Publications
Results
- Showing results for:
- Reset all filters
Search results
-
Journal articleBernard C, Liu Y, Larrouy-Maumus G, et al., 2024,
Altered serine metabolism promotes drug tolerance in <i>Mycobacterium abscessus</i> via a WhiB7-mediated adaptive stress response
, ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY, ISSN: 0066-4804 -
Journal articleGuerrero P, Perez-Carrasco R, 2024,
Choice of friction coefficient deeply affects tissue behaviour in stochastic epithelial vertex models
, PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, Vol: 379, ISSN: 0962-8436 -
Journal articleBlackford K, Kasoar M, Burton C, et al., 2024,
INFERNO-peat v1.0.0: a representation of northern high latitude peat fires in the JULES-INFERNO global fire model
, Geoscientific Model Development, Vol: 17, Pages: 3063-3079, ISSN: 1991-959XPeat fires in the northern high latitudes have the potential to burn vast amounts of carbon-rich organic soil, releasing large quantities of long-term stored carbon to the atmosphere. Due to anthropogenic activities and climate change, peat fires are increasing in frequency and intensity across the high latitudes. However, at present they are not explicitly included in most fire models. Here we detail the development of INFERNO-peat, the first parameterization of peat fires in the JULES-INFERNO (Joint UK Land Environment Simulator INteractive Fire and Emission algoRithm for Natural envirOnments) fire model. INFERNO-peat utilizes knowledge from lab and field-based studies on peat fire ignition and spread to be able to model peat burnt area, burn depth, and carbon emissions, based on data of the moisture content, inorganic content, bulk density, soil temperature, and water table depth of peat. INFERNO-peat improves the representation of burnt area in the high latitudes, with peat fires simulating on average an additional 0.305×106 km2 of burn area each year, emitting 224.10 Tg of carbon. Compared to Global Fire Emissions Database version 5 (GFED5), INFERNO-peat captures ∼ 20 % more burnt area, whereas INFERNO underestimated burning by 50 %. Additionally, INFERNO-peat substantially improves the representation of interannual variability in burnt area and subsequent carbon emissions across the high latitudes. The coefficient of variation in carbon emissions is increased from 0.071 in INFERNO to 0.127 in INFERNO-peat, an almost 80 % increase. Therefore, explicitly modelling peat fires shows a substantial improvement in the fire modelling capabilities of JULES-INFERNO, highlighting the importance of representing peatland systems in fire models.
-
Journal articleWilliams J, Pettorelli N, Hartmann A, et al., 2024,
Decline of a distinct coral reef holobiont community under ocean acidification
, Microbiome, Vol: 12, ISSN: 2049-2618Background: Microbes play vital roles across coral reefs both in the environment and inside and upon macrobes (holobionts), where they support critical functions such as nutrition and immune system modulation. These roles highlight the potential ecosystem-level importance of microbes, yet most knowledge of microbial functions on reefs is derived from a small set of holobionts such as corals and sponges. Declining seawater pH - an important global coral reef stressor - can cause ecosystem-level change on coral reefs, providing an opportunity to study the role of microbes at this scale. We use an in situ experimental approach to test the hypothesis that under such ocean acidification (OA) known shifts among macrobe trophic and functional groups may drive a general ecosystem-level response extending across macrobes and microbes, leading to reduced distinctness between the benthic holobiont community microbiome and the environmental microbiome. Results: We test this hypothesis using genetic and chemical data from benthic coral reef community holobionts sampled across a pH gradient from CO2 seeps in Papua New Guinea. We find support for our hypothesis: under OA the microbiome and metabolome of the benthic holobiont community become less compositionally distinct from the sediment microbiome and metabolome, suggesting that benthic macrobe communities are colonized by environmental microbes to a higher degree under OA conditions. We also find a simplification and homogenisation of the benthic photosynthetic community, and an increased abundance of fleshy macroalgae, consistent with previously observed reef microbialisation. Conclusions: We demonstrate a novel structural shift in coral reefs involving macrobes and microbes: that the microbiome of the benthic holobiont community becomes less distinct from the sediment microbiome under OA. Our findings provide evidence that microbialisation and the disruption of macrobe trophic networks are interwoven general responses to envi
