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Elbediwi M, Rolff J. Metabolic pathways and antimicrobial peptide resistance in bacteria. J Antimicrob Chemother 2024:dkae128. [PMID: 38742645 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkae128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is a pressing concern that poses a significant threat to global public health, necessitating the exploration of alternative strategies to combat drug-resistant microbial infections. Recently, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have gained substantial attention as possible replacements for conventional antibiotics. Because of their pharmacodynamics and killing mechanisms, AMPs display a lower risk of bacterial resistance evolution compared with most conventional antibiotics. However, bacteria display different mechanisms to resist AMPs, and the role of metabolic pathways in the resistance mechanism is not fully understood. This review examines the intricate relationship between metabolic genes and AMP resistance, focusing on the impact of metabolic pathways on various aspects of resistance. Metabolic pathways related to guanosine pentaphosphate (pppGpp) and guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp) [collectively (p)ppGpp], the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, haem biosynthesis, purine and pyrimidine biosynthesis, and amino acid and lipid metabolism influence in different ways metabolic adjustments, biofilm formation and energy production that could be involved in AMP resistance. By targeting metabolic pathways and their associated genes, it could be possible to enhance the efficacy of existing antimicrobial therapies and overcome the challenges exhibited by phenotypic (recalcitrance) and genetic resistance toward AMPs. Further research in this area is needed to provide valuable insights into specific mechanisms, uncover novel therapeutic targets, and aid in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Elbediwi
- Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Animal Health Research Institute, Agriculture Research Centre, 12618 Cairo, Egypt
| | - Jens Rolff
- Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
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2
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Pan M, Ge CC, Niu SZ, Duan YY, Fan YM, Jin QW, Chen X, Tao JP, Huang SY. Functional analyses of Toxoplasma gondii dihydroorotase reveal a promising anti-parasitic target. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23397. [PMID: 38149908 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202301493r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii relies heavily on the de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway for fueling the high uridine-5'-monophosphate (UMP) demand during parasite growth. The third step of de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis is catalyzed by dihydroorotase (DHO), a metalloenzyme that catalyzes the reversible condensation of carbamoyl aspartate to dihydroorotate. Here, functional analyses of TgDHO reveal that tachyzoites lacking DHO are impaired in overall growth due to decreased levels of UMP, and the noticeably growth restriction could be partially rescued after supplementation with uracil or high concentrations of L-dihydroorotate in vitro. When pyrimidine salvage pathway is disrupted, both DHOH35A and DHOD284E mutant strains proliferated much slower than DHO-expressing parasites, suggesting an essential role of both TgDHO His35 and Asp284 residues in parasite growth. Additionally, DHO deletion causes the limitation of bradyzoite growth under the condition of uracil supplementation or uracil deprivation. During the infection in mice, the DHO-deficient parasites are avirulent, despite the generation of smaller tissue cysts. The results reveal that TgDHO contributes to parasite growth both in vitro and in vivo. The significantly differences between TgDHO and mammalian DHO reflect that DHO can be exploited to produce specific inhibitors targeting apicomplexan parasites. Moreover, potential DHO inhibitors exert beneficial effects on enzymatic activity of TgDHO and T. gondii growth in vitro. In conclusion, these data highlight the important role of TgDHO in parasite growth and reveal that it is a promising anti-parasitic target for future control of toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Pan
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, PR China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, PR China
| | - Ceng-Ceng Ge
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, PR China
| | - Shui-Zhu Niu
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, PR China
| | - Yin-Yan Duan
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, PR China
| | - Yi-Min Fan
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, PR China
| | - Qi-Wang Jin
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, PR China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, PR China
| | - Xiang Chen
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, PR China
| | - Jian-Ping Tao
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, PR China
| | - Si-Yang Huang
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, PR China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, PR China
