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Kumari P, Yadav S, Sarkar S, Satheeshkumar PK. Cleavage of cell junction proteins as a host invasion strategy in leptospirosis. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:119. [PMID: 38204132 PMCID: PMC10781872 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12945-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Infection and invasion are the prerequisites for developing the disease symptoms in a host. While the probable mechanism of host invasion and pathogenesis is known in many pathogens, very little information is available on Leptospira invasion/pathogenesis. For causing systemic infection Leptospira must transmigrate across epithelial barriers, which is the most critical and challenging step. Extracellular and membrane-bound proteases play a crucial role in the invasion process. An extensive search for the proteins experimentally proven to be involved in the invasion process through cell junction cleavage in other pathogens has resulted in identifying 26 proteins. The similarity searches on the Leptospira genome for counterparts of these 26 pathogenesis-related proteins identified at least 12 probable coding sequences. The proteins were either extracellular or membrane-bound with a proteolytic domain to cleave the cell junction proteins. This review will emphasize our current understanding of the pathogenic aspects of host cell junction-pathogenic protein interactions involved in the invasion process. Further, potential candidate proteins with cell junction cleavage properties that may be exploited in the diagnostic/therapeutic aspects of leptospirosis will also be discussed. KEY POINTS: • The review focussed on the cell junction cleavage proteins in bacterial pathogenesis • Cell junction disruptors from Leptospira genome are identified using bioinformatics • The review provides insights into the therapeutic/diagnostic interventions possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preeti Kumari
- Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221005, India
| | - Suhani Yadav
- Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221005, India
| | - Sresha Sarkar
- Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221005, India
| | - Padikara K Satheeshkumar
- Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221005, India.
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2
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Malik A, Kamli MR, Sabir JSM, Rather IA, Phan LT, Kim CB, Manavalan B. APLpred: A machine learning-based tool for accurate prediction and characterization of asparagine peptide lyases using sequence-derived optimal features. Methods 2024; 229:133-146. [PMID: 38944134 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2024.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Asparagine peptide lyase (APL) is among the seven groups of proteases, also known as proteolytic enzymes, which are classified according to their catalytic residue. APLs are synthesized as precursors or propeptides that undergo self-cleavage through autoproteolytic reaction. At present, APLs are grouped into 10 families belonging to six different clans of proteases. Recognizing their critical roles in many biological processes including virus maturation, and virulence, accurate identification and characterization of APLs is indispensable. Experimental identification and characterization of APLs is laborious and time-consuming. Here, we developed APLpred, a novel support vector machine (SVM) based predictor that can predict APLs from the primary sequences. APLpred was developed using Boruta-based optimal features derived from seven encodings and subsequently trained using five machine learning algorithms. After evaluating each model on an independent dataset, we selected APLpred (an SVM-based model) due to its consistent performance during cross-validation and independent evaluation. We anticipate APLpred will be an effective tool for identifying APLs. This could aid in designing inhibitors against these enzymes and exploring their functions. The APLpred web server is freely available at https://procarb.org/APLpred/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adeel Malik
- Institute of Intelligence Informatics Technology, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea
| | - Majid Rasool Kamli
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jamal S M Sabir
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; Center of Excellence in Bionanoscience Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Irfan A Rather
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; Center of Excellence in Bionanoscience Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Le Thi Phan
- Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Integrative Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Bae Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea.
| | - Balachandran Manavalan
- Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Integrative Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
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Withers-Martinez C, George R, Maslen S, Jean L, Hackett F, Skehel M, Blackman MJ. The malaria parasite egress protease SUB1 is activated through precise, plasmepsin X-mediated cleavage of the SUB1 prodomain. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2024; 1868:130665. [PMID: 38969256 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2024.130665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum replicates within red blood cells, then ruptures the cell in a process called egress in order to continue its life cycle. Egress is regulated by a proteolytic cascade involving an essential parasite subtilisin-like serine protease called SUB1. Maturation of SUB1 initiates in the parasite endoplasmic reticulum with autocatalytic cleavage of an N-terminal prodomain (p31), which initially remains non-covalently bound to the catalytic domain, p54. Further trafficking of the p31-p54 complex results in formation of a terminal p47 form of the SUB1 catalytic domain. Recent work has implicated a parasite aspartic protease, plasmepsin X (PMX), in maturation of the SUB1 p31-p54 complex through controlled cleavage of the prodomain p31. METHODS Here we use biochemical and enzymatic analysis to examine the activation of SUB1 by PMX. RESULTS We show that both p31 and p31-p54 are largely dimeric under the relatively acidic conditions to which they are likely exposed to PMX in the parasite. We confirm the sites within p31 that are cleaved by PMX and determine the order of cleavage. We find that cleavage by PMX results in rapid loss of the capacity of p31 to act as an inhibitor of SUB1 catalytic activity and we directly demonstrate that exposure to PMX of recombinant p31-p54 complex activates SUB1 activity. CONCLUSIONS Our results confirm that precise, PMX-mediated cleavage of the SUB1 prodomain activates SUB1 enzyme activity. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE Our findings elucidate the role of PMX in activation of SUB1, a key effector of malaria parasite egress.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roger George
- Structural Biology Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Sarah Maslen
- Proteomics Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Létitia Jean
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Fiona Hackett
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Mark Skehel
- Proteomics Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Michael J Blackman
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK; Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
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Feng H, Jander G. Serine proteinase inhibitors from Nicotiana benthamiana, a nonpreferred host plant, inhibit the growth of Myzus persicae (green peach aphid). PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:4470-4481. [PMID: 38666388 DOI: 10.1002/ps.8148] [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: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) is a severe agricultural crop pest that has developed resistance to most current control methods, requiring the urgent development of novel strategies. Plant proteinase inhibitors (PINs) are small proteins that protect plants against pathogens and/or herbivores, likely by preventing efficient protein digestion. RESULTS We identified 67 protease genes in the transcriptomes of three M. persicae lineages (USDA-Red, G002 and G006). Comparison of gene expression levels in aphid guts and whole aphids showed that several proteases, including a highly expressed serine protease, are significantly overexpressed in the guts. Furthermore, we identified three genes encoding serine protease inhibitors (SerPIN-II1, 2 and 3) in Nicotiana benthamiana, which is a nonpreferred host for M. persicae. Using virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) with a tobacco rattle virus (TRV) vector and overexpression with a turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) vector, we demonstrated that N. benthamiana SerPIN-II1 and SerPIN-II2 cause reduced survival and growth, but do not affect aphid protein content. Likewise, SerPIN-II3 overexpression reduced survival and growth, and serpin-II3 knockout mutations, which we generated using CRISPR/Cas9, increased survival and growth. Protein content was significantly increased in aphids fed on SerPIN-II3 overexpressing plants, yet it was decreased in aphids fed on serpin-II3 mutants. CONCLUSION Our results show that three PIN-IIs from N. benthamiana, a nonpreferred host plant, effectively inhibit M. persicae survival and growth, thereby representing a new resource for the development of aphid-resistant crop plants. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honglin Feng
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University AgCenter, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
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5
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Boukeroui Y, González-Siso MI, DeCastro ME, Arab M, Aissaoui N, Nas F, Saibi ANE, Klouche Khelil N. Characterization, whole-genome sequence analysis, and protease production of a new thermophilic Bacillus licheniformis strain isolated from Debagh hot spring, Algeria. Int Microbiol 2024:10.1007/s10123-024-00569-9. [PMID: 39129036 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-024-00569-9] [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: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 07/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
A new thermophilic strain, designated as Bacillus sp. LMB3902, was isolated from Hammam Debagh, the hottest spring in Algeria (up to 98 °C). This isolate showed high protease production in skim milk media at 55 °C and exhibited significant specific protease activity by using azocasein as a substrate (157.50 U/mg). Through conventional methods, chemotaxonomic characteristics, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and comparative genomic analysis with the closely related strain Bacillus licheniformis DSM 13 (ATCC 14580 T), the isolate Bacillus sp. LMB3902 was identified as a potentially new strain of Bacillus licheniformis. In addition, the gene functions of Bacillus sp. LMB3902 strain were predicted using the Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, Clusters of Orthologous Groups, Non-Redundant Protein Sequence Database, Swiss-Prot, and Pfam databases. The results showed that the genome size of Bacillus sp. LMB3902 was 4.279.557 bp, with an average GC content of 46%. The genome contained 4.760 predicted genes, including 8 rRNAs, 78 tRNAs, and 24 sRNAs. A total of 235 protease genes were annotated including 50 proteases with transmembrane helix structures and eight secreted proteases with signal peptides. Additionally, the majority of secondary metabolites found by antiSMASH platform showed low similarity to identified natural products, such as fengicin (53%), lichenysin (57%), and surfactin (34%), suggesting that this strain may encode for novel uncharacterized natural products which can be useful for biotechnological applications. This study is the first report that describes the complete genome sequence, taxono-genomics, and gene annotation as well as protease production of the Bacillus genus in this hydrothermal vent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmina Boukeroui
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology in Food, Biomedical and Environment (LAMAABE Laboratory), Department of Biology, Faculty of Nature and Life, Earth and Universe Sciences, University of Tlemcen, 13000, Tlemcen, Algeria
| | - María-Isabel González-Siso
- Grupo EXPRELA, Centro Interdisciplinar de Química E Bioloxía (CICA), Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña, 15071 , A Coruña, Spain
| | - María-Eugenia DeCastro
- Grupo EXPRELA, Centro Interdisciplinar de Química E Bioloxía (CICA), Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña, 15071 , A Coruña, Spain
| | - Mounia Arab
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology in Food, Biomedical and Environment (LAMAABE Laboratory), Department of Biology, Faculty of Nature and Life, Earth and Universe Sciences, University of Tlemcen, 13000, Tlemcen, Algeria
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene, 16000, Algiers, Algeria
| | - Nadia Aissaoui
- Laboratory of Sustainable Management of Natural Resources in Arid and Semi Arid Areas (GDRN), Institute of Sciences, University Center of Naâma, 45000, Naâma, Algeria
| | - Fatima Nas
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology in Food, Biomedical and Environment (LAMAABE Laboratory), Department of Biology, Faculty of Nature and Life, Earth and Universe Sciences, University of Tlemcen, 13000, Tlemcen, Algeria
| | - Amina Nour Elhouda Saibi
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology in Food, Biomedical and Environment (LAMAABE Laboratory), Department of Biology, Faculty of Nature and Life, Earth and Universe Sciences, University of Tlemcen, 13000, Tlemcen, Algeria
| | - Nihel Klouche Khelil
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology in Food, Biomedical and Environment (LAMAABE Laboratory), Department of Biology, Faculty of Nature and Life, Earth and Universe Sciences, University of Tlemcen, 13000, Tlemcen, Algeria.
- Laboratory of Experimental Surgery, Dental Surgery Department, Medical Faculty, University of Tlemcen, 13000, Tlemcen, Algeria.
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Monnens TQ, Roux B, Cunnac S, Charbit E, Carrère S, Lauber E, Jardinaud MF, Darrasse A, Arlat M, Szurek B, Pruvost O, Jacques MA, Gagnevin L, Koebnik R, Noël LD, Boulanger A. Comparative transcriptomics reveals a highly polymorphic Xanthomonas HrpG virulence regulon. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:777. [PMID: 39123115 PMCID: PMC11316434 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10684-6] [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: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bacteria of the genus Xanthomonas cause economically significant diseases in various crops. Their virulence is dependent on the translocation of type III effectors (T3Es) into plant cells by the type III secretion system (T3SS), a process regulated by the master response regulator HrpG. Although HrpG has been studied for over two decades, its regulon across diverse Xanthomonas species, particularly beyond type III secretion, remains understudied. RESULTS In this study, we conducted transcriptome sequencing to explore the HrpG regulons of 17 Xanthomonas strains, encompassing six species and nine pathovars, each exhibiting distinct host and tissue specificities. We employed constitutive expression of plasmid-borne hrpG*, which encodes a constitutively active form of HrpG, to induce the regulon. Our findings reveal substantial inter- and intra-specific diversity in the HrpG* regulons across the strains. Besides 21 genes directly involved in the biosynthesis of the T3SS, the core HrpG* regulon is limited to only five additional genes encoding the transcriptional activator HrpX, the two T3E proteins XopR and XopL, a major facility superfamily (MFS) transporter, and the phosphatase PhoC. Interestingly, genes involved in chemotaxis and genes encoding enzymes with carbohydrate-active and proteolytic activities are variably regulated by HrpG*. CONCLUSIONS The diversity in the HrpG* regulon suggests that HrpG-dependent virulence in Xanthomonas might be achieved through several distinct strain-specific strategies, potentially reflecting adaptation to diverse ecological niches. These findings enhance our understanding of the complex role of HrpG in regulating various virulence and adaptive pathways, extending beyond T3Es and the T3SS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Quiroz Monnens
- LIPME, INRAE/CNRS UMR 0441/2594, Université de Toulouse, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse 3, UMR, Castanet-Tolosan, 31320, France
| | - Brice Roux
- LIPME, INRAE/CNRS UMR 0441/2594, Université de Toulouse, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse 3, UMR, Castanet-Tolosan, 31320, France
| | - Sébastien Cunnac
- PHIM, Université de Montpellier, IRD, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro, Montpellier, France
| | - Erika Charbit
- Univ. Angers, Institut Agro, INRAE, IRHS, SFR QUASAV, Angers, F-49000, France
| | - Sébastien Carrère
- LIPME, INRAE/CNRS UMR 0441/2594, Université de Toulouse, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse 3, UMR, Castanet-Tolosan, 31320, France
| | - Emmanuelle Lauber
- LIPME, INRAE/CNRS UMR 0441/2594, Université de Toulouse, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse 3, UMR, Castanet-Tolosan, 31320, France
| | - Marie-Françoise Jardinaud
- LIPME, INRAE/CNRS UMR 0441/2594, Université de Toulouse, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse 3, UMR, Castanet-Tolosan, 31320, France
| | - Armelle Darrasse
- Univ. Angers, Institut Agro, INRAE, IRHS, SFR QUASAV, Angers, F-49000, France
| | - Matthieu Arlat
- LIPME, INRAE/CNRS UMR 0441/2594, Université de Toulouse, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse 3, UMR, Castanet-Tolosan, 31320, France
| | - Boris Szurek
- PHIM, Université de Montpellier, IRD, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Marie-Agnès Jacques
- Univ. Angers, Institut Agro, INRAE, IRHS, SFR QUASAV, Angers, F-49000, France
| | - Lionel Gagnevin
- CIRAD, UMR PVBMT, Saint-Pierre, La Réunion, F-97410, France
- PHIM, Université de Montpellier, IRD, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UMR PHIM, Montpellier, F-34398, France
| | - Ralf Koebnik
- PHIM, Université de Montpellier, IRD, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro, Montpellier, France
| | - Laurent D Noël
- LIPME, INRAE/CNRS UMR 0441/2594, Université de Toulouse, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse 3, UMR, Castanet-Tolosan, 31320, France.
| | - Alice Boulanger
- LIPME, INRAE/CNRS UMR 0441/2594, Université de Toulouse, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse 3, UMR, Castanet-Tolosan, 31320, France.
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Ivanov MV, Kopeykina AS, Gorshkov MV. Reanalysis of DIA Data Demonstrates the Capabilities of MS/MS-Free Proteomics to Reveal New Biological Insights in Disease-Related Samples. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2024; 35:1775-1785. [PMID: 38938158 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.4c00134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Data-independent acquisition (DIA) at the shortened data acquisition time is becoming a method of choice for quantitative proteomic applications requiring high throughput analysis of large cohorts of samples. With the advent of the combination of high resolution mass spectrometry with an asymmetric track lossless analyzer, these DIA capabilities were further extended with the recent demonstration of quantitative analyses at the speed of up to hundreds of samples per day. In particular, the proteomic data for the brain samples related to multiple system atrophy disease were acquired using 7 and 28 min chromatography gradients (Guzman et al., Nat. Biotech. 2024). In this work, we applied the recently introduced DirectMS1 method to reanalysis of these data using only MS1 spectra. Both DirectMS1 and DIA results were matched against long gradient DDA analysis from the earlier study of the same sample cohort. While the quantitation efficiency of DirectMS1 was comparable with DIA on the same data sets, we found an additional five proteins of biological significance relevant to the analyzed tissue samples. Among the findings, DirectMS1 was able to detect decreased caspase activity for Vimentin protein in the multiple system atrophy samples missed by the MS/MS-based quantitation methods. Our study suggests that DirectMS1 can be an efficient MS1-only addition to the analysis of DIA data in high-throughput quantitative proteomic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark V Ivanov
- V. L. Talrose Institute for Energy Problems of Chemical Physics, N. N. Semenov Federal Research Center of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Anna S Kopeykina
- V. L. Talrose Institute for Energy Problems of Chemical Physics, N. N. Semenov Federal Research Center of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Mikhail V Gorshkov
- V. L. Talrose Institute for Energy Problems of Chemical Physics, N. N. Semenov Federal Research Center of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
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Khan F. Multifaceted strategies for alleviating Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection by targeting protease activity: Natural and synthetic molecules. Int J Biol Macromol 2024:134533. [PMID: 39116989 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.134533] [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: 06/10/2024] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa has become a top-priority pathogen in the health sector because it is ubiquitous, has high metabolic/genetic versatility, and is identified as an opportunistic pathogen. The production of numerous virulence factors by P. aeruginosa was reported to act individually or cooperatively to make them robots invasion, adherences, persistence, proliferation, and protection against host immune systems. P. aeruginosa produces various kinds of extracellular proteases such as alkaline protease, protease IV, elastase A, elastase B, large protease A, Pseudomonas small protease, P. aeruginosa aminopeptidase, and MucD. These proteases effectively allow the cells to invade and destroy host cells. Thus, inhibiting these protease activities has been recognized as a promising approach to controlling the infection caused by P. aeruginosa. The present review discussed in detail the characteristics of these proteases and their role in infection to the host system. The second part of the review discussed the recent updates on the multiple strategies for attenuating or inhibiting protease activity. These strategies include the application of natural and synthetic molecules, as well as metallic/polymeric nanomaterials. It has also been reported that a propeptide present in the middle domain of protease IV also attenuates the virulence properties and infection ability of P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fazlurrahman Khan
- Institute of Fisheries Science, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea; Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea; Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea; International Graduate Program of Fisheries Science, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea.
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9
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Chen J, Deng L, Wang X, Zhong C, Xia X, Liu H. Chemosynthetic alphaproteobacterial diazotrophs reside in deep-sea cold-seep bottom waters. mSystems 2024:e0017624. [PMID: 39105582 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00176-24] [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: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Nitrogen (N)-fixing organisms, also known as diazotrophs, play a crucial role in N-limited ecosystems by controlling the production of bioavailable N. The carbon-dominated cold-seep ecosystems are inherently N-limited, making them hotspots of N fixation. However, the knowledge of diazotrophs in cold-seep ecosystems is limited compared to other marine ecosystems. In this study, we used multi-omics to investigate the diversity and catabolism of diazotrophs in deep-sea cold-seep bottom waters. Our findings showed that the relative abundance of diazotrophs in the bacterial community reached its highest level in the cold-seep bottom waters compared to the cold-seep upper waters and non-seep bottom waters. Remarkably, more than 98% of metatranscriptomic reads aligned on diazotrophs in cold-seep bottom waters belonged to the genus Sagittula, an alphaproteobacterium. Its metagenome-assembled genome, named Seep-BW-D1, contained catalytic genes (nifHDK) for nitrogen fixation, and the nifH gene was actively transcribed in situ. Seep-BW-D1 also exhibited chemosynthetic capability to oxidize C1 compounds (methanol, formaldehyde, and formate) and thiosulfate (S2O32-). In addition, we observed abundant transcripts mapped to genes involved in the transport systems for acetate, spermidine/putrescine, and pectin oligomers, suggesting that Seep-BW-D1 can utilize organics from the intermediates synthesized by methane-oxidizing microorganisms, decaying tissues from cold-seep benthic animals, and refractory pectin derived from upper photosynthetic ecosystems. Overall, our study corroborates that carbon-dominated cold-seep bottom waters select for diazotrophs and reveals the catabolism of a novel chemosynthetic alphaproteobacterial diazotroph in cold-seep bottom waters. IMPORTANCE Bioavailable nitrogen (N) is a crucial element for cellular growth and division, and its production is controlled by diazotrophs. Marine diazotrophs contribute to nearly half of the global fixed N and perform N fixation in various marine ecosystems. While previous studies mainly focused on diazotrophs in the sunlit ocean and oxygen minimum zones, recent research has recognized cold-seep ecosystems as overlooked N-fixing hotspots because the seeping fluids in cold-seep ecosystems introduce abundant bioavailable carbon but little bioavailable N, making most cold seeps inherently N-limited. With thousands of cold-seep ecosystems detected at continental margins worldwide in the past decades, the significant role of cold seeps in marine N biogeochemical cycling is emphasized. However, the diazotrophs in cold-seep bottom waters remain poorly understood. Through multi-omics, this study identified a novel alphaproteobacterial chemoheterotroph belonging to Sagittula as one of the most active diazotrophs residing in cold-seep bottom waters and revealed its catabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Chen
- Department of Ocean Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lixia Deng
- Department of Ocean Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Department of Ocean Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Cheng Zhong
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaomin Xia
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Innovation Research Center for Carbon Neutralization, Fujian Key Laboratory of Marine Carbon Sequestration, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Hongbin Liu
- Department of Ocean Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
- Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Hong Kong, China
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10
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Taatjes DJ, Roth J. In focus in HCB. Histochem Cell Biol 2024:10.1007/s00418-024-02315-8. [PMID: 39093410 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-024-02315-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Douglas J Taatjes
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA.
| | - Jürgen Roth
- University of Zurich, CH-8091, Zurich, Switzerland
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Říhová K, Lapčík P, Veselá B, Knopfová L, Potěšil D, Pokludová J, Šmarda J, Matalová E, Bouchal P, Beneš P. Caspase-9 Is a Positive Regulator of Osteoblastic Cell Migration Identified by diaPASEF Proteomics. J Proteome Res 2024; 23:2999-3011. [PMID: 38498986 PMCID: PMC11301665 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00641] [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: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Caspase-9 is traditionally considered the initiator caspase of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. In the past decade, however, other functions beyond initiation/execution of cell death have been described including cell type-dependent regulation of proliferation, differentiation/maturation, mitochondrial, and endosomal/lysosomal homeostasis. As previous studies revealed nonapoptotic functions of caspases in osteogenesis and bone homeostasis, this study was performed to identify proteins and pathways deregulated by knockout of caspase-9 in mouse MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts. Data-independent acquisition-parallel accumulation serial fragmentation (diaPASEF) proteomics was used to compare protein profiles of control and caspase-9 knockout cells. A total of 7669 protein groups were quantified, and 283 upregulated/141 downregulated protein groups were associated with the caspase-9 knockout phenotype. The deregulated proteins were mainly enriched for those associated with cell migration and motility and DNA replication/repair. Altered migration was confirmed in MC3T3-E1 cells with the genetic and pharmacological inhibition of caspase-9. ABHD2, an established regulator of cell migration, was identified as a possible substrate of caspase-9. We conclude that caspase-9 acts as a modulator of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cell migration and, therefore, may be involved in bone remodeling and fracture repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Říhová
- Department
of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
- International
Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s
University Hospital, Brno 602 00, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Lapčík
- Department
of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk
University, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Veselá
- Laboratory
of Odontogenesis and Osteogenesis, Institute of Animal Physiology
and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno 602 00, Czech Republic
| | - Lucia Knopfová
- Department
of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
- International
Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s
University Hospital, Brno 602 00, Czech Republic
| | - David Potěšil
- Proteomics
Core Facility, Central European Institute for Technology, Masaryk University, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Pokludová
- Department
of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
- International
Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s
University Hospital, Brno 602 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Šmarda
- Department
of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Matalová
- Laboratory
of Odontogenesis and Osteogenesis, Institute of Animal Physiology
and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno 602 00, Czech Republic
- Department
of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences, Brno 612 42, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Bouchal
- Department
of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk
University, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Beneš
- Department
of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
- International
Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s
University Hospital, Brno 602 00, Czech Republic
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12
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Pruneda JN, Nguyen JV, Nagai H, Kubori T. Bacterial usurpation of the OTU deubiquitinase fold. FEBS J 2024; 291:3303-3316. [PMID: 36636866 PMCID: PMC10338644 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The extensive cellular signalling events controlled by posttranslational ubiquitination are tightly regulated through the action of specialized proteases termed deubiquitinases. Among them, the OTU family of deubiquitinases can play very specialized roles in the regulation of discrete subtypes of ubiquitin signals that control specific cellular functions. To exert control over host cellular functions, some pathogenic bacteria have usurped the OTU deubiquitinase fold as a secreted virulence factor that interferes with ubiquitination inside infected cells. Herein, we provide a review of the function of bacterial OTU deubiquitinases during infection, the structural basis for their deubiquitinase activities and the bioinformatic approaches leading to their identification. Understanding bacterial OTU deubiquitinases holds the potential for discoveries not only in bacterial pathogenesis but in eukaryotic biology as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan N. Pruneda
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Justine V. Nguyen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Hiroki Nagai
- Department of Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu University, Gifu, Gifu 501-1194, Japan
- Center for One Medicine Innovative Translational Research, Gifu University Institute for Advanced Study, Gifu, Gifu 501-1194, Japan
| | - Tomoko Kubori
- Department of Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu University, Gifu, Gifu 501-1194, Japan
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13
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Mol M, de Maayer P. Elucidating the biotechnological potential of the genera Parageobacillus and Saccharococcus through comparative genomic and pan-genome analysis. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:723. [PMID: 39054411 PMCID: PMC11270796 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10635-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The genus Geobacillus and its associated taxa have been the focal point of numerous thermophilic biotechnological investigations, both at the whole cell and enzyme level. By contrast, comparatively little research has been done on its recently delineated sister genus, Parageobacillus. Here we performed pan-genomic analyses on a subset of publicly available Parageobacillus and Saccharococcus genomes to elucidate their biotechnological potential. RESULTS Phylogenomic analysis delineated the compared taxa into two distinct genera, Parageobacillus and Saccharococcus, with P. caldoxylosilyticus isolates clustering with S. thermophilus in the latter genus. Both genera present open pan-genomes, with the species P. toebii being characterized with the highest novel gene accrual. Diversification of the two genera is driven through the variable presence of plasmids, bacteriophages and transposable elements. Both genera present a range of potentially biotechnologically relevant features, including a source of novel antimicrobials, thermostable enzymes including DNA-active enzymes, carbohydrate active enzymes, proteases, lipases and carboxylesterases. Furthermore, they present a number of metabolic pathways pertinent to degradation of complex hydrocarbons and xenobiotics and for green energy production. CONCLUSIONS Comparative genomic analyses of Parageobacillus and Saccharococcus suggest that taxa in both of these genera can serve as a rich source of biotechnologically and industrially relevant secondary metabolites, thermostable enzymes and metabolic pathways that warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Mol
- School of Molecular & Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2000, South Africa
| | - Pieter de Maayer
- School of Molecular & Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2000, South Africa.
