Selenium distribution in ryegrass and its antioxidant role as affected by sulfur fertilization

Selenium (Se) essentiality to plants has not been demonstrated although evidence indicates that it plays a significant role as antioxidant in higher plants. Research concerning to the uptake and allocation of Se in plant tissues is reported in numerous works. However, the effect of sulfur (S) on both the distribution and the antioxidant ability of Se in selenite-treated plant remains unclear. In this work the effect of S application (0–100 mg S kg⁻¹ soil) on shoot Se concentration of Lolium perenne cv. Aries was studied. Se distribution into different fractions of plants supplied with selenite (2 mg Se kg⁻¹ soil) and the state of the antioxidative system were determined. Results showed that shoot Se concentration decreased at least 33% by S application. Plants supplied with S registered the lowest GSH-Px activity and the highest lipid peroxidation. Most of Se was incorporated into the organic fraction of the plant tissue irrespective of the S treatment. However, a significant decrease of both the soluble protein and the amino acid fraction occurred, and the residual Se fraction seemed to increase at expense of the organic-Se soluble fraction. Although no essential selenoproteins have been clearly identified in vascular plants, the decrease of the soluble protein fraction and the different pattern of protein synthesized (SDS-PAGE analysis) may explain the observed reduction of the GSH-Px activity.     

Selenium activates p53 and p38 pathways and induces caspase-independent cell death in cervical cancer cells

The mechanisms of sodium selenite-induced cell death in cervical carcinoma cells were studied during 24 h of exposure in the HeLa Hep-2 cell line. Selenite at the employed concentrations of 5 and 50 μmol/L produced time- and dose-dependent suppression of DNA synthesis and induced DNA damage which resulted in phosphorylation of histone H2A.X. These effects were influenced by pretreatment of cells with the SOD/catalase mimetic MnTMPyP or glutathione-depleting buthionine sulfoximine, suggesting the significant role of selenite-generated oxidative stress. Following the DNA damage, selenite activated p53-dependent pathway as evidenced by the appearance of phosphorylated p53 and accumulation of p21 in the treated cells. Concomitantly, selenite activated p38 pathway but its effect on JNK was very weak. p53- and p38-dependent signaling led to the accumulation of Bax protein, which was preventable by specific inhibitors of p38 (SB 203580) and p53 (Pifithrin-α). Mitochondria in selenite-treated cells changed their dynamics (shape and localization) and released AIF and Smac/Diablo, which initiated caspase-independent apoptosis as confirmed by the caspase-3 activity assay and the low effect of caspase inhibitors z-DEVD-fmk and z-VAD-fmk on cell death. We conclude that selenite induces caspase-independent apoptosis in cervical carcinoma cells mostly by oxidative stress-mediated activation of p53 and p38 pathways, but other selenite-mediated effects, in particular mitochondria-specific ones, are also involved.     

维生素E和硒对大鼠非酒精性脂肪性肝病解偶联蛋白2及相关因子表达的影响

采用高脂饮食诱导大鼠非酒精性脂肪性肝病模型,分别给予维生素E、亚硒酸钠或两者合用干预5周,检测血清中甘油三酯(TG)、胆固醇(TC)、谷丙转氨酶(ALT)、谷草转氨酶(AST)水平、丙二醛(MDA)含量和超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活力;观察肝脏病理变化,检测肝组织UCP2mRNA与蛋白表达情况;从而探讨维生素E和硒对非酒精性脂肪肝大鼠肝脏解偶联蛋白2(UCP2)及相关因子的影响。结果显示,维生素E和硒两者合用组大鼠血清中TG、TC含量明显降低,SOD活力升高显著,肝组织中UCP2mRNA与蛋白表达下调明显。上述结果表明维生素E和硒合用降低氧自由基和脂质过氧化物的生成,下调UCP2表达水平的效果最好。     

Visualizing protein partnerships in living cells and organisms

In recent years, scientists have expanded their focus from cataloging genes to characterizing the multiple states of their translated products. One anticipated result is a dynamic map of the protein association networks and activities that occur within the cellular environment. While in vitro-derived network maps can illustrate which of a multitude of possible protein-protein associations could exist, they supply a falsely static picture lacking the subtleties of subcellular location (where) or cellular state (when). Generating protein association network maps that are informed by both subcellular location and cell state requires novel approaches that accurately characterize the state of protein associations in living cells and provide precise spatiotemporal resolution. In this review, we highlight recent advances in visualizing protein associations and networks under increasingly native conditions. These advances include second generation protein complementation assays (PCAs), chemical and photo-crosslinking techniques, and proximity-induced ligation approaches. The advances described focus on background reduction, signal optimization, rapid and reversible reporter assembly, decreased cytotoxicity, and minimal functional perturbation. Key breakthroughs have addressed many challenges and should expand the repertoire of tools useful for generating maps of protein interactions resolved in both time and space.     

