Search results for "Vertebrate"
showing 10 items of 830 documents
Okadaic Acid, an Apoptogenic Toxin for Symbiotic/Parasitic Annelids in the Demosponge Suberites domuncula
2006
ABSTRACT The role of okadaic acid (OA) in the defense system of the marine demosponge Suberites domuncula against symbiotic/parasitic annelids was examined. Bacteria within the mesohyl produced okadaic acid at concentrations between 32 ng/g and 58 ng/g of tissue (wet weight). By immunocytochemical methods and by use of antibodies against OA, we showed that the toxin was intracellularly stored in vesicles. Western blotting experiments demonstrated that OA also existed bound to a protein with a molecular weight of 35,000 which was tentatively identified as a galectin (by application of antigalectin antibodies). Annelids that are found in S. domuncula undergo apoptotic cell death. OA is one ca…
PCR survey ofXenoturbella bockiHox genes
2007
Xenoturbella bocki has recently been identified as one of the most basal deuterostomes, although an even more basal phylogenetic position cannot be ruled out. Here we report on a polymerase chain reaction survey of partial Hox homeobox sequences of X. bocki. Surprisingly, we did not find evidence for more than five Hox genes, one clear labial/PG1 ortholog, one posterior gene most similar to the PG9/10 genes of Ambulacraria, and three central group genes whose precise assignment to a specific paralog group remains open. We furthermore report on a re-evaluation of the available published evidence of Hox genes in other basal deuterostomes.
Evidence for differential and redundant function of the Sox genes Dichaete and SoxN during CNS development in Drosophila.
2002
Group B Sox-domain proteins encompass a class of conserved DNA-binding proteins expressed from the earliest stages of metazoan CNS development. In all higher organisms studied to date, related Group B Sox proteins are co-expressed in the developing CNS; in vertebrates there are three (Sox1, Sox2 and Sox3) and in Drosophila there are two (SoxNeuro and Dichaete). It has been suggested there may be a degree of functional redundancy in Sox function during CNS development. We describe the CNS phenotype of a null mutation in the Drosophila SoxNeuro gene and provide the first direct evidence for both redundant and differential Sox function during CNS development in Drosophila. In the lateral neuro…
Neuroglobin, cytoglobin, and a novel, eye-specific globin from chicken
2004
Neuroglobin and cytoglobin are two recently discovered respiratory proteins of vertebrates. Here we report the first identification and expression analyses of these proteins in bird species. Neuroglobin from the domestic chicken Gallus gallus differs in approximately 30% from the mammalian proteins, but its genome structure shows the conservation of the B12.2, E11.0, and G7.0 intron positions. The chicken cytoglobin protein is shorter than the mammalian orthologs, from which it differs overall by approximately 25%, due to the absence of the C-terminal exon in the gene. Comparison of chicken and mammalian gene order shows that neuroglobin and cytoglobin are located on conserved syntenic chro…
Acetylcholinesterase activity in juvenileCiona intestinalis(Ascidiacea, Urochordata) after exposure to tributyltin
2012
The acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity has been studied in 4-day post-fertilization juveniles of Ciona intestinalis exposed to tributyltin (TBT) at 10-5 M using the histochemical method of Karnovsky and Roots. Relative to vertebrate tissues and organs, the development of adult form of ascidians is interesting, because the analysis of many nuclear genes indicated that the ascidians are the closest living relatives of the vertebrates. Therefore, toxicity research using different approaches could provide data for comparative studies with vertebrates. AChE is over-expressed under chemical stress and in some diseases of vertebrates. Therefore, AChE is considered a biomarker of environmental co…
Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors
2020
Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are key components of the epigenetic machinery controlling gene expression. They are involved in chromatin remodeling events via post-translational histone modifications but may also act on nonhistone proteins, influencing many fundamental cellular processes. Due to the key involvement of HDACs in serious human pathologies, including cancer, HDAC inhibitors (HDACis) have received increased attention in recent years. It is known that marine invertebrates produce significant amounts of secondary metabolites showing active pharmacological properties and an extensive spectrum of biomedical applications. Some of these compounds possess HDACi properties.
Ecology and extent of freshwater browning - What we know and what should be studied next in the context of global change
2022
Water browning or brownification refers to increasing water color, often related to increasing dissolved organic matter (DOM) and carbon (DOC) content in freshwaters. Browning has been recognized as a significant physicochemical phenomenon altering boreal lakes, but our understanding of its ecological consequences in different freshwater habitats and regions is limited. Here, we review the consequences of browning on different freshwater habitats, food webs and aquatic-terrestrial habitat coupling. We examine global trends of browning and DOM/DOC, and the use of remote sensing as a tool to investigate browning from local to global scales. Studies have focused on lakes and rivers while seldo…
Use of artificial substrates for sampling benthic macroinvertebrates in the assessment of water quality of large lowland rivers
2004
The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the usefulness of the artificial substrate sampler in collecting macroinvertebrates for water quality assessment of Polish lowland rivers. This paper presents the results of a comparative study between two different sampling techniques, i.e. nettings filled with brick as artificial substrates and handnet sampling. The validity of applying the biotic index method is also demonstrated. The Belgian Biotic Index (BBI) method and the lower Nysa Kłodzka river were chosen for study. Macroinvertebrates were collected seasonally at five sampling sites. Although some invertebrate taxa revealed a specific preference for one of the two tested sampling…
Evolution of vertebrate survival circuits
2018
Evolution selects those adaptive features that increase reproductive probabilities and facilitate survival. Analysing the brain circuits mediating risk-avoidance (e.g. defense) and those allowing reward-seeking (motivated) behaviours in different vertebrates leads to several main conclusions. First, circuits mediating risk-avoidance are similar in all studied vertebrates, where they include amygdala homologues located in the posterior half of the cerebral hemispheres, in close relationship with the chemosensory systems. Second, in all vertebrates, reward-seeking behaviours involve the activity of tegmento-striatal dopaminergic pathways, plus other inputs to the ventral striatum, including a…
Biological activities of the extracts from macroalgae Carpodesmia crinita, Carpodesmia brachycarpa, Asparagopsis taxiformis
2023
Marine species represent a rich source of biologically active products that can be used in various fields. Among them, marine algae produce numerous secondary metabolites responsible for different biological activities such as: immunomodulatory [1], antioxidant [2], and antimicrobial [3]. The aim of this study was chemically characterizing the extracts of three macroalgae species: Carpodesmia crinite (Duby) Orellana & Sansón, 2019, Carpodesmia brachycarpa (J. Agardh) Orellana & Sansón 2019, Asparagopsis taxiformis (Delile) Trevisan 1845 and evaluate their biological activities. The characterization of the secondary metabolites was performed by HPLC-MS and the results obtained showed…