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  • 1. Addario, Barbara
    et al.
    Sandblad, Linda
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine).
    Persson, Karina
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry.
    Backman, Lars
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry.
    Characterisation of Schizosaccharomyces pombe alpha-actinin2016In: PeerJ, E-ISSN 2167-8359, Vol. 4, article id e1858Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    The actin cytoskeleton plays a fundamental role in eukaryotic cells. Its reorganization is regulated by a plethora of actin-modulating proteins, such as a-actinin. In higher organisms, alpha-actinin is characterized by the presence of three distinct structural domains: an N-terminal actin-binding domain and a C-terminal region with EF-hand motif separated by a central rod domain with four spectrin repeats. Sequence analysis has revealed that the central rod domain of alpha-actinin from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe consists of only two spectrin repeats. To obtain a firmer understanding of the structure and function of this unconventional alpha-actinin, we have cloned and characterized each structural domain. Our results show that this alpha-actinin isoform is capable of forming dimers and that the rod domain is required for this. However, its actin-binding and cross-linking activity appears less efficient compared to conventional alpha-actinins. The solved crystal structure of the actin-binding domain indicates that the closed state is stabilised by hydrogen bonds and a salt bridge not present in other a-actinins, which may reduce the affinity for actin.

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  • 2.
    Adhikari, Deepak
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Flohr, Gilian
    Hogeschool Leiden, Zernikedreef 11,2333 CK Leiden, The Netherlands.
    Gorre, Nagaraju
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Shen, Yan
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Yang, Hairu
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Lundin, Eva
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology.
    Lan, Zijian
    University of Louisville Health Sciences Center, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
    Liu, Kui
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Disruption of Tsc2 in oocytes leads to overactivation of the entire pool of primordial follicles2009In: Molecular human reproduction, ISSN 1360-9947, E-ISSN 1460-2407, Vol. 15, no 12, p. 765-770Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    To maintain the length of reproductive life in a woman, it is essential that most of her ovarian primordial follicles are maintained in a quiescent state to provide a continuous supply of oocytes. However, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that control the quiescence and activation of primordial follicles is still in its infancy. In this study, we provide some genetic evidence to show that the tumor suppressor tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (Tsc2), which negatively regulates mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), functions in oocytes to maintain the dormancy of primordial follicles. In mutant mice lacking the Tsc2 gene in oocytes, the pool of primordial follicles is activated prematurely due to elevated mTORC1 activity in oocytes. This results in depletion of follicles in early adulthood, causing premature ovarian failure (POF). Our results suggest that the Tsc1-Tsc2 complex mediated suppression of mTORC1 activity is indispensable for maintenance of the dormancy of primordial follicles, thus preserving the follicular pool, and that mTORC1 activity in oocytes promotes follicular activation. Our results also indicate that deregulation of Tsc/mTOR signaling in oocytes may cause pathological conditions of the ovary such as infertility and POF.

  • 3.
    Aguilo, Francesca
    et al.
    Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
    Zakirova, Zuchra
    Nolan, Katie
    Wagner, Ryan
    Sharma, Rajal
    Hogan, Megan
    Wei, Chengguo
    Sun, Yifei
    Walsh, Martin J.
    Kelley, Kevin
    Zhang, Weijia
    Ozelius, Laurie J.
    Gonzalez-Alegre, Pedro
    Zwaka, Thomas P.
    Ehrlich, Michelle E.
    THAP1: role in mouse embryonic stem cell survival and differentiation2017In: Stem Cell Reports, ISSN 2213-6711, Vol. 9, no 1, p. 92-107Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    THAP1 (THAP [Thanatos-associated protein] domain-containing, apoptosis-associated protein 1) is a ubiquitously expressed member of a family of transcription factors with highly conserved DNA-binding and protein-interacting regions. Mutations in THAP1 cause dystonia, DYT6, a neurologic movement disorder. THAP1 downstream targets and the mechanism via which it causes dystonia are largely unknown. Here, we show that wild-type THAP1 regulates embryonic stem cell (ESC) potential, survival, and proliferation. Our findings identify THAP1 as an essential factor underlying mouse ESC survival and to some extent, differentiation, particularly neuroectodermal. Loss of THAP1 or replacement with a disease-causing mutation results in an enhanced rate of cell death, prolongs Nanog, Prdm14, and/or Rex1 expression upon differentiation, and results in failure to upregulate ectodermal genes. ChIP-Seq reveals that these activities are likely due in part to indirect regulation of gene expression.

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  • 4.
    Ahmad, Irfan
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine). Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
    Rouf, Syed Fazle
    Sun, Lei
    Cimdins, Annika
    Shafeeq, Sulman
    Le Guyon, Soazig
    Schottkowski, Marco
    Rhen, Mikael
    Romling, Ute
    BcsZ inhibits biofilm phenotypes and promotes virulence by blocking cellulose production in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium2016In: Microbial Cell Factories, ISSN 1475-2859, E-ISSN 1475-2859, Vol. 15, article id 177Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Background: Cellulose, a 1,4 beta-glucan polysaccharide, is produced by a variety of organisms including bacteria. Although the production of cellulose has a high biological, ecological and economical impact, regulatory mechanisms of cellulose biosynthesis are mostly unknown. Family eight cellulases are regularly associated with cellulose biosynthesis operons in bacteria; however, their function is poorly characterized. In this study, we analysed the role of the cellulase BcsZ encoded by the bcsABZC cellulose biosynthesis operon of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) in biofilm related behavior. We also investigated the involvement of BcsZ in pathogenesis of S. Typhimurium including a murine typhoid fever infection model. Result: In S. Typhimurium, cellulase BcsZ with a putative periplasmic location negatively regulates cellulose biosynthesis. Moreover, as assessed with a non-polar mutant, BcsZ affects cellulose-associated phenotypes such as the rdar biofilm morphotype, cell clumping, biofilm formation, pellicle formation and flagella-dependent motility. Strikingly, although upregulation of cellulose biosynthesis was not observed on agar plate medium at 37 degrees C, BcsZ is required for efficient pathogen-host interaction. Key virulence phenotypes of S. Typhimurium such as invasion of epithelial cells and proliferation in macrophages were positively regulated by BcsZ. Further on, a bcsZ mutant was outcompeted by the wild type in organ colonization in the murine typhoid fever infection model. Selected phenotypes were relieved upon deletion of the cellulose synthase BcsA and/or the central biofilm activator CsgD. Conclusion: Although the protein scaffold has an additional physiological role, our findings indicate that the catalytic activity of BcsZ effectively downregulates CsgD activated cellulose biosynthesis. Repression of cellulose production by BcsZ subsequently enables Salmonella to efficiently colonize the host.

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  • 5.
    Aisenbrey, Christopher
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry.
    Byström, Roberth
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry.
    Oliveberg, Mikael
    Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
    Gröbner, Gerhard
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry.
    SOD1 associates to membranes in its folded apo-stateManuscript (preprint) (Other (popular science, discussion, etc.))
    Abstract [en]

    Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease accompanied by misfolding and intracellular deposition of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1). Although the molecular details behind this misfolding process are yet poorly understood, increasing evidence suggest that SOD1 is most susceptible to misfolding in its metal-free and relatively unstable apo-state. Here, we addressed the question, if misfolding and aggregation of SOD1 involves erroneous interactions with membranes as has been implicated for the Aβ peptide in Alzheimers disease. To examine this possibility we subjected various apo SOD1 variants to the presence of different membrane systems. The results reveal that wild type apoSOD1 but to less extent destabilized ALS mutations interact with charged vesicles under physiologically relevant conditions, thereby acquiring pronounced helical structural features. As the data further show, the protein binds to the membranes by an electrostatically driven mechanism, which requires a folded apo-state conformation and a negative membrane surface potential. Unfolded SOD1 molecules show no appreciable affinity to the membrane surfaces yielding a correlation between increased stability, i. e. occupancy of folded molecules and extend of membrane association. Since this trend opposes the correlation between decreased SOD1 stability and progression of neural damage, the results suggest that membrane association is not part of the ALS mechanism. An explanation could be that the observed membrane association of apo SOD1 is reversible and does not ‘bleed out’ in irreversible aggregation as observed for other precursors of protein-misfolding diseases.

  • 6. Al-Anati, Lauy
    et al.
    Viluksela, Matti
    Strid, Anna
    Bergman, Åke
    Andersson, Patrik L
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry.
    Stenius, Ulla
    Högberg, Johan
    Hydroxyl metabolite of PCB 180 induces DNA damage signaling and enhances the DNA damaging effect of benzo[a]pyrene2015In: Chemico-Biological Interactions, ISSN 0009-2797, E-ISSN 1872-7786, Vol. 239, p. 164-173Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Non-dioxin-like (NDL) polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and their hydroxyl metabolites (OH-PCBs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants in human tissues and blood. The toxicological impact of these metabolites is poorly understood. In this study rats were exposed to ultrapure PCB180 (10-1000 mg/kg bw) for 28 days and induction of genotoxic stress in liver was investigated. DNA damage signaling proteins (pChk1Ser317 and gamma H2AXSer319) were increased dose dependently in female rats. This increase was paralleled by increasing levels of the metabolite 3'-OH-PCB180. pChk1 was the most sensitive marker. In in vitro studies HepG2 cells were exposed to 1 mu M of PCB180 and 3'-OH-PCB180 or the positive control benzo[a]pyrene (BaP, 5 mu M). 3'-OH-PCB180, but not PCB180, induced CYP1A1 mRNA and gamma H2AX. CYP1A1 mRNA induction was seen at 1 h, and gamma H2AX at 3 h. The anti-oxidant N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) completely prevented, and 17 beta-estradiol amplified the gamma H2AX induction by 3'-OH-PCB180. As 3'-OH-PCB180 induced CYP1A1, a major BaP-metabolizing and activating enzyme, interactions between 3'-OH-PCB180 and BaP was also studied. The metabolite amplified the DNA damage signaling response to BaP. In conclusion, metabolism of PCB180 to its hydroxyl metabolite and the subsequent induction of CYP1A1 seem important for DNA damage induced by PCB180 in vivo. Amplification of the response with estradiol may explain why DNA damage was only seen in female rats.

