Publications by authors named "Marina Musa"

DNA methylation is a crucial epigenetic modification used as a biomarker for early cancer progression. However, existing methods for DNA methylation analysis are complex, time-consuming, and prone to DNA degradation. This work demonstrates selective capture of unmethylated DNAs using ZnO nanowires without chemical or biological modifications, thereby concentrating methylated DNA, particularly those with high methylation levels that can predict cancer risk.

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Exact mechanisms of heat shock-induced lifespan extension, although documented across species, are still not well understood. Here, we show that fully functional peroxisomes, specifically peroxisomal catalase, are needed for the activation of canonical heat shock response and heat-induced hormesis in Although during heat shock, the HSP-70 chaperone is strongly up-regulated in the WT and in the absence of peroxisomal catalase (), the small heat shock proteins display modestly increased expression in the mutant. Nuclear foci formation of HSF-1 is reduced in the mutant.

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Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have shown promising features as biomarkers for early cancer diagnoses. The outer layer of cancer cell-derived EVs consists of organotropic metastasis-induced membrane proteins and specifically enriched proteoglycans, and these molecular compositions determine EV surface charge. Although many efforts have been devoted to investigating the correlation between EV subsets obtained through density-, size-, and immunoaffinity-based captures and expressed membrane proteins, understanding the correlation between EV subsets obtained through surface charge-based capture and expressed membrane proteins is lacking.

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Since DNA analysis is the fundamental process for most applications in biomedical fields, capturing DNAs with high efficiency is important. Here, we used several oxide nanowire microfluidic devices to capture CpG-rich single-stranded DNAs (ssDNAs) in different pH solutions. All the oxide nanowires exhibited the highest capture efficiency around pH 7 with good capture efficiency shown by each metal oxide; ZnO/ZnO core/shell NWs (71.

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Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is capable of providing an ultrathin layer on high-aspect ratio structures with good conformality and tunable film properties. In this research, we modified the surface of ZnO nanowires through ALD for the fabrication of a ZnO/SiO2 (core/shell) nanowire microfluidic device which we utilized for the capture of CpG-rich single-stranded DNAs (ssDNA). Structural changes of the nanowires while varying the number of ALD cycles were evaluated by statistical analysis and their relationship with the capture efficiency was investigated.

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Signs of proteostasis failure often entwine with those of metabolic stress at the cellular level. Here, we study protein sequestration during glucose deprivation-induced ATP decline in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using live-cell imaging, we find that sequestration of misfolded proteins and nascent polypeptides into two distinct compartments, stress granules, and Q-bodies, is triggered by the exhaustion of ATP.

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Heat-induced hormesis is a well-known conserved phenomenon in aging, traditionally attributed to the benefits conferred by increased amounts of heat shock (HS) proteins. Here we find that the key event for the HS-induced lifespan extension in budding yeast is the switch from glycolysis to respiratory metabolism. The resulting increase in reactive oxygen species activates the antioxidant response, supported by the redirection of glucose from glycolysis to the pentose phosphate pathway, increasing the production of NADPH.

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Graphene-magnetite composite (G-FeO) was successfully synthesized and applied as adsorbent for magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) of two phenolic acids namely 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HB) and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (3,4-DHB) from stingless bee honey prior to analysis using high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet-visible detection (HPLC-UV/Vis). Several MSPE parameters affecting extraction of these two acids were optimized. Optimum MSPE conditions were 50 mg of G-FeO adsorbent, 5 min extraction time at 1600 rpm, 30 mL sample volume, sample solution pH 0.

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Self-splicing introns are mobile elements that have invaded a number of highly conserved genes in prokaryotic and organellar genomes. Here, we show that deletion of these selfish elements from the mitochondrial genome is stressful to the host. A strain without mitochondrial introns displays hallmarks of the retrograde response, with altered mitochondrial morphology, gene expression and metabolism impacting growth and lifespan.

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Protein quality control mechanisms, required for normal cellular functioning, encompass multiple functions related to protein production and maintenance. However, the existence of communication between proteostasis and metabolic networks and its underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we report that enhanced chaperone activity and consequent improved proteostasis are sensed by TORC1 via the activity of Hsp82.

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The aim of this study was to determine whether treatment of male CBA/H mice with 17β-estradiol (E2) had protective effect on survival and hepatic oxidative damage of lipids and proteins against hyperoxia. Furthermore, we wanted to explore the effect of E2 treatment on the expression of sex-specific cytochrome P450 isoforms, and their possible involvement in E2-induced resistance to hyperoxia. Lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation were analysed spectrophotometrically and were used as a measure of lipid and protein oxidative damage.

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In cells living under optimal conditions, protein folding defects are usually prevented by the action of chaperones. Here, we investigate the cell-wide consequences of loss of chaperone function in cytosol, mitochondria or the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in budding yeast. We find that the decline in chaperone activity in each compartment results in loss of respiration, demonstrating the dependence of mitochondrial activity on cell-wide proteostasis.

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Background: Over-expressed native or recombinant proteins are commonly used for industrial and pharmaceutical purposes, as well as for research. Proteins of interest need to be purified in sufficient quantity, quality and specific activity to justify their commercial price and eventual medical use. Proteome quality was previously positively correlated with ribosomal fidelity, but not on a single protein level.

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