Changes in adenoviral chromatin organization precede early gene activation upon infection.

Within the virion, adenovirus DNA associates with the virus-encoded, protamine-like structural protein pVII. Whether this association is organized, and how genome packaging changes during infection and subsequent transcriptional activation is currently unclear. Here, we combined RNA-seq, MNase-seq, ChIP-seq, and single genome imaging during early adenovirus infection to unveil the structure- and time-resolved dynamics of viral chromatin changes as well as their correlation with gene transcription. Our MNase mapping data indicates that the adenoviral genome is arranged in precisely positioned nucleoprotein particles with nucleosome-like characteristics, that we term adenosomes. We identified 238 adenosomes that are positioned by a DNA sequence code and protect about 60-70 bp of DNA. The incoming adenoviral genome is more accessible at early gene loci that undergo additional chromatin de-condensation upon infection. Histone H3.3 containing nucleosomes specifically replaces pVII at distinct genomic sites and at the transcription start sites of early genes. Acetylation of H3.3 is predominant at the transcription start sites and precedes transcriptional activation. Based on our results, we propose a central role for the viral pVII nucleoprotein architecture, which is required for the dynamic structural changes during early infection, including the regulation of nucleosome assembly prior to transcription initiation. Our study thus may aid the rational development of recombinant adenoviral vectors exhibiting sustained expression in gene therapy.

Comparison of student nurses' expectations and newly qualified nurses' experiences regarding clinical practice: A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey.

AIM: To compare student nurses' expectations and newly qualified nurses' experiences regarding clinical practice in Switzerland 1 year after graduation. DESIGN: A secondary explorative analysis of a cross-sectional survey. METHODS: The data were sourced from the Swiss National Graduate Survey of Health Professionals covering six universities of applied sciences between 2016 and 2019, with information on three cohorts of bachelor student nurses, with a 1-year follow-up between each year. The participants were 533 bachelor-prepared nursing graduates. RESULTS: The student nurses' overall expectations included the following top two prioritized aspects: 'contributing to something important' and 'adequate time to spend with patients'. Newly graduated nurses' clinical practice experiences demonstrated that not all expectations were met 1 year after graduation. The largest gaps were found in 'adequate time to spend with patients', 'work-life balance' and experiencing 'good management'. CONCLUSION: The most crucial expectation gaps are related to having sufficient time to spend with patients and a good work-life balance. The most important result is whether there is a shortage of places for nurses to work rather than the oft-cited shortage of nurses. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: The expectations of Swiss newly qualified nurses can be better met by an assessment in the first year about which individual perceptions of workplace characteristics cause them to make choices to change something about their work, affect their job satisfaction or influence their intention to stay. IMPACT: Few of the student nurses' expectations were met 1 year after graduation, therefore Swiss healthcare institutions should improve needs assessments to strengthen the nurse workforce starting early in employment. The results underscore the importance of a constructive management culture, such as that in magnet hospitals in the United States which underpins the philosophy of changing in nursing. The results can be used internationally as a benchmark and as a basis for introducing potential interventions for nurse retention. REPORTING METHOD: This study was reported following the Standardized Reporting of Secondary Data Analyses Checklist. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: There were no patient or public contributions. TRIAL AND PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: This study has not been registered.

[Nurses' health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland: A longitudinal study with mixed methods design]. / Gesundheit von Pflegenden während der COVID-19-Pandemie in der Schweiz.

Nurses' health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland: A longitudinal study with mixed methods design Abstract: Background: The COVID19 pandemic has had a significant impact on healthcare systems worldwide. Nurses have played a crucial role in responding to the crisis, often at the expense of their own health and wellbeing. Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the physical and mental health status as well as the resources of certified nurses during the pandemic, in German-speaking Switzerland. Methods: In a longitudinal study with a mixed methods design, data were collected among nurses from acute hospitals between 2021 and 2022 using a questionnaire survey and focus group interviews. The data were analysed using multiple regression analysis, knowledge mapping and the Neuman system model. Results: The results show improvements in health, quality of life and job satisfaction, and a decrease in stress; whereby influencing extrapersonal factors are, among others, reorganisations within hospitals with the active involvement of nurses. On the interpersonal level, support from managers or colleagues proved helpful. At the intrapersonal level, the recognition of the nurses' competencies was deemed particularly important, to help them to remain healthy during the pandemic. Conclusions: Increased recognition, participation, training and career opportunities as well as flexible working models need to be implemented in the long term to ensure a sustainable improvement of the health and well-being of nurses.

