Summary
Subtilisin‐like proteases (or subtilases) are a very diverse family of serine peptidases present in many organisms, but mostly in plants. With a broad spectrum of biological functions, ...ranging from protein turnover and plant development to interactions with the environment, subtilases have been gaining increasing attention with regard to their involvement in plant defence responses against the most diverse pathogens. Over the last 5 years, the number of published studies associating plant subtilases with pathogen resistance and plant immunity has increased tremendously. In addition, the observation of subtilases and serine protease inhibitors secreted by pathogens has also gained prominence. In this review, we focus on the active participation of subtilases in the interactions established by plants with the environment, highlighting their role in plant–pathogen communication.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Lytic Resistance of Fibrin Containing Red Blood Cells Wohner, Nikolett; Sótonyi, Péter; Machovich, Raymund ...
Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology,
2011-October, Volume:
31, Issue:
10
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
OBJECTIVE—Arterial thrombi contain variable amounts of red blood cells (RBCs), which interact with fibrinogen through an eptifibatide-sensitive receptor and modify the structure of fibrin. In this ...study, we evaluated the modulator role of RBCs in the lytic susceptibility of fibrin.
METHODS AND RESULTS—If fibrin is formed at increasing RBC counts, scanning electron microscopy evidenced a decrease in fiber diameter from 150 to 96 nm at 40% (v/v) RBCs, an effect susceptible to eptifibatide inhibition (restoring 140 nm diameter). RBCs prolonged the lysis time in a homogeneous-phase fibrinolytic assay with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) by up to 22.7±1.6%, but not in the presence of eptifibatide. Confocal laser microscopy using green fluorescent protein–labeled tPA and orange fluorescent fibrin showed that 20% to 40% (v/v) RBCs significantly slowed down the dissolution of the clots. The fluorescent tPA variant did not accumulate on the surface of fibrin containing RBCs at any cell count above 10%. The presence of RBCs in the clot suppressed the tPA-induced plasminogen activation, resulting in 45% less plasmin generated after 30 minutes of activation at 40% (v/v) RBCs.
CONCLUSION—RBCs confer lytic resistance to fibrin resulting from modified fibrin structure and impaired plasminogen activation through a mechanism that involves eptifibatide-sensitive fibrinogen-RBC interactions.
Trillions of bacteria inhabit the mammalian gastrointestinal tract. In the majority of hosts, these symbionts contribute largely to beneficial functions promoting microbe-host homeostasis. However, ...an increasing number of human diseases is associated with altered microbiota composition and enrichment of certain bacterial species. A well-known example of this is
Mucispirillum schaedleri
, which has been associated with inflammatory conditions in the intestine.
Mucispirillum
spp. belong to the phylum Deferribacteres and are prevalent but low abundant members of the rodent, pig and human microbiota. Recently,
M. schaedleri
was causally linked to the development of Crohn’s disease—like colitis in immunodeficient mice. While this study certifies a considerable pathogenic potential, the same organism can also promote health in the immunocompetent host:
M. schaedleri
protects from
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium (
S.
Tm)-induced colitis by interfering with the expression of the pathogen´s invasion machinery. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the mammalian gut symbiont
M. schaedleri
and its role in intestinal homeostasis and discuss open questions and perspectives for future research.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Wine is one of the most consumed beverages around the world. Its unique characteristics arise from numerous processes, from the selection of grapevine varieties and grapes, the effect of the terroir ...and geographical origin, through the biochemical process of fermentation by microorganisms, until its aging. All molecules found in wine define its chemical fingerprint and can be used to tell the story of its origin, production, authenticity and quality. Wine's chemical composition can be characterized using an untargeted metabolomics approach based on extreme resolution mass spectrometry. Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT‐ICR‐MS) is currently the most powerful analytical technique to analyse such complex sample, providing the most comprehensive analysis of the chemical fingerprint of wine.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
•Construction of an electrochemical sensor for breast cancer monitoring.•Preparation of a molecularly imprinted polymer selective to CA 15-3 protein.•The sensor is simple to fabricate, easy to ...operate and shows good performance.
The incidence of breast cancer has been increasing over the years. To control and monitor this disease several tumor biomarkers have been proposed for early diagnosis, patient follow-up and/or treatment guidance. The only serum breast cancer biomarker in current use is the cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3). In this work a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-based electrochemical (voltammetric) sensor to monitor breast cancer was developed, based on direct surface imprinting of CA 15-3 on a screen-printed gold electrode (Au-SPE). The imprinting was performed in two steps: (1) adsorption of CA 15-3 on the surface of the Au-SPE and (2) electropolymerization of 2-aminophenol around the adsorbed protein. After extraction of the imprinted protein voltammetric analysis was conducted using hexacyanoferrate(II/III) as redox probe, measuring the signals before and after protein binding. The sensor was characterized by voltammetric techniques and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and the analytical responses of imprinted and non-imprinted polymer sensors were studied. A linear relationship between the peak current intensity of the redox probe and the logarithm of CA 15-3 concentration was established between 5 and 50UmL−1, achieving a limit of detection of 1.5UmL−1. The prepared MIP-sensor provides fast (15min) analysis and is cheap, easy to prepare, disposable and could easily be integrated in small portable point-of care devices.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
The pine wilt disease (PWD), for which no effective treatment is available at the moment, is a constant threat to Pinus spp. plantations worldwide, being responsible for significant economic and ...environmental losses every year. It has been demonstrated that elicitation with chitosan increases plant tolerance to the pinewood nematode (PWN) Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the causal agent of the PWD, but the biochemical and genetic aspects underlying this response have not been explored. To understand the influence of chitosan in Pinus pinaster tolerance against PWN, a low-molecular-weight (327 kDa) chitosan was applied to mock- and PWN-inoculated plants. Nematode population, malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase, carotenoids, anthocyanins, phenolic compounds, lignin and gene expression related to oxidative stress (thioredoxin 1, TRX) and plant defence (defensin, DEF, and a-farnesene synthase, AFS), were analysed at 1, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days post-inoculation (dpi). At 28 dpi, PWN-infected plants elicited with chitosan showed a sixfold lower nematode population when compared to non-elicited plants. Higher levels of MDA, catalase, carotenoids, anthocyanins, phenolic compounds, and lignin were detected in chitosan-elicited plants following infection. The expression levels of DEF gene were higher in elicited plants, while TRX and AFS expression was lower, possibly due to the disease containment-effect of chitosan. Combined, we conclude that chitosan induces pine defences against PWD via modulation of metabolic and transcriptomic mechanisms related with plant antioxidant system.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Low‐Field MRI of Stroke: Challenges and Opportunities Bhat, Seema S.; Fernandes, Tiago T.; Poojar, Pavan ...
