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Mavrommatis A, Tsiplakou E, Zerva A, Pantiora PD, Georgakis ND, Tsintzou GP, Madesis P, Labrou NE. Microalgae as a Sustainable Source of Antioxidants in Animal Nutrition, Health and Livestock Development. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1882. [PMID: 37891962 PMCID: PMC10604252 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12101882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Microalgae are a renewable and sustainable source of bioactive compounds, such as essential amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and antioxidant compounds, that have been documented to have beneficial effects on nutrition and health. Among these natural products, the demand for natural antioxidants, as an alternative to synthetic antioxidants, has increased. The antioxidant activity of microalgae significantly varies between species and depends on growth conditions. In the last decade, microalgae have been explored in livestock animals as feed additives with the aim of improving both animals' health and performance as well as product quality and the environmental impact of livestock. These findings are highly dependent on the composition of microalgae strain and their amount in the diet. The use of carbohydrate-active enzymes can increase nutrient bioavailability as a consequence of recalcitrant microalgae cell wall degradation, making it a promising strategy for monogastric nutrition for improving livestock productivity. The use of microalgae as an alternative to conventional feedstuffs is becoming increasingly important due to food-feed competition, land degradation, water deprivation, and climate change. However, the cost-effective production and use of microalgae is a major challenge in the near future, and their cultivation technology should be improved by reducing production costs, thus increasing profitability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandros Mavrommatis
- Laboratory of Nutritional Physiology and Feeding, Department of Animal Science, School of Animal Biosciences, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., GR-11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni Tsiplakou
- Laboratory of Nutritional Physiology and Feeding, Department of Animal Science, School of Animal Biosciences, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., GR-11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Anastasia Zerva
- Laboratory of Enzyme Technology, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., GR-11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiota D Pantiora
- Laboratory of Enzyme Technology, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., GR-11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos D Georgakis
- Laboratory of Enzyme Technology, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., GR-11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgia P Tsintzou
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Plants, School of Agricultural Sciences, University of Thessaly, GR-38221 Volos, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Madesis
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Plants, School of Agricultural Sciences, University of Thessaly, GR-38221 Volos, Greece
- Institute of Applied Biosciences, CERTH, 6th km Charilaou-Thermis Road, P.O. Box 361, Thermi, GR-57001 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Nikolaos E Labrou
- Laboratory of Enzyme Technology, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., GR-11855 Athens, Greece
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Lu C, Zhang P, Li S, Cheng M, Duan D. Isolation and characterization of glutathione S-transferase genes and their transcripts in Saccharina japonica (Laminariales, Phaeophyceae) during development and under abiotic stress. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 23:436. [PMID: 37723443 PMCID: PMC10506224 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04430-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glutathione S-transferase (GST) is a crucial enzyme for metabolism, detoxification, and stress resistance in organisms. Many GSTs have been identified in seaweeds, but the isolation and functional analysis of GSTs in Saccharina japonica have not been completed. RESULT In this study, a total of 32 SjGST genes, localized on 10 scaffolds and 6 contigs, were identified and categorized into three groups. Most of these SjGSTs were presumed to be distributed in the cytoplasm. Tandem duplication had a significant influence on the expansion of the SjGST gene family. Functional analysis of cis-acting elements in the promoter regions demonstrated that SjGSTs enhance the stress resistance of the kelp. Quantitative real-time PCR tests confirmed that SjGSTs positively influence S. japonica sporophytes under stress from low salinity, drought, and high temperature. Recombinant yeast tests further affirmed the role of SjGSTs in stress resistance; SjGSTs improved the growth rate of recombinant yeast under 1.5 M NaCl or 8 mM H2O2. Analysis of biochemical parameters indicated that the optimum temperatures for SjGST20 and SjGST22 were 20 °C, and the optimum pH values were 7.0 and 8.0 for SjGST20 and SjGST22, respectively. The Km values for the substrate 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) were 2.706 mM and 0.674 mM and were 6.146 mM and 3.559 mM for the substrate glutathione (GSH) for SjGST20 and SjGST22, respectively. CONCLUSION SjGSTs are important stress resistant genes in S. japonica. This research results will enhance our understanding the function of GSTs in brown seaweeds, and explained its functional roles in stress resistance in marine environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Lu
- Key Lab of Breeding Biotechnology & Sustainable Aquaculture, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, P. R. China
- Department of Biological Engineering, College of Life Science, Yantai University, Yantai, 264005, China
| | - Pengyan Zhang
- Functional Lab for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266071, China
- Division of Mariculture Ecology and Technology, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Shuang Li
- Key Lab of Breeding Biotechnology & Sustainable Aquaculture, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, P. R. China
- Functional Lab for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Mengzhen Cheng
- Key Lab of Breeding Biotechnology & Sustainable Aquaculture, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, P. R. China
- Functional Lab for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Delin Duan
- Key Lab of Breeding Biotechnology & Sustainable Aquaculture, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, P. R. China.