  • 7. Alcocer, Marcos
    et al.
    Rundqvist, Louise
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Larsson, Göran
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Ber e 1 protein: the versatile major allergen from Brazil nut seeds.2012In: Biotechnology letters, ISSN 0141-5492, E-ISSN 1573-6776, Vol. 34, no 4, p. 597-610Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Due mainly to its extremely high content of sulphur amino acids, Ber e 1 protein, the major allergen from Brazil nut, has attracted much scientific and press attention. Ber e 1 was the main target protein in early biotechnology transgenic work, in early processing studies of plant storage proteins, in plant vacuolar targeting studies and as the main protein in early nutritional supplementation experiments. Ber e 1 was also one of the first food allergens to be unintentionally transferred from one plant to another and was involved in the first reported case of systemic allergic reaction caused by a food allergen transferred in semen. In this review, many of the Ber e 1 unique biotechnological and structural functions are discussed with a particular emphasis on its use as model protein for studies of intrinsic allergenicity of food proteins.

  • 8. Alex, Amal
    et al.
    Piano, Valentina
    Polley, Soumitra
    Stuiver, Marchel
    Voss, Stephanie
    Ciossani, Giuseppe
    Overlack, Katharina
    Voss, Beate
    Wohlgemuth, Sabine
    Petrovic, Arsen
    Wu, Yao-Wen
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry.
    Selenko, Philipp
    Musacchio, Andrea
    Maffini, Stefano
    Electroporated recombinant proteins as tools for in vivo functional complementation, imaging and chemical biology2019In: eLIFE, E-ISSN 2050-084X, Vol. 8, article id e48287Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Delivery of native or chemically modified recombinant proteins into mammalian cells shows promise for functional investigations and various technological applications, but concerns that sub-cellular localization and functional integrity of delivered proteins may be affected remain high. Here, we surveyed batch electroporation as a delivery tool for single polypeptides and multi-subunit protein assemblies of the kinetochore, a spatially confined and well-studied subcellular structure. After electroporation into human cells, recombinant fluorescent Ndc80 and Mis12 multi-subunit complexes exhibited native localization, physically interacted with endogenous binding partners, and functionally complemented depleted endogenous counterparts to promote mitotic checkpoint signaling and chromosome segregation. Farnesylation is required for kinetochore localization of the Dynein adaptor Spindly. In cells with chronically inhibited farnesyl transferase activity, in vitro farnesylation and electroporation of recombinant Spindly faithfully resulted in robust kinetochore localization. Our data show that electroporation is well-suited to deliver synthetic and chemically modified versions of functional proteins, and, therefore, constitutes a promising tool for applications in chemical and synthetic biology.

  • 9.
    Alrifaiy, Ahmed
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Centre for Biomedical Engineering and Physics (CMTF).
    Ramser, Kerstin
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Centre for Biomedical Engineering and Physics (CMTF).
    How to integrate a micropipette into a closed microfluidic system: absorption spectra of an optically trapped erythrocyte2011In: Biomedical Optics Express, E-ISSN 2156-7085, Vol. 2, no 8, p. 2299-2306Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We present a new concept of integrating a micropipette within a closed microfluidic system equipped with optical tweezers and a UV-Vis spectrometer. A single red blood cell (RBC) was optically trapped and steered in three dimensions towards a micropipette that was integrated in the microfluidic system. Different oxygenation states of the RBC, triggered by altering the oxygen content in the microchannels through a pump system, were optically monitored by a UV-Vis spectrometer. The built setup is aimed to act as a multifunctional system where the biochemical content and the electrophysiological reaction of a single cell can be monitored simultaneously. The system can be used for other applications like single cell sorting, in vitro fertilization or electrophysiological experiments with precise environmental control of the gas-, and chemical content. 

  • 10.
    Alvarez, Laura
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS).
    Espaillat, Akbar
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS).
    Hermoso, Juan A.
    de Pedro, Miguel A.
    Cava, Felipe
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS).
    Peptidoglycan Remodeling by the Coordinated Action of Multispecific Enzymes2014In: Microbial Drug Resistance, ISSN 1076-6294, E-ISSN 1931-8448, Vol. 20, no 3, p. 190-198Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    The peptidoglycan (PG) cell wall constitutes the main defense barrier of bacteria against environmental insults and acts as communication interface. The biochemistry of this macromolecule has been well characterized throughout the years but recent discoveries have unveiled its chemical plasticity under environmental stresses. Non-canonical D-amino acids (NCDAA) are produced and released to the extracellular media by diverse bacteria. Such molecules govern cell wall adaptation to challenging environments through their incorporation into the polymer, a widespread capability among bacteria that reveals the inherent catalytic plasticity of the enzymes involved in the cell wall metabolism. Here, we analyze the recent structural and biochemical characterization of Bsr, a new family of broad spectrum racemases able to generate a wide range of NCDAA. We also discuss the necessity of a coordinated action of PG multispecific enzymes to generate adequate levels of modification in the murein sacculus. Finally, we also highlight how this catalytic plasticity of NCDAA-incorporating enzymes has allowed the development of new revolutionary methodologies for the study of PG modes of growth and in vivo dynamics.

  • 11.
    Anantharajah, Ahalieyah
    et al.
    Pharmacologie cellulaire et moléculaire, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
    Buyck, Julien M.
    Pharmacologie cellulaire et moléculaire, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
    Sundin, Charlotta
    Creative Antibiotics, Umeå, Sweden.
    Tulkens, Paul M.
    Pharmacologie cellulaire et moléculaire, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
    Mingeot-Leclercq, Marie-Paule
    Pharmacologie cellulaire et moléculaire, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
    Van Bambeke, Françoise
    Pharmacologie cellulaire et moléculaire, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
    Salicylidene acylhydrazides and hydroxyquinolines act as inhibitors of type three secretion systems in pseudomonas aeruginosa by distinct mechanisms2017In: Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, ISSN 0066-4804, E-ISSN 1098-6596, Vol. 61, no 6, article id e02566-16Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Type 3 secretion systems (T3SSs) are major virulence factors in Gramnegative bacteria. Pseudomonas aeruginosa expresses two T3SSs, namely, an injectisome (iT3SS) translocating effector proteins in the host cell cytosol and a flagellum (fT3SS) ensuring bacterial motility. Inhibiting these systems is an appealing therapeutic strategy for acute infections. This study examines the protective effects of the salicylidene acylhydrazide INP0341 and of the hydroxyquinoline INP1750 (previously described as T3SS inhibitors in other species) toward cytotoxic effects of P. aeruginosa in vitro. Both compounds reduced cell necrosis and inflammasome activation induced by reference strains or clinical isolates expressing T3SS toxins or only the translocation apparatus. INP0341 inhibited iT3SS transcriptional activation, including in strains with constitutive iT3SS expression, and reduced the total expression of toxins, suggesting it targets iT3SS gene transcription. INP1750 inhibited toxin secretion and flagellar motility and impaired the activity of the YscN ATPase from Yersinia pseudotuberculosis (homologous to the ATPase present in the basal body of P. aeruginosa iT3SS and fT3SS), suggesting that it rather targets a T3SS core constituent with high homology among iT3SS and fT3SS. This mode of action is similar to that previously described for INP1855, another hydroxyquinoline, against P. aeruginosa. Thus, although acting by different mechanisms, INP0341 and INP1750 appear as useful inhibitors of the virulence of P. aeruginosa. Hydroxyquinolines may have a broader spectrum of activity by the fact they act upon two virulence factors (iT3SS and fT3SS).

  • 12.
    Anderl, Ines
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine). Laboratory of Genetic Immunology, BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
    Hultmark, Dan
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine). Laboratory of Genetic Immunology, BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
    New ways to make a blood cell2015In: eLIFE, E-ISSN 2050-084X, Vol. 4, article id e06877Article in journal (Other academic)
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  • 13.
    Andersson, Christopher
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR).
    Gripenland, Jonas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR).
    Johansson, Jörgen
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR).
    Using the chicken embryo to assess virulence of Listeria monocytogenes and to model other microbial infections2015In: Nature Protocols, ISSN 1754-2189, E-ISSN 1750-2799, Vol. 10, no 8, p. 1155-1164Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Microbial infections are a global health problem, particularly as microbes are continually developing resistance to antimicrobial treatments. An effective and reliable method for testing the virulence of different microbial pathogens is therefore a useful research tool. This protocol describes how the chicken embryo can be used as a trustworthy, inexpensive, ethically desirable and quickly accessible model to assess the virulence of the human bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, which can also be extended to other microbial pathogens. We provide a step-by-step protocol and figures and videos detailing the method, including egg handling, infection strategies, pathogenicity screening and isolation of infected organs. From the start of incubation of the fertilized eggs, the protocol takes <4 weeks to complete, with the infection part taking only 3 d. We discuss the appropriate controls to use and potential adjustments needed for adapting the protocol for other microbial pathogens.

