| 1. |
- Edlund, Petra, et al.
(författare)
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The room temperature crystal structure of a bacterial phytochrome determined by serial femtosecond crystallography
- 2016
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Phytochromes are a family of photoreceptors that control light responses of plants, fungi and bacteria. A sequence of structural changes, which is not yet fully understood, leads to activation of an output domain. Time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) can potentially shine light on these conformational changes. Here we report the room temperature crystal structure of the chromophore-binding domains of the Deinococcus radiodurans phytochrome at 2.1 angstrom resolution. The structure was obtained by serial femtosecond X-ray crystallography from microcrystals at an X-ray free electron laser. We find overall good agreement compared to a crystal structure at 1.35 angstrom resolution derived from conventional crystallography at cryogenic temperatures, which we also report here. The thioether linkage between chromophore and protein is subject to positional ambiguity at the synchrotron, but is fully resolved with SFX. The study paves the way for time-resolved structural investigations of the phytochrome photocycle with time-resolved SFX.
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| 2. |
- Berntsson, Oskar, 1989, et al.
(författare)
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Sequential conformational transitions and alpha-helical supercoiling regulate a sensor histidine kinase
- 2017
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Sensor histidine kinases are central to sensing in bacteria and in plants. They usually contain sensor, linker, and kinase modules and the structure of many of these components is known. However, it is unclear how the kinase module is structurally regulated. Here, we use nano- to millisecond time-resolved X-ray scattering to visualize the solution structural changes that occur when the light-sensitive model histidine kinase YF1 is activated by blue light. We find that the coiled coil linker and the attached histidine kinase domains undergo a left handed rotation within microseconds. In a much slower second step, the kinase domains rearrange internally. This structural mechanism presents a template for signal transduction in sensor histidine kinases.
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| 3. |
- Carreras-Puigvert, Jordi, et al.
(författare)
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A comprehensive structural, biochemical and biological profiling of the human NUDIX hydrolase family
- 2017
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2041-1723. ; 8:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The NUDIX enzymes are involved in cellular metabolism and homeostasis, as well as mRNA processing. Although highly conserved throughout all organisms, their biological roles and biochemical redundancies remain largely unclear. To address this, we globally resolve their individual properties and inter-relationships. We purify 18 of the human NUDIX proteins and screen 52 substrates, providing a substrate redundancy map. Using crystal structures, we generate sequence alignment analyses revealing four major structural classes. To a certain extent, their substrate preference redundancies correlate with structural classes, thus linking structure and activity relationships. To elucidate interdependence among the NUDIX hydrolases, we pairwise deplete them generating an epistatic interaction map, evaluate cell cycle perturbations upon knockdown in normal and cancer cells, and analyse their protein and mRNA expression in normal and cancer tissues. Using a novel FUSION algorithm, we integrate all data creating a comprehensive NUDIX enzyme profile map, which will prove fundamental to understanding their biological functionality.
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| 4. |
- Murphy, Neil, et al.
(författare)
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Heterogeneity of Colorectal Cancer Risk Factors by Anatomical Subsite in 10 European Countries : A Multinational Cohort Study
- 2019
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Ingår i: Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. - : Elsevier. - 1542-3565 .- 1542-7714. ; 17:7, s. 1323-1331
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background & Aims: Colorectal cancer located at different anatomical subsites may have distinct etiologies and risk factors. Previous studies that have examined this hypothesis have yielded inconsistent results, possibly because most studies have been of insufficient size to identify heterogeneous associations with precision.Methods: In the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study, we used multivariable joint Cox proportional hazards models, which accounted for tumorsat different anatomical sites (proximal colon, distal colon, and rectum) as competing risks, to examine the relationships between 14 established/suspected lifestyle, anthropometric, and reproductive/menstrual risk factors with colorectal cancer risk. Heterogeneity across sites was tested using Wald tests.Results: After a median of 14.9 years of follow-up of 521,330 men and women, 6291 colorectal cancer cases occurred. Physical activity was related inversely to proximal colon and distal colon cancer, but not to rectal cancer (P heterogeneity = .03). Height was associated positively with proximal and distal colon cancer only, but not rectal cancer (P heterogeneity = .0001). For men, but not women, heterogeneous relationships were observed for body mass index (P heterogeneity = .008) and waist circumference (P heterogeneity = .03), with weaker positive associations found for rectal cancer, compared with proximal and distal colon cancer. Current smoking was associated with a greater risk of rectal and proximal colon cancer, but not distal colon cancer (P heterogeneity = .05). No heterogeneity by anatomical site was found for alcohol consumption, diabetes, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use, and reproductive/menstrual factors.Conclusions: The relationships between physical activity, anthropometry, and smoking with colorectal cancer risk differed by subsite, supporting the hypothesis that tumors in different anatomical regions may have distinct etiologies.
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| 5. |
- Papadimitriou, Nikos, et al.
(författare)
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A Prospective Diet-Wide Association Study for Risk of Colorectal Cancer in EPIC
- 2022
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Ingår i: Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. - : Saunders Elsevier. - 1542-3565 .- 1542-7714. ; 20:4, s. 864-873.e13
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background & Aims: Evidence regarding the association of dietary exposures with colorectal cancer (CRC) risk is not consistent with a few exceptions. Therefore, we conducted a diet-wide association study (DWAS) in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) to evaluate the associations between several dietary exposures with CRC risk.Methods: The association of 92 food and nutrient intakes with CRC risk was assessed in 386,792 participants, 5069 of whom developed incident CRC. Correction for multiple comparisons was performed using the false discovery rate, and emerging associations were examined in the Netherlands Cohort Study (NLCS). Multiplicative gene-nutrient interactions were also tested in EPIC based on known CRC-associated loci.Results: In EPIC, alcohol, liquor/spirits, wine, beer/cider, soft drinks, and pork were positively associated with CRC, whereas milk, cheese, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin B6, beta carotene, fruit, fiber, nonwhite bread, banana, and total protein intakes were inversely associated. Of these 20 associations, 13 were replicated in the NLCS, for which a meta-analysis was performed, namely alcohol (summary hazard ratio [HR] per 1-SD increment in intake: 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.09), liquor/spirits (HR per 1-SD increment in intake, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02–1.06), wine (HR per 1-SD increment in intake, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02–1.07), beer/cider (HR per 1-SD increment in intake, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.04–1.08), milk (HR per 1-SD increment in intake, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.93–0.98), cheese (HR per 1-SD increment in intake, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.94–0.99), calcium (HR per 1-SD increment in intake, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.90–0.95), phosphorus (HR per 1-SD increment in intake, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.90–0.95), magnesium (HR per 1-SD increment in intake, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.92–0.98), potassium (HR per 1-SD increment in intake, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.94–0.99), riboflavin (HR per 1-SD increment in intake, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.92–0.97), beta carotene (HR per 1-SD increment in intake, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.93–0.98), and total protein (HR per 1-SD increment in intake, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.92–0.97). None of the gene-nutrient interactions were significant after adjustment for multiple comparisons.Conclusions: Our findings confirm a positive association for alcohol and an inverse association for dairy products and calcium with CRC risk, and also suggest a lower risk at higher dietary intakes of phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, riboflavin, beta carotene, and total protein.
