@article{StelznerWinklerLiangetal.2020,
  author    = {Stelzner, Kathrin and Winkler, Ann-Cathrin and Liang, Chunguang and Boyny, Aziza and Ade, Carsten P. and Dandekar, Thomas and Fraunholz, Martin J. and Rudel, Thomas},
  title     = {Intracellular Staphylococcus aureus Perturbs the Host Cell Ca\(^{2+}\) Homeostasis To Promote Cell Death},
  series = {mBio},
  volume    = {11},
  journal   = {mBio},
  doi       = {10.1128/mBio.02250-20},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-231448},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {The opportunistic human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus causes serious infectious diseases that range from superficial skin and soft tissue infections to necrotizing pneumonia and sepsis. While classically regarded as an extracellular pathogen, S. aureus is able to invade and survive within human cells. Host cell exit is associated with cell death, tissue destruction, and the spread of infection. The exact molecular mechanism employed by S. aureus to escape the host cell is still unclear. In this study, we performed a genome-wide small hairpin RNA (shRNA) screen and identified the calcium signaling pathway as being involved in intracellular infection. S. aureus induced a massive cytosolic Ca\(^{2+}\) increase in epithelial host cells after invasion and intracellular replication of the pathogen. This was paralleled by a decrease in endoplasmic reticulum Ca\(^{2+}\) concentration. Additionally, calcium ions from the extracellular space contributed to the cytosolic Ca2+ increase. As a consequence, we observed that the cytoplasmic Ca\(^{2+}\) rise led to an increase in mitochondrial Ca\(^{2+}\) concentration, the activation of calpains and caspases, and eventually to cell lysis of S. aureus-infected cells. Our study therefore suggests that intracellular S. aureus disturbs the host cell Ca\(^{2+}\) homeostasis and induces cytoplasmic Ca\(^{2+}\) overload, which results in both apoptotic and necrotic cell death in parallel or succession. IMPORTANCE Despite being regarded as an extracellular bacterium, the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus can invade and survive within human cells. The intracellular niche is considered a hideout from the host immune system and antibiotic treatment and allows bacterial proliferation. Subsequently, the intracellular bacterium induces host cell death, which may facilitate the spread of infection and tissue destruction. So far, host cell factors exploited by intracellular S. aureus to promote cell death are only poorly characterized. We performed a genome-wide screen and found the calcium signaling pathway to play a role in S. aureus invasion and cytotoxicity. The intracellular bacterium induces a cytoplasmic and mitochondrial Ca\(^{2+}\) overload, which results in host cell death. Thus, this study first showed how an intracellular bacterium perturbs the host cell Ca\(^{2+}\) homeostasis."},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{StelznerBoynyHertleinetal.2021,
  author    = {Stelzner, Kathrin and Boyny, Aziza and Hertlein, Tobias and Sroka, Aneta and Moldovan, Adriana and Paprotka, Kerstin and Kessie, David and Mehling, Helene and Potempa, Jan and Ohlsen, Knut and Fraunholz, Martin J. and Rudel, Thomas},
  title     = {Intracellular Staphylococcus aureus employs the cysteine protease staphopain A to induce host cell death in epithelial cells},
  series = {PLoS Pathogens},
  volume    = {17},
  journal   = {PLoS Pathogens},
  number    = {9},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.ppat.1009874},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-263908},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen, which can invade and survive in non-professional and professional phagocytes. Uptake by host cells is thought to contribute to pathogenicity and persistence of the bacterium. Upon internalization by epithelial cells, cytotoxic S. aureus strains can escape from the phagosome, replicate in the cytosol and induce host cell death. Here, we identified a staphylococcal cysteine protease to induce cell death after translocation of intracellular S. aureus into the host cell cytoplasm. We demonstrated that loss of staphopain A function leads to delayed onset of host cell death and prolonged intracellular replication of S. aureus in epithelial cells. Overexpression of staphopain A in a non-cytotoxic strain facilitated intracellular killing of the host cell even in the absence of detectable intracellular replication. Moreover, staphopain A contributed to efficient colonization of the lung in a mouse pneumonia model. In phagocytic cells, where intracellular S. aureus is exclusively localized in the phagosome, staphopain A did not contribute to cytotoxicity. Our study suggests that staphopain A is utilized by S. aureus to exit the epithelial host cell and thus contributes to tissue destruction and dissemination of infection. Author summary Staphylococcus aureus is an antibiotic-resistant pathogen that emerges in hospital and community settings and can cause a variety of diseases ranging from skin abscesses to lung inflammation and blood poisoning. The bacterium can asymptomatically colonize the upper respiratory tract and skin of humans and take advantage of opportune conditions, like immunodeficiency or breached barriers, to cause infection. Although S. aureus was not regarded as intracellular bacterium, it can be internalized by human cells and subsequently exit the host cells by induction of cell death, which is considered to cause tissue destruction and spread of infection. The bacterial virulence factors and underlying molecular mechanisms involved in the intracellular lifestyle of S. aureus remain largely unknown. We identified a bacterial cysteine protease to contribute to host cell death of epithelial cells mediated by intracellular S. aureus. Staphopain A induced killing of the host cell after translocation of the pathogen into the cell cytosol, while bacterial proliferation was not required. Further, the protease enhanced survival of the pathogen during lung infection. These findings reveal a novel, intracellular role for the bacterial protease staphopain A.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Stelzner2020,
  author    = {Stelzner, Kathrin},
  title     = {Identification of factors involved in Staphylococcus aureus- induced host cell death},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-18899},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-188991},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive commensal bacterium, that asymptomatically colonizes human skin and mucosal surfaces. Upon opportune conditions, such as immunodeficiency or breached barriers of the host, it can cause a plethora of infections ranging from local, superficial infections to life-threatening diseases. Despite being regarded as an extracellular pathogen, S. aureus can invade and survive within non-phagocytic and phagocytic cells. Eventually, the pathogen escapes from the host cell resulting in killing of the host cell, which is associated with tissue destruction and spread of infection. However, the exact molecular mechanisms underlying S. aureus-induced host cell death remain to be elucidated. In the present work, a genome-wide haploid genetic screen was performed to identify host cell genes crucial for S. aureus intracellular cytotoxicity. A mutant library of the haploid cell line HAP1 was infected with the pathogen and cells surviving the infection were selected. Twelve genes were identified, which were significantly enriched when compared to an infection with a non-cytotoxic S. aureus strain. Additionally, characteristics of regulated cell death pathways and the role of Ca2+ signaling in S. aureus-infected cells were investigated. Live cell imaging of Ca2+ reporter cell lines was used to analyze single cells. S. aureus-induced host cell death exhibited morphological features of apoptosis and activation of caspases was detected. Cellular H2O2 levels were elevated during S. aureus intracellular infection. Further, intracellular S. aureus provoked cytosolic Ca2+ overload in epithelial cells. This resulted from Ca2+ release from endoplasmic reticulum and Ca2+ influx via the plasma membrane and led to mitochondrial Ca2+ overload. The final step of S. aureus-induced cell death was plasma membrane permeabilization, a typical feature of necrotic cell death. In order to identify bacterial virulence factors implicated in S. aureus-induced host cell killing, the cytotoxicity of selected mutants was investigated. Intracellular S. aureus employs the bacterial cysteine protease staphopain A to activate an apoptosis-like cell death characterized by cell contraction and membrane bleb formation. Phagosomal escape represents a prerequisite staphopain A-induced cell death, whereas bacterial intracellular replication is dispensable. Moreover, staphopain A contributed to efficient colonization of the lung in a murine pneumonia model. In conclusion, this work identified at least two independent cell death pathways activated by intracellular S. aureus. While initially staphopain A mediates S. aureus-induced host cell killing, cytosolic Ca2+-overload follows later and leads to the final demise of the host cell.},
  subject      = {Staphylococcus aureus},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{StellamannsUppaluriHochstetteretal.2014,
  author    = {Stellamanns, Eric and Uppaluri, Sravanti and Hochstetter, Axel and Heddergott, Niko and Engstler, Markus and Pfohl, Thomas},
  title     = {Optical trapping reveals propulsion forces, power generation and motility efficiency of the unicellular parasites Trypanosoma brucei brucei},
  series = {Scientific Reports},
  volume    = {4},
  journal   = {Scientific Reports},
  number    = {6515},
  issn      = {2045-2322},
  doi       = {10.1038/srep06515},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-115348},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Unicellular parasites have developed sophisticated swimming mechanisms to survive in a wide range of environments. Cell motility of African trypanosomes, parasites responsible for fatal illness in humans and animals, is crucial both in the insect vector and the mammalian host. Using millisecond-scale imaging in a microfluidics platform along with a custom made optical trap, we are able to confine single cells to study trypanosome motility. From the trapping characteristics of the cells, we determine the propulsion force generated by cells with a single flagellum as well as of dividing trypanosomes with two fully developed flagella. Estimates of the dissipative energy and the power generation of single cells obtained from the motility patterns of the trypanosomes within the optical trap indicate that specific motility characteristics, in addition to locomotion, may be required for antibody clearance. Introducing a steerable second optical trap we could further measure the force, which is generated at the flagellar tip. Differences in the cellular structure of the trypanosomes are correlated with the trapping and motility characteristics and in consequence with their propulsion force, dissipative energy and power generation.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{StejskalStreinzerDyeretal.2015,
  author    = {Stejskal, Kerstin and Streinzer, Martin and Dyer, Adrian and Paulus, Hannes F. and Spaethe, Johannes},
  title     = {Functional Significance of Labellum Pattern Variation in a Sexually Deceptive Orchid (Ophrys heldreichii): Evidence of Individual Signature Learning Effects},
  series = {PLoS One},
  volume    = {10},
  journal   = {PLoS One},
  number    = {11},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0142971},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-137582},
  pages     = {e0142971},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Mimicking female insects to attract male pollinators is an important strategy in sexually deceptive orchids of the genus Ophrys, and some species possess flowers with conspicuous labellum patterns. The function of the variation of the patterns remains unresolved, with suggestions that these enhance pollinator communication. We investigated the possible function of the labellum pattern in Ophrys heldreichii, an orchid species in which the conspicuous and complex labellum pattern contrasts with a dark background. The orchid is pollinated exclusively by males of the solitary bee, Eucera berlandi. Comparisons of labellum patterns revealed that patterns within inflorescences are more similar than those of other conspecific plants. Field observations showed that the males approach at a great speed and directly land on flowers, but after an unsuccessful copulation attempt, bees hover close and visually scan the labellum pattern for up to a minute. Learning experiments conducted with honeybees as an accessible model of bee vision demonstrated that labellum patterns of different plants can be reliably learnt; in contrast, patterns of flowers from the same inflorescence could not be discriminated. These results support the hypothesis that variable labellum patterns in O. heldreichii are involved in flower-pollinator communication which would likely help these plants to avoid geitonogamy.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SteinerZacharyBaueretal.2023,
  author    = {Steiner, Thomas and Zachary, Marie and Bauer, Susanne and M{\"u}ller, Martin J. and Krischke, Markus and Radziej, Sandra and Klepsch, Maximilian and Huettel, Bruno and Eisenreich, Wolfgang and Rudel, Thomas and Beier, Dagmar},
  title     = {Central Role of Sibling Small RNAs NgncR_162 and NgncR_163 in Main Metabolic Pathways of Neisseria gonorrhoeae},
  series = {mBio},
  volume    = {14},
  journal   = {mBio},
  doi       = {10.1128/mbio.03093-22},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-313323},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {Small bacterial regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) have been implicated in the regulation of numerous metabolic pathways. In most of these studies, sRNA-dependent regulation of mRNAs or proteins of enzymes in metabolic pathways has been predicted to affect the metabolism of these bacteria. However, only in a very few cases has the role in metabolism been demonstrated. Here, we performed a combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis to define the regulon of the sibling sRNAs NgncR_162 and NgncR_163 (NgncR_162/163) and their impact on the metabolism of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. These sRNAs have been reported to control genes of the citric acid and methylcitric acid cycles by posttranscriptional negative regulation. By transcriptome analysis, we now expand the NgncR_162/163 regulon by several new members and provide evidence that the sibling sRNAs act as both negative and positive regulators of target gene expression. Newly identified NgncR_162/163 targets are mostly involved in transport processes, especially in the uptake of glycine, phenylalanine, and branched-chain amino acids. NgncR_162/163 also play key roles in the control of serine-glycine metabolism and, hence, probably affect biosyntheses of nucleotides, vitamins, and other amino acids via the supply of one-carbon (C\(_1\)) units. Indeed, these roles were confirmed by metabolomics and metabolic flux analysis, which revealed a bipartite metabolic network with glucose degradation for the supply of anabolic pathways and the usage of amino acids via the citric acid cycle for energy metabolism. Thus, by combined deep RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and metabolomics, we significantly extended the regulon of NgncR_162/163 and demonstrated the role of NgncR_162/163 in the regulation of central metabolic pathways of the gonococcus.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SteinStenchlyCoulibalyetal.2018,
  author    = {Stein, Katharina and Stenchly, Kathrin and Coulibaly, Drissa and Pauly, Alain and Dimobe, Kangbeni and Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf and Konat{\´e}, Souleymane and Goetze, Dethardt and Porembski, Stefan and Linsenmair, K. Eduard},
  title     = {Impact of human disturbance on bee pollinator communities in savanna and agricultural sites in Burkina Faso, West Africa},
  series = {Ecology and Evolution},
  volume    = {8},
  journal   = {Ecology and Evolution},
  doi       = {10.1002/ece3.4197},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-239999},
  pages     = {6827-6838},
  year      = {2018},
