| 1. |
- Boyero, Luz, et al.
(författare)
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Riparian plant litter quality increases with latitude
- 2017
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2045-2322. ; 7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Plant litter represents a major basal resource in streams, where its decomposition is partly regulated by litter traits. Litter-trait variation may determine the latitudinal gradient in decomposition in streams, which is mainly microbial in the tropics and detritivore-mediated at high latitudes. However, this hypothesis remains untested, as we lack information on large-scale trait variation for riparian litter. Variation cannot easily be inferred from existing leaf-trait databases, since nutrient resorption can cause traits of litter and green leaves to diverge. Here we present the first global-scale assessment of riparian litter quality by determining latitudinal variation (spanning 107 degrees) in litter traits (nutrient concentrations; physical and chemical defences) of 151 species from 24 regions and their relationships with environmental factors and phylogeny. We hypothesized that litter quality would increase with latitude (despite variation within regions) and traits would be correlated to produce 'syndromes' resulting from phylogeny and environmental variation. We found lower litter quality and higher nitrogen: phosphorus ratios in the tropics. Traits were linked but showed no phylogenetic signal, suggesting that syndromes were environmentally determined. Poorer litter quality and greater phosphorus limitation towards the equator may restrict detritivore-mediated decomposition, contributing to the predominance of microbial decomposers in tropical streams.
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| 2. |
- Beal, Jacob, et al.
(författare)
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Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density
- 2020
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Ingår i: Communications Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2399-3642. ; 3:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data.
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| 3. |
- Bergqvist, Cecilia, et al.
(författare)
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Monitoring of chromatin organization in live cells by FRIC. Effects of the inner nuclear membrane protein Samp1
- 2019
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Ingår i: Nucleic Acids Research. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0305-1048 .- 1362-4962. ; 47:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In most cells, transcriptionally inactive heterochromatin is preferentially localized in the nuclear periphery and transcriptionally active euchromatin is localized in the nuclear interior. Different cell types display characteristic chromatin distribution patterns, which change dramatically during cell differentiation, proliferation, senescence and different pathological conditions. Chromatin organization has been extensively studied on a cell population level, but there is a need to understand dynamic reorganization of chromatin at the single cell level, especially in live cells. We have developed a novel image analysis tool that we term Fluorescence Ratiometric Imaging of Chromatin (FRIC) to quantitatively monitor dynamic spatiotemporal distribution of euchromatin and total chromatin in live cells. A vector (pTandemH) assures stoichiometrically constant expression of the histone variants Histone 3.3 and Histone 2B, fused to EGFP and mCherry, respectively. Quantitative ratiometric (H3.3/H2B) imaging displayed a concentrated distribution of heterochromatin in the periphery of U2OS cell nuclei. As proof of concept, peripheral heterochromatin responded to experimental manipulation of histone acetylation. We also found that peripheral heterochromatin depended on the levels of the inner nuclear membrane protein Samp1, suggesting an important role in promoting peripheral heterochromatin. Taken together, FRIC is a powerful and robust new tool to study dynamic chromatin redistribution in live cells.
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| 4. |
- Figueroa, Ricardo A., et al.
(författare)
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Anchored FRET sensors detect local caspase activation prior to neuronal degeneration
- 2011
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Ingår i: Molecular Neurodegeneration. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1750-1326. ; 6, s. 35-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Recent studies indicate local caspase activation in dendrites or axons during development and in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Emerging evidences point to soluble oligomeric amyloid-beta peptide as a causative agent in AD.RESULTS: Here we describe the design of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based caspase sensors, fused to the microtubule associated protein tau. Specific caspase sensors preferentially cleaved by caspase-3, -6 or -9 were expressed in differentiated human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. The anchoring of the sensors resulted in high FRET signals both in extended neurites and soma and made analysis of spatiotemporal signal propagation possible. Caspase activation was detected as loss of FRET after exposure to different stimuli. Interestingly, after staurosporine treatment caspase-6 activation was significantly delayed in neurites compared to cell bodies. In addition, we show that exposure to oligomer-enriched amyloid-beta peptide resulted in loss of FRET in cells expressing sensors for caspase-3 and -6, but not -9, in both soma and neurites before neurite degeneration was observed.CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, the results show that by using anchored FRET sensors it is possible to detect stimuli-dependent differential activation of caspases and to distinguish local from global caspase activation in live neuronal cells. Furthermore, in these cells oligomer-enriched amyloid-beta peptide induces a global, rather than local activation of caspase-3 and -6, which subsequently leads to neuronal cell death.
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| 5. |
- Figueroa, Ricardo A., et al.
(författare)
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Microtubule-associated nuclear envelope proteins in interphase and mitosis
- 2011
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Ingår i: Biochemical Society Transactions. - 0300-5127 .- 1470-8752. ; 39, s. 1786-1789
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The LINC (linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton) complex forms a transcisternal bridge across the NE (nuclear envelope) that connects the cytoskeleton with the nuclear interior. This enables some proteins of the NE to communicate with the centrosome and the microtubule cytoskeleton. The position of the centrosome relative to the NE is of vital importance for many cell functions, such as cell migration and division, and centrosomal dislocation is a frequent phenotype in laminopathic disorders. Also in mitosis, a small group of transmembrane NE proteins associate with microtubules when they concentrate in a specific membrane domain associated with the mitotic spindle. The present review discusses structural and functional aspects of microtubule association with NE proteins and how this association may be maintained over the cell cycle.