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14
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Gao L, Li H, Liu X, Li H, Li P, Lu W, Xie X, Lv J, Jin J. Humoral immune responses primed by the alteration of gut microbiota were associated with galactose-deficient IgA1 production in IgA nephropathy. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1415026. [PMID: 39104521 PMCID: PMC11298704 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1415026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Galactose-deficient IgA1 (GdIgA1) is critical in the formation of immunodeposits in IgA nephropathy (IgAN), whereas the origin of GdIgA1 is unknown. We focused on the immune response to fecal microbiota in patients with IgAN. Methods By running 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing, we compared IgAN samples to the control samples from household-matched or non-related individuals. Levels of plasma GdIgA1 and poly-IgA complexes were measured, and candidate microbes that can either incite IgA-directed antibody response or degrade IgA through specific IgA protease activities were identified. Results The IgAN group showed a distinct composition of fecal microbiota as compared to healthy controls. Particularly, high abundance of Escherichia-Shigella was associated with the disease group based on analyses using receiver operating characteristic (area under curve, 0.837; 95% CI, 0.738-0.914), principle coordinates, and the linear discriminant analysis effect size algorithm (linear discriminant analysis score, 4.56; p < 0.001). Accordingly, the bacterial levels directly correlated with high titers of plasma GdIgA1(r = 0.36, p < 0.001), and patients had higher IgA1 against stx2(2.88 ± 0.46 IU/mL vs. 1.34 ± 0.35 IU/mL, p = 0.03), the main antigen of Escherichia-Shigella. Conversely, the healthy controls showed relatively higher abundance of the commensal bacteria that produce IgA-degrading proteases. Particularly, the abundance of some intestinal bacteria expressing IgA proteases showed an inverse correlation with the levels of plasma GdIgA1 in IgAN. Conclusion Our data suggest that mucosal IgA production, including those of GdIgA1, is potentially linked to the humoral response to gut Escherichia-Shigella as one of the sources of plasma GdIgA1. Conversely, the IgA protease-producing microbiota in the gut are suppressed in patients with IgAN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Gao
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Huixian Li
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Xiaoling Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Haiyun Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Peiqi Li
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Wanhong Lu
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Xinfang Xie
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Jicheng Lv
- Renal Division, Peking University First Hospital; Peking University Institute of Nephrology, Key Laboratory of Renal Disease, Ministry of Health of China, Key Laboratory of Chronic Kidney Disease Prevention and Treatment (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Jin
- Department of Medicine-Nephrology and Hypertension, Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
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15
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Sun D, Hou D, Zheng Y, Xiang W, Huang Y, Wu H, Zou J. Multi-Omics Reveals the Effects of Spirulina platensis Powder Replacement of Fish Meal on Intestinal Metabolism and Stress in Zig-Zag Eel ( Mastacembelus armatus). Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13:851. [PMID: 39061919 PMCID: PMC11273650 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13070851] [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: 06/25/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The booming aquaculture industry has created a strong demand for fishmeal and increased environmental pressures. Spirulina, as a potential alternative to fishmeal, has been shown to have growth-promoting and animal health-enhancing properties. In this study, 600 large spiny loaches, divided into five experimental groups, F0, F1, F2, F3, and F4, were reared for 10 weeks using Spirulina platensis powder (SPP) as a substitute for 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% of fishmeal, respectively. The results of intestinal physiological indexes showed that superoxide dismutase was lower than F0 in all treatment groups, and the activity of F3 was significantly lower than F0 (p < 0.05). The activity of malondialdehyde was significantly higher than that of F0 in all groups except F3 (p < 0.05). The addition of SPP also led to a decrease in the activity of acid phosphatase in the intestine, which was significantly lower in all treatment groups compared to the F0 group (p < 0.05). The results of serum physiology showed that the activity of superoxide dismutase in serum gradually increased with the increase in the percentage of SPP addition, and the F3 group produced a significant difference from the F0 group (p < 0.05). The transcriptomics results showed that DEGs in the low percentage substitution group (<15%) were mostly enriched in metabolism-related pathways, such as bile secretion; DEGs in the high percentage substitution group (>15%) were mostly enriched in inflammation-related pathways, such as complement p and coagulation cascades. Metabolomics confirmed that nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism were the two pathways that were significantly enriched in the treatment groups of fishmeal replacement by SPP. The present study demonstrated that a low percentage (<15%) of fishmeal replacement by SPP in feed mobilized MA digestive metabolism, whereas a high percentage (>15%) of replacement induced intestinal stress. Considering the health and farm efficiency aspects, the proportion of SPP in feed formulation for MA should be less than 15%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Sun
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, No. 483, Wushan Road, Wushan Street, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510642, China; (D.S.); (D.H.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Dongqiang Hou
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, No. 483, Wushan Road, Wushan Street, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510642, China; (D.S.); (D.H.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Yushun Zheng
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, No. 483, Wushan Road, Wushan Street, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510642, China; (D.S.); (D.H.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Wenzhou Xiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 164, West Xingang Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou 510301, China;
| | - Yingshi Huang
- Faculty of Mathematics, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada;
| | - Hualian Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 164, West Xingang Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou 510301, China;
| | - Jixing Zou
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, No. 483, Wushan Road, Wushan Street, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510642, China; (D.S.); (D.H.); (Y.Z.)
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16
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Hamrouni R, Regus F, Farnet Da Silva AM, Orsiere T, Boudenne JL, Laffont-Schwob I, Christen P, Dupuy N. Current status and future trends of microbial and nematode-based biopesticides for biocontrol of crop pathogens. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2024:1-20. [PMID: 38987982 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2024.2370370] [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: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
The increasing public demand to avoid the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers in agricultural production systems, causing serious environmental damages, has challenged industry to develop new and effective solutions to manage and control phytopathogens. Biopesticides, particularly microbial-based biopesticides, are a promising new alternative with high biodegradability, specificity, suitability for incorporation into integrated pest management practices, low likelihood of resistance development, and practically no known human health risks. However: expensive production methods, narrow action spectra, susceptibility to environmental conditions, short shelf life, poor storage stability, legislation registry constraints, and general lack of knowledge are slowing down their adoption. In addition to regulatory framework revisions and improved training initiatives, improved preservation methods, thoughtfully designed formulations, and field test validations are needed to offer new microbial- and nematode-based biopesticides with improved efficacy and increased shelf-life. During the last several years, substantial advancements in biopesticide production have been developed. The novelty part of this review written in 2023 is to summarize (i) mechanisms of action of beneficial microorganisms used to increase crop performance and (ii) successful formulation including commercial products for the biological control of phytopathogens based on microorganisms, nematode and/or metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rayhane Hamrouni
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Univ, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LCE UMR 7376, 13331, Marseille, France
| | - Flor Regus
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Univ, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, LPED, Marseille, France
| | | | - Thierry Orsiere
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Univ, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France
| | | | | | - Pierre Christen
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Univ, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France
| | - Nathalie Dupuy
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Univ, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France
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17
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Purayil GP, Saeed EE, Mathai AM, El-Tarabily KA, AbuQamar SF. A high-quality genome assembly and annotation of Thielaviopsis punctulata DSM102798. Sci Data 2024; 11:745. [PMID: 38982096 PMCID: PMC11233662 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03458-y] [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: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Black scorch disease (BSD), caused by the fungal pathogen Thielaviopsis punctulata (Tp) DSM102798, poses a significant threat to date palm cultivation in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In this study, Chicago and Hi-C libraries were prepared as input for the Dovetail HiRise pipeline to scaffold the genome of Tp DSM102798. We generated an assembly with a total length of 28.23 Mb comprising 1,256 scaffolds, and the assembly had a contig N50 of 18.56 kb, L50 of three, and a BUSCO completeness score of 98.6% for 758 orthologous genes. Annotation of this assembly produced 7,169 genes and 3,501 Gene Ontology (GO) terms. Compared to five other Thielaviopsis genomes, Tp DSM102798 exhibited the highest continuity with a cumulative size of 27.598 Mb for the first seven scaffolds, surpassing the assemblies of all examined strains. These findings offer a foundation for targeted strategies that enhance date palm resistance against BSD, and foster more sustainable and resilient agricultural systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gouthaman P Purayil
- Department of Biology, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Esam Eldin Saeed
- Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Archana M Mathai
- Department of Biology, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Khaled A El-Tarabily
- Department of Biology, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Synan F AbuQamar
- Department of Biology, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 15551, United Arab Emirates.
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18
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McReynolds E, Elshahed MS, Youssef NH. An ecological-evolutionary perspective on the genomic diversity and habitat preferences of the Acidobacteriota. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.05.601421. [PMID: 39005473 PMCID: PMC11245096 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.05.601421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Members of the phylum Acidobacteriota inhabit a wide range of ecosystems including soils. We analyzed the global patterns of distribution and habitat preferences of various Acidobacteriota lineages across major ecosystems (soil, engineered, host-associated, marine, non-marine saline and alkaline, and terrestrial non-soil ecosystem) in 248,559 publicly available metagenomic datasets. Classes Terriglobia, Vicinamibacteria, Blastocatellia, and Thermoanaerobaculia were highly ubiquitous and showed clear preference to soil over non-soil habitats, class Polarisedimenticolia showed comparable ubiquity and preference between soil and non-soil habitats, while classes Aminicenantia and Holophagae showed preferences to non-soil habitats. However, while specific preferences were observed, most Acidobacteriota lineages were habitat generalists rather than specialists, with genomic and/or metagenomic fragments recovered from soil and non-soil habitats at various levels of taxonomic resolution. Comparative analysis of 1930 genomes strongly indicates that phylogenetic affiliation plays a more important role than the habitat from which the genome was recovered in shaping the genomic characteristics and metabolic capacities of the Acidobacteriota. The observed lack of strong habitat specialization and habitat transition driven lineage evolution in the Acidobacteriota suggest ready cross colonization between soil and non-soil habitats. We posit that such capacity is key to the successful establishment of Acidobacteriota as a major component in soil microbiomes post ecosystem disturbance events or during pedogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella McReynolds
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Mostafa S. Elshahed
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Noha H. Youssef
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
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19
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Szulc NA, Stefaniak F, Piechota M, Soszyńska A, Piórkowska G, Cappannini A, Bujnicki J, Maniaci C, Pokrzywa W. DEGRONOPEDIA: a web server for proteome-wide inspection of degrons. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:W221-W232. [PMID: 38567734 PMCID: PMC11223883 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae238] [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: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
E3 ubiquitin ligases recognize substrates through their short linear motifs termed degrons. While degron-signaling has been a subject of extensive study, resources for its systematic screening are limited. To bridge this gap, we developed DEGRONOPEDIA, a web server that searches for degrons and maps them to nearby residues that can undergo ubiquitination and disordered regions, which may act as protein unfolding seeds. Along with an evolutionary assessment of degron conservation, the server also reports on post-translational modifications and mutations that may modulate degron availability. Acknowledging the prevalence of degrons at protein termini, DEGRONOPEDIA incorporates machine learning to assess N-/C-terminal stability, supplemented by simulations of proteolysis to identify degrons in newly formed termini. An experimental validation of a predicted C-terminal destabilizing motif, coupled with the confirmation of a post-proteolytic degron in another case, exemplifies its practical application. DEGRONOPEDIA can be freely accessed at degronopedia.com.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia A Szulc
- Laboratory of Protein Metabolism, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, 4 Ks. Trojdena Str., 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Filip Stefaniak
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, 4 Ks. Trojdena Str., 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Piechota
- Laboratory of Protein Metabolism, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, 4 Ks. Trojdena Str., 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Soszyńska
- Laboratory of Protein Metabolism, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, 4 Ks. Trojdena Str., 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Gabriela Piórkowska
- Laboratory of Protein Metabolism, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, 4 Ks. Trojdena Str., 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Andrea Cappannini
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, 4 Ks. Trojdena Str., 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Janusz M Bujnicki
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, 4 Ks. Trojdena Str., 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Chiara Maniaci
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Wojciech Pokrzywa
- Laboratory of Protein Metabolism, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, 4 Ks. Trojdena Str., 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
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20
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Olivares M, Hernández-Calderón P, Cárdenas-Brito S, Liébana-García R, Sanz Y, Benítez-Páez A. Gut microbiota DPP4-like enzymes are increased in type-2 diabetes and contribute to incretin inactivation. Genome Biol 2024; 25:174. [PMID: 38961511 PMCID: PMC11221189 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03325-4] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The gut microbiota controls broad aspects of human metabolism and feeding behavior, but the basis for this control remains largely unclear. Given the key role of human dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) in host metabolism, we investigate whether microbiota DPP4-like counterparts perform the same function. RESULTS We identify novel functional homologs of human DPP4 in several bacterial species inhabiting the human gut, and specific associations between Parabacteroides and Porphyromonas DPP4-like genes and type 2 diabetes (T2D). We also find that the DPP4-like enzyme from the gut symbiont Parabacteroides merdae mimics the proteolytic activity of the human enzyme on peptide YY, neuropeptide Y, gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) hormones in vitro. Importantly, administration of E. coli overexpressing the P. merdae DPP4-like enzyme to lipopolysaccharide-treated mice with impaired gut barrier function reduces active GIP and GLP-1 levels, which is attributed to increased DPP4 activity in the portal circulation and the cecal content. Finally, we observe that linagliptin, saxagliptin, sitagliptin, and vildagliptin, antidiabetic drugs with DPP4 inhibitory activity, differentially inhibit the activity of the DPP4-like enzyme from P. merdae. CONCLUSIONS Our findings confirm that proteolytic enzymes produced by the gut microbiota are likely to contribute to the glucose metabolic dysfunction that underlies T2D by inactivating incretins, which might inspire the development of improved antidiabetic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Olivares
- Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, Microbiome, Nutrition and Health Research Unit, Spanish National Research Council, IATA-CSIC, 46980, Paterna-Valencia, Spain
| | - Paula Hernández-Calderón
- Principe Felipe Research Center (CIPF), Host-Microbe Interactions in Metabolic Health Laboratory, 46012, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sonia Cárdenas-Brito
- Principe Felipe Research Center (CIPF), Host-Microbe Interactions in Metabolic Health Laboratory, 46012, Valencia, Spain
| | - Rebeca Liébana-García
- Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, Microbiome, Nutrition and Health Research Unit, Spanish National Research Council, IATA-CSIC, 46980, Paterna-Valencia, Spain
| | - Yolanda Sanz
- Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, Microbiome, Nutrition and Health Research Unit, Spanish National Research Council, IATA-CSIC, 46980, Paterna-Valencia, Spain.
