| 1. |
- Addario, Barbara, et al.
(författare)
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Characterisation of Schizosaccharomyces pombe alpha-actinin
- 2016
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Ingår i: PeerJ. - : PeerJ. - 2167-8359. ; 4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The actin cytoskeleton plays a fundamental role in eukaryotic cells. Its reorganization is regulated by a plethora of actin-modulating proteins, such as a-actinin. In higher organisms, alpha-actinin is characterized by the presence of three distinct structural domains: an N-terminal actin-binding domain and a C-terminal region with EF-hand motif separated by a central rod domain with four spectrin repeats. Sequence analysis has revealed that the central rod domain of alpha-actinin from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe consists of only two spectrin repeats. To obtain a firmer understanding of the structure and function of this unconventional alpha-actinin, we have cloned and characterized each structural domain. Our results show that this alpha-actinin isoform is capable of forming dimers and that the rod domain is required for this. However, its actin-binding and cross-linking activity appears less efficient compared to conventional alpha-actinins. The solved crystal structure of the actin-binding domain indicates that the closed state is stabilised by hydrogen bonds and a salt bridge not present in other a-actinins, which may reduce the affinity for actin.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Bieling, Peter, et al.
(författare)
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Reconstitution of a microtubule plus-end tracking system in vitro
- 2007
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 450:7172, s. 1100-1105
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The microtubule cytoskeleton is essential to cell morphogenesis. Growing microtubule plus ends have emerged as dynamic regulatory sites in which specialized proteins, called plus-end-binding proteins (+TIPs), bind and regulate the proper functioning of microtubules. However, the molecular mechanism of plus-end association by +TIPs and their ability to track the growing end are not well understood. Here we report the in vitro reconstitution of a minimal plus-end tracking system consisting of the three fission yeast proteins Mal3, Tip1 and the kinesin Tea2. Using time-lapse total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, we show that the EB1 homologue Mal3 has an enhanced affinity for growing microtubule end structures as opposed to the microtubule lattice. This allows it to track growing microtubule ends autonomously by an end recognition mechanism. In addition, Mal3 acts as a factor that mediates loading of the processive motor Tea2 and its cargo, the Clip170 homologue Tip1, onto the microtubule lattice. The interaction of all three proteins is required for the selective tracking of growing microtubule plus ends by both Tea2 and Tip1. Our results dissect the collective interactions of the constituents of this plus-end tracking system and show how these interactions lead to the emergence of its dynamic behaviour. We expect that such in vitro reconstitutions will also be essential for the mechanistic dissection of other plus-end tracking systems.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Brännström, Kristoffer, et al.
(författare)
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Scanning electron microscopy as a tool for evaluating morphology of amyloid structures formed on surface plasmon resonance chips
- 2018
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Ingår i: Data in Brief. - : Elsevier. - 2352-3409. ; 19, s. 1166-1170
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We demonstrate the use of Scanning Electron microscopy (SEM) in combination with Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) to probe and verify the formation of amyloid and its morphology on an SPR chip. SPR is a technique that measures changes in the immobilized weight on the chip surface and is frequently used to probe the formation and biophysical properties of amyloid structures. In this context it is of interest to also monitor the morphology of the formed structures. The SPR chip surface is made of a layer of gold, which represent a suitable material for direct analysis of the surface using SEM. The standard SPR chip used here (CM5-chip, GE Healthcare, Uppsala, Sweden) can easily be disassembled and directly analyzed by SEM. In order to verify the formation of amyloid fibrils in our experimental conditions we analyzed also in-solution produced structures by using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). For further details and experimental findings, please refer to the article published in Journal of Molecular Biology, (Brännström K. et al., 2018) [1].
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| 6. |
- Brännström, Kristoffer, et al.
