@phdthesis{Engelmann2023,
  author    = {Engelmann, Daria Marie},
  title     = {Regulation of Mammalian Phosphoglycolate Phosphatase},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-19957},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-199577},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {Mammalian phoshoglycolate phosphatase (PGP, also known as AUM) belongs to the ubiquitous HAD superfamily of phosphatases. As several other members of HAD phosphatases, the Mg2+-dependent dephosphorylation is conducted via a nucleophilic attack from a conserved aspartate residue in the catalytic cleft. The protein structure of PGP could not yet be solved entirely. Only a hybrid consisting of the PGP cap and the PDXP core (pyridoxal phosphatase, closest enzyme paralog) was crystallizable so far. PGP is able to efficiently dephosphorylate 2-phosphoglycolate, 2-phospho-L-lactate, 4-phospho-D-erythronate, and glycerol-3-phosphate in vitro which makes them likely physiological substrates. The first three substrates can be derived from metabolic side reactions (during glycolysis) and inhibit key enzymes in glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathway, the latter is situated at the intersection between glycolysis and lipogenesis. 2-phosphoglycolate can also be released in the context of repair of oxidative DNA damage. The activity of purified PGP can be reversibly inhibited by oxidation - physiologically likely in association with epidermal growth factor (EGF) signal transduction. In fact, an association between persistently lacking PGP activity (via downregulation) and the presence of hyperphosphorylated proteins after EGF stimulation has been identified. Reversible oxidation and transient inactivation of PGP may be particularly important for short-term and feedback regulatory mechanisms (as part of the EGF signaling). Furthermore, cellular proliferation in PGP downregulated cells is constantly reduced. Whole-body PGP inactivation in mice is embryonically lethal. Despite the many well-known features and functions, the knowledge about PGP is still incomplete. In the present work the influence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on PGP activity in cells und a possible connection between oxidative stress and the proliferation deficit of PGP downregulated cells was investigated. For the experiments, a spermatogonial cell line was used (due to the high PGP expression in testis). PGP activity can be reversibly inhibited in cellular lysates by H2O2 (as a ROS representative). Reversible oxidation could thus indeed be physiologically important. More oxidative DNA damage (by bleomycin) showed no PGP-dependent effects here. EGF stimulation (as an inducer of transient and well-controlled ROS production), low concentrations of menadione (as an oxidant) and N-acetylcysteine (as an antioxidant) were able to approximate the proliferation rate in PGP downregulated cells to that of control cells. The redox regulation of PGP could thus have an influence on cellular proliferation as a feedback mechanism - a mechanism that could not take place in PGP downregulated cells. However, the connections are probably even more complex and cannot be elucidated by a sole examination of the proliferation rate. The present results can thus only be regarded as preliminary experiments. For a better understanding of the features and functions of PGP, this work then focused on specific regulation of enzyme activity by pharmacologically applicable small molecules. Four potent inhibitors had previously been identified in a screening campaign. In this work, three of these four inhibiting compounds could be further characterized in experiments with highly purified, recombinant murine and human PGP. Compounds \#2 and \#9 showed competitive inhibition properties with a markedly rising KM value with little or no change in vmax. The results were consistent for all tested protein variants: the murine and the human PGP as well as a PGP/PDXP hybrid protein. Compound \#1 was the most potent and interesting PGP-inhibitory molecule: less change in KM and a constant decrease in vmax as well as a lower impact on the PGP/PDXP hybrid hint at a mixed mode of inhibition as a combination of competitive and non-competitive inhibition. The characterization of the potential inhibitors can serve as a basis for further structural analysis and studies on the complex physiological role of PGP.},
  subject      = {Phosphoglykolatphosphatase},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{LiessneeEller2021,
  author    = {Liess [n{\´e}e Eller], Anna Katharina Luise},