Journal of magnetic resonance imaging,
August 2021, 2021-08-00, 20210801, Volume:
54, Issue:
2
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. The reasons for increased stroke burden in developing countries are inadequately controlled risk factors resulting from poor public ...awareness and inadequate infrastructure. Computed tomography and MRI are common neuroimaging modalities used to assess stroke with diffusion‐weighted MRI, in particular, being the recommended choice for acute stroke imaging. However, access to these imaging modalities is primarily restricted to major cities and high‐income groups. In the case of stroke, the time‐window of treatment to limit the damage is of a few hours and needs a point‐of‐care diagnosis. A low‐cost MR system typically achieved at the ultra‐low‐ and very‐low‐field would meet the need for a geographically accessible and portable solution. We review studies focused on accessible stroke imaging and recent developments in MR methodologies, including hardware, to image at low fields. We hypothesize that in the absence of a formal, rapid stroke triaging system, the value of timely on‐site delivery of the scanner to the stroke patient can be significant. To this end, we discuss multiple recent hardware and methods developments in the low‐field regime. Our review suggests a compelling need to explore further the trade‐offs between high signal, contrast, and accessibility at low fields in low‐income communities.
Level of Evidence
4
Technical Efficacy Stage
6
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
ABSTRACT We produce simulations of the atomic C ii line emission in large sky fields in order to determine the current and future prospects for mapping this line during the high-redshift epoch of ...reionization. We calculate the C ii line intensity, redshift evolution, and spatial fluctuations using observational relations between C ii emission and the galaxy star formation rate over the frequency range 200-300 GHz. We estimate an averaged intensity of in the redshift range . Observations of the C ii emission in this frequency range will suffer contamination from emission lines at lower redshifts, in particular CO rotational lines. Using simulations, we estimated the CO contamination to be (originating from galaxies at ). Using detailed simulations of the C ii and CO emission across a range of redshifts, we generate maps as a function of angle and frequency, fully taking into account this resolution and light-cone effects. In order to reduce the foreground contamination, we find that we should mask galaxies below redshifts ∼2.5 with a CO(J:2-1) to CO(J:6-5) line flux density higher than or an AB magnitude lower than . We estimate that the additional continuum contamination originating in emission from stars and in dust, free-free, free-bound, and two-photon emission in the interstellar medium is of the order of , which is well above the expected C ii signal. We also consider the possibility of cross-correlating foreground lines with galaxy surveys in order to probe the intensity of the foregrounds. Finally, we discuss the expected constraints from two experiments capable of measuring the expected C ii power spectrum.
Regulation of tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) depends on fibrin binding and fibrin structure. tPA structure/function relationships were investigated in fibrin formed by high or low thrombin ...concentrations to produce a fine mesh and small pores, or thick fibers and coarse structure, respectively. Kinetics studies were performed to investigate plasminogen activation and fibrinolysis in the 2 types of fibrin, using wild-type tPA (F-G-K1-K2-P, F and K2 binding), K1K1-tPA (F-G-K1-K1-P, F binding), and delF-tPA (G-K1-K2-P, K2 binding). There was a trend of enzyme potency of tPA > K1K1-tPA > delF-tPA, highlighting the importance of the finger domain in regulating activity, but the differences were less apparent in fine fibrin. Fine fibrin was a better surface for plasminogen activation but more resistant to lysis. Scanning electron and confocal microscopy using orange fluorescent fibrin with green fluorescent protein-labeled tPA variants showed that tPA was strongly associated with agglomerates in coarse but not in fine fibrin. In later lytic stages, delF-tPA-green fluorescent protein diffused more rapidly through fibrin in contrast to full-length tPA, highlighting the importance of finger domain-agglomerate interactions. Thus, the regulation of fibrinolysis depends on the starting nature of fibrin fibers and complex dynamic interaction between tPA and fibrin structures that vary over time.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
This exploratory and cross-sectional study aimed to identify the prevalence of bullying in a group of students and analyze the data regarding the gender of those involved in the violence. A ...questionnaire adapted from Olweus was applied in seven elementary education schools in Portugal. The sample consisted of 387 students between 7 and 14 years old. Data are presented in terms of descriptive statistics and differences between proportions were analyzed using chi-square tests. The gender analysis of victimization and aggression shows that boys and girls are both victims and aggressors, and there are significant differences in involvement in bullying between genders and the roles played. Boys are victims more often when considering different types of bullying, although significant differences were only found for physical aggression. Strategies that include gender roles are a priority for prevention and careful attention to this phenomenon in the school context. The questions addressed contribute to a broader understanding of the phenomenon, emphasizing the differential participation of boys and girls in bullying.
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