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Bartas M, Slychko K, Červeň J, Pečinka P, Arndt-Jovin DJ, Jovin TM. Extensive Bioinformatics Analyses Reveal a Phylogenetically Conserved Winged Helix (WH) Domain (Zτ) of Topoisomerase IIα, Elucidating Its Very High Affinity for Left-Handed Z-DNA and Suggesting Novel Putative Functions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10740. [PMID: 37445918 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The dynamic processes operating on genomic DNA, such as gene expression and cellular division, lead inexorably to topological challenges in the form of entanglements, catenanes, knots, "bubbles", R-loops, and other outcomes of supercoiling and helical disruption. The resolution of toxic topological stress is the function attributed to DNA topoisomerases. A prominent example is the negative supercoiling (nsc) trailing processive enzymes such as DNA and RNA polymerases. The multiple equilibrium states that nscDNA can adopt by redistribution of helical twist and writhe include the left-handed double-helical conformation known as Z-DNA. Thirty years ago, one of our labs isolated a protein from Drosophila cells and embryos with a 100-fold greater affinity for Z-DNA than for B-DNA, and identified it as topoisomerase II (gene Top2, orthologous to the human UniProt proteins TOP2A and TOP2B). GTP increased the affinity and selectivity for Z-DNA even further and also led to inhibition of the isomerase enzymatic activity. An allosteric mechanism was proposed, in which topoII acts as a Z-DNA-binding protein (ZBP) to stabilize given states of topological (sub)domains and associated multiprotein complexes. We have now explored this possibility by comprehensive bioinformatic analyses of the available protein sequences of topoII representing organisms covering the whole tree of life. Multiple alignment of these sequences revealed an extremely high level of evolutionary conservation, including a winged-helix protein segment, here denoted as Zτ, constituting the putative structural homolog of Zα, the canonical Z-DNA/Z-RNA binding domain previously identified in the interferon-inducible RNA Adenosine-to-Inosine-editing deaminase, ADAR1p150. In contrast to Zα, which is separate from the protein segment responsible for catalysis, Zτ encompasses the active site tyrosine of topoII; a GTP-binding site and a GxxG sequence motif are in close proximity. Quantitative Zτ-Zα similarity comparisons and molecular docking with interaction scoring further supported the "B-Z-topoII hypothesis" and has led to an expanded mechanism for topoII function incorporating the recognition of Z-DNA segments ("Z-flipons") as an inherent and essential element. We further propose that the two Zτ domains of the topoII homodimer exhibit a single-turnover "conformase" activity on given G(ate) B-DNA segments ("Z-flipins"), inducing their transition to the left-handed Z-conformation. Inasmuch as the topoII-Z-DNA complexes are isomerase inactive, we infer that they fulfill important structural roles in key processes such as mitosis. Topoisomerases are preeminent targets of anti-cancer drug discovery, and we anticipate that detailed elucidation of their structural-functional interactions with Z-DNA and GTP will facilitate the design of novel, more potent and selective anti-cancer chemotherapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Bartas
- Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Kristyna Slychko
- Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Červeň
- Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Pečinka
- Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Donna J Arndt-Jovin
- Emeritus Laboratory of Cellular Dynamics, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Thomas M Jovin
- Emeritus Laboratory of Cellular Dynamics, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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Červeň J, Vrbovský V, Horáček J, Bartas M, Endlová L, Pečinka P, Čurn V. New Low Morphine Opium Poppy Genotype Obtained by TILLING Approach. Plants (Basel) 2023; 12:1077. [PMID: 36903937 PMCID: PMC10005565 DOI: 10.3390/plants12051077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The opium poppy's ability to produce various alkaloids is both useful and problematic. Breeding of new varieties with varying alkaloid content is therefore an important task. In this paper, the breeding technology of new low morphine poppy genotypes, based on a combination of a TILLING approach and single-molecule real-time NGS sequencing, is presented. Verification of the mutants in the TILLING population was obtained using RT-PCR and HPLC methods. Only three of the single-copy genes of the morphine pathway among the eleven genes were used for the identification of mutant genotypes. Point mutations were obtained only in one gene (CNMT) while an insertion was obtained in the other (SalAT). Only a few expected transition SNPs from G:C to A:T were obtained. In the low morphine mutant genotype, the production of morphine was decreased to 0.1% from 1.4% in the original variety. A comprehensive description of the breeding process, a basic characterization of the main alkaloid content, and a gene expression profile for the main alkaloid-producing genes is provided. Difficulties with the TILLING approach are also described and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiří Červeň
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Viktor Vrbovský
