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Qu J, Xu Y, Zhao S, Xiong L, Jing J, Lui S, Huang J, Shi H. The biological impact of deuterium and therapeutic potential of deuterium-depleted water. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1431204. [PMID: 39104389 PMCID: PMC11298373 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1431204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Since its discovery by Harold Urey in 1932, deuterium has attracted increased amounts of attention from the scientific community, with many previous works aimed to uncover its biological effects on living organisms. Existing studies indicate that deuterium, as a relatively rare isotope, is indispensable for maintaining normal cellular function, while its enrichment and depletion can affect living systems at multiple levels, including but not limited to molecules, organelles, cells, organs, and organisms. As an important compound of deuterium, deuterium-depleted water (DDW) possess various special effects, including but not limited to altering cellular metabolism and potentially inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, demonstrating anxiolytic-like behavior, enhancing long-term memory in rats, reducing free radical oxidation, regulating lipid metabolism, harmonizing indices related to diabetes and metabolic syndrome, and alleviating toxic effects caused by cadmium, manganese, and other harmful substances, implying its tremendous potential in anticancer, neuroprotective, antiaging, antioxidant, obesity alleviation, diabetes and metabolic syndrome treatment, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification, thereby drawing extensive attention from researchers. This review comprehensively summarizes the latest progress in deuterium acting on living organisms. We start by providing a snapshot of the distribution of deuterium in nature and the tolerance of various organisms to it. Then, we discussed the impact of deuterium excess and deprivation, in the form of deuterium-enriched water (DEW) and deuterium-depleted water (DDW), on living organisms at different levels. Finally, we focused on the potential of DDW as an adjuvant therapeutic agent for various diseases and disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Qu
- Institute of Breast Health Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, China
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yufei Xu
- Institute of Breast Health Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, China
| | - Shuang Zhao
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ling Xiong
- Institute of Breast Health Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Jing
- Institute of Breast Health Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, China
| | - Su Lui
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Juan Huang
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hubing Shi
- Institute of Breast Health Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, China
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Giubertoni G, Bonn M, Woutersen S. D 2O as an Imperfect Replacement for H 2O: Problem or Opportunity for Protein Research? J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:8086-8094. [PMID: 37722111 PMCID: PMC10544019 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c04385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
D2O is commonly used as a solvent instead of H2O in spectroscopic studies of proteins, in particular, in infrared and nuclear-magnetic-resonance spectroscopy. D2O is chemically equivalent to H2O, and the differences, particularly in hydrogen-bond strength, are often ignored. However, replacing solvent water with D2O can affect not only the kinetics but also the structure and stability of biomolecules. Recent experiments have shown that even the mesoscopic structures and the elastic properties of biomolecular assemblies, such as amyloids and protein networks, can be very different in D2O and H2O. We discuss these findings, which probably are just the tip of the iceberg, and which seem to call for obtaining a better understanding of the H2O/D2O-isotope effect on water-water and water-protein interactions. Such improved understanding may change the differences between H2O and D2O as biomolecular solvents from an elephant in the room to an opportunity for protein research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Giubertoni
- Van
’t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mischa Bonn
- Max
Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Sander Woutersen
- Van
’t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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3
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Tong J, Li X, Wang J, He H, Xu T, Zhu K. Bioinspired stability enhancement in deuterium-substituted organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad160. [PMID: 37255848 PMCID: PMC10226519 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
In hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs), the reaction of hydrogens (H) located in the amino group of the organic A-site cations with their neighboring halides plays a central role in degradation. Inspired by the retarded biological activities of cells in heavy water, we replaced the light H atom with its abundant, twice-as-heavy, nonradioactive isotope, deuterium (D) to hamper the motion of H. This D substitution retarded the formation kinetics of the detrimental H halides in Pb-based PSCs, as well as the H bond-mediated oxidation of Sn2+ in Sn-Pb-based narrow-bandgap PSCs, evidenced by accelerated stability studies. A computational study indicated that the zero point energy of D-based formamidinium (FA) is lower than that of pristine FA. In addition, the smaller increase in entropy in D-based FA than in pristine FA accounts for the increased formation free energy of the Sn2+ vacancies, which leads to the retarded oxidation kinetics of Sn2+. In this study, we show that substituting active H with D in organic cations is an effective way to enhance the stability of PSCs without sacrificing photovoltaic (PV) performance. This approach is also adaptable to other stabilizing methods.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jianxin Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115, USA
| | - Haiying He
- To whom correspondence should be addressed: (K.Z.); (T.X.); (H.H.)
| | - Tao Xu
- To whom correspondence should be addressed: (K.Z.); (T.X.); (H.H.)
| | - Kai Zhu
- To whom correspondence should be addressed: (K.Z.); (T.X.); (H.H.)
