Transfer of membrane(s) matter(s)-non-genetic inheritance of (metabolic) phenotypes?

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins (GPI-APs) are anchored at the outer phospholipid layer of eukaryotic plasma membranes exclusively by a glycolipid. GPI-APs are not only released into extracellular compartments by lipolytic cleavage. In addition, certain GPI-APs with the glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor including their fatty acids remaining coupled to the carboxy-terminus of their protein components are also detectable in body fluids, in response to certain stimuli, such as oxidative stress, radicals or high-fat diet. As a consequence, the fatty acid moieties of GPI-APs must be shielded from access of the aqueous environment by incorporation into membranes of extracellular vesicles or into micelle-like complexes together with (lyso)phospholipids and cholesterol. The GPI-APs released from somatic cells and tissues are transferred via those complexes or EVs to somatic as well as pluripotent stem cells with metabolic consequences, such as upregulation of glycogen and lipid synthesis. From these and additional findings, the following hypotheses are developed: i) Transfer of GPI-APs via EVs or micelle-like complexes leads to the induction of new phenotypes in the daughter cells or zygotes, which are presumably not restricted to metabolism. ii) The membrane topographies transferred by the concerted action of GPI-APs and interacting components are replicated by self-organization and self-templation and remain accessible to structural changes by environmental factors. iii) Transfer from mother cells and gametes to their daughter cells and zygotes, respectively, is not restricted to DNA and genes, but also encompasses non-genetic matter, such as GPI-APs and specific membrane constituents. iv) The intergenerational transfer of membrane matter between mammalian organisms is understood as an epigenetic mechanism for phenotypic plasticity, which does not rely on modifications of DNA and histones, but is regarded as molecular mechanism for the inheritance of acquired traits, such as complex metabolic diseases. v) The missing interest in research of non-genetic matter of inheritance, which may be interpreted in the sense of Darwin's "Gemmules" or Galton's "Stirps", should be addressed in future investigations of the philosophy of science and sociology of media.

Bioengineered System for High Throughput Screening of Kv1 Ion Channel Blockers

Screening drug candidates for their affinity and selectivity for a certain binding site is a crucial step in developing targeted therapy. Here, we created a screening assay for receptor binding that can be easily scaled up and automated for the high throughput screening of Kv channel blockers. It is based on the expression of the KcsA-Kv1 hybrid channel tagged with a fluorescent protein in the E. coli membrane. In order to make this channel accessible for the soluble compounds, E. coli were transformed into spheroplasts by disruption of the cellular peptidoglycan envelope. The assay was evaluated using a hybrid KcsA-Kv1.3 potassium channel tagged with a red fluorescent protein (TagRFP). The binding of Kv1.3 channel blockers was measured by flow cytometry either by using their fluorescent conjugates or by determining the ability of unconjugated compounds to displace fluorescently labeled blockers with a known affinity. A fraction of the occupied receptor was calculated with a dedicated pipeline available as a Jupyter notebook. Measured binding constants for agitoxin-2, charybdotoxin and kaliotoxin were in firm agreement with the earlier published data. By using a mid-range flow cytometer with manual sample handling, we measured and analyzed up to ten titration curves (eight data points each) in one day. Finally, we considered possibilities for multiplexing, scaling and automation of the assay.

Molecular Profiling of DNA Methylation and Alternative Splicing of Genes in Skeletal Muscle of Obese Rabbits

DNA methylation and the alternative splicing of precursor messenger RNAs (pre-mRNAs) are two important genetic modification mechanisms. However, both are currently uncharacterized in the muscle metabolism of rabbits. Thus, we constructed the Tianfu black rabbit obesity model (obese rabbits fed with a 10% high-fat diet and control rabbits from 35 days to 70 days) and collected the skeletal muscle samples from the two groups for Genome methylation sequencing and RNA sequencing. DNA methylation data showed that the promoter regions of 599 genes and gene body region of 2522 genes had significantly differential methylation rates between the two groups, of which 288 genes had differential methylation rates in promoter and gene body regions. Analysis of alternative splicing showed 555 genes involved in exon skipping (ES) patterns, and 15 genes existed in differential methylation regions. Network analysis showed that 20 hub genes were associated with ubiquitinated protein degradation, muscle development pathways, and skeletal muscle energy metabolism. Our findings suggest that the two types of genetic modification have potential regulatory effects on skeletal muscle development and provide a basis for further mechanistic studies in the rabbit.

