Search results for "Biophysic"

Transcription factors involved in the expression of SLC28 genes in human liver parenchymal cells.

2007

Human nucleoside transporters are encoded by SLC28 (hCNTs) and SLC29 (hENTs) genes. These proteins mediate the uptake of anticancer and some antiviral drugs and are also suitable candidates to facilitate nucleoside-derived drug uptake into hepatocytes for detoxification. Despite the putative relevance of these genes in liver physiology, the human SLC28 and SLC29 expression pattern is not known and suitable cell models are not available. These issues have been addressed by examining NT expression in human liver and primary cultures of human hepatocytes. Moreover, the effect of specific liver enriched transcription factors (LETFs) in hCNTs expression has been analyzed. Human hepatocytes expre…

Sea urchin neural alpha 2 tubulin gene: isolation and promoter analysis

2004

Abstract Expression of Tα2 gene, during sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus development, is spatially and temporally regulated. In order to characterize this gene, we isolated the relevant genomic sequences and scanned the isolated 5 ′ -flanking region in searching for cis -regulatory elements required for proper expression. Gel mobility shift and footprinting assays, as well as reporter gene (CAT and β-gal) expression assays, were used to address cis -regulatory elements involved in regulation. Here we report that an upstream 5 ′ -flanking fragment of PlTα2 gene drives temporal expression of reporter genes congruent with that of endogenous Tα2 gene. The fragment contains cis -elements able to…

Role of hepatocyte nuclear factor 3γ in the expression of human CYP2C genes

2004

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 3 gamma (HNF-3 gamma) is an important transcription factor for the maintenance of specific liver functions. However, its relevance in the expression of human cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes has not yet been explored. Several HNF3 putative binding sites can be identified in human CYP2C 5'-flanking regions. Gene reporter experiments with proximal promoters revealed that HNF-3 gamma transactivated CYP2C8, CYP2C9, and CYP2C19 (25-, 4-, and 4-fold, respectively), but it did not transactivate CYP2C18. However, overexpression of HNF-3 gamma in hepatoma cells by means of a recombinant adenovirus induced CYP2C9, CYP2C18, and CYP2C19 mRNA (4.5-, 20-, and 50-fold, respectively) b…

The yeast Aft1 transcription factor activates ribonucleotide reductase catalytic subunit RNR1 in response to iron deficiency

2020

Eukaryotic ribonucleotide reductases are iron-dependent enzymes that catalyze the rate-limiting step in the de novo synthesis of deoxyribonucleotides. Multiple mechanisms regulate the activity of ribonucleotide reductases in response to genotoxic stresses and iron deficiency. Upon iron starvation, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Aft1 transcription factor specifically binds to iron-responsive cis elements within the promoter of a group of genes, known as the iron regulon, activating their transcription. Members of the iron regulon participate in iron acquisition, mobilization and recycling, and trigger a genome-wide metabolic remodeling of iron-dependent pathways. Here, we describe a mechanism …

Receptors Linked to Hydrolysis of Choline Phospholipids: the Role of Phospholipase D in a Putative Mechanism of Signal Transduction

1990

The structure and basic functions of biomembranes are essentially determined by the lipid bilayer. In contrast, specific membrane functions, such as signal recognition and transduction and transport processes, have been preferentially attributed to proteins that are embedded in the outer or inner leaflet of this bilayer or may span the membrane up to five times or more, as in the case of receptor molecules. The segregating view of membrane protein and lipid functions may have delayed a broad research interest in the dynamic interactions between these components of the membrane. The present review is devoted to such a recently discovered interaction: the coupling of receptor activation and h…

Caffeic acid skin absorption: Delivery of microparticles to hair follicles

2019

Graphical abstract: Emulsions containing CA were prepared, one of which contain free CA and the other microencapsulated CA. They were applied to delimited area of skin. Subsequently the tape stripping and differential striping methods were applied.

Use of the Transglutaminase Reaction To Study the Dissociation of Histone N-Terminal Tails from DNA in Nucleosome Core Particles

1997

We have recently shown that core histones are glutaminyl substrates for transglutaminase (TGase) and that when native nucleosome cores are incubated with monodansylcadaverine (DNC) as donor amine, this fluorescent probe is incorporated into Gln5 and Gln19 of H3 and in Gln22 of H2B [Ballestar et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 18817-18825]. In the present paper, we report that the cause by which Gln22 of H2B is modified in nucleosomes but not in the free histone is the interaction of the region containing that glutamine with DNA. We have used the specificity of the TGase reaction to study the changes induced by increasing ionic strength in the interaction between the histone N-terminal tails …

How much potential for transient receptor potential channels in the bladder?

2015

Analyzing Oligomerization of Individual Transmembrane Helices and of Entire Membrane Proteins in E. coli: A Hitchhiker’s Guide to GALLEX

2012

Genetic systems, which allow monitoring interactions of individual transmembrane α-helices within the cytoplasmic membrane of the bacterium Escherichia coli, are now widely used to probe the structural biology and energetics of helix-helix interactions and the consequences of mutations. In contrast to other systems, the GALLEX system allows studying homo- as well as heterooligomerization of individual transmembrane α-helices, and even enables estimation of the energetics of helix-helix interactions within a biological membrane. Given that many polytopic membrane proteins form oligomers within membranes, the GALLEX system represents a unique and powerful approach to monitor formation and sta…

Multilayer capsules: a promising microencapsulation system for transplantation of pancreatic islets

2001

In 1980, Lim and Sun introduced a microcapsule coated with an alginate/polylysine complex for encapsulation of pancreatic islets. Characteristic to this type of capsule is, that it consists of a plain membrane which is formed during a single procedural step. With such a simple process it is difficult to obtain instantly a membrane optimized with respect to all the properties requested for islet transplantation. To overcome these difficulties, it is recommended to build up the membrane in several consecutive steps, each optimized for a certain property. In this study, we have analysed such a multilayer microcapsule for the encapsulation of pancreatic islets. Therefore, empty and islet contai…