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| 6. |
- Schulte-Oehlmann, U, et al.
(författare)
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COMPRENDO: Focus and approach.
- 2006
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Ingår i: Environmental Health Perspectives. - : Environmental Health Perspectives. - 1552-9924 .- 0091-6765. ; 114:Supplement 1, s. 98-100
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tens of thousands of man-made chemicals are in regular use and discharged into the environment. Many of them are known to interfere with the hormonal systems in humans and wildlife. Given the complexity of endocrine systems, there are many ways in which endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can affect the body's signaling system, and this makes unraveling the mechanisms of action of these chemicals difficult. A major concern is that some of these EDCs appear to be biologically active at extremely low concentrations. There is growing evidence to indicate that the guiding principle of traditional toxicology that "the dose makes the poison" may not always be the case because some EDCs do not induce the classical dose-response relationships. The European Union project COMPRENDO (Comparative Research on Endocrine Disrupters--Phylogenetic Approach and Common Principles focussing on Androgenic/Antiandrogenic Compounds) therefore aims to develop an understanding of potential health problems posed by androgenic and antiandrogenic compounds (AACs) to wildlife and humans by focusing on the commonalities and differences in responses to AACs across the animal kingdom (from invertebrates to vertebrates) .
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| 7. |
- Aleksandrova, Krasimira, et al.
(författare)
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Development and validation of a lifestyle-based model for colorectal cancer risk prediction : the LiFeCRC score
- 2021
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Ingår i: BMC Medicine. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1741-7015. ; 19:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Nutrition and lifestyle have been long established as risk factors for colorectal cancer (CRC). Modifiable lifestyle behaviours bear potential to minimize long-term CRC risk; however, translation of lifestyle information into individualized CRC risk assessment has not been implemented. Lifestyle-based risk models may aid the identification of high-risk individuals, guide referral to screening and motivate behaviour change. We therefore developed and validated a lifestyle-based CRC risk prediction algorithm in an asymptomatic European population. Methods: The model was based on data from 255,482 participants in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study aged 19 to 70 years who were free of cancer at study baseline (1992–2000) and were followed up to 31 September 2010. The model was validated in a sample comprising 74,403 participants selected among five EPIC centres. Over a median follow-up time of 15 years, there were 3645 and 981 colorectal cancer cases in the derivation and validation samples, respectively. Variable selection algorithms in Cox proportional hazard regression and random survival forest (RSF) were used to identify the best predictors among plausible predictor variables. Measures of discrimination and calibration were calculated in derivation and validation samples. To facilitate model communication, a nomogram and a web-based application were developed. Results: The final selection model included age, waist circumference, height, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, vegetables, dairy products, processed meat, and sugar and confectionary. The risk score demonstrated good discrimination overall and in sex-specific models. Harrell’s C-index was 0.710 in the derivation cohort and 0.714 in the validation cohort. The model was well calibrated and showed strong agreement between predicted and observed risk. Random survival forest analysis suggested high model robustness. Beyond age, lifestyle data led to improved model performance overall (continuous net reclassification improvement = 0.307 (95% CI 0.264–0.352)), and especially for young individuals below 45 years (continuous net reclassification improvement = 0.364 (95% CI 0.084–0.575)). Conclusions: LiFeCRC score based on age and lifestyle data accurately identifies individuals at risk for incident colorectal cancer in European populations and could contribute to improved prevention through motivating lifestyle change at an individual level.
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| 8. |
- Ameller, D., et al.
(författare)
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Handling Non-functional Requirements in Model-Driven Development: An Ongoing Industrial Survey
- 2015
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Ingår i: 2015 IEEE 23rd International Requirements Engineering Conference (Re). - : IEEE. - 9781467369053
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Model-Driven Development (MDD) is no longer a novel development paradigm. It has become mature from a research perspective and recent studies show its adoption in industry. Still, some issues remain a challenge. Among them, we are interested in the treatment of non-functional requirements (NFRs) in MDD processes. Very few MDD approaches have been reported to deal with NFRs (and they do it in a limited way). However, it is clear that NFRs need to be considered somehow in the final product of the MDD process. To better understand how NFRs are integrated into the existing MDD approaches, we have initiated the NFR4MDD project, a multi-national empirical study, based on interviews with companies working on MDD projects. Our project aims at surveying the state of the practice for this topic. In this paper, we summarize our research protocol and present the current status of our study. The discussion will focus on the peculiarities of our study's context and organization involving about 20 researchers from 8 European countries.
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| 9. |
- Berntsson, J., et al.
(författare)
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Pre-diagnostic anthropometry, sex, and risk of colorectal cancer according to tumor-infiltrating immune cell composition
- 2018
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Ingår i: Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1569-8041. ; 29:Suppl. 8, s. 180-180
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: Obesity is a well-established risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC), but whether this risk differs according to CRC subtype defined by the tumor immune microenvironment has been sparsely described. Herein, we examined the relationship between pre-diagnostic anthropometry and CRC risk according to tumor-infiltrating immune cell composition, with particular reference to potential sex differences. Methods: The density of immune cells expressing PD1, PD-L1 (PD-L1/IC), CD3, CD8, FoxP3, CD20, CD68, CD163, and tumor cells expressing PD-L1 (PD-L1/TC) was assessed by immunohistochemistry in tissue microarrays with tumors from 584 incident CRC cases in the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study (n = 28098). Multivariable Cox regression models, adjusted for age, smoking and alcohol intake, were applied to calculate hazard ratios (HR) for CRC risk according to height, weight, bodyfat %, waist- and hip circumference, waist-hip ratio (WHR), body mass index (BMI), and different immune cell subsets. Results: Obesity, measured as several anthropometric factors, was significantly associated with PD-L1+/TC low, CD8+ high, FoxP3+ low, CD20+ low, and CD163+ low tumors in both sexes, and with PD1+ low tumors in women. A contrasting risk between sexes was seen for PD-L1/IC+ tumors, in that obesity was significantly associated with risk of PD-L1/IC+ high tumors in women (ptrend for weight = 0.008, ptrend for BMI = 0.039), but with risk of PD-L1/IC+ low tumors in men (ptrend for weight = 0.005, ptrend for bodyfat % = 0.003, ptrend for waist <0.001, ptrend for hip = 0.012, ptrend for BMI = 0.001, ptrend for WHR <0.001). Furthermore, obesity was associated with risk of any CD3+ high or low and any CD68+ high or low tumors in both sexes, and with any PD1+ high or low tumors in men. In age and BMI-adjusted survival analysis, PD1+, CD8+, CD20+, and CD68+ high were favorable prognostic factors only in women, and FoxP3+ high only in men. High PD-L1+ and CD3+ expression was prognostic in both sexes. Conclusions: Anthropometric factors may influence the immune landscape of colorectal cancer, possibly in a sex-dependent manner. Thus, obesity and sex may be important factors to take into account when stratifying patients for immunotherapy.
