The perspectives of older adults with mild cognitive impairment and their caregivers on the use of socially assistive robots in healthcare: exploring factors that influence attitude in a pre-implementation stage.

BACKGROUND: Due to increasing age and an increasing prevalence rate of neurocognitive disorders such as Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and dementia, independent living may become challenging. The use of socially assistive robots (SARs) is one solution that can enable older adults with cognitive impairment to remain independent. However, at present, there is a lack of knowledge about the attitudes of older adults with MCI and their caregivers towards SARs. METHODS: This study relies on a constructivist grounded theory approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain a deeper insight into attitudes of two different stakeholder groups; older adults with MCI and their (in)formal caregivers. RESULTS: Forty individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with older adults with MCI (N = 30) and (in)formal caregivers (N = 10). Data revealed different perspectives on SARs in healthcare for the involved stakeholders. Two main topics could be derived: (1) perspectives on robot assistance, discussing different viewpoints on the potential value of robots as helpers, and (2) perspectives on implementation, revealing different factors that could affect implementation. Both topics may explain a positive, impartial or negative attitude towards SARs. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified different factors that should be taken into account when implementing a SAR in the home environment of older adults. Despite the fact that the benefits of SARs are often recognized, many older participants currently seem not ready yet to commit to the use of a SAR.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONThis study explores the attitudes towards a SAR, developed to stimulate and support older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) on a physical, cognitive and social level.The results give a deeper insight into different factors contributing to a (non-) successful implementation of SARs in the home environment of older adults with MCI.

New insights into the assembly of bacterial secretins: structural studies of the periplasmic domain of XcpQ from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The type II secretion system is a multiprotein assembly spanning the inner and outer membranes in Gram-negative bacteria. It is found in almost all pathogenic bacteria where it contributes to virulence, host tissue colonization, and infection. The exoproteins are secreted across the outer membrane via a large translocation channel, the secretin, which typically adopts a dodecameric structure. These secretin channels have large periplasmic N-terminal domains that reach out into the periplasm for communication with the inner membrane platform and with a pseudopilus structure that spans the periplasm. Here we report the crystal structure of the N-terminal periplasmic domain of the secretin XcpQ from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, revealing a two-lobe dimeric assembly featuring parallel subunits engaging in well defined interactions at the tips of each lobe. We have employed structure-based engineering of disulfide bridges and native mass spectrometry to show that the periplasmic domain of XcpQ dimerizes in a concentration-dependent manner. Validation of these insights in the context of cellular full-length XcpQ and further evaluation of the functionality of disulfide-linked XcpQ establishes that the basic oligomerization unit of XcpQ is a dimer. This is consistent with the notion that the dodecameric secretin assembles as a hexamer of dimers to ensure correct projection of the N-terminal domains into the periplasm. Therefore, our studies provide a key conceptual advancement in understanding the assembly principles and dynamic function of type II secretion system secretins and challenge recent studies reporting monomers as the basic subunit of the secretin oligomer.

Decoding the folding of Burkholderia glumae lipase: folding intermediates en route to kinetic stability.

The lipase produced by Burkholderia glumae folds spontaneously into an inactive near-native state and requires a periplasmic chaperone to reach its final active and secretion-competent fold. The B. glumae lipase-specific foldase (Lif) is classified as a member of the steric-chaperone family of which the propeptides of α-lytic protease and subtilisin are the best known representatives. Steric chaperones play a key role in conferring kinetic stability to proteins. However, until present there was no solid experimental evidence that Lif-dependent lipases are kinetically trapped enzymes. By combining thermal denaturation studies with proteolytic resistance experiments and the description of distinct folding intermediates, we demonstrate that the native lipase has a kinetically stable conformation. We show that a newly discovered molten globule-like conformation has distinct properties that clearly differ from those of the near-native intermediate state. The folding fingerprint of Lif-dependent lipases is put in the context of the protease-prodomain system and the comparison reveals clear differences that render the lipase-Lif systems unique. Limited proteolysis unveils structural differences between the near-native intermediate and the native conformation and sets the stage to shed light onto the nature of the kinetic barrier.