  • 14.
    Andersson, Eva-Lotta
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Paediatrics.
    Hernell, Olle
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Paediatrics.
    Bläckberg, Lars
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biosciences, Physiological chemistry.
    Fält, Helen
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Paediatrics.
    Lindquist, Susanne
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Paediatrics.
    Bile salt-stimulated lipase and pancreatic lipase-related protein 2: key enzymes for lipid digestion in the newborn examined using the Caco-2 cell line2011In: Journal of Lipid Research, ISSN 0022-2275, E-ISSN 1539-7262, Vol. 52, no 11, p. 1949-1956Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    In rodents, bile salt-stimulated lipase (BSSL) and pancreatic lipase-related protein 2 (PLRP2) are the dominant lipases expressed in the exocrine pancreas in early life, when milk is the main food. The aim of the present study was to evaluate if BSSL and PLRP2 are also key enzymes in neonatal intestinal fat digestion. Using Caco-2 cells as a model for the small intestinal epithelium, purified human enzymes were incubated in the apical chamber with substrates and bile salt concentrations resembling the milieu of the small intestine of newborn infants. BSSL and PLRP2 hydrolyzed triglycerides (TG) to free fatty acids (FA) and glycerol. The cells took up the FA, which were reesterfied to TG. Together, BSSL and PLRP2 have a synergistic effect, increasing cellular uptake 4-fold compared to the sum of each lipase alone. A synergistic effect was also observed with retinyl ester as a substrate. PLRP2 hydrolyzed cholesteryl ester but not as efficiently as BSSL, and the two had an additive rather than synergistic effect. We conclude the key enzymes in intestinal fat digestion are different in newborns than later in life. Further studies are needed to fully understand this difference and its implication for designing optimal neonatal nutrition.

  • 15.
    Andrade-Talavera, Yuniesky
    et al.
    Neuronal Oscillations Laboratory, Center for Alzheimer Research, Departments of NVS and KBH, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden.
    Chen, Gefei
    Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Neo, Karolinska Institutet, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden.
    Pansieri, Jonathan
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Arroyo-García, Luis Enrique
    Neuronal Oscillations Laboratory, Center for Alzheimer Research, Departments of NVS and KBH, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden.
    Toleikis, Zigmantas
    Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
    Smirnovas, Vytautas
    Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
    Johansson, Jan
    Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Neo, Karolinska Institutet, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden.
    Morozova-Roche, Ludmilla
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Fisahn, André
    Neuronal Oscillations Laboratory, Center for Alzheimer Research, Departments of NVS and KBH, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden.
    S100A9 amyloid growth and S100A9 fibril-induced impairment of gamma oscillations in area CA3 of mouse hippocampus ex vivo is prevented by Bri2 BRICHOS2022In: Progress in Neurobiology, ISSN 0301-0082, E-ISSN 1873-5118, Vol. 219, article id 102366Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    The pro-inflammatory and highly amyloidogenic protein S100A9 is central to the amyloid-neuroinflammatory cascade in neurodegenerative diseases leading to cognitive impairment. Molecular chaperone activity of Bri2 BRICHOS has been demonstrated against a range of amyloidogenic polypeptides. Using a combination of thioflavin T fluorescence kinetic assay, atomic force microscopy and immuno electron microscopy we show here that recombinant Bri2 BRICHOS effectively inhibits S100A9 amyloid growth by capping amyloid fibrils. Using ex-vivo neuronal network electrophysiology in mouse brain slices we also show that both native S100A9 and amyloids of S100A9 disrupt cognition-relevant gamma oscillation power and rhythmicity in hippocampal area CA3 in a time- and protein conformation-dependent manner. Both effects were associated with Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activation and were not observed upon TLR4 blockade. Importantly, S100A9 that had co-aggregated with Bri2 BRICHOS did not elicit degradation of gamma oscillations. Taken together, this work provides insights on the potential influence of S100A9 on cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease (AD) via gamma oscillation impairment from experimentally-induced gamma oscillations, and further highlights Bri2 BRICHOS as a chaperone against detrimental effects of amyloid self-assembly.

  • 16. Andre, Kadri
    et al.
    Kampman, Olli
    Illi, Ari
    Viikki, Merja
    Setala-Soikkeli, Eija
    Mononen, Nina
    Lehtimaki, Terho
    Haraldsson, Susann
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biosciences.
    Koivisto, Pasi A.
    Leinonen, Esa
    SERT and NET polymorphisms, temperament and antidepressant response2015In: Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, ISSN 0803-9488, E-ISSN 1502-4725, Vol. 69, no 7, p. 531-538Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Background: The genetic variations in norepinephrine transporter (NET) and serotonin transporter (SERT) genes have been associated with personality traits, several psychiatric disorders and the efficacy of antidepressant treatment. Aims: We investigated the separate effects and possible interactions between NET T-182C (rs2242446) and SERT 5-HTTLPR (rs4795541) polymorphisms on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) treatment response and temperamental traits assessed by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) in a clinical sample of subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD). Methods: Our sample of 97 patients with major depression completed the 107-item TCI temperament questionnaire (version IX) at the initial assessment of the study and after 6 weeks of follow-up. All subjects received selective SSRI medications. Temperament dimension scores at baseline (1) and endpoint (2) during antidepressant treatment were analyzed between NET and SERT genotypes. Results: SS-genotype of 5-HTTLPR was associated with higher baseline Persistence scores than SL- or LL-genotype. A corresponding but weaker association was found at endpoint. No differences were found between 5-HTTLPR genotypes and other temperament dimensions and 5-HTTLPR genotypes had no effect on treatment response. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the SS-genotype of 5-HTTLPR is associated with Persistence scores in patients with MDD. Higher Persistence could be viewed as a negative trait when recovering from stress and its association with short and "weaker" S-allele may be related to less efficient serotonin neurotransmission, possibly resulting in less effective coping strategies on a behavioral level.

  • 17. Arab, Khelifa
    et al.
    Park, Yoon Jung
    Lindroth, Anders M.
    Schaefer, Andrea
    Oakes, Christopher
    Weichenhan, Dieter
    Lukanova, Annekatrin
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology.
    Lundin, Eva
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology.
    Risch, Angela
    Meister, Michael
    Dienemann, Hendrik
    Dyckhoff, Gerhard
    Herold-Mende, Christel
    Grummt, Ingrid
    Niehrs, Christof
    Plass, Christoph
    Long Noncoding RNA TARID Directs Demethylation and Activation of the Tumor Suppressor TCF21 via GADD45A2014In: Molecular Cell, ISSN 1097-2765, E-ISSN 1097-4164, Vol. 55, no 4, p. 604-614Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    DNA methylation is a dynamic and reversible process that governs gene expression during development and disease. Several examples of active DNA demethylation have been documented, involving genome-wide and gene-specific DNA demethylation. How demethylating enzymes are targeted to specific genomic loci remains largely unknown. We show that an antisense lncRNA, termed TARID (for TCF21 antisense RNA inducing demethylation), activates TCF21 expression by inducing promoter demethylation. TARID interacts with both the TCF21 promoter and GADD45A (growth arrest and DNA-damage-inducible, alpha), a regulator of DNA demethylation. GADD45A in turn recruits thymine-DNA glycosylase for base excision repair-mediated demethylation involving oxidation of 5-methylcytosine to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the TCF21 promoter by ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase proteins. The results reveal a function of lncRNAs, serving as a genomic address label for GADD45A-mediated demethylation of specific target genes.

  • 18. Arenz, Stefan
    et al.
    Abdelshahid, Maha
    Sohmen, Daniel
    Payoe, Roshani
    Starosta, Agata L.
    Berninghausen, Otto
    Hauryliuk, Vasili
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS). University of Tartu, Institute of Technology, Tartu, Estonia.
    Beckmann, Roland
    Wilson, Daniel N.
    The stringent factor RelA adopts an open conformation on the ribosome to stimulate ppGpp synthesis2016In: Nucleic Acids Research, ISSN 0305-1048, E-ISSN 1362-4962, Vol. 44, no 13, p. 6471-6481Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Under stress conditions, such as nutrient starvation, deacylated tRNAs bound within the ribosomal A-site are recognized by the stringent factor RelA, which converts ATP and GTP/GDP to (p)ppGpp. The signaling molecules (p) ppGpp globally rewire the cellular transcriptional program and general metabolism, leading to stress adaptation. Despite the additional importance of the stringent response for regulation of bacterial virulence, antibiotic resistance and persistence, structural insight into how the ribosome and deacylated-tRNA stimulate RelA-mediated (p)ppGpp has been lacking. Here, we present a cryo-EM structure of RelA in complex with the Escherichia coli 70S ribosome with an average resolution of 3.7 angstrom and local resolution of 4 to > 10 angstrom for RelA. The structure reveals that RelA adopts a unique 'open' conformation, where the C-terminal domain (CTD) is intertwined around an A/T-like tRNA within the intersubunit cavity of the ribosome and the N-terminal domain (NTD) extends into the solvent. We propose that the open conformation of RelA on the ribosome relieves the autoinhibitory effect of the CTD on the NTD, thus leading to stimulation of (p)ppGpp synthesis by RelA.

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  • 19.
    Arnqvist, Anna
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Roles of the BabA and the SabA adhesins in gastroduodenal diseases2016In: Helicobacter pylori research: from bench to bedside / [ed] Steffen Backert; Yoshio Yamaoka, Tokyo: Springer, 2016, p. 143-164Chapter in book (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Adhesion is an important prerequisite for colonization and it is the initial step in infections with pathogenic bacteria. Adherence to host epithelial surfaces is the result of bacterial surface proteins, called adhesins, and their specific interaction with cognate protein- or glycoconjugate receptors on the host cells. Often, the bacteria have a set of complementary adhesins that are specific for different host receptors. Alternative mechanism has been suggested to mediate H. pylori adhesion, and this chapter will focus on the two well-characterized adhesins BabA and SabA. In the healthy gastric mucosa, the Lewis b antigen (Leb) is present in the gastric epithelial lining of blood group O (H-antigen), B, and A individuals. H. pylori binding to ABO/Leb is mediated by the blood group antigen-binding BabA adhesin. As the inflammation develops, Leb is downregulated and the levels of sialylated antigens increase. Sialyl-Lewis x/a antigens (sLex/a) are specifically recognized by the H. pylori sialic acid-binding adhesin SabA. Even though bacterial adherence per se cannot cause disease, adherence is considered as a crucial step in pathogenesis since it is needed for bacterial delivery of effector molecules into the host cell. The presence of receptors and host-immune responses are two factors that differently affect adhesion. To achieve long-term colonization, H. pylori must regulate the expression of a cognate adhesin to fit the available receptors. Adhesion to the gastric epithelial cells promotes gain of nutrients, but too tight adhesion may be intimidating because of the risk of clearance by the bacteria for life-threatening immune responses. Thus, expression levels of the adhesins must be fine-tuned in accord to host receptor expression levels. This chapter will also discuss H. pylori adhesion in relation to severe gastric diseases.

  • 20.
    Aspholm-Hurtig, Marina
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Odontology, Oral Microbiology.
    Dailide, Giedrius
    Lahmann, Martina
    Kalia, Awdhesh
    Ilver, Dag
    Roche, Niamh
    Vikström, Susanne
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Odontology, Oral Microbiology.
    Sjöström, Rolf
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Odontology, Oral Microbiology.
    Lindén, Sara
    Bäckström, Anna
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Odontology, Oral Microbiology.
    Lundberg, Carina
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Odontology, Oral Microbiology.
    Arnqvist, Anna
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Odontology, Oral Microbiology. Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine).
    Mahdavi, Jafar
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Odontology, Oral Microbiology.
    Nilsson, Ulf J
    Velapatiño, Billie
    Gilman, Robert H
    Gerhard, Markus
    Alarcon, Teresa
    López-Brea, Manuel
    Nakazawa, Teruko
    Fox, James G
    Correa, Pelayo
    Dominguez-Bello, Maria Gloria
    Perez-Perez, Guillermo I
    Blaser, Martin J
    Normark, Staffan
    Carlstedt, Ingemar
    Oscarson, Stefan
    Teneberg, Susann
    Berg, Douglas E
    Borén, Thomas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Odontology, Oral Microbiology.
    Functional adaptation of BabA, the H. pylori ABO blood group antigen binding adhesin2004In: Science, ISSN 0036-8075, E-ISSN 1095-9203, Vol. 305, no 5683, p. 519-522Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Adherence by Helicobacter pylori increases the risk of gastric disease. Here, we report that more than 95% of strains that bind fucosylated blood group antigen bind A, B, and O antigens (generalists), whereas 60% of adherent South American Amerindian strains bind blood group O antigens best (specialists). This specialization coincides with the unique predominance of blood group O in these Amerindians. Strains differed about 1500-fold in binding affinities, and diversifying selection was evident in babA sequences. We propose that cycles of selection for increased and decreased bacterial adherence contribute to babA diversity and that these cycles have led to gradual replacement of generalist binding by specialist binding in blood group O-dominant human populations.

  • 21. Assi, Nada
    et al.
    Fages, Anne
    Vineis, Paolo
    Chadeau-Hyam, Marc
    Stepien, Magdalena
    Duarte-Salles, Talita
    Byrnes, Graham
    Boumaza, Houda
    Knueppel, Sven
    Kuehn, Tilman
    Palli, Domenico
    Bamia, Christina
    Boshuizen, Hendriek
    Bonet, Catalina
    Overvad, Kim
    Johansson, Mattias
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biobank Research. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC-WHO), Lyon, France.
    Travis, Ruth
    Gunter, Marc J.
    Lund, Eiliv
    Dossus, Laure
    Elena-Herrmann, Benedicte
    Riboli, Elio
    Jenab, Mazda
    Viallon, Vivian
    Ferrari, Pietro
    A statistical framework to model the meeting-in-the-middle principle using metabolomic data: application to hepatocellular carcinoma in the EPIC study2015In: Mutagenesis, ISSN 0267-8357, E-ISSN 1464-3804, Vol. 30, no 6, p. 743-753Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Metabolomics is a potentially powerful tool for identification of biomarkers associated with lifestyle exposures and risk of various diseases. This is the rationale of the 'meeting-in-the-middle' concept, for which an analytical framework was developed in this study. In a nested case-control study on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and nutrition (EPIC), serum H-1 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra (800 MHz) were acquired for 114 cases and 222 matched controls. Through partial least square (PLS) analysis, 21 lifestyle variables (the 'predictors', including information on diet, anthropometry and clinical characteristics) were linked to a set of 285 metabolic variables (the 'responses'). The three resulting scores were related to HCC risk by means of conditional logistic regressions. The first PLS factor was not associated with HCC risk. The second PLS metabolomic factor was positively associated with tyrosine and glucose, and was related to a significantly increased HCC risk with OR = 1.11 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.22, P = 0.02) for a 1SD change in the responses score, and a similar association was found for the corresponding lifestyle component of the factor. The third PLS lifestyle factor was associated with lifetime alcohol consumption, hepatitis and smoking, and had negative loadings on vegetables intake. Its metabolomic counterpart displayed positive loadings on ethanol, glutamate and phenylalanine. These factors were positively and statistically significantly associated with HCC risk, with 1.37 (1.05, 1.79, P = 0.02) and 1.22 (1.04, 1.44, P = 0.01), respectively. Evidence of mediation was found in both the second and third PLS factors, where the metabolomic signals mediated the relation between the lifestyle component and HCC outcome. This study devised a way to bridge lifestyle variables to HCC risk through NMR metabolomics data. This implementation of the 'meeting-in-the-middle' approach finds natural applications in settings characterised by high-dimensional data, increasingly frequent in the omics generation.

  • 22. Augestad, Ingrid Lovise
    et al.
    Nyman, Axel Karl Gottfrid
    Costa, Alex Ignatius
    Barnett, Susan Carol
    Sandvig, Axel
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Clinical Neuroscience.
    Haberg, Asta Kristine
    Sandvig, Ioanna
    Effects of Neural Stem Cell and Olfactory Ensheathing Cell Co-transplants on Tissue Remodelling After Transient Focal Cerebral Ischemia in the Adult Rat2017In: Neurochemical Research, ISSN 0364-3190, E-ISSN 1573-6903, Vol. 42, no 6, p. 1599-1609Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Effective transplant-mediated repair of ischemic brain lesions entails extensive tissue remodeling, especially in the ischemic core. Neural stem cells (NSCs) are promising reparative candidates for stroke induced lesions, however, their survival and integration with the host-tissue post-transplantation is poor. In this study, we address this challenge by testing whether co-grafting of NSCs with olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs), a special type of glia with proven neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, and angiogenic effects, can promote graft survival and host tissue remodelling. Transient focal cerebral ischemia was induced in adult rats by a 60-min middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) followed by reperfusion. Ischemic lesions were verified by neurological testing and magnetic resonance imaging. Transplantation into the globus pallidus of NSCs alone or in combination with OECs was performed at two weeks post-MCAo, followed by histological analyses at three weeks post-transplantation. We found evidence of extensive vascular remodelling in the ischemic core as well as evidence of NSC motility away from the graft and into the infarct border in severely lesioned animals co-grafted with OECs. These findings support a possible role of OECs as part of an in situ tissue engineering paradigm for transplant mediated repair of ischemic brain lesions.

  • 23.
    Axner, Ove
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR).
    Andersson, Magnus
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR).
    Björnham, Oscar
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR).
    Castelain, Mickaël
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR).
    Klinth, Jeanna
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR).
    Koutris, Efstratios
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR).
    Schedin, Staffan
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Applied Physics and Electronics. Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR).
    Assessing bacterial adhesion on an individual adhesin and single pili level using optical tweezers 2011In: Bacterial adhesion: chemistry, biology and physics / [ed] D. Line and A. Goldman, Berlin: Springer Berlin/Heidelberg, 2011, p. 301-313Chapter in book (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Optical tweezers (OT) are a technique that, by focused laser light, can both manipulate micrometer sized objects and measure minute forces (in the pN range) in biological systems. The technique is therefore suitable for assessment of bacterial adhesion on an individual adhesin-receptor and single attachment organelle (pili) level. This chapter summarizes the use of OT for assessment of adhesion mechanisms of both non-piliated and piliated bacteria. The latter include the important helix-like pili expressed by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), which have shown to have unique and intricate biomechanical properties. It is conjectured that the large flexibility of this type of pili allows for a redistribution of an external shear force among several pili, thereby extending the adhesion lifetime of bacteria. Systems with helix-like adhesion organelles may therefore act as dynamic biomechanical machineries, enhancing the ability of bacteria to withstand high shear forces originating from rinsing flows such as in the urinary tract. This implies that pili constitute an important virulence factor and a possible target for future anti-microbial drugs.

