Subunits Med12 and Med13 of Mediator Cooperate with Subunits SAYP and Bap170 of SWI/SNF in Active Transcription in .

SAYP and Bap170, subunits of the SWI/SNF remodeling complex, have the ability to support enhancer-dependent transcription when artificially recruited to the promoter on a transgene. We found that the phenomenon critically depends on two subunits of the Mediator kinase module, Med12 and Med13 but does not require the two other subunits of the module (Cdk8 and CycC) or other subunits of the core part of the complex. A cooperation of the above proteins in active transcription was also observed at endogenous loci, but the contribution of the subunits to the activity of a particular gene differed in different loci.

Role of Humic Substances in the (Bio)Degradation of Synthetic Polymers under Environmental Conditions.

Information on the detection of the presence and potential for degradation of synthetic polymers (SPs) under various environmental conditions is of increasing interest and concern to a wide range of specialists. At this stage, there is a need to understand the relationship between the main participants in the processes of (bio)degradation of SPs in various ecosystems (reservoirs with fresh and sea water, soils, etc.), namely the polymers themselves, the cells of microorganisms (MOs) participating in their degradation, and humic substances (HSs).

Action enhancement of antimicrobial peptides by their combination with enzymes hydrolyzing fungal quorum molecules.

Recently, the lactonase activity of several enzymes (lactonase AiiA, organophosphate hydrolase (His-OPH) and New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM-1)) was revealed in the hydrolysis of lactone-containing fungal Quorum Sensing molecules (FQSM). This study was aimed at the investigation of possible use of these enzymes as components of antifungal combinations with antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) to increase their action efficiency against various fungi. For this, the interaction of various AMPs with AiiA, NDM-1 or His-OPH, as well as the effect of AMPs on the catalytic characteristics of these enzymes in the hydrolysis of FQSM in enzyme/AMP combinations, were studied using in silico computer modeling methods.

"Stop, Little Pot" as the Motto of Suppressive Management of Various Microbial Consortia.

The unresolved challenges in the development of highly efficient, stable and controlled synthetic microbial consortia, as well as the use of natural consortia, are very attractive for science and technology. However, the consortia management should be done with the knowledge of how not only to accelerate but also stop the action of such "little pots". Moreover, there are a lot of microbial consortia, the activity of which should be suppressively controlled.

Using Fungi in Artificial Microbial Consortia to Solve Bioremediation Problems.

There is currently growing interest in the creation of artificial microbial consortia, especially in the field of developing and applying various bioremediation processes. Heavy metals, dyes, synthetic polymers (microplastics), pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and pharmaceutical agents are among the pollutants that have been mainly targeted by bioremediation based on various consortia containing fungi (mycelial types and yeasts). Such consortia can be designed both for the treatment of soil and water.

Enzymes with Lactonase Activity against Fungal Quorum Molecules as Effective Antifungals.

Since the growing number of fungi resistant to the fungicides used is becoming a serious threat to human health, animals, and crops, there is a need to find other effective approaches in the eco-friendly suppression of fungal growth. One of the main mechanisms of the development of resistance in fungi, as well as in bacteria, to antimicrobial agents is quorum sensing (QS), in which various lactone-containing compounds participate as signaling molecules. This work aimed to study the effectiveness of action of enzymes exhibiting lactonase activity against fungal signaling molecules.

Luminescent Bacteria as Bioindicators in Screening and Selection of Enzymes Detoxifying Various Mycotoxins.

Interest in enzymes capable of neutralizing various mycotoxins is quite high. The methods used for the screening and selection of enzymes that catalyze the detoxification of mycotoxins should be sensitive and fast. However toxic compounds can be generated under the action of such enzymes.

Artificial Humic Substances as Biomimetics of Natural Analogues: Production, Characteristics and Preferences Regarding Their Use.

Various processes designed for the humification (HF) of animal husbandry wastes, primarily bird droppings, reduce their volumes, solve environmental problems, and make it possible to obtain products with artificially formed humic substances (HSs) as analogues of natural HSs, usually extracted from fossil sources (coal and peat). This review studies the main characteristics of various biological and physicochemical methods of the HF of animal wastes (composting, anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis, hydrothermal carbonation, acid or alkaline hydrolysis, and subcritical water extraction). A comparative analysis of the HF rates and HS yields in these processes, the characteristics of the resulting artificial HSs (humification index, polymerization index, degree of aromaticity, etc.

Various Biomimetics, Including Peptides as Antifungals.

Biomimetics, which are similar to natural compounds that play an important role in the metabolism, manifestation of functional activity and reproduction of various fungi, have a pronounced attraction in the current search for new effective antifungals. Actual trends in the development of this area of research indicate that unnatural amino acids can be used as such biomimetics, including those containing halogen atoms; compounds similar to nitrogenous bases embedded in the nucleic acids synthesized by fungi; peptides imitating fungal analogs; molecules similar to natural substrates of numerous fungal enzymes and quorum-sensing signaling molecules of fungi and yeast, etc. Most parts of this review are devoted to the analysis of semi-synthetic and synthetic antifungal peptides and their targets of action.

