Search results for "Cell Respiration"
showing 10 items of 19 documents
The Water to Water Cycles in Microalgae.
2016
In oxygenic photosynthesis, light produces ATP plus NADPH via linear electron transfer, i.e. the in-series activity of the two photosystems: PSI and PSII. This process, however, is thought not to be sufficient to provide enough ATP per NADPH for carbon assimilation in the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle. Thus, it is assumed that additional ATP can be generated by alternative electron pathways. These circuits produce an electrochemical proton gradient without NADPH synthesis, and, although they often represent a small proportion of the linear electron flow, they could have a huge importance in optimizing CO2 assimilation. In Viridiplantae, there is a consensus that alternative electron flow comp…
The phosphorylated pathway of serine biosynthesis links plant growth with nitrogen metabolism
2021
Abstract Because it is the precursor for various essential cellular components, the amino acid serine is indispensable for every living organism. In plants, serine is synthesized by two major pathways: photorespiration and the phosphorylated pathway of serine biosynthesis (PPSB). However, the importance of these pathways in providing serine for plant development is not fully understood. In this study, we examine the relative contributions of photorespiration and PPSB to providing serine for growth and metabolism in the C3 model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Our analyses of cell proliferation and elongation reveal that PPSB-derived serine is indispensable for plant growth and its loss cannot b…
Cytosolic pH regulates root water transport during anoxic stress through gating of aquaporins.
2003
Flooding of soils results in acute oxygen deprivation (anoxia) of plant roots during winter in temperate latitudes, or after irrigation1, and is a major problem for agriculture. One early response of plants to anoxia and other environmental stresses is downregulation of water uptake due to inhibition of the water permeability (hydraulic conductivity) of roots (Lpr)2,3,4,5. Root water uptake is mediated largely by water channel proteins (aquaporins) of the plasma membrane intrinsic protein (PIP) subgroup6,7,8. These aquaporins may mediate stress-induced inhibition of Lpr2,4,9 but the mechanisms involved are unknown. Here we delineate the whole-root and cell bases for inhibition of water upta…
The HMGB1 protein induces a metabolic type of tumour cell death by blocking aerobic respiration
2016
The high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein has a central role in immunological antitumour defense. Here we show that natural killer cell-derived HMGB1 directly eliminates cancer cells by triggering metabolic cell death. HMGB1 allosterically inhibits the tetrameric pyruvate kinase isoform M2, thus blocking glucose-driven aerobic respiration. This results in a rapid metabolic shift forcing cells to rely solely on glycolysis for the maintenance of energy production. Cancer cells can acquire resistance to HMGB1 by increasing glycolysis using the dimeric form of PKM2, and employing glutaminolysis. Consistently, we observe an increase in the expression of a key enzyme of glutaminolysis, malic …
Mitochondrial compartment: a possible target of cadmium effects on breast epithelial cells.
2009
Cadmium–breast epithelial cell interactions were studied by analyzing some mitochondria-related aspects of stress response. We treated immortalized non-tumor breast cells with 5 or 50 μM CdCl2 for 24 or 96 h demonstrating that the exposure did not cause a significant mitochondrial proliferation, while it induced a significant increase in the respiratory activity and mitochondrial polarization. In addition, we found that hsp60 was up-regulated while hsp70 and COXII and COXIV were down-regulated. The mRNA for hsp70 remained constant and only the inducible form of the 70-kDa heat shock protein was over expressed. The mRNAs for COXII and COXIV remained constant after 24 h and increased after lo…
Neuronal Bioenergetics and Acute Mitochondrial Dysfunction: A Clue to Understanding the Central Nervous System Side Effects of Efavirenz
2014
Background. Neurological pathogenesis is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and differences in neuronal/glial handling of oxygen and glucose. The main side effects attributed to efavirenz involve the CNS, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Methods. Human cell lines and rat primary cultures of neurons and astrocytes were treated with clinically relevant efavirenz concentration. Results. Efavirenz alters mitochondrial respiration, enhances reactive oxygen species generation, undermines mitochondrial membrane potential, and reduces adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels in a concentration-dependent fashion in both neurons and glial cells. However, it activates adenosine monophospha…
Serine biosynthesis by photorespiratory and nonphotorespiratory pathways: and interesting interplay with unknown regulatory networks
2013
[EN] Photorespiration is a primary metabolic pathway, which, given its energy costs, has often been viewed as a wasteful process. Despite having reached the consensus that one important function of photorespiration is the removal of toxic metabolite intermediates, other possible functions have emerged, and others could well emerge in the future. As a primary metabolic pathway, photorespiration interacts with other routes; however the nature of these interactions is not well known. One of these interacting pathways could be the biosynthesis of serine, since this amino acid is synthesised through photorespiratory and non-photorespiratory routes. At present, the exact contribution of each rout…
Mitochondrial respiration on rumenic and linoleic acids
2001
Rumenic acid ( cis -9, trans -11-C 18:2 ) represents approx. 80% of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in dairy products. CLA has been shown to exert beneficial effects on health, but little work has been devoted to the ability to oxidize CLA isomers and the role of these isomers in the modulation of β-oxidation flux. In the present study, respiration on rumenic acid was compared with that on linoleic acid ( cis -9, cis -12-C 18:2 ) with the use of rat liver mitochondria. In state-3, respiration was decreased by half with rumenic acid in comparison with linoleic acid. In the uncoupled state, respiration on CLA remained 30% lower. The lower ability to oxidize CLA was investigated through charact…
Nifedipine improves blood flow and oxygen supply, but not steady-state oxygenation of tumours in perfusion pressure-controlled isolated limb perfusio…
2002
Isolated limb perfusion allows the direct application of therapeutic agents to a tumour-bearing extremity. The present study investigated whether the dihydropyridine-type Ca2+-channel blocker nifedipine could improve blood flow and oxygenation status of experimental tumours during isolated limb perfusion. Perfusion was performed by cannulation of the femoral artery and vein in rats bearing DS-sarcoma on the hind foot dorsum. Perfusion rate was adjusted to maintain a perfusion pressure of 100–140 mmHg throughout the experiment. Following equilibration, nifedipine was continuously infused for 30 min (8.3 μg min−1 kg−1 BW). During constant-pressure isolated limb perfusion, nifedipine can signi…
Mitochondria as the target for mildronate's protective effects in azidothymidine (AZT)-induced toxicity of isolated rat liver mitochondria
2008
Previously mildronate, an aza-butyrobetaine derivative, was shown to be a cytoprotective drug, through its mechanism of action of inhibition of carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1, thus protecting mitochondria from long-chain fatty acid accumulation and subsequent damage. Recently in an azidothymidine (AZT)-induced cardiotoxicity model in vivo (in mice), we have found mildronate's ability of protecting heart tissue from nuclear factor kappaB abnormal expression. Preliminary data also demonstrate cerebro- and hepatoprotecting properties of mildronate in AZT-toxicity models. We suggest that mildronate may target its action predominantly to mitochondria. The present study in isolated rat liver mi…