The vagina contains at least a billion microbial cells,dominated by lactobacilli.Here we perform metagenomic shotgun sequencing on cervical and fecal samples from a cohort of 516 Chinese women of reproductive age,as well as cervical,fecal,and salivary samples from a second cohort of 632 women.Factors such as pregnancy history,delivery history,cesarean section,and breastfeeding were all more important than menstrual cycle in shaping the microbiome,and such information would be necessary before trying to interpret differences between vagino-cervical micro-biome data.Greater proportion of Bifidobacterium breve was seen with older age at sexual debut.The relative abundance of lactobacilli especially Lactobacillus crispatus was negatively associated with pregnancy history.Potential markers for lack of menstrual regularity,heavy flow,dysmenor-rhea,and contraceptives were also identified.Lactobacilli were rare during breastfeeding or post-menopause.Other features such as mood fluctuations and facial speckles could potentially be predicted from the vagino-cervical microbiome.Gut and salivary microbiomes,plasma vitamins,metals,amino acids,and hormones showed associations with the vagino-cervical microbiome.Our results offer an unprecedented glimpse into the microbiota of the female reproductive tract and call for international collaborations to better understand its long-term health impact other than in the settings of infection or pre-term birth.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of potassium sodium dehydroandroan drographolide succinate (PSDS) combined with routine therapy for rotavirus enteritis in children.MethodsA total of 148 children with rotavirus enteritis were included and divided into an observation group and a control group by random number table method, 74 in each group. The children in the observation group were treated with intravenous PSDS combined with routine therapy, and those in the control group with intravenous ribavirin combined with routine therapy. Serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) were determined using standard clinical laboratory procedures. The clinical efficacy was evaluated. Results The total efficacy rate in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (91.9%vs. 78.4%;χ2=2.314,P<0.05). After the treatment, the serum levels of IL-6 (18.24 ± 3.62 ng/mlvs. 25.36 ± 5.25 ng/ml; t=2.425,P<0.05) and TNF-α (20.86 ± 4.28 ng/mlvs. 31.22 ± 7.15 ng/ml;t=2.503,P<0.05), and the plasma levels of LDH (104.25 ± 22.06 U/Lvs. 150.26 ± 37.22 U/L;t=2.316,P<0.05), CK (84.25 ± 13.57 U/Lvs. 107.88 ± 16.28 U/L;t=2.327,P<0.05) and CK-MB (22.30 ± 4.24 U/Lvs. 32.26 ± 7.14 U/L;t=2.426,P<0.05) in the observation group was significantly lower than those in the control group. The time to diarrhea resolution (2.42 ± 0.53 dvs.3.56 ± 0.78 d;t=2.316,P<0.05) and the time to fever resolution(2.11 ± 0.32 dvs.2.63 ± 0.43 d;t=2.472,P<0.05) in the observation group were significantly delayed than those in the control group, and the hospital length of stay longer (6.23 ± 1.42 dvs. 4.35 ± 0.96 d;t=2.413,P<0.05).Conclusions PSDS combined with routine therapy may reduce inflammatory response, protect from myocardial injury, and promote recovery in children with RVE.

Dehydration is one of the key steps in the biosynthesis of mycolic acids and is vital to the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Consequently, stalling dehydration cures tuberculosis (TB). Clinically used anti-TB drugs like thiacetazone (TAC) and isoxyl (ISO) as well as flavonoids inhibit the enzyme activity of the β-hydroxyacyl-ACP dehydratase HadAB complex. How this inhibition is exerted, has remained an enigma for years. Here, we describe the first crystal structures of the MtbHadAB complex bound with flavonoid inhibitor butein, 2',4,4'-trihydroxychalcone or fisetin. Despite sharing no sequence identity from Blast, HadA and HadB adopt a very similar hotdog fold. HadA forms a tight dimer with HadB in which the proteins are sitting side-by-side, but are oriented anti-parallel. While HadB contributes the catalytically critical His-Asp dyad, HadA binds the fatty acid substrate in a long channel. The atypical double hotdog fold with a single active site formed by MtbHadAB gives rise to a long, narrow cavity that vertically traverses the fatty acid binding channel. At the base of this cavity lies Cys61, which upon mutation to Ser confers drug-resistance in TB patients. We show that inhibitors bind in this cavity and protrude into the substrate binding channel. Thus, inhibitors of MtbHadAB exert their effect by occluding substrate from the active site. The unveiling of this mechanism of inhibition paves the way for accelerating development of next generation of anti-TB drugs.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Bacterial Proteins ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Catalytic Domain ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Hydro-Lyases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; chemistry ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Protein Binding ; drug effects ; Protein Multimerization ; drug effects ; Protein Structure, Secondary ; Sequence Alignment

