Sulphite inhibition of ATP formation in plant mitochondria

Adenosine triphosphate production in mitochondria of bean hypocotyls and maize coleoptiles is inhibited by sulphite. Oxidized glutathione decreases the inhibition, probably by reducing the sulphite concentration in the reaction mixture.     

The effect of the different components of the inhibitor β complex in peelings of resting potato tubers on the respiration and uptake of inorganic phosphate

The four different inhibitors or groups of inhibitors, called I, II, IV and V, which could be separated from the inhibitor β complex from peelings of resting potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum L., variety Majestic) by thin layer chromatography in chloroform: 96% acetic acid (95:5 v/v), stimulated the oxygen uptake of discs of potato tubers during the first 4 to 5 h after addition of the substances. Number I was less active, the other three more active. Furthermore II, IV, and V significantly inhibited the uptake of inorganic phosphate by potato discs measured 24 and 5 h after addition of the substances, so that they seem to be uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation.     

Interaction between hyaluronate and the cell surface of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract Treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells with the non-metabolizable polysaccharide hyaluronate led to a strong increase in extracellular lipase activity. Alteration of the cell surface either by treatment with the chelator EDTA or by selecting for phage-resistant mutants significantly altered the bacterial response to hyaluronate. Binding of ¹⁴C-labeled hyaluronate to the bacteria was shown to depend on polysaccharide concentration and on cell number. Cell-free exolipase interacted with chemically cross-linked hyaluronate. The results suggested an interaction between hyaluronate and the cell surface of P. aeruginosa as a prerequisite for the polysaccharide to be effective.     

The physical characteristics of anaerobic granular sludges in relation to their internal architecture

A range of granular sludges was taken from industrial anaerobic sludge blanket reactors treating a wide variety of wastewaters and a comparison was made between the polymers which were extractable from the granules and their internal structures. The study of the internal structure, using sequential staining of ultra-thin sections, showed the complexity of granular sludges. Much of the area was occupied by Gram-negative cells and the area which stained positive for protein was found to increase nearer the centre of the granules. This was accompanied by a decrease in the carbohydrate positive areas. Positive areas for lipid were widespread throughout the granules. Changes in the internal structure were observed when the type of wastewater treated by the granules was changed and a comparison between sludges treating the same type of wastewater showed that factors other than the nature of the substrate must be considered as parameters which will affect the structure of the granules. Although an appreciable variation in the granule strengths was noted, it was not possible to relate these differences, on an overall basis, to either the internal structure or the chemical composition of the extracted polymers. However, an examination of data for granules produced during the treatment of nominally similar wastes did suggest that there would be a relationship between polymer composition and granule strength in these cases.     

Proteins in Tumor-Derived Plasma Extracellular Vesicles Indicate Tumor Origin

Cancer-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) promote tumorigenesis, premetastatic niche formation, and metastasis via their protein cargo. However, the proteins packaged by patient tumors into EVs cannot be determined in vivo because of the presence of EVs derived from other tissues. We therefore developed a cross-species proteomic method to quantify the human tumor-derived proteome of plasma EVs produced by patient-derived xenografts of four cancer types. Proteomic profiling revealed individualized packaging of novel protein cargo, and machine learning accurately classified the type of the underlying tumor.     

Cardioprotective role of extracellular vesicles: A highlight on exosome beneficial effects in cardiovascular diseases

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nano-sized vesicles, released from many cell types including cardiac cells, have recently emerged as intercellular communication tools in cell dynamics. EVs are an important mediator of signaling within cells that influencing the functional behavior of the target cells. In heart complex, cardiac cells can easily use EVs to transport bioactive molecules such as proteins, lipids, and RNAs to the regulation of neighboring cell function. Cross-talk between intracardiac cells plays pivotal roles in the heart homeostasis and in adaptive responses of the heart to stress. EVs were released by cardiomyocytes under baseline conditions, but stress condition such as hypoxia intensifies secretome capacity. EVs secreted by cardiac progenitor cells and cardiosphere-derived cells could be pinpointed as important mediators of cardioprotection and cardiogenesis. Furthermore, EVs from many different types of stem cells could potentially exert a therapeutic effect on the damaged heart. Recent evidence shows that cardiac-derived EVs are rich in microRNAs, suggesting a key role in the controlling of cellular processes. EVs harboring exosomes may be clinically useful in cell-free therapy approaches and potentially act as prognosis and diagnosis biomarkers of cardiovascular diseases.