  title     = {Understanding the regulation of the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UBE2S},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-20419},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-204190},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {The ubiquitination of proteins serves as molecular signal to control an enormous number of physiological processes and its dysregulation is connected to human diseases like cancer. The versatility of this signal stems from the diverse ways by which ubiquitin can be attached to its targets. Thus, specificity and tight regulation of the ubiquitination are pivotal requirements of ubiquitin signaling. Ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2s) act at the heart of the ubiquitination cascade, transferring ubiquitin from a ubiquitin-activating enzyme (E1) to a ubiquitin ligase (E3) or substrate. When cooperating with a RING-type E3, ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes can determine linkage specificity in ubiquitin chain formation. Our understanding of the regulation of E2 activities is still limited at a structural level. The work described here identifies two regulation mechanisms in UBE2S, a cognate E2 of the human RING-type E3 anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C). UBE2S elongates ubiquitin chains on APC/C substrates in a Lys11 linkage-specific manner, thereby targeting these substrates for degradation and driving mitotic progression. In addition, UBE2S was found to have a role in DNA repair by enhancing non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) and causing transcriptional arrest at DNA damage sites in homologous recombination (HR). Furthermore, UBE2S overexpression is a characteristic feature of many cancer types and is connected to poor prognosis and diminished response to therapy. The first regulatory mechanism uncovered in this thesis involves the intramolecular auto-ubiquitination of a particular lysine residue (Lys+5) close to the active site cysteine, presumably through conformational flexibility of the active site region. The Lys+5-linked ubiquitin molecule adopts a donor-like, 'closed' orientation towards UBE2S, thereby conferring auto-inhibition. Notably, Lys+5 is a major physiological ubiquitination site in ~25\% of the human E2 enzymes, thus providing regulatory opportunities beyond UBE2S. Besides the active, monomeric state and the auto-inhibited state caused by auto-ubiquitination, I discovered that UBE2S can adopt a dimeric state. The latter also provides an auto-inhibited state, in which ubiquitin transfer is blocked via the obstruction of donor binding. UBE2S dimerization is promoted by its unique C-terminal extension, suppresses auto-ubiquitination and thereby the proteasomal degradation of UBE2S. Taken together, the data provided in this thesis illustrate the intricate ways by which UBE2S activity is fine-tuned and the notion that structurally diverse mechanisms have evolved to restrict the first step in the catalytic cycle of E2 enzymes.},
  subject      = {E2},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Wolter2015,
  author    = {Wolter, Patrick},
  title     = {Characterization of the mitotic localization and function of the novel DREAM target GAS2L3 and Mitotic kinesins are regulated by the DREAM complex, often up-regulated in cancer cells, and are potential targets for anti-cancer therapy},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-122531},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {The recently discovered human DREAM complex (for DP, RB-like, E2F and MuvB complex) is a chromatin-associated pocket protein complex involved in cell cycle- dependent gene expression. DREAM consists of five core subunits and forms a complex either with the pocket protein p130 and the transcription factor E2F4 to repress gene expression or with the transcription factors B-MYB and FOXM1 to promote gene expression. Gas2l3 was recently identified by our group as a novel DREAM target gene. Subsequent characterization in human cell lines revealed that GAS2L3 is a microtubule and F-actin cross-linking protein, expressed in G2/M, plays a role in cytokinesis, and is important for chromosomal stability. The aim of the first part of the study was to analyze how expression of GAS2L3 is regulated by DREAM and to provide a better understanding of the function of GAS2L3 in mitosis and cytokinesis. ChIP assays revealed that the repressive and the activating form of DREAM bind to the GAS2L3 promoter. RNA interference (RNAi) mediated GAS2L3 depletion demonstrated the requirement of GAS2L3 for proper cleavage furrow ingression in cytokinesis. Immunofluorescence-based localization studies showed a localization of GAS2L3 at the mitotic spindle in mitosis and at the midbody in cytokinesis. Additional experiments demonstrated that the GAS2L3 GAR domain, a putative microtubule- binding domain, is responsible for GAS2L3 localization to the constriction zones in cytokinesis suggesting a function for GAS2L3 in the