scholarly journals Identification of the functions of 4-coumarate-CoA ligase/ acyl-CoA synthetase paralogs in potato

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matías Ariel Valiñas ◽  
Arjen ten Have ◽  
Adriana Balbina Andreu

Background: The 4CL/ ACS protein family is well known for its 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL) enzymes but there are many aspects of this family that are still unclear or generally known. Cytosolic class I and class II 4CL enzymes control the biosynthesis of lignin/ suberin and flavonoids, respectively. Many 4CL homologs have broad substrate permissiveness in vitro and have no clear cut function. However, it has been demonstrated unequivocally that a peroxisomal 4CL-like homolog from Arabidopsis efficiently uses p-coumarate for ubiquinone biosynthesis. Another homolog has been shown to act as a fatty acyl-CoA synthetase and yet another as OPDA-CoA ligase. Hence, despite this knowledge, most homologs remain annotated as 4CL-like whereas other researches study the ACS protein family. Results: We set out identify the specific functions of 4CL/ ACS homologs, specifically in order to study the 4CL family in Solanum tuberosum. An in depth phylogenetic analysis was done. Using clustering techniques, functional annotation and taxonomic signals, three major clades were depicted. Clade 1 is composed of class I from monocotyledons, class I from dicotyledons and class II canonical 4CL enzymes subclades. Specificity determining positions and 3D structure analysis shows that clade 2 cytosolic 4CL-like enzymes show a rather different binding cleft and presumably use medium- to long-chain fatty acids. Clade 3 is composed of five subclades, four of which have a broad taxonomic contribution and a similar binding cleft as 4CLs whereas a fifth, specific for dicotyledons shows a significantly different binding pocket. The potato 4CL family comprises four class I (St4CL-I(A-D)) and one class II (St4CL-II) members. Transcript levels of St4CLs and of marker genes of the flavonoid (chalcone synthase, CHS) and suberin (feruloyl-CoA transferase, FHT) pathways were determined by qRT-PCR in flesh and skin from Andean varieties. St4CL-IA was barely detected in the skin of some varieties whereas St4CL-IB did not show a clear pattern. St4CL-IC and St4CL-ID could not be detected. St4CL-II expression pattern was similar to CHS. St4CL-IA and St4CL-IB were induced by wounding as did FHT whereas St4CL-II and CHS expression was repressed. Constitutive and wound-induced expression suggests that St4CL-IA and St4CL-IB isoforms are likely involved in soluble and/ or suberin-bound phenolic compounds while St4CL-II appears to be involved in flavonoid biosynthesis.

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (8) ◽  
pp. 788-796
Author(s):  
Praveen K.P. Krishnamoorthy ◽  
Sekar Subasree ◽  
Udhayachandran Arthi ◽  
Mohammad Mobashir ◽  
Chirag Gowda ◽  
...  

Aim and Objective: Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus of the paramyxovirus family that sporadically breaks out from livestock and spreads in humans through breathing resulting in an indication of encephalitis syndrome. In the current study, T cell epitopes with the NiV W protein antigens were predicted. Materials and Methods: Modelling of unavailable 3D structure of W protein followed by docking studies of respective Human MHC - class I and MHC - class II alleles predicted was carried out for the highest binding rates. In the computational analysis, epitopes were assessed for immunogenicity, conservation, and toxicity analysis. T – cell-based vaccine development against NiV was screened for eight epitopes of Indian - Asian origin. Results: Two epitopes, SPVIAEHYY and LVNDGLNII, have been screened and selected for further docking study based on toxicity and conservancy analyses. These epitopes showed a significant score of -1.19 kcal/mol and 0.15 kcal/mol with HLA- B*35:03 and HLA- DRB1 * 07:03, respectively by using allele - Class I and Class II from AutoDock. These two peptides predicted by the reverse vaccinology approach are likely to induce immune response mediated by T – cells. Conclusion: Simulation using GROMACS has revealed that LVNDGLNII epitope forms a more stable complex with HLA molecule and will be useful in developing the epitope-based Nipah virus vaccine.


2011 ◽  
Vol 226 (12) ◽  
pp. 3233-3241 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.D. Cantley ◽  
D.P. Fairlie ◽  
P.M. Bartold ◽  
K.D. Rainsford ◽  
G.T. Le ◽  
...  

Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 3859-3859
Author(s):  
Anri Saito ◽  
Miwako Narita ◽  
Toshio Yano ◽  
Naoko Sato ◽  
Asuka Sekiguchi ◽  
...  

Abstract Transfection with tumor antigen RNA is one of the promising tools not only because of a possible sufficient amplification of tumor antigen RNA but also because of the absence of antigen peptides-associated MHC restriction. Several succeeded experiments about generation of CTLs using DCs transfeced in vitro transcribed (IVT) cancer specific antigen mRNA such as PSA, CEA, hTERT and MUC-1 have been reported in these a few years. In addition, recent reports about the simultaneous presentation of peptides in both MHC class I and class II molecules on DCs after mRNA electroporation show another superiority of mRNA transfection into DCs. In this presentation, we demonstrate successful generation of tumor antigen specific CTLs using with DCs transfected with IVT mRNA such as SART-1 and WT-1 by electroporation. This is the first report about the generation of SART-1 and WT-1 specific CTLs by using mRNA transfected DCs. [Methods] HLA-A24 positive human PB CD14+ cell-derived DCs were transfected with IVT mRNA (SART-1and WT-1) by electroporation. MRNA transfected DCs were co-cultured with autologous lymphocytes. The bulk co-cultures were re-stimulated several times with same DCs. CD8+ cells were separated and CTL activity was evaluated by 51chromium release assay. To determine whether the induced CTL cells could recognize the target cells in an HLA class I restricted manner, anti-HLA class I monoclonal antibodies were utilized to block the cytotoxicity of effectors. [Results] Electroporation of mRNA showed no effect on the surface phenotypes and antigen presenting ability of DCs. In addition to the demonstration of efficient transfection of M1 mRNA into DCs by using RT-PCR, which eliminated the amplification of transfected mRNA by the treatment with RNase before RNA extraction from the transfected cells, we identified the definite expression of WT-1 protein in the cytoplasm of DCs by using immunoblotting. CTL assay indicated that 1) DCs transfected with mRNA stimulated the generation of antigen-specific CTLs which are capable of lysing autologous DCs transfected with the same mRNA. 2) CTLs also demonstrated cytotoxic ability against cell lines such as KE-4 presenting SART-1 peptides on HLA-A24, MEGO1 presenting WT-1 peptides on MHC class I, and HLA-A24 cDNA transfected T2 which were used as target cells after co- incubation with 9 mer SART-1 peptides with strong affinity to HLA-A24. 3) Each cytotoxicities were markedly blocked after co-incubation of target cells with anti-MHC class I antibody and not inhibited with anti-MHC class II antibody. [Conclusion] Our results showed that IVT mRNA-transfected DCs which is constructed non-virally have a highly efficient ability to stimulate specific T-cell immunity against tumor. Unlike peptide- or tumor cells extract-pulsed DCs based vaccines, anti-tumor immunotherapy using the DCs transfected with antigen mRNA could be extended to a wide range of patients who have previously been excluded from clinical trials for the reason of the un-identification of tumor specific antigens, for the reason of the impossibility of obtaining sufficient tumor specimens, or for the reason of MHC restriction of the tumor specific antigens.


2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (16) ◽  
pp. 10356-10368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Lu ◽  
Hina Z. Ghory ◽  
Alan Engelman

ABSTRACT Results of in vitro assays identified residues in the C-terminal domain (CTD) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase (IN) important for IN-IN and IN-DNA interactions, but the potential roles of these residues in virus replication were mostly unknown. Sixteen CTD residues were targeted here, generating 24 mutant viruses. Replication-defective mutants were typed as class I (blocked at integration) or class II (additional reverse transcription and/or assembly defects). Most defective viruses (15 of 17) displayed reverse transcription defects. In contrast, replication-defective HIV-1E246K synthesized near-normal cDNA levels but processing of Pr55 g ag was largely inhibited in virus-producing cells. Because single-round HIV-1E246K.Luc(R-) transduced cells at approximately 8% of the wild-type level, we concluded that the late-stage processing defect contributed significantly to the overall replication defect of HIV-1E246K. Results of complementation assays revealed that the CTD could function in trans to the catalytic core domain (CCD) in in vitro assays, and we since determined that certain class I and class II mutants defined a novel genetic complementation group that functioned in cells independently of IN domain boundaries. Seven of eight novel Vpr-IN mutant proteins efficiently trans-complemented class I active-site mutant virus, demonstrating catalytically active CTD mutant proteins during infection. Because most of these mutants inefficiently complemented a class II CCD mutant virus, the majority of CTD mutants were likely more defective for interactions with cellular and/or viral components that affected reverse transcription and/or preintegration trafficking than the catalytic activity of the IN enzyme.


