Search results for "lcsh:QH301-705.5"
showing 10 items of 993 documents
The ascidian prophenoloxidase activating system
2009
Phenoloxidases/tyrosinases initiate melanin synthesis in almost all organisms, and are involved in different biological activities such as the colour change of human hair and the browning or blackening of fruit skin etc. In many invertebrates, defence reactions are linked to phenoloxidase activity and/or melanization. Contacts with foreign molecules are able to trigger the prophenoloxidase (proPO) system that requires serine protease cleavage for activating the zymogen to phenoloxidase (PO). It is generally accepted that the proPO system is fully expressed in arthropods, and, recently, progress in the regulation of crustacean and insect proPO activation steps have been achieved. After cells…
Sigma-1 Receptor Activation Induces Autophagy and Increases Proteostasis Capacity In Vitro and In Vivo
2019
Dysfunction of autophagy and disturbed protein homeostasis are linked to the pathogenesis of human neurodegenerative diseases and the modulation of autophagy as the protein clearance process has become one key pharmacological target. Due to the role of sigma-1 receptors (Sig-1R) in learning and memory, and the described pleiotropic neuroprotective effects in various experimental paradigms, Sig-1R activation is recognized as one potential approach for prevention and therapy of neurodegeneration and, interestingly, in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis associated with mutated Sig-1R, autophagy is disturbed. Here we analyzed the effects of tetrahydro-N,N-dimethyl-2,2-diphenyl-3-furanmethanamine hyd…
Heavy Metals and Metalloids as Autophagy Inducing Agents: Focus on Cadmium and Arsenic
2012
In recent years, research on the autophagic process has greatly increased, invading the fields of biology and medicine. Several markers of the autophagic process have been discovered and various strategies have been reported studying this molecular process in different biological systems in both physiological and stress conditions. Furthermore, mechanisms of metalloid- or heavy metal-induced toxicity continue to be of interest given the ubiquitous nature and distribution of these contaminants in the environment where they often play the role of pollutants of numerous organisms. The aim of this review is a critical analysis and correlation of knowledge of autophagic mechanisms studied under …
Novel Insights into the Cellular Localization and Regulation of the Autophagosomal Proteins LC3A, LC3B and LC3C
2020
Macroautophagy is a conserved degradative process for maintaining cellular homeostasis and plays a key role in aging and various human disorders. The microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B light chain 3B (MAP1LC3B or LC3B) is commonly analyzed as a key marker for autophagosomes and as a proxy for autophagic flux. Three paralogues of the LC3 gene exist in humans: LC3A, LC3B and LC3C. The molecular function, regulation and cellular localization of LC3A and LC3C have not been investigated frequently, even if a similar function to that described for LC3B appears likely. Here, we have selectively decapacitated LC3B by three separate strategies in primary human fibroblasts and analyzed the evoked e…
Strengthening of Masonry Columns with BFRCM or with Steel Wires: An Experimental Study
2016
Nowadays, innovative materials are more frequently adopted for strengthening historical constructions and masonry structures. The target of these techniques is to improve the structural efficiency with retrofitting methods while having a reduced aesthetical impact. In particular, the use of basalt fiber together with a cementitious matrix emerges as a new technique. This kind of fiber is obtained by basalt rock without other components, and consequently it could be considered a natural material, compatible with masonry. Another innovative technique for strengthening masonry columns consists of applying steel wires in the correspondence of mortar joints. Both techniques have been recently pr…
Porifera Lectins: diversity, physiological roles and biotechnological potential
2015
An overview on the diversity of 39 lectins from the phylum Porifera is presented, including 38 lectins, which were identified from the class of demosponges, and one lectin from the class of hexactinellida. Their purification from crude extracts was mainly performed by using affinity chromatography and gel filtration techniques. Other protocols were also developed in order to collect and study sponge lectins, including screening of sponge genomes and expression in heterologous bacterial systems. The characterization of the lectins was performed by Edman degradation or mass spectrometry. Regarding their physiological roles, sponge lectins showed to be involved in morphogenesis and cell intera…
Processing of metals and metalloids by actinobacteria: Cell resistance mechanisms and synthesis of metal(loid)-based nanostructures
2020
Metal(loid)s have a dual biological role as micronutrients and stress agents. A few geochemical and natural processes can cause their release in the environment, although most metal-contaminated sites derive from anthropogenic activities. Actinobacteria include high GC bacteria that inhabit a wide range of terrestrial and aquatic ecological niches, where they play essential roles in recycling or transforming organic and inorganic substances. The metal(loid) tolerance and/or resistance of several members of this phylum rely on mechanisms such as biosorption and extracellular sequestration by siderophores and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), bioaccumulation, biotransformation, and me…
Representatives of the Magnoliaceae juss. family growing upon different climatic conditions from the botanical gardens collections of Taras Shevchenk…
2016
Has been described the phenology of deciduous magnolias growing ex situ in botanical gardens of Acad. O.V Fomin SRC "Institute of Biology" National Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv and the University and Latvia (Riga). 9 species, 1 variety and 3 hybrids identical for both collections of botanical gardens were selected and used for phenological observations. The studied plants were resistant to winter and summer climatic factors, were marked the parameters that determine their plasticity in less precipitation in Ukraine and Latvia, as compared to the places of their natural habitat, and expanding the use of exotic species in landscaping design of the megapolises.
On the fermentative behavior of auxotrophic strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
2014
Background: The selection of new yeast strains could lead to improvements in bioethanol production. Here, we have studied the fermentative capacity of different auxotrophic mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which are routinely used as hosts for the production of heterologous proteins. It has recently been found that these strains exhibit physiological alterations and peculiar sensitivities with respect to the parental prototrophic strains from which they derive. In this work the performance of auxotrophic S. cerevisiae CEN.PK strains was compared to the corresponding prototrophic strain, to S. cerevisiae T5bV, a strain isolated from grape must and to another auxotrophic strain, S. cerevi…
Tipificación de dos nombres del género Verbascum incluidos en la subsect. Singuliflora (Scrophulariaceae)
2020
Se designan los tipos nomenclaturales de Verbascum barnadesii y V. fontqueri (≡ Celsia valentina (Scrophulariaceae) a partir de especímenes conservados en los herbarios C y BC, respectivamente.