment Division,
National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Cheongju 28159, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeong Min Shin
- Food Safety Risk Assessment Division,
National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Cheongju 28159, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Jin Kim
- Department of Integrated Biological Science,
Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biological Sciences,
Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Systems Biology,
Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
- Nuclear Science Research Institute,
Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - BuHyun Youn
- Department of Integrated Biological Science,
Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biological Sciences,
Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
- Nuclear Science Research Institute,
Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
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35
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Xu C, Zhou Y, Liu Y, Lin L, Liu P, Wang X, Xu Z, Pin JP, Rondard P, Liu J. Specific pharmacological and G i/o protein responses of some native GPCRs in neurons. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1990. [PMID: 38443355 PMCID: PMC10914727 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46177-z] [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: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest family of membrane proteins and are important drug targets. The discovery of drugs targeting these receptors and their G protein signaling properties are based on assays mainly performed with modified receptors expressed in heterologous cells. However, GPCR responses may differ in their native environment. Here, by using highly sensitive Gi/o sensors, we reveal specific properties of Gi/o protein-mediated responses triggered by GABAB, α2 adrenergic and cannabinoid CB1 receptors in primary neurons, different from those in heterologous cells. These include different profiles in the Gi/o protein subtypes-mediated responses, and differences in the potencies of some ligands even at similar receptor expression levels. Altogether, our results show the importance of using biosensors compatible with primary cells for evaluating the activities of endogenous GPCRs in their native environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chanjuan Xu
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Bioland Laboratory, Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, 510005, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiwei Zhou
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Kindstar Global Precision Medicine Institute, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuxuan Liu
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Li Lin
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Peng Liu
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaomei Wang
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhengyuan Xu
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jean-Philippe Pin
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 34094, Montpellier, France.
| | - Philippe Rondard
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 34094, Montpellier, France.
| | - Jianfeng Liu
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- Bioland Laboratory, Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, 510005, Guangzhou, China.
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36
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Pardue EJ, Sartorio MG, Jana B, Scott NE, Beatty WL, Ortiz-Marquez JC, Van Opijnen T, Hsu FF, Potter RF, Feldman MF. Dual membrane-spanning anti-sigma factors regulate vesiculation in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2321910121. [PMID: 38422018 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2321910121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteroidota are abundant members of the human gut microbiota that shape the enteric landscape by modulating host immunity and degrading dietary- and host-derived glycans. These processes are mediated in part by Outer Membrane Vesicles (OMVs). Here, we developed a high-throughput screen to identify genes required for OMV biogenesis and its regulation in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (Bt). We identified a family of Dual membrane-spanning anti-sigma factors (Dma) that control OMV biogenesis. We conducted molecular and multiomic analyses to demonstrate that deletion of Dma1, the founding member of the Dma family, modulates OMV production by controlling the activity of the ECF21 family sigma factor, Das1, and its downstream regulon. Dma1 has a previously uncharacterized domain organization that enables Dma1 to span both the inner and outer membrane of Bt. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that this common feature of the Dma family is restricted to the phylum Bacteroidota. This study provides mechanistic insights into the regulation of OMV biogenesis in human gut bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan J Pardue
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110
| | - Mariana G Sartorio
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110
| | - Biswanath Jana
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110
| | - Nichollas E Scott
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Wandy L Beatty
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110
| | | | | | - Fong-Fu Hsu
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Lipid Research, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110
| | - Robert F Potter
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110
| | - Mario F Feldman
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110
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37
