Research, Research Articles
Scp160 deletion suppresses TDP-43 aggregation and toxicity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Joan Castells-Ballestera and Natalia Shcherbik
Deletion of SCP160 or BFR1 reduces TDP-43 toxicity without lowering TDP-43 protein abundance and suppresses prominent TDP-43, Htt103Q, and VHL aggregation, while SCP160 deletion also shifts residual TDP-43 foci toward the ER.
The p53 DNA-Binding (Core) Domain can form a prion that seeds prion formation in full-length p53
Mathilde Kadouch1, Christelle Marchal1, Sei-Kyoung Park2, Sangeun Park2, Sabine Castano1, Susan W. Liebman2 and Christophe Cullin1
In yeast the p53 core-domain forms a self-propagating prion that inactivates a reporter and converts untagged full-length p53 to a prion. R175H in the tagged chimera shows 18x higher prionization, linking it to p53 inactivation in human cancers.
Sorbic acid triggers rapid formation of proteasome storage granules in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Shoei Tanaka1, Mitsuki Imajo1, Mieko Hayashi2, Akira Matsuura2 and Shingo Izawa1
This study demonstrates that sorbic acid, a common food preservative, induces the fastest reported proteasome storage granule (PSG) formation in yeast within 30 min, highlighting differences from other PSG-inducing conditions like acetic acid stress.
A time-resolved high-throughput screening of fission yeast deletion mutants for oxidative stress resistance
Mohammadtaha Pirsalehi, Rowshan Ara Islam, Kristal Ng, Olga Xintarakou, Peter Harold Thorpe and Charalampos Rallis
By capturing dynamic trajectories rather than static outcomes, this study exposes hidden layers of growth under oxidative stress and identifies new genetic determinants of cellular resilience in fission yeast.
Clonal spread and environmental persistence of carbapenem-resistant high-risk Pseudomonas aeruginosa in critical-care units of a Chilean national referral center for burn and trauma patients (2022)
Camila Ibarra1, Gustavo Araya2, Alhejandra Alvarez2, Leonardo Enríquez2, Carolina Arellano2, Fabricio Alarcón1, Constanza Fernández1, Claudio Vargas1, Rodrigo Vera1 and Roberto M. Vidal2
This study highlight the circulation of high-risk P. aeruginosa clones in Chile and underscore the importance of molecular epidemiology in guiding infection control, optimizing antimicrobial therapy, and mitigating the clinical and economic burden of CRPA.
The transcriptome of dendritic cells redraws the boundaries between pathogenicity and commensalism in yeast
Lisa Rizzetto1, Irene Stefanini2, Stefano Nenciarini3, Monica Di Paola3, Samantha Riccadonna1, Ivo G. Gut4,5, Marta Gut4,5, Simon Heath4,5 and Duccio Cavalieri3
Our immune system meets many fungi, but reacts strongly to only a few. The comparison of key fungal species showed that responses differ mainly in timing and not just genes, highlighting the need to rethink what makes fungi harmful vs. harmless.
Yippee-like protein Moh1 links gene expression to metabolism and selective stress resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Çağla Ece Olgun1,a, Gizem Turan Duman1,a, Gizem Güpür1, Hamit İzgi1, Mariam Huda2, Demet Çetin3, Zekiye Suludere4, Fatma Küçük Baloğlu5, Ayşe Koca Çaydaşı2 and Mesut Muyan1
This study demonstrates that the conserved yeast protein Moh1 links metabolism, gene expression, and cell structure, thereby altering cell envelope permeability and leading to selective stress responses.
Fungistatic effect of sorbic acid on yeast cells via translational repression involving eIF2α phosphorylation and formation of Ded1- and eIF2B-granules
Haruka Yoshiyama1, Wataru Nomura2 and Shingo Izawa1
The findings of this study provide new insights into the physiological effects of sorbic acid on yeast cells, specifically regarding the regulation of translation-related factors.
Occlusal types shape oral microbiome stomatotypes and metabolic landscapes: A multi-omics perspective on host-microbe interaction
Yufeng Duan1,a, Zheng Liu2,3,a, Wenting Lu1,a, Ning Zhao1, Lingjun Yuan1, Zhenxia Li1, Ting Zhou1, Shengzhao Xiao1, Dian Jing1, Xiaowen Zheng1, Wentao Shi4, Chao Liu1,*, Haixia Lu5,*, Qiang Feng6,* and Bing Fang1,*
This study reveals how occlusal types shape oral microbiome “stomatotypes” and metabolic profiles in adolescents. It offers fresh insights that host anatomy drives microecology which may be associated with personalized oral health.
