1
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Kubista M, Andersson D, Ståhlberg A. Modern methods of molecular diagnostics. Mol Aspects Med 2024; 98:101278. [PMID: 38777730 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2024.101278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Mikael Kubista
- Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 413 90, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Biotechnology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Průmyslová 595, 252 50, Vestec, Czech Republic.
| | - Daniel Andersson
- Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 413 90, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Anders Ståhlberg
- Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 413 90, Gothenburg, Sweden; Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, 413 90, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Clinical Genetics and Genomics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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2
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Wagner A, Mutschler H. Design of Novel Synthetic RNA Replicons Based on Emesvirus zinderi. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:1773-1780. [PMID: 38806167 PMCID: PMC11197098 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.4c00097] [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: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Self-replicating RNAs (srRNAs) are synthetic molecules designed to mimic the self-replicating ability of viral RNAs. srRNAs hold significant promise for a range of applications, including enhancing protein expression, reprogramming cells into pluripotent stem cells, and creating cell-free systems for experimental evolution. However, the development of srRNAs for use in bacterial systems remains limited. Here, we demonstrate how a srRNA scaffold from Emesvirus zinderi can be engineered into a self-encoding srRNA by incorporating the coding region of the catalytically active replicase subunit. With the help of in vitro replication assays, including an in vitro translation-coupled replication approach, we show that the resulting system enables complete replication cycles of RNA both in cis and trans, including long cargo RNAs such as tethered 5S, 16S, and 23S rRNAs. In summary, our findings suggest that these srRNAs have significant potential for fundamental research, synthetic biology, and general in vitro evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Wagner
- Biomimetic Chemistry, Department of
Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund
University, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Hannes Mutschler
- Biomimetic Chemistry, Department of
Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund
University, Dortmund 44227, Germany
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3
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Weinstein N, Carlsen J, Schulz S, Stapleton T, Henriksen HH, Travnik E, Johansson PI. A Lifelike guided journey through the pathophysiology of pulmonary hypertension-from measured metabolites to the mechanism of action of drugs. Front Cardiovasc Med 2024; 11:1341145. [PMID: 38845688 PMCID: PMC11153715 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2024.1341145] [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: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a pathological condition that affects approximately 1% of the population. The prognosis for many patients is poor, even after treatment. Our knowledge about the pathophysiological mechanisms that cause or are involved in the progression of PH is incomplete. Additionally, the mechanism of action of many drugs used to treat pulmonary hypertension, including sotatercept, requires elucidation. Methods Using our graph-powered knowledge mining software Lifelike in combination with a very small patient metabolite data set, we demonstrate how we derive detailed mechanistic hypotheses on the mechanisms of PH pathophysiology and clinical drugs. Results In PH patients, the concentration of hypoxanthine, 12(S)-HETE, glutamic acid, and sphingosine 1 phosphate is significantly higher, while the concentration of L-arginine and L-histidine is lower than in healthy controls. Using the graph-based data analysis, gene ontology, and semantic association capabilities of Lifelike, led us to connect the differentially expressed metabolites with G-protein signaling and SRC. Then, we associated SRC with IL6 signaling. Subsequently, we found associations that connect SRC, and IL6 to activin and BMP signaling. Lastly, we analyzed the mechanisms of action of several existing and novel pharmacological treatments for PH. Lifelike elucidated the interplay between G-protein, IL6, activin, and BMP signaling. Those pathways regulate hallmark pathophysiological processes of PH, including vasoconstriction, endothelial barrier function, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. Discussion The results highlight the importance of SRC, ERK1, AKT, and MLC activity in PH. The molecular pathways affected by existing and novel treatments for PH also converge on these molecules. Importantly, sotatercept affects SRC, ERK1, AKT, and MLC simultaneously. The present study shows the power of mining knowledge graphs using Lifelike's diverse set of data analytics functionalities for developing knowledge-driven hypotheses on PH pathophysiological and drug mechanisms and their interactions. We believe that Lifelike and our presented approach will be valuable for future mechanistic studies of PH, other diseases, and drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Weinstein
- CAG Center for Endotheliomics, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jørn Carlsen
- CAG Center for Endotheliomics, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sebastian Schulz
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Timothy Stapleton
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Hanne H. Henriksen
- CAG Center for Endotheliomics, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Evelyn Travnik
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Pär Ingemar Johansson
- CAG Center for Endotheliomics, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
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4
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Ouyang Y, Cheng Q, Cheng C, Tang Z, Huang Y, Tan E, Ma S, Lin X, Xie Y, Zhou H. Effects of plants-associated microbiota on cultivation and quality of Chinese herbal medicines. CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINES 2024; 16:190-203. [PMID: 38706825 PMCID: PMC11064599 DOI: 10.1016/j.chmed.2022.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial resource influences the life activities of medicinal plants from several perspectives. Endophytes, rhizosphere microorganisms, and other environmental microorganisms play essential roles in medicinal plant growth and development, plant yield, and clinical efficacy. The microbiota can influence the biosynthesis of active compounds in medicinal plants by stimulating specific metabolic pathways. They induce host plants to improve their resistance to environmental stresses by accumulating secondary metabolites. Microorganisms can interact with their host plants to produce long-term, targeted selection results and improve their ability to adapt to the environment. Due to the interdependence and interaction between microorganisms and medicinal plants, Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) quality is closely related to the associated microorganisms. This review summarizes the relationship between medicinal plants and their associated microorganisms, including their species, distribution, life activities, and metabolites. Microorganisms can aid in quality control, improve the efficacy of medicinal plants, and provide markers for identifying the origin and storage time of CHMs. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between microorganisms and medicinal plants will help to control the quality of CHMs from different perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Ouyang
- Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao 999078, China
| | - Qiqing Cheng
- Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao 999078, China
- School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning 437100, China
| | - Chunsong Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Plant Ex-situ Conservation and Research Center of Resource Plant, Lushan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jiujiang 332900, China
| | - Ziyu Tang
- Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao 999078, China
| | - Yufeng Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Eyu Tan
- Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Jiangmen Wuyi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangmen 529020, China
- Joint Laboratory for Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Shaofeng Ma
- Jiangmen Wuyi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangmen 529020, China
| | - Xinheng Lin
- Jiangmen Wuyi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangmen 529020, China
| | - Ying Xie
- Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao 999078, China
| | - Hua Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao 999078, China
- Joint Laboratory for Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
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5
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Hwang DW, Maekiniemi A, Singer RH, Sato H. Real-time single-molecule imaging of transcriptional regulatory networks in living cells. Nat Rev Genet 2024; 25:272-285. [PMID: 38195868 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00684-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Gene regulatory networks drive the specific transcriptional programmes responsible for the diversification of cell types during the development of multicellular organisms. Although our knowledge of the genes involved in these dynamic networks has expanded rapidly, our understanding of how transcription is spatiotemporally regulated at the molecular level over a wide range of timescales in the small volume of the nucleus remains limited. Over the past few decades, advances in the field of single-molecule fluorescence imaging have enabled real-time behaviours of individual transcriptional components to be measured in living cells and organisms. These efforts are now shedding light on the dynamic mechanisms of transcription, revealing not only the temporal rules but also the spatial coordination of underlying molecular interactions during various biological events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Woo Hwang
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anna Maekiniemi
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert H Singer
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hanae Sato
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-Nano LSI), Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Japan.
