Effect of solvent phase transitions on enzymatic activity and structure of laccase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Coriolus hirsutus</Emphasis>

The effect of solvent phase transitions on catalytic activity and structure of the active site of laccase produced by the Basidiomycetes Coriolus hirsutus 072 was studied. As shown by small-angle X-ray scattering, laccase exists in solution as a mixture of monomeric and aggregated particles in the percent ratio 85: 15. This ratio did not change on phase transitions. A complex nature of laccase activity dynamics during thawing and further heating to 20°C was shown. Spontaneous oxidation of T1 copper center in the temperature range 12–20°C was not observed. According to spectral data, the structure of laccase active sites including all copper centers of types T1, T2, and T3 changes during the phase transition.     

Red and near-infrared light induces intracellular Ca2+ flux via the activation of glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors

Red and near-infrared (NIR) light effect on Ca²⁺ ions flux through the influence on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) and their functioning in HeLa cells was studied in vitro. Cells were irradiated by 650 and 808 nm laser light at different power densities and doses and the obtained effect was compared with that caused by the pharmacological agents. The laser light was found to elevate Ca²⁺ influx into cell cytoplasm in a dose-dependent manner without changes of the NMDAR functioning. Furthermore, the light of both wavelengths demonstrated the ability to elevate Ca²⁺ influx under the pharmacological blockade of NMDARs and also might partially abolish the blockade enhancing Ca²⁺ influx after selective stimulation of the receptors with NMDA. Simultaneously, the light at moderate doses demonstrated a photobiostimulating effect on cells. Based on our experiments and data reported in the literature, we suggest that the low-power visible and NIR light can instigate a cell membrane depolarization via nonthermal activation, resulting in the fast induction of Ca²⁺ influx into cells. The obtained results also demonstrate that NIR light can be used for nonthermal and nonpharmacological stimulation of NMDARs in cancer cells.     

Analysis of the chromosome number in cells by flow cytometry

A new flow-cytometric method is described that permits analysis of the number of chromosomes of individual cells. Preliminary stained mitotic cells are passed through a specially designed flow chamber in which they are destroyed just before passing through the focused laser beam of the flow cytometer. Signals from chromosomes of the destroyed cells are counted, and the results are represented as a distribution of the number of chromosomes in the cells. The method may be applied for the detection of relatively rare cells with abnormal numbers of chromosomes in biological and clinical research.     

Ecological and toxicological control over the status of the environment by the methods of physicochemical biology

Xenobiotic metabolism in the fish liver has been investigated with a view of developing test-system for biomonitoring based on multienzyme membrane-bound complexes. Extraction methods of xenobiotics from harmful pollutants and some biological tissue have been described using various sorbents and solvents. The own and literary data on the study of mutagenic effect of this contaminants and carcinogens in the Ames test-system in the presence of postmitochondrial fraction S9 from fish liver with 3-methylcholanthrene induced by microsomal oxidation system have been demonstrated.     

The extracellular epidermal compartment of mammals

The structure and function of the intercorneocyte cement of the corneal layer of epidermis in mammals has been reviewed on the basis of the author's and published data. Two functions of the layer have been considered: a water-tight barrier and a desquamation. Chemical structure of the barrier has been characterized. Comparison of the barrier in water and terrestrial mammals suggest that the peculiarities of the barrier correlate with different pathways of keratinization. Factors that determine the adhesion have been described. The authors show the possibility to use natural models for studying the processes of keratinization and, in particular, functioning the intercellular compartment of the corneal layer.     

Chemical modification of an antineoplastic antibiotic bleomycetin by the C-end fragment]

Bleomycetin, an antitumor antibiotic, was subjected to chemical modification by the C-end fragment i.e. the residue of 3-[(4-aminobutyl)amino]propylamine (spermidine++) with acylation, carbamoylation and reducing alkylation, which yielded its new semisynthetic derivatives. The use of physicochemical methods showed that the chemical modification involved the primary and secondary amino groups++ of spermidine++ and gave rise to N,N'-diacyl, N,N'-dicarbamoyl and N,N'-dialkyl bleomycetins. The biological properties of the derivatives, i.e. their cytotoxic activity, acute and pulmonary toxicities were studied. The transformation of bleomycetin by the C-end fragment lowered the antibiotic toxicity and was believed to be a promising approach to modifying its molecule.     

Altered distribution of plasma PAF-AH between HDLs and other lipoproteins in hyperlipidemia and diabetes mellitus

Platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) is a phospholipase A2 associated with lipoproteins that hydrolyzes platelet-activating factor (PAF) and oxidized phospholipids. We have developed an ELISA for PAF-AH that is more sensitive than previous methods, and have quantified HDL-associated and non-HDL-associated PAF-AH in healthy, hyperlipidemic, and diabetic subjects. In healthy subjects, plasma total PAF-AH concentration was positively correlated with PAF-AH activity and with plasma total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B (apoB) concentrations (all P < 0.01). HDL-associated PAF-AH concentration was correlated positively with plasma apoA-I and HDL cholesterol. Subjects with hyperlipidemia (n = 73) and diabetes mellitus (n = 87) had higher HDL-associated PAF-AH concentrations than did controls (P < 0.01). Non-HDL-associated PAF-AH concentration was lower in diabetic subjects than in controls (P < 0.01). Both hyperlipidemic and diabetic subjects had lower ratios of PAF-AH to apoB (P < 0.01) and higher ratios of PAF-AH to apoA-I (P < 0.01) than did controls. Our results show that the distribution of PAF-AH mass between HDLs and LDLs is determined partly by the concentrations of the lipoproteins and partly by the mass of enzyme per lipoprotein particle, which is disturbed in hyperlipidemia and diabetes mellitus.     

A Nanocapsule Based on Natural Mineral Clinoptilolite Surrounded by a Lecithin Envelope

Biophysics - A technology for obtaining nanoparticles of natural clinoptilolite, a mineral from the zeolite family, under laboratory conditions has been developed. The size of zeolite particles was...