| | - Alfonso Benítez-Páez
- Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, Microbiome, Nutrition and Health Research Unit, Spanish National Research Council, IATA-CSIC, 46980, Paterna-Valencia, Spain.
- Principe Felipe Research Center (CIPF), Host-Microbe Interactions in Metabolic Health Laboratory, 46012, Valencia, Spain.
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Langleib M, Calvelo J, Costábile A, Castillo E, Tort JF, Hoffmann FG, Protasio AV, Koziol U, Iriarte A. Evolutionary analysis of species-specific duplications in flatworm genomes. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2024; 199:108141. [PMID: 38964593 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2024.108141] [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: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Platyhelminthes, also known as flatworms, is a phylum of bilaterian invertebrates infamous for their parasitic representatives. The classes Cestoda, Monogenea, and Trematoda comprise parasitic helminths inhabiting multiple hosts, including fishes, humans, and livestock, and are responsible for considerable economic damage and burden on human health. As in other animals, the genomes of flatworms have a wide variety of paralogs, genes related via duplication, whose origins could be mapped throughout the evolution of the phylum. Through in-silico analysis, we studied inparalogs, i.e., species-specific duplications, focusing on their biological functions, expression changes, and evolutionary rate. These genes are thought to be key players in the adaptation process of species to each particular niche. Our results showed that genes related with specific functional terms, such as response to stress, transferase activity, oxidoreductase activity, and peptidases, are overrepresented among inparalogs. This trend is conserved among species from different classes, including free-living species. Available expression data from Schistosoma mansoni, a parasite from the trematode class, demonstrated high conservation of expression patterns between inparalogs, but with notable exceptions, which also display evidence of rapid evolution. We discuss how natural selection may operate to maintain these genes and the particular duplication models that fit better to the observations. Our work supports the critical role of gene duplication in the evolution of flatworms, representing the first study of inparalogs evolution at the genome-wide level in this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Langleib
- Laboratorio de Biología Computacional, Departamento de Desarrollo Biotecnológico, Instituto de Higiene, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay; Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Javier Calvelo
- Laboratorio de Biología Computacional, Departamento de Desarrollo Biotecnológico, Instituto de Higiene, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Alicia Costábile
- Sección Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Estela Castillo
- Laboratorio de Biología Parasitaria, Instituto de Higiene, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - José F Tort
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Federico G Hoffmann
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, United States of America; Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Anna V Protasio
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1QP, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Uriel Koziol
- Sección Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Andrés Iriarte
- Laboratorio de Biología Computacional, Departamento de Desarrollo Biotecnológico, Instituto de Higiene, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
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22
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Sorokin DY, Merkel AY, Kolganova TV, Bale NJ, Sinninghe Damsté JS. Natronospira bacteriovora sp. nov., and Natronospira elongata sp. nov., extremely salt-tolerant predatory proteolytic bacteria from soda lakes and proposal to classify the genus Natronospira into Natronospiraceae fam. nov., and Natronospirales ord. nov., within the class Gammaproteobacteria. Syst Appl Microbiol 2024; 47:126519. [PMID: 38759530 DOI: 10.1016/j.syapm.2024.126519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
The genus Natronospira is represented by a single species of extremely salt-tolerant aerobic alkaliphilic proteolytic bacterium, isolated from hypersaline soda lakes. When cells of Gram-positive cocci were used as a substrate instead of proteins at extremely haloalkaline conditions, two new members of this genus were enriched and isolated in pure culture from the same sites. Strains AB-CW1 and AB-CW4 are obligate aerobic heterotrophic proteolytic bacteria able to feed on both live and dead cells of staphylococci and a range of proteins and peptides. Similar to the type species, N. proteinivora, the isolates are extremely salt-tolerant obligate alkaliphiles. However, N. proteinivora was unable to use bacterial cells as a substrate. Electron microscopy showed direct contact between the prey and predator cells. Functional analysis of the AB-CW1 and AB-CW4 genomes identified two sets of genes coding for extracellular enzymes potentially involved in the predation and proteolysis, respectively. The first set includes several copies of lysozyme-like GH23 peptidoglycan-lyase and murein-specific M23 [Zn]-di-peptidase enabling the cell wall degradation. The second set features multiple copies of secreted serine and metallopeptidases apparently allowing for the strong proteolytic phenotype. Phylogenomic analysis placed the isolates into the genus Natronospira as two novel species members, and furthermore indicated that this genus forms a deep-branching lineage of a new family (Natronospiraceae) and order (Natronospirales) within the class Gammaproteobacteria. On the basis of distinct phenotypic and genomic properties, strain AB-CW1T (JCM 335396 = UQM 41579) is proposed to be classified as Natronospira elongata sp. nov., and AB-CW4T (JCM 335397 = UQM 41580) as Natronospira bacteriovora sp. nov.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitry Y Sorokin
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Centre of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia; Department of Biotechnology, TU Delft, The Netherlands.
| | - Alexander Y Merkel
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Centre of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Tatyana V Kolganova
- Skryabin Insitutute of Bioengineering, Research Centre of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Nicole J Bale
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, and Utrecht University, Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap S Sinninghe Damsté
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, and Utrecht University, Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
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23
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Wei Y, Lv J, Zhu S, Wang S, Su J, Xu C. Enzyme-responsive liposomes for controlled drug release. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:104014. [PMID: 38705509 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.104014] [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: 12/16/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Compared to other nanovectors, liposomes exhibit unique advantages, such as good biosafety and high drug-loading capacity. However, slow drug release from conventional liposomes makes most payloads unavailable, restricting the therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, in the last ∼20 years, enzyme-responsive liposomes have been extensively investigated, which liberate drugs under the stimulation of enzymes overexpressed at disease sites. In this review, we elaborate on the research progress on enzyme-responsive liposomes. The involved enzymes mainly include phospholipases, particularly phospholipase A2, matrix metalloproteinases, cathepsins, and esterases. These enzymes can cleave ester bonds or specific peptide sequences incorporated in the liposomes for controlled drug release by disrupting the primary structure of liposomes, detaching protective polyethylene glycol shells, or activating liposome-associated prodrugs. Despite decades of efforts, there are still a lack marketed products of enzyme-responsive liposomes. Therefore, more efforts should be made to improve the safety and effectiveness of enzyme-responsive liposomes and address the issues associated with production scale-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wei
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China; Organoid Research Center, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China; Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Zhongye Hospital, Shanghai 200941, China.
| | - Jiajing Lv
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China; Organoid Research Center, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Shiyu Zhu
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China; Organoid Research Center, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Sicheng Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Zhongye Hospital, Shanghai 200941, China.
| | - Jiacan Su
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China; Organoid Research Center, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China; Department of Orthopedics, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Can Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Shanghai 200433, China.
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24
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Parab AS, Manohar CS. Insights into the seasonal changes in the taxonomic and functional diversity of bacteria in the eastern Arabian Sea: Shotgun metagenomics approach. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 199:106616. [PMID: 38941664 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106616] [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: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
The eastern Arabian Sea (EAS) is known for its unique oceanographic features such as the seasonal monsoonal winds, upwelling of nutrient-rich waters and a significant increase in primary productivity during the monsoon season. In this study, we utilised the shotgun metagenomics approach to determine the seasonal variations in bacterial taxonomic and functional profiles during the non-monsoon and monsoon seasons in the EAS. Significant seasonal variations in the bacterial community structure were observed at the phylum and genera levels. These findings also correspond with seasonal shifts in the functional profiles of the bacterial communities based on the variations of genes encoding enzymes associated with different metabolic pathways. Pronounced seasonal variation of bacterial taxa was evident with an increased abundance of Idiomarina, Marinobacter, Psychrobacter and Alteromonas of Proteobacteria, Bacillus and Staphylococcus of Firmicutes during the non-monsoon season. These taxa were linked to elevated nucleotide and amino acid biosynthesis, amino acid and lipid degradation. Conversely, during the monsoon, the taxa composition changed with Alteromonas, Candidatus Pelagibacter of Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria Synechococcus; contributing largely to the amino acid and lipid biosynthesis, fermentation and inorganic nutrient metabolism which was evident from functional analysis. Regression analysis confirmed that increased seasonal primary productivity significantly influenced the abundance of genes associated with carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism. These highlight the pivotal role of seasonal changes in primary productivity in shaping the bacterial communities, their functional profiles and driving the biogeochemical cycling in the EAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashutosh Shankar Parab
- Biological Oceanography Division, CSIR- National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, 403004, India; School of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Goa University, Taleigao Plateau, Goa, 403206, India
| | - Cathrine Sumathi Manohar
- Biological Oceanography Division, CSIR- National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, 403004, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India.
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25
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Shestakova A, Fatkulin A, Surkova D, Osmolovskiy A, Popova E. First Insight into the Degradome of Aspergillus ochraceus: Novel Secreted Peptidases and Their Inhibitors. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7121. [PMID: 39000228 PMCID: PMC11241649 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fungi constitute a pivotal element within ecosystems, serving as both contributors of biologically active compounds and harboring the potential to cause various diseases across living organisms. The organism's proteolytic enzyme complex, termed the degradome, acts as an intermediary in its dynamic interaction with the surrounding environment. Using techniques such as genome and transcriptome sequencing, alongside protein prediction methodologies, we identified putative extracellular peptidases within Aspergillus ochraceus VKM-F4104D. Following manual annotation procedures, a total of 11 aspartic, 2 cysteine, 2 glutamic, 21 serine, 1 threonine, and 21 metallopeptidases were attributed to the extracellular degradome of A. ochraceus VKM-F4104D. Among them are enzymes with promising applications in biotechnology, potential targets and agents for antifungal therapy, and microbial antagonism factors. Thus, additional functionalities of the extracellular degradome, extending beyond mere protein substrate digestion for nutritional purposes, were demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Shestakova
- Department of Microbiology, Lomonosov MSU, Moscow 119234, Russia; (A.S.); (A.O.)
| | - Artem Fatkulin
- Laboratory of Molecular Physiology, HSE University, Moscow 101000, Russia
| | - Daria Surkova
- Department of Microbiology, Lomonosov MSU, Moscow 119234, Russia; (A.S.); (A.O.)
| | | | - Elizaveta Popova
- Department of Microbiology, Lomonosov MSU, Moscow 119234, Russia; (A.S.); (A.O.)