- Research Institute of Oilseed Crops, Development and Research, Purkyňova 10, 764 01 Opava, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Horáček
- Agritec Plant Research, Ltd., Zemědělská 2520/16, 787 01 Šumperk, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Bartas
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Endlová
- Research Institute of Oilseed Crops, Development and Research, Purkyňova 10, 764 01 Opava, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Pečinka
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Vladislav Čurn
- Department of Genetics and Agricultural Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia, Studentská 1668, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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Volná A, Bartas M, Nezval J, Pech R, Pečinka P, Špunda V, Červeň J. Beyond the Primary Structure of Nucleic Acids: Potential Roles of Epigenetics and Noncanonical Structures in the Regulations of Plant Growth and Stress Responses. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2642:331-361. [PMID: 36944887 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3044-0_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetics deals with changes in gene expression that are not caused by modifications in the primary sequence of nucleic acids. These changes beyond primary structures of nucleic acids not only include DNA/RNA methylation, but also other reversible conversions, together with histone modifications or RNA interference. In addition, under particular conditions (such as specific ion concentrations or protein-induced stabilization), the right-handed double-stranded DNA helix (B-DNA) can form noncanonical structures commonly described as "non-B DNA" structures. These structures comprise, for example, cruciforms, i-motifs, triplexes, and G-quadruplexes. Their formation often leads to significant differences in replication and transcription rates. Noncanonical RNA structures have also been documented to play important roles in translation regulation and the biology of noncoding RNAs. In human and animal studies, the frequency and dynamics of noncanonical DNA and RNA structures are intensively investigated, especially in the field of cancer research and neurodegenerative diseases. In contrast, noncanonical DNA and RNA structures in plants have been on the fringes of interest for a long time and only a few studies deal with their formation, regulation, and physiological importance for plant stress responses. Herein, we present a review focused on the main fields of epigenetics in plants and their possible roles in stress responses and signaling, with special attention dedicated to noncanonical DNA and RNA structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Volná
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Bartas
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Nezval
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Radomír Pech
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Pečinka
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Špunda
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Global Change Research Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Červeň
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic.
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Pech R, Volná A, Hunt L, Bartas M, Červeň J, Pečinka P, Špunda V, Nezval J. Regulation of Phenolic Compound Production by Light Varying in Spectral Quality and Total Irradiance. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126533. [PMID: 35742975 PMCID: PMC9223736 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is an important environmental cue inducing the production of many secondary metabolites involved in plant oxidative stress avoidance and tolerance. To examine the complex role of PAR irradiance and specific spectral components on the accumulation of phenolic compounds (PheCs), we acclimated spring barley (Hordeum vulgare) to different spectral qualities (white, blue, green, red) at three irradiances (100, 200, 400 µmol m−2 s−1). We confirmed that blue light irradiance is essential for the accumulation of PheCs in secondary barley leaves (in UV-lacking conditions), which underpins the importance of photoreceptor signals (especially cryptochrome). Increasing blue light irradiance most effectively induced the accumulation of B-dihydroxylated flavonoids, probably due to the significantly enhanced expression of the F3′H gene. These changes in PheC metabolism led to a steeper increase in antioxidant activity than epidermal UV-A shielding in leaf extracts containing PheCs. In addition, we examined the possible role of miRNAs in the complex regulation of gene expression related to PheC biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radomír Pech
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (R.P.); (A.V.)
| | - Adriana Volná
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (R.P.); (A.V.)
| | - Lena Hunt
- Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 128 00 Praha, Czech Republic;
| | - Martin Bartas
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (M.B.); (J.Č.); (P.P.)
| | - Jiří Červeň
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (M.B.); (J.Č.); (P.P.)
| | - Petr Pečinka
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (M.B.); (J.Č.); (P.P.)
| | - Vladimír Špunda
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (R.P.); (A.V.)
- Global Change Research Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, 603 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- Correspondence: (V.Š.); (J.N.)
| | - Jakub Nezval
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (R.P.); (A.V.)
- Correspondence: (V.Š.); (J.N.)
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Bartas M, Volná A, Beaudoin CA, Poulsen ET, Červeň J, Brázda V, Špunda V, Blundell TL, Pečinka P. Unheeded SARS-CoV-2 proteins? A deep look into negative-sense RNA. Brief Bioinform 2022; 23:6539840. [PMID: 35229157 PMCID: PMC9116216 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbac045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is a novel positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus from the Coronaviridae family (genus Betacoronavirus), which has been established as causing the COVID-19 pandemic. The genome of SARS-CoV-2 is one of the largest among known RNA viruses, comprising of at least 26 known protein-coding loci. Studies thus far have outlined the coding capacity of the positive-sense strand of the SARS-CoV-2 genome, which can be used directly for protein translation. However, it has been recently shown that transcribed negative-sense viral RNA intermediates that arise during viral genome replication from positive-sense viruses can also code for proteins. No studies have yet explored the potential for negative-sense SARS-CoV-2 RNA intermediates to contain protein-coding loci. Thus, using sequence and structure-based bioinformatics methodologies, we have investigated the presence and validity of putative negative-sense ORFs (nsORFs) in the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Nine nsORFs were discovered to contain strong eukaryotic translation initiation signals and high codon adaptability scores, and several of the nsORFs were predicted to interact with RNA-binding proteins. Evolutionary conservation analyses indicated that some of the nsORFs are deeply conserved among related coronaviruses. Three-dimensional protein modeling revealed the presence of higher order folding among all putative SARS-CoV-2 nsORFs, and subsequent structural mimicry analyses suggest similarity of the nsORFs to DNA/RNA-binding proteins and proteins involved in immune signaling pathways. Altogether, these results suggest the potential existence of still undescribed SARS-CoV-2 proteins, which may play an important role in the viral lifecycle and COVID-19 pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Bartas
- Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Ostrava, Ostrava 710 00, Czech Republic
| | - Adriana Volná
- Department of Physics, University of Ostrava, Ostrava 710 00, Czech Republic
| | - Christopher A Beaudoin
- Department of Biochemistry, Sanger Building, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
| | | | - Jiří Červeň
- Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Ostrava, Ostrava 710 00, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Brázda
- Institute of Biophysics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, 612 65, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Špunda
- Department of Physics, University of Ostrava, Ostrava 710 00, Czech Republic.,Global Change Research Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, 603 00, Czech Republic
| | - Tom L Blundell
- Department of Biochemistry, Sanger Building, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Petr Pečinka
- Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Ostrava, Ostrava 710 00, Czech Republic
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6
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Kundrátová K, Bartas M, Pečinka P, Hejna O, Rychlá A, Čurn V, Červeň J. Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analysis of Drought Stress Response in Opium Poppy Plants during the First Week of Germination. Plants (Basel) 2021; 10:plants10091878. [PMID: 34579414 PMCID: PMC8465278 DOI: 10.3390/plants10091878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Water deficiency is one of the most significant abiotic stresses that negatively affects growth and reduces crop yields worldwide. Most research is focused on model plants and/or crops which are most agriculturally important. In this research, drought stress was applied to two drought stress contrasting varieties of Papaver somniferum (the opium poppy), a non-model plant species, during the first week of its germination, which differ in responses to drought stress. After sowing, the poppy seedlings were immediately subjected to drought stress for 7 days. We conducted a large-scale transcriptomic and proteomic analysis for drought stress response. At first, we found that the transcriptomic and proteomic profiles significantly differ. However, the most significant findings are the identification of key genes and proteins with significantly different expressions relating to drought stress, e.g., the heat-shock protein family, dehydration responsive element-binding transcription factors, ubiquitin E3 ligase, and others. In addition, metabolic pathway analysis showed that these genes and proteins were part of several biosynthetic pathways most significantly related to photosynthetic processes, and oxidative stress responses. A future study will focus on a detailed analysis of key genes and the development of selection markers for the determination of drought-resistant varieties and the breeding of new resistant lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristýna Kundrátová
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (K.K.); (M.B.); (P.P.)
