Search results for "Biophysics"
showing 10 items of 3515 documents
Resting state FMRI: A tool to investigate functional connectivity modulation induced by transcranial direct current stimulation of the motor network
2016
Introduction: Resting-state functional connectivity (fcMRI) represents a novel fMRI approach that allows detection of temporal correlations in spontaneous BOLD signal oscillations while subjects rest quietly in the scanner. Under resting conditions the brain is engaged in spontaneous activity that causes a low frequencies (<0.1 Hz) BOLD signal fluctuations. Functional connectivity (FC) can be defined as the synchrony of neural activity among spatially distant regions. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that is known to modulate cortical activity and FC among brain regions, as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging. This st…
Genome-wide studies of mRNA synthesis and degradation in eukaryotes
2012
In recent years, the use of genome-wide technologies has revolutionized the study of eukaryotic transcription producing results for thousands of genes at every step of mRNA life. The statistical analyses of the results for a single condition, different conditions, different transcription stages, or even between different techniques, is outlining a totally new landscape of the eukaryotic transcription process. Although most studies have been conducted in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model cell, others have also focused on higher eukaryotes, which can also be comparatively analyzed. The picture which emerges is that transcription is a more variable process than initially suspected,…
Cloning and expression of a type IX-like collagen in tissues of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis
2002
Collagens are highly preserved proteins in invertebrates and vertebrates. To identify the collagens in urochordates, the total RNA extracted from the pharynx of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis was hybridized with a heterologous probe specific for the echinoderm Paracentrotus lividus fibrillar type I-like larval collagen. Using this probe, two main bands (i.e. 6 and 2.8 kb mRNA) were observed on Northern blot hybridization. The cDNA library prepared from poly(A)+RNA extracted from pharyngeal tissue was screened and a cDNA that specifies a type IX-like collagen was identified. This molecule presents a conceptual open reading frame for a protein containing 734 amino acids. In particular, we sh…
Stability of phospholipase D in primary astrocytes.
2002
Induction of expression and proteolytic breakdown of phospholipase D (PLD) isoforms in primary astrocyte cultures have been investigated. Astrocytes express both PLD1 and 2 and are dependent on PLD activity for cell proliferation [K. Kotter, J. Klein, J. Neurochem. 73 (1999) 2517]. Competitive RT-PCR analysis demonstrated a higher level of PLD1 mRNA than PLD2 mRNA (8.9 vs. 0.9amol/microg RNA, respectively). Treatment of astroglial cultures with the phorbol ester, 4beta-phorbol-12beta,13alpha-dibutyrate (0.1 microM), for 24-48h selectively induced PLD1b but not PLD1a or 2 expression as shown by PCR and Western blot; the effect was sensitive to Go 6976. In cells transiently permeabilized with…
Transcriptional activation of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (Ape, Ref-1) by oxidative stress requires CREB.
1999
Abstract Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (APE alias Ref-1) is a multifunctional enzyme involved in DNA repair and redox regulation of transcription factors (e.g., AP-1). It also acts as a repressor of its own and other genes. Recently, it was shown that the level of APE mRNA and protein is enhanced upon treatment of cells with oxidative agents, such as hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), which gives rise to an adaptive response of cells to oxidative stress. Induction of APE is due to APE promoter activation. To elucidate the mechanism of transcriptional activation of APE by oxidative agents, we introduced mutations into the cloned human APE promoter and checked its activity in transient transf…
ADR1 and SNF1 Mediate Different Mechanisms in Transcriptional Regulation of Yeast POT1 Gene
1994
We studied the consequences of adr1 and snf1 mutations on POT1 gene expression in different growth conditions. The results obtained reveal that ADR1 and SNF1 genes affect POT1 transcription in different ways: ADR1 has a minor role in derepression in low concentration of glucose but is essential for activation in stationary phase whereas SNF1 is essential for derepression and activation, although it does not seem to be directly involved in the molecular mechanism of activation in stationary phase.
Analysis of expression of the gene encoding for the nuclear autoantigen La/SS-B using reporter gene constructs.
1998
In earlier studies mRNA isoforms encoding for the nuclear autoantigen La were identified. In an alternative La mRNA form the exon 1 was replaced with the exon 1'. Moreover, exon 1' La mRNAs were found to start at different 5'-regions. In dependence on the 5'-start the exon 1' La mRNAs encoded for up to three open reading frames upstream of the La frame, which starts in the exon 2. The exon 1' was located in the intron about 70 nts downstream of the exon 1. The exon 1' La mRNA was proposed to be the result of a promoter switch in combination with an alternative splicing mechanism. The commonly used technique to study the expression of a eucaryotic gene is to fuse a reportergene immediately d…
External conditions inversely change the RNA polymerase II elongation rate and density in yeast.
2013
Elongation speed is a key parameter in RNA polymerase II (RNA pol II) activity. It affects the transcription rate, while it is conditioned by the physicochemical environment it works in at the same time. For instance, it is well-known that temperature affects the biochemical reactions rates. Therefore in free-living organisms that are able to grow at various environmental temperatures, such as the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, evolution should have not only shaped the structural and functional properties of this key enzyme, but should have also provided mechanisms and pathways to adapt its activity to the optimal performance required. We studied the changes in RNA pol II elongation speed …
A method for genome-wide analysis of DNA helical tension by means of psoralen-DNA photobinding
2010
The helical tension of chromosomal DNA is one of the epigenetic landmarks most difficult to examine experimentally. The occurrence of DNA crosslinks mediated by psoralen photobinding (PB) stands as the only suitable probe for assessing this problem. PB is affected by chromatin structure when is done to saturation; but it is mainly determined by DNA helical tension when it is done to very low hit conditions. Hence, we developed a method for genome-wide analysis of DNA helical tension based on PB. We adjusted in vitro PB conditions that discern DNA helical tension and applied them to Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. We selected the in vivo cross-linked DNA sequences and identified them on DNA …
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…