Genetic mutations can cause a wide range of diseases, e.g. cancer. Gene therapy has the potential to alleviate or even cure these diseases. One of the many gene therapies developed so far is RNA-cleaving deoxyribozymes, short DNA oligonucleotides that specifically bind to and cleave RNA. Since the development of these synthetic catalytic oligonucleotides, the main way of determining their cleavage kinetics has been through the use of a laborious and error prone gel assay to quantify substrate and product at different time-points. We have developed two new methods for this purpose. The first one includes a fluorescent intercalating dye, PicoGreen, which has an increased fluorescence upon binding double-stranded oligonucleotides; during the course of the reaction the fluorescence intensity will decrease as the RNA is cleaved and dissociates from the deoxyribozyme. A second method was developed based on the common denominator of all nucleases, each cleavage event exposes a single phosphate of the oligonucleotide phosphate backbone; the exposed phosphate can simultaneously be released by a phosphatase and directly quantified by a fluorescent phosphate sensor. This method allows for multiple turnover kinetics of diverse types of nucleases, including deoxyribozymes and protein nucleases. The main challenge of gene therapy is often the delivery into the cell. To bypass cellular defenses researchers have used a vast number of methods; one of these are cell-penetrating peptides which can be either covalently coupled to or non-covalently complexed with a cargo to deliver it into a cell. To further evolve cell-penetrating peptides and understand how they work we developed an assay to be able to quickly screen different conditions in a high-throughput manner. A luciferase up- and downregulation experiment was used together with a reduction of the experimental time by 1 day, upscaling from 24- to 96-well plates and the cost was reduced by 95% compared to commercially available assays. In the last paper we evaluated if cell-penetrating peptides could be used to improve the uptake of an LNA oligonucleotide mimic of GRN163L, a telomerase-inhibiting oligonucleotide. The combination of cell-penetrating peptides and our mimic oligonucleotide lead to an IC50 more than 20 times lower than that of GRN163L.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-24T19:37:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Robson Rodrigo Miranda.pdf: 3117830 bytes, checksum: 06e1c7195d09d214dbcc6eeb5412efe4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-10 / Chagas disease is one of the seventeen neglected tropical diseases according to the World Health Organization. In the recent decades, new parasite metabolic pathways were identified, what brings perspectives for the development of more specific and less toxic drugs, towards crucial target pathways. Once the therapeutic target is identified, a structural and biochemical characterization of the enzymes involved becomes necessary. It may be speculated that one possible therapeutic target to combat Chagas disease is the Histidine Ammonia-Lyase enzyme, which participates in the catabolic pathway of histidine. Therefore, in order to contribute to the structural and biochemical understanding of this enzyme, their heterologous production in E. coli was performed. The product protein was purified by affinity chromatography and used in various techniques for initial characterization. The activity was determined by kinect assay, the thermal stability and secondary structure content were investigated by Circular Dichroism (CD) and the oligomerization stated in solution was analyzed by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). The X ray diffraction technique was used to elucidate the three dimensional structure. TcHAL was expressed and purified satisfactorily. The activity proved adequate protein folding and the Circular Dichroism indicated a predominance of α-helix secondary structure and the start of the thermal denaturation at 68°C. TcHAL was crystallized and provided suitable diffraction patterns for the 3D structure elucidation. These biochemical and structural studies advanced the understanding of this enzyme and of the inhibition potentialities. / A Doença de Chagas é uma das dezessete doenças tropicais negligenciadas de acordo com a Organização Mundial da Saúde. Nas últimas décadas foram descritas novas vias metabólicas deste parasita, o que abre perspectivas para o desenvolvimento de medicamentos mais específicos e menos tóxicos, para vias cruciais como alvo. Uma vez identificado o alvo terapêutico, passa a ser necessária a caracterização estrutural e bioquímica das enzimas envolvidas. Especula-se como alvo terapêutico para combater a Doença de Chagas a enzima Histidina Amônio Liase, que participa da via catabólica da histidina. Sendo assim, visando contribuir com o entendimento estrutural e bioquímico desta, foi realizada a sua produção heteróloga em E. coli. Esta foi purificada por cromatografia de afinidade e utilizada em diversas técnicas para caracterização inicial. A atividade foi determinada em ensaio cinético, a estabilidade térmica e as estruturas secundárias foram investigadas por Dicroísmo Circular (CD) e o estado de oligomerização em solução foi analisado por Espalhamento Dinâmico de Luz (DLS). A técnica de difração de raios X foi empregada para elucidação da estrutura tridimensional. A TcHAL foi expressa e purificada de maneira satisfatória. A atividade revelou um adequado enovelamento protéico e o Dicroísmo Circular indicou predominância de estruturas secundárias hélices-α e início da desnaturação térmica próximo a 68 °C. A TcHAL foi cristalizada e forneceu padrões de difração suficientes para elucidação da estrutura 3D. Os estudos bioquímicos e estruturais avançaram o entendimento desta enzima e das possibilidades de sua inibição.

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El present treball de recerca s'emmarca en un projecte Europeu anomenat E.D.E.N. (Enzyme Discovery in hybrid aspen for fibre ENgineering, QLK5-CT-2001-00443), l'objectiu del qual és la identificació de nous enzims vegetals per entendre amb major profunditat els processos de formació i modificació de les fibres vegetals per abordar en el futur la millora dels paràmetres de qualitat d'aquestes fibres, mitjançant la generació de línies transgèniques de plantes. En el present projecte es pretén aprofundir en el coneixement de les xiloglucà endotransglicosilases (XET), enzims claus en la construcció i modificació controlada de la xarxa de xiloglucà cel·lulosa, estudiant el seu mecanisme d'acció i la seva especificitat per substrat. En aquest treball s'estudia una XET de Populus tremula x tremuloides, concretament la XET16A (Ptt-XET16A). Es dissenya i es valida un nou assaig enzimàtic mitjançant electroforesis capil·lar (HPCE), que permet l'estudi cinètic de les XET, emprant oligosacàrids de baix pes molecular de xiloglucà amb una estructura coneguda. Aquest substrats han estat sintetitzats en el present treball i també per l'equip del Dr. Driguez en el CERMAV-CNRS. Es determina que el màxim d'activitat de la Ptt-XET16A es dóna entre pH 5 i 5.5 i entre 30 i 40 ºC. Es demostra que aquest enzim actua mitjançant un mecanisme cinètic bi-bi ping-pong, en el que l'acceptor actua com a inhibidor competitiu del donador unint-se a l'enzim lliure i en el que, depenent del donador emprat, aquest també poc actuar com a inhibidor competitiu de l'acceptor, unint-se als subsetis positius de l'intermedi glicosil-enzim i donant diferent reaccions secundàries com són la polimerització del donador o l'elongació del producte, només en el cas que el donador presenti un grup glucosil en l'extrem no reductor. S'avalua un llibreria de xilogluco-oligosacàrids sintetitzada per l'equip del Dr. Driguez al CERMAV-CNRS com a donadors de la Ptt-XET16A. D'aquesta forma s'aprofundeix en el coneixement de l'activitat de les XTH, en el coneixement de la seva especificitat per substrat i es realitza un mapeig del centre actiu, obtenint la contribució dels diferents subsetis de la Ptt-XET16A en l'estabilització de l'estat de transició de la reacció de transglicosidació catalitzada per l'enzim estudiat. Finalment, s'ha dissenyat un substrat bifluorogènic derivat del tetradecasacàrid emprat com a substrat estàndard en el present treball, per mesurar les activitats hidrolasa i transglicosilasa de les XETs mitjançant fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). El substrat bifluorogènic ha estat obtingut i caracteritzat, tanmateix, no s'ha pogut demostrar si aquest substrat és adequat per mesurar les activitats hidrolasa i transglicosilasa de les XETs ja que les propietats fluorescents del marcador s'han perdut en el procés de síntesis del substrat. / El presente trabajo de investigación se enmarca en un proyecto Europeo llamado E.D.E.N. (Enzyme Discovery in hybrid aspen for fibre ENgineering, QLK5-CT-2001-00443), el objetivo del cual es la identificación de nuevos enzimas vegetales para entender con mayor profundidad los procesos de formación y modificación de las fibras vegetales para abordar en el futuro la mejora de los parámetros de calidad de estas fibras, mediante la generación de líneas transgénicas de plantas. En el presente proyecto se pretende profundizar en el conocimiento de las xiloglucano endotransglicosilasas (XET), enzimas claves en la construcción y modificación controlada de la red de xiloglucano-celulosa, estudiando su mecanismo de acción y su especificidad por sustrato. En este trabajo se estudia una XET de Populus tremula x tremuloides, concretamente la XET16A (Ptt-XET16A). Se diseña y se valida un nuevo ensayo enzimático mediante electroforesis capilar (HPCE), que permite el estudio cinético de las XET, utilizando oligosacáridos de xiloglucano de bajo peso molecular y de estructura conocida como sustratos. Estos sustratos han estado sintetizados en el presente trabajo y también por el equipo del Dr. Driguez en el CERMAV-CNRS. Se determina que el máximo de actividad de la Ptt-XET16A se da entre pH 5 y 5.5 y entre 30 y 40 ºC. Se demuestra que este enzima actúa mediante un mecanismo cinético bi-bi ping-pong, en el que el aceptor actúa como inhibidor competitivo del dador uniéndose al enzima libre y en el que, dependiendo del dador utilizado , éste también puede actuar como inhibidor competitivo del aceptor uniéndose en los subsitios positivos del intermedio glicosilo-enzima y dando diferentes reacciones secundarias como son la polimerización del dador o la elongación del producto, solamente si el dador presenta un grupo glucosilo en el extremo no reductor. Se evalúa una librería de xilogluco-oligosacáridos sintetizada por el equipo del Dr. Driguez en el CERMAV-CNRS como dadores de la Ptt-XET16A. De esta forma se profundiza en el conocimiento de la actividad de las XTHs, en el conocimiento de su especificidad por sustrato y se realiza un mapeo del centro activo del enzima, obteniéndose la contribución de los diferentes subsitios de la Ptt-XET16A en la estabilización del estado de transición de la reacción de transglicosidación catalizada por el enzima estudiado. Finalmente, se ha diseñado un sustrato bifuorogénico derivado del tetradecasacárido utilizado como sustrato estándar en el presente trabajo para medir las actividades hidrolasa y transglicosilasa de las XETs mediante fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). El sustrato biofluorogénico ha sido obtenido y caracterizado, sin embargo no se ha podido demostrar si este sustrato es adecuado para medir las actividades hidrolasa y transglicosilasas de las XETs, ya que las propiedades fluorescentes del marcador se han perdido durante la síntesis del sustrato. / The present work is part of an European project named E.D.E.N. (Enzyme Discovery in hybrid aspen for fibre ENgineering, QLK5-CT-2001-00443). The general objective of the project is to identify novel plant enzymes for deeper understanding of the process of fiber formation and modification for future improvement of the quality parameters of wood fibers. The present project pretends to increase the knowledge about xyloglucan endotransglycosylases (XET), which are thought to be key enzymes in the construction and controlled modification of the xyloglucan¬cellulose network. It is pretended to study the mechanism of action and the substrate specificity of a XET from Populus tremula x tremuloides, concretely XET16A (Ptt-XET16A). A new enzymatic assay based on capillary electrophoresis is designed and validated. This assay allows the kinetic study of XETs using as substrates, low molecular mass xyloglucan oligosaccharides with defined structures. These substrates have been synthesized in the present work and also in collaboration with Dr. Driguez team from CERMAV-CNRS. It is concluded that the maximum of activity of Ptt-XET16A is between pH 5 and 5.5 and 30 and 40 ºC. It is demonstrated that Ptt-XET16A follows a bi-bi ping-pong kinetic mechanism, in which the acceptor acts as competitive inhibitor of the donor binding to the free enzyme and depending on the donor used, this one can act also as competitive inhibitor of the acceptor binding to the acceptor subsites of the glycosyl-enzyme intermediate giving rise to side reaction such as donor polymerization and product elongation only in case that the donor shows a glucosyl residue in the non reducing end. A library of xylogluco-oligosaccharides, synthesized in CERMAV-CNRS by Dr. Driguez team, is evaluated as Ptt-XET16A donors. With this studies we are able to deeper understand the activity of XETs, their substrate specificity and a subsite maping of the binding cleft is done, obtaining the contribution of different subsites of Ptt-XET16A to the stabilization of the transition state of the transglycosylation reaction catalyzed by the studied enzyme. Finally, a bifluorogenic substrate derived from the tetradecasacharide used as standard substrate in this project has been designed to measure hydrolase and transferase activities of XET enzymes by fluorescense resonance energy transfer (FRET). The bifluorogenic substrate was obtained, however, it could not be demonstrated if it is an adequate substrate to measure hydrolase and transferase activities because the fluorescent properties of the label were lost during substrate synthesis.

In the past couple of decades, the zebrafish has been widely used to study hemostatic disorders. In this study, we generated a CRISPR/Cas9 mediated zebrafish mutant that contains a 55-nucleotide insertion in exon 29 of the von Willebrand factor (vwf) gene. The mutants had impaired ristocetin-mediated agglutination of whole blood, prolonged PTT and more bleeding in the lateral incision compared to wild-type fish. The bleeding phenotype observed here is similar to the phenotype observed in vwf knockout mice and patients with von Willebrand disease (VWD). The mutant model developed here can thus be used for exploring the role of Vwf in angiogenesis and for developing gene therapy. The deficiency of VWF causes VWD and the etiology remains unknown in 30% of Type 1 VWD cases. Previous studies have identified that the ABO blood group and ST3GAL4 (glycosyltransferases) are involved in the regulation of VWF levels. Since VWF is heavily glycosylated, we hypothesized that other glycosyltransferases may also be involved in regulating VWF. We performed a knockdown screen of 234 glycosyltransferase genes and identified 14 genes that altered Vwf levels. The sequencing of these genes in Type 1 VWD patients could help identify novel mutations to decipher the molecular basis for the unknown etiologies in Type 1 VWD. Moreover, therapeutic interventions could be designed in the future by modulation of these gene products to control bleeding or thrombosis.Zebrafish has three f9 genes, f9a, f9b, and f9l and the ortholog to human F9 is unknown. RNA analysis showed an age-dependent increase in expression of all three genes from larval stages to adults, comparable to those observed in mice and humans while mass spectrometry and immunohistochemistry confirmed the presence of all three proteins in the fish. Based on coagulation assays performed after individual gene knockdown and immunodepletion, we identified that zebrafish f9a has functional activity similar to human F9 and Fixl is functionally similar to Fx. Thus, the zebrafish could be used to identify factors controlling f9 gene expression with age and for modeling Hemophilia B in the quest to develop gene therapy protocols. In zebrafish, dilute plasma with exogenously added human fibrinogen was used for kinetic coagulation assays. Here, we developed a microkinetic assay using 25% zebrafish or 30% human plasma followed by the addition of coagulation activators and CaCl2. Our results showed both zebrafish and human plasmas yielded kinetic PT, kinetic PTT, and kinetic Russel's viper venom time curves similar to previously established human kinetic curves. Moreover, clotting times derived from these kinetic curves were identical to human PT, PTT, and Russel's viper venom time. Thus, the microkinetic assay developed here could measure blood coagulation activity in small animal models like zebrafish and human blood samples obtained from a finger prick in adults or heel prick in infants.