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Ohara K, Oshima Y, Unno H, Nagano S, Kusunoki M, Takahashi S, Waki T, Yamashita S, Nakayama T. Lowering pH optimum of activity of SshEstI, a slightly alkaliphilic archaeal esterase of the hormone-sensitive lipase family. J Biosci Bioeng 2024:S1389-1723(24)00158-0. [PMID: 38918133 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2024.05.010] [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: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
SshEstI, a carboxylesterase from the thermoacidophilic archaeon Saccharolobus shibatae, is a member of the hormone-sensitive lipase family that displays slightly alkaliphilic activity with an optimum activity at pH 8.0. In this study, three distinct strategies were explored to confer acidophilic properties to SshEstI. The first strategy involved engineering the oxyanion hole by replacing Gly81 with serine or aspartic acid. The G81S mutant showed optimum activity at pH 7.0, whereas the aspartic acid mutant (G81D) rendered the enzyme slightly acidophilic with optimum activity observed at pH 6.0; however, kcat and kcat/Km values were reduced by these substitutions. The second strategy involved examining the effects of surfactant additives on the pH-activity profiles of SshEstI. The results showed that cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) enhanced wild-type enzyme (WT) activity at acidic pH values. In the presence of 0.1 mM CTAB, G81S and G81D were acidophilic enzymes with optimum activity at pH 6.0 and 4.0, respectively, although their enzyme activities were low. The third strategy involved engineering the active site to resemble that of kumamolisin-As (kuma-As), an acidophilic peptidase of the sedolisin family. The catalytic triad of kuma-As was exchanged into SshEstI using site-directed mutagenesis. X-ray crystallographic analysis of the mutants (H274D and H274E) revealed that the potential hydrogen donor-acceptor distances around the active site of WT were fully maintained in these mutants. However, these mutants were inactive at pH 4-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhiro Ohara
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Oshima
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Hideaki Unno
- Biomolecular Chemistry Laboratory, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan; Organization for Marine Science and Technology, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan
| | - Satoru Nagano
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Masami Kusunoki
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
| | - Seiji Takahashi
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Toshiyuki Waki
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Satoshi Yamashita
- Department of Material Chemistry, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kakuma, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan
| | - Toru Nakayama
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan.
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Kurbessoian T, Ahmed SA, Quan Y, de Hoog S, Stajich JE. Description of new micro-colonial fungi species Neophaeococcomyces mojavensis, Coniosporium tulheliwenetii, and Taxawa tesnikishii cultured from biological soil crusts. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.12.598762. [PMID: 38915581 PMCID: PMC11195213 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.12.598762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Black yeasts and relatives comprise Micro-Colonial Fungi (MCFs) which are slow-growing stress-tolerant micro-eukaryotes that specialize in extreme environments. MCFs are paraphyletic and found in the Orders Chaetothyriales (Eurotiomycetes) and Dothideales (Dothidiomycetes). We have isolated and described three new MCFs species from desert biological soil crusts (BSCs) collected from two arid land regions: Joshua Tree National Park (Mojave Desert) and UC Natural Reserve at Boyd Deep Canyon (confluence of Mojave and Sonoran Deserts). BSCs are composite assemblages of cyanobacteria, eukaryotic algae, fungi, lichens, and bryophytes embedded into the surface of desert soils, providing a protective buffer against the harsh desert environment. Our work focused on one type of desert BSC, the cyanolichen crust dominated by Collema sp. Using culture-dependent protocols, three MCFs were axenically isolated from their respective samples along with the extracted DNA. Their genomes were sequenced using Illumina and Nanopore, and finally assembled and annotated using hybrid assembly approaches and established bioinformatics pipelines to conduct final taxonomic phylogenetic analysis and placement. The three species described here are unique specimen from desert BSCs, here we introduce, Neophaeococcomyces mojavensis (Chaetothyriales), Cladosporium tulheliwenetii (Dothideales), and Taxawa tesnikishii (Dothideales).
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Kurbessoian
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology and Institute of Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, 92521, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Sarah A. Ahmed
- Radboudumc/CWZ Ceter of Expertise for Mycology, Nijmegen, 6525GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Yu Quan
- Radboudumc/CWZ Ceter of Expertise for Mycology, Nijmegen, 6525GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Sybren de Hoog
- Radboudumc/CWZ Ceter of Expertise for Mycology, Nijmegen, 6525GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jason E. Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology and Institute of Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, 92521, Riverside, CA, USA
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Guerassimoff L, Ferrere M, Bossion A, Nicolas J. Stimuli-sensitive polymer prodrug nanocarriers by reversible-deactivation radical polymerization. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:6511-6567. [PMID: 38775004 PMCID: PMC11181997 DOI: 10.1039/d2cs01060g] [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: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Polymer prodrugs are based on the covalent linkage of therapeutic molecules to a polymer structure which avoids the problems and limitations commonly encountered with traditional drug-loaded nanocarriers in which drugs are just physically entrapped (e.g., burst release, poor drug loadings). In the past few years, reversible-deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) techniques have been extensively used to design tailor-made polymer prodrug nanocarriers. This synthesis strategy has received a lot of attention due to the possibility of fine tuning their structural parameters (e.g., polymer nature and macromolecular characteristics, linker nature, physico-chemical properties, functionalization, etc.), to achieve optimized drug delivery and therapeutic efficacy. In particular, adjusting the nature of the drug-polymer linker has enabled the easy synthesis of stimuli-responsive polymer prodrugs for efficient spatiotemporal drug release. In this context, this review article will give an overview of the different stimuli-sensitive polymer prodrug structures designed by RDRP techniques, with a strong focus on the synthesis strategies, the macromolecular architectures and in particular the drug-polymer linker, which governs the drug release kinetics and eventually the therapeutic effect. Their biological evaluations will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Guerassimoff
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut Galien Paris-Saclay, 91400, Orsay, France.
| | - Marianne Ferrere
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut Galien Paris-Saclay, 91400, Orsay, France.
| | - Amaury Bossion
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut Galien Paris-Saclay, 91400, Orsay, France.
| | - Julien Nicolas
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut Galien Paris-Saclay, 91400, Orsay, France.
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29
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Li P, Zhao Z, Wang W, Wang T, Hu N, Wei Y, Sun Z, Chen Y, Li Y, Liu Q, Yang S, Gong J, Xiao X, Liu Y, Shi Y, Peng R, Lu Q, Yuan Y. Genome-wide analyses of member identification, expression pattern, and protein-protein interaction of EPF/EPFL gene family in Gossypium. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 24:554. [PMID: 38877405 PMCID: PMC11177404 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05262-7] [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: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidermal patterning factor / -like (EPF/EPFL) gene family encodes a class of cysteine-rich secretory peptides, which are widelyfound in terrestrial plants.Multiple studies has indicated that EPF/EPFLs might play significant roles in coordinating plant development and growth, especially as the morphogenesis processes of stoma, awn, stamen, and fruit skin. However, few research on EPF/EPFL gene family was reported in Gossypium. RESULTS We separately identified 20 G. raimondii, 24 G. arboreum, 44 G. hirsutum, and 44 G. barbadense EPF/EPFL genes in the 4 representative cotton species, which were divided into four clades together with 11 Arabidopsis thaliana, 13 Oryza sativa, and 17 Selaginella moellendorffii ones based on their evolutionary relationships. The similar gene structure and common motifs indicated the high conservation among the EPF/EPFL members, while the uneven distribution in chromosomes implied the variability during the long-term evolutionary process. Hundreds of collinearity relationships were identified from the pairwise comparisons of intraspecifc and interspecific genomes, which illustrated gene duplication might contribute to the expansion of cotton EPF/EPFL gene family. A total of 15 kinds of cis-regulatory elements were predicted in the promoter regions, and divided into three major categories relevant to the biological processes of development and growth, plant hormone response, and abiotic stress response. Having performing the expression pattern analyses with the basic of the published RNA-seq data, we found most of GhEPF/EPFL and GbEPF/EPFL genes presented the relatively low expression levels among the 9 tissues or organs, while showed more dramatically different responses to high/low temperature and salt or drought stresses. Combined with transcriptome data of developing ovules and fibers and quantitative Real-time PCR results (qRT-PCR) of 15 highly expressed GhEPF/EPFL genes, it could be deduced that the cotton EPF/EPFL genes were closely related with fiber development. Additionally, the networks of protein-protein interacting among EPF/EPFLs concentrated on the cores of GhEPF1 and GhEPF7, and thosefunctional enrichment analyses indicated that most of EPF/EPFLs participate in the GO (Gene Ontology) terms of stomatal development and plant epidermis development, and the KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathways of DNA or base excision repair. CONCLUSION Totally, 132 EPF/EPFL genes were identified for the first time in cotton, whose bioinformatic analyses of cis-regulatory elements and expression patterns combined with qRT-PCR experiments to prove the potential functions in the biological processes of plant growth and responding to abiotic stresses, specifically in the fiber development. These results not only provide comprehensive and valuable information for cotton EPF/EPFL gene family, but also lay solid foundation for screening candidate EPF/EPFL genes in further cotton breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengtao Li
- School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Anyang Institute of Technology, Anyang , Henan, 455000, China
| | - Zilin Zhao
- School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Anyang Institute of Technology, Anyang , Henan, 455000, China
| | - Wenkui Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, 455000, China
| | - Tao Wang
- School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Anyang Institute of Technology, Anyang , Henan, 455000, China
| | - Nan Hu
- School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Anyang Institute of Technology, Anyang , Henan, 455000, China
| | - Yangyang Wei
- School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Anyang Institute of Technology, Anyang , Henan, 455000, China
| | - Zhihao Sun
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, 455000, China
| | - Yu Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, 455000, China
| | - Yanfang Li
- College of Agriculture, Tarim University, Alaer , Xinjiang, 843300, China
| | - Qiankun Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, 455000, China
| | - Shuhan Yang
- College of Agriculture, Tarim University, Alaer , Xinjiang, 843300, China
| | - Juwu Gong
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, 455000, China
| | - Xianghui Xiao
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, 455000, China
| | - Yuling Liu
- School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Anyang Institute of Technology, Anyang , Henan, 455000, China
| | - Yuzhen Shi
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, 455000, China
| | - Renhai Peng
- School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Anyang Institute of Technology, Anyang , Henan, 455000, China
| | - Quanwei Lu
- School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Anyang Institute of Technology, Anyang , Henan, 455000, China.
| | - Youlu Yuan
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, 455000, China.
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30
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Luo J, Yu Y, Wang K, He S, Wang L, Liang F, Chin JW, Tang S. Capturing acyl-enzyme intermediates with genetically encoded 2,3-diaminopropionic acid for hydrolase substrate identification. Nat Protoc 2024:10.1038/s41596-024-01006-x. [PMID: 38867073 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-024-01006-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Catalytic mechanism-based, light-activated traps have recently been developed to identify the substrates of cysteine or serine hydrolases. These traps are hydrolase mutants whose catalytic cysteine or serine are replaced with genetically encoded 2,3-diaminopropionic acid (DAP). DAP-containing hydrolases specifically capture the transient thioester- or ester-linked acyl-enzyme intermediates resulting from the first step of the proteolytic reaction as their stable amide analogs. The trapped substrate fragments allow the downstream identification of hydrolase substrates by mass spectrometry and immunoblotting. In this protocol, we provide a detailed step-by-step guide for substrate capture and identification of the peptidase domain of the large tegument protein deneddylase (UL36USP) from human herpesvirus 1, both in mammalian cell lysate and live mammalian cells. Four procedures are included: Procedure 1, DAP-mediated substrate trapping in mammalian cell lysate (~8 d); Procedure 2, DAP-mediated substrate trapping in adherent mammalian cells (~6 d); Procedure 3, DAP-mediated substrate trapping in suspension mammalian cells (~5 d); and Procedure 4, substrate identification and validation (~12-13 d). Basic skills to perform protein expression in bacteria or mammalian cells, affinity enrichment and proteomic analysis are required to implement the protocol. This protocol will be a practical guide for identifying substrates of serine or cysteine hydrolases either in a complex mixture, where genetic manipulation is challenging, or in live cells such as bacteria, yeasts and mammalian cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Luo
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, Centre for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yao Yu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, Centre for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Ke Wang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, Centre for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Sizhe He
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, Centre for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Longjie Wang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, Centre for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Fangfang Liang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University First Affiliated Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Jason W Chin
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Shan Tang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, Centre for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China.
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Liu J, Heddleston J, Perkins DR, Chen JJH, Ghanbarpour A, Smith BW, Miles R, Aihara E, Afshar S. Discovery of a new class of cell-penetrating peptides by novel phage display platform. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13437. [PMID: 38862601 PMCID: PMC11167021 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64405-w] [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: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The primary hurdles for small interference RNA (siRNA) in clinical use are targeted and cytosolic delivery. To overcome both challenges, we have established a novel platform based on phage display, called NNJA. In this approach, a lysosomal cathepsin substrate is engineered within the flexible loops of PIII, that is displaying a unique random sequence at its N-terminus. NNJA library selection targeting cell-expressed targets should yield specific peptides localized in the cytoplasm. That is because phage internalization and subsequent localization to lysosome, upon peptide binding to the cell expressed target, will result in cleavage of PIII, rendering phage non-infective. Such phage will be eliminated from the selected pool and only peptide-phage that escapes lysosomes will advance to the next round. Proof of concept studies with the NNJA library demonstrated cytosolic localization of selected peptide-phage and peptide-siRNA, confirmed through confocal microscopy. More importantly, conjugation of siHPRT to monomeric or multimeric NNJA peptides resulted in significant reduction in HPRT mRNA in various cell types without significant cytotoxicity. Sequence similarity and clustering analysis from NGS dataset provide insights into sequence composition facilitating cell penetration. NNJA platform offers a highly efficient peptide discovery engine for targeted delivery of oligonucleotides to cytosol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinsha Liu
- Protein Engineering, Lilly Biotechnology Center, Eli Lilly and Company, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - John Heddleston
- Biotechnology Research, Lilly Corporate Center, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, 46221, USA
| | - Douglas Raymond Perkins
- Genetic Medicine, Lilly Corporate Center, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, 46221, USA
| | - Jack Jia Hua Chen
- Biotechnology Research, Lilly Corporate Center, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, 46221, USA
| | - Ahmadreza Ghanbarpour
- Protein Engineering, Lilly Biotechnology Center, Eli Lilly and Company, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Bill William Smith
- Protein Engineering, Lilly Biotechnology Center, Eli Lilly and Company, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Rebecca Miles
- Genetic Medicine, Lilly Corporate Center, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, 46221, USA
| | - Eitaro Aihara
- Biotechnology Research, Lilly Corporate Center, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, 46221, USA
| | - Sepideh Afshar
- Protein Engineering, Lilly Biotechnology Center, Eli Lilly and Company, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA.
