Kanagasundaram Y
Diethyl phthalate (DEP) perturbs nitrogen metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Phthalate esters (PAE) are compounds derived by double esterification of phthalic acid (1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid). Since the Industrial Revolution, low molecular weight phthalates such as dimethyl phthalate (DMP) and diethyl phthalate (DEP) have been used in pharmaceutical and manufacturing industries to confer flexibility to products used in personal care, infant care and medical devices1.
ReadIn-Silico Identified New Natural Sortase A Inhibitors Disrupt S. aureus Biofilm Formation
Sortase A (SrtA) is a membrane-associated enzyme that anchors surface-exposed proteins to the cell wall envelope of Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus. As SrtA is essential for Gram-positive bacterial pathogenesis but dispensable for microbial growth or viability, SrtA is considered a favorable target for the enhancement of novel anti-infective drugs that aim to interfere with key bacterial virulence mechanisms, such as biofilm formation, without developing drug resistance.
ReadIdentification and engineering of 32 membered antifungal macrolactone notonesomycins
Notonesomycin A is a 32-membered bioactive glycosylated macrolactone known to be produced by Streptomyces aminophilus subsp. notonesogenes 647-AV1 and S. aminophilus DSM 40186. In a high throughput antifungal screening campaign, we identified an alternative notonesomycin A producing strain, Streptomyces sp. A793, and its biosynthetic gene cluster.
ReadKnockout of the non-essential gene SUGCT creates diet-linked, age-related microbiome disbalance with a diabetes-like metabolic syndrome phenotype
SUGCT (C7orf10) is a mitochondrial enzyme that synthesizes glutaryl-CoA from glutarate in tryptophan and lysine catabolism, but it has not been studied in vivo. Although mutations in Sugct lead to Glutaric Aciduria Type 3 disease in humans, patients remain largely asymptomatic despite high levels of glutarate in the urine. To study the disease mechanism, we generated SugctKO mice and uncovered imbalanced lipid and acylcarnitine metabolism in kidney in addition to changes in the gut microbiome.
ReadNew High-Throughput Screening Identifies Compounds That Reduce Viability Specifically in Liver Cancer Cells That Express High Levels of SALL4 by Inhibiting Oxidative Phosphorylation
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Some oncogenes encode transcription factors, but few drugs have been successfully developed to block their activity specifically in cancer cells. The transcription factor SALL4 is aberrantly expressed in solid tumor and leukemia cells. We developed a screen to identify compounds that reduce the viability of liver cancer cells that express high levels of SALL4, and we investigated their mechanisms.
ReadGenomics-driven discovery of a biosynthetic gene cluster required for the synthesis of BII-Rafflesfungin from the fungus Phoma sp. F3723
BACKGROUND: Phomafungin is a recently reported broad spectrum antifungal compound but its biosynthetic pathway is unknown. We combed publicly available Phoma genomes but failed to find any putative biosynthetic gene cluster that could account for its biosynthesis.
ReadLipid accumulation facilitates mitotic slippage-induced adaptation to anti-mitotic drug treatment
Aberrant lipid accumulation is a hallmark of cancer known to contribute to its aggressiveness and malignancy. Emerging studies have demonstrated context-dependent changes in lipid metabolism during chemotherapy. However, there is little known regarding the mechanisms linking lipid metabolism to chemotherapy-induced cell fates. Here, we describe lipid accumulation in cells following antimitotic drug treatment.
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