  • 24.
    Bai, Qiao
    et al.
    Chongqing Medical University, 1 Medical College Road, Yu Zhong District, Chongqing, China.
    Sun, Dan
    State Key Laboratory of Photon-Technology in Western China Energy, Institute of Photonics and Photon-Technology, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China.
    Zeng, Yang
    State Key Laboratory of Photon-Technology in Western China Energy, Institute of Photonics and Photon-Technology, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China.
    Zhu, Jie
    State Key Laboratory of Photon-Technology in Western China Energy, Institute of Photonics and Photon-Technology, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China.
    Zhang, Ce
    State Key Laboratory of Photon-Technology in Western China Energy, Institute of Photonics and Photon-Technology, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China.
    Zhang, Xiaoyin
    Chongqing Medical University, 1 Medical College Road, Yu Zhong District, Chongqing, China.
    Chen, Li
    Chongqing Medical University, 1 Medical College Road, Yu Zhong District, Chongqing, China.
    Zhou, Xin
    Chongqing Medical University, 1 Medical College Road, Yu Zhong District, Chongqing, China.
    Ye, Liu
    Chongqing Medical University, 1 Medical College Road, Yu Zhong District, Chongqing, China.
    Tang, Yong
    Chongqing Medical University, 1 Medical College Road, Yu Zhong District, Chongqing, China.
    Liu, Yonggang
    Chongqing Medical University, 1 Medical College Road, Yu Zhong District, Chongqing, China.
    Morozova-Roche, Ludmilla
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Effect of proinflammatory S100A9 protein on migration and proliferation of microglial cells2023In: Journal of Molecular Neuroscience, ISSN 0895-8696, E-ISSN 1559-1166, Vol. 73, no 11-12, p. 983-995Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a multifactorial disease affecting aging population worldwide. Neuroinflammation became a focus of research as one of the major pathologic processes relating to the disease onset and progression. Proinflammatory S100A9 is the central culprit in the amyloid-neuroinflammatory cascade implicated in AD and other neurodegenerative diseases. We studied the effect of S100A9 on microglial BV-2 cell proliferation and migration. The responses of BV-2 cells to S100A9 stimulation were monitored in real-time using live cell microscopy, transcriptome sequencing, immunofluorescence staining, western blot analysis, and ELISA. We observed that a low dose of S100A9 promotes migration and proliferation of BV-2 cells. However, acute inflammatory condition (i.e., high S100A9 doses) causes diminished cell viability; it is uncovered that S100A9 activates TLR-4 and TLR-7 signaling pathways, leading to TNF-α and IL-6 expression, which affect BV-2 cell migration and proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. Interestingly, the effects of S100A9 are not only inhibited by TNF-α and IL-6 antibodies. The addition of amyloid-β (Aβ) 1–40 peptide resumes the capacities of BV-2 cells to the level of low S100A9 concentrations. Based on these results, we conclude that in contrast to the beneficial effects of low S100A9 dose, high S100A9 concentration leads to impaired mobility and proliferation of immune cells, reflecting neurotoxicity at acute inflammatory conditions. However, the formation of Aβ plaques may be a natural mechanism that rescues cells from the proinflammatory and cytotoxic effects of S100A9, especially considering that inflammation is one of the primary causes of AD.

  • 25. Balonova, Lucie
    et al.
    Mann, Benjamin F
    Cerveny, Lukas
    Alley, William R, Jr
    Chovancova, Eva
    Forslund, Anna-Lena
    Salomonsson, Emelie N
    Forsberg, Åke
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR).
    Damborsky, Jiri
    Novotny, Milos V
    Hernychova, Lenka
    Stulik, Jiri
    Characterization of protein glycosylation in Francisella tularensis subsp holarctica2012In: Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, ISSN 1535-9476, E-ISSN 1535-9484, Vol. 11, no 7Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    FTH_0069 is a previously uncharacterized strongly immunoreactive protein that has been proposed to be a novel virulence factor in Francisella tularensis. Here, the glycan structure modifying two C-terminal peptides of FTH_0069 was identified utilizing high resolution, high mass accuracy mass spectrometry, combined with in-source CID tandem MS experiments. The glycan observed at m/z 1156 was determined to be a hexasaccharide, consisting of two hexoses, three N-acetylhexosamines, and an unknown monosaccharide containing a phosphate group. The monosaccharide sequence of the glycan is tentatively proposed as X-P-HexNAc-HexNAc-Hex-Hex-HexNAc, where X denotes the unknown monosaccharide. The glycan is identical to that of DsbA glycoprotein, as well as to one of the multiple glycan structures modifying the type IV pilin PilA, suggesting a common biosynthetic pathway for the protein modification. Here, we demonstrate that the glycosylation of FTH_0069, DsbA, and PilA was affected in an isogenic mutant with a disrupted wbtDEF gene cluster encoding O-antigen synthesis and in a mutant with a deleted pglA gene encoding pilin oligosaccharyltransferase PglA. Based on our findings, we propose that PglA is involved in both pilin and general F. tularensis protein glycosylation, and we further suggest an inter-relationship between the O-antigen and the glycan synthesis in the early steps in their biosynthetic pathways. Molecular & Cellular Proteomics 11: 10.1074/mcp.M111.015016, 1-12, 2012.

  • 26.
    Bamyaci, Sarp
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine).
    Nordfelth, R
    Forsberg, Å
    Kinetics of Type III secretion in Yersinia and sub-cellular localization of the Yops under non-inducing conditionsManuscript (preprint) (Other academic)
  • 27.
    Belibasakis, Georgios N
    et al.
    Division of Oral Diseases, Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, S-141 04 Huddinge, Sweden.
    Maula, Terhi
    Department of Biochemistry, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland.
    Bao, Kai
    Division of Oral Diseases, Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, S-141 04 Huddinge, Sweden.
    Lindholm, Mark
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Odontology.
    Bostanci, Nagihan
    Division of Oral Diseases, Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, S-141 04 Huddinge, Sweden.
    Oscarsson, Jan
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Odontology.
    Ihalin, Riikka
    Department of Biochemistry, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland.
    Johansson, Anders
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Odontology.
    Virulence and Pathogenicity Properties of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans2019In: Pathogens, E-ISSN 2076-0817, Vol. 8, no 4, article id E222Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is a periodontal pathogen colonizing the oral cavity of a large proportion of the human population. It is equipped with several potent virulence factors that can cause cell death and induce or evade inflammation. Because of the large genetic diversity within the species, both harmless and highly virulent genotypes of the bacterium have emerged. The oral condition and age, as well as the geographic origin of the individual, influence the risk to be colonized by a virulent genotype of the bacterium. In the present review, the virulence and pathogenicity properties of A. actinomycetemcomitans will be addressed.

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  • 28.
    Bergendahl, Christina
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry.
    Tibell, Lena
    Department of Biomedicine and Surgery, Linköping .
    Boosting complex learning by strategic assessment and course design2005In: Journal of Chemical Education, ISSN 0021-9584, E-ISSN 1938-1328, Vol. 82, no 4, p. 645-651Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Learning quality depends on the assessment methods used, as well as other factors. By choosing adequate assessments and involving students in the process of learning, students can gain a deeper understanding of the content and its context while developing related skills. In this study we describe a practical university-level biochemistry course that focuses on understanding protein separation and analysis techniques and especially on their application. The course was designed to examine the effects of a strategic use of differentassessment methods and an analysis of the resulting outcomes. We used quantitative as well as qualitative methods, including a simplified variant of the Bloom taxonomy, statistical methods, principle component analysis, inquires, and interviews. We conclude that astrategic choice of assessments and instructional design can be used to achieve morecomplex learning. We did not find any single teaching or assessment method to be clearly the best for enhancing higher-order thinking or achieving all learning objectives; rather a combination of different methods (i.e., a strategic choice) seems the best approach.

  • 29.
    Bergonzini, Anna
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Science and Technology).
    Effects of bacterial genotoxins on immune modulation, chronic inflammation and cancer development2023Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    The intestinal microbiome of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and colorectal cancer patients is enriched in genotoxin-producing bacteria, which cause DNA damage in the host cells.

    Genotoxins have recently been identified as a novel family of effectors produced by pathogenic and commensal bacteria. At present, only three types of bacterial genotoxins have been identified: colibactin, produced by some Escherichia coli strains; cytolethal distending toxins, produced by several Gram-negative pathogens; and the typhoid toxin, produced by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi.

    Exposure to high toxin doses activates the classical DNA damage response, which consequently blocks proliferation and eventually induces death in mammalian cells. However, exposure to low toxin doses has shown to promote classical signs of carcinogenesis in vitro, such as cell survival and acquisition of genomic instability. Despite an extensive characterization of their mode of action in vitro, we have a poor understanding of genotoxins´ role in chronic infection and, considering the genotoxic potential, of their carcinogenic capacity. To investigate further the role played by the genotoxins, we focused specifically on Salmonella Typhi, since it is the only genotoxin-producing bacterium that induces a chronic infection associated with increased risk of tumor development in humans. 

    The results presented in this thesis show that these unusual bacterial effectors are not classical toxins, but rather act as immunomodulators, highlighting a complex and tissue-specific crosstalk between two highly conserved stress responses: the immune response and the DNA damage response. 

    Our data indicate that the impact of genotoxin-producing bacteria on the modulation of the host mucosal response is still poorly characterized and suggest that the host-microbe interaction and the tissue microenvironment are the key players in determining the outcome of the infection and the toxin carcinogenic potential. 

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  • 30.
    Bergström, Sven
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS).
    Zückert, Wolfram R
    Structure, function and biogenesis of the Borrelia cell envelope2010In: Borrelia, molecular biology, host interactions and pathogenesis / [ed] Eds DS Samuels and JD Radolf, Norfolk, UK: Caister Academic Press , 2010, p. 139-166Chapter in book (Other academic)
  • 31. Bjornsdottir, Halla
    et al.
    Rudin, Agnes Dahlstrand
    Klose, Felix P.
    Elmwall, Jonas
    Welin, Amanda
    Stylianou, Marios
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Microbiology.
    Christenson, Karin
    Urban, Constantin F.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Microbiology.
    Forsman, Huamei
    Dahlgren, Claes
    Karlsson, Anna
    Bylund, Johan
    Phenol-soluble Modulin α Peptide Toxins from aggressive Staphylococcus aureus induce rapid Formation of neutrophil extracellular Traps through a reactive Oxygen species-independent Pathway2017In: Frontiers in Immunology, E-ISSN 1664-3224, Vol. 8, article id 257Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Neutrophils have the ability to capture and kill microbes extracellularly through the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). These are DNA and protein structures that neutrophils release extracellularly and are believed to function as a defense mechanism against microbes. The classic NET formation process, triggered by, e.g., bacteria, fungi, or by direct stimulation of protein kinase C through phorbol myristate acetate, is an active process that takes several hours and relies on the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are further modified by myeloperoxidase (MPO). We show here that NET-like structures can also be formed by neutrophils after interaction with phenol-soluble modulin alpha (PSM alpha) that are cytotoxic membrane-disturbing peptides, secreted from community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA). The PSMa-induced NETs contained the typical protein markers and were able to capture microbes. The PSMa-induced NET structures were disintegrated upon prolonged exposure to DNase-positive S. aureus but not on exposure to DNase-negative Candida albicans. Opposed to classic NETosis, PSMa-triggered NET formation occurred very rapidly, independently of ROS or MPO, and was also manifest at 4 degrees C. These data indicate that rapid NETs release may result from cytotoxic membrane disturbance by PSMa peptides, a process that may be of importance for CA-MRSA virulence.

