Biology subjects

Moradian, A.

Publications and source records attributed to Moradian, A..

12 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

An inflection point in high-throughput proteomics with Orbitrap Astral: analysis of biofluids, cells, and tissues

This technical note presents a comprehensive proteomics workflow for the new combination of Orbitrap and Astral mass analyzers across biofluids, cells, and tissues. Central to our workflow is the integration of Adaptive Focused Acoustics (AFA) technology for cells and tissue lysis, to ensure robust and reproducible sample preparation in a high-throughput manner. Furthermore, we automated the detergent-compatible single-pot, solid-phase-enhanced sample Preparation (SP3) method for protein digestion, a technique that streamlines the process by combining purification and digestion steps, thereby reducing sample loss and improving efficiency. The synergy of these advanced methodologies facilitates a robust and high-throughput approach for cells and tissue analysis, an important consideration in translational research. This work disseminates our platform workflow, analyzes the effectiveness, demonstrates reproducibility of the results, and highlights the potential of these technologies in biomarker discovery and disease pathology. For cells and tissues (heart, liver, lung, and intestine) proteomics analysis by data-independent acquisition mode, identifications exceeding 10,000 proteins can be achieved with a 24-minute active gradient. In 200ng injections of HeLa digest across multiple gradients, an average of more than 80% of proteins have a CV less than 20%, and a 45-minute run covers [~]90% of the expressed proteome. In plasma samples including naive, depleted, perchloric acid precipitated, and Seer nanoparticle captured, all with a 24-minute gradient length, we identified 87, 108, 96 and 137 out of 216 FDA approved circulating protein biomarkers, respectively. This complete workflow allows for large swaths of the proteome to be identified and is compatible across diverse sample types. Graphical abstract created with biorender.com O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=152 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/591396v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (45K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1cba4c1org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@adb231org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@18db263org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1babde0_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2023

Functional glycoproteomics by integrated network assembly and partitioning

The post-translational modification (PTM) of proteins by O-linked {beta}-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (O-GlcNAcylation) is widespread across the proteome during the lifespan of all multicellular organisms. However, nearly all functional studies have focused on individual protein modifications, overlooking the multitude of simultaneous O-GlcNAcylation events that work together to coordinate cellular activities. Here, we describe Networking of Interactors and SubstratEs (NISE), a novel, systems-level approach to rapidly and comprehensively monitor O-GlcNAcylation across the proteome. Our method integrates affinity purification-mass spectrometry (AP-MS) and site-specific chemoproteomic technologies with network generation and unsupervised partitioning to connect potential upstream regulators with downstream targets of O-GlcNAcylation. The resulting network provides a data-rich framework that reveals both conserved activities of O-GlcNAcylation such as epigenetic regulation as well as tissue-specific functions like synaptic morphology. Beyond O-GlcNAc, this holistic and unbiased systems-level approach provides a broadly applicable framework to study PTMs and discover their diverse roles in specific cell types and biological states.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2021

A Systematic Interrogation of MHC Class I Antigen Presentation Identifies Constitutive and Compensatory Protein Degradation Pathways

The adaptive immune system distinguishes self from non-self by surveying peptides generated from degradation of intracellular proteins that are loaded onto MHC Class I molecules for display on the cell surface. While early studies reported that the bulk of cell surface MHC Class I complexes require the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) for their generation, this conclusion has been challenged. To better understand MHC Class I peptide origins, we sought to carry out a comprehensive, quantitative census of the MHC Class I peptide repertoire in the presence and absence of UPS activity. We introduce optimized methodology to enrich for authentic Class I-bound peptides in silico and then quantify by mass spectrometry their relative amounts upon perturbation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Whereas most peptides are dependent on the proteasome and ubiquitination for their generation, a surprising 30% of the MHC Class I repertoire, enriched in peptides of mitochondrial origin, appears independent of these pathways. A further [~]10% of Class I-bound peptides were found to be dependent on the proteasome but independent of ubiquitination for their generation. Notably, clinically achievable partial inhibition of the proteasome resulted in display of novel peptides antigens, at least one of which promotes immune system activation. Our results suggest that generation of MHC Class I*peptide complexes is more complex than previously recognized and also provide evidence for compensatory peptide-generating pathways when canonical pathways are impaired.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Targeted Neuronal Activation of the Gastrointestinal Tract Shapes the Environment of the Gut in Mice

