{"title":"The interplay of tuberculosis and COVID-19: Insights into global health challenges.","authors":"Kirtimaan Syal","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tuberculosis (TB), an ancient disease, has plagued humankind for centuries, and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has worsened the crisis. This article discusses various intersecting aspects of TB and COVID-19, including transmission, co-infection, progression, and resurgence, which underline the necessity of a coordinated response. The respiratory transmission routes shared by both diseases, coupled with overlapping symptoms, complicate their diagnosis. The relationship between COVID-19 and TB is complex, where TB patients could be predisposed to severe COVID-19 due to potential lung damage inflicted by <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> infection. Also, the disrupted healthcare services and quarantine practices attributed to COVID-19 pandemic could delay treatment and enable the spread of TB, highlighting their complex interplay. The sustenance of TB services amid the pandemic involving improvised diagnosis and access to treatment remains vital. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of coordination between policymakers, healthcare providers, and researchers for developing comprehensive plans for transparent global surveillance systems, treatment regimens, and providing equitable access to healthcare resources, which constitute the key steps for alleviating the dual threat of TB and COVID-19.</p>","PeriodicalId":15171,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosciences","volume":"50 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143648622","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Analysis of downstream targets of PAX6 and LHX2, fundamental regulators of the developing mammalian neocortex.","authors":"Mansi Srivastava, Varun Suresh, Shubha Tole","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The transcription factors PAX6 and LHX2 play fundamental roles in mammalian cerebral cortical development. Loss of either factor causes depletion of the cortical progenitor pool and reduction of neurogenesis of later-born cortical neurons. We compared the chromatin occupancy of PAX6 and LHX2 and transcriptional dysregulation upon loss of each factor to analyze whether they function via common gene regulatory networks. We identified common direct and indirect targets that were dysregulated either concordantly or discordantly, based on whether their expression showed similar up- or downregulation upon loss of either factor. Finally, we examined single-cell RNA-seq datasets from neocortical progenitors to identify the cell types within which each common direct/indirect and concordantly/discordantly regulated target gene is expressed as cortical progenitors undergo neurogenesis. Our analysis shows that PAX6 and LHX2 have several common targets that suggest similar pathways for progenitor maintenance, but the regulation of neurogenesis may occur via at least partially non-overlapping pathways. Furthermore, each factor functions to suppress the expression of a set of common Cajal-Retzius cell-specific and interneuron-specific genes which are not normally expressed by cortical progenitors. Together, our analysis offers experimentally testable hypotheses for how PAX6 and LHX2 may execute their critical roles.</p>","PeriodicalId":15171,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosciences","volume":"50 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143255552","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"<i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> as a model for studying intercellular communication via extracellular vesicles.","authors":"Tingting Li, Yunpeng Zhao, Yan Zou, Yue Wang","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Intercellular communication embodies an evolutionarily conserved mechanism facilitated through the release of extracellular vesicles (EVs). These EVs, membranous structures secreted by cells, serve as carriers for a variety of biological molecules, including proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, facilitating intercellular information exchange and material transfer. Studies in classical genetic model organisms represented by <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> revealed the developmental and behavioral roles of EVs. In this review, we discuss the effect of EV-mediated intercellular communication on neuronal activity and aging. Notably, we summarize the roles of EVs released from ciliary sensory neurons and a class of evolutionarily conserved large EVs known as exophers, shedding light on their contributions to the regulation of multicellular organismal development and function.