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Fan Q, Dong X, Wang Z, Yue Y, Yuan Y, Wang Z, Yue T. TMT-Based Quantitative Proteomics and Non-targeted Metabolomic Analyses Reveal the Antibacterial Mechanism of Hexanal against Vibrio parahaemolyticus. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:12105-12115. [PMID: 37498004 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Hexanal is a phytochemical with antimicrobial activity. However, its antibacterial effect and mechanism against Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus) remain unclear. The study aims to elucidate the associated mechanism using tandem mass tag quantitative proteomics and non-targeted metabolomics. Hexanal treatment reduced intracellular ATP concentration, increased membrane permeability, and destroyed the morphology and ultrastructure of V. parahaemolyticus cells. Proteomics and metabolomics data indicated that 572 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) and 241 differential metabolites (DMs) were identified in hexanal-treated V. parahaemolyticus. These DEPs and DMs were involved in multiple biological pathways including amino acid metabolism, purine and pyrimidine biosynthesis, etc. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that hexanal damaged the structure and function of cell membranes, inhibited nucleotide metabolism, and disturbed carbohydrate metabolism and tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) cycle, which ultimately resulted in growth inhibition and bacterial death. The study is conducive to better understand the mode of action of hexanal against V. parahaemolyticus and offers experimental foundation for the application of hexanal as the antibacterial agent in the seafood-associated industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuxia Fan
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Xinru Dong
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Zewei Wang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Yuan Yue
- Xi'an Gaoxin No.1 High School, Xian 710000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yahong Yuan
- College of Food Science and Technology, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Zhouli Wang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Tianli Yue
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
- College of Food Science and Technology, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
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4
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Alberti M, Sainas S, Ronchi E, Lolli ML, Boschi D, Rizzi M, Ferraris DM, Miggiano R. Biochemical characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis dihydroorotate dehydrogenase and identification of a selective inhibitor. FEBS Lett 2023; 597:2119-2132. [PMID: 37278160 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is the etiologic agent of tuberculosis (TB), an ancient disease which causes 1.5 million deaths worldwide. Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) is a key enzyme of the MTB de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway, and it is essential for MTB growth in vitro, hence representing a promising drug target. We present: (i) the biochemical characterization of the full-length MTB DHODH, including the analysis of the kinetic parameters, and (ii) the previously unreleased crystal structure of the protein that allowed us to rationally screen our in-house chemical library and identify the first selective inhibitor of mycobacterial DHODH. The inhibitor has fluorescence properties, potentially instrumental to in cellulo imaging studies, and exhibits an IC50 value of 43 μm, paving the way to hit-to-lead process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Alberti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Stefano Sainas
- Department of Sciences and Drug Technology, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Erika Ronchi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Marco L Lolli
- Department of Sciences and Drug Technology, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Donatella Boschi
- Department of Sciences and Drug Technology, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Menico Rizzi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Davide M Ferraris
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Riccardo Miggiano
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
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5
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Liu F, Smith AD, Wang TTY, Pham Q, Yang H, Li RW. Ellagitannin Punicalagin Disrupts the Pathways Related to Bacterial Growth and Affects Multiple Pattern Recognition Receptor Signaling by Acting as a Selective Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:5016-5026. [PMID: 36917202 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c08738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Punicalagin (PA) is a key ellagitannin abundant in pomegranate with wide-ranging biological activities. In this study, we examined the biological processes by which PA regulates bacterial growth and inflammation in human cells using multiomics and molecular docking approaches. PA promoted macrophage-mediated bacterial killing and inhibited the growth of Citrobacter rodentium by inducing a distinct metabolome pattern. PA acted as a selective regulator of histone deacetylases (HDACs) and affected 37 pathways in macrophages, including signaling mediated by pattern recognition receptors, such as Toll-like and NOD-like receptors. In silico simulation showed that PA can bind with high affinity to HDAC7. PA downregulated HDAC7 at both mRNA and protein levels and resulted in a decrease in the level of histone 3 lysine 27 acetylation. Our findings provide evidence that PA exerts its biological effects via multiple pathways, which can be exploited in the development of this bioactive food ingredient for disease management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Liu
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Allen D Smith
- Diet, Genomics and Immunology Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, Maryland 20705, United States
| | - Thomas T Y Wang
- Diet, Genomics and Immunology Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, Maryland 20705, United States
| | - Quynhchi Pham
- Diet, Genomics and Immunology Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, Maryland 20705, United States