On the Degree of Plastic Strain during Laser Shock Peening of Ti-6Al-4V.

Laser shock peening (LSP) is an innovative technique that is used to enhance the fatigue strength of structural materials via the generation of significant residual stress. The present work was undertaken to evaluate the degree of plastic strain introduced during LSP and thus improve the fundamental understanding of the LSP process. To this end, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and nano-hardness measurements were performed to examine the microstructural response of laser-shock-peened Ti-6Al-4V alloy.

Metal Nanomaterials and Hydrolytic Enzyme-Based Formulations for Improved Antifungal Activity.

Active research of metal-containing compounds and enzymes as effective antifungal agents is currently being conducted due to the growing antifungal resistance problem. Metals are attracting special attention due to the wide variety of ligands that can be used for them, including chemically synthesized and naturally obtained variants as a result of the so-called "green synthesis". The main mechanism of the antifungal action of metals is the triggering of the generation and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Measuring Dental Enamel Thickness: Morphological and Functional Relevance of Topographic Mapping.

The interest in the development of dental enamel thickness measurement techniques is connected to the importance of metric data in taxonomic assessments and evolutionary research as well as in other directions of dental studies. At the same time, advances in non-destructive imaging techniques and the application of scanning methods, such as micro-focus-computed X-ray tomography, has enabled researchers to study the internal morpho-histological layers of teeth with a greater degree of accuracy and detail. These tendencies have contributed to changes in established views in different areas of dental research, ranging from the interpretation of morphology to metric assessments.

Quorum Sensing as a Trigger That Improves Characteristics of Microbial Biocatalysts.

Quorum sensing (QS) of various microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, microalgae) today attracts the attention of researchers mainly from the point of view of clarifying the biochemical basics of this general biological phenomenon, establishing chemical compounds that regulate it, and studying the mechanisms of its realization. Such information is primarily aimed at its use in solving environmental problems and the development of effective antimicrobial agents. This review is oriented on other aspects of the application of such knowledge; in particular, it discusses the role of QS in the elaboration of various prospective biocatalytic systems for different biotechnological processes carried out under aerobic and anaerobic conditions (synthesis of enzymes, polysaccharides, organic acids, etc.

Mechanical Behavior of a Medium-Entropy Fe(CoNi)CrC Alloy Produced by Selective Laser Melting.

Specimens of a medium-entropy Fe(CoNi)CrC (in at.%) alloy were produced using additive manufacturing (selective laser melting, SLM). The selected parameters of SLM resulted in a very high density in the specimens with a residual porosity of less than 0.

Progressive Biocatalysts for the Treatment of Aqueous Systems Containing Pharmaceutical Pollutants.

The review focuses on the appearance of various pharmaceutical pollutants in various water sources, which dictates the need to use various methods for effective purification and biodegradation of the compounds. The use of various biological catalysts (enzymes and cells) is discussed as one of the progressive approaches to solving problems in this area. Antibiotics, hormones, pharmaceuticals containing halogen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics and antiepileptic drugs are among the substrates for the biocatalysts in water purification processes that can be carried out.

Destruction of Mycotoxins in Poultry Waste under Anaerobic Conditions within Methanogenesis Catalyzed by Artificial Microbial Consortia.

To reduce the toxicity of modern feeds polluted by mycotoxins, various sorbents are added to them when feeding animals. A part of the mycotoxins is excreted from the body of animals with these sorbents and remains in the manure. As a result, bulk animal wastes containing mixtures of mycotoxins are formed.

Gradient Microstructure and Texture Formation in a Metastable Austenitic Stainless Steel during Cold Rotary Swaging.

The paper aimed to study the evolution of the microstructure and texture gradient of a 321-type metastable austenitic stainless steel during cold rotary swaging. Cold rotary swaging was carried out with a reduction of up to 90% at ambient temperature. Pronounced gradients of the α'-martensite volume fraction, the axial texture of austenite (⟨111⟩ and ⟨001⟩) and α'-martensite (⟨101⟩), and non-uniform microhardness distribution along the rod diameter were obtained after a reduction of 80-90%.

Combustion Synthesis and Reactive Spark Plasma Sintering of Non-Equiatomic CoAl-Based High Entropy Intermetallics.