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32
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Hamm P, Meinel L, Driessen MD. An Introductory Guide to Protease Sensitive Linker Design Using Matrix Metalloproteinase 13 as an Example. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2024; 10:3693-3706. [PMID: 38813796 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.4c00407] [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: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Proteases play a crucial role, not only in physiological, but also in pathological processes, such as cancer, inflammation, arthritis, Alzheimer's, and infections, to name but a few. Their ability to cleave peptides can be harnessed for a broad range of biotechnological purposes. To do this efficiently, it is essential to find an amino acid sequence that meets the necessary requirements, including interdependent factors like specificity, selectivity, cleavage kinetics, or synthetic accessibility. Cleavage sequences from natural substrates of the protease may not be optimal in terms of specificity and selectivity, which is why these frequently require arduous and sometimes unsuccessful optimization such as by iterative exchange of single amino acids. Hence, here we describe the systematic design of protease sensitive linkers (PSLs)─peptide sequences specifically cleaved by a target protease─guided by the mass spectrometry based determination of target protease specific cleavage sites from a proteome-based peptide library. It includes a procedure for identifying bespoke PSL sequences, their optimization, synthesis, and validation and introduces a program that can indicate potential cleavage sites by hundreds of enzymes in any arbitrary amino acid sequence. Thereby, we provide an introduction to PSL design, illustrated by the example of matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13). This introduction can serve as a guide and help to greatly accelerate the development and use of protease-sensitive linkers in diverse applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prisca Hamm
- Institute for Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lorenz Meinel
- Institute for Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
- Helmholtz-Institute for RNA-Based Infection Research (HIRI), 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Marc D Driessen
- Institute of Molecular Medicine I, Proteome Research, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department for Oral and Craniomaxillofacial and Plastic Surgery, University Hospital Cologne and Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
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33
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Peng W, Chen Q, Zheng F, Xu L, Fang X, Wu Z. The emerging role of the semaphorin family in cartilage and osteoarthritis. Histochem Cell Biol 2024:10.1007/s00418-024-02303-y. [PMID: 38849589 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-024-02303-y] [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] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
In the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis, various signaling pathways may influence the bone joint through a common terminal pathway, thereby contributing to the pathological remodeling of the joint. Semaphorins (SEMAs) are cell-surface proteins actively involved in and primarily responsible for regulating chondrocyte function in the pathophysiological process of osteoarthritis (OA). The significance of the SEMA family in OA is increasingly acknowledged as pivotal. This review aims to summarize the mechanisms through which different members of the SEMA family impact various structures within joints. The findings indicate that SEMA3A and SEMA4D are particularly relevant to OA, as they participate in cartilage injury, subchondral bone remodeling, or synovitis. Additionally, other elements such as SEMA4A and SEMA5A may also contribute to the onset and progression of OA by affecting different components of the bone and joint. The mentioned mechanisms demonstrate the indispensable role of SEMA family members in OA, although the detailed mechanisms still require further exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Peng
- School of Stomatology, Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Stomatology HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineKey Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China
- School of Stomatology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Qian Chen
- School of Stomatology, Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Stomatology HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineKey Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China
| | - Fengjuan Zheng
- The Department of Orthodontics, Hangzhou Stomatology Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li Xu
- School of Stomatology, Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Stomatology HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineKey Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China
| | - Xinyi Fang
- School of Stomatology, Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Stomatology HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineKey Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China.
| | - Zuping Wu
- School of Stomatology, Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Stomatology HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineKey Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China.
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Yan Q, Li S, Yan Q, Huo X, Wang C, Wang X, Sun Y, Zhao W, Yu Z, Zhang Y, Guo R, Lv Q, He X, Yao C, Li Z, Chen F, Ji Q, Zhang A, Jin H, Wang G, Feng X, Feng L, Wu F, Ning J, Deng S, An Y, Guo DA, Martin FM, Ma X. A genomic compendium of cultivated human gut fungi characterizes the gut mycobiome and its relevance to common diseases. Cell 2024; 187:2969-2989.e24. [PMID: 38776919 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.04.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The gut fungal community represents an essential element of human health, yet its functional and metabolic potential remains insufficiently elucidated, largely due to the limited availability of reference genomes. To address this gap, we presented the cultivated gut fungi (CGF) catalog, encompassing 760 fungal genomes derived from the feces of healthy individuals. This catalog comprises 206 species spanning 48 families, including 69 species previously unidentified. We explored the functional and metabolic attributes of the CGF species and utilized this catalog to construct a phylogenetic representation of the gut mycobiome by analyzing over 11,000 fecal metagenomes from Chinese and non-Chinese populations. Moreover, we identified significant common disease-related variations in gut mycobiome composition and corroborated the associations between fungal signatures and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) through animal experimentation. These resources and findings substantially enrich our understanding of the biological diversity and disease relevance of the human gut mycobiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiulong Yan
- Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China; Dalian Key Laboratory of Metabolic Target Characterization and Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention, School of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China; College of Basic Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Shenghui Li
- Puensum Genetech Institute, Wuhan 430076, China; Key Laboratory of Precision Nutrition and Food Quality, Department of Nutrition and Health, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Qingsong Yan
- Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Xiaokui Huo
- Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China; Dalian Key Laboratory of Metabolic Target Characterization and Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention, School of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China; First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China.
| | - Xifan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Precision Nutrition and Food Quality, Department of Nutrition and Health, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100091, China; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Yan Sun
- Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Wenyu Zhao
- Dalian Key Laboratory of Metabolic Target Characterization and Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention, School of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Zhenlong Yu
- Dalian Key Laboratory of Metabolic Target Characterization and Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention, School of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Puensum Genetech Institute, Wuhan 430076, China
| | - Ruochun Guo
- Puensum Genetech Institute, Wuhan 430076, China
| | - Qingbo Lv
- Puensum Genetech Institute, Wuhan 430076, China
| | - Xin He
- Dalian Key Laboratory of Metabolic Target Characterization and Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention, School of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China; Shanghai Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Engineering Laboratory for TCM Standardization Technology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Changliang Yao
- Shanghai Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Engineering Laboratory for TCM Standardization Technology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
| | | | - Fang Chen
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Qianru Ji
- Puensum Genetech Institute, Wuhan 430076, China
| | - Aiqin Zhang
- Puensum Genetech Institute, Wuhan 430076, China
| | - Hao Jin
- Puensum Genetech Institute, Wuhan 430076, China
| | - Guangyang Wang
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Xiaoying Feng
- Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Lei Feng
- Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Fan Wu
- Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Jing Ning
- Dalian Key Laboratory of Metabolic Target Characterization and Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention, School of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Sa Deng
- Dalian Key Laboratory of Metabolic Target Characterization and Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention, School of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Yue An
- Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - De-An Guo
- Shanghai Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Engineering Laboratory for TCM Standardization Technology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China.
| | - Francis M Martin
- Université de Lorraine, Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement, UMR Interactions Arbres/Microorganismes, Centre INRAE Grand Est-Nancy, Champenoux 54280, France; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Tree Breeding by Molecular Design, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100091, China.
| | - Xiaochi Ma
- Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China; Dalian Key Laboratory of Metabolic Target Characterization and Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention, School of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China.
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35
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Samorodnitsky S, Kruk M, Lock EF, Kunisaki KM, Morris A, Leung JM, Weise D, Mehta S, Parker LL, Jagtap PD, Griffin TJ, Wendt CH. Novel Approach to Exploring Protease Activity and Targets in HIV-associated Obstructive Lung Disease using Combined Proteomic-Peptidomic Analysis. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4433194. [PMID: 38883770 PMCID: PMC11177978 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4433194/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Background Obstructive lung disease (OLD) is increasingly prevalent among persons living with HIV (PLWH). However, the role of proteases in HIV-associated OLD remains unclear. Methods We combined proteomics and peptidomics to comprehensively characterize protease activities. We combined mass spectrometry (MS) analysis on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) peptides and proteins from PLWH with OLD (n=25) and without OLD (n=26) with a targeted Somascan aptamer-based proteomic approach to quantify individual proteases and assess their correlation with lung function. Endogenous peptidomics mapped peptides to native proteins to identify substrates of protease activity. Using the MEROPS database, we identified candidate proteases linked to peptide generation based on binding site affinities which were assessed via z-scores. We used t-tests to compare average forced expiratory volume in 1 second per predicted value (FEV1pp) between samples with and without detection of each cleaved protein and adjusted for multiple comparisons by controlling the false discovery rate (FDR). Findings We identified 101 proteases, of which 95 had functional network associations and 22 correlated with FEV1pp. These included cathepsins, metalloproteinases (MMP), caspases and neutrophil elastase. We discovered 31 proteins subject to proteolytic cleavage that associate with FEV1pp, with the top pathways involved in small ubiquitin-like modifier mediated modification (SUMOylation). Proteases linked to protein cleavage included neutrophil elastase, granzyme, and cathepsin D. Interpretations In HIV-associated OLD, a significant number of proteases are up-regulated, many of which are involved in protein degradation. These proteases degrade proteins involved in cell cycle and protein stability, thereby disrupting critical biological functions.
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36
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Lo HH, Chang HC, Wu YJ, Liao CT, Hsiao YM. Functional characterization and transcriptional analysis of degQ of Xanthomonas campestris pathovar campestris. J Basic Microbiol 2024; 64:e2300441. [PMID: 38470163 DOI: 10.1002/jobm.202300441] [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: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
High-temperature-requirement protein A (HtrA) family proteins play important roles in controlling protein quality and are recognized as virulence factors in numerous animal and human bacterial pathogens. The role of HtrA family proteins in plant pathogens remains largely unexplored. Here, we investigated the HtrA family protein, DegQ, in the crucifer black rot pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pathovar campestris (Xcc). DegQ is essential for bacterial attachment and full virulence of Xcc. Moreover, the degQ mutant strain showed increased sensitivity to heat treatment and sodium dodecyl sulfate. Expressing the intact degQ gene in trans in the degQ mutant could reverse the observed phenotypic changes. In addition, we demonstrated that the DegQ protein exhibited chaperone-like activity. Transcriptional analysis displayed that degQ expression was induced under heat treatment. Our results contribute to understanding the function and expression of DegQ of Xcc for the first time and provide a novel perspective about HtrA family proteins in plant pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsueh-Hsia Lo
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Hsiao-Ching Chang
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Jyun Wu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Tsai Liao
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Min Hsiao
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
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37
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Kalogeropoulos K, Moldt Haack A, Madzharova E, Di Lorenzo A, Hanna R, Schoof EM, Auf dem Keller U. CLIPPER 2.0: Peptide-Level Annotation and Data Analysis for Positional Proteomics. Mol Cell Proteomics 2024; 23:100781. [PMID: 38703894 PMCID: PMC11192779 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2024.100781] [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: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Positional proteomics methodologies have transformed protease research, and have brought mass spectrometry (MS)-based degradomics studies to the forefront of protease characterization and system-wide interrogation of protease signaling. Considerable advancements in both sensitivity and throughput of liquid chromatography (LC)-MS/MS instrumentation enable the generation of enormous positional proteomics datasets of natural and protein termini and neo-termini of cleaved protease substrates. However, concomitant progress has not been observed to the same extent in data analysis and post-processing steps, arguably constituting the largest bottleneck in positional proteomics workflows. Here, we present a computational tool, CLIPPER 2.0, that builds on prior algorithms developed for MS-based protein termini analysis, facilitating peptide-level annotation and data analysis. CLIPPER 2.0 can be used with several sample preparation workflows and proteomics search algorithms and enables fast and automated database information retrieval, statistical and network analysis, as well as visualization of terminomic datasets. We demonstrate the applicability of our tool by analyzing GluC and MMP9 cleavages in HeLa lysates. CLIPPER 2.0 is available at https://github.com/UadKLab/CLIPPER-2.0.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aleksander Moldt Haack
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Elizabeta Madzharova
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Antea Di Lorenzo
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Rawad Hanna
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City Haifa, Israel
| | - Erwin M Schoof
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Ulrich Auf dem Keller
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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38
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Xiao YQ, Long J, Zhang SS, Zhu YY, Gu SX. Non-peptidic inhibitors targeting SARS-CoV-2 main protease: A review. Bioorg Chem 2024; 147:107380. [PMID: 38636432 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107380] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose a threat to global health, and sounds the alarm for research & development of effective anti-coronavirus drugs, which are crucial for the patients and urgently needed for the current epidemic and future crisis. The main protease (Mpro) stands as an essential enzyme in the maturation process of SARS-CoV-2, playing an irreplaceable role in regulating viral RNA replication and transcription. It has emerged as an ideal target for developing antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2 due to its high conservation and the absence of homologous proteases in the human body. Among the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors, non-peptidic compounds hold promising prospects owing to their excellent antiviral activity and improved metabolic stability. In this review, we offer an overview of research progress concerning non-peptidic SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors since 2020. The efforts delved into molecular structures, structure-activity relationships (SARs), biological activity, and binding modes of these inhibitors with Mpro. This review aims to provide valuable clues and insights for the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents as well as broad-spectrum coronavirus Mpro inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Qi Xiao
- School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China
| | - Jiao Long
- School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China
| | - Shuang-Shuang Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China.
| | - Yuan-Yuan Zhu
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China.
| | - Shuang-Xi Gu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China.
