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Ribeiro JH, Altinisik N, Rajan N, Verslegers M, Baatout S, Gopalakrishnan J, Quintens R. DNA damage and repair: underlying mechanisms leading to microcephaly. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1268565. [PMID: 37881689 PMCID: PMC10597653 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1268565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA-damaging agents and endogenous DNA damage constantly harm genome integrity. Under genotoxic stress conditions, the DNA damage response (DDR) machinery is crucial in repairing lesions and preventing mutations in the basic structure of the DNA. Different repair pathways are implicated in the resolution of such lesions. For instance, the non-homologous DNA end joining and homologous recombination pathways are central cellular mechanisms by which eukaryotic cells maintain genome integrity. However, defects in these pathways are often associated with neurological disorders, indicating the pivotal role of DDR in normal brain development. Moreover, the brain is the most sensitive organ affected by DNA-damaging agents compared to other tissues during the prenatal period. The accumulation of lesions is believed to induce cell death, reduce proliferation and premature differentiation of neural stem and progenitor cells, and reduce brain size (microcephaly). Microcephaly is mainly caused by genetic mutations, especially genes encoding proteins involved in centrosomes and DNA repair pathways. However, it can also be induced by exposure to ionizing radiation and intrauterine infections such as the Zika virus. This review explains mammalian cortical development and the major DNA repair pathways that may lead to microcephaly when impaired. Next, we discuss the mechanisms and possible exposures leading to DNA damage and p53 hyperactivation culminating in microcephaly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Honorato Ribeiro
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
- Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nazlican Altinisik
- Laboratory for Centrosome and Cytoskeleton Biology, Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nicholas Rajan
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Mieke Verslegers
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Sarah Baatout
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
- Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jay Gopalakrishnan
- Laboratory for Centrosome and Cytoskeleton Biology, Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Roel Quintens
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
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2
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Smits DJ, Schot R, Popescu CA, Dias KR, Ades L, Briere LC, Sweetser DA, Kushima I, Aleksic B, Khan S, Karageorgou V, Ordonez N, Sleutels FJGT, van der Kaay DCM, Van Mol C, Van Esch H, Bertoli-Avella AM, Roscioli T, Mancini GMS. De novo MCM6 variants in neurodevelopmental disorders: a recognizable phenotype related to zinc binding residues. Hum Genet 2023:10.1007/s00439-023-02569-7. [PMID: 37198333 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-023-02569-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The minichromosome maintenance (MCM) complex acts as a DNA helicase during DNA replication, and thereby regulates cell cycle progression and proliferation. In addition, MCM-complex components localize to centrosomes and play an independent role in ciliogenesis. Pathogenic variants in genes coding for MCM components and other DNA replication factors have been linked to growth and developmental disorders as Meier-Gorlin syndrome and Seckel syndrome. Trio exome/genome sequencing identified the same de novo MCM6 missense variant p.(Cys158Tyr) in two unrelated individuals that presented with overlapping phenotypes consisting of intra-uterine growth retardation, short stature, congenital microcephaly, endocrine features, developmental delay and urogenital anomalies. The identified variant affects a zinc binding cysteine in the MCM6 zinc finger signature. This domain, and specifically cysteine residues, are essential for MCM-complex dimerization and the induction of helicase activity, suggesting a deleterious effect of this variant on DNA replication. Fibroblasts derived from the two affected individuals showed defects both in ciliogenesis and cell proliferation. We additionally traced three unrelated individuals with de novo MCM6 variants in the oligonucleotide binding (OB)-fold domain, presenting with variable (neuro)developmental features including autism spectrum disorder, developmental delay, and epilepsy. Taken together, our findings implicate de novo MCM6 variants in neurodevelopmental disorders. The clinical features and functional defects related to the zinc binding residue resemble those observed in syndromes related to other MCM components and DNA replication factors, while de novo OB-fold domain missense variants may be associated with more variable neurodevelopmental phenotypes. These data encourage consideration of MCM6 variants in the diagnostic arsenal of NDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphne J Smits
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Rachel Schot
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Discovery Unit, Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Cristiana A Popescu
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kerith-Rae Dias
- Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Lesley Ades
- Department of Clinical Genetics, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW, Australia
- Specialty of Genomic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Lauren C Briere
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David A Sweetser
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Itaru Kushima
- Medical Genomics Center, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Branko Aleksic
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | | | | | | | - Frank J G T Sleutels
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Daniëlle C M van der Kaay
- Department of Pediatrics, Subdivision of Endocrinology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Hilde Van Esch
- Center for Human Genetics, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Tony Roscioli
- Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- New South Wales Health Pathology Randwick Genomics, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Grazia M S Mancini
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Ocasio JK. Proliferation Analysis of Cerebellar Granule Neuron Progenitors for Microcephaly Research, Using Immunofluorescent Staining and Flow Cytometry. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2583:13-23. [PMID: 36418722 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2752-5_3] [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
Cell cycle progression is a vital aspect of neural development. Repeated cell division in neural progenitor populations amplifies the numbers of specific cell types and is required to prevent growth failure that manifests as microcephaly. Regulated cycling is also required for cell fate specification. Analysis of cell cycle states is a valuable tool to understand the mechanisms underlying brain growth. Here we describe the preparation of cells for immunofluorescent-stained samples and flow cytometry and how to analyze cell cycle progression and cell cycle exit in progenitors. We describe methods as applied to analysis of cerebellar granule neuron progenitors (CGNPs), but similar methods in brain sections can also be applied to other brain neural progenitor populations, such as the hippocampus and subventricular zone.
