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Odendaal C, Jager EA, Martines ACMF, Vieira-Lara MA, Huijkman NCA, Kiyuna LA, Gerding A, Wolters JC, Heiner-Fokkema R, van Eunen K, Derks TGJ, Bakker BM. Personalised modelling of clinical heterogeneity between medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase patients. BMC Biol 2023; 21:184. [PMID: 37667308 PMCID: PMC10478272 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01652-9] [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: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Monogenetic inborn errors of metabolism cause a wide phenotypic heterogeneity that may even differ between family members carrying the same genetic variant. Computational modelling of metabolic networks may identify putative sources of this inter-patient heterogeneity. Here, we mainly focus on medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MCADD), the most common inborn error of the mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (mFAO). It is an enigma why some MCADD patients-if untreated-are at risk to develop severe metabolic decompensations, whereas others remain asymptomatic throughout life. We hypothesised that an ability to maintain an increased free mitochondrial CoA (CoASH) and pathway flux might distinguish asymptomatic from symptomatic patients. RESULTS We built and experimentally validated, for the first time, a kinetic model of the human liver mFAO. Metabolites were partitioned according to their water solubility between the bulk aqueous matrix and the inner membrane. Enzymes are also either membrane-bound or in the matrix. This metabolite partitioning is a novel model attribute and improved predictions. MCADD substantially reduced pathway flux and CoASH, the latter due to the sequestration of CoA as medium-chain acyl-CoA esters. Analysis of urine from MCADD patients obtained during a metabolic decompensation showed an accumulation of medium- and short-chain acylcarnitines, just like the acyl-CoA pool in the MCADD model. The model suggested some rescues that increased flux and CoASH, notably increasing short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (SCAD) levels. Proteome analysis of MCADD patient-derived fibroblasts indeed revealed elevated levels of SCAD in a patient with a clinically asymptomatic state. This is a rescue for MCADD that has not been explored before. Personalised models based on these proteomics data confirmed an increased pathway flux and CoASH in the model of an asymptomatic patient compared to those of symptomatic MCADD patients. CONCLUSIONS We present a detailed, validated kinetic model of mFAO in human liver, with solubility-dependent metabolite partitioning. Personalised modelling of individual patients provides a novel explanation for phenotypic heterogeneity among MCADD patients. Further development of personalised metabolic models is a promising direction to improve individualised risk assessment, management and monitoring for inborn errors of metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoff Odendaal
- Laboratory of Paediatrics, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Emmalie A Jager
- Laboratory of Paediatrics, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Section of Metabolic Diseases, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Anne-Claire M F Martines
- Laboratory of Paediatrics, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Marcel A Vieira-Lara
- Laboratory of Paediatrics, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Nicolette C A Huijkman
- Laboratory of Paediatrics, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Ligia A Kiyuna
- Laboratory of Paediatrics, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Albert Gerding
- Laboratory of Paediatrics, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Justina C Wolters
- Laboratory of Paediatrics, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Rebecca Heiner-Fokkema
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Karen van Eunen
- Laboratory of Paediatrics, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Terry G J Derks
- Section of Metabolic Diseases, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Barbara M Bakker
- Laboratory of Paediatrics, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
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van Niekerk DD, du Toit F, Green K, Palm D, Snoep JL. A detailed kinetic model of glycolysis in Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells for antimalarial drug target identification. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105111. [PMID: 37517694 PMCID: PMC10474083 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Upon infection by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, the glycolytic rate of a red blood cell increases up to 100-fold, possibly contributing to lactic acidosis and hypoglycemia in patients with severe malaria. This dramatic increase in glucose uptake and metabolism was correctly predicted by a newly constructed detailed enzyme kinetic model of glucose metabolism in the trophozoite-infected red blood cell. Subsequently, we expanded the model to simulate an infected red blood cell culture, including the different asexual blood-stage forms of the malaria parasite. The model simulations were in good agreement with experimental data, for which the measured parasitic volume was an important parameter. Upon further analysis of the model, we identified glucose transport as a drug target that would specifically affect infected red blood cells, which was confirmed experimentally with inhibitor titrations. This model can be a first step in constructing a whole-body model for glucose metabolism in malaria patients to evaluate the contribution of the parasite's metabolism to the disease state.
