Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Chembiochem 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Ensemble Therapeutics, Molecular Discovery, UNITED STATES.

PARP14 is an interferon-stimulated gene that is overexpressed in multiple tumor types, influencing pro-tumor macrophage polarization as well as suppressing the antitumor inflammation response by modulating IFN-γ and IL-4 signaling.  PARP14 is a 203 kDa protein that possesses a catalytic domain responsible for the transfer of mono-ADP-ribose to its substrates.  PARP14 also contains three macrodomains and a WWE domain which are binding modules for mono-ADP-ribose and poly-ADP-ribose, respectively, in addition to two RNA recognition motifs. Read More

Mol Biol Evol 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic.

The main bacterial pathway for inserting proteins into the plasma membrane relies on the signal recognition particle (SRP), composed of the Ffh protein and an associated RNA component, and the SRP-docking protein FtsY. Eukaryotes use an equivalent system of archaeal origin to deliver proteins into the endoplasmic reticulum, whereas a bacteria-derived SRP and FtsY function in the plastid. Here we report on the presence of homologs of the bacterial Ffh and FtsY proteins in various unrelated plastid-lacking unicellular eukaryotes, namely Heterolobosea, Alveida, Goniomonas, and Hemimastigophora. Read More

Nucleic Acids Res 2021 Apr 9. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Department of Life Sciences, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan.

The use of a small molecule compound to reduce toxic repeat RNA transcripts or their translated aberrant proteins to target repeat-expanded RNA/DNA with a G4C2 motif is a promising strategy to treat C9orf72-linked disorders. In this study, the crystal structures of DNA and RNA-DNA hybrid duplexes with the -GGGCCG- region as a G4C2 repeat motif were solved. Unusual groove widening and sharper bending of the G4C2 DNA duplex A-DNA conformation with B-form characteristics inside was observed. Read More

Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2021 Apr;71(4)

Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Inhoffenstraße 7B, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany.

In the course of screening the surface soils of ancient copper mines and smelters (East Harz, Germany) an aerobic, non-motile and halotolerant actinobacterium forming small rods or cocci was isolated. The strain designated F300 developed creamy to yellow colonies on tryptone soy agar and grew optimally at 28 °C, pH 7-8 and with 0.5-2 % (m/v) NaCl. Read More

Cell Mol Life Sci 2021 Apr 9. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.

Emerging evidence shows that mA, one of the most abundant RNA modifications in mammals, is involved in the entire process of spermatogenesis, including mitosis, meiosis, and spermiogenesis. "Writers" catalyze mA formation on stage-specific transcripts during male germline development, while "erasers" remove mA modification to maintain a balance between methylation and demethylation. The different functions of RNA-mA transcripts depend on their recognition by "readers". Read More

AIDS 2021 Apr 6. Epub 2021 Apr 6.

Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Faculty of Medicine, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), ICAN, Paris, France Department of Biochemistry-Pharmacology-Molecular Biology, APHP, Henri-Mondor Hospital, Université Paris Est Créteil, France Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Faculty of Medicine, Nutrition and obesities: systemic approaches (NutriOmics), Paris, France Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Nutrition department, Pitié-Salpétrière hospital, CRNH Ile-de-France, GH APHP-Sorbonne Université, Paris, France Department of Endocrinology, CRMR Prisis, Saint-Antoine Hospital, GH APHP-Sorbonne Université, Paris France Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Faculty of Medicine, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique (IPLESP), Paris, France IRD, Sorbonne University, UMMISCO, Bondy, France Department of Infectious Diseases, Pitié-Salpétrière hospital, GH APHP-Sorbonne Université, Paris France.

Objective: To evaluate the effect on anthropometric, metabolic and adipose tissue parameters of switching ART-controlled persons living with HIV (PLWH) from a protease-inhibitor regimen to raltegravir/maraviroc.

Design: Substudy of ROCnRAL-ANRS157 with investigation of subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SCAT) biopsy at inclusion and study end.

Methods: We performed lipoaspiration of paired SCAT samples, histology on fresh/fixed samples and examined the transcriptomic profile analyzed using Illumina microarrays after RNA extraction. Read More

J Cell Biol 2021 Jun;220(6)

Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA.

