Project description:Many genes in bacterial genomes are of unknown function, often referred to as y-genes. Recently, the analytic methods have divided bacterial transcriptomes into independently modulated sets of genes (iModulons). Functionally annotated iModulons that contain y-genes lead to testable hypotheses to elucidate y-gene function. The inversely correlated expression of a putative transporter gene, ydhC, relative to purine biosynthetic genes, has led to the hypothesis that it encodes a purine-related transporter and revealed a LysR-family regulator, YdhB, with a predicted 23-bp palindromic binding motif. RNA-Seq analysis of a ydhB knockout mutant confirmed the YdhB-dependent activation of ydhC in the presence of adenosine. The deletion of either the ydhC or the ydhB gene led to a substantially decreased growth rate for E. coli in minimal medium with adenosine, inosine, or guanosine as the nitrogen source. Taken together, we provide clear evidence that YdhB activates the expression of the ydhC gene that encodes a purine transporter in E. coli. We propose that the genes ydhB and ydhC be re-named as punR and punC, respectively.
Project description:Recently, novel analytic methods have divided bacterial transcriptomes into independently modulated sets of genes (iModulons). Functionally annotated iModulons that contain y-genes lead to testable hypotheses to elucidate y-gene function. The inversely correlated expression of a putative transporter gene, ydhC, relative to purine biosynthetic genes, has led to the hypothesis that it encodes a purine-related transporter and revealed a LysR-family regulator, YdhB, with a predicted 23-bp palindromic binding motif. RNA-Seq analysis of a ydhB knockout mutant confirmed the YdhB-dependent activation of ydhC in the presence of adenosine. The deletion of either the ydhC or the ydhB gene led to a substantially decreased growth rate for E. coli in minimal medium with adenosine, inosine, or guanosine as the nitrogen source. Taken together, we provide clear evidence that YdhB activates the expression of the ydhC gene that encodes a novel purine transporter in E. coli. We propose that the genes ydhB and ydhC be re-named as punR and punC, respectively.
Project description:Many genes in bacterial genomes are of unknown function, often referred to as y-genes. Recently, the analytic methods have divided bacterial transcriptomes into independently modulated sets of genes (iModulons). Functionally annotated iModulons that contain y-genes lead to testable hypotheses to elucidate y-gene function. The inversely correlated expression of a putative transporter gene, ydhC, relative to purine biosynthetic genes, has led to the hypothesis that it encodes a purine-related transporter and revealed a LysR-family regulator, YdhB, with a predicted 23-bp palindromic binding motif. RNA-Seq analysis of a ydhB knockout mutant confirmed the YdhB-dependent activation of ydhC in the presence of adenosine. The deletion of either the ydhC or the ydhB gene led to a substantially decreased growth rate for E. coli in minimal medium with adenosine, inosine, or guanosine as the nitrogen source. Taken together, we provide clear evidence that YdhB activates the expression of the ydhC gene that encodes a purine transporter in E. coli. We propose that the genes ydhB and ydhC be re-named as punR and punC, respectively.
Project description:[original title] LMP-420: a novel purine nucleoside analogue with potent cytotoxic effects for chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells and minimal toxicity for normal hematopoietic cells. LMP-420 induces cytotoxicity and apoptosis to CLL cells in vitro without any negative effects to normal immune cells. This gene expression experiment compares CLL cells treated with LMP-420 versus media alone to investigate the mechanism of action of LMP-420. CLL cells from 13 patients were treated with LMP-420 or media for 24 hours, then RNA was extracted and assayed on U133Plus2 GeneChips.
Project description:Purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) enables the breakdown and recycling of guanine nucleosides. PNP insufficiency in humans is paradoxically associated with both immunodeficiency and autoimmunity, but the mechanistic basis for these outcomes is incompletely understood. Here we identify two immune lineage-dependent consequences of PNP inactivation dictated by distinct gene interactions. During T cell development, PNP inactivation is synthetically lethal with down-regulation of the dNTP triphosphohydrolase SAMHD1. This interaction requires deoxycytidine kinase activity and is antagonized by microenvironmental deoxycytidine. In B lymphocytes and macrophages, PNP regulates Toll like receptor 7 signaling by controlling the levels of its (deoxy)guanosine nucleoside ligands. Overriding this regulatory mechanism promotes germinal center formation in the absence of exogenous antigen and accelerates disease in a mouse model of autoimmunity. This work reveals that one purine metabolism gene protects against immunodeficiency and autoimmunity via independent mechanisms operating in distinct immune lineages and identifies PNP as a novel metabolic immune checkpoint.
Project description:[original title] LMP-420: a novel purine nucleoside analogue with potent cytotoxic effects for chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells and minimal toxicity for normal hematopoietic cells. LMP-420 induces cytotoxicity and apoptosis to CLL cells in vitro without any negative effects to normal immune cells. This gene expression experiment compares CLL cells treated with LMP-420 versus media alone to investigate the mechanism of action of LMP-420.
Project description:Histiocytoses are inflammatory myeloid neoplasms, driven by somatic activating mutations in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) genes. H syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by germline loss-of-function mutations in SLC29A3, encoding the lysosomal equilibrative nucleoside transporter 3 (ENT3). Patients with H syndrome are predisposed to develop histiocytosis, yet the mechanism is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that loss-of-function of ENT3 leads to MAPK signaling activation, via the nucleoside sensor Toll-like receptor (TLR). We show that H syndrome monocytes exhibit an inflammatory expression pattern, display elevated levels of phospho-ERK, and secrete enhanced amounts of inflammatory cytokines in a TLR8/MEK-dependent manner. Finally, MEK inhibitor therapy successfully eliminated a histiocytic tumor of a patient with H syndrome. These results demonstrate a yet-unrecognized link between a defect in a lysosomal transporter and pathological activation of MAPK signaling, a novel alternative pathway to histiocytosis development, and establish MEK inhibition as a promising new treatment for H syndrome.
Project description:An increasing body of evidence emphasizes the role of metabolic reprogramming in immune cells to fight off infections. However, little is known about the regulation of metabolite transporters that facilitate and support metabolic demands. In this study, we found that the expression of Equilibrative Nucleoside Transporter 3 (ENT3, encoded by SoLute Carrier family 29 member 3, Slc29a3) is part of the innate immune response which is rapidly upregulated upon pathogen insults. The transcription of Slc29a3 is directly under the regulation of IFN-induced signaling, positioning this metabolite transporter as an Interferon-stimulated gene (ISG). Suprisingly, we unveil that several viruses, including SARS-CoV2, require ENT3 to facilitate their entry into the cytoplasm. The removal or suppression of ENT3 expression is sufficient to significantly decrease viral replication in vitro and in vivo. Our study reveals that ENT3 is a pro-viral ISG co-opted by some viruses for a survival advantage.
Project description:To investigate whether BRD4-chromatin binding is modulated by purine levels, we performed BRD4 ChIP-seq in cells with SLC nucleoside transporters knockout, or cells with de novo purine synthesis inhibitor 6-MP treatment. (+)-JQ1, an inhibitor which disrupts BRD4 and acetylated histone binding, was used as a positive control.