Greece: Dissecting the physiological role of MscS-like mechanosensitive channels in a model filamentous fungus
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: Astbury Centre
Abstract
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Publications
Dionysopoulou M
(2022)
Genetic and cellular characterization of MscS-like putative channels in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans
in Channels
Hardman K
(2023)
Membrane force reception: mechanosensation in G protein-coupled receptors and tools to address it
in Current Opinion in Physiology
Lane B
(2023)
Approaches for the modulation of mechanosensitive MscL channel pores
in Frontiers in Chemistry
Description | We made a discovery and identified enzymes that coordinate mechanosensitive channel activity and could activate them in the absence of membrane tension. We are currently preparing a high impact manuscript for submission. |
Exploitation Route | This discovery will revolutionarise the way mechanosensitive channels are regulated in bacteria. This could have direct implications in biotechnology and antimicrobial resistance strategies. |
Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Description | Greece: Dissecting the physiological role of MscS-like mechanosensitive channels in a model filamentous fungus (EU partnership award) |
Amount | £30,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/W018411/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2022 |
End | 04/2024 |
Description | High resolution cyclic ion mobility HDX mass spectrometry of protein dynamics and function |
Amount | £590,770 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/X013030/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2023 |
End | 03/2023 |
Description | Role of ion channel KCNJ2 in leukaemia pathogenesis: Investigation into functional mechanisms and therapeutic efficacy |
Amount | £262,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Blood Cancer UK |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2024 |
End | 03/2027 |
Description | BBSRC funded Satellite event on EMBO workshop |
Organisation | National and Kapodistrian University of Athens |
Country | Greece |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I organised a day's BBSRC symposium on "Mechanical Sensing and Ion channels" on the 27th of August 2022, as part of the BBSRC EU partnering award linked to the EMBO workshop on membrane transporters in Chania, Crete, on the 23rd-27th of August 2022. For this event, I have invited Prof Nektarios Tavernarakis, Prof Ute Hellmich, Prof Gary Lewin, Prof Stefan Lechner and Dr George Heath. Prof George Diallinas, who is the EU partner and collaborator was the organiser of the EMBO workshop. The BBSRC symposium was a great success, with high attendance (~150 EMBO delegates) and received very positive feedback. |
Collaborator Contribution | Invited high profile speakers, such as Prof Nektarios Tavernarakis, Prof Ute Hellmich, Prof Gary Lewin, Prof Stefan Lechner and Dr George Heath presented world leading science. More details can be found on this link (https://www.pliotasgroup.org/symposium-on-mechanical-sensing/) and associated links within that link. As part of this event I established a collaboration with Dr George Heath on employing atomic force microscopy methods (i.e. Heath is a world leading expert in AFM of ion channels) on the newly identified mechanosensitive channels and have currently one manuscript in preparation for imminent submission (Waheed et al.,). |
Impact | As part of this event I established a collaboration with Dr George Heath on employing atomic force microscopy methods (i.e. Heath is a world leading expert in AFM of ion channels) on the newly identified mechanosensitive channels and have currently one manuscript in preparation for imminent submission (Waheed et al.,). |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | BBSRC funded Satellite event on EMBO workshop |
Organisation | University of Leeds |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I organised a day's BBSRC symposium on "Mechanical Sensing and Ion channels" on the 27th of August 2022, as part of the BBSRC EU partnering award linked to the EMBO workshop on membrane transporters in Chania, Crete, on the 23rd-27th of August 2022. For this event, I have invited Prof Nektarios Tavernarakis, Prof Ute Hellmich, Prof Gary Lewin, Prof Stefan Lechner and Dr George Heath. Prof George Diallinas, who is the EU partner and collaborator was the organiser of the EMBO workshop. The BBSRC symposium was a great success, with high attendance (~150 EMBO delegates) and received very positive feedback. |
Collaborator Contribution | Invited high profile speakers, such as Prof Nektarios Tavernarakis, Prof Ute Hellmich, Prof Gary Lewin, Prof Stefan Lechner and Dr George Heath presented world leading science. More details can be found on this link (https://www.pliotasgroup.org/symposium-on-mechanical-sensing/) and associated links within that link. As part of this event I established a collaboration with Dr George Heath on employing atomic force microscopy methods (i.e. Heath is a world leading expert in AFM of ion channels) on the newly identified mechanosensitive channels and have currently one manuscript in preparation for imminent submission (Waheed et al.,). |
Impact | As part of this event I established a collaboration with Dr George Heath on employing atomic force microscopy methods (i.e. Heath is a world leading expert in AFM of ion channels) on the newly identified mechanosensitive channels and have currently one manuscript in preparation for imminent submission (Waheed et al.,). |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | CryoEM structure solution and refinement |
Organisation | Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We have prepared protein samples for cryoEM activities on novel mechanosensing membrane proteins. We have a high impact manuscript in preparation and deposited two new structures in the PDB database |
Collaborator Contribution | Prof Kastritis and his team supported our cryoEM activities on novel mechanosensing membrane proteins. We have a high impact manuscript in preparation and deposited two new structures in the PDB database |
Impact | There are two PDB structures deposited (will be released upon publication) and one high impact paper in preparation |
Start Year | 2023 |
Description | Diallinas lab - EU (Athens/Greece) partnership |
Organisation | National and Kapodistrian University of Athens |
Country | Greece |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Dr Mariangela Dionysopoulou from the Diallinas lab (Athens University) has visited my lab at the University of Leeds and spent 5 months as a postdoctoral research visitor. Dr Dionysopoulou's travel and subsistence costs were covered by this BBSRC EU partnering award for the duration of these 5 months, that she was visiting my lab in Leeds. Her work in the lab initiated fruitful scientific interactions with other members in my lab and transfer of expertise (i.e. in Aspergillus nidulans cell biology). Importantly, the research activities she led under my supervision led to a significant article output regarding the discovery of novel mechanosesnitive channels in the the eukaryotic A. nidulans organism, published in the journal "Channels" (please see relevant output section). This published effort also involved work from other members of my group working on bacterial mechanosensitive ion channels (i.e. Bolin Wang and Nana Yan), who also co-authored this publication, along with co-corresponding author G Diallinas, as part of this partnership. My group's activities mainly involved all structural modelling aspects in this collaborative paper. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnering lab's contributions (Diallinas and Dionysopoulou) involved all cell biology and relevant Aspergillus nidulans cell-based assays described in the paper. Partner's activity included all the confocal microscopy experiments undertaken and the cloning and protein expression in Aspergillus nidulans, as described in the paper. |
Impact | 1) Genetic and cellular characterization of MscS-like putative channels in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans (2022). M Dionysopoulou, N Yan, B Wang, C Pliotas*, G Diallinas*. Channels 16 (1), 148-158 2) BBSRC Satellite Symposium on mechanosensitive channels, as part of an EMBO workshop/conference on membrane proteins and transporters |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | BBSRC-sponsored Symposium on Mechanical Sensing and Ion Channels |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | A BBSRC-funded symposium on "Mechanical Sensing and Ion channels" as part of the EMBO workshop on membrane transporters in Chania, Crete, on the 23rd-27th of August 2022. There I have invited Prof Nektarios Tavernarakis (ERC Council Vice President), Prof Ute Hellmich, Prof Gary Lewin, Prof Stefan Lechner, Prof Jian Shi and Prof George Heath. More details here (https://www.pliotasgroup.org/symposium-on-mechanical-sensing/) and the main EMBO workshop page where the BBSRC-sponsored event is also highlighted (https://meetings.embo.org/event/21-membrane-transporters). Both the EMBO workshop and BBSRC satellite symposium attended over 150 delegates, including postgraduate students, postdoctoral researchers, industry representatives and leading academics from around the world. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://meetings.embo.org/event/21-membrane-transporters |
Description | Invited seminar at the Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation at the University of Glasgow |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Christos Pliotas delivered an external seminar hosted by the Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation at the University of Glasgow, presenting recent research activities of his group on bacterial mechanosensitive channels and pulsed EPR spectroscopy applications on membrane proteins. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.pliotasgroup.org/invited-talk-in-glasgow/ |
Description | Manchester Institute of Biotechnology Invited Seminar |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Christos Pliotas was invited to give a seminar at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester as part of institute's regular bi-weekly/monthly seminar series. His talk attended postgraduates, postdocs and academics mainly from the University of Manchester but also elsewhere and involved his current research on mechanosensitive channels and PELDOR spectroscopy on membrane proteins. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |