Search results for " genetica"
showing 10 items of 659 documents
Yeast Chronological Lifespan: Longevity Regulatory Genes and Mechanisms
2022
S. cerevisiae plays a pivotal role as a model system in understanding the biochemistry and molecular biology of mammals including humans. A considerable portion of our knowledge on the genes and pathways involved in cellular growth, resistance to toxic agents, and death has in fact been generated using this model organism. The yeast chronological lifespan (CLS) is a paradigm to study age-dependent damage and longevity. In combination with powerful genetic screening and high throughput technologies, the CLS has allowed the identification of longevity genes and pathways but has also introduced a unicellular “test tube” model system to identify and study macromolecular and cellular damage lead…
DNA-based biosensor on flexible nylon substrate by dip-pen lithography for topoisomerase detection
2019
Dip-pen lithography (DPL) technique has been employed to develop a new flexible biosensor realized on nylon with the aim to detect the activity of human topoisomerase. The sensor is constituted by an ordered array of a DNA substrate on flexible nylon supports that can be exploited as a drug screening platform for anticancer molecules. Here, we demonstrate a rapid protocol that permits to immobilize minute quantities of DNA oligonucleotides by DPL on nylon surfaces. Theoretical and experimental aspects have been investigated to successfully print DNA oligonucleotides by DPL on such a porous and irregular substrate.
Pheno-morphological, agronomic and genetic diversity among natural populations of sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.) collected in Sicily, Italy
2010
Sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.) is a short-lived perennial forage legume that plays a key role in cereal-based systems in semi-arid Mediterranean regions, particularly in organic production and low-input oriented agriculture. In Sicily, the species is widespread both as a wild and cultivated plant. The present study assessed the phenotypic and genetic variation among natural populations of sulla collected from different environments throughout Sicily and analysed how the patterns of phenotypic diversity varied according to the environmental parameters of each collection site. Two commercial varieties and two Sicilian agro-ecotypes were also included in the study as controls. Principal compo…
Population structure in the Méditerranean basin: a Y chromosome perspective
2006
The Mediterranean region has been characterised by a number of pre-historical and historical demographic events whose legacy on the current genetic landscape is still a matter of debate. In order to investigate the degree of population structure across the Mediterranean, we have investigated Y chromosome variation in a large dataset of Mediterranean populations, 11 of which are first described here. Our analyses identify four main clusters in the Mediterranean that can be labelled as North Africa, Arab, Central-East and West Mediterranean. In particular, Near Eastern samples tend to separate according to the presence of Arab Y chromosome lineages, suggesting that the Arab expansion played a…
Temporal coherency between receptor expression, neural activity and AP-1-dependent transcription regulates Drosophila motoneuron dendrite development.
2013
Neural activity has profound effects on the development of dendritic structure. Mechanisms that link neural activity to nuclear gene expression include activity-regulated factors, such as CREB, Crest or Mef2, as well as activity-regulated immediate-early genes, such as fos and jun. This study investigates the role of the transcriptional regulator AP-1, a Fos-Jun heterodimer, in activity-dependent dendritic structure development. We combine genetic manipulation, imaging and quantitative dendritic architecture analysis in a Drosophila single neuron model, the individually identified motoneuron MN5. First, Dα7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and AP-1 are required for normal MN5 dend…
Novel Sources of Biodiversity and Biomolecules from Bacteria Isolated from a High Middle Ages Soil Sample in Palermo (Sicily, Italy)
2023
: The urban plan of Palermo (Sicily, Italy) has evolved throughout Punic, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, and Norman ages until it stabilized within the borders that correspond to the current historic center. During the 2012 to 2013 excavation campaign, new remains of the Arab settlement, directly implanted above the structures of the Roman age, were found. The materials investigated in this study derived from the so-called Survey No 3, which consists of a rock cavity of subcylindrical shape covered with calcarenite blocks: it was probably used to dispose of garbage during the Arabic age and its content, derived from daily activities, included grape seeds, scales and bones of fish, small animal bon…
Characterization of a complex rearrangement involving chromosomes 1, 4 and 8 by fish and array-CGH
2012
Complex chromosomal rearrangements (CCRs) are structural aberrations involving more than two chromosomes with at least three breakpoints. CCRs can be divided into familial and de novo. Balanced CCR are extremely rare in humans and are at high risk of producing unbalanced gametes. Individuals with balanced CCR are usually phenotipically normal but report fertility problems, recurrent miscarriages or congenital anomalies in newborn offsprings as consequence of either meiotic failure or imbalanced chromosomes segregation.We describe the case of an unbalanced CCR involving chromosomes 1, 4 and 8 found in a girl with developmental delay, hexadactilia and microcephaly. The rearrangement, apparent…
Granulocyte–Colony Stimulating Factor plus Plerixafor in Patients with β-thalassemia Major Results in the Effective Mobilization of Primitive CD34+ C…
2017
Successful gene therapy for β-thalassemia requires optimal numbers of autologous gene-transduced hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) with high repopulating capacity. Previous studies suggested superior mobilization in these patients by the combination of granulocyte–colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) plus plerixafor over single agents. We mobilized four adult patients using G-CSF+plerixafor to assess the intra-individual variation of the circulating CD34+ cells number and subtypes preand post-plerixafor administration. The procedure was well-tolerated and the target cell dose of ≥8×10 6 CD34+ cells/kg was achieved in three of them with one apheresis procedure. The addition of ple…
Functional variants of 5S rRNA in the ribosomes of common sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus
2012
Abstract We have previously reported a molecular and cytogenetic characterization of three different 5S rDNA clusters in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus ; this study, performed at DNA level only, lends itself as starting point to verify that these clusters could contain transcribed genes, then, to demonstrate the presence of heterogeneity at functional RNA level, also. In the present work we report in P. lividus ribosomes the existence of several transcribed variants of the 5S rRNA and we associate all transcribed variants to the cluster to which belong. Our finding is the first demonstration of the presence of high heterogeneity in functional 5S rRNA molecules in animal ribosomes, a f…
Morphological and genetic variation of Chamaerops humilis (Arecaceae) in relation to the altitude
2021
The Mediterranean dwarf palm (Chamaerops humilis L.) is native to Western and Central Mediterranean. Since classical times this species has been cultivated and several varieties have been described on material of unknown origins. In this study, plants grown from seeds collected in the wild from seven populations spread along the Mediterranean basin were cultivated under the same environmental conditions, investigated morphologically and genetically by screening the polymorphism of ten SSR loci. Two groups are clearly separated, the populations growing at low altitudes and those living above a thousand meters of altitude. Due to morphological, geographic and environmental isolation, here it …