1
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Wang L, Shao J, Su C, Yang J. The application of optical technology in the diagnosis and therapy of oxidative stress-mediated hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1133039. [PMID: 36890921 PMCID: PMC9986550 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1133039] [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: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) is defined as liver tissue damage and cell death caused by reperfusion during liver transplantation or hepatectomy. Oxidative stress is one of the important mechanisms of HIRI. Studies have shown that the incidence of HIRI is very high, however, the number of patients who can get timely and efficient treatment is small. The reason is not hard to explain that invasive ways of detection and lack of timely of diagnostic methods. Hence, a new detection method is urgently needed in clinic application. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are markers of oxidative stress in the liver, could be detected by optical imaging and offer timely and effective non-invasive diagnosis and monitoring. Optical imaging could become the most potential tool of diagnosis of HIRI in the future. In addition, optical technology can also be used in disease treatment. It found that optical therapy has the function of anti-oxidative stress. Consequently, it has possibility to treat HIRI caused by oxidative stress. In this review, we mainly summarized the application and prospect of optical techniques in oxidative stress-induced by HIRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Wang
- Department of Medicine, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.,Department of Anesthesiology, Hunan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jiali Shao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Hunan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Chen Su
- Department of Anesthesiology, Hunan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jinfeng Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Hunan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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2
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Goes CP, Kanno TY, Yan CYI. In Embryo Gene Reporter Assays for Evaluation of Cis-Regulatory Regions. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2599:227-239. [PMID: 36427153 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2847-8_16] [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: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Gene expression reporter assays measure the relevance of cis-regulatory elements and DNA-binding proteins in modulating transcriptional activity. Commonly, they are performed in cell lines. However, regulation of transcriptional activity during development is complex and dynamic, and not many cell lines reproduce the embryonic conditions. Thus, conclusions derived from cell line data provide limited information about embryonic development. On the other hand, one of the major hurdles for embryonic assays is delivering reporter plasmids in a tissue-specific manner. In this sense, the chick embryo is a good model system to perform these assays. Electroporation of chick embryos provides temporal and spatially controlled plasmid delivery. Further, it is a well-established, easy, and an economical procedure. Here, we describe in detail how to measure in the chick neural tube (1) enhancer activity with GFP, (2) enhancer activity with luciferase, and (3) 3'UTR activity with luciferase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Purcell Goes
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Tatiane Y Kanno
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - C Y Irene Yan
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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3
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Dehkharghanian T, Hashemiaghdam A, Ashrafi G. Semiautomated analysis of an optical ATP indicator in neurons. NEUROPHOTONICS 2022; 9:041410. [PMID: 35769720 PMCID: PMC9234513 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.9.4.041410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Significance: The firefly enzyme luciferase has been used in a wide range of biological assays, including bioluminescence imaging of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The biosensor Syn-ATP utilizes subcellular targeting of luciferase to nerve terminals for optical measurement of ATP in this compartment. Manual analysis of Syn-ATP signals is challenging due to signal heterogeneity and cellular motion in long imaging sessions. Here, we have leveraged machine learning tools to develop a method for analysis of bioluminescence images. Aim: Our goal was to create a semiautomated pipeline for analysis of bioluminescence imaging to improve measurements of ATP content in nerve terminals. Approach: We developed an image analysis pipeline that applies machine learning toolkits to distinguish neurons from background signals and excludes neural cell bodies, while also incorporating user input. Results: Side-by-side comparison of manual and semiautomated image analysis demonstrated that the latter improves precision and accuracy of ATP measurements. Conclusions: Our method streamlines data analysis and reduces user-introduced bias, thus enhancing the reproducibility and reliability of quantitative ATP imaging in nerve terminals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arsalan Hashemiaghdam
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Needleman Center for Neurometabolism and Axonal Therapeutics, Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Genetics, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
| | - Ghazaleh Ashrafi
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Needleman Center for Neurometabolism and Axonal Therapeutics, Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Genetics, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
- Address all correspondence to Ghazaleh Ashrafi,
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4
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Liska O, Bohár B, Hidas A, Korcsmáros T, Papp B, Fazekas D, Ari E. TFLink: an integrated gateway to access transcription factor-target gene interactions for multiple species. Database (Oxford) 2022; 2022:6702175. [PMID: 36124642 PMCID: PMC9480832 DOI: 10.1093/database/baac083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Analysis of transcriptional regulatory interactions and their comparisons across multiple species are crucial for progress in various fields in biology, from functional genomics to the evolution of signal transduction pathways. However, despite the rapidly growing body of data on regulatory interactions in several eukaryotes, no databases exist to provide curated high-quality information on transcription factor-target gene interactions for multiple species. Here, we address this gap by introducing the TFLink gateway, which uniquely provides experimentally explored and highly accurate information on transcription factor-target gene interactions (∼12 million), nucleotide sequences and genomic locations of transcription factor binding sites (∼9 million) for human and six model organisms: mouse, rat, zebrafish, fruit fly, worm and yeast by integrating 10 resources. TFLink provides user-friendly access to data on transcription factor-target gene interactions, interactive network visualizations and transcription factor binding sites, with cross-links to several other databases. Besides containing accurate information on transcription factors, with a clear labelling of the type/volume of the experiments (small-scale or high-throughput), the source database and the original publications, TFLink also provides a wealth of standardized regulatory data available for download in multiple formats. The database offers easy access to high-quality data for wet-lab researchers, supplies data for gene set enrichment analyses and facilitates systems biology and comparative gene regulation studies. Database URL https://tflink.net/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orsolya Liska
- HCEMM-BRC Metabolic Systems Biology Research Group, Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged 6726, Hungary
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged 6726, Hungary
- Department of Genetics, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. stny. 1/C, Budapest 1117, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Biology, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, Szeged 6726, Hungary
| | - Balázs Bohár
- Department of Genetics, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. stny. 1/C, Budapest 1117, Hungary
- Earlham Institute, Colney Ln, Norwich NR4 7UZ, UK
| | - András Hidas
- Department of Genetics, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. stny. 1/C, Budapest 1117, Hungary
- Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Karolina út 29, Budapest 1113, Hungary
| | - Tamás Korcsmáros
- Earlham Institute, Colney Ln, Norwich NR4 7UZ, UK
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UK
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Balázs Papp
- HCEMM-BRC Metabolic Systems Biology Research Group, Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged 6726, Hungary
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged 6726, Hungary
| | - Dávid Fazekas
- Department of Genetics, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. stny. 1/C, Budapest 1117, Hungary
- Earlham Institute, Colney Ln, Norwich NR4 7UZ, UK
| | - Eszter Ari
- *Corresponding author: Tel: +36 1 372 2500 ext: 8691
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5
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Taxonomic Characterization, Antiviral Activity and Induction of Three New Kenalactams in Nocardiopsis sp. CG3. Curr Microbiol 2022; 79:284. [PMID: 35947206 PMCID: PMC9363871 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-022-02954-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Exploration of secondary metabolites secreted by new Actinobacteria taxa isolated from unexplored areas, can increase the possibility to obtain new compounds which can be developed into new drugs for the treatment of serious diseases such as hepatitis C. In this context, one actinobacterial strain, CG3, has been selected based on the results of polyphasic characterization, which indicate that it represents a new putative species within the genus Nocardiopsis. Two fractions (F2 and F3), prepared from the culture of strain CG3 in soybean medium, exhibited a pronounced antiviral activity against the HCV strain Luc-Jc1. LC–HRESIMS analysis showed different bioactive compounds in both active fractions (F2 and F3), including five polyenic macrolactams (kenalactams A-E), three isoflavone metabolites, along with mitomycin C and one p-phenyl derivative. Furthermore, feeding with 1% of methionine, lysine or alanine as a unique nitrogen source, induced the production of three novel kenalactam derivatives.
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6
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Current Techniques to Study Beneficial Plant-Microbe Interactions. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10071380. [PMID: 35889099 PMCID: PMC9317800 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10071380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Many different experimental approaches have been applied to elaborate and study the beneficial interactions between soil bacteria and plants. Some of these methods focus on changes to the plant and others are directed towards assessing the physiology and biochemistry of the beneficial plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB). Here, we provide an overview of some of the current techniques that have been employed to study the interaction of plants with PGPB. These techniques include the study of plant microbiomes; the use of DNA genome sequencing to understand the genes encoded by PGPB; the use of transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics to study PGPB and plant gene expression; genome editing of PGPB; encapsulation of PGPB inoculants prior to their use to treat plants; imaging of plants and PGPB; PGPB nitrogenase assays; and the use of specialized growth chambers for growing and monitoring bacterially treated plants.