-
Journal articleBradley R, Simon D, Spiga L, et al., 2024,
Laser desorption rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (LD-REIMS) demonstrates a direct impact of hypochlorous acid stress on PQS-mediated quorum sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
, mSystems, Vol: 9, ISSN: 2379-5077UNLABELLED: To establish infections in human hosts, Pseudomonas aeruginosa must overcome innate immune-generated oxidative stress, such as the hypochlorous acid (HOCl) produced by neutrophils. We set out to find specific biomarkers of oxidative stress through the development of a protocol for the metabolic profiling of P. aeruginosa cultures grown in the presence of different oxidants using a novel ionization technique for mass spectrometry, laser desorption rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (LD-REIMS). We demonstrated the ability of LD-REIMS to classify samples as untreated or treated with a specific oxidant with 100% accuracy and identified a panel of 54 metabolites with significantly altered concentrations after exposure to one or more of the oxidants. Key metabolic changes were conserved in P. aeruginosa clinical strains isolated from patients with cystic fibrosis lung infections. These data demonstrated that HOCl stress impacted the Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS) quorum sensing system. Ten 2-alkyl-4-quinolones (AHQs) associated with the PQS system were significantly lower in concentration in HOCl-stressed P. aeruginosa cultures, including 2-heptyl-3-hydroxy-4(1H)-quinolone (PQS), the most active signal molecule of the PQS system. The PQS system regulates the production of virulence factors, including pyocyanin and elastase, and their levels were markedly affected by HOCl stress. No pyocyanin was detectable and elastase concentrations were reduced by more than 75% in cultures grown with sub-lethal concentrations of HOCl, suggesting that this neutrophil-derived oxidant may disrupt the ability of P. aeruginosa to establish infections through interference with production of PQS-associated virulence factors. IMPORTANCE: This work demonstrates that a high-throughput ambient ionization mass spectrometry method can be used successfully to study a bacterial stress response. Its application to the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa led to the
-
Journal articleMoulick D, Ghosh D, Gharde Y, et al., 2024,
An assessment of the impact of traditional rice cooking practice and eating habits on arsenic and iron transfer into the food chain of smallholders of Indo-Gangetic plain of South-Asia: Using AMMI and Monte-Carlo simulation model.
, Heliyon, Vol: 10, ISSN: 2405-8440The current study was designed to investigate the consequences of rice cooking and soaking of cooked rice (CR) with or without arsenic (As) contaminated water on As and Fe (iron) transfer to the human body along with associated health risk assessment using additive main-effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) and Monte Carlo Simulation model. In comparison to raw rice, As content in cooked rice (CR) and soaked cooked rice (SCR) enhanced significantly (at p < 0.05 level), regardless of rice cultivars and locations (at p < 0.05 level) due to the use of As-rich water for cooking and soaking purposes. Whereas As content in CR and SCR was reduced significantly due to the use of As-free water for cooking and soaking purposes. The use of As-free water (AFW) also enhanced the Fe content in CR. The overnight soaking of rice invariably enhanced the Fe content despite the use of As-contaminated water in SCR however, comparatively in lesser amount than As-free rice. In the studied area, due to consumption of As-rich CR and SCR children are more vulnerable to health hazards than adults. Consumption of SCR (prepared with AFW) could be an effective method to minimize As transmission and Fe enrichment among consumers.