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Affiliation(s)
- David D van Niekerk
- Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
| | - Francois du Toit
- Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
| | - Kathleen Green
- Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
| | - Danie Palm
- Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
| | - Jacky L Snoep
- Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa; Molecular Cell Biology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Zhang Y, Westerhoff HV. Gear Shifting in Biological Energy Transduction. ENTROPY (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 25:993. [PMID: 37509940 PMCID: PMC10378313 DOI: 10.3390/e25070993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Confronted with thermodynamically adverse output processes, free-energy transducers may shift to lower gears, thereby reducing output per unit input. This option is well known for inanimate machines such as automobiles, but unappreciated in biology. The present study extends existing non-equilibrium thermodynamic principles to underpin biological gear shifting and identify possible mechanisms. It shows that gear shifting differs from altering the degree of coupling and that living systems may use it to optimize their performance: microbial growth is ultimately powered by the Gibbs energy of catabolism, which is partially transformed into Gibbs energy ('output force') in the ATP that is produced. If this output force is high, the cell may turn to a catabolic pathway with a lower ATP stoichiometry. Notwithstanding the reduced stoichiometry, the ATP synthesis flux may then actually increase as compared to that in a system without gear shift, in which growth might come to a halt. A 'variomatic' gear switching strategy should be optimal, explaining why organisms avail themselves of multiple catabolic pathways, as these enable them to shift gears when the growing gets tough.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfei Zhang
- Synthetic Systems Biology and Nuclear Organization, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hans V Westerhoff
- Synthetic Systems Biology and Nuclear Organization, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
- Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), Wallenberg Research Centre at Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
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4
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Gao P, Liu YQ, Xiao W, Xia F, Chen JY, Gu LW, Yang F, Zheng LH, Zhang JZ, Zhang Q, Li ZJ, Meng YQ, Zhu YP, Tang H, Shi QL, Guo QY, Zhang Y, Xu CC, Dai LY, Wang JG. Identification of antimalarial targets of chloroquine by a combined deconvolution strategy of ABPP and MS-CETSA. Mil Med Res 2022; 9:30. [PMID: 35698214 PMCID: PMC9195458 DOI: 10.1186/s40779-022-00390-3] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria is a devastating infectious disease that disproportionally threatens hundreds of millions of people in developing countries. In the history of anti-malaria campaign, chloroquine (CQ) has played an indispensable role, however, its mechanism of action (MoA) is not fully understood. METHODS We used the principle of photo-affinity labeling and click chemistry-based functionalization in the design of a CQ probe and developed a combined deconvolution strategy of activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) and mass spectrometry-coupled cellular thermal shift assay (MS-CETSA) that identified the protein targets of CQ in an unbiased manner in this study. The interactions between CQ and these identified potential protein hits were confirmed by biophysical and enzymatic assays. RESULTS We developed a novel clickable, photo-affinity chloroquine analog probe (CQP) which retains the antimalarial activity in the nanomole range, and identified a total of 40 proteins that specifically interacted and photo-crosslinked with CQP which was inhibited in the presence of excess CQ. Using MS-CETSA, we identified 83 candidate interacting proteins out of a total of 3375 measured parasite proteins. At the same time, we identified 8 proteins as the most potential hits which were commonly identified by both methods. CONCLUSIONS We found that CQ could disrupt glycolysis and energy metabolism of malarial parasites through direct binding with some of the key enzymes, a new mechanism that is different from its well-known inhibitory effect of hemozoin formation. This is the first report of identifying CQ antimalarial targets by a parallel usage of labeled (ABPP) and label-free (MS-CETSA) methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Gao
- Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Yan-Qing Liu
- Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Wei Xiao
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Fei Xia
- Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Jia-Yun Chen
- Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Li-Wei Gu
- Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Geriatrics, the Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, the First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518020, Guangdong, China
| | - Liu-Hai Zheng
- Department of Geriatrics, the Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, the First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518020, Guangdong, China
| | - Jun-Zhe Zhang
- Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Zhi-Jie Li
- Department of Geriatrics, the Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, the First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518020, Guangdong, China
| | - Yu-Qing Meng
- Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Yong-Ping Zhu
- Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Huan Tang
- Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Qiao-Li Shi
- Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Qiu-Yan Guo
- Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Cheng-Chao Xu
- Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
| | - Ling-Yun Dai
- Department of Geriatrics, the Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, the First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518020, Guangdong, China. .,Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 138673, Singapore.
| | - Ji-Gang Wang
- Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China. .,Department of Geriatrics, the Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, the First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518020, Guangdong, China. .,Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore.
