Replication stress, particularly in hard-to-replicate regions such as telomeres and centromeres, leads to the accumulation of replication intermediates that must be processed to ensure proper chromosome segregation. In this study, we identify a critical role for the interaction between RECQ4 and MUS81 in managing such stress. We show that RECQ4 physically interacts with MUS81, targeting it to specific DNA substrates and enhancing its endonuclease activity. Loss of this interaction, results in significant chromosomal segregation defects, including the accumulation of micronuclei, anaphase bridges, and ultrafine bridges (UFBs). Our data further demonstrate that the RECQ4-MUS81 interaction plays an important role in ALT-positive cells, where MUS81 foci primarily colocalise with telomeres, highlighting its role in telomere maintenance. We also observe that a mutation associated with Rothmund-Thomson syndrome, which produces a truncated RECQ4 unable to interact with MUS81, recapitulates these chromosome instability phenotypes. This underscores the importance of RECQ4-MUS81 in safeguarding genome integrity and suggests potential implications for human disease. Our findings demonstrate the RECQ4-MUS81 interaction as a key mechanism in alleviating replication stress at hard-to-replicate regions and highlight its relevance in pathological conditions such as RTS.

• MeSH
• chromozomální nestabilita MeSH
• DNA vazebné proteiny * metabolismus   genetika   MeSH
• endonukleasy * metabolismus   genetika   MeSH
• helikasy RecQ * metabolismus   genetika   MeSH
• homeostáza telomer MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mutace MeSH
• replikace DNA * MeSH
• Rothmundův-Thomsonův syndrom * genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• segregace chromozomů MeSH
• telomery * metabolismus   genetika   MeSH
• vazba proteinů MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• DNA vazebné proteiny * MeSH
• endonukleasy * MeSH
• helikasy RecQ * MeSH
• MUS81 protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč
• RECQL4 protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč

The European subtype of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV-Eur; species Orthoflavivirus encephalitidis, family Flaviviridae) was the only tick-borne flavivirus present in central Europe known to cause neurologic disease in humans and several animal species. Here, we report a tick-borne flavivirus isolated from Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra rupicapra) with encephalitis and attached ticks, present over a wide area in the Alps. Cases were detected in 2017 in Salzburg, Austria, and 2023 in Lombardy and Piedmont, Italy. The virus strains exhibit 94.8-97.3% nucleotide identities to each other and are more closely related to Louping ill viruses (LIV; Orthoflavivirus loupingi; 90-92% identities) than to TBEV-Eur (less than 88%). The chamois-derived virus strains, tentatively termed "Alpine chamois encephalitis virus", form a well-supported independent genetic clade with Spanish goat encephalitis virus, clearly separated from other LIV. This supports its designation as a new virus subtype with the proposed shared taxonomic name "Spanish goat and Alpine chamois encephalitis virus subtype" within the species Orthoflavivirus loupingi. The zoonotic potential of this newly identified virus subtype as well as its host range in other animal species including farm animals needs to be further investigated.

• Klíčová slova
• Alpine chamois, Flaviviridae, Ixodes ricinus, Rupicapra rupicapra, Spanish goat encephalitis virus, encephalitis, flavivirus, louping ill virus, neurotropic, tick-borne encephalitis virus,
• MeSH
• Flavivirus izolace a purifikace   klasifikace   genetika   MeSH
• fylogeneze * MeSH
• genom virový MeSH
• infekce viry z rodu Flavivirus veterinární   virologie   epidemiologie   MeSH
• klíšťata virologie   MeSH
• klíšťová encefalitida virologie   MeSH
• nemoci koz virologie   MeSH
• Rupicapra * virologie   MeSH
• viry klíšťové encefalitidy * izolace a purifikace   klasifikace   genetika   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Itálie MeSH
• Rakousko MeSH

