190 results match your criteria: "Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin" Sapienza University of Rome[Affiliation]"

DNA G-quadruplex (G4) structures, either within gene promoter sequences or at telomeres, have been extensively investigated as potential small-molecule therapeutic targets. However, although G4s forming at the telomeric DNA have been extensively investigated as anticancer targets, few studies focus on the telomeric repeat-containing RNA (TERRA), transcribed from telomeres, as potential pharmacological targets. Here, a virtual screening approach to identify a library of drug-like putative TERRA G4 binders, in tandem with circular dichroism melting assay to study their TERRA G4-stabilizing properties, led to the identification of a new hit compound.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Corrigendum to: The C-terminal region of yeast ubiquitin-protein ligase Not4 mediates its cellular localization and stress response.

FEMS Microbiol Lett

October 2021

Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Pasteur Institute-Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • MiR-142-3p is implicated in inflammatory synaptopathy associated with MS, indicating a dual role in the immune and central nervous systems.
  • Positive correlations were found between CSF miR-142-3p levels and clinical disease progression, suggesting its significance in monitoring MS severity.
  • Lower levels of miR-142-3p in patients led to better responses to the DMT dimethyl fumarate, indicating its potential as a target for personalized treatment strategies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Response to Extracellular DNA: Self Versus Nonself Exposure.

Plants (Basel)

August 2021

Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici, Italy.

The inhibitory effect of extracellular DNA (exDNA) on the growth of conspecific individuals was demonstrated in different kingdoms. In plants, the inhibition has been observed on root growth and seed germination, demonstrating its role in plant-soil negative feedback. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the early response to exDNA and the inhibitory effect of conspecific exDNA.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Nanonutraceuticals Delivery.

Nanomaterials (Basel)

August 2021

Institute of Higher Secondary Education "Presta-Columella", Technical and Technological Sector "Agriculture, Agri-Food and Agro-Industry", Via S. Pietro in Lama snc, 73100 Lecce, Italy.

Technological innovation, environmental sustainability, health, and wellness are the trajectories explored by current research to identify new strategies for a general improvement of human quality of life [...

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Long-term high-fat diet (HFD) consumption can cause weight gain and obesity, two conditions often associated with hepatic non-alcoholic fatty liver and oxidative stress. Oleoylethanolamide (OEA), a lipid compound produced by the intestine from oleic acid, has been associated with different beneficial effects in diet-induced obesity and hepatic steatosis. However, the role of OEA on hepatic oxidative stress has not been fully elucidated.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The impact of protein-coding genes on cancer onset and progression is a well-established paradigm in molecular oncology. Nevertheless, unveiling the contribution of the noncoding genes-including long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs)-to tumorigenesis represents a great challenge for personalized medicine, since they (i) constitute the majority of the human genome, (ii) are essential and flexible regulators of gene expression and (iii) present all types of genomic alterations described for protein-coding genes. LncRNAs have been increasingly associated with cancer, their highly tissue- and cancer type-specific expression making them attractive candidates as both biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The C-terminal region of yeast ubiquitin-protein ligase Not4 mediates its cellular localization and stress response.

FEMS Microbiol Lett

August 2021

Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Pasteur Institute-Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.

Transient modification of the environment involves the expression of specific genes and degradation of mRNAs and proteins. How these events are linked is poorly understood. CCR4-NOT is an evolutionary conserved complex involved in transcription initiation and mRNA degradation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In unicellular organisms like yeasts, which do not have specialized tissues for protection against environmental challenges, the presence of cellular mechanisms to respond and adapt to stress conditions is fundamental. In this work, we aimed to investigate the response to environmental light in . Yeast lacks specialized light-sensing proteins; however, has been reported to respond to light by increasing hydrogen peroxide level and triggering nuclear translocation of Msn2.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Human serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) regulates the serine-glycine one carbon metabolism and plays a role in cancer metabolic reprogramming. Two SHMT isozymes are acting in the cell: SHMT1 encoding the cytoplasmic isozyme, and SHMT2 encoding the mitochondrial one. Here we present a molecular model built on experimental data reporting the interaction between SHMT1 protein and SHMT2 mRNA, recently discovered in lung cancer cells.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) is a non-histone chromosomal protein first identified in Drosophila as a major component of constitutive heterochromatin, required for stable epigenetic gene silencing in many species including humans. Over the years, several studies have highlighted additional roles of HP1 in different cellular processes including telomere maintenance, DNA replication and repair, chromosome segregation and, surprisingly, positive regulation of gene expression. In this review, we briefly summarize past research and recent results supporting the unexpected and emerging role of HP1 in activating gene expression.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

An intensive study, applied to a site characterized by multiple sources of microorganisms, was aimed at understanding the best approach to study bioaerosol. Culture-based, molecular biological, and chemical methods were applied to Particulate Matter (PM) samples collected in a livestock facility, during spring and autumn seasons, in two different outdoor areas. The first one was close to a place where feed was stored and handled and the second next to an open cowshed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Prdm16-mediated H3K9 methylation controls fibro-adipogenic progenitors identity during skeletal muscle repair.

Sci Adv

June 2021

Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology (IBPM), National Research Council (CNR) of Italy c/o Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin, " Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, Italy.