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| 6. |
- Figueroa, Ricardo A., 1979-
(författare)
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The functional organization of nuclear membrane proteins and development of new technology for studies of cell signaling
- 2011
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The eukaryotic cell is defined by the nucleus, which is delimited by a double membrane structure termed the nuclear envelope (NE). The NE is implicated in a multitude of different processes, for example chromatin organization. During mitosis in higher eukaryotes the nucleus is disassembled to allow the formation of the mitotic spindle, which segregates the duplicated chromosomes between daughter cells. We have characterized a novel transmembrane protein of the inner nuclear membrane. Because of its distribution along spindle microtubule during mitosis, we termed the protein Samp1 (Spindle associated membrane protein 1). Samp1 is the founding member of transmembrane proteins that define a novel membrane domain that we have termed the SE (spindle endomembrane). Furthermore, we have shown that in interphase Samp1 specifically interacts with the centrosome and A-type lamina network proteins. Moreover, Samp1 contains an evolutionary highly conserved N-terminal tail containing two putative zinc fingers. Recent studies indicate local caspase activity in dendrites or axons during development and in neurodegenerative disorders. Here I present the development of a novel and unique system to monitor protease activity at sub-cellular resolution in live cells. This system relies on a cleavable FRET sensor that is anchored to the cytoskeleton. Using this system we demonstrate local caspase activation of the soma in neuronaly differentiated cells. We also used the anchored FRET sensors to monitor caspase activation after treatment with the Alzheimer’s decease related amyloid-β peptide. Moreover we have improved a NF-ĸB decoy delivery system. The system consists of a cell penetrating peptide, transportan-10, covalently linked to a peptide nucleic acid sequence that hybridizes with a nonanucleotide sequence in the decoy. We show that this system effectively delivered the decoy and inhibited an inflammatory response in primary rat glial cells.
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| 7. |
- Gudise, Santhosh, et al.
(författare)
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Samp1 is functionally associated with the LINC complex and A-type lamina networks
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Cell Science. - : The Company of Biologists. - 0021-9533 .- 1477-9137. ; 124, s. 2077-2085
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The transmembrane inner nuclear membrane (INM) protein Samp1 is required for anchoring centrosomes near the nuclei. Using high-resolution fluorescence microscopy we show that Samp1 is distributed in a distinct and characteristic pattern in the nuclear envelope (NE), where it partially colocalizes with the LINC complex protein Sun1. By studying the localization of Samp1 deletion mutants and fusion proteins, we conclude that the cysteine-rich N-terminal half of Samp1 is nucleoplasmically exposed and is responsible for targeting to the INM. It contains four conserved CxxC motifs with the potential to form zinc fingers. The distribution of cysteine-to-alanine substitution mutants, designed to prevent zinc finger formation, showed that NE localization of Samp1 depends on intact CxxC motifs. Overexpression of Samp1 zinc finger mutants produced an abnormal dominant phenotype characterized by disrupted organization of a selective subset NE proteins, including emerin, Sun1, endogenous Samp1 and, in some cases, lamin A/C, but not lamin B, Sun2 or nucleoporins. Silencing of Samp1 expression showed that emerin depends on Samp1 for its correct localization in the NE. Our results demonstrate that Samp1 is functionally associated with the LINC complex protein Sun1 and proteins of the A-type lamina network.
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| 8. |
- Ivanova, Elena V., et al.
(författare)
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Anchoring of FRET Sensors-A Requirement for Spatiotemporal Resolution
- 2016
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Ingår i: Sensors. - : MDPI AG. - 1424-8220. ; 16:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- FRET biosensors have become a routine tool for investigating mechanisms and components of cell signaling. Strategies for improving them for particular applications are continuously sought. One important aspect to consider when designing FRET probes is the dynamic distribution and propagation of signals within living cells. We have addressed this issue by directly comparing an anchored (taFS) to a non-anchored (naFS) cleavable FRET sensor. We chose a microtubule-associated protein tau as an anchor, as microtubules are abundant throughout the cytosol of cells. We show that tau-anchored FRET sensors are concentrated at the cytoskeleton and enriched in the neurite-like processes of cells, providing high intensity of the total signal. In addition, anchoring limits the diffusion of the sensor, enabling spatiotemporally resolved monitoring of subcellular variations in enzyme activity. Thus, anchoring is an important aspect to consider when designing FRET sensors for deeper understanding of cell signaling.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Jafferali, Mohammed Hakim, et al.
(författare)
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MCLIP, an effective method to detect interactions of transmembrane proteins of the nuclear envelope in live cells
- 2014
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Ingår i: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Biomembranes. - : Elsevier BV. - 0005-2736 .- 1879-2642 .- 0006-3002. ; 1838:10, s. 2399-2403
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Investigating interactions of proteins in the nuclear envelope (NE) using co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) has previously been difficult or even impossible due to their inherent resistance to extraction. We have developed a novel method, MCLIP (Membrane protein Cross-Link ImmunoPrecipitation), which takes advantage of a cell permeable crosslinker to enable effective detection and analysis of specific interactions of NE proteins in live cells using Western blot. Using MCLIP we show that, in U2OS cells, the integral inner nuclear membrane protein Samp1 interacts with Lamin B1, the LINC (Linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton) complex protein, Sun1 and the soluble small GTPase Ran. The results show that the previously detected in vitro interaction between Samp1 and Emerin also takes place in live cells. In vitro pull down experiments show, that the nucleoplasmic domains of Samp1 and Emerin can bind directly to each other. We also, show that MCLIP is suitable to coprecipitate protein interactions in different stages of the cell cycle.
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