1(st) Central and Eastern European Proteomic Conference & 3(rd) Czech Proteomic Conference 29 - 31 October 2007, Prague, Czech Republic

More than 130 delegates from all over the world attended the 1(st) Central and Eastern European Proteomic Conference organized together with the 3(rd) Czech Proteomic Conference in the TOP Hotel, Prague in the Czech Republic from 29(th) to 31(st) October, 2007. The autumn nostalgia of the historical city of Prague provided the stage for a fascinating meeting that reviewed rapidly emerging proteomic research in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and focused on proteomics driven discovery and applications.     

Proteomic landscape in Central and Eastern Europe: the 9th Central and Eastern European Proteomic Conference,Poznań, Poland

Every year since 2007, the Central and Eastern European Proteomic Conference (CEEPC) has excelled in representing state-of-the-art proteomics in and around Central and Eastern Europe, and linking it to international institutions worldwide. Its mission remains to contribute to all approaches of proteomics including traditional and often-revisited methodologies as well as the latest technological achievements in clinical, quantitative and structural proteomics with a view to systems biology of a variety of processes. The 9th CEEPC was held from June 15th to 18th, 2015, at the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences in Poznań, Poland. The scientific program stimulated exchange of proteomic knowledge whilst the spectacular venue of the conference allowed participants to enjoy the cobblestoned historical city of Poznań.     

The third Central and Eastern European Proteomic conference

The third Central and Eastern European Proteomic Conference was held at Hotel Benzcur, Budapest, Hungary, from the 6–9 October 2009. The meeting was the third in a series of proteomic conferences to be held in this region of Europe, with the key aim of strengthening the links with scientists from Central and Eastern Europe, as well as international groups worldwide. It was attended by more than 150 delegates from various countries and many proteomic topics, including biomarker discovery, post-translational modifications, clinical proteomics, as well as new proteomic technologies, which may facilitate future progress, were discussed over the 3 days.     

A decade of proteomics accomplished! Central and Eastern European Proteomic Conference (CEEPC) celebrates its 10th Anniversary in Budapest,Hungary

The Central and Eastern European Proteomic Conference (CEEPC) proudly celebrated its 10th Anniversary with an exciting scientific program inclusive of proteome, proteomics and systems biology in Budapest, Hungary. Since 2007, CEEPC has represented ‘state-of the-art’ proteomics in and around Central and Eastern Europe and these series of conferences have become a well-recognized event in the proteomic calendar. Fresher challenges and global healthcare issues such as ageing and chronic diseases are driving clinical and scientific research towards regenerative, reparative and personalized medicine. To this end, proteomics may enable diverse intertwining research fields to reach their end goals. CEEPC will endeavor to facilitate these goals.     

Driving Precision Medicine through Proteomics and Metabolomics - 12th Central and Eastern European Proteomic Conference (CEEPC), Bucharest,Romania

As Romanians prepared to celebrate 100 years of the '‘Great Unification of 1918?' which united all provinces into one Romania, the 12^th Central and Eastern European Proteomic Conference (CEEPC) jointly with the 39^th Anniversary of the Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology '‘N. Simionescu’' (ICBP-NS), held their inaugural meeting at the Romanian Academy in Bucharest – a national forum of highest scientific recognition. With an exciting theme entitled, ‘Advances in Proteomics and Progress in Precision Medicine’, delegates gathered to debate Precision medicine’s revolution in diagnosis and treatment, which now accounts for predictive, preventative, and targeted treatment strategies with informed decisions according to individual’s unique clinical, molecular and genetic profile. Proteomics has a pivotal role to play in furthering precision health and medicine for the benefit of mankind. To this end, CEEPC continues to drive advances in proteomics, metabolomics, and diseases as well as raising awareness of pressing global humanitarian and health-care issues including mental health diseases, aging, chronic diseases, global epidemics and environmental issues. Today, CEEPC is a well-recognized major annual conference with a focused vision and a highly valued ideology as it continues to propagate scientific, medical and proteomic collaborations whilst expanding as more Eastern European countries prepare to join.     