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is extensively innervated by intrinsic neurons of the enteric nervous system (ENS) and extrinsic neurons of the central nervous system and peripheral ganglia, which together regulate gut physiology. The GI tract also harbors a diverse microbiome, but interactions between the ENS and the microbiome remain poorly understood. Herein, we activate choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-expressing or tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-expressing gut-associated neurons in mice to determine effects on intestinal microbial communities and their metabolites, as well as on host physiology. The resulting multi-omics datasets support broad roles for discrete peripheral neuronal subtypes in shaping microbiome structure, including modulating bile acid profiles and fungal colonization. Physiologically, activation of either ChAT+ or TH+ neurons increases fecal output, while only ChAT+ activation results in increased colonic migrating motor complexes and diarrhea-like fluid secretion. These findings suggest that specific subsets of peripherally-activated ENS neurons differentially regulate the gut microbiome and GI physiology in mice, without involvement of signals from the brain.

physiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Standardized workflow for precise mid- and high-throughput proteomics of blood biofluids

BackgroundAccurate discovery assay workflows are critical for identifying authentic circulating protein biomarkers in diverse blood matrices. Maximizing the commonalities in the proteomic workflows between different biofluids simplifies the approach and increases the likelihood for reproducibility. We developed a workflow that allows flexibility for high and mid-throughput analysis for three blood-based proteomes: naive plasma, plasma depleted of the 14 most abundant proteins, and dried blood. MethodsOptimal conditions for sample preparation and DIA-MS analysis were established in plasma then automated and adapted for depleted plasma and whole blood. The MS workflow was modified to facilitate sensitive high-throughput or deep profile analysis with mid-throughput analysis. Analytical performance was evaluated from 5 complete workflows repeated over 3 days as well as a linearity analysis of a 5-6-point dilution curve. ResultUsing our high-throughput workflow, 74%, 93%, 87% of peptides displayed an inter-day CV<30% in plasma, depleted plasma and whole blood. While the mid-throughput workflow had 67%, 90%, 78% of peptides in plasma, depleted plasma and whole blood meeting the CV<30% standard. Lower limits of detection and quantitation were determined for proteins and peptides observed in each biofluid and workflow. Combining the analysis of both high-throughput plasma fractions exceeded the number of reliably identified proteins for individual biofluids in the mid-throughput workflows. ConclusionThe workflow established here allowed for reliable detection of proteins covering a broad dynamic range. We envisage that implementation of this standard workflow on a large scale will facilitate the translation of candidate markers into clinical use.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2020

Regulated assembly of the ER membrane protein complex

The assembly of nascent proteins into multi-subunit complexes is tightly regulated to maintain cellular homeostasis. The ER membrane protein complex (EMC) is an essential insertase that requires seven membrane-spanning and two soluble subunits for function. Here we show that the kinase With no lysine 1 (WNK1), known for its role in hypertension and neuropathy, is required for assembly of the human EMC. WNK1 uses a conserved amphipathic helix to stabilize the soluble subunit, EMC2, by binding to the EMC2-8 interface. Shielding this hydrophobic surface prevents promiscuous interactions of unassembled EMC2 and precludes binding of ubiquitin ligases, permitting assembly. Using biochemical reconstitution, we show that after EMC2 reaches the membrane, its interaction partners within the EMC displace WNK1, and similarly shield its exposed hydrophobic surfaces. This work describes an unexpected role for WNK1 in protein biogenesis, and defines the general requirements of an assembly factor that will apply across the proteome.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Deciphering the regulatory genome of Escherichiacoli, one hundred promoters at a time