| | - Haiyan Yang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Robert W Li
- Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, Maryland 20705, United States
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6
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Kabongo AT, Acharjee R, Sakura T, Bundutidi GM, Hartuti ED, Davies C, Gundogdu O, Kita K, Shiba T, Inaoka DK. Biochemical characterization and identification of ferulenol and embelin as potent inhibitors of malate:quinone oxidoreductase from Campylobacter jejuni. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1095026. [PMID: 36776743 PMCID: PMC9908594 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1095026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Campylobacter jejuni infection poses a serious global threat to public health. The increasing incidence and antibiotic resistance of this bacterial infection have necessitated the adoption of various strategies to curb this trend, primarily through developing new drugs with new mechanisms of action. The enzyme malate:quinone oxidoreductase (MQO) has been shown to be essential for the survival of several bacteria and parasites. MQO is a peripheral membrane protein that catalyses the oxidation of malate to oxaloacetate, a crucial step in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. In addition, MQO is involved in the reduction of the quinone pool in the electron transport chain and thus contributes to cellular bioenergetics. The enzyme is an attractive drug target as it is not conserved in mammals. As a preliminary step in assessing the potential application of MQO from C. jejuni (CjMQO) as a new drug target, we purified active recombinant CjMQO and conducted, for the first time, biochemical analyses of MQO from a pathogenic bacterium. Our study showed that ferulenol, a submicromolar mitochondrial MQO inhibitor, and embelin are nanomolar inhibitors of CjMQO. We showed that both inhibitors are mixed-type inhibitors versus malate and noncompetitive versus quinone, suggesting the existence of a third binding site to accommodate these inhibitors; indeed, such a trait appears to be conserved between mitochondrial and bacterial MQOs. Interestingly, ferulenol and embelin also inhibit the in vitro growth of C. jejuni, supporting the hypothesis that MQO is essential for C. jejuni survival and is therefore an important drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augustin Tshibaka Kabongo
- School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan,Department of Molecular Infection Dynamics, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan,Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Public Health, University of Mbujimayi, Kinshasa, Congo
| | - Rajib Acharjee
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan,Program for Nurturing Global Leaders in Tropical and Emerging Communicable Disease, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan,Department of Zoology, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh
| | - Takaya Sakura
- School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan,Department of Molecular Infection Dynamics, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Gloria Mavinga Bundutidi
- Department of Molecular Infection Dynamics, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan,Department of Parasitology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan,Program for Nurturing Global Leaders in Tropical and Emerging Communicable Disease, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan,Department of Pediatrics, Kinshasa University Hospital, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Congo
| | - Endah Dwi Hartuti
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan,Program for Nurturing Global Leaders in Tropical and Emerging Communicable Disease, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan,Research Center for Genetic Engineering, National Research and Innovation Agency, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Cadi Davies
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ozan Gundogdu
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kiyoshi Kita
- School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan,Department of Host-Defense Biochemistry, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan,Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoo Shiba
- Department of Applied Biology, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan,*Correspondence: Tomoo Shiba, ; Daniel Ken Inaoka,
| | - Daniel Ken Inaoka
- School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan,Department of Molecular Infection Dynamics, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan,Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan,*Correspondence: Tomoo Shiba, ; Daniel Ken Inaoka,
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Tessema FB, Gonfa YH, Asfaw TB, Tadesse TG, Tadesse MG, Bachheti A, Pandey DP, Wabaidur SM, Dahlous KA, Širić I, Kumar P, Kumar V, Abou Fayssal S, Bachheti RK. Flavonoids and Phenolic Acids from Aerial Part of Ajuga integrifolia (Buch.-Ham. Ex D. Don): Anti-Shigellosis Activity and In Silico Molecular Docking Studies. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28031111. [PMID: 36770779 PMCID: PMC9920895 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28031111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Shigellosis is one of the major causes of death in children worldwide. Flavonoids and phenolic acids are expected to demonstrate anti-shigellosis activity and anti-diarrheal properties. The aerial part of A. integrifolia is commonly used against diarrhea. This study aimed to identify flavonoids and phenolic acids responsible for this therapeutic purpose. Antioxidant activity, total phenol content, and total flavonoid content were determined. The antibacterial activity of the aerial part against Shigella spp. was also tested using the agar well diffusion method. HPLC analysis was performed using UHPLC-DAD for different extracts of the aerial part. Autodock Vina in the PyRx platform was used to screen responsible components. Ciprofloxacin was used as a reference drug. An enzyme taking part in pyrimidine biosynthesis was used as a target protein. Molecular docking results were visualized using Discovery Studio and LigPlot1.4.5 software. Antioxidant activity, total phenol content, and total flavonoid content are more significant for the aerial part of A. integrifolia. From HPLC analysis, the presence of the flavonoids, quercetin, myricetin, and rutin and the phenolic acids gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, and syringic acid were identified from the aerial part of A. integrifolia. Regarding the antibacterial activity, the aerial part shows considerable activity against Shigella spp. Binding energies, RMSD and Ki values, interaction type, and distance are considered to identify the components most likely responsible for the therapeutic effects and observed activity. Antioxidant activity, total phenol content, and total flavonoid content of the aerial part are in line with anti-shigellosis activity. The top five components that are most likely potentially responsible for therapeutic purposes and anti-shigellosis activity are chlorogenic acid, rutin, dihydroquercetin, dihydromyricetin, and kaempferol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fekade Beshah Tessema
- Department of Industrial Chemistry, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa 16417, Ethiopia
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Computational Science, Woldia University, Woldia 400, Ethiopia
| | - Yilma Hunde Gonfa
- Department of Industrial Chemistry, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa 16417, Ethiopia
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Computational Science, Ambo University, Ambo 19, Ethiopia
| | - Tilahun Belayneh Asfaw
- Department of Industrial Chemistry, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa 16417, Ethiopia
- Department of Chemistry, College of Natural and Computational Science, Gondar University, Gondar 196, Ethiopia
| | - Tigist Getachew Tadesse
- Bio and Emerging Technology Institute, Health Biotechnology Directorate, Addis Ababa 5954, Ethiopia
| | - Mesfin Getachew Tadesse
- Department of Industrial Chemistry, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa 16417, Ethiopia
| | - Archana Bachheti
- Department of Environment Science, Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun 248002, India
| | - Devi Prasad Pandey
- Department of Chemistry, Govt Degree College Dehradun Shahar, Suddhowala, Dehradun 248007, India
| | - Saikh M. Wabaidur
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kholood A. Dahlous
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ivan Širić
- University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Svetosimunska 25, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
| | - Pankaj Kumar
- Agro-Ecology and Pollution Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology and Environmental Science, Gurukula Kangri (Deemed to be University), Haridwar 249404, India
| | - Vinod Kumar
- Agro-Ecology and Pollution Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology and Environmental Science, Gurukula Kangri (Deemed to be University), Haridwar 249404, India
| | - Sami Abou Fayssal
- Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agronomy, University of Forestry, 10 Kliment Ohridski Blvd, 1797 Sofia, Bulgaria
- Department of Plant Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Lebanese University, Beirut 1302, Lebanon
| | - Rakesh Kumar Bachheti
- Department of Industrial Chemistry, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa 16417, Ethiopia
- Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology and Bioprocess, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa 16417, Ethiopia
- Correspondence:
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Crystal Structure of Allantoinase from Escherichia coli BL21: A Molecular Insight into a Role of the Active Site Loops in Catalysis. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28020827. [PMID: 36677881 PMCID: PMC9863593 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28020827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Allantoinase (ALLase; EC 3.5.2.5) possesses a binuclear metal center in which two metal ions are bridged by a posttranslationally carbamylated lysine. ALLase acts as a key enzyme for the biogenesis and degradation of ureides by catalyzing the conversion of allantoin into allantoate. Biochemically, ALLase belongs to the cyclic amidohydrolase family, which also includes dihydropyrimidinase, dihydroorotase, hydantoinase (HYDase), and imidase. Previously, the crystal structure of ALLase from Escherichia coli K-12 (EcALLase-K12) was reported; however, the two active site loops crucial for substrate binding were not determined. This situation would limit further docking and protein engineering experiments. Here, we solved the crystal structure of E. coli BL21 ALLase (EcALLase-BL21) at a resolution of 2.07 Å (PDB ID 8HFD) to obtain more information for structural analyses. The structure has a classic TIM barrel fold. As compared with the previous work, the two missed active site loops in EcALLase-K12 were clearly determined in our structure of EcALLase-BL21. EcALLase-BL21 shared active site similarity with HYDase, an important biocatalyst for industrial production of semisynthetic penicillin and cephalosporins. Based on this structural comparison, we discussed the functional role of the two active site loops in EcALLase-BL21 to better understand the substrate/inhibitor binding mechanism for further biotechnological and pharmaceutical applications.