abscission process. DREAM is known to promote G2/M gene expression. DREAM target genes include several mitotic kinesins and mitotic microtubule-associated proteins (mitotic MAPs). However, it is not clear to what extent DREAM regulates mitotic kinesins and MAPs, so far. Furthermore, a comprehensive study of mitotic kinesin expression in cancer cell lines is still missing. Therefore, the second major aim of the thesis was to characterize the regulation of mitotic kinesins and MAPs by DREAM, to investigate the expression of mitotic kinesins in cancer cell line panels and to evaluate them as possible anti-cancer targets. ChIP assays together with RNAi mediated DREAM subunit depletion experiments demonstrated that DREAM is a master regulator of mitotic kinesins. Furthermore, expression analyses in a panel of breast and lung cancer cell lines revealed that mitotic kinesins are up-regulated in the majority of cancer cell lines in contrast to non-transformed controls. Finally, an inducible lentiviral-based shRNA system was developed to effectively deplete mitotic kinesins. Depletion of selected mitotic kinesins resulted in cytokinesis failures and strong anti-proliferative effects in several human cancer cell lines. Thus, this system will provide a robust tool for future investigation of mitotic kinesin function in cancer cells.},
  subject      = {Zellzyklus},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Friedrich2015,
  author    = {Friedrich, Alexandra},
  title     = {Beeinflussung des Na+-D-Glukose-Kotransporters SGLT1 und der Na+-Nukleosidtransporter CNT durch Peptidmotive des Regulatorproteins RS1 im Darm},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-127394},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Der Natrium-D-Glukose Kotransporter 1 (SGLT1) spielt eine wichtige Rolle bei der Aufnahme von Glukose aus dem Darmlumen in die Enterozyten des Darms. Anhand von Untersuchungen an Xenopus laevis-Oozyten konnte in unserem Labor das Protein RS1 als posttranslationales Regulatorprotein f{\"u}r SGLT1 und diverse andere Transporter ermittelt werden. Es wurde eine regulatorische Dom{\"a}ne aus RS1 mit vielen potentiellen Phosphorylierungsstellen isoliert (RS1-Reg) und gezeigt dass RS1-Reg die Abschn{\"u}rung von Transporter enthaltenen Vesikeln vom Transgolgi-Netzwerk hemmt. Neben SGLT1 reguliert RS1 auch die konzentrierenden Nukleosidtransporter (CNTs) am TGN. Die Regulation der Transporter ist vom Phosphorylierungszustand von RS1-Reg abh{\"a}ngig. So wurde durch Versuche an Oozyten von Xenopus laevis und Injektion von RS1-Reg Mutanten gezeigt, dass die Phosphorylierung von RS1-Reg an einigen Stellen zu einer Inhibition von SGLT1 f{\"u}hrte, w{\"a}hrend der Nukleosidtransporter CNT1 durch die dephosphorylierte Mutante herunterreguliert wurden. Neben der phosphorylierungsabh{\"a}ngigen Regulation konnte f{\"u}r SGLT1 auch gezeigt werden, dass die Herunterregulation nur unter Niedrigzucker-Bedingungen erfolgte, nicht jedoch bei hohen Glukosekonzentrationen. F{\"u}r die CNTs war eine derartige Zuckerabh{\"a}ngigkeit nicht zu beobachten. Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Studie wurde untersucht, ob die Ergebnisse aus den Oozytenmessungen auch in vivo in einem S{\"a}ugetier gezeigt werden k{\"o}nnen. Hierzu wurden Mutanten der regulatorischen Dom{\"a}ne (RS1-Reg) des Maus-Proteins, welche den phosphorylierten Zustand simulierten (RS1-Reg (S19E)), oder die Phosphorylierung verhinderten (RS1-Reg (S19A)) eingesetzt. Diese wurden an ein Nanohydrogel gekoppelt, um eine Aufnahme in die Enterozyten im Darm zu gew{\"a}hrleisten. Es wurde in der RS1KO-Mausohne funktionelles RS1 gezeigt, dass auch im in vivo-System eine Herunterregulation von SGLT1 durch mRS1-Reg (S19E), nicht jedoch durch mRS1-Reg (S19A) erfolgte, w{\"a}hrend die CNTs nur durch mRS1-Reg (S19A) inhibiert wurden. Des Weiteren f{\"u}hrte mRS1-Reg (S19A) in der Wildtypmaus bei niedrigen Zuckerkonzentrationen zu einer Stimulation von SGLT1, was f{\"u}r eine Kompetition mit dem endogenen RS1-Proteins spricht. Es konnte indirekt der Beweis erbracht werden, dass {\"u}ber Nanohydrogele l{\"a}ngere Proteine in die Zelle gebracht werden k{\"o}nnen und dort funktionell freigesetzt werden.},
  subject      = {Glucosetransport},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Spannaus2015,
  author    = {Spannaus, Ralf},
  title     = {Regulation der foamyviralen Proteaseaktivit{\"a}t},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-113401},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Alle Retroviren prozessieren ihre Pol- und Strukturproteine mit Hilfe der viralen Protease. In dieser Arbeit wurden zentrale Mechanismen der Regulation der foamyviralen Protease untersucht und charakterisiert. Dazu wurde eine chromatographische Virusreinigungsmethode entwickelt und die relative Pol- und Env-Enkapsidierung bestimmt. Foamyviren enthalten weniger Pol als andere Retroviren aber deutlich mehr Env als humane Immunodefizienzviren. Die Pol-Inkorporation k{\"o}nnte durch die limitierte Prozessierung mit nur einer einzigen Schnittstelle in Gag und Pol kompensiert werden. Deshalb wurde untersucht, ob die foamyvirale Protease ein beschr{\"a}nktes Schnittstellenrepertoire aufweist. In Zellkulturen sind die Schnitt-stellenpositionen P2' und P2 auf die Aminos{\"a}urereste Valin und Valin/Asparagin beschr{\"a}nkt. Demnach hat die foamyvirale Protease ein eingeschr{\"a}nkteres Schnittstellenrepertoire als die Protease des humanen Immunodefizienzvirus. Weiterhin wurde hier gezeigt, dass die vollst{\"a}ndige reverse Transkription die Prozessierung von Gag voraussetzt und Proteaseaktivit{\"a}t-defiziente oder Gag-Schnittstellen-defiziente Viren keine vollst{\"a}ndige cDNA bilden k{\"o}nnen. Demnach kompensieren Foamyviren die niedrige Proteasekonzentration, indem sie sicherstellen, dass die reverse Transkription erst nach der Gag-Maturation vollendet werden kann. Weiterhin wird bei humanen Immunodefizienzviren durch die Gag-Maturation die essenzielle Mobilit{\"a}t der wenigen Env-Trimere auf der H{\"u}llmembran getriggert. Die erstmals in dieser Arbeit bei Foamyviren quantifizierte Env-Menge ergab, dass Foamyviren 28 mal mehr Env- pro Gag-Molek{\"u}l als humane Immunodefizienzviren besitzen. Wahrscheinlich dient dieser hohe Env-Gehalt der Kompensation der eingeschr{\"a}nkten Env-Mobilit{\"a}t, die durch die limitierte Gag-Prozessierung an nur einer carboxyterminalen Schnittstelle verursacht wird. Da f{\"u}r die Aktivierung der foamyviralen Protease virale Ribonukleins{\"a}ure ben{\"o}tigt wird, wurde untersucht, welche Pol-Dom{\"a}nen f{\"u}r die Aktivierung der Protease ben{\"o}tigt werden. Im Gegensatz zur Integrase, deren Deletion in reduzierter Proteaseaktivit{\"a}t resultierte, war die funktionelle RNaseH-Dom{\"a}ne essenziell f{\"u}r die Gag-Prozessierung. Die Substitution der foamyviralen RNaseH durch RNaseH-Dom{\"a}nen von anderen Retroviren resultierte in genomunabh{\"a}ngiger Proteaseaktivit{\"a}t in Zellen und genomabh{\"a}ngiger Proteaseaktivit{\"a}t in den rekombinanten Viren. Demnach scheint die dimerstabilisierende Funktion der RNaseH durch direkte Protein-Protein-Interaktion oder durch unspezifische RNA-Bindung verursacht zu werden.},
  subject      = {Spumaviren},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Fackler2014,
  author    = {Fackler, Marc},
  title     = {Biochemical characterization of GAS2L3, a target gene of the DREAM complex},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-103394},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {GAS2L3 was identified recently as a target gene of the DREAM complex (Reichert et al., 2010; Wolter et al., 2012). It was shown that GAS2L3 is expressed in a cell cycle specific manner and that depletion of the protein leads to defects in cytokinesis and genomic instability (Wolter et al., 2012). Major aim of this thesis was, to further characterize the biochemical properties and physiological function of GAS2L3. By in vitro co-sedimentation and bundling assays, GAS2L3 was identified as a cytoskeleton associated protein which bundles, binds and crosslinks F-actin and MTs. GST pulldown assays and co-immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that GAS2L3 interacts in vitro and in vivo with the chromosomal passenger complex (CPC), a very important regulator of mitosis and cytokinesis, and that the interaction is mediated by the GAR domain of GAS2L3 and the C-terminal part of Borealin and the N-terminal part of Survivin. Kinase assays showed that GAS2L3 is not a substrate of the CPC but is strongly phosphorylated by CDK1 in vitro. Depletion of GAS2L3 by shRNA influenced protein stability and activity of the CPC. However pharmacological studies showed that the decreased CPC activity is not responsible for the observed cytokinesis defects upon GAS2L3 depletion. Immunofluorescence experiments revealed that GAS2L3 is localized to the constriction zone by the CPC in a GAR dependent manner and that the GAR domain is important for proper protein function. New interacting proteins of GAS2L3 were identified by stable isotope labelling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) in combination with tandem affinity purification and subsequent mass spectrometrical analysis. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments further confirmed the obtained mass spectrometrical data. To address the physiological function of GAS2L3 in vivo, a conditional and a non-conditional knockout mouse strain was established. The non-conditional mouse strain showed a highly increased mortality rate before weaning age probably due to heart failure. The physiological function of GAS2L3 in vivo as well as the exact reason for the observed heart phenotype is not known at the moment.},
