scholarly journals Arginine Methyltransferase PeRmtC Regulates Development and Pathogenicity of Penicillium expansum via Mediating Key Genes in Conidiation and Secondary Metabolism

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. 807
Author(s):  
Xiaodi Xu ◽  
Yong Chen ◽  
Boqiang Li ◽  
Shiping Tian

Penicillium expansum is one of the most common and destructive post-harvest fungal pathogens that can cause blue mold rot and produce mycotoxins in fruit, leading to significant post-harvest loss and food safety concerns. Arginine methylation by protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) modulates various cellular processes in many eukaryotes. However, the functions of PRMTs are largely unknown in post-harvest fungal pathogens. To explore their roles in P. expansum, we identified four PRMTs (PeRmtA, PeRmtB, PeRmtC, and PeRmt2). The single deletion of PeRmtA, PeRmtB, or PeRmt2 had minor or no impact on the P. expansum phenotype while deletion of PeRmtC resulted in decreased conidiation, delayed conidial germination, impaired pathogenicity and pigment biosynthesis, and altered tolerance to environmental stresses. Further research showed that PeRmtC could regulate two core regulatory genes, PeBrlA and PeAbaA, in conidiation, a series of backbone genes in secondary metabolism, and affect the symmetric ω-NG, N’G-dimethylarginine (sDMA) modification of proteins with molecular weights of primarily 16–17 kDa. Collectively, this work functionally characterized four PRMTs in P. expansum and showed the important roles of PeRmtC in the development, pathogenicity, and secondary metabolism of P. expansum.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shasha Yin ◽  
Liu Liu ◽  
Charles Brobbey ◽  
Viswanathan Palanisamy ◽  
Lauren E. Ball ◽  
...  

AbstractAKT is involved in a number of key cellular processes including cell proliferation, apoptosis and metabolism. Hyperactivation of AKT is associated with many pathological conditions, particularly cancers. Emerging evidence indicates that arginine methylation is involved in modulating AKT signaling pathway. However, whether and how arginine methylation directly regulates AKT kinase activity remain unknown. Here we report that protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5), but not other PRMTs, promotes AKT activation by catalyzing symmetric dimethylation of AKT1 at arginine 391 (R391). Mechanistically, AKT1-R391 methylation cooperates with phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5 trisphosphate (PIP3) to relieve the pleckstrin homology (PH)-in conformation, leading to AKT1 membrane translocation and subsequent activation by phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (PDK1) and the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2). As a result, deficiency in AKT1-R391 methylation significantly suppresses AKT1 kinase activity and tumorigenesis. Lastly, we show that PRMT5 inhibitor synergizes with AKT inhibitor or chemotherapeutic drugs to enhance cell death. Altogether, our study suggests that R391 methylation is an important step for AKT activation and its oncogenic function.


2005 ◽  
Vol 280 (23) ◽  
pp. 21700-21705 ◽  
Author(s):  
Waraporn Komyod ◽  
Uta-Maria Bauer ◽  
Peter C. Heinrich ◽  
Serge Haan ◽  
Iris Behrmann

Transcription factors of the STAT (signal transducer and activator of transcription) family are important in signal transduction of cytokines. They are subject to post-translational modification by phosphorylation on tyrosine and serine residues. Recent evidence suggested that STATs are methylated on a conserved arginine residue within the N-terminal region. STAT arginine methylation has been described to be important for STAT function and loss of arginine methylation was discussed to be involved in interferon resistance of cancer cells. Here we provide several independent lines of evidence indicating that the issue of arginine methylation of STATs has to be reassessed. First, we show that treatment of melanoma and fibrosarcoma cells with inhibitors used to suppress methylation (N-methyl-2-deoxyadenosine, adenosine, dl-homocysteine) had profound and rapid effects on phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT3 but also on p38 and Erk signaling cascades which are known to cross-talk with the Jak/STAT pathway. Second, we show that anti-methylarginine antibodies did not precipitate specifically STAT1 or STAT3. Third, we show that mutation of Arg31 to Lys led to destabilization of STAT1 and STAT3, implicating an important structural role of Arg31. Finally, purified catalytically active protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMT1, -2, -3, -4, and -6) did not methylate STAT proteins, and cotransfection with PRMT1 did not affect STAT1-controlled reporter gene activity. Taken together, our data suggest the absence of arginine methylation of STAT1 and STAT3.


2004 ◽  
Vol 379 (2) ◽  
pp. 283-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Chloé BOULANGER ◽  
Tina Branscombe MIRANDA ◽  
Steven CLARKE ◽  
Marco di FRUSCIO ◽  
Beat SUTER ◽  
...  