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Vitali J, Nix JC, Newman HE, Colaneri MJ. Crystal structure of Methanococcus jannaschii dihydroorotase. Proteins 2023; 91:91-98. [PMID: 35978488 PMCID: PMC9771888 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we report the structural analysis of dihydroorotase (DHOase) from the hyperthermophilic and barophilic archaeon Methanococcus jannaschii. DHOase catalyzes the reversible cyclization of N-carbamoyl-l-aspartate to l-dihydroorotate in the third step of de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis. DHOases form a very diverse family of enzymes and have been classified into types and subtypes with structural similarities and differences among them. This is the first archaeal DHOase studied by x-ray diffraction. Its structure and comparison with known representatives of the other subtypes help define the structural features of the archaeal subtype. The M. jannaschii DHOase is found here to have traits from all subtypes. Contrary to expectations, it has a carboxylated lysine bridging the two Zn ions in the active site, and a long catalytic loop. It is a monomeric protein with a large β sandwich domain adjacent to the TIM barrel. Loop 5 is similar to bacterial type III and the C-terminal extension is long.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Vitali
- Department of PhysicsCleveland State UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental SciencesCleveland State UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Jay C. Nix
- Molecular Biology Consortium, Advanced Light SourceLawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Haley E. Newman
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental SciencesCleveland State UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Michael J. Colaneri
- Department of Chemistry and PhysicsThe State University of New York CollegeOld WestburyNew YorkUSA
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Lin ES, Huang CY. Cytotoxic Activities and the Allantoinase Inhibitory Effect of the Leaf Extract of the Carnivorous Pitcher Plant Nepenthes miranda. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:plants11172265. [PMID: 36079647 PMCID: PMC9460348 DOI: 10.3390/plants11172265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Nepenthes are carnivorous pitcher plants that have several ethnobotanical uses, such as curing stomachache and fever. Here, we prepared different extracts from the stem, leaf, and pitcher of Nepenthes miranda to further investigate their pharmacological potential. The leaf extract of N. miranda obtained by 100% acetone (N. miranda-leaf-acetone) was used in this study to analyze the cytotoxic activities, antioxidation capacity, antibacterial activity, and allantoinase (ALLase) inhibitory effect of this plant. The cytotoxic effects of N. miranda-leaf-acetone on the survival, apoptosis, and migration of the cancer cell lines PC-9 pulmonary adenocarcinoma, B16F10 melanoma, and 4T1 mammary carcinoma cells were demonstrated. Based on collective data, the cytotoxic activities of N. miranda-leaf-acetone followed the order: B16F10 > 4T1 > PC-9 cells. In addition, the cytotoxic activities of N. miranda-leaf-acetone were synergistically enhanced when co-acting with the clinical anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil. N. miranda-leaf-acetone could also inhibit the activity of ALLase, a key enzyme in the catabolism pathway for purine degradation. Through gas chromatography−mass spectrometry, the 16 most abundant ingredients in N. miranda-leaf-acetone were identified. The top six compounds in N. miranda-leaf-acetone, namely, plumbagin, lupenone, palmitic acid, stigmast-5-en-3-ol, neophytadiene, and citraconic anhydride, were docked to ALLase, and their docking scores were compared. The docking results suggested plumbagin and stigmast-5-en-3-ol as potential inhibitors of ALLase. Overall, these results may indicate the pharmacological potential of N. miranda for further medical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- En-Shyh Lin
- Department of Beauty Science, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taichung City 403, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Yang Huang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City 402, Taiwan
- Correspondence:
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11