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Dubey H, Sharma RK, Krishnan S, Knickmeyer R. SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) as a possible risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1021721. [PMID: 36590303 PMCID: PMC9800937 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1021721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnant women constitute one of the most vulnerable populations to be affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, the cause of coronavirus disease 2019. SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy could negatively impact fetal brain development via multiple mechanisms. Accumulating evidence indicates that mother to fetus transmission of SARS-CoV-2 does occur, albeit rarely. When it does occur, there is a potential for neuroinvasion via immune cells, retrograde axonal transport, and olfactory bulb and lymphatic pathways. In the absence of maternal to fetal transmission, there is still the potential for negative neurodevelopmental outcomes as a consequence of disrupted placental development and function leading to preeclampsia, preterm birth, and intrauterine growth restriction. In addition, maternal immune activation may lead to hypomyelination, microglial activation, white matter damage, and reduced neurogenesis in the developing fetus. Moreover, maternal immune activation can disrupt the maternal or fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis leading to altered neurodevelopment. Finally, pro-inflammatory cytokines can potentially alter epigenetic processes within the developing brain. In this review, we address each of these potential mechanisms. We propose that SARS-CoV-2 could lead to neurodevelopmental disorders in a subset of pregnant women and that long-term studies are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harikesh Dubey
- Division of Neuroengineering, Institute for Quantitative Health Sciences and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Ravindra K. Sharma
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Suraj Krishnan
- Jacobi Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, The Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Rebecca Knickmeyer
- Division of Neuroengineering, Institute for Quantitative Health Sciences and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States,Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States,*Correspondence: Rebecca Knickmeyer,
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Kalogeropoulou A, Mougkogianni M, Iliadou M, Nikolopoulou E, Flordelis S, Kanellou A, Arbi M, Nikou S, Nieminuszczy J, Niedzwiedz W, Kardamakis D, Bravou V, Lygerou Z, Taraviras S. Intrinsic neural stem cell properties define brain hypersensitivity to genotoxic stress. Stem Cell Reports 2022; 17:1395-1410. [PMID: 35623353 PMCID: PMC9214316 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Impaired replication has been previously linked to growth retardation and microcephaly; however, why the brain is critically affected compared with other organs remains elusive. Here, we report the differential response between early neural progenitors (neuroepithelial cells [NECs]) and fate-committed neural progenitors (NPs) to replication licensing defects. Our results show that, while NPs can tolerate altered expression of licensing factors, NECs undergo excessive replication stress, identified by impaired replication, increased DNA damage, and defective cell-cycle progression, leading eventually to NEC attrition and microcephaly. NECs that possess a short G1 phase license and activate more origins than NPs, by acquiring higher levels of DNA-bound MCMs. In vivo G1 shortening in NPs induces DNA damage upon impaired licensing, suggesting that G1 length correlates with replication stress hypersensitivity. Our findings propose that NECs possess distinct cell-cycle characteristics to ensure fast proliferation, although these inherent features render them susceptible to genotoxic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Argyro Kalogeropoulou
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Basic Medical Sciences Building, 1 Asklepiou Str., University Campus, 26504, Rio, Patras, Greece
| | - Maria Mougkogianni
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Basic Medical Sciences Building, 1 Asklepiou Str., University Campus, 26504, Rio, Patras, Greece
| | - Marianna Iliadou
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Basic Medical Sciences Building, 1 Asklepiou Str., University Campus, 26504, Rio, Patras, Greece
| | - Eleni Nikolopoulou
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Basic Medical Sciences Building, 1 Asklepiou Str., University Campus, 26504, Rio, Patras, Greece
| | - Stefanos Flordelis
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Basic Medical Sciences Building, 1 Asklepiou Str., University Campus, 26504, Rio, Patras, Greece
| | - Alexandra Kanellou
- Department of General Biology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Marina Arbi
- Department of General Biology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Sofia Nikou
- Department of Anatomy-Histology-Embryology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | | | | | - Dimitrios Kardamakis
- Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Bravou
- Department of Anatomy-Histology-Embryology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Zoi Lygerou
- Department of General Biology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Stavros Taraviras
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Basic Medical Sciences Building, 1 Asklepiou Str., University Campus, 26504, Rio, Patras, Greece.
