scholarly journals Identification and Characterization of UndAHRCR-6, an Outer Membrane Endecahemec-Type Cytochrome of Shewanella sp. Strain HRCR-6

2011 ◽  
Vol 77 (15) ◽  
pp. 5521-5523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang Shi ◽  
Sara M. Belchik ◽  
Zheming Wang ◽  
David W. Kennedy ◽  
Alice C. Dohnalkova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Functional Role ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reduction Of Iron ◽  
Identification And Characterization

ABSTRACTUndAHRCR-6was identified from the metal-reducing bacteriumShewanellasp. strain HRCR-6. Bothin vivoandin vitrocharacterization results indicate that UndAHRCR-6is an outer membrane endecahemec-type cytochrome and probably has a key functional role in the extracellular reduction of iron [Fe(III)] oxides and uranium [U(VI)] byShewanellasp. HRCR-6.

scholarly journals The 8-Pyrrole-Benzothiazinones Are Noncovalent Inhibitors of DprE1 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (8) ◽  
pp. 4446-4452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vadim Makarov ◽  
João Neres ◽  
Ruben C. Hartkoorn ◽  
Olga B. Ryabova ◽  
Elena Kazakova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ◽  
Nitro Group ◽  
Covalent Bond ◽  
Antimycobacterial Activity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sar Studies ◽  
Covalent Bond Formation

ABSTRACT8-Nitro-benzothiazinones (BTZs), such as BTZ043 and PBTZ169, inhibit decaprenylphosphoryl-β-d-ribose 2′-oxidase (DprE1) and display nanomolar bactericidal activity againstMycobacterium tuberculosisin vitro. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies revealed the 8-nitro group of the BTZ scaffold to be crucial for the mechanism of action, which involves formation of a semimercaptal bond with Cys387 in the active site of DprE1. To date, substitution of the 8-nitro group has led to extensive loss of antimycobacterial activity. Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of the pyrrole-benzothiazinones PyrBTZ01 and PyrBTZ02, non-nitro-benzothiazinones that retain significant antimycobacterial activity, with MICs of 0.16 μg/ml againstM. tuberculosis. These compounds inhibit DprE1 with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of <8 μM and present favorablein vitroabsorption-distribution-metabolism-excretion/toxicity (ADME/T) andin vivopharmacokinetic profiles. The most promising compound, PyrBTZ01, did not show efficacy in a mouse model of acute tuberculosis, suggesting that BTZ-mediated killing through DprE1 inhibition requires a combination of both covalent bond formation and compound potency.

scholarly journals Characterization of New Virulence Factors Involved in the Intracellular Growth and Survival of Burkholderia pseudomallei

2015 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 701-710 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madeleine G. Moule ◽  
Natasha Spink ◽  
Sam Willcocks ◽  
Jiali Lim ◽  
José Afonso Guerra-Assunção ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Burkholderia Pseudomallei ◽  
Insertion Site ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
New Genes ◽  
Insertion Sites

Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis, has complex and poorly understood extracellular and intracellular lifestyles. We used transposon-directed insertion site sequencing (TraDIS) to retrospectively analyze a transposon library that had previously been screened through a BALB/c mouse model to identify genes important for growth and survivalin vivo. This allowed us to identify the insertion sites and phenotypes of negatively selected mutants that were previously overlooked due to technical constraints. All 23 unique genes identified in the original screen were confirmed by TraDIS, and an additional 105 mutants with various degrees of attenuationin vivowere identified. Five of the newly identified genes were chosen for further characterization, and clean, unmarkedbpsl2248,tex,rpiR,bpsl1728, andbpss1528deletion mutants were constructed from the wild-type strain K96243. Each of these mutants was testedin vitroandin vivoto confirm their attenuated phenotypes and investigate the nature of the attenuation. Our results confirm that we have identified new genes important toin vivovirulence with roles in different stages ofB. pseudomalleipathogenesis, including extracellular and intracellular survival. Of particular interest, deletion of the transcription accessory protein Tex was shown to be highly attenuating, and thetexmutant was capable of providing protective immunity against challenge with wild-typeB. pseudomallei, suggesting that the genes identified in our TraDIS screen have the potential to be investigated as live vaccine candidates.

scholarly journals Characterization of Intracellular Growth RegulatoricgRby Utilizing Transcriptomics To Identify Mediators of Pathogenesis in Shigella flexneri