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Yu L, Liu Z, Xu W, Jin K, Liu J, Zhu X, Zhang Y, Wu Y. Towards overcoming obstacles of type II photodynamic therapy: Endogenous production of light, photosensitizer, and oxygen. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:1111-1131. [PMID: 38486983 PMCID: PMC10935104 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.11.007] [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: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Conventional photodynamic therapy (PDT) approaches face challenges including limited light penetration, low uptake of photosensitizers by tumors, and lack of oxygen in tumor microenvironments. One promising solution is to internally generate light, photosensitizers, and oxygen. This can be accomplished through endogenous production, such as using bioluminescence as an endogenous light source, synthesizing genetically encodable photosensitizers in situ, and modifying cells genetically to express catalase enzymes. Furthermore, these strategies have been reinforced by the recent rapid advancements in synthetic biology. In this review, we summarize and discuss the approaches to overcome PDT obstacles by means of endogenous production of excitation light, photosensitizers, and oxygen. We envision that as synthetic biology advances, genetically engineered cells could act as precise and targeted "living factories" to produce PDT components, leading to enhanced performance of PDT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Yu
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200433, China
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Kai Jin
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Jinliang Liu
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Xiaohui Zhu
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yihan Wu
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200433, China
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38
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Lawer A, Schulz L, Sawyer R, Liu X. Harmony of Protein Tags and Chimeric Molecules Empowers Targeted Protein Ubiquitination and Beyond. Cells 2024; 13:426. [PMID: 38474390 DOI: 10.3390/cells13050426] [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: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are crucial mechanisms that underlie the intricacies of biological systems and disease mechanisms. This review focuses on the latest advancements in the design of heterobifunctional small molecules that hijack PTM machineries for target-specific modifications in living systems. A key innovation in this field is the development of proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), which promote the ubiquitination of target proteins for proteasomal degradation. The past decade has seen several adaptations of the PROTAC concept to facilitate targeted (de)phosphorylation and acetylation. Protein fusion tags have been particularly vital in these proof-of-concept studies, aiding in the investigation of the functional roles of post-translationally modified proteins linked to diseases. This overview delves into protein-tagging strategies that enable the targeted modulation of ubiquitination, phosphorylation, and acetylation, emphasizing the synergies and challenges of integrating heterobifunctional molecules with protein tags in PTM research. Despite significant progress, many PTMs remain to be explored, and protein tag-assisted PTM-inducing chimeras will continue to play an important role in understanding the fundamental roles of protein PTMs and in exploring the therapeutic potential of manipulating protein modifications, particularly for targets not yet addressed by existing drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aggie Lawer
- School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
- Heart Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Newtown, NSW 2042, Australia
| | - Luke Schulz
- School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Renata Sawyer
- School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
- Heart Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Newtown, NSW 2042, Australia
| | - Xuyu Liu
- School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
- Heart Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Newtown, NSW 2042, Australia
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Mikheil D, Larsen MA, Hsiao K, Murray NH, Ugo T, Wang H, Goueli SA. A bioluminescent and homogeneous assay for monitoring GPCR-mediated cAMP modulation and PDE activity. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4440. [PMID: 38396287 PMCID: PMC10891162 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55038-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
3',5'-Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), the first identified second messenger, is implicated in diverse cellular processes involving cellular metabolism, cell proliferation and differentiation, apoptosis, and gene expression. cAMP is synthesized by adenylyl cyclase (AC), which converts ATP to cAMP upon activation of Gαs-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) in most cases and hydrolyzed by cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) to 5'-AMP. Dysregulation of cAMP signaling is implicated in a wide range of pathophysiological conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative and behavioral disorders, cancers, diabetes, obesity, cataracts, and others. Therefore, cAMP targeted therapies have been and are still undergoing intense investigation for the treatment of these and other diseases. This highlights the need for developing assays to detect and monitor cAMP levels. In this study, we show cAMP Lumit assay as a highly specific homogeneous bioluminescent assay suitable for high throughput screenings with a large assay window and a wide dynamic range for cAMP detection. We believe that this assay will aid and simplify drug discovery screening efforts for cAMP signaling targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dareen Mikheil
- Promega Corporation, 2800 Woods Hollow Road, Madison, WI, 53711, USA
| | - Matthew A Larsen
- Promega Biosciences, 277 Granada Drive, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401, USA
| | - Kevin Hsiao
- Promega Corporation, 2800 Woods Hollow Road, Madison, WI, 53711, USA
| | - Nathan H Murray
- Promega Corporation, 2800 Woods Hollow Road, Madison, WI, 53711, USA
| | - Tim Ugo
- Promega Biosciences, 277 Granada Drive, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401, USA
| | - Hui Wang
- Promega Biosciences, 277 Granada Drive, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401, USA
| | - Said A Goueli
- Promega Corporation, 2800 Woods Hollow Road, Madison, WI, 53711, USA.