Biotechnological potential and initial characterization of two novel sesquiterpene synthases from Basidiomycota Coniophora puteana for heterologous production of δ-cadinol.

BACKGROUND: Terpene synthases are versatile catalysts in all domains of life, catalyzing the formation of an enormous variety of different terpenoid secondary metabolites. Due to their diverse bioactive properties, terpenoids are of great interest as innovative ingredients in pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. Recent advances in genome sequencing have led to the discovery of numerous terpene synthases, in particular in Basidiomycota like the wood rotting fungus Coniophora puteana, which further enhances the scope for the manufacture of terpenes for industrial purposes. RESULTS: In this study we describe the identification of two novel (+)-δ-cadinol synthases from C. puteana, Copu5 and Copu9. The sesquiterpene (+)-δ-cadinol was previously shown to exhibit cytotoxic activity therefore having an application as possible, new, and sustainably sourced anti-tumor agent. In an Escherichia coli strain, optimized for sesquiterpene production, titers of 225 mg l-1 and 395 mg l-1, respectively, could be achieved. Remarkably, both enzymes share the same product profile thereby representing the first two terpene synthases from Basidiomycota with identical product profiles. We solved the crystal structure of Copu9 in its closed conformation, for the first time providing molecular details of sesquiterpene synthase from Basidiomycota. Based on the Copu9 structure, we conducted structure-based mutagenesis of amino acid residues lining the active site, thereby altering the product profile. Interestingly, the mutagenesis study also revealed that despite the conserved product profiles of Copu5 and Copu9 different conformational changes may accompany the catalytic cycle of the two enzymes. This observation suggests that the involvement of tertiary structure elements in the reaction mechanism(s) employed by terpene synthases may be more complex than commonly expected. CONCLUSION: The presented product selectivity and titers of Copu5 and Copu9 may pave the way towards a sustainable, biotechnological production of the potentially new bioactive (+)-δ-cadinol. Furthermore, Copu5 and Copu9 may serve as model systems for further mechanistic studies of terpenoid catalysis.

Metabolic adaption of Legionella pneumophila during intracellular growth in Acanthamoeba castellanii.

The metabolism of Legionella pneumophila strain Paris was elucidated during different time intervals of growth within its natural host Acanthamoeba castellanii. For this purpose, the amoebae were supplied after bacterial infection (t =0 h) with 11 mM [U-13C6]glucose or 3 mM [U-13C3]serine, respectively, during 0-17 h, 17-25 h, or 25-27 h of incubation. At the end of these time intervals, bacterial and amoebal fractions were separated. Each of these fractions was hydrolyzed under acidic conditions. 13C-Enrichments and isotopologue distributions of resulting amino acids and 3-hydroxybutyrate were determined by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry. Comparative analysis of the labelling patterns revealed the substrate preferences, metabolic pathways, and relative carbon fluxes of the intracellular bacteria and their amoebal host during the time course of the infection cycle. Generally, the bacterial infection increased the usage of exogenous glucose via glycolysis by A. castellanii. In contrast, carbon fluxes via the amoebal citrate cycle were not affected. During the whole infection cycle, intracellular L. pneumophila incorporated amino acids from their host into the bacterial proteins. However, partial bacterial de novo biosynthesis from exogenous 13C-Ser and, at minor rates, from 13C-glucose could be shown for bacterial Ala, Asp, Glu, and Gly. More specifically, the catabolic usage of Ser increased during the post-exponential phase of intracellular growth, whereas glucose was utilized by the bacteria throughout the infection cycle and not only late during infection as assumed on the basis of earlier in vitro experiments. The early usage of 13C-glucose by the intracellular bacteria suggests that glucose availability could serve as a trigger for replication of L. pneumophila inside the vacuoles of host cells.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with diabetes and diabetes services: A pan-European survey of diabetes specialist nurses undertaken by the Foundation of European Nurses in Diabetes survey consortium.

