Search results for "Modifications"
showing 10 items of 64 documents
Photoluminescence of Point Defects in Silicon Dioxide by Femtosecond Laser Exposure
2021
The nature of the radiation-induced point defects in amorphous silica is investigated through online photoluminescence (PL) under high intensity ultrashort laser pulses. Using 1030 nm femtosecond laser pulses with a repetition rate of 1 kHz, it is possible to study the induced color centers through their PL signatures monitored during the laser exposure. Their generation is driven by the nonlinear absorption of the light related to the high pulse peak powers provided by femtosecond laser, allowing to probe the optical properties of the laser exposed region. The experiment is conducted as a function of the laser pulse power in samples with different OH contents. The results highlight the dif…
Biomaterial Surface Hydrophobicity-Mediated Serum Protein Adsorption and Immune Responses.
2019
The nature of the protein corona forming on biomaterial surfaces can affect the performance of implanted devices. This study investigated the role of surface chemistry and wettability on human serum-derived protein corona formation on biomaterial surfaces and the subsequent effects on the cellular innate immune response. Plasma polymerization, a substrate-independent technique, was employed to create nanothin coatings with four specific chemical functionalities and a spectrum of surface charges and wettability. The amount and type of protein adsorbed was strongly influenced by surface chemistry and wettability but did not show any dependence on surface charge. An enhanced adsorption of the …
From Microorganism-Based Amperometric Biosensors towards Microbial Fuel Cells
2021
This review focuses on the overview of microbial amperometric biosensors and microbial biofuel cells (MFC) and shows how very similar principles are applied for the design of both types of these bioelectronics-based devices. Most microorganism-based amperometric biosensors show poor specificity, but this drawback can be exploited in the design of microbial biofuel cells because this enables them to consume wider range of chemical fuels. The efficiency of the charge transfer is among the most challenging and critical issues during the development of any kind of biofuel cell. In most cases, particular redox mediators and nanomaterials are applied for the facilitation of charge transfer from a…
Small genomes and the difficulty to define minimal translation and metabolic machineries
2015
The notion of minimal life has sparked the interest of scientists in different fields, ranging from the origin-of-life research to biotechnology-oriented synthetic biology. Whether the interest is focused on the emergence of protocells out of prebiotic systems or the design of a cell chassis ready to incorporate new devices and functions, proposing minimal combinations of genes for life is not a trivial task. Using comparative genomics and biochemistry of endosymbionts (i.e., intracellular mutualistic symbionts) and intracellular parasites, a decade ago we proposed the core of a minimal gene set for a simple heterotrophic cell adapted to a chemically complex environment. In this work, we di…
Nanocarrier based on halloysite and fluorescent probe for intracellular delivery of peptide nucleic acids
2022
The development of systems able to deliver genetic material into a target site is a challenge for modern medicine. Single-stranded peptide nucleic acids have attracted attention as promising therapeutic molecules for diagnostic and gene therapy. However, their poor cell membrane permeability represents a drawback for biomedical applications. Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) are emerging materials in drug delivery applications both for their ability to penetrate cell membranes and for enhancing the solubility of drugs in biological media. Herein, we report the first example of the use of a nanocarrier based on halloysite labelled with fluorescent switchable halochromic oxazine molecules, to deliv…
Curcumin Affects HSP60 Folding Activity and Levels in Neuroblastoma Cells.
2020
The fundamental challenge in fighting cancer is the development of protective agents able to interfere with the classical pathways of malignant transformation, such as extracellular matrix remodeling, epithelial−mesenchymal transition and, alteration of protein homeostasis. In the tumors of the brain, proteotoxic stress represents one of the main triggering agents for cell transformation. Curcumin is a natural compound with anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties with promising potential for the development of therapeutic drugs for the treatment of cancer as well as neurodegenerative diseases. Among the mediators of cancer development, HSP60 is a key factor for the maintenance of…
Editorial: The Role of Protein Post-Translational Modifications in Protein-RNA Interactions and RNP Assemblies
2022
The Expanding Constellation of Histone Post-Translational Modifications in the Epigenetic Landscape
2021
The emergence of a nucleosome-based chromatin structure accompanied the evolutionary transition from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. In this scenario, histones became the heart of the complex and precisely timed coordination between chromatin architecture and functions during adaptive responses to environmental influence by means of epigenetic mechanisms. Notably, such an epigenetic machinery involves an overwhelming number of post-translational modifications at multiple residues of core and linker histones. This review aims to comprehensively describe old and recent evidence in this exciting field of research. In particular, histone post-translational modification establishing/removal mechanism…
Modification of hosts' behavior by a parasite: field evidence for adaptive manipulation.
2007
9 pages; International audience; Parasites relying on trophic transmission to complete their life cycles often induce modifications of their host's behavior in ways that may increase their susceptibility to predation by final hosts. These modifications have often been interpreted as parasite adaptations, but very few studies have demonstrated that host manipulation has fitness benefits for the parasite. The aim of the present study was to address the adaptive significance of parasite manipulation by coupling observations of behavioral manipulation to estimates of trophic transmission to the definitive host in the natural environment. We show that the acanthocephalan parasite Pomphorhynchus …