Search results for "genetics [Proteoglycans]"

The Role of Autophagy in Eye Diseases

2021

Autophagy is a catabolic process that ensures homeostasis in the cells of our organism. It plays a crucial role in protecting eye cells against oxidative damage and external stress factors. Ocular pathologies of high incidence, such as age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy are of multifactorial origin and are associated with genetic, environmental factors, age, and oxidative stress, among others; the latter factor is one of the most influential in ocular diseases, directly affecting the processes of autophagy activity. Alteration of the normal functioning of autophagy processes can interrupt organelle turnover, leading to the accumulation of cellula…

Retinal Vibrations in Bacteriorhodopsin are Mechanically Harmonic but Electrically Anharmonic: Evidence From Overtone and Combination Bands

2021

Fundamental vibrations of the chromophore in the membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin (BR), a protonated Schiff base retinal, have been studied for decades, both by resonance Raman and by infrared (IR) difference spectroscopy. Such studies started comparing vibrational changes between the initial BR state (all-trans retinal) and the K intermediate (13-cis retinal), being later extended to the rest of intermediates. They contributed to our understanding of the proton-pumping mechanism of BR by exploiting the sensitivity of fundamental vibrational transitions of the retinal to its conformation. Here, we report on new bands in the 2,500 to 1,800 cm−1 region of the K-BR difference FT-IR spectrum.…

A globally relevant stock of soil nitrogen in the Yedoma permafrost domain

2022

AbstractNitrogen regulates multiple aspects of the permafrost climate feedback, including plant growth, organic matter decomposition, and the production of the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide. Despite its importance, current estimates of permafrost nitrogen are highly uncertain. Here, we compiled a dataset of >2000 samples to quantify nitrogen stocks in the Yedoma domain, a region with organic-rich permafrost that contains ~25% of all permafrost carbon. We estimate that the Yedoma domain contains 41.2 gigatons of nitrogen down to ~20 metre for the deepest unit, which increases the previous estimate for the entire permafrost zone by ~46%. Approximately 90% of this nitrogen (37 gigaton…

[Et4N][7-Me2S-nido-B11H12]

2003

Tetraethylammonium 7-dimethylsulfanyl-nido-dodecahydroundecaborate, [Et(4)N][7-Me(2)S-nido-B(11)H(12)] or C(8)H(20)N(+).C(2)H(18)B(11)S(-), is a product of the deprotonation of [7-Me(2)S-nido-B(11)H(13)] with KHBEt(3) and precipitation with tetraethylammonium chloride. The effect of removing one endo-terminal H atom is to cause a general contraction of the open-face B-B distances.

Pheromone-binding proteins of scarab beetles.

1998

: We have characterized Pheromone binding proteins (PBPs) present in the antennae of several species of scarab beetles. In most cases there was only one class of PBP, which was expressed in both sexes. Both Anomala osakana and Popillia japonica possess a single PBP, highly homologous to each other. In each species the same PBP seems to recognize both enantiomers of japonilure, which have opposite biological functions, i.e., the sex Pheromone and the behavioral antagonist (stop signal). The purified PBP of A. osakana binds both enantiomers apparently with the same low affinity. Unexpectedly, these ligands were bound by moth PBPs, which utilize Pheromones with unrelated structures. These find…

Clinical relevance of antiphospholipid antibodies in primary biliary cirrhosis.

2005

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a cholestatic liver disease characterized by the presence of antimitochondrial autoantibodies (AMAs), but also with reactivities to other autoantigens. Recent studies showed that antibodies to phospholipids (APAs) represent an important group of autoantibodies identified in patients with PBC. In this study different types of APAs were identified in the sera of patients with PBC and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and control subjects. Sera from patients with PBC and AIH were tested for the presence of antibodies directed against cardiolipin (CL), phosphatidylserine (PS), and to beta(2)-glycoprotein I (beta(2)-GPI). Furthermore, an in-house test for antithrombop…

Photosynthesis and Transpiration in Damaged and Undamaged Spruce Trees

1996

Abstract The investigations presented here focus on the CO2/H2O gas exchange in damaged and undamaged spruce trees while using open-air measurements as well as measurements under defined conditions in the laboratory. The studies were performed at two different sites in the Hunsrück and the Westerwald mountains. In the laboratory the CO2/H2O gas exchange was measured on detached branches under controlled conditions in the course of two years. CO2 saturation curves were also generated. In addition CO2 compensation points were deter­ mined employing a closed system. In the natural habitat diurnal course measurements of photosynthesis and transpiration as well as light-saturation curves for pho…

The Soluble Interleukin-6 Receptora

2006

Cellular and Subcellular Localization of Peroxidase Isoenzymes in Plants and Cell Suspension Cultures from Lupinus polyphyllus

1989

Abstract , leaf protoplasts and cell suspension cultures of Lupinus polyphyllus and isolated vacuoles were studied for cellular and subcellular localization of peroxidase isoenzymes. Isoelectric focusing revealed 16 peroxidase isoenzymes. The basic peroxidase isoenzymes are predominantly localized in the vacuole and, to a minor degree, unbound in the intercellular space. The acidic isoenzymes are cell wall-bound in plants and not detectable in suspension-cultured cells. Large amounts (up to 11.0 U/ml) of a single basic isoenzyme are detectable in the spent medium of cell suspension cultures.

Surface Modification of Porous Polyethylene Implants with an Albumin-Based Nanocarrier-Release System

2021

Background: Porous polyethylene (PPE) implants are used for the reconstruction of tissue defects but have a risk of rejection in case of insufficient ingrowth into the host tissue. Various growth factors can promote implant ingrowth, yet a long-term gradient is a prerequisite for the mediation of these effects. As modification of the implant surface with nanocarriers may facilitate a long-term gradient by sustained factor release, implants modified with crosslinked albumin nanocarriers were evaluated in vivo. Methods: Nanocarriers from murine serum albumin (MSA) were prepared by an inverse miniemulsion technique encapsulating either a low- or high-molar mass fluorescent cargo. PPE implants …