2013 ◽  
Vol 81 (9) ◽  
pp. 3068-3076 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn R. Morris ◽  
Christen L. Grassel ◽  
Julia C. Redman ◽  
Jason W. Sahl ◽  
Eileen M. Barry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Throughput ◽  
High Throughput Sequencing ◽  
Diarrheal Disease ◽  
Intracellular Growth ◽  
Bioinformatics Analyses ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Regulatory Pathways

ABSTRACTShigellaspecies Gram-negative bacteria which cause a diarrheal disease, known as shigellosis, by invading and destroying the colonic mucosa and inducing a robust inflammatory response. With no vaccine available, shigellosis annually kills over 600,000 children in developing countries. This study demonstrates the utility of combining high-throughput bioinformatic methods within vitroandin vivoassays to provide new insights into pathogenesis. Comparisons ofin vivoandin vitrogene expression identified genes associated with intracellular growth. Additional bioinformatics analyses identified genes that are present inS. flexneriisolates but not in the three otherShigellaspecies. Comparison of these two analyses revealed nine genes that are differentially expressed during invasion and that are specific toS. flexneri. One gene, a DeoR family transcriptional regulator with decreased expression during invasion, was further characterized and is now designatedicgR, forintracellulargrowthregulator. Deletion oficgRcaused no difference in growthin vitrobut resulted in increased intracellular replication in HCT-8 cells. Furtherin vitroandin vivostudies using high-throughput sequencing of RNA transcripts (RNA-seq) of an isogenic ΔicgRmutant identified 34 genes that were upregulated under both growth conditions. This combined informatics and functional approach has allowed the characterization of a gene and pathway previously unknown inShigellapathogenesis and provides a framework for further identification of novel virulence factors and regulatory pathways.

scholarly journals Identification and characterization of T reg–like cells in zebrafish

2017 ◽  
Vol 214 (12) ◽  
pp. 3519-3530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Kasheta ◽  
Corrie A. Painter ◽  
Finola E. Moore ◽  
Riadh Lobbardi ◽  
Alysia Bryll ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Lymphocytes ◽  
Live Cell Imaging ◽  
Genetic Ablation ◽  
Functional Studies ◽  
Normal Functions ◽  
Inflammatory Phenotype ◽  
Identification And Characterization

Regulatory T (T reg) cells are a specialized sublineage of T lymphocytes that suppress autoreactive T cells. Functional studies of T reg cells in vitro have defined multiple suppression mechanisms, and studies of T reg–deficient humans and mice have made clear the important role that these cells play in preventing autoimmunity. However, many questions remain about how T reg cells act in vivo. Specifically, it is not clear which suppression mechanisms are most important, where T reg cells act, and how they get there. To begin to address these issues, we sought to identify T reg cells in zebrafish, a model system that provides unparalleled advantages in live-cell imaging and high-throughput genetic analyses. Using a FOXP3 orthologue as a marker, we identified CD4-enriched, mature T lymphocytes with properties of T reg cells. Zebrafish mutant for foxp3a displayed excess T lymphocytes, splenomegaly, and a profound inflammatory phenotype that was suppressed by genetic ablation of lymphocytes. This study identifies T reg–like cells in zebrafish, providing both a model to study the normal functions of these cells in vivo and mutants to explore the consequences of their loss.

scholarly journals Two Zinc Uptake Systems Contribute to the Full Virulence of Listeria monocytogenes during GrowthIn VitroandIn Vivo

2011 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Corbett ◽  
Jiahui Wang ◽  
Stephanie Schuler ◽  
Gloria Lopez-Castejon ◽  
Sarah Glenn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Zinc Uptake ◽  
Detectable Effect ◽  
Intracellular Growth ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Zinc Sensing ◽  
Identification And Characterization ◽  
Cell Deletion

ABSTRACTWe report here the identification and characterization of two zinc uptake systems, ZurAM and ZinABC, in the intracellular pathogenListeria monocytogenes. Transcription of both operons was zinc responsive and regulated by the zinc-sensing repressor Zur. Deletion of eitherzurAMorzinAhad no detectable effect on growth in defined media, but a doublezurAM zinAmutant was unable to grow in the absence of zinc supplementation. Deletion ofzinAhad no detectable effect on intracellular growth in HeLa epithelial cells. In contrast, growth of thezurAMmutant was significantly impaired in these cells, indicating the importance of the ZurAM system during intracellular growth. Notably, the deletion of bothzinAandzurAMseverely attenuated intracellular growth, with the double mutant being defective in actin-based motility and unable to spread from cell to cell. Deletion of eitherzurAMorzinAhad a significant effect on virulence in an oral mouse model, indicating that both zinc uptake systems are importantin vivoand establishing the importance of zinc acquisition during infection byL. monocytogenes. The presence of two zinc uptake systems may offer a mechanism by whichL. monocytogenescan respond to zinc deficiency within a variety of environments and during different stages of infection, with each system making distinct contributions under different stress conditions.