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6
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Wolf T, Grau C, Rosengarten JF, Stitz J, Wilkens J, Barbe S. Investigation of the Electrokinetic Properties of HIV-Based Virus-Like Particles. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:4762-4771. [PMID: 38385169 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c03535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
The antigen density on the surface of HIV-based virus-like particles (VLPs) plays a crucial role in the improvement of HIV vaccine potency. HIV VLPs consist of a dense protein core, which is surrounded by a lipid bilayer and whose surface is usually decorated with antigenic glycoproteins. The successful downstream processing of these particles is challenging, and the high-resolution and cost-efficient purification of HIV-based VLPs has not yet been achieved. Chromatography, one of the major unit operations involved in HIV VLP purification strategies, is usually carried out by means of ion exchangers or ion-exchange membranes. Understanding the electrokinetic behavior of HIV-based VLPs may help to improve the adjustment and efficiency of the corresponding chromatographic processes. In this study, we investigated the electrokinetics and aggregation of both undecorated and decorated VLPs and interpreted the data from the perspective of the soft particle model developed by Ohshima (OSPM), which fails to fully predict the behavior of the studied VLPs. Post-Ohshima literature, and particularly the soft multilayer particle model developed by Langlet et al., provides an alternative theoretical framework to overcome the limits of the OSPM. We finally hypothesized that the electrophoretic mobility of HIV-based VLPs is controlled by an electrohydrodynamic interplay between envelope glycoproteins, lipid bilayer, and Gag envelope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Wolf
- Research Group Medical Biotechnology & Bioengineering, Faculty of Applied Natural Sciences, TH Köln─University of Applied Sciences, Campusplatz 1, 51379 Leverkusen, Germany
- Institute of Technical Chemistry, Leibniz University Hannover, Callinstraße 5, 30167 Hannover, Germany
| | - Christoph Grau
- Research Group Colloid Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Natural Sciences, TH Köln─University of Applied Sciences, Campusplatz 1, 51379 Leverkusen, Germany
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Cologne, Greinstraße 4-6, 50939 Cologne, Germany
| | - Jamila Franca Rosengarten
- Research Group Medical Biotechnology & Bioengineering, Faculty of Applied Natural Sciences, TH Köln─University of Applied Sciences, Campusplatz 1, 51379 Leverkusen, Germany
- Institute of Technical Chemistry, Leibniz University Hannover, Callinstraße 5, 30167 Hannover, Germany
| | - Jörn Stitz
- Research Group Medical Biotechnology & Bioengineering, Faculty of Applied Natural Sciences, TH Köln─University of Applied Sciences, Campusplatz 1, 51379 Leverkusen, Germany
| | - Jan Wilkens
- Research Group Colloid Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Natural Sciences, TH Köln─University of Applied Sciences, Campusplatz 1, 51379 Leverkusen, Germany
| | - Stéphan Barbe
- Research Group Medical Biotechnology & Bioengineering, Faculty of Applied Natural Sciences, TH Köln─University of Applied Sciences, Campusplatz 1, 51379 Leverkusen, Germany
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Parra B, Cockx B, Lutz VT, Brøndsted L, Smets BF, Dechesne A. Isolation and characterization of novel plasmid-dependent phages infecting bacteria carrying diverse conjugative plasmids. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0253723. [PMID: 38063386 PMCID: PMC10782986 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02537-23] [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: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE This work was undertaken because plasmid-dependent phages can reduce the prevalence of conjugative plasmids and can be leveraged to prevent the acquisition and dissemination of ARGs by bacteria. The two novel phages described in this study, Lu221 and Hi226, can infect Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Kluyvera sp. and Enterobacter sp. carrying conjugative plasmids. This was verified with plasmids carrying resistance determinants and belonging to the most common plasmid families among Gram-negative pathogens. Therefore, the newly isolated phages could have the potential to help control the spread of ARGs and thus help combat the antimicrobial resistance crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris Parra
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- Laboratorio de Investigación de Agentes Antibacterianos, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Agronomía, Universidad de las Américas, Concepción, Chile
| | - Bastiaan Cockx
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Veronika T. Lutz
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, København, Denmark
| | - Lone Brøndsted
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, København, Denmark
| | - Barth F. Smets
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Arnaud Dechesne
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
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8
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ARISAKA F. Isolation and grouping of RNA phages by Itaru Watanabe et al. (1967). PROCEEDINGS OF THE JAPAN ACADEMY. SERIES B, PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2024; 100:253-263. [PMID: 38599846 PMCID: PMC11170027 DOI: 10.2183/pjab.100.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
I. Watanabe et al. isolated approximately 30 strains of RNA phages from various parts of Japan. To isolate RNA phages, they assessed the infection specificity of male Escherichia coli and RNase sensitivity. They found that the isolated strains of RNA phages could be serologically separated into three groups. Furthermore, most of them were serologically related, and the antiphage rabbit serum prepared by one of these phages neutralized most of the other phages. The only serologically unrelated phage was the RNA phage Qβ, which was isolated at the Institute for Virus Research, Kyoto University, in 1961.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumio ARISAKA
- Emeritus Professor, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
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9
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Ely B, Lenski J, Mohammadi T. Structural and Genomic Diversity of Bacteriophages. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2738:3-16. [PMID: 37966589 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3549-0_1] [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] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophage diversity is a relatively unknown frontier that is rapidly being explored, leading to a wealth of new information. New bacteriophages are being discovered at an astounding rate via both phage isolation studies and metagenomic analyses. In addition, a nucleotide sequence-based viral taxonomic system has been developed to better handle this wealth of new information. As a result of these developments, phage scientists are transitioning from knowing that there must be huge numbers of diverse kinds of phage particles in natural environments to identifying the actual abundance and phage diversity that is present in specific environments. This review documents the beginning of this transition, offering a glimpse into the magnitude of change unfolding in the field. It stands as a testament to the expanding frontiers of phage research, illuminating the remarkable progress made in unraveling the intricate world of bacteriophage diversity and advancing our understanding of these enigmatic viral entities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bert Ely
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
| | - Jacob Lenski
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Tannaz Mohammadi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
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10
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Wagner A, Mutschler H. Design principles and applications of synthetic self-replicating RNAs. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023; 14:e1803. [PMID: 37264531 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
With the advent of ever more sophisticated methods for the in vitro synthesis and the in vivo delivery of RNAs, synthetic mRNAs have gained substantial interest both for medical applications, as well as for biotechnology. However, in most biological systems exogeneous mRNAs possess only a limited half-life, especially in fast dividing cells. In contrast, viral RNAs can extend their lifetime by actively replicating inside their host. As such they may serve as scaffolds for the design of synthetic self-replicating RNAs (srRNA), which can be used to increase both the half-life and intracellular concentration of coding RNAs. Synthetic srRNAs may be used to enhance recombinant protein expression or induce the reprogramming of differentiated cells into pluripotent stem cells but also to create cell-free systems for research based on experimental evolution. In this article, we discuss the applications and design principles of srRNAs used for cellular reprogramming, mRNA-based vaccines and tools for synthetic biology. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Development RNA Evolution and Genomics > RNA and Ribonucleoprotein Evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Wagner
- Biomimetic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Hannes Mutschler
- Biomimetic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany
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11
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Colson P, Bader W, Fantini J, Dudouet P, Levasseur A, Pontarotti P, Devaux C, Raoult D. From viral democratic genomes to viral wild bunch of quasispecies. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e29209. [PMID: 37937701 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29209] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
The tremendous majority of RNA genomes from pathogenic viruses analyzed and deposited in databases are consensus or "democratic" genomes. They represent the genomes most frequently found in the clinical samples of patients but do not account for the huge genetic diversity of coexisting genomes, which is better described as quasispecies. A viral quasispecies is defined as the dynamic distribution of nonidentical but closely related mutants, variants, recombinant, or reassortant viral genomes. Viral quasispecies have collective behavior and dynamics and are the subject of internal interactions that comprise interference, complementation, or cooperation. In the setting of SARS-CoV-2 infection, intrahost SARS-CoV-2 genetic diversity was recently notably reported for immunocompromised, chronically infected patients, for patients treated with monoclonal antibodies targeting the viral spike protein, and for different body compartments of a single patient. A question that deserves attention is whether such diversity is generated postinfection from a clonal genome in response to selection pressure or is already present at the time of infection as a quasispecies. In the present review, we summarize the data supporting that hosts are infected by a "wild bunch" of viruses rather than by multiple virions sharing the same genome. Each virion in the "wild bunch" may have different virulence and tissue tropisms. As the number of viruses replicated during host infections is huge, a viral quasispecies at any time of infection is wide and is also influenced by host-specific selection pressure after infection, which accounts for the difficulty in deciphering and predicting the appearance of more fit variants and the evolution of epidemics of novel RNA viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Colson
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille Université., Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Microbes Evolution Phylogeny and Infections (MEPHI), Marseille, France
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille (AP-HM), Marseille, France
| | - Wahiba Bader
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille Université., Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Microbes Evolution Phylogeny and Infections (MEPHI), Marseille, France
| | - Jacques Fantini
- INSERM UMR_S 1072, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Pierre Dudouet
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille Université., Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Microbes Evolution Phylogeny and Infections (MEPHI), Marseille, France
| | - Anthony Levasseur
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille Université., Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Microbes Evolution Phylogeny and Infections (MEPHI), Marseille, France
| | - Pierre Pontarotti
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Department of Biological Sciences, Centre National de la Recherche 16 Scientifique (CNRS)-SNC5039, Marseille, France
| | - Christian Devaux
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Department of Biological Sciences, Centre National de la Recherche 16 Scientifique (CNRS)-SNC5039, Marseille, France
| | - Didier Raoult
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille Université., Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Microbes Evolution Phylogeny and Infections (MEPHI), Marseille, France
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Neeteson AM, Avendaño S, Koerhuis A, Duggan B, Souza E, Mason J, Ralph J, Rohlf P, Burnside T, Kranis A, Bailey R. Evolutions in Commercial Meat Poultry Breeding. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3150. [PMID: 37835756 PMCID: PMC10571742 DOI: 10.3390/ani13193150] [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: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the history of commercial poultry breeding, from domestication to the development of science and commercial breeding structures. The development of breeding goals over time, from mainly focusing on production to broad goals, including bird welfare and health, robustness, environmental impact, biological efficiency and reproduction, is detailed. The paper outlines current breeding goals, including traits (e.g., on foot and leg health, contact dermatitis, gait, cardiovascular health, robustness and livability), recording techniques, their genetic basis and how trait these antagonisms, for example, between welfare and production, are managed. Novel areas like genomic selection and gut health research and their current and potential impact on breeding are highlighted. The environmental impact differences of various genotypes are explained. A future outlook shows that balanced, holistic breeding will continue to enable affordable lean animal protein to feed the world, with a focus on the welfare of the birds and a diversity of choice for the various preferences and cultures across the world.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Santiago Avendaño
- Aviagen Group, Newbridge EH28 8SZ, UK; (S.A.); (A.K.); (T.B.); (R.B.)
| | - Alfons Koerhuis
- Aviagen Group, Newbridge EH28 8SZ, UK; (S.A.); (A.K.); (T.B.); (R.B.)
| | | | - Eduardo Souza
- Aviagen Inc., Huntsville, AL 35805, USA; (E.S.); (J.M.)
| | - James Mason
- Aviagen Inc., Huntsville, AL 35805, USA; (E.S.); (J.M.)
| | - John Ralph
- Aviagen Turkeys Ltd., Tattenhall CH3 9GA, UK;
| | - Paige Rohlf
- Aviagen Turkeys Inc., Lewisburg, WV 24901, USA;
| | - Tim Burnside
- Aviagen Group, Newbridge EH28 8SZ, UK; (S.A.); (A.K.); (T.B.); (R.B.)
| | - Andreas Kranis
- Aviagen Ltd., Newbridge EH28 8SZ, UK; (B.D.); or (A.K.)
- The Roslin Institute, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Richard Bailey
- Aviagen Group, Newbridge EH28 8SZ, UK; (S.A.); (A.K.); (T.B.); (R.B.)
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Abstract
AbstractEvolutionary biologists have thought about the role of genetic variation during adaptation for a very long time-before we understood the organization of the genetic code, the provenance of genetic variation, and how such variation influenced the phenotypes on which natural selection acts. Half a century after the discovery of the structure of DNA and the unraveling of the genetic code, we have a rich understanding of these problems and the means to both delve deeper and widen our perspective across organisms and natural populations. The 2022 Vice Presidential Symposium of the American Society of Naturalists highlighted examples of recent insights into the role of genetic variation in adaptive processes, which are compiled in this special section. The work was conducted in different parts of the world, included theoretical and empirical studies with diverse organisms, and addressed distinct aspects of how genetic variation influences adaptation. In our introductory article to the special section, we discuss some important recent insights about the generation and maintenance of genetic variation, its impacts on phenotype and fitness, its fate in natural populations, and its role in driving adaptation. By placing the special section articles in the broader context of recent developments, we hope that this overview will also serve as a useful introduction to the field.
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14
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Adler BA, Chamakura K, Carion H, Krog J, Deutschbauer AM, Young R, Mutalik VK, Arkin AP. Multicopy suppressor screens reveal convergent evolution of single-gene lysis proteins. Nat Chem Biol 2023; 19:759-766. [PMID: 36805702 PMCID: PMC10229422 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-023-01269-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Single-strand RNA (ssRNA) Fiersviridae phages cause host lysis with a product of single gene (sgl for single-gene lysis; product Sgl) that induces autolysis. Many different Sgls have been discovered, but the molecular targets of only a few have been identified. In this study, we used a high-throughput genetic screen to uncover genome-wide host suppressors of diverse Sgls. In addition to validating known molecular mechanisms, we discovered that the Sgl of PP7, an ssRNA phage of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, targets MurJ, the flippase responsible for lipid II export, previously shown to be the target of the Sgl of coliphage M. These two Sgls, which are unrelated and predicted to have opposite membrane topology, thus represent a case of convergent evolution. We extended the genetic screens to other uncharacterized Sgls and uncovered a common set of multicopy suppressors, suggesting that these Sgls act by the same or similar mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Adler
- The UC Berkeley-UCSF Graduate Program in Bioengineering, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Karthik Chamakura
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Armata Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Marina Del Rey, CA, USA
| | - Heloise Carion
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jonathan Krog
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Adam M Deutschbauer
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ry Young
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Vivek K Mutalik
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Adam P Arkin
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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15
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Latka A, Aertsen A, Boeckaerts D, Blasdel B, Ceyssens PJ, Garcia-Pino A, Gillis A, Lavigne R, Lima-Mendez G, Matthijnssens J, Onsea J, Peeters E, Pirnay JP, Thiry D, Vandenheuvel D, Van Mechelen E, Venneman J, Verbeken G, Wagemans J, Briers Y. Foundation of the Belgian Society for Viruses of Microbes and Meeting Report of Its Inaugural Symposium. Viruses 2023; 15:v15051213. [PMID: 37243298 DOI: 10.3390/v15051213] [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: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The Belgian Society for Viruses of Microbes (BSVoM) was founded on 9 June 2022 to capture and enhance the collaborative spirit among the expanding community of microbial virus researchers in Belgium. The sixteen founders are affiliated to fourteen different research entities across academia, industry and government. Its inaugural symposium was held on 23 September 2022 in the Thermotechnical Institute at KU Leuven. The meeting program covered three thematic sessions launched by international keynote speakers: (1) virus-host interactions, (2) viral ecology, evolution and diversity and (3) present and future applications. During the one-day symposium, four invited keynote lectures, ten selected talks and eight student pitches were given along with 41 presented posters. The meeting hosted 155 participants from twelve countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Latka
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Gent, Belgium
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, University of Wroclaw, 51-148 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Abram Aertsen
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dimitri Boeckaerts
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Gent, Belgium
- KERMIT, Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bob Blasdel
- Vésale Bioscience, Vésale Pharmaceutica, 5310 Noville-sur-Mehaigne, Belgium
| | | | - Abel Garcia-Pino
- Cellular and Molecular Microbiology, Faculté des Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus La Plaine, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Annika Gillis
- Laboratory of Food and Environmental Microbiology, Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Rob Lavigne
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Gipsi Lima-Mendez
- Biology of Microorganisms Research Unit (URBM), Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS), Université de Namur ASBL, 5000 Namur, Belgium
| | - Jelle Matthijnssens
- Laboratory of Viral Metagenomics, Rega Institute, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jolien Onsea
- Department of Trauma Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Eveline Peeters
- Research Group of Microbiology, Department of Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jean-Paul Pirnay
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Technology, Queen Astrid Military Hospital, 1120 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Damien Thiry
- Veterinary Bacteriology, Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals and Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Dieter Vandenheuvel
- Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Els Van Mechelen
- Research Centre Health & Water Technology, University of Applied Sciences, 9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - Jolien Venneman
- Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Gilbert Verbeken
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Technology, Queen Astrid Military Hospital, 1120 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Wagemans
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Yves Briers
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Gent, Belgium
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16
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Special Issue “Bacteriophage Genomics”: Editorial. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11030693. [PMID: 36985265 PMCID: PMC10054338 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11030693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Virus genomics as a separate branch of biology has emerged relatively recently [...]
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17
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Twenty Years of Collaboration to Sort out Phage Mu Replication and Its Dependence on the Mu Central Gyrase Binding Site. Viruses 2023; 15:v15030637. [PMID: 36992345 PMCID: PMC10052514 DOI: 10.3390/v15030637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
For 20 years, the intricacies in bacteriophage Mu replication and its regulation were elucidated in collaboration between Ariane Toussaint and her co-workers in the Laboratory of Genetics at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, and the groups of Martin Pato and N. Patrick Higgins in the US. Here, to honor Martin Pato’s scientific passion and rigor, we tell the history of this long-term sharing of results, ideas and experiments between the three groups, and Martin’s final discovery of a very unexpected step in the initiation of Mu replication, the joining of Mu DNA ends separated by 38 kB with the assistance of the host DNA gyrase.