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Masoud HMM, Helmy MS, Darwish DA, Ibrahim MA. Purification, characterization, and enzyme kinetics of a glutathione S transferase from larvae of the camel tick Hyalomma dromedarii. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2023; 21:28. [PMID: 36884105 PMCID: PMC9995618 DOI: 10.1186/s43141-023-00486-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glutathione s-transferases (GSTs) perform an essential role in detoxification of xenobiotics and endogenous compounds via their conjugation to reduce glutathione. RESULTS A GST enzyme, designated tick larvae glutathione S transferase (TLGST), was purified from larvae of the camel tick Hyalomma dromedarii via ammonium sulfate precipitation, glutathione-Sepharose affinity column and Sephacryl S-300 chromatography. TLGST-specific activity was found to be 1.56 Umg-1 which represents 39 folds and 32.2% recovery. The molecular weight of TLGST purified from camel tick larvae was found as 42 kDa by gel filtration. TLGST has a pI value of 6.9 and was found a heterodimeric protein of 28 and 14 kDa subunits as detected on SDS-PAGE. The Lineweaver-Burk plot calculated the km for CDNB to be 0.43 mM with Vmax value of 9.2 Umg-1. TLGST exhibited its optimal activity at pH 7.9. Co2+, Ni2+ and Mn2+ increased the activity of TLGST while Ca2+, Cu2+, Fe2+ and Zn2+ inhibited it. TLGST was inhibited by cumene hydroperoxide, p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, lithocholic acid, hematin, triphenyltin chloride, p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (pCMB), N-p-Tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK), iodoacetamide, EDTA and quercetin. pCMB inhibited TLGST competitively with Ki value of 0.3 mM. CONCLUSIONS These findings will help to understand the various physiologic conditions of ticks and targeting TLGST could be significant tool for development of prospective vaccines against ticks as a bio-control strategy to overcome the rapid grows in pesticide-resistant tick populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan M M Masoud
- Molecular Biology Department, National Research Centre, El-Tahrir St, Dokki, Giza, Egypt. .,Proteome Research Laboratory, Central Laboratories Network and Centers of Excellence, National Research Centre, El-Tahrir St, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.