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7
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Hughes DC, Hardee JP, Waddell DS, Goodman CA. CORP: Gene delivery into murine skeletal muscle using in vivo electroporation. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2022; 133:41-59. [PMID: 35511722 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00088.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The strategy of gene delivery into skeletal muscles has provided exciting avenues in identifying new potential therapeutics towards muscular disorders and addressing basic research questions in muscle physiology through overexpression and knockdown studies. In vivo electroporation methodology offers a simple, rapidly effective technique for the delivery of plasmid DNA into post-mitotic skeletal muscle fibers and the ability to easily explore the molecular mechanisms of skeletal muscle plasticity. The purpose of this review is to describe how to robustly electroporate plasmid DNA into different hindlimb muscles of rodent models. Further, key parameters (e.g., voltage, hyaluronidase, plasmid concentration) which contribute to the successful introduction of plasmid DNA into skeletal muscle fibers will be discussed. In addition, details on processing tissue for immunohistochemistry and fiber cross-sectional area (CSA) analysis will be outlined. The overall goal of this review is to provide the basic and necessary information needed for successful implementation of in vivo electroporation of plasmid DNA and thus open new avenues of discovery research in skeletal muscle physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Hughes
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Justin P Hardee
- Centre for Muscle Research (CMR), Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - David S Waddell
- Department of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Craig A Goodman
- Centre for Muscle Research (CMR), Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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8
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Flynn E, Lappalainen T. Functional Characterization of Genetic Variant Effects on Expression. Annu Rev Biomed Data Sci 2022; 5:119-139. [PMID: 35483347 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biodatasci-122120-010010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Thousands of common genetic variants in the human population have been associated with disease risk and phenotypic variation by genome-wide association studies (GWAS). However, the majority of GWAS variants fall into noncoding regions of the genome, complicating our understanding of their regulatory functions, and few molecular mechanisms of GWAS variant effects have been clearly elucidated. Here, we set out to review genetic variant effects, focusing on expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs), including their utility in interpreting GWAS variant mechanisms. We discuss the interrelated challenges and opportunities for eQTL analysis, covering determining causal variants, elucidating molecular mechanisms of action, and understanding context variability. Addressing these questions can enable better functional characterization of disease-associated loci and provide insights into fundamental biological questions of the noncoding genetic regulatory code and its control of gene expression. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biomedical Data Science, Volume 5 is August 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Flynn
- New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA; , .,Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tuuli Lappalainen
- New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA; , .,Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Gene Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
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9
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Mastraccio KE, Huaman C, Laing ED, Broder CC, Schaefer BC. Longitudinal Tracing of Lyssavirus Infection in Mice via In Vivo Bioluminescence Imaging. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2524:369-394. [PMID: 35821488 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2453-1_30] [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] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is a technique that can be employed to quantify biological processes in living cells. When used in small animal models such as mice, BLI can provide both longitudinal and positional information regarding the biological process under investigation. Although perhaps best known for its utility in non-invasively quantifying tumor burden over time in experimental animals, BLI has also been applied in many pathogenesis models to track pathogen burden and responses to therapeutic interventions. In this chapter, we present a BLI-based method for tracing anatomical progression of lyssavirus infection in a mouse model. We also include validation methods to ensure that semiquantitative BLI data correlate well with viral load. Due to the longitudinal nature of this approach, lyssavirus pathogenesis and therapeutic intervention studies can be performed with far fewer animals than more traditional approaches, which typically require euthanasia of large animal groups at every data collection time point.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate E Mastraccio
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA
- David Axelrod Institute, Wadsworth Center, NYS Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Celeste Huaman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Eric D Laing
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Christopher C Broder
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Brian C Schaefer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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10
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Herring B, Jang S, Whitt J, Goliwas K, Aburjania Z, Dudeja V, Ren B, Berry J, Bibb J, Frost A, Chen H, Rose JB, Jaskula-Sztul R. Ex Vivo Modeling of Human Neuroendocrine Tumors in Tissue Surrogates. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:710009. [PMID: 35002949 PMCID: PMC8734644 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.710009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Few models exist for studying neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), and there are mounting concerns that the currently available array of cell lines is not representative of NET biology. The lack of stable patient-derived NET xenograft models further limits the scientific community's ability to make conclusions about NETs and their response to therapy in patients. To address these limitations, we propose the use of an ex vivo 3D flow-perfusion bioreactor system for culturing and studying patient-derived NET surrogates. Herein, we demonstrate the utility of the bioreactor system for culturing NET surrogates and provide methods for evaluating the efficacy of therapeutic agents on human NET cell line xenograft constructs and patient-derived NET surrogates. We also demonstrate that patient-derived NET tissues can be propagated using the bioreactor system and investigate the near-infrared (NIR) dye IR-783 for its use in monitoring their status within the bioreactor. The results indicate that the bioreactor system and similar 3D culture models may be valuable tools for culturing patient-derived NETs and monitoring their response to therapy ex vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendon Herring
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Samuel Jang
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Jason Whitt
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Kayla Goliwas
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Zviadi Aburjania
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Vikas Dudeja
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Bin Ren
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Joel Berry
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - James Bibb
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Andra Frost
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Herbert Chen
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - John Bart Rose
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Renata Jaskula-Sztul
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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11
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Hirschenberger M, Hayn M, Laliberté A, Koepke L, Kirchhoff F, Sparrer KMJ. Luciferase reporter assays to monitor interferon signaling modulation by SARS-CoV-2 proteins. STAR Protoc 2021; 2:100781. [PMID: 34405154 PMCID: PMC8361205 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a protocol for analyzing the impact of SARS-CoV-2 proteins in interferon signaling using luciferase reporter assays. Here, the induction of defined promoters can be quantitatively assessed with high sensitivity and broad linear range. The results are similar to those obtained using qPCR to measure endogenous mRNA induction. The assay requires stringent normalization and confirmation of the results in more physiological settings. The protocol is adaptable for other viruses and other innate immune stimuli. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Hayn et al. (2021).
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Hirschenberger
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Manuel Hayn
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Alexandre Laliberté
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Lennart Koepke
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Frank Kirchhoff
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
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12
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Kannappan S, Ramisetty BCM. Engineered Whole-Cell-Based Biosensors: Sensing Environmental Heavy Metal Pollutants in Water-a Review. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2021; 194:1814-1840. [PMID: 34783990 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-021-03734-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The frequent exposure and accumulation of heavy metals in organisms cause serious health issues affecting a range of organs such as the brain, liver, and reproductive organs in adults, infants, and children. Several parts of the world have high levels of heavy metals affecting millions of people, costing millions of dollars for improving the potability of water and medical treatment of the affected. Hence, water quality assessment is required to monitor the degree of heavy metal contamination in potable water. In nature, organisms respond to various environmental pollutants such as heavy metals, allowing their survival in a diverse environmental niche. With the advent of recombinant DNA technology, it is now possible to manipulate these natural bioreporters into controlled systems which either turn on or off gene expression or activity of enzymes in the presence of specific heavy metals (compound-specific biosensors) otherwise termed as whole-cell biosensors (WCBs). WCBs provide an upper hand compared to other immunosensors, enzyme-based sensors, and DNA-based sensors since microbes can be relatively easily manipulated, scaled up with relative ease, and can detect only the bioavailable heavy metals. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the various mechanisms of toxicity elicited by various heavy metals, thence emphasizing the need to develop heavy metal sensing platforms. Following this, the biosensor-based platforms including WCBs for detecting heavy metals developed thus far have been briefly elaborated upon, emphasizing the challenges and solutions associated with WCBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shrute Kannappan
- Department of Precision Medicine, School of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, South Korea
- Research Center for Advanced Materials Technology, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, South Korea
- School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur, India
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13
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Inhibition of the Human Hsc70 System by Small Ligands as a Potential Anticancer Approach. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13122936. [PMID: 34208232 PMCID: PMC8230956 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13122936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary High levels of Heat shock proteins (Hsps) in specific cancers are usually linked to a poor prognosis, tumor progression, invasiveness, and resistance to treatment. Chaperone inhibition could therefore be toxic for cancer cells due to their high dependence on chaperone activity to survive. This study shows the potential to repurpose the small chemical compound pinaverium bromide, currently used to treat functional gastrointestinal disorders, as a possible antitumor drug since it displays a marked toxicity against two melanoma cell lines without affecting the viability of fibroblast and primary melanocytes. This compound interacts with structural regions shared by representatives of the Hsp70 and Hsp110 families, inhibiting the substrate remodeling ability of the Hsp70 system in vitro and in a cellular context. Abstract Heat shock protein (Hsp) synthesis is upregulated in a wide range of cancers to provide the appropriate environment for tumor progression. The Hsp110 and Hsp70 families have been associated to cancer cell survival and resistance to chemotherapy. In this study, we explore the strategy of drug repurposing to find new Hsp70 and Hsp110 inhibitors that display toxicity against melanoma cancer cells. We found that the hits discovered using Apg2, a human representative of the Hsp110 family, as the initial target bind also to structural regions present in members of the Hsp70 family, and therefore inhibit the remodeling activity of the Hsp70 system. One of these compounds, the spasmolytic agent pinaverium bromide used for functional gastrointestinal disorders, inhibits the intracellular chaperone activity of the Hsp70 system and elicits its cytotoxic activity specifically in two melanoma cell lines by activating apoptosis. Docking and molecular dynamics simulations indicate that this compound interacts with regions located in the nucleotide-binding domain and the linker of the chaperones, modulating their ATPase activity. Thus, repurposing of pinaverium bromide for cancer treatment appears as a promising novel therapeutic approach.
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14
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Davis CR, Johnson CH, Robertson JB. A bioluminescent reporter for the halophilic archaeon Haloferax volcanii. Extremophiles 2020; 24:773-785. [PMID: 32749548 PMCID: PMC7462420 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-020-01193-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Haloarchaea have evolved to thrive in hypersaline environments. Haloferax volcanii is of particular interest due to its genetic tractability; however, few in vivo reporters exist for halophiles. Haloarchaeal proteins evolved characteristics that promote proper folding and function at high salt concentrations, but many mesophilic reporter proteins lack these characteristics. Mesophilic proteins that acquire salt-stabilizing mutations, however, can lead to proper function in haloarchaea. Using laboratory-directed evolution, we developed and demonstrated an in vivo luciferase that functions in the hypersaline cytosol of H. volcanii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris R Davis
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, USA
| | - Carl H Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - J Brian Robertson
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, USA.
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15
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Ishihara K, Hachiya S, Inoue Y, Fukazawa K, Konno T. Water-Soluble and Cytocompatible Phospholipid Polymers for Molecular Complexation to Enhance Biomolecule Transportation to Cells in Vitro. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:polym12081762. [PMID: 32781760 PMCID: PMC7465638 DOI: 10.3390/polym12081762] [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: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Water-soluble and cytocompatible polymers were investigated to enhance a transporting efficiency of biomolecules into cells in vitro. The polymers composed of a 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) unit, a hydrophobic monomer unit, and a cationic monomer unit bearing an amino group were synthesized for complexation with model biomolecules, siRNA. The cationic MPC polymer was shown to interact with both siRNA and the cell membrane and was successively transported siRNA into cells. When introducing 20–50 mol% hydrophobic units into the cationic MPC polymer, transport of siRNA into cells. The MPC units (10–20 mol%) in the cationic MPC polymer were able to impart cytocompatibility, while maintaining interaction with siRNA and the cell membrane. The level of gene suppression of the siRNA/MPC polymer complex was evaluated in vitro and it was as the same level as that of a conventional siRNA transfection reagent, whereas its cytotoxicity was significantly lower. We concluded that these cytocompatible MPC polymers may be promising complexation reagent for introducing biomolecules into cells, with the potential to contribute to future fields of biotechnology, such as in vitro evaluation of gene functionality, and the production of engineered cells with biological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhiko Ishihara
- Department of Materials Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan; (S.H.); (Y.I.); (K.F.)
