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Biotechnology Advances Oct 2023Temperature affects cellular processes at different spatiotemporal scales, and identifying the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying temperature responses paves... (Review)
Review
Temperature affects cellular processes at different spatiotemporal scales, and identifying the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying temperature responses paves the way to develop approaches for mitigating the effects of future climate scenarios. A systems view of the effects of temperature on cellular physiology can be obtained by focusing on metabolism since: (i) its functions depend on transcription and translation and (ii) its outcomes support organisms' development, growth, and reproduction. Here we provide a systematic review of modelling efforts directed at investigating temperature effects on properties of single biochemical reactions, system-level traits, metabolic subsystems, and whole-cell metabolism across different prokaryotes and eukaryotes. We compare and contrast computational approaches and theories that facilitate modelling of temperature effects on key properties of enzymes and their consideration in constraint-based as well as kinetic models of metabolism. In addition, we provide a summary of insights from computational approaches, facilitating integration of omics data from temperature-modulated experiments with models of metabolic networks, and review the resulting biotechnological applications. Lastly, we provide a perspective on how different types of metabolic modelling can profit from developments in machine learning and models of different cellular layers to improve model-driven insights into the effects of temperature relevant for biotechnological applications.
Topics: Temperature; Metabolic Networks and Pathways; Phenotype; Models, Biological
PubMed: 37348662
DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108203 -
The Journal of General Virology Aug 2020The last two decades have seen the rise of viromics, the study of viral communities through the detection and characterization of virus genome sequences. Here we...
The last two decades have seen the rise of viromics, the study of viral communities through the detection and characterization of virus genome sequences. Here we systematically review and summarize the scope and limitations of our current understanding of avian viromes, in both domesticated and wild-bird populations. We compare this viromic work to the broader literature on avian prokaryotic microbiomes, and highlight the growing importance of structured sampling and experimental design for testing explanatory hypotheses. We provide a number of recommendations for sample collection and preliminary data analysis to guide the development of avian viromics. Avian viromes have the potential to inform disease surveillance in poultry and improve our understanding of the risk of zoonotic viruses to human health.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Wild; Birds; Genome, Viral; Humans; Poultry Diseases; Virome; Virus Diseases
PubMed: 32519942
DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001447 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2021, an opportunistic pathogen is known to cause an infection of the cornea, central nervous system, and skin. feeds different microorganisms, including potentially... (Review)
Review
, an opportunistic pathogen is known to cause an infection of the cornea, central nervous system, and skin. feeds different microorganisms, including potentially pathogenic prokaryotes; some of microbes have developed ways of surviving intracellularly and this may mean that acts as incubator of important pathogens. A systematic review of the literature was performed in order to capture a comprehensive picture of the variety of microbial species identified within following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Forty-three studies met the inclusion criteria, 26 studies (60.5%) examined environmental samples, eight (18.6%) studies examined clinical specimens, and another nine (20.9%) studies analysed both types of samples. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by gene sequencing was the most common technique used to identify the intracellular microorganisms. Important pathogenic bacteria, such as , spp. and were observed in clinical isolates of , whereas , adenovirus, mimivirus, and unidentified bacteria () were often identified in environmental . Increasing resistance of associated intracellular pathogens to antimicrobials is an increased risk to public health. Molecular-based future studies are needed in order to assess the microbiome residing in , as a research on the hypotheses that intracellular microbes can affect the pathogenicity of infections.
PubMed: 33670718
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10020225 -
Epigenetics Aug 2021N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most prevalent RNA internal modification, is present in most eukaryotic species and prokaryotes. Studies have highlighted an intricate...
N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most prevalent RNA internal modification, is present in most eukaryotic species and prokaryotes. Studies have highlighted an intricate network architecture by which m6A epitranscriptome impacts on immune response and function. However, it was only until recently that the mechanisms underlying the involvement of m6A modification in immune system were uncovered. Here, we systematically review the m6A involvement in the regulation of innate and adaptive immune cells. Further, the interplay between m6A modification and anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-tumour immunity is also comprehensively summarized. Finally, we focus on the future prospects of m6A modification in immune modulation. A better understanding of the crosstalk between m6A modification and immune system is of great significance to reveal new pathogenic pathways and to develop promising therapeutic targets of diseases.