Advances in DNA sequencing have revolutionized our ability to read genomes. However, even in the most well-studied of organisms, the bacterium Escherichia coli, for {approx} 65% of the promoters we remain completely ignorant of their regulation. Until we have cracked this regulatory Rosetta Stone, efforts to read and write genomes will remain haphazard. We introduce a new method (Reg-Seq) linking a massively-parallel reporter assay and mass spectrometry to produce a base pair resolution dissection of more than 100 promoters in E. coli in 12 different growth conditions. First, we show that our method recapitulates regulatory information from known sequences. Then, we examine the regulatory architectures for more than 80 promoters in the E. coli genome which previously had no known regulation. In many cases, we also identify which transcription factors mediate their regulation. The method introduced here clears a path for fully characterizing the regulatory genome of model organisms, with the potential of moving on to an array of other microbes of ecological and medical relevance.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2019

Single subunit degradation of WIZ, a lenalidomide- and pomalidomide dependent substrate of E3 ubiquitin ligase CRL4CRBN

Immunomodulators (IMiDs) are an effective class of drugs used to treat blood cancers. IMiDs are believed to work by recruiting protein targets containing a {beta}-hairpin motif for ubiquitination by E3 ubiquitin ligase complexes composed of cereblon (CRBN), Cullin-4a (CUL4a), DNA Damage Binding protein-1 (DDB1), and Ring Box-1 (RBX1). The ubiquitinated protein is subsequently degraded by the proteasome. By characterizing the repertoire of proteins that show an increased physical association with CRBN after IMiD treatment, we identified a novel IMiD substrate, Widely Interspaced Zinc Finger Motifs (WIZ). WIZ contains a C2H2 zinc finger domain, like several other substrates that were previously characterized. We demonstrate that IMiDs stabilize physical association of WIZ with CRBN, deplete WIZ steady state protein levels in a way that is dependent on E3 ligase activity, and enhance the rate of its degradation. Notably, proteins that assemble with WIZ are co-recruited to CRBN by IMiDs but are not degraded, illustrating the potential of targeted protein degradation to eliminate individual subunits of a protein complex. These findings suggest that systematic characterization of the full repertoire of proteins that are targeted for degradation by IMiD compounds will be required to better understand their biological effects.\n\nSynopsisProteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) can be used to precisely target a subunit of a transcriptional complex for degradation in subpopulations of cells.\n\n\n\nO_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=90 SRC=\"FIGDIR/small/595389_ufig1.gif\" ALT=\"Figure 1\">\nView larger version (18K):\norg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@186fed8org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1c522f9org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@17b19baorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@d626ff_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2019

Loss of CIC promotes mitotic dysregulation and chromosome segregation defects

CIC encodes a transcriptional repressor and MAPK signalling effector that is inactivated by loss-of-function mutations in several cancer types, consistent with a role as a tumour suppressor. Here, we used bioinformatic, genomic, and proteomic approaches to investigate CICs interaction networks. We observed both previously identified and novel candidate interactions between CIC and SWI/SNF complex members, and also observed novel interactions between CIC and cell cycle regulators and RNA processing factors. We found that CIC loss is associated with an increased frequency of mitotic defects in human cell lines and an in vivo mouse model and with dysregulated expression of mitotic regulators. We also observed aberrant splicing in CIC-deficient cell lines predominantly at 3 and 5 untranslated regions of genes, including genes involved in MAPK signalling, DNA repair, and cell cycle regulation. Our study thus characterises the complexity of CICs functional network and describes the effect of its loss on cell cycle regulation, mitotic integrity, and transcriptional splicing, thereby expanding our understanding of CICs potential roles in cancers. In addition, our work exemplifies how multi-omic, network-based analyses can be used to uncover novel insights into the interconnected functions of pleiotropic genes/proteins across cellular contexts. Simple summaryCapicua (CIC) is a gene that is frequently mutated in several cancer types, including stomach cancers and certain subtypes of brain tumours and sarcomas. CIC, the protein encoded by the CIC gene, has been shown to play a multitude of roles in both normal and cancer cell functions; however, most studies exploring these roles focus on a single aspect of CIC function and may therefore overlook complex interconnected activities in which CIC is involved. In this study, we have used multiple complementary approaches to obtain a broader view of CICs complex functional networks. We observed novel interactions (genetic or physical) between CIC and genes/proteins involved in various aspects of cellular function, including regulation of cell division and processing of RNA molecules. Altogether, our work characterises the complexity of CICs functional network and expands our understanding of its potential roles in cancer.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2018