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All Driven by Energy Demand? Integrative Comparison of Metabolism of Enterococcus faecalis Wildtype and a Glutamine Synthase Mutant. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0240021. [PMID: 35234500 PMCID: PMC8941932 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02400-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) play a significant role in biotechnology, e.g., food industry and also in human health. Many LAB genera have developed a multidrug resistance in the past few years, causing a serious problem in controlling hospital germs worldwide. Enterococcus faecalis accounts for a large part of the human infections caused by LABs. Therefore, studying its adaptive metabolism under various environmental conditions is particularly important to promote the development of new therapeutic approaches. In this study, we investigated the effect of glutamine auxotrophy (ΔglnA mutant) on metabolic and proteomic adaptations of E. faecalis in response to a changing pH in its environment. Changing pH values are part of the organism's natural environment in the human body and play a role in the food industry. We compared the results with those of the wildtype. Using a genome-scale metabolic model constrained by metabolic and proteomic data, our integrative method allows us to understand the bigger picture of the adaptation strategies of this bacterium. The study showed that energy demand is the decisive factor in adapting to a new environmental pH. The energy demand of the mutant was higher at all conditions. It has been reported that ΔglnA mutants of bacteria are energetically less effective. With the aid of our data and model we are able to explain this phenomenon as a consequence of a failure to regulate glutamine uptake and the costs for the import of glutamine and the export of ammonium. Methodologically, it became apparent that taking into account the nonspecificity of amino acid transporters is important for reproducing metabolic changes with genome-scale models because it affects energy balance. IMPORTANCE The integration of new pH-dependent experimental data on metabolic uptake and release fluxes, as well as of proteome data with a genome-scale computational model of a glutamine synthetase mutant of E. faecalis is used and compared with those of the wildtype to understand why glutamine auxotrophy results in a less efficient metabolism and how-in comparison with the wildtype-the glutamine synthetase knockout impacts metabolic adjustments during acidification or simply exposure to lower pH. We show that forced glutamine auxotrophy causes more energy demand and that this is likely due to a disregulated glutamine uptake. Proteome changes during acidification observed for the mutant resemble those of the wildtype with the exception of glycolysis-related genes, as the mutant is already energetically stressed at a higher pH and the respective proteome changes were in effect.
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6
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Silal SP. Operational research: A multidisciplinary approach for the management of infectious disease in a global context. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH 2021; 291:929-934. [PMID: 32836716 PMCID: PMC7377991 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejor.2020.07.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Infectious diseases, both established and emerging, impose a significant burden globally. Successful management of infectious diseases requires considerable effort and a multidisciplinary approach to tackle the complex web of interconnected biological, public health and economic systems. Through a wide range of problem-solving techniques and computational methods, operational research can strengthen health systems and support decision-making at all levels of disease control. From improved understanding of disease biology, intervention planning and implementation, assessing economic feasibility of new strategies, identifying opportunities for cost reductions in routine processes, and informing health policy, this paper highlights areas of opportunity for operational research to contribute to effective and efficient infectious disease management and improved health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheetal Prakash Silal
- Modelling and Simulation Hub, Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
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7
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Pyruvate kinase from Plasmodium falciparum: Structural and kinetic insights into the allosteric mechanism. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 532:370-376. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.08.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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8
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Schormann N, Campos J, Motamed R, Hayden KL, Gould JR, Green TJ, Senkovich O, Banerjee S, Ulett GC, Chattopadhyay D. Chlamydia trachomatis glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase: Enzyme kinetics, high-resolution crystal structure, and plasminogen binding. Protein Sci 2020; 29:2446-2458. [PMID: 33058314 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is an evolutionarily conserved essential enzyme in the glycolytic pathway. GAPDH is also involved in a wide spectrum of non-catalytic cellular 'moonlighting' functions. Bacterial surface-associated GAPDHs engage in many host interactions that aid in colonization, pathogenesis, and virulence. We have structurally and functionally characterized the recombinant GAPDH of the obligate intracellular bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis, the leading cause of sexually transmitted bacterial and ocular infections. Contrary to earlier speculations, recent data confirm the presence of glucose-catabolizing enzymes including GAPDH in both stages of the biphasic life cycle of the bacterium. The high-resolution crystal structure described here provides a close-up view of the enzyme's active site and surface topology and reveals two chemically modified cysteine residues. Moreover, we show for the first time that purified C. trachomatis GAPDH binds to human plasminogen and plasmin. Based on the versatility of GAPDH's functions, data presented here emphasize the need for investigating the Chlamydiae GAPDH's involvement in biological functions beyond energy metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norbert Schormann
