<Emphasis Type="Italic">Troponin T</Emphasis> isoform expression is modulated during Atlantic Halibut metamorphosis

Background  

Flatfish metamorphosis is a thyroid hormone (TH) driven process which leads to a dramatic change from a symmetrical larva to an asymmetrical juvenile. The effect of THs on muscle and in particular muscle sarcomer protein genes is largely unexplored in fish. The change in Troponin T (TnT), a pivotal protein in the assembly of skeletal muscles sarcomeres and a modulator of calcium driven muscle contraction, during flatfish metamophosis is studied.     

Synthesis and characterization of core-shell Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>-gold-chitosan nanostructure

Background  

Fe₃O₄-gold-chitosan core-shell nanostructure can be used in biotechnological and biomedical applications such as magnetic bioseparation, water and wastewater treatment, biodetection and bioimaging, drug delivery, and cancer treatment.     

Optical biosensor differentiates signaling of endogenous PAR<Subscript>1</Subscript> and PAR<Subscript>2</Subscript> in A431 cells

Background  

Protease activated receptors (PARs) consist of a family of four G protein-coupled receptors. Many types of cells express several PARs, whose physiological significance is mostly unknown.     

Plant-like substitutions in the large-subunit carboxy terminus of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chlamydomonas</Emphasis> Rubisco increase CO<Subscript>2</Subscript>/O<Subscript>2</Subscript> Specificity

Background  

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate is the rate-limiting enzyme in photosynthesis. The catalytic large subunit of the green-algal enzyme from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is ~90% identical to the flowering-plant sequences, although they confer diverse kinetic properties. To identify the regions that may account for species variation in kinetic properties, directed mutagenesis and chloroplast transformation were used to create four amino-acid substitutions in the carboxy terminus of the Chlamydomonas large subunit to mimic the sequence of higher-specificity plant enzymes.     

Manufacture of IRDye800CW-coupled Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanoparticles and their applications in cell labeling and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vivo</Emphasis> imaging

Background  

In recent years, near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF)-labeled iron nanoparticles have been synthesized and applied in a number of applications, including the labeling of human cells for monitoring the engraftment process, imaging tumors, sensoring the in vivo molecular environment surrounding nanoparticles and tracing their in vivo biodistribution. These studies demonstrate that NIRF-labeled iron nanoparticles provide an efficient probe for cell labeling. Furthermore, the in vivo imaging studies show excellent performance of the NIR fluorophores. However, there is a limited selection of NIRF-labeled iron nanoparticles with an optimal wavelength for imaging around 800 nm, where tissue autofluorescence is minimal. Therefore, it is necessary to develop additional alternative NIRF-labeled iron nanoparticles for application in this area.     

The determinants of stroke phenotypes were different from the predictors (CHADS<Subscript>2</Subscript> and CHA<Subscript>2</Subscript>DS<Subscript>2</Subscript>-VASc) of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation: a comprehensive approach

Background  

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a leading cause of fatal ischemic stroke. It was recently reported that international normalized ratio (INR) levels were associated with infarct volumes. However, factors other than INR levels that affect stroke phenotypes are largely unknown. Therefore, we evaluated the determinants of stroke phenotypes (pattern and volume) among patients with AF who were not adequately anticoagulated.     

Immobilization of glucose oxidase on Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>/SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> magnetic nanoparticles

Glucose oxidase (GOD) was covalently immobilized onto Fe₃O₄/SiO₂ magnetic nanoparticles (FSMNs) using glutaraldehyde (GA). Optimal immobilization was at pH 6 with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane at 2% (v/v), GA at 3% (v/v) and 0.143 g GOD per g carrier. The activity of immobilized GOD was 4,570 U/g at pH 7 and 50°C. The immobilized GOD retained 80% of its initial activity after 6 h at 45°C while free enzyme retained only 20% activity. The immobilized GOD maintained 60% of its initial activity after 6 cycles of repeated use and retained 75% of its initial activity after 1 month at 4°C whereas free enzymes retained 62% of its activity.     