(författare)
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The N-terminal Region of Amyloid β Controls the Aggregation Rate and Fibril Stability at Low pH Through a Gain of Function Mechanism
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of the American Chemical Society. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0002-7863 .- 1520-5126. ; 136:31, s. 10956-10964
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Alzheimer's disease is linked to a pathological polymerization of the endogenous amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) that ultimately forms amyloid plaques within the human brain. We used surface plasmon resonance (SPR) to measure the kinetic properties of Aβ fibril formation under different conditions during the polymerization process. For all polymerization processes, a critical concentration of free monomers, as defined by the dissociation equilibrium constant (KD), is required for the buildup of the polymer, for example, amyloid fibrils. At concentrations below the KD, polymerization cannot occur. However, the KD for Aβ has previously been shown to be several orders of magnitude higher than the concentrations found in the cerebrospinal and interstitial fluids of the human brain, and the mechanism by which Aβ amyloid forms in vivo has been a matter of debate. Using SPR, we found that the KD of Aβ dramatically decreases as a result of lowering the pH. Importantly, this effect enables Aβ to polymerize within a picomolar concentration range that is close to the physiological Aβ concentration within the human brain. The stabilizing effect is dynamic, fully reversible, and notably pronounced within the pH range found within the endosomal and lysosomal pathways. Through sequential truncation, we show that the N-terminal region of Aβ contributes to the enhanced fibrillar stability due to a gain of function mechanism at low pH. Our results present a possible route for amyloid formation at very low Aβ concentrations and raise the question of whether amyloid formation in vivo is restricted to a low pH environment. These results have general implications for the development of therapeutic interventions.
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| 7. |
- Brännström, Kristoffer, et al.
(författare)
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The Properties of Amyloid-β Fibrils Are Determined by their Path of Formation
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Molecular Biology. - : Elsevier. - 0022-2836 .- 1089-8638. ; 430:13, s. 1940-1949
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Fibril formation of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) follows a nucleation-dependent polymerization process and is associated with Alzheimer's disease. Several different lengths of Aβ are observed in vivo, but Aβ1-40 and Aβ1-42 are the dominant forms. The fibril architectures of Aβ1-40 and Aβ1-42 differ and Aβ1-42 assemblies are generally considered more pathogenic. We show here that monomeric Aβ1-42 can be cross-templated and incorporated into the ends of Aβ1-40 fibrils, while incorporation of Aβ1-40 monomers into Aβ1-42 fibrils is very poor. We also show that via cross-templating incorporated Aβ monomers acquire the properties of the parental fibrils. The suppressed ability of Aβ1-40 to incorporate into the ends of Aβ1-42 fibrils and the capacity of Aβ1-42 monomers to adopt the properties of Aβ1-40 fibrils may thus represent two mechanisms reducing the total load of fibrils having the intrinsic, and possibly pathogenic, features of Aβ1-42 fibrils in vivo. We also show that the transfer of fibrillar properties is restricted to fibril-end templating and does not apply to cross-nucleation via the recently described path of surface-catalyzed secondary nucleation, which instead generates similar structures to those acquired via de novo primary nucleation in the absence of catalyzing seeds. Taken together these results uncover an intrinsic barrier that prevents Aβ1-40 from adopting the fibrillar properties of Aβ1-42 and exposes that the transfer of properties between amyloid-β fibrils are determined by their path of formation.
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| 8. |
- Brännström, Kristoffer, et al.
(författare)
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The role of histidines in amyloid β fibril assembly
- 2017
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Ingår i: FEBS Letters. - : Wiley. - 0014-5793 .- 1873-3468. ; 591:8, s. 1167-1175
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Low pH has a strong stabilising effect on the fibrillar assembly of amyloid β, which is associated with Alzheimer's disease. The stabilising effect is already pronounced at pH 6.0, suggesting that protonation of histidines might mediate this effect. Through the systematic substitution of the three native histidines in Aβ for alanines, we have evaluated their role in fibril stability. Using surface plasmon resonance, we show that at neutral pH the fibrillar forms of all His-Ala variants are destabilised by a factor of 4-12 compared to wild-type Aβ. However, none of the His-Ala Aβ variants impair the stabilising effect of the fibril at low pH.
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| 9. |
- De Samber, Björn, et al.