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4
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Yaglova NV, Timokhina EP, Obernikhin SS, Yaglov VV. Emerging Role of Deuterium/Protium Disbalance in Cell Cycle and Apoptosis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043107. [PMID: 36834518 PMCID: PMC9963022 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043107] [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: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Deuterium, a stable isotope of hydrogen, is a component of water and organic compounds. It is the second most abundant element in the human body after sodium. Although the concentration of deuterium in an organism is much lower than that of protium, a wide variety of morphological, biochemical, and physiological changes are known to occur in deuterium-treated cells, including changes in fundamental processes such as cell division or energy metabolism. The mode and degree of changes in cells and tissues, both with an increase and a decrease in the concentration of deuterium, depends primarily on the time of exposure, as well as on the concentration. The reviewed data show that plant and animal cells are sensitive to deuterium content. Any shifts in the D/H balance outside or inside cells promote immediate responses. The review summarizes reported data on the proliferation and apoptosis of normal and neoplastic cells in different modes of deuteration and deuterium depletion in vivo and in vitro. The authors propose their own concept of the effects of changes in deuterium content in the body on cell proliferation and death. The altered rate of proliferation and apoptosis indicate a pivotal role of the hydrogen isotope content in living organisms and suggest the presence of a D/H sensor, which is yet to be detected.
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5
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Jiang C, Liu Y, Wang L, Lu F. Interaction between Heavy Water and Single-Strand DNA: A SERS Study. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27186023. [PMID: 36144761 PMCID: PMC9505314 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27186023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The structure and function of biological macromolecules change due to intermolecular deuterium bond formation or deuterium substitution with environmental D2O. In this study, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) was used to detect interaction sites between D2O and ssDNA and their action mechanisms. SERS peaks of ssDNA changed with increasing D2O proportions, and the site of action mainly involved A and G bases, whose number strengthened the interaction between sequences and D2O and hence the SERS peak intensities. Fixing the number of A and G bases prevented changes in their positions from significantly altering the map. We also identified the interaction between ssDNA sequences that easily formed a G-quadruplex structure and D2O. The amplitude of the SERS peak intensity change reflected the ssDNA structural stability and number of active sites. These findings are highly significant for exploring genetic exchanges and mutations and could be used to determine the stability and structural changes of biological macromolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengshun Jiang
- College of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
- College of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China
| | - Yan Liu
- College of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Lianghua Wang
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Feng Lu
- College of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
- College of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Pharmaceutical Metabolite Research, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
- Correspondence:
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6
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Martins ML, Bordallo HN, Mamontov E. Water Dynamics in Cancer Cells: Lessons from Quasielastic Neutron Scattering. Medicina (B Aires) 2022; 58:medicina58050654. [PMID: 35630072 PMCID: PMC9145030 DOI: 10.3390/medicina58050654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The severity of the cancer statistics around the globe and the complexity involving the behavior of cancer cells inevitably calls for contributions from multidisciplinary areas of research. As such, materials science became a powerful asset to support biological research in comprehending the macro and microscopic behavior of cancer cells and untangling factors that may contribute to their progression or remission. The contributions of cellular water dynamics in this process have always been debated and, in recent years, experimental works performed with Quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) brought new perspectives to these discussions. In this review, we address these works and highlight the value of QENS in comprehending the role played by water molecules in tumor cells and their response to external agents, particularly chemotherapy drugs. In addition, this paper provides an overview of QENS intended for scientists with different backgrounds and comments on the possibilities to be explored with the next-generation spectrometers under construction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murillo L. Martins
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Correspondence: (M.L.M.); (E.M.)
| | - Heloisa N. Bordallo
- Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark;
| | - Eugene Mamontov
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Correspondence: (M.L.M.); (E.M.)