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| 10. |
- Berntsson, Oskar, 1989, et al.
(författare)
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Photoactivation of Drosophila melanogaster cryptochrome through sequential conformational transitions
- 2019
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Ingår i: Science Advances. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 2375-2548. ; 5:7
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cryptochromes are blue-light photoreceptor proteins, which provide input to circadian clocks. The cryptochrome from Drosophila melanogaster (DmCry) modulates the degradation of Timeless and itself. It is unclear how light absorption by the chromophore and the subsequent redox reactions trigger these events. Here, we use nano- to millisecond time-resolved x-ray solution scattering to reveal the light-activated conformational changes in DmCry and the related (6-4) photolyase. DmCry undergoes a series of structural changes, culminating in the release of the carboxyl-terminal tail (CTT). The photolyase has a simpler structural response. We find that the CTT release in DmCry depends on pH. Mutation of a conserved histidine, important for the biochemical activity of DmCry, does not affect transduction of the structural signal to the CTT. Instead, molecular dynamics simulations suggest that it stabilizes the CTT in the resting-state conformation. Our structural photocycle unravels the first molecular events of signal transduction in an animal cryptochrome.
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| 11. |
- Berntsson Svensson, Richard, et al.
(författare)
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The Application of Geographical Information Systems to Multinational Finance Corporations
- 2009
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Ingår i: International Journal of Business and Systems Research. - 1751-200X. ; 3:4, s. 437-455
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Geographical information systems (GIS) aim to help decision-makers to relate different types of data in a spatial context and to reach conclusions about these relationships. This research examines the potential areas that a GIS could be applied within multinational finance corporations. The results highlight the importance of combining the financial aspects of the multinational with its operational functions. Furthermore, the results show that the ability of the GIS to model financial information, as well as the ability of the GIS to integrate with other systems while maintaining data integrity were the two most preferred GIS design features.
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| 12. |
- Björling, Alexander, 1983, et al.
(författare)
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Structural photoactivation of a full-length bacterial phytochrome
- 2016
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Ingår i: Science Advances. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 2375-2548. ; 2:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Phytochromes are light sensor proteins found in plants, bacteria, and fungi. They function by converting a photon absorption event into a conformational signal that propagates from the chromophore through the entire protein. However, the structure of the photoactivated state and the conformational changes that lead to it are not known. We report time-resolved x-ray scattering of the full-length phytochrome from Deinococcus radiodurans on micro-and millisecond time scales. We identify a twist of the histidine kinase output domains with respect to the chromophore-binding domains as the dominant change between the photoactivated and resting states. The time-resolved data further show that the structural changes up to the microsecond time scales are small and localized in the chromophore-binding domains. The global structural change occurs within a few milliseconds, coinciding with the formation of the spectroscopic meta-Rc state. Our findings establish key elements of the signaling mechanism of full-length bacterial phytochromes.
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| 13. |
- Gad, Helge, et al.
(författare)
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MTH1 inhibition eradicates cancer by preventing sanitation of the dNTP pool
- 2014
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 508:7495, s. 215-221
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cancers have dysfunctional redox regulation resulting in reactive oxygen species production, damaging both DNA and free dNTPs. The MTH1 protein sanitizes oxidized dNTP pools to prevent incorporation of damaged bases during DNA replication. Although MTH1 is non-essential in normal cells, we show that cancer cells require MTH1 activity to avoid incorporation of oxidized dNTPs, resulting in DNA damage and cell death. We validate MTH1 as an anticancer target in vivo and describe small molecules TH287 and TH588 as first-in-class nudix hydrolase family inhibitors that potently and selectively engage and inhibit the MTH1 protein in cells. Protein co-crystal structures demonstrate that the inhibitors bindin the active site of MTH1. The inhibitors cause incorporation of oxidized dNTPs in cancer cells, leading to DNA damage, cytotoxicity and therapeutic responses in patient-derived mouse xenografts. This study exemplifies the non-oncogene addiction concept for anticancer treatment and validates MTH1 as being cancer phenotypic lethal.
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| 14. |
- Klepsch, Mirjam, 1983-, et al.
(författare)
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Escherichia coli Peptide Binding Protein OppA Has a Preference for Positively Charged Peptides
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Molecular Biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0022-2836 .- 1089-8638. ; 414:1, s. 75-85
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Escherichia coli peptide binding protein OppA is an essential component of the oligopeptide transporter Opp. Based on studies on its orthologue from Salmonella typhimurium, it has been proposed that OppA binds peptides between two and five amino acids long, with no apparent sequence selectivity. Here, we studied peptide binding to E. coli OppA directly and show that the protein has an unexpected preference for basic peptides. OppA was expressed in the periplasm, where it bound to available peptides. The protein was purified in complex with tightly bound peptides. The crystal structure (up to 2.0 angstrom) of OppA liganded with the peptides indicated that the protein has a preference for peptides containing a lysine. Mass spectrometry analysis of the bound peptides showed that peptides between two and five amino acids long bind to the protein and indeed hinted at a preference for positively charged peptides. The preference of OppA for peptides with basic residues, in particular lysines, was corroborated by binding studies with peptides of defined sequence using isothermal titration calorimetry and intrinsic protein fluorescence titration. The protein bound tripeptides and tetrapeptides containing positively charged residues with high affinity, whereas related peptides without lysines/arginines were bound with low affinity. A structure of OppA in an open conformation in the absence of ligands was also determined to 2.0 angstrom, revealing that the initial binding site displays a negative surface charge, consistent with the observed preference for positively charged peptides. Taken together, E. coli OppA appears to have a preference for basic peptides.
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| 15. |
- Lassinantti, Lena, et al.