Human noroviruses (huNoVs) recognize histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) as attachment factors, in which genogroup (G) I and GII huNoVs use distinct binding interfaces. The genetic and evolutionary relationships of GII huNoVs under selection by the host HBGAs have been well elucidated via a number of structural studies; however, such relationships among GI NoVs remain less clear due to the fact that the structures of HBGA-binding interfaces of only three GI NoVs with similar binding profiles are known. In this study the crystal structures of the P dimers of a Lewis-binding strain, the GI.8 Boxer virus (BV) that does not bind the A and H antigens, in complex with the Lewis b (Le(b)) and Le(y) antigens, respectively, were determined and compared with those of the three previously known GI huNoVs, i.e. GI.1 Norwalk virus (NV), GI.2 FUV258 (FUV) and GI.7 TCH060 (TCH) that bind the A/H/Le antigens. The HBGA binding interface of BV is composed of a conserved central binding pocket (CBP) that interacts with the β-galactose of the precursor, and a well-developed Le epitope-binding site formed by five amino acids, including three consecutive residues from the long P-loop and one from the S-loop of the P1 subdomain, a feature that was not seen in the other GI NoVs. On the other hand, the H epitope/acetamido binding site observed in the other GI NoVs is greatly degenerated in BV. These data explain the evolutionary path of GI NoVs selected by the polymorphic human HBGAs. While the CBP is conserved, the regions surrounding the CBP are flexible, providing freedom for changes. The loss or degeneration of the H epitope/acetamido binding site and the reinforcement of the Le binding site of the GI.8 BV is a typical example of such change selected by the host Lewis epitope.
Binding Sites ; Blood Group Antigens ; chemistry ; immunology ; Caliciviridae Infections ; immunology ; virology ; Crystallography, X-Ray ; Epitopes ; chemistry ; immunology ; Evolution, Molecular ; Humans ; Lewis Blood-Group System ; chemistry ; immunology ; Norovirus ; chemistry ; immunology ; pathogenicity ; Protein Binding ; Viral Proteins ; chemistry ; immunology

Unlike the well-established picture for the entry of enveloped viruses, the mechanism of cellular entry of non-enveloped eukaryotic viruses remains largely mysterious. Picornaviruses are representative models for such viruses, and initiate this entry process by their functional receptors. Here we present the structural and functional studies of SCARB2, a functional receptor of the important human enterovirus 71 (EV71). SCARB2 is responsible for attachment as well as uncoating of EV71. Differences in the structures of SCARB2 under neutral and acidic conditions reveal that SCARB2 undergoes a pivotal pH-dependent conformational change which opens a lipid-transfer tunnel to mediate the expulsion of a hydrophobic pocket factor from the virion, a pre-requisite for uncoating. We have also identified the key residues essential for attachment to SCARB2, identifying the canyon region of EV71 as mediating the receptor interaction. Together these results provide a clear understanding of cellular attachment and initiation of uncoating for enteroviruses.
Acids ; chemistry ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Capsid Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Enterovirus A, Human ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; HEK293 Cells ; Host-Pathogen Interactions ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Lysosome-Associated Membrane Glycoproteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Protein Binding ; Protein Conformation ; Protein Interaction Mapping ; Protein Structure, Tertiary ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptors, Scavenger ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid ; Sf9 Cells ; Static Electricity ; Virion ; genetics ; metabolism ; Virus Attachment

Coxsackievirus A16 belongs to the family Picornaviridae, and is a major agent of hand-foot-and-mouth disease that infects mostly children, and to date no vaccines or antiviral therapies are available. 2A protease of enterovirus is a nonstructural protein and possesses both self-cleavage activity and the ability to cleave the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4G. Here we present the crystal structure of coxsackievirus A16 2A protease, which interestingly forms hexamers in crystal as well as in solution. This structure shows an open conformation, with its active site accessible, ready for substrate binding and cleavage activity. In conjunction with a previously reported "closed" state structure of human rhinovirus 2, we were able to develop a detailed hypothesis for the conformational conversion triggered by two "switcher" residues Glu88 and Tyr89 located within the bll2-cII loop. Substrate recognition assays revealed that amino acid residues P1', P2 and P4 are essential for substrate specificity, which was verified by our substrate binding model. In addition, we compared the in vitro cleavage efficiency of 2A proteases from coxsackievirus A16 and enterovirus 71 upon the same substrates by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), and observed higher protease activity of enterovirus 71 compared to that of coxsackievirus A16. In conclusion, our study shows an open conformation of coxsackievirus A16 2A protease and the underlying mechanisms for conformational conversion and substrate specificity. These new insights should facilitate the future rational design of efficient 2A protease inhibitors.
Coxsackievirus Infections ; virology ; Crystallography, X-Ray ; Cysteine Endopeptidases ; chemistry ; genetics ; Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer ; Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease ; enzymology ; pathology ; virology ; Humans ; Picornaviridae ; chemistry ; enzymology ; genetics ; Protein Conformation ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Substrate Specificity ; Viral Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics

Disulfide bond-forming (Dsb) protein is a bacterial periplasmic protein that is essential for the correct folding and disulfide bond formation of secreted or cell wallassociated proteins. DsbA introduces disulfide bonds into folding proteins, and is re-oxidized through interaction with its redox partner DsbB. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a Gram-positive bacterium, expresses a DsbA-like protein ( Rv2969c), an extracellular protein that has its Nterminus anchored in the cell membrane. Since Rv2969c is an essential gene, crucial for disulfide bond formation, research of DsbA may provide a target of a new class of anti-bacterial drugs for treatment of M.tuberculosis infection. In the present work, the crystal structures of the extracellular region of Rv2969c (Mtb DsbA) were determined in both its reduced and oxidized states. The overall structure of Mtb DsbA can be divided into two domains: a classical thioredoxin-like domain with a typical CXXC active site, and an α-helical domain. It largely resembles its Escherichia coli homologue EcDsbA, however, it possesses a truncated binding groove; in addition, its active site is surrounded by an acidic, rather than hydrophobic surface. In our oxidoreductase activity assay, Mtb DsbA exhibited a different substrate specificity when compared to EcDsbA. Moreover, structural analysis revealed a second disulfide bond in Mtb DsbA, which is rare in the previously reported DsbA structures, and is assumed to contribute to the overall stability of Mtb DsbA. To investigate the disulphide formation pathway in M.tuberculosis, we modeled Mtb Vitamin K epoxide reductase (Mtb VKOR), a binding partner of Mtb DsbA, to Mtb DsbA.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Bacterial Proteins ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Catalytic Domain ; Crystallography, X-Ray ; Disulfides ; chemistry ; Escherichia coli ; metabolism ; Escherichia coli Proteins ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; metabolism ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Protein Disulfide-Isomerases ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Protein Folding ; Protein Structure, Tertiary ; Sequence Alignment ; Static Electricity

The human Gadd45 protein family plays critical roles in DNA repair, negative growth control, genomic stability, cell cycle checkpoints and apoptosis. Here we report the crystal structure of human Gadd45γ [corrected], revealing a unique dimer formed via a bundle of four parallel helices, involving the most conserved residues among the Gadd45 isoforms. Mutational analysis of human Gadd45γ [corrected] identified a conserved, highly acidic patch in the central region of the dimer for interaction with the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), p21 and cdc2, suggesting that the parallel dimer is the active form for the interaction. Cellular assays indicate that: (1) dimerization of Gadd45γ [corrected] is necessary for apoptosis as well as growth inhibition, and that cell growth inhibition is caused by both cell cycle arrest and apoptosis; (2) a conserved and highly acidic patch on the dimer surface, including the important residues Glu87 and Asp89, is a putative interface for binding proteins related to the cell cycle, DNA repair and apoptosis. These results reveal the mechanism of self-association by Gadd45 proteins and the importance of this self-association for their biological function.
Amino Acid Motifs ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; radiation effects ; CDC2 Protein Kinase ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Survival ; Crystallography, X-Ray ; Cyclin B ; metabolism ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 ; metabolism ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinases ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed ; Mutation, Missense ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; metabolism ; Protein Binding ; Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs ; Protein Multimerization ; Protein Structure, Quaternary ; Ultraviolet Rays

The guanine-nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) RalGPS1a activates small GTPase Ral proteins such as RalA and RalB by stimulating the exchange of Ral bound GDP to GTP, thus regulating various downstream cellular processes. RalGPS1a is composed of an Nterminal Cdc25-like catalytic domain, followed by a PXXP motif and a C-terminal pleckstrin homology (PH) domain. The Cdc25 domain of RalGPS1a, which shares about 30% sequence identity with other Cdc25-domain proteins, is thought to be directly engaged in binding and activating the substrate Ral protein. Here we report the crystal structure of the Cdc25 domain of RalGPS1a. The bowl shaped structure is homologous to the Cdc25 domains of SOS and RasGRF1. The most remarkable difference between these three Cdc25 domains lies in their active sites, referred to as the helical hairpin region. Consistent with previous enzymological studies, the helical hairpin of RalGPS1a adopts a conformation favorable for substrate binding. A modeled RalGPS1a-RalA complex structure reveals an extensive binding surface similar to that of the SOS-Ras complex. However, analysis of the electrostatic surface potential suggests an interaction mode between the RalGPS1a active site helical hairpin and the switch 1 region of substrate RalA distinct from that of the SOS-Ras complex.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Binding Sites ; Catalytic Domain ; Cloning, Molecular ; Crystallography, X-Ray ; Escherichia coli ; Guanosine Diphosphate ; metabolism ; Guanosine Triphosphate ; metabolism ; Humans ; Models, Molecular ; Molecular Conformation ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Plasmids ; metabolism ; Protein Binding ; Protein Structure, Tertiary ; genetics ; Recombinant Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; ral GTP-Binding Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; ral Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism