Research, Research Articles

Knocking out histidine ammonia-lyase by using CRISPR-Cas9 abolishes histidine role in the bioenergetics and the life cycle of <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i>

Knocking out histidine ammonia-lyase by using CRISPR-Cas9 abolishes histidine role in the bioenergetics and the life cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi

Janaína de Freitas Nascimento1, María Julia Barisón1, Gabriela Torres Montanaro1, Letícia Marchese1, Rodolpho Ornitz Oliveira Souza1, Letícia Sophia Silva2, Alessandra Aparecida Guarnieri2 and Ariel Mariano Silber1

Recent studies have highlighted the importance of this pathway in ATP production, redox balance, and the maintenance of cellular homeostasis in T. cruzi. In this work, we focus on the first step of the histidine degradation pathway, which is performed by the enzyme histidine ammonia lyase. Here we determined the kinetic and biochemical parameters of the T. cruzi histidine ammonia-lyase.

Dissecting the cell cycle regulation, DNA damage sensitivity and lifespan effects of caffeine in fission yeast

Dissecting the cell cycle regulation, DNA damage sensitivity and lifespan effects of caffeine in fission yeast

John-Patrick Alao1, Juhi Kumar1, Despina Stamataki2 and Charalampos Rallis1

Our findings show that caffeine accelerates mitotic division and is beneficial for CLS through AMPK. Direct pharmacological targeting of AMPK may serve towards healthspan and lifespan benefits beyond yeasts, given the highly conserved nature of this key regulatory cellular energy sensor.

Uga3 influences nitrogen metabolism in <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> by modulating arginine biosynthesis

Uga3 influences nitrogen metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by modulating arginine biosynthesis

Nicolás Urtasun1,2,a, Sebastián Aníbal Muñoz1,a, Martín Arán3 and Mariana Bermúdez-Moretti1

Nitrogen metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is tightly regulated to optimize the utilization of available nitrogen sources. Uga3 is a known transcription factor involved in the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) pathway; however, its broader role in nitrogen metabolism remains unclear.

An adenine model of inborn metabolism errors alters TDP-43 aggregation and reduces its toxicity in yeast revealing insights into protein misfolding diseases

An adenine model of inborn metabolism errors alters TDP-43 aggregation and reduces its toxicity in yeast revealing insights into protein misfolding diseases

Sangeun Park, Sei-Kyoung Park, Peter Blair and Susan W. Liebman

This work offers new insights into the potential interactions between me-tabolite-based amyloids and pathological protein aggregates, with broad implications for understanding protein misfolding diseases.

Microbiota and metabolome dynamics induced by Shiga toxin-producing <i>E. coli</i> in an <i>in vitro</i> model of an infant’s colon

Microbiota and metabolome dynamics induced by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli in an in vitro model of an infant’s colon

Mariana Izquierdo1,a, Deborah O’Sullivan2,a, Ophélie Uriot2, Morgane Brun2, Claude Durif2, Sylvain Denis2, Pablo Gallardo1, Cormac G M Gahan3-5, Lucie Etienne-Mesmin2, Stéphanie Blanquet-Diot2,b and Mauricio J. Farfan1.b

This study provides new evidence of the impact of EHEC in the microbiota and metabolome dynamics in an in vitro gut model that could be useful in understanding their physiopathology in this at-risk population, considering inter-individual variabilities in gut microbiota.

Ampicillin treatment in persister cell studies may cause non-physiological artifacts

Ampicillin treatment in persister cell studies may cause non-physiological artifacts

Michel Fasnacht1,2, Hena Comic1,2, Isabella Moll1,2

This study shows at the example of L2 how insufficient purification of ampicillin persister cells can lead to the generation of non-physiological artifacts and provides a novel tool to improve the removal of residual cell debris.