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  • 32.
    Björkblom, Benny
    et al.
    The Norwegian Center for Movement Disorders, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway ; Center for Organelle Research, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway.
    Maple-Grødem, Jodi
    The Norwegian Center for Movement Disorders, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway ; Center for Organelle Research, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway.
    Puno, Marc Rhyan
    Department of Molecular and Applied Biosciences, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom.
    Odell, Mark
    Department of Molecular and Applied Biosciences, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom.
    Larsen, Jan Petter
    The Norwegian Center for Movement Disorders, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.
    Møller, Simon Geir
    The Norwegian Center for Movement Disorders, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway ; Department of Biological Sciences, St. John's University, New York, New York, USA.
    Reactive oxygen species-mediated DJ-1 monomerization modulates intracellular trafficking involving karyopherin beta 22014In: Molecular and Cellular Biology, ISSN 0270-7306, E-ISSN 1098-5549, Vol. 34, no 16, p. 3024-3040Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Mutations in DJ-1 are a cause of recessive, early-onset Parkinson's disease (PD). Although oxidative stress and mitochondrial integrity have been implicated in PD, it is largely unknown why neurons degenerate. DJ-1 is involved in oxidative stress-mediated responses and in mitochondrial maintenance; however, its specific function remains vague. Here we show that DJ-1 exhibits neuronal dynamic intracellular trafficking, with dimeric/monomeric cycling modulated by the oxidative environment. We demonstrate that oxidative stress enhances monomerization of wild-type cytosolic DJ-1, leading to nuclear recruitment. The pathogenic DJ-1/E163K variant is unable to homodimerize but is retained in the cytosol upon wild-type DJ-1 heterodimerization. We found that this wild-type/pathogenic heterodimer is disrupted by oxidative stress, leading to DJ-1/E163K mitochondrial translocation. We further demonstrated that endogenously expressed wild-type DJ-1 is imported into neuronal nuclei as a monomer and that nucleo-cytoplasmic transport is oxidative stress mediated. We identified a novel proline-tyrosine nuclear localization signal (PY-NLS) in DJ-1, and we found that nuclear monomeric DJ-1 import is mediated by an oxidative stress-dependent interaction with karyopherin beta 2. Our study provides evidence that oxidative stress-mediated intracellular trafficking of DJ-1, mediated by dynamic DJ-1 dimeric/monomeric cycling, is implicated in PD pathogenesis.

  • 33. Borzacchiello, A
    et al.
    Mayol, L
    Ambrosio, L
    Gärskog, Ola
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Otorhinolaryngology.
    Dahlqvist, Åke
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Otorhinolaryngology.
    Rheological characterization of vocal folds after injection augmentation in a preliminary animal study2004In: Journal of bioactive and compatible polymers (Print), ISSN 0883-9115, E-ISSN 1530-8030, Vol. 19, no 4, p. 331-341Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    The investigation of vocal folds viscoelastic properties in an animal model (rabbit) after injection of various augmentation substances, 6 months after injection, is reported. The injected materials were: hyaluronan-based materials (Hylan B gel and Deflux(R)), cross-linked collagen (Zyplast(R)) and polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon(R)). Rheological properties of the augmentation substances were also evaluated. The results from these animal experiments indicate that the viscoelastic properties of the vocal folds injected with Deflux(R), Zyplast(R) and Hylan B gel are similar to the healthy vocal folds (non-injected samples) used as control, thus demonstrating that these materials are good candidates for further studies aimed at restoring/preserving the vibratory capacity of the vocal folds with injection treatment in glottal insufficiency.

  • 34.
    Brattsand, Göran
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biosciences, Clinical chemistry.
    Nordin, Gunnar
    Isaksson, Anders
    Bjellerup, Per
    Stridsberg, Mats
    Hård, Lena
    Ankarberg Lindgren, Carina
    Becker, Charlotte
    Gustafsson, Sven
    Larsson, Kerstin
    Equalis/SFKK rekommenderar harmonisering av enheter vid hormonbestämningar -Något också för Norden?2012In: Klinisk Biokemi i Norden, ISSN 1101-2013, Vol. 24, no 4, p. 20-27Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [sv]

    Equalis och Svensk Förening för Klinisk Kemi (SFKK) rekommenderar att de kliniska laboratorierna i Sverige använder enhetliga måttenheter vid hormonbestämningar för ökad jämförbarhet och patientsäkerhet. Vid analys i serum eller plasma med nuvarande metoder rekommenderas följande enheter:

    • Adrenokortikotropt hormon (ACTH): pmol/L

    • Insulin: mIE/L

    • Parathormon (PTH): pmol/L

    • Prolaktin: mIE/L

    • Tillväxthormon (GH): μg/L

    • Östradiol: pmol/L

    • Aldosteron: pmol/L

    • Reninkoncentration: mIE/L

  • 35.
    Brattsand, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology.
    Doxycycline at Low Concentrations Could Influence Your Experimental Results When Working With Prostate Cancer Cell Lines2020In: Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research, ISSN 2574-1241, Vol. 28, no 2, p. 21515-21519Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Doxycycline is a tetracycline derivate commonly used in various inducible expression systems to study the function of different proteins. In this study, we show that 22Rv1 and PC3, two different, commonly used prostate cancer cell lines are very sensitive to this antibiotic and addition of the drug at inductive concentrations can affect cells in ways that can be misinterpreted as effects from the protein studied. Therefore, proper controls are very important in order to avoid conclusions drawn by artifacts caused by experimental conditions.

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  • 36. Breimer, Lars H
    et al.
    Nilsson, Torbjörn K
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biosciences, Clinical chemistry.
    Shedded cell membrane proteins in plasma: pure waste, or informative biomarkers of pathophysiological processes?2015In: Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation, ISSN 0036-5513, E-ISSN 1502-7686, Vol. 75, no 6, p. 441-443Article in journal (Other academic)
  • 37. Broach, James R
    et al.
    Bharatula, Vasudha
    Chereji, Razvan
    Elfving, Nils
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Björklund, Stefan
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Morozov, Alexandre
    The Msn2 mediated stress response: Survival based on "hedging your bet" and a dynamic interplay of transcription factor binding and nucleosome occupancy2015In: Yeast, ISSN 0749-503X, E-ISSN 1097-0061, Vol. 32, no Suppl. 1, p. S221-S222Article in journal (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    Yeast cell subjected to many different stresses elicit an acute transcriptional stress response mediated by the Msn2 transcription factor, which alters expression of both a stress specific-cohort of genes as well as a common cohort of genes that changes expression in a stereotypic fashion upon exposure to any of a wide variety of stresses. We have shown by dynamic single cell analysis that stresses regulate Msn2 activity through cytoplasm to nuclear relocalization but do so in an unusual way: stresses induce increased frequency of bursts of short-lived, recurrent periods of Msn2 nuclear localization with different stresses eliciting different patterns of bursts. Moreover, genetically identical cells subject to an identical stress can behave quite differently, with some cells mounting a robust nuclear occupancy of Msn2 while others show no nuclear localization at all. We have proposed that this idiosyncratic behavior allows populations of cells to “hedge their bet” as to what will be the optimum strategy for surviving the ensuing stress. We have used computational modeling and single cell analysis to determine that bursting is a consequence of noise in the stress signaling pathways amplified by the small number of Msn2 molecules in the cell. Moreover, we have applied genome wide chromatin immunoprecipitation and nucleosome profiling to address how different stresses determine where Msn2 binds under a particular stressful conditions, and thus what genes are regulated by that stress, and how that binding affects, and is affected by, nucleosome positioning and other transcription factor binding. These results provide in vivo validation of Widon's model of indirect cooperativity of transcription factor binding, mediated by partial unwinding of nucleosomes by one transcription factor to allow access for a second transcription factor to a previously occluded binding site. Finally, we have addressed the “bet hedging” hypothesis by showing that persistence of the Msn2-mediated stress response yields cell growth arrest and have identified the targets responsible for that growth arrest. We have applied experimental evolution paradigms to address the relative fitness of cells exhibiting stochastic stress responses versus those with a uniform response. In short, our results indicate that the stress response is complex and that complexity is critical for cell survival.

