The copper regulon of the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans H99.

Cryptococcus neoformans is a human fungal pathogen that is the causative agent of cryptococcosis and fatal meningitis in immuno-compromised hosts. Recent studies suggest that copper (Cu) acquisition plays an important role in C. neoformans virulence, as mutants that lack Cuf1, which activates the Ctr4 high affinity Cu importer, are hypo-virulent in mouse models. To understand the constellation of Cu-responsive genes in C. neoformans and how their expression might contribute to virulence, we determined the transcript profile of C. neoformans in response to elevated Cu or Cu deficiency. We identified two metallothionein genes (CMT1 and CMT2), encoding cysteine-rich Cu binding and detoxifying proteins, whose expression is dramatically elevated in response to excess Cu. We identified a new C. neoformans Cu transporter, CnCtr1, that is induced by Cu deficiency and is distinct from CnCtr4 and which shows significant phylogenetic relationship to Ctr1 from other fungi. Surprisingly, in contrast to other fungi, we found that induction of both CnCTR1 and CnCTR4 expression under Cu limitation, and CMT1 and CMT2 in response to Cu excess, are dependent on the CnCuf1 Cu metalloregulatory transcription factor. These studies set the stage for the evaluation of the specific Cuf1 target genes required for virulence in C. neoformans.

Optimización de un sistema de traducción in vitro derivado de placenta humana para la evaluación de antibióticos / An in vitro translation system derived from human placenta for evaluation of antibiotics

Un sistema de traducción in vitro derivado de placenta humana es una herramienta útil para estimar el efecto que tendrían antibióticos nuevos sobre la síntesis de proteínas en células humanas. Una modalidad simple de ensayo in Vitro es la síntesis de polifenilalanina o poli(Phe), dependiente del ARN sistético poli(U). Para optimizar este ensayo, se purificó ARNtPhe homólogo, partiendo de ARNt total de placenta, mediante una combinación de cromatografía hidrofóbica y de alta presión en fase reversa (RP-HPLC). Al incorporar el ARNTPhe purificado a los ensayos se duplicó la eficiencia de síntesis de polo(Phe) con respecto a la obtenida con un ARNt total heterólogo de levadura. El sistema de ensayo optimizado fue usado para determinar el efecto de antibióticos sobre la elongación de polipéptidos por ribosomas humanos. La actividad ribosomal eucariota (ciclo-heximida y emetina, IC50 ˜= 40-60 µmol/L y 10-30 µmol/L, respectivamente). Por el contrario, antibióticos que actúan sobre el ribosoma bacteriano (cloranfenicol, azitromicina, y clindamicina) no mostraron efecto inhibitorio aún a concentraciones altas (hasta 1 mmol/L). Estos resultados demuestran la sensibilidad diferencial esperada del sistema in vitro y su potencialidad para ser utilizado en una evaluación temprana y rápida del efecto de antibióticos de nueva generación sobre la síntesis de proteínas con ribosomas humanos. Por lo tanto, el sistema de ensayo in Vitro permitiría seleccionar aquellos compuestos con mejores posibilidades para las pruebas posteriores necesarias para establecer su uso terapéutico en humanos

On the characterization of host-guest complexes: surface tension, calorimetry, and molecular dynamics of cyclodextrins with a non-ionic surfactant.

Three host-guest systems have been characterized using surface tension (sigma), calorimetry, and molecular dynamics simulations (MD). The hosts were three native cyclodextrins (CD) and the guest the non-ionic carbohydrate surfactant octyl-beta-d-glucopyranoside. It is shown that, for any host-guest system, a rough screening of the most probable complex stoichiometries can be obtained in a model free form, using only calorimetric data. The sigma data were analyzed using a model that includes a newly proposed adsorption isotherm. The equilibrium constants for several stoichiometries were simultaneously obtained through fitting the sigma data. For alpha- and beta-CD, the predominant species is 1:1 and to a lesser extent 2:1, disregarding the existence of the 1:2. For gamma-CD, the 1:2 species dominates, the other two being also present. In an attempt to confirm these results, 10 ns MD simulations for each CD were performed using seven different starting conformations. The MD stable conformations agree with the results found from the experimental data. In one case, the spontaneous dissociation-formation of a complex was observed. Analysis of the trajectories indicates that hydrophobic interactions are primarily responsible for the formation and stability of the inclusion complexes. For the 2:1 species, intermolecular H-bonds between CD molecules result in a tight packed structure where their original truncated cone shape is lost in favor of a cylindrical geometry. Together, the results clearly demonstrate that the often used assumption of considering only a 1:1 species is inappropriate.