Search results for "Cytoskeleton"
showing 10 items of 272 documents
Molecular Bases for Sensitivity to Tubulin-Binding Herbicides in Green Foxtail
2004
Abstract We investigated the molecular bases for resistance to several classes of herbicides that bind tubulins in green foxtail (Setaria viridis L. Beauv.). We identified two α- and two β-tubulin genes in green foxtail. Sequence comparison between resistant and sensitive plants revealed two mutations, a leucine-to-phenylalanine change at position 136 and a threonine-to-isoleucine change at position 239, in the gene encoding α2-tubulin. Association of mutation at position 239 with herbicide resistance was demonstrated using near-isogenic lines derived from interspecific pairings between green foxtail and foxtail millet (Setaria italica L. Beauv.), and herbicide sensitivity bioassays combine…
Can the microRNA expression profile help to identify novel targets for zoledronic acid in breast cancer?
2016
// Daniele Fanale 1, * , Valeria Amodeo 1, * , Viviana Bazan 1, * , Lavinia Insalaco 1 , Lorena Incorvaia 1 , Nadia Barraco 1 , Marta Castiglia 1 , Sergio Rizzo 1 , Daniele Santini 2 , Antonio Giordano 3 , Sergio Castorina 4, 5, # , Antonio Russo 1, # 1 Department of Surgical, Oncological and Oral Sciences, Section of Medical Oncology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy 2 University Campus Bio-Medico, Department of Medical Oncology, Rome, Italy 3 Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA 4 Fondazione Mediterranea “G.B. Morgagni”, Catania, Italy 5 Department of Biomedic…
Production of Injectable Marine Collagen-Based Hydrogel for the Maintenance of Differentiated Chondrocytes in Tissue Engineering Applications
2020
Cartilage is an avascular tissue with limited ability of self-repair. The use of autologous chondrocyte transplants represent an effective strategy for cell regeneration
Microenvironments to study migration and somal translocation in cortical neurons
2018
Migrating post-mitotic neurons of the developing cerebral cortex undergo terminal somal translocation (ST) when they reach their final destination in the cortical plate. This process is crucial for proper cortical layering and its perturbation can lead to brain dysfunction. Here we present a reductionist biomaterials platform that faithfully supports and controls the distinct phases of terminal ST in vitro. We developed microenvironments with different adhesive molecules to support neuronal attachment, neurite extension, and migration in distinct manners. Efficient ST occurred when the leading process of migratory neurons crossed from low-to high-adhesive areas on a substrate, promoting spr…
Specific interaction of IM30/Vipp1 with cyanobacterial and chloroplast membranes results in membrane remodeling and eventually in membrane fusion.
2016
The photosynthetic light reaction takes place within the thylakoid membrane system in cyanobacteria and chloroplasts. Besides its global importance, the biogenesis, maintenance and dynamics of this membrane system are still a mystery. In the last two decades, strong evidence supported the idea that these processes involve IM30, the inner membrane-associated protein of 30kDa, a protein also known as the vesicle-inducing protein in plastids 1 (Vipp1). Even though we just only begin to understand the precise physiological function of this protein, it is clear that interaction of IM30 with membranes is crucial for biogenesis of thylakoid membranes. Here we summarize and discuss forces guiding I…
Microtubule disruption changes endothelial cell mechanics and adhesion
2019
AbstractThe interest in studying the mechanical and adhesive properties of cells has increased in recent years. The cytoskeleton is known to play a key role in cell mechanics. However, the role of the microtubules in shaping cell mechanics is not yet well understood. We have employed Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) together with confocal fluorescence microscopy to determine the role of microtubules in cytomechanics of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs). Additionally, the time variation of the adhesion between tip and cell surface was studied. The disruption of microtubules by exposing the cells to two colchicine concentrations was monitored as a function of time. Already, after 3…
The FOXP2-Driven Network in Developmental Disorders and Neurodegeneration
2017
The transcription repressor FOXP2 is a crucial player in nervous system evolution and development of humans and songbirds. In order to provide an additional insight into its functional role we compared target gene expression levels between human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) stably overexpressing either human FOXP2 cDNA or its orthologues from the common chimpanzee, Rhesus monkey, and marmoset, respectively. Subsequent RNA-seq led to identification of 27 genes with differential regulation under the control of human FOXP2, which were previously reported to have FOXP2-driven and/or songbird song-related expression regulation. Importantly, RT-qPCR and Western blotting indicated differential re…
Synaptic Phospholipid Signaling Modulates Axon Outgrowth via Glutamate-dependent Ca2+-mediated Molecular Pathways.
2015
Abstract Altered synaptic bioactive lipid signaling has been recently shown to augment neuronal excitation in the hippocampus of adult animals by activation of presynaptic LPA2-receptors leading to increased presynaptic glutamate release. Here, we show that this results in higher postsynaptic Ca2+ levels and in premature onset of spontaneous neuronal activity in the developing entorhinal cortex. Interestingly, increased synchronized neuronal activity led to reduced axon growth velocity of entorhinal neurons which project via the perforant path to the hippocampus. This was due to Ca2+-dependent molecular signaling to the axon affecting stabilization of the actin cytoskeleton. The spontaneous…
Insights into the red algae and eukaryotic evolution from the genome of Porphyra umbilicalis (Bangiophyceae, Rhodophyta).
2017
Porphyra umbilicalis (laver) belongs to an ancient group of red algae (Bangiophyceae), is harvested for human food, and thrives in the harsh conditions of the upper intertidal zone. Here we present the 87.7-Mbp haploid Porphyra genome (65.8% G + C content, 13,125 gene loci) and elucidate traits that inform our understanding of the biology of red algae as one of the few multicellular eukaryotic lineages. Novel features of the Porphyra genome shared by other red algae relate to the cytoskeleton, calcium signaling, the cell cycle, and stress-Tolerance mechanisms including photoprotection. Cytoskeletal motor proteins in Porphyra are restricted to a small set of kinesins that appear to be the on…
Visualizing the spatiotemporal map of Rac activation in bovine aortic endothelial cells under laminar and disturbed flows.
2017
Disturbed flow can eliminate the alignment of endothelial cells in the direction of laminar flow, and significantly impacts on atherosclerosis in collateral arteries near the bifurcation and high curvature regions. While shear stress induced Rac polarity has been shown to play crucial roles in cell polarity and migration, little is known about the spatiotemporal map of Rac under disturbed flow, and the mechanism of flow-induced cell polarity still needs to be elucidated. In this paper, disturbed flow or laminar flow with 15 dyn/cm2 of average shear stress was applied on bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) for 30 minutes. A genetically-encoded PAK-PBD-GFP reporter was transfected into BA…