| | - Martin Bartas
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (K.K.); (M.B.); (P.P.)
| | - Petr Pečinka
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (K.K.); (M.B.); (P.P.)
| | - Ondřej Hejna
- Department of Genetics and Agricultural Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia, Studentská 1668, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic;
| | - Andrea Rychlá
- Research Institute of Oilseed Crops, OSEVA PRO. Ltd., Purkyňova 10, 764 01 Opava, Czech Republic;
| | - Vladislav Čurn
- Department of Genetics and Agricultural Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia, Studentská 1668, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic;
- Correspondence: (V.Č.); (J.Č.)
| | - Jiří Červeň
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (K.K.); (M.B.); (P.P.)
- Correspondence: (V.Č.); (J.Č.)
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Goswami P, Bartas M, Lexa M, Bohálová N, Volná A, Červeň J, Červeňová V, Pečinka P, Špunda V, Fojta M, Brázda V. SARS-CoV-2 hot-spot mutations are significantly enriched within inverted repeats and CpG island loci. Brief Bioinform 2021; 22:1338-1345. [PMID: 33341900 PMCID: PMC7799342 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbaa385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is an intensively investigated virus from the order Nidovirales (Coronaviridae family) that causes COVID-19 disease in humans. Through enormous scientific effort, thousands of viral strains have been sequenced to date, thereby creating a strong background for deep bioinformatics studies of the SARS-CoV-2 genome. In this study, we inspected high-frequency mutations of SARS-CoV-2 and carried out systematic analyses of their overlay with inverted repeat (IR) loci and CpG islands. The main conclusion of our study is that SARS-CoV-2 hot-spot mutations are significantly enriched within both IRs and CpG island loci. This points to their role in genomic instability and may predict further mutational drive of the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Moreover, CpG islands are strongly enriched upstream from viral ORFs and thus could play important roles in transcription and the viral life cycle. We hypothesize that hypermethylation of these loci will decrease the transcription of viral ORFs and could therefore limit the progression of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratik Goswami
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry and Molecular Oncology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.,National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Bartas
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Matej Lexa
- Faculty of Informatics, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Natália Bohálová
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry and Molecular Oncology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Adriana Volná
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Červeň
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Červeňová
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Pečinka
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Špunda
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic.,Global Change Research Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Fojta
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry and Molecular Oncology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Brázda
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry and Molecular Oncology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
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Bartas M, Goswami P, Lexa M, Červeň J, Volná A, Fojta M, Brázda V, Pečinka P. Letter to the Editor: Significant mutation enrichment in inverted repeat sites of new SARS-CoV-2 strains. Brief Bioinform 2021; 22:6219140. [PMID: 33837760 PMCID: PMC8083281 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbab129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In a recently published paper, we have found that SARS-CoV-2 hot-spot mutations are significantly associated with inverted repeat loci and CG dinucleotides. However, fast-spreading strains with new mutations (so-called mink farm mutations, England mutations and Japan mutations) have been recently described. We used the new datasets to check the positioning of mutation sites in genomes of the new SARS-CoV-2 strains. Using an open-access Palindrome analyzer tool, we found mutations in these new strains to be significantly enriched in inverted repeat loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Bartas
- Department of Biology, University of Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Pratik Goswami
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic. He is a student of the Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Matej Lexa
- Faculty of Informatics, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Červeň
- Department of Biology, University of Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Adriana Volná
- Department of Physics, University of Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Fojta
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry and Molecular Oncology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Brázda
- Laboratory of Protein-DNA Interactions, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Pečinka
- Molecular Biology group in the Department of Biology, University of Ostrava, Czech Republic
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Bartas M, Červeň J, Guziurová S, Slychko K, Pečinka P. Amino Acid Composition in Various Types of Nucleic Acid-Binding Proteins. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22020922. [PMID: 33477647 PMCID: PMC7831508 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid-binding proteins are traditionally divided into two categories: With the ability to bind DNA or RNA. In the light of new knowledge, such categorizing should be overcome because a large proportion of proteins can bind both DNA and RNA. Another even more important features of nucleic acid-binding proteins are so-called sequence or structure specificities. Proteins able to bind nucleic acids in a sequence-specific manner usually contain one or more of the well-defined structural motifs (zinc-fingers, leucine zipper, helix-turn-helix, or helix-loop-helix). In contrast, many proteins do not recognize nucleic acid sequence but rather local DNA or RNA structures (G-quadruplexes, i-motifs, triplexes, cruciforms, left-handed DNA/RNA form, and others). Finally, there are also proteins recognizing both sequence and local structural properties of nucleic acids (e.g., famous tumor suppressor p53). In this mini-review, we aim to summarize current knowledge about the amino acid composition of various types of nucleic acid-binding proteins with a special focus on significant enrichment and/or depletion in each category.