The S9.6 antibody is broadly used to detect RNA:DNA hybrids but has significant affinity for double-stranded RNA. The impact of this off-target RNA binding activity has not been thoroughly investigated, especially in the context of immunofluorescence microscopy. Read More

PeerJ 2021 22;9:e11135. Epub 2021 Mar 22.

Centro de Investigación Tibaitatá, Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria Agrosavia, Mosquera, Cundinamarca, Colombia.

Vascular wilt, caused by the pathogen f. sp. (), is a major disease of cape gooseberry ( L. Read More

J Virol 2021 Apr 7. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Galveston, Texas, USA.

Noroviruses, members of the family, are the major cause of epidemic gastroenteritis in humans, causing ∼20 million cases annually. These plus-strand RNA viruses have T=3 icosahedral protein capsids with 90 pronounced protruding (P) domain dimers to which antibodies and cellular receptors bind. In the case of mouse norovirus (MNV), bile salts have been shown to enhance receptor (CD300lf) binding to the P domain. Read More

Inflammopharmacology 2021 Apr 6. Epub 2021 Apr 6.

Technical University of Sofia, Klement Ohridksi 8, 1000, Sofia, Bulgaria.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) first discovered in Wuhan, Hubei province, China in December 2019. SARS-CoV-2 has infected several millions of people, resulting in a huge socioeconomic cost and over 2.5 million deaths worldwide. Read More

J Bacteriol 2021 Apr 5. Epub 2021 Apr 5.

Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of Ministry of Agriculture, State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, 150069, China

The intracellular bacterial pathogen causes persistent infections in various mammalian species. To survive and replicate within macrophages, these bacteria must be able to withstand oxidative stresses and express the type IV secretion system (T4SS) to evade host immune responses. The extracytoplasmic function (ECF) sigma factor system is a major signal transduction mechanism in bacteria that senses environmental cues and responds by regulating gene expression. Read More

Arch Insect Biochem Physiol 2021 Apr 5:e21786. Epub 2021 Apr 5.

Faculty of Education, Kogakkan University, Ise City, Mie Prefecture, Japan.

Cotesia kariyai (Ck) larvae implanted into the body cavity of the Mythimna separata (armyworm) larvae get melanized and encapsulated after adhesion by hemocytes called hyperspread cells (HSCs). The present study showed that HSCs could not adhere to the implanted Ck larvae in armyworm larvae after injection of Ck polydnavirus (CkPDV) + venom (V), thus melanization and encapsulation could not occur. A C-type lectin called Mys-IML of the host armyworm larvae was considered to be involved in the recognition of foreign substances which always expressed in hemocytes. Read More

Indian J Med Res 2021 Jan & Feb;153(1 & 2):159-165

ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Mumbai Unit, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

Background & Objectives: Since its first recognition in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, the SARS-CoV-2 has spread rapidly across the world. Though SARS-CoV-2 spreads mainly via the droplets of respiratory secretions, it was also detected in stool samples of patients, indicating active infection of the gastrointestinal tract. Presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in sewage samples was reported in February 2020, raising the possibility of using environmental water surveillance to monitor SARS-CoV-2 activity in infected areas. Read More

Front Oncol 2021 17;11:604784. Epub 2021 Mar 17.

Department of Radiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is an immunosuppressive malignancy accompanied by noted alterations in various immune cells and cytokines. Recognition of the immune system's role in contributing to cancer development is an important advancement in our original understanding of carcinoma. We obtained HNSCC gene expression and clinical data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Read More

J Extracell Vesicles 2021 Apr 1;10(6):e12080. Epub 2021 Apr 1.

Department of Physiology Anatomy and Microbiology La Trobe University Melbourne Victoria 3086 Australia.

Gram-positive bacteria ubiquitously produce membrane vesicles (MVs), and although they contribute to biological functions, our knowledge regarding their composition and immunogenicity remains limited. Here we examine the morphology, contents and immunostimulatory functions of MVs produced by three strains; a methicillin resistant clinical isolate, a methicillin sensitive clinical isolate and a laboratory-adapted strain. We observed differences in the number and morphology of MVs produced by each strain and showed that they contain microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) including protein, nucleic acids and peptidoglycan. Read More