Systematic distribution of bioluminescence in living organisms

A list of the genera of living organisms known or believed to contain luminous species is provided in the Appendix, in a systematic context. The constraints on the accuracy of such a list and some aspects of the apparent distribution of bioluminescence are discussed.     

Structure and function of vanadium compounds in living organisms

Vanadium has been recognized as a metal of biological importance only recently. In this mini-review, its main functions uncovered during the past few years are addressed. These encompass (i) the regulation of phosphate metabolizing enzymes (which is exemplified for the inhibition of ribonucleases by vanadate), (ii) the halogenation of organic compounds by vanadate-dependent non-heme peroxidases from seaweeds, (iii) the reductive protonation of nitrogen (nitrogen fixation) by alternative, i.e. vanadium-containing, nitrogenases from N₂-fixing bacteria, (iv) vanadium sequestering by sea squirts (ascidians), and (v) amavadine, a low molecular weight complex of V(IV) accumulated in the fly agaric and related toadstools. The function of vanadium, while still illusive in ascidians and toadstools, begins to be understood in vanadium-enzyme interaction. Investigations into the structure and function of model compounds play an increasingly important role in elucidating the biological significance of vanadium.     

Collective decision-making and behavioral polymorphism in group living organisms

Collective foraging in group living animal populations displaying behavioral polymorphism is considered. Using mathematical modeling it is shown that symmetric, spatially homogeneous (food sources are used equally) and asymmetric, spatially inhomogeneous (only one food source is used) regimes can coexist, as a result of differential amplification of choice depending on behavioral type. The model accounts for recent experimental results on social caterpillars not only confirming this coexistence, but also showing the relationship between the two types of regime and the ratio of active to inactive individuals.     

Self-organization and entropy reduction in a living cell

In this paper we discuss the entropy and information aspects of a living cell. Particular attention is paid to the information gain on assembling and maintaining a living state. Numerical estimates of the information and entropy reduction are given and discussed in the context of the cell's metabolic activity. We discuss a solution to an apparent paradox that there is less information content in DNA than in the proteins that are assembled based on the genetic code encrypted in DNA. When energy input required for protein synthesis is accounted for, the paradox is clearly resolved. Finally, differences between biological information and instruction are discussed.     

Sex determination and differentiation in organisms other than higher plants

The understanding of sex determination in general, but in particular in mammals, has been a subject of scientific speculation for a long time. It has been shown that in many vertebrate and invertebrate species, the sex of an individual is determined by the individual's chromosomal constitution. Initial studies of classical genetic searching for sex-transforming mutations and the scrupulous analyses of modified phenotypes have shed light on the mechanism(s) of sex-determination. They paved the road to successful studies at molecular level. After a brief review on sex determination in chosen model species, the “Drosophila system” is presented to exemplify a possible general principle for sex determinism.     

Mechanism of interaction between electromagnetic fields and living organisms

Based on nonlinear phenomena of biophoton emission observed in the past, an interference model concerning with the mechanism of interaction between living organisms and electromagnetic fields was raised. Caused by biological nonlinearly polarizable double layer, destructive interference of incoming and reflected waves establishes in the outside. As a consequence, in the inside constructive interference takes place at the same time. The interference patterns may play an important role in biological self organization and in biological functions. We investigate the boundary conditions necessary for explaining these non-linear optical effects in terms of the phase conjugation. It turns out that there are solutions of the Maxwell equations which satisfy destructive interference of biophotons in agreement with the experimental results. Necessary provisions are nonlinearly polarizable optically active double layers of distances which are small compared to the wavelength of light. In addition, they have to be a     

Regulation of respiration and ATP synthesis in higher organisms: Hypothesis

The present view on the regulation of respiration and ATP synthesis in higher organisms implies only Michaelis-Menten type kinetics and respiratory control as regulatory principles. Recent experimental observations, suggesting further regulatory mechanisms at respiratory chain complexes, are reviewed. A new hypothesis is presented implying regulation of respiration and ATP synthesis in higher organisms mainly via allosteric modification of respiratory chain complexes, in particular of cytochromec oxidase. The allosteric effectors, e.g., metabolites, cofactors, ions, hormones, and the membrane potential are suggested to change the activity and the coupling degree of cytochromec oxidase by binding to specific sites at nuclear coded subunits. Recent results on the structure and activity of cytochromec oxidase, supporting the hypothesis, are reviewed.Dedicated to Professor Dr. Carl Martius on the occasion of his 80th birthday.