AIM: To describe diabetes nurses' perspectives on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with diabetes and diabetes services across Europe. METHODS: An online survey developed using a rapid Delphi method. The survey was translated into 17 different languages and disseminated electronically in 27 countries via national diabetes nurse networks. RESULTS: Survey responses from 1829 diabetes nurses were included in the analysis. The responses indicated that 28% (n = 504) and 48% (n = 873) of diabetes nurses felt the COVID-19 pandemic had impacted 'a lot' on the physical and psychological risks of people with diabetes, respectively. The following clinical problems were identified as having increased 'a lot': anxiety 82% (n = 1486); diabetes distress 65% (n = 1189); depression 49% (n = 893); acute hyperglycaemia 39% (n = 710) and foot complications 18% (n = 323). Forty-seven percent (n = 771) of respondents identified that the level of care provided to people with diabetes had declined either extremely or quite severely. Self-management support, diabetes education and psychological support were rated by diabetes nurse respondents as having declined extremely or quite severely during the COVID-19 pandemic by 31% (n = 499), 63% (n = 1,027) and 34% (n = 551), respectively. CONCLUSION: The findings show that diabetes nurses across Europe have seen significant increases in both physical and psychological problems in their patient populations during COVID-19. The data also show that clinical diabetes services have been significantly disrupted. As the COVID-19 situation continues, we need to adapt care systems with some urgency to minimise the impact of the pandemic on the diabetes population.

Metabolic and fitness determinants for in vitro growth and intestinal colonization of the bacterial pathogen Campylobacter jejuni.

Campylobacter jejuni is one of the leading infectious causes of food-borne illness around the world. Its ability to persistently colonize the intestinal tract of a broad range of hosts, including food-producing animals, is central to its epidemiology since most infections are due to the consumption of contaminated food products. Using a highly saturated transposon insertion library combined with next-generation sequencing and a mouse model of infection, we have carried out a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of the fitness determinants for growth in vitro and in vivo of a highly pathogenic strain of C. jejuni. A comparison of the C. jejuni requirements to colonize the mouse intestine with those necessary to grow in different culture media in vitro, combined with isotopologue profiling and metabolic flow analysis, allowed us to identify its metabolic requirements to establish infection, including the ability to acquire certain nutrients, metabolize specific substrates, or maintain intracellular ion homeostasis. This comprehensive analysis has identified metabolic pathways that could provide the basis for the development of novel strategies to prevent C. jejuni colonization of food-producing animals or to treat human infections.

A facile in vivo procedure to analyze metabolic pathways in intact lichens.

Lichen secondary metabolites show important biological activities as well as pharmaceutical and chemotaxonomic potential. In order to utilize such substances of interest, detailed knowledge of their biosynthetic pathways is essential. 13 CO2 -pulse/chase experiments using intact thalli of the lichen Usnea dasopoga resulted in multiple 13 C-labeled isotopologs in amino acids, but not in the dibenzofuran derivative usnic acid - one of the best-studied lichen metabolites, with considerable and renewed interest for pharmaceutical and lifestyle applications. Spraying an aqueous solution of [U-13 C6 ]glucose onto the thalli of U. dasopoga afforded a specific mixture of multiple 13 C-labeled isotopologs in usnic acid. One- and two-dimensional NMR analysis of the crude lichen extract corroborated the polyketide biosynthetic pathway via methylphloroacetophenone but not via phloroacetophenone. With usnic acid as an exemplar, we provide proof-of-principle experiments that can be used in general to study metabolic pathways and fluxes in intact lichens.

CHD3 and CHD4 form distinct NuRD complexes with different yet overlapping functionality.