(författare)
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Enterococcal PrgU Provides Additional Regulation of Pheromone-Inducible Conjugative Plasmids
- 2021
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Ingår i: mSphere. - : American Society for Microbiology (ASM). - 2379-5042. ; 6:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Efficient horizontal gene transfer of the conjugative plasmid pCF10 from Enterococcus faecalis depends on the expression of its type 4 secretion system (T4SS) genes, controlled by the PQ promoter. Transcription from the PQ promoter is tightly regulated, partially to limit cell toxicity caused by overproduction of PrgB, a T4SS adhesin. PrgU plays an important role in regulating this toxicity by decreasing PrgB levels. PrgU has an RNA-binding fold, prompting us to test whether PrgU exerts its regulatory control through binding of prgQ transcripts. We used a combination of in vivo methods to quantify PrgU effects on prgQ transcripts at both single-cell and population levels. PrgU function requires a specific RNA sequence within an intergenic region (IGR) about 400 bp downstream of PQ. PrgU interaction with the IGR reduces levels of downstream transcripts. Single-cell expression analysis showed that cells expressing prgU decreased transcript levels more rapidly than isogenic prgU-minus cells. PrgU bound RNA in vitro without sequence specificity, suggesting that PrgU requires a specific RNA structure or one or more host factors for selective binding in vivo. PrgU binding to its IGR target might recruit RNase(s) for targeted degradation of downstream transcripts or reduce elongation of nascent transcripts beyond the IGR.IMPORTANCE: Bacteria utilize type 4 secretion systems (T4SS) to efficiently transfer DNA between donor and recipient cells, thereby spreading genes encoding antibiotic resistance as well as various virulence factors. Regulation of expression of the T4SS proteins and surface adhesins in Gram-positive bacteria is crucial, as some of these are highly toxic to the cell. The significance of our research lies in identifying the novel mechanism by which PrgU performs its delicate fine-tuning of the expression levels. As prgU orthologs are present in various conjugative plasmids and transposons, our results are likely relevant to understanding of diverse clinically important transfer systems.
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| 16. |
- Linderholm, Hans W., 1968, et al.
(författare)
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Arctic hydroclimate variability during the last 2000 years – current understanding and research challenges
- 2018
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Ingår i: Climate of the Past. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1814-9324 .- 1814-9332. ; 14, s. 473-514
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Reanalysis data show an increasing trend in Arctic precipitation over the 20th century, but changes are not homogenous across seasons or space. The observed hydroclimate changes are expected to continue and possibly accelerate in the coming century, not only affecting pan-Arctic natural ecosystems and human activities, but also lower latitudes through the atmospheric and ocean circulations. However, a lack of spatiotemporal observational data makes reliable quantification of Arctic hydroclimate change difficult, especially in a long-term context. To understand Arctic hydroclimate and its variability prior to the instrumental record, climate proxy records are needed. The purpose of this review is to summarise the current understanding of Arctic hydroclimate during the past 2000 years. First, the paper reviews the main natural archives and proxies used to infer past hydroclimate variations in this remote region and outlines the difficulty of disentangling the moisture from the temperature signal in these records. Second, a comparison of two sets of hydroclimate records covering the Common Era from two data-rich regions, North America and Fennoscan-dia, reveals inter- and intra-regional differences. Third, building on earlier work, this paper shows the potential for providing a high-resolution hydroclimate reconstruction for the Arctic and a comparison with last-millennium simulations from fully coupled climate models. In general, hydroclimate proxies and simulations indicate that the Medieval Climate Anomaly tends to have been wetter than the Little Ice Age (LIA), but there are large regional differences. However, the regional coverage of the proxy data is inadequate, with distinct data gaps in most of Eurasia and parts of North America, making robust assessments for the whole Arctic impossible at present. To fully assess pan-Arctic hydroclimate variability for the last 2 millennia, additional proxy records are required.
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| 17. |
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| 18. |
- Rosqvist, Gunhild C., et al.
(författare)
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Shifts in precipitation during the last millennium in northern Scandinavia from lacustrine isotope records
- 2013
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Ingår i: Quaternary Science Reviews. - : Elsevier BV. - 0277-3791 .- 1873-457X. ; 66, s. 22-34
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Here we present delta P-18(diatom) data from two high-latitude lakes; one has short residence time and a water isotopic composition (delta O-18(lake)) that fluctuate due to seasonal variations in precipitation and temperature, and the other has delta O-18(lake) that is influenced by longer lake water residence times and evaporation. The delta O-18(diatom) records reveal common responses to precipitation forcing over the past millennium. Relatively wet summers are inferred from delta O-18(diatom) between 1000 and 1080 AD, 1300 and 1440 AD, and during the early 19th century, coincided with periods of high cloud cover inferred from tree-ring carbon isotopes, and other data for high Arctic Oscillation index. While relatively dry summers with increasing influence of winter snow are indicated between 1600 and 1750 AD. The co-response between carbon isotopes in trees and oxygen isotopes in diatoms strengthens the relationship between cloud cover and precipitation and the hypothesis that these changes were the result of significant regional shifts in atmospheric circulation.
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| 19. |
- Takala, H., et al.
(författare)
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On the (un)coupling of the chromophore, tongue interactions, and overall conformation in a bacterial phytochrome
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Journal of Biological Chemistry. - 0021-9258. ; 293:21, s. 8161-8172
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Phytochromes are photoreceptors in plants, fungi, and various microorganisms and cycle between metastable red light-absorbing (Pr) and far-red light-absorbing (Pfr) states. Their light responses are thought to follow a conserved structural mechanism that is triggered by isomerization of the chromophore. Downstream structural changes involve refolding of the so-called tongue extension of the phytochrome-specific GAF-related (PHY) domain of the photoreceptor. The tongue is connected to the chromophore by conserved DIP and PRXSF motifs and a conserved tyrosine, but the role of these residues in signal transduction is not clear. Here, we examine the tongue interactions and their interplay with the chromophore by substituting the conserved tyrosine (Tyr(263)) in the phytochrome from the extremophile bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans with phenylalanine. Using optical and FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray solution scattering, and crystallography of chromophore-binding domain (CBD) and CBD-PHY fragments, we show that the absence of the Tyr(263) hydroxyl destabilizes the -sheet conformation of the tongue. This allowed the phytochrome to adopt an -helical tongue conformation regardless of the chromophore state, hence distorting the activity state of the protein. Our crystal structures further revealed that water interactions are missing in the Y263F mutant, correlating with a decrease of the photoconversion yield and underpinning the functional role of Tyr(263) in phytochrome conformational changes. We propose a model in which isomerization of the chromophore, refolding of the tongue, and globular conformational changes are represented as weakly coupled equilibria. The results also suggest that the phytochromes have several redundant signaling routes.