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18
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Zünd M, Dunham SJB, Rothman JA, Whiteson KL. What Lies Beneath? Taking the Plunge into the Murky Waters of Phage Biology. mSystems 2023; 8:e0080722. [PMID: 36651762 PMCID: PMC9948730 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00807-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The sequence revolution revealed that bacteria-infecting viruses, known as phages, are Earth's most abundant biological entities. Phages have far-reaching impacts on the form and function of microbial communities and play a fundamental role in ecological processes. However, even well into the sequencing revolution, we have only just begun to explore the murky waters around the phage biology iceberg. Many viral reads cannot be assigned to a culturable isolate, and reference databases are biased toward more easily collectible samples, which likely distorts our conclusions. This minireview points out alternatives to mapping reads to reference databases and highlights innovative bioinformatic and experimental approaches that can help us overcome some of the challenges in phage research and better decipher the impact of phages on microbial communities. Moving beyond the identification of novel phages, we highlight phage metabolomics as an important influencer of bacterial host cell physiology and hope to inspire the reader to consider the effects of phages on host metabolism and ecosystems at large. We encourage researchers to report unassigned/unknown sequencing reads and contigs and to continue developing alternative methods to investigate phages within sequence data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjam Zünd
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Sage J. B. Dunham
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Jason A. Rothman
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Katrine L. Whiteson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
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19
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Chandler-Bostock R, Bingham RJ, Clark S, Scott AJP, Wroblewski E, Barker A, White SJ, Dykeman EC, Mata CP, Bohon J, Farquhar E, Twarock R, Stockley PG. Genome-regulated Assembly of a ssRNA Virus May Also Prepare It for Infection. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167797. [PMID: 35998704 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167797] [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: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Many single-stranded, positive-sense RNA viruses regulate assembly of their infectious virions by forming multiple, cognate coat protein (CP)-genome contacts at sites termed Packaging Signals (PSs). We have determined the secondary structures of the bacteriophage MS2 ssRNA genome (gRNA) frozen in defined states using constraints from X-ray synchrotron footprinting (XRF). Comparison of the footprints from phage and transcript confirms the presence of multiple PSs in contact with CP dimers in the former. This is also true for a virus-like particle (VLP) assembled around the gRNA in vitro in the absence of the single-copy Maturation Protein (MP) found in phage. Since PS folds are present at many sites across gRNA transcripts, it appears that this genome has evolved to facilitate this mechanism of assembly regulation. There are striking differences between the gRNA-CP contacts seen in phage and the VLP, suggesting that the latter are inappropriate surrogates for aspects of phage structure/function. Roughly 50% of potential PS sites in the gRNA are not in contact with the protein shell of phage. However, many of these sit adjacent to, albeit not in contact with, PS-binding sites on CP dimers. We hypothesize that these act as PSs transiently during assembly but subsequently dissociate. Combining the XRF data with PS locations from an asymmetric cryo-EM reconstruction suggests that the genome positions of such dissociations are non-random and may facilitate infection. The loss of many PS-CP interactions towards the 3' end of the gRNA would allow this part of the genome to transit more easily through the narrow basal body of the pilus extruding machinery. This is the known first step in phage infection. In addition, each PS-CP dissociation event leaves the protein partner trapped in a non-lowest free-energy conformation. This destabilizes the protein shell which must disassemble during infection, further facilitating this stage of the life-cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Richard J Bingham
- Departments of Mathematics and Biology & York Cross-Disciplinary Centre for Systems Analysis, University of York, York, UK
| | - Sam Clark
- Departments of Mathematics and Biology & York Cross-Disciplinary Centre for Systems Analysis, University of York, York, UK
| | - Andrew J P Scott
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Emma Wroblewski
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Amy Barker
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Simon J White
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Eric C Dykeman
- Departments of Mathematics and Biology & York Cross-Disciplinary Centre for Systems Analysis, University of York, York, UK
| | - Carlos P Mata
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Jen Bohon
- CWRU Center for Synchrotron Biosciences, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
| | - Erik Farquhar
- CWRU Center for Synchrotron Biosciences, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
| | - Reidun Twarock
- Departments of Mathematics and Biology & York Cross-Disciplinary Centre for Systems Analysis, University of York, York, UK.
| | - Peter G Stockley
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
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20
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Tingey M, Schnell SJ, Yu W, Saredy J, Junod S, Patel D, Alkurdi AA, Yang W. Technologies Enabling Single-Molecule Super-Resolution Imaging of mRNA. Cells 2022; 11:3079. [PMID: 36231040 PMCID: PMC9564294 DOI: 10.3390/cells11193079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The transient nature of RNA has rendered it one of the more difficult biological targets for imaging. This difficulty stems both from the physical properties of RNA as well as the temporal constraints associated therewith. These concerns are further complicated by the difficulty in imaging endogenous RNA within a cell that has been transfected with a target sequence. These concerns, combined with traditional concerns associated with super-resolution light microscopy has made the imaging of this critical target difficult. Recent advances have provided researchers the tools to image endogenous RNA in live cells at both the cellular and single-molecule level. Here, we review techniques used for labeling and imaging RNA with special emphases on various labeling methods and a virtual 3D super-resolution imaging technique.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Weidong Yang
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
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21
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Guo T, Modi OL, Hirano J, Guzman HV, Tsuboi T. Single-chain models illustrate the 3D RNA folding shape during translation. BIOPHYSICAL REPORTS 2022; 2:100065. [PMID: 36425329 PMCID: PMC9680788 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpr.2022.100065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The three-dimensional conformation of RNA is important in the function and fate of the molecule. The common conformation of mRNA is formed based on the closed-loop structure and internal base pairings with the activity of the ribosome movements. However, recent reports suggest that the closed-loop structure might not be formed in many mRNAs. This implies that mRNA can be considered as a single polymer in the cell. Here, we introduce the Three-dimensional RNA Illustration Program (TRIP) to model the three-dimensional RNA folding shape based on single-chain models and angle restriction of each bead component from previously reported single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH) experimental data. This simulation method was able to recapitulate the mRNA conformation change of the translation activity and three-dimensional positional interaction between an organelle and its localized mRNAs as end-to-end distances. Within the analyzed cases, base-pairing interactions only have minor effects on the three-dimensional mRNA conformation, and instead single-chain polymer characteristics have a more significant impact on the conformation. This top-down method will be used to interpret the aggregation mechanism of mRNA under different cellular conditions such as nucleolus and phase-separated granules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianze Guo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Olivia L. Modi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Jillian Hirano
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Horacio V. Guzman
- Department of Theoretical Physics, Jozef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tatsuhisa Tsuboi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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22
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Rochman ND, Wolf YI, Koonin EV. Molecular adaptations during viral epidemics. EMBO Rep 2022; 23:e55393. [PMID: 35848484 PMCID: PMC9346483 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202255393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
In 1977, the world witnessed both the eradication of smallpox and the beginning of the modern age of genomics. Over the following half-century, 7 epidemic viruses of international concern galvanized virologists across the globe and led to increasingly extensive virus genome sequencing. These sequencing efforts exerted over periods of rapid adaptation of viruses to new hosts, in particular, humans provide insight into the molecular mechanisms underpinning virus evolution. Investment in virus genome sequencing was dramatically increased by the unprecedented support for phylogenomic analyses during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this review, we attempt to piece together comprehensive molecular histories of the adaptation of variola virus, HIV-1 M, SARS, H1N1-SIV, MERS, Ebola, Zika, and SARS-CoV-2 to the human host. Disruption of genes involved in virus-host interaction in animal hosts, recombination including genome segment reassortment, and adaptive mutations leading to amino acid replacements in virus proteins involved in host receptor binding and membrane fusion are identified as the key factors in the evolution of epidemic viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nash D Rochman
- National Center for Biotechnology InformationNational Library of MedicineBethesdaMDUSA
| | - Yuri I Wolf
- National Center for Biotechnology InformationNational Library of MedicineBethesdaMDUSA
| | - Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology InformationNational Library of MedicineBethesdaMDUSA
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23
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Reverse genetics in virology: A double edged sword. BIOSAFETY AND HEALTH 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bsheal.2022.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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24
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Proteotranscriptomics - A facilitator in omics research. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:3667-3675. [PMID: 35891789 PMCID: PMC9293588 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Applications in omics research, such as comparative transcriptomics and proteomics, require the knowledge of the species-specific gene sequence and benefit from a comprehensive high-quality annotation of the coding genes to achieve high coverage. While protein-coding genes can in simple cases be detected by scanning the genome for open reading frames, in more complex genomes exonic sequences are separated by introns. Despite advances in sequencing technologies that allow for ever-growing numbers of genomes, the quality of many of the provided genome assemblies do not reach reference quality. These non-contiguous assemblies with gaps and the necessity to predict splice sites limit accurate gene annotation from solely genomic data. In contrast, the transcriptome only contains transcribed gene regions, is devoid of introns and thus provides the optimal basis for the identification of open reading frames. The additional integration of proteomics data to validate predicted protein-coding genes further enriches for accurate gene models. This review outlines the principles of the proteotranscriptomics approach, discusses common challenges and suggests methods for improvement.