  abstract  = {All over the world, pollinators are threatened by land-use change involving degradation of seminatural habitats or conversion into agricultural land. Such disturbance often leads to lowered pollinator abundance and/or diversity, which might reduce crop yield in adjacent agricultural areas. For West Africa, changes in bee communities across disturbance gradients from savanna to agricultural land are mainly unknown. In this study, we monitored for the impact of human disturbance on bee communities in savanna and crop fields. We chose three savanna areas of varying disturbance intensity (low, medium, and high) in the South Sudanian zone of Burkina Faso, based on land-use/land cover data via Landsat images, and selected nearby cotton and sesame fields. During 21 months covering two rainy and two dry seasons in 2014 and 2015, we captured bees using pan traps. Spatial and temporal patterns of bee species abundance, richness, evenness and community structure were assessed. In total, 35,469 bee specimens were caught on 12 savanna sites and 22 fields, comprising 97 species of 32 genera. Bee abundance was highest at intermediate disturbance in the rainy season. Species richness and evenness did not differ significantly. Bee communities at medium and highly disturbed savanna sites comprised only subsets of those at low disturbed sites. An across-habitat spillover of bees (mostly abundant social bee species) from savanna into crop fields was observed during the rainy season when crops are mass-flowering, whereas most savanna plants are not in bloom. Despite disturbance intensification, our findings suggest that wild bee communities can persist in anthropogenic landscapes and that some species even benefitted disproportionally. West African areas of crop production such as for cotton and sesame may serve as important food resources for bee species in times when resources in the savanna are scarce and receive at the same time considerable pollination service.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SteinCoulibalyStenchlyetal.2017,
  author    = {Stein, Katharina and Coulibaly, Drissa and Stenchly, Kathrin and Goetze, Dethardt and Porembski, Stefan and Lindner, Andr{\´e} and Konat{\´e}, Souleymane and Linsenmair, Eduard K.},
  title     = {Bee pollination increases yield quantity and quality of cash crops in Burkina Faso, West Africa},
  series = {Scientific Reports},
  volume    = {7},
  journal   = {Scientific Reports},
  number    = {17691},
  doi       = {10.1038/s41598-017-17970-2},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-169914},
  year      = {2017},
  abstract  = {Mutualistic biotic interactions as among flowering plants and their animal pollinators are a key component of biodiversity. Pollination, especially by insects, is a key element in ecosystem functioning, and hence constitutes an ecosystem service of global importance. Not only sexual reproduction of plants is ensured, but also yields are stabilized and genetic variability of crops is maintained, counteracting inbreeding depression and facilitating system resilience. While experiencing rapid environmental change, there is an increased demand for food and income security, especially in sub-Saharan communities, which are highly dependent on small scale agriculture. By combining exclusion experiments, pollinator surveys and field manipulations, this study for the first time quantifies the contribution of bee pollinators to smallholders' production of the major cash crops, cotton and sesame, in Burkina Faso. Pollination by honeybees and wild bees significantly increased yield quantity and quality on average up to 62\%, while exclusion of pollinators caused an average yield gap of 37\% in cotton and 59\% in sesame. Self-pollination revealed inbreeding depression effects on fruit set and low germination rates in the F1-generation. Our results highlight potential negative consequences of any pollinator decline, provoking risks to agriculture and compromising crop yields in sub-Saharan West Africa.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SteinCoulibalyBalimaetal.2020,
  author    = {Stein, Katharina and Coulibaly, Drissa and Balima, Larba Hubert and Goetze, Dethardt and Linsenmair, Karl Eduard and Porembski, Stefan and Stenchly, Kathrin and Theodorou, Panagiotis},
  title     = {Plant-pollinator networks in savannas of Burkina Faso, West Africa},
  series = {Diversity},
  volume    = {13},
  journal   = {Diversity},
  number    = {1},
  issn      = {1424-2818},
  doi       = {10.3390/d13010001},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-220157},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {West African savannas are severely threatened with intensified land use and increasing degradation. Bees are important for terrestrial biodiversity as they provide native plant species with pollination services. However, little information is available regarding their mutualistic interactions with woody plant species. In the first network study from sub-Saharan West Africa, we investigated the effects of land-use intensity and climatic seasonality on plant-bee communities and their interaction networks. In total, we recorded 5686 interactions between 53 flowering woody plant species and 100 bee species. Bee-species richness and the number of interactions were higher in the low compared to medium and high land-use intensity sites. Bee- and plant-species richness and the number of interactions were higher in the dry compared to the rainy season. Plant-bee visitation networks were not strongly affected by land-use intensity; however, climatic seasonality had a strong effect on network architecture. Null-model corrected connectance and nestedness were higher in the dry compared to the rainy season. In addition, network specialization and null-model corrected modularity were lower in the dry compared to the rainy season. Our results suggest that in our study region, seasonal effects on mutualistic network architecture are more pronounced compared to land-use change effects. Nonetheless, the decrease in bee-species richness and the number of plant-bee interactions with an increase in land-use intensity highlights the importance of savanna conservation for maintaining bee diversity and the concomitant provision of ecosystem services.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SteijvenSpaetheSteffanDewenteretal.2017,
  author    = {Steijven, Karin and Spaethe, Johannes and Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf and H{\"a}rtel, Stephan},
  title     = {Learning performance and brain structure of artificially-reared honey bees fed with different quantities of food},
  series = {PeerJ},
  volume    = {5},
  journal   = {PeerJ},
  number    = {e3858},
  doi       = {10.7717/peerj.3858},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-170137},
  year      = {2017},
  abstract  = {Background Artificial rearing of honey bee larvae is an established method which enables to fully standardize the rearing environment and to manipulate the supplied diet to the brood. However, there are no studies which compare learning performance or neuroanatomic differences of artificially-reared (in-lab) bees in comparison with their in-hive reared counterparts. Methods Here we tested how different quantities of food during larval development affect body size, brain morphology and learning ability of adult honey bees. We used in-lab rearing to be able to manipulate the total quantity of food consumed during larval development. After hatching, a subset of the bees was taken for which we made 3D reconstructions of the brains using confocal laser-scanning microscopy. Learning ability and memory formation of the remaining bees was tested in a differential olfactory conditioning experiment. Finally, we evaluated how bees reared with different quantities of artificial diet compared to in-hive reared bees. Results Thorax and head size of in-lab reared honey bees, when fed the standard diet of 160 µl or less, were slightly smaller than hive bees. The brain structure analyses showed that artificially reared bees had smaller mushroom body (MB) lateral calyces than their in-hive counterparts, independently of the quantity of food they received. However, they showed the same total brain size and the same associative learning ability as in-hive reared bees. In terms of mid-term memory, but not early long-term memory, they performed even better than the in-hive control. Discussion We have demonstrated that bees that are reared artificially (according to the Aupinel protocol) and kept in lab-conditions perform the same or even better than their in-hive sisters in an olfactory conditioning experiment even though their lateral calyces were consistently smaller at emergence. The applied combination of experimental manipulation during the larval phase plus subsequent behavioral and neuro-anatomic analyses is a powerful tool for basic and applied honey bee research.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Steigerwald2008,