scholarly journals Identification and Characterization of Two Bordetella avium Gene Products Required for Hemagglutination

2010 ◽  
Vol 78 (6) ◽  
pp. 2370-2376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise M. Temple ◽  
David M. Miyamoto ◽  
Manju Mehta ◽  
Christian M. Capitini ◽  
Stephen Von Stetina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Whooping Cough ◽  
Bioinformatic Analysis ◽  
Tracheal Ring ◽  
Tracheal Cell ◽  
Bordetella Avium ◽  
Identification And Characterization

ABSTRACT Bordetella avium causes bordetellosis in birds, a disease similar to whooping cough caused by Bordetella pertussis in children. B. avium agglutinates guinea pig erythrocytes via an unknown mechanism. Loss of hemagglutination ability results in attenuation. We report the use of transposon mutagenesis to identify two genes required for hemagglutination. The genes (hagA and hagB) were adjacent and divergently oriented and had no orthologs in the genomes of other Bordetella species. Construction of in-frame, unmarked mutations in each gene allowed examination of the role of each in conferring erythrocyte agglutination, explanted tracheal cell adherence, and turkey poult tracheal colonization. In all of the in vitro and in vivo assays, the requirement for the trans-acting products of hagA and hagB (HagA and HagB) was readily shown. Western blotting, using antibodies to purified HagA and HagB, revealed proteins of the predicted sizes of HagA and HagB in an outer membrane-enriched fraction. Antiserum to HagB, but not HagA, blocked B. avium erythrocyte agglutination and explanted turkey tracheal ring binding. Bioinformatic analysis indicated the similarity of HagA and HagB to several two-component secretory apparatuses in which one product facilitates the exposition of the other. HagB has the potential to serve as a useful immunogen to protect turkeys against colonization and subsequent disease.

scholarly journals A Ral GAP complex links PI 3-kinase/Akt signaling to RalA activation in insulin action

2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Wei Chen ◽  
Dara Leto ◽  
Tingting Xiong ◽  
Genggeng Yu ◽  
Alan Cheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Glucose Transporter ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Small Gtpase ◽  
Regulatory Subunit ◽  
Hydrolysis Of ◽  
Identification And Characterization

Insulin stimulates glucose transport in muscle  and adipose tissue by translocation of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) to the plasma membrane. We previously reported that activation of the small GTPase RalA downstream of PI 3-kinase plays a critical role in this process by mobilizing the exocyst complex for GLUT4 vesicle targeting in adipocytes. Here we report the identification and characterization of a Ral GAP complex (RGC) that mediates the activation of RalA downstream of the PI 3-kinase/Akt pathway. The complex is composed of an RGC1 regulatory subunit and an RGC2 catalytic subunit (previously identified as AS250) that directly stimulates the guanosine triphosphate hydrolysis of RalA. Knockdown of RGC proteins leads to increased RalA activity and glucose uptake in adipocytes. Insulin inhibits the GAP complex through Akt2-catalyzed phosphorylation of RGC2 in vitro and in vivo, while activated Akt relieves the inhibitory effect of RGC proteins on RalA activity. The RGC complex thus connects PI 3-kinase/Akt activity to the transport machineries responsible for GLUT4 translocation.

scholarly journals Computational Insight into the Effect of Natural Compounds on the Destabilization of Preformed Amyloid-β(1-40) Fibrils

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Tavanti ◽  
Alfonso Pedone ◽  
Maria Cristina Menziani
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Strategy ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Structure Stability ◽  
Insoluble Form ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Identification And Characterization ◽  
Insight Into

One of the principal hallmarks of Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease (AD) is related to the aggregation of amyloid-&beta; fibrils in an insoluble form in the brain, also known as amyloidosis. Therefore, a prominent therapeutic strategy against AD consists either in blocking the amyloid aggregation and/or destroying the already formed aggregates. Natural products have shown significant therapeutic potential as amyloid inhibitors from in vitro studies as well as in vivo animal tests. In this study, the interaction of five natural biophenols (curcumin, dopamine, (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate, Quercetin, and Rosmarinic acid) with the amyloid-&beta;(1-40) fibrils has been studied through computational simulations. The results allowed the identification and characterization of the different binding modalities of each compounds and their consequences on fibril dynamics and aggregation. It emerges that the lateral aggregation of the fibrils is strongly influenced by the intercalation of the ligands, which modulate the double-layered structure stability.

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