1990 ◽  
Vol 171 (2) ◽  
pp. 571-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Takahashi ◽  
R N Germain ◽  
B Moss ◽  
J A Berzofsky

We have observed that a peptide corresponding to an immunodominant epitope of the HIV-1 envelope protein recognized by class I MHC-restricted CD8+ CTL can also induce T cell help for itself. The help is necessary for restimulation of CTL precursors in vitro with peptide alone in the absence of exogenous lymphokines, can be removed by depletion of CD4+ T cells, and can be replaced by exogenous IL-2. Whereas the CTL in BALB/c or B10. D2 mice are restricted by the class I molecule Dd, the Th cells are restricted by the class II molecule Ad, and the help can be blocked by anti-Ad mAb. To examine the genetic regulation of the induction of help, we studied B10.A mice that share the class I Dd molecule, but have different class II molecules, Ak and Ek. Spleen cells of immune B10.A mice behave like CD4-depleted BALB/c spleen cells in that they cannot be restimulated in vitro by the peptide alone, but can with peptide plus IL-2. Therefore, in the absence of exogenous lymphokines, peptide-specific help is necessary for restimulation with this immunodominant CTL epitope peptide, and in H-2d mice, this peptide stimulates help for itself as well as CTL. We speculate on the implications of these findings for the immunodominance of this peptide in H-2d mice, and for the selective advantage of pairing certain class I and class II molecules in an MHC haplotype.


1987 ◽  
Vol 165 (6) ◽  
pp. 1508-1523 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Bastin ◽  
J Rothbard ◽  
J Davey ◽  
I Jones ◽  
A Townsend

The conserved epitopes of influenza nucleoprotein (NP) recognized by class I MHC-restricted CTL from CBA (H-2k) and C57BL/10 (H-2b) mice have been defined in vitro with synthetic peptides 50-63 and 365-379, respectively. Two Db-restricted clones were described that recognize different epitopes on peptide 365-379. Finally, the recognition of complete NP was shown to be approximately 200-fold less efficient than peptide in the cytotoxicity assay. These phenomena are closely related to results with class II-restricted T cells and they strengthen the hypothesis that influenza proteins are degraded in the infected cell before recognition by class I-restricted CTL.


2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (24) ◽  
pp. 11122-11130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazutoshi Harada ◽  
Amy B. Truong ◽  
Ti Cai ◽  
Paul A. Khavari

ABSTRACT Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) regulate an array of cellular processes and are comprised of three classes. Class I PI3Ks include the well-studied agonist-sensitive p110 isoforms; however, the functions of class II and III PI3Ks are less well characterized. Of the three class II PI3Ks, C2α and C2β are widely expressed in many tissues, including the epidermis, while C2γ is confined to the liver. In contrast to the class I PI3K p110α, which is expressed throughout the epidermis, C2β was found to be localized in suprabasal cells, suggesting a potential role for C2β in epidermal differentiation. Overexpressing C2β in epidermal cells in vitro induced differentiation markers. To study a role for C2β in tissue, we generated transgenic mice overexpressing C2β in both suprabasal and basal epidermal layers. These mice lacked epidermal abnormalities. Mice deficient in C2β were then generated by targeted gene deletion. C2β knockout mice were viable and fertile and displayed normal epidermal growth, differentiation, barrier function, and wound healing. To exclude compensation by C2α, RNA interference was then used to knock down both C2α and C2β in epidermal cells simultaneously. Induction of differentiation markers was unaffected in the absence of C2α and C2β. These findings indicate that class II PI3Ks are not essential for epidermal differentiation.