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40
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Miao P, Zhou JM, Wang W. A self-assembling split Nano luciferase-based assay for investigating Pseudomonas syringae effector secretion. STRESS BIOLOGY 2024; 4:14. [PMID: 38363371 PMCID: PMC10873255 DOI: 10.1007/s44154-024-00152-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Many Gram-negative pathogens employ the type III secretion system (T3SS) to deliver effector proteins into host cells, thereby modulating host cellular processes and suppressing host immunity to facilitate pathogenesis and colonization. In this study, we developed a straightforward, rapid, and quantitative method for detecting T3SS-mediated translocation of Pseudomonas syringae effectors using a self-assembling split Nano luciferase (Nluc)-based reporter system. It was demonstrated that this system can detect effector secretion in vitro with an exceptionally high signal-to-noise ratio and sensitivity, attributed to the strong affinity between the split domains of Nluc and the intense luminescence generated by functional Nluc. During natural infections, effectors fused to a small C-terminal fragment of Nluc were successfully translocated into plant cells and retained their virulence functions. Furthermore, upon infection of plants expressing the N-terminal fragment of Nluc with these P. syringae strains, functional Nluc proteins were spontaneously assembled and produced bright luminescence, demonstrating that this system enables the straightforward and rapid assessment of P. syringae T3SS-mediated effector translocation during natural infections. In conclusion, the self-assembling split Nluc-based reporting system developed in this study is suitable for efficient in vitro and in planta detection of effectors secreted via T3SS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Miao
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Yazhouwan National Laboratory, Sanya, 572024, China
| | - Jian-Min Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Yazhouwan National Laboratory, Sanya, 572024, China
| | - Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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Bouin A, Wu G, Koyuncu OO, Ye Q, Kim KY, Wu MY, Tong L, Chen L, Phan S, Mackey MR, Ramachandra R, Ellisman MH, Holmes TC, Semler BL, Xu X. New rabies viral resources for multi-scale neural circuit mapping. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02451-6. [PMID: 38355784 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02451-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Comparisons and linkage between multiple imaging scales are essential for neural circuit connectomics. Here, we report 20 new recombinant rabies virus (RV) vectors that we have developed for multi-scale and multi-modal neural circuit mapping tools. Our new RV tools for mesoscale imaging express a range of improved fluorescent proteins. Further refinements target specific neuronal subcellular locations of interest. We demonstrate the discovery power of these new tools including the detection of detailed microstructural changes of rabies-labeled neurons in aging and Alzheimer's disease mouse models, live imaging of neuronal activities using calcium indicators, and automated measurement of infected neurons. RVs that encode GFP and ferritin as electron microscopy (EM) and fluorescence microscopy reporters are used for dual EM and mesoscale imaging. These new viral variants significantly expand the scale and power of rabies virus-mediated neural labeling and circuit mapping across multiple imaging scales in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Bouin
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Ginny Wu
- Department Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Orkide O Koyuncu
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Qiao Ye
- Department Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Keun-Young Kim
- The National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research (NCMIR) and the Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Michele Y Wu
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Liqi Tong
- Department Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Lujia Chen
- Department Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Sebastien Phan
- The National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research (NCMIR) and the Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Mason R Mackey
- The National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research (NCMIR) and the Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Ranjan Ramachandra
- The National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research (NCMIR) and the Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Mark H Ellisman
- The National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research (NCMIR) and the Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Todd C Holmes
- Physiology & Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- The Center for Neural Circuit Mapping, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Bert L Semler
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- The Center for Neural Circuit Mapping, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
| | - Xiangmin Xu
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Department Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Department Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- The Center for Neural Circuit Mapping, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
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42
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Fu Q, Yang X, Wang M, Zhu K, Wang Y, Song J. Activatable Probes for Ratiometric Imaging of Endogenous Biomarkers In Vivo. ACS NANO 2024; 18:3916-3968. [PMID: 38258800 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c10659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Dynamic variations in the concentration and abnormal distribution of endogenous biomarkers are strongly associated with multiple physiological and pathological states. Therefore, it is crucial to design imaging systems capable of real-time detection of dynamic changes in biomarkers for the accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of diseases. Recently, ratiometric imaging has emerged as a widely used technique for sensing and imaging of biomarkers due to its advantage of circumventing the limitations inherent to conventional intensity-dependent signal readout methods while also providing built-in self-calibration for signal correction. Here, the recent progress of ratiometric probes and their applications in sensing and imaging of biomarkers are outlined. Ratiometric probes are classified according to their imaging mechanisms, and ratiometric photoacoustic imaging, ratiometric optical imaging including photoluminescence imaging and self-luminescence imaging, ratiometric magnetic resonance imaging, and dual-modal ratiometric imaging are discussed. The applications of ratiometric probes in the sensing and imaging of biomarkers such as pH, reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), glutathione (GSH), gas molecules, enzymes, metal ions, and hypoxia are discussed in detail. Additionally, this Review presents an overview of challenges faced in this field along with future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinrui Fu