- Correspondence: (K.I.); (T.K.); Tel.: +81-3-5841-7124 (K.I.); +81-22-795-6841 (T.K.)
| | - Shohei Hachiya
- Department of Materials Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan; (S.H.); (Y.I.); (K.F.)
| | - Yuuki Inoue
- Department of Materials Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan; (S.H.); (Y.I.); (K.F.)
| | - Kyoko Fukazawa
- Department of Materials Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan; (S.H.); (Y.I.); (K.F.)
| | - Tomohiro Konno
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3 Aoba-Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8578, Japan
- Correspondence: (K.I.); (T.K.); Tel.: +81-3-5841-7124 (K.I.); +81-22-795-6841 (T.K.)
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16
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Koller D, Kubinyi E, Elek Z, Nemeth H, Miklosi A, Sasvari-Szekely M, Ronai Z. The molecular effect of a polymorphic microRNA binding site of Wolfram syndrome 1 gene in dogs. BMC Genet 2020; 21:82. [PMID: 32723293 PMCID: PMC7390163 DOI: 10.1186/s12863-020-00879-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although the molecular function of wolframin remains unclear, the lack of this protein is known to cause stress in the endoplasmic reticulum. Some variants in the Wolfram Syndrome 1 gene (WFS1) were associated with various neuropsychiatric disorders in humans, such as aggressiveness, impulsivity and anxiety. Results Here we present an in silico study predicting a single nucleotide polymorphism (rs852850348) in the canine WFS1 gene which was verified by direct sequencing and was genotyped by a PCR-based technique. We found that the rs852850348 polymorphism is located in a putative microRNA (cfa-miR-8834a and cfa-miR-1838) binding site. Therefore, the molecular effect of allelic variants was studied in a luciferase reporter system that allowed assessing gene expression. We demonstrated that the variant reduced the activity of the reporter protein expression in an allele-specific manner. Additionally, we performed a behavioral experiment and investigated the association with this locus to different performance in this test. Association was found between food possessivity and the studied WFS1 gene polymorphism in the Border collie breed. Conclusions Based on our findings, the rs852850348 locus might contribute to the genetic risk of possessivity behavior of dogs in at least one breed and might influence the regulation of wolframin expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dora Koller
- Comparative Ethology Research Group, MTA-ELTE, Budapest, Hungary. .,Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary. .,Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Eniko Kubinyi
- Comparative Ethology Research Group, MTA-ELTE, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsuzsanna Elek
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Helga Nemeth
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Adam Miklosi
- Comparative Ethology Research Group, MTA-ELTE, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Maria Sasvari-Szekely
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Ronai
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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17
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Mastraccio KE, Huaman C, Warrilow D, Smith GA, Craig SB, Weir DL, Laing ED, Smith IL, Broder CC, Schaefer BC. Establishment of a longitudinal pre-clinical model of lyssavirus infection. J Virol Methods 2020; 281:113882. [PMID: 32407866 PMCID: PMC8056983 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2020.113882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Traditional mouse models of lyssavirus pathogenesis rely on euthanizing large groups of animals at various time points post-infection, processing infected tissues, and performing histological and molecular analyses to determine anatomical sites of infection. While powerful by some measures, this approach is limited by the inability to monitor disease progression in the same mice over time. In this study, we established a novel non-invasive mouse model of lyssavirus pathogenesis, which consists of longitudinal imaging of a luciferase-expressing Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) reporter virus. In vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI) in mice revealed viral spread from a peripheral site of inoculation into the central nervous system (CNS), with kinetically and spatially distinct foci of replication in the footpad, spinal cord, and hindbrain. Detection of virus within the CNS was associated with onset of clinical disease. Quantification of virus-derived luminescent signal in the brain was found to be a reliable measure of viral replication, when compared to traditional molecular methods. Furthermore, we demonstrate that in vivo imaging of ABLV infection is not restricted to the use of albino strains of mice, but rather strong BLI signal output can be achieved by shaving the hair from the heads and spines of pigmented strains, such as C57BL/6. Overall, our data show that in vivo BLI can be used to rapidly and non-invasively identify sites of lyssavirus replication and to semi-quantitatively determine viral load without the need to sacrifice mice at multiple time points.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate E Mastraccio
- Uniformed Services University, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA.
| | - Celeste Huaman
- Uniformed Services University, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA.
| | - David Warrilow
- Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services, Archerfield, Australia.
| | - Greg A Smith
- Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services, Archerfield, Australia.
| | - Scott B Craig
- Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services, Archerfield, Australia.
| | - Dawn L Weir
- Uniformed Services University, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA.
| | - Eric D Laing
- Uniformed Services University, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA.
| | - Ina L Smith
- Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services, Archerfield, Australia; Risk Evaluation and Preparedness Program, Health and Biosecurity, CSIRO, Black Mountain, ACT, Australia.
| | - Christopher C Broder
- Uniformed Services University, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA.
| | - Brian C Schaefer
- Uniformed Services University, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA.
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18
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Ogoh K, Akiyoshi R, Suzuki H. Cloning and mutagenetic modification of the firefly luciferase gene and its use for bioluminescence microscopy of engrailed expression during Drosophila metamorphosis. Biochem Biophys Rep 2020; 23:100771. [PMID: 32490216 PMCID: PMC7262549 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2020.100771] [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: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescence microscopy is an area attracting considerable interest in the field of cell biology because it offers several advantages over fluorescence microscopy, including no requirement for excitation light and being phototoxicity free. This method requires brighter luciferase for imaging; however, suitable genetic resource material for this purpose is not available at present. To achieve brighter bioluminescence microscopy, we developed a new firefly luciferase. Using the brighter luciferase, a reporter strain of Drosophila Gal4-UAS (Upstream Activating Sequence) system was constructed. This system demonstrated the expression pattern of engrailed, which is a segment polarity gene, during Drosophila metamorphosis by bioluminescence microscopy, and revealed drastic spatiotemporal change in the engrailed expression pattern during head eversion in the early stage of pupation. Bioluminescence microscopy is an ideal tool for the observation of gene expression pattern in Drosophila development. In the present study, we developed a new brighter firefly luciferase for use in bioluminescence microscopy. The spatiotemporal expression pattern of the engrailed was elucidated during Drosophila metamorphosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsunori Ogoh
- Olympus Corporation, Kuboyama 2-3, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-8512, Japan
| | - Ryutaro Akiyoshi
- Olympus Corporation, Kuboyama 2-3, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-8512, Japan
| | - Hirobumi Suzuki
- Olympus Corporation, Kuboyama 2-3, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-8512, Japan
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19
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Li X, Liu Y, Zhao Y, Tian W, Zhai L, Pang H, Kang J, Hou H, Chen Y, Li D. Rhein Derivative 4F Inhibits the Malignant Phenotype of Breast Cancer by Downregulating Rac1 Protein. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:754. [PMID: 32547389 PMCID: PMC7274043 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Triple-negative breast cancer is a common malignant tumor with unfavorable prognosis affecting women worldwide; thus, there is an urgent need for novel therapeutic drugs with improved anti-tumor activity. Rac family small GTPase 1 (Rac1) plays an important role in malignant behavior and is a promising therapeutic target. We reported an anthraquinone compound, Rhein, and its derivative, 4F, and investigated their downregulation effects on Rac1 in breast cancer cells in vitro. Methods The inhibition of cell proliferation by derivative 4F was investigated in two breast cancer (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) and normal breast (MCF-10A) cell lines by cell counting kit-8 assay and growth curves. The role of 4F in cell migration and invasion and cytoskeletal change were assessed by Transwell chamber assay and F-actin staining, respectively. The affinity of Rhein and its derivative for Rac1 protein and the regulation of Rac1 promoter activity were evaluated by molecular docking software and luciferase reporter gene assay, respectively. Rac1 protein expression was determined by western blot assay. Results Compared to Rhein, derivative 4F more strongly inhibited breast cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and also cause cytoskeletal changes like those in paclitaxel. Derivative 4F not only bound more stably to Rac1 but also inhibited Rac1 promoter activity in cells and downregulated Rac1 protein expression. Conclusions Rhein derivative 4F is a new anthraquinone compound with better anti-tumor activity than that of the lead compound Rhein in breast cancer. It down-regulated Rac1 expression and may be a small molecule inhibitor of Rac1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxiao Li
- Department of Basic Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Yunfeng Liu
- Department of Basic Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Yuhua Zhao
- Department of Basic Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Wei Tian
- College of Pharmacy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Lina Zhai
- Life Sciences Institute, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Huifeng Pang
- Department of Basic Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Jiankang Kang
- Life Sciences Institute, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Huaxin Hou
- College of Pharmacy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Yanhua Chen
- Department of Basic Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Danrong Li
- Department of Basic Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China.,Life Sciences Institute, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
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20
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Olina A, Kuzmenko A, Ninova M, Aravin AA, Kulbachinskiy A, Esyunina D. Genome-wide DNA sampling by Ago nuclease from the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus. RNA Biol 2020; 17:677-688. [PMID: 32013676 PMCID: PMC7237159 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2020.1724716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the conserved Argonaute (Ago) protein family provide defence against invading nucleic acids in eukaryotes in the process of RNA interference. Many prokaryotes also contain Ago proteins that are predicted to be active nucleases; however, their functional activities in host cells remain poorly understood. Here, we characterize the in vitro and in vivo properties of the SeAgo protein from the mesophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus. We show that SeAgo is a DNA-guided nuclease preferentially acting on single-stranded DNA targets, with non-specific guide-independent activity observed for double-stranded substrates. The SeAgo gene is steadily expressed in S. elongatus; however, its deletion or overexpression does not change the kinetics of cell growth. When purified from its host cells or from heterologous E. coli, SeAgo is loaded with small guide DNAs whose formation depends on the endonuclease activity of the argonaute protein. SeAgo co-purifies with SSB proteins suggesting that they may also be involved in DNA processing. The SeAgo-associated small DNAs are derived from diverse genomic locations, with certain enrichment for the proposed sites of chromosomal replication initiation and termination, but show no preference for an endogenous plasmid. Therefore, promiscuous genome sampling by SeAgo does not have great effects on cell physiology and plasmid maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Olina
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anton Kuzmenko
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Maria Ninova
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Alexei A. Aravin
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | | | - Daria Esyunina
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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21
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Yan Y, Shi P, Song W, Bi S. Chemiluminescence and Bioluminescence Imaging for Biosensing and Therapy: In Vitro and In Vivo Perspectives. Theranostics 2019; 9:4047-4065. [PMID: 31281531 PMCID: PMC6592176 DOI: 10.7150/thno.33228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemiluminescence (CL) and bioluminescence (BL) imaging technologies, which require no external light source so as to avoid the photobleaching, background interference and autoluminescence, have become powerful tools in biochemical analysis and biomedical science with the development of advanced imaging equipment. CL imaging technology has been widely applied to high-throughput detection of a variety of analytes because of its high sensitivity, high efficiency and high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Using luciferase and fluorescent proteins as reporters, various BL imaging systems have been developed innovatively for real-time monitoring of diverse molecules in vivo based on the reaction between luciferin and the substrate. Meanwhile, the kinetics of protein interactions even in deep tissues has been studied by BL imaging. In this review, we summarize in vitro and in vivo applications of CL and BL imaging for biosensing and therapy. We first focus on in vitro CL imaging from the view of improving the sensitivity. Then, in vivo CL applications in cells and tissues based on different CL systems are demonstrated. Subsequently, the recent in vitro and in vivo applications of BL imaging are summarized. Finally, we provide the insight into the development trends and future perspectives of CL and BL imaging technologies.