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| 20. |
- Abrahamsson, B., et al.
(författare)
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Six years of progress in the oral biopharmaceutics area - A summary from the IMI OrBiTo project
- 2020
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Ingår i: European journal of pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics. - : ELSEVIER. - 0939-6411 .- 1873-3441. ; 152, s. 236-247
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OrBiTo was a precompetitive collaboration focused on the development of the next generation of Oral Biopharmaceutics Tools. The consortium included world leading scientists from nine universities, one regulatory agency, one non-profit research organisation, three small/medium sized specialist technology companies together with thirteen pharmaceutical companies. The goal of the OrBiTo project was to deliver a framework for rational application of predictive biopharmaceutics tools for oral drug delivery. This goal was achieved through novel prospective investigations to define new methodologies or refinement of existing tools. Extensive validation has been performed of novel and existing biopharmaceutics tools using historical datasets supplied by industry partners as well as laboratory ring studies. A combination of high quality in vitro and in vivo characterizations of active drugs and formulations have been integrated into physiologically based in silico biopharmaceutics models capturing the full complexity of gastrointestinal drug absorption and some of the best practices has been highlighted. This approach has given an unparalleled opportunity to deliver transformational change in European industrial research and development towards model based pharmaceutical product development in accordance with the vision of model-informed drug development.
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| 21. |
- Astengo, Marco, et al.
(författare)
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Ability of noninvasive criteria to predict hemodynamically significant aortic obstruction in adults with coarctation of the aorta.
- 2017
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Ingår i: Congenital heart disease. - : Computers, Materials and Continua (Tech Science Press). - 1747-0803 .- 1747-079X. ; 12:2, s. 174-180
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is a common condition. Adult patients with newly diagnosed CoA and patients with recurring or residual CoA require evaluation of the severity of aortic obstruction. Cardiac catheterization is considered the gold standard for the evaluation of hemodynamically significant CoA. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Guidelines for the management of grown-up congenital heart disease (GUCH) include noninvasive criteria for identifying significant CoA. Our aim was to investigate the ability of the Class I and Class IIa ESC recommendations to identify significant CoA at cardiac catheterization.Sixty-six adult patients with native or recurrent CoA underwent diagnostic cardiac catheterization at the GUCH unit at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg from October 1998 to November 2013. Clinical and imaging data, as well as data about cardiac catheterization were retrospectively collected from patient records.The Class I ESC recommendations predicted significant CoA with a sensitivity of 0.57, a specificity of 0.63, a positive predictive value of 0.67, and a negative predictive value of 0.53. The combination of Class I and Class IIa recommendations predicted significant CoA with a sensitivity of 0.75, a specificity of 0.42, a positive predictive value of 0.66 and a negative predictive value of 0.52.the noninvasive criteria proposed by the ESC guidelines to identify subjects with significant CoA performed poorly in our dataset. Further research is needed to develop more accurate, noninvasive criteria to evaluate CoA severity and thereby reduce the number of unnecessary cardiac catheterizations.
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| 22. |
- Berntsson, John, et al.
(författare)
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Increased vascular endothelial growth factor D is associated with atrial fibrillation and ischaemic stroke
- 2019
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Ingår i: Heart. - : BMJ. - 1355-6037 .- 1468-201X. ; 105:7, s. 553-558
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: Vascular endothelial growth factor D (VEGF-D) has important functions in lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis. High plasma levels of VEGF-D have been associated with incidence of heart failure. The association of VEGF-D with atrial fibrillation (AF) and stroke is unclear and we hypothesised that VEGF-D could also be associated with incidence of AF and ischaemic stroke. Methods: VEGF-D was measured in fasting blood samples of 4689 subjects (40% men) without a history of AF from the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study, a prospective, population-based study in Sweden. Median age was 58 years (range 46-68). Cox regression analyses, adjusted for multiple risk factors, was used to assess AF and ischaemic stroke risk in relation to VEGF-D levels. Results: During a median follow-up time of 20.6 years, there were 637 cases of incident AF and 322 cases of first ischaemic stroke. After adjustment, VEGF-D was significantly associated with AF (HR 1.13(95% CI 1.04 to 1.23) per 1 SD increase) and ischaemic stroke (HR 1.14(95% CI 1.02 to 1.28) per 1 SD). The association with ischaemic stroke was explained by an increased incidence of AF-related stroke. HRs per 1 SD were 1.34 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.71) for AF-related ischaemic stroke and 1.04 (95% CI 0.90 to 1.19) for ischaemic stroke without AF. Conclusions: Increased VEGF-D concentrations were associated with AF and ischaemic stroke. The relationship with ischaemic stroke was more pronounced in subjects with a diagnosis of AF.
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| 23. |
- Berntsson, John, et al.
(författare)
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Orosomucoid, carotid plaque, and incidence of stroke
- 2016
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Ingår i: Stroke: a journal of cerebral circulation. - 0039-2499. ; 47:7, s. 1858-1863
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and Purpose - Orosomucoid (α-1-acid glycoprotein) is an acute-phase protein that has been implicated in anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating, and angiogenic pathways. Orosomucoid has also been associated with coronary disease and stroke. The relationship between orosomucoid, carotid plaque, and stroke incidence were explored in this study. Methods - Plasma levels of orosomucoid were assessed in 4285 subjects (39.8% men; mean age 57.5±5.9 years) without cardiovascular disease, who participated in the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study, between 1991 and 1994. The right carotid artery was examined for plaque using B-mode ultrasound examination. Incidence of stroke was followed up during a median follow-up time of 17.7 years. Results - Carotid plaque was present in 43.5% at baseline. Orosomucoid was significantly higher in subjects with carotid plaque (mean±SD: 0.72±0.22 versus 0.69±0.20 g/L; P
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| 24. |
- Berntsson, John, et al.