An effective approach for generating a three-Cys<Subscript>2</Subscript>His<Subscript>2</Subscript> zinc-finger-DNA complex model by docking

Background  

Determination of protein-DNA complex structures with both NMR and X-ray crystallography remains challenging in many cases. High Ambiguity-Driven DOCKing (HADDOCK) is an information-driven docking program that has been used to successfully model many protein-DNA complexes. However, a protein-DNA complex model whereby the protein wraps around DNA has not been reported. Defining the ambiguous interaction restraints for the classical three-Cys₂His₂ zinc-finger proteins that wrap around DNA is critical because of the complicated binding geometry. In this study, we generated a Zif268-DNA complex model using three different sets of ambiguous interaction restraints (AIRs) to study the effect of the geometric distribution on the docking and used this approach to generate a newly reported Sp1-DNA complex model.     

A subgroup of plant aquaporins facilitate the bi-directional diffusion of As(OH)<Subscript>3</Subscript> and Sb(OH)<Subscript>3</Subscript>across membranes

Background  

Arsenic is a toxic and highly abundant metalloid that endangers human health through drinking water and the food chain. The most common forms of arsenic in the environment are arsenate (As(V)) and arsenite (As(III)). As(V) is a non-functional phosphate analog that enters the food chain via plant phosphate transporters. Inside cells, As(V) becomes reduced to As(III) for subsequent extrusion or compartmentation. Although much is known about As(III) transport and handling in microbes and mammals, the transport systems for As(III) have not yet been characterized in plants.     

Variability in SCC <Emphasis Type="Italic">mec</Emphasis><Subscript>N1</Subscript> spreading among injection drug users in Zurich,Switzerland

Background  

An extremely low level methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) belonging to ST45, circulates among intravenous drug users in the Zurich area. This clone can be misinterpreted as an MSSA by phenotypic oxacillin resistance tests, although it carries a staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) element encoding a functional mecA gene and it produces PBP2a.     

Antimalarial activity of the anticancer and proteasome inhibitor bortezomib and its analog ZL<Subscript>3</Subscript>B

Background  

The high rate of mortality due to malaria and the worldwide distribution of parasite resistance to the commonly used antimalarial drugs chloroquine and pyrimethamine emphasize the urgent need for the development of new antimalarial drugs. An alternative approach to the long and uncertain process of designing and developing new compounds is to identify among the armamentarium of drugs already approved for clinical treatment of various human diseases those that may have strong antimalarial activity.     

Gum arabic modified Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanoparticles cross linked with collagen for isolation of bacteria

Background  

Multifunctional magnetic nanoparticles are important class of materials in the field of nanobiotechnology, as it is an emerging area of research for material science and molecular biology researchers. One of the various methods to obtain multifunctional nanomaterials, molecular functionalization by attaching organic functional groups to nanomagnetic materials is an important technique. Recently, functionalized magnetic nanoparticles have been demonstrated to be useful in isolation/detection of dangerous pathogens (bacteria/viruses) for human life. Iron (Fe) based material especially FePt is used in the isolation of ultralow concentrations (< 10² cfu/ml) of bacteria in less time and it has been demonstrated that van-FePt may be used as an alternative fast detection technique with respect to conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. However, still further improved demonstrations are necessary with interest to biocompatibility and green chemistry. Herein, we report the synthesis of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles by template medication and its application for the detection/isolation of S. aureus bacteria.     

LOSITAN: A workbench to detect molecular adaptation based on a <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">st</Emphasis></Subscript>-outlier method

Background  

Testing for selection is becoming one of the most important steps in the analysis of multilocus population genetics data sets. Existing applications are difficult to use, leaving many non-trivial, error-prone tasks to the user.     

α<Subscript>S1</Subscript>-casein,which is essential for efficient ER-to-Golgi casein transport,is also present in a tightly membrane-associated form

Background  

Caseins, the main milk proteins, aggregate in the secretory pathway of mammary epithelial cells into large supramolecular structures, casein micelles. The role of individual caseins in this process and the mesostructure of the casein micelle are poorly known.     