-
Journal articleDe A, Das A, Joardar M, et al., 2024,
Investigation of Groundwater Fluoride Dynamics in the Lower Gangetic Plain Including Natural Influences with Economic and Health Issues
, ACS ES and T Water, Vol: 4, Pages: 1356-1370The lower Gangetic Plain in West Bengal, India, has previously been reported to have groundwater fluoride (F-) contamination and its hazard; however, more information was needed about the precise location of contamination. The current study highlighted these knowledge gaps covering the toxicity of F- through groundwater by emphasizing the role of hydrogeochemical attributions in F- mobilization, people’s socioeconomic behavior, and assessing the possible health risks of the local population. Approximately, 10% of groundwater samples exceeded the recommended value of F- with a moderate contamination factor. The groundwater is highly saline (Na-Cl type) in nature. The intermediate zone between the area of ’rock dominance’ and ’precipitation dominance’ controlled the leaching of F- from host silicate minerals to groundwater. The saturation index established geogenic activity as the responsible factor and found silicate weathering mineral muscovite for F- leaching in groundwater. The average utility cost for 20 L of safe drinking water was US$ 7.58 per month from affordable households. Total hazard quotient (THQ) was observed maximum for infants and significant ingestion rate (IR), body weight (BW), and body surface area (SA) were the responsible factors for the studied age groups. Fluoride-safe drinking water supply strategies are a necessary step in the studied area.
-
Journal articleZhang-Zheng H, Adu-Bredu S, Duah-Gyamfi A, et al., 2024,
Contrasting carbon cycle along tropical forest aridity gradients in West Africa and Amazonia
, Nature Communications, Vol: 15, ISSN: 2041-1723Tropical forests cover large areas of equatorial Africa and play a substantial role in the global carbon cycle. However, there has been a lack of biometric measurements to understand the forests’ gross and net primary productivity (GPP, NPP) and their allocation. Here we present a detailed field assessment of the carbon budget of multiple forest sites in Africa, by monitoring 14 one-hectare plots along an aridity gradient in Ghana, West Africa. When compared with an equivalent aridity gradient in Amazonia, the studied West African forests generally had higher productivity and lower carbon use efficiency (CUE). The West African aridity gradient consistently shows the highest NPP, CUE, GPP, and autotrophic respiration at a medium-aridity site, Bobiri. Notably, NPP and GPP of the site are the highest yet reported anywhere for intact forests. Widely used data products substantially underestimate productivity when compared to biometric measurements in Amazonia and Africa. Our analysis suggests that the high productivity of the African forests is linked to their large GPP allocation to canopy and semi-deciduous characteristics.
-
Journal articleOgwang R, Murugu L, Nailain I, et al., 2024,
Bi-isotype immunoglobulins enhance antibody-mediated neutrophil activity against Plasmodium falciparum parasites
, Frontiers in Immunology, Vol: 15, ISSN: 1664-3224Background: Malaria remains a major global health priority, and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are emerging as potential new tools to support efforts to control the disease. Recent data suggest that Fc-dependent mechanisms of immunity are important mediators of protection against the blood stages of the infection, but few studies have investigated this in the context of mAbs. We aimed to isolate mAbs agnostic to cognate antigens that target whole merozoites and simultaneously induce potent neutrophil activity measured by the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production using an antibody-dependent respiratory burst (ADRB) assay.Methods: We used samples from semi-immune adults living in coastal Kenya to isolate mAbs that induce merozoite-specific ADRB activity. We then tested whether modifying the expressed IgG1 isotype to an IgG–IgA Fc region chimera would enhance the level of ADRB activity.Results: We isolated a panel of nine mAbs with specificity to whole merozoites. mAb J31 induced ADRB activity in a dose-dependent fashion. Compared to IgG1, our modified antibody IgG–IgA bi-isotype induced higher ADRB activity across all concentrations tested. Further, we observed a negative hook effect at high IgG1 mAb concentrations (i.e., >200 µg/mL), but this was reversed by Fc modification. We identified MSP3.5 as the potential cognate target of mAb J31.Conclusions: We demonstrate an approach to engineer mAbs with enhanced ADRB potency against blood-stage parasites.