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Juan Campos
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, Birmingham-Southern College, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Rachael Motamed
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, Birmingham-Southern College, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Katherine L Hayden
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, Birmingham-Southern College, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Joseph R Gould
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Todd J Green
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Olga Senkovich
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Midwestern University, Glendale, Arizona, USA
| | - Surajit Banerjee
- Northeastern Collaborative Access Team and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Argonne, Illinois, USA
| | - Glen C Ulett
- School of Medical Sciences, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Parklands, Australia
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9
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Medley JK, Teo J, Woo SS, Hellerstein J, Sarpeshkar R, Sauro HM. A compiler for biological networks on silicon chips. PLoS Comput Biol 2020; 16:e1008063. [PMID: 32966274 PMCID: PMC7535129 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2019] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The explosive growth in semiconductor integrated circuits was made possible in large part by design automation software. The design and/or analysis of synthetic and natural circuits in living cells could be made more scalable using the same approach. We present a compiler which converts standard representations of chemical reaction networks and circuits into hardware configurations that can be used to simulate the network on specialized cytomorphic hardware. The compiler also creates circuit–level models of the target configuration, which enhances the versatility of the compiler and enables the validation of its functionality without physical experimentation with the hardware. We show that this compiler can translate networks comprised of mass–action kinetics, classic enzyme kinetics (Michaelis–Menten, Briggs–Haldane, and Botts–Morales formalisms), and genetic repressor kinetics, thereby allowing a large class of models to be transformed into a hardware representation. Rule–based models are particularly well–suited to this approach, as we demonstrate by compiling a MAP kinase model. Development of specialized hardware and software for simulating biological networks has the potential to enable the simulation of larger kinetic models than are currently feasible or allow the parallel simulation of many smaller networks with better performance than current simulation software. We present a “silicon compiler” that is capable of translating biochemical models encoded in the SBML standard into specialized analog cytomorphic hardware and transfer function–level simulations of such hardware. We show how the compiler and hardware address challenges in analog computing: 1) We ensure that the integration of errors due to the mismatch between analog circuit parameters does not become infinite over time but always remains finite via the use of total variables (the solution of the “divergence problem”); 2) We describe the compilation process through a series of examples using building blocks of biological networks, and show the results of compiling two SBML models from the literature: the Elowitz repressilator model and a rule–based model of a MAP kinase cascade. Source code for the compiler is available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3948393.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Kyle Medley
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Jonathan Teo
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Sung Sik Woo
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Joseph Hellerstein
- eScience Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Rahul Sarpeshkar
- Departments of Engineering, Microbiology & Immunology, Physics, and Molecular and Systems Biology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Herbert M. Sauro
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
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10
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Repurposing bioenergetic modulators against protozoan parasites responsible for tropical diseases. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE 2020; 14:17-27. [PMID: 32829099 PMCID: PMC7452664 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2020.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Malaria, leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis are arthropod-borne, parasitic diseases that constitute a major global health problem. They are generally found in developing countries, where lack of access to preventive tools and treatment hinders their management. Because these parasites share an increased demand on glucose consumption with most cancer cells, six compounds used in anti-tumoral research were selected to be tested as antiparasitic agents in in vitro models of Leishmania infantum, Trypanosoma brucei, T. cruzi, and Plasmodium falciparum: dichloroacetic acid (DCA), 3-bromopyruvic acid (3BP), 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG), lonidamine (LND), metformin (MET), and sirolimus (SIR). No parasite-killing activity was found in L. infantum promastigotes, whereas DCA and 3BP reduced the burden of intra-macrophagic amastigotes. For T. brucei all selected compounds, but 2DG, decreased parasite survival. DCA, 2DG, LND and MET showed parasite-killing activity in T. cruzi. Finally, anti-plasmodial activity was found for DCA, 2DG, LND, MET and SIR. These results reinforce the hypothesis that drugs with proven efficacy in the treatment of cancer by interfering with ATP production, proliferation, and survival cell strategies might be useful in treating threatening parasitic diseases and provide new opportunities for their repurposing. Parasitic diseases are prevalent among the poorest of the poor. Some parasitic protists degrade glucose into CO2 even aerobically making this a target. Degrading glucose into CO2 (Warburg effect) is also characteristic for cancer cells. Repurposing cancer glycolysis blockers may provide cost-effective treatments for the poorest.
