As a marine antifouling biocide, 4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (DCOIT) exhibited high toxicity to marine organisms. This study investigated the interaction between DCOIT and human serum albumin (HSA) using several spectroscopic techniques combined with computer prediction methods. The UV-vis absorption spectra, Stern-Volmer constant (K) and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) results indicated that DCOIT caused static quenching of HSA fluorescence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAntennae and legs (primarily the tarsal segments) of insects are the foremost sensory organs that contact a diverse range of toxic chemicals including insecticides. Binding proteins expressed in the two tissues are potential molecular candidates serving as the binding and sequestering of insecticides, like chemosensory proteins (CSPs). Insect CSPs endowed with multiple roles have been suggested to participate in insecticide resistance, focusing mainly on moths, aphids and mosquitos.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe orientation of the oligophagous cone-feeding moth Dioryctria abietella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) to host plants primarily relies on olfactory-related proteins, particularly those candidates highly expressed in antennae. Here, through a combination of expression profile, ligand-binding assay, molecular docking and site-directed mutagenesis strategies, we characterized the chemosensory protein (CSP) gene family in D. abietella.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFComp Biochem Physiol Part D Genomics Proteomics
March 2024
Three tree-killing bark beetles belonging to the genus Tomicus, Tomicus yunnanensis, Tomicus brevipilosus and Tomicus minor (Coleoptera; Curculionidae, Scolytinae), are serious wood-borers with larvae feeding on the phloem tissues of Pinus yunnanensis. The three Tomicus beetles, in some cases, coexist in a same habitat, providing a best system for exploring the conservation and divergence of reproductive genes. Here, we applied comparative transcriptomics and molecular biology approaches to characterize reproductive-related genes in three sympatric Tomicus species.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAtherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease partly mediated by lipoproteins. The rupture of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques and thrombosis are major contributors to the development of acute cardiovascular events. Despite various advances in the treatment of atherosclerosis, there has been no satisfaction in the prevention and assessment of atherosclerotic vascular disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMyocardial apoptosis induced by myocardial ischemia and hyperlipemia are the main causes of high mortality of cardiovascular diseases. It is not clear whether there is a common mechanism responsible for these two kinds of cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Previous studies demonstrated that early growth response protein 1 (EGR-1) has a pro-apoptotic effect on cardiomyocytes under various stress conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: Previous research in our laboratory found that a biologically active sphingomyelin metabolite, sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC), can inhibit myocardial cell apoptosis caused by ischemia with an unknown mechanism. Here, we aimed to study the possible participation of EPAS1 in the protection process of SPC.
Methods: The rat cardiomyocytes deprived of serum were used to mimic ischemic-caused apoptosis, then treated with or without SPC.
Blockade of hypoxia-caused nonmyocytes apoptosis helps improve survival and mitigate ventricular remodeling and dysfunction during the chronic stage of myocardial infarction. But tools affecting nonmyocyte apoptosis are very rare. Sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC), a naturally occurring bioactive sphingolipid in plasma, was proved to protect cardiomyocyte against apoptosis in an ischemic model in our previous study.
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