Antibiotics and the post-genome revolution

The emergence of pathogenic bacteria resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents is turning into a major crisis in human and veterinary medicine. This necessitates a serious re-evaluation of our approaches toward antibacterial drug discovery and use. Concurrent advances in genomics including whole-genome sequencing, genotyping, and gene expression profiling have the potential to transform our basic understanding of antimicrobial pathways and lead to the discovery of novel targets and therapeutics.     

Relationship between the Structure and Chaperone Activity of Human αA-Crystallin after Its Modification with Diabetes-Associated Oxidative Agents and Protective Role of Antioxidant Compounds

Biochemistry (Moscow) - The study was aimed to evaluate the impact of peroxynitrite (PON, oxidative stress agent in diabetes), methylglyoxal (MGO, diabetes-associated reactive carbonyl compound),...     

Stomatal malfunctioning under low VPD conditions: induced by alterations in stomatal morphology and leaf anatomy or in the ABA signaling?

Exposing plants to low VPD reduces leaf capacity to maintain adequate water status thereafter. To find the impact of VPD on functioning of stomata, stomatal morphology and leaf anatomy, fava bean plants were grown at low (L, 0.23 kPa) or moderate (M, 1.17 kPa) VPDs and some plants that developed their leaves at moderate VPD were then transferred for 4 days to low VPD (M→L). Part of the M→L‐plants were sprayed with ABA (abscisic acid) during exposure to L. L‐plants showed bigger stomata, larger pore area, thinner leaves and less spongy cells compared with M‐plants. Stomatal morphology (except aperture) and leaf anatomy of the M→L‐plants were almost similar to the M‐plants, while their transpiration rate and stomatal conductance were identical to that of L‐plants. The stomatal response to ABA was lost in L‐plants, but also after 1‐day exposure of M‐plants to low VPD. The level of foliar ABA sharply decreased within 1‐day exposure to L, while the level of ABA‐GE (ABA‐glucose ester) was not affected. Spraying ABA during the exposure to L prevented loss of stomatal closing response thereafter. The effect of low VPD was largely depending on exposure time: the stomatal responsiveness to ABA was lost after 1‐day exposure to low VPD, while the responsiveness to desiccation was gradually lost during 4‐day exposure to low VPD. Leaf anatomical and stomatal morphological alterations due to low VPD were not the main cause of loss of stomatal closure response to closing stimuli.     

T and B-cell epitopes prediction of Iranian saffron (Crocus sativus) profilin by bioinformatics tools

Plant profilins form a well-known panallergen family responsible for cross-sensitization between plant foods and pollens. We sought to map T and B-cell epitopes on the Iranian Crocus sativus profilin by bioinformatics tools. The predicted peptides are useful for further vaccine development.     

Effect of the conditioned medium of mesenchymal stem cells on the expression levels of P2X4 and P2X7 purinergic receptors in the spinal cord of rats with neuropathic pain

Purinergic Signalling - Recent studies have shown that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their conditioned medium (CM) have potential therapeutic effects in animal models of neuropathic pain (NP)....