H3K9 methylation maintains cell identity orchestrating stable silencing and anchoring of alternate fate genes within the heterochromatic compartment underneath the nuclear lamina (NL). However, how cell type-specific genomic regions are specifically targeted to the NL is still elusive. Using fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs) as a model, we identified Prdm16 as a nuclear envelope protein that anchors H3K9-methylated chromatin in a cell-specific manner.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Early signalling events in response to elicitation include reversible protein phosphorylation and re-localization of plasma membrane (PM) proteins. Oligogalacturonides (OGs) are a class of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) that act as endogenous signals to activate the plant immune response. Previous data on early phosphoproteome changes in Arabidopsis thaliana upon OG perception uncovered the immune-related phospho-regulation of several membrane proteins, among which PCaP1, a PM-anchored protein with actin filament-severing activity, was chosen for its potential involvement in OG- and flagellin-triggered responses.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Widespread occurrence of circular RNA in eukaryotes.

Nat Rev Genet

September 2021

Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin" and IIT CLN2S@Sapienza, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Expanding Roles of De Novo Lipogenesis in Breast Cancer.

Int J Environ Res Public Health

March 2021

Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Via Prov.le Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy.

In recent years, lipid metabolism has gained greater attention in several diseases including cancer. Dysregulation of fatty acid metabolism is a key component in breast cancer malignant transformation. In particular, de novo lipogenesis provides the substrate required by the proliferating tumor cells to maintain their membrane composition and energetic functions during enhanced growth.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Dysfunction of the proteoglycan Tsukushi causes hydrocephalus through altered neurogenesis in the subventricular zone in mice.

Sci Transl Med

March 2021

Department of Developmental Neurobiology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.

The lateral ventricle (LV) is flanked by the subventricular zone (SVZ), a neural stem cell (NSC) niche rich in extrinsic growth factors regulating NSC maintenance, proliferation, and neuronal differentiation. Dysregulation of the SVZ niche causes LV expansion, a condition known as hydrocephalus; however, the underlying pathological mechanisms are unclear. We show that deficiency of the proteoglycan Tsukushi (TSK) in ependymal cells at the LV surface and in the cerebrospinal fluid results in hydrocephalus with neurodevelopmental disorder-like symptoms in mice.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • In 2008, guidelines were established for researching autophagy, which has since gained significant interest and new technologies, necessitating regular updates to monitoring methods across various organisms.
  • The new guidelines emphasize selecting appropriate techniques to evaluate autophagy while noting that no single method suits all situations; thus, a combination of methods is encouraged.
  • The document highlights that key proteins involved in autophagy also impact other cellular processes, suggesting genetic studies should focus on multiple autophagy-related genes to fully understand these pathways.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A gene expression atlas for different kinds of stress in the mouse brain.

Sci Data

December 2020

Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), University of Tuscia, Largo Università snc, 01100, Viterbo, Italy.

Stressful experiences are part of everyday life and animals have evolved physiological and behavioral responses aimed at coping with stress and maintaining homeostasis. However, repeated or intense stress can induce maladaptive reactions leading to behavioral disorders. Adaptations in the brain, mediated by changes in gene expression, have a crucial role in the stress response.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The Aurora-A/TPX2 Axis Directs Spindle Orientation in Adherent Human Cells by Regulating NuMA and Microtubule Stability.

Curr Biol

February 2021

Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, National Research Council of Italy, c/o Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 4, 00185 Rome, Italy. Electronic address:

Mitotic spindle orientation is a crucial process that defines the axis of cell division, contributing to daughter cell positioning and fate, and hence to tissue morphogenesis and homeostasis. The trimeric NuMA/LGN/Gαi complex, the major determinant of spindle orientation, exerts pulling forces on the spindle poles by anchoring astral microtubules (MTs) and dynein motors to the cell cortex. Mitotic kinases contribute to correct spindle orientation by regulating nuclear mitotic apparatus protein (NuMA) localization, among which the Aurora-A centrosomal kinase regulates NuMA targeting to the cell cortex in metaphase.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are widely investigated in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) for their involvement in regulating GBM pathobiology as well as for their use as potential biomarkers. EVs, through cell-to-cell communication, can deliver proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids that are able to reprogram tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). This research is aimed to concentrate, characterize, and identify molecular markers of EVs subtypes released by temozolomide (TMZ)-treated and non TMZ-treated four diverse GBM cells.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Arabidopsis primary root growth: let it grow, can't hold it back anymore!

Curr Opin Plant Biol

October 2020

Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics of Model Systems, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", "La Sapienza" University of Rome, Via dei Sardi 70, Rome, Italy. Electronic address:

In multicellular organisms, growth is defined by those processes that allow an organ to increase in mass, namely cell proliferation - that increases the number of cells - and cell expansion - that increases their volume. For an organ to achieve a functional shape and a characteristic final size both these processes need to be tightly coordinated. In roots, these processes stand behind root primary growth, which results in lengthening of the root along its longitudinal axis, and secondary growth, which results in an increase of the root thickness.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The gut microbiota guide the development of the host immune system by setting a systemic threshold for immune activation. Lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) from gut bacteria are able to trigger systemic and local proinflammatory and immunomodulatory responses, and this capability strongly relies on their fine structures. Up to now, only a few LPS structures from gut commensals have been elucidated; therefore, the molecular motifs that may be important for LPS-mammalian cell interactions at the gut level are still obscure.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Functional Characterization of Muscarinic Receptors in Human Schwann Cells.

Int J Mol Sci

September 2020

Blond McIndoe Laboratories, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.

Functional characterization of muscarinic cholinergic receptors in myelinating glial cells has been well described both in central and peripheral nervous system. Rat Schwann cells (SCs) express different muscarinic receptor subtypes with the prevalence of the M2 subtype. The selective stimulation of this receptor subtype inhibits SC proliferation, improving their differentiation towards myelinating phenotype.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF