The Structural Biology of Catalase Evolution.

Catalases are essential enzymes for removal of hydrogen peroxide, enabling aerobic and anaerobic metabolism in an oxygenated atmosphere. Monofunctional heme catalases, catalase-peroxidases, and manganese catalases, evolved independently more than two billion years ago, constituting a classic example of convergent evolution. Herein, the diversity of catalase sequences is analyzed through sequence similarity networks, providing the context for sequence distribution of major catalase families, and showing that many divergent catalase families remain to be experimentally studied.

Combined Supplementation of Two Selenium Forms (Organic and Inorganic) and Iodine in Dairy Cows' Diet to Obtain Enriched Milk, Cheese, and Yogurt.

This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation in dairy cows with two Se forms (organic and inorganic) and I at the maximum levels permitted in the European Union, with the aim to obtain naturally enriched milk and derived products. A total of 20 Holstein Friesian cows in lactation were fed 2 diets for 64 days: a control diet with a supply of 0.57 mg of inorganic Se and 0.

The host Rab9a/Rab32 axis is actively recruited to the Trypanosoma cruzi parasitophorous vacuole and benefits the infection cycle.

Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease is a protozoan parasite that infects phagocytic and non-phagocytic mammalian cells. At early stages of infection, trypomastigotes, the infective forms of this parasite, localize in a vesicular compartment called the T. cruzi parasitophorous vacuole until the exit of parasites to the host cell cytoplasm where continue their infective cycle.

Influence of Dietary Lipid Source Supplementation on Milk and Fresh Cheese from Murciano-Granadina Goats.

This study analyzes the influence of the incorporation of flaked linseed and fish oil in the diet on the resulting milk and cheese. Three dietary treatments were assayed in 350 milking Murciano-Granadina multiparous goats in full-lactation: a control diet and two experimental diets, one including flaked linseed (FL) at 3.88% of dry matter, and the other containing salmon oil (SO) at 2.

An 11-year epidemiological analysis of schistosomiasis in Ecuador: Investigating a non-endemic, neglected, and challenging-to-identify parasitic disease.

Schistosomiasis is a neglected disease caused by parasites of the genus and transmitted by snails of the genus . At least five species have the potential to infect humans living in or visiting tropical areas worldwide. In Latin America, is particularly common; however, it has not been reported in Ecuador.

Can Moderate Levels of Organic Selenium in Dairy Cow Feed Naturally Enrich Dairy Products?

This work studied the effect of dairy cow ration supplementation with inorganic plus organic Se on metabolic status, milk yield, and the quality of milk and dairy products, especially its Se content. Twenty multiparous Holstein Friesian lactating cows were assigned to two feeding treatments. The cows were fed with 22.

The chromatin nuclear protein NUPR1L is intrinsically disordered and binds to the same proteins as its paralogue.

NUPR1 is a protumoral multifunctional intrinsically disordered protein (IDP), which is activated during the acute phases of pancreatitis. It interacts with other IDPs such as prothymosin α, as well as with folded proteins such as the C-terminal region of RING1-B (C-RING1B) of the Polycomb complex; in all those interactions, residues around Ala33 and Thr68 (the 'hot-spot' region) of NUPR1 intervene. Its paralogue, NUPR1L, is also expressed in response to DNA damage, it is p53-regulated, and its expression down-regulates that of the gene.

Reduction of androstenone perception in pan-fried boar meat by different masking strategies.

Background: Consumers highly sensitive to androstenone María (AND) will probably reject meat from entire male pigs, which tends to have high levels of this hormone. To avoid this, the effect of different masking strategies (sprinkling with mixed spices or fennel, marinating and breading with garlic-parsley or curry) on the sensory parameters of pork loin chops obtained from entire animals with high levels of AND (1.0-2.

Pivotal Role of the Chromatin Protein Nupr1 in Kras-Induced Senescence and Transformation.

Nupr1 is a chromatin protein, which cooperates with Kras(G12D) to induce PanIN formation and pancreatic cancer development in mice, though the molecular mechanisms underlying this effect remain to be fully characterized. In the current study, we report that Nupr1 acts as a gene modifier of the effect of Kras(G12D)-induced senescence by regulating Dnmt1 expression and consequently genome-wide levels of DNA methylation. Congruently, 5-aza-2'-deoxycytydine, a general inhibitor of DNA methylation, reverses the Kras(G12D)-induced PanIN development by promoting senescence.

Functional Characterization of Nupr1L, A Novel p53-Regulated Isoform of the High-Mobility Group (HMG)-Related Protumoral Protein Nupr1.

We have previously demonstrated a crucial role of nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1) in tumor development and progression. In this work, we report the functional characterization of a novel Nupr1-like isoform (NUPR1L) and its functional interaction with the protumoral factor NUPR1. Through the use of primary sequence analysis, threading, and homology-based molecular modeling, as well as expression and immunolocalization, studies reveal that NUPR1L displays properties, which are similar to member of the HMG-like family of chromatin regulators, including its ability to translocate to the cell nucleus and bind to DNA.

A subgroup of pancreatic adenocarcinoma is sensitive to the 5-aza-dC DNA methyltransferase inhibitor.

Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a disease with a great heterogeneity in the response to treatments. To improve the responsiveness to treatments there are two different approaches, the first one consist to develop new and more efficient drugs that intent to cure all patients and the second one is to use already-approved drugs, alone or in combination, but selecting beforehand the most sensitive patients. In this work we explored the efficiency of the second possibility.

Effect of feeding goats with distilled and non-distilled thyme leaves (Thymus zygis subp. gracilis) on milk and cheese properties.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of feeding goats with distilled and non-distilled thyme leaves (Thymus zygis subsp. gracilis) on the physicochemical composition and technological properties of pasteurised goat milk, and on the physicochemical composition, phenolic content, oxidative stability, microbiology, sensory and texture profile of Murcia al Vino goat cheese. One group of goats was fed the basal diet (control), the second and third groups were fed with different levels of distilled (10 and 20%) or non-distilled (3·75 and 7·5%) thyme leaves.

Expression profile of telomere-associated genes in multiple myeloma.

To further contribute to the understanding of multiple myeloma, we have focused our research interests on the mechanisms by which tumour plasma cells have a higher survival rate than normal plasma cells. In this article, we study the expression profile of genes involved in the regulation and protection of telomere length, telomerase activity and apoptosis in samples from patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, smouldering multiple myeloma, multiple myeloma (MM) and plasma cell leukaemia (PCL), as well as several human myeloma cell lines (HMCLs). Using conventional cytogenetic and fluorescence in situ hybridization studies, we identified a high number of telomeric associations (TAs).

Modelling casein aggregation and curd firming in goats' milk from backscatter of infrared light.

A kinetic model was proposed for describing the curd assembly of skimmed goats' milk during enzymic coagulation. The enzymic coagulation of milk was monitored using an optical sensor that measured diffuse reflectance (light backscatter) at 880 nm. The appearance of a shoulder, at low temperatures and protein concentrations, in the diffuse reflectance ratio profile after the inflection point of the curve (Tmax) appeared to separate the aggregation and curd firming steps.

Effect of protein and temperature on cutting time prediction in goats' milk using an optical reflectance sensor.

An objective method for determining the coagulum cutting time is needed to improve consistency and processing efficiency of goats' cheese. A fibre optic sensor was used to measure the backscatter of near-infrared radiation at 880 nm during the coagulation of skimmed goats' milk for the purpose of predicting coagulum cutting time. A randomised block design, replicated three times, was used to test the effect of three protein concentrations (3, 5 and 7% (w/w)) on diffuse reflectance parameters for cutting time prediction of milk coagulated at five different temperatures (20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 degrees C) to assure a wide range of coagulation rates.