<i>Clostridium scindens</i> promotes gallstone formation by inducing intrahepatic neutrophil extracellular traps through CXCL1 produced by colonic epithelial cells

Clostridium scindens promotes gallstone formation by inducing intrahepatic neutrophil extracellular traps through CXCL1 produced by colonic epithelial cells

Wenchao Yao1,a, Yuanhang He2,3,a, Zhihong Xie2,3, Qiang Wang2,3, Yang Chen2,4, Jingjing Yu2,3, Xuxu Liu2,3, Dongbo Xue2,3 , Liyi Wang2,3 and Chenjun Hao2,3

Through in vivo and in vitro experiments, we validated the reliability of C. scindens stimulating colonic epithelial cells to produce TLR2, activating the NF-κB signaling pathway, promoting CXCL1 expres-sion, and inducing intrahepatic neutrophil NETosis, which may be associated with gallstone formation.

Integrative Omics reveals changes in the cellular landscape of peroxisome-deficient <i>pex3</i> yeast cells

Integrative Omics reveals changes in the cellular landscape of peroxisome-deficient pex3 yeast cells

Tjasa Kosir1,a, Hirak Das2,a, Marc Pilegaard Pedersen1, Ann-Kathrin Richard2, Marco Anteghini3,4, Vitor Martins dos Santos4,5, Silke Oeljeklaus2, Ida J. van der Klei1 and Bettina Warscheid2

To uncover the consequences of peroxisome deficiency, we compared Saccharomyces cerevisiae wild-type with pex3 cells, which lack peroxisomes, employing quantitative proteomics and transcriptomics technologies.

Microwave-assisted preparation of yeast cells for ultrastructural analysis by electron microscopy

Microwave-assisted preparation of yeast cells for ultrastructural analysis by electron microscopy

Moritz Mayera, Christina Schuga, Stefan Geimer, Till Klecker and Benedikt Westermann

Budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is widely used as a model organism to study the biogenesis and architecture of organellar membranes, which can be visualized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

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The effect of multiple sclerosis therapy on gut microbiota dysbiosis: a longitudinal prospective study

April 6, 2024

The gut microbiota, a complex ecosystem with various immune functions, plays a significant role in MS, and its response to different treatments is highlighted in this study. In clinical practice, maintaining a healthy microbiota is crucial for individuals with MS.

Comparison of microbial communities and the profile of sulfate-reducing bacteria in patients with ulcerative colitis and their association with bowel diseases: a pilot study

March 14, 2024

Considerable evidence has accumulated regarding the molecular relationship between gut microbiota (GM) composition and the onset (clinical presentation and prognosis) of ulcerative colitis UC. Our findings highlight, among other observations, significant variations in the gut microbial composition among patients with varying disease severity and activity.

Replicative aging in yeast involves dynamic intron retention patterns associated with mRNA processing/export and protein ubiquitination

February 27, 2024

Saccharomyces cerevisiae has yielded relevant insights into some of the basic mechanisms of organismal aging. Among these are genomic instability, oxidative stress, caloric restriction and mitochondrial dysfunction. Our work uncovers a previously unexplored layer of the transcriptional program of yeast aging and, more generally, expands the knowledge on the occurrence of alternative splicing in baker´s yeast.

Quantifying yeast lipidomics by high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and comparison to mass spectrometry-based shotgun lipidomics

February 21, 2024

Lipidomic analysis in diverse biological settings has become a frequent tool to increase our understanding of the processes of life. Here we describe a method to analyse basic lipidomics in yeast using HPTLC and offer comparison to measurement of the same samples with MS-based shotgun lipidomics.

A cobalt concentration sensitive Btu-like system facilitates cobalamin uptake in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120

February 20, 2024

Metal homeostasis is central to all forms of life, as metals are essential micronutrients with toxic effects at elevated levels. Our results provide novel information on the uptake of cobalamin and the regulation of the cellular cobalt content in cyanobacteria.

Predictable regulation of survival by intratumoral microbe-immune crosstalk in patients with lung adenocarcinoma

February 19, 2024

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

January 9, 2024

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

January 5, 2024

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

November 23, 2023

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

October 25, 2023

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.

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