(författare)
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Effect of sample preparation techniques upon single cell chemical imaging : A practical comparison between synchrotron radiation based X-ray fluorescence (SR-XRF) and Nanoscopic Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (nano-SIMS)
- 2020
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Ingår i: Analytica Chimica Acta. - : Elsevier. - 0003-2670 .- 1873-4324. ; 1106, s. 22-32
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Analytical capabilities of Nanoscopic Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (nano-SIMS) and Synchrotron Radiation based X-ray Fluorescence (SR nano-XRF) techniques were compared for nanochemical imaging of polymorphonuclear human neutrophils (PMNs). PMNs were high pressure frozen (HPF), cryosubstituted, embedded in Spurr's resin and cut in thin sections (500 nm and 2 mu m for both techniques resp.) Nano-SIMS enabled nanoscale mapping of isotopes of C, N, O, P and S, while SR based nano-XRF enabled trace level imaging of metals like Ca, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu and Zn at a resolution of approx. 50 nm. The obtained elemental distributions were compared with those of whole, cryofrozen PMNs measured at the newly developed ID16A nano-imaging beamline at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France. Similarities were observed for elements more tightly bound to the cell structure such as phosphorus and sulphur, while differences for mobile ions such as chlorine and potassium were more pronounced. Due to the observed elemental redistribution of mobile ions such as potassium and chlorine, elemental analysis of high pressure frozen (HPF), cryo-substituted and imbedded cells should be interpreted critically. Although decreasing analytical sensitivity occurs due to the presence of ice, analysis of cryofrozen cells - close to their native state - remains the golden standard. In general, we found nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (nano-SIMS) and synchrotron radiation based nanoscopic X-ray fluorescence (SR nano-XRF) to be two supplementary alternatives for nanochemical imaging of single cells at the nanoscale.
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| 10. |
- Fleury, Christophe, et al.
(författare)
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Identification of a Haemophilus influenzae Factor H-Binding Lipoprotein Involved in Serum Resistance.
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of Immunology. - : The American Association of Immunologists. - 1550-6606 .- 0022-1767. ; 192:12, s. 5913-5923
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Haemophilus influenzae is a Gram-negative human pathogen that resides in the upper respiratory tract. Encapsulated H. influenzae type b (Hib) and type f (Hif) are the most common serotypes associated with invasive disease. H. influenzae displays various strategies to circumvent the host innate immune response, including the bactericidal effect of the complement system. In this study, we identified an H. influenzae lipoprotein having the ability to bind factor H (FH), the major regulator of the alternative pathway of complement activation. This protein, named protein H (PH), was surface exposed and was found in all clinical Hib and Hif isolates tested. Deletion of the gene encoding for PH (lph) in Hib and Hif significantly reduced the interaction between bacteria and FH. When Hib and Hif PH variants were separately expressed in nontypeable (unencapsulated) H. influenzae, which did not bind FH, an increased FH affinity was observed. We recombinantly expressed the two PH variants in Escherichia coli, and despite sharing only 56% identical amino acids, both FH-binding Haemophilus proteins similarly interacted with the complement regulator FH short consensus repeats 7 and 18-20. Importantly, Hib and Hif resistance against the bactericidal effect of human serum was significantly reduced when bacterial mutants devoid of PH were tested. In conclusion, we have characterized a hitherto unknown bacterial protein that is crucial for mediating an interaction between the human pathogen H. influenzae and FH. This novel interaction is important for H. influenzae resistance against complement activation and will consequently promote bacterial pathogenesis.
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| 11. |
- Francis, Monika K., et al.
(författare)
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Endocytic membrane turnover at the leading edge is driven by a transient interaction between Cdc42 and GRAF1
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of Cell Science. - : The Company of Biologists. - 0021-9533 .- 1477-9137. ; 128:22, s. 4183-4195
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Changes in cell morphology require coordination of plasma membrane turnover and cytoskeleton dynamics, processes that are regulated by Rho GTPases. Here, we describe how a direct interaction between the Rho GTPase Cdc42 and the GTPase activating protein (GAP) GRAF1, facilitate rapid cell surface turnover at the leading edge. Both Cdc42 and GRAF1 were required for fluid phase uptake and regulated the generation of transient GRAF1-coated endocytic carriers, distinct from clathrin coated vesicles. GRAF1 was found to transiently assemble at discrete Cdc42-enriched punctae at the plasma membrane resulting in a corresponding decrease in Cdc42 microdomain association. However, Cdc42 captured in its active state was, via a GAP domain mediated interaction, localised together with GRAF1 on accumulated internal structures derived from the cell surface. Correlative fluorescence and electron tomography microscopy revealed that these structures were clusters of small membrane carriers affected in their endosomal processing. We conclude that a transient interaction between Cdc42 and GRAF1 drives endocytic turnover and controls the transition essential for endosomal maturation of plasma membrane internalised by this mechanism.
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| 12. |
- Freire, Rafael V.M., et al.