Beyond the Surface: Endocytosis of Mosquito-Borne Flaviviruses

Flaviviruses are a group of positive-sense RNA viruses that are primarily transmitted through arthropod vectors and are capable of causing a broad spectrum of diseases. Many of the flaviviruses that are pathogenic in humans are transmitted specifically through mosquito vectors. Over the past century, many mosquito-borne flavivirus infections have emerged and re-emerged, and are of global importance with hundreds of millions of infections occurring yearly. There is a need for novel, effective, and accessible vaccines and antivirals capable of inhibiting flavivirus infection and ameliorating disease. The development of therapeutics targeting viral entry has long been a goal of antiviral research, but most efforts are hindered by the lack of broad-spectrum potency or toxicities associated with on-target effects, since many host proteins necessary for viral entry are also essential for host cell biology. Mosquito-borne flaviviruses generally enter cells by clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME), and recent studies suggest that a subset of these viruses can be internalized through a specialized form of CME that has additional dependencies distinct from canonical CME pathways, and antivirals targeting this pathway have been discovered. In this review, we discuss the role and contribution of endocytosis to mosquito-borne flavivirus entry as well as consider past and future efforts to target endocytosis for therapeutic interventions.

Emerging Role of LY6E in Virus-Host Interactions

As a canonical lymphocyte antigen-6/urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor Ly6/uPAR family protein, lymphocyte antigen 6 complex, locus E (LY6E), plays important roles in immunological regulation, T cell physiology, and oncogenesis. Emerging evidence indicates that LY6E is also involved in the modulation of viral infection. Consequently, viral infection and associated pathogenesis have been associated with altered LY6E gene expression. The interaction between viruses and the host immune system has offered insights into the biology of LY6E. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of LY6E in the context of viral infection, particularly viral entry.

Organization of GPI-anchored proteins at the cell surface and its physiopathological relevance

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins (GPI-APs) are a class of proteins attached to the extracellular leaflet of the plasma membrane via a post-translational modification, the glycolipid anchor. The presence of both glycolipid anchor and protein portion confers them unique features. GPI-APs are expressed in all eukaryotes, from fungi to plants and animals. They display very diverse functions ranging from enzymatic activity, signaling, cell adhesion, cell wall metabolism, neuritogenesis, and immune response. Likewise other plasma membrane proteins, the spatio-temporal organization of GPI-APs is critical for their biological activities in physiological conditions. In this review, we will summarize the latest findings on plasma membrane organization of GPI-APs and the mechanism of its regulation in different cell types. We will also examine the involvement of specific GPI-APs namely the prion protein PrP^C, the Folate Receptor alpha and the urokinase plasminogen activator receptor in human diseases focusing on neurodegenerative diseases and cancer.

Crosstalk between WIP and Rho family GTPases

Through actin-binding proteins such as the neural Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP) and WASP-interacting protein (WIP), the Rho family GTPases RhoA, Rac1 and Cdc42 are major modulators of the cytoskeleton. (N-)WASP and WIP control Rho GTPase activity in various cell types, either by direct WIP/(N-)WASP/Cdc42 or potential WIP/RhoA binding, or through secondary links that regulate GTPase distribution and/or transcription levels. WIP helps to regulate filopodium generation and participates in the Rac1-mediated ruffle formation that determines cell motility. In neurons, lack of WIP increases dendritic spine size and filamentous actin content in a RhoA-dependent manner. In contrast, WIP deficiency in an adenocarcinoma cell line significantly reduces RhoA levels. These data support a role for WIP in the GTPase-mediated regulation of numerous actin-related cell functions; we discuss the possibility that this WIP effect is linked to cell proliferative status.