  author    = {Steigerwald, Jutta},
  title     = {Der NK-Zellrezeptor NKG2D als Zielstruktur f{\"u}r eine Antik{\"o}rper-basierte therapeutische Immunmodulation},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-33446},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2008},
  abstract  = {Das NKG2D (Natural Killer Group 2 Member D)-Protein, ist ein aktivierender Rezeptor, der es NK- und CD8+ T-Zellen erm{\"o}glicht, infizierte oder transformierte k{\"o}rpereigene Zellen zu erkennen und zu eliminieren. Eine Fehlregulation dieses Rezeptors auf Immunzellen scheint jedoch auch zur Ausbildung von Autoimmunerkrankungen wie Typ I Diabetes, Z{\"o}liakie und RA zu f{\"u}hren. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde ein humaner Antik{\"o}rper gegen hNKG2D f{\"u}r einen m{\"o}glichen therapeutischen Einsatz bei Autoimmunerkrankungen generiert. Basierend auf den Sequenzen von schwerer (VH) und leichter Kette (VL) der murinen monoklonalen Antik{\"o}rper 6H7 und 6E5A7, welche hNKG2D spezifisch binden und die Interaktion zwischen Ligand und Rezeptor blockieren, wurden scFv-Phagenbibliotheken hergestellt. Diese wurden anschließend zur Selektion im Phagen-Display eingesetzt. Der Humanisierungsprozess erfolgte hierbei mit Hilfe des Guided Selection-Verfahrens. Dazu wurde in einem ersten Phagen-Display-Durchgang die VH-Dom{\"a}ne des parentalen scFv mit einem humanen VL-Repertoire kombiniert. Die beiden daraus resultierenden humanen VL-Ketten wurden im darauf folgenden Schritt mit einem Repertoire an humanen VH-Dom{\"a}nen verkn{\"u}pft. Da hierbei kein humaner rekombinanter scFv mit hNKG2D-Bindungsaktivit{\"a}t identifiziert werden konnte, musste eine schrittweise Humanisierung der Framework-Regionen (FR) der VH unter Beibehaltung der murinen CDR-Bereiche erfolgen. Diese f{\"u}hrte zur Generierung des humanen scFv E1VLV71KVH, welcher neben den murinen CDR-Regionen lediglich noch drei Aminos{\"a}uren murinen Ursprungs im FR-Bereich besaß. Dessen biologische Aktivit{\"a}t wurde nach Konvertierung in das IgG1/lambda-Format in verschiedenen in vitro-Systemen analysiert. Anhand der Ergebnisse aus diesen Versuchen konnte ein deutlicher Verlust der Affinit{\"a}t und inhibitorischen Aktivit{\"a}t nach der Humanisierung festgestellt werden. Die dadurch erforderliche Affinit{\"a}tsmaturierung des E1VLV71KVH Antik{\"o}rpers mittels sequentieller Randomisierung des CDR3-Bereichs von E1VL und V71KVH resultierte in f{\"u}nf unterschiedlichen, hoch-affinen Anti-hNKG2D scFv. Zwei dieser generierten Konstrukte, B1VLB6VH und E4VLG10VH, wurden nach ihrer Herstellung als vollst{\"a}ndige IgG1/lambda-Antik{\"o}rper in vitro hinsichtlich ihrer Aktivierungs- und Neutralisierungsaktivit{\"a}t, sowie ihrer Stabilit{\"a}t und Internalisierung durch NK-Zellen untersucht. Beide Antik{\"o}rper wiesen nach der Affinit{\"a}tsmaturierung mit einem IC50 von ca. 3,4x 10-2 µg/ml ein wesentlich h{\"o}heres Inhibitionspotential als der murine Ursprungsantik{\"o}rper (ca. 3,3 µg/ml) auf und zeigten gegen{\"u}ber Hitzeeinwirkung und Serumproteasen eine hohe Stabilit{\"a}t. Mit Hilfe fluoreszenzmikroskopischer Untersuchungen konnten Internalisierungsvorg{\"a}nge der Antik{\"o}rper in die NK-Zelle beobachtet werden. F{\"u}r ein besseres Verst{\"a}ndnis NKG2D-abh{\"a}ngiger Regulationsvorg{\"a}nge und die Identifizierung NKG2D-spezifischer Zielgene wurde das Genexpressionsprofil von humanen NK-Zellen nach Interaktion mit dem NKG2D-Liganden ULBP-1Fc mittels Microarray untersucht. Infolge einer anschließenden Validierung der Ergebnisse auf RNA- und Proteinebene konnten mittels RT-qPCR, FACS, ELISA und CBA NKG2D-spezifische Biomarker wie CRTAM, TNFalpha, IFNgamma und GM-CSF etabliert werden. Erg{\"a}nzend zu 51Cr-Freisetzungs-Experimenten in zwei unterschiedlichen in vitro Zellkultursystemen erm{\"o}glichten diese Biomarker eine umfassende Charakterisierung neutralisierender und aktivierender Eigenschaften der beiden Antik{\"o}rper B1VLB6VH und E4VLG10VH. Anhand dieser Experimente konnte festgestellt werden, dass die humanen Anti-hNKG2D Antik{\"o}rper eine ambivalente Funktionalit{\"a}t aufweisen. In L{\"o}sung sind sie in der Lage, NKG2D-induzierte CRTAM-Expression, Zellyse und Zytokinfreisetzung zu inhibieren. Nach Kreuzvernetzung des NKG2D-Rezeptors {\"u}ber an Platten immobilisierte Anti-hNKG2D Antik{\"o}rper hingegen lassen sich aktivierende Eigenschaften wie Zellyse und Zytokinsekretion durch NK Zellen beobachten. Aufgrund ihrer ambivalenten Aktivit{\"a}t scheint ein therapeutischer Einsatz der beiden Antik{\"o}rper bei humanen Autoimmunerkrankungen zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt noch nicht m{\"o}glich. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden somit die Voraussetzungen geschaffen, um einen humanen, hoch affinen hNKG2D neutralisierenden Antik{\"o}rper in einem letzten Schritt in ein besser geeignetes Antik{\"o}rper-Format (scFv, Fab oder F(ab)2) zu konvertieren.},
  subject      = {Antik{\"o}rper},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Stegmeier2006,
  author    = {Stegmeier, Johannes Friedrich},
  title     = {Study of Omp85 Family Proteins YaeT and YtfM and Multidrug Export Machineries in Escherichia coli},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-18171},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2006},
  abstract  = {In this study the Omp85 family proteins YaeT and YtfM of Escherichia coli were investigated by using biochemical and electrophysiological methods as well as bioinformatical and structural analysis. In addition, knock-out strains were constructed to further study the relevance of these proteins in vivo. The prediction that Omp85 proteins are composed of two domains, a periplasmic amino-terminal POTRA (polypeptide translocation associated) domain and a carboxy-terminal domain anchoring these proteins in the outer membrane, was confirmed by the construction of mutants. It could be shown that the carboxy-terminal part of the proteins is able to insert into the outer bacterial membrane, even if the POTRA domain is removed. Furthermore, pore-forming activity in the black-lipid bilayer was observed for both full-length proteins as well as their carboxy-terminal membrane located parts. The channels formed by both proteins in the black lipid bilayer showed variable single channel conductance states rather than a defined value for conductance. In 1M KCl, e.g. YaeT forms pores with a channel conductance of 100 to 600 pS containing a most abundant value at 400 pS. This variability is at least reasonable for YaeT due to a prerequisite flexibility of its channel for OMP insertion. YaeT was identified to form a cation selective, YtfM an anion selective channel, which is less pH dependent than YaeT. Another feature of the YaeT channel is that its selectivity and conductance is influenced by charged detergent molecules indicating an accumulation of these molecules in hydrophobic pockets inside the compact channel. YaeT revealed heat-modifiable mobility in SDS-PAGE which is characteristic for \&\#946;-barrel OMPs, whereas YtfM did not show this behaviour. This result could be explained by sequence alignment and structural comparison of YaeT and YtfM via CD and FTIR spectra displaying much higher \&\#946;-strand content for the carboxy-terminal part of YaeT compared to YtfM. Since the carboxy-terminal parts were shown to have pore forming ability and are inserted in the OM in vivo, the substitution of the essential protein YaeT by its carboxy-terminal mutant was attempted in a yaeT knock-out strain. The carboxy-terminal half of YaeT was not sufficient to compensate depletion of the full-length protein indicating an important role of the amino-terminus for cell