Pursuit of proteomic excellence and the excitement in Košice,Slovakia, at the 11th Central and Eastern European Proteomic Conference (CEEPC)

The Central and Eastern European Proteomic Conference (CEEPC) successfully launched its second decade of proteomics in Ko?ice, Slovakia with a program of systems biology, cellular, clinical, veterinary and sports proteomics. Whilst many conferences are struggling to attract participants, CEEPC with its outstanding track record and unique ‘family – feel’ packaged with excellent ambiance is thriving and bringing together proteomics experts from academia, industry, scientific specialties, clinics and precision medicine communities interested in resolving mysteries about protein functionalities in health and disease. CEEPC is also renowned for addressing humanitarian global healthcare issues, may it be ageing, chronic diseases or global epidemics. This year CEEPC intertwined with Ko?ice Peace Marathon’s pursuit of excellence in sports and initiatives including sports medicine and global peace.     

Mitochondrial DNA variability in the Czech population, with application to the ethnic history of Slavs

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variability was studied in a sample of 179 individuals representing the Czech population of Western Bohemia. Sequencing of two hypervariable segments, HVS I and HVS II, in combination with screening of coding-region haplogroup-specific RFLP markers revealed that most Czech mtDNAs belong to the common West Eurasian mitochondrial haplogroups (H, pre-V HV*, J, T, U, N1, W, and X). However, about 3% of Czech mtDNAs encompass East Eurasian lineages (A, N9a, D4, M*). A comparative analysis with published data showed that different Slavonic populations in Central and Eastern Europe contain small but marked amounts of East Eurasian mtDNAs. We suggest that the presence of East Eurasian mtDNA haplotypes is not an original feature of the gene pool of the proto-Slavs but rather may be mostly a consequence of admixture with Central Asian nomadic tribes, who migrated into Central and Eastern Europe in the early Middle Ages.     

Proteomic discovery of protease substrates

Elucidation of in vivo substrate degradomes of a protease is a daunting endeavor because of the large number of proteins in a proteome and often minute and transient amounts of key substrates. Proteomic substrate screens for proteases are currently experiencing impressive progress. Mass spectrometry-based global proteome analysis, interfaced with liquid-chromatography and together with stable isotope labeling strategies, has provided increased coverage and sensitivity for quantitative proteomics. ICAT and iTRAQ labeling have been used to identify a plethora of new matrix metalloproteinase substrates. Emerging techniques focus on the quantitative analysis of proteolytically generated neo amino-termini, which we call terminopes, on a system-wide basis. In vivo SILAC pulse-chase experiments have also enabled the study of individual protein turnover and global proteome dynamics in cells and whole organisms. Together with activity-based probes for the profiling of functional proteases, there is now in place an array of complementary technologies to dissect the 'protease web' and its distortion in pathology.     

New information on the invasive to Europe aphid species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brachycaudus divaricatae</Emphasis> Shaposhnikov, 1956 (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

Brachycaudus divaricatae (Hemiptera: Aphididae), a recent invader to Europe, has already reached Czech Republic. Partial sequences of mitochondrial COI and nuclear EF-1α genes have been analysed across the sixteen Czech samples of B. divaricatae, together with morphometric analysis of the same samples based on eighteen morphological characters of the apterous viviparous females. For comparative studies, thirteen samples from the Eastern Baltic region of Europe (Latvia, Lithuania and Poland) were used. All sampled populations appeared similar in their genetic and morphological characters studied. One haplotype of mitochondrial COI gene was predominant; it was characteristic for all samples from Czech Republic and 8 out of 13 samples from Eastern Baltic region. Two other haplotypes were found in the Eastern Baltic region only. Four different haplotypes of EF-1α gene were detected. Most of the samples (except one sample from the Eastern Baltic region and two samples from Czech Republic) had the same haplotype. Out of remaining three haplotypes, one was unique for the Eastern Baltic region, whilst two were found in Czech Republic only. For the present, Moravia is the southernmost region in Europe, where B. divaricatae has been already reported. Presumably, this invasive aphid species has entered the Czech Republic from the north via the Moravian Gate, a natural pass formed by the depression between the Western Carpathians and Eastern Sudetes.     

Evidence of multifractality from emerging European stock markets

We test for the presence of multifractality in the daily returns of the three most important stock market indices from Central and Eastern Europe, Czech PX, Hungarian BUX and Polish WIG using the Empirical Mode Decomposition based Multifractal Detrended Fluctuation Analysis. We found that the global Hurst coefficient varies with the q coefficient and that there is multifractality evidenced through the multifractal spectrum. The exercise is replicated for the sample around the high volatility period corresponding to the last global financial crisis. Although no direct link has been found between the crisis and the multifractal spectrum, the crisis was found to influence the overall shape as quantified through the norm of the multifractal spectrum.     

