Search results for "Lucifer"
showing 10 items of 84 documents
Mechanism of activated chemiluminescence of cyclic peroxides: 1,2-dioxetanes and 1,2-dioxetanones
2017
Almost all chemiluminescent and bioluminescent reactions involve cyclic peroxides. The structure of the peroxide and reaction conditions determine the quantum efficiency of light emission. Oxidizable fluorophores, the so-called activators, react with 1,2-dioxetanones promoting the former to their first singlet excited state. This transformation is inefficient and does not occur with 1,2-dioxetanes; however, they have been used as models for the efficient firefly bioluminescence. In this work, we use the SA-CASSCF/CASPT2 method to investigate the activated chemiexcitation of the parent 1,2-dioxetane and 1,2-dioxetanone. Our findings suggest that ground state decomposition of the peroxide com…
An Intronic cis-Regulatory Element Is Crucial for the Alpha Tubulin Pl-Tuba1a Gene Activation in the Ciliary Band and Animal Pole Neurogenic Domains …
2017
In sea urchin development, structures derived from neurogenic territory control the swimming and feeding responses of the pluteus as well as the process of metamorphosis. We have previously isolated an alpha tubulin family member of Paracentrotus lividus (Pl-Tuba1a, formerly known as Pl-Talpha2) that is specifically expressed in the ciliary band and animal pole neurogenic domains of the sea urchin embryo. In order to identify cis-regulatory elements controlling its spatio-temporal expression, we conducted gene transfer experiments, transgene deletions and site specific mutagenesis. Thus, a genomic region of about 2.6 Kb of Pl-Tuba1a, containing four Interspecifically Conserved Regions (ICRs…
Incorporation of mRNA in Lamellar Lipid Matrices for Parenteral Administration
2018
Molecular pharmaceutics 15(2), 642 - 651 (2018). doi:10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.7b01022
Stem Cell-Derived, microRNA-Carrying Extracellular Vesicles: A Novel Approach to Interfering with Mesangial Cell Collagen Production in a Hyperglycae…
2016
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) that are derived from stem cells are proving to be promising therapeutic options. We herein investigate the therapeutic potential of EVs that have been derived from different stem cell sources, bone-marrow (MSC) and human liver (HLSC), on mesangial cells (MCs) exposed to hyperglycaemia. By expressing a dominant negative STAT5 construct (ΔNSTAT5) in HG-cultured MCs, we have demonstrated that miR-21 expression is under the control of STAT5, which translates into Transforming Growth Factor beta (TGFβ) expression and collagen production. A number of approaches have been used to show that both MSC- and HLSC-derived EVs protect MCs from HG-induced damage via the trans…
The murine cytomegalovirus M35 protein antagonizes type I IFN induction downstream of pattern recognition receptors by targeting NF-κB mediated trans…
2017
The type I interferon (IFN) response is imperative for the establishment of the early antiviral immune response. Here we report the identification of the first type I IFN antagonist encoded by murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) that shuts down signaling following pattern recognition receptor (PRR) sensing. Screening of an MCMV open reading frame (ORF) library identified M35 as a novel and strong negative modulator of IFNβ promoter induction following activation of both RNA and DNA cytoplasmic PRR. Additionally, M35 inhibits the proinflammatory cytokine response downstream of Toll-like receptors (TLR). Using a series of luciferase-based reporters with specific transcription factor binding sites, …
MicroRNAs miR-19, miR-340, miR-374 and miR-542 regulate MID1 protein expression.
2018
The MID1 ubiquitin ligase activates mTOR signaling and regulates mRNA translation. Misregulation of MID1 expression is associated with various diseases including midline malformation syndromes, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. While this indicates that MID1 expression must be tightly regulated to prevent disease states specific mechanisms involved have not been identified. We examined miRNAs to determine mechanisms that regulate MID1 expression. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small non-coding RNAs that recognize specific sequences in their target mRNAs. Upon binding, miRNAs typically downregulate expression of these targets. Here, we identified four miRNAs, miR-19, miR-340, miR-374 and miR-542…
Development of a Sensitive Detection Method for Alphaviruses and Its Use as a Virus Neutralization Assay
2021
Alphaviruses have a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA genome that contains two open reading frames encoding either the non-structural or the structural genes. Upon infection, the genomic RNA is translated into the non-structural proteins (nsPs). NsPs are required for viral RNA replication and transcription driven from the subgenomic promoter (sgP). Transfection of an RNA encoding the luciferase gene under the control of the sgP into cells enabled the detection of replication-competent chikungunya virus (CHIKV) or Mayaro virus (MAYV) with high sensitivity as a function of the induced luciferase activity. This assay principle was additionally used to analyze virus-neutralizing antibodies in…
Flashing light in sponges through their siliceous fiber network: A new strategy of “neuronal transmission” in animals
2012
Sponges (phylum Porifera) represent a successful animal taxon that evolved prior to the Ediacaran-Cambrian boundary (542 million years ago). They have developed an almost complete array of cell- and tissue-based interaction systems necessary for the establishment of a functional, multicellular body. However, a network of neurons, one cell/tissue-communication system is missing in sponges. This fact is puzzling and enigmatic, because these animals possess receptors known to be involved in the nervous system in evolutionary younger animal phyla. As an example, the metabotropic glutamate/GABA-like receptor has been identified and cloned by us. Recently, we have identified a novel light transmi…
Genomic organization and promoter characterization of the gene encoding a putative endoplasmic reticulum chaperone, ERp29
2002
Abstract ERp29 is a soluble protein localized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of eukaryotic cells, which is conserved in all mammalian species. The N-terminal domain of ERp29 displays sequence and structural similarity to the protein disulfide isomerase despite the lack of the characteristic double cysteine motif. Although the exact function of ERp29 is not yet known, it was hypothesized that it may facilitate folding and/or export of secretory proteins in/from the ER. ERp29 is induced by ER stress, i.e. accumulation of unfolded proteins in the ER. To gain an insight into the mechanisms regulating ERp29 expression we have cloned and characterized the rat ERp29 gene and studied in details …
Statins and the squalene synthase inhibitor zaragozic acid stimulate the non-amyloidogenic pathway of amyloid-beta protein precursor processing by su…
2010
Cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins influence the proteolytic processing of the amyloid-beta protein precursor (AbetaPP) and are reported to stimulate the activity of alpha-secretase, the major preventive secretase of Alzheimer's disease. Statins can increase the alpha-secretase activity by their cholesterol-lowering properties as well as by impairment of isoprenoids synthesis. In the present study, we elucidate the contribution of these pathways in alpha-secretase activation. We demonstrate that zaragozic acid, a potent inhibitor of squalene synthase which blocks cholesterol synthesis but allows synthesis of isoprenoids, also stimulates alpha-secretase activity. Treatment of human n…