The LutR protein represses the transcription of genes encoding enzymes for the utilization of l-lactate in Bacillus subtilis through binding to a specific DNA region. In this study, we employed oligonucleotide probes modified by viscosity-sensitive tetramethylated thiophene-BODIPY fluorophores to investigate the impact of selected metabolites on the LutR-DNA complex. Our goal was to identify the effector molecule whose binding alters the protein-DNA affinity, thereby enabling gene transcription. The designed DNA probes exhibited distinctive responses to the binding and release of the protein, characterized by significant alterations in fluorescence lifetime. Through this method, we have identified l-lactate as the sole metabolite exerting a substantial modulating effect on the protein-DNA interaction and thus confirmed its role as an effector molecule. Moreover, we showed that our approach was able to follow conformation changes affecting affinity, which were not captured by other methods commonly used to study the protein-DNA interaction, such as electro-mobility shift assays and florescence anisotropy binding studies. This work underlines the potential of environment-sensitive fluorophore-linked nucleotide modifications, i.e. dCTBdp, for studying the dynamics and subtle changes of protein-DNA interactions.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Nucleases of the S1/P1 family have important applications in biotechnology and molecular biology. We have performed structural analyses of SmNuc1 nuclease from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, including RNA cleavage product binding and mutagenesis in a newly discovered flexible Arg74-motif, involved in substrate binding and product release and likely contributing to the high catalytic rate. The Arg74Gln mutation shifts substrate preference towards RNA. Purine nucleotide binding differs compared to pyrimidines, confirming the plasticity of the active site. The enzyme-product interactions indicate a gradual, stepwise product release. The activity of SmNuc1 towards c-di-GMP in crystal resulted in a distinguished complex with the emerging product 5'-GMP. This enzyme from an opportunistic pathogen relies on specific architecture enabling high performance under broad conditions, attractive for biotechnologies.

• Klíčová slova
• Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, RNA, S1/P1 nuclease, X‐ray crystallography, c‐di‐GMP cleavage,
• MeSH
• bakteriální proteiny metabolismus   chemie   genetika   MeSH
• guanosinmonofosfát cyklický metabolismus   analogy a deriváty   chemie   MeSH
• katalytická doména * MeSH
• krystalografie rentgenová MeSH
• molekulární modely MeSH
• RNA metabolismus   chemie   genetika   MeSH
• Stenotrophomonas maltophilia * enzymologie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• substrátová specifita MeSH
• vazba proteinů MeSH
• vazebná místa MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• bakteriální proteiny MeSH
• guanosinmonofosfát cyklický MeSH
• RNA MeSH

MICAL proteins play a crucial role in cellular dynamics by binding and disassembling actin filaments, impacting processes like axon guidance, cytokinesis, and cell morphology. Their cellular activity is tightly controlled, as dysregulation can lead to detrimental effects on cellular morphology. Although previous studies have suggested that MICALs are autoinhibited, and require Rab proteins to become active, the detailed molecular mechanisms remained unclear. Here, we report the cryo-EM structure of human MICAL1 at a nominal resolution of 3.1 Å. Structural analyses, alongside biochemical and functional studies, show that MICAL1 autoinhibition is mediated by an intramolecular interaction between its N-terminal catalytic and C-terminal coiled-coil domains, blocking F-actin interaction. Moreover, we demonstrate that allosteric changes in the coiled-coil domain and the binding of the tripartite assembly of CH-L2α1-LIM domains to the coiled-coil domain are crucial for MICAL activation and autoinhibition. These mechanisms appear to be evolutionarily conserved, suggesting a potential universality across the MICAL family.

• MeSH
• aktiny metabolismus   chemie   MeSH
• alosterická regulace MeSH
• calponiny MeSH
• elektronová kryomikroskopie * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mikrofilamenta metabolismus   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• mikrofilamentové proteiny metabolismus   chemie   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• molekulární modely MeSH
• oxygenasy se smíšenou funkcí MeSH
• proteinové domény MeSH
• proteiny s doménou LIM metabolismus   chemie   genetika   MeSH
• vazba proteinů * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• aktiny MeSH
• calponiny MeSH
• MICAL1 protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč
• mikrofilamentové proteiny MeSH
• oxygenasy se smíšenou funkcí MeSH
• proteiny s doménou LIM MeSH

