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Biology subjects

Sobota, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Sobota, M..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Machine Learning Gap-Fills Missing Transporter Kinetics in Biosystems Across Scales

Understanding transporter kinetics is essential for deciphering metabolite exchanges in biosystems, particularly for cells subject to substrate gradients. Nevertheless, the prediction of transporter kinetic parameters, maximum rate per gram protein (Vmax) and Michaelis-Menten constant (Km), has not yet been tackled. Here, we developed the first compound-protein interaction machine learning model of transporter Vmax and Km, MMTKPred, which achieved R2=0.553, RMSE=1.155 mmol/hr/g Protein and R2=0.330, RMSE=0.935 mM for log10-scaled Vmax and Km prediction, respectively. Moreover, we demonstrated MMTKPreds predictive power across biosystem scales, from capturing transporter kinetics modulated by point mutations and substrate changes at the molecular level, to enabling substrate-sensitive metabolic modelling of non-model yeasts at the cellular level, and rationalizing inter-species substrate competition in co-cultures. Collectively, MMTKPred effectively models metabolite transport spanning from molecular to multi- species scales, thereby offering a computational tool for rational microbial cell factory optimization. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/735998v2_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (62K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@18e7bb6org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@15bec93org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@8ce92org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@31fb44_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG HighlightsO_LIMMTKPred, first transporter kinetics CPI model, reaches [~]1 log10 RMSE for Vmax and Km. C_LIO_LIMMTKPred captures the effects of point mutations and substrate changes on transporters. C_LIO_LIPredicted kinetics enables substrate sensitivity in metabolic flux modelling. C_LIO_LIPredicted kinetics explains inter-species substrate competition outcomes. C_LI

systems biology↗

CRISPR/Cas9 deletions induce adverse on-target genomic effects leading to functional DNA in human cells

The CRISPR/Cas9 system is widely used to permanently delete genomic regions by inducing double-strand breaks via dual guide RNAs. However, on-target consequences of Cas9 deletion events have yet to be fully investigated. To characterize Cas9-induced genotypic abnormalities in human cells, we utilized an innovative droplet-based target enrichment approach followed by long-read sequencing and coupled it to a customized de novo sequence assembly. This approach enabled us to dissect the sequence content at kilobase scale within an on-target genomic locus. We here describe extensive genomic disruptions by Cas9, involving a genomic duplication and inversion of the target region as well as integrations of exogenous DNA and interchromosomal DNA fragment rearrangements at the double-strand break sites often at the same time. Although these events altered the genomic composition of the on-target region, we found that the aberrant DNA fragments are still functional, marked by active histones and bound by RNA polymerase III. In HAP1 cells, the integration of the target-derived fragments accelerated cell proliferation in deletion clones. Our findings broaden the consequential spectrum of the Cas9 deletion system, reinforce the necessity of meticulous genomic validations and rationalize extra caution when interpreting results from a deletion event.

molecular biology↗

The expression of virulence increases outer-membrane permeability and sensitivity to envelope stress in Salmonella Typhimurium

Environmental cues modulate the expression of virulence in bacterial pathogens. However, while cues that upregulate virulence are often intuitive and mechanistically well understood, this is less so for cues that downregulate virulence. In this study, we noticed that upregulation of the HilD virulence regulon in Salmonella Typhimurium (S.Tm) sensitized cells to membrane stress mediated by cholate, Tris/EDTA or heat. Further monitoring of membrane status and stress resistance of S.Tm cells in relation to virulence expression, revealed that co-expressed virulence factors embedded in the envelope (including the Type Three Secretion System 1 and the flagella) increased permeability, and stress sensitivity of the membrane. Importantly, pretreating the bacteria by sublethal stress inhibited virulence expression and restored stress resistance. As such, these results demonstrate a trade-off between virulence and stress resistance, which explains the downregulation of virulence expression in response to harsh environments in S.Tm.

microbiology↗