The role of arginine methylation in Drosophila melanogaster is unknown. We identified a family of nine PRMTs (protein arginine methyltransferases) by sequence homology with mammalian arginine methyltransferases, which we have named DART1 to DART9 (Drosophilaarginine methyltransferases 1–9). In keeping with the mammalian PRMT nomenclature, DART1, DART4, DART5 and DART7 are the putative homologues of PRMT1, PRMT4, PRMT5 and PRMT7. Other DART family members have a closer resemblance to PRMT1, but do not have identifiable homologues. All nine genes are expressed in Drosophila at various developmental stages. DART1 and DART4 have arginine methyltransferase activity towards substrates, including histones and RNA-binding proteins. Amino acid analysis of the methylated arginine residues confirmed that both DART1 and DART4 catalyse the formation of asymmetrical dimethylated arginine residues and they are type I arginine methyltransferases. The presence of PRMTs in D. melanogaster suggest that flies are a suitable genetic system to study arginine methylation.


2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (38) ◽  
pp. 10101-10106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kanishk Jain ◽  
Cyrus Y. Jin ◽  
Steven G. Clarke

Arginine methylation on histones is a central player in epigenetics and in gene activation and repression. Protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT) activity has been implicated in stem cell pluripotency, cancer metastasis, and tumorigenesis. The expression of one of the nine mammalian PRMTs, PRMT5, affects the levels of symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) at Arg-3 on histone H4, leading to the repression of genes which are related to disease progression in lymphoma and leukemia. Another PRMT, PRMT7, also affects SDMA levels at the same site despite its unique monomethylating activity and the lack of any evidence for PRMT7-catalyzed histone H4 Arg-3 methylation. We present evidence that PRMT7-mediated monomethylation of histone H4 Arg-17 regulates PRMT5 activity at Arg-3 in the same protein. We analyzed the kinetics of PRMT5 over a wide range of substrate concentrations. Significantly, we discovered that PRMT5 displays positive cooperativity in vitro, suggesting that this enzyme may be allosterically regulated in vivo as well. Most interestingly, monomethylation at Arg-17 in histone H4 not only raised the general activity of PRMT5 with this substrate, but also ameliorated the low activity of PRMT5 at low substrate concentrations. These kinetic studies suggest a biochemical explanation for the interplay between PRMT5- and PRMT7-mediated methylation of the same substrate at different residues and also suggest a general model for regulation of PRMTs. Elucidating the exact relationship between these two enzymes when they methylate two distinct sites of the same substrate may aid in developing therapeutics aimed at reducing PRMT5/7 activity in cancer and other diseases.


Agriculture ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vitus Ikechukwu Obi ◽  
Juan José Barriuso ◽  
Yolanda Gogorcena

The peach is one of the most important global tree crops within the economically important Rosaceae family. The crop is threatened by numerous pests and diseases, especially fungal pathogens, in the field, in transit, and in the store. More than 50% of the global post-harvest loss has been ascribed to brown rot disease, especially in peach late-ripening varieties. In recent years, the disease has been so manifest in the orchards that some stone fruits were abandoned before harvest. In Spain, particularly, the disease has been associated with well over 60% of fruit loss after harvest. The most common management options available for the control of this disease involve agronomical, chemical, biological, and physical approaches. However, the effects of biochemical fungicides (biological and conventional fungicides), on the environment, human health, and strain fungicide resistance, tend to revise these control strategies. This review aims to comprehensively compile the information currently available on the species of the fungus Monilinia, which causes brown rot in peach, and the available options to control the disease. The breeding for brown rot-resistant varieties remains an ideal management option for brown rot disease control, considering the uniqueness of its sustainability in the chain of crop production.


2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guenevere Perry ◽  
Diane Williams

The consumer demand for fresh fruits and vegetables increases every year, and farmers need a low cost novel method to reduce post-harvest loss and preserve the quality of fresh fruits and vegetables. This study identifies a method to induce soil bacteria to biosynthesize a nitrile compound that potentially enters the plants tissue and negatively affects climacteric ripening and delays the ripening process at 20-30˚C. This study used soil rich with soil microbes, to delay the ripening of climacteric fruit. The soil was treated with nitrogen, a heavy metal, and ethylene gas. Ethylene induced the soil to delay the ripening of organic bananas and peaches. A prototype transportation container maintained fruit fresh for up to 72 h at 20-30˚C. The fruit retained color, firmness, texture, no bruising and minimal spotting. The soil also prevented fungal infection in all samples. GC-MS analysis suggests ethylene induced the soil microbes to release an acetonitrile compound into the gaseous environment. The nitrile is released in low concentrations, but mature plants (fruits) contain very low levels of indole-3-acetonitrile (IAN) or indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). The nitrile may obstruct or modify the mature plants (fruit) late stages development process, thus delay the climacteric ripening process and retarding the physiological and phenotypic effects of fruit ripening. We believe this study may have strong applications for post-harvest biotechnology.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Bingyuan Wang ◽  
Mingrui Zhang ◽  
Zhiguo Liu ◽  
Yulian Mu ◽  
Kui Li

