Project description:The species Campylobacter jejuni is naturally competent for DNA uptake; nevertheless, nonnaturally transformable strains do exist. For a subset of strains we previously showed that a periplasmic DNase, encoded by dns, inhibits natural transformation in C. jejuni. In the present study, genetic factors coding for DNase activity in absence of dns were identified. DNA arrays indicated that nonnaturally transformable dns-negative strains contain putative DNA/RNA non-specific endonucleases encoded by CJE0566 and CJE1441 of strain RM1221. These genes are located on C. jejuni integrated element 2 and 4. Expression of CJE0566 and CJE1441 from strain RM1221 and a homologous gene from strain 07479 in DNase-negative Escherichia coli and C. jejuni strains indicated that these genes code for DNases. Genetic transfer of the genes to a naturally transformable C. jejuni strain resulted in a decreased efficiency of natural transformation. Modelling suggests that the C. jejuni DNases belong to the Serratia nuclease family. Overall, the data indicate that the acquisition of prophage encoded DNA/RNA non-specific endonucleases inhibits the natural transformability of C. jejuni through hydrolysis of DNA. The genomic diversity of 15 naturally competent or nonnaturally transformable Campylobacter jejuni strains were examined by microarray-based comparative genomic indexing (CGI) analysis. The CGI analysis allowed the assessment of CDS content for each C. jejuni strain relative to the C. jejuni DNA microarray, which comprises ORFs from strains NCTC 11168, RM1221. ORFs were spotted in duplicate. Genomic DNA from strains NCTC 11168/RM1221 were used as a reference DNA and competitively hybridized with genomic DNA from each of the other C. jejuni strains. Two replicates for each strain were performed. Data normalization was performed as in Parker et al. J Clin Microbiol 2006, 44(11):4125-4135.
Project description:The impact of dietary Chlorella vulgaris and carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) on the gut of weaned piglets was investigated using an integrated NMR-metabolomics and LC-MS/MS proteomics approach.
Project description:Here we examine key regulatory pathways underlying the transition from compensated hypertrophy (HYP) to decompensated heart failure (HF) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in a guinea pig model by integrated multi-ome analysis. Relative protein abundances from sham-operated, HYP and HF hearts were assessed by iTRAQ shotgun LC-MS/MS. Metabolites were quantified by LC-MS/MS or GC-MS. Transcriptome profiles were obtained using DNA microarrays. The guinea pig HF proteome exhibited classic biosignatures of cardiac HYP, left ventricular dysfunction, fibrosis, inflammation and extravasation. Fatty acid metabolism, mitochondrial transcription/translation factors, antioxidant enzymes, and other mitochondrial processes, were downregulated in HF, but not HYP. Proteins upregulated in HF implicate extracellular matrix remodeling, cytoskeletal remodeling, and acute phase inflammation markers. Among metabolites, downregulation of acyl-carnitines was observed in HYP, while fatty acids accumulated in HF. Correlation of transcript and protein changes in HF is weak (R2=0.23), suggesting transcript/proteome divergence may reveal post-transcriptional gene regulation in HF. Proteome/Metabolome integration suggests metabolic bottlenecks in fatty acyl-CoA processing by carnitine palmitoyl transferase (CPT1B) as well as TCA cycle inhibition. We present a model by which acute signaling in HF, including Ca2+ dysregulation and low cAMP levels, is coupled to mitochondrial metabolic and antioxidant defects, through a CREB/PGC1 transcriptional axis. Animal Model The guinea pig model of heart failure and sudden cardiac death has been described previously. Briefly, the HF and SCD guinea pig model was produced by combining ascending aortic constriction (AC) and daily isoproterenol challenge (ACi model). Specifically, Hartley guinea pigs (~250 g; Hilltop Lab Animals) were anesthetized with 4% isoflurane in a closed box for 4min, and then intubated and ventilated with oxygen and 2% isoflurane. Ascending aortic constriction (AC) was produced by tying a suture around the ascending aorta using an 18‐gauge needle as a spacer, which was then removed. For sham operations the procedure was identical though the suture was not tied. After the procedure, bupronex (0.05 mg/kg) was administered via intramuscular injection for analgesia and animals were observed until full recovery. Isoproterenol was administered daily by intra peritoneal injection at 1 mg/kg for the first week after surgery and at 2 mg/kg for a subsequent 3 weeks. As characterized previously (1), cardiac function of ACi animal is well compensated in the first 2 weeks (HYP) but declined rapidly thereafter (HF). Hypertrophic heart was collected between 1-2 weeks post-surgery (ACi-2w), whereas failing heart was collected at 4 weeks after surgery (ACi-4w). Following retrograde perfusion with 20ml Tyrode’s solution, excised hearts were Snap-frozen in liquid N2 and stored at -80°C Experimental Design The experiment consisted of 3 treatment groups: 1) HYP (ACi-2wk), 2) HF (ACi-4wk) 3) sham-operated animals with daily administration for 4 weeks (Shami-4w). 1 heart from each group was included in an iTRAQ 4-plex experiment wherein peptides from each heart are subjected to reaction with an isobaric label. The experiment was repeated twice, yielding a total of 3 independent experiments quantifying the peptides from 9 hearts. ITRAQ reagents were shuffled among treatment groups for each experiment to minimize labeling bias.
