scholarly journals Simultaneous detection of reciprocal interactions between calmodulin, Ca2+ and molecular targets: a focus on the calmodulin-RyR2 complex

2021 ◽  
Vol 478 (3) ◽  
pp. 487-491
Author(s):  
Daniele Dell'Orco
Keyword(s):  
Simultaneous Detection ◽  
Molecular Targets ◽  
Equilibrium Dissociation Constant ◽  
Recent Issue ◽  
Reciprocal Interactions ◽  
Biochemical Journal ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Titration Assay ◽  
Equilibrium Dissociation

In a recent issue of Biochemical Journal, Brohus et al. (Biochem. J.476, 193–209) investigated the interaction between the ubiquitous intracellular Ca2+-sensor calmodulin (CaM) and peptides that mimic different structural regions of the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2) at different Ca2+ concentrations. For the purpose, a novel bidimensional titration assay based on changes in fluorescence anisotropy was designed. The study identified the CaM domains that selectively bind to a specific CaM-binding domain in RyR2 and demonstrated that the interaction occurs essentially under Ca2+-saturating conditions. This study provides an elegant and experimentally accessible framework for detailed molecular investigations of the emerging life-threatening arrhythmia diseases associated with mutations in the genes encoding CaM. Furthermore, by allowing the measurement of the equilibrium dissociation constant in a protein–protein complex as a function of [Ca2+], the methodology presented by Brohus et al. may have broad applicability to the study of Ca2+ signalling.

scholarly journals Molecular targets for antifungals in amino acid and protein biosynthetic pathways

Amino Acids ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Kuplińska ◽  
Kamila Rząd
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Protein Biosynthesis ◽  
Molecular Targets ◽  
Antifungal Drugs ◽  
Vaginal Candidiasis ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Fungal Organisms ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
The Impact

AbstractFungi cause death of over 1.5 million people every year, while cutaneous mycoses are among the most common infections in the world. Mycoses vary greatly in severity, there are long-term skin (ringworm), nail or hair infections (tinea capitis), recurrent like vaginal candidiasis or severe, life-threatening systemic, multiorgan infections. In the last few years, increasing importance is attached to the health and economic problems caused by fungal pathogens. There is a growing need for improvement of the availability of antifungal drugs, decreasing their prices and reducing side effects. Searching for novel approaches in this respect, amino acid and protein biosynthesis pathways appear to be competitive. The route that leads from amino acid biosynthesis to protein folding and its activation is rich in enzymes that are descriptive of fungi. Blocking the action of those enzymes often leads to avirulence or growth inhibition. In this review, we want to trace the principal processes of fungi vitality. We present the data of genes encoding enzymes involved in amino acid and protein biosynthesis, potential molecular targets in antifungal chemotherapy, and describe the impact of inhibitors on fungal organisms.

Role of Cytochrome P450 in Prostate Cancer and its Therapy

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rishabh Kaushik ◽  
Sheeza Khan ◽  
Meesha Sharma ◽  
Srinivasan Hemalatha ◽  
Zeba Mueed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Cytochrome P450 ◽  
Drug Discovery ◽  
Cholesterol Metabolism ◽  
Molecular Targets ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Metabolic Functions ◽  
Novel Drugs ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Causes Of Mortality

Prostate cancer has become a global health concern as it is one of the leading causes of mortality in males. With the emerging drug resistance to conventional therapies, it is imperative to unravel new molecular targets for disease prevention. Cytochrome P450 (P450s or CYPs) represents a unique class of mixed-function oxidases which catalyses a wide array of biosynthetic and metabolic functions including steroidogenesis and cholesterol metabolism. Several studies have reported the overexpression of the genes encoding CYPs in prostate cancer cells and how they can be used as molecular targets for drug discovery. But due to functional redundancy and overlapping expression of CYPs in several other metabolic pathways there are several impediments in the clinical efficacy of the novel drugs reported till now. Here we review the most crucial P450 enzymes which are involved in prostate cancer and how they can be used as molecular targets for drug discovery along with the clinical limitations of the currently existing CYP inhibitors.

scholarly journals The Early Transcriptional Response of Human Granulocytes to Infection with Candida albicans Is Not Essential for Killing but Reflects Cellular Communications

2006 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 1493-1501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chantal Fradin ◽  
Abigail L. Mavor ◽  
Günther Weindl ◽  
Martin Schaller ◽  
Karin Hanke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Mononuclear Cells ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Transcriptional Response ◽  
Mononuclear Leukocytes ◽  
General Notion ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Global Transcriptional Profile ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Systemic Infections

