Research, Research Articles
Predictable regulation of survival by intratumoral microbe-immune crosstalk in patients with lung adenocarcinoma
Shuo Shi1, Yuwen Chu2,3, Haiyan Liu4,5, Lan Yu6,7,8, Dejun Sun8,9, Jialiang Yang2,3,5, Geng Tian2,3, Lei Ji2,3, Cong Zhang10 and Xinxin Lu11
Intratumoral microbiota can regulate the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and mediate tumor prognosis by promoting inflammatory response or inhibiting anti-tumor effects. Our study demonstrated that intratumoral microbiota-immune crosstalk was strongly associated with prognosis in LUAD patients, which would provide new targets for the development of precise therapeutic strategies.
Two TonB-dependent outer membrane transporters involved in heme uptake in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120
Julia Graf1, Martin Schöpperle1,2, Rafael Pernil1 and Enrico Schleiff1,3,4
Low availability of micronutrients such as iron has enforced the evolution of uptake systems in all kingdoms of life. In our study, we conclude that heme transport might not be restricted to Anabaena, but at the same time is not specific to a cyanobacterial order and thus might be related to the habitat of origin, a notion which needs to be challenged in the future.
The last two transmembrane helices in the APC-type FurE transporter act as an intramolecular chaperone essential for concentrative ER-exit
Yiannis Pyrris1, Georgia F. Papadaki1, Emmanuel Mikros2 and George Diallinas1,3
FurE is a H+ symporter specific for the cellular uptake of uric acid, allantoin, uracil, and toxic nucleobase analogues in the fungus Aspergillus nidulans. Being member of the NCS1 protein family, FurE is structurally related to the APC-superfamily of transporters.
Extracellular DNA secreted in yeast cultures is metabolism-specific and inhibits cell proliferation
Elisabetta de Alteriis1, Guido Incerti2, Fabrizio Cartenì3, Maria Luisa Chiusano3, Chiara Colantuono3, Emanuela Palomba4, Pasquale Termolino4, Francesco Monticolo3,5, Alfonso Esposito3, Giuliano Bonanomi3,6, Rosanna Capparelli3, Marco Iannaccone3,7, Alessandro Foscari2, Carmine Landi8, Palma Parascandola8, Massimo Sanchez9, Valentina Tirelli9, Bruna de Falco3, Virginia Lanzotti3 and Stefano Mazzoleni3,6
Our study demonstrates that extracellular DNA released by living cells can impact the growth rate of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cultures, showing similarities to extrachromosomal circular DNA and leading to cell cycle arrest in the S phase, suggesting potential new functional roles of exDNA.
Basal level of ppGpp coordinates Escherichia coli cell heterogeneity and ampicillin resistance and persistence
Paulina Katarzyna Grucela1 and Yong Everett Zhang1
The universal stringent response alarmone ppGpp (guanosine penta and tetra phosphates) plays a crucial role in various aspects of fundamental cell physiology (e.g., cell growth rate, cell size) and thus bacterial tolerance to and survival of external stresses, including antibiotics. In tihs study, we discuss the fundamental role of basal level of ppGpp in regulating cell homogeneity and ampicillin persistence.
Investigation of the acetic acid stress response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with mutated H3 residues
Nitu Saha1, Swati Swagatika1 and Raghuvir Singh Tomar1
Yeast cells respond to acetic acid in diverse ways. Here, we have elucidated the deleterious effects of acetic acid on different histone mutants
The coenzyme B12 precursor 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole is a flavin antagonist in Salmonella
Lahiru Malalasekara1 and Jorge C. Escalante-Semerena1,*
Here we investigated why 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole (DMB) inhibits in S. Typhimurium. Briefly, we determined that the structural similarities of the substituted benzene ring of DMB with the isoalloxazine moiety of flavins is responsible for the deleterious effects of this CoB12 precursor.
Yeast gene KTI13 (alias DPH8) operates in the initiation step of diphthamide synthesis on elongation factor 2
Meike Arend1, Koray Ütkür1, Harmen Hawer1, Klaus Mayer2, Namit Ranjan3, Lorenz Adrian4, Ulrich Brinkmann2 and Raffael Schaffrath1
We show here that apart from its effector role for Elongator-dependent tRNA modification in yeast, Kti13 alias Dph8 also operates in step one of the diphthamide modification pathway.
