Biology subjects

Sousa, I.

Publications and source records attributed to Sousa, I..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Adenocarcinoma cell mechanobiology is altered by the loss modulus of the surrounding extracellular matrix

Elastic and viscoelastic properties of extracellular matrices (ECM) are known to regulate cellular behavior and mechanosensation differently, with implications for morphogenesis, wound healing, and pathophysiology. Most in vitro cellular processes, including cell migration, are studied on linear-elastic substrates to mimic extracellular matrices. However, most tissues are viscoelastic and display a loss modulus (G) that may be 10-20% of their storage modulus (G) under biophysically relevant conditions. Recent research has shown that cells can distinguish between elastic and viscoelastic ECM, leading to alterations in their cellular morphology, migration rates, and contractility. Here, we present a protocol for creating PAH-based model ECMs that enables the fabrication of viscoelastic substrates with storage moduli similar to those of their elastic counterparts. To explore how G influences epithelial cell mechanobiology, we fabricated tunable viscoelastic model ECMs with G of 3 kPa, 8 kPa, and 12 kPa, and for each, independently tuned G values to approximately 300 Pa, 500 Pa, and 700 Pa, respectively. We found that A549 cells cultured on stiff elastic model ECMs migrated [~]30% slower and formed larger focal adhesions compared to their viscoelastic counterparts. Conversely, A549 cells on intermediate viscoelastic model ECMs exhibited a [~]54% reduction in migration speed, with no significant difference in focal adhesion size relative to their elastic counterparts. These findings highlight the complex interplay between substrate (ECM) elastic and viscoelastic properties in regulating epithelial cell mechanobiology and emphasize the importance of time-dependent matrix mechanics in governing epithelial responses.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2024

Stress in utero: effects on gliovascular integrity in female infant offspring

From early in life, experiences like prenatal stress profoundly affect long-term health and behavior. Maternal stress increases fetal exposure to glucocorticoids (GC), disrupting neurodevelopment and raising susceptibility to psychiatric disorders. Previous studies on synthetic GCs, such as dexamethasone (DEX), revealed impairments in neurogenesis and dendritic spine development. However, the influence of prenatal stress on the gliovascular interface remains unclear. This interface, involving the relationship between astrocytes and blood vessels, is essential for healthy brain development. Our study demonstrates that prenatal stress alters the expression and localization of astrocytic proteins crucial for maintaining vascular homeostasis, such as aquaporin-4, in female offspring exposed to DEX. While overall vascular density remains unaffected, it triggers morphological changes. Particularly, the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex exhibit heightened vulnerability to these effects. This study reveals prenatal stress as a potent disruptor of gliovascular development, urging deeper inquiry into its implications.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2021

Filamentation in Candida albicans is modulated by adaptive translation of farnesol signalling genes

The complex biology of the human pathogen Candida albicans is reflected in its remarkable ability to proliferate in numerous body sites, adapt to drastic changes in the environment, form various types of colonies and grow in yeast, pseudo-hyphal and hyphal forms. Much has been learnt in recent years about the relevance of this phenotypic plasticity, but the mechanisms that support it are still not fully understood. We have demonstrated that atypical translation of the CUG codon is a source of unexpected morphological diversity. The CUG codon is translated as both leucine (Leu) (~3%) and serine (Ser) (~97%) in normal growth conditions, but Ser/Leu levels change in response to stress. Remarkably, recombinant C. albicans strains incorporating between 20% and 99% of Leu at CUG sites display a diverse array of phenotypes and produce colonies of variable morphology containing a mixture of yeast, pseudohyphal and hyphal cells. In this work we investigate the role of the CUG codon in the yeast-hypha transition. Our data show that increasing incorporation levels of Leu at CUG sites trigger hyphal initiation under non-inducing conditions by reducing farnesol production, and increasing the degradation of the Nrg1 hyphal repressor. We propose that dual CUG Ser/Leu translation triggers filamentation via the Nrg1 pathway. ImportanceThe unique translation of the CUG codon as both Ser (~97%) and Leu (~3%) plays a key role in the production of high genomic and phenotypic diversity in C. albicans. The molecular mechanisms that support such diversity are poorly understood. Here, we show that increased Leu incorporation at CUG sites induce hyphae formation in media where C. albicans normally grows in the yeast form. The data show that increasing Leu at CUG sites triggers the degradation of the hyphal repressor Nrg1, allowing for full expression of hyphal genes. Since filamentation is important for invasion of host tissues, this work shows how the atypical translation of a single codon may play a critical role in the virulence of all fungi of the CTG clade.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2020

tRNA-modifying enzyme mutations induce codon-specific mistranslation and protein aggregation in yeast

Abstract/SummaryProtein synthesis rate and accuracy are essential for bona fide protein synthesis and proteome homeostasis (proteostasis), however the mRNA translation elongation factors that prevent protein mistranslation, misfolding and aggregation are poorly understood. To address this question, we evaluated the role of 70 yeast tRNA modifying enzyme genes on protein aggregation and used mass spectrometry to identify the aggregated and mistranslated proteins. We show that the mitochondrial tRNA-modifying enzyme Slm3 thiolates the cytoplasmic tRNAs at position 34 and that decreased levels of mcm5s2U34 in SLM3 mutants are compensated by increasing mcm5U34, ncm5U34 and ncm5Um34 levels. In the tRNA gene knockout strains, stress response proteins are overrepresented in protein aggregates and their genes are enriched in codons decoded by tRNAs lacking mcm5U34, mcm5s2U34, ncm5U34, ncm5Um34, modifications. Increased rates of amino acid misincorporation were detected in the yeast ELP1, SLM3 and TRM9 gene knockout mutants at protein sites that specifically mapped to the codons sites that are decoded by the hypomodified tRNAs, demonstrating that U34 tRNA modifications safeguard the proteome from translational errors, misfolding and cellular proteotoxic stress.

molecular biology↗