Search results for "Biochemical Phenomena"
showing 10 items of 496 documents
Immunosenescence, inflammation and Alzheimer’s disease
2012
Abstract Ageing impacts negatively on the development of the immune system and its ability to fight pathogens. Progressive changes in the T-cell and B-cell systems over the lifespan of individuals have a major impact on the capacity to respond to immune challenges. The cumulative age-associated changes in immune competence are termed immunosenescence that is characterized by changes where adaptive immunity deteriorates, while innate immunity is largely conserved or even upregulated with age. On the other hand, ageing is also characterized by “inflamm-ageing”, a term coined to explain the inflammation commonly present in many age-associated diseases. It is believed that immune inflammatory p…
The evolution of the heat-shock protein GroEL from Buchnera, the primary endosymbiont of aphids, is governed by positive selection
2002
The heat-shock protein GroEL is a double-ring-structured chaperonin that assists the folding of many newly synthesized proteins in Escherichia coli and the refolding in vitro, with the cochaperonin GroES, of conformationally damaged proteins. This protein is constitutively overexpressed in the primary symbiotic bacteria of many insects, constituting approximately 10% of the total protein in Buchnera, the primary endosymbiont of aphids. In the present study, we perform a maximum likelihood (ML) analysis to unveil the selective constraints in GroEL. In addition, we apply a new statistical approach to determine the patterns of evolution in this highly interesting protein. The main conclusion d…
Detection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their resistance genes in wastewater, surface water, and drinking water biofilms.
2009
Abstract In view of the increasing interest in the possible role played by hospital and municipal wastewater systems in the selection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, biofilms were investigated using enterococci, staphylococci, Enterobacteriaceae, and heterotrophic bacteria as indicator organisms. In addition to wastewater, biofilms were also investigated in drinking water from river bank filtrate to estimate the occurrence of resistant bacteria and their resistance genes, thus indicating possible transfer from wastewater and surface water to the drinking water distribution network. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci were characterized by antibiograms, and the vanA resistance gene was detect…
Microbial symbionts of parasitoids
2020
Parasitoids depend on other insects for the development of their offspring. Their eggs are laid in or on a host insect that is consumed during juvenile development. Parasitoids harbor a diversity of microbial symbionts including viruses, bacteria, and fungi. In contrast to symbionts of herbivorous and hematophagous insects, parasitoid symbionts do not provide nutrients. Instead, they are involved in parasitoid reproduction, suppression of host immune responses, and manipulation of the behavior of herbivorous hosts. Moreover, recent research has shown that parasitoid symbionts such as polydnaviruses may also influence plant-mediated interactions among members of plant-associated communities…
Exploring a regulatory role for mast cells: 'MCregs'?
2010
Regulatory cells can mould the fate of the immune response by direct suppression of specific subsets of effector cells, or by redirecting effectors against invading pathogens and infected or neoplastic cells. These functions have been classically, although not exclusively, ascribed to different subsets of T cells. Recently, mast cells have been shown to regulate physiological and pathological immune responses, and thus to act at the interface between innate and adaptive immunity assuming different functions and behaviors at discrete stages of the immune response. Here, we focus on these poorly defined, and sometimes apparently conflicting, functions of mast cells.
Network of Cells and Mediators of Innate and Adaptive Cutaneous Immunity
2017
The skin is a major surface organ that translates external signals from the environment into local and systemic immune responses. As such, it is also strongly involved in fighting against cutaneous pathogens transmitted by arthropod vectors to the host. By harboring various skin-resident as well as highly motile immune cells and unique molecules, the skin orchestrates resulting immune responses against pathogens. Only an understanding of the complexity of skin immunity will lead to a better assessment of vector-induced alterations of resulting antipathogen immunity.
Has innate immunity evolved through different routes?
2010
Invertebrate self/non-self recognition, defense responses, mating and development share innate immune surveillance and functions challenged by competition and linked to fitness. Independent evolutionary branches of immune responses may use conserved gene traits. On the other hand immunity genes may be conserved due to their role in development. Finally, upregulation of innate immunity genes during ascidian metamorphosis supports the danger hypothesis.
The echinoderm innate humoral immune response
2015
Abstract: Multicellular organisms have an immune system, which is essential for the survival of living beings. Interest in the immune system has been expanded since common characteristics of innate immunity between Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen, 1830) and mammals were discovered in the 1980. Since then, immunology has mainly focused on the adaptive immune system that seems to be restricted to vertebrates. Unlike the innate immunity, the adaptive one is acquired after exposure to a specific antigen (Ag) and includes: antigen-presenting cells such as macrophages, proliferation of B and T lymphocytes, Ag-specific antibody/cytokine production and immunological memory. Innate immunity is inste…
Structure and evolution of the leucine plasmids carried by the endosymbiont (Buchnera aphidicola) from aphids of the family Aphididae.
1998
In all examined species of the family Aphididae, the bacterial endosymbiont Buchnera aphidicola carries a plasmid encoding the genes leuABCD (involved in leucine biosynthesis) along with repA1, repA2 and ORF1. The gene organisation of the leucine plasmids was conserved, except in Buchnera isolated from Pterocomma populeum, where ORF1 was located in a different position. An inverted repeat (LIR1) located between repA2 and leuA is found in all of the Buchnera leucine plasmids examined. The predicted secondary structure of the LIR1 transcript conforms to a long hairpin loop, suggesting an involvement in transcription termination or messenger stability. Phylogenetic reconstruction based on repA…
Generation of Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes Against Ly Alloantigen
2008
Cytotoxic T lymphocytes specific for immune alloantigens controlled by alleles of the Ly system have been induced in vivo. These results were obtained either in a secondary type of response or by treating mice before immunization with a single dose of cyclophosphamide (80 mg/kg).