| | - Mohamed S Helmy
- Molecular Biology Department, National Research Centre, El-Tahrir St, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.,Proteome Research Laboratory, Central Laboratories Network and Centers of Excellence, National Research Centre, El-Tahrir St, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
| | - Doaa A Darwish
- Molecular Biology Department, National Research Centre, El-Tahrir St, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.,Proteome Research Laboratory, Central Laboratories Network and Centers of Excellence, National Research Centre, El-Tahrir St, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
| | - Mahmoud A Ibrahim
- Molecular Biology Department, National Research Centre, El-Tahrir St, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.,Proteome Research Laboratory, Central Laboratories Network and Centers of Excellence, National Research Centre, El-Tahrir St, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
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Abdalla AM, Abdel Karim GSA. Biochemical characterization and peptide mass fingerprinting of two glutathione transferases from Biomphalaria alexandrina snails (Gastropoda: Planorbidae). J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2022; 20:99. [PMID: 35792934 PMCID: PMC9259769 DOI: 10.1186/s43141-022-00372-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Background The freshwater snails Biomphalaria alexandrina (Gastropoda: Planorbidae) has public health importance of being an intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni, the parasite species that causes intestinal schistosomiasis in humans. Glutathione transferases (GSTs) play an important role in detoxification of a broad range of compounds including secondary metabolites and exogenous compounds. Studying GSTs in snails may clarify their role in detoxification of molluscicides. Results Two glutathione transferases (BaGST2 and BaGST3) were purified and characterized from B. alexandrina snails. BaGST2 and BaGST3 were electrophoretically homogeneous preparations with subunit molecular weight of 23.6 kDa and molecular weight of 45 kDa. Isoelectric focusing of BaGST2 revealed the presence of two components at pI 4.47 and 4.67, while BaGST3 showed one band at pI 4.17. The specific activity of BaGST2 and BaGST3 toward 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) was 19.0 and 45.2 μmol/min/mg protein following 146- and 346-fold purification, respectively. The catalytic pH optima, km values, and the activation energies for BaGST2 and BaGST3 were determined. BaGST2 and BaGST3 were significantly inhibited by hematin and Cibacron Blue and to a less extent by bromosulfophthalein, S-butyl-GSH, S-hexyl-GSH, and S-P-bromobenzyl-GSH. BaGST2 and BaGST3 showed high activity against ethacrynic acid as substrate, and they also exhibited peroxidase activity on cumene hydroperoxide. The two enzymes showed identical patterns of lysine-C digestion after high-performance liquid chromatography. The amino acid sequences of three peptide fragments and peptide mass fingerprinting of fourteen peptides were used to predict the primary structure of BaGST2. A polypeptide of 206 amino acids (with 7 gaps, 3 of which could not identified) was predicted for BaGST2. The theoretical subunit molecular weight of BaGST2 is 22.6 kDa, with pI of 8.58. BaGST2 has 65% sequence identity and 78% positive with Biomphalaria glabrata GST7. The overall structure of BaGST2 at the N-terminal domain is identical to the canonical GST N-terminal domain, having the typical thioredoxin-like fold with a βαβ-α-ββα motif, whereas the C-terminal domain is made from 6 α-helices. A conservative GST-N-domain includes glutathione binding sites Y11, L17, Q53, M54, Q65, and S66, while a variable GST-C domain contains electrophilic substrate binding site H99, R102, A103, F106, K107, L161, and Y167. Phylogenetic tree showed that BaGST2 was clustered in the sigma group with GSTs sigma class from invertebrates and vertebrates. Conclusions We have purified and characterized two GSTs from B. alexandrina snails. Our study broadens the biochemical information on freshwater snail GSTs by demonstrating the role of BaGSTs in defense mechanisms against structurally different electrophilic compounds. BaGST2 and BaGST3 have Se-independent peroxidase activity, which indicates their role in cellular antioxidant defense by reducing organic hydroperoxides in B. alexandrina. A polypeptide chain of 206 amino acids was predicted. The primary structure of BaGST2 showed 65% sequence identity with Biomphalaria glabrata GST7. Sequence analysis indicates that BaGST2 is a GST-N-sigma-like with a thioredoxin-like superfamily. Phylogenetic tree confirms that BaGST2 belongs to the sigma class of GSTs superfamily. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s43141-022-00372-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdel-Monem Abdalla
- Molecular Biology Department, Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, P.O. Box: 12622, Giza, Egypt.