(författare)
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Risk of Stroke in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Is Associated With Stroke in Siblings : A Nationwide Study
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of the American Heart Association. - 2047-9980. ; 9:3, s. 014132-014132
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: It remains unclear whether heritable factors can contribute to risk stratification for ischemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We examined whether having a sibling with ischemic stroke was associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke and mortality in patients with AF. Methods and Results: In this nationwide study of the Swedish population, patients with AF and their siblings were identified from the Swedish patient registers and the Swedish MGR (Multi-Generation Register). Ischemic stroke events were retrieved from the Swedish patient registers and CDR (Cause of Death Register). Risk of ischemic stroke was compared between patients with AF with and without a sibling affected by ischemic stroke, AF, or both ischemic stroke and AF. The total study population comprised 113 988 subjects (mean age, 60±12 years) diagnosed with AF between 1989 and 2012. In total, 11 709 of them were diagnosed with a first ischemic stroke and 20 097 died during a mean follow-up time of 5.5 years for ischemic stroke and 5.9 years for mortality. After adjustment for covariates having a sibling with ischemic stroke, or both ischemic stroke and AF, was associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke (hazard ratio, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.23-1.40 or hazard ratio, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.24-1.49, respectively). Furthermore, ischemic stroke in a sibling was associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.05-1.14). In contrast, the risk of stroke was only marginally increased for patients with AF with a spouse affected by ischemic stroke. Conclusions: Having a sibling affected by ischemic stroke confers an increased risk of ischemic stroke and death independently of traditional risk factors in patients with AF.
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| 25. |
- Berntsson, Oskar, 1989, et al.
(författare)
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Time-Resolved X-Ray Solution Scattering Reveals the Structural Photoactivation of a Light-Oxygen-Voltage Photoreceptor
- 2017
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Ingår i: Structure. - : Elsevier BV. - 0969-2126. ; 25:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Light-oxygen-voltage (LOV) receptors are sensory proteins controlling a wide range of organismal adaptations in multiple kingdoms of life. Because of their modular nature, LOV domains are also attractive for use as optogenetic actuators. A flavin chromophore absorbs blue light, forms a bond with a proximal cysteine residue, and induces changes in the surroundings. There is a gap of knowledge on how this initial signal is relayed further through the sensor to the effector module. To characterize these conformational changes, we apply time-resolved X-ray scattering to the homodimeric LOV domain from Bacillus subtilis YtvA. We observe a global structural change in the LOV dimer synchronous with the formation of the chromophore photoproduct state. Using molecular modeling, this change is identified as splaying apart and relative rotation of the two monomers, which leads to an increased separation at the anchoring site of the effector modules.
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| 26. |
- Berntsson, Shala Ghaderi, et al.
(författare)
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Analysis of DNA repair gene polymorphisms and survival in low-grade and anaplastic gliomas
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Neuro-Oncology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0167-594X .- 1573-7373. ; 105:3, s. 531-538
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The purpose of this study was to explore the variation in DNA repair genes in adults with WHO grade II and III gliomas and their relationship to patient survival. We analysed a total of 1,458 tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were selected to cover DNA repair genes, in 81 grade II and grade III gliomas samples, collected in Sweden and Denmark. The statistically significant genetic variants from the first dataset (P < 0.05) were taken forward for confirmation in a second dataset of 72 grade II and III gliomas from northern UK. In this dataset, eight gene variants mapping to five different DNA repair genes (ATM, NEIL1, NEIL2, ERCC6 and RPA4) which were associated with survival. Finally, these eight genetic variants were adjusted for treatment, malignancy grade, patient age and gender, leaving one variant, rs4253079, mapped to ERCC6, with a significant association to survival (OR 0.184, 95% CI 0.054-0.63, P = 0.007). We suggest a possible novel association between rs4253079 and survival in this group of patients with low-grade and anaplastic gliomas that needs confirmation in larger datasets.
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| 27. |
- Björling, Alexander, 1983, et al.
(författare)
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Ubiquitous Structural Signaling in Bacterial Phytochromes
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1948-7185. ; 6:17, s. 3379-3383
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The phytochrome family of light-switchable proteins has long been studied by biochemical, spectroscopic and crystallographic means, while a direct probe for global conformational signal propagation has been lacking. Using solution X-ray scattering, we find that the photosensory cores of several bacterial phytochromes undergo similar large-scale structural changes upon red-light excitation. The data establish that phytochromes with ordinary and inverted photocycles share a structural signaling mechanism and that a particular conserved histidine, previously proposed to be involved in signal propagation, in fact tunes photoresponse.
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| 28. |
- Breidenstein, Annika, et al.
(författare)
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PrgE: an OB-fold protein from plasmid pCF10 with striking differences to prototypical bacterial SSBs
- 2024
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Ingår i: Life Science Alliance. - : Life Science Alliance. - 2575-1077. ; 7:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A major pathway for horizontal gene transfer is the transmission of DNA from donor to recipient cells via plasmid-encoded type IV secretion systems (T4SSs). Many conjugative plasmids encode for a single-stranded DNA-binding protein (SSB) together with their T4SS. Some of these SSBs have been suggested to aid in establishing the plasmid in the recipient cell, but for many, their function remains unclear. Here, we characterize PrgE, a proposed SSB from the Enterococcus faecalis plasmid pCF10. We show that PrgE is not essential for conjugation. Structurally, it has the characteristic OB-fold of SSBs, but it has very unusual DNA-binding properties. Our DNA-bound structure shows that PrgE binds ssDNA like beads on a string supported by its N-terminal tail. In vitro studies highlight the plasticity of PrgE oligomerization and confirm the importance of the N-terminus. Unlike other SSBs, PrgE binds both double- and single-stranded DNA equally well. This shows that PrgE has a quaternary assembly and DNA-binding properties that are very different from the prototypical bacterial SSB, but also different from eukaryotic SSBs.
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| 29. |
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| 30. |
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| 31. |
- Egerstedt, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Profiling of the plasma proteome across different stages of human heart failure
- 2019
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Ingår i: Nature communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 10:1, s. 5830-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Heart failure (HF) is a major public health problem characterized by inability of the heart to maintain sufficient output of blood. The systematic characterization of circulating proteins across different stages of HF may provide pathophysiological insights and identify therapeutic targets. Here we report application of aptamer-based proteomics to identify proteins associated with prospective HF incidence in a population-based cohort, implicating modulation of immunological, complement, coagulation, natriuretic and matrix remodeling pathways up to two decades prior to overt disease onset. We observe further divergence of these proteins from the general population in advanced HF, and regression after heart transplantation. By leveraging coronary sinus samples and transcriptomic tools, we describe likely cardiac and specific cellular origins for several of the proteins, including Nt-proBNP, thrombospondin-2, interleukin-18 receptor, gelsolin, and activated C5. Our findings provide a broad perspective on both cardiac and systemic factors associated with HF development.
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| 32. |
- Ghaderi Berntsson, Shala, 1964-, et al.
