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355 records returned

MEPE evolution in mammals reveals regions and residues of prime functional importance.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In mammals, the matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein (MEPE) is known to activate osteogenesis and mineralization via a particular region called dentonin, and to inhibit mineralization via its ASARM (acidic serine-aspartate rich MEPE-associated motif) peptide that also plays a role in phosphatemia regulation. In order to understand MEPE evolution in mammals, and particularly that of its functional regions, we conducted an evolutionary analysis based on the study of selective pressures. Using 37 mammalian sequences we: (1) confirmed the presence of an additional coding exon in most placentals; (2) highlighted several...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 20, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Bardet C, Delgado S, Sire JY Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Fusogenic activity of cationic lipids and lipid shape distribution.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Addition of co-lipids into cationic lipid formulations is considered as promoting cell delivery of DNA by enhancing fusion processes with cell membranes. Here, by combining FRET and confocal microscopy, we demonstrate that some cationic lipids do not require a co-lipid to fuse efficiently with cells. These cationic lipids are able to self-organize into bilayers that are stable enough to form liposomes, while presenting some destabilizing properties reminiscent of the conically shaped fusogenic co-lipid, DOPE. We therefore analyzed the resident lipid structures in cationic bilayers by molecular dynamics simulations, clu...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 19, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Lonez C, Lensink MF, Kleiren E, Vanderwinden JM, Ruysschaert JM, Vandenbranden M Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Lucifensin, the long-sought antimicrobial factor of medicinal maggots of the blowfly Lucilia sericata.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
A novel homologue of insect defensin designated lucifensin (Lucilia defensin) was purified from the extracts of various tissues (gut, salivary glands, fat body, haemolymph) of green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata) larvae and from their excretions/secretions. The primary sequence of this peptide of 40 residues and three intramolecular disulfide bridges was determined by ESI-QTOF mass spectrometry and Edman degradation and is very similar to that of sapecin and other dipteran defensins. We assume that lucifensin is the key antimicrobial component that protects the maggots when they are exposed to the highly infectious envi...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Ceřovský V, Zďárek J, Fučík V, Monincová L, Voburka Z, Bém R Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

The p200 family protein p204 as a modulator of cell proliferation and differentiation: a brief survey.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The expression of the murine p200 family protein p204 in numerous tissues can be activated by a variety of distinct, tissue-specific transcription factors. p204 modulates cell proliferation, cell cycling, and the differentiation of various tissues, including skeletal muscle myotubes, beating cardiac myocytes, osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and macrophages. This protein modulates these processes in various ways, such as by (1) blocking ribosomal RNA synthesis in the nucleolus, (2) inhibiting Ras signaling in the cytoplasm, (3) promoting the activity of particular transcription factors in the nucleus by forming complexes wit...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Lengyel P, Liu CJ Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Biological activity of phenolic lipids.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Phenolic lipids are a very diversified group of compounds derived from mono and dihydroxyphenols, i.e., phenol, catechol, resorcinol, and hydroquinone. Due to their strong amphiphilic character, these compounds can incorporate into erythrocytes and liposomal membranes. In this review, the antioxidant, antigenotoxic, and cytostatic activities of resorcinolic and other phenolic lipids are described. The ability of these compounds to inhibit bacterial, fungal, protozoan and parasite growth seems to depend on their interaction with proteins and/or on their membrane-disturbing properties. PMID: 19921485 [PubMed - as sup...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Stasiuk M, Kozubek A Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Fatigue in neuromuscular disorders: focus on Guillain-Barré syndrome and Pompe disease.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Fatigue in neuromuscular disorders: focus on Guillain-Barré syndrome and Pompe disease. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2009 Nov 16; Authors: de Vries JM, Hagemans ML, Bussmann JB, van der Ploeg AT, van Doorn PA Fatigue accounts for an important part of the burden experienced by patients with neuromuscular disorders. Substantial high prevalence rates of fatigue are reported in a wide range of neuromuscular disorders, such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and Pompe disease. Fatigue can be subdivided into experienced fatigue and physiological fatigue. Physiological fatigue in turn can be of central or peripheral origin. P...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 16, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: de Vries JM, Hagemans ML, Bussmann JB, van der Ploeg AT, van Doorn PA Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Progress in phage display: evolution of the technique and its applications.