ABSTRACT Candida albicans is a polymorphic opportunistic fungus that can cause life-threatening systemic infections following hematogenous dissemination in patients susceptible to nosocomial infection. Neutrophils form part of the innate immune response, which is the first line of defense against microbes and is particularly important in C. albicans infections. To compare the transcriptional response of leukocytes exposed to C. albicans, we investigated the expression of key cytokine genes in polymorphonuclear and mononuclear leukocytes after incubation with C. albicans for 1 h. Isolated mononuclear cells expressed high levels of genes encoding proinflammatory signaling molecules, whereas neutrophils exhibited much lower levels, similar to those observed in whole blood. The global transcriptional profile of neutrophils was examined by using an immunology-biased human microarray to determine whether different morphological forms or the viability of C. albicans altered the transcriptome. Hyphal cells appeared to have the broadest effect, although the most strongly induced genes were regulated independently of morphology or viability. These genes were involved in proinflammatory cell-cell signaling, cell signal transduction, and cell growth. Generally, genes encoding known components of neutrophil granules showed no upregulation at this time point; however, lactoferrin, a well-known candidacidal peptide, was secreted by neutrophils. Addition to inhibitors of RNA or protein de novo synthesis did not influence the killing activity within 30 min. These results support the general notion that neutrophils do not require gene transcription to mount an immediate and direct attack against microbes. However, neutrophils exposed to C. albicans express genes involved in communication with other immune cells.

From B to A: making an essential cofactor in a human parasite

2017 ◽  
Vol 474 (18) ◽  
pp. 3089-3092
Author(s):  
Naomi S. Morrissette ◽  
Celia W. Goulding
Keyword(s):  
Cytochrome C ◽  
Trypanosoma Cruzi ◽  
Cytochrome C Oxidase ◽  
Human Disease ◽  
Recent Issue ◽  
Enzyme Reactions ◽  
Human Parasite ◽  
Biochemical Journal ◽  
Eukaryotic Organisms ◽  
Subsequent Activity

Trypanosomatids are parasitic eukaryotic organisms that cause human disease. These organisms have complex lifestyles; cycling between vertebrate and insect hosts and alternating between two morphologies; a replicating form and an infective, nonreplicating one. Because trypanosomatids are one of the few organisms that do not synthesize the essential cofactor, heme, these parasites sequester the most common form, heme B, from their hosts. Once acquired, the parasites derivatize heme B to heme A by two sequential enzyme reactions. Although heme C is found in many cytochrome c and c1 proteins, heme A is the cofactor of only one known protein, cytochrome c oxidase (CcO). In a recent issue of the Biochemical Journal, Merli et al. [Biochem. J. (2017) 474, 2315–2332] demonstrate that the final step in the synthesis of heme A by heme A synthase (TcCox15) and the subsequent activity of CcO are essential for infectivity and replication of Trypanosoma cruzi.

scholarly journals Genome-Wide Identification of Francisella tularensis Virulence Determinants

2007 ◽  
Vol 75 (6) ◽  
pp. 3089-3101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingliang Su ◽  
Jun Yang ◽  
Daimin Zhao ◽  
Thomas H. Kawula ◽  
Jeffrey A. Banas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Francisella Tularensis ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Small Subset ◽  
Virulence Determinants ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Capsule Locus ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Transposon Mutants ◽  
Schu S4

ABSTRACT Francisella tularensis is a gram-negative pathogen that causes life-threatening infections in humans and has potential for use as a biological weapon. The genetic basis of the F. tularensis virulence is poorly understood. This study screened a total of 3,936 transposon mutants of the live vaccine strain for infection in a mouse model of respiratory tularemia by signature-tagged mutagenesis. We identified 341 mutants attenuated for infection in the lungs. The transposon disruptions were mapped to 95 different genes, virtually all of which are also present in the genomes of other F. tularensis strains, including human pathogenic F. tularensis strain Schu S4. A small subset of these attenuated mutants carried insertions in the genes encoding previously known virulence factors, but the majority of the identified genes have not been previously linked to F. tularensis virulence. Among these are genes encoding putative membrane proteins, proteins associated with stress responses, metabolic proteins, transporter proteins, and proteins with unknown functions. Several attenuated mutants contained disruptions in a putative capsule locus which partially resembles the poly-γ-glutamate capsule biosynthesis locus of Bacillus anthracis, the anthrax agent. Deletional mutation analysis confirmed that this locus is essential for F. tularensis virulence.

Binding Investigation of Integrin αvβ3 With Its Inhibitors by SPR Technology and Molecular Docking Simulation

2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaqin Liu ◽  
Yuanjiang Pan ◽  
Yuhong Xu
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Docking ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Docking Simulation ◽  
Integrin Αvβ3 ◽  
Equilibrium Dissociation Constant ◽  
Molecular Docking Simulation ◽  
Spr Biosensor ◽  
Inhibitor Discovery ◽  
Equilibrium Dissociation

Integrins play critical roles in the process of angiogenesis and are attractive targets for anticancer therapies. It is desirable to develop new types of small-molecule inhibitors of integrin. Herein, the binding features of several inhibitors to integrin αvβ3 have been studied by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor technology and molecular docking analyses. The SPR results indicated that the equilibrium dissociation constant (KD) values are evaluated for the inhibitors and showed that the KD value of cyclopeptide c-Lys is much lower than the reference molecule. In addition, the 3D structural model of integrin αvβ3 was generated according to the crystal structure of the integrin αvβ3 complex, and the molecular docking simulation analyses revealed that the predicted binding sites for the most active cyclopeptide c-Lys were consistent with the reported structure. These results thus implied that cyclopeptide c-Lys could be developed as a novel inhibitor for integrin αvβ3. The current work has potential for application in structure-based integrin αvβ3 inhibitor discovery.