Tick-transmitted Babesia are a major global veterinary threat and an emerging risk to humans. Unlike their Plasmodium relatives, these erythrocyte-infecting Apicomplexa have been largely overlooked and lack specific treatment. Selective targeting of the Babesia proteasome holds promise for drug development. In this study, we screened a library of peptide epoxyketone inhibitors derived from the marine natural product carmaphycin B for their activity against Babesia. Several of these compounds showed activity against both the asexual and sexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum. These compounds inactivate β5 proteasome subunit activity in the lysates of Babesia divergens and Babesia microti in the low nanomolar range. Several compounds were tested with the purified B. divergens proteasome and showed IC50 values comparable to carfilzomib, an approved anticancer proteasome inhibitor. They also inhibited B. divergens growth in bovine erythrocyte cultures with solid EC50 values, but importantly, they appeared less toxic to human cells than carfilzomib. These compounds therefore offer a wider therapeutic window and provide new insights into the development of small proteasome inhibitors as selective drugs for babesiosis.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Myeloid leukemia factor 1 (Mlf1) was identified as a proto-oncoprotein that affects hematopoietic differentiation in humans. However, its cellular function remains elusive, spanning roles from cell cycle regulation to modulation of protein aggregate formation and participation in ciliogenesis. Given that structurally conserved homologs of Mlf1 can be found across the eukaryotic tree of life, we decided to characterize its cellular role underlying this phenotypic pleiotropy. Using a model of the unicellular eukaryote Giardia intestinalis, we demonstrate that its Mlf1 homolog (GiMlf) mainly localizes to two types of cytosolic foci: microtubular structures, where it interacts with Hsp40, and ubiquitin-rich, membraneless compartments, found adjacent to mitochondrion-related organelles known as mitosomes, containing the 26S proteasome regulatory subunit 4. Upon cellular stress, GiMlf either relocates to the affected compartment or disperses across the cytoplasm, subsequently accumulating into enlarged foci during the recovery phase. In vitro assays suggest that GiMlf can be recruited to membranes through its affinity for signaling phospholipids. Importantly, cytosolic foci diminish in the gimlf knockout strain, which exhibits extensive proteomic changes indicative of compromised proteostasis. Consistent with data from other cellular systems, we propose that Mlf acts in the response to proteotoxic stress by mediating the formation of function-specific foci for protein folding and degradation.

• MeSH
• Giardia lamblia * metabolismus   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• proteolýza * MeSH
• protozoální proteiny * metabolismus   genetika   MeSH
• sbalování proteinů * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• protozoální proteiny * MeSH

The SorC family is a large group of bacterial transcription regulators involved in controlling carbohydrate catabolism and quorum sensing. SorC proteins consist of a conserved C-terminal effector-binding domain and an N-terminal DNA-binding domain, whose type divides the family into two subfamilies: SorC/DeoR and SorC/CggR. Proteins of the SorC/CggR subfamily are known to regulate the key node of glycolysis-triose phosphate interconversion. On the other hand, SorC/DeoR proteins are involved in a variety of peripheral carbohydrate catabolic pathways and quorum sensing functions, including virulence. Despite the abundance and importance of this family, SorC proteins seem to be on the periphery of scientific interest, which might be caused by the fragmentary information about its representatives. This review aims to compile the existing knowledge and provide material to inspire future questions about the SorC protein family.

• Klíčová slova
• SorC family, bacterial transcription regulation, carbohydrate metabolism, quorum sensing,
• MeSH
• Bacteria metabolismus   genetika   MeSH
• bakteriální proteiny * metabolismus   genetika   chemie   MeSH
• quorum sensing genetika   MeSH
• regulace genové exprese u bakterií MeSH
• transkripční faktory metabolismus   genetika   chemie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• bakteriální proteiny * MeSH
• transkripční faktory MeSH

Monovalent-cation homeostasis, crucial for all living cells, is ensured by the activity of various types of ion transport systems located either in the plasma membrane or in the membranes of organelles. A key prerequisite for the functioning of ion-transporting proteins is their proper trafficking to the target membrane. The cornichon family of COPII cargo receptors is highly conserved in eukaryotic cells. By simultaneously binding their cargoes and a COPII-coat subunit, cornichons promote the incorporation of cargo proteins into the COPII vesicles and, consequently, the efficient trafficking of cargoes via the secretory pathway. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about cornichon proteins (CNIH/Erv14), with an emphasis on yeast and mammalian cornichons and their role in monovalent-cation homeostasis. Saccharomyces cerevisiae cornichon Erv14 serves as a cargo receptor of a large portion of plasma-membrane proteins, including several monovalent-cation transporters. By promoting the proper targeting of at least three housekeeping ion transport systems, Na+, K+/H+ antiporter Nha1, K+ importer Trk1 and K+ channel Tok1, Erv14 appears to play a complex role in the maintenance of alkali-metal-cation homeostasis. Despite their connection to serious human diseases, the repertoire of identified cargoes of mammalian cornichons is much more limited. The majority of current information is about the structure and functioning of CNIH2 and CNIH3 as auxiliary subunits of AMPAR multi-protein complexes. Based on their unique properties and easy genetic manipulation, we propose yeast cells to be a useful tool for uncovering a broader spectrum of human cornichons´ cargoes.

• MeSH
• COP-vezikuly metabolismus   MeSH
• homeostáza fyziologie   MeSH
• iontový transport fyziologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• membránové proteiny metabolismus   MeSH
• proteiny přenášející kationty metabolismus   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae - proteiny metabolismus   genetika   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae * metabolismus   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• Erv14 protein, S cerevisiae MeSH Prohlížeč
• membránové proteiny MeSH
• proteiny přenášející kationty MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae - proteiny MeSH

Aldo-keto reductases (AKRs), a superfamily of NADP(H)-dependent oxidoreductases, catalyze the oxidoreduction of a wide variety of eobiotic and xenobiotic aldehydes and ketones. In mammals, AKRs play essential roles in hormone and xenobiotic metabolism, oxidative stress, and drug resistance, but little is known about these enzymes in the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus. In the present study, 22 AKR genes existing in the H. contortus genome were investigated and a phylogenetic analysis with comparison to AKRs in Caenorhabditis elegans, sheep and humans was conducted. The constitutive transcription levels of all AKRs were measured in eggs, larvae, and adults of H. contortus, and their expression was compared in a drug-sensitive strain (ISE) and a benzimidazole-resistant strain (IRE) previously derived from the sensitive strain by imposing benzimidazole selection pressure. In addition, the inducibility of AKRs by exposure of H. contortus adults to benzimidazole anthelmintic flubendazole in vitro was tested. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the majority of AKR genes in H. contortus lack orthologues in the sheep genome, which is a favorable finding for considering AKRs as potential drug targets. Large differences in the expression levels of individual AKRs were observed, with AKR1, AKR3, AKR8, and AKR10 being the most highly expressed at most developmental stages. Significant changes in the expression of AKRs during the life cycle and pronounced sex differences were found. Comparing the IRE and ISE strains, three AKRs were upregulated, and seven AKRs were downregulated in adults. In addition, the expression of three AKRs was induced by flubendazole exposure in adults of the ISE strain. Based on these results, AKR1, AKR2, AKR3, AKR5, AKR10 and AKR19 in particular merit further investigation and functional characterization with respect to their potential involvement in drug biotransformation and anthelmintic resistance in H. contortus.

• Klíčová slova
• AKR, Drug-resistance, Drug-susceptibility, Expression profile, Haemonchus contortus, Phylogenetic analysis,
• MeSH
• aldehydreduktasa genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• aldo-keto reduktasy * genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• anthelmintika farmakologie   MeSH
• benzimidazoly farmakologie   MeSH
• Caenorhabditis elegans genetika   účinky léků   enzymologie   MeSH
• fylogeneze * MeSH
• Haemonchus * genetika   účinky léků   enzymologie   MeSH
• léková rezistence genetika   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mebendazol * farmakologie   analogy a deriváty   MeSH
• ovce MeSH
• transkriptom MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• aldehydreduktasa MeSH
• aldo-keto reduktasy * MeSH
• anthelmintika MeSH
• benzimidazoly MeSH
• flubendazole MeSH Prohlížeč
• mebendazol * MeSH