Callum Parkin, Adam G Bainbridge, Johannes Gregor Matthias Rack
{"title":"Fungal DNA damage repair: from model to driver of virulence and AMR.","authors":"Callum Parkin, Adam G Bainbridge, Johannes Gregor Matthias Rack","doi":"10.1042/BSR20250315","DOIUrl":"10.1042/BSR20250315","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Maintaining genome integrity is essential for survival across all forms of life. Consequently, DNA damage response (DDR) mechanisms are evolutionarily ancient and broadly conserved. Despite their importance as major pathogens of humans, plants, and animals, fungal DDR mechanisms have primarily been studied as model systems to simplify and advance our understanding of DDRs in humans. Antifungal resistance is a major contributor to mortality from human fungal infections, which are associated with an estimated 3.8 million deaths annually. The ability of fungi to balance spontaneous production of beneficial mutations with the preservation of genomic integrity has emerged as a potential mechanism underlying the acquisition of antifungal resistance. In addition, several components of DNA damage repair pathways play direct roles in the virulence of fungal pathogens. In the present review, we provide an overview of DDR pathways, their function and conservation, and highlight specific roles in contributing to genome plasticity, adaptation, virulence, and the emergence of antifungal resistance.</p>","PeriodicalId":8926,"journal":{"name":"Bioscience Reports","volume":"46 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13451438/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148683319","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ugo Dionne, Kosar Vafaee, Geoffrey G Hesketh, Anne-Claude Gingras
{"title":"Proteomic investigation of signaling dynamics: from static maps to network rewiring.","authors":"Ugo Dionne, Kosar Vafaee, Geoffrey G Hesketh, Anne-Claude Gingras","doi":"10.1042/BSR20250116","DOIUrl":"10.1042/BSR20250116","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cellular processes are controlled by interconnected networks of protein-protein interactions that can be dynamically regulated by post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation. Dysregulation of signaling pathways can drive cellular transformation and contribute to cancer treatment resistance. Mass spectrometry (MS)-based approaches have emerged as key technologies to study both protein function and their dynamic regulation at a network level. Modern proteomics allows investigators to study how signaling networks are rewired in response to genetic lesions, external cues, and targeted therapies, enabling the comparison of baseline (steady-state) networks to perturbed states. Here, we briefly describe key advancements in proteomics to study signaling dynamics, including affinity-purification combined with MS, proximity proteomics (e.g., BioID, APEX), and phosphoproteomics. We highlight how proteomics has led to the identification of comprehensive protein-protein interaction networks, to the delineation of protein subcellular localization maps and to discoveries regarding their dynamics and rewiring in disease. Finally, we comment on the future directions of proteomics to study signaling dynamics, enabled by next-generation MS instruments and AI-driven data analysis, and discuss how these developments are paving the way for clinical translation by bringing quantitative network biology into patient-relevant contexts.</p>","PeriodicalId":8926,"journal":{"name":"Bioscience Reports","volume":"46 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13376832/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148468259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Amy L Sobbe, Kim Bridle, Lesley-Anne Jaskowski, David M Frazer, Gautam Rishi, Afolabi Akanbi, Gregory Anderson, Darrell H G Crawford, V Nathan Subramaniam
{"title":"Hepatic iron accumulation is reduced in the cholestatic Mdr2-/- mouse.","authors":"Amy L Sobbe, Kim Bridle, Lesley-Anne Jaskowski, David M Frazer, Gautam Rishi, Afolabi Akanbi, Gregory Anderson, Darrell H G Crawford, V Nathan Subramaniam","doi":"10.1042/BSR20250360","DOIUrl":"10.1042/BSR20250360","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The multidrug-resistance 2 (Mdr2-/-) mouse is an animal model of biliary liver injury and fibrosis. This genetic equivalent of the human disorder progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 3 histologically resembles primary sclerosing cholangitis. Bile acid accumulation during cholestasis is linked to the down-regulation of the iron regulatory hormone hepcidin, thus suggesting a link between liver disease and iron homeostasis. In the present study, we investigated iron homeostasis in the Mdr2-/- mouse model of cholestasis. Iron levels and expression of iron-related genes were analysed by real-time PCR and western blotting. Accumulation of iron and the hepcidin response were analysed in wild-type and Mdr2-/- mice challenged with either an iron-deficient or a 1% carbonyl iron diet. Mdr2-/- mice on a control diet had reduced hepatic iron stores when compared with age-matched controls, despite lower hepatic hepcidin expression and a corresponding elevation in hepatic transferrin receptor 1 expression. Mdr2-/- mice fed a 1% carbonyl iron diet were resistant to hepatic iron accumulation, despite increased serum iron, suggesting impaired hepatocyte iron uptake in this model. In conclusion, Mdr2-/- have abnormal hepatic iron homeostasis, potentially resulting from cholestasis. Impaired hepatic iron uptake may explain the relative paucity of liver iron in cholestatic compared with hepatocellular conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":8926,"journal":{"name":"Bioscience Reports","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13402865/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148418265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shuyun Yang, Chunyan Luan, Ling Xu, Yunjing Pu, Lu Xing, Xiaolan Li