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22
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Seigner J, Junker-Samek M, Plaza A, D'Urso G, Masullo M, Piacente S, Holper-Schichl YM, de Martin R. A Symphytum officinale Root Extract Exerts Anti-inflammatory Properties by Affecting Two Distinct Steps of NF-κB Signaling. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:289. [PMID: 31105555 PMCID: PMC6498879 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Symphytum officinale, commonly known as comfrey, constitutes a traditional medicinal plant with a long-standing therapeutic history, and preparations thereof have been widely used for the treatment of painful muscle and joint complaints, wound and bone healing, and inflammation. Today, its topical use is based on its analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, which have been substantiated by modern clinical trials. However, the molecular basis of its action remained elusive. Here, we show that a hydroalcoholic extract of comfrey root impairs the development of a pro-inflammatory scenario in primary human endothelial cells in a dose-dependent manner. The extract, and especially its mucilage-depleted fraction, impair the interleukin-1 (IL-1) induced expression of pro-inflammatory markers including E-selectin, VCAM1, ICAM1, and COX-2. Both preparations inhibit the activation of NF-κB, a transcription factor of central importance for the expression of these and other pro-inflammatory genes. Furthermore, our biochemical studies provide evidence that comfrey inhibits NF-κB signaling at two stages: it dampens not only the activation of IKK1/2 and the subsequent IκBα degradation, but also interferes with NF-κB p65 nucleo-cytoplasmatic shuttling and transactivation. These results provide a first mechanistic insight into the mode of action of a century-old popular herbal medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Seigner
- Department of Vascular Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Gilda D'Urso
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università degli Studi di Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Milena Masullo
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università degli Studi di Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Sonia Piacente
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università degli Studi di Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | | | - Rainer de Martin
- Department of Vascular Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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23
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Chapuis AF, Ballou ER, MacCallum DM. A Bright Future for Fluorescence Imaging of Fungi in Living Hosts. J Fungi (Basel) 2019; 5:jof5020029. [PMID: 30987114 PMCID: PMC6616859 DOI: 10.3390/jof5020029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditional in vivo investigation of fungal infection and new antifungal therapies in mouse models is usually carried out using post mortem methodologies. However, biomedical imaging techniques focusing on non-invasive techniques using bioluminescent and fluorescent proteins have become valuable tools. These new techniques address ethical concerns as they allow reduction in the number of animals required to evaluate new antifungal therapies. They also allow better understanding of the growth and spread of the pathogen during infection. In this review, we concentrate on imaging technologies using different fungal reporter proteins. We discuss the advantages and limitations of these different reporters and compare the efficacy of bioluminescent and fluorescent proteins for fungal research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ambre F Chapuis
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK.
| | - Elizabeth R Ballou
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Donna M MacCallum
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK.
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24
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Integration of Nanomaterials and Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer Techniques for Sensing Biomolecules. BIOSENSORS-BASEL 2019; 9:bios9010042. [PMID: 30884844 PMCID: PMC6468577 DOI: 10.3390/bios9010042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) techniques offer a high degree of sensitivity, reliability and ease of use for their application to sensing biomolecules. BRET is a distance dependent, non-radiative energy transfer, which uses a bioluminescent protein to excite an acceptor through the resonance energy transfer. A BRET sensor can quickly detect the change of a target biomolecule quantitatively without an external electromagnetic field, e.g., UV light, which normally can damage tissue. Having been developed quite recently, this technique has evolved rapidly. Here, different bioluminescent proteins have been reviewed. In addition to a multitude of bioluminescent proteins, this manuscript focuses on the recent development of BRET sensors by utilizing quantum dots. The special size-dependent properties of quantum dots have made the BRET sensing technique attractive for the real-time monitoring of the changes of target molecules and bioimaging in vivo. This review offers a look into the basis of the technique, donor/acceptor pairs, experimental applications and prospects.
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25
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Abstract
The utility of reporter genes has gained significant momentum over the last three decades. Reporter genes are used to understand the transcriptional activity of a gene both in vitro and in vivo, and in pathway analysis and drug screening for diseases involving protozoan parasites, and in anti-cancer drug developments. Here, using a human prostate cancer xenograft model (PC3), we describe a method to construct and validate hypoxia reporter genes with different half-lives. Using molecular biology and optical imaging techniques, we have validated the expression of long half-life enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) expression and short half-life luciferase gene expression to report on the spatial and temporal evolution of hypoxia in vivo.
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26
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Lobas MA, Tao R, Nagai J, Kronschläger MT, Borden PM, Marvin JS, Looger LL, Khakh BS. A genetically encoded single-wavelength sensor for imaging cytosolic and cell surface ATP. Nat Commun 2019; 10:711. [PMID: 30755613 PMCID: PMC6372613 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08441-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Adenosine 5' triphosphate (ATP) is a universal intracellular energy source and an evolutionarily ancient, ubiquitous extracellular signal in diverse species. Here, we report the generation and characterization of single-wavelength genetically encoded fluorescent sensors (iATPSnFRs) for imaging extracellular and cytosolic ATP from insertion of circularly permuted superfolder GFP into the epsilon subunit of F0F1-ATPase from Bacillus PS3. On the cell surface and within the cytosol, iATPSnFR1.0 responds to relevant ATP concentrations (30 μM to 3 mM) with fast increases in fluorescence. iATPSnFRs can be genetically targeted to specific cell types and sub-cellular compartments, imaged with standard light microscopes, do not respond to other nucleotides and nucleosides, and when fused with a red fluorescent protein function as ratiometric indicators. After careful consideration of their modest pH sensitivity, iATPSnFRs represent promising reagents for imaging ATP in the extracellular space and within cells during a variety of settings, and for further application-specific refinements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Lobas
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1751, USA
- Koniku Inc., 740 Heinz Avenue, Berkeley, CA, 94710, USA
| | - Rongkun Tao
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1751, USA
| | - Jun Nagai
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1751, USA
| | - Mira T Kronschläger
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1751, USA
- Department of Neurophysiology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 4, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Philip M Borden
- Janelia Research Campus, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA, 20147, USA
| | | | - Loren L Looger
- Janelia Research Campus, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA, 20147, USA.
| | - Baljit S Khakh
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1751, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1751, USA.
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27
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Dafni E, Weiner I, Shahar N, Tuller T, Yacoby I. Image-Processing Software for High-Throughput Quantification of Colony Luminescence. mSphere 2019; 4:e00676-18. [PMID: 30602526 PMCID: PMC6315083 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00676-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Many microbiological assays include colonies that produce a luminescent or fluorescent (here generalized as "luminescent") signal, often in the form of luminescent halos around the colonies. These signals are used as reporters for a trait of interest; therefore, exact measurements of the luminescence are often desired. However, there is currently a lack of high-throughput methods for analyzing these assays, as common automatic image analysis tools are unsuitable for identifying these halos in the presence of the inherent biological noise. In this work, we have developed CFQuant-automatic, high-throughput software for the analysis of images from colony luminescence assays. CFQuant overcomes the problems of automatic identification by relying on the luminescence halo's expected shape and provides measurements of several features of the colonies and halos. We examined the performance of CFQuant using one such colony luminescence assay, where we achieved a high correlation (R = 0.85) between the measurements of CFQuant and known protein expression levels. This demonstrates CFQuant's potential as a fast and reliable tool for analysis of colony luminescence assays.IMPORTANCE Luminescent markers are widely used as reporters for various biologically interesting traits. In colony luminescence assays, the levels of luminescence around each colony can be used to compare the levels of traits of interest for different strains, treatments, etc., using quantitative measurements of the luminescence. However, automatic methods of obtaining this data are underdeveloped, making this a laborious manual process, especially in analyzing large numbers of colonies. The significance of this work is in developing an automatic, high-throughput tool for quantitative analysis of colony luminescence assays, which will allow fast collection of qualitative data from these assays and thus increase their overall usability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eyal Dafni
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Iddo Weiner
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Noam Shahar
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Tamir Tuller
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Iftach Yacoby
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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28
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Zhou J, Wang X, Wang M, Chang Y, Zhang F, Ban Z, Tang R, Gan Q, Wu S, Guo Y, Zhang Q, Wang F, Zhao L, Jing Y, Qian W, Wang G, Guo W, Yang C. The lysine catabolite saccharopine impairs development by disrupting mitochondrial homeostasis. J Cell Biol 2018; 218:580-597. [PMID: 30573525 PMCID: PMC6363459 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201807204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Defective lysine catabolism leads to two types of hyperlysinemia, but the mechanisms are unclear. Zhou et al. reveal that accumulation of saccharopine, an intermediate of lysine catabolism, leads to defective development of Caenorhbditis elegans and mice and that this correlates with disrupted mitochondrial dynamics, damage, and functional loss. Amino acid catabolism is frequently executed in mitochondria; however, it is largely unknown how aberrant amino acid metabolism affects mitochondria. Here we report the requirement for mitochondrial saccharopine degradation in mitochondrial homeostasis and animal development. In Caenorhbditis elegans, mutations in the saccharopine dehydrogenase (SDH) domain of the bi-functional enzyme α-aminoadipic semialdehyde synthase AASS-1 greatly elevate the lysine catabolic intermediate saccharopine, which causes mitochondrial damage by disrupting mitochondrial dynamics, leading to reduced adult animal growth. In mice, failure of mitochondrial saccharopine oxidation causes lethal mitochondrial damage in the liver, leading to postnatal developmental retardation and death. Importantly, genetic inactivation of genes that raise the mitochondrial saccharopine precursors lysine and α-ketoglutarate strongly suppresses SDH mutation-induced saccharopine accumulation and mitochondrial abnormalities in C. elegans. Thus, adequate saccharopine catabolism is essential for mitochondrial homeostasis. Our study provides mechanistic and therapeutic insights for understanding and treating hyperlysinemia II (saccharopinuria), an aminoacidopathy with severe developmental defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junxiang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Natural Resource Conservation and Utilization in Yunnan and Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China.,Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Resource Conservation and Utilization in Yunnan and Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Min Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuwei Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fengxia Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaonan Ban