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van Midden KP, Mantz M, Fonovič M, Gazvoda M, Svete J, Huesgen PF, van der Hoorn RAL, Klemenčič M. Mechanistic insights into CrCEP1: A dual-function cysteine protease with endo- and transpeptidase activity. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 271:132505. [PMID: 38768911 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132505] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Proteases, essential regulators of plant stress responses, remain enigmatic in their precise functional roles. By employing activity-based probes for real-time monitoring, this study aimed to delve into protease activities in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii exposed to oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide. However, our work revealed that the activity-based probes strongly labelled three non-proteolytic proteins-PsbO, PsbP, and PsbQ-integral components of photosystem II's oxygen-evolving complex. Subsequent biochemical assays and mass spectrometry experiments revealed the involvement of CrCEP1, a previously uncharacterized papain-like cysteine protease, as the catalyst of this labelling reaction. Further experiments with recombinant CrCEP1 and PsbO proteins replicated the reaction in vitro. Our data unveiled that endopeptidase CrCEP1 also has transpeptidase activity, ligating probes and peptides to the N-termini of Psb proteins, thereby expanding the repertoire of its enzymatic activities. The hitherto unknown transpeptidase activity of CrCEP1, working in conjunction with its proteolytic activity, unveils putative complex and versatile roles for proteases in cellular processes during stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina P van Midden
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Melissa Mantz
- Central Institute for Engineering, Electronics and Analytics, ZEA-3, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany; CECAD, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Marko Fonovič
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, Jozef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Martin Gazvoda
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jurij Svete
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Pitter F Huesgen
- Central Institute for Engineering, Electronics and Analytics, ZEA-3, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany; CECAD, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany; Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; CIBSS- Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Marina Klemenčič
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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40
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Karasev DA, Sobolev BN, Filimonov DA, Lagunin A. Prediction of viral protease inhibitors using proteochemometrics approach. Comput Biol Chem 2024; 110:108061. [PMID: 38574417 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2024.108061] [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: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Being widely accepted tools in computational drug search, the (Q)SAR methods have limitations related to data incompleteness. The proteochemometrics (PCM) approach expands the applicability area by using description for both protein and ligand structures. The PCM algorithms are urgently required for the development of new antiviral agents. We suggest the PCM method using the TLMNA descriptors, combining the MNA descriptors of ligands and protein sequence N-grams. Our method was validated on the viral chymotrypsin-like proteases and their ligands. We have developed an original protocol allowing us to collect a comprehensive set of 15 protein sequences and more than 9000 ligands from the ChEMBL database. The N-grams were derived from the 3D-based alignment, accurately superposing ligand-binding regions. In testing the ligand set in SAR mode with MNA descriptors, an accuracy above 0.95 was determined that shows the perspective of the antiviral drug search in virtual chemical libraries. The effective PCM models were built with the TLMNA descriptor. The strong validation procedure with pair exclusion simulated the prediction of interactions between the new ligands and new targets, resulting in accuracy estimation up to 0.89. The PCM approach shows slightly lower accuracy caused by more uncertainty compared with SAR, but it overcomes the problem of data incompleteness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry A Karasev
- Department of Bioinformatics, Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow 119121, Russia.
| | - Boris N Sobolev
- Department of Bioinformatics, Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow 119121, Russia
| | - Dmitry A Filimonov
- Department of Bioinformatics, Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow 119121, Russia
| | - Alexey Lagunin
- Department of Bioinformatics, Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow 119121, Russia; Department of Bioinformatics, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow 117997, Russia
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Logachev A, Kanapin A, Rozhmina T, Stanin V, Bankin M, Samsonova A, Orlova E, Samsonova M. Pangenomics of flax fungal parasite Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lini. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1383914. [PMID: 38872883 PMCID: PMC11169931 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1383914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
To assess the genomic diversity of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lini strains and compile a comprehensive gene repertoire, we constructed a pangenome using 13 isolates from four different clonal lineages, each exhibiting distinct levels of virulence. Syntenic analyses of two selected genomes revealed significant chromosomal rearrangements unique to each genome. A comprehensive examination of both core and accessory pangenome content and diversity points at an open genome state. Additionally, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis indicated that non-core pangenome genes are associated with pathogen recognition and immune signaling. Furthermore, the Folini pansecterome, encompassing secreted proteins critical for fungal pathogenicity, primarily consists of three functional classes: effector proteins, CAZYmes, and proteases. These three classes account for approximately 3.5% of the pangenome. Each functional class within the pansecterome was meticulously annotated and characterized with respect to pangenome category distribution, PFAM domain frequency, and strain virulence assessment. This analysis revealed that highly virulent isolates have specific types of PFAM domains that are exclusive to them. Upon examining the repertoire of SIX genes known for virulence in other formae speciales, it was found that all isolates had a similar gene content except for two, which lacked SIX genes entirely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Logachev
- Mathematical Biology and Bioinformatics Laboratory, Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Alexander Kanapin
- Center for Computational Biology, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Tatyana Rozhmina
- Flax Institute, Federal Research Center for Bast Fiber Crops, Torzhok, Russia
| | - Vladislav Stanin
- Mathematical Biology and Bioinformatics Laboratory, Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Mikhail Bankin
- Mathematical Biology and Bioinformatics Laboratory, Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anastasia Samsonova
- Center for Computational Biology, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Orlova
- Mathematical Biology and Bioinformatics Laboratory, Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Maria Samsonova
- Mathematical Biology and Bioinformatics Laboratory, Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
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Chander AM, de Melo Teixeira M, Singh NK, Williams MP, Parker CW, Leo P, Stajich JE, Torok T, Tighe S, Mason CE, Venkateswaran K. Genomic and morphological characterization of Knufia obscura isolated from the Mars 2020 spacecraft assembly facility. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12249. [PMID: 38806503 PMCID: PMC11133487 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61115-1] [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: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Members of the family Trichomeriaceae, belonging to the Chaetothyriales order and the Ascomycota phylum, are known for their capability to inhabit hostile environments characterized by extreme temperatures, oligotrophic conditions, drought, or presence of toxic compounds. The genus Knufia encompasses many polyextremophilic species. In this report, the genomic and morphological features of the strain FJI-L2-BK-P2 presented, which was isolated from the Mars 2020 mission spacecraft assembly facility located at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The identification is based on sequence alignment for marker genes, multi-locus sequence analysis, and whole genome sequence phylogeny. The morphological features were studied using a diverse range of microscopic techniques (bright field, phase contrast, differential interference contrast and scanning electron microscopy). The phylogenetic marker genes of the strain FJI-L2-BK-P2 exhibited highest similarities with type strain of Knufia obscura (CBS 148926T) that was isolated from the gas tank of a car in Italy. To validate the species identity, whole genomes of both strains (FJI-L2-BK-P2 and CBS 148926T) were sequenced, annotated, and strain FJI-L2-BK-P2 was confirmed as K. obscura. The morphological analysis and description of the genomic characteristics of K. obscura FJI-L2-BK-P2 may contribute to refining the taxonomy of Knufia species. Key morphological features are reported in this K. obscura strain, resembling microsclerotia and chlamydospore-like propagules. These features known to be characteristic features in black fungi which could potentially facilitate their adaptation to harsh environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atul Munish Chander
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, M/S 89-2, 4800 Oak Grove Dr., Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA
| | - Marcus de Melo Teixeira
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
- School of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Nitin K Singh
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, M/S 89-2, 4800 Oak Grove Dr., Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA
| | - Michael P Williams
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, M/S 89-2, 4800 Oak Grove Dr., Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA
| | - Ceth W Parker
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, M/S 89-2, 4800 Oak Grove Dr., Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA
| | - Patrick Leo
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, M/S 89-2, 4800 Oak Grove Dr., Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA
| | - Jason E Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of CA-Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Tamas Torok
- Ecology Department, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Scott Tighe
- Vermont Integrative Genomics Lab, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Christopher E Mason
- WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1305 York Avenue, Room Y-13.15, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
| | - Kasthuri Venkateswaran
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, M/S 89-2, 4800 Oak Grove Dr., Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA.
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Yadav S, Koenen M, Bale NJ, Reitsma W, Engelmann JC, Stefanova K, Damsté JSS, Villanueva L. Organic matter degradation in the deep, sulfidic waters of the Black Sea: insights into the ecophysiology of novel anaerobic bacteria. MICROBIOME 2024; 12:98. [PMID: 38797849 PMCID: PMC11129491 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01816-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies have reported the identity and functions of key anaerobes involved in the degradation of organic matter (OM) in deep (> 1000 m) sulfidic marine habitats. However, due to the lack of available isolates, detailed investigation of their physiology has been precluded. In this study, we cultivated and characterized the ecophysiology of a wide range of novel anaerobes potentially involved in OM degradation in deep (2000 m depth) sulfidic waters of the Black Sea. RESULTS We have successfully cultivated a diverse group of novel anaerobes belonging to various phyla, including Fusobacteriota (strain S5), Bacillota (strains A1T and A2), Spirochaetota (strains M1T, M2, and S2), Bacteroidota (strains B1T, B2, S6, L6, SYP, and M2P), Cloacimonadota (Cloa-SY6), Planctomycetota (Plnct-SY6), Mycoplasmatota (Izemo-BS), Chloroflexota (Chflx-SY6), and Desulfobacterota (strains S3T and S3-i). These microorganisms were able to grow at an elevated hydrostatic pressure of up to 50 MPa. Moreover, this study revealed that different anaerobes were specialized in degrading specific types of OM. Strains affiliated with the phyla Fusobacteriota, Bacillota, Planctomycetota, and Mycoplasmatota were found to be specialized in the degradation of cellulose, cellobiose, chitin, and DNA, respectively, while strains affiliated with Spirochaetota, Bacteroidota, Cloacimonadota, and Chloroflexota preferred to ferment less complex forms of OM. We also identified members of the phylum Desulfobacterota as terminal oxidizers, potentially involved in the consumption of hydrogen produced during fermentation. These results were supported by the identification of genes in the (meta)genomes of the cultivated microbial taxa which encode proteins of specific metabolic pathways. Additionally, we analyzed the composition of membrane lipids of selected taxa, which could be critical for their survival in the harsh environment of the deep sulfidic waters and could potentially be used as biosignatures for these strains in the sulfidic waters of the Black Sea. CONCLUSIONS This is the first report that demonstrates the cultivation and ecophysiology of such a diverse group of microorganisms from any sulfidic marine habitat. Collectively, this study provides a step forward in our understanding of the microbes thriving in the extreme conditions of the deep sulfidic waters of the Black Sea. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhash Yadav
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 1797AB Den Burg, P.O. Box 59, Texel, The Netherlands
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Michel Koenen
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 1797AB Den Burg, P.O. Box 59, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole J Bale
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 1797AB Den Burg, P.O. Box 59, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Wietse Reitsma
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 1797AB Den Burg, P.O. Box 59, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Julia C Engelmann
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 1797AB Den Burg, P.O. Box 59, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Kremena Stefanova
- Institute of Oceanology "Fridtjof Nansen", Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Varna, Bulgaria
| | - Jaap S Sinninghe Damsté
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 1797AB Den Burg, P.O. Box 59, Texel, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Geosciences, Department of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.021, 3508 TA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Villanueva
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 1797AB Den Burg, P.O. Box 59, Texel, The Netherlands.
- Faculty of Geosciences, Department of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.021, 3508 TA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Li Y, Wei Y, Ultsch M, Li W, Tang W, Tombling B, Gao X, Dimitrova Y, Gampe C, Fuhrmann J, Zhang Y, Hannoush RN, Kirchhofer D. Cystine-knot peptide inhibitors of HTRA1 bind to a cryptic pocket within the active site region. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4359. [PMID: 38777835 PMCID: PMC11111691 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48655-w] [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: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cystine-knot peptides (CKPs) are naturally occurring peptides that exhibit exceptional chemical and proteolytic stability. We leveraged the CKP carboxypeptidase A1 inhibitor as a scaffold to construct phage-displayed CKP libraries and subsequently screened these collections against HTRA1, a trimeric serine protease implicated in age-related macular degeneration and osteoarthritis. The initial hits were optimized by using affinity maturation strategies to yield highly selective and potent picomolar inhibitors of HTRA1. Crystal structures, coupled with biochemical studies, reveal that the CKPs do not interact in a substrate-like manner but bind to a cryptic pocket at the S1' site region of HTRA1 and abolish catalysis by stabilizing a non-competent active site conformation. The opening and closing of this cryptic pocket is controlled by the gatekeeper residue V221, and its movement is facilitated by the absence of a constraining disulfide bond that is typically present in trypsin fold serine proteases, thereby explaining the remarkable selectivity of the CKPs. Our findings reveal an intriguing mechanism for modulating the activity of HTRA1, and highlight the utility of CKP-based phage display platforms in uncovering potent and selective inhibitors against challenging therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjie Li
- Department of Early Discovery Biochemistry, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Yuehua Wei
- Department of Early Discovery Biochemistry, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Mark Ultsch
- Department of Structural Biology, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Early Discovery Biochemistry, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Wanjian Tang
- Department of Early Discovery Biochemistry, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Benjamin Tombling
- Department of Early Discovery Biochemistry, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Xinxin Gao
- Department of Early Discovery Biochemistry, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Yoana Dimitrova
- Department of Structural Biology, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Christian Gampe
- Department of Discovery Chemistry, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Jakob Fuhrmann
- Department of Early Discovery Biochemistry, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Yingnan Zhang
- Department of Early Discovery Biochemistry, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Rami N Hannoush
- Department of Early Discovery Biochemistry, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA.
| | - Daniel Kirchhofer
- Department of Early Discovery Biochemistry, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA.
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Stajich JE, Lovett B, Lee E, Macias AM, Hajek AE, de Bivort BL, Kasson MT, De Fine Licht HH, Elya C. Signatures of transposon-mediated genome inflation, host specialization, and photoentrainment in Entomophthora muscae and allied entomophthoralean fungi. eLife 2024; 12:RP92863. [PMID: 38767950 PMCID: PMC11105155 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92863] [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: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite over a century of observations, the obligate insect parasites within the order Entomophthorales remain poorly characterized at the genetic level. In this manuscript, we present a genome for a laboratory-tractable Entomophthora muscae isolate that infects fruit flies. Our E. muscae assembly is 1.03 Gb, consists of 7810 contigs and contains 81.3% complete fungal BUSCOs. Using a comparative approach with recent datasets from entomophthoralean fungi, we show that giant genomes are the norm within Entomophthoraceae owing to extensive, but not recent, Ty3 retrotransposon activity. In addition, we find that E. muscae and its closest allies possess genes that are likely homologs to the blue-light sensor white-collar 1, a Neurospora crassa gene that has a well-established role in maintaining circadian rhythms. We uncover evidence that E. muscae diverged from other entomophthoralean fungi by expansion of existing families, rather than loss of particular domains, and possesses a potentially unique suite of secreted catabolic enzymes, consistent with E. muscae's species-specific, biotrophic lifestyle. Finally, we offer a head-to-head comparison of morphological and molecular data for species within the E. muscae species complex that support the need for taxonomic revision within this group. Altogether, we provide a genetic and molecular foundation that we hope will provide a platform for the continued study of the unique biology of entomophthoralean fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason E Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California-RiversideRiversideUnited States
| | - Brian Lovett
- Emerging Pests and Pathogens Research Unit, USDA-ARSIthacaUnited States
| | - Emily Lee
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Angie M Macias
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia UniversityMorgantownUnited States
| | - Ann E Hajek
- Department of Entomology, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
| | - Benjamin L de Bivort
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Matt T Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia UniversityMorgantownUnited States
| | - Henrik H De Fine Licht
- Section for Organismal Biology, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Carolyn Elya
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
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González-Esparragoza D, Carrasco-Carballo A, Rosas-Murrieta NH, Millán-Pérez Peña L, Luna F, Herrera-Camacho I. In Silico Analysis of Protein-Protein Interactions of Putative Endoplasmic Reticulum Metallopeptidase 1 in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2024; 46:4609-4629. [PMID: 38785548 PMCID: PMC11120530 DOI: 10.3390/cimb46050280] [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: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Ermp1 is a putative metalloprotease from Schizosaccharomyces pombe and a member of the Fxna peptidases. Although their function is unknown, orthologous proteins from rats and humans have been associated with the maturation of ovarian follicles and increased ER stress. This study focuses on proposing the first prediction of PPI by comparison of the interologues between humans and yeasts, as well as the molecular docking and dynamics of the M28 domain of Ermp1 with possible target proteins. As results, 45 proteins are proposed that could interact with the metalloprotease. Most of these proteins are related to the transport of Ca2+ and the metabolism of amino acids and proteins. Docking and molecular dynamics suggest that the M28 domain of Ermp1 could hydrolyze leucine and methionine residues of Amk2, Ypt5 and Pex12. These results could support future experimental investigations of other Fxna peptidases, such as human ERMP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalia González-Esparragoza
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Centro de Química del Instituto de Ciencias (ICUAP), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico; (D.G.-E.); (N.H.R.-M.); (L.M.-P.P.)
- Laboratorio de Elucidación y Síntesis en Química Orgánica, Instituto de Ciencias de la Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (ICUAP), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico
| | - Alan Carrasco-Carballo
- Laboratorio de Elucidación y Síntesis en Química Orgánica, Instituto de Ciencias de la Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (ICUAP), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico
- Consejo Nacional de Humanidades Ciencia y Tecnología, Instituto de Ciencias de la Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (ICUAP), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico
| | - Nora H. Rosas-Murrieta
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Centro de Química del Instituto de Ciencias (ICUAP), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico; (D.G.-E.); (N.H.R.-M.); (L.M.-P.P.)
| | - Lourdes Millán-Pérez Peña
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Centro de Química del Instituto de Ciencias (ICUAP), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico; (D.G.-E.); (N.H.R.-M.); (L.M.-P.P.)
| | - Felix Luna
- Laboratorio de Neuroendocrinología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico;
| | - Irma Herrera-Camacho
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Centro de Química del Instituto de Ciencias (ICUAP), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico; (D.G.-E.); (N.H.R.-M.); (L.M.-P.P.)
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Bibo-Verdugo B, Salvesen G. Evolution of Caspases and the Invention of Pyroptosis. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5270. [PMID: 38791309 PMCID: PMC11121540 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105270] [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: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The protein scaffold that includes the caspases is ancient and found in all domains of life. However, the stringent specificity that defines the caspase biologic function is relatively recent and found only in multicellular animals. During the radiation of the Chordata, members of the caspase family adopted roles in immunity, events coinciding with the development of substrates that define the modern innate immune response. This review focuses on the switch from the non-inflammatory cellular demise of apoptosis to the highly inflammatory innate response driven by distinct members of the caspase family, and the interplay between these two regulated cell death pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betsaida Bibo-Verdugo
- Instituto Tecnológico de La Paz, Boulevard Forjadores de Baja California Sur 4720, La Paz 23080, Mexico;
| | - Guy Salvesen
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, 10901 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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48
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Ji Y, Lu Q, Duan Y, Chen X, Zhang Y, Yao W, Yin J, Gao X. Enhanced bioactivity and stability of a long-acting FGF21: A novel variant for the treatment of NASH. Biochimie 2024; 225:26-39. [PMID: 38740172 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2024.05.013] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is pivotal in regulating energy metabolism, highlighting substantial therapeutic potential for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Previously, we reported a long-acting FGF21 fusion protein, PsTag-FGF21, which was prepared by genetically fusing human FGF21 with a 648-residue polypeptide (PsTag). While this fusion protein demonstrated therapeutic efficacy against NASH, our final product analysis revealed the presence of fixed impurities resistant to effective removal, indicating potential degradation of PsTag-FGF21. Here, we enriched and analyzed the impurities, confirming our hypothesis regarding the C-terminal degradation of PsTag-FGF21. We now describe a new variant developed to eliminate the C-terminal degradation. By introducing one mutation located at the C-terminal of PsTag-FGF21(V169L), we demonstrated that the new molecule, PsTag-FGF21(V169L), exhibits many improved attributes. Compared with PsTag-FGF21, PsTag-FGF21(V169L) displayed elevated bioactivity and stability, along with a twofold enhanced binding affinity to the coreceptor β-Klotho. In vivo, the circulating half-life of PsTag-FGF21(V169L) was further enhanced compared with that of PsTag-FGF21. In NASH mice, PsTag-FGF21(V169L) demonstrated efficacy with sustained improvements in multiple metabolic parameters. Besides, PsTag-FGF21(V169L) demonstrated the ability to alleviate NASH by decreasing hepatocyte apoptosis. The superior biophysical, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic properties, along with the positive metabolic effects, imply that further clinical development of PsTag-FGF21(V169L) as a metabolic therapy for NASH patients may be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Ji
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Draggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Qingzhou Lu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Draggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Yiliang Duan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Draggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Xuan Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Draggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Yuxi Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Draggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Wenbing Yao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Draggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China.
| | - Jun Yin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Draggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China.
| | - Xiangdong Gao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Draggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China.
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Liu Z, Li K, Li J, Zhuang Z, Guo L, Bai L. Characterization and functional evidence for Orf2 of Streptomyces sp. 139 as a novel dipeptidase E. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:326. [PMID: 38717487 PMCID: PMC11078827 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13161-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Aspartyl dipeptidase (dipeptidase E) can hydrolyze Asp-X dipeptides (where X is any amino acid), and the enzyme plays a key role in the degradation of peptides as nutrient sources. Dipeptidase E remains uncharacterized in Streptomyces. Orf2 from Streptomyces sp. 139 is located in the exopolysaccharide biosynthesis gene cluster, which may be a novel dipeptidase E with "S134-H170-D198" catalytic triad by sequence and structure comparison. Herein, recombinant Orf2 was expressed in E. coli and characterized dipeptidase E activity using the Asp-ρNA substrate. The optimal pH and temperature for Orf2 are 7.5 and 40 ℃; Vmax and Km of Orf2 are 0.0787 mM·min-1 and 1.709 mM, respectively. Orf2 exhibits significant degradation activities to Asp-Gly-Gly, Asp-Leu, Asp-His, and isoAsp-Leu and minimal activities to Asp-Pro and Asp-Ala. Orf2 contains a Ser-His-Asp catalytic triad characterized by point mutation. In addition, the Asp147 residue of Orf2 is also proven to be critical for the enzyme's activity through molecular docking and point mutation. Transcriptome analysis reveals the upregulation of genes associated with ribosomes, amino acid biosynthesis, and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis in the orf2 mutant strain. Compared with the orf2 mutant strain and WT, the yield of crude polysaccharide does not change significantly. However, crude polysaccharides from the orf2 mutant strain exhibit a wider range of molecular weight distribution. The results indicate that the Orf2 links nutrient stress to secondary metabolism as a novel dipeptidase E. KEY POINTS: • A novel dipeptidase E with a Ser-His-Asp catalytic triad was characterized from Streptomyces sp. 139. • Orf2 was involved in peptide metabolism both in vitro and in vivo. • Orf2 linked nutrient stress to mycelia formation and secondary metabolism in Streptomyces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Liu
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology for Drug Innovation, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Antibiotics, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Kemeng Li
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology for Drug Innovation, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Antibiotics, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Jialin Li
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology for Drug Innovation, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Antibiotics, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Zhuochen Zhuang
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology for Drug Innovation, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Antibiotics, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Lianhong Guo
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology for Drug Innovation, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Antibiotics, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Liping Bai
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology for Drug Innovation, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Antibiotics, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China.
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50
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Abiola J, Berg AM, Aiyelaagbe O, Adeyi A, König S. Dabsylated Bradykinin Is Cleaved by Snake Venom Proteases from Echis ocellatus. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1027. [PMID: 38790989 PMCID: PMC11118064 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12051027] [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: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The vasoactive peptide bradykinin (BK) is an important member of the renin-angiotensin system. Its discovery is tightly interwoven with snake venom research, because it was first detected in plasma following the addition of viper venom. While the fact that venoms liberate BK from a serum globulin fraction is well described, its destruction by the venom has largely gone unnoticed. Here, BK was found to be cleaved by snake venom metalloproteinases in the venom of Echis ocellatus, one of the deadliest snakes, which degraded its dabsylated form (DBK) in a few minutes after Pro7 (RPPGFSP↓FR). This is a common cleavage site for several mammalian proteases such as ACE, but is not typical for matrix metalloproteinases. Residual protease activity < 5% after addition of EDTA indicated that DBK is also cleaved by serine proteases to a minor extent. Mass spectrometry-based protein analysis provided spectral proof for several peptides of zinc metalloproteinase-disintegrin-like Eoc1, disintegrin EO4A, and three serine proteases in the venom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julius Abiola
- IZKF Core Unit Proteomics, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, University of Münster, Röntgenstr. 21, 48149 Münster, Germany; (J.A.)
- Organic Unit, Department of Chemistry, University of Ibadan, Ibadan 200005, Nigeria
| | - Anna Maria Berg
- IZKF Core Unit Proteomics, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, University of Münster, Röntgenstr. 21, 48149 Münster, Germany; (J.A.)
| | - Olapeju Aiyelaagbe
- Organic Unit, Department of Chemistry, University of Ibadan, Ibadan 200005, Nigeria
| | - Akindele Adeyi
- Animal Physiology Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan 200005, Nigeria
| | - Simone König
- IZKF Core Unit Proteomics, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, University of Münster, Röntgenstr. 21, 48149 Münster, Germany; (J.A.)
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