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Ravindran E, Gutierrez de Velazco C, Ghazanfar A, Kraemer N, Zaqout S, Waheed A, Hanif M, Mughal S, Prigione A, Li N, Fang X, Hu H, Kaindl AM. Homozygous mutation in MCM7 causes autosomal recessive primary microcephaly and intellectual disability. J Med Genet 2021; 59:453-461. [PMID: 34059554 PMCID: PMC9046757 DOI: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2020-107518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Background Minichromosomal maintenance (MCM) complex components 2, 4, 5 and 6 have been linked to human disease with phenotypes including microcephaly and intellectual disability. The MCM complex has DNA helicase activity and is thereby important for the initiation and elongation of the replication fork and highly expressed in proliferating neural stem cells. Methods Whole-exome sequencing was applied to identify the genetic cause underlying the neurodevelopmental disease of the index family. The expression pattern of Mcm7 was characterised by performing quantitative real-time PCR, in situ hybridisation and immunostaining. To prove the disease-causative nature of identified MCM7, a proof-of-principle experiment was performed. Results We reported that the homozygous missense variant c.793G>A/p.A265T (g.7:99695841C>T, NM_005916.4) in MCM7 was associated with autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH), severe intellectual disability and behavioural abnormalities in a consanguineous pedigree with three affected individuals. We found concordance between the spatiotemporal expression pattern of Mcm7 in mice and a proliferative state: Mcm7 expression was higher in early mouse developmental stages and in proliferative zones of the brain. Accordingly, Mcm7/MCM7 levels were detectable particularly in undifferentiated mouse embryonal stem cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells compared with differentiated neurons. We further demonstrate that the downregulation of Mcm7 in mouse neuroblastoma cells reduces cell viability and proliferation, and, as a proof-of-concept, that this is counterbalanced by the overexpression of wild-type but not mutant MCM7. Conclusion We report mutations of MCM7 as a novel cause of autosomal recessive MCPH and intellectual disability and highlight the crucial function of MCM7 in nervous system development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethiraj Ravindran
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Pediatric Neurology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Center for Chronically Sick Children (Sozialpädiatrisches Zentrum, SPZ), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Cynthia Gutierrez de Velazco
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Pediatric Neurology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Center for Chronically Sick Children (Sozialpädiatrisches Zentrum, SPZ), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ali Ghazanfar
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, Pakistan
| | - Nadine Kraemer
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Pediatric Neurology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Center for Chronically Sick Children (Sozialpädiatrisches Zentrum, SPZ), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sami Zaqout
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.,Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Research Unit, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Abdul Waheed
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, Pakistan
| | - Mohsan Hanif
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, Pakistan
| | - Sadia Mughal
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, Pakistan
| | - Alessandro Prigione
- University Children's Hospital, Department of General Pediatrics, Heinrich-Heine-Universitat Dusseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Na Li
- Laboratory of Medical Systems Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiang Fang
- Laboratory of Medical Systems Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hao Hu
- Laboratory of Medical Systems Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research in Structural Birth Defect Disease, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Angela M Kaindl
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany .,Department of Pediatric Neurology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Center for Chronically Sick Children (Sozialpädiatrisches Zentrum, SPZ), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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7
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Abstract
The recruitment of the minichromosome maintenance complex (MCM) on DNA replication origins is a critical process for faithful genome duplication termed licensing. Aberrant licensing has been associated with cancer and, recently, with neurodevelopmental diseases. Investigating MCM loading in complicated tissues, such as brain, remains challenging. Here, we describe an optimized approach for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of DNA-bound MCMs in the developing mouse cortex through direct imaging, offering an innovative insight into the research of origin licensing in vivo.
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Moreno-Salinas AL, Avila-Zozaya M, Ugalde-Silva P, Hernández-Guzmán DA, Missirlis F, Boucard AA. Latrophilins: A Neuro-Centric View of an Evolutionary Conserved Adhesion G Protein-Coupled Receptor Subfamily. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:700. [PMID: 31354411 PMCID: PMC6629964 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The adhesion G protein-coupled receptors latrophilins have been in the limelight for more than 20 years since their discovery as calcium-independent receptors for α-latrotoxin, a spider venom toxin with potent activity directed at neurotransmitter release from a variety of synapse types. Latrophilins are highly expressed in the nervous system. Although a substantial amount of studies has been conducted to describe the role of latrophilins in the toxin-mediated action, the recent identification of endogenous ligands for these receptors helped confirm their function as mediators of adhesion events. Here we hypothesize a role for latrophilins in inter-neuronal contacts and the formation of neuronal networks and we review the most recent information on their role in neurons. We explore molecular, cellular and behavioral aspects related to latrophilin adhesion function in mice, zebrafish, Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans, in physiological and pathophysiological conditions, including autism spectrum, bipolar, attention deficit and hyperactivity and substance use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana L. Moreno-Salinas
- Department of Cell Biology, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Monserrat Avila-Zozaya
- Department of Cell Biology, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Paul Ugalde-Silva
- Department of Cell Biology, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - David A. Hernández-Guzmán
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Neurosciences, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Fanis Missirlis
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Neurosciences, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Antony A. Boucard
- Department of Cell Biology, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN), Mexico City, Mexico
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