| | - Ghada S A Abdel Karim
- Molecular Biology Department, Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, P.O. Box: 12622, Giza, Egypt
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Castro MS, Silva JC, Machado BR, Guimarães PS, Lombardi AT, Martins CDMG, Zanette J. Differential Effects of Atrazine on Chlorophyceae Species and Association with Morphology, Photosynthesis, Chlorophyll Content, and Glutathione-S-Transferase Activity. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2022; 41:1675-1685. [PMID: 35394657 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Atrazine is a herbicide widely used in the control of weeds in crops such as corn, sugar cane, and sorghum. It is often found in aquatic environments, where it can potentially endanger nontarget organisms such as microalgae. The present study evaluated atrazine toxicity to seven different species of Chlorophyceae and the tolerance of the species to the herbicide was related to morphological, photosynthetic, chlorophyll-a content and the activity of the glutathione-S-transferase enzyme (GST). The comparison of median effect concentration (EC50) values for growth inhibition indicates higher toxicity of atrazine for Pseudopediastrum boryanum and Desmodesmus communis, intermediate toxicity for Ankistrodesmus densus, Chlamydomonas puliminiorfes, and Raphidocelis subcapitata, and lower toxicity for Kirchneriella lunaris and Ankistrodesmus falcatus (EC50: 38, 42, 66, 103, 248, 1004, and 1585 µg L-1 atrazine, respectively). Principal component analysis (PCA) with algal characteristics suggested that the atrazine-sensitive algae P. boryanum and D. communis were positively associated with photosynthetic levels and negatively associated with GST activity and chlorophyll-a concentration. The PCA also suggested that the atrazine-tolerant algae A. falcatus and K. lunaris were positively associated with morphological parameters, where the larger the cell size, the more tolerant. Although it is difficult to associate a single characteristic of algae as the key factor determining the tolerance to atrazine, results presented in this work indicate that the cell area, the photosynthetic parameters (mainly saturating irradiance), chlorophyll-a content, and the biotransformation by GST in combination may be potential predictors for the differential tolerance of Chlorophyceae species to the herbicide. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:1675-1685. © 2022 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muryllo Santos Castro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
| | - Jaqueline Carmo Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bruno Roswag Machado
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia e Ciência de Alimentos, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
| | - Pablo Santos Guimarães
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
| | - Ana Teresa Lombardi
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Camila De Martinez Gaspar Martins
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
| | - Juliano Zanette
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
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El-fayoumy EA, Shanab SM, Hassan OMA, Shalaby EA. Enhancement of active ingredients and biological activities of Nostoc linckia biomass cultivated under modified BG-11 0 medium composition. BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY 2021; 13:6049-6066. [PMID: 33898157 PMCID: PMC8053234 DOI: 10.1007/s13399-021-01509-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The current work aims to investigate the effect of abiotic stresses (nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) [0.0 g/l, 1.5 g/l, 3 g/l, 6 g/l, and 12 g/l N and 0.0 g/l, 0.07 g/l, 0.15 g/l, 0.3 g/l, and 0.6 g/l S] and their combination [0.3 g/l S + 6 g/l N]) of axenic culture of Nostoc linckia on the production of secondary metabolites which induce different biological activities. Growth rate was measured by dry weight (DW) and optical density (OD)550 nm. Additionally, phytochemical compounds, defense enzymes as well as antioxidant activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS·+) radical assays of crude extracts (methylene chloride:methanol, 1:1) were evaluated. Based on antioxidant activity, four promising extracts were subjected to different biological activities such as anticancer, antimicrobial, and antiviral activities. The obtained results revealed that supplementation of external nitrogen source in the form of sodium nitrate was found to increase the total phycobiliprotein content by fivefold. Also, nitrogen depletion provoked significantly highest quantities of phenolic and flavonoid content and this has effects on biological activities of Nostoc linckia. Moreover, 0.3 g/l S was found to be the most effective extract exhibiting a significant increase in antioxidant activity based on DPPH and ABTS assays, respectively (88.18 ± 0.64% and 84.20 ± 1.01%). Furthermore, it recorded anticancer activity against HCT 116 cell line with IC50 of 155 μg/ml. Moreover, this extract possessed a noticeable antibacterial potency (21.0 ± 1.0 as mm inhibition zone against Staphylococcus aureus and 19.3 ± 0.6 against Streptococcus mutans). In addition, its antiviral activity against H5N1 virus as a percentage of inhibition was 50% and 63.6% at a concentration of 7 μg/ml and 28 μg/ml, respectively, with cytotoxicity less than 7 μg/μl. GC-MS analysis recorded the presence of bioactive compounds exhibiting different biological activities. Therefore, the obtained results can represent valuable bioactive compounds with variable biological potencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eman A. El-fayoumy
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, 12613 Egypt
| | - Sanaa M. Shanab