(författare)
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Antimicrobial peptide induced colloidal transformations in bacteria-mimetic vesicles : combining in silico tools and experimental methods
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Colloid and Interface Science. - : Elsevier. - 0021-9797 .- 1095-7103. ; 596, s. 352-363
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- With the growing challenges of bacteria becoming resistant to conventional antibiotics, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) may offer a potential alternative. One of the most studied AMPs, the human cathelicidin derived AMP LL-37 is notable for its antimicrobial activity even though its mechanism of action is not fully understood yet. This work investigates the interaction of LL-37 with 1-Palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-rac-(1-glycerol) (POPG) vesicles, which were employed as a bacterial membrane model given the common presence of this phospholipid in the bacterial membrane. Experimental techniques including small angle X-ray scattering, transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering were used to characterize the interactions among LL-37 and POPG. Molecular dynamics simulations complement the experimental studies with molecular-level insights into the process. LL-37 was discovered to actively and critically interact with the POPG vesicles, modifying the membrane curvature that eventually leads to structural transformations from vesicles to mixed micelles. The results shed light on the mechanisms underlying the interactions among LL-37 and bacteria mimetic vesicles and can guide the further development of AMP based antimicrobial materials and therapies.
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| 13. |
- Fuchino, Katsuya, et al.
(författare)
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Dynamic gradients of an intermediate filament-like cytoskeleton are recruited by a polarity landmark during apical growth
- 2013
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 110:21, s. E1889-E1897
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Intermediate filament (IF)-like cytoskeleton emerges as a versatile tool for cellular organization in all kingdoms of life, underscoring the importance of mechanistically understanding its diverse manifestations. We showed previously that, in Streptomyces (a bacterium with a mycelial lifestyle similar to that of filamentous fungi, including extreme cell and growth polarity), the IF protein FilP confers rigidity to the hyphae by an unknown mechanism. Here, we provide a possible explanation for the IF-like function of FilP by demonstrating its ability to self-assemble into a cis-interconnected regular network in vitro and its localization into structures consistent with a cytoskeletal network in vivo. Furthermore, we reveal that a spatially restricted interaction between FilP and DivIVA, the main component of the Streptomyces polarisome complex, leads to formation of apical gradients of FilP in hyphae undergoing active tip extension. We propose that the coupling between the mechanism driving polar growth and the assembly of an IF cytoskeleton provides each new hypha with an additional stress-bearing structure at its tip, where the nascent cell wall is inevitably more flexible and compliant while it is being assembled and matured. Our data suggest that recruitment of cytoskeleton around a cell polarity landmark is a broadly conserved strategy in tip-growing cells.
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| 14. |
- Gineste, Charlotte, et al.
(författare)
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Enzymatically dissociated muscle fibers display rapid dedifferentiation and impaired mitochondrial calcium control
- 2022
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Ingår i: iScience. - : Elsevier. - 2589-0042. ; 25:12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cells rapidly lose their physiological phenotype upon disruption of their extracellular matrix (ECM)-intracellular cytoskeleton interactions. By comparing adult mouse skeletal muscle fibers, isolated either by mechanical dissection or by collagenase-induced ECM digestion, we investigated acute effects of ECM disruption on cellular and mitochondrial morphology, transcriptomic signatures, and Ca2+ handling. RNA-sequencing showed striking differences in gene expression patterns between the two isolation methods with enzymatically dissociated fibers resembling myopathic phenotypes. Mitochondrial appearance was grossly similar in the two groups, but 3D electron microscopy revealed shorter and less branched mitochondria following enzymatic dissociation. Repeated contractions resulted in a prolonged mitochondrial Ca2+ accumulation in enzymatically dissociated fibers, which was partially prevented by cyclophilin inhibitors. Of importance, muscle fibers of mice with severe mitochondrial myopathy show pathognomonic mitochondrial Ca2+ accumulation during repeated contractions and this accumulation was concealed with enzymatic dissociation, making this an ambiguous method in studies of native intracellular Ca2+ fluxes.
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| 15. |
- Höög, Johanna L, et al.