Channel properties of the translocator domain of the autotransporter Hbp of Escherichia coli.

Autotransporters produced by Gram-negative bacteria consist of an N-terminal signal sequence, a C-terminal translocator domain (TD), and a passenger domain in between. The TD facilitates the secretion of the passenger across the outer membrane. It generally consists of a channel-forming ß-barrel that can be plugged by an α-helix that is formed by a polypeptide fragment immediately N-terminal to the barrel domain in the sequence. In this work, we characterized the TD of the hemoglobin protease Hbp of Escherichia coli by comparing its properties with the TDs of NalP of Neisseria meningitidis and IgA protease of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. All TDs were produced in inclusion bodies and folded in vitro. In the case of the TD of Hbp, this procedure resulted in autocatalytic intramolecular processing, which mimicked the in vivo processing. Liposome-swelling assays and planar lipid bilayer experiments revealed that the pore of the Hbp TD was largely obstructed. In contrast, an Hbp TD variant that lacked only one amino-acid residue from the N terminus showed the opening and closing of a channel comparable to what was reported for the TD of NalP. Additionally, the naturally processed helix contributed to the stability of the TD, as shown by chemical denaturation monitored by tryptophan fluorescence. Overall these results show that Hbp is processed by an autocatalytic intramolecular mechanism resulting in the stable docking of the α-helix in the barrel. In addition, we could show that the α-helix contributes to the stability of TDs.

Hydrophobic surface patches on LolA of Pseudomonas aeruginosa are essential for lipoprotein binding.

Many lipoproteins reside in the outer membrane (OM) of Gram-negative bacteria, and their biogenesis is dependent on the Lol (localization of lipoproteins) system. The periplasmic chaperone LolA accepts OM-destined lipoproteins that are released from the inner membrane by the LolCDE complex and transfers them to the OM receptor LolB. The exact nature of the LolA-lipoprotein complex is still unknown. The crystal structure of Escherichia coli LolA features an open beta-barrel covered by alpha helices that together constitute a hydrophobic cavity, which would allow the binding of one acyl chain. However, OM lipoproteins contain three acyl chains, and the stoichiometry of the LolA-lipoprotein complex is 1:1. Here we present the crystal structure of Pseudomonas aeruginosa LolA that projects clear hydrophobic surface patches. Since these patches are large enough to accommodate acyl chains, their role in lipoprotein binding was investigated. Several LolA mutant proteins were created, and their functionality was assessed by studying their capacity to release lipoproteins produced in sphaeroplasts. Interruption of the largest hydrophobic patch completely destroyed the lipoprotein-releasing capacity of LolA, while interruption of smaller patches apparently reduced efficiency. Thus, the results show a new lipoprotein transport model that places (some of) the acyl chains on the hydrophobic surface patches.

The agglutination protein AggA from Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 is a TolC-like protein and forms active channels in vitro.

Type I secretion systems (TISS) are associated with the virulence of Gram-negative bacteria and the secretion of pathogenic molecular determinants. The Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 outer-membrane protein AggA is part of a TISS. Recombinant AggA expressed in Escherichia coli as inclusion bodies can be efficiently refolded in vitro, and can form active channel-tunnels as shown by proteoliposome swelling assays and electrophysiological measurements in lipid bilayers. Structure-based sequence alignments identify AggA as a TolC-like protein, and point to a conserved structural framework among such proteins despite their marginal sequence similarity. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that clustering of TolC-like proteins can be correlated with their involvement in TISS, Resistance/Nodulation/Division (RND) or Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) complexes. Taken together, our results establish a first set of structure-function relationships for a bacterial outer-membrane protein likely to be exclusively involved in TISS, and may contribute towards a more accurate classification of Outer-Membrane Factor (OMF) family proteins.

Assessment of stability, toxicity and immunogenicity of new polymeric nanoreactors for use in enzyme replacement therapy of MNGIE.