viability. In contrary, YtfM is shown to be a non-essential protein and lack of YtfM had no effects on the composition and integrity of the OM. However, chromosomal deletion of ytfM remarkably reduced the growth rate of cells. This study provides the first detailed investigation of the structure of YaeT and describes its electrophysiological behaviour, which could be a basis for further studies of YaeT and its substrate proteins. Furthermore, YtfM was characterised and its in vivo function was investigated revealing YtfM as the second Omp85 family protein of importance in E. coli. In a second part of this study assembly and function of multidrug efflux pumps were investigated. Drug efflux pumps are tripartite export machineries in the cell envelope of Gram-negative bacteria conferring multidrug resistance and therefore causing severe problems for medical treatment of diseases. Protein structures of all three efflux pump components are solved, but the exact interaction sites are still unknown. Assembly of a hybrid exporter system composed of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa channel tunnel OprM, the E. coli adaptor protein AcrA and its associated transporter AcrB could be shown by chemical cross-linking, even though this efflux pump is not functional. Exchange of the hairpin domain of AcrA by the corresponding hairpin from the adaptor protein MexA of P. aeruginosa restored functionality tested by antibiotic sensitivity assays. This shows the importance of the MexA hairpin domain for functional interaction with the OprM channel tunnel. Interestingly, the hybrid protein was also able to assemble with TolC as outer membrane component to form a functional efflux pump indicating a higher flexibility of TolC compared to OprM concerning interaction partners. Based on these results, an interaction model of the hairpin domain and the channel tunnel on molecular level for AcrA and TolC as well as MexA and OprM, respectively, is presented. This model provides a basis for directed mutagenesis to reveal the exact contact sites of the hairpin of the adapter protein and the outer membrane component},
  subject      = {Escherichia coli},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Stegmann2000,
  author    = {Stegmann, Ulrich E.},
  title     = {Brutpflege, Lebensgeschichte und Taxonomie s{\"u}dostasiatischer Membraciden (Insecta: Homoptera)},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-2365},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2000},
  abstract  = {Diese Arbeit untersucht die systematische Verbreitung der Brutpflege bei s{\"u}dostasiatischen Buckelzirpen (Homoptera: Membracidae) sowie verhaltens{\"o}kologische Aspekte dieses Verhaltens bei Pyrgauchenia tristaniopsis. Erg{\"a}nzend dazu wurden Aspekte der Taxonomie, Lebensgeschichte, Reproduktionsbiologie und Morphometrie dieser Art untersucht, deren Kenntnis f{\"u}r die Interpretation des Brutpflegeverhaltens erforderlich waren. Die Ergebnisse (1) widersprechen der starken Version der Semelparitie-Hypothese (ein Fortpflanzungsereignis pro Fortpflanzungsperiode als Voraussetzung f{\"u}r Brutpflege bei Insekten), und sie zeigen, dass (2) Brutpflege bei altweltlichen Centrotinae - entgegen fr{\"u}herer Vermutungen - keine Ausnahme ist. Außerdem konnten erstmals einige grundlegende Aspekte der Biologie eines s{\"u}dostasiatischen Vertreters der Familie Membracidae gekl{\"a}rt werden. Aufsammlungen in der bodennahen Vegetation wurden in 16 Untersuchungsgebieten in West-Malaysia und Sabah (Borneo) von 1996-1998 durchgef{\"u}hrt. Weibliche Brutf{\"u}rsorge in Form von Gelegebewachung wurde bei 11 Arten aus folgenden Gattungen gefunden: Pyrgauchenia, Pyrgonota, Hybandoides, Gigantorhabdus (Hypsaucheniini), Centrochares (Centrocharesini), Ebhul (Ebhuloidesini). Larven dieser Arten lebten in Aggregationen zusammen. Drei Arten werden neu beschrieben (Pyrgauchenia biuni, P. pendleburyi, P. tristaniopsis). Zwei nominelle Arten (P. angulata Funkhouser und P. brunnea Funkhouser) sind Junior-Synonyme von P. colorata Distant. Die Arbeiten zu Pyrgauchenia tristaniopsis fanden im unteren Montanregenwald des Kinabalu Nationalparks (Borneo) statt. Diese Art wurde nur dort gefunden (zwischen 1350 m und 1650 m {\"u}. NN), und sie war polyphag (alle Entwicklungsstadien auf 11 Pflanzenarten aus 8 Familien). Es gab f{\"u}nf Larvenstadien, deren Entwicklungszeit zusammen 63-83 Tage betrug (Embryonalentwicklung: 22 Tage). Larven lebten aggregierend und wurden von Ameisen besucht (insgesamt 4 Morphospecies). Es gab Hinweise, dass frisch geh{\"a}utete Imagines noch etwa 10 Tage in der Aggregation verblieben. Sp{\"a}testens 5 bzw. 10 Tage nach der Imaginalh{\"a}utung waren Weibchen bzw. M{\"a}nnchen zu einer Erstkopulation bereit. Bei der Paarung kletterte das M{\"a}nnchen nach der Kontaktaufnahme auf das Weibchen und blieb dort im Median 138 Sekunden sitzen (Pr{\"a}kopula), worauf eine im Median 116-min{\"u}tige Kopulation folgen konnte. W{\"a}hrend der Pr{\"a}kopula sandte das M{\"a}nnchen Vibrationssignale aus. Die Art war promiskuitiv, und manche Weibchen paarten sich w{\"a}hrend der Gelegebewachung. Das Geschlechterverh{\"a}ltnis war zum Zeitpunkt der Imaginalh{\"a}utung ausgeglichen. Die Eimortalit{\"a}t aufgrund einer Kohortenanalyse betrug 35 Prozent. Pr{\"a}datoren der Larven und Imagines waren besonders Springspinnen (Salticidae). Die Eier wurden von Brachygrammatella sp. (Trichogrammatidae) parasitiert. Eier wurden als Gelege ins Gewebe von Wirtspflanzenzweigen gelegt (Unterseite). Die Anzahl Eier pro Gelege (etwa 57) nahm mit der Bewachungsdauer des Weibchens zu. Bevorzugungen von Gelegepositionen ober- oder unterhalb bereits vorhandener Gelege waren nicht festzustellen. Im Median wurden 3-4 (1998er, 1997er Zensus) Gelege zusammen auf einem Zweig gefunden. Bei einem Wiederfangversuch legte mindestens die H{\"a}lfte aller Weibchen w{\"a}hrend ihres Lebens mindestens zwei Gelege. Zwischen Verlassen des ersten Geleges (auf dem ein Weibchen gefunden wurde) und der Oviposition ihres Folgegeleges vergingen im Median 5 Tage. Folgegelege wurden meist auf derselben Wirtspflanze wie das erste Gelege abgelegt. Der Fettk{\"o}rper vergr{\"o}ßerte sich wieder nach der Oviposition, aber noch w{\"a}hrend der Bewachung des aktuellen Geleges. Weibchen saßen 26-28 Tage lang (nach Beginn der Oviposition) auf ihrem Gelege, d.h. bis zum 5.-8. Tag nach Schlupfbeginn der Larven (die Larven schl{\"u}pften sukzessiv, erst 9 Tage nach Schlupfbeginn waren die meisten LI geschl{\"u}pft). Weibchen kehrten nach experimenteller Vertreibung vom Gelege auf dieses zur{\"u}ck. In Wahlversuchen wurde aber das eigene Gelege gegen{\"u}ber einem fremden nicht pr{\"a}feriert. Weibchen wichen bei St{\"o}rungen stets zur Seite aus und begannen ihre Suche immer mit Seitw{\"a}rtsbewegungen. Experimentell herbeigef{\"u}hrter Kontakt mit dem Eiparasitoid Brachygrammatella sp. gen{\"u}gte, um die Beinabwehr bewachender Weibchen zu erh{\"o}hen. Die H{\"a}ufigkeit von Beinbewegungen war nicht nur vom Vorhandensein eines Geleges, sondern auch von der Tageszeit abh{\"a}ngig. Gelegebewachung f{\"o}rderte das {\"U}berleben der Eier: Die Eimortalit{\"a}t stieg mit experimenteller Verk{\"u}rzung der weiblichen Bewachungsdauer an (unabh{\"a}ngig von der Gelegegr{\"o}ße). Gelegebewachung verz{\"o}gerte die Ablage von Folgegelegen, wie durch experimentelles Verk{\"u}rzen der Bewachungsdauer aktuell bewachter Gelege gezeigt wurde. Abgebrochene pronotale Dorsaldornen minderten nicht die Paarungswahrscheinlichkeit: Die H{\"a}ufigkeit kopulierender M{\"a}nnchen und Weibchen mit abgebrochenem Dorn wich nicht von ihrer jeweiligen H{\"a}ufigkeit in der Population ab. Bei 52 Prozent aller Gelege bewachenden Weibchen war der Dorsaldorn abgebrochen. Weibchen waren l{\"a}nger und schwerer als M{\"a}nnchen, und einige pronotale Merkmale (z.B. der Caudaldorn) waren ebenfalls bei den Weibchen l{\"a}nger. Dorsaldorn und Distallobus waren dagegen bei M{\"a}nnchen l{\"a}nger, und zwar bei gleicher K{\"o}rpergr{\"o}ße. Geschwister {\"a}hnelten sich besonders hinsichtlich Gewicht sowie K{\"o}rper- und Dorsaldornl{\"a}nge, was durch große Heritabilit{\"a}t, gleiche Umweltbedingungen und Inzucht erkl{\"a}rt werden k{\"o}nnte.},
  subject      = {S{\"u}dostasien},
  language  = {de}
}
@article{StefanovicBarnettvanDuijvenbodenetal.2014,