  subject      = {Zellzyklus},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{PremachandranNair2014,
  author    = {Premachandran Nair, Anoop Chandran},
  title     = {Identification and functional characterization of TGF-β inducible, immunosuppressive miRNAs in human CD8+ T cells},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-109741},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {While TGF-β is able to regulate miRNA expression in numerous cell types, TGF-β-dependent changes in the miRNA profile of CD8+ T cells had not been studied before. Considering that TGF-β suppresses CD8+ T cell effector functions in numerous ways, we wondered whether induction of immune-regulatory miRNAs could add to the known transcriptional effects of TGF-β on immune effector molecules. In this study, we used miRNA arrays, deep sequencing and qRT-PCR to identify miRNAs that are modulated by TGF-β in human CD8+ T cells. Having found that the TGF-β-dependent downregulation of NKG2D surface expression in NK cells and CD8+ T cells does not go along with a corresponding reduction in mRNA levels, this pathway appeared to be a possible target of TGF-β-inducible miRNAs. However, this hypothesis could not be confirmed by miRNA reporter assays. Instead, we observed that DAP10 transcription is suppressed by TGF-β which in turn negatively affects NKG2D surface expression. In spite of promising preliminary experiments, technical difficulties associated with the transfection of primary NK cells and NK cell lines unfortunately precluded the final proof of this hypothesis. Instead, we focused on the TGF-β-induced changes in the miRNome of CD8+ T cells and confirmed the induction of the miR-23a cluster members, namely miR-23a, miR-27a and miR-24 by three different techniques. Searching for potential targets of these miRNAs which could contribute to the immunosuppressive action of TGF-β in T cells, we identified and confirmed a previously unknown regulation of IFN-γ mRNA by miR-27a and miR-24. Newly generated miRNA reporter constructs further revealed that LAMP1 mRNA is a target of miR-23a. Upon modulation of the miR-23a cluster in CD8+ T cells by the respective miRNA antagomirs and mimics, significant changes in IFN-γ expression confirmed the functional relevance of our findings. Effects on CD107a/LAMP1 expression were, in contrast, rather minimal. Still, overexpression of the miR-23a cluster attenuated the cytotoxic activity of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. Taken together, these functional data reveal that the miR-23a cluster not only is induced by TGF-β, but also exerts a suppressive effect on CD8+ T-cell effector functions, even in the absence of TGF-β signaling.},
  subject      = {Transforming Growth Factor beta},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Sibilski2014,
  author    = {Sibilski, Claudia},
  title     = {Identification and characterization of the novel mKSR1 phosphorylation site Tyr728 and its role in MAPK signaling},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-114672},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {In mammals, KSR1 functions as an essential scaffold that coordinates the assembly of RAF/MEK/ERK complexes and regulates intracellular signal transduction upon extracellular stimulation. Aberrant activation of the equivalent MAPK signaling pathway has been implicated in multiple human cancers and some developmental disorders. The mechanism of KSR1 regulation is highly complex and involves several phosphorylation/dephosphorylation steps. In the present study, a number of novel in vivo phosphorylation sites were detected in mKSR1 by use of mass spectrometry analysis. Among others, Tyr728 was identified as a unique regulatory residue phosphorylated by LCK, a Src kinase family member. To understand how phosphorylation of Tyr728 may regulate the function of KSR1 in signal transduction and cellular processes, structural modeling and biochemical studies were integrated in this work. Computational modeling of the mKSR1(KD) protein structure revealed strong hydrogen bonding between phospho-Tyr728 and the residues surrounding Arg649. Remarkably, this pattern was altered when Tyr728 was non-phosphorylated or substituted. As confirmed by biochemical analysis, Arg649 may serve as a major anchor point for phospho-Tyr728 in order to stabilize internal structures of KSR1. In line with the protein modeling results, mutational studies revealed that substitution of Tyr728 by phenylalanine leads to a less compact interaction between KSR1 and MEK, a facilitated KSR1/B-RAF binding and an increased phosphorylation of MEK in complex with KSR1. From these findings it can be concluded that phospho-Tyr728 