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266021, China
| | - Xiao Yang
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266021, China
| | - Mengzhen Wang
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266021, China
| | - Kang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Yin Wang
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266021, China
| | - Jibin Song
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
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Ran C, Pu K. Molecularly generated light and its biomedical applications. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202314468. [PMID: 37955419 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202314468] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Molecularly generated light, referred to here as "molecular light", mainly includes bioluminescence, chemiluminescence, and Cerenkov luminescence. Molecular light possesses unique dual features of being both a molecule and a source of light. Its molecular nature enables it to be delivered as molecules to regions deep within the body, overcoming the limitations of natural sunlight and physically generated light sources like lasers and LEDs. Simultaneously, its light properties make it valuable for applications such as imaging, photodynamic therapy, photo-oxidative therapy, and photobiomodulation. In this review article, we provide an updated overview of the diverse applications of molecular light and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of molecular light across various domains. Lastly, we present forward-looking perspectives on the potential of molecular light in the realms of molecular imaging, photobiological mechanisms, therapeutic applications, and photobiomodulation. While some of these perspectives may be considered bold and contentious, our intent is to inspire further innovations in the field of molecular light applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chongzhao Ran
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Kanyi Pu
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 637459, Singapore, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 308232, Singapore, Singapore
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Rabinowitch I, Colón-Ramos DA, Krieg M. Understanding neural circuit function through synaptic engineering. Nat Rev Neurosci 2024; 25:131-139. [PMID: 38172626 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00777-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Synapses are a key component of neural circuits, facilitating rapid and specific signalling between neurons. Synaptic engineering - the synthetic insertion of new synaptic connections into in vivo neural circuits - is an emerging approach for neural circuit interrogation. This approach is especially powerful for establishing causality in neural circuit structure-function relationships, for emulating synaptic plasticity and for exploring novel patterns of circuit connectivity. Contrary to other approaches for neural circuit manipulation, synaptic engineering targets specific connections between neurons and functions autonomously with no user-controlled external activation. Synaptic engineering has been successfully implemented in several systems and in different forms, including electrical synapses constructed from ectopically expressed connexin gap junction proteins, synthetic optical synapses composed of presynaptic photon-emitting luciferase coupled with postsynaptic light-gated channels, and artificial neuropeptide signalling pathways. This Perspective describes these different methods and how they have been applied, and examines how the field may advance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ithai Rabinowitch
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Daniel A Colón-Ramos
- Wu Tsai Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Michael Krieg
- ICFO - Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Spain
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45
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Apostolidou D, Zhang P, Pandya D, Bock K, Liu Q, Yang W, Marszalek PE. Tandem repeats of highly bioluminescent NanoLuc are refolded noncanonically by the Hsp70 machinery. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e4895. [PMID: 38284490 PMCID: PMC10804678 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4895] [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: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Chaperones are a large family of proteins crucial for maintaining cellular protein homeostasis. One such chaperone is the 70 kDa heat shock protein (Hsp70), which plays a crucial role in protein (re)folding, stability, functionality, and translocation. While the key events in the Hsp70 chaperone cycle are well established, a relatively small number of distinct substrates were repetitively investigated. This is despite Hsp70 engaging with a plethora of cellular proteins of various structural properties and folding pathways. Here we analyzed novel Hsp70 substrates, based on tandem repeats of NanoLuc (Nluc), a small and highly bioluminescent protein with unique structural characteristics. In previous mechanical unfolding and refolding studies, we have identified interesting misfolding propensities of these Nluc-based tandem repeats. In this study, we further investigate these properties through in vitro bulk experiments. Similar to monomeric Nluc, engineered Nluc dyads and triads proved to be highly bioluminescent. Using the bioluminescence signal as the proxy for their structural integrity, we determined that heat-denatured Nluc dyads and triads can be efficiently refolded by the E. coli Hsp70 chaperone system, which comprises DnaK, DnaJ, and GrpE. In contrast to previous studies with other substrates, we observed that Nluc repeats can be efficiently refolded by DnaK and DnaJ, even in the absence of GrpE co-chaperone. Taken together, our study offers a new powerful substrate for chaperone research and raises intriguing questions about the Hsp70 mechanisms, particularly in the context of structurally diverse proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitra Apostolidou
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials ScienceDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUnited States
| | - Pan Zhang
- Department of ChemistryDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUnited States
| | - Devanshi Pandya
- Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUnited States
| | - Kaden Bock
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUnited States
| | - Qinglian Liu
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of MedicineVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUnited States
| | - Weitao Yang
- Department of ChemistryDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUnited States
| | - Piotr E. Marszalek
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials ScienceDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUnited States
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46
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Pan S, Mou C, Chen Z. Red recombination enables a wide variety of markerless manipulation of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus genome to generate recombinant virus. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 13:1338740. [PMID: 38317792 PMCID: PMC10839022 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1338740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a member of the genera Alphacoronavirus that has been associated with acute watery diarrhea and vomiting in swine. Unfortunately, no effective vaccines and antiviral drugs for PEDV are currently available. Reverse genetics systems are crucial tools for these researches. Here, a PEDV full-length cDNA clone was constructed. Furtherly, three PEDV reporter virus plasmids containing red fluorescent protein (RFP), Nano luciferase (Nluc), or green fluorescence protein (GFP) were generated using Red recombination with the GS1783 E. coli strain. These reporter-expressing recombinant (r) PEDVs showed similar growth properties to the rPEDV, and the foreign genes were stable to culture up to P9 in Vero cells. Using the Nluc-expressing rPEDV, the replication of PEDV was easily quantified, and a platform for rapid anti-PEDV drug screening was constructed. Among the three drugs, Bergenin, Umifenovir hydrochloride (Arbidol), and Ganoderma lucidum triterpenoids (GLTs), we found that GLTs inhibited PEDV replication mainly after the stage of virus "Entry". Overall, this study will broaden insight into the method for manipulating the PEDV genome and provide a powerful tool for screening anti-PEDV agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuonan Pan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Chunxiao Mou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Zhenhai Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
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Mazurov D, Herschhorn A. Ultrasensitive quantification of HIV-1 cell-to-cell transmission in primary human CD4 + T cells measures viral sensitivity to broadly neutralizing antibodies. mBio 2024; 15:e0242823. [PMID: 38063394 PMCID: PMC10790777 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02428-23] [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: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE HIV-1 can efficiently transmit from one cell to another but accurate quantification of this mode of transmission is still challenging. Here, we developed an ultrasensitive assay to measure HIV-1 transmission between cells and to evaluate HIV-1 escape from broadly neutralizing antibodies in primary human T cells. This assay will contribute to understanding the fundamental mechanisms of HIV-1 cell-to-cell transmission, allow evaluation of pre-existing or acquired HIV-1 resistance in clinical trials, and can be adapted to study the biology of other retroviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitriy Mazurov
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Alon Herschhorn
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Institute for Molecular Virology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Institute for Engineering in Medicine, Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- The College of Veterinary Medicine Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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Wu S, Xu J, Chen W, Wang F, Tan X, Zou X, Zhou W, Huang W, Zheng Y, Wang S, Yan S. Protein nanoscaffold enables programmable nanobody-luciferase immunoassembly for sensitive and simultaneous detection of aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 462:132701. [PMID: 37839380 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Mycotoxins produced by fungi can contaminate various foods and pose significant health risks. Ensuring food safety demands rapid, highly sensitive analytical techniques. One-step Bioluminescent Enzyme Immunoassays (BLEIAs) employing nanobody-nanoluciferase fusion proteins have recently garnered attention for operational simplicity and heightened sensitivity. Nevertheless, fixed nanobody:nanoluciferase ratios in fusion proteins restrict the customization and sensitivity of traditional BLEIAs. In this study, we present a Scaffold Assembly-based BLEIA (SA-BLEIA) that overcomes these limitations through the programmable conjugation of nanobodies and luciferases onto 60-meric protein nanoscaffolds using SpyTag/SpyCatcher linkages. These nanoscaffolds facilitate the adjustable coupling of anti-aflatoxin B1 and anti-ochratoxin A nanobodies with luciferases, optimizing nanobody/luciferase ratios and diversifying specificities. Compared to conventional methods, SA-BLEIA demonstrates considerably elevated sensitivity for detecting both toxins. The elevated local concentration of luciferase significantly amplifies bioluminescence intensity, permitting reduced substrate consumption and cost-effective detection. The usage of dual-nanobody conjugates facilitates the quantification or simultaneous detection of both mycotoxins in a single test with shared reagents. The assay exhibits exceptional recovery rates in spiked cereal samples, strongly correlating with outcomes from commercial