  author    = {Stefanovic, Sonia and Barnett, Phil and van Duijvenboden, Karel and Weber, David and Gessler, Manfred and Christoffels, Vincent M.},
  title     = {GATA-dependent regulatory switches establish atrioventricular canal specificity during heart development},
  series = {Nature Communications},
  volume    = {5},
  journal   = {Nature Communications},
  number    = {3680},
  issn      = {2041-1723},
  doi       = {10.1038/ncomms4680},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-121437},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {The embryonic vertebrate heart tube develops an atrioventricular canal that divides the atrial and ventricular chambers, forms atrioventricular conduction tissue and organizes valve development. Here we assess the transcriptional mechanism underlying this localized differentiation process. We show that atrioventricular canal-specific enhancers are GATA-binding site-dependent and act as switches that repress gene activity in the chambers. We find that atrioventricular canal-specific gene loci are enriched in H3K27ac, a marker of active enhancers, in atrioventricular canal tissue and depleted in H3K27ac in chamber tissue. In the atrioventricular canal, Gata4 activates the enhancers in synergy with Bmp2/Smad signalling, leading to H3K27 acetylation. In contrast, in chambers, Gata4 cooperates with pan-cardiac Hdac1 and Hdac2 and chamber-specific Hey1 and Hey2, leading to H3K27 deacetylation and repression. We conclude that atrioventricular canal-specific enhancers are platforms integrating cardiac transcription factors, broadly active histone modification enzymes and localized co-factors to drive atrioventricular canal-specific gene activity.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Steckel2013,
  author    = {Steckel, Juliane},
  title     = {Effects of landscape heterogeneity and land use on interacting groups of solitary bees, wasps and their flying and ground-dwelling antagonists},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-87900},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {Die Heterogenit{\"a}t unserer heutigen Landschaften und Habitate ist gepr{\"a}gt und von jahrzehntelanger Landnutzungsintensivierung. Die daraus hervorgegangene Verarmung von weitr{\"a}umigen Arealen f{\"u}hrte zu einer zeitlich und r{\"a}umlich stark eingeschr{\"a}nkten Verf{\"u}gbarkeit von Nistm{\"o}glichkeiten und Nahrungsressourcen f{\"u}r Wildbienen und Wespen. Die Folgen sich ver{\"a}ndernder Ressourcenverf{\"u}gbarkeit f{\"u}r Wildbienen und Wespen war und ist eine Gef{\"a}hrdung der Artenvielfalt und der {\"O}kosystemprozesse, die diese Arten in Gang halten. Konsequenzen f{\"u}r diese wichtigen Best{\"a}uber und Pr{\"a}datoren sind kaum erforscht, genauso wenig wie f{\"u}r ihre Gegenspieler als nat{\"u}rliche Top-Down-Regulatoren. Nisthilfen f{\"u}r Wildbienen, Wespen und ihre nat{\"u}rlichen Gegenspieler eignen sich hervorragend um diese Wissensl{\"u}cken zu f{\"u}llen, da sie wertvolle Einblicke gew{\"a}hren in ansonsten verborgene trophische Interaktionen, wie Parasitierung und Pr{\"a}dation, aber auch in {\"O}kosystemprozesse wie Best{\"a}ubung und Reproduktion. Somit stellten wir uns in Kapitel II zun{\"a}chst die Frage, wie die Abundanz von st{\"a}ngelnistenden Bienen und Wespen im Gr{\"u}nland von dessen Bewirtschaftung abh{\"a}ngt. Außerdem untersuchten wir, wie Landnutzung die Effektivit{\"a}t der Top-Down-Regulation von Wildbienen und Wespen durch zwei verschiedene Gruppen von Gegenspielern beeinflusst. Dazu haben wir einer der beiden Gruppen, den bodenlebenden Gegenspielern, den Zugang zu den Nisthilfen vorenthalten. In einer großangelegten Feldstudie, die sich {\"u}ber drei verschiedene Regionen Deutschlands erstreckte, installierten wir 760 Nisthilfen auf 95 Gr{\"u}nlandfl{\"a}chen. Der Versuchsplan beinhaltete gem{\"a}hte und nicht gem{\"a}hte Versuchsplots, sowie Plots mit und ohne Ausschluss von Bodenpr{\"a}datoren. Wildbienen und Wespen besiedelten die Nisthilfen unabh{\"a}ngig davon, ob Bodenpr{\"a}datoren nun Zugang zu den Nisthilfen hatten oder nicht. Allerdings erh{\"o}hte sich die Rate der von fliegenden Gegenspielern gefressenen und parasitierten Brutzellen (Fressrate) sobald bodenlebende Gegenspieler ausgeschlossen wurden. Diese Fressrate war vom experimentellen M{\"a}hen unabh{\"a}ngig. Jedoch wiesen ungem{\"a}hte Versuchsplots marginal signifikant mehr Brutzellen von Wespen auf. Beide Manipulationen, das M{\"a}hen und der Pr{\"a}datorausschluss, interagierten signifikant. So wurden auf gem{\"a}hten Plots, auf denen Bodenpr{\"a}datoren ausgeschlossen waren, h{\"o}here Fressraten der fliegenden Gegenspieler beobachtet, w{\"a}hrend dieser Effekt auf der ungem{\"a}hten Plots ausblieb. Das Thema in Kapitel III ist der relative Einfluss lokaler Gr{\"u}nlandnutzung, Landschaftsdiversit{\"a}t und Landschaftsstruktur auf Artenvielfalt und -abundanz von Wildbienen, Wespen und ihrer fliegenden Gegenspieler. Dazu kartierten wir Landnutzungstypen innerhalb konzentrischer Kreise um die Versuchsplots. Mithilfe der digitalisierten Landschaftsdaten berechneten wir Indices als Maße f{\"u}r Landschaftsdiversit{\"a}t und -struktur f{\"u}r acht Radien bis 2000 m. Der negative Effekt lokaler Landnutzung auf die Wirtsabundanz war nur marginal signifikant. Jedoch stellten wir einen positiven Effekt der Landschaftsdiversit{\"a}t innerhalb kleiner Radien auf die Artenvielfalt und -abundanz der Wirte fest. Die fliegenden Gegenspieler allerdings profitierten von einer komplexen Landschaftsstruktur innerhalb großer Radien. Die letzte Studie, vorgestellt in Kapitel IV, behandelt die Bedeutung von Ressourcenverf{\"u}gbarkeit f{\"u}r die Dauer von Fouragierfl{\"u}gen und die sich daraus ergebenen Konsequenzen f{\"u}r den Reproduktionserfolg der Roten Mauerbiene. Dazu beobachteten wir nistenden Bienen auf 18 Gr{\"u}nlandfl{\"a}chen in zwei der Untersuchungsregionen in Deuschland. Wir ermittelten die lokale Landnutzungsintensit{\"a}t, lokale Bl{\"u}tendeckung sowie Landschaftsdiversit{\"a}t und -struktur als wichtige potentielle Einflussfaktoren. Jede Gr{\"u}nlandfl{\"a}che wurde mit acht Nisthilfen und 50 weiblichen Bienen ausgestattet. Verschiedene Nestbau-Aktivit{\"a}ten, wie Fouragierfl{\"u}ge f{\"u}r Pollen und Nektar, wurden aufgenommen. Wir stellten fest, dass Fouragierfl{\"u}ge f{\"u}r Pollen und Nektar in komplexen, strukturreichen Landschaften signifikant k{\"u}rzer waren, dass jedoch weder lokale Faktoren, noch Landschaftsdiversit{\"a}t eine Rolle spielten. Wir konnten keinen Zusammenhang zwischen der Dauer von Fouragierfl{\"u}gen und Reproduktionserfolg feststellen. Um eine r{\"a}umlich und zeitlich konstante Versorgung von Nahrungs- und Nistressourcen zu gew{\"a}hrleisten und damit biotische Interaktionen, Diversit{\"a}t und Besiedlungserfolg von Wildbienen, Wespen und ihrer Gegenspieler zu unterst{\"u}tzen, empfehlen wir Maßnahmen, die sowohl die lokale Landnutzung als auch unterschiedliche Landschaftsfaktoren ber{\"u}cksichtigen.},
  subject      = {Wildbienen},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Staus2021,
  author    = {Staus, Madlen},
