Search results for " plasma membrane"
showing 10 items of 69 documents
Sperm Quality Assessment in Honey Bee Drones
2020
The quality of honey bee drone semen is relevant in different contexts, ranging from colony productivity to pathology, toxicology and biodiversity preservation. Despite its importance, considerably less knowledge is available on this subject for the honey bee when compared to other domestic animal species. A proper assessment of sperm quality requires a multiple testing approach which discriminates between the different aspects of sperm integrity and functionality. Most studies on drone semen quality have only assessed a few parameters, such as sperm volume, sperm concentration and/or sperm plasma membrane integrity. Although more recent studies have focused on a broader variety of aspects …
Anhydrobiosis in yeasts: Psychrotolerant yeasts are highly resistant to dehydration.
2018
Yeast cells are able to transition into a state of anhydrobiosis (temporary reversible suspension of metabolism) under conditions of desiccation. One of the most efficient approaches for understanding the mechanisms underlying resistance to dehydration-rehydration is to identify yeasts, which are stable under such treatments, and compare them with moderately resistant species and strains. In the current study, we investigated the resistance to dehydration-rehydration of six psychrotolerant yeast strains belonging to two species. All studied strains of Solicoccozyma terricola and Naganishia albida were found to be highly resistant to dehydration-rehydration. The viability of S. terricola str…
A new “sudden fright paradigm” to explore the role of (epi)genetic modulations of the DAT gene in fear-induced avoidance behavior
2020
Alterations in dopamine (DA) reuptake are involved in several psychiatric disorders whose symptoms can be investigated in knock out rats for the DA transporter (DAT-KO). Recent studies evidenced the role of epigenetic DAT modulation in depressive-like behavior. Accordingly, we used heterozygous (HET) rats born from both HET parents (termed MIX-HET), compared to HET rats born from WT-mother and KO-father (MAT-HET), implementing the role of maternal care on DAT modulation. We developed a "sudden fright" paradigm (based on dark-light test) to study reaction to fearful inputs in the DAT-KO, MAT-HET, MIX-HET, and WT groups. Rats could freely explore the whole 3-chambers apparatus; then, they wer…
Genome-wide association data provide further support for an association between 5-HTTLPR and major depressive disorder.
2013
Abstract Background Dysfunctions of serotonergic neurotransmission are supposed to be involved in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder (MDD). The concentration of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) in the synaptic cleft is essentially regulated by the 5-HT transporter (5-HTT). A length polymorphism repeat in the 5-HTT promoter region, termed 5-HTTLPR, has been commonly investigated for an association with psychiatric disorders. Methods Genotyping of the 5-HTTLPR is time-consuming and technically challenging. Recently, a two-SNP haplotype was identified that tags the 5-HTTLPR at r 2 =0.775. This allows extraction of 5-HTTLPR genotype information from…
Adult attachment and gene polymorphisms of the dopamine D4 receptor and serotonin transporter (5-HTT).
2010
Recently, the Dopamine D4 Receptor Gene (DRD4) and the Serotonin Transporter Gene (5-HTT) have been found to be candidate genes for infant attachment disorganization. The present study aimed to explore the relationship of these genes to adult attachment representations. The Adult Attachment Interview was used to assess attachment representations in 167 German adults. DNA from buccal cells was genotyped for the DRD4 VNTR Exon III and 5-HTT LPR polymorphisms with respect to the presence of the 7repeat allele and the short allele, respectively. DRD4 7repeat allele carriers were significantly more likely to be securely attached than those without 7repeat but only for subjects with unloving care…
Norepinephrine transporter gene polymorphism is not associated with susceptibility to alcohol dependence
2002
Abnormalities in monoamine neurotransmission have been implicated in the pathogenesis of alcoholism, mood disorders and schizophrenia. Murine norepinephrine transporter gene (NET) has been mapped to a region on chromosome 8 where a quantitative trait locus for ethanol sensitivity. Therefore we tested whether norepinephrine transporter (NET) gene variants confer susceptibility to either alcohol dependence or severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms. There is a highly polymorphic silent G1287A mutation in the NET gene. In our study 157 alcoholics and 185 healthy unrelated matched control subjects were analyzed for a silent G1287A mutation. No significant differences in allele and genotype distribut…
Evidence for the importance of the human dopamine transporter gene for withdrawal symptomatology of alcoholics in a German population
2002
Two new polymorphisms in the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of the dopamine transporter (DAT1) gene, adjacent to the known variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism, have been investigated in the present population-based association study including 351 alcoholics and 336 controls. The DraI restriction site was not polymorphic in our population. The G2319A polymorphism was not significantly different with respect to genotype or allele distribution between alcoholics and controls. Subsequently, in individuals with VNTR homozygosity for the ten repeat allele, we found a higher prevalence of A/A homozygosity in patients with seizure history (P = 0.001, odds ratio (OR) = 7.913), with…
Interaction between gene variants of the serotonin transporter promoter region (5-HTTLPR) and catecholO-methyltransferase (COMT) in borderline person…
2008
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by a heterogeneous symptomatology with instability in impulse control, interpersonal relationships and self-image. BPD patients display repeated self-injury, chronic suicidal tendencies and emotional dysregulation, mainly dysregulation of negative affect. In its etiology, genetic and environmental factors have been suggested. Recently, an investigation in male healthy volunteers found gene–gene effects of the catechol-O-methyl-transferase (COMT) low-activity (Met158) and the low-expression allele of the deletion/insertion (short/long or S/L, respectively) polymorphism in the serotonin transporter-linked promoter region (5-HTTLPR) on the…
Genetic polymorphisms of serotonin transporter and receptor 1A could influence success during embryo implantation and maintenance of pregnancy
2012
Objective To explore whether serotonin-related gene polymorphisms influence clinical outcomes of IVF treatment in recipients using donated oocytes. Design Nested case-control study. Setting University-affiliated infertility clinic. Patient(s) Two hundred forty-five women undergoing IVF treatment with donated oocytes. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Genotype and haplotype analysis of the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR), rs1800532, rs6295, rs6313, and rs3813929, between recipients grouped according to the results of the oocyte donation for IVF treatment. Result(s) No differences were found between genotype distribution of the tryptophan hydroxylase 1, …
CB1 cannabinoid receptor-mediated aggressive behavior
2013
This study examined the role of cannabinoid CB1 receptors (CB1r) in aggressive behavior. Social encounters took place in grouped and isolated mice lacking CB1r (CB1KO) and in wild-type (WT) littermates. Cognitive impulsivity was evaluated in the delayed reinforcement task (DRT). Gene expression analyses of monoaminooxidase-A (MAO-A), catechol-o-methyl-transferase (COMT), 5-hydroxytriptamine transporter (5-HTT) and 5-HT1B serotonergic receptor (5HT1Br) in the median and dorsal raphe nuclei (MnR and DR, respectively) and in the amygdala (AMY) were performed by real time-PCR. Double immunohistochemistry studies evaluated COMT and CB1r co-localization in the raphe nuclei and in the cortical (AC…