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11
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Saavedra E, González-Chávez Z, Moreno-Sánchez R, Michels PA. Drug Target Selection for Trypanosoma cruzi Metabolism by Metabolic Control Analysis and Kinetic Modeling. Curr Med Chem 2019; 26:6652-6671. [DOI: 10.2174/0929867325666180917104242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Revised: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In the search for therapeutic targets in the intermediary metabolism of trypanosomatids
the gene essentiality criterion as determined by using knock-out and knock-down genetic
strategies is commonly applied. As most of the evaluated enzymes/transporters have
turned out to be essential for parasite survival, additional criteria and approaches are clearly
required for suitable drug target prioritization. The fundamentals of Metabolic Control
Analysis (MCA; an approach in the study of control and regulation of metabolism) and kinetic
modeling of metabolic pathways (a bottom-up systems biology approach) allow quantification
of the degree of control that each enzyme exerts on the pathway flux (flux control coefficient)
and metabolic intermediate concentrations (concentration control coefficient). MCA
studies have demonstrated that metabolic pathways usually have two or three enzymes with
the highest control of flux; their inhibition has more negative effects on the pathway function
than inhibition of enzymes exerting low flux control. Therefore, the enzymes with the highest
pathway control are the most convenient targets for therapeutic intervention. In this review,
the fundamentals of MCA as well as experimental strategies to determine the flux control coefficients
and metabolic modeling are analyzed. MCA and kinetic modeling have been applied
to trypanothione metabolism in Trypanosoma cruzi and the model predictions subsequently
validated in vivo. The results showed that three out of ten enzyme reactions analyzed
in the T. cruzi anti-oxidant metabolism were the most controlling enzymes. Hence, MCA and
metabolic modeling allow a further step in target prioritization for drug development against
trypanosomatids and other parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Saavedra
- Departamento de Bioquimica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia Ignacio Chavez. Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Zabdi González-Chávez
- Departamento de Bioquimica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia Ignacio Chavez. Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rafael Moreno-Sánchez
- Departamento de Bioquimica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia Ignacio Chavez. Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Paul A.M. Michels
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution (CIIE) and Centre for Translational and Chemical Biology (CTCB), School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
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Tomczak JM, Węglarz‐Tomczak E. Estimating kinetic constants in the Michaelis–Menten model from one enzymatic assay using Approximate Bayesian Computation. FEBS Lett 2019; 593:2742-2750. [DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jakub M. Tomczak
- Institute of Informatics, Faculty of Science University of Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Ewelina Węglarz‐Tomczak
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Faculty of Science University of Amsterdam The Netherlands
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13
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Control and regulation of the pyrophosphate-dependent glucose metabolism in Entamoeba histolytica. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2019; 229:75-87. [PMID: 30772421 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2019.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Entamoeba histolytica has neither Krebs cycle nor oxidative phosphorylation activities; therefore, glycolysis is the main pathway for ATP supply and provision of carbon skeleton precursors for the synthesis of macromolecules. Glucose is metabolized through fermentative glycolysis, producing ethanol as its main end-product as well as some acetate. Amoebal glycolysis markedly differs from the typical Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway present in human cells: (i) by the use of inorganic pyrophosphate, instead of ATP, as the high-energy phospho group donor; (ii) with one exception, the pathway enzymes can catalyze reversible reactions under physiological conditions; (iii) there is no allosteric regulation and sigmoidal kinetic behavior of key enzymes; and (iv) the presence of some glycolytic and fermentation enzymes similar to those of anaerobic bacteria. These peculiarities bring about alternative mechanisms of control and regulation of the PPi-dependent fermentative glycolysis in the parasite in comparison to the ATP-dependent and allosterically regulated glycolysis in many other eukaryotic cells. In this review, the current knowledge of the carbohydrate metabolism enzymes in E. histolytica is analyzed. Thermodynamics and stoichiometric analyses indicate 2 to 3.5 ATP yield per glucose metabolized, instead of the often presumed 5 ATP/glucose ratio. PPi derived from anabolism seems insufficient for PPi-glycolysis; hence, alternative ways of PPi supply are also discussed. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms of control and regulation of the E. histolytica carbohydrate metabolism, analyzed by applying integral and systemic approaches such as Metabolic Control Analysis and kinetic modeling, contribute to unveiling alternative and promising drug targets.