(författare)
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Electron tomography reveals a flared morphology on growing microtubule ends
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Cell Science. - : The Company of Biologists. - 0021-9533 .- 1477-9137. ; 124:Pt 5, s. 693-698
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Microtubules (MTs) exhibit dynamic instability, alternating between phases of growth and shortening, mostly at their uncapped plus ends. Based on results from cryo-electron microscopy it was proposed that growing MTs display mainly curved sheets and blunt ends; during depolymerisation curled 'ramshorns' predominate. Observations of MTs in mitotic cells have suggested that the situation in vivo differs from that in vitro, but so far, a clear comparison between in vivo and in vitro results has not been possible because MT end structures could not be correlated directly with the dynamic state of that particular MT. Here we combine light microscopy and electron tomography (ET) to show that growing MT plus ends in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe display predominantly a flared morphology. This indicates that MT polymerisation in vivo and in vitro can follow different paths.
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| 16. |
- Iakovleva, Irina, et al.
(författare)
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Structural basis for transthyretin amyloid formation in vitreous body of the eye
- 2021
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2041-1723. ; 12:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Amyloid transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis is characterized by the abnormal accumulation of ATTR fibrils in multiple organs. However, the structure of ATTR fibrils from the eye is poorly understood. Here, we used cryo-EM to structurally characterize vitreous body ATTR fibrils. These structures were distinct from previously characterized heart fibrils, even though both have the same mutation and type A pathology. Differences were observed at several structural levels: in both the number and arrangement of protofilaments, and the conformation of the protein fibril in each layer of protofilaments. Thus, our results show that ATTR protein structure and its assembly into protofilaments in the type A fibrils can vary between patients carrying the same mutation. By analyzing and matching the interfaces between the amino acids in the ATTR fibril with those in the natively folded TTR, we are able to propose a mechanism for the structural conversion of TTR into a fibrillar form.
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| 17. |
- Jalalvand, Farshid, et al.
(författare)
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Protein domain-dependent vesiculation of Lipoprotein A, a protein that is important in cell wall synthesis and fitness of the human respiratory pathogen Haemophilus influenzae
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2235-2988. ; 12
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The human pathogen Haemophilus influenzae causes respiratory tract infections and is commonly associated with prolonged carriage in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Production of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) is a ubiquitous phenomenon observed in Gram-negative bacteria including H. influenzae. OMVs play an important role in various interactions with the human host; from neutralization of antibodies and complement activation to spread of antimicrobial resistance. Upon vesiculation certain proteins are found in OMVs and some proteins are retained at the cell membrane. The mechanism for this phenomenon is not fully elucidated. We employed mass spectrometry to study vesiculation and the fate of proteins in the outer membrane. Functional groups of proteins were differentially distributed on the cell surface and in OMVs. Despite its supposedly periplasmic and outer membrane location, we found that the peptidoglycan synthase-activator Lipoprotein A (LpoA) was accumulated in OMVs relative to membrane fractions. A mutant devoid of LpoA lost its fitness as revealed by growth and electron microscopy. Furthermore, high-pressure liquid chromatography disclosed a lower concentration (55%) of peptidoglycan in the LpoA-deficient H. influenzae compared to the parent wild type bacterium. Using an LpoA-mNeonGreen fusion protein and fluorescence microscopy, we observed that LpoA was enriched in “foci” in the cell envelope, and further located in the septum during cell division. To define the fate of LpoA, C-terminally truncated LpoA-variants were constructed, and we found that the LpoA C-terminal domain promoted optimal transportation to the OMVs as revealed by flow cytometry. Taken together, our study highlights the importance of LpoA for H. influenzae peptidoglycan biogenesis and provides novel insights into cell wall integrity and OMV production.
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| 18. |
- Javadi, Ala, et al.
(författare)
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Assembly mechanisms of the bacterial cytoskeletal protein FilP
- 2019
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Ingår i: Life Science Alliance. - : Life Science Alliance. - 2575-1077. ; 2:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Despite low-sequence homology, the intermediate filament (IF)–like protein FilP from Streptomyces coelicolor displays structural and biochemical similarities to the metazoan nuclear IF lamin. FilP, like IF proteins, is composed of central coiled-coil domains interrupted by short linkers and flanked by head and tail domains. FilP polymerizes into repetitive filament bundles with paracrystalline properties. However, the cations Na+ and K+ are found to induce the formation of a FilP hexagonal meshwork with the same 60-nm repetitive unit as the filaments. Studies of polymerization kinetics, in combination with EM techniques, enabled visualization of the basic building block — a transiently soluble rod-shaped FilP molecule—and its assembly into protofilaments and filament bundles. Cryoelectron tomography provided a 3D view of the FilP bundle structure and an original assembly model of an IF-like protein of prokaryotic origin, thereby enabling a comparison with the assembly of metazoan IF.