The lack of a crucial metabolic enzyme can lead to accumulating substrate concentrations in the bloodstream and severe human enzyme deficiency diseases. Mitochondrial Neurogastrointestinal Encephalomyopathy (MNGIE) is such a fatal genetic disorder, caused by a thymidine phosphorylase deficiency. Enzyme replacement therapy is a strategy where the deficient enzyme is administered intravenously in order to decrease the toxic substrate concentrations. Such a therapy is however not very efficient due to the fast elimination of the native enzyme from the circulation. In this study we evaluate the potential of using polymeric enzyme-loaded nanoparticles to improve the delivery of therapeutic enzymes. We constructed new 200-nanometer PMOXA-PDMS-PMOXA polymeric nanoparticles that encapsulate the enzyme thymidine phosphorylase. These particles are permeabilised for substrates and products by the reconstitution of the nucleoside-specific porin Tsx in their polymeric wall. We show that the obtained 'nanoreactors' are enzymatically active and stable in blood serum at 37 degrees C. Moreover, they do not provoke cytotoxicity when incubated with hepatocytes for 4 days, nor do they induce a macrophage-mediated inflammatory response ex vivo and in vivo. All data highlight the potential of such nanoreactors for their application in enzyme replacement therapy of MNGIE.

Affinity-based isolation of a bacterial lipase through steric chaperone interactions.

Lipases are important as additives in detergent formulations but their biocatalytic potential is increasingly exploited in the synthesis of high-added value chemicals, in fine-chemical production and in the pharmaceutical industry. Traditionally, conventional purification schemes comprise several chromatographic steps. Here we report a new purification procedure of the lipase (LipA) that is endogenously secreted by the Gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia glumae. This affinity purification combines the specific binding scaffold of a lipase-specific foldase (Lif) and the intrinsic resistance to chemical denaturation of LipA. The newly devised method is less labor-intensive, is fast, leads to a homogeneous preparation and can be easily scaled up. The novel and the conventional purification strategies were evaluated in parallel and characteristics of the B. glumae lipase were analyzed via CD spectroscopy. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was still present in the samples purified via the conventional purification scheme and was shown to increase the thermostability of the lipase.

Lipids revert inert Abeta amyloid fibrils to neurotoxic protofibrils that affect learning in mice.

Although soluble oligomeric and protofibrillar assemblies of Abeta-amyloid peptide cause synaptotoxicity and potentially contribute to Alzheimer's disease (AD), the role of mature Abeta-fibrils in the amyloid plaques remains controversial. A widely held view in the field suggests that the fibrillization reaction proceeds 'forward' in a near-irreversible manner from the monomeric Abeta peptide through toxic protofibrillar intermediates, which subsequently mature into biologically inert amyloid fibrils that are found in plaques. Here, we show that natural lipids destabilize and rapidly resolubilize mature Abeta amyloid fibers. Interestingly, the equilibrium is not reversed toward monomeric Abeta but rather toward soluble amyloid protofibrils. We characterized these 'backward' Abeta protofibrils generated from mature Abeta fibers and compared them with previously identified 'forward' Abeta protofibrils obtained from the aggregation of fresh Abeta monomers. We find that backward protofibrils are biochemically and biophysically very similar to forward protofibrils: they consist of a wide range of molecular masses, are toxic to primary neurons and cause memory impairment and tau phosphorylation in mouse. In addition, they diffuse rapidly through the brain into areas relevant to AD. Our findings imply that amyloid plaques are potentially major sources of soluble toxic Abeta-aggregates that could readily be activated by exposure to biological lipids.

Chaperoning Anfinsen: the steric foldases.

Some proteins are so much resistant to proteolysis and unfolding that they violate folding rules shared by the vast majority of proteins. These unusual proteins manage to fold into an active native conformation that is thermodynamically at best marginally, but often even less stable than the unfolded state. A huge energetic barrier traps these proteins kinetically in the folded state. The drawback of this situation is the need for a specialized chaperone that adds steric information to the proteins to cross this barrier on the folding pathway. Until now, our knowledge of these intriguing chaperones was restricted to the prodomains of secreted proteases, which function intramolecularly. Recent research has added more examples, which now include the membrane-anchored lipase-specific foldase and the pilus subunit specific chaperone, both acting intermolecularly. The case of the pilin chaperone is somewhat deviant in that steric information is definitely provided, but the pilus subunit adopts a thermodynamically favourable stable conformation.

