2
|
Gyimesi G, Hediger MA. Systematic in silico discovery of novel solute carrier-like proteins from proteomes. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0271062. [PMID: 35901096 PMCID: PMC9333335 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0271062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Solute carrier (SLC) proteins represent the largest superfamily of transmembrane transporters. While many of them play key biological roles, their systematic analysis has been hampered by their functional and structural heterogeneity. Based on available nomenclature systems, we hypothesized that many as yet unidentified SLC transporters exist in the human genome, which await further systematic analysis. Here, we present criteria for defining "SLC-likeness" to curate a set of "SLC-like" protein families from the Transporter Classification Database (TCDB) and Protein families (Pfam) databases. Computational sequence similarity searches surprisingly identified ~120 more proteins in human with potential SLC-like properties compared to previous annotations. Interestingly, several of these have documented transport activity in the scientific literature. To complete the overview of the "SLC-ome", we present an algorithm to classify SLC-like proteins into protein families, investigating their known functions and evolutionary relationships to similar proteins from 6 other clinically relevant experimental organisms, and pinpoint structural orphans. We envision that our work will serve as a stepping stone for future studies of the biological function and the identification of the natural substrates of the many under-explored SLC transporters, as well as for the development of new therapeutic applications, including strategies for personalized medicine and drug delivery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gergely Gyimesi
- Membrane Transport Discovery Lab, Department of Nephrology and Hypertension and Department for BioMedical Research, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- * E-mail: (GG); (MAH)
| | - Matthias A. Hediger
- Membrane Transport Discovery Lab, Department of Nephrology and Hypertension and Department for BioMedical Research, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- * E-mail: (GG); (MAH)
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Choe CP, Choi SY, Kee Y, Kim MJ, Kim SH, Lee Y, Park HC, Ro H. Transgenic fluorescent zebrafish lines that have revolutionized biomedical research. Lab Anim Res 2021; 37:26. [PMID: 34496973 PMCID: PMC8424172 DOI: 10.1186/s42826-021-00103-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Since its debut in the biomedical research fields in 1981, zebrafish have been used as a vertebrate model organism in more than 40,000 biomedical research studies. Especially useful are zebrafish lines expressing fluorescent proteins in a molecule, intracellular organelle, cell or tissue specific manner because they allow the visualization and tracking of molecules, intracellular organelles, cells or tissues of interest in real time and in vivo. In this review, we summarize representative transgenic fluorescent zebrafish lines that have revolutionized biomedical research on signal transduction, the craniofacial skeletal system, the hematopoietic system, the nervous system, the urogenital system, the digestive system and intracellular organelles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chong Pyo Choe
- Division of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, Republic of Korea.,Division of Applied Life Science, Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Research Center, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok-Yong Choi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, 58128, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Kee
- Division of Biomedical Convergence, College of Biomedical Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea.
| | - Min Jung Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, 04310, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok-Hyung Kim
- Department of Marine Life Sciences and Fish Vaccine Research Center, Jeju National University, Jeju, 63243, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoonsung Lee
- Center for Genomic Integrity, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae-Chul Park
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Ansan, 15355, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunju Ro
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Schulz A, Müller NV, van de Lest NA, Eisenreich A, Schmidbauer M, Barysenka A, Purfürst B, Sporbert A, Lorenzen T, Meyer AM, Herlan L, Witten A, Rühle F, Zhou W, de Heer E, Scharpfenecker M, Panáková D, Stoll M, Kreutz R. Analysis of the genomic architecture of a complex trait locus in hypertensive rat models links Tmem63c to kidney damage. eLife 2019; 8:42068. [PMID: 30900988 PMCID: PMC6478434 DOI: 10.7554/elife.42068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Unraveling the genetic susceptibility of complex diseases such as chronic kidney disease remains challenging. Here, we used inbred rat models of kidney damage associated with elevated blood pressure for the comprehensive analysis of a major albuminuria susceptibility locus detected in these models. We characterized its genomic architecture by congenic substitution mapping, targeted next-generation sequencing, and compartment-specific RNA sequencing analysis in isolated glomeruli. This led to prioritization of transmembrane protein Tmem63c as a novel potential target. Tmem63c is differentially expressed in glomeruli of allele-specific rat models during onset of albuminuria. Patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis exhibited specific TMEM63C loss in podocytes. Functional analysis in zebrafish revealed a role for tmem63c in mediating the glomerular filtration barrier function. Our data demonstrate that integrative analysis of the genomic architecture of a complex trait locus is a powerful tool for identification of new targets such as Tmem63c for further translational investigation. The human kidneys filter the entire volume of the blood about 300 times each day. This ability depends on specialized cells, known as podocytes, which wrap around some of the blood vessels in the kidney. These cells control which molecules leave the blood based on their size. Normally large molecules like proteins are blocked, while smaller molecules including waste products, toxins, excess water and salts pass through into the urine. If this filtration system is damaged, by high blood pressure, for example, it can lead to chronic kidney disease. A hallmark of this disease, often called CKD for short, is high levels of the protein albumin in the urine. Previous studies involving rats with high blood pressure have found several regions of the genome that contribute to high levels of albumin in the urine, including one on chromosome 6. However, this region contains several genes and it was unclear which genes affected the condition. Schulz et al. set out to narrow down the list and find specific genes that might contribute to elevated albumin in the urine of rats with high blood pressure. This search identified the gene for a protein called TMEM63c as a likely candidate. This protein spans the outer membrane of podocyte cells. Analysis of kidney biopsies showed that patients with chronic kidney disease also had low levels of this protein in their podocytes. Further experiments, this time in zebrafish, showed that reducing the activity of the gene for tmem63c led to damaged podocytes and a leakier filter in the kidneys. The results suggest that this gene plays an important role in the integrity of the kidneys filtration barrier. It is possible that faulty versions of this gene are behind some cases of chronic kidney disease. If this proves to be the case, a better understanding of the role of this gene may lead to new treatments for the condition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angela Schulz
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nicola Victoria Müller
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Electrochemical Signaling in Development and Disease, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nina Anne van de Lest
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Andreas Eisenreich
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martina Schmidbauer
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrei Barysenka
- Westfälische Wilhelms University, Genetic Epidemiology, Institute for Human Genetics, Münster, Germany
| | - Bettina Purfürst
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Core Facility Electron Microscopy, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anje Sporbert
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Advanced Light Microscopy, Berlin, Germany
| | - Theodor Lorenzen
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Laura Herlan
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anika Witten
- Westfälische Wilhelms University, Genetic Epidemiology, Institute for Human Genetics, Münster, Germany
| | - Frank Rühle
- Westfälische Wilhelms University, Genetic Epidemiology, Institute for Human Genetics, Münster, Germany
| | - Weibin Zhou
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Center for Human Disease Modeling, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, United States
| | - Emile de Heer
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marion Scharpfenecker
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Daniela Panáková
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Monika Stoll
- Westfälische Wilhelms University, Genetic Epidemiology, Institute for Human Genetics, Münster, Germany.,Department of Biochemistry, Maastricht University, Genetic Epidemiology and Statistical Genetics, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Reinhold Kreutz
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|