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, 12613 Egypt
| | - Omnia M. A. Hassan
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Virus, Environmental Research Division, National Research Center, Dokki, Egypt
| | - Emad A. Shalaby
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, 12613 Egypt
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Protective role of the freshwater rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus glutathione S-transferase zeta 3 recombinant protein in response to Hg and Cd. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2020; 243-244:110435. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2020.110435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Papageorgiou L, Papakonstantinou E, Salis C, Polychronidou E, Hagidimitriou M, Maroulis D, Eliopoulos E, Vlachakis D. Drugena: A Fully Automated Immunoinformatics Platform for the Design of Antibody-Drug Conjugates Against Neurodegenerative Diseases. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1194:203-215. [PMID: 32468536 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-32622-7_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Antibodies are proteins that are the first line of defense in the adaptive immune response of vertebrates. Thereby, they are involved in a multitude of biochemical mechanisms and clinical manifestations with significant medical interest, such as autoimmunity, the regulation of infection, and cancer. An emerging field in antibody science that is of huge medicinal interest is the development of novel antibody-interacting drugs. Such entities are the antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), which are a new type of targeted therapy, which consist of an antibody linked to a payload drug. Overall, the underlying principle of ADCs is the discerning delivery of a drug to a target, hoping to increase the potency of the original drug. Drugena suite is a pioneering platform that employs state-of-the-art computational biology methods in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases using ADCs. Drugena encompasses an up-to-date structural database of specialized antibodies for neurological disorders and the NCI database with over 96 million entities for the in silico development of ADCs. The pipeline of the Drugena suite has been divided into several steps and modules that are closely related with a synergistic fashion under a user-friendly graphical user interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Papageorgiou
- Genetics and Computational Biology Group, Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Department of Informatics and Telecommunications, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni Papakonstantinou
- Genetics and Computational Biology Group, Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Constantinos Salis
- Genetics and Computational Biology Group, Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Marianna Hagidimitriou
- Genetics and Computational Biology Group, Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitris Maroulis
- Department of Informatics and Telecommunications, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Elias Eliopoulos
- Genetics and Computational Biology Group, Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Vlachakis
- Genetics and Computational Biology Group, Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece. .,Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.
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Raftopoulou S, Nicolaides NC, Papageorgiou L, Amfilochiou A, Zakinthinos SG, George P, Eliopoulos E, Chrousos GP, Vlachakis D. Structural Study of the DNA: Clock/Bmal1 Complex Provides Insights for the Role of Cortisol, hGR, and HPA Axis in Stress Management and Sleep Disorders. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1195:59-71. [PMID: 32468460 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-32633-3_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Herein, we deploy an in silico pipeline of structural bioinformatics, thermodynamics, and molecular dynamics to investigate the role of cortisol in circadian rhythms, biorhythms, stress response, and even sleep disorders. Our study shows that high concentrations of cortisol intercalate in the minor groove of DNA. This phenomenon widens the adjacent major grooves and provides the Clock/Bmal1 complex with more space to dock and interact with DNA. Then, the strong charges of cortisol pull the alpha helices of the Clock/Bmal1 complex and bend it inward, thus establishing stronger interactions and prolonged signaling. Our results indicate that elevated cortisol levels play an important role in stress, inflammation, and sleep disorders as a result of prolonged and stronger dsDNA - Clock/Bmal1 interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Raftopoulou
- Genetics and Computational Biology Group, Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Affidea Healthcare Company, Athens, Greece
| | - Nicolas C Nicolaides
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Louis Papageorgiou
- Genetics and Computational Biology Group, Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Anastasia Amfilochiou
- Sismanoglio General Hospital of Attica, Respiratory Function & Sleep Study Unit, Marousi, Greece
| | - Spyros G Zakinthinos
- Critical Care and Pulmonary Services, Evangelismos Hospital, Medical School of Athens University, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Elias Eliopoulos
- Genetics and Computational Biology Group, Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - George P Chrousos
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Vlachakis
- Genetics and Computational Biology Group, Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece. .,Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.