{"title":"Comprehensive analysis of phenotypes and transcriptome characteristics reveal important contribution of chronic stress and inflammation in the pathogenesis of acne.","authors":"Shuyun Yang, Chunyan Luan, Ling Xu, Yunjing Pu, Lu Xing, Xiaolan Li","doi":"10.1042/BSR20260230","DOIUrl":"10.1042/BSR20260230","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Acne vulgaris is a common chronic inflammatory skin disorder with a multifactorial pathogenesis involving genetic predisposition, hormonal regulation, microbial factors, and the cutaneous immune microenvironment. In recent years, psychosocial influences and their association with acne onset and progression have drawn increasing attention. Chronic stress may disturb immune homeostasis via neuroendocrine regulatory pathways and thereby contribute to acne pathophysiology. However, the molecular mechanisms by which chronic stress modulates acne development and exacerbation remain unclear. In the present study, we established a chronic stress-induced murine model of acne to characterize stress-related behavioral alterations, skin histopathological changes, serum corticosterone levels, and inflammatory mediators profiles in both serum and skin tissue. We further performed transcriptomic profiling to identify differentially expressed genes and to elucidate candidate regulatory pathways and molecular targets. Our findings indicate that chronic stress indeed contributes to the pathological progression of acne. However, stress hormones do not appear to directly drive inflammatory worsening. Instead, transcriptomic analysis indicated that chronic stress may play an important role in complex neuroendocrine-metabolic-immune interactions involved in acne exacerbation. These preliminary results provide experimental evidence exploring the role of chronic stress in acne pathogenesis and suggest potential targets for acne prevention and treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":8926,"journal":{"name":"Bioscience Reports","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13402863/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148429754","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tibebe A Teklemariam, Ryan M Finnerty, Jennifer B Coats, Scott W Nelson
{"title":"Basic-patch mutations in bacteriophage T4 Rad50 uncouple ATPase activation from processive nuclease activity.","authors":"Tibebe A Teklemariam, Ryan M Finnerty, Jennifer B Coats, Scott W Nelson","doi":"10.1042/BSR20260367","DOIUrl":"10.1042/BSR20260367","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Mre11/Rad50 (MR) complex uses adenosine triphosphate (ATP) binding and hydrolysis to coordinate the recognition and processing of DNA double-strand breaks. Although Mre11 and DNA stimulate the relatively slow ATPase activity of Rad50, the mechanism by which this occurs remains incompletely understood. In the present study, we investigated a basic patch on bacteriophage T4 Rad50, consisting of Arg154, Arg155, and Lys156, that was predicted to contribute to DNA binding. Mutation of these residues caused only modest changes in DNA affinity, indicating that this region is unlikely to function primarily as a direct DNA-contact surface. In contrast, the effects on ATP hydrolysis were pronounced. R154A and the TripleA mutant displayed strong ATPase activation in the presence of Mre11 alone, approaching the activity of the wild-type MR complex bound to DNA. DNA titrations further showed that these mutants were relatively insensitive to increasing double-stranded DNA concentrations, consistent with a shift in the conformational equilibrium toward an ATPase-active-like state. However, ATP-dependent stimulation of repetitive nucleotide excision was reduced for all mutants, with the strongest defect observed for TripleA, indicating that enhanced ATP hydrolysis alone is not sufficient to support processive nuclease activity. A mutation at Asp479 had a related but distinct effect, supporting long-range coupling within the T4 MR complex. Overall, the results support a model in which a basic patch near the base of the Rad50 coiled-coils contributes to an allosteric pathway linking Mre11 and DNA engagement with productive ATP hydrolysis and its coupling to nuclease output.</p>","PeriodicalId":8926,"journal":{"name":"Bioscience Reports","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13402864/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148403348","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jo Ciantar, Emma Raitoharju, Saara Marttila, Terho Lehtimäki, Eeva-Maria Pohjonen, Katja Ahinko, Noora Kaartinen
{"title":"The length of the embryo culture in assisted reproductive technology does not have a major impact on newborn DNA methylation.","authors":"Jo Ciantar, Emma Raitoharju, Saara Marttila, Terho Lehtimäki, Eeva-Maria Pohjonen, Katja Ahinko, Noora Kaartinen","doi":"10.1042/BSR20260093","DOIUrl":"10.1042/BSR20260093","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Blastocyst culture is an essential part of IVF/ICSI treatments, however, it has been shown to increase the risk of preterm deliveries as well as large for gestational age infants. The effect of the extended culture on offspring phenotype is thought to be mediated by epigenetic mechanisms, since this developmental period coincides with extensive epigenetic remodelling. Here, we compare genome-wide DNA methylation of cord blood and umbilical cord artery samples collected from newborns resulting from cleavage-stage transfer (n = 25), blastocyst-stage transfer (n = 25), and spontaneous conception (n = 30). Epigenome-wide association studies, global methylation analyses, and epigenetic age comparison did not reveal statistically significant differences between the cleavage-stage and blastocyst-stage groups. However, we identified some loci with a >10% difference in median methylation level between the groups, which should be studied further with a larger sample size. The genome-wide DNA methylation of spontaneously conceived and cleavage-stage newborns were comparable while in the spontaneous to blastocyst-stage comparison, cg25263722 was differentially methylated (P = 5 × 10-8) in umbilical cord artery. Our study did not identify major effects of extended culture on DNA methylation, which is reassuring with respect to the future health of newborns conceived via assisted reproductive technologies.</p>","PeriodicalId":8926,"journal":{"name":"Bioscience Reports","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13402866/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148444268","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}