Protein arginine methylation is a posttranslational modification catalyzed by protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs), which play critical roles in many biological processes. To date, nine PRMT family members, namely, PRMT1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, have been identified in mammals. Among them, PRMT7 is a type III PRMT that can only catalyze the formation of monomethylarginine and plays pivotal roles in several kinds of stem cells. It has been reported that PRMT7 is closely associated with embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, muscle stem cells, and human cancer stem cells. PRMT7 deficiency or mutation led to severe developmental delay in mice and humans, which is possibly due to its crucial functions in stem cells. Here, we surveyed and summarized the studies on PRMT7 in stem cells and development in mice and humans and herein provide a discussion of the underlying molecular mechanisms. Furthermore, we also discuss the roles of PRMT7 in cancer, adipogenesis, male reproduction, cellular stress, and cellular senescence, as well as the future perspectives of PRMT7-related studies. Overall, PRMT7 mediates the proliferation and differentiation of stem cells. Deficiency or mutation of PRMT7 causes developmental delay, including defects in skeletal muscle, bone, adipose tissues, neuron, and male reproduction. A better understanding of the roles of PRMT7 in stem cells and development as well as the underlying mechanisms will provide information for the development of strategies for in-depth research of PRMT7 and stem cells as well as their applications in life sciences and medicine.


2013 ◽  
Vol 394 (8) ◽  
pp. 1029-1043 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elmar Wahle ◽  
Bodo Moritz

Abstract Asymmetric dimethylation of arginine side chains in proteins is a frequent posttranslational modification, catalyzed by type I protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs). This article summarizes what is known about this modification in the nuclear poly(A)-binding protein (PABPN1). PABPN1 contains 13 dimethylated arginine residues in its C-terminal domain. Three enzymes, PRMT1, 3, and 6, can methylate PABPN1. Although 26 methyl groups are transferred to one PABPN1 molecule, the PRMTs do so in a distributive reaction, i.e., only a single methyl group is transferred per binding event. As PRMTs form dimers, with the active sites accessible from a small central cavity, backbone conformation around the methyl-accepting arginine is an important determinant of substrate specificity. Neither the association of PABPN1 with poly(A) nor its role in poly(A) tail synthesis is affected by arginine methylation. At least at low protein concentration, methylation does not affect the protein’s tendency to oligomerize. The dimethylarginine residues of PABPN1 are located in the binding site for its nuclear import receptor, transportin. Arginine methylation weakens this interaction about 10-fold. Very recent evidence suggests that arginine methylation as a way of fine-tuning the interactions between transportin and its cargo may be a general mechanism.


Author(s):  
David Bogataj ◽  
Damjana Drobne

Nanotechnology can contribute to food security in supply chains of agri production-consumption systems. The unique properties of nanoparticles have stimulated the increasing interest in their application as biosensing. Biosensing devices are designed for the biological recognition of events and signal transduction. Many types of nanoparticles can be used as biosensors, but gold nanoparticles have sparked most interest. In the work presented here, we will address the problem of fruit and vegetable decay and rotting during transportation and storage, which could be easily generalized also onto post-harvest loss prevention in general. During the process of rotting, different compounds, including different gasses, are released into the environment. The application of sensitive bionanosensors in the storage/transport containers can detect any changes due to fruit and vegetable decay and transduce the signal. The goal of this is to reduce the logistics cost for this items. Therefore, our approach requires a multidisciplinary and an interdisciplinary approach in science and technology. The cold supply chain is namely a science, a technology and a process which combines applied bio-nanotechnology, innovations in the industrial engineering of cooling processes including sensors for temperature and humidity measurements, transportation, and applied mathematics. It is a science, since it requires the understanding of chemical and biological processes linked to perishability and the systems theory which enables the developing of a theoretical framework for the control of systems with perturbed time-lags. Secondly, it is a technology developed in engineering which relies on the physical means to assure appropriate temperature conditions along the CSC and, thirdly, it is also a process, since a series of tasks must be performed to prepare, store, and transport the cargo as well as monitor the temperature and humidity of sensitive cargo and give proper feedback control, as it will be outlined in this chapter. Therefore, we shall discuss how to break the silos of separated knowledge to build an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary science of post-harvest loss prevention. Considering the sensors as floating activity cells, modelled as floating nodes, in a graph of such a system, an extended Material Requirement Planning (MRP) theory will be described which will make it possible to determine the optimal feedback control in post-harvest loss prevention, based on bionanosensors. Therefore, we present also a model how to use nanotechnology from the packaging facility to the final retail. Any changes in time, distance, humidity or temperature in the chain could cause the Net Present Value (NPV) of the activities and their added value in the supply chain to be perturbed, as presented in the subchapter. In this chapter we give the answers to the questions, how to measure the effects of some perturbations in a supply chain on the stability of perishable agricultural goods in such systems and how nanotechnology can contribute with the appropriate packaging and control which preserves the required level of quality and quantity of the product at the final delivery. The presented model will not include multicriteria optimization but will stay at the NPV approach. But the annuity stream achieved by improved sensing and feedback control could be easily combined with environmental and medical/health criteria. An interdisciplinary perspective of industrial engineering and management demonstrates how the development of creative ideas born in separate research fields can be liaised into an innovative design of smart control devices and their installation in trucks and warehouses. These innovative technologies could contribute to an increase in the NPV of activities in the supply chains of perishable goods in general.


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