-
Journal articleFlo V, Joshi J, Sabot M, et al., 2024,
Incorporating photosynthetic acclimation improves stomatal optimisation models
, Plant, Cell and Environment, ISSN: 0140-7791Stomatal opening in plant leaves is regulated through a balance of carbon and water exchange under different environmental conditions. Accurate estimation of stomatal regulation is crucial for understanding how plants respond to changing environmental conditions, particularly under climate change. A new generation of optimality-based modelling schemes determines instantaneous stomatal responses from a balance of trade-offs between carbon gains and hydraulic costs, but most such schemes do not account for biochemical acclimation in response to drought. Here, we compare the performance of six instantaneous stomatal optimisation models with and without accounting for photosynthetic acclimation. Using experimental data from 37 plant species, we found that accounting for photosynthetic acclimation improves the prediction of carbon assimilation in a majority of the tested models. Photosynthetic acclimation contributed significantly to the reduction of photosynthesis under drought conditions in all tested models. Drought effects on photosynthesis could not accurately be explained by the hydraulic impairment functions embedded in the stomatal models alone, indicating that photosynthetic acclimation must be considered to improve estimates of carbon assimilation during drought.
-
Journal articleStiller J, Feng S, Chowdhury A-A, et al., 2024,
Complexity of avian evolution revealed by family-level genomes
, NATURE, ISSN: 0028-0836 -
Journal articleKabasakal BV, Cotton CAR, Murray JW, 2024,
Dynamic lid domain of Chloroflexus aurantiacus Malonyl-CoA reductase controls the reaction.
, Biochimie, Vol: 219, Pages: 12-20, ISSN: 0300-9084Malonyl-Coenzyme A Reductase (MCR) in Chloroflexus aurantiacus, a characteristic enzyme of the 3-hydroxypropionate (3-HP) cycle, catalyses the reduction of malonyl-CoA to 3-HP. MCR is a bi-functional enzyme; in the first step, malonyl-CoA is reduced to the free intermediate malonate semialdehyde by the C-terminal region of MCR, and this is further reduced to 3-HP by the N-terminal region of MCR. Here we present the crystal structures of both N-terminal and C-terminal regions of the MCR from C. aurantiacus. A catalytic mechanism is suggested by ligand and substrate bound structures, and structural and kinetic studies of MCR variants. Both MCR structures reveal one catalytic, and one non-catalytic SDR (short chain dehydrogenase/reductase) domain. C-terminal MCR has a lid domain which undergoes a conformational change and controls the reaction. In the proposed mechanism of the C-terminal MCR, the conversion of malonyl-CoA to malonate semialdehyde is based on the reduction of malonyl-CoA by NADPH, followed by the decomposition of the hemithioacetal to produce malonate semialdehyde and coenzyme A. Conserved arginines, Arg734 and Arg773 are proposed to play key roles in the mechanism and conserved Ser719, and Tyr737 are other essential residues forming an oxyanion hole for the substrate intermediates.
-
Journal articleSmith TP, Clegg T, Ransome E, et al., 2024,
High-throughput characterization of bacterial responses to complex mixtures of chemical pollutants
, Nature Microbiology, Vol: 9, Pages: 938-948, ISSN: 2058-5276Our understanding of how microbes respond to micropollutants, such as pesticides, is almost wholly based on single-species responses to individual chemicals. However, in natural environments, microbes experience multiple pollutants simultaneously. Here we perform a matrix of multi-stressor experiments by assaying the growth of model and non-model strains of bacteria in all 255 combinations of 8 chemical stressors (antibiotics, herbicides, fungicides and pesticides). We found that bacterial strains responded in different ways to stressor mixtures, which could not be predicted simply from their phylogenetic relatedness. Increasingly complex chemical mixtures were both more likely to negatively impact bacterial growth in monoculture and more likely to reveal net interactive effects. A mixed co-culture of strains proved more resilient to increasingly complex mixtures and revealed fewer interactions in the growth response. These results show predictability in microbial population responses to chemical stressors and could increase the utility of next-generation eco-toxicological assays.
