scholarly journals A bacteriophage mimic of the bacterial nucleoid-associated protein Fis

2020 ◽  
Vol 477 (7) ◽  
pp. 1345-1362
Author(s):  
Soumyananda Chakraborti ◽  
Dhanasekaran Balakrishnan ◽  
Alexander J. Trotter ◽  
William H. Gittens ◽  
Ally W.H. Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Structural Studies ◽  
Bacterial Gene ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Bacterial Gene Expression ◽  
Double Stranded Dna ◽  
Bacterial Nucleoid ◽  
Signature Sequence ◽  
Identification And Characterization

We report the identification and characterization of a bacteriophage λ-encoded protein, NinH. Sequence homology suggests similarity between NinH and Fis, a bacterial nucleoid-associated protein (NAP) involved in numerous DNA topology manipulations, including chromosome condensation, transcriptional regulation and phage site-specific recombination. We find that NinH functions as a homodimer and is able to bind and bend double-stranded DNA in vitro. Furthermore, NinH shows a preference for a 15 bp signature sequence related to the degenerate consensus favored by Fis. Structural studies reinforced the proposed similarity to Fis and supported the identification of residues involved in DNA binding which were demonstrated experimentally. Overexpression of NinH proved toxic and this correlated with its capacity to associate with DNA. NinH is the first example of a phage-encoded Fis-like NAP that likely influences phage excision-integration reactions or bacterial gene expression.

scholarly journals The Banana Root Endophytome: Differences between Mother Plants and Suckers and Evaluation of Selected Bacteria to Control Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 194
Author(s):  
Carmen Gómez-Lama Cabanás ◽  
Antonio J. Fernández-González ◽  
Martina Cardoni ◽  
Antonio Valverde-Corredor ◽  
Javier López-Cepero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fusarium Oxysporum ◽  
Canary Islands ◽  
High Throughput Sequencing ◽  
Fungal Communities ◽  
Phenological Stage ◽  
Mother Plants ◽  
Fusarium Wilt Of Banana ◽  
Identification And Characterization

This study aimed to disentangle the structure, composition, and co-occurrence relationships of the banana (cv. Dwarf Cavendish) root endophytome comparing two phenological plant stages: mother plants and suckers. Moreover, a collection of culturable root endophytes (>1000) was also generated from Canary Islands. In vitro antagonism assays against Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense (Foc) races STR4 and TR4 enabled the identification and characterization of potential biocontrol agents (BCA). Eventually, three of them were selected and evaluated against Fusarium wilt of banana (FWB) together with the well-known BCA Pseudomonas simiae PICF7 under controlled conditions. Culturable and non-culturable (high-throughput sequencing) approaches provided concordant information and showed low microbial diversity within the banana root endosphere. Pseudomonas appeared as the dominant genus and seemed to play an important role in the banana root endophytic microbiome according to co-occurrence networks. Fungal communities were dominated by the genera Ophioceras, Cyphellophora, Plecosphaerella, and Fusarium. Overall, significant differences were found between mother plants and suckers, suggesting that the phenological stage determines the recruitment and organization of the endophytic microbiome. While selected native banana endophytes showed clear antagonism against Foc strains, their biocontrol performance against FWB did not improve the outcome observed for a non-indigenous reference BCA (strain PICF7).

scholarly journals Identification and Characterization of Novel Antioxidant Protein Hydrolysates from Kiwicha (Amaranthus caudatus L.)

Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 645
Author(s):  
Sergio Montserrat-de la Paz ◽  
Alicia Martinez-Lopez ◽  
Alvaro Villanueva-Lazo ◽  
Justo Pedroche ◽  
Francisco Millan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antioxidant Capacity ◽  
Reducing Power ◽  
Protein Isolate ◽  
Protein Hydrolysates ◽  
Antioxidant Peptides ◽  
Amaranthus Caudatus ◽  
Intact Proteins ◽  
Identification And Characterization

Kiwicha (Amaranthus caudatus) is considered one of the few multipurpose pseudocereals for its potential use not only as a source of nutrients and fiber but also for its bioactive compounds. In recent years, antioxidant peptides are commonly used as functional ingredient of food. Herein, a kiwicha protein isolate (KPI), obtained from kiwicha defatted flour (KDF), was hydrolyzed by Bioprotease LA 660, a food-grade endoprotease, under specific conditions. The resulting kiwicha protein hydrolysates (KPHs) were chemically characterized and their digestibility and antioxidant capacity were evaluated by in vitro cell-free experiments owing to their measure of capacity to sequester DPPH free radical and reducing power. KPHs showed higher digestibility and antioxidant capacity than intact proteins into KPI. Therefore, the results shown in this study indicate that KPHs could serve as an adequate source of antioxidant peptides, representing an effective alternative to the generation of functional food.

scholarly journals Analysis of Ribonucleotide 5′-Triphosphate Analogs as Potential Inhibitors of Zika Virus RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase by Using Nonradioactive Polymerase Assays

2016 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaofei Lu ◽  
Gregory R. Bluemling ◽  
Paul Collop ◽  
Michael Hager ◽  
Damien Kuiper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Rna Dependent Rna Polymerase ◽  
Antiviral Compounds ◽  
Double Stranded Dna ◽  
Virus Rna ◽  
Potential Inhibitors

ABSTRACT Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging human pathogen that is spreading rapidly through the Americas and has been linked to the development of microcephaly and to a dramatically increased number of Guillain-Barré syndrome cases. Currently, no vaccine or therapeutic options for the prevention or treatment of ZIKV infections exist. In the study described in this report, we expressed, purified, and characterized full-length nonstructural protein 5 (NS5) and the NS5 polymerase domain (NS5pol) of ZIKV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Using purified NS5, we developed an in vitro nonradioactive primer extension assay employing a fluorescently labeled primer-template pair. Both purified NS5 and NS5pol can carry out in vitro RNA-dependent RNA synthesis in this assay. Our results show that Mn2+ is required for enzymatic activity, while Mg2+ is not. We found that ZIKV NS5 can utilize single-stranded DNA but not double-stranded DNA as a template or a primer to synthesize RNA. The assay was used to compare the efficiency of incorporation of analog 5′-triphosphates by the ZIKV polymerase and to calculate their discrimination versus that of natural ribonucleotide triphosphates (rNTPs). The 50% inhibitory concentrations for analog rNTPs were determined in an alternative nonradioactive coupled-enzyme assay. We determined that, in general, 2′-C-methyl- and 2′-C-ethynyl-substituted analog 5′-triphosphates were efficiently incorporated by the ZIKV polymerase and were also efficient chain terminators. Derivatives of these molecules may serve as potential antiviral compounds to be developed to combat ZIKV infection. This report provides the first characterization of ZIKV polymerase and demonstrates the utility of in vitro polymerase assays in the identification of potential ZIKV inhibitors.

scholarly journals In Vitro Identification and Characterization of CD133pos Cancer Stem-Like Cells in Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma Cell Lines

PLoS ONE ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (10) ◽  
pp. e3544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Zito ◽  
Pierina Richiusa ◽  
Alessandra Bommarito ◽  
Elvira Carissimi ◽  
Leonardo Russo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thyroid Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Carcinoma Cell ◽  
Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma ◽  
Carcinoma Cell Lines ◽  
Identification And Characterization ◽  
Thyroid Carcinoma Cell
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