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Phage display, the presentation of (poly)peptides as fusions to capsid proteins on the surface of bacterial viruses, celebrates its 25th birthday in 2010. The technique, coupled with in vitro selection, enables rapid identification and optimization of proteins based on their structural or functional properties. In the last two decades, it has advanced tremendously and has become widely accepted by the scientific community. This by no means exhaustive review aims to inform the reader of the key modifications in phage display. Novel display formats, innovative library designs and screening strategies are discussed. I wil...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 15, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Bratkovič T Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Homing endonucleases: from basics to therapeutic applications.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Homing endonucleases (HE) are double-stranded DNAses that target large recognition sites (12-40 bp). HE-encoding sequences are usually embedded in either introns or inteins. Their recognition sites are extremely rare, with none or only a few of these sites present in a mammalian-sized genome. However, these enzymes, unlike standard restriction endonucleases, tolerate some sequence degeneracy within their recognition sequence. Several members of this enzyme family have been used as templates to engineer tools to cleave DNA sequences that differ from their original wild-type targets. These custom HEs can be used to stimu...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 15, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Marcaida MJ, Muñoz IG, Blanco FJ, Prieto J, Montoya G Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

ADP receptor P2Y(13) induce apoptosis in pancreatic beta-cells.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Pancreatic beta-cell loss represents a key factor in the pathogenesis of diabetes. Since the influence of purinergic signaling in beta-cell apoptosis has not been much investigated, we examined the role of the ADP receptor P2Y(13) using the pancreatic insulinoma-cell line MIN6c4 as a model system. Real time-PCR revealed high expression of the ADP receptors P2Y(1) and P2Y(13). Adding the ADP analogue, 2MeSADP, to MIN6c4 cells induced calcium influx/mobilization and inhibition of cAMP production by activation of P2Y(1) and P2Y(13), respectively. 2MeSADP reduced cell proliferation and increased Caspase-3 activity; both th...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 14, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Tan C, Salehi A, Svensson S, Olde B, Erlinge D Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

The p38/MAPK pathway regulates microtubule polymerization through phosphorylation of MAP4 and Op18 in hypoxic cells.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In both cardiomyocytes and HeLa cells, hypoxia (1% O(2)) quickly leads to microtubule disruption, but little is known about how microtubule dynamics change during the early stages of hypoxia. We demonstrate that microtubule associated protein 4 (MAP4) phosphorylation increases while oncoprotein 18/stathmin (Op18) phosphorylation decreases after hypoxia, but their protein levels do not change. p38/MAPK activity increases quickly after hypoxia concomitant with MAP4 phosphorylation, and the activated p38/MAPK signaling leads to MAP4 phosphorylation and to Op18 dephosphorylation, both of which induce microtubule disruption...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 14, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Hu JY, Chu ZG, Han J, Dang YM, Yan H, Zhang Q, Liang GP, Huang YS Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Rho-kinase inhibitors as therapeutics: from pan inhibition to isoform selectivity.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This article discusses the therapeutic benefits of novel ROCK inhibitors in development, and highlights the recent advances in the current understanding of disease-dependent and isoform-specific functions of ROCK and their potential impact on future therapeutic strategies. PMID: 19907920 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS)
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 12, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Hahmann C, Schroeter T Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Visualization of subcellular NAD pools and intra-organellar protein localization by poly-ADP-ribose formation.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Poly-ADP-ribose polymerases (PARPs) use NAD(+) as substrate to generate polymers of ADP-ribose. We targeted the catalytic domain of human PARP1 as molecular NAD(+) detector into cellular organelles. Immunochemical detection of polymers demonstrated distinct subcellular NAD(+) pools in mitochondria, peroxisomes and, surprisingly, in the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi complex. Polymers did not accumulate within the mitochondrial intermembrane space or the cytosol. We demonstrate the suitability of this compartment-specific NAD(+) and poly-ADP-ribose turnover to establish intra-organellar protein localization. For ov...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 10, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Dölle C, Niere M, Lohndal E, Ziegler M Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Role of hepcidin in murine brain iron metabolism.