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Mackie ERR, Barrow AS, Giel MC, Hulett MD, Gendall AR, Panjikar S, Soares da Costa TP. Repurposed inhibitor of bacterial dihydrodipicolinate reductase exhibits effective herbicidal activity. Commun Biol 2023; 6:550. [PMID: 37217566 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04895-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Herbicide resistance represents one of the biggest threats to our natural environment and agricultural sector. Thus, new herbicides are urgently needed to tackle the rise in herbicide-resistant weeds. Here, we employed a novel strategy to repurpose a 'failed' antibiotic into a new and target-specific herbicidal compound. Specifically, we identified an inhibitor of bacterial dihydrodipicolinate reductase (DHDPR), an enzyme involved in lysine biosynthesis in plants and bacteria, that exhibited no antibacterial activity but severely attenuated germination of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We confirmed that the inhibitor targets plant DHDPR orthologues in vitro, and exhibits no toxic effects against human cell lines. A series of analogues were then synthesised with improved efficacy in germination assays and against soil-grown A. thaliana. We also showed that our lead compound is the first lysine biosynthesis inhibitor with activity against both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous weed species, by demonstrating its effectiveness at reducing the germination and growth of Lolium rigidum (rigid ryegrass) and Raphanus raphanistrum (wild radish). These results provide proof-of-concept that DHDPR inhibition may represent a much-needed new herbicide mode of action. Furthermore, this study exemplifies the untapped potential of repurposing 'failed' antibiotic scaffolds to fast-track the development of herbicide candidates targeting the respective plant enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R R Mackie
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, Urrbrae, SA, 5064, Australia
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Andrew S Barrow
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, Urrbrae, SA, 5064, Australia
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Marie-Claire Giel
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Mark D Hulett
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Anthony R Gendall
- Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Research Hub for Medicinal Agriculture, AgriBio, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
- Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Santosh Panjikar
- Australian Synchrotron, ANSTO, 800 Blackburn Road, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Tatiana P Soares da Costa
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, Urrbrae, SA, 5064, Australia.
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
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Swan J, Sakthivel D, Beddoe T, Stear M, Piedrafita D, Preston S. Evaluation of the Role of Galectins in Parasite Immunity. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2442:475-515. [PMID: 35320542 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2055-7_26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Galectin-11 (LGALS-11) and galectin-14 (LGALS-14) are ruminant specific galectins, first reported in sheep. Although their roles in parasite immunity are still being elucidated, it appears that they influence protection against parasites. In gastrointestinal infections with the nematode Haemonchus contortus, both galectin-11 and galectin-14 appear to be protective. However, in a chronic infection of liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica, these galectins may aid parasite survival. To unravel the structural, functional, and ligand profile of galectin-11 and galectin-14, recombinant production of these proteins is vital. Here we present the recombinant production of soluble galectin-11 and galectin-14 from domestic sheep for in vitro and structural biology studies. These methods include parasite cultivation and infection, galectin staining of host and parasite tissue, surface staining of parasites with recombinant galectins, pull-down assays to identify endogenous galectin binding proteins, and in vitro assays to monitor the effect of galectins on parasite development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaclyn Swan
- Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Science and Centre for Agri Bioscience (Agri Bio), La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Dhanasekaran Sakthivel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Travis Beddoe
- Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Science and Centre for Agri Bioscience (Agri Bio), La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Michael Stear
- Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Science and Centre for Agri Bioscience (Agri Bio), La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - David Piedrafita
- School of Science, Psychology and Sport, Federation University Australia, Mt Helen, VIC, Australia
| | - Sarah Preston
- School of Science, Psychology and Sport, Federation University Australia, Mt Helen, VIC, Australia.
