Biology subjects

Omer, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Omer, M..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Bacteriophage-Mimetic DNA Origami Needle for Targeted Membrane Penetration and Cytosolic Cargo Delivery

Inspired by the natural ability of bacteriophages to deliver genetic material directly into host cells, we employed a bottom-up approach to construct a multifunctional synthetic DNA origami needle-like structure. This origami is functionalized with trastuzumab antibodies, cholesterol, protective polymers, and two dyes, which together enable selective targeting and insertion into SKBR3 cancer cells. A disulfide-linked dye payload was attached to the apex of the needle, allowing controlled release in the cytoplasm triggered by the high intracellular glutathione concentration. Real-time tracking of the payload confirmed both successful targeting of the origami structure and subsequent direct cytosolic delivery. By mimicking fundamental mechanisms of bacteriophages, we propose that this artificial needle structure can serve as a prototypical device for the targeted delivery of small-molecule drugs directly into the cytosol.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2025

DNA origami vaccines program antigen-focused germinal centers

Recruitment and expansion of rare precursor B cells in germinal centers (GCs) is a central goal of vaccination to generate broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) against challenging pathogens such as HIV. Multivalent immunogen display is a well-established method to enhance vaccine-induced B cell responses, typically accomplished by using natural or engineered protein scaffolds. However, these scaffolds themselves are targets of antibody responses, with the potential to generate competitor scaffold-specific B cells that could theoretically limit expansion and maturation of "on-target" B cells in the GC response. Here, we rationally designed T-independent, DNA-origami based virus-like particles (VLPs) with optimal antigenic display of the germline targeting HIV Env immunogen, eOD-GT8, and appropriate T cell help to achieve a potent GC response. In preclinical mouse models, these DNA-VLPs expanded significantly higher frequencies of epitope-specific GC B cells compared with a state-of-the-art clinical protein nanoparticle. Optimized DNA-VLPs primed germinal centers focused on the target antigen and rapidly expanded subdominant broadly neutralizing antibody precursor B cells for HIV with a single immunization. Thus, avoiding scaffold-specific responses augments priming of bnAb precursor B cells, and DNA-VLPs are a promising platform for promoting B cell responses towards challenging subdominant epitopes.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2022

Biased activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase HER2

HER2 belongs to the ErbB sub-family of receptor tyrosine kinases and regulates cellular proliferation and growth. Different from other ErbB receptors, HER2 has no known ligand. Activation occurs through heterodimerization with other ErbB receptors and their cognate ligands. This suggests several possible activation paths of HER2 with ligand-specific, differential response, which so far remained unexplored. Using single-molecule tracking and the diffusion profile of HER2 as a proxy for activity, we measured the activation strength and temporal profile in live cells. We found that HER2 is strongly activated by EGFR-targeting ligands EGF and TGF, yet with a distinguishable temporal fingerprint. The HER4-targeting ligands EREG and NRG{beta}1 showed weaker activation of HER2, a preference for EREG, and a delayed response to NRG{beta}1. Our results indicate a selective ligand response of HER2 that may serve as a regulatory element. Our experimental approach is easily transferable to other membrane receptors targeted by multiple ligands. HighlightsO_LIHER2 exhibits heterogeneous motion in the plasma membrane C_LIO_LIThe fraction of immobile HER2 correlates with phosphorylation levels C_LIO_LIDiffusion properties serve as proxies for HER2 activation C_LIO_LIHER2 exhibits ligand-specific activation strength and temporal profiles C_LI Graphical Abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/519064v2_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (55K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@172415eorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@21bf95org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1a907aforg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@37a85a_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2021

Integrated single-cell analysis of enteric glial cells reveals a molecular basis for postnatal neurogenesis and its therapeutic application

The enteric nervous system (ENS) consists of glial cells (EGCs) and neurons derived from neural crest precursors. EGCs retain capacity for large-scale neurogenesis in culture, and in vivo lineage tracing has identified neurons derived from glial cells in response to inflammation. We thus hypothesize that EGCs possess a chromatin structure poised for neurogenesis. We use single-cell multiome sequencing to assess EGCs undergoing spontaneous neurogenesis in culture, as well as freshly isolated small intestine myenteric plexus EGCs. Cultured EGCs maintain open chromatin at genomic loci accessible in neurons, and neurogenesis from EGCs involves dynamic chromatin rearrangements with a net decrease in accessible chromatin. Multiome analysis of freshly isolated EGCs reveals transcriptional diversity, with open chromatin at neuron-associated genomic elements. A subset of EGCs, highly enriched within the myenteric ganglia, has a gene expression program and chromatin state consistent with neurogenic potential.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2021

Test-retest reproducibility of in vivo oscillating gradient and microscopic anisotropy diffusion MRI in mice at 9.4 Tesla

Background and PurposeMicrostructure imaging with advanced diffusion MRI (dMRI) techniques have shown increased sensitivity and specificity to microstructural changes in various disease and injury models. Oscillating gradient spin echo (OGSE) dMRI, implemented by varying the oscillating gradient frequency, and microscopic anisotropy ({micro}A) dMRI, implemented via tensor valued diffusion encoding, may provide additional insight by increasing sensitivity to smaller spatial scales and disentangling fiber orientation dispersion from true microstructural changes, respectively. The aims of this study were to characterize the test-retest reproducibility of in vivo OGSE and {micro}A dMRI metrics in the mouse brain at 9.4 Tesla and provide estimates of required sample sizes for future investigations. MethodsEight adult C57Bl/6 mice were scanned twice (5 days apart). Each imaging session consisted of multifrequency OGSE and {micro}A dMRI protocols. Metrics investigated included {micro}A, isotropic and anisotropic kurtosis, and the diffusion dispersion rate ({Lambda}), which explores the power-law frequency dependence of mean diffusivity. The dMRI metric maps were analyzed with mean region-of-interest (ROI) and whole brain voxel-wise analysis. Bland-Altman plots and coefficients of variation (CV) were used to assess the reproducibility of OGSE and {micro}A metrics. Furthermore, we estimated sample sizes required to detect a variety of effect sizes. ResultsBland-Altman plots showed negligible biases between test and retest sessions. ROI-based CVs revealed high reproducibility for both {micro}A (CVs < 8 %) and {Lambda} (CVs < 15 %). Voxel-wise CV maps revealed high reproducibility for {micro}A (CVs [~] 10 %), but low reproducibility for OGSE metrics (CVs [~] 50 %). ConclusionMost of the {micro}A dMRI metrics are reproducible in both ROI-based and voxel-wise analysis, while the OGSE dMRI metrics are only reproducible in ROI-based analysis. {micro}A and {Lambda} may provide sensitivity to subtle microstructural changes (4 - 8 %) with feasible sample sizes (10 - 15).

neuroscience↗