is involved in tightening the KSR1/MEK interaction interface and in regulating the phosphorylation of KSR1-bound MEK by either RAF or KSR1 kinases. Beside the Tyr728, Ser722 was identified as a novel regulatory phosphorylation site. Amino acid exchanges at the relevant position demonstrated that Ser722 regulates KSR1-bound MEK phosphorylation without affecting KSR1/MEK binding per se. Due to its localization, Ser722 might consequently control the catalytic activity of KSR1 by interfering with the access of substrate (possibly MEK) to the active site of KSR1 kinase. Together with Ser722, phosphorylated Tyr728 may further positively affect the kinase activity of KSR1 as a consequence of its vicinity to the activation and catalytic loop in the KSR1(KD). As revealed by structural modeling, phospho-Tyr728 builds a hydrogen bond with the highly conserved Lys685. Consequently, phospho-Tyr728 has a stabilizing effect on internal structures involved in the catalytic reaction and possibly enhances the phosphate transfer within the catalytic cleft in KSR1. Considering these facts, it seems very likely that the LCK-dependent phosphorylation of Tyr728 plays a crucial role in the regulation of KSR1 catalytic activity. Results of fractionation and morphology analyses revealed that KSR1 recruits LCK to cytoskeleton for its phosphorylation at Tyr728 suggesting that this residue may regulate cytoskeleton dynamics and, consequently, cell motility. Beside that, phosphorylation of Tyr728 is involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, as shown by a significantly reduced population doubling time of KSR1-Y728F cells compared to cells expressing wild type KSR1. Taken together, tyrosine phosphorylation in KSR1 uncovers a new link between Src family kinases and MAPK signaling. Tyr728, the novel regulatory phosphorylation site in murine KSR1, may coordinate the transition between the scaffolding and the catalytic function of KSR1 serving as a control point used to fine-tune cellular responses.},
  subject      = {MAP-Kinase},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Zhang2014,
  author    = {Zhang, Yi},
  title     = {Regulation of Agrobacterial Oncogene Expression in Host Plants},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-102578},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Virulent Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains transfer and integrate a DNA region of the tumor-inducing (Ti) plasmid, the T-DNA, into the plant genome and thereby cause crown gall disease. The most essential genes required for crown gall development are the T-DNA-encoded oncogenes, IaaH (indole-3-acetamide hydrolase), IaaM (tryptophan monooxygenase) for auxin, and Ipt (isopentenyl transferase) for cytokinin biosynthesis. When these oncogenes are expressed in the host cell, the levels of auxin and cytokinin increase and cause cell proliferation. The aim of this study was to unravel the molecular mechanisms, which regulate expression of the agrobacterial oncogenes in plant cells. Transcripts of the three oncogenes were expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana crown galls induced by A. tumefaciens strain C58 and the intergenic regions (IGRs) between their coding sequences (CDS) were proven to have promoter activity in plant cells. These promoters possess eukaryotic sequence structures and contain cis-regulatory elements for the binding of plant transcription factors. The high-throughput protoplast transactivation (PTA) system was used and identified the Arabidopsis thaliana transcription factors WRKY18, WRKY40, WRKY60 and ARF5 to activate the Ipt oncogene promoter. No transcription factor promoted the activity of the IaaH and IaaM promoters, despite the fact that the sequences contained binding elements for type B ARR transcription factors. Likewise, the treatment of Arabidopsis mesophyll protoplasts with cytokinin (trans-zeatin) and auxin (1-NAA) exerted no positive effect on IaaH and IaaM promoter activity. In contrast, the Ipt promoter strongly responded to a treatment with auxin and only modestly to cytokinin. The three Arabidopsis WRKYs play a role in crown gall development as the wrky mutants developed smaller crown galls than wild-type plants. The WRKY40 and WRKY60 genes responded very quickly to pathogen infection, two and four hours post infection, respectively. Transcription of the WRKY18 gene was induced upon buffer infiltration, which implicates a response to wounding. The three WRKY proteins interacted with ARF5 and with each other in the plant nucleus, but only WRKY40 together with ARF5 increased activation of the Ipt promoter. Moreover, ARF5 activated the Ipt promoter in an auxin-dependent manner. The severe developmental phenotype of the arf5 mutant prevented studies on crown gall development, nevertheless, the reduced crown gall growth on the transport inhibitor response 1 (TIR1) tir1 mutant, lacking the auxin sensor, suggested that auxin signaling is required for optimal crown gall development. In conclusion, A. tumefaciens recruits the pathogen defense related WRKY40 pathway to activate Ipt expression in T-DNA-transformed plant cells. IaaH and IaaM gene expression seems not to be controlled by transcriptional activators, but the increasing auxin levels are signaled via ARF5. The auxin-depended activation of ARF5 boosts expression of the Ipt gene in combination with WRKY40 to increase cytokinin levels and induce crown gall development.},