(författare)
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Developing education in environmental health and medicine focusing on neurology : Initiatives in Sweden (the UPRISE model), France, and Turkey
- 2024
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Ingår i: Journal of the Neurological Sciences. - : Elsevier. - 0022-510X .- 1878-5883. ; 463
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundThe role of environmental factors in neurological disorders constitutes a topic of increasing importance. Teaching in European universities should expand and update this field gaining future health professionals including adjacent disciplines.AimTo describe recent efforts to create courses that cover crucial interdisciplinary content that we believe should be included in modern education, and to adapt modern pedagogic strategies.MethodsIn collaboration with RISE (Rencontres Internationales Santé Environnement), elective courses focused on Environmental Health and Medicine (EHM) were developed, in France, Sweden, and Turkey. The courses combined classic teaching methods and new pedagogic and digital solutions to create environment-related health awareness and facilitate future interprofessional collaboration in this field.ResultsUPRISE is an innovative elective course introduced in 2020 in Sweden's Uppsala University with the participation of lecturers from several countries and aim to recruit students from different universities. A total of 45, mainly female students (68%), participated in the course. In Strasbourg, France, a novel course on environmental medicine was held in 2019–2023 and examined 90 students, of which more than half were female. Nine graduate nurse students in Turkey attended ten seminar series focused on EHM. Overall, students expressed satisfaction with the courses.ConclusionsThis European project for courses in higher education arising from RISE was met with appreciation and challenges from academic institutions.However, due to considerable efforts to introduce the EHM concept, a unique compulsory course for all medical students in the second year of training started in 2023 in all French medical faculties. In 2023, UPRISE was integrated into ENLIGHT, the European University Network to promote equitable quality of Life, sustainability, and Global engagement through Higher education Transformation.
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| 33. |
- Head, R. M., et al.
(författare)
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Gregarious settlement in cypris larvae: The effects of cyprid age and assay duration
- 2004
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Ingår i: Biofouling. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0892-7014 .- 1029-2454. ; 20:2, s. 123-128
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Gregarious behaviour of marine larvae is perhaps most clearly associated with finding a suitable habitat in a changeable or restricted environment, or with finding other conspecifics with which to mate. Prior work has shown that in settlement assays using cypris larvae of the barnacle Balanus amphitrite , gregarious interactions significantly affected the interpretation of experiments testing the activity of organic settlement promoters and inhibitors. Other studies have also shown effects of cyprid age and pheromone concentration on settlement behaviour. However, the effects of interactions between gregariousness and these two factors are not known. The aim of this study was to test the hypotheses that i) as cyprids age the effects of gregariousness become less apparent, and ii) as the duration of the experiment increases gregarious effects become more apparent, using cypris larvae of B. amphitrite and Balanus improvisus . Three age classes of cyprids were used at six densities in a fully factorial design. For B. improvisus cyprids significant gregarious effects occurred between 3 or more larvae, and although larval age and experiment duration had significant main effects, there were no interactions between these important factors and gregariousness. For B. amphitrite cyprids significant gregarious effects also occurred with greater than or equal to3 larvae per well, though this effect was strongly dependent upon experiment duration. B. amphitrite cyprid sensitivity to conspecific cues does not change with age, although increasing experiment duration and age interact to increase settlement. Differences between species may be due to different thresholds to conspecific larval cues, or B. improvisus cyprids release much more larval temporary adhesive during exploration.
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| 34. |
- Henry, Léocadie, et al.
(författare)
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New Light on the Mechanism of Phototransduction in Phototropin
- 2020
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Ingår i: Biochemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0006-2960 .- 1520-4995. ; 59:35, s. 3206-3215
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Phototropins are photoreceptor proteins that regulate blue light-dependent biological processes for efficient photosynthesis in plants and algae. The proteins consist of a photosensory domain that responds to the ambient light and an output module that triggers cellular responses. The photosensory domain of phototropin from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii contains two conserved LOV (light-oxygen-voltage) domains with flavin chromophores. Blue light triggers the formation of a covalent cysteine-flavin adduct and upregulates the phototropin kinase activity. Little is known about the structural mechanism that leads to kinase activation and how the two LOV domains contribute to this. Here, we investigate the role of the LOV1 domain from C. reinhardtii phototropin by characterizing the structural changes occurring after blue light illumination with nano- to millisecond time-resolved X-ray solution scattering. By structurally fitting the data with atomic models generated by molecular dynamics simulations, we find that adduct formation induces a rearrangement of the hydrogen bond network from the buried chromophore to the protein surface. In particular, the change in conformation and the associated hydrogen bonding of the conserved glutamine 120 induce a global movement of the beta-sheet, ultimately driving a change in the electrostatic potential on the protein surface. On the basis of the change in the electrostatics, we propose a structural model of how LOV1 and LOV2 domains interact and regulate the full-length phototropin from C. reinhardtii. This provides a rationale for how LOV photosensor proteins function and contributes to the optimal design of optogenetic tools based on LOV domains.
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| 35. |
- Ihalainen, J. A., et al.
(författare)
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Chromophore-Protein Interplay during the Phytochrome Photocycle Revealed by Step-Scan FTIR Spectroscopy
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of the American Chemical Society. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0002-7863 .- 1520-5126. ; 140:39, s. 12396-12404
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Phytochrome proteins regulate many photo-responses of plants and microorganisms. Light absorption causes isomerization of the biliverdin chromophore, which triggers a series of structural changes to activate the signaling domains of the protein. However, the structural changes are elusive, and therefore the molecular mechanism of signal transduction remains poorly understood. Here, we apply twocolor step-scan infrared spectroscopy to the bacteriophytochrome from Deinococcus radiodurans. We show by recordings in H2O and D2O that the hydrogen bonds to the biliverdin D-ring carbonyl become disordered in the first intermediate (Lumi-R) forming a dynamic microenvironment, then completely detach in the second intermediate (Meta-R), and finally reform in the signaling state (Pfr). The spectra reveal via isotope labeling that the refolding of the conserved "PHY-tongue" region occurs with the last transition between Meta-R and Pfr. Additional changes in the protein backbone are detected already within microseconds in Lumi-R Aided by molecular dynamics simulations, we find that a strictly conserved salt bridge between an arginine of the PHY tongue and an aspartate of the chromophore binding domains is broken in Lumi-R and the arginine is recruited to the D-ring C=O. This rationalizes how isomerization of the chromophore is linked to the global structural rearrangement in the sensory receptor. Our findings advance the structural understanding of phytochrome photoactivation.
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| 36. |
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| 37. |
- Nimmrich, Amke, 1995, et al.
