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Topic Review
Mitochondrial Calcium
Mitochondria calcium is a double-edged sword. The low levels of calcium are essential to maintain optimal rates of ATP production, extreme levels of calcium overcoming the mitochondrial calcium retention capacity leads to loss of mitochondrial function. In moderate amounts, ATP synthesis rates are inhibited in a calcium-titratable manner.
  • 1.6K
  • 31 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Porphyrins/Chlorins for Viruses Inactivation
The problem of treating viral infections is extremely important both in connection with the emergence of new viral diseases and in connection with the low efficiency of existing approaches to the treatment of known viral infections. This entry is devoted to the use of porphyrins, chlorins, and phthalocyanines for the fight against viral infections using chemical and photochemical inactivation methods. The purpose of this work is to summarize the main approaches developed to date to chemical and photodynamic inactivation of human and animal viruses using porphyrins and their analogs, as well as to analyze and discuss information on viral targets and antiviral activity of porphyrins, chlorins and their derivatives obtained in the last 10-15 years, in order to identify the most promising areas.
  • 1.6K
  • 23 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Ceramide Metabolism and Parkinson’s Disease
Ceramide is a bioactive sphingolipid involved in numerous cellular processes. In addition to being the precursor of complex sphingolipids, ceramides can act as second messengers, especially when they are generated at the plasma membrane of cells. Its metabolic dysfunction may lead to or be a consequence of an underlying disease. Recent reports on transcriptomics and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry analysis have demonstrated the variation of specific levels of sphingolipids and enzymes involved in their metabolism in different neurodegenerative diseases. In the present review, we highlight the most relevant discoveries related to ceramide and neurodegeneration, with a special focus on Parkinson's disease. 
  • 1.6K
  • 30 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Engineering Plastic Eating Enzymes Using Structural Biology
Plastics are polymers composed of repeating units of small organic molecules with the majority manufactured from non-renewable fossil fuels. The potential interactions between the enzymes and plastic substrates have also been identified and this knowledge leveraged to engineer improved variants of cutinases with enhanced plastic degradation capabilities.
  • 1.6K
  • 07 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Forkhead Box Protein O1 (FOXO1)
Forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) also known as forkhead in rhabdomyosarcoma (FKHR) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the FOXO1 gene. FOXO1 is a transcription factor that plays important roles in regulation of gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis by insulin signaling, and is also central to the decision for a preadipocyte to commit to adipogenesis. It is primarily regulated through phosphorylation on multiple residues; its transcriptional activity is dependent on its phosphorylation state.
  • 1.6K
  • 30 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Biology of Cancer Stem Cells
Cancer stem cells have claimed to be one of the most important group of cells for the development of several common cancers as they dictate features, such as resistance to radio- and chemotherapy, metastasis, and secondary tumor formation. Therapies which could target these cells may develop into an effective strategy for tumor eradication and a hope for patients for whom this disease remains uncurable.
  • 1.6K
  • 06 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Antibacterial Secondary Metabolites from Basidiomycetes
Fungi are a rich source of secondary metabolites with several pharmacological activities such as antifungal, antioxidant, antibacterial and anticancer to name a few. Due to the large number of diverse structured chemical compounds they produce, fungi from the phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Muccoromycota have been intensively studied for isolation of bioactive compounds. Basidiomycetes-derived secondary metabolites are known as a promising source of antibacterial compounds with activity against Gram-positive bacteria. The continued emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a major challenge to patient health as it leads to higher morbidity and mortality, higher hospital-stay duration and substantial economic burden in global healthcare sector. One of the key culprits for AMR crisis is Staphylococcus aureus causing community-acquired infections as the pathogen develops resistance towards multiple antibiotics. The recent emergence of community strains of S. aureus harbouring methicillin-resistant (MRSA), vancomycin-intermediate (VISA) and vancomycin-resistant (VRSA) genes associated with increased virulence is challenging. Despite the few significant developments in antibiotic research, successful MRSA therapeutic options are still needed to reduce the use of scanty and expensive second-line treatments. This paper provides an overview of findings from various studies on antibacterial secondary metabolites from basidiomycetes, with a special focus on antistaphylococcal activity.
  • 1.6K
  • 20 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Arabidopsis RETICULON-LIKE4 (RTNLB4)
Agrobacterium tumefaciens genetically transforms plant cells by transferring the transfer-DNA (T-DNA) and virulence (Vir) proteins from bacteria via a VirB-encoded type IV secretion system into plants. The effectors manipulate plant proteins to assist in T-DNA transfer, integration, and expression in plant cells. The Arabidopsis reticulon-like (RTNLB) proteins are located in the endoplasmic reticulum and are involved in endomembrane trafficking in plant cells. We functionally characterized reticulon-like protein B4 (RTNLB4), which interacted with the A. tumefaciens VirB2 protein, a major component of A. tumefaciens T-pilus. Overexpression or knockdown of RTNLB4 affected the expression of A. tumefaciens elf18 peptide-induced plant defense-related genes and could affect Agrobacterium-mediated transformation rates. Pre-treatment with elf18 peptide decreased Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression efficiency more in wild-type seedlings than RTNLB4 O/E transgenic plants, which suggests that the induced defense responses in RTNLB4 O/E transgenic plants might be affected after bacterial elicitor treatments. We also showed that two VirB2 peptides induced the expression of defense-related genes and H2O2 production and inhibited seedling growth. These typical pathogen-associated molecular pattern-trigged immune responses were less induced in RTNLB4 overexpression transgenic plants. Our findings provide strong evidence that RTNLB4 has major roles in the A. tumefaciens elf18 and VirB2 peptide-derived plant defense responses. We believe this study advances our understanding of possible functions of the RTNLB4 protein in the A. tumefaciens infection process and plant immunity.
  • 1.6K
  • 01 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Coenzyme Q10 Analogues
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10 or ubiquinone) is a mobile proton and electron carrier of the mitochondrial respiratory chain with antioxidant properties widely used as an antiaging health supplement and to relieve the symptoms of many pathological conditions associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Even though the hegemony of CoQ10 in the context of antioxidant-based treatments is undeniable, the future primacy of this quinone is hindered by the promising features of its numerous analogues. Despite the unimpeachable performance of CoQ10 therapies, problems associated with their administration and intraorganismal delivery has led clinicians and scientists to search for alternative derivative molecules. Over the past few years, a wide variety of CoQ10 analogues with improved properties have been developed. These analogues conserve the antioxidant features of CoQ10 but present upgraded characteristics such as water solubility or enhanced mitochondrial accumulation.
  • 1.6K
  • 16 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Brillouin Spectroscopy
Brillouin spectroscopy has recently gained considerable interest within the biomedical field as an innovative tool to study mechanical properties in biology. The Brillouin effect is based on the inelastic scattering of photons caused by their interaction with thermodynamically driven acoustic modes or phonons and it is highly dependent on the material’s elasticity. Therefore, Brillouin is a contactless, label-free optic approach to elastic and viscoelastic analysis that has enabled unprecedented analysis of ex vivo and in vivo mechanical behavior of several tissues with a micrometric resolution, paving the way to a promising future in clinical diagnosis.
  • 1.6K
  • 20 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Gut Microbiome and Lipid Metabolism
Lipids are the major structural constituents of cell membranes.
  • 1.6K
  • 18 Mar 2021
Topic Review
CUT Domain Proteins in Cancer
Recent studies revealed that CUT domains function as accessory factors that accelerate DNA repair by stimulating the enzymatic activities of the base excision repair enzymes OGG1, APE1, and DNA pol β. Strikingly, the role of CUT domain proteins in DNA repair is exploited by cancer cells to facilitate their survival. Cancer cells in which the RAS pathway is activated produce an excess of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which, if not counterbalanced by increased production of antioxidants, causes sustained oxidative DNA damage and, ultimately, cell senescence. These cancer cells can adapt by increasing their capacity to repair oxidative DNA damage in part through elevated expression of CUT domain proteins such as CUX1, CUX2, or SATB1. In particular, CUX1 overexpression was shown to cooperate with RAS in the formation of mammary and lung tumors in mice. Conversely, knockdown of CUX1, CUX2, or SATB1 was found to be synthetic lethal in cancer cells exhibiting high ROS levels as a consequence of activating mutations in KRAS, HRAS, BRAF, or EGFR. Importantly, as a byproduct of their adaptation, cancer cells that overexpress CUT domain proteins exhibit increased resistance to genotoxic treatments such as ionizing radiation, temozolomide, and cisplatin.
  • 1.6K
  • 22 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Nrf2 to Maintain Redox Homeostasis in Cardiometabolic Diseases
The transcription factor Nrf2 is a master regulator of multiple cytoprotective genes that maintain redox homeostasis and exert anti-inflammatory functions. The Nrf2-Keap1 signaling pathway is a paramount target of many cardioprotective strategies, because redox homeostasis is essential in cardiovascular health. Nrf2 gene variations, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), are correlated with cardiometabolic diseases and drug responses. SNPs of Nrf2, KEAP1, and other related genes can impair the transcriptional activation or the activity of the resulting protein, exerting differential susceptibility to cardiometabolic disease progression and prevalence.
  • 1.6K
  • 21 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Osteoclasts
There are sexually dimorphic differences in osteoclast formation and function that may have significant importance for understanding why females are prone to have a lower bone mass than males at any given age and are at increased risk for osteoporosis. Osteoclasts are the principal mediators of bone resorption. They form through the fusion of mononuclear precursor cells under the principal influence of the cytokines macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF, aka CSF-1) and receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL, aka TNFSF11).
  • 1.6K
  • 04 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Mitochondrial microRNAs
Mitochondrial microRNAs (mitomiRs) are endogenous small, single-stranded molecules of noncoding RNA (19–23 nucleotides) present in mitochondria that represent a new level of control of gene expression. These sequences can be either encoded in the nuclei - however the importing mechanism is still not fully established - or may be originated straight inside mitochondria, from mitochondrial genome-derived mRNA. Undeniably, mitomiRs typically act by regulating gene expression inside mitochondria at the post-transcriptional level with a significant role both in physiology and in pathology. Unveiling mitochondrial microRNAs biological function and their targets will propel the development of innovative therapeutic and diagnostic tools.
  • 1.6K
  • 11 Jan 2021
Topic Review
SnRK2 in Plants
Reversible phosphorylation is a major mechanism for regulating protein function and controls a wide range of cellular functions including responses to external stimuli. The plant-specific SNF1-related protein kinase 2s (SnRK2s) function as central regulators of plant growth and development, as well as tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses. 
  • 1.6K
  • 26 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Extracellular Vesicles in Blood
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are important players for intercellular communication. EVs are secreted by almost all cell types; they can transfer information between nearby or distant cells, and they are highly abundant in body fluids. The present work provides an overview of the components, effects, and applications of EVs in blood.
  • 1.6K
  • 26 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Peptide Human Neutrophil Elastase Inhibitors
Elastases are a broad group of enzymes involved in the lysis of elastin, the main component of elastic fibres. They are produced and released in the human body, mainly by neutrophils and the pancreas.
  • 1.6K
  • 06 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Disordered Proteins and Dynamic Interactions
Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) or regions (IDRs), compared to the well-structural proteins, do not have stable tertiary structures under physiological conditions, and even remain dynamic in specific complexes and functional assemblies. It is now recognized that they are highly prevalent and play important roles in biology and human diseases due to the presence of many representative conformational states and potential dynamic interactions, which requires computer simulations for describing disordered protein ensembles and dynamic interactions involved in biological functions, diseases, and therapeutics.
  • 1.6K
  • 27 Oct 2021
Topic Review
KRAS
The RAS family consists of membrane-associated small GTPases which play essential roles in cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation. There are four RAS protein isoforms in humans: HRAS, NRAS, and two splice variants, KRAS4A and KRAS4B. 
  • 1.6K
  • 12 Oct 2021
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