ELISA kits. Overall, this adaptable, highly sensitive, cost-effective, and multiplexed immunoassay underscores the potential of tunable scaffold assembly as a promising avenue for advancing bioanalytical diagnostic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaowen Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization, Agro-biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Jintao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization, Agro-biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Crop Germplasm Resources, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Wenxing Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization, Agro-biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Fenghua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization, Agro-biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Xiaoliang Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization, Agro-biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Xinlu Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization, Agro-biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Weijie Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization, Agro-biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Wenjie Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization, Agro-biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Yixiong Zheng
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Crop Germplasm Resources, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Shihua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Shijuan Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization, Agro-biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
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49
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Köppke J, Keller LE, Stuck M, Arnow ND, Bannert N, Doellinger J, Cingöz O. Direct translation of incoming retroviral genomes. Nat Commun 2024; 15:299. [PMID: 38182622 PMCID: PMC10770327 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44501-7] [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: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Viruses that carry a positive-sense, single-stranded (+ssRNA) RNA translate their genomes soon after entering the host cell to produce viral proteins, with the exception of retroviruses. A distinguishing feature of retroviruses is reverse transcription, where the +ssRNA genome serves as a template to synthesize a double-stranded DNA copy that subsequently integrates into the host genome. As retroviral RNAs are produced by the host cell transcriptional machinery and are largely indistinguishable from cellular mRNAs, we investigated the potential of incoming retroviral genomes to directly express proteins. Here we show through multiple, complementary methods that retroviral genomes are translated after entry. Our findings challenge the notion that retroviruses require reverse transcription to produce viral proteins. Synthesis of retroviral proteins in the absence of productive infection has significant implications for basic retrovirology, immune responses and gene therapy applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Köppke
- Robert Koch Institute, Department of Infectious Diseases, Unit of Sexually Transmitted Bacterial Pathogens and HIV (FG18), Berlin, Germany
| | - Luise-Elektra Keller
- Robert Koch Institute, Department of Infectious Diseases, Unit of Sexually Transmitted Bacterial Pathogens and HIV (FG18), Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Cardiovascular Regeneration, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Michelle Stuck
- Robert Koch Institute, Department of Infectious Diseases, Unit of Sexually Transmitted Bacterial Pathogens and HIV (FG18), Berlin, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nicolas D Arnow
- Robert Koch Institute, Department of Infectious Diseases, Unit of Sexually Transmitted Bacterial Pathogens and HIV (FG18), Berlin, Germany
| | - Norbert Bannert
- Robert Koch Institute, Department of Infectious Diseases, Unit of Sexually Transmitted Bacterial Pathogens and HIV (FG18), Berlin, Germany
| | - Joerg Doellinger
- Robert Koch Institute, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Proteomics and Spectroscopy (ZBS6), Berlin, Germany
| | - Oya Cingöz
- Robert Koch Institute, Department of Infectious Diseases, Unit of Sexually Transmitted Bacterial Pathogens and HIV (FG18), Berlin, Germany.
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50
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Hatfield BM, Weidmann CA, Weeks KM. Measuring Proximity-Mediated Function of mRNA Regulatory Proteins by Engineered Tethering. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2723:143-159. [PMID: 37824069 PMCID: PMC10621603 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3481-3_9] [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: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
A powerful approach for studying the functional consequences of site-specific RNA-protein interactions is to artificially tether a protein to a messenger (or noncoding) RNA through a selective, high-affinity interaction. We share a strategy for evaluating the contribution of protein positioning within an mRNA on gene expression. We introduced an RNA hairpin recognition site for the MS2 coat protein into the untranslated regions or coding sequence of mRNAs expressing a luminescent reporter protein, NanoLuc. Effector proteins fused to the MS2 coat protein could thus be targeted to distinct regions across the mRNA. We illustrate this approach using ZFP36L2, which recruits the CCR4-NOT complex for poly(A) tail deadenylation. Tethering ZFP36L2 to the 3'-UTR decreased NanoLuc expression, as expected, given the known interaction of this adapter protein with adenine uridine-rich elements (AREs). Intriguingly, ZFP36L2 also decreased NanoLuc expression when bound within the coding sequence, revealing that ZFP36L2-and potentially many other mRNA regulatory proteins-can function when targeted to diverse locations within an mRNA. This multi-target tethering strategy enables exploration of the interplay between mRNA-protein proximity and gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breanne M Hatfield
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Chase A Weidmann
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Center for RNA Biomedicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Kevin M Weeks
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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