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25
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Privitera GF, Alaimo S, Ferro A, Pulvirenti A. Virus finding tools: current solutions and limitations. Brief Bioinform 2022; 23:6618234. [PMID: 35753694 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbac235] [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: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION The study of the Human Virome remains challenging nowadays. Viral metagenomics, through high-throughput sequencing data, is the best choice for virus discovery. The metagenomics approach is culture-independent and sequence-independent, helping search for either known or novel viruses. Though it is estimated that more than 40% of the viruses found in metagenomics analysis are not recognizable, we decided to analyze several tools to identify and discover viruses in RNA-seq samples. RESULTS We have analyzed eight Virus Tools for the identification of viruses in RNA-seq data. These tools were compared using a synthetic dataset of 30 viruses and a real one. Our analysis shows that no tool succeeds in recognizing all the viruses in the datasets. So we can conclude that each of these tools has pros and cons, and their choice depends on the application domain. AVAILABILITY Synthetic data used through the review and raw results of their analysis can be found at https://zenodo.org/record/6426147. FASTQ files of real data can be found in GEO (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gds) or ENA (https://www.ebi.ac.uk/ena/browser/home). Raw results of their analysis can be downloaded from https://zenodo.org/record/6425917.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grete Francesca Privitera
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria, 6, 95125, Catania, Italy
| | - Salvatore Alaimo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, c/o Dept. of Math. and Comp. Science Viale A. Doria, 6, 95125, Catania, Italy
| | - Alfredo Ferro
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, c/o Dept. of Math. and Comp. Science Viale A. Doria, 6, 95125, Catania, Italy
| | - Alfredo Pulvirenti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, c/o Dept. of Math. and Comp. Science Viale A. Doria, 6, 95125, Catania, Italy
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26
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Tingey M, Yang W. Unraveling docking and initiation of mRNA export through the nuclear pore complex. Bioessays 2022; 44:e2200027. [PMID: 35754154 PMCID: PMC9308666 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202200027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The nuclear export of mRNA through the nuclear pore complex (NPC) is a process required for the healthy functioning of human cells, making it a critical area of research. However, the geometries of mRNA and the NPC are well below the diffraction limit of light microscopy, thereby presenting significant challenges in evaluating the discrete interactions and dynamics involved in mRNA nuclear export through the native NPC. Recent advances in biotechnology and single-molecule super-resolution light microscopy have enabled researchers to gain granular insight into the specific contributions made by discrete nucleoporins in the nuclear basket of the NPC to the export of mRNA. Specifically, by expanding upon the docking step facilitated by the protein TPR in the nuclear basket as well as identifying NUP153 as being the primary nuclear basket protein initiating export through the central channel of the NPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Tingey
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Weidong Yang
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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27
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Chiu YF, Huang YW, Chen CY, Chen YC, Gong YN, Kuo RL, Huang CG, Shih SR. Visualizing Influenza A Virus vRNA Replication. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:812711. [PMID: 35733972 PMCID: PMC9207383 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.812711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Influenza A virus (IAV) has caused recurrent epidemics and severe pandemics. In this study, we adapted an MS2-MCP live-cell imaging system to visualize IAV replication. A reporter plasmid, pHH-PB2-vMSL, was constructed by replacing a part of the PB2-coding sequence in pHH-PB2 with a sequence encoding 24 copies of a stem-loop structure from bacteriophage MS2 (MSL). Binding of MS2 coat protein (MCP) fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) to MSL enabled the detection of vRNA as fluorescent punctate signals in live-cell imaging. The introduction of pHH-PB2-vMSL into A549 cells transduced to express an MCP-GFP fusion protein lacking the nuclear localization signal (MCP-GFPdN), subsequently allowed tracking of the distribution and replication of PB2-vMSL vRNA after IAV PR8 infection. Spatial and temporal measurements revealed exponential increases in vRNA punctate signal intensity, which was only observed after membrane blebbing in apoptotic cells. Similar signal intensity increases in apoptotic cells were also observed after MDCK cells, transduced to express MCP-GFPdN, were infected with IAV carrying PB2-vMSL vRNA. Notably, PB2-vMSL vRNA replication was observed to occur only in apoptotic cells, at a consistent time after apoptosis initiation. There was a lack of observable PB2-vMSL vRNA replication in non-apoptotic cells, and vRNA replication was suppressed in the presence of apoptosis inhibitors. These findings point to an important role for apoptosis in IAV vRNA replication. The utility of the MS2-imaging system for visualizing time-sensitive processes such as viral replication in live host cells is also demonstrated in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Fang Chiu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Wen Huang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Yuan Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chia Chen
- Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Nong Gong
- Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Rei-Lin Kuo
- Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Guei Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Shin-Ru Shih
- Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
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28
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In vitro characterisation of the MS2 RNA polymerase complex reveals host factors that modulate emesviral replicase activity. Commun Biol 2022; 5:264. [PMID: 35338258 PMCID: PMC8956599 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03178-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The RNA phage MS2 is one of the most important model organisms in molecular biology and virology. Despite its comprehensive characterisation, the composition of the RNA replication machinery remained obscure. Here, we characterised host proteins required to reconstitute the functional replicase in vitro. By combining a purified replicase sub-complex with elements of an in vitro translation system, we confirmed that the three host factors, EF-Ts, EF-Tu, and ribosomal protein S1, are part of the active replicase holocomplex. Furthermore, we found that the translation initiation factors IF1 and IF3 modulate replicase activity. While IF3 directly competes with the replicase for template binding, IF1 appears to act as an RNA chaperone that facilitates polymerase readthrough. Finally, we demonstrate in vitro formation of RNAs containing minimal motifs required for amplification. Our work sheds light on the MS2 replication machinery and provides a new promising platform for cell-free evolution.
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29
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Morawska L, Miller W, Riley M, Vardoulakis S, Zhu YG, Marks GB, Garnawat P, Kumar P, Thynell M. How to build Urbanome, the genome of the city? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 810:152310. [PMID: 34914999 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The world's population is shifting to the cities, and consequently, cities worldwide are growing in number and in size. Cities are complex systems, making it extremely difficult to build and run cities in a way that all the elements of the system operate in harmony. Recently a concept of urbanome, the genome of the city was proposed to address this complexity. Here we first explore this concept and analogy, taking advantage of the potential of other 'omics, modern data collection techniques, Big Data analysis methods and a transdisciplinary approach. Then, we propose a theoretical approach to build the urbanome as a means of quantifying and qualifying population outcomes, being a function of the form of an urban area including the built environment, the physical and social services it provides, and the population density.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Morawska
- Queensland University of Technology, International Laboratory for Air Quality & Health (ILAQH), Brisbane, QLD, Australia; Queensland University of Technology, Faculty of Science, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; Queensland University of Technology, Institute of Health Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), Brisbane, QLD, Australia; Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, Surrey, United Kingdom.
| | - Wendy Miller
- Queensland University of Technology, Institute of Health Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Matt Riley
- NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Climate and Atmospheric Science, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sotiris Vardoulakis
- Australian National University, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Yong-Guan Zhu
- Chinese Academy of Science, Institute of Urban Environment, Xiamen, China
| | - Guy B Marks
- South Western Sydney Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Woolcock Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Prashant Kumar
- Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Marie Thynell
- University of Gothenburg, School of Global Studies, Göteborg, Sweden
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30
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Santacruz D, Enane FO, Fundel-Clemens K, Giner M, Wolf G, Onstein S, Klimek C, Smith Z, Wijayawardena B, Viollet C. Automation of high-throughput mRNA-seq library preparation: a robust, hands-free and time efficient methodology. SLAS DISCOVERY : ADVANCING LIFE SCIENCES R & D 2022; 27:140-147. [PMID: 35093290 DOI: 10.1016/j.slasd.2022.01.002] [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] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decade, whole transcriptome profiling, also known as RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), has quickly gained traction as a reliable method for unbiased assessment of gene expression. Integration of RNA-seq expression data into other omics datasets (e.g., proteomics, metabolomics, or epigenetics) solidifies our understanding of cell-specific regulatory patterns, yielding pathways to investigate the key rules of gene regulation. A limitation to efficient, at-scale utilization of RNA-seq is the time-demanding library preparation workflows, which is a 2-day or longer endeavor per cohort/sample size. To tackle this bottleneck, we designed an automated workflow that increases throughput capacity, while minimizing human error to enhance reproducibility. To this end, we converted the manual protocol of the NEBNext Directional Ultra II RNA Library Prep Kit for Illumina on the Beckman Coulter liquid handler, Biomek i7 Hybrid workstation. A total of 84 RNA samples were isolated from two human cell lines and subjected to comparative manual and automated library preparation methods. Qualitative and quantitative results indicated a high degree of similarity between libraries generated manually or through automation. Yet, there was a significant reduction in both hands-on and assay time from a 2-day manual to a 9-hour automated workflow. Using linear regression analysis, we found the Pearson correlation coefficient between libraries generated manually or by automation to be almost identical to a sample being sequenced twice (R²= 0.985 vs 0.983). This demonstrates that high-throughput automated workflows can be of great benefit to genomic laboratories by enhancing efficiency of library preparation, reducing hands-on time and increasing throughput potential.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Gernot Wolf
- Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
| | - Svenja Onstein
- Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
| | - Christoph Klimek
- Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
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31
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Van Gelder RN. Molecular Diagnostics for Ocular Infectious Diseases: LXXVIII Edward Jackson Memorial Lecture. Am J Ophthalmol 2022; 235:300-312. [PMID: 34921773 PMCID: PMC8863649 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2021.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To review the use of molecular diagnostic techniques in the management of ocular infectious disease. DESIGN Retrospective review. METHODS A combination of literature review and personal recollections are used. RESULTS Although the broad term molecular diagnostics may encompass techniques to identify pathogens via protein or metabolomic signatures, this review concentrates on detection of pathogen nucleic acid as an indicator of infection. The introduction of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 1985 opened a new era in analysis of nucleic acids. This technique was soon applied to the detection of potential pathogen DNA and RNA, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites in infectious eye disease. Advances in PCR have allowed class-specific diagnostics (ie, pan-bacterial and pan-fungal), quantitation of pathogen DNA, and multiplexed testing. The Human Genome Project in the early 2000s greatly accelerated development of DNA sequencers, ushering in the era of "Next Generation Sequencing" and permitting pathogen-agnostic methods for the detection of potential infectious agents. Most recently, new technologies such as nanopore sequencing have reduced both cost and equipment requirements for whole-genome sequencing; when coupled with real-time sequence analysis methods, these methods offer the promise of true, real-time, point-of-service ocular infectious disease diagnostics. CONCLUSIONS Molecular methods for pathogen detection have greatly advanced the diagnosis of ocular infectious disease. Further methodologic advances will have a direct impact on the management of these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell N Van Gelder
- From the Departments of Ophthalmology, Biological Structure, and Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, and Roger and Angie Karalis Johnson Retina Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA.