CHD3 and CHD4 (Chromodomain Helicase DNA binding protein), two highly similar representatives of the Mi-2 subfamily of SF2 helicases, are coexpressed in many cell lines and tissues and have been reported to act as the motor subunit of the NuRD complex (nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase activities). Besides CHD proteins, NuRD contains several repressors like HDAC1/2, MTA2/3 and MBD2/3, arguing for a role as a transcriptional repressor. However, the subunit composition varies among cell- and tissue types and physiological conditions. In particular, it is unclear if CHD3 and CHD4 coexist in the same NuRD complex or whether they form distinct NuRD complexes with specific functions. We mapped the CHD composition of NuRD complexes in mammalian cells and discovered that they are isoform-specific, containing either the monomeric CHD3 or CHD4 ATPase. Both types of complexes exhibit similar intranuclear mobility, interact with HP1 and rapidly accumulate at UV-induced DNA repair sites. But, CHD3 and CHD4 exhibit distinct nuclear localization patterns in unperturbed cells, revealing a subset of specific target genes. Furthermore, CHD3 and CHD4 differ in their nucleosome remodeling and positioning behaviour in vitro. The proteins form distinct CHD3- and CHD4-NuRD complexes that do not only repress, but can just as well activate gene transcription of overlapping and specific target genes.

Metabolic adaptation of Chlamydia trachomatis to mammalian host cells.

Metabolic adaptation is a key feature for the virulence of pathogenic intracellular bacteria. Nevertheless, little is known about the pathways in adapting the bacterial metabolism to multiple carbon sources available from the host cell. To analyze the metabolic adaptation of the obligate intracellular human pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis, we labeled infected HeLa or Caco-2 cells with 13 C-marked glucose, glutamine, malate or a mix of amino acids as tracers. Comparative GC-MS-based isotopologue analysis of protein-derived amino acids from the host cell and the bacterial fraction showed that C. trachomatis efficiently imported amino acids from the host cell for protein biosynthesis. FT-ICR-MS analyses also demonstrated that label from exogenous 13 C-glucose was efficiently shuffled into chlamydial lipopolysaccharide probably via glucose 6-phosphate of the host cell. Minor fractions of bacterial Ala, Asp, and Glu were made de novo probably using dicarboxylates from the citrate cycle of the host cell. Indeed, exogenous 13 C-malate was efficiently taken up by C. trachomatis and metabolized into fumarate and succinate when the bacteria were kept in axenic medium containing the malate tracer. Together, the data indicate co-substrate usage of intracellular C. trachomatis in a stream-lined bipartite metabolism with host cell-supplied amino acids for protein biosynthesis, host cell-provided glucose 6-phosphate for cell wall biosynthesis, and, to some extent, one or more host cell-derived dicarboxylates, e.g. malate, feeding the partial TCA cycle of the bacterium. The latter flux could also support the biosynthesis of meso-2,6-diaminopimelate required for the formation of chlamydial peptidoglycan.

5-methylcytosine-sensitive variants of Thermococcus kodakaraensis DNA polymerase.

DNA methylation of cytosine in eukaryotic cells is a common epigenetic modification, which plays an important role in gene expression and thus affects various cellular processes like development and carcinogenesis. The occurrence of 5-methyl-2'-deoxycytosine (5mC) as well as the distribution pattern of this epigenetic marker were shown to be crucial for gene regulation and can serve as important biomarkers for diagnostics. DNA polymerases distinguish little, if any, between incorporation opposite C and 5mC, which is not surprising since the site of methylation is not involved in Watson-Crick recognition. Here, we describe the development of a DNA polymerase variant that incorporates the canonical 2'-deoxyguanosine 5'-monophosphate (dGMP) opposite C with higher efficiency compared to 5mC. The variant of Thermococcus kodakaraensis (KOD) exo- DNA polymerase was discovered by screening mutant libraries that were built by rational design. We discovered that an amino acid substitution at a single site that does not directly interact with the templating nucleobase, may alter the ability of the DNA polymerase in processing C in comparison to 5mC. Employing these findings in combination with a nucleotide, which is fluorescently labeled at the terminal phosphate, indicates the potential use of the mutant DNA polymerase in the detection of 5mC.

