The SARS-CoV-2 virus utilizes angiotensin converting enzyme () for cell entry and infection. This enzyme has important functions in the renin-angiotensin aldosterone system to preserve cardiovascular function. In addition to the heart, it is expressed in many tissues including the lung, intestines, brain, and kidney, however, its functions in these organs are mostly unknown. has membrane-bound and soluble forms. Its expression levels are altered in disease states and by a variety of medications. Currently, it is not clear how altered levels influence virulence and relevant complications. In addition, membrane-bound and soluble forms are thought to have different effects. Most work on this topic in the literature is on the SARS-CoV virus that has a high genetic resemblance to SARS-Co-V-2 and also uses enzyme to enter the cell, but with much lower affinity. More recent studies on SARS-CoV-2 are mainly clinical studies aiming at relating the effect of medications that are thought to influence levels, with COVID-19 outcomes for patients under these medications. This review paper aims to summarize what is known about the relationship between levels and SARS-CoV/SARS-CoV-2 virulence under altered expression states.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms22136703 | DOI Listing |
Commun Biol
December 2024
Department of Biochemistry, Groningen Biomolecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 3, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Cyclic di-adenylate monophosphate (cyclic di-AMP) is an important second messenger in microorganisms. Cyclic di-AMP regulates bacterial cell volume and turgor via control of potassium and compatible solute transport but is also involved in many other processes, including the activation of the metazoan innate immune response to bacterial infections. We compare the activity of full-length membrane-embedded CdaA, the enzyme that synthesizes cyclic di-AMP, with the water-soluble catalytic domain CdaA-DAC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Immunol
December 2024
Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacy, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia.
Sterile inflammation has been increasingly recognized as a hallmark of non-infectious kidney diseases. Induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines in injured kidney tissue promotes infiltration of immune cells serving to clear cell debris and facilitate tissue repair. However, excessive or prolonged inflammatory response has been associated with immune-mediated tissue damage, nephron loss, and development of renal fibrosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTheory Biosci
December 2024
Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India.
Can mathematical proofs be employed for the solution of fundamental molecular-level problems in biology? Recently, I mathematically tackled complex mechanistic problems arising during the synthesis of the universal biological currency, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by the FF-ATP synthase, nature's smallest rotary molecular motor, using graph-theoretical and combinatorial approaches for the membrane-bound F and water-soluble F domains of this fascinating molecule (see Nath in Theory Biosci 141:249‒260, 2022 and Theory Biosci 143:217‒227, 2024). In the third part of this trilogy, I investigate another critical aspect of the molecular mechanism-that of coupling between the F and F domains of the ATP synthase mediated by the central γ-subunit of nanometer diameter. According to Nath's torsional mechanism of energy transduction and ATP synthesis the γ-subunit twists during ATP synthesis and the release of stored torsional energy in the central γ-stalk causes conformational changes in the catalytic sites that lead to ATP synthesis, with 1 ATP molecule synthesized per discrete 120° rotation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
December 2024
Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599.
Adaptor protein complex-3 (AP-3) mediates cargo sorting from endosomes to lysosomes and lysosome-related organelles. Recently, it was shown that AP-3 adopts a constitutively open conformation compared to the related AP-1 and AP-2 coat complexes, which are inactive until undergoing large conformational changes upon membrane recruitment. How AP-3 is regulated is therefore an open question.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiotechnol Bioeng
December 2024
National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Choral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
C14-functionalized steroids enabled diverse biological activities in anti-gonadotropin and anticancer therapy. However, access to C14-functionalized steroids was impeded by the deficiency of chemical synthetic methods. Recently, several membrane-bound fungal cytochrome P450s (CYPs) have been identified with steroid C14α-hydroxylation activity.
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