Antibody discovery technologies, essential for research and therapeutic applications, have evolved significantly since the development of hybridoma technology. Various in vitro (display) and in vivo (animal immunization and B cell-sequencing) workflows have led to the discovery of antibodies against diverse antigens. Despite this success, standard display and B-cell sequencing-based technologies are limited to targets that can be produced in a soluble form.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn recent years micro- and nanoplastics and metal-oxide nanomaterials have been found in several environmental compartments. The Antarctic soft clam Laternula elliptica is an endemic Antarctic species having a wide distribution in the Southern Ocean. Being a filter-feeder, it could act as suitable bioindicator of pollution from nanoparticles also considering its sensitivity to various sources of stress.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNanoplastics and engineering nanomaterials (ENMs) are contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), increasingly being detected in the marine environment and recognized as a potential threat for marine biota at the global level including in polar areas. Few studies have assessed the impact of these anthropogenic nanoparticles in the microbiome of marine invertebrates, however combined exposure resembling natural scenarios has been overlooked. The present study aimed to evaluate the single and combined effects of polystyrene nanoparticles (PS NP) as proxy for nanoplastics and nanoscale titanium dioxide (nano-TiO) on the prokaryotic communities associated with the gill tissue of the Antarctic soft-shell clam Laternula elliptica, a keystone species of marine benthos Wild-caught specimens were exposed to two environmentally relevant concentrations of carboxylated PS NP (PS-COOH NP, ∼62 nm size) and nano-TiO (Aeroxide P25, ∼25 nm) as 5 and 50 μg/L either single and combined for 96h in a semi-static condition.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIt is generally acknowledged that microplastic pollutants are prevalent in ocean waters and sediments across a range of tropical, temperate, subpolar, and polar regions. The waters surrounding King George Island are significantly impacted by human activities, particularly those related to scientific stations, fishing, and tourism. Organisms, such as Laternula elliptica, can be used as environmental monitors due to the likelihood that they will bioaccumulate pollutants.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe filter feeder clam Laternula elliptica is a key species in the Antarctic ecosystem. As a stenothermal benthic species, it has a poor capacity for adaptation to small temperature variations. Despite their ecological importance and sensitivity to climate change, studies on their microbiomes are lacking.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFData Brief
October 2023
There are several methods of analysis used in the metalworking industry for dry machining processes and with Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL). Evolutionary methods [1] have been used in the decision-making process in the machining process to select the optimal data and to analyze the behavior of variables such as cutting speed (V), feed rate (f) and cutting depth (a). This work addresses the use of evolutionary algorithms of low dominance class II and III (NSGA-II and NSGA-III) to analyze from the multicriteria approach the initial wear of the cutting tool (VB), the energy consumption (E) and the machining time (t) in the turning process of the AISI 316L steel workpiece for biomedical purposes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe sponge microbiome, especially in Low Microbial Abundance (LMA) species, is expected to be influenced by the local environment; however, contrasting results exist with evidence showing that host specificity is also important, hence suggesting that the microbiome is influenced by host-specific and environmental factors. Despite sponges being important members of Southern Ocean benthic communities, their relationships with the microbial communities they host remain poorly studied. Here, we studied the spatial and temporal patterns of the microbiota associated with the ecologically important LMA sponge at sites along ∼400 km of the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) to assess patterns in the core and variable microbial components of the symbiont communities of this sponge species.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRecent advances in synthetic biology and protein engineering have increased the number of allosteric transcription factors used to regulate independent promoters. These developments represent an important increase in our biological computing capacity, which will enable us to construct more sophisticated genetic programs for a broad range of biological technologies. However, the majority of these transcription factors are represented by the repressor phenotype (BUFFER), and require layered inversion to confer the antithetical logical function (NOT), requiring additional biological resources.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAllosteric function is a critical component of many of the parts used to construct gene networks throughout synthetic biology. In this review, we discuss an emerging field of research and education, biomolecular systems engineering, that expands on the synthetic biology edifice-integrating workflows and strategies from protein engineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science principles. We focus on the role of engineered allosteric communication as it relates to transcriptional gene regulators-i.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTraditionally engineered genetic circuits have almost exclusively used naturally occurring transcriptional repressors. Recently, non-natural transcription factors (repressors) have been engineered and employed in synthetic biology with great success. However, transcriptional anti-repressors have largely been absent with regard to the regulation of genes in engineered genetic circuits.