  title     = {Glutathione-dependent reprogramming in melanoma},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-16842},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-168424},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {These days, treatment of melanoma patients relies on targeted therapy with BRAF/MEK inhibitors and on immunotherapy. About half of all patients initially respond to existing therapies. Nevertheless, the identification of alternative therapies for melanoma patients with intrinsic or acquired resistance is of great importance. In melanoma, antioxidants play an essential role in the maintenance of the redox homeostasis. Therefore, disruption of the redox homeostasis is regarded as highly therapeutically relevant and is the focus of the present work. An adequate supply of cysteine is essential for the production of the most important intracellular antioxidants, such as glutathione. In the present work, it was investigated whether the depletion of cysteine and glutathione is therapeutically useful. Depletion of glutathione in melanoma cells could be achieved by blocking cysteine supply, glutathione synthesis, and NADPH regeneration. As expected, this led to an increased level of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Surprisingly, however, these changes did not impair the proliferation and survival of the melanoma cells. In contrast, glutathione depletion led to cellular reprogramming which was characterized by the induction of mesenchymal genes and the repression of differentiation markers (phenotypic switch). This was accompanied by an increased migration and invasion potential which was favored by the induction of the transcription factor FOSL1. To study in vivo reprogramming, Gclc, the first and rate-limiting enzyme in glutathione synthesis, was knocked out by CRISPR/Cas9 in murine melanoma cells. The cells were devoid of glutathione, but were fully viable and showed a phenotypic switch, the latter only in MITF-expressing B16F1 cells and not in MITF-deficient D4M3A.781 cells. Following subcutaneous injection into immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice, Gclc knockout B16F1 cells grew more aggressively and resulted in an earlier tumor onset than B16F1 control cells. In summary, this work demonstrates that inhibition of cysteine supply and thus, glutathione synthesis leads to cellular reprogramming in melanoma. In this context, melanoma cells show metastatic capabilities, promoting a more aggressive form of the disease.},
  subject      = {Melanom},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Stangler2015,
  author    = {Stangler, Eva},
  title     = {Effects of habitat fragmentation on trap-nesting bees, wasps and their natural enemies in small secondary rainforest fragments in Costa Rica},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-108254},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Summary (English) I. Human induced global change threatens biodiversity and trophic interactions. Fragmentation is considered as one of the major threats to biodiversity and can cause reduced species richness, population declines, loss of genetic diversity and disruption of trophic interactions such as predation and parasitism. However forest fragmentation effects can be eclectic due to species specific traits. Specialist species with narrower niches or at higher trophic levels may be in danger of extinction whereas generalist species with less specific habitat requirements may even profit from fragmentation. In the tropics, known as "the" terrestrial biodiversity hotspots, even biodiversity inventories are often lacking, especially in forest canopies. Ongoing deforestation and resulting fragmentation in tropical regions are expected to heavily affect ecosystem functions by changes in biodiversity, community compositions and disruption of trophic interactions. It is even less unknown in what extent different global change drivers for example climate change and fragmentation interact. It is unlikely that deforestation will end, so that small secondary forest fragments will be important habitat elements that must be investigated to optimize their potential contribution to biodiversity conservation. This dissertation aimed to disentangle the effects of forest fragmentation on trap-nesting bee and wasp communities in small secondary forest fragments addressing the following main questions: 1) Are there interactive effects between microclimate and fragmentation on the abundance of bees and wasps, their mortality - and parasitism rates (Chapter II)? 2) How does fragmentation affect bee biodiversity from canopy to the understory with considerations of single species patterns (Chapter III)? 3) How is fragmentation affecting diversity and community composition of different trophic levels between understory and canopy with emphasis on the host-antagonist relation? (Chapter IV). II. A variety of global change drivers affect biodiversity and trophic interactions. The combined effects of habitat fragmentation and climate change are poorly understood and with ongoing deforestation and agricultural intensification secondary rainforest fragments might contribute to biodiversity conservation and mitigation of climate warming. This chapter investigated the interactive effects of habitat fragmentation and microclimate on the abundance and biotic interactions of trap-nesting bees and wasps in secondary forest fragments in the Northeastern lowlands of Costa Rica. Habitat area did not affect hymenopteran abundance, parasitism and mortality rates, but tree location- from the forest border to the forest center- influenced all variables. Interactive effects were found such as in the higher mortality rates at interior locations in larger fragments. Mean temperature at edge and interior locations led to significant effects on all tested variables and interactive effects between temperature and tree locations were found. Abundances at interior locations were significantly higher with increasing temperatures. Mortality rates at interior location increased at lower mean temperatures, whereas higher temperatures at edges marginally increased mortality rates. Our results indicate, that edge effects, mediated by altered microclimatic conditions, significantly change biotic interactions of trap-nesting hymenopterans in small secondary fragments. III. This chapter focusses on the vertical distribution of bees, their parasitism and mortality rates as well as single species patterns in relation to fragment size and edge effects in secondary rainforest remnants. No size effects on bee abundance, bee diversity and on parasitism- and mortality rates were found. Bees were least abundant at the intermediate height and were most abundant in the understory; whereas the highest diversity was found in the canopy. Tree location had no effect on bee abundance, but on bee diversity since most species were found in the forest interior. The cuckoo bees Aglaomelissa duckei and Coelioxys sp. 1 only partly followed the patterns of their hosts, two Centris species. Edge effects greatly influenced the bee community, so that the amount of edge habitat in secondary forest fragments will influence the conservation value for bees. IV. In this section the effects of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity, on community structure of hosts and natural enemies as well as the relation of hosts and antagonists were investigated from the understory to the canopy. The results stress the importance to monitor biodiversity, community composition and trophic interactions from the understory to the canopy. The higher trophic level of the antagonists was found to be more sensitive to fragment size compared to their hosts. Again edge effects were found to be the dominant driver since both host and antagonist richness, as well as community compositions were strongly affected. Ongoing fragmentation and increased amount of edge habitat could favor few abundant disturbance-adapted species over the rare and more diverse forest-adapted species. A positive-density dependent parasitism rate was demonstrated, as well as an increase of the parasitism rate not only with antagonist abundance but also diversity. Small secondary forest fragments surely can contribute to the conservation of biodiversity and trophic interactions, but increase of edge habitat will have negative consequences on above-ground nesting Hymenoptera, so that important interactions such as pollination, predation and parasitism could be disrupted. Therefore small forest fragments could contribute to biodiversity conservation but will not be able to compensate for the loss of large areas of primary forests. V. This dissertation contributes to the understanding of habitat area - and edge effects as well as the interaction of those with microclimatic conditions in small secondary rainforest fragments. As study system trap nests inhabited by solitary above-ground nesting bees, wasps and their natural enemies were chosen because they allow to study trophic interactions along their whole vertical distribution from the understory to the canopy. The effect of fragment size was rather weak, however, larger sizes affected the diversity of natural enemies positively, proofing the hypothesis that higher trophic levels react more sensitive to habitat loss. Edge effects heavily affected the abundance, diversity and community composition of hosts and their natural enemies as well as parasitism and mortality rates. Increased edge conditions resulting from ongoing fragmentation and deforestation will therefore negatively affect bees, wasps and their trophic interactions with natural enemies. Those changes affect important processes such as pollination, predation and parasitism, which could result in changes of ecosystem functioning. This study showed the importance to include all strata in biodiversity monitoring since height did matter for the trap-nesting communities. Diversity was shown to be higher in the canopy and community composition did change significantly. To conclude we could show that secondary forest fragments can sustain a trap-nesting bee and wasp community, but the amount of interior habitat is highly important for the conservation of forest-adapted species. Probably the conservation of large primary forest in combination with a high habitat connectivity, for example with small secondary forest fragments, will help to sustain biodiversity and ecosystem functioning better than the mere presence of small forest fragments.},