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, we report that hepcidin is widely expressed in the murine brain. In cerebral cortex, hippocampus and striatum, hepcidin mRNA levels increased with aging. Injection of hepcidin into the lateral cerebral ventricle resulted in decreased Fpn1 protein levels in cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and striatum. Additionally, treatment of primary cultured neurons with hepcidin caused decreased neuronal iron release and Fpn1 protein levels. Together, our data provide further evidence that hepcidin may be involved in the regulation of brain iron metabolism. PMID: 19898775 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Ce...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 8, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Wang SM, Fu LJ, Duan XL, Crooks DR, Yu P, Qian ZM, Di XJ, Li J, Rouault TA, Chang YZ Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Cell penetrating peptides: overview and applications to the delivery of oligonucleotides.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Crossing biological barriers represents a major limitation for clinical applications of biomolecules such as nucleic acids, peptides or proteins. Cell penetrating peptides (CPP), also named protein transduction domains, comprise short and usually basic amino acids-rich peptides originating from proteins able to cross biological barriers, such as the viral Tat protein, or are rationally designed. They have emerged as a new class of non-viral vectors allowing the delivery of various biomolecules across biological barriers from low molecular weight drugs to nanosized particles. Encouraging data with CPP-conjugated oligonu...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 7, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Said Hassane F, Saleh AF, Abes R, Gait MJ, Lebleu B Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Cerebral amyloidosis: amyloid subunits, mutants and phenotypes.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Cerebral amyloid diseases are part of a complex group of chronic and progressive entities bracketed together under the common denomination of protein folding disorders and characterized by the intra- and extracellular accumulation of fibrillar aggregates. Of the more than 25 unrelated proteins known to produce amyloidosis in humans only about a third of them are associated with cerebral deposits translating in cognitive deficits, dementia, stroke, cerebellar and extrapyramidal signs, or a combination thereof. The familial forms reviewed herein, although infrequent, provide unique paradigms to examine the role of amyloi...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 7, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Rostagno A, Holton JL, Lashley T, Revesz T, Ghiso J Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Hepatocyte growth factor-mediated attraction of mesenchymal stem cells for apoptotic neuronal and cardiomyocytic cells.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, we have investigated in vitro the influence of apoptotic and necrotic cell death, thus distinct types of tissue damage, on MSC migration. Concordant with an increased overall motility, MSC migrated towards apoptotic, but not vital or necrotic neuronal and cardiac cells. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) was expressed by the apoptotic cells only. MSC, in contrast, revealed expression of the HGF-receptor, c-Met. Blocking HGF bioactivity resulted in significant reduction of MSC migration. Moreover, recombinant HGF attracted MSC in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, apoptosis initiates chemoattraction of MSC via the HG...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 3, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Vogel S, Trapp T, Börger V, Peters C, Lakbir D, Dilloo D, Sorg RV Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Dependence of 6beta-acetoxy-7alpha-hydroxyroyleanone block of Kv1.2 channels on C-type inactivation.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Voltage-gated K(+) (Kv) channels exhibit slow or C-type inactivation during continuous depolarization. A selective pharmacological agent targeting C-type inactivation is hitherto lacking. Here, we report that 6beta-acetoxy-7alpha-hydroxyroyleanone (AHR), a diterpenoid compound isolated from Taiwania cryptomerioides, can selectively modify C-type inactivation of Kv1.2 channels. Extracellular, but not intracellular, AHR (50 muM) dramatically accelerated the slow decay of Kv currents and left-shifted the steady-state inactivation curve. AHR blocked Kv currents with an IC(50) of 17.7 muM. AHR did not affect the kinetics an...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 29, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Leung YM, Wong KL, Lin CH, Chao CC, Chou CH, Chang LY, Chen SW, Cheng TH, Kuo YH Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Melanopsin and inner retinal photoreception.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Over the last ten years there has been growing acceptance that retinal photoreception among mammals extends beyond rods and cones to include a small number of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs). These ipRGCs are capable of responding to light in the absence of rod/cone input thanks to expression of an opsin photopigment called melanopsin. They are specialised for measuring ambient levels of light (irradiance) for a wide variety of so-called non-image-forming light responses. These include synchronisation of circadian clocks to light:dark cycles and the regulation of pupil size, sleep propensit...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 29, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Bailes HJ, Lucas RJ Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Subtypes of functional alpha1-adrenoceptor.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this review, subtypes of functional alpha1-adrenoceptor are discussed. These are cell membrane receptors, belonging to the seven-transmembrane-spanning G-protein-linked family of receptors, which respond to the physiological agonist noradrenaline. alpha1-Adrenoceptors can be divided into alpha1A-, alpha1B- and alpha1D-adrenoceptors, all of which mediate contractile responses involving Gq/11 and inositol phosphate turnover. A fourth alpha1-adrenoceptor, the alpha1L-, represents a functional phenotype of the alpha1A-adrenoceptor. alpha1-Adrenoceptor subtype knock-out mice have refined our knowledge of the functions of...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 28, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Docherty JR Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

The tetracycline resistome.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Resistance to tetracycline emerged soon after its discovery six decades ago. Extensive clinical and non-clinical uses of this class of antibiotic over the years have combined to select for a large number of resistant determinants, collectively termed the tetracycline resistome. In order to impart resistance, microbes use different molecular mechanisms including target protection, active efflux, and enzymatic degradation. A deeper understanding of the structure, mechanism, and regulation of the genes and proteins associated with tetracycline resistance will contribute to the development of tetracycline derivatives that ...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 28, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Thaker M, Spanogiannopoulos P, Wright GD Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

gamma-radiation-induced gammaH2AX formation occurs preferentially in actively transcribing euchromatic loci.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The central dogma in radiation biology is that nuclear DNA is the critical target with respect to radiosensitivity. In accordance with the theoretical expectations, and in the absence of a conclusive model, the general consensus in the field has been to view chromatin as a homogeneous template for DNA damage and repair. This paradigm has been called into question by recent findings indicating a disparity in gamma-irradiation-induced gammaH2AX foci formation in euchromatin and heterochromatin. Here, we have extended those studies and provide evidence that gammaH2AX foci form preferentially in actively transcribing euchr...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 27, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Vasireddy RS, Karagiannis TC, El-Osta A Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

RNA-seq: from technology to biology.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Next-generation sequencing technologies are now being exploited not only to analyse static genomes, but also dynamic transcriptomes in an approach termed RNA-seq. Although these powerful and rapidly evolving technologies have only been available for a couple of years, they are already making substantial contributions to our understanding of genome expression and regulation. Here, we briefly describe technical issues accompanying RNA-seq data generation and analysis, highlighting differences to array-based approaches. We then review recent biological insight gained from applying RNA-seq and related approaches to deeply ...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 27, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Marguerat S, Bähler J Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay in human cells: mechanistic insights, functions beyond quality control and the double-life of NMD factors.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Nonsense-mediated decay is well known by the lucid definition of being a RNA surveillance mechanism that ensures the speedy degradation of mRNAs containing premature translation termination codons. However, as we review here, NMD is far from being a simple quality control mechanism; it also regulates the stability of many wild-type transcripts. We summarise the abundance of research that has characterised each of the NMD factors and present a unified model for the recognition of NMD substrates. The contentious issue of how and where NMD occurs is also discussed, particularly with regard to P-bodies and SMG6-driven endo...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 27, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Nicholson P, Yepiskoposyan H, Metze S, Zamudio Orozco R, Kleinschmidt N, Mühlemann O Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Regulation of HERG (KCNH2) potassium channel surface expression by diacylglycerol.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The HERG (KCNH2) channel is a voltage-sensitive potassium channel mainly expressed in cardiac tissue, but has also been identified in other tissues like neuronal and smooth muscle tissue, and in various tumours and tumour cell lines. The function of HERG has been extensively studied, but it is still not clear what mechanisms regulate the surface expression of the channel. In the present report, using human embryonic kidney cells stably expressing HERG, we show that diacylglycerol potently inhibits the HERG current. This is mediated by a protein kinase C-evoked endocytosis of the channel protein, and is dependent on the...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 27, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Ramström C, Chapman H, Viitanen T, Afrasiabi E, Fox H, Kivelä J, Soini S, Korhonen L, Lindholm D, Pasternack M, Törnquist K Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Firefly luciferase: an adenylate-forming enzyme for multicatalytic functions.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Firefly luciferase is a member of the acyl-adenylate/thioester-forming superfamily of enzymes and catalyzes the oxidation of firefly luciferin with molecular oxygen to emit light. Knowledge of the luminescence mechanism catalyzed by firefly luciferase has been gathered, leading to the discovery of a novel catalytic function of luciferase. Recently, we demonstrated that firefly luciferase has a catalytic function of fatty acyl-CoA synthesis from fatty acids in the presence of ATP, Mg(2+) and coenzyme A. Based on identification of fatty acyl-CoA genes in firefly, Drosophila, and non-luminous click beetles, we then propos...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 27, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Inouye S Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Spermine synthase.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Spermine is present in many organisms including animals, plants, some fungi, some archaea, and some bacteria. It is synthesized by spermine synthase, a highly specific aminopropyltransferase. This review describes spermine synthase structure, genetics, and function. Structural and biochemical studies reveal that human spermine synthase is an obligate dimer. Each monomer contains a C-terminal domain where the active site is located, a central linking domain that also forms the lid of the catalytic domain, and an N-terminal domain that is structurally very similar to S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase. Gyro mice, which h...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 27, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Pegg AE, Michael AJ Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

An overview of RNAs with regulatory functions in gram-positive bacteria.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
During the last decade, RNA molecules with regulatory functions on gene expression have benefited from a renewed interest. In bacteria, recent high throughput computational and experimental approaches have led to the discovery that 10-20% of all genes code for RNAs with critical regulatory roles in metabolic, physiological and pathogenic processes. The trans-acting RNAs comprise the noncoding RNAs, RNAs with a short open reading frame and antisense RNAs. Many of these RNAs act through binding to their target mRNAs while others modulate protein activity or target DNA. The cis-acting RNAs include regulatory regions of mR...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 27, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Romby P, Charpentier E Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Inactivation of the proximal NPXY motif impairs early steps in LRP1 biosynthesis.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In conclusion, the proximal NPXY motif proves to be essential for early steps in the LRP1 biosynthesis, whereas NPXYXXL appears rather relevant for internalization. PMID: 19856143 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS)
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 25, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Reekmans SM, Pflanzner T, Gordts PL, Isbert S, Zimmermann P, Annaert W, Weggen S, Roebroek AJ, Pietrzik CU Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Reconciling theories of chaperonin accelerated folding with experimental evidence.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
For the last 20 years, a large volume of experimental and theoretical work has been undertaken to understand how chaperones like GroEL can assist protein folding in the cell. The most accepted explanation appears to be the simplest: GroEL, like most other chaperones, helps proteins fold by preventing aggregation. However, evidence suggests that, under some conditions, GroEL can play a more active role by accelerating protein folding. A large number of models have been proposed to explain how this could occur. Focused experiments have been designed and carried out using different protein substrates with conclusions that...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 23, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Jewett AI, Shea JE Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Extracellular matrix formation after transplantation of human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Transplantation of human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CM) for cardiac regeneration is hampered by the formation of fibrotic tissue around the grafts, preventing electrophysiological coupling. Investigating this process, we found that: (1) beating hESC-CM in vitro are embedded in collagens, laminin and fibronectin, which they bind via appropriate integrins; (2) after transplantation into the mouse heart, hESC-CM continue to secrete collagen IV, XVIII and fibronectin; (3) integrin expression on hESC-CM largely matches the matrix type they encounter or secrete in vivo; (4) co-transplantation of hESC-de...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 21, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: van Laake LW, van Donselaar EG, Monshouwer-Kloots J, Schreurs C, Passier R, Humbel BM, Doevendans PA, Sonnenberg A, Verkleij AJ, Mummery CL Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Laccases: a never-ending story.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Laccases (benzenediol:oxygen oxidoreductases, EC 1.10.3.2) are blue multicopper oxidases that catalyze the oxidation of an array of aromatic substrates concomitantly with the reduction of molecular oxygen to water. In fungi, laccases carry out a variety of physiological roles during their life cycle. These enzymes are being increasingly evaluated for a variety of biotechnological applications due to their broad substrate range. In this review, the most recent studies on laccase structural features and catalytic mechanisms along with analyses of their expression are reported and examined with the aim of contributing to ...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 21, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Giardina P, Faraco V, Pezzella C, Piscitelli A, Vanhulle S, Sannia G Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

A passion for research.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
During my postdoctoral training in Severo Ochoa's laboratory, I determined the direction of reading of the genetic message and I discovered two proteins in Escherichia coli involved in the initiation of protein synthesis. After my return to Spain, I have been working with the Bacillus subtilis phage varphi29. We discovered a protein covalently linked to the 5' DNA ends that is the primer for the initiation of varphi29 DNA replication. We also found that the phage-encoded DNA polymerase has unique properties such as processivity and strand displacement activity. These properties, in addition to its high fidelity, have m...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 21, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Salas M Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Structure, expression, and function of kynurenine aminotransferases in human and rodent brains.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Kynurenine aminotransferases (KATs) catalyze the synthesis of kynurenic acid (KYNA), an endogenous antagonist of N-methyl-D: -aspartate and alpha 7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Abnormal KYNA levels in human brains are implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and other neurological disorders. Four KATs have been reported in mammalian brains, KAT I/glutamine transaminase K/cysteine conjugate beta-lyase 1, KAT II/aminoadipate aminotransferase, KAT III/cysteine conjugate beta-lyase 2, and KAT IV/glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase 2/mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase. KAT II has a ...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 14, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Han Q, Cai T, Tagle DA, Li J Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Dps-like proteins: structural and functional insights into a versatile protein family.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Dps-like proteins are key factors involved in the protection of prokaryotic cells from oxidative damage. They act by either oxidizing iron to prevent the formation of oxidative radicals or by forming Dps-DNA complexes to physically protect DNA. All Dps-like proteins are characterized by a common three-dimensional architecture and are found as spherical dodecamers with a hollow central cavity. Despite their structural similarities, recent biochemical and structural data have suggested different functions among members of the family that range from protection inside the cells in response to various stress signals to adhe...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 13, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Haikarainen T, Papageorgiou AC Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Key factors in mTOR regulation.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a protein serine/threonine kinase that controls a wide range of growth-related cellular processes. In the past several years, many factors have been identified that are involved in controlling mTOR activity. Those factors in turn are regulated by diverse signaling cascades responsive to changes in intracellular and environmental conditions. The molecular connections between mTOR and its regulators form a complex signaling network that governs cellular metabolism, growth and proliferation. In this review, we discuss some key factors in mTOR regulation and mechanisms by which these...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 12, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Bai X, Jiang Y Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Inhibition of cholesterol recycling impairs cellular PrP(Sc) propagation.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The infectious agent in prion diseases consists of an aberrantly folded isoform of the cellular prion protein (PrP(c)), termed PrP(Sc), which accumulates in brains of affected individuals. Studies on prion-infected cultured cells indicate that cellular cholesterol homeostasis influences PrP(Sc) propagation. Here, we demonstrate that the cellular PrP(Sc) content decreases upon accumulation of cholesterol in late endosomes, as induced by NPC-1 knock-down or treatment with U18666A. PrP(c) trafficking, lipid raft association, and membrane turnover are not significantly altered by such treatments. Cellular PrP(Sc) formation...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 12, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Gilch S, Bach C, Lutzny G, Vorberg I, Schätzl HM Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Protein transport across and into cell membranes in bacteria and archaea.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In the three domains of life, the Sec, YidC/Oxa1, and Tat translocases play important roles in protein translocation across membranes and membrane protein insertion. While extensive studies have been performed on the endoplasmic reticular and Escherichia coli systems, far fewer studies have been done on archaea, other Gram-negative bacteria, and Gram-positive bacteria. Interestingly, work carried out to date has shown that there are differences in the protein transport systems in terms of the number of translocase components and, in some cases, the translocation mechanisms and energy sources that drive translocation. I...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 9, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Yuan J, Zweers JC, van Dijl JM, Dalbey RE Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Insect chitinase and chitinase-like proteins.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Insect chitinases belong to family 18 glycosylhydrolases that hydrolyze chitin by an endo-type of cleavage while retaining the anomeric beta-(1-->4) configuration of products. There are multiple genes encoding chitinases and chitinase-like proteins in all insect species studied using bioinformatics searches. These chitinases differ in size, domain organization, physical, chemical and enzymatic properties, and in patterns of their expression during development. There are also differences in tissue specificity of expression. Based on a phylogenetic analysis, insect chitinases and chitinase-like proteins have been clas...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 8, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Arakane Y, Muthukrishnan S Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

The exercising heart at altitude.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Maximal cardiac output is reduced in severe acute hypoxia but also in chronic hypoxia by mechanisms that remain poorly understood. In theory, the reduction of maximal cardiac output could result from: (1) a regulatory response from the central nervous system, (2) reduction of maximal pumping capacity of the heart due to insufficient coronary oxygen delivery prior to the achievement of the normoxic maximal cardiac output, or (3) reduced central command. In this review, we focus on the effects that acute and chronic hypoxia have on the pumping capacity of the heart, particularly on myocardial contractility and the molecu...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - October 6, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Calbet JA, Robach P, Lundby C Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Cyclotides: macrocyclic peptides with applications in drug design and agriculture.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This article identifies gaps in current knowledge on cyclotides and suggests future directions for research into this fascinating family of ultra-stable mini-proteins. PMID: 19795188 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS)
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - September 30, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Craik DJ, Mylne JS, Daly NL Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Doxorubicin-mediated apoptosis in glioma cells requires NFAT3.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study demonstrates that the specific knockdown of NFAT3 results in a dramatic inhibition of the apoptotic effect induced by DOX and favors cell survival. Inhibition of NFAT3 activation by shNFAT3 (shNF3) significantly downregulated tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha induction, its receptor TNFR1, caspase 10, caspase 3, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, abrogating DOX-mediated apoptosis in glioma cells. DOX treatment resulted in NFAT3 translocation to the nucleus. Similarly, shNF3 treatment in SNB19 and U87 cells reversed DOX-induced inhibition of cell migration and invasion, as determined by wound healing and matrigel ...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - September 26, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Gopinath S, Vanamala SK, Gujrati M, Klopfenstein JD, Dinh DH, Rao JS Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

The PDZ2 domain of zonula occludens-1 and -2 is a phosphoinositide binding domain.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study shows for the first time that ZO isoforms bind PtdInsPs and offers an alternative regulatory mechanism for the formation and stabilisation of protein complexes in the nucleus. PMID: 19784548 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS)
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - September 21, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Meerschaert K, Tun MP, Remue E, De Ganck A, Boucherie C, Vanloo B, Degeest G, Vandekerckhove J, Zimmermann P, Bhardwaj N, Lu H, Cho W, Gettemans J Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

GABA transporter lysine 448: a key residue for tricyclic antidepressants interaction.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The effects of three tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and two serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been studied with an electrophysiological approach on Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing the rat GABA (gamma-Aminobutyric-acid) transporter rGAT1. All tested TCAs and SSRIs inhibit the GABA-associated current in a dose-dependent way with low but comparable efficacy. The pre-steady-state and uncoupled currents appear substantially unaffected. The efficacy of desipramine, but not of the other drugs, is strongly increased in the lysine-glutamate or -aspartate mutants K448E and K448D. Comparison of I (max) and ...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - September 15, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Cherubino F, Miszner A, Renna MD, Sangaletti R, Giovannardi S, Bossi E Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Redox-sensitivity of the dimerization of occludin.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Occludin is a self-associating transmembrane tight junction protein affected in oxidative stress. However, its function is unknown. The cytosolic C-terminal tail contains a coiled coil-domain forming dimers contributing to the self-association. Studying the hypothesis that the self-association is redox-sensitive, we found that the dimerization of the domain depended on the sulfhydryl concentration of the environment in low-millimolar range. Under physiological conditions, monomers and dimers were detected. Masking the sulfhydryl residues in the domain prevented the dimerization but affected neither its helical structur...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - September 15, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Walter JK, Castro V, Voss M, Gast K, Rueckert C, Piontek J, Blasig IE Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Activation and repression of prion protein expression by key regions of intron 1.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Expression of the prion protein is necessary for infection with prion diseases. Altered expression levels may play an important role in susceptibility to infection. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms that regulate prion protein expression is of great importance. It was previously shown that expression of the prion protein is to some degree regulated by an alternative promoter within intron 1. Studies using GFP and luciferase reporter systems were undertaken to determine key sites for the repression and activation of expression of the prion protein driven by intron 1. We identified a region within intron 1 sufficie...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - September 12, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Wright JA, McHugh PC, Stockbridge M, Lane S, Kralovicova S, Brown DR Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Hypoxia, hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF), HIF hydroxylases and oxygen sensing.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This article outlines the need for a homeostatic response to alterations in cellular oxygenation. It describes work on erythropoietin control that led to the discovery of the hypoxia-inducible transcription factor (HIF-1) and the parallel recognition that this system was responsive to a widespread oxygen-sensing mechanism. Subsequently, multiple HIF isoforms have been shown to have overlapping but non-redundant functions, controlling expression of genes involved in diverse processes such as angiogenesis, vascular tone, metal transport, glycolysis, mitochondrial function, cell growth and survival. The major role of prolyl a...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - September 11, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Webb JD, Coleman ML, Pugh CW Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Slug gene expression supports human osteoblast maturation.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study aims to define the function of Slug transcription factor in human normal osteoblasts (hOBs). To date, Slug is considered exclusively a marker of malignancy in bone tissue. Here, we identified, for the first time, a role for Slug in hOBs using a knockdown approach. We demonstrated that Slug is positively correlated with osteoblast markers, including Runx2, osteopontin, osteocalcin, Collagen type 1, Wnt/beta-catenin signaling mediators, and mineral deposition. At the same time, Slug silencing potentiates the expression of Sox-9, a factor indispensable for chondrogenic development. These data, with the finding that...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - September 10, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Lambertini E, Lisignoli G, Torreggiani E, Manferdini C, Gabusi E, Franceschetti T, Penolazzi L, Gambari R, Facchini A, Piva R Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

delta-Opioid receptors protect from anoxic disruption of Na(+) homeostasis via Na (+) channel regulation.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Hypoxic/ischemic disruption of ionic homeostasis is a critical trigger of neuronal injury/death in the brain. There is, however, no promising strategy against such pathophysiologic change to protect the brain from hypoxic/ischemic injury. Here, we present a novel finding that activation of delta-opioid receptors (DOR) reduced anoxic Na(+) influx in the mouse cortex, which was completely blocked by DOR antagonism with naltrindole. Furthermore, we co-expressed DOR and Na(+) channels in Xenopus oocytes and showed that DOR expression and activation indeed play an inhibitory role in Na(+) channel regulation by decreasing th...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - September 10, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Kang X, Chao D, Gu Q, Ding G, Wang Y, Balboni G, Lazarus LH, Xia Y Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

The response of human skeletal muscle tissue to hypoxia.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Hypoxia refers to environmental or clinical settings that potentially threaten tissue oxygen homeostasis. One unique aspect of skeletal muscle is that, in addition to hypoxia, oxygen balance in this tissue may be further compromised when exercise is superimposed on hypoxia. This review focuses on the cellular and molecular responses of human skeletal muscle to acute and chronic hypoxia, with emphasis on physical exercise and training. Based on published work, it is suggested that hypoxia does not appear to promote angiogenesis or to greatly alter oxidative enzymes in skeletal muscle at rest. Although the HIF-1 pathway ...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - September 9, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Lundby C, Calbet JA, Robach P Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Breathing at high altitude.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study is part of a multi-author review.). PMID: 19756384 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS)
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - September 9, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Joseph V, Pequignot JM Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals