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Non-structural proteins of Zika and Dengue virus with enzyme activity
Krýsová, Eliška ; Konvalinka, Jan (advisor) ; Novotný, Marian (referee)
Zika and Dengue viruses codes their own enzymes which helps them in different stages of the replication cycle. NS3 a NS5 proteins and their cofactors play an essential role in flaviviral life cycle. Although their structure was already solved, many aspects of their function remain unclear. The main subject of this bachelor thesis is the role of these proteins in flaviviral life cycle, polyprotein cleavage, replication and protein-protein interaction. These enzymes keep many particular enzymatic activities such as protease, helicase, methyltrasferase and polymerase. They are both structurally and functionally separated, which is interesting regarding autoactivation and protein-protein interaction. Since Zika and Dengue infections remain a serious health care issue, it is necessary to understand the molecular mechanisms behind their replication. Keywords: protease, polymerase, Zika, Dengue, polyprotein processing, antiviral therapy
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Regulation of cathepsin K activity by reactive inhibitory molecules applicable in biomedicine
Benýšek, Jakub ; Mareš, Michael (advisor) ; Obšilová, Veronika (referee) ; Kutil, Zsófia (referee)
3 Abstract Human cathepsin K (KatK) is a lysosomal cysteine protease expressed predominantly in osteoclasts. It is the most effective enzyme for collagen breakdown and its physiological function lies in the degradation of the extracellular bone matrix. Increased enzymatic activity of KatK is associated with osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis. This makes KatK a target for the treatment of pathologies, and chemotherapeutics based on protease inhibitors are being developed for its regulation. This work deals with reactive peptidomimetic and low molecular weight inhibitors of KatK namely thiadiazoles, vinyl ketones, and cyanohydrazides. It focuses mainly on the determination of the binding mode of selective inhibitors and characterization of their key interactions with the active site of KatK. Crystallographic structural analysis was combined with approaches of computational chemistry, enzymological analysis, and cell-based assays to elucidate the relationship between structure and biochemical activity of the investigated inhibitors. The obtained results provide important information for the design and optimization of new highly effective and selective KatK inhibitors as potential drugs and diagnostic probes. Keywords: cathepsin K, protease, inhibitor, 3D structure, osteoporosis
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Proteolytic enzymes of the blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni: pathobiochemistry and their use in biomedicine
Leontovyč, Adrian ; Mareš, Michael (advisor) ; Kašný, Martin (referee) ; Mikeš, Libor (referee)
Blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma are causative agents of the disease schistosomiasis, which affects more than 250 million people worldwide and together with malaria represents the most important parasitic infection. There is a high risk of resistance development against the only drug in use, therefore novel therapeutic approaches for schistosomiasis are intensively researched. Proteolytic enzymes of schistosomes are crucial for their survival in the host and thus are promising drug and vaccine targets. This thesis is focused on two proteases of the human blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni, which were produced as recombinant proteins and functionally characterized. The first one is serine protease SmSP2, which is localized at the surface of the adult worms and secreted into the blood of the host. It was identified as a vasodilatory and fibrinolytic agent, and its modulatory role in host-parasite interactions was proposed. The second one is cysteine cathepsin SmCL3, which is involved in the digestion of host blood proteins serving schistosomes as nutrients. Potent peptidomimetic inhibitors of SmCL3 were identified, and their antischistosomal activity was demonstrated in an assay with live parasites. The thesis provides new important information about S. mansoni proteases, their pathobiochemistry...
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Kunitz-type inhibitors in Eudiplozoon nipponicum
Černíková, Markéta ; Mikeš, Libor (advisor) ; Jedličková, Lucie (referee)
Proteins containing Kunitz domain are mostly inhibitors of serine proteases. Their general characteristic is the presence of three disulfide bonds and small sizes around 6-10 kDa, although sometimes they consist of several Kunitz domains or they are part of more complex proteins. Their function is usually related to the regulation of physiological and proteolytic processes, but also to an interaction with pathogens or other defense mechanisms, such as being part of the sea anemone mucus or the venom of snakes and other invertebrates. We focused on Kunitz proteins in Eudiplozoon nipponicum, a helminth of the class Monogenea parasiting on gills of common carp (Cyprinus carpio). In the transcriptome of this parasite, several sequences with Kunitz domain have been identified based on similarities with the one already described Kunitz protein, EnKT1, suggesting that this parasite, like other bloodfeeding parasites, uses a whole set of these serine protease inhibitors with other specific functions. Several sequences with the Kunitz domain found in the transcriptome were verified by PCR and optionally supplemented by RACE-PCR. One protein, called EnKC1, was subsequently produced by recombinant expression in E. coli cells of SHuffleTM and Rosetta Gami B strains. Recombinant protein with the Kunitz domain...
