Biology subjects

Bhowmik, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Bhowmik, S..

9 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Genomic and biochemical contexts determine the physiological role of a horizontally acquired gene

The horizontally acquired mgtC gene from Salmonella enterica confers this bacterium the abilities to survive episodes of magnesium (Mg2+) starvation, and to replicate in mammalian macrophages. The former property allows bacteria to persist in the environment through periods of Mg2+ depletion, whereas the latter allows S. enterica to overcome self-limiting intestinal colonization and cause an invasive systemic infection in susceptible mammalian hosts. Even though the biochemical function of MgtC is not completely understood, this protein is thought to function primarily by preventing the production of toxic levels of Mg2+-chelating adenosine triphosphate (ATP). In the current work, we investigated the physiological roles of mgtC homologs from an array of bacterial species, by probing the processes controlled by this gene during replication in low Mg2+ medium and in macrophages. We determined that MgtC homologs that do not participate in Pi homeostasis during Mg2+ starvation and do not promote intramacrophage replication in their resident species can partake in these processes when expressed in S. enterica. This indicates that the function of this protein is context dependent. Accordingly, we show that the physiological processes affected by S. enterica MgtC vary, depending on whether the bacteria replicate in low Mg2+ medium or inside macrophages. While these results suggest that MgtC is a regulator, they also demonstrate that horizontally acquired genes can assume different roles, depending on the genome and the biochemical context into which they are inserted. ImportanceThe mgtC gene encodes an inner membrane protein that has been horizontally acquired by multiple bacterial species, including several mammalian pathogens. In Salmonella enterica, MgtC promotes replication in mammalian macrophages and allows this bacterium to survive cytoplasmic magnesium (Mg2+) starvation. These phenotypes are thought to result from MgtCs inhibition of Pi metabolism and ATP production, which prevents the accumulation of toxic levels of Mg2+-chelating ATP and disrupts other physiological processes that are strictly dependent on Mg2+, such as ribosome assembly and translation. In the current study, we show that processes that are controlled by MgtC vary with the genetic and biochemical contexts in which this protein is expressed. While establishing a broader role for MgtC as a regulator, our findings illustrate how horizontally acquired regulatory genes can potentiate regulatory interactions, facilitating the evolution of new traits.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2026

Nanoscale visualization of ribonucleoprotein condensates with ultrastructure RNA expansion microscopy

Superresolution imaging of RNAs in their native cellular context is crucial for investigating RNA biology. Here, we develop Ultrastructure RNA Expansion (UREx) microscopy, an expansion microscopy approach, that retains cellular RNAs and RNP granule condensates. We demonstrate that UREx retains the highly ordered core-shell architecture of Neat1 RNA in the paraspeckles, confirming RNA ultrastructure preservation. In addition to robust RNA retention, UREx also preserves protein epitopes and overall cellular protein ultrastructure thus enabling context-dependent visualization of RNAs in cells as well as intact tissues. Employing UREx, we visualize RNP condensates in the intact Drosophila germline and resolve diffraction-limited oskar granules into RNP nanoclusters. Together, our findings establish UREx as a broadly applicable and cost-effective resource to interrogate the nanoscale spatial organization of RNAs and proteins within diffraction-limited RNP assemblies.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Selective Stabilization of HRAS2 i-Motif DNA by TMPyP4: A Multimodal Biophysical and Thermodynamic Investigation

I-motif (iM) DNA structures, formed by cytosine-rich sequences, are increasingly acknowledged for their involvement in gene regulation, maintenance of genomic stability, and their emerging potential as therapeutic targets, particularly in cancer. Despite their biological relevance, the discovery of selective small-molecule probes that can specifically recognize and interact with iM DNA remains an ongoing challenge. In this study, we have used TMPyP4 and screened for its ability to bind various iM DNA constructs, including HRAS1, HRAS2, VEGF, CMYC, CKIT and H-Telo. Structure-activity relationship analyses revealed that specific substitution patterns conferred selectivity towards HRAS2 iM target. Comprehensive spectroscopic investigations, including UV-Vis absorption, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence, and fluorescence anisotropy, uncovered key photophysical signatures of binding, including significant hypochromic and bathochromic shifts, enhanced fluorescence emission, and prolonged fluorescence lifetimes. Circular dichroism (CD),thermal denaturation (UV-melting) and thermodynamic investigations confirmed that TMPyP4 effectively stabilized the HRAS2 iM structures without disrupting their native topologies. Meanwhile, FT-IR spectroscopy revealed local structural rearrangements upon TMPyP4 binding, offering further evidence of molecular interaction. Collectively, these findings provide valuable insights into the molecular recognition of iM DNA by TMPyP4 and highlight its promise as both selective HRAS2 iM-binding agent and responsive fluorescent probe. This work lays a strong foundation for the development of novel tools for studying iM structures in biological systems and for designing future therapeutics targeting iM DNA in cancer and related diseases.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2025