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Huang YH, Chiang WY, Chen PJ, Lin ES, Huang CY. Anticancer and Antioxidant Activities of the Root Extract of the Carnivorous Pitcher Plant Sarracenia purpurea. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:plants11131668. [PMID: 35807620 PMCID: PMC9269354 DOI: 10.3390/plants11131668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The carnivorous pitcher plant Sarracenia purpurea exhibits many ethnobotanical uses, including the treatments of type 2 diabetes and tuberculosis-like symptoms. In this study, we prepared different extracts from the leaves (pitchers), stems, and roots of S. purpurea and investigated their antioxidant and anticancer properties. To evaluate the extraction efficiency, we individually used different solvents, namely methanol, ethanol, acetone, and distilled water, for S. purpurea extract preparations. The root extract of S. purpurea, obtained by 100% acetone (S. purpurea-root-acetone), had the highest anticancer activities, antioxidation capacity (the DPPH activity with IC50 of 89.3 ± 2.2 μg/mL), antibacterial activities, total phenolic content (33.4 ± 0.7 mg GAE/g), and total flavonoid content (107.9 ± 2.2 mg QUE/g). The most abundant compounds in S. purpurea-root-acetone were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; 7,8-Dihydro-α-ionone was the major compound present in S. purpurea-root-acetone. In addition, the co-cytotoxicity of S. purpurea-root-acetone (combined with the clinical anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on the survival, apoptosis, proliferation, and migration of the 4T1 mammary carcinoma) was examined. The combination of 5-FU with S. purpurea-root-acetone could be highly efficient for anti-4T1 cells. We also found that S. purpurea-root-acetone could inhibit the enzymatic activity of human dihydroorotase (huDHOase), an attractive target for potential anticancer chemotherapy. The sic most abundant compounds in S. purpurea-root-acetone were tested using an in silico analysis via MOE-Dock software for their binding affinities. The top-ranked docking conformations were observed for 7,8-dihydro-α-ionone and stigmast-5-en-3-ol, suggesting the inhibition potential against huDHOase. Overall, the collective data in this study may indicate the pharmacological potentials of S. purpurea-root-acetone for possible medical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen-Hua Huang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan; (Y.-H.H.); (W.-Y.C.); (P.-J.C.)
| | - Wei-Yu Chiang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan; (Y.-H.H.); (W.-Y.C.); (P.-J.C.)
| | - Pin-Jui Chen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan; (Y.-H.H.); (W.-Y.C.); (P.-J.C.)
| | - En-Shyh Lin
- Department of Beauty Science, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taichung City 403, Taiwan;
| | - Cheng-Yang Huang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan; (Y.-H.H.); (W.-Y.C.); (P.-J.C.)
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City 402, Taiwan
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12
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An in silico hierarchal approach for drug candidate mining and validation of natural product inhibitors against pyrimidine biosynthesis enzyme in the antibiotic-resistant Shigella flexneri. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2022; 98:105233. [PMID: 35104682 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2022.105233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Shigella flexneri is the main causative agent of the communicable diarrheal disease, shigellosis. It is estimated that about 80-165 million cases and > 1 million deaths occur every year due to this disease. S. flexneri causes dysentery mostly in young children, elderly and immunocompromised patients, all over the globe. Recently, due to the emergence of S. flexneri antibiotic resistance strains, it is a dire need to predict novel therapeutic drug targets in the bacterium and screen natural products against it, which could eliminate the curse of antibiotic resistance. Therefore, in current study, available antibiotic-resistant genomes (n = 179) of S. flexneri were downloaded from PATRIC database and a pan-genome and resistome analysis was conducted. Around 5059 genes made up the accessory, 2469 genes made up the core, and 1558 genes made up the unique genome fraction, with 44, 34, and 13 antibiotic-resistant genes in each fraction, respectively. Core genome fraction (27% of the pan-genome), which was common to all strains, was used for subtractive genomics and resulted in 384 non-homologous, and 85 druggable targets. Dihydroorotase was chosen for further analysis and docked with natural product libraries (Ayurvedic and Streptomycin compounds), while the control was orotic acid or vitamin B13 (which is a natural binder of this protein). Dynamics simulation of 50 ns was carried out to validate findings for top-scored inhibitors. The current study proposed dihydroorotase as a significant drug target in S. flexneri and 4-tritriacontanone & patupilone compounds as potent drugs against shigellosis. Further experiments are required to ascertain validity of our findings.