</p>","PeriodicalId":15171,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosciences","volume":"50 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143648612","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Role of EhLINE1_ORF1p outside retrotransposition: Downregulation causes growth defects in <i>Entamoeba histolytica</i>.","authors":"Devinder Kaur, Shashi Shekhar Singh, Shraddha Sharma, Sudha Bhattacharya","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The constitutive expression of EhLINE1_ORF1p in <i>Entamoeba histolytica</i> cells in the absence of retrotransposition suggests that this protein may serve roles beyond retrotransposition. To delve into this possibility, we generated and analyzed transcriptomic data of EhLINE1_ORF1p partial-knockdown cell lines. This analysis unveiled the significance of EhLINE1_ORF1p in the growth of <i>E. histolytica</i> cells. Our investigation of the consequences of EhLINE1_ORF1p partial-knockdown highlighted its impact on the genes involved in ribosome biogenesis, pre-rRNA processing, RNA helicase, and oxidoreductase activity, particularly those associated with amoebiasis. These affected genes are categorized as having high expression and are essential for optimal cell growth. Validation through western blotting confirmed a substantial and pronounced decline in EhLINE1_ORF1p level, and growth kinetics confirmed decline in cell growth. These findings provide compelling evidence supporting the plausible role of EhLINE1_ORF1p in regulating the growth of <i>E. histolytica</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":15171,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosciences","volume":"50 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143648621","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Glutamate metabolism disruption in Johanson-Blizzard syndrome: Insights from <i>C. elegans ubr-1</i> model.","authors":"Yi Li, Shangbang Gao","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Johanson-Blizzard syndrome (JBS) is a complex autosomal recessive disorder that manifests through a spectrum of symptoms, with deficiencies in the ubiquitin-protein ligase E3 component N-recognin 1 (UBR-1) at its genetic core. Despite its clinical significance, the molecular intricacies of UBR-1's role in JBS remain largely elusive, presenting a formidable challenge in devising targeted treatments. The nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>, with its genetic tractability and conservation of fundamental biological mechanisms, emerges as an invaluable model for unravelling the molecular underpinnings of JBS. This review integrates the latest discoveries from <i>C. elegans</i> studies, shedding light on UBR-1's multiple functions: its regulatory impact on cellular pathways and, particularly, its crucial involvement in glutamate metabolism. By assessing the contributions of these studies to our understanding of JBS, this review highlights the potential significance of glutamate metabolic dysfunction in JBS pathogenesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":15171,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosciences","volume":"50 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143255560","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Comparative analysis of Quercus suber L. acorns in natural and semi-natural stands: Morphology characterization, insect attacks, and chemical composition","authors":"Sabrina Kassouar, Dalila Mecellem, Samia Djellal, Nourelimane Benzitoune","doi":"10.1007/s12038-024-00470-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-024-00470-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The present study aims to investigate the differences between cork oak acorns from natural and semi-natural stands in terms of morphology, insect attack rate, and acorn chemical composition. Moreover, it examines the metabolic responses induced by insect attacks. The results show that acorns from the semi-natural stand in our study are larger than those from the natural stand. In addition, the insect attack rate was higher in the natural stand (8.25%) than in the semi-natural stand (6.25%). Furthermore, acorns in the semi-natural stand exhibit high total flavonoid content (TFC), whereas those in the natural stand are rich in total phenolic content (TPC). In terms of biochemical changes in acorns, the study revealed a remarkably significant difference in TPC, TFC, and antioxidant activity subsequent to infestation by <i>Cydia</i> and <i>Curculio</i> insects. <i>Cydia</i>-infested acorns from the natural stand had higher TPC levels, with a value of 93.96±0.39 mg GAE/g, showing a 17.7% increase over healthy acorns. Acorns from the semi-natural stand attacked by <i>Curculio</i> show the highest TFC with a value of 0.288±0.004 mg EQ/g, showing a 121.5% increase over healthy acorns. Moreover, both DPPH and FRAP methods revealed that antioxidant activity of the acorns from the semi-natural stand attacked by <i>Curculio</i> was more effective. This research is crucial for providing a solid foundation for the selection of high-quality cork oak germplasm resources and exploring the potential valorization of insect-affected acorns in the realms of food and agriculture.</p>","PeriodicalId":15171,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosciences","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142247938","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Panagiota-Angeliki Galliou, Kleio-Maria Verrou, Nikolaos A Papanikolaou, George Koliakos
{"title":"Phosphorylation mapping of laminin γ1-chain: Kinases, functional interaction sequences, and phosphorylation-interfering cancer mutations","authors":"Panagiota-Angeliki Galliou, Kleio-Maria Verrou, Nikolaos A Papanikolaou, George Koliakos","doi":"10.1007/s12038-024-00465-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-024-00465-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p>We computationally predicted all phosphorylation sites in the sequence of the human laminin γ1-chain (LAMC1), and computationally identified, for the first time, all kinases for experimentally observed phosphorylated residues of the LAMC1 and all missense deleterious LAMC1 mutations found in different cancer types that interfere with LAMC1 phosphorylation. Also, we mapped the above data to all the biologically functional interaction sequences of the LAMC1. Five kinases (CKII, GPCRK1, PKA, PKC, and CKI) are most enriched for LAMC1 phosphorylation, and the significance of ecto-kinases in this process was emphasized. PKA and PKC targeted more residues inside and close to functional interaction sequences compared with other kinases and in the functional interaction sequence RPESFAIYKRTR. Most phosphorylation-interfering mutations were found in cutaneous melanoma and uterine endometrioid carcinoma. The mutation R255H interfered with the experimentally observed phosphorylation of LAMC1 inside the functional interaction sequence TDIRVTLNRLNTF, while the mutations S181Y and S213Y interfered with the experimentally observed phosphorylation of LAMC1 outside the functional interaction sequences. Mutations R359C,H, R589H, R657C,H, R663I,G, and T1207 interfered with the predicted phosphorylation inside or close to the functional interaction sequences, whereas other mutations interfered outside. PKA- and PKC-predicted phosphorylation was mostly interfered with by mutations inside functional interaction sequences. Phosphorylation-interfering mutations and functional interaction sequences were suggested to promote specific cancer types or cancer progression in general.</p>","PeriodicalId":15171,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosciences","volume":"34 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142187583","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wei Xie, Xiang Gao, Liang Zhao, Shifei Song, Na Li, Junming Liu
{"title":"IRF9 and STAT1 as biomarkers involved in T-cell immunity in atherosclerosis","authors":"Wei Xie, Xiang Gao, Liang Zhao, Shifei Song, Na Li, Junming Liu","doi":"10.1007/s12038-024-00448-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-024-00448-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Atherosclerosis is a common cardiovascular disease in which the arteries are thickened due to buildup of plaque. This study aims to identify programmed cell death (PCD)-related biomarkers and explore the crucial regulatory mechanisms of atherosclerosis. Gene expression profiles of atherosclerosis and control groups from GSE20129 and GSE23746 were obtained. Necroptosis was elevated in atherosclerosis. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was conducted in GSE23746 and GSE56045 to identify PCD-related modules and to perform enrichment analysis. Two necroptosis-related genes (<i>IRF9</i> and <i>STAT1</i>) were identified and considered as biomarkers. Enrichment analysis showed that these gene modules were mainly related to immune response regulation. In addition, single-cell RNA sequencing data from GSE159677 were obtained and the characteristic cell types of atherosclerosis were identified. A total of 11 immune cell types were identified through UMAP dimension reduction. Most immune cells were mainly enriched in plaque samples, and <i>STAT1</i> and <i>IRF9</i> were primarily expressed in T-cells and macrophages. Moreover, the roles of <i>IRF9</i> and <i>STAT1</i> were assessed and found to be significantly upregulated in atherosclerosis, which was associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis. This study provides a molecular feature of atherosclerosis, offering an important basis for further research on its pathological mechanisms and the search for new therapeutic targets.</p>","PeriodicalId":15171,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosciences","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142187584","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Wisdom of (molecular) crowds: How a snake’s temperature-sensing superpower separates information from misinformation","authors":"Mukund Thattai","doi":"10.1007/s12038-024-00466-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-024-00466-3","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15171,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosciences","volume":"2022 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142187585","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"CDCA: Community detection in RNA-seq data using centrality-based approach","authors":"Tonmoya Sarmah, Dhruba K Bhattacharyya","doi":"10.1007/s12038-024-00437-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-024-00437-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p>One of the integral part of the network analysis is finding groups of nodes that exhibit similar properties. Community detection techniques are a popular choice to find such groups or communities within a network and it relies on graph-based methods to achieve this goal. Finding communities in biological networks such as gene co-expression networks are particularly important to find groups of genes where we can focus on further downstream analysis and find valuable insights regarding concerned diseases. Here, we present an effective community detection method called community detection using centrality-based approach (CDCA), designed using the graph centrality approach. The method has been tested using four benchmark bulk RNA-seq datasets for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and the performance has been proved superior in comparison to several other counterparts. The quality of communities are determined using intrinsic graph properties such as modularity and homogeneity. The biological significance of resultant communities is decided using the pathway enrichment analysis.</p>","PeriodicalId":15171,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosciences","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142187586","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}