scholarly journals Serotype Diversity and Antimicrobial Resistance amongSalmonella entericaIsolates from Patients at an Equine Referral Hospital

2018 ◽  
Vol 84 (13) ◽  
pp. e02829-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. M. Leon ◽  
S. D. Lawhon ◽  
K. N. Norman ◽  
D. S. Threadgill ◽  
N. Ohta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Salmonella Enterica ◽  
Referral Hospital ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Common Serotypes

ABSTRACTAlthoughSalmonella entericacan produce life-threatening colitis in horses, certain serotypes are more commonly associated with clinical disease. Our aim was to evaluate the proportional morbidity attributed to different serotypes, as well as the phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance (AMR) ofSalmonellaisolates from patients at an equine referral hospital in the southern United States. A total of 255Salmonellaisolates was obtained from clinical samples of patients admitted to the hospital between 2007 and 2015. Phenotypic resistance to 14 antibiotics surveilled by the U.S. National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System was determined using a commercially available panel. Whole-genome sequencing was used to identify serotypes and genotypic AMR. The most common serotypes wereSalmonella entericaserotype Newport (18%),Salmonella entericaserotype Anatum (15.2%), andSalmonella entericaserotype Braenderup (11.8%). Most (n= 219) of the isolates were pansusceptible, while 25 were multidrug resistant (≥3 antimicrobial classes). Genes encoding beta-lactam resistance, such asblaCMY-2,blaSHV-12,blaCTX-M-27, andblaTEM-1B, were detected. TheqnrB2 andaac(6′)-Ib-crgenes were present in isolates with reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin. Genes encoding resistance to gentamicin (aph(3′)-Ia,aac(6′)-IIc), streptomycin (strA andstrB), sulfonamides (sul1), trimethoprim (dfrA), phenicols (catA), tetracyclines [tet(A) andtet(E)], and macrolides [ere(A)] were also identified. The main predicted incompatibility plasmid type was I1 (10%). Core genome-based analyses revealed phylogenetic associations between isolates of common serotypes. The presence of AMRSalmonellain equine patients increases the risk of unsuccessful treatment and causes concern for potential zoonotic transmission to attending veterinary personnel, animal caretakers, and horse owners. Understanding the epidemiology ofSalmonellain horses admitted to referral hospitals is important for the prevention, control, and treatment of salmonellosis.IMPORTANCEIn horses, salmonellosis is a leading cause of life-threatening colitis. At veterinary teaching hospitals, nosocomial outbreaks can increase the risk of zoonotic transmission, lead to restrictions on admissions, impact hospital reputation, and interrupt educational activities. The antimicrobials most often used in horses are included in the 5th revision of the World Health Organization's list of critically important antimicrobials for human medicine. Recent studies have demonstrated a trend of increasing bacterial resistance to drugs commonly used to treatSalmonellainfections. In this study, we identify temporal trends in the distribution ofSalmonellaserotypes and their mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance; furthermore, we are able to determine the likely origin of several temporal clusters of infection by using whole-genome sequencing. These data can be used to focus strategies to better contain the dissemination and enhance the mitigation ofSalmonellainfections and to provide evidence-based policies and guidelines to steward antimicrobial use in veterinary medicine.

scholarly journals Coexistence with Pseudomonas aeruginosa alters Staphylococcus aureus transcriptome, antibiotic resistance and internalization into epithelial cells

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Briaud ◽  
Laura Camus ◽  
Sylvère Bastien ◽  
Anne Doléans-Jordheim ◽  
François Vandenesch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Common Life ◽  
Transporter Family ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Internalization Rate ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common life-threatening genetic disease among Caucasians. CF patients suffer from chronic lung infections due to the presence of thick mucus, caused by cftr gene dysfunction. The two most commonly found bacteria in the mucus of CF patients are Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It is well known that early-infecting P. aeruginosa strains produce anti-staphylococcal compounds and inhibit S. aureus growth. More recently, it has been shown that late-infecting P. aeruginosa strains develop commensal-like/coexistence interaction with S. aureus. The aim of this study was to decipher the impact of P. aeruginosa strains on S. aureus. RNA sequencing analysis showed 77 genes were specifically dysregulated in the context of competition and 140 genes in the context of coexistence in the presence of P. aeruginosa. In coexistence, genes encoding virulence factors and proteins involved in carbohydrates, lipids, nucleotides and amino acids metabolism were downregulated. On the contrary, several transporter family encoding genes were upregulated. In particular, several antibiotic pumps belonging to the Nor family were upregulated: tet38, norA and norC, leading to an increase in antibiotic resistance of S. aureus when exposed to tetracycline and ciprofloxacin and an enhanced internalization rate within epithelial pulmonary cells. This study shows that coexistence with P. aeruginosa affects the S. aureus transcriptome and virulence.

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