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Fukasawa Y, Akai D, Takehi T, Osada Y. Electrical integrity and week-long oscillation in fungal mycelia. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15601. [PMID: 38971913 PMCID: PMC11227530 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66223-6] [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: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The electrical potential of the mycelia of a cord-forming wood decay fungus, Pholiota brunnescens, was monitored for over 100 days on a plain agar plate during the colonization onto a wood bait. Causality analyses of the electrical potential at different locations of the mycelium revealed a clear and stable causal relationship with the directional flow of the electrical potential from the hyphae at the bait location to other parts of the mycelium. However, this causality disappeared after 60 days of incubation, coinciding with the onset of slow electrical oscillation at the bait location, which occurred over one week per oscillation cycle. We speculated that the hyphae that initially colonized the bait may act as a temporary activity center, which generates electrical signals to other parts of the mycelium, thereby facilitating the colonization of the entire mycelial body to the bait. The week-long electrical oscillation represents the longest oscillation period ever recorded in fungi and warrants further investigation to elucidate its function and stability in response to environmental stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Fukasawa
- Laboratory of Forest Ecology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 232-3 Yomogida, Naruko, Osaki, Miyagi, 989-6711, Japan.
| | - Daisuke Akai
- National Institute of Technology, Nagaoka College, 888 Nishi-Katakaimachi, Nagaoka, Niigata, 940-0817, Japan
- Faculty of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6 Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8579, Japan
| | - Takayuki Takehi
- National Institute of Technology, Nagaoka College, 888 Nishi-Katakaimachi, Nagaoka, Niigata, 940-0817, Japan
| | - Yutaka Osada
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3 Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8578, Japan
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2
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Siebieszuk A, Sejbuk M, Witkowska AM. Studying the Human Microbiota: Advances in Understanding the Fundamentals, Origin, and Evolution of Biological Timekeeping. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16169. [PMID: 38003359 PMCID: PMC10671191 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216169] [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: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The recently observed circadian oscillations of the intestinal microbiota underscore the profound nature of the human-microbiome relationship and its importance for health. Together with the discovery of circadian clocks in non-photosynthetic gut bacteria and circadian rhythms in anucleated cells, these findings have indicated the possibility that virtually all microorganisms may possess functional biological clocks. However, they have also raised many essential questions concerning the fundamentals of biological timekeeping, its evolution, and its origin. This narrative review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent literature in molecular chronobiology, aiming to bring together the latest evidence on the structure and mechanisms driving microbial biological clocks while pointing to potential applications of this knowledge in medicine. Moreover, it discusses the latest hypotheses regarding the evolution of timing mechanisms and describes the functions of peroxiredoxins in cells and their contribution to the cellular clockwork. The diversity of biological clocks among various human-associated microorganisms and the role of transcriptional and post-translational timekeeping mechanisms are also addressed. Finally, recent evidence on metabolic oscillators and host-microbiome communication is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Siebieszuk
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, Mickiewicza 2C, 15-222 Białystok, Poland;
| | - Monika Sejbuk
- Department of Food Biotechnology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Bialystok, Szpitalna 37, 15-295 Białystok, Poland;
| | - Anna Maria Witkowska
- Department of Food Biotechnology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Bialystok, Szpitalna 37, 15-295 Białystok, Poland;
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3
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Huang H, Mehta A, Kalmanovich J, Anand A, Bejarano MC, Garg T, Khan N, Tonpouwo GK, Shkodina AD, Bardhan M. Immunological and inflammatory effects of infectious diseases in circadian rhythm disruption and future therapeutic directions. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 50:3739-3753. [PMID: 36656437 PMCID: PMC9851103 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08276-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Circadian rhythm is characterised by daily variations in biological activity to align with the light and dark cycle. These diurnal variations, in turn, influence physiological functions such as blood pressure, temperature, and sleep-wake cycle. Though it is well established that the circadian pathway is linked to pro-inflammatory responses and circulating immune cells, its association with infectious diseases is widely unknown. OBJECTIVE This comprehensive review aims to describe the association between circadian rhythm and host immune response to various kinds of infection. METHODS We conducted a literature search in databases Pubmed/Medline and Science direct. Our paper includes a comprehensive analysis of findings from articles in English which was related to our hypothesis. FINDINGS Molecular clocks determine circadian rhythm disruption in response to infection, influencing the host's response toward infection. Moreover, there is a complex interplay with intrinsic oscillators of pathogens and the influence of specific infectious processes on the CLOCK: BMAL1 pathway. Such mechanisms vary for bacterial and viral infections, both well studied in the literature. However, less is known about the association of parasitic infections and fungal pathogens with circadian rhythm modulation. CONCLUSION It is shown that bidirectional relationships exist between circadian rhythm disruption and infectious process, which contains interplay between the host's and pathogens' circadian oscillator, immune response, and the influence of specific infectious. Further studies exploring the modulations of circadian rhythm and immunity can offer novel explanations of different susceptibilities to infection and can lead to therapeutic avenues in circadian immune modulation of infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Huang
- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Aashna Mehta
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032 Hungary
| | | | - Ayush Anand
- B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal
| | - Maria Chilo Bejarano
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Humana, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
| | - Tulika Garg
- Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Nida Khan
- Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Gauvain Kankeu Tonpouwo
- Faculté de Médecine, Université de Lubumbashi, Plaine Tshombé, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | | | - Mainak Bardhan
- ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED), Kolkata, India
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4
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Valim HF, Dal Grande F, Otte J, Singh G, Merges D, Schmitt I. Identification and expression of functionally conserved circadian clock genes in lichen-forming fungi. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15884. [PMID: 36151124 PMCID: PMC9508176 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19646-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Lichen-forming fungi establish stable symbioses with green algae or cyanobacteria. Many species have broad distributions, both in geographic and ecological space, making them ideal subjects to study organism-environment interactions. However, little is known about the specific mechanisms that contribute to environmental adaptation in lichen-forming fungi. The circadian clock provides a well-described mechanism that contributes to regional adaptation across a variety of species, including fungi. Here, we identify the putative circadian clock components in phylogenetically divergent lichen-forming fungi. The core circadian genes (frq, wc-1, wc-2, frh) are present across the Fungi, including 31 lichen-forming species, and their evolutionary trajectories mirror overall fungal evolution. Comparative analyses of the clock genes indicate conserved domain architecture among lichen- and non-lichen-forming taxa. We used RT-qPCR to examine the core circadian loop of two unrelated lichen-forming fungi, Umbilicaria pustulata (Lecanoromycetes) and Dermatocarpon miniatum (Eurotiomycetes), to determine that the putative frq gene is activated in a light-dependent manner similar to the model fungus Neurospora crassa. Together, these results demonstrate that lichen-forming fungi retain functional light-responsive mechanisms, including a functioning circadian clock. Our findings provide a stepping stone into investigating the circadian clock in the lichen symbiosis, e.g. its role in adaptation, and in synchronizing the symbiotic interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrique F Valim
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. .,LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Francesco Dal Grande
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Padua, Via U. Bassi 58/B, Padua, Italy
| | - Jürgen Otte
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Garima Singh
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Padua, Via U. Bassi 58/B, Padua, Italy
| | - Dominik Merges
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7070, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Imke Schmitt
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. .,LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. .,Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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Srimani S, Schmidt CX, Gómez-Serranillos MP, Oster H, Divakar PK. Modulation of Cellular Circadian Rhythms by Secondary Metabolites of Lichens. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:907308. [PMID: 35813500 PMCID: PMC9260025 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.907308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Most mammalian cells harbor molecular circadian clocks that synchronize physiological functions with the 24-h day-night cycle. Disruption of circadian rhythms, through genetic or environmental changes, promotes the development of disorders like obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. At the cellular level, circadian, mitotic, and redox cycles are functionally coupled. Evernic (EA) and usnic acid (UA), two lichen secondary metabolites, show various pharmacological activities including anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective action. All these effects have likewise been associated with a functional circadian clock. Hypothesis/Purpose To test, if the lichen compounds EA and UA modulate circadian clock function at the cellular level. Methods We used three different cell lines and two circadian luminescence reporter systems for evaluating dose- and time-dependent effects of EA/UA treatment on cellular clock regulation at high temporal resolution. Output parameters studied were circadian luminescence rhythm period, amplitude, phase, and dampening rate. Results Both compounds had marked effects on clock rhythm amplitudes and dampening independent of cell type, with UA generally showing a higher efficiency than EA. Only in fibroblast cells, significant effects on clock period were observed for UA treated cells showing shorter and EA treated cells showing longer period lengths. Transient treatment of mouse embryonic fibroblasts at different phases had only minor clock resetting effects for both compounds. Conclusion Secondary metabolites of lichen alter cellular circadian clocks through amplitude reduction and increased rhythm dampening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumi Srimani
- Institute of Neurobiology, Center of Brain, Behavior & Metabolism (CBBM), University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
- Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacognosy and Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cosima Xenia Schmidt
- Institute of Neurobiology, Center of Brain, Behavior & Metabolism (CBBM), University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Maria Pilar Gómez-Serranillos
- Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacognosy and Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Henrik Oster
- Institute of Neurobiology, Center of Brain, Behavior & Metabolism (CBBM), University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Pradeep K. Divakar
- Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacognosy and Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Pradeep K. Divakar