(författare)
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Solvent-Dependent Structural Dynamics in the Ultrafast Photodissociation Reaction of Triiodide Observed with Time-Resolved X-ray Solution Scattering
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of the American Chemical Society. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0002-7863 .- 1520-5126. ; 145:29, s. 15754-15765
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Resolving the structural dynamics of bond breaking, bond formation, and solvation is required for a deeper understanding of solutionphase chemical reactions. In this work, we investigate the photodissociation of triiodide in four solvents using femtosecond time-resolved X-ray solution scattering following 400 nm photoexcitation. Structural analysis of the scattering data resolves the solvent-dependent structural evolution during the bond cleavage, internal rearrangements, solvent-cage escape, and bond reformation in real time. The nature and structure of the reaction intermediates during the recombination are determined, elucidating the full mechanism of photodissociation and recombination on ultrafast time scales. We resolve the structure of the precursor state for recombination as a geminate pair. Further, we determine the size of the solvent cages from the refined structures of the radical pair. The observed structural dynamics present a comprehensive picture of the solvent influence on structure and dynamics of dissociation reactions.
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| 38. |
- Panman, Matthijs R, 1983, et al.
(författare)
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Observing the Structural Evolution in the Photodissociation of Diiodomethane with Femtosecond Solution X-Ray Scattering
- 2020
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Ingår i: Physical Review Letters. - 0031-9007 .- 1079-7114. ; 125:22
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Resolving the structural dynamics of the initial steps of chemical reactions is challenging. We report the femtosecond time-resolved wide-angle x-ray scattering of the photodissociation of diiodomethane in cyclohexane. The data reveal with structural detail how the molecule dissociates into radicals, how the radicals collide with the solvent, and how they form the photoisomer. We extract how translational and rotational kinetic energy is dispersed into the solvent. We also find that 85% of the primary radical pairs are confined to their original solvent cage and discuss how this influences the downstream recombination reactions.
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| 39. |
- Rehman, Saima, et al.
(författare)
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Enterococcal PcfF Is a Ribbon-Helix-Helix Protein That Recruits the Relaxase PcfG Through Binding and Bending of the oriT Sequence
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Frontiers in Microbiology. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 1664-302X. ; 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The conjugative plasmid pCF10 from Enterococcus faecalis encodes a Type 4 Secretion System required for plasmid transfer. The accessory factor PcfF and relaxase PcfG initiate pCF10 transfer by forming the catalytically active relaxosome at the plasmid’s origin-of-transfer (oriT) sequence. Here, we report the crystal structure of the homodimeric PcfF, composed of an N-terminal DNA binding Ribbon-Helix-Helix (RHH) domain and a C-terminal stalk domain. We identified key residues in the RHH domain that are responsible for binding pCF10’s oriT sequence in vitro, and further showed that PcfF bends the DNA upon oriT binding. By mutational analysis and pull-down experiments, we identified residues in the stalk domain that contribute to interaction with PcfG. PcfF variant proteins defective in oriT or PcfG binding attenuated plasmid transfer in vivo, but also suggested that intrinsic or extrinsic factors might modulate relaxosome assembly. We propose that PcfF initiates relaxosome assembly by binding oriT and inducing DNA bending, which serves to recruit PcfG as well as extrinsic factors necessary for optimal plasmid processing and engagement with the pCF10 transfer machine.
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| 40. |
- Schmitt, Andreas, et al.
(författare)
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PrgB promotes aggregation, biofilm formation, and conjugation through DNA binding and compaction
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Molecular Microbiology. - : Wiley. - 1365-2958 .- 0950-382X. ; 109:3, s. 291-305
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Gram-positive bacteria deploy type IV secretion systems (T4SSs) to facilitate horizontal gene transfer. The T4SSs of Gram-positive bacteria rely on surface adhesins as opposed to conjugative pili to facilitate mating. Enterococcus faecalis PrgB is a surface adhesin that promotes mating pair formation and robust biofilm development in an extracellular DNA (eDNA) dependent manner. Here, we report the structure of the adhesin domain of PrgB. The adhesin domain binds and compacts DNA in vitro. In vivo PrgB deleted of its adhesin domain does not support cellular aggregation, biofilm development and conjugative DNA transfer. PrgB also binds lipoteichoic acid (LTA), which competes with DNA binding. We propose that PrgB binding and compaction of eDNA facilitates cell aggregation and plays an important role in establishment of early biofilms in mono- or polyspecies settings. Within these biofilms, PrgB mediates formation and stabilization of direct cell-cell contacts through alternative binding of cell-bound LTA, which in turn promotes establishment of productive mating junctions and efficient intra- or inter-species T4SS-mediated gene transfer.
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| 41. |
- Takala, Heikki, et al.
(författare)
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Light-induced structural changes in a monomeric bacteriophytochrome
- 2016
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Ingår i: Structural Dynamics. - : AIP Publishing. - 2329-7778. ; 3:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Phytochromes sense red light in plants and various microorganism. Light absorption causes structural changes within the protein, which alter its biochemical activity. Bacterial phytochromes are dimeric proteins, but the functional relevance of this arrangement remains unclear. Here, we use time-resolved X-ray scattering to reveal the solution structural change of a monomeric variant of the photosensory core module of the phytochrome from Deinococcus radiodurans. The data reveal two motions, a bend and a twist of the PHY domain with respect to the chromophore-binding domains. Infrared spectroscopy shows the refolding of the PHY tongue. We conclude that a monomer of the phytochrome photosensory core is sufficient to perform the light-induced structural changes. This implies that allosteric cooperation with the other monomer is not needed for structural activation. The dimeric arrangement may instead be intrinsic to the biochemical output domains of bacterial phytochromes. © Author(s) 2016.
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| 42. |
- Takala, Heikki, et al.
(författare)
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Signal amplification and transduction in phytochrome photosensors
- 2014
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 509:7499, s. 245-248
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Sensory proteins must relay structural signals from the sensory site over large distances to regulatory output domains. Phytochromes are a major family of red-light-sensing kinases that control diverse cellular functions in plants, bacteria and fungi(1-9). Bacterial phytochromes consist of a photosensory core and a carboxy-terminal regulatory domain(10,11). Structures of photosensory cores are reported in the resting state(12-18) and conformational responses to light activation have been proposed in the vicinity of the chromophore(19-23). However, the structure of the signalling state and the mechanism of downstream signal relay through the photosensory core remain elusive. Here we report crystal and solution structures of the resting and activated states of the photosensory core of the bacteriophytochrome from Deinococcus radiodurans. The structures show an open and closed form of the dimeric protein for the activated and resting states, respectively. This nanometre-scale rearrangement is controlled by refolding of an evolutionarily conserved 'tongue', which is in contact with the chromophore. The findings reveal an unusual mechanism in which atomic-scale conformational changes around the chromophore are first amplified into ana angstrom-scale distance change in the tongue, and further grow into a nanometre-scale conformational signal. The structural mechanism is a blueprint for understanding how phytochromes connect to the cellular signalling network.
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