  • 38.
    Brockmann, Sarah J.
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Clinical Neuroscience.
    Freischmidt, Axel
    Oeckl, Patrick
    Müller, Kathrin
    Ponna, Srinivas K.
    Helferich, Anika M.
    Paone, Christoph
    Reinders, Jörg
    Kojer, Kerstin
    Orth, Michael
    Jokela, Manu
    Auranen, Mari
    Udd, Bjarne
    Hermann, Andreas
    Danzer, Karin M.
    Lichtner, Peter
    Walther, Paul
    Ludolph, Albert C.
    Andersen, Peter M.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Clinical Neuroscience.
    Otto, Markus
    Kursula, Petri
    Just, Steffen
    Weishaupt, Jochen H.
    CHCHD10 mutations p.R15L and p.G66V cause motoneuron disease by haploinsufficiency2018In: Human Molecular Genetics, ISSN 0964-6906, E-ISSN 1460-2083, Vol. 27, no 4, p. 706-715Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Mutations in the mitochondrially located protein CHCHD10 cause motoneuron disease by an unknown mechanism. In this study, we investigate the mutations p. R15L and p. G66V in comparison to wild-type CHCHD10 and the non-pathogenic variant p. P34S in vitro, in patient cells as well as in the vertebrate in vivo model zebrafish. We demonstrate a reduction of CHCHD10 protein levels in p. R15L and p. G66V mutant patient cells to approximately 50%. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that expression of CHCHD10 p. R15L, but not of CHCHD10 p. G66V, is already abrogated at the mRNA level. Altered secondary structure and rapid protein degradation are observed with regard to the CHCHD10 p. G66V mutant. In contrast, no significant differences in expression, degradation rate or secondary structure of non-pathogenic CHCHD10 p. P34S are detected when compared with wild-type protein. Knockdown of CHCHD10 expression in zebrafish to about 50% causes motoneuron pathology, abnormal myofibrillar structure and motility deficits in vivo. Thus, our data show that the CHCHD10 mutations p. R15L and p. G66V cause motoneuron disease primarily based on haploinsufficiency of CHCHD10.

  • 39.
    Brännström, Kristoffer
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Gharibyan, Anna L.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Islam, Tohidul
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Iakovleva, Irina
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Nilsson, Lina
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Lee, Cheng Choo
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Plant Physiology.
    Sandblad, Linda
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine).
    Pamrén, Annelie
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Olofsson, Anders
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Scanning electron microscopy as a tool for evaluating morphology of amyloid structures formed on surface plasmon resonance chips2018In: Data in Brief, E-ISSN 2352-3409, Vol. 19, p. 1166-1170Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We demonstrate the use of Scanning Electron microscopy (SEM) in combination with Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) to probe and verify the formation of amyloid and its morphology on an SPR chip. SPR is a technique that measures changes in the immobilized weight on the chip surface and is frequently used to probe the formation and biophysical properties of amyloid structures. In this context it is of interest to also monitor the morphology of the formed structures. The SPR chip surface is made of a layer of gold, which represent a suitable material for direct analysis of the surface using SEM. The standard SPR chip used here (CM5-chip, GE Healthcare, Uppsala, Sweden) can easily be disassembled and directly analyzed by SEM. In order to verify the formation of amyloid fibrils in our experimental conditions we analyzed also in-solution produced structures by using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). For further details and experimental findings, please refer to the article published in Journal of Molecular Biology, (Brännström K. et al., 2018) [1].

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  • 40.
    Brännström, Kristoffer
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Islam, Tohidul
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Sandblad, Linda
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine).
    Olofsson, Anders
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    The role of histidines in amyloid β fibril assembly2017In: FEBS Letters, ISSN 0014-5793, E-ISSN 1873-3468, Vol. 591, no 8, p. 1167-1175Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Low pH has a strong stabilising effect on the fibrillar assembly of amyloid β, which is associated with Alzheimer's disease. The stabilising effect is already pronounced at pH 6.0, suggesting that protonation of histidines might mediate this effect. Through the systematic substitution of the three native histidines in Aβ for alanines, we have evaluated their role in fibril stability. Using surface plasmon resonance, we show that at neutral pH the fibrillar forms of all His-Ala variants are destabilised by a factor of 4-12 compared to wild-type Aβ. However, none of the His-Ala Aβ variants impair the stabilising effect of the fibril at low pH.

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  • 41.
    Brännström, Kristoffer
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Lindhagen Persson, Malin
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Gharabyan, A
    Vestling, M
    Brännström, Thomas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology.
    Morozova-Roche, Ludmilla
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Olofsson, Anders
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Design of oligomer-specific antibodiesManuscript (preprint) (Other academic)
  • 42.
    Brännström, Kristoffer
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Lindhagen-Persson, Malin
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Gharibyan, Anna L.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Iakovleva, Irina
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Vestling, Monika
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Sellin, Mikael E.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine).
    Brännström, Thomas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology.
    Morozova-Roche, Ludmilla
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Forsgren, Lars
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Clinical Neuroscience.
    Olofsson, Anders
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    A Generic Method for Design of Oligomer-Specific Antibodies2014In: PLOS ONE, E-ISSN 1932-6203, Vol. 9, no 3, p. e90857-Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Antibodies that preferentially and specifically target pathological oligomeric protein and peptide assemblies, as opposed to their monomeric and amyloid counterparts, provide therapeutic and diagnostic opportunities for protein misfolding diseases. Unfortunately, the molecular properties associated with oligomer-specific antibodies are not well understood, and this limits targeted design and development. We present here a generic method that enables the design and optimisation of oligomer-specific antibodies. The method takes a two-step approach where discrimination between oligomers and fibrils is first accomplished through identification of cryptic epitopes exclusively buried within the structure of the fibrillar form. The second step discriminates between monomers and oligomers based on differences in avidity. We show here that a simple divalent mode of interaction, as within e. g. the IgG isotype, can increase the binding strength of the antibody up to 1500 times compared to its monovalent counterpart. We expose how the ability to bind oligomers is affected by the monovalent affinity and the turnover rate of the binding and, importantly, also how oligomer specificity is only valid within a specific concentration range. We provide an example of the method by creating and characterising a spectrum of different monoclonal antibodies against both the A beta peptide and alpha-synuclein that are associated with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, respectively. The approach is however generic, does not require identification of oligomer-specific architectures, and is, in essence, applicable to all polypeptides that form oligomeric and fibrillar assemblies.

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  • 43.
    Brännström, Kristoffer
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Öhman, Anders
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Clinical Neuroscience.
    Lindhagen-Persson, Malin
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Olofsson, Anders
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Ca2+ enhances Aβ polymerization rate and fibrillar stability in a dynamic manner2013In: Biochemical Journal, ISSN 0264-6021, E-ISSN 1470-8728, Vol. 450, p. 189-197Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Identifying factors that affect the self-assembly of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) is of utmost importance in the quest to understand the molecular mechanisms causing Alzheimer's disease (AD). Ca2+ has previously been shown to accelerate both Aβ fibril nucleation and maturation, and a dysregulated Ca2+ homeostasis frequently correlates with development of AD. The mechanisms regarding Ca2+ binding as well as its effect on fibril kinetics are not fully understood. Using a polymerization assay we show that Ca2+ in a dynamic and reversible manner enhances both the elongation rate and fibrillar stability, where specifically the "dock and lock" phase mechanism is enhanced. Through NMR analysis we found that Ca2+ affects the fibrillar architecture. In addition, and unexpectedly, we found that Ca2+ does not bind the free Aβ monomer. This implies that Ca2+ binding requires an architecture adopted by assembled peptides, and consequently is mediated through intermolecular interactions between adjacent peptides. This gives a mechanistic explanation to the enhancing effect on fibril maturation and indicates structural similarities between prefibrillar structures and mature amyloid. Taken together we expose how Ca2+ levels affect the delicate equilibrium between the monomeric and assembled Aβ and how fluctuations in vivo may contribute to development and progression of the disease.

  • 44.
    Bugaytsova, Jeanna A.
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Björnham, Oscar
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Applied Physics and Electronics. Swedish Defence Research Agency, 906 21 Umeå, Sweden.
    Chernov, Yevgen A.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Gideonsson, Pär
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Henriksson, Sara
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Mendez, Melissa
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Sjöström, Rolf
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Mahdavi, Jafar
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. School of Life Sciences, CBS, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD Nottingham, UK.
    Shevtsova, Anna
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Ilver, Dag
    Moonens, Kristof
    Quintana-Hayashi, Macarena P.
    Moskalenko, Roman
    Aisenbrey, Christopher
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry.
    Bylund, Göran
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Schmidt, Alexej
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology.
    Åberg, Anna
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Brännström, Kristoffer
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Koeniger, Verena
    Vikström, Susanne
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Rakhimova, Lena
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology.
    Hofer, Anders
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Ögren, Johan
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Section of Medicine.
    Liu, Hui
    Goldman, Matthew D.
    Whitmire, Jeannette M.
    Åden, Jörgen
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry.
    Younson, Justine
    Kelly, Charles G.
    Gilman, Robert H.
    Chowdhury, Abhijit
    Mukhopadhyay, Asish K.
    Nair, G. Balakrish
    Papadakos, Konstantinos S.
    Martinez-Gonzalez, Beatriz
    Sgouras, Dionyssios N.
    Engstrand, Lars
    Unemo, Magnus
    Danielsson, Dan
    Suerbaum, Sebastian
    Oscarson, Stefan
    Morozova-Roche, Ludmilla A.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Olofsson, Anders
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Gröbner, Gerhard
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry.
    Holgersson, Jan
    Esberg, Anders
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Odontology.
    Strömberg, Nicklas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Odontology.
    Landström, Maréne
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology.
    Eldridge, Angela M.
    Chromy, Brett A.
    Hansen, Lori M.
    Solnick, Jay V.
    Linden, Sara K.
    Haas, Rainer
    Dubois, Andre
    Merrell, D. Scott
    Schedin, Staffan
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Applied Physics and Electronics.
    Remaut, Han
    Arnqvist, Anna
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Berg, Douglas E.
    Boren, Thomas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Helicobacter pylori Adapts to Chronic Infection and Gastric Disease via pH-Responsive BabA-Mediated Adherence2017In: Cell Host and Microbe, ISSN 1931-3128, E-ISSN 1934-6069, Vol. 21, no 3, p. 376-389Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    The BabA adhesin mediates high-affinity binding of Helicobacter pylori to the ABO blood group antigen-glycosylated gastric mucosa. Here we show that BabA is acid responsive-binding is reduced at low pH and restored by acid neutralization. Acid responsiveness differs among strains; often correlates with different intragastric regions and evolves during chronic infection and disease progression; and depends on pH sensor sequences in BabA and on pH reversible formation of high-affinity binding BabA multimers. We propose that BabA's extraordinary reversible acid responsiveness enables tight mucosal bacterial adherence while also allowing an effective escape from epithelial cells and mucus that are shed into the acidic bactericidal lumen and that bio-selection and changes in BabA binding properties through mutation and recombination with babA-related genes are selected by differences among individuals and by changes in gastric acidity over time. These processes generate diverse H. pylori subpopulations, in which BabA's adaptive evolution contributes to H. pylori persistence and overt gastric disease.