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ruofeng Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qiwen Gan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shaohuan Wu
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Genetic Network Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ye Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fengyang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Liyuan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yudong Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenfeng Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Genetic Network Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guodong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Weixiang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chonglin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China .,State Key Laboratory of Natural Resource Conservation and Utilization in Yunnan and Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
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29
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Fallon TR, Lower SE, Chang CH, Bessho-Uehara M, Martin GJ, Bewick AJ, Behringer M, Debat HJ, Wong I, Day JC, Suvorov A, Silva CJ, Stanger-Hall KF, Hall DW, Schmitz RJ, Nelson DR, Lewis SM, Shigenobu S, Bybee SM, Larracuente AM, Oba Y, Weng JK. Firefly genomes illuminate parallel origins of bioluminescence in beetles. eLife 2018; 7:e36495. [PMID: 30324905 PMCID: PMC6191289 DOI: 10.7554/elife.36495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Fireflies and their luminous courtships have inspired centuries of scientific study. Today firefly luciferase is widely used in biotechnology, but the evolutionary origin of bioluminescence within beetles remains unclear. To shed light on this long-standing question, we sequenced the genomes of two firefly species that diverged over 100 million-years-ago: the North American Photinus pyralis and Japanese Aquatica lateralis. To compare bioluminescent origins, we also sequenced the genome of a related click beetle, the Caribbean Ignelater luminosus, with bioluminescent biochemistry near-identical to fireflies, but anatomically unique light organs, suggesting the intriguing hypothesis of parallel gains of bioluminescence. Our analyses support independent gains of bioluminescence in fireflies and click beetles, and provide new insights into the genes, chemical defenses, and symbionts that evolved alongside their luminous lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy R Fallon
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical ResearchCambridgeUnited States
- Department of BiologyMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Sarah E Lower
- Department of Molecular Biology and GeneticsCornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
- Department of BiologyBucknell UniversityLewisburgUnited States
| | - Ching-Ho Chang
- Department of BiologyUniversity of RochesterRochesterUnited States
| | - Manabu Bessho-Uehara
- Department of Environmental BiologyChubu UniversityKasugaiJapan
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural SciencesNagoya UniversityNagoyaJapan
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research InstituteMoss LandingUnited States
| | - Gavin J Martin
- Department of BiologyBrigham Young UniversityProvoUnited States
| | - Adam J Bewick
- Department of GeneticsUniversity of GeorgiaAthensUnited States
| | - Megan Behringer
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of EvolutionArizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
| | - Humberto J Debat
- Center of Agronomic Research, National Institute of Agricultural TechnologyCórdobaArgentina
| | - Isaac Wong
- Department of BiologyUniversity of RochesterRochesterUnited States
| | - John C Day
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH)WallingfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Anton Suvorov
- Department of BiologyBrigham Young UniversityProvoUnited States
| | - Christian J Silva
- Department of BiologyUniversity of RochesterRochesterUnited States
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of California DavisDavisUnited States
| | | | - David W Hall
- Department of GeneticsUniversity of GeorgiaAthensUnited States
| | | | - David R Nelson
- Department of Microbiology Immunology and BiochemistryUniversity of Tennessee HSCMemphisUnited States
| | - Sara M Lewis
- Department of BiologyTufts UniversityMedfordUnited States
| | - Shuji Shigenobu
- NIBB Core Research FacilitiesNational Institute for Basic BiologyOkazakiJapan
| | - Seth M Bybee
- Department of BiologyBrigham Young UniversityProvoUnited States
| | | | - Yuichi Oba
- Department of Environmental BiologyChubu UniversityKasugaiJapan
| | - Jing-Ke Weng
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical ResearchCambridgeUnited States
- Department of BiologyMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
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30
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Abstract
There have been many attempts to unveil the therapeutic potential of antisense molecules during the last decade. Due to its specific role in canonical Wnt signalling, β-catenin is a potential target for an antisense-based antitumour therapy. In order to establish such a strategy with peptide nucleic acids, we developed a reporter assay for quantification of antisense effects. The luciferase-based assay detects splice blocking with high sensitivity. Using this assay, we show that the splice donor of exon 13 of β-catenin is particularly suitable for an antisense strategy, as it results in a truncated protein which lacks transactivating functions. Since the truncated proteins retain the interactions with Tcf/Lef proteins, they act in a dominant negative fashion competing with wild-type proteins and thus blocking the transcriptional activity of β-catenin. Furthermore, we show that the truncation does not interfere with binding of cadherin and α-catenin, both essential for its function in cell adhesion. Therefore, the antisense strategy blocks Wnt signalling with high efficiency but retains other important functions of β-catenin.
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31
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Lower SE, Stanger-Hall KF, Hall DW. Molecular variation across populations of a widespread North American firefly, Photinus pyralis, reveals that coding changes do not underlie flash color variation or associated visual sensitivity. BMC Evol Biol 2018; 18:129. [PMID: 30170542 PMCID: PMC6119266 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-018-1251-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Genes underlying signal production and reception are expected to evolve to maximize signal detection in specific environments. Fireflies vary in their light signal color both within and between species, and thus provide an excellent system in which to study signal production and reception in the context of signaling environments. Differences in signal color have been hypothesized to be due to variation in the sequence of luciferase, the enzyme that catalyzes the light reaction. Similarly, differences in visual sensitivity, which are expected to match signal color, have been hypothesized to be due to variation in the sequence of opsins, the protein component of visual pigments. Here we investigated (1) whether sequence variation in luciferase correlates with variation in signal color and (2) whether sequence variation in opsins correlates with inferred matching visual sensitivity across populations of a widespread North American firefly species, Photinus pyralis. We further tested (3) whether selection has acted on these loci by examining their population-level differentiation relative to the distribution of differentiation derived from a genome-wide sample of loci generated by double-digest RADseq. Results We found virtually no coding variation in luciferase or opsins. However, there was extreme divergence in non-coding variation in luciferase across populations relative to a panel of random genomic loci. Conclusions The absence of protein variation at both loci challenges the paradigm that variation in signal color and visual sensitivity in fireflies is exclusively due to coding variation in luciferase and opsin genes. Instead, flash color variation within species must involve other mechanisms, such as abdominal pigmentation or regulation of light organ physiology. Evidence for selection at non-coding variation in luciferase suggests that selection is targeting luciferase regulation and may favor differ expression levels across populations. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12862-018-1251-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Lower
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. .,Present address: Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, 17837, USA.
| | | | - David W Hall
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
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32
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Pan W, Dong J, Chen P, Zhang B, Li Z, Chen L. Development and application of bioluminescence imaging for the influenza A virus. J Thorac Dis 2018; 10:S2230-S2237. [PMID: 30116602 DOI: 10.21037/jtd.2018.02.35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Influenza A viruses (IAVs) cause seasonal epidemics and intermittent pandemics which threaten human health. Conventional assays cannot meet the demands for rapid and sensitive detection of viral spread and pathogenesis in real time cannot be used for high-throughput screens of novel antivirals. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) has emerged as a powerful tool in the study of infectious diseases in animal models. The advent of influenza reverse genetics has enabled the incorporation of bioluminescent reporter proteins into replication-competent IAVs. This review briefly describes the current development and applications of bioluminescence in the study of viral infections and antiviral therapeutics for IAVs. BLI is expected to substantially accelerate the basic and applied research of IAV both in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqi Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510182, China
| | - Ji Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510182, China
| | - Peihai Chen
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China.,Institute of Health Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Beiwu Zhang
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Zhixia Li
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Ling Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510182, China.,Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
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33
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Synthesis and Characterization of a Nano-Polyplex system of GNRs-PDMAEA-pDNA: An Inert Self-Catalyzed Degradable Carrier for Facile Gene Delivery. Sci Rep 2018; 8:8112. [PMID: 29802331 PMCID: PMC5970195 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26260-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Engineering molecules at nano-scale is a promising approach in targeting and curing diseases. In this research, fabricated new hybrid system called nano-polyplex represents an example of the molecular engineering at nano-scale. Polymer of PDMAEAs with four different molecular weights were synthesized using the RAFT method, attached onto the gold nano-rod surface, which modified and produced a safe novel system with an average size less than 100 nm. The hybrid system was characterized by ultra violet-visible spectrophotometer (UV-Vis), dynamic light scattering (DLS), 1H NMR, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Zeta potential analyzer and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Features of higher transfection and lower toxicity compared to the previously reported polyplex of PDMAEA, as well as the gold standard PEI, have been shown in all molecular weights and defined N/P ratios (10–200). The ideal physicochemical properties for escaping from the cell barriers, covering the large volume of genetic material (pDNA) and high efficiency of loading polyplexes on GNRs’ surface make it an ideal carrier. The results of this effort pave way in designing a new generation of nanoparticle-based delivery systems for nucleic acid therapy and gene editing.
