Pulmonary Aspergillosis in People with Cystic Fibrosis.

In the last decade, fungal respiratory diseases have been increasingly investigated for their impact on the clinical course of people with cystic fibrosis (CF), with a particular focus on infections caused by spp. The most common organisms from this genus detected from respiratory cultures are and , followed by , , and . These species have been identified to be both chronic colonizers and sources of active infection and may negatively impact lung function in people with CF.

Light as a substrate: migration of LHCII antennas in extended Michaelis-Menten model for PSI kinetics.

We extended, for the first time, the Michaelis-Menten (M-M) model to describe the kinetics of photosystem I (PSI) complexes using light as a substrate. Our work is novel as it can be useful for studying the phenomenon of "state transitions" because it quantifies the affinity of light to PSI reaction centers depending on the associated light harvesting complex II (LHCII) antennas. We verified our models by measuring the PSI activity as a function of light intensity using an oxygen electrode for chloroplast from plants grown in low light conditions and treated with far red light.

Understanding Maize Response to Nitrogen Limitation in Different Light Conditions for the Improvement of Photosynthesis.

The photosynthetic capacity of leaves is determined by their content of nitrogen (N). Nitrogen involved in photosynthesis is divided between soluble proteins and thylakoid membrane proteins. In C4 plants, the photosynthetic apparatus is partitioned between two cell types: mesophyll cells and bundle sheath.

Photosynthesis of the Cyanidioschyzon merolae cells in blue, red, and white light.

Photosynthesis and respiration rates, pigment contents, CO compensation point, and carbonic anhydrase activity in Cyanidioschizon merolae cultivated in blue, red, and white light were measured. At the same light quality as during the growth, the photosynthesis of cells in blue light was significantly lowered, while under red light only slightly decreased as compared with white control. In white light, the quality of light during growth had no effect on the rate of photosynthesis at low O and high CO concentration, whereas their atmospheric level caused only slight decrease.

Effect of light on the rearrangements of PSI super-and megacomplexes in the non-appressed thylakoid domains of maize mesophyll chloroplasts.

We demonstrated the existence of PSI-LHCI-LHCII-Lhcb4 supercomplexes and PSI-LHCI-PSII-LHCII megacomplexes in the stroma lamellae and grana margins of maize mesophyll chloroplasts; these complexes consist of different LHCII trimers and monomer antenna proteins per PSI photocentre. These complexes are formed in both low (LL) and high (HL) light growth conditions, but with different contents. We attempted to identify the components and structure of these complexes in maize chloroplasts isolated from the leaves of low and high light-grown plants after darkness and transition to far red (FR) light of high intensity.

Deletion of psbQ' gene in Cyanidioschyzon merolae reveals the function of extrinsic PsbQ' in PSII.

We have successfully produced single-cell colonies of C. merolae mutants, lacking the PsbQ' subunit in its PSII complex by application of DTA-aided mutant selection. We have investigated the physiological changes in PSII function and structure and proposed a tentative explanation of the function of PsbQ' subunit in the PSII complex.

Organization of Patient Management and Fungal Epidemiology in Cystic Fibrosis.

The achievement of a better life for cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is mainly caused by a better management and infection control over the last three decades. Herein, we want to summarize the cornerstones for an effective management of CF patients and to give an overview of the knowledge about the fungal epidemiology in this clinical context in Europe. Data from a retrospective analysis encompassing 66,616 samples from 3235 CF patients followed-up in 9 CF centers from different European countries are shown.

Differences in photosynthetic responses of NADP-ME type C4 species to high light.

Three species chosen as representatives of NADP-ME C4 subtype exhibit different sensitivity toward photoinhibition, and great photochemical differences were found to exist between the species. These characteristics might be due to the imbalance in the excitation energy between the photosystems present in M and BS cells, and also due to that between species caused by the penetration of light inside the leaves. Such regulation in the distribution of light intensity between M and BS cells shows that co-operation between both the metabolic systems determines effective photosynthesis and reduces the harmful effects of high light on the degradation of PSII through the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Transformation of the Cyanidioschyzon merolae chloroplast genome: prospects for understanding chloroplast function in extreme environments.