  • 45.
    Byggeth, Ida
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine).
    Regulatoriska ribonukleinsyror som målobjekt för ny antibiotikautveckling2022Independent thesis Basic level (professional degree), 20 credits / 30 HE creditsStudent thesis
  • 46.
    Byrnes, Andrea
    et al.
    Dept Genetics and dept Biostatistics, University of North Carolina.
    Jacks, Andreas
    Dept Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet.
    Dahlman-Wright, Karin
    Dept Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet.
    Evengård, Birgitta
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Infectious Diseases.
    Wright, Fred A
    Dept Biostatistics, University of North Carolina.
    Pedersen, Nancy L
    Dept Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistis, Karolinska Institutet.
    Sullivan, Patrick F
    Dept Genetics, Univ of North Carolina, Dept Medical Epid and Biostat, Karol Institutet.
    Gene expression in peripheral blood leukocytes in monozygotic twins discordant for chronic fatigue: no evidence of a biomarker2009In: PLOS ONE, E-ISSN 1932-6203, Vol. 4, no 6, p. e5805-Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    BACKGROUND: Chronic fatiguing illness remains a poorly understood syndrome of unknown pathogenesis. We attempted to identify biomarkers for chronic fatiguing illness using microarrays to query the transcriptome in peripheral blood leukocytes.

    METHODS: Cases were 44 individuals who were clinically evaluated and found to meet standard international criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome or idiopathic chronic fatigue, and controls were their monozygotic co-twins who were clinically evaluated and never had even one month of impairing fatigue. Biological sampling conditions were standardized and RNA stabilizing media were used. These methodological features provide rigorous control for bias resulting from case-control mismatched ancestry and experimental error. Individual gene expression profiles were assessed using Affymetrix Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 arrays.

    FINDINGS: There were no significant differences in gene expression for any transcript.

    CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to our expectations, we were unable to identify a biomarker for chronic fatiguing illness in the transcriptome of peripheral blood leukocytes suggesting that positive findings in prior studies may have resulted from experimental bias.

  • 47.
    Byström, Roberth
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Chemistry.
    SOD1´s Law: An Investigation of ALS Provoking Properties in SOD12009Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    Proteins are the most important molecules in the cell since they take care of most of the biological functions which resemble life. To ensure that everything is working properly the cell has a rigorous control system to monitor the proper function of its proteins and sends old or dysfunctional proteins for degradation. Unfortunately, this system sometimes fails and the once so vital proteins start to misbehave or to accumulate and in the worst case scenario these undesired processes cause the death of their host. One example is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS); a progressive and always fatal neurodegenerative disorder that is proposed to derive from accumulation of aberrant proteins. Over 140 mutations in the human gene encoding the cytosolic homodimeric enzyme Cu/Zn-Superoxide Dismutase (SOD1) are linked to ALS. The key event in SOD1 associated ALS seems to be the pathological formation of toxic protein aggregates as a result of initially unfolded or partly structured SOD1-mutants.

    Here, we have compared the folding behaviour of a set of ALS associated SOD1 mutants. Based on our findings we propose that SOD1 mediated ALS can be triggered by a decrease in protein stability but also by mutations which reduce the net charge of the protein. Both findings are in good agreement with the hypothesis for protein aggregation.

    SOD1 has also been found to be able to interact with mitochondrial membranes and SOD1 inclusions have been detected in the inter-membrane space of mitochondria originating from the spinal cord. The obvious question then arose; does the misfolding and aggregation of SOD1 involve erroneous interactions with membranes?

    Here, we could show that there is an electrostatically driven interaction between the reduced apo SOD1 protein including ALS associated SOD1-mutants and charged lipid membrane surfaces. This association process changes the secondary structures of these mutants in a way quite different from the situation found in membrane free aqueous environment. However, the result show that mutants interact with charged lipid vesicles to lesser extent than wildtype SOD1. This opposes the correlation between decreased SOD1 stability and disease progression. We therefore suggest that the observed interaction is not a primary cause in the ALS mechanism.

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  • 48.
    Byström, Roberth
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Chemistry.
    Aisenbrey, Christopher
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Chemistry.
    Oliveberg, Mikael
    Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Arrhenius Laboratories of Natural Sciences, Stockholm University, S-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
    Gröbner, Gerhard
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Chemistry.
    Electrostatic interactions between negatively charged phospolipid membranes and SOD1 protein: Effect of charge changing fALS mutationsManuscript (preprint) (Other (popular science, discussion, etc.))
    Abstract [en]

    The neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is closely connected to single site mutations of the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) protein, whose pathological conversion into misfolded aggregates is a hallmark of ALS. To explore the impact of protein net charge changing ALS relevant SOD1 mutations on their ability to interact with neuronal membranes and the consequences for their folding behaviour, we studied by circular dichroism the conformational changes of the SOD1pWT, SOD1N86D and SOD1N86K species in their apo-state in the presence of increasing amounts of negatively charged lipid bilayers.. The results clearly indicate an electrostatically driven association process, where the association event induces a pronounced increase in the helical character of the pWT and the N86D species, characterized by long patient survival times. To the opposite, the charge reducing N86K mutation shows more pronounced β-like features in the presence of membranes in comparison to the other two species; an observation which most likely reflects its reduced stability in its apo-state in combination with a very fast ALS progression.

  • 49.
    Byström, Roberth
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Chemistry.
    Andersen, Peter Munch
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Neurology.
    Gröbner, Gerhard
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Chemistry.
    Oliveberg, Mikael
    Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Arrhenius Laboratories of Natural Sciences, Stockholm University, S-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
    Identification of property outliers among ALS-associated SOD1 mutations: Common effect on surface hydrogen bondsManuscript (preprint) (Other (popular science, discussion, etc.))
    Abstract [en]

    In good accord with the protein-aggregation hypothesis for neurodegenerative diseaseALS-associated SOD1 mutations are found to reduce structural stability or netrepulsive charge. Moreover there are weak indications that the ALS diseaseprogression is correlated with the degree of mutational impact on the SOD1 structure.A bottleneck for obtaining more conclusive information about these structure-diseaserelationships, however, is the large intrinsic variability in patient survival times andinsufficient disease statistics for the majority of ALS-provoking mutations. As analternative test of the structure-disease relationship we focus here on the SOD1 amutation that appears to be outliers in the data set. The results identify several ALSprovokingmutations whose only effect on apo SOD1 is the elimination orintroduction of a single charge, i.e., D76V/Y, D101N and N139D/K. Thethermodynamic stability and folding behaviour of these mutants are indistinguishablefrom the wildtype control, showing that structurally benign replacements of individualsurface charges are sufficient to trigger ALS. Moreover, D101N is a clear outlier inthe plot of stability loss vs. patient survival time by having too rapid diseaseprogression. Common to the identified mutations is that they truncate conserved saltlinksand/or H-bond networks in the functional loops IV or VII. The results show thatthe local impact of ALS-associated mutations on the SOD1 molecule can sometimesoverrun their global effects on stability and net repulsive charge, and point at theanalysis of property outliers as an efficient strategy for mapping out new ALSprovokingfeatures.

  • 50. Bárcena-Uribarri, Iván
    et al.
    Thein, Marcus
    Barbot, Mariam
    Sans-Serramitjana, Eulalia
    Bonde, Mari
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine).
    Mentele, Reinhard
    Lottspeich, Friedrich
    Bergström, Sven
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine).
    Benz, Roland
    Study of the protein complex, pore diameter, and pore-forming activity of the Borrelia burgdorferi P13 porin2014In: Journal of Biological Chemistry, ISSN 0021-9258, E-ISSN 1083-351X, Vol. 289, no 27, p. 18614-18624Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    P13 is one of the major outer membrane proteins of Borrelia burgdorferi. Previous studies described P13 as a porin. In the present study some structure and function aspects of P13 were studied. P13 showed according to lipid bilayer studies a channel-forming activity of 0.6 nanosiemens in 1 M KCl. Single channel and selectivity measurements demonstrated that P13 had no preference for either cations or anions and showed no voltage-gating up to +/-100 mV. Blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to isolate and characterize the P13 protein complex in its native state. The complex had a high molecular mass of about 300 kDa and was only composed of P13 monomers. The channel size was investigated using non-electrolytes revealing an apparent diameter of about 1.4 nm with a 400-Da molecular mass cut-off. Multichannel titrations with different substrates reinforced the idea that P13 forms a general diffusion channel. The identity of P13 within the complex was confirmed by second dimension SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, mass spectrometry, and the use of a p13 deletion mutant strain. The results suggested that P13 is the protein responsible for the 0.6-nanosiemens pore-forming activity in the outer membrane of B. burgdorferi.

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