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Nidhi, Kumar P, Pathania D, Thakur S, Sharma M. Environment-mediated mutagenetic interference on genetic stabilization and circadian rhythm in plants. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:358. [PMID: 35687153 PMCID: PMC11072124 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04368-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Many mortal organisms on this planet have developed the potential to merge all internal as well as external environmental cues to regulate various processes running inside organisms and in turn make them adaptive to the environment through the circadian clock. This moving rotator controls processes like activation of hormonal, metabolic, or defense pathways, initiation of flowering at an accurate period, and developmental processes in plants to ensure their stability in the environment. All these processes that are under the control of this rotating wheel can be changed either by external environmental factors or by an unpredictable phenomenon called mutation that can be generated by either physical mutagens, chemical mutagens, or by internal genetic interruption during metabolic processes, which alters normal functionality of organisms like innate immune responses, entrainment of the clock, biomass reduction, chlorophyll formation, and hormonal signaling, despite its fewer positive roles in plants like changing plant type, loss of vernalization treatment to make them survivable in different latitudes, and defense responses during stress. In addition, with mutation, overexpression of gene components sometimes supresses mutation effect and promote normal circadian genes abundance in the cell, while sometimes it affects circadian functionality by generating arrhythmicity and shows that not only mutation but overexpression also effects normal functional activities of plant. Therefore, this review mainly summarizes the role of each circadian clock genes in regulating rhythmicity, and shows that how circadian outputs are controlled by mutations as well as overexpression phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhi
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, 173212, India
| | - Pradeep Kumar
- Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharmshala, India
| | - Diksha Pathania
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, 173212, India
| | - Sourbh Thakur
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Bioorganic Chemistry and Biotechnology, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland
| | - Mamta Sharma
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, 173212, India.
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Venkat A, Muneer S. Role of Circadian Rhythms in Major Plant Metabolic and Signaling Pathways. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:836244. [PMID: 35463437 PMCID: PMC9019581 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.836244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Plants require an endogenous regulatory network and mechanism to cope with diurnal environmental changes and compensate for their sessile nature. Plants use the circadian clock to anticipate diurnal changes. Circadian rhythm predicts a 24-h cycle with 16 h of light and 8 h of darkness in response to abiotic and biotic factors as well as the appropriate temperature. For a plant's fitness, proper growth, and development, these rhythms synchronize the diurnal photoperiodic changes. Input pathway, central oscillator, and output pathway are the three components that make up the endogenous clock. There are also transcriptional and translational feedback loops (TTFLs) in the clock, which are dependent on the results of gene expression. Several physiological processes, such as stress acclimatization, hormone signaling, morphogenesis, carbon metabolism, and defense response, are currently being investigated for their interactions with the circadian clock using phenotypic, genomic, and metabolic studies. This review examines the role of circadian rhythms in the regulation of plant metabolic pathways, such as photosynthesis and carbon metabolism, as well as developmental and degenerative processes, such as flowering and senescence. Furthermore, we summarized signaling pathways related to circadian rhythms, such as defense response and gene regulatory pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajila Venkat
- Horticulture and Molecular Physiology Lab, School of Agricultural Innovations and Advanced Learning, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
| | - Sowbiya Muneer
- Horticulture and Molecular Physiology Lab, School of Agricultural Innovations and Advanced Learning, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
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Plant Defence Mechanisms Are Modulated by the Circadian System. BIOLOGY 2020; 9:biology9120454. [PMID: 33317013 PMCID: PMC7763185 DOI: 10.3390/biology9120454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The circadian clock is an endogenous time keeping mechanism found in living organisms and their respective pathogens. Numerous studies demonstrate that rhythms generated by this internal biological oscillator regulate and modulate most of the physiological, developmental, and biochemical processes of plants. Importantly, plant defence responses have also been shown to be modulated by the host circadian clock and vice versa. In this review we discuss the current understanding of the interactions between plant immunity and the circadian system. We also describe the possibility of pathogens directly or indirectly influencing plants’ circadian rhythms and suggest that these interactions could help us devise better disease management strategies for plants. Our review raises further research questions and we conclude that experimentation should be completed to unravel the complex mechanisms underlying interactions between plant defence and the circadian system. Abstract Plant health is an important aspect of food security, with pathogens, pests, and herbivores all contributing to yield losses in crops. Plants’ defence against pathogens is complex and utilises several metabolic processes, including the circadian system, to coordinate their response. In this review, we examine how plants’ circadian rhythms contribute to defence mechanisms, particularly in response to bacterial pathogen attack. Circadian rhythms contribute to many aspects of the plant–pathogen interaction, although significant gaps in our understanding remain to be explored. We conclude that if these relationships are explored further, better disease management strategies could be revealed.