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| 19. |
- Javadi, Ala, 1982-
(författare)
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Filament assembly and structural studies of intermediate filament like protein, FilP, in Streptomyces coelicolor
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The cytoskeleton, known as intracellular connected filaments, has a prominent role in cellular behavior, motility, and stability. The following three major types of polymers have been characterized as cytoskeleton in eukaryotes: microtubules that are 25 nm in diameter, actin filaments that are 7 nm in diameter, and intermediate filaments (IF) that are 10 nm in diameter. IFs, unlike actin and microtubules, are not polarized and do not facilitate the directional movement of molecular motors. Further, IF assembly is different from that of actin and tubulin because they are independent of cofactors and they undergo instant self-assembly based on hydrophobic interactions.Cytoskeleton proteins were initially thought to be unique to eukaryotic cells, but we now know that all three cytoskeleton types have bacterial counterparts. Bacterial cytoskeleton is a novel field and it is less characterized than the eukaryotic cytoskeleton. The IF subfamily in bacteria are called IF-like proteins because of the lack of conserved sequences. FilP is a bacterial IF-like protein that is localized to the sub-apical area of Streptomyces coelicolor hyphae tips. Moreover, FilP forms two distinct structures in vitro, as follows: 1) filaments in branching bundles with a repetitive striation pattern of 60 nm intervals between the repeats; and 2) an interconnected hexagonal meshwork, which has a three-dimensional morphology with the same 60 nm unit. There have been several studies on different IF-like proteins from different bacterial species; however, there are no studies that have investigated their assembly mechanism or atomic resolution of their structures before this study.We present the first filament assembly model of an IF-like protein. The hierarchical stages of filament assembly were characterized and analyzed by utilizing physiological effects of different buffer systems. The basic building block was characterized by a single particle classification, revealing the length of primary coiled-coil unit. The following steps of protofilament assembly and filament bundling were revealed using negative-staining electron microscopy together with solubility assay and cryo-electron tomography. We demonstrated similarities and differences of FilP filamentation to eukaryotic IF lamin, because they both showed filaments with similar morphology in in vitro conditions. In a cytoplasm-mimicking buffer (Polymix), FilP proteins form hexagonal meshworks. By subjecting FilP to the ion components of the Polymix buffer, we found that K+ and Na+ triggered FilP meshwork formation and increased its solubility.Guided by the in vitro assembly studies of FilP we crystallized the FilP amino acid (aa) 184–288 fragment, which is a tailless construct containing the C-terminal coiled-coil domain of the FilP rod domain to 2.3 Å resolution. The crystal structure of the 184–288 fragment revealed that the C-terminus of FilP rod domain is composed of one single coiled-coil. Arrangement of the crystal indicated the formation of parallel homo-dimers and dissociation of the homo-dimers at the C-terminus, forming an open and fork-like structure. Further, the fork-like structure facilitates the end-to-end association of homodimers. These experiments were complimented by testing constructs containing different coiled-coil domains for in vitro filament assembly and their in vivo capability to restore the FilP phenotype ΔfilP S. coelicolor. Based on these findings, we showed a model for the in vitro FilP filament formation.We have shown that FilP, like its orthologous in other Streptomyces species, has cellulose affinity. Investigation of cellulose affinity of other IF-like proteins and eukaryotic IF protein such as lamin showed that cellulose binding of certain coiled-coil domains is an intrinsic property of all the tested IF and IF-like proteins and thereby adds IF coiled-coil domains to the list of carbohydrate binding motifs. Building upon this, coiled-coil domains of FilP can be utilized to purify recombinant fusion proteins from S. coelicolor and Escherichia coli lysates. We used truncated constructs of FilP to find the coiled-coil domains with the highest affinity for cellulose, which can be used as a cellulose affinity tag.
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| 20. |
- Kuznetsov, Nikolai V, et al.
(författare)
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The evolutionarily conserved single-copy gene for murine Tpr encodes one prevalent isoform in somatic cells and lacks paralogs in higher eukaryotes.