Evolution of the Kdo<Subscript>2</Subscript>-lipid A biosynthesis in bacteria

Background  

Lipid A is the highly immunoreactive endotoxic center of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). It anchors the LPS into the outer membrane of most Gram-negative bacteria. Lipid A can be recognized by animal cells, triggers defense-related responses, and causes Gram-negative sepsis. The biosynthesis of Kdo₂-lipid A, the LPS substructure, involves with nine enzymatic steps.     

Evolution of the C<Subscript>4</Subscript> phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase promoter of the C<Subscript>4</Subscript> species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Flaveria trinervia</Emphasis>: the role of the proximal promoter region

Background  

The key enzymes of photosynthetic carbon assimilation in C₄ plants have evolved independently several times from C₃ isoforms that were present in the C₃ ancestral species. The C₄ isoform of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), the primary CO₂-fixing enzyme of the C₄ cycle, is specifically expressed at high levels in mesophyll cells of the leaves of C₄ species. We are interested in understanding the molecular changes that are responsible for the evolution of this C₄-characteristic PEPC expression pattern, and we are using the genus Flaveria (Asteraceae) as a model system. It is known that cis-regulatory sequences for mesophyll-specific expression of the ppcA1 gene of F. trinervia (C₄) are located within a distal promoter region (DR).     

Factors driving refinery CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> intensity,with allocation into products

Background and scope  

Attempts to develop adequate allocation methods for CO₂ emissions from petroleum products have been reported in the literature. The common features in those studies are the use of energy, mass, and/or market prices as parameters to allocate the emissions to individual products. The crude barrel is changing, as are refinery complexities and the severity of conversion to gasoline or diesel leading to changes in the emissions intensity of refining. This paper estimates the consequences for CO₂ emissions at refineries of allowing these parameters to vary.     

A naturally occurring carotenoid,lutein, reduces PDGF and H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript> signaling and compromises migration in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells

Background  

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is a potent stimulator of growth and motility of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Abnormalities of PDGF/PDGF receptor (PDGFR) are thought to contribute to vascular diseases and malignancy. We previously showed that a carotenoid, lycopene, can directly bind to PDGF and affect its related functions in VSMCs. In this study we examined the effect of the other naturally occurring carotenoid, lutein, on PDGF signaling and migration in VSMCs.     

DFT study of isomers of the ruthenium dihydride complex RuH<Subscript>2</Subscript>(CO)<Subscript>2</Subscript>(AsMe<Subscript>2</Subscript>Ph)<Subscript>2</Subscript>

A density functional theory (DFT) study of cct-As, ccc, and cct-CO isomers of the ruthenium dihydride complex RuH₂(CO)₂(AsMe₂Ph)₂ is reported (see Scheme for the labeling isomer 34 structures of RuH₂(CO)₂(AsMe₂Ph)₂). Complex geometries and relative energies of different isomers have been calculated with both B3LYP and M06-2X functionals. The results show that the B3LYP calculated Boltzmann populations of cct-As, ccc, and cct-CO isomers are 65.5, 34.2, and 0.3%, respectively. These are in better agreement with the experimental data than those calculated at the M06-2X level. However, the calculations of ¹H NMR chemical shifts were found to be better described with M06-2X than with B3LYP or with HF level of theories. In addition, a transition state between the two most stable isomers was determined through DFT/(B3LYP or M06-2X) calculations.

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Graphical Abstract Scheme: Labeling structure of RuH₂(CO)₂(AsMe₂Ph)₂

     

Reactive oxygen species are involved in regulating α<Subscript>1</Subscript>-adrenoceptor-activated vascular smooth muscle contraction

Background  

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were shown to mediate aberrant contractility in hypertension, yet the physiological roles of ROS in vascular smooth muscle contraction have remained elusive. This study aimed to examine whether ROS regulate α₁-adrenoceptor-activated contraction by altering myosin phosphatase activities.