Characterization of two Plasmodium falciparum lipid transfer proteins of the Sec14/CRAL-TRIO family.

Invasion of human red blood cells by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is followed by dramatic modifications of erythrocytes properties, including de novo formation of new membrane systems. Lipid transfer proteins from both the parasite and the host cell are most likely an important part of those membrane remodeling processes. Using bioinformatics and in silico structural analysis, we have identified five P.

Familial atrial fibrillation mutation M1875T-SCN5A increases early sodium current and dampens the effect of flecainide.

Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. Pathogenic variants in genes encoding ion channels are associated with familial AF. The point mutation M1875T in the SCN5A gene, which encodes the α-subunit of the cardiac sodium channel Nav1.

Yeast Sec14-like lipid transfer proteins Pdr16 and Pdr17 bind and transfer the ergosterol precursor lanosterol in addition to phosphatidylinositol.

Yeast Sec14-like phosphatidylinositol transfer proteins (PITPs) contain a hydrophobic cavity capable of accepting a single molecule of phosphatidylinositol (PI) or another molecule in a mutually exclusive manner. We report here that two yeast Sec14 family PITPs, Pdr16p (Sfh3p) and Pdr17p (Sfh4p), possess high-affinity binding and transfer towards lanosterol. To our knowledge, this is the first identification of lanosterol transfer proteins.

Sec14 family of lipid transfer proteins in yeasts.

The hydrophobicity of lipids prevents their free movement across the cytoplasm. To achieve highly heterogeneous and precisely regulated lipid distribution in different cellular membranes, lipids are transported by lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) in addition to their transport by vesicles. Sec14 family is one of the most extensively studied groups of LTPs.

Evolutionary model of folk economics: That which is seen, and that which is not seen?

Although Boyer & Petersen (B&P) make the case for evolutionary roots of folk economics stronger, their evolutionary model ultimately does not deliver folk-economic explanations that are both novel and correct. We argue that (a) most current explanations are evolutionary already; (b) B&P's model is as ad hoc as other theories, and proves too much; and (c) it overrates evolution at the cost of discounting other crucial factors.