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Generation and analysis of mutant mouse model to study roles of KLKs in cutaneous inflammation
Eliáš, Jan ; Kašpárek, Petr (advisor) ; Drbal, Karel (referee)
Kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) are a subgroup of serine proteases of undisputable importance for a variety of functions, whose dysregulation has been linked to several pathological phenotypes. Among those pathologies, the Netherton syndrome stands out, since it is one of the very few that has its mechanism directly linked to KLK proteases as the main culprit of the disease, namely KLK5, KLK7 and to a lesser degree, KLK14. In this case, a mutation in the SPINK5 gene leads to uncontrolled hyperactivity of those proteases, which results in epidermal barrier breach due to excessive epidermal desquamation and severe inflammation of the skin. Inflammation mechanisms of NS are still relatively poorly understood, with important roles being attributed to the activities of KLKs in the processing of immune system molecules and also to the dysregulation of the cutaneous microbiome. TNFα signalling plays a key role in the homeostasis and immune response in the skin. Chronic skin infections may lead to deleterious effects with strong participation of TNFα signalling. To address the degree of its effects on the pathogenesis of NS, we have created a mouse model where the TNFR1 is disrupted by knockout of the Tnfr1 gene on the background of a previously established mouse model of the Netherton syndrome. We...
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Bioactive molecules involved in blood processing by haematophagous monogeneans of the family Diplozoidae
Jedličková, Lucie
Monogeneans from the family Diplozoidae (subclass Heteronchoinea) are bloodfeeding ectoparasites inhabiting gills of common carp. Digestion of blood in diplozoids is an intracellular process taking place in gut cells within lysosomal cycle in the presence of parasite's peptidases. However, information about the blood digestion comes only from ultrastructural and histochemical analyses. Therefore, I have focused in this work on biochemical and molecular characteristics of bioactive molecules which may participate in blood processing by E. nipponicum adults, especially cysteine peptidases of cathepsin L- and B- types, aspartic peptidases of cathepsin D-type, and Kunitz-type inhibitors of serine peptidases. In homogenates and excretory/secretory (E/S) products of E. nipponicum adults, an activity of cysteine peptidases of cathepsins L-type dominated, followed by an activity of cathepsin D-like aspartic peptidases and a minor cathepsin B-like activity. Inhibitors of the abovementioned peptidase types completely blocked hemoglobinolytic activity in the samples. In the transcriptome of E. nipponicum adults, ten cathepsin L-coding transcripts were found and only one cathepsin B-coding transcript. Primary structures of the encoded enzymes were bioinformatically and phylogenetically compared. Two abundant...
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BIOPHYSICAL AND FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF DDI1-LIKE ASPARTIC PROTEASES INVOLVED IN REPLICATION STRESS RESPONSE
Svoboda, Michal ; Konvalinka, Jan (advisor) ; Obšil, Tomáš (referee) ; Čermák, Lukáš (referee)
Accurate, timely replication of a DNA molecule is a pivotal moment in the life cycle of every living organism. Any temporal or spatial defect putting the fine-tuned replication machinery off balance causes the so-called replication stress. As the replication machinery consists mainly of enzymes and other proteins, it is not surprising that many of the obstacles most severely blocking the replication machinery progress are of protein origin. Therefore, specialized proteases responsible for relieving replication stress matured during evolution. However, neither the full repertoire of proteolytic enzymes and their particular substrates taking place in countering the DNA replication stress nor detailed molecular mechanisms involved remain unknown. This thesis describes how conserved putative aspartic proteases of the Ddi1-like family engage in countering DNA replication stress via a proteolysis dependent mechanism. We structurally and biophysically characterized yeast and human members of the Ddi1-like family, explored their interactions with ubiquitin and polyubiquitin chains, and identified hypersensitivity to DNA replication inhibitor hydroxyurea in a yeast strain double deleted for DDI1 gene together with a DNA dependent metalloprotease WSS1. Detailed analysis of the DDI1 role in hydroxyurea...
