Biology subjects

Ali, K.

Publications and source records attributed to Ali, K..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Lipid composition-driven sorting of ABHD5 between monolayer and bilayer surfaces

Lipid droplets (LDs) are ubiquitous organelles that store neutral lipids and serve as central regulators of lipid homeostasis. Their structure includes a hydrophobic core of triacylglycerols and sterol esters surrounded by a phospholipid monolayer. This organization creates biophysical properties that guide selective protein recruitment. Among LD-associated proteins, /{beta}-hydrolase domain-containing protein 5 (ABHD5, also known as CGI-58) is a key regulator of lipolysis and broader lipid metabolism, yet the mechanisms guiding its distribution between endoplasmic reticulum (ER) bilayers and LD monolayers remain poorly understood. Because proper membrane association of ABHD5 is essential for activating PNPLA family lipases, identifying the determinants of its membrane selectivity is critical for understanding LD function in health and disease. In this study, we examined ABHD5 binding and sorting behavior using model membrane systems composed of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) and droplet-embedded vesicles (DEVs) incorporating defined phospholipid and neutral lipid compositions. By integrating experimental assays with computational modeling, we quantified how ABHD5 partitions between bilayer membranes mimicking the ER and monolayer surfaces mimicking LDs. Systematic variation of membrane composition and physical properties allowed us to assess how packing defects and neutral lipid content shape ABHD5 localization. Our findings reveal the biophysical features that favor ABHD5 association with LD-like monolayers and provide new mechanistic insight into how cells target regulatory proteins to distinct membrane environments to control lipid metabolism.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2021

Assessment and Comparative Study of Biofilm Formation with frequency of Multi Drug Resistance in strains of Staphylococcus aureus

BackgroundThe study was conducted to identify the role of biofilms in the antibiotic susceptibility in the strains of Staphylococcus aureus. A total of 19 non repeated pus/wound swab samples from different anatomic locations and 17 samples that were previously identified as S. aureus and preserved in the labs were included in the study. The Staphylococcus aureus was identified on the basis of colony morphology, Grams stain, biochemical tests (catalase and coagulase tests) and molecular identification through PCR amplification. MethodologyA total of 26 samples were recovered out of the 31 samples. Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion susceptibility test was used to determine the sensitivity or resistance of S. aureus to methicillin. Out of the 26 strains, 4 were highly resistant, 10 were moderately resistant and 12 strains were sensitive. Three different protocols (Tube Method, Congo Red Agar Method and Tissue Culture plate method) were used for the detection of biofilm formation for both resistant and sensitive strains. ResultComparative analysis of the antibiotic susceptibility and biofilm formation by different protocols showed that 70% strains that are resistant to antibiotic methicillin produced moderate-strong biofilms. 50% have produced the moderate-strong biofilms in all 3 protocols. In case of sensitive, 50% strains had produced none-weak biofilms in all 3 protocols. DecisionsThe strains that had zone of inhibition of close to resistance produced weak-strong biofilms but they all produced weak biofilms in CRA method. It can be concluded that the strains of S. aureus that have the ability to produce biofilms become methicillin resistant.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Effect of exogenously applied alpha-tocopherol on vital agronomic, physiological and biochemical attributes of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) under induced drought stress

Water being a vital part of cell protoplasm plays a significant role in sustaining life on earth; drastic changes in climatic condition leads to limit the availability of water and causing other environmental chaos. Alpha-tocopherol being a powerful antioxidant plays a vital role in scavenging the ill effects of oxidative stress. A pot experiment was conducted by exposing lentil cultivar (Punjab-2009) to varying levels of induced drought stress, sprinkled with -tocopherol 100, 200 and 300 mg/L. Induced water deficit stress conditions caused a pronounced decline in growth parameters including absolute growth rate (AGR), leaf area index (LAI), leaf area ratio (LAR), root shoot ratio (RSR), relative growth rate (RGR), chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll content, carotenoids and soluble protein content (SPC) which were significantly enhanced by exogenously applied -tocopherol. Moreover, a significant increase was reported in total proline content (TPC), soluble sugar content (SSC), glycine betaine (GB) content, endogenous tocopherol levels, ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT) peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. On contrary, exogenously applied -tocopherol significantly reduced the concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In conclusion, it was confirmed that exogenously applied -tocopherol under induced drought stress regimes ameliorated drought stress tolerance potential of lentil cultivar to a great extent; by enhancing growth, physiological and biochemical attributes.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Establishing a Living Biobank of Patient-Derived Organoids of Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms of the Pancreas

Pancreatic cancer (PaCa) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. There is an unmet need to develop strategies to detect PaCa at an early, operable stage and prevent its progression. Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) are cystic PaCa precursors that comprise nearly 50% of pancreatic cysts detected incidentally via cross-sectional imaging. Since IPMNs can progress from low- and moderate-grade dysplasia to high-grade dysplasia and invasion, the study of these lesions offers a prime opportunity to develop early detection and prevention strategies. Organoids are an ideal preclinical platform to study IPMNs, and the objective of the current investigation was to establish a living biobank of patient-derived organoids (PDO) from IPMNs. IPMN tumors and adjacent normal pancreatic tissues were successfully harvested from 15 patients with IPMNs undergoing pancreatic surgical resection at Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute (Tampa, FL) between May of 2017 and March of 2019. Organoid cultures were also generated from cryopreserved tissues. Organoid count and size were determined over time by both Image-Pro Premier 3D Version 9.1 digital platform and Matlab application of a Circular Hough Transform algorithm, and histologic and genomic characterization of a subset of the organoids was performed using immunohistochemistry and targeted sequencing, respectively. The success rates for organoid generation from IPMN tumor and adjacent normal pancreatic tissues were 81% and 87%, respectively. IPMN organoids derived from different epithelial subtypes showed different morphologies in vitro, and organoids recapitulated histologic and genomic characteristics of the parental IPMN tumor. In summary, this pre-clinical model has the potential to provide new opportunities to unveil mechanisms of IPMN progression to invasion and to shed insight into novel biomarkers for early detection and targets for chemoprevention.

cancer biology↗