We have successfully transformed an exthemophilic red alga with the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene, rendering this organism insensitive to its toxicity. Our work paves the way to further work with this new modelorganism. Here we report the first successful attempt to achieve a stable, under selectable pressure, chloroplast transformation in Cyanidioschizon merolae-an extremophilic red alga of increasing importance as a new model organism.

Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase-a new selectable marker in stable nuclear transformation of the red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae.

In this study, we have shown the applicability of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase as a new and convenient selectable marker for stable nuclear transformation as well as potential chloroplast transformation of Cyanidioschyzon merolae-a new model organism, which offers unique opportunities for studding the mitochondrial and plastid physiology as well as various evolutionary, structural, and functional features of the photosynthetic apparatus.

The short-term response of Arabidopsis thaliana (C3) and Zea mays (C4) chloroplasts to red and far red light.

Light quality has various effects on photochemistry and protein phosphorylation in Zea mays and Arabidopsis thaliana thylakoids due to different degrees of light penetration across leaves and redox status in chloroplasts. The effect of the spectral quality of light (red, R and far red, FR) on the function of thylakoid proteins in Zea mays and Arabidopsis thaliana was investigated. It was concluded that red light stimulates PSII activity in A.

Mechanisms of azole resistance among clinical isolates of Candida glabrata in Poland.

Candida glabrata is currently ranked as the second most frequently isolated aetiological agent of human fungal infections, next only to Candida albicans. In comparison with C. albicans, C.

Essential Oils, Silver Nanoparticles and Propolis as Alternative Agents Against Fluconazole Resistant Candida albicans, Candida glabrata and Candida krusei Clinical Isolates.

Development of effective and safe therapeutic treatment of fungal infections remains one of the major challenge for modern medicine. The aim of presented investigation was to analyze the in vitro antifungal activity of selected essential oils, ethanolic extracts of propolis and silver nanoparticles dropped on TiO2 against azole-resistant C. albicans (n = 20), C.

Metabolic responses to lead of metallicolous and nonmetallicolous populations of Armeria maritima.

Metabolic responses to Pb(NO₃)₂ (Pb) ions of excised leaves of metallicolous (MPs) and nonmetallicolous populations (NMPs) of Armeria maritima, cultivated on normal soil, were examined. Detached leaves were exposure to Pb for 24 h, and metabolic parameters were investigated. Pb decreased the photosynthesis (Pn) rate and photosystem II (PSII) activity, whereas the photochemical efficiency of PSII remained unchanged.

Evaluation of possibilities in identification and susceptibility testing for Candida glabrata clinical isolates with the Integral System Yeast Plus (ISYP).

The aim of this study was to evaluate possibilities of correct identification and susceptibility testing of C. glabrata clinical isolates with Integral System Yeast Plus (ISYP). For species identification, as the reference method, API Candida test and species-specific PCR reactions were used.

Candidaemia in a Polish tertiary paediatric hospital, 2000 to 2010.

Data on the epidemiology of invasive Candida infections in paediatric patients in Europe are still limited. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyse the epidemiology of candidaemia in a tertiary paediatric hospital in Poland from 2000 to 2010. Using microbiological records, a total of 118 episodes of candidaemia were identified in 114 children, with an annual incidence of 0.

Light intensity and quality stimulated Deg1-dependent cleavage of PSII components in the chloroplasts of maize.

Recent studies have revealed that photo damages inducing high white light illumination of C3-type plant Arabidopsis thaliana promotes Deg1-mediated degradation of not only photosystem II core proteins D1/D2 but also minor LHCII proteins CP26, CP29 and PSII-associated PsbS protein. Using biochemical and immunological approaches we show that that the substrate pool of the heterologously expressed Deg1 ortholog protease from C4-type plant Zea mays is very similar to that of the A. thaliana in both mesophyll and bundle sheath chloroplasts.

