TY  - JOUR
A1  - Remmele, Christian W.
A1  - Luther, Christian H.
A1  - Balkenhol, Johannes
A1  - Dandekar, Thomas
A1  - Müller, Tobias
A1  - Dittrich, Marcus T.
T1  - Integrated inference and evaluation of host-fungi interaction networks
JF  - Frontiers in Microbiology
N2  - Fungal microorganisms frequently lead to life-threatening infections. Within this group of pathogens, the commensal Candida albicans and the filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus are by far the most important causes of invasive mycoses in Europe. A key capability for host invasion and immune response evasion are specific molecular interactions between the fungal pathogen and its human host. Experimentally validated knowledge about these crucial interactions is rare in literature and even specialized host pathogen databases mainly focus on bacterial and viral interactions whereas information on fungi is still sparse. To establish large-scale host fungi interaction networks on a systems biology scale, we develop an extended inference approach based on protein orthology and data on gene functions. Using human and yeast intraspecies networks as template, we derive a large network of pathogen host interactions (PHI). Rigorous filtering and refinement steps based on cellular localization and pathogenicity information of predicted interactors yield a primary scaffold of fungi human and fungi mouse interaction networks. Specific enrichment of known pathogenicity-relevant genes indicates the biological relevance of the predicted PHI. A detailed inspection of functionally relevant subnetworks reveals novel host fungal interaction candidates such as the Candida virulence factor PLB1 and the anti-fungal host protein APP. Our results demonstrate the applicability of interolog-based prediction methods for host fungi interactions and underline the importance of filtering and refinement steps to attain biologically more relevant interactions. This integrated network framework can serve as a basis for future analyses of high-throughput host fungi transcriptome and proteome data.
KW  - candida genome database
KW  - computational prediction
KW  - potential role
KW  - network inference
KW  - bioinformatics and computational biology
KW  - protein interaction database
KW  - Aspergillus fumigatus
KW  - cell wall
KW  - functional modules
KW  - alzheimers disease
KW  - molecular cloning
KW  - Candida albicans
KW  - pathogen-host interaction (PHI)
KW  - protein-protein interaction
KW  - pathogenicity
KW  - interolog
Y1  - 2015
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-148278
VL  - 6
IS  - 764
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Sajko, Sara
A1  - Grishkovskaya, Irina
A1  - Kostan, Julius
A1  - Graewert, Melissa
A1  - Setiawan, Kim
A1  - Trübestein, Linda
A1  - Niedermüller, Korbinian
A1  - Gehin, Charlotte
A1  - Sponga, Antonio
A1  - Puchinger, Martin
A1  - Gavin, Anne-Claude
A1  - Leonard, Thomas A.
A1  - Svergun, Dimitri I.
A1  - Smith, Terry K.
A1  - Morriswood, Brooke
A1  - Djinovic-Carugo, Kristina
T1  - Structures of three MORN repeat proteins and a re-evaluation of the proposed lipid-binding properties of MORN repeats
JF  - PLoS One
N2  - MORN (Membrane Occupation and Recognition Nexus) repeat proteins have a wide taxonomic distribution, being found in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Despite this ubiquity, they remain poorly characterised at both a structural and a functional level compared to other common repeats. In functional terms, they are often assumed to be lipid-binding modules that mediate membrane targeting. We addressed this putative activity by focusing on a protein composed solely of MORN repeats-Trypanosoma brucei MORN1. Surprisingly, no evidence for binding to membranes or lipid vesicles by TbMORN1 could be obtained either in vivo or in vitro. Conversely, TbMORN1 did interact with individual phospholipids. High- and low-resolution structures of the MORN1 protein from Trypanosoma brucei and homologous proteins from the parasites Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum were obtained using a combination of macromolecular crystallography, small-angle X-ray scattering, and electron microscopy. This enabled a first structure-based definition of the MORN repeat itself. Furthermore, all three structures dimerised via their C-termini in an antiparallel configuration. The dimers could form extended or V-shaped quaternary structures depending on the presence of specific interface residues. This work provides a new perspective on MORN repeats, showing that they are protein-protein interaction modules capable of mediating both dimerisation and oligomerisation.
KW  - recognition nexus domain
KW  - trypanosoma brucei
KW  - blood stream
KW  - phosphatidylserine transport
KW  - biological macromolecules
KW  - membrane occupation
KW  - solution scattering
KW  - molecular cloning
KW  - flagellar pocket
KW  - endocytosis
Y1  - 2020
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-231261
VL  - 15
IS  - 23
ER  -