Characterization of the pivotal carbon metabolism of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 under ex vivo and chemically defined in vitro conditions by isotopologue profiling.

Streptococcus suis is a neglected zoonotic pathogen that has to adapt to the nutritional requirements in the different host niches encountered during infection and establishment of invasive diseases. To dissect the central metabolic activity of S. suis under different conditions of nutrient availability, we performed labeling experiments starting from [(13)C]glucose specimens and analyzed the resulting isotopologue patterns in amino acids of S. suis grown under in vitro and ex vivo conditions. In combination with classical growth experiments, we found that S. suis is auxotrophic for Arg, Gln/Glu, His, Leu, and Trp in chemically defined medium. De novo biosynthesis was shown for Ala, Asp, Ser, and Thr at high rates and for Gly, Lys, Phe, Tyr, and Val at moderate or low rates, respectively. Glucose degradation occurred mainly by glycolysis and to a minor extent by the pentose phosphate pathway. Furthermore, the exclusive formation of oxaloacetate by phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylation became evident from the patterns in de novo synthesized amino acids. Labeling experiments with S. suis grown ex vivo in blood or cerebrospinal fluid reflected the metabolic adaptation to these host niches with different nutrient availability; however, similar key metabolic activities were identified under these conditions. This points at the robustness of the core metabolic pathways in S. suis during the infection process. The crucial role of PEP carboxylation for growth of S. suis in the host was supported by experiments with a PEP carboxylase-deficient mutant strain in blood and cerebrospinal fluid.

A transferable plasticity region in Campylobacter coli allows isolates of an otherwise non-glycolytic food-borne pathogen to catabolize glucose.

Thermophilic Campylobacter species colonize the intestine of agricultural and domestic animals commensally but cause severe gastroenteritis in humans. In contrast to other enteropathogenic bacteria, Campylobacter has been considered to be non-glycolytic, a metabolic property originally used for their taxonomic classification. Contrary to this dogma, we demonstrate that several Campylobacter coli strains are able to utilize glucose as a growth substrate. Isotopologue profiling experiments with (13) C-labeled glucose suggested that these strains catabolize glucose via the pentose phosphate and Entner-Doudoroff (ED) pathways and use glucose efficiently for de novo synthesis of amino acids and cell surface carbohydrates. Whole genome sequencing of glycolytic C. coli isolates identified a genomic island located within a ribosomal RNA gene cluster that encodes for all ED pathway enzymes and a glucose permease. We could show in vitro that a non-glycolytic C. coli strain could acquire glycolytic activity through natural transformation with chromosomal DNA of C. coli and C. jejuni subsp. doylei strains possessing the ED pathway encoding plasticity region. These results reveal for the first time the ability of a Campylobacter species to catabolize glucose and provide new insights into how genetic macrodiversity through intra- and interspecies gene transfer expand the metabolic capacity of this food-borne pathogen.

Utilization of host-derived cysteine-containing peptides overcomes the restricted sulphur metabolism of Campylobacter jejuni.

The non-glycolytic food-borne pathogen Campylobacter jejuni successfully colonizes the intestine of various hosts in spite of its restricted metabolic properties. While several amino acids are known to be used by C. jejuni as energy sources, none of these have been found to be essential for growth. Here we demonstrated through phenotype microarray analysis that cysteine utilization increases the metabolic activity of C. jejuni. Furthermore, cysteine was crucial for its growth as C. jejuni was unable to synthesize it from sulphate or methionine. Our study showed that C. jejuni compensates this limited anabolic capacity by utilizing sulphide, thiosulphate, glutathione and the dipeptides γGlu-Cys, Cys-Gly and Gly-Cys as sulphur sources and cysteine precursors. A panel of C. jejuni mutants in putative peptidases and peptide transporters were generated and tested for their participation in the catabolism of the cysteine-containing peptides, and the predicted transporter protein CJJ81176_0236 was discovered to facilitate the growth with the dipeptide Cys-Gly, Ile-Arg and Ile-Trp. It was named Campylobacter peptide transporter A (CptA) and is the first representative of the oligopeptide transporter OPT family demonstrated to participate in the glutathione-derivative Cys-Gly catabolism in prokaryotes. Our study provides new insights into how host- and microbiota-derived substrates like sulphide, thiosulphate and short peptides are used by C. jejuni to compensate its restricted metabolic capacities.

Metabolic and transcriptional activities of Staphylococcus aureus challenged with high-doses of daptomycin.

Treatment of stationary growth phase Staphylococcus aureus SA113 with 100-fold of the MIC of the lipopeptide antibiotic daptomycin leaves alive a small fraction of drug tolerant albeit genetically susceptible bacteria. This study shows that cells of this subpopulation exhibit active metabolism even hours after the onset of the drug challenge. Isotopologue profiling using fully (13)C-labeled glucose revealed de novo biosynthesis of the amino acids Ala, Asp, Glu, Ser, Gly and His. The isotopologue composition in Asp and Glu suggested an increased activity of the TCA cycle under daptomycin treatment compared to unaffected stationary growth phase cells. Microarray analysis showed differential expression of specific genes 10 min and 3 h after addition of the drug. Besides factors involved in drug response, a number of metabolic genes appear to shape the signature of daptomycin-tolerant S. aureus cells. These observations will be useful toward the development of new strategies against persisters and related forms of bacterial cells with downshifted physiology.

Isotopologue profiling of triterpene formation under physiological conditions. Biosynthesis of lupeol-3-(3'-R-hydroxy)-stearate in Pentalinon andrieuxii.

The biosynthesis of lupeol-3-(3'R-hydroxy)-stearate (procrim b, 1) was investigated in the Mexican medicinal plant Pentalinon andrieuxii by (13)CO2 pulse-chase experiments. NMR analyses revealed positional enrichments of (13)C2-isotopologues in both the triterpenoid and the hydroxystearate moieties of 1. Five of the six isoprene units reflected a pattern with [1,2-(13)C2]- and [3,5-(13)C2]-isotopologues from the respective C5-precursors, IPP and DMAPP, whereas one isoprene unit in the ring E of 1 showed only the [3,5-(13)C2]-connectivity of the original C5-precursor, due to rearrangement of the dammarenyl cation intermediate during the cyclization process. The presence of (13)C2-isotopologues was indicative of [(13)C2]acetyl-CoA being the precursor units in the formation of the fatty acid moiety and of the triterpene via the mevalonate route. The observed labeling pattern was in agreement with a chair-chair-chair-boat conformation of the (S)-2,3-oxidosqualene precursor during the cyclization process, suggesting that the lupeol synthase from P. andrieuxii is of the same type as that from Olea europea and Taraxacum officinale, but different from that of Arabidopsis thaliana. The study shows that (13)CO2 pulse-chase experiments are powerful in elucidating, under in vivo conditions and in a single experiment, the biosynthesis of complex plant products including higher terpenes.

Nickel-organo compounds as potential enzyme precursors under simulated early Earth conditions.

The transition from inorganic catalysis through minerals to organic catalysis by enzymes is a necessary step in the emergence of life. Our work is elucidating likely reactions at the earliest moments of Life, prior to the existence of enzymatic catalysis, by exploring essential intersections between nickel bioinorganic chemistry and pterin biochemistry. We used a prebiotically-inspired acetylene-containing volcanic hydrothermal experimental environment to shed light on the efficient formation of nickel-organo complexes. The simplest bis(dithiolene)nickel complex (C2H2S2)2Ni was identified by UV/Vis spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance. Its temporal progression and possible function in this simulated early Earth atmosphere were investigated by isolating the main bis(dithiolene)nickel species from the primordial experimental setup. Using this approach, we uncovered a significant diversity of nickel-organo compositions by identifying 156 elemental annotations. The formation of acetaldehyde through the subsequent degradation of these organo-metal complexes is intriguing, as it is reminiscent of the ability of Pelobacter acetylenicus to hydrate acetylene to acetaldehyde via its bis(dithiolene)-containing enzyme acetylene hydratase. As our findings mechanistically characterize the role of nickel sulfide in catalyzing the formation of acetaldehyde, this fundamental pre-metabolic reaction could play the role of a primitive enzyme precursor of the enzymatic acetylene metabolism and further strengthen the role of acetylene in the molecular origin of life.

