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Wen TY, Zhang Y, Wu XQ, Ye JR, Qiu YJ, Rui L. Studies on the Requirement of Transthyretin Protein (BxTTR-52) for the Suppression of Host Innate Immunity in Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315058. [PMID: 36499385 PMCID: PMC9739835 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, has been determined as one of the world's top ten plant-parasitic nematodes. It causes pine wilt, a progressive disease that affects the economy and ecologically sustainable development in East Asia. B. xylophilus secretes pathogenic proteins into host plant tissues to promote infection. However, little is known about the interaction between B. xylophilus and pines. Previous studies reported transthyretin proteins in some species and their strong correlation with immune evasion, which has also been poorly studied in B. xylophilus. In this study, we cloned and functionally validated the B. xylophilus pathogenic protein BxTTR-52, containing a transthyretin domain. An in situ hybridization assay demonstrated that BxTTR-52 was expressed mainly in the esophageal glands of B. xylophilus. Confocal microscopy revealed that BxTTR-52-RFP localized to the nucleus, cytoplasm, and plasma membrane. BxTTR-52 recombinant proteins produced by Escherichia coli could be suppressed by hydrogen peroxide and antioxidant enzymes in pines. Moreover, silencing BxTTR-52 significantly attenuated the morbidity of Pinus thunbergii infected with B. xylophilus. It also suppressed the expression of pathogenesis-related genes in P. thunbergii. These results suggest that BxTTR-52 suppresses the plant immune response in the host pines and might contribute to the pathogenicity of B. xylophilus in the early infection stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong-Yue Wen
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Prevention and Management of Invasive Species, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Prevention and Management of Invasive Species, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Xiao-Qin Wu
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Prevention and Management of Invasive Species, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel./Fax: +86-25-8542-7427
| | - Jian-Ren Ye
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Prevention and Management of Invasive Species, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Yi-Jun Qiu
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Prevention and Management of Invasive Species, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Lin Rui
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Prevention and Management of Invasive Species, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
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Cheong CSY, Khan SU, Ahmed N, Narayanan K. Identification of dual active sites in Caenorhabditis elegans GANA-1 protein: an ortholog of the human α-GAL a and α-NAGA enzymes. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022:1-16. [PMID: 35694994 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2084162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Fabry disease (FD) is caused by a defective α-galactosidase A (α-GAL A) enzyme responsible for breaking down globotriaosylceramide (Gb3). To develop affordable therapeutics, more effort is needed to obtain insights into the underlying mechanism of FD and understanding human α-GAL A structure and function in related animal models. We adopted C. elegans as a model to elucidate the sequence and 3D structure of its GANA-1 enzyme and compared it to human α-GAL A. We constructed GANA-1 3D structure by homology modelling and validated the quality of the predicted GANA-1 structure, followed by computational docking of human ligands. The GANA-1 protein shared sequence similarities up to 42.1% with the human α-GAL A in silico and had dual active sites. GANA-1 homology modelling showed that 11 out of 13 amino acids in the first active site of GANA-1 protein overlapped with the human α-GAL A active site, indicating the prospect for substrate cross-reaction. Computational molecular docking using human ligands like Gb3 (first pocket), 4-nitrophenyl-α-D-galactopyranoside (second pocket), α-galactose (second pocket), and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (second pocket) showed negative binding energy. This revealed that the ligands were able to bind within both GANA-1 active sites, mimicking the human α-GAL A and α-NAGA enzymes. We identified human compounds with adequate docking scores, predicting robust interactions with the GANA-1 active site. Our data suggested that the C. elegans GANA-1 enzyme may possess structural and functional similarities to human α-GAL A, including an intrinsic capability to metabolize Gb3 deposits.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clerance Su Yee Cheong
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Shafi Ullah Khan
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.,Department of Pharmacy, Abasyn University, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.,Product & Process Innovation Department, Qarshi Brands (Pvt) Ltd, District Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Nafees Ahmed
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.,Tropical Medicine and Biology Multidisciplinary Platform, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Kumaran Narayanan