Proteomic analysis of human biopsy samples by single two-dimensional electrophoresis: Coomassie,silver, mass spectrometry,and Western blotting

Proteomic analysis of myocardial tissue from patient populations is critical to our understanding of cardiac disease, but has been limited until now by the small size of biopsies (approximately 20-50 microg), and complicated by the difference in relative abundance of contractile proteins over other cellular components. Here we describe an approach to analysis of myocardial biopsies from patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. First, individual biopsies are selectively extracted, producing subfractions that correspond to the contractile proteins and the cytosolic proteins. Two-dimensional electrophoresis separated proteins are detected by first staining with Coomassie blue then silver, to permit a wider range of accurate quantification. Western blotting of two-dimensional separated samples, to validate peptide mass fingerprinting data, previously required additional gel separations for transfer since staining protocols are not compatible with transfer to membranes or immunoblotting. An existing silver destaining protocol was adapted to allow removal of silver from a whole gel, followed by transfer and Western blotting. An existing Coomassie blue removal protocol was also adapted to permit Western blotting of gels stained with Coomassie blue and silver. Together, these techniques permit peptide mass fingerprinting concurrent with Western blotting of a single protein spot from a single biopsy, eliminating the need for repeated gel separations, and improving spot alignment between immunoblots and stained gels. In the end, this approach may allow a more complete characterization of protein changes in small human biopsies, and also reduce the number of repeated gel separations necessary for a standard proteomic analysis.     

Proteomic analysis of B-cell malignancies

The identification of proteins aberrantly expressed in malignant B-cells can potentially be used to develop new diagnostic, prognostic or therapeutic targets. Proteomic studies of B-cell malignancies have made significant progress, but further studies are needed to increase our coverage of the B-cell malignant proteome. To achieve this goal we stress the advantages of using sub-cellular fractionation, protein separation, quantitation and affinity purification techniques to identify hitherto unidentified signalling and regulatory proteins. For example, proteomic analysis of B-cell plasma membranes isolated from patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) identified the voltage-gated proton channel (HVCN1,[1]). This protein has now been characterised as a key modulator of B-cell receptor (BCR) signalling and abrogation of HVCN1 function could have a role in the treatment of B-cell malignancies dependent on maintained BCR signalling [2]. Similarly, proteomic studies on cell lysates from prognostic subtypes of CLL, distinguished by the absence (UM-CLL) or presence (M-CLL) of somatic hypermutation of the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus identified nucleophosmin 1 (NMP1) as a potential prognostic marker [3,4]. Thus, targeted proteomic analysis on selected organelles or sub-cellular compartments can identify novel proteins with unexpected localisation or function in malignant B-cells that could be developed for clinical purposes.     

ESF Programme on Functional Genomics 1st European Conference: Functional Genomics and Disease 2003

In this report from the 1st European Conference of the European Science Foundation Programme on Functional Genomics, we provide coverage of the high-profile plenary talks and a cross-section of the many presentations in the disease analysis symposia and functional genomics technologies workshops.     

Ethnic minority identity and movement politics: The case of the Roma in the Czech Republic and Slovakia

The level of political mobilization among ethnic minorities in Central and Eastern Europe has often been regarded as directly dependent on the strong or weak ethnic identity of the groups involved. Less attention has gone to the role of ethnic leaders in creating ethnic group identities for political purposes. This article explores the influence of political mobilization on ethnic group formation in the case of the Roma (Gypsies) in the contemporary Czech and Slovak Republics. It examines the various ways in which Romani activists in these two countries have “framed” Romani identity. The article suggests that activists’ conceptions of Romani identity are closely tied to their political strategies. At the same time, Romani activists have not been able to gain complete control over the production of Romani identity. They have had to deal with powerful schemes of ethnic categorization promulgated by the media, public officials and policy documents.     

Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection in the Czech Republic

BACKGROUND: Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection has been estimated to range from 60 to 95% in the former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The aim of this study was to evaluate H. pylori infection prevalence in a representative sample of the Czech population. The second objective was to describe difference of H. pylori prevalence between different social groups of children and adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 2509 persons aged 5-100 years, randomly selected out of 30,012 persons of the general population, took part in the study. H. pylori infection was investigated by means of 13C-urea breath test. Breath samples were analyzed by isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Social and demographic characteristics were based on data from self-completed questionnaires. RESULTS: Using the total Czech population as a standard, we estimated the age-standardized prevalence of H. pylori in males aged 5+ years at 41.9% (95% CI 39.0%, 44.8%) and in females aged 5+ years at 41.4% (95% CI 38.6%, 44.3%) in 2001. Prevalence of H. pylori increased with age but was not related to gender. Children of mothers with basic or lower education, living in crowded accommodations, without access to running warm water, and residing in smaller towns appear to be at the highest risk. Low education and heavy smoking are most strongly associated with prevalence of H. pylori positivity in adults and adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: This is a unique study based on a representative sample of the general population in a Central European country. The overall prevalence of H. pylori is lower than previously assumed and could partly reflect a substantial recent decrease in H. pylori prevalence in the Czech Republic. Consistent with earlier studies, H. pylori infection is strongly influenced by socioeconomic conditions and childhood poverty.     

The Phage Proteomic Tree: a genome-based taxonomy for phage

There are approximately 10(31) phage in the biosphere, making them the most abundant biological entities on the planet. Despite their great numbers and ubiquitous presence, very little is known about phage biodiversity, biogeography, or phylogeny. Information is limited, in part, because the current ICTV taxonomical system is based on culturing phage and measuring physical parameters of the free virion. No sequence-based taxonomic systems have previously been established for phage. We present here the "Phage Proteomic Tree," which is based on the overall similarity of 105 completely sequenced phage genomes. The Phage Proteomic Tree places phage relative to both their near neighbors and all other phage included in the analysis. This method groups phage into taxa that predicts several aspects of phage biology and highlights genetic markers that can be used for monitoring phage biodiversity. We propose that the Phage Proteomic Tree be used as the basis of a genome-based taxonomical system for phage.     

Adaptation and functional water management through land use change

The International Landscape Ecology Conference on “Landscape Structures, Functions and Management: Response to Global Ecological Change” hosted by the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno and the Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague (Czech Republic) in association with the Czech regional chapter of the International Association for Landscape Ecology (CZ-IALE), and supported by the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic, was held from September 3–7, 2010 in Brno, Czech Republic. At 9 parallel symposia of this meeting, 107 oral presentations (including 10 keynote speeches) and 64 posters by representatives from 19 countries were presented. The primary goals of the conference were to provide a forum for the dissemination and discussion of recent research findings, to explore future directions for water management at the landscape level and to foster interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers of all ages and from many countries. This editorial briefly describes the conference, which served as the source of the selected papers, and explains the main aspects of these papers. It highlights papers on issues related to water management under changing climate and land use at landscape and watershed levels, presented mostly at the session on functional water management through land use change.     

1st NCI Annual Meeting on Clinical Proteomic Technologies for Cancer

The National Cancer Institute of the US National Institutes of Health established a Clinical Proteomic Technologies Initiative for Cancer (CPTI) in 2006. The first annual meeting organized by the CPTI program provided up-to-date information on the research activities and achievements at its first anniversary of this program. Presentations were made by leaders from the five centers nationwide of the Clinical Proteomic Technology Assessment for Cancer (CPTAC), and other principal investigators funded by the CPTI.     

1st NCI annual meeting on Clinical Proteomic Technologies for Cancer

The National Cancer Institute of the US National Institutes of Health established a Clinical Proteomic Technologies Initiative for Cancer (CPTI) in 2006. The first annual meeting organized by the CPTI program provided up-to-date information on the research activities and achievements at its first anniversary of this program. Presentations were made by leaders from the five centers nationwide of the Clinical Proteomic Technology Assessment for Cancer (CPTAC), and other principal investigators funded by the CPTI.     

Proteomic studies of human and other vertebrate muscle proteins

This review summarizes results of some systemic studies of muscle proteins of humans and some other vertebrates. The studies, started after introduction of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of OFarrell, were significantly extended during development of proteomics, a special branch of functional genomics. Special attention is paid to analysis of characteristic features of strategy for practical realization of the systemic approach during three main stages of these studies: pre-genomic, genomic (with organizational registration of proteomics), and post-genomic characterized by active use of structural genomics data. Proteomic technologies play an important role in detection of changes in isoforms of various muscle proteins (myosins, troponins, etc.). These changes possibly reflecting tissue specificity of gene expression may underline functional state of muscle tissues under normal and pathological conditions, and such proteomic analysis is now used in various fields of medicine.Translated from Biokhimiya, Vol. 69, No. 11, 2004, pp. 1574–1591.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by Shishkin, Kovalyov, Kovalyova