Optogenetic Control of the Mitochondrial Protein Import in Mammalian Cells.

Mitochondria provide cells with energy and regulate the cellular metabolism. Almost all mitochondrial proteins are nuclear-encoded, translated on ribosomes in the cytoplasm, and subsequently transferred to the different subcellular compartments of mitochondria. Here, we developed OptoMitoImport, an optogenetic tool to control the import of proteins into the mitochondrial matrix via the presequence pathway on demand.

OptoREACT: Optogenetic Receptor Activation on Nonengineered Human T Cells.

Optogenetics is a versatile and powerful tool for the control and analysis of cellular signaling processes. The activation of cellular receptors by light using optogenetic switches usually requires genetic manipulation of cells. However, this considerably limits the application in primary, nonengineered cells, which is crucial for the study of physiological signaling processes and for controlling cell fate and function for therapeutic purposes.

Genome-wide association study identifies genetic variants underlying footrot in Portuguese Merino sheep.

Background: Ovine footrot caused by Dichelobacter nodosus (D. nodosus) is a contagious disease with serious economic and welfare impacts in sheep production systems worldwide. A better understanding of the host genetic architecture regarding footrot resistance/susceptibility is crucial to develop disease control strategies that efficiently reduce infection and its severity.

Using cattle hair to assess exposure to essential trace elements in volcanic soils.

Background: In areas where cattle graze outdoors, the environmental availability of trace elements is of utmost importance for an adequate intake. Cattle hair trace elements can be used as exposure biomarkers to assess animal intake and help ensure good nutrition and animal welfare. The aim of this study was to evaluate the environmental exposure to trace elements in cattle grazing outdoors in a volcanic region (São Miguel Island, Azores) and assess the corresponding bioaccumulation factors.