Search results for "Structure and function"
showing 10 items of 38 documents
Pore structure and function of synthetic nanopores with fixed charges: tip shape and rectification properties
2011
We present a complete theoretical study of the relationship between the structure (tip shape and dimensions) and function (selectivity and rectification) of asymmetric nanopores on the basis of previous experimental studies. The theoretical model uses a continuum approach based on the Nernst-Planck equations. According to our results, the nanopore transport properties, such as current-voltage (I-V) characteristics, conductance, rectification ratio, and selectivity, are dictated mainly by the shape of the pore tip (we have distinguished bullet-like, conical, trumpet-like, and hybrid shapes) and the concentration of pore surface charges. As a consequence, the nanopore performance in practical…
Structure and function of human BMAL1–CLOCK–DNA complex
2011
Shedding light on typical species: Implications for habitat monitoring
2021
Habitat monitoring in Europe is regulated by Article 17 of the Habitats Directive, which suggests the use of typical species to assess habitat conservation status. Yet, the Directive uses the term “typical” species but does not provide a definition, either for its use in reporting or for its use in impact assessments. To address the issue, an online workshop was organized by the Italian Society for Vegetation Science (SISV) to shed light on the diversity of perspectives regarding the different concepts of typical species, and to discuss the possible implications for habitat monitoring. To this aim, we inquired 73 people with a very different degree of expertise in the field of veget…
Chromatin modifiers and recombination factors promote a telomere fold-back structure, that is lost during replicative senescence.
2020
Telomeres have the ability to adopt a lariat conformation and hence, engage in long and short distance intra-chromosome interactions. Budding yeast telomeres were proposed to fold back into subtelomeric regions, but a robust assay to quantitatively characterize this structure has been lacking. Therefore, it is not well understood how the interactions between telomeres and non-telomeric regions are established and regulated. We employ a telomere chromosome conformation capture (Telo-3C) approach to directly analyze telomere folding and its maintenance in S. cerevisiae. We identify the histone modifiers Sir2, Sin3 and Set2 as critical regulators for telomere folding, which suggests that a dis…
The relationship between genetic risk variants with brain structure and function in bipolar disorder: A systematic review of genetic-neuroimaging stu…
2017
Genetic-neuroimaging paradigms could provide insights regarding the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder (BD). Nevertheless, findings have been inconsistent across studies. A systematic review of gene-imaging studies involving individuals with BD was conducted across electronic major databases from inception until January 9th, 2017. Forty-four studies met eligibility criteria (N = 2122 BD participants). Twenty-six gene variants were investigated across candidate gene studies and 4 studies used a genome-wide association approach. Replicated evidence (i.e. in >2 studies) suggests that individuals with BD carrying the BDNF Val66Met risk allele could have reduced hippocampal volumes compared …
Intra-individual variability in task performance after cognitive training is associated with long-term outcomes in children
2020
AbstractThe benefits and mechanistic effects of working memory training in children are the subject of much research and debate. The cumulative evidence indicates that training can alter brain structure and function in the short term and have lasting effects on behaviour. We show that five weeks of working memory training led to greater activity in prefrontal and striatal brain regions, better accuracy, and reduced intra-individual variability in response times. The reduction in intra-individual variability can be explained by changes to the evidence accumulation rates and thresholds in a sequential sampling decision model. Critically, intra-individual variability was more closely associate…
Seasonal dynamics of the bacterial community in forest soils under different quantities of leaf litter
2010
International audience; Soil microbial communities play an important role in soil carbon functioning, particularly in forest ecosystems. Their variation in response to climate change may affect soil carbon processes, highlighting the importance of understanding how environmental factors affect microbial communities. This study aimed to determine to what extent an increase in the quantity of fresh litter may affect heterotrophic mineralization of organic carbon and bacterial community structure in soil and litter. A litter manipulation experiment was performed in situ in a temperate deciduous forest. Three treatments of fresh litter inputs were considered: litter exclusion, natural condition…
Protein S-nitrosylation: specificity and identification strategies in plants
2015
SPE Pôle IPM UB; International audience; The role of nitric oxide (NO) as a major regulator of plant physiological functions has become increasingly evident. To further improve our understanding of its role, within the last few years plant biologists have begun to embrace the exciting opportunity of investigating protein S-nitrosylation, a major reversible NO-dependent post-translational modification (PTM) targeting specific Cys residues and widely studied in animals. Thanks to the development of dedicated proteomic approaches, in particular the use of the biotin switch technique (BST) combined with mass spectrometry, hundreds of plant protein candidates for S-nitrosylation have been identi…
Prenatal exposure to cannabinoids evokes long-lasting functional alterations by targeting CB 1 receptors on developing cortical neurons
2015
The CB1 cannabinoid receptor, the main target of Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the most prominent psychoactive compound of marijuana, plays a crucial regulatory role in brain development as evidenced by the neurodevelopmental consequences of its manipulation in animal models. Likewise, recreational cannabis use during pregnancy affects brain structure and function of the progeny. However, the precise neurobiological substrates underlying the consequences of prenatal THC exposure remain unknown. As CB1 signaling is known to modulate long-range corticofugal connectivity, we analyzed the impact of THC exposure on cortical projection neuron development. THC administration to pregnant mice in…
Introduction: Protein Oligomerization and the Formation of Macromolecular Assemblies
2019
The ability of biomolecules to link together to form higher order assemblies underlies much of cellular structure and function. Here we emphasise protein oligomerisation and discuss some of the principles of molecular interaction, from early considerations through to the present day. A few protein examples are presented, selected from our research interests, to highlight assembly features, ranging from the hemoglobins, the hemocyanins to the peroxiredoxins, collagen, the encapsulins and ferritins.