Hermes Regulates Axon Sorting in the Optic Tract by Post-Trancriptional Regulation of Neuropilin 1.

UNLABELLED: The establishment of precise topographic maps during neural development is facilitated by the presorting of axons in the pathway before they reach their targets. In the vertebrate visual system, such topography is seen clearly in the optic tract (OT) and in the optic radiations. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in pretarget axon sorting are poorly understood. Here, we show in zebrafish that the RNA-binding protein Hermes, which is expressed exclusively in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), is involved in this process. Using a RiboTag approach, we show that Hermes acts as a negative translational regulator of specific mRNAs in RGCs. One of these targets is the guidance cue receptor Neuropilin 1 (Nrp1), which is sensitive to the repellent cue Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A). Hermes knock-down leads to topographic missorting in the OT through the upregulation of Nrp1. Restoring Nrp1 to appropriate levels in Hermes-depleted embryos rescues this effect and corrects the axon-sorting defect in the OT. Our data indicate that axon sorting relies on Hermes-regulated translation of Nrp1. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: An important mechanism governing the formation of the mature neural map is pretarget axon sorting within the sensory tract; however, the molecular mechanisms involved in this process remain largely unknown. The work presented here reveals a novel function for the RNA-binding protein Hermes in regulating the topographic sorting of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons in the optic tract and tectum. We find that Hermes negatively controls the translation of the guidance cue receptor Neuropilin-1 in RGCs, with Hermes knock-down resulting in aberrant growth cone cue sensitivity and axonal topographic misprojections. We characterize a novel RNA-based mechanism by which axons restrict their translatome developmentally to achieve proper targeting.This work was supported by Wellcome Trust Programme Grants (085314) (CEH), European Research Council Advanced Grant (322817) (CEH), a Wellcome Trust Investigator Award (WAH), EMBO Long Term Fellowship (JMC), BBSRC studentship (HH) and Cambridge Gates Trust Scholarship (HH)

Neuroligins in neurodevelopmental conditions: how mouse models of de novo mutations can help us link synaptic function to social behavior

Neurodevelopmental conditions (or neurodevelopmental disorders, NDDs) are highly heterogeneous with overlapping characteristics and shared genetic etiology. The large symptom variability and etiological heterogeneity have made it challenging to understand the biological mechanisms underpinning NDDs. To accommodate this individual variability, one approach is to move away from diagnostic criteria and focus on distinct dimensions with relevance to multiple NDDs. This domain approach is well suited to preclinical research, where genetically modified animal models can be used to link genetic variability to neurobiological mechanisms and behavioral traits. Genetic factors associated with NDDs can be grouped functionally into common biological pathways, with one prominent functional group being genes associated with the synapse. These include the neuroligins, a family of postsynaptic transmembrane proteins that are key modulators of synaptic function. Here, we review how research using neuroligin mouse models has provided insight into how synaptic proteins contribute to behavioral traits associated with NDDs. We focus on how mutations in different neuroligins affect social behaviors, as differences in social interaction and communication are a common feature of most NDDs. Importantly, mice carrying distinct mutations in neuroligins share some neurobiological and behavioral phenotypes with other synaptic gene mutations. Comparing the functional implications of mutations in multiple synaptic proteins is a first step toward identifying convergent neurobiological pathways in multiple brain regions and circuits

Finite-Element-Simulation des Kondensator-Impuls-Schweißens

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Targeting Acetylcholinesterase: Identification of Chemical Leads by High Throughput Screening, Structure Determination and Molecular Modeling

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is an essential enzyme that terminates cholinergic transmission by rapid hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Compounds inhibiting this enzyme can be used (inter alia) to treat cholinergic deficiencies (e.g. in Alzheimer's disease), but may also act as dangerous toxins (e.g. nerve agents such as sarin). Treatment of nerve agent poisoning involves use of antidotes, small molecules capable of reactivating AChE. We have screened a collection of organic molecules to assess their ability to inhibit the enzymatic activity of AChE, aiming to find lead compounds for further optimization leading to drugs with increased efficacy and/or decreased side effects. 124 inhibitors were discovered, with considerable chemical diversity regarding size, polarity, flexibility and charge distribution. An extensive structure determination campaign resulted in a set of crystal structures of protein-ligand complexes. Overall, the ligands have substantial interactions with the peripheral anionic site of AChE, and the majority form additional interactions with the catalytic site (CAS). Reproduction of the bioactive conformation of six of the ligands using molecular docking simulations required modification of the default parameter settings of the docking software. The results show that docking-assisted structure-based design of AChE inhibitors is challenging and requires crystallographic support to obtain reliable results, at least with currently available software. The complex formed between C5685 and Mus musculus AChE (C5685•mAChE) is a representative structure for the general binding mode of the determined structures. The CAS binding part of C5685 could not be structurally determined due to a disordered electron density map and the developed docking protocol was used to predict the binding modes of this part of the molecule. We believe that chemical modifications of our discovered inhibitors, biochemical and biophysical characterization, crystallography and computational chemistry provide a route to novel AChE inhibitors and reactivators

Structure of HI-6•Sarin-Acetylcholinesterase Determined by X-Ray Crystallography and Molecular Dynamics Simulation: Reactivator Mechanism and Design

Organophosphonates such as isopropyl metylphosphonofluoridate (sarin) are extremely toxic as they phosphonylate the catalytic serine residue of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), an enzyme essential to humans and other species. Design of effective AChE reactivators as antidotes to various organophosphonates requires information on how the reactivators interact with the phosphonylated AChEs. However, such information has not been available hitherto because of three main challenges. First, reactivators are generally flexible in order to change from the ground state to the transition state for reactivation; this flexibility discourages determination of crystal structures of AChE in complex with effective reactivators that are intrinsically disordered. Second, reactivation occurs upon binding of a reactivator to the phosphonylated AChE. Third, the phosphorous conjugate can develop resistance to reactivation. We have identified crystallographic conditions that led to the determination of a crystal structure of the sarinnonaged-conjugated mouse AChE in complex with [(E)-[1-[(4-carbamoylpyridin-1-ium-1-yl)methoxymethyl]pyridin-2-ylidene]methyl]-oxoazanium dichloride (HI-6) at a resolution of 2.2 Å. In this structure, the carboxyamino-pyridinium ring of HI-6 is sandwiched by Tyr124 and Trp286, however, the oxime-pyridinium ring is disordered. By combining crystallography with microsecond molecular dynamics simulation, we determined the oxime-pyridinium ring structure, which shows that the oxime group of HI-6 can form a hydrogen-bond network to the sarin isopropyl ether oxygen, and a water molecule is able to form a hydrogen bond to the catalytic histidine residue and subsequently deprotonates the oxime for reactivation. These results offer insights into the reactivation mechanism of HI-6 and design of better reactivators

Är konstgräs ett miljöhot?

I Sverige finns det i dagsläget omkring 1200 konstgräsplaner avsedda för fotboll och det anläggs fler varje år. En konstgräsplan möjliggör fler speltimmar än vanligt naturgräs eftersom den kan användas året om. Konstgräs har flera negativa aspekter varav en är att fyllnadsmaterialen, också kallat granulat, identifierats som den näst största källan till spridning av mikroplaster i Sverige (Svenska Miljöinstitutet, 2017). En annan negativ aspekt är att konstgräsplaner består av flera olika material som är svåra att separera vilket medför svårigheter vid avfallshantering. Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur aktörerna i konstgräsplaners produktkedja uppfattar miljöbelastningen i konstgräsets livscykel för att identifiera hinder och möj ligheter för åtgärder som kan minska miljöbelastningen Studien använde sig av en aktörsbaserad produktkedja som innefattade tillverkare, an läggare, kunder, avfallshanterare och rådgivare. Intervjuer genomfördes med aktörer från samtliga delar av produktkedjan för att identifiera miljöbelastningen i konstgräsplanens livscykel och undersöka ansvarsfördelningen mellan aktörerna. Undersökningen visade att kommunerna har ett stort ansvar eftersom de anlägger och avvecklar konstgräsplaner genom offentliga upphandlingar där upphandlingsunderlagets kvalité har stor betydelse för miljöbelastningen. Kommunerna har också ansvaret under användningsfasen vilket resulterar i ansvar för att minimera mängden mikroplast som sprids genom att använda rätt spridningsförebyggande åtgärder. Undersökningen visade också att det finns en bristande kunskap bland aktörer samt att det saknades en samsyn gällande miljöbelastningen och hur en optimal konstgräsplan ser ut. Lämpliga åtgärder för att minska miljöpåverkan är framför allt att förbättra kommunikationen mellan aktörerna, öka kunskapsnivån, stifta lagar och införa ett producentansvar för hantering av konstgräsplaner

Pneumatic wound compression after hip fracture surgery did not reduce postoperative blood transfusion: A randomized controlled trial involving 292 fractures

Background and purpose Patients with fracture of the proximal femur often undergo blood transfusion. A pneumatic compression bandage has been shown to reduce transfusion after primary hip arthroplasty for osteoarthritis. In this randomized trial, we evaluated the efficacy of this bandage following surgery for hip fracture

High resolution crystal structures of piscine transthyretin reveal different binding modes for triiodothyronine and thyroxine

Transthyretin (TTR) is an extracellular transport protein involved in the distribution of thyroid hormones and vitamin A. So far, TTR has only been found in vertebrates, of which piscine TTR displays the lowest sequence identity with human TTR (47%). Human and piscine TTR bind both thyroid hormones 3,5,3 -triiodo- L-thyronine (T3) and 3,5,3 ,5 -tetraiodo-L-thyronine (thyroxine, T4). Human TTR has higher affinity for T4 than T3, whereas the reverse holds for piscine TTR. X-ray structures of Sparus aurata (sea bream) TTR have been determined as the apo-protein at 1.75 Å resolution and bound to ligands T3 and T4, both at 1.9 Å resolution. The apo structure is similar to human TTR with structural changes only at -strand D. This strand forms an extended loop conformation similar to the one in chicken TTR. The piscine TTR T4 complex shows the T4-binding site to be similar but not identical to human TTR, whereas the TTR T3 complex shows the I3 halogen situated at the site normally occupied by the hydroxyl group of T4. The significantly wider entrance of the hormone- binding channel in sea bream TTR, in combination with its narrower cavity, provides a structural explanation for the different binding affinities of human and piscine TTR to T3 and T4.We thank Anders Olofsson, Uwe H. Sauer, Andreas Ho¨rnberg, and Terese Bergfors for valuable discussions and critical reading of the manuscript

Rescue of oxytocin response and social behaviour in a mouse model of autism

A fundamental challenge in developing treatments for autism spectrum disorders is the heterogeneity of the condition. More than one hundred genetic mutations confer high risk for autism, with each individual mutation accounting for only a small fraction of cases1,2,3. Subsets of risk genes can be grouped into functionally related pathways, most prominently those involving synaptic proteins, translational regulation, and chromatin modifications. To attempt to minimize this genetic complexity, recent therapeutic strategies have focused on the neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin4,5,6, which regulate aspects of social behaviour in mammals7. However, it is unclear whether genetic risk factors predispose individuals to autism as a result of modifications to oxytocinergic signalling. Here we report that an autism-associated mutation in the synaptic adhesion molecule Nlgn3 results in impaired oxytocin signalling in dopaminergic neurons and in altered behavioural responses to social novelty tests in mice. Notably, loss of Nlgn3 is accompanied by a disruption of translation homeostasis in the ventral tegmental area. Treatment of Nlgn3-knockout mice with a new, highly specific, brain-penetrant inhibitor of MAP kinase-interacting kinases resets the translation of mRNA and restores oxytocin signalling and social novelty responses. Thus, this work identifies a convergence between the genetic autism risk factor Nlgn3, regulation of translation, and oxytocinergic signalling. Focusing on such common core plasticity elements might provide a pragmatic approach to overcoming the heterogeneity of autism. Ultimately, this would enable mechanism-based stratification of patient populations to increase the success of therapeutic interventions