The Role of the Deubiquitylase MYSM1 During Alphavirus Infection Amer Nubgan The members of the genus Alphavirus are positive-sense RNA viruses and it is one of two within the family Togaviridae. Most alphaviruses are predominantly transmitted to susceptible vertebrates by a mosquito vector. Alphavirus disease in humans can be severely debilitating, and depending on the particular viral species, infection may result in encephalitis and possibly life threatening symptoms. Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is the aetiological agent represents a substantial health burden to affected populations, with clinical symptoms that include severe joint and muscle pain, rashes, and fever, as well as prolonged periods of disability in some patients. In recent years, CHIKV has received significant attention from public health authorities as a consequence of the dramatic emergence infections in the Indian Ocean islands and the Caribbean as well as the recent emergence of CHIKV in the Americas. Infections have also been reported around Europe such as in Italy, France and Greece. Currently, no safe, approved or effective vaccine or treatment exists for CHIKV infection. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), the major intracellular proteolytic pathway, mediates different kinds of cellular processes, which may be targeted by viruses to aid their replication within cells. In recent years it has been well established that both the forward reaction of ubiquitination, and the reverse reaction of deubiquitination are targeted during virus infection to enhance their replication, either by targeting of cellular proteins or encoding viral homologues of key pathway proteins. The reverse reaction is undertaken by a large family of enzymes termed deubiquitylases or DUBs, and many of these have been shown to play a crucial role, not only in virus replication but also in the regulation of the immune system and vesicle trafficking. The DUBs are attractive drug targets and have increasingly been implicated in cellular processes germane to malignancy which makes the continued characterisation of the role of DUBs during virus infection a worthwhile objective. In on-going experiments in the research group a DUB siRNA pools library screen identified 12 DUBs (USP1, USP4, USP5, USP34, USP45, USP46, OTUD6A, UCHL1, JOSD2, BRCC3 and MYSM1). Depletion of these hits in HeLa cells lead to an increase in cell viability following Semiliki Forest Virus (SFV) infection (and predicted to be pro-viral) and thus could potential be candidate antiviral targets. Inroads into understanding the role of the DUB hits during the alphavirus infection, focusing initial on the BSL2 model virus SFV, and extending this to CHIKV (at BSL3). In the present study, further screening focused on the deconvolution siRNA pools for the DUB hits. Investigation of the subsequent follow up experiments with one strong candidate DUB from this list, MYSM1. Two different approaches were taken. Firstly, the effect of depletion of MYSM1 by siRNA treatment was further investigated in HeLa cells. Secondly, the analysis was extended to investigate the role of MYSM1 in fibroblasts utilising MYSM1 genetic knockout murine embryo fibroblasts. Results from this study indicate that depletion of MYSM1 in HeLa cells by siRNAs resulted in a reduction in both SFV and CHIKV replication, as assayed by measuring RNA levels and plaque formation. It was also found that MYSM1 genetic knockout in MEF cells lead to increase in both SFV and CHIKV replication. In addition, depletion of MYSM1 by siRNAs in MRC-5 cells lead to increase in SFV replication. In conclusion, MYSM1 generated interesting data, implying a role during virus infection that appeared to depend on the cell type being infected. Up to now it is unclear what the effector mechanisms are that contribute to these observations, subject to further mechanistic and functional studies, may increase the options available for targeting this vital DUB during Alphavirus infections.
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In this study Microwave and conventional methods have been used to extract and estimate pectin and its degree of esterification from dried grapefruit and orange peels. Acidified solution water with nitric acid in pH (1.5) was used. In conventional method, different temperature degrees for extraction pectin from grape fruit and orange(85 ,90 , 95 and 100?C) for 1 h were used The results showed grapefruit peels contained 12.82, 17.05, 18.47, 15.89% respectively, while the corresponding values were 5.96, 6.74, 7.41 and 8.00 %, respectively in orange peels. In microwave method, times were 90, 100, 110 and 120 seconds. Grapefruit peels contain 13.86, 16.57, 18.69, and 17.87%, respectively, while the corresponding values were of 6.53, 6.68, 7.2
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A novel Schiff base ligand (DBC) synthesized from 4-chlorobenzoic acid, along with its Cu (II) and Co (II) complexes, was prepared and characterized using FT-IR, 1H and 13C-NMR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, as well as magnetic and conductivity measurements. Based on this, a tetrahedral structure of [M(DBC)Cl2] was proposed for the complexes. Antioxidant activity of the compounds was assessed and compared to ascorbic acid, revealing that the copper complex exhibited superior antioxidant properties compared to the cobalt complex and the ligand. Furthermore, the antibiofilm potential of the copper and cobalt complexes was assessed against five clinically relevant bacterial species (P.aeruginosa, E.coli, K.pneumoniae, S.aureus and S.typhi) usin
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Biodiesel can be prepared from various types of vegetable oils or animal fats with the aid of a catalyst.
Calcium oxide (CaO) is one of the prospective heterogeneous catalysts for biodiesel synthesis. Modification
of CaO by impregnation on silica (SiO2) can improve the performance of CaO as catalyst. Egg shells and rice
husks as biomass waste can be used as raw materials for the preparation of the silica modified CaO catalyst.
The present study was directed to synthesize and characterize CaO impregnated SiO2 catalyst from biomass
waste and apply it as catalyst in biodiesel synthesis. The catalyst was synthesized by wet impregnation
method and characterized by x-ray diffraction, x-ray fluorescence, nitr
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The ligand 2-[1-(1H-indol-3-yl)ethylimino) methyl]naphthalene-1-ol, derived from 1-hydroxy-2-naphthaldehyde and 2-(1H-indol-3-yl)ethylamine, was used to produce a new sequence of metal ions complexes. Thus ligand reactions with NiCl2.6H2O, PdCl2, FeCl3.6H2O and H2PtCl6.6H2O were sequentially made to collect mono-nuclear Ni(II), Pd(II), Fe (III), and Pt(IV). (IR or FTIR), Ultraviolet Reflective (UV–visible), Mass Spectra analysis, Bohr-magnetic (B.M.), metal content, chloride content and molar conductivity have been the defining features of the composites. The Fe(III) and Pt(IV) complexes have octahedral geometries, while the Ni(II) complex has tetra
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The design of coordination compounds with solvent-responsive optical properties remains a central challenge in molecular photonics. Here, we describe the synthesis and full characterisation of a symmetrical tetradentate diamine ligand, 3,3′-((1,2-phenylenebis(azanediyl))- bis(methanylylidene))bis(pentane-2,4-dione) (H₂L), and its neutral square-planar complexes [M(L)] (M(II) = Co, Ni, Cu). The Cu(II) complex crystallised as [Cu(L)]⋅0.5 (pyrazine), adopting a nearly square-planar geometry (τ₄ = 0.06) in the solid state, as confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In DMSO solution, UV–Vis spectra revealed reversible axial coordination of two solvent molecules, driving a transformation to a distorted octahedral geometry. Struc
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