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMarine sponges host dense, diverse, and species-specific microbial communities around the globe; however, most of the current knowledge is restricted to species from tropical and temperate waters. Only recently, some studies have assessed the microbiome of a few Antarctic sponges; however, contrary to low mid-latitude sponges, the knowledge about temporal (stability) patterns in the bacterial communities of Antarctic sponges is absent. Here, we studied the temporal patterns of bacterial communities in the Antarctic sponges () , sp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe control of gene expression is an important tool for metabolic engineering, the design of synthetic gene networks, and protein manufacturing. The most successful approaches to date are based on modulating mRNA synthesis via an inducible coupling to transcriptional effectors. Here we present a biological programming structure that leverages a system of engineered transcription factors and complementary genetic architectures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Synth Biol
February 2019
The lactose repressor, LacI (I), is an archetypal transcription factor that has been a workhorse in many synthetic genetic networks. LacI represses gene expression (apo ligand) and is induced upon binding of the ligand isopropyl β-d-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). Recently, laboratory evolution was used to confer inverted function in the native LacI topology resulting in anti-LacI (antilac) function (I), where IPTG binding results in gene suppression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFKinetics of gold nanoparticle surface modification with thiols can take more than one hour for completion. 7-mercapto-4-methylcoumarin can be used to follow the process by fluorescence spectroscopy and serves as a convenient molecular probe to determine relative kinetics. SERS studies with aromatic thiols further support the slow surface modification kinetics observed by fluorescence spectroscopy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnvironmental epigenetic is an emerging field that studies the cause-effect relationship between environmental factors and heritable trait via an alteration in epigenetic marks. This field has received much attentions since the impact of environmental factors on different epigenetic marks have been shown to be associated with a broad range of phenotypic disorders in natural ecosystems. Chemical pollutants have been shown to affect immediate epigenetic information carriers of several aquatic species but the heritability of the chromatin marks and the consequences for long term adaptation remain open questions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Systemic sclerosis is an autoimmune disease which shows extreme heterogeneity in its clinical presentation and that follows a variable and unpredictable course. Although some discrepancies in the incidence and prevalence rates between geographical regions may reflect methodological differences in the definition and verification of cases, they may also reflect true local differences.
Objectives: To determine the prevalence and incidence of systemic sclerosis in the city of Campo Grande, state capital of Mato Grosso do Sul (MS), Brazil, during the period from January to December 2014.
The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas is the main oyster species produced in the world, and a key coastal economic resource in France. High mortalities affect Pacific oysters since 2008 in France and Europe. Their origins have been attributed to a combination of biotic and abiotic factors, underlining the importance of environment quality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA Fourier transform infrared derivative spectroscopy (FTIR-DS) method has been developed for determining furosemide (FUR) in pharmaceutical solid dosage form. The method involves the extraction of FUR from tablets with N,N-dimethylformamide by sonication and direct measurement in liquid phase mode using a reduced path length cell. In general, the spectra were measured in transmission mode and the equipment was configured to collect a spectrum at 4 cm(-1) resolution and a 13 s collection time (10 scans co-added).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGlobal change and its associated temperature increase has directly or indirectly changed the distributions of hosts and pathogens, and has affected host immunity, pathogen virulence and growth rates. This has resulted in increased disease in natural plant and animal populations worldwide, including scleractinian corals. While the effects of temperature increase on immunity and pathogen virulence have been clearly identified, their interaction, synergy and relative weight during pathogenesis remain poorly documented.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProfessionals performing radiographic examinations are responsible for maintaining optimal image quality for accurate diagnoses. These professionals must competently execute techniques such as film manipulation and processing to minimize patient exposure to radiation. Improper performance by the professional and/or patient may result in a radiographic image of unsatisfactory quality that can also lead to a misdiagnosis and the development of an inadequate treatment plan.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe quantitative estimation of amikacin (AMK) in AMK sulfate injection samples is reported using FTIR-derivative spectrometric method in a continuous flow system. Fourier transform of mid-IR spectra were recorded without any sample pretreatment. A good linear calibration (>0.
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