Search results for "OTR"
showing 10 items of 6791 documents
Reconstruction of Diverse Verrucomicrobial Genomes from Metagenome Datasets of Freshwater Reservoirs
2017
The phylum Verrucomicrobia contains freshwater representatives which remain poorly studied at the genomic, taxonomic, and ecological levels. In this work we present eighteen new reconstructed verrucomicrobial genomes from two freshwater reservoirs located close to each other (Tous and Amadorio, Spain). These metagenomeassembled genomes (MAGs) display a remarkable taxonomic diversity inside the phylum and comprise wide ranges of estimated genome sizes (from 1.8 to 6 Mb). Among all Verrucomicrobia studied we found some of the smallest genomes of the Spartobacteria and Opitutae classes described so far. Some of the Opitutae family MAGs were small, cosmopolitan, with a general heterotrophic met…
Physical–chemical properties of biogenic selenium nanostructures produced by stenotrophomonas maltophilia SeITE02 and ochrobactrum sp. MPV1
2018
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia SeITE02 and Ochrobactrum sp. MPV1 were isolated from the rhizosphere soil of the selenium-hyperaccumulator legume Astragalus bisulcatus and waste material from a dumping site for roasted pyrites, respectively. Here, these bacterial strains were studied as cell factories to generate selenium-nanostructures (SeNS) under metabolically controlled growth conditions. Thus, a defined medium (DM) containing either glucose or pyruvate as carbon and energy source along with selenite (SeO23−) was tested to evaluate bacterial growth, oxyanion bioconversion and changes occurring in SeNS features with respect to those generated by these strains grown on rich media. Transmissi…
Gut dysbiosis and adaptive immune response in diet-induced obesity vs. Systemic inflammation
2017
A mutual interplay exists between adaptive immune system and gut microbiota. Altered gut microbial ecosystems are associated with the metabolic syndrome, occurring in most obese individuals. However, it is unknown why 10-25% of obese individuals are metabolically healthy, while normal weight individuals can develop inflammation and atherosclerosis. We modelled these specific metabolic conditions in mice fed with a chow diet, an obesogenic but not inflammatory diet - mimicking healthy obesity, or Paigen diet - mimicking inflammation in the lean subjects. We analysed a range of markers and cytokines in the aorta, heart, abdominal fat, liver and spleen, and metagenomics analyses were performed…
Mitochondria during sea urchin oogenesis.
2017
SummarySea urchin represents an ideal model for studies on fertilization and early development, but the achievement of egg competence and mitochondrial behaviour during oogenesis remain to be enlightened. Oocytes of echinoid, such as sea urchin, unlike other echinoderms and other systems, complete meiotic maturation before fertilization. Mitochondria, the powerhouse of eukaryotic cells, contain a multi-copy of the maternally inherited genome, and are involved directly at several levels in the reproductive processes, as their functional status influences the quality of oocytes and contributes to fertilization and embryogenesis. In the present paper, we report our latest data on mitochondrial…
Differential subcellular expression of P525LFUS as a putative biomarker for ALS phenoconversion
2020
P525LFused-in-Sarcoma ( FUS ) mutation is associated with a specific amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) phenotype characterized by a juvenile-onset and a severe course.1 This harmful point mutation is located in the nuclear localization signal (NLS) domain at the protein C-terminal.2 Although wild-type FUS protein is expressed almost exclusively in the nucleus, the P525L FUS mutation leads to a protein mislocalization into the cytoplasm3,4 because of its loss of capacity to bind its transporter karyopherin-2 and to be transferred back to the nucleus.3
An imbalance between specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators and pro-inflammatory leukotrienes promotes instability of atherosclerotic plaques
2016
Chronic unresolved inflammation plays a causal role in the development of advanced atherosclerosis, but the mechanisms that prevent resolution in atherosclerosis remain unclear. Here, we use targeted mass spectrometry to identify specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators (SPM) in histologically-defined stable and vulnerable regions of human carotid atherosclerotic plaques. The levels of SPMs, particularly resolvin D1 (RvD1), and the ratio of SPMs to pro-inflammatory leukotriene B4 (LTB4), are significantly decreased in the vulnerable regions. SPMs are also decreased in advanced plaques of fat-fed Ldlr−/− mice. Administration of RvD1 to these mice during plaque progression restores the RvD1:…
Effects of acetyl-l-carnitine in diabetic neuropathy and other geriatric disorders
2018
A long history of diabetes mellitus and increasing age are associated with the onset of diabetic neuropathy, a painful and highly disabling complication with a prevalence peaking at 50% among elderly diabetic patients. Acetyl-l-carnitine (ALC) is a molecule derived from the acetylation of carnitine in the mitochondria that has an essential role in energy production. It has recently been proposed as a therapy to improve the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. ALC is widely distributed in mammalian tissues, including the brain, blood–brain barrier, brain neurons, and astrocytes. Aside from its metabolic activity, ALC has demonstrated cytoprotective, antioxidant, and antiapoptotic effects in the …
Homeostatic interplay between electrical activity and neuronal apoptosis in the developing neocortex
2017
An intriguing feature of nervous system development in most animal species is that the initial number of generated neurons is higher than the number of neurons incorporated into mature circuits. A substantial portion of neurons is indeed eliminated via apoptosis during a short time window - in rodents the first two postnatal weeks. While it is well established that neurotrophic factors play a central role in controlling neuronal survival and apoptosis in the peripheral nervous system (PNS), the situation is less clear in the central nervous system (CNS). In postnatal rodent neocortex, the peak of apoptosis coincides with the occurrence of spontaneous, synchronous activity patterns. In this …
Allopregnanolone augments epileptiform activity of an in-vitro mouse hippocampal preparation in the first postnatal week.
2019
Abstract In the immature brain the neurotransmitter γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) mediates a membrane depolarization and can contribute to both, inhibition and excitation. Therefore the consequences of a positive modulation of GABA(A) receptors by neurosteroids on epileptiform activity are hard to predict. In order to analyze whether neurosteroids attenuate or exaggerate epileptiform activity in the immature brain, we investigated the effect of the neurosteroid allopregnanolone on epileptiform activity in an in-toto hippocampus preparation of early postnatal mice (postnatal days 4–7) using field potential recordings. These in-vitro experiments revealed that 0.5 μmol/L allopregnanolone had no …
Auxiliary α2δ1 and α2δ3 Subunits of Calcium Channels Drive Excitatory and Inhibitory Neuronal Network Development
2020
VGCCs are multisubunit complexes that play a crucial role in neuronal signaling. Auxiliary α2δ subunits of VGCCs modulate trafficking and biophysical properties of the pore-forming α1 subunit and trigger excitatory synaptogenesis. Alterations in the expression level of α2δ subunits were implicated in several syndromes and diseases, including chronic neuropathic pain, autism, and epilepsy. However, the contribution of distinct α2δ subunits to excitatory/inhibitory imbalance and aberrant network connectivity characteristic for these pathologic conditions remains unclear. Here, we show that α2δ1 overexpression enhances spontaneous neuronal network activity in developing and mature cultures of …