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14
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Guggisberg AM, Frasse PM, Jezewski AJ, Kafai NM, Gandhi AY, Erlinger SJ, Odom John AR. Suppression of Drug Resistance Reveals a Genetic Mechanism of Metabolic Plasticity in Malaria Parasites. mBio 2018; 9:e01193-18. [PMID: 30425143 PMCID: PMC6234871 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01193-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, synthesis of isoprenoids from glycolytic intermediates is essential for survival. The antimalarial fosmidomycin (FSM) inhibits isoprenoid synthesis. In P. falciparum, we identified a loss-of-function mutation in HAD2 (P. falciparum 3D7_1226300 [PF3D7_1226300]) as necessary for FSM resistance. Enzymatic characterization revealed that HAD2, a member of the haloacid dehalogenase-like hydrolase (HAD) superfamily, is a phosphatase. Harnessing a growth defect in resistant parasites, we selected for suppression of HAD2-mediated FSM resistance and uncovered hypomorphic suppressor mutations in the locus encoding the glycolytic enzyme phosphofructokinase 9 (PFK9). Metabolic profiling demonstrated that FSM resistance is achieved via increased steady-state levels of methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway and glycolytic intermediates and confirmed reduced PFK9 function in the suppressed strains. We identified HAD2 as a novel regulator of malaria parasite metabolism and drug sensitivity and uncovered PFK9 as a novel site of genetic metabolic plasticity in the parasite. Our report informs the biological functions of an evolutionarily conserved family of metabolic regulators and reveals a previously undescribed strategy by which malaria parasites adapt to cellular metabolic dysregulation.IMPORTANCE Unique and essential aspects of parasite metabolism are excellent targets for development of new antimalarials. An improved understanding of parasite metabolism and drug resistance mechanisms is urgently needed. The antibiotic fosmidomycin targets the synthesis of essential isoprenoid compounds from glucose and is a candidate for antimalarial development. Our report identifies a novel mechanism of drug resistance and further describes a family of metabolic regulators in the parasite. Using a novel forward genetic approach, we also uncovered mutations that suppress drug resistance in the glycolytic enzyme PFK9. Thus, we identify an unexpected genetic mechanism of adaptation to metabolic insult that influences parasite fitness and tolerance of antimalarials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann M Guggisberg
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Philip M Frasse
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Andrew J Jezewski
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Natasha M Kafai
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Aakash Y Gandhi
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Samuel J Erlinger
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Audrey R Odom John
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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15
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Gemayel
- The FEBS Journal , Editorial Office; Cambridge UK
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16
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Figueiredo AS, Kouril T, Esser D, Haferkamp P, Wieloch P, Schomburg D, Ruoff P, Siebers B, Schaber J. Systems biology of the modified branched Entner-Doudoroff pathway in Sulfolobus solfataricus. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0180331. [PMID: 28692669 PMCID: PMC5503249 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Sulfolobus solfataricus is a thermoacidophilic Archaeon that thrives in terrestrial hot springs (solfatares) with optimal growth at 80°C and pH 2–4. It catabolizes specific carbon sources, such as D-glucose, to pyruvate via the modified Entner-Doudoroff (ED) pathway. This pathway has two parallel branches, the semi-phosphorylative and the non-phosphorylative. However, the strategy of S.solfataricus to endure in such an extreme environment in terms of robustness and adaptation is not yet completely understood. Here, we present the first dynamic mathematical model of the ED pathway parameterized with quantitative experimental data. These data consist of enzyme activities of the branched pathway at 70°C and 80°C and of metabolomics data at the same temperatures for the wild type and for a metabolic engineered knockout of the semi-phosphorylative branch. We use the validated model to address two questions: 1. Is this system more robust to perturbations at its optimal growth temperature? 2. Is the ED robust to deletion and perturbations? We employed a systems biology approach to answer these questions and to gain further knowledge on the emergent properties of this biological system. Specifically, we applied deterministic and stochastic approaches to study the sensitivity and robustness of the system, respectively. The mathematical model we present here, shows that: 1. Steady state metabolite concentrations of the ED pathway are consistently more robust to stochastic internal perturbations at 80°C than at 70°C; 2. These metabolite concentrations are highly robust when faced with the knockout of either branch. Connected with this observation, these two branches show different properties at the level of metabolite production and flux control. These new results reveal how enzyme kinetics and metabolomics synergizes with mathematical modelling to unveil new systemic properties of the ED pathway in S.solfataricus in terms of its adaptation and robustness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sofia Figueiredo
- Institute for Experimental Internal Medicine, Medical Faculty Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Theresa Kouril
- Molecular Enzyme Technology and Biochemistry (MEB), Biofilm Centre, Centre for Water and Environmental Research (CWE), Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Dominik Esser
- Molecular Enzyme Technology and Biochemistry (MEB), Biofilm Centre, Centre for Water and Environmental Research (CWE), Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Patrick Haferkamp
- Molecular Enzyme Technology and Biochemistry (MEB), Biofilm Centre, Centre for Water and Environmental Research (CWE), Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Patricia Wieloch
- Bioinformatics & Biochemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Dietmar Schomburg
- Bioinformatics & Biochemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Peter Ruoff
- Center for Organelle Research (CORE), University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Bettina Siebers
- Molecular Enzyme Technology and Biochemistry (MEB), Biofilm Centre, Centre for Water and Environmental Research (CWE), Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Jörg Schaber
- Institute for Experimental Internal Medicine, Medical Faculty Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
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17