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Bioactive molecules involved in blood processing by haematophagous monogeneans of the family Diplozoidae
Jedličková, Lucie
Monogeneans from the family Diplozoidae (subclass Heteronchoinea) are bloodfeeding ectoparasites inhabiting gills of common carp. Digestion of blood in diplozoids is an intracellular process taking place in gut cells within lysosomal cycle in the presence of parasite's peptidases. However, information about the blood digestion comes only from ultrastructural and histochemical analyses. Therefore, I have focused in this work on biochemical and molecular characteristics of bioactive molecules which may participate in blood processing by E. nipponicum adults, especially cysteine peptidases of cathepsin L- and B- types, aspartic peptidases of cathepsin D-type, and Kunitz-type inhibitors of serine peptidases. In homogenates and excretory/secretory (E/S) products of E. nipponicum adults, an activity of cysteine peptidases of cathepsins L-type dominated, followed by an activity of cathepsin D-like aspartic peptidases and a minor cathepsin B-like activity. Inhibitors of the abovementioned peptidase types completely blocked hemoglobinolytic activity in the samples. In the transcriptome of E. nipponicum adults, ten cathepsin L-coding transcripts were found and only one cathepsin B-coding transcript. Primary structures of the encoded enzymes were bioinformatically and phylogenetically compared. Two abundant...
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Bioactive molecules involved in blood processing by haematophagous monogeneans of the family Diplozoidae
Jedličková, Lucie ; Mikeš, Libor (advisor) ; Horn, Martin (referee) ; Sojka, Daniel (referee)
Monogeneans from the family Diplozoidae (subclass Heteronchoinea) are bloodfeeding ectoparasites inhabiting gills of common carp. Digestion of blood in diplozoids is an intracellular process taking place in gut cells within lysosomal cycle in the presence of parasite's peptidases. However, information about the blood digestion comes only from ultrastructural and histochemical analyses. Therefore, I have focused in this work on biochemical and molecular characteristics of bioactive molecules which may participate in blood processing by E. nipponicum adults, especially cysteine peptidases of cathepsin L- and B- types, aspartic peptidases of cathepsin D-type, and Kunitz-type inhibitors of serine peptidases. In homogenates and excretory/secretory (E/S) products of E. nipponicum adults, an activity of cysteine peptidases of cathepsins L-type dominated, followed by an activity of cathepsin D-like aspartic peptidases and a minor cathepsin B-like activity. Inhibitors of the abovementioned peptidase types completely blocked hemoglobinolytic activity in the samples. In the transcriptome of E. nipponicum adults, ten cathepsin L-coding transcripts were found and only one cathepsin B-coding transcript. Primary structures of the encoded enzymes were bioinformatically and phylogenetically compared. Two abundant...
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Study of the substrate specificity of the LACTB tumour suppressor enzyme
Baudyšová, Alžběta ; Kečkéšová, Zuzana (advisor) ; Janečková, Lucie (referee)
Serine beta-lactamase-like protein (LACTB) is a tumour suppressor that modulates mitochondrial lipid metabolism and induces differentiation of breast cancer cells. This is achieved by the LACTB-dependent downregulation of phosphatidylserine- decarboxylase (PISD) which subsequently leads to decreases in the amounts of phosphatidylethanolamines and lysophosphatidylethanolamines in mitochondrial membranes. However, PISD was shown to not be a direct substrate of the LACTB enzyme what leaves the identity of the LACTB substrate an open question. To fill this important gap in the mechanism of the LACTB tumour suppressive pathway, this diploma thesis was focused on finding a physiological substrate of LACTB via Proteomic Identification of protease Cleavage Sites (PICS) assay. For this purpose, the other sub-aims of this project were to isolate recombinant wild-type LACTB and its catalytic mutant, to reveal ideal in vitro conditions for LACTB activity and to find out the requirements needed for LACTB multimerization. My results show that in vitro activity of LACTB is increased in the presence of higher pH and calcium ions. I also show that higher LACTB multimeric forms are bound together via disulfide bonds as they disintegrate after treatment with dithiothreitol. Furthermore, and most importantly, I show...
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