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34
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Collmann FM, Pijnenburg R, Schneider G, Schäfer C, Folz-Donahue K, Kukat C, Hoehn M. Imaging Reporter Strategy to Monitor Gene Activation of Microglia Polarisation States under Stimulation. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 2018; 13:371-382. [PMID: 29790106 PMCID: PMC6096558 DOI: 10.1007/s11481-018-9789-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 05/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Microglial cells as innate immune key players have a critical and unique role in neurodegenerative disorders. They strongly interact with their microenvironment in a complex manner and react to changes by switching their phenotype and functional activation states. In order to understand the development of brain diseases, it is imperative to elucidate up- or down-regulation of genes involved in microglia polarisation in time-profile by a simple-to-use strategy. Here, we present a new imaging strategy to follow promoter activity of genes involved in microglia polarisation. We lentivirally transduced BV-2 microglia cells in culture with constructs consisting of the induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), Fc gamma receptor III (Fcgr3) (both resembling the pro-inflammatory M1-like phenotype) or Chitinase-like 3 (Chil3/Ym1) (resembling the anti-inflammatory M2-like phenotype) promoters and stimulated transgenic cells with potent activators for pro- or anti-inflammatory response, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) + interferon gamma (IFN-γ) or interleukin (IL)-4, respectively. Promoter activities upon polarisation phases were quantitatively assessed by the two imaging reporters Luc2 for bioluminescence and eGFP for fluorescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska M Collmann
- Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, In-vivo-NMR Laboratory, Gleueler Straße 50, D-50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Rory Pijnenburg
- Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, In-vivo-NMR Laboratory, Gleueler Straße 50, D-50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Gabriele Schneider
- Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, In-vivo-NMR Laboratory, Gleueler Straße 50, D-50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Cordula Schäfer
- Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, In-vivo-NMR Laboratory, Gleueler Straße 50, D-50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Kat Folz-Donahue
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, FACS & Imaging Core Facility, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christian Kukat
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, FACS & Imaging Core Facility, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mathias Hoehn
- Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, In-vivo-NMR Laboratory, Gleueler Straße 50, D-50931, Cologne, Germany. .,Leiden University Medical Center, Radiology, Leiden, The Netherlands. .,PERCUROS, Enschede, The Netherlands.
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35
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Rodríguez-Palero MJ, López-Díaz A, Marsac R, Gomes JE, Olmedo M, Artal-Sanz M. An automated method for the analysis of food intake behaviour in Caenorhabditis elegans. Sci Rep 2018; 8:3633. [PMID: 29483540 PMCID: PMC5832146 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-21964-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of mechanisms that govern feeding behaviour and its related disorders is a matter of global health interest. The roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans is becoming a model organism of choice to study these conserved pathways. C. elegans feeding depends on the contraction of the pharynx (pumping). Thanks to the worm transparency, pumping can be directly observed under a stereoscope. Therefore, C. elegans feeding has been historically investigated by counting pharyngeal pumping or by other indirect approaches. However, those methods are short-term, time-consuming and unsuitable for independent measurements of sizable numbers of individuals. Although some particular devices and long-term methods have been lately reported, they fail in the automated, scalable and/or continuous aspects. Here we present an automated bioluminescence-based method for the analysis and continuous monitoring of worm feeding in a multi-well format. We validate the method using genetic, environmental and pharmacological modulators of pharyngeal pumping. This flexible methodology allows studying food intake at specific time-points or during longer periods of time, in single worms or in populations at any developmental stage. Additionally, changes in feeding rates in response to differential metabolic status or external environmental cues can be monitored in real time, allowing accurate kinetic measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mª Jesús Rodríguez-Palero
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Junta de Andalucía/Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Departament of Molecular Biology and Biochemical Engineering, Carretera de Utrera, km 1, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - Ana López-Díaz
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Junta de Andalucía/Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Departament of Molecular Biology and Biochemical Engineering, Carretera de Utrera, km 1, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - Roxane Marsac
- Institut de Biochimie et Génétique Cellulaires - C.N.R.S. UMR 5095 and Université de Bordeaux, 1, rue Camille Saint-Saëns, 33077, Bordeaux Cedex, France
| | - José-Eduardo Gomes
- Institut de Biochimie et Génétique Cellulaires - C.N.R.S. UMR 5095 and Université de Bordeaux, 1, rue Camille Saint-Saëns, 33077, Bordeaux Cedex, France
| | - María Olmedo
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Junta de Andalucía/Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Departament of Molecular Biology and Biochemical Engineering, Carretera de Utrera, km 1, 41013, Seville, Spain.
- Department of Genetics, University of Seville, Avenida Reina Mercedes s/n, 41012, Seville, Spain.
| | - Marta Artal-Sanz
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Junta de Andalucía/Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Departament of Molecular Biology and Biochemical Engineering, Carretera de Utrera, km 1, 41013, Seville, Spain.
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36
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Strongly enhanced bacterial bioluminescence with the ilux operon for single-cell imaging. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:962-967. [PMID: 29339494 PMCID: PMC5798359 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1715946115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The emission of light generated in a process referred to as bioluminescence can be used for imaging of living cells over long timespans without phototoxicity or bleaching. The amounts of light produced in the bioluminescence process are very low, and exogenous substrate molecules are often required. We improved the brightness of bacterial bioluminescence, a system that features the advantage that all of the required molecular components are genetically encoded within a single operon. Consequently, we have engineered an improved operon ilux, which enables long-term visualization of single bacterial cells while simultaneously providing information about cellular viability. Bioluminescence imaging of single cells is often complicated by the requirement of exogenous luciferins that can be poorly cell-permeable or produce high background signal. Bacterial bioluminescence is unique in that it uses reduced flavin mononucleotide as a luciferin, which is abundant in all cells, making this system purely genetically encodable by the lux operon. Unfortunately, the use of bacterial bioluminescence has been limited by its low brightness compared with other luciferases. Here, we report the generation of an improved lux operon named ilux with an approximately sevenfold increased brightness when expressed in Escherichia coli; ilux can be used to image single E. coli cells with enhanced spatiotemporal resolution over several days. In addition, since only metabolically active cells produce bioluminescent signal, we show that ilux can be used to observe the effect of different antibiotics on cell viability on the single-cell level.
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37
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Wider D, Picard D. Secreted dual reporter assay with Gaussia luciferase and the red fluorescent protein mCherry. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0189403. [PMID: 29220385 PMCID: PMC5722324 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [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: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The availability of a wide range of reporter proteins, which can easily be quantitated, has had a major impact on many fields of biomedical research. In some experiments with tissue culture cells, it is necessary to control for differences in transfection efficiency and in other expression parameters. This requirement has been very conveniently met with the popular dual luciferase assay. Its disadvantages are the requirement for cell lysis, the inability to analyze the same cells repeatedly, and the cost, at least in its most commonly used commercial format. Here we describe a novel dual reporter assay with the naturally secreted luciferase from Gaussia princeps as the main reporter protein and a secreted version of the red fluorescent protein mCherry as internal standard. After first measuring mCherry fluorescence in the medium, an enzyme buffer with coelenterazine as substrate is added to the same sample to trigger a glow-type luminescence of the luciferase. The simple and cheap assay can easily be adapted to a variety of experimental situations. As a case in point, we have developed a panel of Gaussia luciferase reporter genes for transcriptional activation assays with estrogen and glucocorticoid response elements, and with response elements for fusion proteins with the Gal4 DNA binding domain for use in mammalian cells. Our secreted dual reporter assay should be an attractive alternative to the currently available commercial kits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Wider
- Département de Biologie Cellulaire, Université de Genève, Sciences III, Genève, Switzerland
| | - Didier Picard
- Département de Biologie Cellulaire, Université de Genève, Sciences III, Genève, Switzerland
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38
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Avci P, Karimi M, Sadasivam M, Antunes-Melo WC, Carrasco E, Hamblin MR. In-vivo monitoring of infectious diseases in living animals using bioluminescence imaging. Virulence 2017; 9:28-63. [PMID: 28960132 PMCID: PMC6067836 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2017.1371897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional methods of localizing and quantifying the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in living experimental animal models of infections have mostly relied on sacrificing the animals, dissociating the tissue and counting the number of colony forming units. However, the discovery of several varieties of the light producing enzyme, luciferase, and the genetic engineering of bacteria, fungi, parasites and mice to make them emit light, either after administration of the luciferase substrate, or in the case of the bacterial lux operon without any exogenous substrate, has provided a new alternative. Dedicated bioluminescence imaging (BLI) cameras can record the light emitted from living animals in real time allowing non-invasive, longitudinal monitoring of the anatomical location and growth of infectious microorganisms as measured by strength of the BLI signal. BLI technology has been used to follow bacterial infections in traumatic skin wounds and burns, osteomyelitis, infections in intestines, Mycobacterial infections, otitis media, lung infections, biofilm and endodontic infections and meningitis. Fungi that have been engineered to be bioluminescent have been used to study infections caused by yeasts (Candida) and by filamentous fungi. Parasitic infections caused by malaria, Leishmania, trypanosomes and toxoplasma have all been monitored by BLI. Viruses such as vaccinia, herpes simplex, hepatitis B and C and influenza, have been studied using BLI. This rapidly growing technology is expected to continue to provide much useful information, while drastically reducing the numbers of animals needed in experimental studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pinar Avci
- a Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,b Department of Dermatology , Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Mahdi Karimi
- a Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,c Department of Medical Nanotechnology , School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.,d Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran
| | - Magesh Sadasivam
- a Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,e Amity Institute of Nanotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh , Noida , India
| | - Wanessa C Antunes-Melo
- a Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,f University of Sao Paulo , Sao Carlos-SP , Brazil
| | - Elisa Carrasco
- a Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,g Department of Biosciences , Durham University , Durham , United Kingdom
| | - Michael R Hamblin
- a Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,b Department of Dermatology , Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA.,h Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology , Cambridge , MA , USA
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Thibault T, Degrouard J, Baril P, Pichon C, Midoux P, Malinge JM. Production of DNA minicircles less than 250 base pairs through a novel concentrated DNA circularization assay enabling minicircle design with NF-κB inhibition activity. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:e26. [PMID: 27899652 PMCID: PMC5389552 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw1034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Double-stranded DNA minicircles of less than 1000 bp in length have great interest in both fundamental research and therapeutic applications. Although minicircles have shown promising activity in gene therapy thanks to their good biostability and better intracellular trafficking, minicircles down to 250 bp in size have not yet been investigated from the test tube to the cell for lack of an efficient production method. Herein, we report a novel versatile plasmid-free method for the production of DNA minicircles comprising fewer than 250 bp. We designed a linear nicked DNA double-stranded oligonucleotide blunt-ended substrate for efficient minicircle production in a ligase-mediated and bending protein-assisted circularization reaction at high DNA concentration of 2 μM. This one pot multi-step reaction based-method yields hundreds of micrograms of minicircle with sequences of any base composition and position and containing or not a variety of site-specifically chemical modifications or physiological supercoiling. Biochemical and cellular studies were then conducted to design a 95 bp minicircle capable of binding in vitro two NF-κB transcription factors per minicircle and to efficiently inhibiting NF-κB-dependent transcriptional activity in human cells. Therefore, our production method could pave the way for the design of minicircles as new decoy nucleic acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Thibault