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
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Schistosoma mansoni α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase (SmNAGAL) regulates coordinated parasite movement and egg production. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1009828. [PMID: 35025955 PMCID: PMC8791529 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
α-galactosidase (α-GAL) and α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase (α-NAGAL) are two glycosyl hydrolases responsible for maintaining cellular homeostasis by regulating glycan substrates on proteins and lipids. Mutations in the human genes encoding either enzyme lead to neurological and neuromuscular impairments seen in both Fabry- and Schindler/Kanzaki- diseases. Here, we investigate whether the parasitic blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni, responsible for the neglected tropical disease schistosomiasis, also contains functionally important α-GAL and α-NAGAL proteins. As infection, parasite maturation and host interactions are all governed by carefully-regulated glycosylation processes, inhibiting S. mansoni's α-GAL and α-NAGAL activities could lead to the development of novel chemotherapeutics. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses of putative α-GAL/α-NAGAL protein types showed Smp_089290 to be the only S. mansoni protein to contain the functional amino acid residues necessary for α-GAL/α-NAGAL substrate cleavage. Both α-GAL and α-NAGAL enzymatic activities were higher in females compared to males (p<0.05; α-NAGAL > α-GAL), which was consistent with smp_089290's female biased expression. Spatial localisation of smp_089290 revealed accumulation in parenchymal cells, neuronal cells, and the vitellaria and mature vitellocytes of the adult schistosome. siRNA-mediated knockdown (>90%) of smp_089290 in adult worms significantly inhibited α-NAGAL activity when compared to control worms (siLuc treated males, p<0.01; siLuc treated females, p<0.05). No significant reductions in α-GAL activities were observed in the same extracts. Despite this, decreases in α-NAGAL activities correlated with a significant inhibition in adult worm motility as well as in egg production. Programmed CRISPR/Cas9 editing of smp_089290 in adult worms confirmed the egg reduction phenotype. Based on these results, Smp_089290 was determined to act predominantly as an α-NAGAL (hereafter termed SmNAGAL) in schistosome parasites where it participates in coordinating movement and oviposition processes. Further characterisation of SmNAGAL and other functionally important glycosyl hydrolases may lead to the development of a novel anthelmintic class of compounds.
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Weissmann C, Albanese AA, Contreras NE, Gobetto MN, Castellanos LCS, Uchitel OD. Ion channels and pain in Fabry disease. Mol Pain 2021; 17:17448069211033172. [PMID: 34284652 PMCID: PMC8299890 DOI: 10.1177/17448069211033172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Fabry disease (FD) is a progressive, X-linked inherited disorder of glycosphingolipid metabolism due to deficient or absent lysosomal α-galactosidase A (α-Gal A) activity which results in progressive accumulation of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) and related metabolites. One prominent feature of Fabry disease is neuropathic pain. Accumulation of Gb3 has been documented in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) as well as other neurons, and has lately been associated with the mechanism of pain though the pathophysiology is still unclear. Small fiber (SF) neuropathy in FD differs from other entities in several aspects related to the perception of pain, alteration of fibers as well as drug therapies used in the practice with patients, with therapies far from satisfying. In order to develop better treatments, more information on the underlying mechanisms of pain is needed. Research in neuropathy has gained momentum from the development of preclinical models where different aspects of pain can be modelled and further analyzed. This review aims at describing the different in vitro and FD animal models that have been used so far, as well as some of the insights gained from their use. We focus especially in recent findings associated with ion channel alterations -that apart from the vascular alterations-, could provide targets for improved therapies in pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Weissmann
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE-UBA-CONICET) and Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Adriana A Albanese
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE-UBA-CONICET) and Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Natalia E Contreras
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE-UBA-CONICET) and Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - María N Gobetto
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE-UBA-CONICET) and Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Libia C Salinas Castellanos
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE-UBA-CONICET) and Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Osvaldo D Uchitel
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE-UBA-CONICET) and Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