Bud13 Promotes a Type I Interferon Response By Countering Intron Retention in Irf7

Intron retention (IR) has emerged as an important mechanism of gene expression control. Despite this, the factors that control IR events remain poorly understood. We observed consistent IR in one intron of the Irf7 gene and identified Bud13 as an RNA-binding protein that acts at this intron to increase the amount of successful splicing. Deficiency in Bud13 led to increased IR, decreased mature Irf7 transcript and protein levels, and consequently to a dampened type I interferon response. This impairment of Irf7 production in Bud13-deficient cells compromised their ability to withstand VSV infection. Global analysis of Bud13 knockdown and BUD13 cross-linking to RNA revealed a subset of introns that share many characteristics with the one found in Irf7 and are spliced in a Bud13-dependent manner. Deficiency of Bud13 led to decreased mature transcript from genes containing such introns. Thus, by acting as an antagonist to IR, Bud13 facilitates the expression of genes at which IR occurs.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2018

The dormancy specific regulator, SutA, is an intrinsically-disordered protein that modulates transcription initiation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Though bacteria in nature are often nutritionally limited and growing slowly, most of our understanding of core cellular processes such as transcription comes from studies in a handful of model organisms doubling rapidly under nutrient-replete conditions. We previously identified a small protein of unknown function, called SutA, in a global screen of proteins synthesized in Pseudomonas aeruginosa under growth arrest (Babin BM, et al. (2016) SutA is a bacterial transcription factor expressed during slow growth in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. PNAS 113(5):E597-605). SutA binds RNA polymerase (RNAP), causing widespread changes in gene expression, including upregulation of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. Here, using biochemical and structural methods, we examine how SutA interacts with RNAP and the functional consequences of these interactions. We show that SutA consists of a central -helix with unstructured N- and C-terminal tails, and binds to the {beta}1 domain of RNAP. It activates transcription from the P. aeruginosa rrn promoter by both the housekeeping sigma factor holoenzyme (E{sigma}70) and the general stress response sigma factor holoenzyme (E{sigma}S) in vitro, and its N-terminal tail is required for activation in both holoenzyme contexts. However, we find that the interaction between SutA and each holoenzyme is distinct, with the SutA C-terminal tail and an acidic loop unique to {sigma}70 playing the determining roles in these differences. Our results add SutA to a growing list of transcription regulators that use their intrinsically disordered regions to remodel transcription complexes.\n\nSIGNIFICANCELittle is known about how bacteria regulate their activities during periods of dormancy, yet growth arrest dominates bacterial existence in most environments and is directly relevant to the problem of physiological antibiotic tolerance. Though much is known about transcription in the model organism, Escherichia coli, even there, our understanding of gene expression during dormancy is incomplete. Here we explore how transcription under growth arrest is modulated in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by the small acidic protein, SutA. We show that SutA binds to RNA polymerase and controls transcription by a mechanism that is distinct from other known regulators. Our work underscores the potential for fundamental, mechanistic discovery in this important and understudied realm of bacterial physiology.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2017

A systematic approach for dissecting the molecular mechanisms of transcriptional regulation in bacteria

Gene regulation is one of the most ubiquitous processes in biology. But while the catalog of bacterial genomes continues to expand rapidly, we remain ignorant about how almost all of the genes in these genomes are regulated. At present, characterizing the molecular mechanisms by which individual regulatory sequences operate requires focused efforts using low-throughput methods. Here we show how a combination of massively parallel reporter assays, mass spectrometry, and information-theoretic modeling can be used to dissect bacterial promoters in a systematic and scalable way. We demonstrate this method on both well-studied and previously uncharacterized promoters in the enteric bacterium Escherichia coli. In all cases we recover nucleotide-resolution models of promoter mechanism. For some promoters, including previously unannotated ones, the approach allowed us to further extract quantitative biophysical models describing input-output relationships. This method opens up the possibility of exhaustively dissecting the mechanisms of promoter function in E. coli and a wide range of other bacteria.

biophysics↗