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13
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Guan HH, Huang YH, Lin ES, Chen CJ, Huang CY. Structural Analysis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Dihydroorotase Reveals Molecular Insights into the Tetramerization Mechanism. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26237249. [PMID: 34885830 PMCID: PMC8659124 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26237249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Dihydroorotase (DHOase), a dimetalloenzyme containing a carbamylated lysine within the active site, is a member of the cyclic amidohydrolase family, which also includes allantoinase (ALLase), dihydropyrimidinase (DHPase), hydantoinase, and imidase. Unlike most known cyclic amidohydrolases, which are tetrameric, DHOase exists as a monomer or dimer. Here, we report and analyze two crystal structures of the eukaryotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae DHOase (ScDHOase) complexed with malate. The structures of different DHOases were also compared. An asymmetric unit of these crystals contained four crystallographically independent ScDHOase monomers. ScDHOase shares structural similarity with Escherichia coli DHOase (EcDHOase). Unlike EcDHOase, ScDHOase can form tetramers, both in the crystalline state and in solution. In addition, the subunit-interacting residues of ScDHOase for dimerization and tetramerization are significantly different from those of other DHOases. The tetramerization pattern of ScDHOase is also different from those of DHPase and ALLase. Based on sequence analysis and structural evidence, we identify two unique helices (α6 and α10) and a loop (loop 7) for tetramerization, and discuss why the residues for tetramerization in ScDHOase are not necessarily conserved among DHOases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Hsiang Guan
- Life Science Group, Scientific Research Division, National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 33076, Taiwan;
| | - Yen-Hua Huang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec.1, Chien-Kuo N. Rd., Taichung City 402, Taiwan;
| | - En-Shyh Lin
- Department of Beauty Science, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, No.193, Sec.1, San-Min Rd., Taichung City 403, Taiwan;
| | - Chun-Jung Chen
- Life Science Group, Scientific Research Division, National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 33076, Taiwan;
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City 701, Taiwan
- Department of Physics, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30043, Taiwan
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300193, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (C.-J.C.); (C.-Y.H.)
| | - Cheng-Yang Huang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec.1, Chien-Kuo N. Rd., Taichung City 402, Taiwan;
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, No.110, Sec.1, Chien-Kuo N. Rd., Taichung City 402, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (C.-J.C.); (C.-Y.H.)
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Complexed Crystal Structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Dihydroorotase with Inhibitor 5-Fluoroorotate Reveals a New Binding Mode. Bioinorg Chem Appl 2021; 2021:2572844. [PMID: 34630544 PMCID: PMC8497156 DOI: 10.1155/2021/2572844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Dihydroorotase (DHOase) possesses a binuclear metal center in which two Zn ions are bridged by a posttranslationally carbamylated lysine. DHOase catalyzes the reversible cyclization of N-carbamoyl aspartate (CA-asp) to dihydroorotate (DHO) in the third step of the pathway for the biosynthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides and is an attractive target for potential anticancer and antimalarial chemotherapy. Crystal structures of ligand-bound DHOase show that the flexible loop extends toward the active site when CA-asp is bound (loop-in mode) or moves away from the active site, facilitating the product DHO release (loop-out mode). DHOase binds the product-like inhibitor 5-fluoroorotate (5-FOA) in a similar mode to DHO. In the present study, we report the crystal structure of DHOase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ScDHOase) complexed with 5-FOA at 2.5 Å resolution (PDB entry 7CA0). ScDHOase shares structural similarity with Escherichia coli DHOase (EcDHOase). However, our complexed structure revealed that ScDHOase bound 5-FOA differently from EcDHOase. 5-FOA ligated the Zn atoms in the active site of ScDHOase. In addition, 5-FOA bound to ScDHOase through the loop-in mode. We also characterized the binding of 5-FOA to ScDHOase by using the site-directed mutagenesis and fluorescence quenching method. Based on these lines of molecular evidence, we discussed whether these different binding modes are species- or crystallography-dependent.