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7
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Miettinen TP, Ly KS, Lam A, Manalis SR. Single-cell monitoring of dry mass and dry mass density reveals exocytosis of cellular dry contents in mitosis. eLife 2022; 11:e76664. [PMID: 35535854 PMCID: PMC9090323 DOI: 10.7554/elife.76664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell mass and composition change with cell cycle progression. Our previous work characterized buoyant mass dynamics in mitosis (Miettinen et al., 2019), but how dry mass and cell composition change in mitosis has remained unclear. To better understand mitotic cell growth and compositional changes, we develop a single-cell approach for monitoring dry mass and the density of that dry mass every ~75 s with 1.3% and 0.3% measurement precision, respectively. We find that suspension grown mammalian cells lose dry mass and increase dry mass density following mitotic entry. These changes display large, non-genetic cell-to-cell variability, and the changes are reversed at metaphase-anaphase transition, after which dry mass continues accumulating. The change in dry mass density causes buoyant and dry mass to differ specifically in early mitosis, thus reconciling existing literature on mitotic cell growth. Mechanistically, cells in early mitosis increase lysosomal exocytosis, and inhibition of lysosomal exocytosis decreases the dry mass loss and dry mass density increase in mitosis. Overall, our work provides a new approach for monitoring single-cell dry mass and dry mass density, and reveals that mitosis is coupled to extensive exocytosis-mediated secretion of cellular contents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teemu P Miettinen
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
- MIT Center for Precision Cancer Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Kevin S Ly
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Alice Lam
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Scott R Manalis
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
- MIT Center for Precision Cancer Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
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8
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Cansado J, Soto T, Franco A, Vicente-Soler J, Madrid M. The Fission Yeast Cell Integrity Pathway: A Functional Hub for Cell Survival upon Stress and Beyond. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 8:jof8010032. [PMID: 35049972 PMCID: PMC8781887 DOI: 10.3390/jof8010032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The survival of eukaryotic organisms during environmental changes is largely dependent on the adaptive responses elicited by signal transduction cascades, including those regulated by the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathways. The Cell Integrity Pathway (CIP), one of the three MAPK pathways found in the simple eukaryote fission of yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, shows strong homology with mammalian Extracellular signal-Regulated Kinases (ERKs). Remarkably, studies over the last few decades have gradually positioned the CIP as a multi-faceted pathway that impacts multiple functional aspects of the fission yeast life cycle during unperturbed growth and in response to stress. They include the control of mRNA-stability through RNA binding proteins, regulation of calcium homeostasis, and modulation of cell wall integrity and cytokinesis. Moreover, distinct evidence has disclosed the existence of sophisticated interplay between the CIP and other environmentally regulated pathways, including Stress-Activated MAP Kinase signaling (SAPK) and the Target of Rapamycin (TOR). In this review we present a current overview of the organization and underlying regulatory mechanisms of the CIP in S. pombe, describe its most prominent functions, and discuss possible targets of and roles for this pathway. The evolutionary conservation of CIP signaling in the dimorphic fission yeast S. japonicus will also be addressed.
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9
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Vicente-Soler J, Soto T, Franco A, Cansado J, Madrid M. The Multiple Functions of Rho GTPases in Fission Yeasts. Cells 2021; 10:1422. [PMID: 34200466 PMCID: PMC8228308 DOI: 10.3390/cells10061422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The Rho family of GTPases represents highly conserved molecular switches involved in a plethora of physiological processes. Fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe has become a fundamental model organism to study the functions of Rho GTPases over the past few decades. In recent years, another fission yeast species, Schizosaccharomyces japonicus, has come into focus offering insight into evolutionary changes within the genus. Both fission yeasts contain only six Rho-type GTPases that are spatiotemporally controlled by multiple guanine-nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) and GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs), and whose intricate regulation in response to external cues is starting to be uncovered. In the present review, we will outline and discuss the current knowledge and recent advances on how the fission yeasts Rho family GTPases regulate essential physiological processes such as morphogenesis and polarity, cellular integrity, cytokinesis and cellular differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - José Cansado
- Yeast Physiology Group, Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (J.V.-S.); (T.S.); (A.F.)
| | - Marisa Madrid
- Yeast Physiology Group, Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (J.V.-S.); (T.S.); (A.F.)
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10
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Abstract
Hydrogen to deuterium isotopic substitution has only a minor effect on physical and chemical properties of water and, as such, is not supposed to influence its neutral taste. Here we conclusively demonstrate that humans are, nevertheless, able to distinguish D2O from H2O by taste. Indeed, highly purified heavy water has a distinctly sweeter taste than same-purity normal water and can add to perceived sweetness of sweeteners. In contrast, mice do not prefer D2O over H2O, indicating that they are not likely to perceive heavy water as sweet. HEK 293T cells transfected with the TAS1R2/TAS1R3 heterodimer and chimeric G-proteins are activated by D2O but not by H2O. Lactisole, which is a known sweetness inhibitor acting via the TAS1R3 monomer of the TAS1R2/TAS1R3, suppresses the sweetness of D2O in human sensory tests, as well as the calcium release elicited by D2O in sweet taste receptor-expressing cells. The present multifaceted experimental study, complemented by homology modelling and molecular dynamics simulations, resolves a long-standing controversy about the taste of heavy water, shows that its sweet taste is mediated by the human TAS1R2/TAS1R3 taste receptor, and opens way to future studies of the detailed mechanism of action. Ben Abu, Mason and colleagues use molecular dynamics, cell-based experiments, mouse models, and human subjects to determine that, unlike ordinary water, heavy water tastes sweet to humans, but not mice. Mechanistically, this effect is mediated by the human TAS1R/TAS1R3 sweet taste receptor.
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11
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Abstract
Hydrogen to deuterium isotopic substitution has only a minor effect on physical and chemical properties of water and, as such, is not supposed to influence its neutral taste. Here we conclusively demonstrate that humans are, nevertheless, able to distinguish D2O from H2O by taste. Indeed, highly purified heavy water has a distinctly sweeter taste than same-purity normal water and can add to perceived sweetness of sweeteners. In contrast, mice do not prefer D2O over H2O, indicating that they are not likely to perceive heavy water as sweet. HEK 293T cells transfected with the TAS1R2/TAS1R3 heterodimer and chimeric G-proteins are activated by D2O but not by H2O. Lactisole, which is a known sweetness inhibitor acting via the TAS1R3 monomer of the TAS1R2/TAS1R3, suppresses the sweetness of D2O in human sensory tests, as well as the calcium release elicited by D2O in sweet taste receptor-expressing cells. The present multifaceted experimental study, complemented by homology modelling and molecular dynamics simulations, resolves a long-standing controversy about the taste of heavy water, shows that its sweet taste is mediated by the human TAS1R2/TAS1R3 taste receptor, and opens way to future studies of the detailed mechanism of action.
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12
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de Carli GJ, Contiliani DF, Giuliatti S, Pereira TC. An Animal Able To Tolerate D 2 O. Chembiochem 2020; 22:988-991. [PMID: 33125805 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202000642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
It is possible to gain a deeper insight into the role of water in biology by using physicochemical variant molecules, such as deuterium oxide (D2 O); however, D2 O is toxic to multicellular organisms in high concentrations. By using a unique desiccation-rehydration process, we demonstrate that the anhydrobiotic nematode Panagrolaimus superbus is able to tolerate and proliferate in 99 % D2 O. Moreover, we analysed P. superbus' water-channel protein (aquaporin; AQP), which is associated with dehydration/rehydration, by comparing its primary structure and modelling its tertiary structure in silico. Our data evidence that P. superbus' AQP is an aquaglyceroporin, a class of water channel known to display a wider pore; this helps to explain the rapid and successful organismal influx of D2 O into this species. This is the first demonstration of an animal able to withstand high D2 O levels, thus paving a way for the investigation of the effects D2 O on higher levels of biological organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel José de Carli
- Department of Biology, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil.,Graduate Program of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
| | - Danyel Fernandes Contiliani
- Department of Biology, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil.,Graduate Program of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
| | - Silvana Giuliatti
- Graduate Program of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil.,Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
| | - Tiago Campos Pereira
- Department of Biology, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil.,Graduate Program of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
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Nieto-Domínguez M, Nikel PI. Intersecting Xenobiology and Neometabolism To Bring Novel Chemistries to Life. Chembiochem 2020; 21:2551-2571. [PMID: 32274875 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202000091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The diversity of life relies on a handful of chemical elements (carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur and phosphorus) as part of essential building blocks; some other atoms are needed to a lesser extent, but most of the remaining elements are excluded from biology. This circumstance limits the scope of biochemical reactions in extant metabolism - yet it offers a phenomenal playground for synthetic biology. Xenobiology aims to bring novel bricks to life that could be exploited for (xeno)metabolite synthesis. In particular, the assembly of novel pathways engineered to handle nonbiological elements (neometabolism) will broaden chemical space beyond the reach of natural evolution. In this review, xeno-elements that could be blended into nature's biosynthetic portfolio are discussed together with their physicochemical properties and tools and strategies to incorporate them into biochemistry. We argue that current bioproduction methods can be revolutionized by bridging xenobiology and neometabolism for the synthesis of new-to-nature molecules, such as organohalides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Nieto-Domínguez
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Pablo I Nikel
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
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