The present work reports the direct production of a high-entropy (HE) intermetallic CoNiFeCrAl material with a B2 structure from mechanically activated elemental powder mixtures. Fast and efficient combustion synthesis (CS), spark plasma sintering (SPS), and reactive SPS (RSPS) methods were used to synthesize the HE powders and bulks. The formation of the main B2 phase along with some amounts of secondary BCC and FCC phases are reported, and L12 intermetallic (CS scheme) and BCC based on Cr (CS + SPS and RSPS schemes at 1000 °C) were observed in all samples.

Synergistic Antimicrobial Action of Lactoferrin-Derived Peptides and Quorum Quenching Enzymes.

Combined use of various antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with enzymes that hydrolyze the signaling molecules of the resistance mechanism of various microorganisms, quorum sensing (QS), to obtain effective antimicrobials is one of the leading approaches in solving the antimicrobial resistance problem. Our study investigates the lactoferrin-derived AMPs, lactoferricin (Lfcin), lactoferampin and Lf(1-11), as potential partners for combination with enzymes hydrolyzing lactone-containing QS molecules, the hexahistidine-containing organophosphorus hydrolase (His-OPH) and penicillin acylase, to obtain effective antimicrobial agents with a scope of practical application. The possibility of the effective combination of selected AMPs and enzymes was first investigated in silico using molecular docking method.

Combination of Enzymes with Materials to Give Them Antimicrobial Features: Modern Trends and Perspectives.

Multidrug-resistant bacteria form serious problems in many areas, including medicine and the food industry. At the same time, great interest is shown in the transfer or enhancement of antimicrobial properties to various materials by modifying them with enzymes. The use of enzymes in biomaterials with antimicrobial properties is important because enzymes can be used as the main active components providing antimicrobial properties of functionalized composite biomaterials, or can serve as enhancers of the antimicrobial action of certain substances (antibiotics, antimicrobial peptides, metal nanoparticles, etc.

Carrier Variety Used in Immobilization of His-OPH Extends Its Application Areas.

Organophosphorus hydrolase, containing a genetically introduced hexahistidine sequence (His-OPH), attracts the attention of researchers by its promiscuous activity in hydrolytic reactions with various substrates, such as organophosphorus pesticides and chemical warfare agents, mycotoxins, and -acyl homoserine lactones. The application of various carrier materials (metal-organic frameworks, polypeptides, bacterial cellulose, polyhydroxybutyrate, succinylated gelatin, etc.) for the immobilization and stabilization of His-OPH by various methods, enables creation of biocatalysts with various properties and potential uses, in particular, as antidotes, recognition elements of biosensors, in fibers with chemical and biological protection, dressings with antimicrobial properties, highly porous sorbents for the degradation of toxicants, including in flow systems, etc.

Self-Assembling Enzymatic Nanocomplexes with Polypeptides and Low-Weight Organic Compounds: Preparation, Characterization, and Application of New Antibacterials.

The self-assembling of nanosized materials is a promising field for research and development. Multiple approaches are applied to obtain inorganic, organic and composite nanomaterials with different functionality. In the present work, self-assembling nanocomplexes (NCs) were prepared on the basis of enzymes and polypeptides followed by the investigation of the influence of low-molecular weight biologically active compounds on the properties of the NCs.

Undergraduate Ethics Education in Paramedicine in Australia.

In Australia, paramedics are obliged to practice ethically. Graduates of baccalaureate degrees in paramedicine should therefore possess a common grounding in ethics to meet the professional capabilities expected of registered paramedics. However, there is a lack of clarity regarding ethics education for paramedicine students, including what is taught, how it is taught, and how it is assessed.

Strategies for variable regulation of methanogenesis efficiency and velocity.

Combinations of various strategic approaches to the suppression of methanogenesis and the formation of biogas with a simultaneous decrease in the ratio of methane in its composition were investigated. Introduction of methanogenesis suppressors such as redox derivatives of humic acids, potassium persulfate (KSO), possessing oxidizing and electron acceptor properties, enzyme hexahistidine-containing organophosphorus hydrolase with high lactonase activity and polypeptide antimicrobial agent bacitracin into the media with anaerobic consortia were studied. The effect of these substances was directed at various participants of the natural methanogenic consortium, as well as on the biochemical processes carried out by them.

"Universal" Antimicrobial Combination of Bacitracin and His-OPH with Lactonase Activity, Acting against Various Bacterial and Yeast Cells.

The effect of Bacitracin as an antibiotic acting against Gram-positive bacterial cells was evaluated in combination with hexahistidine-containing organophosphate hydrolase (His-OPH), possessing lactonase activity against various -acylhomoserine lactones produced by most Gram-negative bacteria as quorum-sensing molecules. The molecular docking technique was used to obtain in silico confirmation of possible interactions between molecules of His-OPH and Bacitracin as well as the absence of a significant influence of such interactions on the enzymatic catalysis. The in vitro experiments showed a sufficient catalytic efficiency of action of the His-OPH/Bacitracin combination as compared to the native enzyme.