Search results for "Gene expression."
showing 10 items of 4076 documents
Modulation of voltage-gated Na+ and K+ channels by pumiliotoxin 251D: A “joint venture” alkaloid from arthropods and amphibians
2008
Abstract Certain amphibians provide themselves with a chemical defense by accumulating lipophilic alkaloids into skin glands from dietary arthropods. Examples of such alkaloids are pumiliotoxins (PTXs). In general, PTXs are known as positive modulators of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs). Unlike other PTXs, PTX 251D does not share this characteristic. However, mice and insect studies showed that PTX 251D is highly toxic and to date the basis of its toxicity remains unknown. In this work, we searched for the possible target of PTX 251D . The toxin was therefore made synthetically and tested on four VGSCs (mammalian rNa v 1.2/β 1 , rNa v 1.4/β 1 , hNa v 1.5/β 1 and insect Para/tipE ) and…
When the nose must remain responsive: glutathione conjugation of the mammary pheromone in the newborn rabbit
2014
In insects, xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes were demonstrated to regulate pheromones inactivation, clearing them from the olfactory periphery and keeping receptors ready for stimulation renewal. Here, we investigate whether similar processes could occur in mammals, focusing on the pheromonal communication between female rabbits and their newborns. Lactating rabbits emit in their milk a volatile aldehyde, 2-methylbut-2-enal, that elicits searching-grasping in neonates; called the mammary pheromone (MP), it is critical for pups which are constrained to find nipples within the 5 min of daily nursing. For newborns, it is thus essential to remain sensitive to this odorant during the whole nursin…
Complete genome sequence of the hydrogenotrophic, methanogenic archaeon Methanoculleus bourgensis strain MS2(T), Isolated from a sewage sludge digest…
2012
ABSTRACT Methanoculleus bourgensis , of the order Methanomicrobiales , is a dominant methanogenic archaeon in many biogas-producing reactor systems fed with renewable primary products. It is capable of synthesizing methane via the hydrogenotrophic pathway utilizing hydrogen and carbon dioxide or formate as the substrates. Here we report the complete and finished genome sequence of M. bourgensis strain MS2 T , isolated from a sewage sludge digester.
Adaptive evolution of wine yeast.
2003
Abstract Alcoholic fermentation is one of the main phases in wine production. It is usually conducted by yeasts belonging to the species Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Industrial S. cerevisiae strains are highly specialized organisms, which have evolved to utilize to their full potential the different environments or ecological niches. So, during the alcoholic fermentation, the yeast has been adapted to different kinds of stress conditions; this adaptation is call “domestication”. In this review, we describe the different mechanisms involved in the adaptive evolution of wine yeast strains.
Histamine, histidine, and growth-phase mediated regulation of the histidine decarboxylase gene in lactic acid bacteria isolated from wine
2006
Fermented foods are frequently contaminated by histamine that is generated by microorganisms with histidine decarboxylase activity. The ingestion of large amounts of histamine can cause serious toxicological problems in humans. A study of the effects of histamine, histidine, and growth phase on histamine production by lactic acid bacteria isolated from wine is reported here. With northern blots and specific activity analysis, we observed that histidine induces the expression of the histidine decarboxylase gene (hdc) and that histamine causes a decrease in the expression of this gene. The expression of hdc is also mediated by the bacterial growth phase. Histidine and histamine do not affect …
Effects of postharvest partial dehydration and prolonged treatments with ethylene on transcript profiling in skins of wine grape berries.
2010
For certain food products, postharvest controlled stresses or treatments with specific elicitors are applied to induce desired physical/chemical changes and/or to positively affect phytochemical content. This is the case of wine grapes where both strategies, singularly applied or coupled, can be used to modulate berry composition and, as a consequence, affect wine quality traits. Since the knowledge of the effects of these postharvest treatments on berry metabolism and the regulation of gene expression is very limited, a large-scale transcriptome analysis has been carried out, using an oligo-based microarray (14,562 probes) on skins of wine grape (Vitis vinifera L.) berries subjected to deh…
Red wine increases the expression of human endothelial nitric oxide synthase
2003
Abstract Objectives The study tested the effect of red wine on endothelial-type nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression and eNOS activity in human endothelial cells. Background Endothelial-type nitric oxide (NO) synthase exerts vasoprotective effects. Moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with a reduction of cardiovascular disease, and red wine seems to offer more benefits than any other type of drink. However, the molecular basis of this protective effect is unclear. Methods Human endothelial cells were treated with red wine, and eNOS messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression was measured by RNase protection assay, eNOS protein expression by Western blotting, and eNOS activit…
A sequence motif enriched in regions bound by the Drosophila dosage compensation complex
2010
Abstract Background In Drosophila melanogaster, dosage compensation is mediated by the action of the dosage compensation complex (DCC). How the DCC recognizes the fly X chromosome is still poorly understood. Characteristic sequence signatures at all DCC binding sites have not hitherto been found. Results In this study, we compare the known binding sites of the DCC with oligonucleotide profiles that measure the specificity of the sequences of the D. melanogaster X chromosome. We show that the X chromosome regions bound by the DCC are enriched for a particular type of short, repetitive sequences. Their distribution suggests that these sequences contribute to chromosome recognition, the genera…
Global patterns of sequence evolution in Drosophila.
2007
This article is available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/8/408
Expression of the human XPB/ERCC-3 excision repair gene-homolog in the sponge Geodia cydonium after exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
1998
Abstract The marine demosponge Geodia cydonium encodes a gene, termed GCXPB , which displays 62% identity to the human XPB/ERCC-3 gene that specifically corrects the repair defect in xeroderma pigmentosum and in Cockayne's syndrome. The cDNA was isolated and characterized the deduced aa sequence, XPB_GEOCY, with the calculated size of 91,541 Da comprises the characteristic domains found in the related helicases. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that the sponge sequence is grouped to the metazoan related XPB/ERCC-3 polypeptides. Northern Blot analyses have been performed with sponge samples collected at different depths, thus exposed to different intensities of UV sunlight in the field. T…