Stress-Induced Alteration of Small Extracellular Vesicles Drives Amyloid-Beta Sequestration and Exacerbates Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis

While small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are implicated in amyloid-beta (A{beta}) trafficking, the mechanisms governing their interaction with A{beta} aggregates and plaque formation remain unresolved. Here, we report a paradigm-shifting discovery: sEVs undergo dynamic structural remodelling in response to stress, enabling selective binding to A{beta} aggregates-a phenomenon absent under normal physiological conditions. Using multimodal stressors, including mechanical (ultrasonication/agitation), physical (hyperthermia), and biological (oxidative damage), we demonstrate that stress-modified sEVs exhibit high-affinity binding to small A{beta} aggregates (SA) through scaffold reorganization, as validated by super-resolution microscopy and quantitative colocalization assays. Crucially, these remodelled sEVs act as potent carriers, enhancing SA internalization by neuronal cells in vitro. Strikingly, in post-mortem Alzheimers disease (AD) brains and APP-PS1 transgenic mice, sEVs were spatially enriched at amyloid plaque margins, suggesting a direct role in A{beta} sequestration and plaque expansion. Consistent with clinical relevance, sEVs isolated from AD patients exhibited an intrinsic SA-binding capacity, recapitulating stress-induced interactions observed experimentally. Our findings reveal that stress-primed sEVs function as pathological chaperones, binding to and internalizing A{beta} aggregates, thereby accelerating plaque nucleation and disease progression. This study provides the first evidence of stress-mediated sEV plasticity as a critical driver of A{beta} pathology, redefining therapeutic strategies targeting extracellular vesicle biology in neurodegenerative disorders. O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=95 SRC="FIGDIR/small/655679v2_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (23K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@107c76borg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1b56848org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@d18636org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1c26db4_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

Breaking barriers: A new phytomedicine based treatment approach for targeted unrevealed non-canonical DNA structures in tuberculosis bacteria.

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), remains a critical global health issue, complicated by the emergence of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains. Current treatments involve prolonged use of first- and second-line drugs, which are associated with severe side effects and poor patient adherence. Non-canonical DNA structures, such as G-quadruplexes (GQ) and i-Motifs (iM), play a vital role in regulating Mtbs virulence, stress responses, and drug resistance mechanisms, making them attractive targets for therapy. Flavonoids, naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds found in various fruits and vegetables have demonstrated the ability to enhance the effectiveness of traditional TB drugs while minimizing cytotoxicity. By employing biophysical techniques including UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, binding constant determination, and thermal melting experiments, this study investigates the interaction between two flavonoids, quercetin and kaempferol and non-canonical DNA structures (GQ and iM) within the Mtb genome. Key GQ/iM sequences from Mtb genes associated with drug resistance were identified and evaluated for their binding with flavonoids. Results revealed that quercetin and kaempferol preferentially interact with specific cyp51 GQ, dnaB GQ, espB GQ, espE GQ, SigA iM, fabH iM, psk5 iM DNA sequences, as indicated by significant changes in absorption spectra. The calculated binding constants showed strong affinities for these specific DNA structures. Thermal melting experiments further indicated that flavonoids increased the thermal stability of these particular GQ and iM DNA, suggesting stabilization via strong stacking interactions. These findings highlight the potential of flavonoids as promising agents to target GQ/iM DNA structures, offering a new strategy for addressing Mtb drug resistance and virulence.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2022

Acinetobacter baumannii defends against oxidative stress through a Mn2+-dependent small RNA-mediated suppression of type VI secretion system

Type VI secretion system (T6SS) is utilized by many Gram negative bacteria for eliminating competing bacterial species and manipulating host cells. Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 17978 utilizes T6SS at the expense of losing pAB3 plasmid to induce contact-dependent killing of competitor microbes, resulting in the loss of antibiotic resistance carried by pAB3. However, the regulatory network associated with T6SS in A. baumannii remains poorly understood. Here, we identified an Mn2+-dependent post-transcriptional regulation of T6SS mediated by a bonafide small RNA, AbsR28. A. baumannii utilizes MumT (Mn2+-uptake inner membrane transporter) for the uptake of extracellular Mn2+ during oxidative stress. We demonstrate that the abundance of intracellular Mn2+ enables complementary base-pairing of AbsR28-tssM mRNA (that translated to TssM, one of the vital inner membrane components of T6SS), inducing RNase E-mediated degradation of tssM mRNA and resulting in T6SS repression. Thus, AbsR28 mediates a crosstalk between MumT and T6SS in A. baumannii. IMPORTANCESmall RNAs (sRNAs) are identified as critical components within the bacterial regulatory networks involved in fine regulation of virulence-associated factors. The sRNA-mediated regulation of Acinetobacter baumanniis T6SS was unchartered. Our findings reveal a novel underlying mechanism of an Mn2+-dependent sRNA-mediated regulation of T6SS in A. baumannii. We show that binding of Mn2+ to AbsR28 aids in the complementary base-pairing of AbsR28-tssM mRNA, resulting in RNase E-mediated processing of tssM and T6SS repression. The findings also shed light on A. baumanniis preference for antibiotic resistance over contact-dependent killing during infection.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2022

KDM6A loss sensitizes human acute myeloid leukemia to PARP and BCL2 inhibition

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous, aggressive malignancy with dismal prognosis and with limited availability of targeted therapies. AML exhibits epigenetic deregulation and transcriptional plasticity that contributes to pathogenesis. KDM6 proteins are histone-3 lysine-27 demethylases that play major context dependent roles in AML evolution and therapy resistance. Here, we demonstrate that KDM6 demethylase function critically regulates DNA damage repair (DDR) gene expression programs in AML. Mechanistically, KDM6 family protein expression is regulated by genotoxic stress, with deficiency of KDM6A (UTX) and KDM6B (JMJD3) impairing DDR transcriptional activation and compromising repair potential. Acquired KDM6A loss-of-function mutations have been implicated in chemoresistance, although a significant percentage of relapsed AML have upregulated KDM6A. Based on these mechanistic findings, olaparib treatment significantly reduced engraftment of patient-derived xenografts. Thus KDM6A-mutant human primary AML samples have increased susceptibility to Poly-(ADP-ribose)-polymerase (PARP) inhibition in vivo. Crucially, a higher KDM6A expression is correlated with venetoclax tolerance. Loss of KDM6A increased mitochondrial activity, BCL2 expression, and sensitized AML cells to venetoclax. Additionally, KDM6A loss was accompanied with a downregulated BCL2A1, which is commonly associated with venetoclax resistance. Corroborating these results, dual targeting of PARP and BCL2 was superior to PARP or BCL2 inhibitor monotherapy in inducing AML apoptosis, and primary AML cells carrying acquired KDM6A-domain mutations were even more sensitive to the combination. Together, our study illustrates a mechanistic rationale in support for a novel combination targeted therapy for human AML based on subtype heterogeneity, and establishes KDM6A as an important molecular regulator for determining therapeutic efficacy.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2021

A Comprehensive in silico study for the Identification of Therapeutic target against Peripheral Neuropathic Pain in human

BackgroundVGF (non-acronymic) is a neuropeptide precursor or neuro-protein or neurosecretory protein which plays vital roles in the regulation of gastric contractility, mood regulation, and peripheral neuropathic pain and possibly, cancer. ObjectiveVGF may be a potential target as it has a unique contribution to the development of neuropathic pain which is a target for Oxymatrine (OMTR). MethodBased on this, we have endeavored to discover VGF inhibitors from the ChEMBL database of Oxymatrine (OMTR) analogues by employing homology modelling, molecular docking and pharmacophore analysis. ResultOur in silico investigation reveals that 13-Methoxymatrine has desired characteristics for becoming a future formulation. ConclusionTo confirm the efficacy of this compound, essential animal and clinical trials are needed to be performed. We believe that our present study will help to find an efficient and effective therapy for treating neuropathic pain in human which is modulated by VGF.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2020

Bacteria on steroids: the enzymatic mechanism of an NADH-dependent dehydrogenase that regulates the conversion of cortisol to androgen in the gut microbiome

Microorganisms extensively modify host steroids, but whether these reactions merely eliminate hormones or create signals with new biological identities is largely unknown. Gut bacteria have been known for more than four decades to reduce cortisol to 20-dihydrocortisol, yet the physiological consequence of this transformation remained unresolved. Here we show that microbial cortisol reduction creates a distinct host signalling molecule. A 2.0-[A] structure of the bacterial enzyme DesC, together with molecular dynamics, biochemical perturbation and hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics simulations, defines substrate recognition and an ordered hydride-transfer and proton-relay mechanism. In gnotobiotic mice, isogenic bacteria expressing active DesC--but not a catalytically inactive S47A variant produced 20-dihydrocortisol in the intestine and circulation and reprogrammed colonic transcription. In primary intestinal epithelial cells, 20-dihydrocortisol, but not cortisol, activated ERK-dependent inflammatory and growth-associated programmes. These responses required nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 3 (NR4A3), whose purified ligand-binding domain bound 20-dihydrocortisol but showed no detectable binding to cortisol. A Chicago colonoscopy cohort linked chronic cortisol exposure, faecal desC, the microbial metabolite and colorectal phenotypes. Thus, bacterial metabolism can change receptor selectivity and biological activity rather than simply terminate host hormone action, expanding the endocrine chemistry of the host.

microbiology↗