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Costantini C, Renga G, Sellitto F, Borghi M, Stincardini C, Pariano M, Zelante T, Chiarotti F, Bartoli A, Mosci P, Romani L, Brancorsini S, Bellet MM. Microbes in the Era of Circadian Medicine. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:30. [PMID: 32117804 PMCID: PMC7013081 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The organisms of most domains of life have adapted to circadian changes of the environment and regulate their behavior and physiology accordingly. A particular case of such paradigm is represented by some types of host-pathogen interaction during infection. Indeed, not only some hosts and pathogens are each endowed with their own circadian clock, but they are also influenced by the circadian changes of the other with profound consequences on the outcome of the infection. It comes that daily fluctuations in the availability of resources and the nature of the immune response, coupled with circadian changes of the pathogen, may influence microbial virulence, level of colonization and damage to the host, and alter the equilibrium between commensal and invading microorganisms. In the present review, we discuss the potential relevance of circadian rhythms in human bacterial and fungal pathogens, and the consequences of circadian changes of the host immune system and microbiome on the onset and development of infection. By looking from the perspective of the interplay between host and microbes circadian rhythms, these concepts are expected to change the way we approach human infections, not only by predicting the outcome of the host-pathogen interaction, but also by indicating the best time for intervention to potentiate the anti-microbial activities of the immune system and to weaken the pathogen when its susceptibility is higher.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Costantini
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Giorgia Renga
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Federica Sellitto
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Monica Borghi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | | | - Marilena Pariano
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Teresa Zelante
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Flavia Chiarotti
- Reference Centre for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Bartoli
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Paolo Mosci
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Luigina Romani
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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Abstract
In Neurospora and other fungi, the protein frequency (FRQ) is an integral part and a negative element in the fungal circadian oscillator. In Drosophila and many other higher organisms, the protein period (PER) is an integral part and a negative element of their circadian oscillator. Employing bioinformatic techniques, such as BLAST, CLUSTAL, and MEME (Multiple Em for Motif Elicitation), 11 regions (sequences) of potential similarity were found between the fungal FRQ and the Drosophila PER. Many of these FRQ regions are conserved in many fungal FRQ(s). Many of these PER regions are conserved in many insects. In addition, these regions are also of biological significance since mutations in these regions lead to changes in the circadian clock of Neurospora and Drosophila. Many of these regions of similarity between FRQ and PER are also conserved between the Drosophila PER and the mouse PER (mPER2). This suggests conserved and important regions for all 3 proteins and a common ancestor, possibly in those amoeba, such as Capsaspora, that sits at the base of the phylogenetic tree where fungi and animals diverged. Two additional examples of a possible common ancestor between Neurospora and Drosophila were found. One, the white collar (WC-1) protein of Neurospora and the Drosophila PER, shows significant similarity in its Per/Arnt/Sim (PAS) motifs to the PAS motif of an ARNT-like protein found in the amoeba, Capsaspora. Two, both of the positive elements in each system (i.e., WC-1 in Neurospora and cycle [CYC] in Drosophila), show significant similarity to this Capsaspora ARNT protein. A discussion of these findings centers on the long-time debate about the origins of the many different clock systems (i.e., independent evolution or common ancestor as well as to the question of how new genes are formed).
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart Brody
- Section of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, and Center for Circadian Biology, UCSD, La Jolla, California
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Barik S. Molecular Interactions between Pathogens and the Circadian Clock. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20235824. [PMID: 31756974 PMCID: PMC6928883 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20235824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The daily periodicity of the Earth's rotation around the Sun, referred to as circadian (Latin "circa" = about, and "diem" = day), is also mirrored in the behavior and metabolism of living beings. The discovery that dedicated cellular genes control various aspects of this periodicity has led to studies of the molecular mechanism of the circadian response at the cellular level. It is now established that the circadian genes impact on a large network of hormonal, metabolic, and immunological pathways, affecting multiple aspects of biology. Recent studies have extended the role of the circadian system to the regulation of infection, host-pathogen interaction, and the resultant disease outcome. This critical review summarizes our current knowledge of circadian-pathogen interaction at both systemic and cellular levels, but with emphasis on the molecular aspects of the regulation. Wherever applicable, the potential of a direct interaction between circadian factors and pathogenic macromolecules is also explored. Finally, this review offers new directions and guidelines for future research in this area, which should facilitate progress.
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