Caspase 3 exhibits a yeast metacaspase proteostasis function that protects mitochondria from toxic TDP43 aggregates
Steve Brunette1,#, Anupam Sharma1,2,#, Ryan Bell1, Lawrence Puente1 and Lynn A Megeney1,2,3,*
Caspase 3 activation is a hallmark of cell death and there is a strong correlation between elevated protease activity and evolving pathology in neurodegenerative disease, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). These results suggest that caspase 3 is not inherently pathogenic, but may act as a compensatory proteostasis factor, to limit TDP-43 protein inclusions and protect organelle function in aggregation related degenerative disease.
Snf1 cooperates with the CWI MAPK pathway to mediate the degradation of Med13 following oxidative stress
June 25, 2018
This article explores the response of eukaryotic cells to environmental stress, highlighting the role of the conserved cyclin C-Cdk8 kinase in determining pro-survival or pro-death programs. Specifically, it discusses how oxidative stress triggers the destruction of Med13 by the SCFGrr1 ubiquitin ligase, releasing cyclin C to promote mitochondrial fission and cell death in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Additionally, it reveals that the AMP kinase Snf1 activates a separate degron in Med13, contributing to the complex regulation of Med13 degradation following H2O2 stress through the coordination of the cell wall integrity and MAPK pathways.
Importance of polyphosphate in the Leishmania life cycle
June 22, 2018
This article explores the importance of polyphosphate (polyP) in Leishmania parasites, emphasizing the role of the polyP polymerase VTC4 and its impact on parasite survival at higher temperatures. Additionally, it discusses the effects of VTC4 knockout in mouse infections, noting a delay in lesion formation and strong pathology in L. major VTC4 knockout, without confirmation through complementation and no alteration in L. guyanensis infections in mice with VTC4 knockdown.
Antagonism between salicylate and the cAMP signal controls yeast cell survival and growth recovery from quiescence
March 26, 2018
This article describes the effects of salicylate, the main metabolite of aspirin, on S. cerevisiae cells. It outlines how salicylate influences glucose transport, sugar phosphate biosynthesis, and apoptosis, particularly in MnSOD-deficient cells. Furthermore, it emphasizes the significant impact of salicylate on the exit from a quiescent state, inhibiting growth recovery and viability in long-term stationary phase cells. The passage also discusses the potential therapeutic implications of understanding the antagonistic relationship between cAMP and salicylate in targeting quiescent cancer cells with stem-like properties.
Spontaneous mutations in CYC8 and MIG1 suppress the short chronological lifespan of budding yeast lacking SNF1/AMPK
February 19, 2018
Chronologically aging yeast cells are prone to adaptive regrowth, whereby mutants with a survival advantage spontaneously appear and re-enter the cell cycle in stationary phase cultures. Here, Magani et al. identified specific downstream SNF1 targets responsible for CLS extension during CR.
Production of poly-β-1,6-N-acetylglucosamine by MatAB is required for hyphal aggregation and hydrophilic surface adhesion by Streptomyces
February 12, 2018
In this article van Dissel et al. describe new insights to allow better control of liquid-culture morphology of streptomycetes, which may be harnessed to improve growth and industrial exploitation of these highly versatile natural product and enzyme producers.
Non-canonical regulation of glutathione and trehalose biosynthesis characterizes non-Saccharomyces wine yeasts with poor performance in active dry yeast production
January 26, 2018
Several yeast species, belonging to Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces genera, play fundamental roles during spontaneous must grape fermentation, and recent studies have shown that mixed fermentations, co-inoculated with S. cerevisiae and non-Saccharomyces strains, can improve wine organoleptic properties. Here, Gamero-Sandemetrio et al. present findings that non-canonical regulation of glutathione and trehalose biosynthesis could cause poor fermentative performance after active dry yeast (ADY) production, as it corroborates the corrective effect of antioxidant treatments, during biomass propagation, with both pure chemicals and food-grade argan oil.
Molecular signature of the imprintosome complex at the mating-type locus in fission yeast
January 16, 2018
Genetic and molecular studies have indicated that an epigenetic imprint at mat1, the sexual locus of fission yeast, initiates mating type switching. Here, Raimondi et al. characterized the recruitment of early players of mating type switching at the mat1 region and suggest a nucleoprotein protective structure defined as imprintosome.
A novel system to monitor mitochondrial translation in yeast
January 13, 2018
In this study Suhm et al. present a novel system to monitor mitochondrial translation by detection of mitochondrial GFP-translation through fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry in functional mitochondria. This novel tool allows the investigation of the function and regulation of mitochondrial translation during stress signaling, aging and mitochondrial biogenesis.