  subject      = {Agrobacterium tumefaciens},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Wu2013,
  author    = {Wu, Lingdan},
  title     = {Emotion Regulation in Addicted Smokers},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-85471},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {Background: Nicotine addiction is the most prevalent type of drug addiction that has been described as a cycle of spiraling dysregulation of the brain reward systems. Imaging studies have shown that nicotine addiction is associated with abnormal function in prefrontal brain regions that are important for cognitive emotion regulation. It was assumed that addicts may perform less well than healthy nonsmokers in cognitive emotion regulation tasks. The primary aims of this thesis were to investigate emotional responses to natural rewards among smokers and nonsmokers and to determine whether smokers differ from nonsmokers in cognitive regulation of positive and negative emotions. To address these aims, two forms of appraisal paradigms (i.e., appraisal frame and reappraisal) were applied to compare changes in emotional responses of smokers with that of nonsmokers as a function of appraisal strategies. Experiment 1: The aim of the first experiment was to evaluate whether and how appraisal frames preceding positive and negative picture stimuli affect emotional experience and facial expression of individuals. Twenty participants were exposed to 125 pairs of auditory appraisal frames (either neutral or emotional) followed by picture stimuli reflecting five conditions: unpleasant-negative, unpleasant-neutral, pleasant-positive, pleasant-neutral and neutral-neutral. Ratings of valence and arousal as well as facial EMG activity over the corrugator supercilii and the zygomaticus major were measured simultaneously. The results indicated that appraisal frames could alter both subjective emotional experience and facial expressions, irrespective of the valence of the pictorial stimuli. These results suggest and support that appraisal frame is an efficient paradigm in regulation of multi-level emotional responses. 8 Experiment 2: The second experiment applied the appraisal frame paradigm to investigate how smokers differ from nonsmokers on cognitive emotion regulation. Sixty participants (22 nonsmokers, 19 nondeprived smokers and 19 12-h deprived smokers) completed emotion regulation tasks as described in Experiment 1 while emotional responses were concurrently recorded as reflected by self-ratings and psychophysiological measures (i.e., facial EMG and EEG). The results indicated that there was no group difference on emotional responses to natural rewards. Moreover, nondeprived smokers and deprived smokers performed as well as nonsmokers on the emotion regulation task. The lack of group differences in multiple emotional responses (i.e., self-reports, facial EMG activity and brain EEG activity) suggests that nicotine addicts have no deficit in cognitive emotion regulation of natural rewards via appraisal frames. Experiment 3: The third experiment aimed to further evaluate smokers' emotion regulation ability by comparing performances of smokers and nonsmokers in a more challenging cognitive task (i.e., reappraisal task). Sixty-five participants (23 nonsmokers, 22 nondeprived smokers and 20 12-h deprived smokers) were instructed to regulate emotions by imagining that the depicted negative or positive scenario would become less negative or less positive over time, respectively. The results showed that nondeprived smokers and deprived smokers responded similarly to emotional pictures and performed as well as nonsmokers in down-regulating positive and negative emotions via the reappraisal strategy. These results indicated that nicotine addicts do not have deficit in emotion regulation using cognitive appraisal strategies. In sum, the three studies consistently revealed that addicted smokers were capable to regulate emotions via appraisal strategies. This thesis establishes the groundwork for therapeutic use of appraisal instructions to cope with potential self-regulation failures in nicotine addicts.},
  subject      = {Gef{\"u}hl},
  language  = {en}
}