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32
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Hayashi T. [Genome analysis-based studies on bacterial genetic diversity]. Nihon Saikingaku Zasshi 2022; 77:145-160. [PMID: 36418109 DOI: 10.3412/jsb.77.145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
There are a huge number of bacterial species on earth, and a huge intra-species genomic diversity are also observed in many bacteria. The high ability of bacteria to acquire foreign DNA and the presence of various mobile genetic elements contribute the generation of such genomic diversity. During the biochemical and genetic analysis of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa toxin, called cytotoxin, and its converting phage, which I first engaged in my research carrier, I became very interested in the genetic diversity of bacteria and mobile genetic elements such as bacteriophages, and realized the usefulness and power of genome analysis. Since then, I have been involved in genome analyses of various pathogenic bacteria such as enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), commensal bacteria of human and other animals, and bacteria or bacterial communities in natural environments. I was so lucky that I jumped in this research field at the very begging of genome analyses and experienced a very exciting time of surprisingly rapid advance in genome sequencing technologies which revolutionized a wide range of biology. In this article, I first review the main findings which our group obtained from the genome analyses on the P. aeruginosa cytotoxin converting phage and those on the evolution and genomic diversity of EHEC and related bacteria. The results of our analyses of Rickettsiaceae family genomes, which show surprisingly very low genomic diversity, and genome sequence-based analyses of an intrahospital bacterial outbreak and within-host genomic diversity are also summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuya Hayashi
- Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University
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33
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Abstract
Modern genome-scale methods that identify new genes, such as proteogenomics and ribosome profiling, have revealed, to the surprise of many, that overlap in genes, open reading frames and even coding sequences is widespread and functionally integrated into prokaryotic, eukaryotic and viral genomes. In parallel, the constraints that overlapping regions place on genome sequences and their evolution can be harnessed in bioengineering to build more robust synthetic strains and constructs. With a focus on overlapping protein-coding and RNA-coding genes, this Review examines their discovery, topology and biogenesis in the context of their genome biology. We highlight exciting new uses for sequence overlap to control translation, compress synthetic genetic constructs, and protect against mutation.
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34
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Lusky OS, Meir M, Goldbourt A. Characterizing hydrogen bonds in intact RNA from MS2 bacteriophage using magic angle spinning NMR. BIOPHYSICAL REPORTS 2021; 1:100027. [PMID: 36425459 PMCID: PMC9680805 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpr.2021.100027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
RNA is a polymer with pivotal functions in many biological processes. RNA structure determination is thus a vital step toward understanding its function. The secondary structure of RNA is stabilized by hydrogen bonds formed between nucleotide basepairs, and it defines the positions and shapes of functional stem-loops, internal loops, bulges, and other functional and structural elements. In this work, we present a methodology for studying large intact RNA biomolecules using homonuclear 15N solid-state NMR spectroscopy. We show that proton-driven spin-diffusion experiments with long mixing times, up to 16 s, improved by the incorporation of multiple rotor-synchronous 1H inversion pulses (termed radio-frequency dipolar recoupling pulses), reveal key hydrogen-bond contacts. In the full-length RNA isolated from MS2 phage, we observed strong and dominant contributions of guanine-cytosine Watson-Crick basepairs, and beyond these common interactions, we observe a significant contribution of the guanine-uracil wobble basepairs. Moreover, we can differentiate basepaired and non-basepaired nitrogen atoms. Using the improved technique facilitates characterization of hydrogen-bond types in intact large-scale RNA using solid-state NMR. It can be highly useful to guide secondary structure prediction techniques and possibly structure determination methods.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Moran Meir
- School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Amir Goldbourt
- School of Chemistry, Faculty of Exact Sciences
- Corresponding author
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35
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Callanan J, Stockdale SR, Adriaenssens EM, Kuhn JH, Rumnieks J, Pallen MJ, Shkoporov AN, Draper LA, Ross RP, Hill C. Leviviricetes: expanding and restructuring the taxonomy of bacteria-infecting single-stranded RNA viruses. Microb Genom 2021; 7:000686. [PMID: 34747690 PMCID: PMC8743537 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The vast majority of described prokaryotic viruses have double-stranded or single-stranded DNA or double-stranded RNA genomes. Until 2020, a mere four prokaryotic single-stranded, positive-sense RNA viruses have been classified in two genera (Riboviria; Lenarviricota; Allassoviricetes; Leviviridae). Several recent metagenomic and metatranscriptomic studies revealed a vastly greater diversity of these viruses in prokaryotic soil communities than ever anticipated. Phylogenetic analysis of these newly discovered viruses prompted the reorganization of class Allassoviricetes, now renamed Leviviricetes, to include two orders, Norzivirales and Timlovirales, and a total of six families, 428 genera and 882 species. Here we outline the new taxonomy of Leviviricetes, approved and ratified in 2021 by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, and describe open-access hidden Markov models to accommodate the anticipated identification and future classification of hundreds, if not thousands, of additional class members into this new taxonomic framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Callanan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Co. Cork, T12 YT20, Ireland
| | - Stephen R. Stockdale
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Co. Cork, T12 YT20, Ireland
| | | | - Jens H. Kuhn
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland 21702, USA
| | - Janis Rumnieks
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Rātsupītes 1, Riga, LV-1067, Latvia
| | - Mark J. Pallen
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UQ, UK
- University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Andrey N. Shkoporov
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Co. Cork, T12 YT20, Ireland
| | - Lorraine A. Draper
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Co. Cork, T12 YT20, Ireland
| | - R. Paul Ross
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Co. Cork, T12 YT20, Ireland
| | - Colin Hill
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Co. Cork, T12 YT20, Ireland
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36
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Sugimoto R, Nishimura L, Nguyen PT, Ito J, Parrish NF, Mori H, Kurokawa K, Nakaoka H, Inoue I. Comprehensive discovery of CRISPR-targeted terminally redundant sequences in the human gut metagenome: Viruses, plasmids, and more. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1009428. [PMID: 34673779 PMCID: PMC8530359 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Viruses are the most numerous biological entity, existing in all environments and infecting all cellular organisms. Compared with cellular life, the evolution and origin of viruses are poorly understood; viruses are enormously diverse, and most lack sequence similarity to cellular genes. To uncover viral sequences without relying on either reference viral sequences from databases or marker genes that characterize specific viral taxa, we developed an analysis pipeline for virus inference based on clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR). CRISPR is a prokaryotic nucleic acid restriction system that stores the memory of previous exposure. Our protocol can infer CRISPR-targeted sequences, including viruses, plasmids, and previously uncharacterized elements, and predict their hosts using unassembled short-read metagenomic sequencing data. By analyzing human gut metagenomic data, we extracted 11,391 terminally redundant CRISPR-targeted sequences, which are likely complete circular genomes. The sequences included 2,154 tailed-phage genomes, together with 257 complete crAssphage genomes, 11 genomes larger than 200 kilobases, 766 genomes of Microviridae species, 56 genomes of Inoviridae species, and 95 previously uncharacterized circular small genomes that have no reliably predicted protein-coding gene. We predicted the host(s) of approximately 70% of the discovered genomes at the taxonomic level of phylum by linking protospacers to taxonomically assigned CRISPR direct repeats. These results demonstrate that our protocol is efficient for de novo inference of CRISPR-targeted sequences and their host prediction. The evolution and origins of viruses are long-standing questions in the field of biology. Viral genomes provide fundamental information to infer the evolution and origin of viruses. However, viruses are extraordinarily diverse, and there are no single genes shared across entire species. Several methods were developed to collect viral genomes from metagenome. To infer viral genomes from metagenome, previous approaches relied on reference viral genomes. We thought that such reference-based methods may not be sufficient to uncover diverse viral genomes; therefore, we developed a pipeline that utilizes CRISPR, a prokaryotic adaptive immunological memory. Using this pipeline, we discovered more than 10,000 positively complete CRISPR-targeted genomes from human gut metagenome datasets. A substantial portion of the discovered genomes encoded various types of capsid proteins, supporting the contention that these sequences are viral. Although the majority of these capsid-protein-coding sequences were previously characterized, we notably discovered Inoviridae genomes that were previously difficult to infer as being viral. Furthermore, some of the remaining unclassified sequences without a detectable capsid-protein-encoding gene had a notably low protein-coding ratio. Overall, our pipeline successfully discovered viruses and previously uncharacterized presumably mobile genetic elements targeted by CRISPR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryota Sugimoto
- Human Genetics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Luca Nishimura
- Human Genetics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
- The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Phuong Thanh Nguyen
- Human Genetics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
- The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Jumpei Ito
- Division of Systems Virology, Department of Infectious Disease Control, International Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nicholas F. Parrish
- Genome Immunobiology RIKEN Hakubi Research Team, Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, RIKEN, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Mori
- Genome Diversity Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Ken Kurokawa
- Genome Evolution Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Nakaoka
- Department of Cancer Genome Research, Sasaki Institute, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ituro Inoue
- Human Genetics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
- * E-mail:
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37
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Neely BA, Palmblad M. Rewinding the Molecular Clock: Looking at Pioneering Molecular Phylogenetics Experiments in the Light of Proteomics. J Proteome Res 2021; 20:4640-4645. [PMID: 34523928 PMCID: PMC8491155 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.1c00528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Science is full of
overlooked and undervalued research waiting
to be rediscovered. Proteomics is no exception. In this perspective,
we follow the ripples from a 1960 study of Zuckerkandl, Jones, and
Pauling comparing tryptic peptides across animal species. This pioneering
work directly led to the molecular clock hypothesis and the ensuing
explosion in molecular phylogenetics. In the decades following, proteins
continued to provide essential clues on evolutionary history. While
technology has continued to improve, contemporary proteomics has strayed
from this larger biological context, rarely comparing species or asking
how protein structure, function, and interactions have evolved. Here
we recombine proteomics with molecular phylogenetics, highlighting
the value of framing proteomic results in a larger biological context
and how almost forgotten research, though technologically surpassed,
can still generate new ideas and illuminate our work from a different
perspective. Though it is infeasible to read all research published
on a large topic, looking up older papers can be surprisingly rewarding
when rediscovering a “gem” at the end of a long citation
chain, aided by digital collections and perpetually helpful librarians.
