Accumulation of the hydroxyl free radical markers meta-, ortho-tyrosine and DOPA in cataractous lenses is accompanied by a lower protein and phenylalanine content of the water-soluble phase

Post-translational modifications of lens proteins play a crucial role in the formation of cataract during ageing. The aim of our study was to analyze protein composition of the cataractous lenses by electrophoretic and high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) methods.

Samples were obtained after extracapsular cataract surgery performed by phacoemulsification technique from cataract patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM CAT, n = 22) and cataract patients without diabetes (non-DM CAT, n = 20), while non-diabetic non-cataractous lenses obtained from cadaver eyes served as controls (CONTR, n = 17). Lens fragments were derived from the surgical medium by centrifugation. Samples were homogenized in a buffered medium containing protease inhibitor. Soluble and insoluble protein fractions were separated by centrifugation. The electrophoretic studies were performed according to Laemmli on equal amounts of proteins and were followed by silver intensification. Oxidized amino acid and Phe content of the samples were also analyzed by HPLC following acid hydrolysis of proteins.

Our results showed that soluble proteins represented a significantly lower portion of the total protein content in cataractous lenses in comparison with the control group (CONTR, 71.25%; non-DM CAT, 32.00%; DM CAT, 33.15%; p < 0.05 vs CONTR for both). Among the proteins, the crystallin-like proteins with low-molecular weight can be found both in the soluble and insoluble fractions, and high-molecular weight aggregates were found mainly in the total homogenates. In our HPLC analysis, oxidatively modified derivatives of phenylalanine were detected in cataractous samples. We found higher levels of m-Tyr, o-Tyr and DOPA in the total homogenates of cataractous samples compared to the supernatants. In all three groups, the median Phe/protein ratio of the total homogenates was also higher than that of the supernatants (total homogenates vs supernatants, in the CONTR group 1102 vs 633 μmol/g, in the DM CAT group 1187 vs 382 μmol/g and in the non-DM CAT group 967 vs 252 μmol/g; p < 0.05 for all).

In our study we found that oxidized amino acids accumulate in cataractous lenses, regardless of the origin of the cataract. The accumulation of the oxidized amino acids probably results from oxidation of Phe residues of the non-water soluble lens proteins. We found the presence of high-molecular weight protein aggregates in cataractous total homogenates, and a decrease of protein concentration in the water-soluble phase of cataractous lenses. The oxidation of lens proteins and the oxidative modification of Phe residues in key positions may lead to an altered interaction between protein and water molecules and thus contribute to lens opacification.     

Comparing DNA Extraction Methods for Analysis of Botanical Materials Found in Anti-Diabetic Supplements

A comparative performance evaluation of DNA extraction methods from anti-diabetic botanical supplements using various commercial kits was conducted, to determine which produces the best quality DNA suitable for PCR amplification, sequencing and species identification. All plant materials involved were of suboptimal quality showing various levels of degradation and therefore representing real conditions for testing herbal supplements. Eight different DNA extraction methods were used to isolate genomic DNA from 13 medicinal plant products. Two methods for evaluation, DNA concentration measurements that included absorbance ratios as well as PCR amplifiability, were used to determine quantity and quality of extracted DNA. We found that neither DNA concentrations nor commonly used UV absorbance ratio measurements at A ₂₆₀/A ₂₈₀ between 1.7 and 1.9 are suitable for globally predicting PCR success in these plant samples, and that PCR amplifiablity itself was the best indicator of extracted product quality. However, our results suggest that A ₂₆₀/A ₂₈₀ ratios below about 1.3 and above 2.3 indicated a DNA quality too poor to amplify. Therefore, A ₂₆₀/A ₂₈₀ measurements are not useful to identify samples that likely will amplify but can be used to exclude samples that likely will not amplify reducing the cost for unnecessarily subjecting samples to PCR. The two Nucleospin^® plant II kit extraction methods produced the most pure and amplifiable genomic DNA extracts. Our results suggest that there are clear, discernable differences between extraction methods for low quality plant samples in terms of producing contamination-free, high-quality genomic DNA to be used for further analysis.     

Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors: Schiff's Bases of Aromatic and Heterocyclic Sulfonamides and their Metal Complexes

Schiff's bases were obtained from aromatic/heterocyclic sulfonamides and amino-sulfonamide derivatives, such as sulfanilamide, homosulfanilamide, 4-aminoethyl-benzenesulfonamide and 5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-sulfonamide. Metal complexes of some of these Schiff's bases, incorporating Zn(II), Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) ions, were also prepared and tested as inhibitors of the zinc enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA), and more specifically the red blood cell isozymes I and II. The Schiff's bases behaved as medium potency CA I and CA II inhibitors, whereas their metal complexes showed a highly enhanced potency, with several low nanomolar CA II inhibitors detected.     

Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors: Synthesis of Sulfonamides Incorporating 2, 4, 6–Trisubstituted-Pyridinium-Ethylcarboxamido Moieties Possessing Membrane-Impermeability and in Vivo Selectivity for the Membrane-Bound (CA IV) Versus the Cytosolic (CA I and CA II) Isozymes

A new approach is proposed for the selective in vivo inhibition of membrane-bound versus cytosolic carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) isozymes with a class of positively-charged, membrane-impermeant sulfonamides. Aromatic/heterocyclic sulfonamides acting as strong (but unselective) inhibitors of this zinc enzyme were derivatized by the attachment of trisub-stituted-pyridinium-ethylcarboxy moieties (obtained from 2, 4, 6–trisubstituted-pyrylium salts and β-alanine) to the amino, imino, hydrazino or hydroxyl groups present in their molecules. Efficient in vitro inhibition (in the nanomolar range) was observed with some of the new derivatives against three investigated CA isozymes, i.e., hCA I, hCA II (cytosolic forms) and bCA IV (membrane-bound isozyme; h = human; b = bovine isozyme). Due to their salt-like character, the new type of inhibitors reported here, unlike the classical, clinically used compounds (such as acetazolamide, methazolamide, ethoxzolamide), are unable to penetrate biological membranes, as shown by CJ vivo and in vivo perfusion experiments in rats. The level of bicarbonate excreted into the urine of the experimental animals perfused with solutions of the new and classical inhibitors suggest that: (i) when using the new type of positively-charged sulfonamides. only the membrane-bound enzyme (CA IV) was inhibited. whereas the cytosolic isozymes (CA I and II) were not affected, (ii) in the experiments in which the classical compounds (acetazolamide, bcn-zolamíde. etc.) were used. unselective inhibition of all CA isozymes (I. II and IV) occurred.     

Interplay between the Dividing Cell and Its Neighbors Regulates Adherens Junction Formation during Cytokinesis in Epithelial Tissue

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Highlights? During cytokinesis, neighboring cells accumulate MyoII at the edges of the furrow ? MyoII nonautonomously sets the initial geometry of the daughter cell interface ? Neighboring membranes impede adherens junction (AJ) formation until a midbody forms ? Arp2/3-dependent actin accumulation in the dividing cell maintains AJ geometry     

Pathway of Glycine Betaine Biosynthesis in Aspergillus fumigatus

The choline oxidase (CHOA) and betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH) genes identified in Aspergillus fumigatus are present as a cluster specific for fungal genomes. Biochemical and molecular analyses of this cluster showed that it has very specific biochemical and functional features that make it unique and different from its plant and bacterial homologs. A. fumigatus ChoAp catalyzed the oxidation of choline to glycine betaine with betaine aldehyde as an intermediate and reduced molecular oxygen to hydrogen peroxide using FAD as a cofactor. A. fumigatus Badhp oxidized betaine aldehyde to glycine betaine with reduction of NAD⁺ to NADH. Analysis of the AfchoAΔ::HPH and AfbadAΔ::HPH single mutants and the AfchoAΔAfbadAΔ::HPH double mutant showed that AfChoAp is essential for the use of choline as the sole nitrogen, carbon, or carbon and nitrogen source during the germination process. AfChoAp and AfBadAp were localized in the cytosol of germinating conidia and mycelia but were absent from resting conidia. Characterization of the mutant phenotypes showed that glycine betaine in A. fumigatus functions exclusively as a metabolic intermediate in the catabolism of choline and not as a stress protectant. This study in A. fumigatus is the first molecular, cellular, and biochemical characterization of the glycine betaine biosynthetic pathway in the fungal kingdom.     

An estimate of potential threats levels to soil biodiversity in EU

Life within the soil is vital for maintaining life on Earth due to the numerous ecosystem services that it provides. However, there is evidence that pressures on the soil biota are increasing which may undermine some of these ecosystem services. Current levels of belowground biodiversity are relatively poorly known, and so no benchmark exists by which to measure possible future losses of biodiversity. Furthermore, the relative risk that each type of anthropogenic pressures places on the soil biota remains unclear. Potential threats to soil biodiversity were calculated through the use of a composite score produced from data collected from 20 international experts using the budget allocation methodology. This allowed relative weightings to be given to each of the identified pressures for which data were available in the European Soil Data Centre (ESDC). A total of seven different indicators were used for calculating the composite scores. These data were applied through a model using ArcGIS to produce a spatial analysis of composite pressures on soil biodiversity at the European scale. The model highlights the variation in the composite result of the potential threats to soil biodiversity. A sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the intensity of land exploitation, both in terms of agriculture and use intensity, as well as in terms of land‐use dynamics, were the main factors applying pressure on soil biodiversity. It is important to note that the model should not be viewed as an estimate of the current level of soil biodiversity in Europe, but as an estimate of pressures that are currently being exerted. The results obtained should be seen as a starting point for further investigation on this relatively unknown issue and demonstrate the utility of this type of model which may be applied to other regions and scales.     

Sex Differences and Emotion Regulation: An Event-Related Potential Study

Difficulties in emotion regulation have been implicated as a potential mechanism underlying anxiety and mood disorders. It is possible that sex differences in emotion regulation may contribute towards the heightened female prevalence for these disorders. Previous fMRI studies of sex differences in emotion regulation have shown mixed results, possibly due to difficulties in discriminating the component processes of early emotional reactivity and emotion regulation. The present study used event-related potentials (ERPs) to examine sex differences in N1 and N2 components (reflecting early emotional reactivity) and P3 and LPP components (reflecting emotion regulation). N1, N2, P3, and LPP were recorded from 20 men and 23 women who were instructed to “increase,” “decrease,” and “maintain” their emotional response during passive viewing of negative images. Results indicated that women had significantly greater N1 and N2 amplitudes (reflecting early emotional reactivity) to negative stimuli than men, supporting a female negativity bias. LPP amplitudes increased to the “increase” instruction, and women displayed greater LPP amplitudes than men to the “increase” instruction. There were no differences to the “decrease” instruction in women or men. These findings confirm predictions of the female negativity bias hypothesis and suggest that women have greater up-regulation of emotional responses to negative stimuli. This finding is highly significant in light of the female vulnerability for developing anxiety disorders.