Mechanotransduction in Prokaryotes: A Possible Mechanism of Spaceflight Adaptation

Our understanding of the mechanisms of microgravity perception and response in prokaryotes (Bacteria and Archaea) lag behind those which have been elucidated in eukaryotic organisms. In this hypothesis paper, we: (i) review how eukaryotic cells sense and respond to microgravity using various pathways responsive to unloading of mechanical stress; (ii) we observe that prokaryotic cells possess many structures analogous to mechanosensitive structures in eukaryotes; (iii) we review current evidence indicating that prokaryotes also possess active mechanosensing and mechanotransduction mechanisms; and (iv) we propose a complete mechanotransduction model including mechanisms by which mechanical signals may be transduced to the gene expression apparatus through alterations in bacterial nucleoid architecture, DNA supercoiling, and epigenetic pathways.

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Combinatorial Control of Gene Expression

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2013/407263 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Soumya Bhattacharjee ◽

Kaushik Renganaath ◽

Rajesh Mehrotra ◽

Sandhya Mehrotra

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Short Description ◽

Controlling Factors ◽

Environmental Cues ◽

Control Of Gene Expression ◽

Environmental Signals ◽

Combinatorial Control ◽

Sense And Respond ◽

Eukaryotic Organisms

The complexity and diversity of eukaryotic organisms are a feat of nature’s engineering. Pulling the strings of such an intricate machinery requires an even more masterful and crafty approach. Only the number and type of responses that they generate exceed the staggering proportions of environmental signals perceived and processed by eukaryotes. Hence, at first glance, the cell’s sparse stockpile of controlling factors does not seem remotely adequate to carry out this response. The question as to how eukaryotes sense and respond to environmental cues has no single answer. It is an amalgamation, an interplay between several processes, pathways, and factors—a combinatorial control. A short description of some of the most important elements that operate this entire conglomerate is given in this paper.

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Transcriptome Analysis of Hypertrophic Heart Tissues from Murine Transverse Aortic Constriction and Human Aortic Stenosis Reveals Key Genes and Transcription Factors Involved in Cardiac Remodeling Induced by Mechanical Stress

Disease Markers ◽

10.1155/2019/5058313 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2019 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Peng Yu ◽

Baoli Zhang ◽

Ming Liu ◽

Ying Yu ◽

Ji Zhao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Transcription Factors ◽

Aortic Stenosis ◽

Mechanical Stress ◽

Cardiac Remodeling ◽

Interaction Network ◽

Cytokine Signaling ◽

Transverse Aortic Constriction ◽

Aortic Constriction ◽

Genomic Changes

Background. Mechanical stress-induced cardiac remodeling that results in heart failure is characterized by transcriptional reprogramming of gene expression. However, a systematic study of genomic changes involved in this process has not been performed to date. To investigate the genomic changes and underlying mechanism of cardiac remodeling, we collected and analyzed DNA microarray data for murine transverse aortic constriction (TAC) and human aortic stenosis (AS) from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and the European Bioinformatics Institute. Methods and Results. The differential expression genes (DEGs) across the datasets were merged. The Venn diagrams showed that the number of intersections for early and late cardiac remodeling was 74 and 16, respectively. Gene ontology and protein–protein interaction network analysis showed that metabolic changes, cell differentiation and growth, cell cycling, and collagen fibril organization accounted for a great portion of the DEGs in the TAC model, while in AS patients’ immune system signaling and cytokine signaling displayed the most significant changes. The intersections between the TAC model and AS patients were few. Nevertheless, the DEGs of the two species shared some common regulatory transcription factors (TFs), including SP1, CEBPB, PPARG, and NFKB1, when the heart was challenged by applied mechanical stress. Conclusions. This study unravels the complex transcriptome profiles of the heart tissues and highlighting the candidate genes involved in cardiac remodeling induced by mechanical stress may usher in a new era of precision diagnostics and treatment in patients with cardiac remodeling.

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Roles of HIF and 2-Oxoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenases in Controlling Gene Expression in Hypoxia

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13020350 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 350

Author(s):

Julianty Frost ◽

Mark Frost ◽

Michael Batie ◽

Hao Jiang ◽

Sonia Rocha

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Hypoxia Inducible Factor ◽

Transcriptional Regulator ◽

Hydroxylase Activity ◽

Control Of Gene Expression ◽

Prolyl Hydroxylases ◽

Chromatin Organisation ◽

Sense And Respond ◽

Almost All ◽

And Function

Hypoxia—reduction in oxygen availability—plays key roles in both physiological and pathological processes. Given the importance of oxygen for cell and organism viability, mechanisms to sense and respond to hypoxia are in place. A variety of enzymes utilise molecular oxygen, but of particular importance to oxygen sensing are the 2-oxoglutarate (2-OG) dependent dioxygenases (2-OGDs). Of these, Prolyl-hydroxylases have long been recognised to control the levels and function of Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF), a master transcriptional regulator in hypoxia, via their hydroxylase activity. However, recent studies are revealing that dioxygenases are involved in almost all aspects of gene regulation, including chromatin organisation, transcription and translation. We highlight the relevance of HIF and 2-OGDs in the control of gene expression in response to hypoxia and their relevance to human biology and health.

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Computational design and experimental characterization of a photo-controlled mRNA-cap guanine-N7 methyltransferase

RSC Chemical Biology ◽

10.1039/d1cb00109d ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Dennis Reichert ◽

Helena Schepers ◽

Julian Simke ◽

Horst Lechner ◽

Wolfgang Dörner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Computational Design ◽

Eukaryotic Cells ◽

Transcriptional Level ◽

Experimental Characterization ◽

Temporal Control ◽

Control Of Gene Expression ◽

Multicellular Organisms

The spatial and temporal control of gene expression at the post-transcriptional level is essential in eukaryotic cells and developing multicellular organisms. In recent years optochemical and optogenetic tools have enabled...

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With an Ear up Against the Wall: An Update on Mechanoperception in Arabidopsis.

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants10081587 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 1587

Author(s):

Sara Behnami ◽

Dario Bonetta

Keyword(s):

Cell Wall ◽

Plasma Membrane ◽

Immune Responses ◽

Mechanical Stress ◽

Mechanosensitive Channels ◽

Compensatory Responses ◽

Cell Wall Damage ◽

Mechanical Signals ◽

Hormone Signalling

Cells interpret mechanical signals and adjust their physiology or development appropriately. In plants, the interface with the outside world is the cell wall, a structure that forms a continuum with the plasma membrane and the cytoskeleton. Mechanical stress from cell wall damage or deformation is interpreted to elicit compensatory responses, hormone signalling, or immune responses. Our understanding of how this is achieved is still evolving; however, we can refer to examples from animals and yeast where more of the details have been worked out. Here, we provide an update on this changing story with a focus on candidate mechanosensitive channels and plasma membrane-localized receptors.

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