Impact of histone H4K16 acetylation on the meiotic recombination checkpoint in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
December 4, 2016
In meiotic cells, the pachytene checkpoint or meiotic recombination checkpoint is a surveillance mechanism that monitors critical processes, such as recombination and chromosome synapsis, which are essential for proper distribution of chromosomes to the meiotic progeny. We report here that Sas2-mediated acetylation of histone H4 at lysine 16 (H4K16ac) modulates meiotic checkpoint activity in response to synaptonemal complex defects. Our results reveal that proper levels of H4K16ac orchestrate this meiotic quality control mechanism and that Sir2 impinges on additional targets to fully activate the checkpoint.
The ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, Ubc1, indirectly regulates SNF1 kinase activity via Forkhead-dependent transcription
November 5, 2016
The SNF1 kinase class of serine/threonine kinases, which includes the AMP-dependent protein kinase (AMPK) in other systems, are of widespread interest because of their important roles in glucose homeostasis, stress resistance, and aging. Our goal was to identify discrete ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes that are involved in SNF1 kinase activity in response to glucose levels and anticipated revealing those which are involved in Snf1-Ub attachment. Here, we report that the cell cycle and stress-related E2, Ubc1, indirectly affects SNF1 kinase activity not through stability, but through upstream events.
Phylogenetic profiles of all membrane transport proteins of the malaria parasite highlight new drug targets
August 30, 2016
In order to combat the on-going malaria epidemic, discovery of new drug targets remains vital. Proteins that are essential to survival and specific to malaria parasites are key candidates. Here, we present a comprehensive orthology assignment of all Plasmodium falciparum putative membrane transport proteins and provide a detailed overview of the associated essential gene functions obtained through experimental genetics studies in human and murine model parasites.
VDAC regulates AAC-mediated apoptosis and cytochrome c release in yeast
August 25, 2016
Mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization is a key event in apoptosis processes leading to the release of lethal factors. In this study, we sought to determine whether Por1p functionally interacts with ADP/ATP carrier (AAC) proteins, as well as its contribution to cytochrome c release and yeast apoptosis induced by acetic acid treatment. Our data indicate that Por1p may regulate cell survival by acting as a negative regulator of AAC proteins in the apoptotic cascade.
Attenuation of polyglutamine-induced toxicity by enhancement of mitochondrial OXPHOS in yeast and fly models of aging
July 26, 2016
Defects in mitochondrial biogenesis and function are common in many neurodegenerative disorders, including Huntington’s disease (HD). We could shown that enhancement of mitochondrial biogenesis protects against neurodegeneration in HD yeast and fly models. Our results suggest that therapeutic interventions aiming at the enhancement of mitochondrial respiration and OXPHOS could reduce polyQ toxicity and delay disease onset.
Cox1 mutation abrogates need for Cox23 in cytochrome c oxidase biogenesis
June 30, 2016
Cox23 is a known conserved assembly factor for cytochrome c oxidase, although its role in cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) biogenesis remains unresolved. To gain additional insights into its role, we isolated spontaneous suppressors of the respiratory growth defect in cox23∆ yeast cells. In this report, we describe the isolation of a robust suppressor of the respiratory defect in cox23∆ cells that mapped to the mitochondrial-encoded Cox1 subunit.
Construction and evaluation of yeast expression networks by database-guided predictions
May 10, 2016
DNA-Microarrays are powerful tools to obtain expression data on the genome-wide scale. We set out to define a way to cluster microarray data according to their expressional relationship and to obtain information on the significance of this clustering approach.
Optogenetic monitoring identifies phosphatidylthreonine-regulated calcium homeostasis in Toxoplasma gondii
May 1, 2016
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite, which inflicts acute as well as chronic infections in a wide range of warm-blooded vertebrates. Using an optogenetic sensor to monitor subcellular calcium in this model intracellular pathogen we found a novel regulatory function of phosphatidylthreonine in calcium signaling.
Formaldehyde fixation is detrimental to actin cables in glucose-depleted S. cerevisiae cells
April 13, 2016
Actin filaments form cortical patches and emanating cables in fermenting cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We assume that stability of actin cables reflects the metabolic status of the cell. Based on comparison of live and formaldehyde-fixed cells, our data suggest that formaldehyde affects respiration before fixation and this uneven signaling results in destabilization of actin cables in glucose-deprived cells.
Insights into dynamin-associated disorders through analysis of equivalent mutations in the yeast dynamin Vps1
March 22, 2016
The dynamins represent a superfamily of proteins that have been shown to function in a wide range of membrane fusion and fission events. An increasing number of mutations in the human classical dynamins, Dyn-1 and Dyn-2 has been reported, with diseases caused by these changes ranging from Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorder to epileptic encephalopathies. This study aimed to use the dynamin-like protein Vps1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model to gain insights into the mechanistic defects caused by specific dynamin mutations considered to underlie a number of diseases.