Rich spectroscopic and molecular dynamic studies on the interaction of cytotoxic Pt(II) and Pd(II) complexes of glycine derivatives with calf thymus DNA

Some amino acid derivatives, such as R-glycine, have been synthesized together with their full spectroscopic characterization. The sodium salts of these bidentate amino acid ligands have been interacted with [M(bpy)(H₂O)₂](NO₃)₂ giving the corresponding some new complexes with formula [M(bpy)(R-gly)]NO₃ (where M is Pt(II) or Pd(II), bpy is 2,2′-bipyridine and R-gly is butyl-, hexyl- and octyl-glycine). Due to less solubility of octyl derivatives, the biological activities of butyl and hexyl derivatives have been tested against chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line, K562. The interaction of these complexes with highly polymerized calf thymus DNA has been extensively studied by means of electronic absorption, fluorescence and other measurements. The experimental results suggest that these complexes positive cooperatively bind to DNA presumably via groove binding. Molecular dynamic results show that the DNA structure is largely maintained its native structure in hexylglycine derivative–water mixtures and at lower temperatures. The simulation data indicates that the more destabilizing effect of butylglycine is induced by preferential accumulation of these molecules around the DNA and due to their more negative free energy of binding via groove binding.     

The role of albumin and PPAR‐α in differentiation‐dependent change of fatty acid profile during differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells to hepatocyte‐like cells

Differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to hepatocyte‐like cells is associated with morphological and biological changes. In this study, the effect of hepatogenic differentiation on fatty acid profile and the expression of proliferator‐activated receptors‐α (PPAR‐α) have been studied. For this purpose, MSCs isolated from human umbilical cord were differentiated into hepatocyte‐like cells on selective culture media. The morphological and biochemical changes, PPAR‐α expression and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were studied during the differentiation process. Besides, the cells were processed to determine changes in fatty acid profile using gas chromatography analysis. The results showed that hepatic differentiation of the MSCs is associated with a decrease in major polyunsaturated fatty acids in mature hepatocytes, whereas there was an increase in the saturated fatty acid (SFA) levels during hepatocyte maturation. The differentiation‐dependent shift in the ratio of SFA/USFA was associated with changes in albumin and PPAR‐α expression, whereas changes in fatty acid profile were independent of ROS production and lipid peroxidation in differentiating cells. In conclusion, these data may suggest that hepatocyte formation during the stem cell differentiation is associated with a shift in the fatty acid profile that is probably a normal phenomenon in hepatogenic differentiation of the MSCs. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Predictability rather than amplitude of temperature fluctuations determines stress resistance in a natural population of Drosophila simulans

The adaptability of organisms to novel environmental conditions depends on the amount of genetic variance present in the population as well as on the ability of individuals to adjust their phenotype through phenotypic plasticity. Here, we investigated the phenotypic plasticity induced by a single generation's exposure to three different temperature regimes with respect to several life‐history and stress‐resistance traits in a natural population of Drosophila simulans. We studied a constant as well as a predictably and an unpredictably fluctuating temperature regime. We found high levels of phenotypic plasticity among all temperature regimes, suggesting a strong influence of both temperature fluctuations and their predictability. Increased heat tolerance was observed for flies developed in both types of fluctuating thermal environments compared with flies developed in a constant environment. We suggest that this was due to beneficial hardening when developing in either fluctuating temperature environment. To our surprise, flies that developed in constant and predictably changing environments were similar to each other in most traits when compared to flies from the unpredictably fluctuating environment. The unpredictably changing thermal environment imposed the most stressful condition, resulting in the lowest performance for stress‐related traits, even though the absolute temperature changes never exceeded that of the predictably fluctuating environment. The overall decreased stress resistance of flies in the unpredictably fluctuating environment may be the consequence of maladaptive phenotypic plasticity in this setting, indicating that the adaptive value of plasticity depends on the predictability of the environment.     

Diet composition of the Persian sturgeon <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acipenser persicus</Emphasis> at the coast of the Guilan Province,Caspian Sea

Sturgeons are one of the most important and valuable species in the Caspian Sea. This investigation (2000–2002) was aimed at determining the feeding habits and the main and secondary prey organisms consumed by the Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus Borodin, 1897) living at depths less than 10 m in the Caspian Sea (Guilan Province). The food spectrum of immature A. persicus was comprised of benthic invertebrates of seven genera and fishes of three genera. The main prey items of immature A. persicus were polychaete worms and the secondary prey were crustaceans. The study of stomach contents showed that polychaetes were the most important component of the diet of immature A. persicus of the length class up to 25 cm.