Greener reactants, renewable energies and environmental impact mitigation strategies in pyrometallurgical processes: A review.

Abstract: Metals and alloys are among the most technologically important materials for our industrialized societies. They are the most common structural materials used in cars, airplanes and buildings, and constitute the technological core of most electronic devices. They allow the transportation of energy over great distances and are exploited in critical parts of renewable energy technologies.

Functions of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ecm27p, a putative Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger, in calcium homeostasis, carbohydrate storage and cell cycle reentry from the quiescent phase.

The quiescent phase of the cell cycle is of fundamental importance for fungi, yet our understanding of this phase of the cycle is much less well understood than the mitotic cell cycle. We found that the ECM27 gene, which encodes a Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger, is responsible for influx of calcium from the extracellular space and release from intracellular stores during membrane stress. Wild type cells increase total Ca(2+) in quiescence but cells lacking ECM27 gene fail to do so and are defective in cell cycle reentry from the quiescent phase.

Synthesis and antifungal activity of derivatives of 2- and 3-benzofurancarboxylic acids.

We found that amiodarone has potent antifungal activity against a broad range of fungi, potentially defining a new class of antimycotics. Investigations into its molecular mechanisms showed amiodarone mobilized intracellular Ca2+, which is thought to be an important antifungal characteristic of its fungicidal activity. Amiodarone is a synthetic drug based on the benzofuran ring system, which is contained in numerous compounds that are both synthetic and isolated from natural sources with antifungal activity.

Ethanol induces calcium influx via the Cch1-Mid1 transporter in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Yeast suffers from a variety of environmental stresses, such as osmotic pressure and ethanol produced during fermentation. Since calcium ions are protective for high concentrations of ethanol, we investigated whether Ca(2+) flux occurs in response to ethanol stress. We find that exposure of yeast to ethanol induces a rise in the cytoplasmic concentration of Ca(2+).

Amiodarone induces stress responses and calcium flux mediated by the cell wall in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

We used a proteomic approach to study effects of amiodarone on cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Amiodarone has been shown to have antifungal activity in vitro and causes a massive increase in cytoplasmic calcium levels ([Ca2+]cyt). Proteomic analysis of cells exposed to amiodarone show that this drug elicits stress responses and points to involvement of proteins associated with the cell wall.

Amiodarone induces a caffeine-inhibited, MID1-depedent rise in free cytoplasmic calcium in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Calcium signalling is involved in myriad cellular processes such as mating morphogenesis. Mating in yeast induces changes in cell morphology with a concomitant increase in calcium uptake that is dependent on the MID1 and CCH1 genes. Mid1p and Cch1p are believed to function in a capacitive calcium entry (CCE)-like process.

A phosphotyrosine-dependent protein interaction screen reveals a role for phosphorylation of caveolin-1 on tyrosine 14: recruitment of C-terminal Src kinase.

Caveolin-1 is a substrate for nonreceptor tyrosine kinases including Src, Fyn, and Abl. To investigate the function of caveolin-1 phosphorylation, we modified the Gal4-based yeast two-hybrid system to screen for phosphorylation-dependent protein interactions. A cDNA library was screened using the N terminus of caveolin-1 as bait in a yeast strain expressing the catalytic domain of Abl.

Characterization of a novel, broad-based fungicidal activity for the antiarrhythmic drug amiodarone.

Fungal infections are common in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and pose a major health management problem. There is a need for identification of new antifungals to complement the limited current repertoire and to combat newly arising resistant fungal strains. We have identified a novel antifungal activity for the antiarrhythmic drug amiodarone.

A novel quantitative mating assay for the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans provides insight into signalling pathways responding to nutrients and temperature.

Cryptococcus neoformans is a fungal pathogen that causes a lethal meningitis in immunocompromised individuals. Several factors are associated with virulence of this fungus, including its mating type; however, the mechanism by which mating type affects virulence is unknown. C.