Biology subjects

Avila, B.

Publications and source records attributed to Avila, B..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2021

Non-Canonical Projections from Ventral CA1 and Subicular Complex to CA3 Augments the Feedforward Hippocampal Trisynaptic Pathway

The hippocampal formation is well documented as having a feedforward, unidirectional circuit organization termed the trisynaptic pathway. This circuit organization exists along the septotemporal axis of the hippocampal formation, but the circuit connectivity across septal to temporal regions is less well described. The emergence of viral-genetic mapping techniques enhances our ability to determine the detailed complexity of hippocampal formation circuitry. In earlier work, we mapped a subiculum back-projection to CA1 prompted by the discovery of theta wave back-propagation from the subiculum to CA1 and CA3. We reason that this circuitry may represent multiple extended non-canonical pathways involving the subicular complex and hippocampal subregions CA1 and CA3. In the present study, multiple retrograde viral tracing approaches produced robust mapping results, which supports this prediction. We find significant non-canonical synaptic inputs to dorsal hippocampal CA3 from ventral CA1, perirhinal cortex, and the subicular complex. Thus, CA1 inputs to CA3 run opposite the trisynaptic pathway and in a temporal to septal direction. Our retrograde viral tracing results are confirmed by anterograde-directed viral mapping of projections from input mapped regions to hippocampal dorsal CA3. Together, our data provide a circuit foundation to explore novel functional roles contributed by these non-canonical hippocampal circuit connections to hippocampal dynamics and behavior.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Mechanisms of allosteric and mixed mode aromatase inhibitors

Aromatase (Cyp19) catalyzes the last biosynthetic step of estrogens in mammals and is a primary drug target for hormone-related breast cancer. However, treatment with aromatase inhibitors is often associated with adverse effects and drug resistance. In this study, we used virtual screening targeting a predicted cytochrome P450 reductase binding site on aromatase to discover four novel non-steroidal aromatase inhibitors. The inhibitors have potencies comparable to the noncompetitive tamoxifen metabolite, endoxifen. Our two most potent inhibitors, AR11 and AR13, exhibit both mixed-type and competitive-type inhibition. The cytochrome P450 reductase-Cyp19 coupling interface likely acts as a transient binding site. Our modeling shows that our inhibitors bind better at different sites near the catalytic site. Our results predict the location of multiple ligand binding sites on aromatase. The combination of modeling and experimental results supports the important role of the reductase binding interface as a low affinity, promiscuous ligand binding site. Our new inhibitors may be useful as alternative chemical scaffolds that may show different adverse effects profiles than current clinically used aromatase inhibitors.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2018

Porcine circovirus 2 particles use distinct binding modes for cellular attachment

Porcine circovirus 2 is the smallest pathogenic virus capable of autonomous replication within its host. Infections result in immunosuppression and subsequent death of the host, and are initiated via the attachment of the PCV2 icosahedral capsid to heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate B glycosaminoglycans on the cell surface. However, the underlying mechanism of structural recognition remains to be explored. Using heparin, a routinely used analog of heparan sulfate, we demonstrate that increasing lengths of heparin exhibit greater affinity towards PCV2. Our competition assays indicate that dextra sulfate (8kDa) has higher affinity than heparin (12kDa), chondroitin sulfate B (41kDa) hyaluronic acid (1.6MDa), and dextran (6kDa) for PCV2. This suggests that polymers high in sulfate content are capable of competing with the PCV2-heparan sulfate interaction, and thus have the potential to inhibit PCV2 infection. Finally, we visualize the interaction between heparin and the PCV2 capsid using cryo-electron microscopy single particle analysis, symmetry expansion, and focused classification. The image reconstructions provide the first example of an asymmetric distribution of heparin on the surface of an icosahedral virus capsid. We demonstrate that each of the 60 capsid subunits that generate the T=1 capsid can bind heparin via one of five binding sites. However, not all of the binding sites are occupied by heparin and only one-to two-thirds of the binding sites are occupied. The binding sites are defined by arginine, lysine, and polar amino acids. Mutating the arginine, lysine, and polar amino acids to alanine diminishes the binding capacity of PCV2 to heparin.\n\nImportanceIt has been demonstrated that porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) attaches to cells via heparan sulfate (HS) and chondroitin sulfate B (CSB) glycosaminoglycans; however, the underlying structural mechanism describing the HS/CSB recognition by PCV2 remains to be explored. We use cryo-electron microscopy with single particle analysis, symmetry expansion, and focused classification to visualize the interaction between the PCV2 capsid and heparin, an analog of heparan sulfate, to better than 3.6[A] resolution. We observe that the interaction between the PCV2 and heparin does not adhere to the icosahedral symmetry of the capsid. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example where the interaction between heparin and an icosahedral capsid does not follow the symmetry elements of the capsid. Our findings also suggest that anionic polymers such as dextran sulfate may act to inhibit PCV2 infection.

biophysics↗