Limitation of C3-CAM shift in the common ice plant under high irradiance.

In the halophytic plant Mesembryanthemum crystallinum salinity or drought can change the mode of photosynthesis from C(3) to crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). These two stress factors are linked to oxidative stress, however, the induction of CAM by oxidative stress per se is not straightforward. Treatment with high light (HL) did not lead to the induction of CAM, as documented by a low night/day difference in malate level and a low expression of the CAM-related form of phosphoenolcarboxylase (Ppc1), despite causing some oxidative damage (elevated MDA level, malondialdehyde).

[C4 type photosynthesis].

C4 photosynthesis includes several anatomical and biochemical modifications that allow plants to concentrate CO2 at the site of Rubisco. The photorespiratory pathway is repressed in C4 plants, since the rates of photosynthesis and biomass production are increased. This is an adaptation to high light intensities, high temperatures and dryness.

Effect of lead accumulation in maize leaves on their chemical images created by a flow-through electronic tongue.

A flow-through electronic tongue based on miniaturized ion-selective electrode array was used for the classification of the maize leaf samples (Zea mays) exposed to media containing Pb(II) ions. The system provided a good recognition of the extracts from the plant leaves treated with solutions of varying concentrations of Pb(NO(3))(2). Additionally, samples derived from specific segments of the maize leaf, representing different developmental stages of cells, were also discriminated.

Activity-dependent local translation of matrix metalloproteinase-9.

Local, synaptic synthesis of new proteins in response to neuronal stimulation plays a key role in the regulation of synaptic morphogenesis. Recent studies indicate that matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), an endopeptidase that regulates the pericellular environment through cleavage of its protein components, plays a critical role in regulation of spine morphology and synaptic plasticity. Here, we sought to determine whether MMP-9 mRNA is transported to dendrites for local translation and protein release.

Differential phosphorylation of thylakoid proteins in mesophyll and bundle sheath chloroplasts from maize plants grown under low or high light.

In C4 plants, such as maize, the photosynthetic apparatus is partitioned over two cell types called mesophyll (M) and bundle sheath (BS), which have different structure and specialization of the photosynthetic thylakoid membranes. We characterized protein phosphorylation in thylakoids of the two cell types from maize grown under either low or high light. Western blotting with phosphothreonine antibodies and ProQ phosphostaining detected light-dependent changes in the protein phosphorylation patterns.

Phosphorylation of PSII proteins in maize thylakoids in the presence of Pb ions.

Lead is potentially toxic to all organisms including plants. Many physiological studies suggest that plants have developed various mechanisms to contend with heavy metals, however the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. We studied maize plants in which lead was introduced into detached leaves through the transpiration stream.

High light stimulates Deg1-dependent cleavage of the minor LHCII antenna proteins CP26 and CP29 and the PsbS protein in Arabidopsis thaliana.

The chloroplast Deg1 protein performs proteolytic cleavage of the photodamaged D1 protein of the photosystem II (PSII) reaction center, PSII extrinsic subunit PsbO and the soluble electron carrier plastocyanin. Using biochemical, immunological and mass spectrometry approaches we showed that the heterogeneously expressed Deg1 protease from Arabidopsis thaliana can be responsible for the degradation of the monomeric light-harvesting complex antenna subunits of PSII (LHCII), CP26 and CP29, as well as PSII-associated PsbS (CP22/NPQ4) protein. The results may indicate that cytochrome b (6) protein and two previously unknown thylakoid proteins, Ptac16 and an 18.

Mechanical isolation of bundle sheath cell strands and thylakoids from leaves of C4 grasses.

Bundle sheath (BS) strand cells and BS thylakoids from C4 plants represent a unique system for various studies using a combination of physiological, biochemical, and molecular approaches. We have developed procedures for mechanical disruption of leaf tissues in order to isolate metabolically active bundle sheath strand cells and thylakoids practically free from cross-contamination coming from mesophyll cells. The procedures are described in detail together with useful practical suggestions.