- 2002
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Ingår i: Chromosoma. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0009-5915 .- 1432-0886. ; 111:4, s. 236-255
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Vertebrate Tpr and its probable homologs in insects and yeast are heptad repeat-dominated nuclear proteins of M(r) 195,000 to M(r) 267,000 the functions of which are still largely unknown. Whereas two homologs exist in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it has remained uncertain whether metazoans possess different paralogs or isoforms of Tpr that might explain controversial reports on the subcellular localization of this protein. To address these possibilities, we first determined the sequence and structure of the murine tpr gene, revealing a TATA box-less gene of approximately 57 kb and 52 exons. Southern hybridization of genomic DNA and radiation hybrid mapping showed that murine tpr exists as a single-copy gene on chromosome 1; RNA blotting analyses and EST (expressed sequence tag) database mining revealed that its expression results in only one major mRNA in embryonic and most adult tissues. Accordingly, novel antibodies against the N- and C-terminus of Tpr identified the full-length protein as the major translation product in different somatic cell types; reinvestigation of Tpr localization by confocal microscopy corroborated a predominant localization at the nuclear pore complexes in these cells. Antibody specificity and reliability of Tpr localization was demonstrated by post-transcriptional tpr gene silencing using siRNAs that eliminated the Tpr signal at the nuclear periphery but did not affect intranuclear staining of Tpr-unrelated proteins. Finally, we defined several sequence and structural features that characterize Tpr polypeptides in different species and used these as a guideline to search whole-genome sequence databases for putative paralogs of Tpr in higher eukaryotes. This approach resulted in identification of the Tpr orthologs in Arabidopsis thaliana and Caenorhabditis elegans, but also in the realization that no further paralogs of Tpr exist in several metazoan model organisms or in humans. In summary, these results reveal Tpr to be a unique protein localized at the nuclear periphery of the somatic cell in mammals.
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| 21. |
- Mozziconacci, Julien, et al.
(författare)
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Tubulin dimers oligomerize before their incorporation into microtubules
- 2008
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 3:11, s. e3821-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the presence of GTP, purified dimers of alpha- and beta-tubulin will interact longitudinally and laterally to self-assemble into microtubules (MTs). This property provides a powerful in vitro experimental system to describe MT dynamic behavior at the micrometer scale and to study effects and functioning of a large variety of microtubule associated proteins (MAPs). Despite the plethora of such data produced, the molecular mechanisms of MT assembly remain disputed. Electron microscopy (EM) studies suggested that tubulin dimers interact longitudinally to form short oligomers which form a tube by lateral interaction and which contribute to MT elongation. This idea is however challenged: Based on estimated association constants it was proposed that single dimers represent the major fraction of free tubulin. This view was recently supported by measurements suggesting that MTs elongate by addition of single tubulin dimers. To solve this discrepancy, we performed a direct measurement of the longitudinal interaction energy for tubulin dimers. We quantified the size distribution of tubulin oligomers using EM and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). From the distribution we derived the longitudinal interaction energy in the presence of GDP and the non-hydrolysable GTP analog GMPCPP. Our data suggest that MT elongation and nucleation involves interactions of short tubulin oligomers rather than dimers. Our approach provides a solid experimental framework to better understand the role of MAPs in MT nucleation and growth.
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| 22. |
- Muthukrishnan, Uma, 1984-, et al.
(författare)
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The exosome membrane localization of histones is independent of DNA and upregulated in response to stress
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Extracellular histones contribute to many acute and chronic diseases but also populate the secretomes of healthy cells and biofluids. However, a secretory pathway for histones has not been described. Here we report that core and linker histones localize to multivesicular bodies and are secreted via exosomes. Histones are tightly associated with the exosome membrane, with N-terminal domains exposed, in a DNA-independent manner. Furthermore, rapid upregulation of exosomal histones occurs following heat stress, accompanied by enhanced vesicle secretion and a shift towards a population of smaller vesicles. Proteomic analyses identified the downregulation of endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) complex as a possible mechanism underlying increased histone secretion.We show for the first time that membrane-associated histones are actively secreted from intact cells via the multivesicular body/exosomal pathway. We demonstrate a novel pathway for extracellular histone release that may have a role in both health and disease.
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| 23. |
- Niemiec, Maria Joanna, 1984-, et al.
(författare)
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Trace element landscape of resting and activated human neutrophils on the sub-micrometer level
- 2015
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Ingår i: Metallomics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1756-591X .- 1756-5901. ; 7:6, s. 996-1010
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Every infection is a battle for trace elements. Neutrophils migrate first to the infection site and accumulate quickly to high numbers. They fight pathogens by phagocytosis and intracellular toxication. Additionally, neutrophils form neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) to inhibit extracellular microbes. Yet, neutrophil trace element characteristics are largely unexplored. We investigated unstimulated and phorbol myristate acetate-stimulated neutrophils using synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence (SR-XRF) on the sub-micron spatial resolution level. PMA activates pinocytosis, cytoskeletal rearrangements and the release of NETs, all mechanisms deployed by neutrophils to combat infection. By analyzing Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, P, S, and Ca, not only the nucleus but also vesicular granules were identifiable in the elemental maps. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) revealed a neutrophil-specific composition of Zn, Fe, Cu, and Mn in comparison with J774 and HeLa cells, indicating a neutrophil-specific metallome complying with their designated functions. When investigating PMA-activated neutrophils, the SR-XRF analysis depicted typical subcellular morphological changes: the transformation of nucleus and granules and the emergence of void vacuoles. Mature NETs were evenly composed of Fe, P, S, and Ca with occasional hot spots containing Zn, Fe, and Ca. An ICP-MS-based quantification of NET supernatants revealed a NETosis-induced decrease of soluble Zn, whereas Fe, Cu, and Mn concentrations were only slightly affected. In summary, we present a combination of SR-XRF and ICP-MS as a powerful tool to analyze trace elements in human neutrophils. The approach will be applicable and valuable to numerous aspects of nutritional immunity.
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| 24. |
- Nilsson, Lina, et al.
(författare)
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Transthyretin Interferes with Aβ Amyloid Formation by Redirecting Oligomeric Nuclei into Non-Amyloid Aggregates
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Molecular Biology. - : Elsevier. - 0022-2836 .- 1089-8638. ; 430:17, s. 2722-2733
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The pathological Aβ aggregates associated with Alzheimer's disease follow a nucleation-dependent path of formation. A nucleus represents an oligomeric assembly of Aβ peptides that acts as a template for subsequent incorporation of monomers to form a fibrillar structure. Nuclei can form de novo or via surface-catalyzed secondary nucleation, and the combined rates of elongation and nucleation control the overall rate of fibril formation. Transthyretin (TTR) obstructs Aβ fibril formation in favor of alternative non-fibrillar assemblies, but the mechanism behind this activity is not fully understood. This study shows that TTR does not significantly disturb fibril elongation; rather, it effectively interferes with the formation of oligomeric nuclei. We demonstrate that this interference can be modulated by altering the relative contribution of elongation and nucleation, and we show how TTR's effects can range from being essentially ineffective to almost complete inhibition of fibril formation without changing the concentration of TTR or monomeric Aβ.
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| 25. |
- Paulsson, Magnus, et al.
(författare)
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Bacterial Outer Membrane Vesicles Induce Vitronectin Release Into the Bronchoalveolar Space Conferring Protection From Complement-Mediated Killing
- 2018
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Microbiology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-302X. ; 9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Pathogens causing pneumonia utilize the complement regulator vitronectin to evade complement-mediated killing. Although vitronectin is associated with several chronic lung diseases, the role of bronchoalveolar vitronectin in pneumonia has not been studied. This study sought to reveal the involvement of vitronectin in the bronchoalveolar space during pneumonia, to assess the effect of outer membrane vesicles and endotoxin on vitronectin release, and to determine whether bacterial pathogens utilize pulmonary vitronectin for evasion. Vitronectin was analyzed in cell-free bronchoalveolar lavage fluid harvested from patients with pneumonia (n = 8) and from healthy volunteers after subsegmental endotoxin instillation (n = 13). Vitronectin binding by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Haemophilus influenzae was analyzed, and subsequent complement evasion was assessed by serum challenge. The effects of outer membrane vesicles on vitronectin production in mouse lungs and human type II alveolar epithelial cells (A549) were determined. We detected increased vitronectin concentrations in lavage fluid during pneumonia (p = 0.0063) and after bronchial endotoxin challenge (p = 0.016). The capture of vitronectin by bacteria significantly reduced complement-mediated lysis. Following challenge with vesicles, vitronectin was detected in mouse bronchoalveolar space, and mouse alveolar epithelial cells in vivo as well as A549 cells in vitro contained increased levels of vitronectin. Taken together, outer membrane vesicles and endotoxin from Gram-negative bacteria induce vitronectin, which is released into the bronchoalveolar space, and used for evasion of complement-mediated clearance.
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