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Bartas M, Brázda V, Bohálová N, Cantara A, Volná A, Stachurová T, Malachová K, Jagelská EB, Porubiaková O, Červeň J, Pečinka P. In-Depth Bioinformatic Analyses of Nidovirales Including Human SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV Viruses Suggest Important Roles of Non-canonical Nucleic Acid Structures in Their Lifecycles. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1583. [PMID: 32719673 PMCID: PMC7347907 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-canonical nucleic acid structures play important roles in the regulation of molecular processes. Considering the importance of the ongoing coronavirus crisis, we decided to evaluate genomes of all coronaviruses sequenced to date (stated more broadly, the order Nidovirales) to determine if they contain non-canonical nucleic acid structures. We discovered much evidence of putative G-quadruplex sites and even much more of inverted repeats (IRs) loci, which in fact are ubiquitous along the whole genomic sequence and indicate a possible mechanism for genomic RNA packaging. The most notable enrichment of IRs was found inside 5'UTR for IRs of size 12+ nucleotides, and the most notable enrichment of putative quadruplex sites (PQSs) was located before 3'UTR, inside 5'UTR, and before mRNA. This indicates crucial regulatory roles for both IRs and PQSs. Moreover, we found multiple G-quadruplex binding motifs in human proteins having potential for binding of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Non-canonical nucleic acids structures in Nidovirales and in novel SARS-CoV-2 are therefore promising druggable structures that can be targeted and utilized in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Bartas
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Václav Brázda
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry and Molecular Oncology, Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czechia
- Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czechia
| | - Natália Bohálová
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry and Molecular Oncology, Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czechia
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Alessio Cantara
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry and Molecular Oncology, Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czechia
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Adriana Volná
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Tereza Stachurová
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Kateřina Malachová
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Eva B. Jagelská
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry and Molecular Oncology, Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czechia
| | - Otília Porubiaková
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry and Molecular Oncology, Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czechia
- Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jiří Červeň
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Petr Pečinka
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
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11
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Bartas M, Brázda V, Červeň J, Pečinka P. Characterization of p53 Family Homologs in Evolutionary Remote Branches of Holozoa. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 21:ijms21010006. [PMID: 31861340 PMCID: PMC6981761 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21010006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The p53 family of transcription factors plays key roles in development, genome stability, senescence and tumor development, and p53 is the most important tumor suppressor protein in humans. Although intensively investigated for many years, its initial evolutionary history is not yet fully elucidated. Using bioinformatic and structure prediction methods on current databases containing newly-sequenced genomes and transcriptomes, we present a detailed characterization of p53 family homologs in remote members of the Holozoa group, in the unicellular clades Filasterea, Ichthyosporea and Corallochytrea. Moreover, we show that these newly characterized homologous sequences contain domains that can form structures with high similarity to the human p53 family DNA-binding domain, and some also show similarities to the oligomerization and SAM domains. The presence of these remote homologs demonstrates an ancient origin of the p53 protein family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Bartas
- Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (M.B.)