Assembly factor Omp85 recognizes its outer membrane protein substrates by a species-specific C-terminal motif.

Integral beta-barrel proteins are found in the outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria, mitochondria, and chloroplasts. The assembly of these proteins requires a proteinaceous apparatus of which Omp85 is an evolutionary conserved central component. To study its molecular mechanism, we have produced Omp85 from Escherichia coli in inclusion bodies and refolded it in vitro. The interaction of Omp85 with its substrate proteins was studied in lipid-bilayer experiments, where it formed channels. The properties of these channels were affected upon addition of unfolded outer-membrane proteins (OMPs) or synthetic peptides corresponding to their C-terminal signature sequences. The interaction exhibited species specificity, explaining the inefficient assembly of OMPs from Neisseria in E. coli. Accordingly, the in vivo assembly of the neisserial porin PorA into the E. coli outer membrane was accomplished after adapting its signature sequence. These results demonstrate that the Omp85 assembly machinery recognizes OMPs by virtue of their C-terminal signature sequence.

Structure of a membrane-based steric chaperone in complex with its lipase substrate.

Secretion via the type II secretion pathway in Gram-negative bacteria often relies crucially on steric chaperones in the periplasm. Here, we report the crystal structure of the soluble form of a lipase-specific foldase (Lif) from Burkholderia glumae in complex with its cognate lipase. The structure reveals how Lif uses a novel alpha-helical scaffold to embrace lipase, thereby creating an unusually extensive folding platform.

Therapeutic nanoreactors: combining chemistry and biology in a novel triblock copolymer drug delivery system.

Triblock copolymeric nanoreactors are introduced as an alternative for liposomes as encapsulating carrier for prodrug activating enzymes. Inosine-adenosine-guanosine preferring nucleoside hydrolase of Trypanosoma vivax, a potential prodrug activating enzyme, was encapsulated in nanometer-sized vesicles constructed of poly(2-methyloxazoline)-block-poly(dimethylsiloxane)-block-(2-methyloxazoline) triblock copolymers. The nanoreactor is functionalized by incorporation of bacterial porins, OmpF or Tsx, in the reactor wall. Efficient cleavage of three natural substrates and one prodrug, 2-fluoroadenosine, by the nanoreactors was demonstrated.

The VirE1VirE2 complex of Agrobacterium tumefaciens interacts with single-stranded DNA and forms channels.

The VirE2 protein is crucial for the transfer of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) from Agrobacterium tumefaciens to the nucleus of the plant host cell because of its ssDNA binding activity, assistance in nuclear import and putative ssDNA channel activity. The native form of VirE2 in Agrobacterium's cytoplasm is in complex with its specific chaperone, VirE1. Here, we describe the ability of the VirE1VirE2 complex to both bind ssDNA and form channels. The affinity of the VirE1VirE2 complex for ssDNA is slightly reduced compared with VirE2, but the kinetics of binding to ssDNA are unaffected by the presence of VirE1. Upon binding of VirE1VirE2 to ssDNA, similar helical structures to those reported for the VirE2-ssDNA complex were observed by electron microscopy. The VirE1VirE2 complex can release VirE1 once the VirE2-ssDNA complexes assembled. VirE2 exhibits a low affinity for small unilamellar vesicles composed of bacterial lipids and a high affinity for lipid vesicles containing sterols and sphingolipids, typical components of animal and plant membranes. In contrast, the VirE1VirE2 complex associated similarly with all kind of lipids. Finally, black lipid membrane experiments revealed the ability of the VirE1VirE2 complex to form channels. However, the majority of the channels displayed a conductance that was a third of the conductance of VirE2 channels. Our results demonstrate that the binding of VirE1 to VirE2 does not inhibit VirE2 functions and that the effector-chaperone complex is multifunctional.

Encapsulation of therapeutic nucleoside hydrolase in functionalised nanocapsules.

Liposomes are introduced as encapsulating carrier for prodrug activating enzymes. Inosineã-adenosineã-guanosine preferring nucleoside hydrolase of Trypanosoma vivax, a potential prodrug activating enzyme, was encapsulated in porin functionalized dioleyl-phosphatidylglycerol/egg-phosphatidylglycerol (DOPC/EPG) liposomes. Reactors had radiuses in the nanometer scale. First, transport of nucleosides through general diffusion porins OmpF and PhoE was measured in swelling assays, after which fully functional nanoreactors were developed. Enzyme catalysis of p-nitrophenylriboside, a substrate analogue for nucleoside hydrolases, was significantly higher in permeabilized vesicles than in control vesicles without porins. Residual activity of control vesicles possibly resides in an interaction between the enzyme and the liposomes. This interaction was not of electrostatic nature, since it remained unaffected after the addition of high salt or after perturbation of liposome surface charge and charge density. With these vesicles, we have introduced a new strategy for prodrug therapy, combining the benefits of ADEPT and liposome targeting strategies.

Crystallization and crystal manipulation of a steric chaperone in complex with its lipase substrate.

Bacterial lipases that are secreted via the type II secretion pathway require a lipase-specific foldase in order to obtain their native and biologically active conformation in the periplasmic space. The lipase-foldase complex from Burkholderia glumae (319 and 333 residues, respectively) was crystallized in two crystal forms. One crystal form belongs to space group P3(1)21 (P3(2)21), with unit-cell parameters a = b = 122.3, c = 98.2 A. A procedure is presented which improved the diffraction of these crystals from approximately 5 to 2.95 A. For the second crystal form, which belonged to space group C2 with unit-cell parameters a = 183.0, b = 75.7, c = 116.6 A, X-ray data were collected to 1.85 A.

Maltoporin: sugar for physics and biology.

Maltoporin has been studied for over 50 years. This trimeric bacterial outer membrane channel allows permeation of sugars such as maltodextrins. Its structure is described and functional studies resulting in a mechanistic transport model are critically discussed.

Structure and electrophysiological properties of the YscC secretin from the type III secretion system of Yersinia enterocolitica.

YscC is the integral outer membrane component of the type III protein secretion machinery of Yersinia enterocolitica and belongs to the family of secretins. This group of proteins forms stable ring-like oligomers in the outer membrane, which are thought to function as transport channels for macromolecules. The YscC oligomer was purified after solubilization from the membrane with a nonionic detergent. Sodium dodecyl sulfate did not dissociate the oligomer, but it caused a change in electrophoretic mobility and an increase in protease susceptibility, indicating partial denaturation of the subunits within the oligomer. The mass of the homo-oligomer, as determined by scanning transmission electron microscopy, was approximately 1 MDa. Analysis of the angular power spectrum from averaged top views of negatively stained YscC oligomers revealed a 13-fold angular order, suggesting that the oligomer consists of 13 subunits. Reconstituted in planar lipid bilayers, the YscC oligomer displayed a constant voltage-independent conductance of approximately 3 nS, thus forming a stable pore. However, in vivo, the expression of YscC did not lead to an increased permeability of the outer membrane. Electron microscopy revealed that the YscC oligomer is composed of three domains, two stacked rings attached to a conical domain. This structure is consistent with the notion that the secretin forms the upper part of the basal body of the needle structure of the type III secreton.

Structure of the translocator domain of a bacterial autotransporter.

Autotransporters are virulence-related proteins of Gram-negative bacteria that are secreted via an outer-membrane-based C-terminal extension, the translocator domain. This domain supposedly is sufficient for the transport of the N-terminal passenger domain across the outer membrane. We present here the crystal structure of the in vitro-folded translocator domain of the autotransporter NalP from Neisseria meningitidis, which reveals a 12-stranded beta-barrel with a hydrophilic pore of 10 x 12.5 A that is filled by an N-terminal alpha-helix. The domain has pore activity in vivo and in vitro. Our data are consistent with the model of passenger-domain transport through the hydrophilic channel within the beta-barrel, and inconsistent with a model for transport through a central channel formed by an oligomer of translocator domains. However, the dimensions of the pore imply translocation of the secreted domain in an unfolded form. An alternative model, possibly covering the transport of folded domains, is that passenger-domain transport involves the Omp85 complex, the machinery required for membrane insertion of outer-membrane proteins, on which autotransporters are dependent.