-
Journal articleGriffiths D, Anderson M, Richardson K, et al., 2024,
Cyclic Ion Mobility for Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange-Mass Spectrometry Applications
, ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, ISSN: 0003-2700 -
Journal articleSinanaj B, Pressel S, Bidartondo MI, et al., 2024,
Fungal symbiont diversity drives growth of <i>Holcus lanatus</i> depending on soil nutrient availability
, FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Vol: 38, Pages: 984-997, ISSN: 0269-8463 -
Journal articleFung YY, Carbone C, Scott-Gatty K, et al., 2024,
Habitat suitability as an indicator of urbanisation potential in four UK mammals
, MAMMAL REVIEW, Vol: 54, Pages: 105-120, ISSN: 0305-1838 -
Journal articleSmith TP, Bell T, 2024,
Simplifying the complexity of microbial responses to chemical mixtures
, NATURE MICROBIOLOGY, Vol: 9, Pages: 889-890, ISSN: 2058-5276 -
Journal articleSalvalaio M, Sena G, 2024,
Long-term root electrotropism reveals habituation and hysteresis
, Plant Physiology, Vol: 194, Pages: 2697-2708, ISSN: 0032-0889Plant roots sense many physical and chemical cues in soil, such as gravity, humidity, light, and chemical gradients, and respond by redirecting their growth toward or away from the source of the stimulus. This process is called tropism. While gravitropism is the tendency to follow the gravitational field downwards, electrotropism is the alignment of growth with external electric fields and the induced ionic currents. Although root tropisms are at the core of their ability to explore large volumes of soil in search of water and nutrients, the molecular and physical mechanisms underlying most of them remain poorly understood. We have previously provided a quantitative characterization of root electrotropism in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) primary roots exposed for 5 h to weak electric fields, showing that auxin asymmetric distribution is not necessary for root electrotropism but that cytokinin biosynthesis is. Here, we extend that study showing that long-term electrotropism is characterized by a complex behavior. We describe overshoot and habituation as key traits of long-term root electrotropism in Arabidopsis and provide quantitative data about the role of past exposures in the response to electric fields (hysteresis). On the molecular side, we show that cytokinin, although necessary for root electrotropism, is not asymmetrically distributed during the bending. Overall, the data presented here represent a step forward toward a better understanding of the complexity of root behavior and provide a quantitative platform for future studies on the molecular mechanisms of electrotropism.
-
Journal articleWang X, Slater A, Lee SC, et al., 2024,
Purification and characterisation of the platelet-activating GPVI/FcRγ complex in SMALPs.
, Arch Biochem Biophys, Vol: 754The collagen/fibrin(ogen) receptor, glycoprotein VI (GPVI), is a platelet activating receptor and a promising anti-thrombotic drug target. However, while agonist-induced GPVI clustering on platelet membranes has been shown to be essential for its activation, it is unknown if GPVI dimerisation represents a unique conformation for ligand binding. Current GPVI structures all contain only the two immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF) domains in the GPVI extracellular region, so lacking the mucin-like stalk, transmembrane, cytoplasmic tail of GPVI and its associated Fc receptor γ (FcRγ) homodimer signalling chain, and provide contradictory insights into the mechanisms of GPVI dimerisation. Here, we utilised styrene maleic-acid lipid particles (SMALPs) to extract GPVI in complex with its two associated FcRγ chains from transfected HEK-293T cells, together with the adjacent lipid bilayer, then purified and characterised the GPVI/FcRγ-containing SMALPs, to enable structural insights into the full-length GPVI/FcRγ complex. Using size exclusion chromatography followed by a native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) method, SMA-PAGE, we revealed multiple sizes of the purified GPVI/FcRγ SMALPs, suggesting the potential existence of GPVI oligomers. Importantly, GPVI/FcRγ SMALPs were functional as they could bind collagen. Mono-dispersed GPVI/FcRγ SMALPs could be observed under negative stain electron microscopy. These results pave the way for the future investigation of GPVI stoichiometry and structure, while also validating SMALPs as a promising tool for the investigation of human membrane protein interactions, stoichiometry and structure.
-
Journal articleMridha D, Sarkar J, Majumdar A, et al., 2024,
Evaluation of iron-modified biochar on arsenic accumulation by rice: a pathway to assess human health risk from cooked rice.
, Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, Vol: 31, Pages: 23549-23567Arsenic (As) contamination of rice grain poses a serious threat to human health. Therefore, it is crucial to reduce the bioavailability of As in the soil and its accumulation in rice grains to ensure the safety of food and human health. In this study, mango (Mangifera indica) leaf-derived biochars (MBC) were synthesized and modified with iron (Fe) to produce FeMBC. In this study, 0.5 and 1% (w/w) doses of MBC and FeMBC were used. The results showed that 1% FeMBC enhanced the percentage of filled grains/panicle and biomass yield by 17 and 27%, respectively, compared to the control. The application of 0.5 and 1% FeMBC significantly (p < 0.05) reduced bioavailable soil As concentration by 33 and 48%, respectively, in comparison to the control. The even higher As flux in the control group as compared to the biochar-treated groups indicates the lower As availability to biochar-treated rice plant. The concentration of As in rice grains was reduced by 6 and 31% in 1% MBC and 1% FeMBC, respectively, compared to the control. The reduction in As concentration in rice grain under 1% FeMBC was more pronounced due to reduced bioavailability of As and enhanced formation of Fe-plaque. This may restrict the entry of As through the rice plant. The concentrations of micronutrients (such as Fe, Zn, Se, and Mn) in brown rice were also improved after the application of both MBC and FeMBC in comparison to the control. This study indicates that the consumption of parboiled rice reduces the health risk associated with As compared to cooked sunned rice. It emphasizes that 1% MBC and 1% FeMBC have great potential to decrease the uptake of As in rice grains.
-
Journal articleChakraborty A, Alsharqi L, Kostrzewa M, et al., 2024,
Intact cell lipidomics using the Bruker MBT lipid Xtract assay allows the rapid detection of glycosyl-inositol-phospho-ceramides from <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i>
, MOLECULAR OMICS -
Journal articleHabtewold T, Wagah M, Tambwe MM, et al., 2024,
A chromosomal reference genome sequence for the malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, Giles, 1902, Ifakara strain [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]
, Wellcome Open Research, Vol: 8, ISSN: 2398-502XWe present a genome assembly from an individual female Anopheles gambiae (the malaria mosquito; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Culicidae), Ifakara strain. The genome sequence is 264 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into three chromosomal pseudomolecules with the X sex chromosome assembled. The complete mitochondrial genome was also assembled and is 15.4 kilobases in length.
-
Journal articleReda O, Monde K, Sugata K, et al., 2024,
HIV-Tocky system to visualize proviral expression dynamics
, COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY, Vol: 7 -
Journal articlePerkins R, Barron L, Glauser G, et al., 2024,
Down-the-drain pathways for fipronil and imidacloprid applied as spot-on parasiticides to dogs: Estimating aquatic pollution
, Science of the Total Environment, Vol: 917, ISSN: 0048-9697Fipronil and imidacloprid have been widely detected in UK surface waters in recent years, often at concentrations that ecotoxicological studies have shown can harm aquatic life. Down-the-drain (DTD) passage of pet flea and tick treatments are being implicated as an important source, with many of the UK's 22 million cats and dogs receiving routine, year-round preventative doses containing these parasiticides. The UK Water Industry's 3rd Chemical Investigation Programme (UKWIR CIP3) has confirmed wastewater as a major entry pathway for these chemicals into surface waters, but the routes by which they enter the wastewater system remain unclear. We addressed this knowledge gap by conducting the first quantification of DTD emissions from 98 dogs treated with spot-on ectoparasiticides containing fipronil or imidacloprid, through bathing, bed washing and washing of owners' hands. Both chemicals were detected in 100 % of washoff samples, with bathing accounting for the largest emissions per event (up to 16.8 % of applied imidacloprid and 24.5 % of applied fipronil). Modelled to account for the frequency of emitting activities, owner handwashing was identified as the largest source of DTD emissions from the population overall, with handwash emissions occurring for at least 28 days following product application and an estimated 4.9 % of imidacloprid and 3.1 % of fipronil applied in dog spot-ons passing down-the-drain via this route. The normalised daily per capita emissions for all routes combined were 8.7 μg/person/day for imidacloprid and 2.1 μg/person/day for fipronil, equivalent to 20-40 % of the daily per capita load in wastewater, as estimated from UKWIR CIP3 data. Within the current international regulatory framework adhered to by the UK, the environmental exposure of veterinary medicines intended for use in small companion animals is assumed to be low, and DTD pathways are not considered. We recommend a systematic rev