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Rashid MHO, Sadik G, Alam AK, Tanaka T. Chemical and structural characterization of α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase I and II from starfish, asterina amurensis. BMC BIOCHEMISTRY 2017; 18:9. [PMID: 28545388 PMCID: PMC5445309 DOI: 10.1186/s12858-017-0085-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The marine invertebrate starfish was found to contain a novel α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase, α-GalNAcase II, which catalyzes removal of terminal α-N-acetylgalactosamine (α-GalNAc), in addition to a typical α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase, α-GalNAcase I, which catalyzes removal of terminal α-N-acetylgalactosamine (α-GalNAc) and, to a lesser extent, galactose. The interrelationship between α-GalNAcase I and α-GalNAcase II and the molecular basis of their differences in substrate specificity remain unknown. RESULTS Chemical and structural comparisons between α-GalNAcase I and II using immunostaining, N-terminal amino acid sequencing and peptide analysis showed high homology to each other and also to other glycoside hydrolase family (GHF) 27 members. The amino acid sequence of peptides showed conserved residues at the active site as seen in typical α-GalNAcase. Some substitutions of conserved amino acid residues were found in α-GalNAcase II that were located near catalytic site. Among them G171 and A173, in place of C171 and W173, respectively in α-GalNAcase were identified to be responsible for lacking intrinsic α-galactosidase activity of α-GalNAcase II. Chemical modifications supported the presence of serine, aspartate and tryptophan as active site residues. Two tryptophan residues (W16 and W173) were involved in α-galactosidase activity, and one (W16) of them was involved in α-GalNAcase activity. CONCLUSIONS The results suggested that α-GalNAcase I and II are closely related with respect to primary and higher order structure and that their structural differences are responsible for difference in substrate specificities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Harun-Or Rashid
- Institute of Biological Science, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh
| | - Golam Sadik
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh.
| | - Ahm Khurshid Alam
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh
| | - Toshihisa Tanaka
- Department of Psychiatry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
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Chughtai AA, Kaššák F, Kostrouchová M, Novotný JP, Krause MW, Saudek V, Kostrouch Z, Kostrouchová M. Perilipin-related protein regulates lipid metabolism in C. elegans. PeerJ 2015; 3:e1213. [PMID: 26357594 PMCID: PMC4562238 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Perilipins are lipid droplet surface proteins that contribute to fat metabolism by controlling the access of lipids to lipolytic enzymes. Perilipins have been identified in organisms as diverse as metazoa, fungi, and amoebas but strikingly not in nematodes. Here we identify the protein encoded by the W01A8.1 gene in Caenorhabditis elegans as the closest homologue and likely orthologue of metazoan perilipin. We demonstrate that nematode W01A8.1 is a cytoplasmic protein residing on lipid droplets similarly as human perilipins 1 and 2. Downregulation or elimination of W01A8.1 affects the appearance of lipid droplets resulting in the formation of large lipid droplets localized around the dividing nucleus during the early zygotic divisions. Visualization of lipid containing structures by CARS microscopy in vivo showed that lipid-containing structures become gradually enlarged during oogenesis and relocate during the first zygotic division around the dividing nucleus. In mutant embryos, the lipid containing structures show defective intracellular distribution in subsequent embryonic divisions and become gradually smaller during further development. In contrast to embryos, lipid-containing structures in enterocytes and in epidermal cells of adult animals are smaller in mutants than in wild type animals. Our results demonstrate the existence of a perilipin-related regulation of fat metabolism in nematodes and provide new possibilities for functional studies of lipid metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Ali Chughtai
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague , Albertov, Prague , Czech Republic
| | - Filip Kaššák
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague , Albertov, Prague , Czech Republic
| | - Markéta Kostrouchová
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague , Albertov, Prague , Czech Republic ; Department of Pathology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague , Ruská, Prague , Czech Republic
| | - Jan Philipp Novotný
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague , Albertov, Prague , Czech Republic
| | - Michael W Krause
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, MD , USA
| | - Vladimír Saudek
- University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories, Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council, Institute of Metabolic Science , Cambridge , UK
| | - Zdenek Kostrouch
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague , Albertov, Prague , Czech Republic
| | - Marta Kostrouchová
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague , Albertov, Prague , Czech Republic