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Wolstencroft K, Krebs O, Snoep JL, Stanford NJ, Bacall F, Golebiewski M, Kuzyakiv R, Nguyen Q, Owen S, Soiland-Reyes S, Straszewski J, van Niekerk DD, Williams AR, Malmström L, Rinn B, Müller W, Goble C. FAIRDOMHub: a repository and collaboration environment for sharing systems biology research. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:D404-D407. [PMID: 27899646 PMCID: PMC5210530 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw1032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2016] [Revised: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The FAIRDOMHub is a repository for publishing FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) Data, Operating procedures and Models (https://fairdomhub.org/) for the Systems Biology community. It is a web-accessible repository for storing and sharing systems biology research assets. It enables researchers to organize, share and publish data, models and protocols, interlink them in the context of the systems biology investigations that produced them, and to interrogate them via API interfaces. By using the FAIRDOMHub, researchers can achieve more effective exchange with geographically distributed collaborators during projects, ensure results are sustained and preserved and generate reproducible publications that adhere to the FAIR guiding principles of data stewardship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Wolstencroft
- Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science, Leiden University, Leiden, 2333 CA, Netherlands
| | - Olga Krebs
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies gGmbH, Schloss-Wolfsbrunnenweg 35, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jacky L Snoep
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1 7602 Matieland, South Africa
- School of Computer Science, The University of Manchester, Kilburn Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Natalie J Stanford
- School of Computer Science, The University of Manchester, Kilburn Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Finn Bacall
- School of Computer Science, The University of Manchester, Kilburn Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Martin Golebiewski
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies gGmbH, Schloss-Wolfsbrunnenweg 35, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rostyk Kuzyakiv
- University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Y12F64, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Quyen Nguyen
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies gGmbH, Schloss-Wolfsbrunnenweg 35, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stuart Owen
- School of Computer Science, The University of Manchester, Kilburn Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Stian Soiland-Reyes
- School of Computer Science, The University of Manchester, Kilburn Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | | | - David D van Niekerk
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1 7602 Matieland, South Africa
| | - Alan R Williams
- School of Computer Science, The University of Manchester, Kilburn Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Lars Malmström
- University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Y12F64, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bernd Rinn
- ETH Zurich, Weinbergstrasse 11, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Wolfgang Müller
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies gGmbH, Schloss-Wolfsbrunnenweg 35, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carole Goble
- School of Computer Science, The University of Manchester, Kilburn Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
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18
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Meireles P, Sales-Dias J, Andrade CM, Mello-Vieira J, Mancio-Silva L, Simas JP, Staines HM, Prudêncio M. GLUT1-mediated glucose uptake plays a crucial role during Plasmodium hepatic infection. Cell Microbiol 2016; 19. [PMID: 27404888 PMCID: PMC5297879 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2016] [Revised: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Intracellular pathogens have evolved mechanisms to ensure their survival and development inside their host cells. Here, we show that glucose is a pivotal modulator of hepatic infection by the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei and that glucose uptake via the GLUT1 transporter is specifically enhanced in P. berghei‐infected cells. We further show that ATP levels of cells containing developing parasites are decreased, which is known to enhance membrane GLUT1 activity. In addition, GLUT1 molecules are translocated to the membrane of the hepatic cell, increasing glucose uptake at later stages of infection. Chemical inhibition of GLUT1 activity leads to a decrease in glucose uptake and the consequent impairment of hepatic infection, both in vitro and in vivo. Our results reveal that changes in GLUT1 conformation and cellular localization seem to be part of an adaptive host response to maintain adequate cellular nutrition and energy levels, ensuring host cell survival and supporting P. berghei hepatic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Meireles
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Joana Sales-Dias
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Carolina M Andrade
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - João Mello-Vieira
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Liliana Mancio-Silva
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - J Pedro Simas
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Henry M Staines
- Institute for Infection & Immunity, St. George's, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, UK
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
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19
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Waltemath D, Wolkenhauer O. How Modeling Standards, Software, and Initiatives Support Reproducibility in Systems Biology and Systems Medicine. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2016; 63:1999-2006. [PMID: 27295645 DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2016.2555481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Only reproducible results are of significance to science. The lack of suitable standards and appropriate support of standards in software tools has led to numerous publications with irreproducible results. Our objectives are to identify the key challenges of reproducible research and to highlight existing solutions. RESULTS In this paper, we summarize problems concerning reproducibility in systems biology and systems medicine. We focus on initiatives, standards, and software tools that aim to improve the reproducibility of simulation studies. CONCLUSIONS The long-term success of systems biology and systems medicine depends on trustworthy models and simulations. This requires openness to ensure reusability and transparency to enable reproducibility of results in these fields.