| | - Václav Brázda
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic;
| | - Jiří Červeň
- Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (M.B.)
| | - Petr Pečinka
- Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (M.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +420-553-46-2318
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12
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Bartas M, Čutová M, Brázda V, Kaura P, Šťastný J, Kolomazník J, Coufal J, Goswami P, Červeň J, Pečinka P. The Presence and Localization of G-Quadruplex Forming Sequences in the Domain of Bacteria. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24091711. [PMID: 31052562 PMCID: PMC6539912 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24091711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of local DNA structures in the regulation of basic cellular processes is an emerging field of research. Amongst local non-B DNA structures, the significance of G-quadruplexes was demonstrated in the last decade, and their presence and functional relevance has been demonstrated in many genomes, including humans. In this study, we analyzed the presence and locations of G-quadruplex-forming sequences by G4Hunter in all complete bacterial genomes available in the NCBI database. G-quadruplex-forming sequences were identified in all species, however the frequency differed significantly across evolutionary groups. The highest frequency of G-quadruplex forming sequences was detected in the subgroup Deinococcus-Thermus, and the lowest frequency in Thermotogae. G-quadruplex forming sequences are non-randomly distributed and are favored in various evolutionary groups. G-quadruplex-forming sequences are enriched in ncRNA segments followed by mRNAs. Analyses of surrounding sequences showed G-quadruplex-forming sequences around tRNA and regulatory sequences. These data point to the unique and non-random localization of G-quadruplex-forming sequences in bacterial genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Bartas
- Department of Biology and Ecology/Institute of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic.
| | - Michaela Čutová
- Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Purkyňova 118, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Václav Brázda
- Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Purkyňova 118, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic.
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Patrik Kaura
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technicka 2896/2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Jiří Šťastný
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technicka 2896/2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Informatics, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1665/1, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Jan Kolomazník
- Department of Informatics, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1665/1, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Jan Coufal
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Pratik Goswami
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Jiří Červeň
- Department of Biology and Ecology/Institute of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic.
| | - Petr Pečinka
- Department of Biology and Ecology/Institute of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic.
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13
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Bartas М, Bažantová P, Brázda V, Liao JС, Červeň J, Pečinka P. [Identification of Distinct Amino Acid Composition of Human Cruciform Binding Proteins]. Mol Biol (Mosk) 2019; 53:120-131. [PMID: 30895959 DOI: 10.1134/s0026898419010026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Cruciform structures are preferential targets for many architectural and regulatory proteins, as well as a number of DNA binding proteins with weak sequence specificity. Some of these proteins are also capable of inducing the formation of cruciform structures upon DNA binding. In this paper we analyzed the amino acid composition of eighteen cruciform binding proteins of Homo sapiens. Comparison with general amino acid frequencies in all human proteins revealed unique differences, with notable enrichment for lysine and serine and/or depletion for alanine, glycine, glutamine, arginine, tyrosine and tryptophan residues. Based on bootstrap resampling and fuzzy cluster analysis, multiple molecular mechanisms of interaction with cruciform DNA structures could be suggested, including those involved in DNA repair, transcription and chromatin regulation. The proteins DEK, HMGB1 and TOP1 in particular formed a very distinctive group. Nonetheless, a strong interaction network connecting nearly all the cruciform binding proteins studied was demonstrated. Data reported here will be very useful for future prediction of new cruciform binding proteins or even construction of predictive tool/web-based application.