Proper literature study reduces unnecessary repetition and allows
research to be more insightful and impactful by truly standing on
the shoulders of giants. All data was uploaded to MassIVE (https://massive.ucsd.edu/)
as dataset MSV000087993.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Neely
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Charleston, South Carolina 29412, United States
| | - Magnus Palmblad
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands
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38
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Bacteriophage Technology and Modern Medicine. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10080999. [PMID: 34439049 PMCID: PMC8388951 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10080999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacteriophage (or phage for short) has been used as an antibacterial agent for over a century but was abandoned in most countries after the discovery and broad use of antibiotics. The worldwide emergence and high prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria have led to a revival of interest in the long-forgotten antibacterial therapy with phages (phage therapy) as an alternative approach to combatting AMR bacteria. The rapid progress recently made in molecular biology and genetic engineering has accelerated the generation of phage-related products with superior therapeutic potentials against bacterial infection. Nowadays, phage-based technology has been developed for many purposes, including those beyond the framework of antibacterial treatment, such as to suppress viruses by phages, gene therapy, vaccine development, etc. Here, we highlighted the current progress in phage engineering technology and its application in modern medicine.
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39
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Peabody DS, Peabody J, Bradfute SB, Chackerian B. RNA Phage VLP-Based Vaccine Platforms. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:764. [PMID: 34451861 PMCID: PMC8401894 DOI: 10.3390/ph14080764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particles from a variety of RNA bacteriophages have turned out to be useful platforms for delivery of vaccine antigens in a highly immunogenic format. Here we update the current state of development of RNA phage VLPs as platforms for presentation of diverse antigens by genetic, enzymatic, and chemical display methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S. Peabody
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (J.P.); (B.C.)
| | - Julianne Peabody
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (J.P.); (B.C.)
| | - Steven B. Bradfute
- Center for Global Health, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 505, USA;
| | - Bryce Chackerian
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (J.P.); (B.C.)
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40
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Ahmed Z, Renart EG, Zeeshan S. Genomics pipelines to investigate susceptibility in whole genome and exome sequenced data for variant discovery, annotation, prediction and genotyping. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11724. [PMID: 34395068 PMCID: PMC8320519 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last few decades, genomics is leading toward audacious future, and has been changing our views about conducting biomedical research, studying diseases, and understanding diversity in our society across the human species. The whole genome and exome sequencing (WGS/WES) are two of the most popular next-generation sequencing (NGS) methodologies that are currently being used to detect genetic variations of clinical significance. Investigating WGS/WES data for the variant discovery and genotyping is based on the nexus of different data analytic applications. Although several bioinformatics applications have been developed, and many of those are freely available and published. Timely finding and interpreting genetic variants are still challenging tasks among diagnostic laboratories and clinicians. In this study, we are interested in understanding, evaluating, and reporting the current state of solutions available to process the NGS data of variable lengths and types for the identification of variants, alleles, and haplotypes. Residing within the scope, we consulted high quality peer reviewed literature published in last 10 years. We were focused on the standalone and networked bioinformatics applications proposed to efficiently process WGS and WES data, and support downstream analysis for gene-variant discovery, annotation, prediction, and interpretation. We have discussed our findings in this manuscript, which include but not are limited to the set of operations, workflow, data handling, involved tools, technologies and algorithms and limitations of the assessed applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeeshan Ahmed
- Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.,Department of Medicine, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Eduard Gibert Renart
- Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Saman Zeeshan
- Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
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41
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Characterization and genome sequence of the genetically unique Escherichia bacteriophage vB_EcoM_IME392. Arch Virol 2021; 166:2505-2520. [PMID: 34236511 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-021-05160-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
In this study, a novel Escherichia coli-specific bacteriophage, vB_EcoM_IME392, was isolated from chicken farm sewage in Qingdao, China. The genome of IME392 was found by next-generation sequencing to be 116,460 base pairs in length with a G+C content of 45.4% (GenBank accession number MH719082). BLASTn results revealed that only 2% of the genome sequence of IME392 shows sequence similarity to known phage sequences in the GenBank database, which indicates that IME392 is a novel bacteriophage. Transmission electron microscopy showed that IME392 belongs to the family Myoviridae. The host range, the multiplicity of infection, and a one-step growth curve were also determined.
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Benler S, Koonin EV. Fishing for phages in metagenomes: what do we catch, what do we miss? Curr Opin Virol 2021; 49:142-150. [PMID: 34139668 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2021.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Metagenomics and metatranscriptomics have become the principal approaches for discovery of novel bacteriophages and preliminary characterization of their ecology and biology. Metagenomic sequencing dramatically expanded the known diversity of tailed and non-tailed phages with double-stranded DNA genomes and those with single-stranded DNA genomes, whereas metatranscriptomics led to the discovery of thousands of new single-stranded RNA phages. Apart from expanding phage diversity, metagenomics studies discover major novel groups of phages with unique features of genome organization, expression strategy and virus-host interaction, such as the putative order 'crAssvirales', which includes the most abundant human-associated viruses. The continued success of metagenomics hinges on the combination of the most powerful computational methods for phage genome assembly and analysis including harnessing CRISPR spacers for the discovery of novel phages and host assignment. Together, these approaches could make a comprehensive characterization of the earth phageome a realistic goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Benler
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD, United States.
| | - Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD, United States.
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Does over a century of aerobic phage work provide a solid framework for the study of phages in the gut? Anaerobe 2021; 68:102319. [PMID: 33465423 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2021.102319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial viruses (bacteriophages, phages) of the gut have increasingly become a focus in microbiome studies, with an understanding that they are likely key players in health and disease. However, characterization of the virome remains largely based on bioinformatic approaches, with the impact of these viromes inferred based on a century of knowledge from aerobic phage work. Studying the phages infecting anaerobes is difficult, as they are often technically demanding to isolate and propagate. In this review, we primarily discuss the phages infecting three well-studied anaerobes in the gut: Bifidobacterium, Clostridia and Bacteroides, with a particular focus on the challenges in isolating and characterizing these phages. We contrast the lessons learned from these to other anaerobic work on phages infecting facultative anaerobes of the gut: Enterococcus and Lactobacillus. Phages from the gut do appear to adhere to the lessons learned from aerobic work, but the additional challenges of working on them has required ingenious new approaches to enable their study. This, in turn, has uncovered remarkable biology likely underpinning phage-host relationships in many stable environments.
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Utilizing Amino Acid Composition and Entropy of Potential Open Reading Frames to Identify Protein-Coding Genes. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9010129. [PMID: 33429904 PMCID: PMC7827183 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9010129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the main steps in gene-finding in prokaryotes is determining which open reading frames encode for a protein, and which occur by chance alone. There are many different methods to differentiate the two; the most prevalent approach is using shared homology with a database of known genes. This method presents many pitfalls, most notably the catch that you only find genes that you have seen before. The four most popular prokaryotic gene-prediction programs (GeneMark, Glimmer, Prodigal, Phanotate) all use a protein-coding training model to predict protein-coding genes, with the latter three allowing for the training model to be created ab initio from the input genome. Different methods are available for creating the training model, and to increase the accuracy of such tools, we present here GOODORFS, a method for identifying protein-coding genes within a set of all possible open reading frames (ORFS). Our workflow begins with taking the amino acid frequencies of each ORF, calculating an entropy density profile (EDP), using KMeans to cluster the EDPs, and then selecting the cluster with the lowest variation as the coding ORFs. To test the efficacy of our method, we ran GOODORFS on 14,179 annotated phage genomes, and compared our results to the initial training-set creation step of four other similar methods (Glimmer, MED2, PHANOTATE, Prodigal). We found that GOODORFS was the most accurate (0.94) and had the best F1-score (0.85), while Glimmer had the highest precision (0.92) and PHANOTATE had the highest recall (0.96).
