External guide sequence (EGS) RNAs are associated with ribonuclease P (RNase P), a tRNA processing enzyme, and represent promising agents for gene-targeting applications as they can direct RNase-P-mediated cleavage of a target mRNA. Using murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) as a model system, we examined the antiviral effects of an EGS variant, which was engineered using in vitro selection procedures. EGSs were used to target the shared mRNA region of MCMV capsid scaffolding protein (mCSP) and assemblin. In vitro, the EGS variant was 60 times more active in directing RNase P cleavage of the target mRNA than the EGS originating from a natural tRNA. In MCMV-infected cells, the variant reduced mCSP expression by 92% and inhibited viral growth by 8,000-fold. In MCMV-infected mice hydrodynamically transfected with EGS-expressing constructs, the EGS variant was more effective in reducing mCSP expression, decreasing viral production, and enhancing animal survival than the EGS originating from a natural tRNA. These results provide direct evidence that engineered EGS variants with higher targeting activity in vitro are also more effective in reducing gene expression in animals. Furthermore, our findings imply the possibility of engineering potent EGS variants for therapy of viral infections.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.omtn.2017.10.007 | DOI Listing |
Nat Commun
October 2024
Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
PROTAC® (proteolysis-targeting chimera) molecules induce proximity between an E3 ligase and protein-of-interest (POI) to target the POI for ubiquitin-mediated degradation. Cooperative E3-PROTAC-POI complexes have potential to achieve neo-substrate selectivity beyond that established by POI binding to the ligand alone. Here, we extend the collection of ubiquitin ligases employable for cooperative ternary complex formation to include the C-degron E3 KLHDC2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAsian J Androl
September 2024
The Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Centre for Medical Genetics, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610072, China.
This study was conducted retrospectively on a cohort of 68 patients with steroid 5 α-reductase 2 (SRD5A2) deficiency and 46,XY disorders of sex development (DSD). Whole-exon sequencing revealed 28 variants of SRD5A2, and further analysis identified seven novel mutants. The preponderance of variants was observed in exon 1 and exon 4, specifically within the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-binding region.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClin Microbiol Rev
September 2024
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
SUMMARYThis guidance presents recommendations for clinical microbiology laboratories for processing respiratory samples from people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF). Appropriate processing of respiratory samples is crucial to detect bacterial and fungal pathogens, guide treatment, monitor the epidemiology of cystic fibrosis (CF) pathogens, and assess therapeutic interventions. Thanks to CF transmembrane conductance regulator modulator therapy, the health of pwCF has improved, but as a result, fewer pwCF spontaneously expectorate sputum.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFN Engl J Med
June 2024
From the Division of Newborn Medicine (M.H.W., P.B.A.), the Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research (M.H.W., W.W., S.L.S., J.A.M., J.L., C.A.G., H.T.G., A.H.B., P.B.A., A.O.-L.), Division of Genetics and Genomics (M.H.W., G.L., S.L.S., L.P., E.G., H.T.G., V.S.G., A.H.B., P.B.A., A.O.-L.), Department of Pediatrics (S. Shril, R.S., F.H., W.K.C.), and the Division of Hematology and Oncology (M.W., J.M.V., V.G.S., L.D.C.), Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, the Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School (M.W., J.M.V., V.G.S., L.D.C.), the Center for Genomic Medicine (A.S.-J., J.G., J.M.F., H.B., M.T., C.A.-T., H.L.R., A.O.-L.) and the Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories (H.B.), Massachusetts General Hospital, the Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School (A.S.-J., V.S.G., J.M.F., H.B., M.T.), the Ocular Genomics Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School (E.A.P., E.M.P., K.M.B.), and the Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital (V.S.G.), Boston, the Broad Center for Mendelian Genomics (M.H.W., G.L., B.W., G.E.V., S.L.S., H.S., M.S.-B., E.G.S., A.S.-J., K.A.R., L.P., I.O.-O., M.O., E.O., B.E.M., D.M., A.L., E.G., J.G., V.S.G., J.M.F., E. Evangelista, E. England, S. DiTroia, K.R.C., H.B., A.H.B., S.M.B., M.T., C.A.-T., H.L.R., A.O.-L.), Program in Medical and Population Genetics (M.W., J.M.V., V.G.S., L.D.C., A.H.B., P.B.A.), and the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research (M.T.), Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (V.G.S., L.D.C.), Cambridge - all in Massachusetts; the Institute of Human Genetics, University of Leipzig Medical Center (E.B., V. Strehlow, M.R., D.P., K.P., H.O., J.H., T.B., R.A.J.), and the Division of Neuropediatrics, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University Hospital Leipzig (A.M., J.G.-A.), Leipzig, the Institute of Human Genetics, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf (D.W.), Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty of Heidelberg, Center for Child and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Pediatric Epileptology, Heidelberg (S. Syrbe), and the Department of Epileptology, Krankenhaus Mara, Bethel Epilepsy Center, Medical School OWL, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld (T.P.) - all in Germany; the Clinical Genetics Department, Human Genetics and Genome Research Institute, National Research Center, Cairo (M.S.Z.); the Victorian Clinical Genetics Service (S.M.W., T.Y.T., L.G., J.C.), the Centre for Population Genomics (D.M.), and the Brain and Mitochondrial Research Group (J.C.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, the Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne (S.M.W., T.Y.T., L.G., J.C.), the Kids Neuroscience Centre, Kids Research, Children's Hospital at Westmead (L.B.W., R.G.M., S.T.C., S.J.B.), the Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney (L.B.W., R.G.M., S.T.C., S.J.B.), and Functional Neuromics, Children's Medical Research Institute (R.G.M., S.T.C., S.J.B.), Westmead, NSW, the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA (G.R., N.L.), the Centre for Population Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney (D.M.), and the Department of Neurology, Central Adelaide Local Health Network/Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, and the Department of Genetics and Molecular Pathology, SA Pathology, Adelaide, SA (R.G.) - all in Australia; the John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom (A.T., V. Straub); the Fred A. Litwin Family Centre in Genetic Medicine, University Health Network (J.S., C.F.M.), the Department of Molecular Genetics (J.S.), the Faculty of Medicine (C.F.M.), and the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology (J.P.L.-E.), University of Toronto, and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the Lunenfeld Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health (J.P.L.-E.) - all in Toronto; the Department of Clinical Genetics, Genetics and Personalized Medicine Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, and the Department of Genetics and Personalized Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia (K.R., S.P., K.Õ., K.T.O.); Molecular Diagnostics, New York Genome Center (V.O.), and the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center (M.G.) - both in New York; the Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, and Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, San Diego - both in California (J.G.G.); and the Neuromuscular and Neurogenetic Disorders of Childhood Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (S. Donkervoort, C.G.B.).
Vaccines (Basel)
May 2024
Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Center of Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) are a heterogenous, immunocompromised group with increased risk for COVID-19 morbidity and mortality but impaired responses to primary mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. The effects of booster vaccinations and breakthrough infections (BTIs) on antibody (Ab) levels and cross-protection to variants of concern (VOCs) are, however, not sufficiently evaluated. Therefore, we analysed humoral and cellular vaccine responses in MM patients stratified according to disease stage/treatment into group (1) monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, (2) after stem cell transplant (SCT) without immunotherapy (IT), (3) after SCT with IT, and (4) progressed MM, and in healthy subjects (prospective cohort study).
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