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Gabius HJ, Cudic M, Diercks T, Kaltner H, Kopitz J, Mayo KH, Murphy PV, Oscarson S, Roy R, Schedlbauer A, Toegel S, Romero A. What is the Sugar Code? Chembiochem 2021; 23:e202100327. [PMID: 34496130 PMCID: PMC8901795 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
A code is defined by the nature of the symbols, which are used to generate information‐storing combinations (e. g. oligo‐ and polymers). Like nucleic acids and proteins, oligo‐ and polysaccharides are ubiquitous, and they are a biochemical platform for establishing molecular messages. Of note, the letters of the sugar code system (third alphabet of life) excel in coding capacity by making an unsurpassed versatility for isomer (code word) formation possible by variability in anomery and linkage position of the glycosidic bond, ring size and branching. The enzymatic machinery for glycan biosynthesis (writers) realizes this enormous potential for building a large vocabulary. It includes possibilities for dynamic editing/erasing as known from nucleic acids and proteins. Matching the glycome diversity, a large panel of sugar receptors (lectins) has developed based on more than a dozen folds. Lectins ‘read’ the glycan‐encoded information. Hydrogen/coordination bonding and ionic pairing together with stacking and C−H/π‐interactions as well as modes of spatial glycan presentation underlie the selectivity and specificity of glycan‐lectin recognition. Modular design of lectins together with glycan display and the nature of the cognate glycoconjugate account for the large number of post‐binding events. They give an entry to the glycan vocabulary its functional, often context‐dependent meaning(s), hereby building the dictionary of the sugar code.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans-Joachim Gabius
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Veterinärstr. 13, 80539, Munich, Germany
| | - Maré Cudic
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, Florida, 33431, USA
| | - Tammo Diercks
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Bizkaia Technology Park, Building 801 A, 48160, Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Herbert Kaltner
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Veterinärstr. 13, 80539, Munich, Germany
| | - Jürgen Kopitz
- Institute of Pathology, Department of Applied Tumor Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 224, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kevin H Mayo
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Paul V Murphy
- CÚRAM - SFI Research Centre for Medical Devices and the, School of Chemistry, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, H91 TK33, Ireland
| | - Stefan Oscarson
- Centre for Synthesis and Chemical Biology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - René Roy
- Département de Chimie et Biochimie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Case Postale 888, Succ. Centre-Ville Montréal, Québec, H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Andreas Schedlbauer
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Bizkaia Technology Park, Building 801 A, 48160, Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Stefan Toegel
- Karl Chiari Lab for Orthopaedic Biology, Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Antonio Romero
- Department of Structural and Chemical Biology, CIB Margarita Salas, CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040, Madrid, Spain
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Donskow-Łysoniewska K, Maruszewska-Cheruiyot M, Stear M. The interaction of host and nematode galectins influences the outcome of gastrointestinal nematode infections. Parasitology 2021; 148:648-654. [PMID: 33461629 PMCID: PMC11010190 DOI: 10.1017/s003118202100007x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Galectins are a family of proteins that bind β-galactosides and play key roles in a variety of cellular processes including host defence. They have been well studied in hosts but less so in gastrointestinal nematodes. Both host and parasite galectins are present in the gastrointestinal tract following infection. Parasite galectins can both bind antibody, especially highly glycosylated IgE and be bound by antibody. Parasite galectins may act as molecular sponges that soak up antibody. Host galectins promote mast cell degranulation while parasite galectins inhibit degranulation. Host and parasite galectins can also bind mucins and influence mucus viscosity. As the protective response against gastrointestinal nematode infection is partly dependent on IgE mediated mast cell degranulation and mucus, the interactions between host and parasite galectins play key roles in determining the outcome of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Donskow-Łysoniewska
- Laboratory of Parasitology, General Karol Kaczkowski Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Kozielska 4, 01-163Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marta Maruszewska-Cheruiyot
- Laboratory of Parasitology, General Karol Kaczkowski Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Kozielska 4, 01-163Warsaw, Poland
| | - Michael Stear
- Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Science, Agribio, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC3086, Australia
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