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Affiliation(s)
- М Bartas
- Department of Biology and Ecology / Institute of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, 71000 Czech Republic
| | - P Bažantová
- Department of Biology and Ecology / Institute of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, 71000 Czech Republic
| | - V Brázda
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Brno, 61265 Czech Republic
| | - J С Liao
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Brno, 61265 Czech Republic
- School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Greenslopes Private Hospital, Greenslopes, 4120 Australia
| | - J Červeň
- Department of Biology and Ecology / Institute of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, 71000 Czech Republic
| | - P Pečinka
- Department of Biology and Ecology / Institute of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, 71000 Czech Republic
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Bartas M, Bažantová P, Brázda V, Liao JC, Červeň J, Pečinka P. Identification of Distinct Amino Acid Composition of Human Cruciform Binding Proteins. Mol Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026893319010023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Brázda V, Červeň J, Bartas M, Mikysková N, Coufal J, Pečinka P. The Amino Acid Composition of Quadruplex Binding Proteins Reveals a Shared Motif and Predicts New Potential Quadruplex Interactors. Molecules 2018; 23:E2341. [PMID: 30216987 PMCID: PMC6225207 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23092341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Revised: 09/09/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The importance of local DNA structures in the regulation of basic cellular processes is an emerging field of research. Amongst local non-B DNA structures, G-quadruplexes are perhaps the most well-characterized to date, and their presence has been demonstrated in many genomes, including that of humans. G-quadruplexes are selectively bound by many regulatory proteins. In this paper, we have analyzed the amino acid composition of all seventy-seven described G-quadruplex binding proteins of Homo sapiens. Our comparison with amino acid frequencies in all human proteins and specific protein subsets (e.g., all nucleic acid binding) revealed unique features of quadruplex binding proteins, with prominent enrichment for glycine (G) and arginine (R). Cluster analysis with bootstrap resampling shows similarities and differences in amino acid composition of particular quadruplex binding proteins. Interestingly, we found that all characterized G-quadruplex binding proteins share a 20 amino acid long motif/domain (RGRGR GRGGG SGGSG GRGRG) which is similar to the previously described RG-rich domain (RRGDG RRRGG GGRGQ GGRGR GGGFKG) of the FRM1 G-quadruplex binding protein. Based on this protein fingerprint, we have predicted a new set of potential G-quadruplex binding proteins sharing this interesting domain rich in glycine and arginine residues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Václav Brázda
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Jiří Červeň
- Department of Biology and Ecology/Institute of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic.
| | - Martin Bartas
- Department of Biology and Ecology/Institute of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic.
| | - Nikol Mikysková
- Department of Biology and Ecology/Institute of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic.
| | - Jan Coufal
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Petr Pečinka
- Department of Biology and Ecology/Institute of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic.
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Bartas M, Brázda V, Karlický V, Červeň J, Pečinka P. Bioinformatics analyses and in vitro evidence for five and six stacked G-quadruplex forming sequences. Biochimie 2018; 150:70-75. [PMID: 29733879 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2018.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Quadruplexes are noncanonical DNA structures that arise in guanine rich loci and have important biological functions. Classically, quadruplexes contain four stacked intramolecular G-tetrads. Surprisingly, although some algorithms allow searching for longer than 4G tracts for quadruplex formation, these have not yet been systematically studied. Therefore, we analyzed the human genome for sequences that are predicted to adopt stacked intramolecular G-tetrads with greater than four stacks. The data provide evidence for numerous G-quadruplexes that contain five or six stacked intramolecular G-tetrads. These sequences are predominantly found in known gene regulatory regions. Electrophoretic mobility assays and circular dichroism spectroscopy indicate that these sequences form quadruplex structures in vitro under physiological conditions. The localization and in vitro stability of these G-quadruplexes indicate their potentially important roles in gene regulation and their potential for therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Bartas
- Department of Biology and Ecology/Institute of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, Ostrava, CZ, 71000, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Brázda
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry and Molecular Oncology, Institute of Biophysics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, CZ, 61265, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Karlický
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, Ostrava, CZ, 71000, Czech Republic; Global Change Research Institute CAS, V. V. I., Bělidla 986/4a, Brno, CZ, 60300, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Červeň
- Department of Biology and Ecology/Institute of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, Ostrava, CZ, 71000, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Pečinka
- Department of Biology and Ecology/Institute of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, Ostrava, CZ, 71000, Czech Republic.
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Červeň J, Havran L, Pečinka P, Fojta M. Electrochemical Activity of Wedelolactone and Probing its Interaction with DNA Using Voltammetry at a Carbon Electrode. ELECTROANAL 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/elan.201500177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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