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Ahmed F, Sharma M, Al-Ghamdi AA, Al-Yami SM, Al-Salami AM, Refai MY, Warsi MK, Howladar SM, Baeshen MN. A Comprehensive Analysis of cis-Acting RNA Elements in the SARS-CoV-2 Genome by a Bioinformatics Approach. Front Genet 2020; 11:572702. [PMID: 33424918 PMCID: PMC7786107 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.572702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of a new coronavirus (CoV), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), responsible for severe respiratory disease in humans termed coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), became a new global threat for health and the economy. The SARS-CoV-2 genome is about a 29,800-nucleotide-long plus-strand RNA that can form functionally important secondary and higher-order structures called cis-acting RNA elements. These elements can interact with viral proteins, host proteins, or other RNAs and be involved in regulating translation and replication processes of the viral genome and encapsidation of the virus. However, the cis-acting RNA elements and their biological roles in SARS-CoV-2 as well as their comparative analysis in the closely related viral genome have not been well explored, which is very important to understand the molecular mechanism of viral infection and pathogenies. In this study, we used a bioinformatics approach to identify the cis-acting RNA elements in the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Initially, we aligned the full genomic sequence of six different CoVs, and a phylogenetic analysis was performed to understand their evolutionary relationship. Next, we predicted the cis-acting RNA elements in the SARS-CoV-2 genome using the structRNAfinder tool. Then, we annotated the location of these cis-acting RNA elements in different genomic regions of SARS-CoV-2. After that, we analyzed the sequence conservation patterns of each cis-acting RNA element among the six CoVs. Finally, the presence of cis-acting RNA elements across different CoV genomes and their comparative analysis was performed. Our study identified 12 important cis-acting RNA elements in the SARS-CoV-2 genome; among them, Corona_FSE, Corona_pk3, and s2m are highly conserved across most of the studied CoVs, and Thr_leader, MAT2A_D, and MS2 are uniquely present in SARS-CoV-2. These RNA structure elements can be involved in viral translation, replication, and encapsidation and, therefore, can be potential targets for better treatment of COVID-19. It is imperative to further characterize these cis-acting RNA elements experimentally for a better mechanistic understanding of SARS-CoV-2 infection and therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Firoz Ahmed
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- University of Jeddah Center for Scientific and Medical Research, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Monika Sharma
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali, India
| | | | | | | | - Mohammed Y. Refai
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- University of Jeddah Center for Scientific and Medical Research, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohiuddin Khan Warsi
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- University of Jeddah Center for Scientific and Medical Research, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saad M. Howladar
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed N. Baeshen
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Chamakura KR, Tran JS, O'Leary C, Lisciandro HG, Antillon SF, Garza KD, Tran E, Min L, Young R. Rapid de novo evolution of lysis genes in single-stranded RNA phages. Nat Commun 2020; 11:6009. [PMID: 33243984 PMCID: PMC7693330 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19860-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Leviviruses are bacteriophages with small single-stranded RNA genomes consisting of 3-4 genes, one of which (sgl) encodes a protein that induces the host to undergo autolysis and liberate progeny virions. Recent meta-transcriptomic studies have uncovered thousands of leviviral genomes, but most of these lack an annotated sgl, mainly due to the small size, lack of sequence similarity, and embedded nature of these genes. Here, we identify sgl genes in 244 leviviral genomes and functionally characterize them in Escherichia coli. We show that leviviruses readily evolve sgl genes and sometimes have more than one per genome. Moreover, these genes share little to no similarity with each other or to previously known sgl genes, thus representing a rich source for potential protein antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karthik R Chamakura
- Center for Phage Technology and Texas A&M AgriLife, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2128, USA
| | - Jennifer S Tran
- Center for Phage Technology and Texas A&M AgriLife, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2128, USA
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Chandler O'Leary
- Center for Phage Technology and Texas A&M AgriLife, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2128, USA
- University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, 43210, USA
| | - Hannah G Lisciandro
- Center for Phage Technology and Texas A&M AgriLife, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2128, USA
| | - Sophia F Antillon
- Center for Phage Technology and Texas A&M AgriLife, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2128, USA
| | - Kameron D Garza
- Center for Phage Technology and Texas A&M AgriLife, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2128, USA
| | - Elizabeth Tran
- Center for Phage Technology and Texas A&M AgriLife, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2128, USA
- College of Pharmacy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, 43210, USA
| | - Lorna Min
- Center for Phage Technology and Texas A&M AgriLife, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2128, USA
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Ry Young
- Center for Phage Technology and Texas A&M AgriLife, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2128, USA.
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Naureen Z, Dautaj A, Anpilogov K, Camilleri G, Dhuli K, Tanzi B, Maltese PE, Cristofoli F, De Antoni L, Beccari T, Dundar M, Bertelli M. Bacteriophages presence in nature and their role in the natural selection of bacterial populations. ACTA BIO-MEDICA : ATENEI PARMENSIS 2020; 91:e2020024. [PMID: 33170167 PMCID: PMC8023132 DOI: 10.23750/abm.v91i13-s.10819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Phages are the obligate parasite of bacteria and have complex interactions with their hosts. Phages can live in, modify, and shape bacterial communities by bringing about changes in their abundance, diversity, physiology, and virulence. In addition, phages mediate lateral gene transfer, modify host metabolism and reallocate bacterially-derived biochemical compounds through cell lysis, thus playing an important role in ecosystem. Phages coexist and coevolve with bacteria and have developed several antidefense mechanisms in response to bacterial defense strategies against them. Phages owe their existence to their bacterial hosts, therefore they bring about alterations in their host genomes by transferring resistance genes and genes encoding toxins in order to improve the fitness of the hosts. Application of phages in biotechnology, environment, agriculture and medicines demands a deep insight into the myriad of phage-bacteria interactions. However, to understand their complex interactions, we need to know how unique phages are to their bacterial hosts and how they exert a selective pressure on the microbial communities in nature. Consequently, the present review focuses on phage biology with respect to natural selection of bacterial populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zakira Naureen
- Department of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Tommaso Beccari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
| | - Munis Dundar
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
| | - Matteo Bertelli
- EBTNA-LAB, Rovereto (TN), Italy; MAGI EUREGIO, Bolzano, Italy; MAGI'S LAB, Rovereto (TN), Italy.
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Zrelovs N, Dislers A, Kazaks A. Motley Crew: Overview of the Currently Available Phage Diversity. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:579452. [PMID: 33193205 PMCID: PMC7658105 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.579452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The first complete genome that was sequenced at the beginning of the sequencing era was that of a phage, since then researchers throughout the world have been steadily describing and publishing genomes from a wide array of phages, uncovering the secrets of the most abundant and diverse biological entities known to man. Currently, we are experiencing an unprecedented rate of novel bacteriophage discovery, which can be seen from the fact that the amount of complete bacteriophage genome entries in public sequence repositories has more than doubled in the past 3 years and is steadily growing without showing any sign of slowing down. The amount of publicly available phage genome-related data can be overwhelming and has been summarized in literature before but quickly becomes out of date. Thus, the aim of this paper is to briefly outline currently available phage diversity data for public acknowledgment that could possibly encourage and stimulate future “depth” studies of particular groups of phages or their gene products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikita Zrelovs
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia
| | - Andris Dislers
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia
| | - Andris Kazaks
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia
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49
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Noble
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics, University of Oxford, USA.
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50
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Zhang W, Wu Q. Applications of phage-derived RNA-based technologies in synthetic biology. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2020; 5:343-360. [PMID: 33083579 PMCID: PMC7564126 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2020.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
As the most abundant biological entities with incredible diversity, bacteriophages (also known as phages) have been recognized as an important source of molecular machines for the development of genetic-engineering tools. At the same time, phages are crucial for establishing and improving basic theories of molecular biology. Studies on phages provide rich sources of essential elements for synthetic circuit design as well as powerful support for the improvement of directed evolution platforms. Therefore, phages play a vital role in the development of new technologies and central scientific concepts. After the RNA world hypothesis was proposed and developed, novel biological functions of RNA continue to be discovered. RNA and its related elements are widely used in many fields such as metabolic engineering and medical diagnosis, and their versatility led to a major role of RNA in synthetic biology. Further development of RNA-based technologies will advance synthetic biological tools as well as provide verification of the RNA world hypothesis. Most synthetic biology efforts are based on reconstructing existing biological systems, understanding fundamental biological processes, and developing new technologies. RNA-based technologies derived from phages will offer abundant sources for synthetic biological components. Moreover, phages as well as RNA have high impact on biological evolution, which is pivotal for understanding the origin of life, building artificial life-forms, and precisely reprogramming biological systems. This review discusses phage-derived RNA-based technologies terms of phage components, the phage lifecycle, and interactions between phages and bacteria. The significance of RNA-based technology derived from phages for synthetic biology and for understanding the earliest stages of biological evolution will be highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Zhang
- MOE Key Lab. Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Qiong Wu
- MOE Key Lab. Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Corresponding author. MOE Key Lab. Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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