-
Journal articleBaquero F, Beis K, Craik DJ, et al., 2024,
The pearl jubilee of microcin J25: thirty years of research on an exceptional lasso peptide
, NATURAL PRODUCT REPORTS, Vol: 41, Pages: 469-511, ISSN: 0265-0568 -
Journal articlePosse-Sarmiento V, Banks-Leite C, 2024,
The effects of edge influence on the microhabitat, diversity and life-history traits of amphibians in western Ecuador
, JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY, Vol: 40, ISSN: 0266-4674 -
Journal articlevan Haaren C, Byrne B, Kazarian SG, 2024,
Study of monoclonal antibody aggregation at the air-liquid interface under flow by ATR-FTIR spectroscopic imaging
, Langmuir: the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids, Vol: 40, Pages: 5858-5868, ISSN: 0743-7463Throughout bioprocessing, transportation, and storage, therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) experience stress conditions that may cause protein unfolding and/or chemical modifications. Such structural changes may lead to the formation of aggregates, which reduce mAb potency and may cause harmful immunogenic responses in patients. Therefore, aggregates need to be detected and removed or ideally prevented from forming. Air-liquid interfaces, which arise during various stages of bioprocessing, are one of the stress factors causing mAb aggregation. In this study, the behavior of an immunoglobulin G (IgG) at the air-liquid interface was investigated under flow using macro attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopic imaging. This chemically specific imaging technique allows observation of adsorption of IgG to the air-liquid interface and detection of associated secondary structural changes. Chemical images revealed that IgG rapidly accumulated around an injected air bubble under flow at 45 °C; however, no such increase was observed at 25 °C. Analysis of the second derivative spectra of IgG at the air-liquid interface revealed changes in the protein secondary structure associated with increased intermolecular β-sheet content, indicative of aggregated IgG. The addition of 0.01% w/v polysorbate 80 (PS80) reduced the amount of IgG at the air-liquid interface in a static setup at 30 °C; however, this protective effect was lost at 45 °C. These results suggest that the presence of air-liquid interfaces under flow may be detrimental to mAb stability at elevated temperatures and demonstrate the power of ATR-FTIR spectroscopic imaging for studying the structural integrity of mAbs under bioprocessing conditions.
-
Journal articleMajumdar A, Upadhyay MK, Giri B, et al., 2024,
Sustainable water management in rice cultivation reduces arsenic contamination, increases productivity, microbial molecular response, and profitability
, JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, Vol: 466, ISSN: 0304-3894 -
Journal articleKomenda J, Sobotka R, Nixon PJ, 2024,
The biogenesis and maintenance of photosystem II: recent advances and current challenges
, The Plant Cell, ISSN: 1040-4651The growth of plants, algae and cyanobacteria relies on the catalytic activity of the oxygen-evolving photosystem two (PSII) complex which uses solar energy to extract electrons from water to feed into the photosynthetic electron transport chain. PSII is proving to be an excellent system to study how large multi-subunit membrane-protein complexes are assembled in the thylakoid membrane and subsequently repaired in response to photooxidative damage. Here we summarize recent developments in understanding the biogenesis of PSII, with an emphasis on recent insights obtained from biochemical and structural analysis of cyanobacterial PSII assembly/repair intermediates. We also discuss how chlorophyll synthesis is synchronized with protein synthesis and suggest a possible role for photosystem I in PSII assembly. Special attention is paid to unresolved and controversial issues that could be addressed in future research.
-
Journal articlePerrett S, Chatrchyan V, Buckup T, et al., 2024,
Application of density matrix Wigner transforms for ultrafast macromolecular and chemical x-ray crystallography
, JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS, Vol: 160, ISSN: 0021-9606
This data is extracted from the Web of Science and reproduced under a licence from Thomson Reuters. You may not copy or re-distribute this data in whole or in part without the written consent of the Science business of Thomson Reuters.