Biology subjects

Sallans, L.

Publications and source records attributed to Sallans, L..

6 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Integrative Multi-Omics Analysis Identifies Nuclear Factor I as a Key Driver of Dysregulated Purine Metabolism in DIPG

Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a devastating brainstem cancer in children, with a median survival of under one year and limited treatment options. Over 80% of DIPGs possess a H3K27M mutation. To identify metabolic vulnerabilities linked to this mutation, we utilized a multi-omics approach in H3K27M-expressing cells, patient-derived cell lines, and mouse models. We show that by reprogramming chromatin landscape the mutation aberrantly induces NFI transcriptional activity, leading to misregulated purine metabolism. The mutation amplifies purine biosynthesis and degradation via the enzymes ATIC and PNP, respectively. Unregulated purine degradation relieves the negative feedback of purines on their own synthesis allowing continuous synthesis, use and degradation making DIPGs reliant on purine biosynthesis. Targeting ATIC reduced tumor progression and improved survival in mice. We propose ATIC as a potential novel target in DIPG.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Metabolomics reveals nucleoside analogs for regulating mucosal-associated invariant T cell responses

Although mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells recognize riboflavin-like metabolites from Gram-negative bacteria, MAIT cell stimulation by broad bacterial families and mammalian cells suggests the existence of novel ligands from different biological sources. Here we established a comparative platform of functional metabolomics and used Mycobacterium tuberculosis as a model to characterize novel metabolites for MAIT cell activation. We extracted and fractionated small metabolites of M. tuberculosis using high-performance liquid chromatography, showing a different MAIT cell stimulation pattern of M. tuberculosis metabolite fractions in comparison with Escherichia coli fractions. Mass profiling predicted multiple nucleoside analogs enriched in a biologically active fraction of M. tuberculosis. Whereas the synthetic forms of these predicted M. tuberculosis nucleosides were unavailable, structural-based autodocking of analogous nucleosides conserved in mammals supported potential binding with MR1 protein. Indeed, functional assays of these conserved nucleosides demonstrated guanosine as a stimulator and deoxyformyluridine as an inhibitor of MAIT cell activation. Identification of bioactive nucleoside metabolites broadly conserved in bacterial and mammalian systems will facilitate an understanding of the regulatory roles of MAIT cells in infectious and inflammatory conditions.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2022

High-Resolution Tandem Mass Spectrometry Indicates Rubisco Activase is Associated with PS I-LHC I-LHC II Membranes

During proteomic investigations examining the mobile LHC II chlorophyll antenna complex associated with Photosystem I (PS I), we identified, with very high confidence, the association of Rubisco Activase with PS I-LHC I-LHC II membranes. Using very rigorous criteria (p-values [≤] 10-5), a total of fifty-three high-quality Rubisco Activase peptides were identified by high resolution tandem mass spectrometry in two biological replicates, each digested with either trypsin or chymotrypsin, independently. Using these criteria, and searching the entire spinach proteome, only proteins previously known to be associated with PS I (the PS I subunits PsaD and PsaL, Lhca1-4, Lhcb1-3), the monomeric Lhcb proteins, Lhcb4-6 (which will be discussed elsewhere), and Rubisco Activase were identified. The presence of Rubisco Activase closely associated with PS I has important implications with respect to the activation of this enzyme and, consequently, the Calvin cycle by PS I, which will be discussed.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2021

Oxidative Modification of LHC II Associated with Photosystem II and PS I-LHC I-LHC II Membranes

