@misc{RomaoCoelhoSantosSilvaetal.2017, author = {Romao, Maria Joao and Coelho, Catarina and Santos-Silva, Teresa and Foti, Alessandro and Terao, Mineko and Garattini, Enrico and Leimk{\"u}hler, Silke}, title = {Structural basis for the role of mammalian aldehyde oxidases in the metabolism of drugs and xenobiotics}, series = {Current Opinion in Chemical Biology}, volume = {37}, journal = {Current Opinion in Chemical Biology}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Oxford}, issn = {1367-5931}, doi = {10.1016/j.cbpa.2017.01.005}, pages = {39 -- 47}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Aldehyde oxidases (AOXs) are molybdo-flavoenzymes characterized by broad substrate specificity, oxidizing aromatic/aliphatic aldehydes into the corresponding carboxylic acids and hydroxylating various heteroaromatic rings. Mammals are characterized by a complement of species specific AOX isoenzymes, that varies from one in humans (AOX1) to four in rodents (AOX1, AOX2, AOX3 and AOX4). The physiological function of mammalian AOX isoenzymes is unknown, although human AOX1 is an emerging enzyme in phase-I drug metabolism. Indeed, the number of therapeutic molecules under development which act as AOX substrates is increasing. The recent crystallization and structure determination of human AOX1 as well as mouse AOX3 has brought new insights into the mechanisms underlying substrate/inhibitor binding as well as the catalytic activity of this class of enzymes.}, language = {en} } @misc{LeimkuehlerBuehningBeilschmidt2017, author = {Leimk{\"u}hler, Silke and B{\"u}hning, Martin and Beilschmidt, Lena}, title = {Shared sulfur mobilization routes for tRNA thiolation and molybdenum cofactor biosynthesis in prokaryotes and eukaryotes}, series = {Biomolecules}, volume = {7}, journal = {Biomolecules}, number = {1}, publisher = {MDPI}, address = {Basel}, issn = {2218-273X}, doi = {10.3390/biom7010005}, pages = {20}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Modifications of transfer RNA (tRNA) have been shown to play critical roles in the biogenesis, metabolism, structural stability and function of RNA molecules, and the specific modifications of nucleobases with sulfur atoms in tRNA are present in pro- and eukaryotes. Here, especially the thiomodifications xm(5)s(2)U at the wobble position 34 in tRNAs for Lys, Gln and Glu, were suggested to have an important role during the translation process by ensuring accurate deciphering of the genetic code and by stabilization of the tRNA structure. The trafficking and delivery of sulfur nucleosides is a complex process carried out by sulfur relay systems involving numerous proteins, which not only deliver sulfur to the specific tRNAs but also to other sulfur-containing molecules including iron-sulfur clusters, thiamin, biotin, lipoic acid and molybdopterin (MPT). Among the biosynthesis of these sulfur-containing molecules, the biosynthesis of the molybdenum cofactor (Moco) and the synthesis of thio-modified tRNAs in particular show a surprising link by sharing protein components for sulfur mobilization in pro- and eukaryotes.}, language = {en} } @misc{HasanHocher2017, author = {Hasan, Ahmed Abdallah Abdalrahman Mohamed and Hocher, Berthold}, title = {Role of soluble and membrane-bound dipeptidyl peptidase-4 in diabetic nephropathy}, series = {Journal of Molecular Endocrinology}, volume = {59}, journal = {Journal of Molecular Endocrinology}, publisher = {Bioscientifica LTD}, address = {Bristol}, issn = {0952-5041}, doi = {10.1530/JME-17-0005}, pages = {R1 -- R10}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Diabetic nephropathy is one of the most frequent, devastating and costly complications of diabetes. The available therapeutic approaches are limited. Dipeptidyl peptidase type 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors represent a new class of glucose-lowering drugs that might also have reno-protective properties. DPP-4 exists in two forms: a plasma membranebound form and a soluble form, and can exert many biological actions mainly through its peptidase activity and interaction with extracellular matrix components. The kidneys have the highest DPP-4 expression level in mammalians. DPP-4 expression and urinary activity are up-regulated in diabetic nephropathy, highlighting its role as a potential target to manage diabetic nephropathy. Preclinical animal studies and some clinical data suggest that DPP-4 inhibitors decrease the progression of diabetic nephropathy in a blood pressure-and glucose-independent manner. Many studies reported that these reno-protective effects could be due to increased half-life of DPP-4 substrates such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and stromal derived factor-1 alpha (SDF-1a). However, the underlying mechanisms are far from being completely understood and clearly need further investigations.}, language = {en} } @misc{YangDarkoHuangetal.2017, author = {Yang, Xiaoping and Darko, Kwame Oteng and Huang, Yanjun and He, Caimei and Yang, Huansheng and He, Shanping and Li, Jianzhong and Li, Jian and Hocher, Berthold and Yin, Yulong}, title = {Resistant starch regulates gut microbiota}, series = {Cellular physiology and biochemistry : international journal of experimental cellular physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology}, volume = {42}, journal = {Cellular physiology and biochemistry : international journal of experimental cellular physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology}, number = {1}, publisher = {Karger}, address = {Basel}, issn = {1015-8987}, doi = {10.1159/000477386}, pages = {306 -- 318}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Starch is one of the most popular nutritional sources for both human and animals. Due to the variation of its nutritional traits and biochemical specificities, starch has been classified into rapidly digestible, slowly digestible and resistant starch. Resistant starch has its own unique chemical structure, and various forms of resistant starch are commercially available. It has been found being a multiple-functional regulator for treating metabolic dysfunction. Different functions of resistant starch such as modulation of the gut microbiota, gut peptides, circulating growth factors, circulating inflammatory mediators have been characterized by animal studies and clinical trials. In this mini-review, recent remarkable progress in resistant starch on gut microbiota, particularly the effect of structure, biochemistry and cell signaling on nutrition has been summarized, with highlights on its regulatory effect on gut microbiota.}, language = {en} } @misc{CabralValenteHartig2017, author = {Cabral, Juliano Sarmento and Valente, Luis and Hartig, Florian}, title = {Mechanistic simulation models in macroecology and biogeography}, series = {Ecography : pattern and diversity in ecology}, volume = {40}, journal = {Ecography : pattern and diversity in ecology}, number = {2}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {0906-7590}, doi = {10.1111/ecog.02480}, pages = {267 -- 280}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Macroecology and biogeography are concerned with understanding biodiversity patterns across space and time. In the past, the two disciplines have addressed this question mainly with correlative approaches, despite frequent calls for more mechanistic explanations. Recent advances in computational power, theoretical understanding, and statistical tools are, however, currently facilitating the development of more system-oriented, mechanistic models. We review these models, identify different model types and theoretical frameworks, compare their processes and properties, and summarize emergent findings. We show that ecological (physiology, demographics, dispersal, biotic interactions) and evolutionary processes, as well as environmental and human-induced drivers, are increasingly modelled mechanistically; and that new insights into biodiversity dynamics emerge from these models. Yet, substantial challenges still lie ahead for this young research field. Among these, we identify scaling, calibration, validation, and balancing complexity as pressing issues. Moreover, particular process combinations are still understudied, and so far models tend to be developed for specific applications. Future work should aim at developing more flexible and modular models that not only allow different ecological theories to be expressed and contrasted, but which are also built for tight integration with all macroecological data sources. Moving the field towards such a 'systems macroecology' will test and improve our understanding of the causal pathways through which eco-evolutionary processes create diversity patterns across spatial and temporal scales.}, language = {en} } @misc{DuncanRosa2017, author = {Duncan, Susan and Rosa, Stefanie Nunes}, title = {Gaining insight into plant gene transcription using smFISH}, series = {Transcription}, volume = {9}, journal = {Transcription}, number = {3}, publisher = {Taylor \& Francis Group}, address = {Philadelphia}, issn = {2154-1264}, doi = {10.1080/21541264.2017.1372043}, pages = {166 -- 170}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Single molecule RNA fluorescent in situ hybridization (smFISH) enables gene transcription to be assessed at the cellular level. In this point of view article, we describe our recent smFISH research in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and discuss how this technique could further knowledge of plant gene transcription in the future.}, language = {en} } @misc{Baeurle2017, author = {B{\"a}urle, Isabel}, title = {Can't remember to forget you}, series = {Seminars in cell \& developmental biology}, volume = {83}, journal = {Seminars in cell \& developmental biology}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {London}, issn = {1084-9521}, doi = {10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.09.032}, pages = {133 -- 139}, year = {2017}, abstract = {In nature plants are exposed to frequent changes in their abiotic and biotic environment. While some environmental cues are used to gauge the environment and align growth and development, others are beyond the regularly encountered spectrum of a species and trigger stress responses. Such stressful conditions provide a potential threat to survival and integrity. Plants adapt to extreme environmental conditions through physiological adaptations that are usually transient and are maintained until stressful environments subside. It is increasingly appreciated that in some cases environmental cues activate a stress memory that persists for some time after the extreme condition has subsided. Recent research has shown that this stress-induced environmental memory is mediated by epigenetic and chromatin-based mechanisms and both histone methylation and nucleosome occupancy are associated with it.}, language = {en} }