Project description:Photosynthetic diatoms are exposed to rapid and unpredictable changes in irradiance and spectral quality, and must be able to adapt their light harvesting systems to varying light conditions. Molecular mechanisms behind light acclimation in diatoms are largely unknown. We set out to investigate the mechanisms of high light acclimation in Phaeodactylum tricornutum using an integrated approach involving global transcriptional profiling, metabolite profiling and variable fluorescence technique. Algae cultures were acclimated to low light (LL), after which the cultures were transferred to high light (HL). Molecular, metabolic and physiological responses were studied at time points 0.5 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h and 48 h after transfer to HL conditions. The integrated results indicate that the acclimation mechanisms in diatoms can be divided into an initial response phase (0.5 h), an intermediate acclimation phase (3-12 h) and a late acclimation phase (12-48 h). The initial phase is recognized by strong and rapid regulation of genes encoding proteins involved in photosynthesis, pigment metabolism and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging systems. A significant increase in light protecting metabolites occur together with the induction of transcriptional processes involved in protection of cellular structures at this early phase. During the following phases, the metabolite profiling display a pronounced decrease in light harvesting pigments, whereas the variable fluorescence measurements show that the photosynthetic capacity increases strongly during the late acclimation phase. We show that P. tricornutum is capable of swift and efficient execution of photoprotective mechanisms, followed by changes in the composition of the photosynthetic machinery that enable the diatoms to utilize the excess energy available in HL. Central molecular players in light protection and acclimation to high irradiances have been identified. The experiment was designed as a time series, with diatom cultures were harvested at time points 0.5 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h and 48 h after transfer to high light conditions. The reference samples were kept at low light and harvested in parallel with the treated samples. Three biological replicates were harvested for all samples.
Project description:To identify substrates of the ubiquitinating E3 enzyme Rsp5 we applied purified Rsp5 to duplicate protein arrays. The Rsp proteins were expressed as fusion proteins to GST. We used as a control Ubr1, a RING domain containing E3 ligase We analyzed Rsp5 from S.cerevisiae on duplicate arrays, with four control chips, two without Rsp5 and two with Ubr1.
Project description:Background: The cellular reservoir of latent HIV infection remains the main barrier to cure this virus. Elimination of this reservoir would be possible, if molecular identity of latently infected cells were fully elucidated. Biomarkers proposed previously were able to capture only a relatively small fraction of all reservoir cells. In the present study, we set out to conduct comprehensive molecular profiling, at the protein and RNA levels, of CD4+ T cells latently infected with HIV in vitro, using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq), respectively. Protein-based methods such as quantitative proteomic profiling using LC-MS may be more beneficial due to direct transferability of results to antibody-based approaches to capture latently infected cells. Integrated analysis of proteomic and transcriptomic data adds a level of validation and increases confidence in identified biomarkers. Flow cytometry and integrated HIV DNA assay were further used to enrich for latently infected cells with antibodies against selected biomarker proteins. Results: Using quantitative proteomics, we identified a total of 10,886 proteins (peptide level FDR < 0.05), of which 673 were up- and 780 down-regulated in latently infected compared to mock-infected cells in vitro (p < 0.05). Among these proteins, 21 were dysregulated at the RNA level in the same direction. Pathway analysis identified p53, mTOR, Wnt and NOTCH signaling, demonstrating that our in vitro model reflects known mechanisms of latency establishment and maintenance. Comparison of identified proteins with other proteomics studies revealed that identified molecular signatures of latency depend on technology and cell types used; however, a subset of proteins were identified both in the present, and at least one other study. Antibodies against selected protein markers, CEACAM1 and PLXNB2, could enrich for latently infected cells from mixed cell population 3-10 fold (5.8 fold average, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Two new molecules, CEACAM1 and PLXNB2, were identified as biomarkers for HIV latency. However, the level of enrichment for latently infected cells compared to biomarkers proposed previously was not improved. These results are consistent with the idea that each proposed biomarker defines only a subset of latently infected cells, and that a combined biomarker will be required to capture or target the latent HIV reservoir represented by different cell types.
Project description:We report an integrated analysis incorporating DNA copy number analyses, somatic exon mutations, mRNA expression via RNA-sequencing, and shotgun mass spectrometry analysis of protein abundance in 108 surgically resected squamous cell lung cancers (SCC) with accompanying clinical outcome, evaluation of tumor pathology, and other clinically relevant data. We identified three major subtypes of SCC at the proteomic level, with two groups associated with inflammation/immune response or oxidation-reduction biology. Inflamed tumors could be further sub-classified based on neutrophil infiltration or antigen presentation proteomes and reflected patterns of infiltrating immune cells. No gene mutations, mRNA signatures, or proteomic subclasses were associated with outcomes; however, the presence of B-cell rich tertiary lymph node structures could be associated with better patient outcomes. By integrating our proteogenomic data with publicly available RNA interference screen data, we identified TP63, PSAT1, and AKR1C3 as vulnerabilities in SCC, particularly in the redox proteomic group. This cohort and its deep molecular data serves as an important resource to better understand biology and targets associated with SCC.
Project description:Mitochondrial DNA encodes thirteen subunits of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system, which are synthesized inside the organelle and essential for cellular energy supply. How mitochondrial gene expression is regulated and integrated into cellular physiology is little understood. Here, we performed a high-throughput screen combining fluorescent-labelling of mitochondrial translation products with siRNA-mediated knockdown, to identify cellular kinases regulating translation. As proof of principle, the screen identified known kinases that affect mitochondrial translation, and it also revealed several kinases not yet linked to this process. Among the latter, we focused on the primarily cytosolic kinase FN3K, which localizes partially to mitochondria, to support translation. Mass spectrometric (MS) bottom-up analysis of peptide samples after FN3K-flag immunoisolation in isolated mitochondria (transfected with FN3K-flag plasmid) enabled the identification of several proteins of the mitochondrial ribosome to be interacting with FN3K. Further experiments showed that FN3K likely modulates the assembly of mitochondrial ribosomes, thereby affecting translation. Overall, our work provides a reliable approach to identify new protein functions for mitochondrial gene expression, in a high throughput manner.