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Vasanth G, Kiron V, Kulkarni A, Dahle D, Lokesh J, Kitani Y. A Microbial Feed Additive Abates Intestinal Inflammation in Atlantic Salmon. Front Immunol 2015; 6:409. [PMID: 26347738 PMCID: PMC4541333 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2015.00409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2015] [Accepted: 07/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The efficacy of a microbial feed additive (Bactocell®) in countering intestinal inflammation in Atlantic salmon was examined in this study. Fish were fed either the additive-coated feed (probiotic) or feed without it (control). After an initial 3-week feeding, an inflammatory condition was induced by anally intubating all the fish with oxazolone. The fish were offered the feeds for 3 more weeks. Distal intestine from the groups was obtained at 4 h, 24 h, and 3 weeks, after oxazolone treatment. Inflammatory responses were prominent in both groups at 24 h, documented by changes in intestinal micromorphology, expression of inflammation-related genes, and intestinal proteome. The control group was characterized by edema, widening of intestinal villi and lamina propria, infiltration of granulocytes and lymphocytes, and higher expression of genes related to inflammatory responses, mul1b, il1b, tnfa, ifng, compared to the probiotic group or other time points of the control group. Further, the protein expression in the probiotic group at 24 h after inducing inflammation revealed five differentially regulated proteins – Calr, Psma5, Trp1, Ctsb, and Naga. At 3 weeks after intubation, the inflammatory responses subsided in the probiotic group. The findings provide evidence that the microbial additive contributes to intestinal homeostasis in Atlantic salmon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghana Vasanth
- Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, University of Nordland , Bodø , Norway
| | - Viswanath Kiron
- Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, University of Nordland , Bodø , Norway
| | - Amod Kulkarni
- Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, University of Nordland , Bodø , Norway
| | - Dalia Dahle
- Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, University of Nordland , Bodø , Norway
| | - Jep Lokesh
- Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, University of Nordland , Bodø , Norway
| | - Yoichiro Kitani
- Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, University of Nordland , Bodø , Norway
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Kikuchi T, Cotton JA, Dalzell JJ, Hasegawa K, Kanzaki N, McVeigh P, Takanashi T, Tsai IJ, Assefa SA, Cock PJA, Otto TD, Hunt M, Reid AJ, Sanchez-Flores A, Tsuchihara K, Yokoi T, Larsson MC, Miwa J, Maule AG, Sahashi N, Jones JT, Berriman M. Genomic insights into the origin of parasitism in the emerging plant pathogen Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. PLoS Pathog 2011; 7:e1002219. [PMID: 21909270 PMCID: PMC3164644 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 272] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2011] [Accepted: 06/28/2011] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Bursaphelenchus xylophilus is the nematode responsible for a devastating epidemic of pine wilt disease in Asia and Europe, and represents a recent, independent origin of plant parasitism in nematodes, ecologically and taxonomically distinct from other nematodes for which genomic data is available. As well as being an important pathogen, the B. xylophilus genome thus provides a unique opportunity to study the evolution and mechanism of plant parasitism. Here, we present a high-quality draft genome sequence from an inbred line of B. xylophilus, and use this to investigate the biological basis of its complex ecology which combines fungal feeding, plant parasitic and insect-associated stages. We focus particularly on putative parasitism genes as well as those linked to other key biological processes and demonstrate that B. xylophilus is well endowed with RNA interference effectors, peptidergic neurotransmitters (including the first description of ins genes in a parasite) stress response and developmental genes and has a contracted set of chemosensory receptors. B. xylophilus has the largest number of digestive proteases known for any nematode and displays expanded families of lysosome pathway genes, ABC transporters and cytochrome P450 pathway genes. This expansion in digestive and detoxification proteins may reflect the unusual diversity in foods it exploits and environments it encounters during its life cycle. In addition, B. xylophilus possesses a unique complement of plant cell wall modifying proteins acquired by horizontal gene transfer, underscoring the impact of this process on the evolution of plant parasitism by nematodes. Together with the lack of proteins homologous to effectors from other plant parasitic nematodes, this confirms the distinctive molecular basis of plant parasitism in the Bursaphelenchus lineage. The genome sequence of B. xylophilus adds to the diversity of genomic data for nematodes, and will be an important resource in understanding the biology of this unusual parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taisei Kikuchi
- Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Tsukuba, Japan.
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Sikora J, Urinovská J, Majer F, Poupetová H, Hlavatá J, Kostrouchová M, Ledvinová J, Hrebícek M. Bioinformatic and biochemical studies point to AAGR-1 as the ortholog of human acid alpha-glucosidase in Caenorhabditis elegans. Mol Cell Biochem 2010; 341:51-63. [PMID: 20349118 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-010-0436-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2009] [Accepted: 03/11/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Human acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA, EC 3.2.1.20) is a lysosomal enzyme that belongs to the glycoside hydrolase family 31 (GH31) and catalyses the hydrolysis of alpha-1,4- and alpha-1,6-glucosidic linkages at acid pH. Hereditary deficiency of GAA results in lysosomal glycogen storage disease type II (GSDII, Pompe disease). The aim of this study was to assess GH31 proteins in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) to identify the ortholog of human GAA. Bioinformatic searches for GAA ortholog in C. elegans genome revealed four acid alpha-glucosidase-related (aagr-1-4) genes. Multiple sequence alignment of AAGRs with other GH31 proteins demonstrated their evolutionary conservation. Phylogenetic analyses suggested clustering of AAGR-1 and -2 with acid-active and AAGR-3 and -4 with neutral-active GH31 enzymes. In order to prove the AAGRs' predicted alpha-glucosidase activity, we performed RNA interference of all four aagr genes. The impact on the alpha-glucosidase activity was evaluated at pH 4.0 (acid) and pH 6.5 (neutral), with or without the inhibitor acarbose. AAGR-1 and -2 expressed acidic alpha-glucosidase activity; on the contrary, AAGR-3 not -4 represented the predominant neutral alpha-glucosidase activity in C. elegans. Similar results were obtained in each of aagr-1 and -4 deletion mutants. Moreover, based on our structural models of AAGRs and these biochemical experiments, we hypothesize that the enzymatic sensitivity of AAGR-2 and human maltase-glucoamylase to the inhibitor acarbose is associated with a tyrosine residue in the GH31 active site, whereas acarbose resistance of AAGR-1 and human GAA is associated with the corresponding tryptophane in the active site. Acid-active AAGR-1 may thus represent the ortholog of human GAA in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Sikora
- 1st Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Inherited Metabolic Disorders, Charles University in Prague, Ke Karlovu 2, Prague 2, Czech Republic.
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de Voer G, Peters D, Taschner PEM. Caenorhabditis elegans as a model for lysosomal storage disorders. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2008; 1782:433-46. [PMID: 18501720 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2008.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2007] [Revised: 04/23/2008] [Accepted: 04/24/2008] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is the simplest animal model available to study human disease. In this review, the worm homologues for the 58 human genes involved in lysosomal storage disorders and for 105 human genes associated with lysosomal function have been compiled. Most human genes had at least one worm homologue. In addition, the phenotypes of 147 mutants, in which these genes have been disrupted or knocked down, have been summarized and discussed. The phenotypic spectrum of worm models of lysosomal storage disorders varies from lethality to none obvious, with a large variety of intermediate phenotypes. The genetic power of C. elegans provides a means to identify genes involved in specific processes with relative ease. The overview of potential lysosomal phenotypes presented here might be used as a starting point for the phenotypic characterization of newly developed knock-out models or for the design of genetic screens selecting for loss or gain of suitable knock-out model phenotypes. Screens for genes involved in lysosomal biogenesis and function have been performed successfully resulting in the cup and glo mutants, but screens involving subtle phenotypes are likely to be difficult.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gert de Voer
- Department of Human and Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Kaletta T, Hengartner MO. Finding function in novel targets: C. elegans as a model organism. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2006; 5:387-98. [PMID: 16672925 DOI: 10.1038/nrd2031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 687] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Despite its apparent simplicity, the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans has developed into an important model for biomedical research, particularly in the functional characterization of novel drug targets that have been identified using genomics technologies. The cellular complexity and the conservation of disease pathways between C. elegans and higher organisms, together with the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of cultivation, make for an effective in vivo model that is amenable to whole-organism high-throughput compound screens and large-scale target validation. This review describes how C. elegans models can be used to advance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of drug action and disease pathogenesis.
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