Blood ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 96 (5) ◽  
pp. 1857-1864 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Herr ◽  
Elena Ranieri ◽  
Walter Olson ◽  
Hassane Zarour ◽  
Loreto Gesualdo ◽  
...  

Abstract Immunotherapy trials targeting the induction of tumor-reactive T-cell responses in cancer patients appear to hold significant promise. Because nonmutated lineage-specific antigens and mutated idiotypic antigens may be coexpressed by tumor cells, the use of autologous tumor material to promote the broadest range of antitumor T-cell specificities has significant clinical potential in cancer vaccination trials. As a model for vaccination in the cancer setting, we chose to analyze the promotion of T-cell responses against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed B-lymphoblastoid cell line (B-LCL)–derived antigens in vitro. A series of bulk antigenic formats (freeze–thaw lysate, trifluoroacetic acid lysate, extracted membranes, affinity-purified MHC class I– and class II–presented peptides, acid-eluted peptides) prepared from EBV B-LCLs were tested for their ability to stimulate EBV B-LCL–reactive CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in vitro when pulsed onto autologous dendritic cells (DCs). DC presentation of freeze–thaw lysate material derived from (either autologous or allogeneic) EBV B-LCLs with an Mr of 10 kd or larger stimulated optimal anti-EBV B-LCL responsiveness from freshly isolated CD4+ and CD8+ peripheral blood T cells. These in vivo “memory” T-cell responses were observed only in EBV-seropositive donors. CD4+ T-cell responses to lysate-pulsed DCs were Th1 type (ie, strong interferon-γ and weak interleukin-5 responses). While CD8+ T-cell responses were also observed in interferon-γ Elispot assays and in cytotoxicity assays, these responses were of low frequency unless the DC stimulators were induced to “mature” after being fed with tumor lysates. Optimal-length, naturally processed, and MHC class I– or class II–presented tumor peptides were comparatively poorly immunogenic in this model system.


2020 ◽  
Vol 202 (18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Meng-Lun Hsieh ◽  
Christopher M. Waters ◽  
Deborah M. Hinton

ABSTRACT Vibrio cholerae biofilm biogenesis, which is important for survival, dissemination, and persistence, requires multiple genes in the Vibrio polysaccharides (vps) operons I and II as well as the cluster of ribomatrix (rbm) genes. Transcriptional control of these genes is a complex process that requires several activators/repressors and the ubiquitous signaling molecule, cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP). Previously, we demonstrated that VpsR directly activates RNA polymerase containing σ70 (σ70-RNAP) at the vpsL promoter (PvpsL), which precedes the vps-II operon, in a c-di-GMP-dependent manner by stimulating formation of the transcriptionally active, open complex. Using in vitro transcription, electrophoretic mobility shift assays, and DNase I footprinting, we show here that VpsR also directly activates σ70-RNAP transcription from other promoters within the biofilm formation cluster, including PvpsU, at the beginning of the vps-I operon, PrbmA, at the start of the rbm cluster, and PrbmF, which lies upstream of the divergent rbmF and rbmE genes. In this capacity, we find that VpsR is able to behave both as a class II activator, which functions immediately adjacent/overlapping the core promoter sequence (PvpsL and PvpsU), and as a class I activator, which functions farther upstream (PrbmA and PrbmF). Because these promoters vary in VpsR-DNA binding affinity in the absence and presence of c-di-GMP, we speculate that VpsR’s mechanism of activation is dependent on both the concentration of VpsR and the level of c-di-GMP to increase transcription, resulting in finely tuned regulation. IMPORTANCE Vibrio cholerae, the bacterial pathogen that is responsible for the disease cholera, uses biofilms to aid in survival, dissemination, and persistence. VpsR, which directly senses the second messenger c-di-GMP, is a major regulator of this process. Together with c-di-GMP, VpsR directly activates transcription by RNA polymerase containing σ70 from the vpsL biofilm biogenesis promoter. Using biochemical methods, we demonstrate for the first time that VpsR/c-di-GMP directly activates σ70-RNA polymerase at the first genes of the vps and ribomatrix operons. In this regard, it functions as either a class I or class II activator. Our results broaden the mechanism of c-di-GMP-dependent transcription activation and the specific role of VpsR in biofilm formation.


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