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Duodenal Metatranscriptomics to Define Human and Microbial Functional Alterations Associated with Severe Obesity: A Pilot Study. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8111811. [PMID: 33213098 PMCID: PMC7698607 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8111811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 11/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity is a multifactorial disorder, and the gut microbiome has been suggested to contribute to its onset. In order to better clarify the role of the microbiome in obesity, we evaluated the metatranscriptome in duodenal biopsies from a cohort of 23 adult severely obese and lean control subjects using next generation sequencing. Our aim was to provide a general picture of the duodenal metatranscriptome associated with severe obesity. We found altered expressions of human and microbial genes in the obese compared to lean subjects, with most of the gene alterations being present in the carbohydrate, protein, and lipid metabolic pathways. Defects were also present in several human genes involved in epithelial intestinal cells differentiation and function, as well as in the immunity/inflammation pathways. Moreover, the microbial taxa abundance inferred by our transcriptomic data differed in part from the data that we previously evaluated by 16S rRNA in 13/23 individuals of our cohort, particularly concerning the Firmicutes and Proteobacteria phyla abundances. In conclusion, our pilot study provides the first taxonomic and functional characterization of duodenal microbiota in severely obese subjects and lean controls. Our findings suggest that duodenal microbiome and human genes both play a role in deregulating metabolic pathways, likely affecting energy metabolism and thus contributing to the obese phenotype.
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Huang YH, Lien Y, Chen JH, Lin ES, Huang CY. Identification and characterization of dihydropyrimidinase inhibited by plumbagin isolated from Nepenthes miranda extract. Biochimie 2020; 171-172:124-135. [PMID: 32147511 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2020.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Dihydropyrimidinase is a member of the cyclic amidohydrolase family, which also includes allantoinase, dihydroorotase, hydantoinase, and imidase. This enzyme is important in pyrimidine metabolism, and blocking its activity would be detrimental to cell survival. This study investigated the dihydropyrimidinase inhibition by plumbagin isolated from the extract of carnivorous plant Nepenthes miranda (Nm). Plumbagin inhibited dihydropyrimidinase with IC50 value of 58 ± 3 μM. Double reciprocal results of Lineweaver-Burk plot indicated that this compound is a competitive inhibitor of dihydropyrimidinase. Fluorescence quenching analysis revealed that plumbagin could form a stable complex with dihydropyrimidinase with the Kd value of 37.7 ± 1.4 μM. Docking experiments revealed that the dynamic loop crucial for stabilization of the intermediate state in dihydropyrimidinase might be involved in the inhibition effect of plumbagin. Mutation at either Y155 or K156 within the dynamic loop of dihydropyrimidinase caused low plumbagin binding affinity. In addition to their dihydropyrimidinase inhibition, plumbagin and Nm extracts also exhibited cytotoxicity on melanoma cell survival, migration, and proliferation. Further research can directly focus on designing compounds that target the dynamic loop in dihydropyrimidinase during catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen-Hua Huang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec.1, Chien-Kuo N. Rd., Taichung City, Taiwan
| | - Yi Lien
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec.1, Chien-Kuo N. Rd., Taichung City, Taiwan
| | - Jung-Hung Chen
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec.1, Chien-Kuo N. Rd., Taichung City, Taiwan
| | - En-Shyh Lin
- Department of Beauty Science, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, No.193, Sec.1, San-Min Rd., Taichung City, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Yang Huang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec.1, Chien-Kuo N. Rd., Taichung City, Taiwan; Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, No.110, Sec.1, Chien-Kuo N. Rd., Taichung City, Taiwan.
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Porebski PJ, Bokota G, Venkataramany BS, Minor W. Molstack: A platform for interactive presentations of electron density and cryo-EM maps and their interpretations. Protein Sci 2019; 29:120-127. [PMID: 31605409 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In the Special Issue on Tools for Protein Science in 2018, we presented Molstack: a concept of a cloud-based platform for sharing electron density maps and their interpretations. Molstack is a web platform that allows the interactive visualization of density maps through the simultaneous presentation of multiple datasets and models in a way that allows for easy pairwise comparison. We anticipated that the users of this conceptually simple platform would find many different uses for their projects, and we were not mistaken. We have observed researchers use Molstack to present experimental evidence for their models in the form of electron density maps, omit maps, and anomalous difference density maps. Users also employed Molstack to present alternative interpretations of densities, including rerefinements and speculative interpretations. While we anticipated these types of projects to be the main use cases, we were pleased to see Molstack used to display superpositions of different models, as a tool for story-driven presentations, and for collaboration as well. Here, we present developments in the platform that were driven by user feedback, highlight several cases that used Molstack to enhance the publication, and discuss possible directions for the platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Przemyslaw J Porebski
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Grzegorz Bokota
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.,Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Mechanics, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Barat S Venkataramany
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Wladek Minor
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
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