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20
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van Niekerk DD, Penkler GP, du Toit F, Snoep JL. Targeting glycolysis in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. FEBS J 2016; 283:634-46. [PMID: 26648082 DOI: 10.1111/febs.13615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Glycolysis is the main pathway for ATP production in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and essential for its survival. Following a sensitivity analysis of a detailed kinetic model for glycolysis in the parasite, the glucose transport reaction was identified as the step whose activity needed to be inhibited to the least extent to result in a 50% reduction in glycolytic flux. In a subsequent inhibitor titration with cytochalasin B, we confirmed the model analysis experimentally and measured a flux control coefficient of 0.3 for the glucose transporter. In addition to the glucose transporter, the glucokinase and phosphofructokinase had high flux control coefficients, while for the ATPase a small negative flux control coefficient was predicted. In a broader comparative analysis of glycolytic models, we identified a weakness in the P. falciparum pathway design with respect to stability towards perturbations in the ATP demand. DATABASE The mathematical model described here has been submitted to the JWS Online Cellular Systems Modelling Database and can be accessed at http://jjj.bio.vu.nl/database/vanniekerk1. The SEEK-study including the experimental data set is available at DOI 10.15490/seek.1. INVESTIGATION 56 (http://dx.doi.org/10.15490/seek.1. INVESTIGATION 56).
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Affiliation(s)
- David D van Niekerk
- Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
| | - Gerald P Penkler
- Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa.,Molecular Cell Physiology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Francois du Toit
- Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
| | - Jacky L Snoep
- Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa.,Molecular Cell Physiology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,MIB, University of Manchester, UK
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21
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Quantitative analysis of drug effects at the whole-body level: a case study for glucose metabolism in malaria patients. Biochem Soc Trans 2015; 43:1157-63. [PMID: 26614654 DOI: 10.1042/bst20150145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
We propose a hierarchical modelling approach to construct models for disease states at the whole-body level. Such models can simulate effects of drug-induced inhibition of reaction steps on the whole-body physiology. We illustrate the approach for glucose metabolism in malaria patients, by merging two detailed kinetic models for glucose metabolism in the parasite Plasmodium falciparum and the human red blood cell with a coarse-grained model for whole-body glucose metabolism. In addition we use a genome-scale metabolic model for the parasite to predict amino acid production profiles by the malaria parasite that can be used as a complex biomarker.
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22
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Jamshidi N, Raghunathan A. Cell scale host-pathogen modeling: another branch in the evolution of constraint-based methods. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:1032. [PMID: 26500611 PMCID: PMC4594423 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.01032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2015] [Accepted: 09/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Constraint-based models have become popular methods for systems biology as they enable the integration of complex, disparate datasets in a biologically cohesive framework that also supports the description of biological processes in terms of basic physicochemical constraints and relationships. The scope, scale, and application of genome scale models have grown from single cell bacteria to multi-cellular interaction modeling; host-pathogen modeling represents one of these examples at the current horizon of constraint-based methods. There are now a small number of examples of host-pathogen constraint-based models in the literature, however there has not yet been a definitive description of the methodology required for the functional integration of genome scale models in order to generate simulation capable host-pathogen models. Herein we outline a systematic procedure to produce functional host-pathogen models, highlighting steps which require debugging and iterative revisions in order to successfully build a functional model. The construction of such models will enable the exploration of host-pathogen interactions by leveraging the growing wealth of omic data in order to better understand mechanism of infection and identify novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neema Jamshidi
- Institute of Engineering in Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA ; Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Anu Raghunathan
- Chemical Engineering Division, National Chemical Laboratory Pune, India
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23
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Rites of passage: requirements and standards for building kinetic models of metabolic phenotypes. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2015; 36:146-53. [PMID: 26342586 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2015.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2015] [Revised: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The overarching ambition of kinetic metabolic modeling is to capture the dynamic behavior of metabolism to such an extent that systems and synthetic biology strategies can reliably be tested in silico. The lack of kinetic data hampers the development of kinetic models, and most of the current models use ad hoc reduced stoichiometry or oversimplified kinetic rate expressions, which may limit their predictive strength. There is a need to introduce the community-level standards that will organize and accelerate the future developments in this area. We introduce here a set of requirements that will ensure the model quality, we examine the current kinetic models with respect to these requirements, and we propose a general workflow for constructing models that satisfy these requirements.
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