Topics: Adenosine; DNA Methylation; Immune System; Logic
PubMed: 33070685
DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2020.1827722 -
Microbial Ecology Feb 2023Soil is one of the most important assets of the planet Earth, responsible for maintaining the biodiversity and managing the ecosystem services for both managed and... (Review)
Review
Soil is one of the most important assets of the planet Earth, responsible for maintaining the biodiversity and managing the ecosystem services for both managed and natural ecosystems. It encompasses large proportion of microscopic biodiversity, including prokaryotes and the microscopic eukaryotes. Soil microbiome is critical in managing the soil functions, but their activities have diminutive recognition in few systems like desert land and forest ecosystems. Soil microbiome is highly dependent on abiotic and biotic factors like pH, carbon content, soil structure, texture, and vegetation, but it can notably vary with ecosystems and the respective inhabitants. Thus, unboxing this black box is essential to comprehend the basic components adding to the soil systems and supported ecosystem services. Recent advancements in the field of molecular microbial ecology have delivered commanding tools to examine this genetic trove of soil biodiversity. Objective of this review is to provide a critical evaluation of the work on the soil microbiome, especially since the advent of the NGS techniques. The review also focuses on advances in our understanding of soil communities, their interactions, and functional capabilities along with understanding their role in maneuvering the biogeochemical cycle while underlining and tapping the unprecedented metagenomics data to infer the ecological attributes of yet undiscovered soil microbiome. This review focuses key research directions that could shape the future of basic and applied research into the soil microbiome. This review has led us to understand that it is difficult to generalize that soil microbiome plays a substantiated role in shaping the soil networks and it is indeed a vital resource for sustaining the ecosystem functioning. Exploring soil microbiome will help in unlocking their roles in various soil network. It could be resourceful in exploring and forecasting its impacts on soil systems and for dealing with alleviating problems like rapid climate change.
Topics: Ecosystem; Soil; Soil Microbiology; Biodiversity; Microbiota; Climate Change
PubMed: 35112151
DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-01962-5 -
Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Feb 2022Aminoglycosides are widely used antibiotics with notable side effects, such as nephrotoxicity, vestibulotoxicity, and sensorineural hearing loss (cochleotoxicity)....
Aminoglycosides are widely used antibiotics with notable side effects, such as nephrotoxicity, vestibulotoxicity, and sensorineural hearing loss (cochleotoxicity). MT-RNR1 is a gene that encodes the 12s rRNA subunit and is the mitochondrial homologue of the prokaryotic 16s rRNA. Some MT-RNR1 variants (i.e., m.1095T>C; m.1494C>T; m.1555A>G) more closely resemble the bacterial 16s rRNA subunit and result in increased risk of aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss. Use of aminoglycosides should be avoided in individuals with an MT-RNR1 variant associated with an increased risk of aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss unless the high risk of permanent hearing loss is outweighed by the severity of infection and safe or effective alternative therapies are not available. We summarize evidence from the literature supporting this association and provide therapeutic recommendations for the use of aminoglycosides based on MT-RNR1 genotype (updates at https://cpicpgx.org/guidelines/ and www.pharmgkb.org).
Topics: Aminoglycosides; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Clinical Decision-Making; Genotype; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural; Humans; Ototoxicity; Patient Safety; Pharmacogenetics; Pharmacogenomic Testing; Pharmacogenomic Variants; Predictive Value of Tests; RNA, Ribosomal; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors
PubMed: 34032273
DOI: 10.1002/cpt.2309 -
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Feb 2023Site-specific recombinases (integrases) can mediate the horizontal transfer of genomic islands. The ability to integrate large DNA sequences into target sites is very...
Site-specific recombinases (integrases) can mediate the horizontal transfer of genomic islands. The ability to integrate large DNA sequences into target sites is very important for genetic engineering in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Here, we characterized an unprecedented catalogue of 530 tyrosine-type integrases by examining genes potentially encoding tyrosine integrases in bacterial genomic islands. The phylogeny of putative tyrosine integrases revealed that these integrases form an evolutionary clade that is distinct from those already known and are affiliated with novel integrase groups. We systematically searched for candidate integrase genes, and their integration activities were validated in a bacterial model. We verified the integration functions of six representative novel integrases by using a two-plasmid integration system consisting of a donor plasmid carrying the integrase gene and site and a recipient plasmid harboring an site in -deficient Escherichia coli. Further quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) assays validated that the six selected integrases can be expressed with their native promoters in E. coli. The region reductions showed that the extent of sites of integrases is approximately 200 bp for integration capacity. In addition, mutational analysis showed that the conserved tyrosine at the C terminus is essential for catalysis, confirming that these candidate proteins belong to the tyrosine-type recombinase superfamily, i.e., tyrosine integrases. This study revealed that the novel integrases from bacterial genomic islands have site-specific recombination functions, which is of physiological significance for their genomic islands in bacterial chromosomes. More importantly, our discovery expands the toolbox for genetic engineering, especially for efficient integration activity. Site-specific recombinases or integrases have high specificity for DNA large fragment integration, which is urgently needed for gene editing. However, known integrases are not sufficient for meeting multiple integrations. In this work, we discovered an array of integrases through bioinformatics analysis in bacterial genomes. Phylogeny and functional assays revealed that these new integrases belong to tyrosine-type integrases and have the ability to conduct site-specific recombination. Moreover, region extent and catalysis site analysis were characterized. Our study provides the methodology for discovery of novel integrases and increases the capacity of weapon pool for genetic engineering in bacteria.