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Olive Oil Polyphenols in Neurodegenerative Pathologies. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1195:77-91. [PMID: 32468462 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-32633-3_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases lead to the death of nerve cells in the brain or the spinal cord. A wide range of diseases are included within the group of neurodegenerative disorders, with the most common ones being dementia, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's diseases. Millions of older people are suffering from such pathologies. The global increase of life expectancy unavoidably leads to a consequent increase in the number of people who will be at some degree affected by neurodegenerative-related diseases. At this moment, there is no effective therapy or treatment that can reverse the loss of neurons. A growing number of studies highlight the value of the consumption of medical foods, and in particular olive oil, as one of the most important components of the Mediterranean diet. A diet based on extra virgin olive oil seems to contribute toward the lowering of risk of age-related pathologies due to high phenol concentration. The link of a polyphenol found in extra virgin olive oil, namely, tyrosol, with the protein tyrosinase, associated to Parkinson's disease is underlined as a paradigm of affiliation between polyphenols and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Nelson DR, Chaiboonchoe A, Fu W, Hazzouri KM, Huang Z, Jaiswal A, Daakour S, Mystikou A, Arnoux M, Sultana M, Salehi-Ashtiani K. Potential for Heightened Sulfur-Metabolic Capacity in Coastal Subtropical Microalgae. iScience 2019; 11:450-465. [PMID: 30684492 PMCID: PMC6348204 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2018.12.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Revised: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The activities of microalgae support nutrient cycling that helps to sustain aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Most microalgal species, especially those from the subtropics, are genomically uncharacterized. Here we report the isolation and genomic characterization of 22 microalgal species from subtropical coastal regions belonging to multiple clades and three from temperate areas. Halotolerant strains including Halamphora, Dunaliella, Nannochloris, and Chloroidium comprised the majority of these isolates. The subtropical-based microalgae contained arrays of methyltransferase, pyridine nucleotide-disulfide oxidoreductase, abhydrolase, cystathionine synthase, and small-molecule transporter domains present at high relative abundance. We found that genes for sulfate transport, sulfotransferase, and glutathione S-transferase activities were especially abundant in subtropical, coastal microalgal species and halophytic species in general. Our metabolomics analyses indicate lineage- and habitat-specific sets of biomolecules implicated in niche-specific biological processes. This work effectively expands the collection of available microalgal genomes by ∼50%, and the generated resources provide perspectives for studying halophyte adaptive traits. We have sequenced 20+ microallgal genomes from the subtropics This new collection increases the available microalgal genomes by ∼50% Metabolomics indicates lineage- and habitat-specificity of biomolecules Coastal, subtropical species of microalgae show expansion of sulfur-metabolic genes
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Affiliation(s)
- David R Nelson
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | | | - Weiqi Fu
- Division of Science and Math, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Khaled M Hazzouri
- Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (KCGEB), United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, UAE
| | - Ziyuan Huang
- Department of Computer Science, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | - Ashish Jaiswal
- Division of Science and Math, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Sarah Daakour
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Alexandra Mystikou
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Marc Arnoux
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Mehar Sultana
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Kourosh Salehi-Ashtiani
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE; Division of Science and Math, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
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Perperopoulou F, Pouliou F, Labrou NE. Recent advances in protein engineering and biotechnological applications of glutathione transferases. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2017; 38:511-528. [PMID: 28936894 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2017.1375890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Glutathione transferases (GSTs, EC 2.5.1.18) are a widespread family of enzymes that play a central role in the detoxification, metabolism, and transport or sequestration of endogenous or xenobiotic compounds. During the last two decades, delineation of the important structural and catalytic features of GSTs has laid the groundwork for engineering GSTs, involving both rational and random approaches, aiming to create new variants with new or altered properties. These approaches have expanded the usefulness of native GSTs, not only for understanding the fundamentals of molecular detoxification mechanisms, but also for the development medical, analytical, environmental, and agricultural applications. This review article attempts to summarize successful examples and current developments on GST engineering, highlighting in parallel the recent knowledge gained on their phylogenetic relationships, structural/catalytic features, and biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fereniki Perperopoulou
- a Department of Biotechnology, Laboratory of Enzyme Technology , School of Food, Biotechnology and Development, Agricultural University of Athens , Athens , Greece
| | - Fotini Pouliou
- a Department of Biotechnology, Laboratory of Enzyme Technology , School of Food, Biotechnology and Development, Agricultural University of Athens , Athens , Greece
| | - Nikolaos E Labrou
- a Department of Biotechnology, Laboratory of Enzyme Technology , School of Food, Biotechnology and Development, Agricultural University of Athens , Athens , Greece
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