  subject      = {Costa Rica},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{StaigerCadotKooteretal.2012,
  author    = {Staiger, Christine and Cadot, Sidney and Kooter, Raul and Dittrich, Marcus and M{\"u}ller, Tobias and Klau, Gunnar W. and Wessels, Lodewyk F. A.},
  title     = {A Critical Evaluation of Network and Pathway-Based Classifiers for Outcome Prediction in Breast Cancer},
  series = {PLoS One},
  volume    = {7},
  journal   = {PLoS One},
  number    = {4},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0034796},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-131323},
  pages     = {e34796},
  year      = {2012},
  abstract  = {Recently, several classifiers that combine primary tumor data, like gene expression data, and secondary data sources, such as protein-protein interaction networks, have been proposed for predicting outcome in breast cancer. In these approaches, new composite features are typically constructed by aggregating the expression levels of several genes. The secondary data sources are employed to guide this aggregation. Although many studies claim that these approaches improve classification performance over single genes classifiers, the gain in performance is difficult to assess. This stems mainly from the fact that different breast cancer data sets and validation procedures are employed to assess the performance. Here we address these issues by employing a large cohort of six breast cancer data sets as benchmark set and by performing an unbiased evaluation of the classification accuracies of the different approaches. Contrary to previous claims, we find that composite feature classifiers do not outperform simple single genes classifiers. We investigate the effect of (1) the number of selected features; (2) the specific gene set from which features are selected; (3) the size of the training set and (4) the heterogeneity of the data set on the performance of composite feature and single genes classifiers. Strikingly, we find that randomization of secondary data sources, which destroys all biological information in these sources, does not result in a deterioration in performance of composite feature classifiers. Finally, we show that when a proper correction for gene set size is performed, the stability of single genes sets is similar to the stability of composite feature sets. Based on these results there is currently no reason to prefer prognostic classifiers based on composite features over single genes classifiers for predicting outcome in breast cancer.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Stahl2006,
  author    = {Stahl, Sonja},
  title     = {Molekulare Mechanismen der Neurodegeneration in der Grosshirnrinde von Kathepsin B und L-Doppelknockoutm{\"a}usen},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-21606},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2006},
  abstract  = {Kathepsin B und L sind lysosomale Cysteinproteasen, die mit einer Reihe von pathologischen Prozessen, wie z. B. Cancerogenese, Tumorangiogenese und Neurodegeneration in Verbindung gebracht werden. Dennoch sind bis jetzt nur wenige Proteinsubstrate beschrieben. Ausserdem sind die Mechanismen der Regulation von Zellproliferation, -invasion und -apoptose durch Kathepsin B und L weitgehend unverstanden. Ein kombinierter Mangel beider Kathepsine f{\"u}hrt zu einer fr{\"u}hzeitigen Neurodegeneration in M{\"a}usen, die an neuronale Lipofuszinosen beim Menschen erinnert. In der vorliegenden Studie wurden Unterschiede in der Proteinzusammensetzung von wildtypischen und doppelt-defizienten Gehirnlysosomen quantifiziert. Eine Kombination von subzellul{\"a}rer Fraktionierung und LC-MS/MS unter Verwendung einer isobarischen Markierung (iTraqTM) erlaubte uns die gleichzeitige Untersuchung von zerebralen Lysosomen aus Wildtyp und Kathepsin B-/-L-/- M{\"a}usen. Ingesamt waren 19 Proteine signifikant erh{\"o}ht in Kathepsin B-/-L-/- Lysosomen. Die meisten erh{\"o}hten Proteine wurden der neuronalen Biosynthese, regenerierenden bzw. endozytotischen oder lysosomalen Kompartimenten zugeordnet. Der Anstieg von Calcyon, dem Delta/Notch- verwandten epidermalen Wachstumsfaktor-Rezeptor (DNER), Neurochondrin, Phospholipase D3, Rab14, Cathepsin D und Apolipoprotein E l{\"a}sst eine potentielle Rolle von Kathepsin B und L im Axonwachstum und der Synapsenbildung w{\"a}hrend der postnatalen Entwicklung des Zentralnervensystems vermuten.},
  subject      = {Kathepsin B},
  language  = {de}
}
@article{SrivastavaBencurovaGuptaetal.2019,
  author    = {Srivastava, Mugdha and Bencurova, Elena and Gupta, Shishir K. and Weiss, Esther and L{\"o}ffler, J{\"u}rgen and Dandekar, Thomas},
  title     = {Aspergillus fumigatus challenged by human dendritic cells: metabolic and regulatory pathway responses testify a tight battle},
  series = {Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology},
  volume    = {9},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology},
  doi       = {10.3389/fcimb.2019.00168},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-201368},
  pages     = {168},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {Dendritic cells (DCs) are antigen presenting cells which serve as a passage between the innate and the acquired immunity. Aspergillosis is a major lethal condition in immunocompromised patients caused by the adaptable saprophytic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. The healthy human immune system is capable to ward off A. fumigatus infections however immune-deficient patients are highly vulnerable to invasive aspergillosis. A. fumigatus can persist during infection due to its ability to survive the immune response of human DCs. Therefore, the study of the metabolism specific to the context of infection may allow us to gain insight into the adaptation strategies of both the pathogen and the immune cells. We established a metabolic model of A. fumigatus central metabolism during infection of DCs and calculated the metabolic pathway (elementary modes; EMs). Transcriptome data were used to identify pathways activated when A. fumigatus is challenged with DCs. In particular, amino acid metabolic pathways, alternative carbon metabolic pathways and stress regulating enzymes were found to be active. Metabolic flux modeling identified further active enzymes such as alcohol dehydrogenase, inositol oxygenase and GTP cyclohydrolase participating in different stress responses in A. fumigatus. These were further validated by qRT-PCR from RNA extracted under these different conditions. For DCs, we outlined the activation of metabolic pathways in response to the confrontation with A. fumigatus. We found the fatty acid metabolism plays a crucial role, along with other metabolic changes. The gene expression data and their analysis illuminate additional regulatory pathways activated in the DCs apart from interleukin regulation. In particular, Toll-like receptor signaling, NOD-like receptor signaling and RIG-I-like receptor signaling were active pathways. Moreover, we identified subnetworks and several novel key regulators such as UBC, EGFR, and CUL3 of DCs to be activated in response to A. fumigatus. In conclusion, we analyze the metabolic and regulatory responses of A. fumigatus and DCs when confronted with each other.},
  language  = {en}
}