From Zero to Hero: The Cyanide-Free Formation of Amino Acids and Amides from Acetylene, Ammonia and Carbon Monoxide in Aqueous Environments in a Simulated Hadean Scenario.

Amino acids are one of the most important building blocks of life. During the biochemical process of translation, cells sequentially connect amino acids via amide bonds to synthesize proteins, using the genetic information in messenger RNA (mRNA) as a template. From a prebiotic perspective (i.e., without enzymatic catalysis), joining amino acids to peptides via amide bonds is difficult due to the highly endergonic nature of the condensation reaction. We show here that amides can be formed in reactions catalyzed by the transition metal sulfides from acetylene, carbon monoxide and ammonia under aqueous conditions. Some α- and ß-amino acids were also formed under the same conditions, demonstrating an alternative cyanide-free path for the formation of amino acids in prebiotic environments. Experiments performed with stable isotope labeled precursors, like 15NH4Cl and 13C-acetylene, enabled the accurate mass spectroscopic identification of the products formed from the starting materials and their composition. Reactions catalyzed using the transition metal sulfides seem to offer a promising alternative pathway for the formation of amides and amino acids in prebiotic environments, bypassing the challenges posed by the highly endergonic condensation reaction. These findings shed light on the potential mechanisms by which the building blocks of life could have originated on early Earth.

Protective Factors of Nurses' Mental Health and Professional Wellbeing During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multicenter Longitudinal Study.

Objective: Using a salutogenic approach, this study aimed to identify similarities in the protective factors of nurses' psychological Quality of Life (QoL) and professional wellbeing (PWB) in four countries and to assess their variability over time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This multicentric study used a longitudinal design with three measurements points: Autumn 2021, spring 2022, and autumn 2022. The study consisted in a self-administered online questionnaire addressed to nurses working in hospitals. Across all measurement times, 3,310 observations were collected in France, 603 in Switzerland, 458 in Portugal, and 278 in Canada. The outcomes were psychological QoL and PWB, and several potential protective factors were used as determinants. Results: Analyses revealed few changes over time in the outcomes. Across all countries, psychological QoL was associated positively with resilience and perceived social support, whereas PWB was associated positively with the ability to provide quality work and support from colleagues and superiors. Conclusion: The findings of this study highlighted the potential of several factors protective of nurses' psychological QoL and PWB. These should be fostered through policies and measures to support nurses.

Software LS-MIDA for efficient mass isotopomer distribution analysis in metabolic modelling.

BACKGROUND: The knowledge of metabolic pathways and fluxes is important to understand the adaptation of organisms to their biotic and abiotic environment. The specific distribution of stable isotope labelled precursors into metabolic products can be taken as fingerprints of the metabolic events and dynamics through the metabolic networks. An open-source software is required that easily and rapidly calculates from mass spectra of labelled metabolites, derivatives and their fragments global isotope excess and isotopomer distribution. RESULTS: The open-source software "Least Square Mass Isotopomer Analyzer" (LS-MIDA) is presented that processes experimental mass spectrometry (MS) data on the basis of metabolite information such as the number of atoms in the compound, mass to charge ratio (m/e or m/z) values of the compounds and fragments under study, and the experimental relative MS intensities reflecting the enrichments of isotopomers in 13C- or 15 N-labelled compounds, in comparison to the natural abundances in the unlabelled molecules. The software uses Brauman's least square method of linear regression. As a result, global isotope enrichments of the metabolite or fragment under study and the molar abundances of each isotopomer are obtained and displayed. CONCLUSIONS: The new software provides an open-source platform that easily and rapidly converts experimental MS patterns of labelled metabolites into isotopomer enrichments that are the basis for subsequent observation-driven analysis of pathways and fluxes, as well as for model-driven metabolic flux calculations.