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, affiliated to the University of Orléans and Inserm, 45071 Orléans Cedex 02 France
| | - Jeril Degrouard
- Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Université Paris Sud, CNRS UMR 8502, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France
| | - Patrick Baril
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, affiliated to the University of Orléans and Inserm, 45071 Orléans Cedex 02 France
| | - Chantal Pichon
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, affiliated to the University of Orléans and Inserm, 45071 Orléans Cedex 02 France
| | - Patrick Midoux
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, affiliated to the University of Orléans and Inserm, 45071 Orléans Cedex 02 France
| | - Jean-Marc Malinge
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, affiliated to the University of Orléans and Inserm, 45071 Orléans Cedex 02 France
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Jazayeri FS, Amininasab M, Hosseinkhani S. Structural and dynamical insight into thermally induced functional inactivation of firefly luciferase. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0180667. [PMID: 28672033 PMCID: PMC5495494 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Luciferase is the key component of light production in bioluminescence process. Extensive and advantageous application of this enzyme in biotechnology is restricted due to its low thermal stability. Here we report the effect of heating up above Tm on the structure and dynamical properties of luciferase enzyme compared to temperature at 298 K. In this way we demonstrate that the number of hydrogen bonds between N- and C-domain is increased for the free enzyme at 325 K. Increased inter domain hydrogen bonds by three at 325 K suggests that inter domain contact is strengthened. The appearance of simultaneous strong salt bridge and hydrogen bond between K529 and D422 and increased existence probability between R533 and E389 could mechanistically explain stronger contact between N- and C-domain. Mutagenesis studies demonstrated the importance of K529 and D422 experimentally. Also the significant reduction in SASA for experimentally important residues K529, D422 and T343 which are involved in active site region was observed. Principle component analysis (PCA) in our study shows that the dynamical behavior of the enzyme is changed upon heating up which mainly originated from the change of motion modes and associated extent of those motions with respect to 298 K. These findings could explain why heating up of the enzyme or thermal fluctuation of protein conformation reduces luciferase activity in course of time as a possible mechanism of thermal functional inactivation. According to these results we proposed two strategies to improve thermal stability of functional luciferase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh S. Jazayeri
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, IRAN
| | - Mehriar Amininasab
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, IRAN
- * E-mail: (MA); (SH)
| | - Saman Hosseinkhani
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, IRAN
- * E-mail: (MA); (SH)
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Adams PP, Flores Avile C, Jewett MW. A Dual Luciferase Reporter System for B. burgdorferi Measures Transcriptional Activity during Tick-Pathogen Interactions. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:225. [PMID: 28620587 PMCID: PMC5449462 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of the transcriptional responses of vector-borne pathogens at the vector-pathogen interface is critical for understanding disease transmission. Borrelia (Borreliella) burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease in the United States, is transmitted by the bite of infected Ixodes sp. ticks. It is known that B. burgdorferi has altered patterns of gene expression during tick acquisition, persistence and transmission. Recently, we and others have discovered in vitro expression of RNAs found internal, overlapping, and antisense to annotated open reading frames in the B. burgdorferi genome. However, there is a lack of molecular genetic tools for B. burgdorferi for quantitative, strand-specific, comparative analysis of these transcripts in distinct environments such as the arthropod vector. To address this need, we have developed a dual luciferase reporter system to quantify B. burgdorferi promoter activities in a strand-specific manner. We demonstrate that constitutive expression of a B. burgdorferi codon-optimized Renilla reniformis luciferase gene (rlucBb ) allows normalization of the activity of a promoter of interest when fused to the B. burgdorferi codon-optimized Photinus pyralis luciferase gene (flucBb) on the same plasmid. Using the well characterized, differentially regulated, promoters for flagellin (flaBp), outer surface protein A (ospAp) and outer surface protein C (ospCp), we document the efficacy of the dual luciferase system for quantitation of promoter activities during in vitro growth and in infected ticks. Cumulatively, the dual luciferase method outlined herein is the first dual reporter system for B. burgdorferi, providing a novel and highly versatile approach for strand-specific molecular genetic analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip P Adams
- Division of Immunity and Pathogenesis, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of MedicineOrlando, FL, United States
| | - Carlos Flores Avile
- Division of Immunity and Pathogenesis, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of MedicineOrlando, FL, United States
| | - Mollie W Jewett
- Division of Immunity and Pathogenesis, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of MedicineOrlando, FL, United States
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Goya ME, Romanowski A, Caldart CS, Bénard CY, Golombek DA. Circadian rhythms identified in Caenorhabditis elegans by in vivo long-term monitoring of a bioluminescent reporter. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:E7837-E7845. [PMID: 27849618 PMCID: PMC5137770 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1605769113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Circadian rhythms are based on endogenous clocks that allow organisms to adjust their physiology and behavior by entrainment to the solar day and, in turn, to select the optimal times for most biological variables. Diverse model systems-including mice, flies, fungi, plants, and bacteria-have provided important insights into the mechanisms of circadian rhythmicity. However, the general principles that govern the circadian clock of Caenorhabditis elegans have remained largely elusive. Here we report robust molecular circadian rhythms in C elegans recorded with a bioluminescence assay in vivo and demonstrate the main features of the circadian system of the nematode. By constructing a luciferase-based reporter coupled to the promoter of the suppressor of activated let-60 Ras (sur-5) gene, we show in both population and single-nematode assays that C elegans expresses ∼24-h rhythms that can be entrained by light/dark and temperature cycles. We provide evidence that these rhythms are temperature-compensated and can be re-entrained after phase changes of the synchronizing agents. In addition, we demonstrate that light and temperature sensing requires the photoreceptors LITE and GUR-3, and the cyclic nucleotide-gated channel subunit TAX-2. Our results shed light on C elegans circadian biology and demonstrate evolutionarily conserved features in the circadian system of the nematode.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Eugenia Goya
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina, Buenos Aires B1876BXD, Argentina
| | - Andrés Romanowski
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina, Buenos Aires B1876BXD, Argentina
- Fundación Instituto Leloir, Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1405BWE, Argentina
| | - Carlos S Caldart
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina, Buenos Aires B1876BXD, Argentina
| | - Claire Y Bénard
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605;
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Quebec at Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada H2X 1Y4
| | - Diego A Golombek
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina, Buenos Aires B1876BXD, Argentina;
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Breen M, Nogales A, Baker SF, Martínez-Sobrido L. Replication-Competent Influenza A Viruses Expressing Reporter Genes. Viruses 2016; 8:v8070179. [PMID: 27347991 PMCID: PMC4974514 DOI: 10.3390/v8070179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2016] [Revised: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 06/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Influenza A viruses (IAV) cause annual seasonal human respiratory disease epidemics. In addition, IAV have been implicated in occasional pandemics with inordinate health and economic consequences. Studying IAV, in vitro or in vivo, requires the use of laborious secondary methodologies to identify virus-infected cells. To circumvent this requirement, replication-competent IAV expressing an easily traceable reporter protein can be used. Here we discuss the development and applications of recombinant replication-competent IAV harboring diverse fluorescent or bioluminescent reporter genes in different locations of the viral genome. These viruses have been employed for in vitro and in vivo studies, such as the screening of neutralizing antibodies or antiviral compounds, the identification of host factors involved in viral replication, cell tropism, the development of vaccines, or the assessment of viral infection dynamics. In summary, reporter-expressing, replicating-competent IAV represent a powerful tool for the study of IAV both in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Breen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
| | - Aitor Nogales
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
| | - Steven F Baker
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
| | - Luis Martínez-Sobrido
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
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De Niz M, Stanway RR, Wacker R, Keller D, Heussler VT. An ultrasensitive NanoLuc-based luminescence system for monitoring Plasmodium berghei throughout its life cycle. Malar J 2016; 15:232. [PMID: 27102897 PMCID: PMC4840902 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1291-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Bioluminescence imaging is widely used for cell-based assays and animal imaging studies, both in biomedical research and drug development. Its main advantages include its high-throughput applicability, affordability, high sensitivity, operational simplicity, and quantitative outputs. In malaria research, bioluminescence has been used for drug discovery in vivo and in vitro, exploring host-pathogen interactions, and studying multiple aspects of Plasmodium biology. While the number of fluorescent proteins available for imaging has undergone a great expansion over the last two decades, enabling simultaneous visualization of multiple molecular and cellular events, expansion of available luciferases has lagged behind. The most widely used bioluminescent probe in malaria research is the Photinus pyralis firefly luciferase, followed by the more recently introduced Click-beetle and Renilla luciferases. Ultra-sensitive imaging of Plasmodium at low parasite densities has not been previously achieved. With the purpose of overcoming these challenges, a Plasmodium berghei line expressing the novel ultra-bright luciferase enzyme NanoLuc, called PbNLuc has been generated, and is presented in this work. Results NanoLuc shows at least 150 times brighter signal than firefly luciferase in vitro, allowing single parasite detection in mosquito, liver, and sexual and asexual blood stages. As a proof-of-concept, the PbNLuc parasites were used to image parasite development in the mosquito, liver and blood stages of infection, and to specifically explore parasite liver stage egress, and pre-patency period in vivo. Conclusions PbNLuc is a suitable parasite line for sensitive imaging of the entire Plasmodium life cycle. Its sensitivity makes it a promising line to be used as a reference for drug candidate testing, as well as the characterization of mutant parasites to explore the function of parasite proteins, host-parasite interactions, and the better understanding of Plasmodium biology. Since the substrate requirements of NanoLuc are different from those of firefly luciferase, dual bioluminescence imaging for the simultaneous characterization of two lines, or two separate biological processes, is possible, as demonstrated in this work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana De Niz
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Rebecca R Stanway
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Rahel Wacker
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Derya Keller
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Volker T Heussler
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
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A Regulatory Element Near the 3' End of the Adeno-Associated Virus rep Gene Inhibits Adenovirus Replication in cis by Means of p40 Promoter-Associated Short Transcripts. J Virol 2016; 90:3981-93. [PMID: 26842470 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.03120-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Adeno-associated virus (AAV) has long been known to inhibit helper adenovirus (Ad) replication independently of AAV Rep protein expression. More recently, replication of Ad serotype 5 (Ad5)/AAV serotype 2 (AAV-2) hybrid vectors was shown to be inhibited incisby a sequence near the 3' end of AAVrep, termed the Rep inhibition sequence for adenoviral replication (RIS-Ad). RIS-Ad functions independently of Rep protein expression. Here we demonstrate that inhibition of adenoviral replication by RIS-Ad requires an active AAV p40 promoter and the 5' half of the intron. In addition, Ad inhibition is critically dependent on the integrity of the p40 transcription start site (TSS) leading to short p40-associated transcripts. These do not give rise to effector molecules capable of inhibiting adenoviral replication intrans, like small polypeptides or microRNAs. Our data point to an inhibitory mechanism in which RNA polymerase II (Pol II) pauses directly downstream of the p40 promoter, leading to interference of the stalled Pol II transcription complex with the adenoviral replication machinery. Whereas inhibition by RIS-Ad is mediated exclusively incis, it can be overcome by providing a replication-competent adenoviral genome intrans Moreover, the inhibitory effect of RIS-Ad is not limited to AAV-2 but could also be shown for the corresponding regions of other AAV serotypes, including AAV-5. These findings have important implications for the future generation of Ad5/AAV hybrid vectors. IMPORTANCE Insertion of sequences from the 3' part of therepgene of adeno-associated virus (AAV) into the genome of its helper adenovirus strongly reduces adenoviral genome replication. We could show that this inhibition is mediated exclusively inciswithout the involvement oftrans-acting regulatory RNAs or polypeptides but nevertheless requires an active AAV-2 p40 promoter and p40-associated short transcripts. Our results suggest a novel inhibitory mechanism that has so far not been described for AAV and that involves stalled RNA polymerase II complexes and their interference with adenoviral DNA replication. Such a mechanism would have important implications both for the generation of adenoviral vectors expressing the AAVrepandcapgenes and for the regulation of AAV gene expression in the absence and presence of helper virus.
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46
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van Zyl WF, Deane SM, Dicks LMT. Reporter systems for in vivo tracking of lactic acid bacteria in animal model studies. Gut Microbes 2015; 6:291-9. [PMID: 26516656 PMCID: PMC4826117 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2015.1086058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescence (BLI) and fluorescence imaging (FI) allow for non-invasive detection of viable microorganisms from within living tissue and are thus ideally suited for in vivo probiotic studies. Highly sensitive optical imaging techniques detect signals from the excitation of fluorescent proteins, or luciferase-catalyzed oxidation reactions. The excellent relation between microbial numbers and photon emission allow for quantification of tagged bacteria in vivo with extreme accuracy. More information is gained over a shorter period compared to traditional pre-clinical animal studies. The review summarizes the latest advances in in vivo bioluminescence and fluorescence imaging and points out the advantages and limitations of different techniques. The practical application of BLI and FI in the tracking of lactic acid bacteria in animal models is addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winschau F van Zyl
- Department of Microbiology; Stellenbosch University; Matieland, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Shelly M Deane
- Department of Microbiology; Stellenbosch University; Matieland, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Leon M T Dicks
- Department of Microbiology; Stellenbosch University; Matieland, Stellenbosch, South Africa,Correspondence to: Leon M T Dicks;
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Stollfuss J, Landvogt N, Abenstein M, Ziegler S, Schwaiger M, Senekowitsch-Schmidtke R, Wieder H. Non-invasive imaging of implanted peritoneal carcinomatosis in mice using PET and bioluminescence imaging. EJNMMI Res 2015; 5:125. [PMID: 26337805 PMCID: PMC4559549 DOI: 10.1186/s13550-015-0125-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2015] [Accepted: 08/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-invasive imaging of peritoneal carcinomatosis remains challenging. The aim of this study was to compare positron emission tomography (PET) and bioluminescence imaging (BLI) for the early detection of peritoneal carcinomatosis in a mouse model. METHODS Female nude mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with 1×10(7) HSC45-M2-luc gastric cancer cells. The cells were stably transfected with the gene coding for firefly luciferase. Tumour development was monitored using PET and BLI and in two subgroups, on days 3 and 4 or on days 6 and 7 after tumour cell inoculation. Tumour nodules found on post mortem examination served as the reference standard for evaluating the images. RESULTS PET detected 58/82 lesions (sensitivity 71 %). This method detected all (100 %) nodules larger than 6 mm, 88 % of nodules in the range of >2-4 mm, and even 58 % of small nodules measuring only 1-2 mm. BLI identified a total of 40/82 lesions (sensitivity 49 %). The difference between PET and BLI was statistically significant at p < 0.05 (PET/BLI chi-square 8.2). CONCLUSIONS PET was more sensitive than BLI for the detection of early peritoneal carcinomatosis in our mouse model. The sensitivity of BLI largely depended on the site of the lesions in relation to the imaging device.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Stollfuss
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum Memmingen, Memmingen, Germany,
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A High-Throughput Method for the Analysis of Larval Developmental Phenotypes in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2015; 201:443-8. [PMID: 26294666 PMCID: PMC4596660 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.115.179242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans postembryonic development consists of four discrete larval stages separated by molts. Typically, the speed of progression through these larval stages is investigated by visual inspection of the molting process. Here, we describe an automated method to monitor the timing of these discrete phases of C. elegans maturation, from the first larval stage through adulthood, using bioluminescence. The method was validated with a lin-42 mutant strain that shows delayed development relative to wild-type animals and with a daf-2 mutant that shows an extended second larval stage. This new method is inherently high-throughput and will finally allow dissecting the molecular machinery governing the speed of the developmental clock, which has so far been hampered by the lack of a method suitable for genetic screens.
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49
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Goda K, Hatta‐Ohashi Y, Akiyoshi R, Sugiyama T, Sakai I, Takahashi T, Suzuki H. Combining fluorescence and bioluminescence microscopy. Microsc Res Tech 2015; 78:715-22. [PMID: 26096873 PMCID: PMC4745033 DOI: 10.1002/jemt.22529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Bioluminescence microscopy has revealed that gene expression in individual cells can respond differently to the same stimulus. To understand this phenomenon, it is important to sequentially observe the series of events from cellular signal transduction to gene expression regulated by specific transcription factors derived from signaling cascades in individual cells. However, these processes have been separately analyzed with fluorescence and bioluminescence microscopy. Furthermore, in culture medium, the background fluorescence of luciferin-a substrate of luciferase in promoter assays of gene expression in cultured cells-confounds the simultaneous observation of fluorescence and bioluminescence. Therefore, we optimized conditions for optical filter sets based on spectral properties and the luciferin concentration based on cell permeability for fluorescence observation combined with bioluminescence microscopy. An excitation and emission filter set (492-506 nm and 524-578 nm) was suitable for green fluorescent protein and yellow fluorescent protein imaging of cells, and >100 μM luciferin was acceptable in culture medium based on kinetic constants and the estimated intracellular concentration. Using these parameters, we present an example of sequential fluorescence and bioluminescence microscopic observation of signal transduction (translocation of protein kinase C alpha from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane) coupled with activation of gene expression by nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide B in individual cells and show that the gene expression response is not completely concordant with upstream signaling following stimulation with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate. Our technique is a powerful imaging tool for analysis of heterogeneous gene expression together with upstream signaling in live single cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhito Goda
- Corporate Research and Development Center, Olympus CorporationHachiojiTokyo192‐8512Japan
| | - Yoko Hatta‐Ohashi
- Corporate Research and Development Center, Olympus CorporationHachiojiTokyo192‐8512Japan
| | - Ryutaro Akiyoshi
- Corporate Research and Development Center, Olympus CorporationHachiojiTokyo192‐8512Japan
| | - Takashi Sugiyama
- Corporate Research and Development Center, Olympus CorporationHachiojiTokyo192‐8512Japan
| | - Ikuko Sakai
- Corporate Research and Development Center, Olympus CorporationHachiojiTokyo192‐8512Japan
| | - Takeo Takahashi
- Corporate Research and Development Center, Olympus CorporationHachiojiTokyo192‐8512Japan
| | - Hirobumi Suzuki
- Corporate Research and Development Center, Olympus CorporationHachiojiTokyo192‐8512Japan
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Labrie M, Lalonde S, Najyb O, Thiery M, Daneault C, Des Rosiers C, Rassart E, Mounier C. Apolipoprotein D Transgenic Mice Develop Hepatic Steatosis through Activation of PPARγ and Fatty Acid Uptake. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0130230. [PMID: 26083030 PMCID: PMC4470830 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2014] [Accepted: 05/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Transgenic mice (Tg) overexpressing human apolipoprotein D (H-apoD) in the brain are resistant to neurodegeneration. Despite the use of a neuron-specific promoter to generate the Tg mice, they expressed significant levels of H-apoD in both plasma and liver and they slowly develop hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance. We show here that hepatic PPARγ expression in Tg mice is increased by 2-fold compared to wild type (WT) mice. Consequently, PPARγ target genes Plin2 and Cide A/C are overexpressed, leading to increased lipid droplets formation. Expression of the fatty acid transporter CD36, another PPARgamma target, is also increased in Tg mice associated with elevated fatty acid uptake as measured in primary hepatocytes. Elevated expression of AMPK in the liver of Tg leads to phosphorylation of acetyl CoA carboxylase, indicating a decreased activity of the enzyme. Fatty acid synthase expression is also induced but the hepatic lipogenesis measured in vivo is not significantly different between WT and Tg mice. In addition, expression of carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1, the rate-limiting enzyme of beta-oxidation, is slightly upregulated. Finally, we show that overexpressing H-apoD in HepG2 cells in presence of arachidonic acid (AA), the main apoD ligand, increases the transcriptional activity of PPARγ. Supporting the role of apoD in AA transport, we observed enrichment in hepatic AA and a decrease in plasmatic AA concentration. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the hepatic steatosis observed in apoD Tg mice is a consequence of increased PPARγ transcriptional activity by AA leading to increased fatty acid uptake by the liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilyne Labrie
- Centre de recherche BioMed, Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Simon Lalonde
- Centre de recherche BioMed, Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Ouafa Najyb
- Centre de recherche BioMed, Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Maxime Thiery
- Centre de recherche BioMed, Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Caroline Daneault
- Montreal Heart Institute Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, H1T 1C8,Canada
| | - Chrisitne Des Rosiers
- Department of Nutrition, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3J7,Canada
- Montreal Heart Institute Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, H1T 1C8,Canada
| | - Eric Rassart
- Centre de recherche BioMed, Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Catherine Mounier
- Centre de recherche BioMed, Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3P8, Canada
- * E-mail:
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