Under aerobic conditions the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) by electron transport chains is unavoidable, and occurs in both autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms. In photosynthetic organisms both Photosystem II (PS II) and Photosystem I (PS I), in addition to the cytochrome b6/f complex, are demonstrated sources of ROS. All of these membrane protein complexes exhibit oxidative damage when isolated from field-grown plant material. An additional possible source of ROS in PS I and PS II is the distal, chlorophyll-containing light-harvesting array LHC II, which is present in both photosystems. These serve as possible sources of 1O2 produced by the interaction of 3O2 with 3chl* produced by intersystem crossing. We have hypothesized that amino acid residues close to the sites of ROS generation will be more susceptible to oxidative modification than distant residues. In this study, we have identified oxidized amino acid residues in a subset of the spinach LHC II proteins (Lhcb1 and Lhcb2) that were associated with either PS II membranes (i.e. BBYs) or PS I-LHC I-LHC II membranes, both of which were isolated from field-grown spinach. We identified oxidatively modified residues by high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. Interestingly, two different patterns of oxidative modification were evident for the Lhcb1 and Lhcb2 proteins from these different sources. In the LHC II associated with PS II membranes, oxidized residues were identified to be located on the stromal surface of Lhcb1 and, to a much lesser extent, Lhcb2. Relatively few oxidized residues were identified as buried in the hydrophobic core of these proteins. The LHC II associated with PS I-LHC I-LHC II membranes, however, exhibited fewer surface-oxidized residues but, rather a large number of oxidative modifications buried in the hydrophobic core regions of both Lhcb1 and Lhcb2, adjacent to the chlorophyll prosthetic groups. These results appear to indicate that ROS, specifically 1O2, can modify the Lhcb proteins associated with both photosystems and that the LHC II associated with PS II membranes represent a different population from the LHC II associated with PS I-LHC I-LHC II membranes.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2019

Natively Oxidized Amino Acid Residues in the Spinach PS I-LHC I Supercomplex

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production is an unavoidable byproduct of electron transport under aerobic conditions. Photosystem II (PS II), the cytochrome b6f complex and Photosystem I (PS I) are all demonstrated sources of ROS. It has been proposed that PS I produces substantial levels of a variety of ROS including [Formula] 1O2, H2O2 and, possibly, [Formula], however, the site(s) of ROS production within PS I has been the subject of significant debate. We hypothesize that amino acid residues close to the sites of ROS generation will be more susceptible to oxidative modification than distant residues. In this study, we have identified oxidized amino acid residues in spinach PS I which was isolated from field-grown spinach. The modified residues were identified by high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. As expected, many of the modified residues lie on the surface of the complex. However, a well-defined group of oxidized residues, both buried and surface-exposed, lead from the chl a of P700 to the surface of PS I. These residues (PsaB: 609F, 611E, 617M, 619W, 620L, and PsaF: 139L, 142A,143D) may identify a preferred route for ROS, probably 1O2, to egress the complex from the vicinity of P700. Additionally, two buried residues located in close proximity to A1B (PsaB:712H and 714S) were modified, which may be consistent with A1B being a source of [Formula]. Surprisingly, no oxidatively modified residues were identified in close proximity to the 4Fe-FS clusters FX, FA or FB. These cofactors had been identified as a principal targets for ROS damage in the photosystem. Finally, a large number of residues located in the hydrophobic cores of Lhca1-Lhca4 are oxidatively modified. These appear to be the result of 1O2 production by the distal antennae for the photosystem.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2017

Natively Oxidized Amino Acid Residues in the Spinach Cytochrome b6f Complex

The cytochrome b6f complex of oxygenic photosynthesis produces substantial levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). It has been observed that the ROS production rate by b6f is 10-20 fold higher than that observed for the analogous respiratory cytochrome bc1 complex. The types of ROS produced (O2*-,1O2, and, possibly, H2O2) and the site(s) of ROS production within the b6f complex has been the subject of some debate. Proposed sources of ROS have include the heme bp, PQp*- (possible sources for O2*-), the Rieske iron-sulfur cluster (possible source of O2*- and/or H2O2), Chl a (possible source of 1O2) and heme Cn (possible source of O2*- and/or H2O2). Our working hypothesis is that amino acid residues proximal to the ROS production sites will be more susceptible to oxidative modification than distant residues. In the current study, we have identified natively oxidized amino acid residues in the subunits of the spinach cytochrome b6f complex. The oxidized residues were identified by tandem mass spectrometry using the MassMatrix Program. Our results indicate that numerous residues, principally localized near p-side cofactors and Chl a, were oxidatively modified. We hypothesize that these sites are sources for ROS generation in the spinach cytochrome b6f complex.

biochemistry↗