Topics: Integrases; Genomic Islands; Escherichia coli; Tyrosine; Plasmids; Bacteriophages; Attachment Sites, Microbiological
PubMed: 36719242
DOI: 10.1128/aem.01738-22 -
International Journal of Molecular... Mar 2024Bacteriophages associated with thermophiles are gaining increased attention due to their pivotal roles in various biogeochemical and ecological processes, as well as...
Bacteriophages associated with thermophiles are gaining increased attention due to their pivotal roles in various biogeochemical and ecological processes, as well as their applications in biotechnology and bionanotechnology. Although thermophages are not suitable for controlling bacterial infections in humans or animals, their individual components, such as enzymes and capsid proteins, can be employed in molecular biology and significantly contribute to the enhancement of human and animal health. Despite their significance, thermophages still remain underrepresented in the known prokaryotic virosphere, primarily due to limited in-depth investigations. However, due to their unique properties, thermophages are currently attracting increasing interest, as evidenced by several newly discovered phages belonging to this group. This review offers an updated compilation of thermophages characterized to date, focusing on species infecting the thermophilic bacilli. Moreover, it presents experimental findings, including novel proteomic data (39 proteins) concerning the model TP-84 bacteriophage, along with the first announcement of 6 recently discovered thermophages infecting : PK5.2, PK2.1, NIIg10.1, NIIg2.1, NIIg2.2, and NIIg2.3. This review serves as an update to our previous publication in 2021.
Topics: Bacillus; Bacteriophages; Proteomics
PubMed: 38542099
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25063125 -
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal... May 2019In recent years, new genome editing technologies have emerged that can edit the genome of non-human animals with progressively increasing efficiency. Despite ongoing...
In recent years, new genome editing technologies have emerged that can edit the genome of non-human animals with progressively increasing efficiency. Despite ongoing academic debate about the ethical implications of these technologies, no comprehensive overview of this debate exists. To address this gap in the literature, we conducted a systematic review of the reasons reported in the academic literature for and against the development and use of genome editing technologies in animals. Most included articles were written by academics from the biomedical or animal sciences. The reported reasons related to seven themes: human health, efficiency, risks and uncertainty, animal welfare, animal dignity, environmental considerations and public acceptability. Our findings illuminate several key considerations about the academic debate, including a low disciplinary diversity in the contributing academics, a scarcity of systematic comparisons of potential consequences of using these technologies, an underrepresentation of animal interests, and a disjunction between the public and academic debate on this topic. As such, this article can be considered a call for a broad range of academics to get increasingly involved in the discussion about genome editing, to incorporate animal interests and systematic comparisons, and to further discuss the aims and methods of public involvement. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'The ecology and evolution of prokaryotic CRISPR-Cas adaptive immune systems'.
Topics: Animals; CRISPR-Cas Systems; Gene Editing
PubMed: 30905297
DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0106 -
PeerJ 2015Associations between microorganisms occur extensively throughout Earth's oceans. Understanding how microbial communities are assembled and how the presence or absence of...
Associations between microorganisms occur extensively throughout Earth's oceans. Understanding how microbial communities are assembled and how the presence or absence of species is related to that of others are central goals of microbial ecology. Here, we investigate co-occurrence associations between marine prokaryotes by combining 180 new and publicly available metagenomic datasets from different oceans in a large-scale meta-analysis. A co-occurrence network was created by calculating correlation scores between the abundances of microorganisms in metagenomes. A total of 1,906 correlations amongst 297 organisms were detected, segregating them into 11 major groups that occupy distinct ecological niches. Additionally, by analyzing the oceanographic parameters measured for a selected number of sampling sites, we characterized the influence of environmental variables over each of these 11 groups. Clustering organisms into groups of taxa that have similar ecology, allowed the detection of several significant correlations that could not be observed for the taxa individually.
PubMed: 26157601
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1008