Modulation of linoleic acid-binding properties of human serum albumin by divalent metal cations.

Human serum albumin (HSA) is an abundant multiligand carrier protein, linked to progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Blood HSA serves as a depot of amyloid β (Aβ) peptide. Aβ peptide-buffering properties of HSA depend on interaction with its ligands.

Application of static and impulse magnetic fields to bacteria Rhodospirillum rubrum VKM B-1621.

The paper presents effects of different magnetic fields (MFs) (static-SMF and impulse-IMF) on bacteria Rhodospirillum rubrum VKM B-1621. The MFs had different magnetic strength: SMF-up to 173 mT; IMF-25 mT. The studied object was amylase activity which was measured by decrease in the starch concentration during incubation in the MFs.

Endocannabinoid-dependent protection against kainic acid-induced long-term alteration of brain oscillations in guinea pigs.

Changes in rhythmic activity can serve as early biomarkers of pathological alterations, but it remains unclear how different types of rhythmic activity are altered during neurodegenerative processes. Glutamatergic neurotoxicity, evoked by kainic acid (KA), causes hyperexcitation and acute seizures that result in delayed brain damage. We employed wide frequency range (0.

Application of organic acids for plant protection against phytopathogens.

The basic tendency in the field of plant protection concerns with reducing the use of pesticides and their replacement by environmentally acceptable biological preparations. The most promising approach to plant protection is application of microbial metabolites. In the last years, bactericidal, fungicidal, and nematodocidal activities were revealed for citric, succinic, α-ketoglutaric, palmitoleic, and other organic acids.

The properties and potential metabolic role of glucokinase in halotolerant obligate methanotroph Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum 20Z.

Aerobic bacteria utilizing methane as the carbon and energy source do not use sugars as growth substrates but possess the gene coding for glucokinase (Glk), an enzyme converting glucose into glucose 6-phosphate. Here we demonstrate the functionality and properties of Glk from an obligate methanotroph Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum 20Z. The recombinant Glk obtained by heterologous expression in Escherichia coli was found to be close in biochemical properties to other prokaryotic Glks.

Effect of polypeptides from sea anemone Heteractis crispa on the rodent blood pressure, heart rate, and hemostasis.

АРНС1-3 peptides, modulators of TRPV1 receptors, have been administered to SD rats to study their influence on the animal hemostatic system, heart rate, and blood pressure. None of АЗРС1-3 polypeptides have any effect on the hemostatic system. Both АРНС1 and АРНС2 polypeptides increased significantly the heart rate, but they did not affect blood pressure, which was probably caused by an ability of these polypeptides to modify animal thermoregulation.

Cerium oxide nanoparticles stimulate proliferation of primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts in vitro.

The increasing application of cell therapy technologies in the treatment of various diseases requires the development of new effective methods for culturing primary cells. The major limitation for the efficient use of autologous cell material is the low rate of cell proliferation. Successful cell therapy requires sufficient amounts of cell material over a short period of time with the preservation of their differentiation and proliferative potential.

Combined treatment, based on lysomustine administration with mesenchymal stem cells expressing cytosine deaminase therapy, leads to pronounced murine Lewis lung carcinoma growth inhibition.

Background: The combination of stem cell-based gene therapy with chemotherapy comprises an advantageous strategy that results in a reduction of system toxicity effects and an improvement in the general efficacy of treatment. In the present study, we estimated the efficacy of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AT-MSCs) expressing cytosine deaminase (CDA) combined with lysomustine chemotherapy in mice bearing late stage Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC).

Methods: Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells were transfected with non-insert plasmid construct transiently expressing fused cytosine deaminase-uracil phosphoribosyltransferase protein (CDA/UPRT) or the same construct fused with Herpes Simplex Virus Type1 tegument protein VP22 (CDA/UPRT/VP22).

Draft Genome Sequence of "Rathayibacter tanaceti" Strain VKM Ac-2596 Isolated from Tanacetum vulgare Infested by a Foliar Nematode.

The draft genome of "Rathayibacter tanaceti" VKM Ac-2596 is 3.17 Mb in size with an average G+C content of 70.7% and comprises at least two nonidentical copies of ribosomal small subunit (SSU-rRNA) genes.

Suppositional area for the search of bacterial products for anticancer therapy.

It is well-known that bacteria can produce compounds which show anticancer effects. In present time, it is impossible to check all bacterial species on their possible production of anticancer compounds (AC) under different conditions. Thus, it is necessary to limit the area for search of bacterial products for the anticancer therapy.

Effects of Phospholipase A2 Inhibitors on Bilayer Lipid Membranes.

The work examines the effect of inhibitors of cytosolic Ca(2+)-dependent and Ca(2+)-independent phospholipases A2 on bilayer lipid membranes. It was established that trifluoroperazine (TFP) and, to a lesser extent, arachidonyl trifluoromethyl ketone (AACOCF3) and palmitoyl trifluoromethyl ketone (PACOCF3) were able to permeabilize artificial lipid membranes (BLM and liposomes). It was shown that AACOCF3 lowered the temperature of phase transition of DMPC liposomes, inducing disordering of the hydrophobic region of lipid bilayer.

A white-box model of S-shaped and double S-shaped single-species population growth.

Complex systems may be mechanistically modelled by white-box modeling with using logical deterministic individual-based cellular automata. Mathematical models of complex systems are of three types: black-box (phenomenological), white-box (mechanistic, based on the first principles) and grey-box (mixtures of phenomenological and mechanistic models). Most basic ecological models are of black-box type, including Malthusian, Verhulst, Lotka-Volterra models.

Innate immunity: Bacterial cell-wall muramyl peptide targets the conserved transcription factor YB-1.

The bacterial cell wall muramyl dipeptides MDP and glucosaminyl-MDP (GMDP) are powerful immunostimulators but their binding target remains controversial. We previously reported expression cloning of GMDP-binding polypeptides and identification of Y-box protein 1 (YB-1) as their sole target. Here we show specific binding of GMDP to recombinant YB-1 protein and subcellular colocalization of YB-1 and GMDP.

Modes of Escherichia coli Dps Interaction with DNA as Revealed by Atomic Force Microscopy.

Multifunctional protein Dps plays an important role in iron assimilation and a crucial role in bacterial genome packaging. Its monomers form dodecameric spherical particles accumulating ~400 molecules of oxidized iron ions within the protein cavity and applying a flexible N-terminal ends of each subunit for interaction with DNA. Deposition of iron is a well-studied process by which cells remove toxic Fe2+ ions from the genetic material and store them in an easily accessible form.

Light-induced disulfide dimerization of recoverin under ex vivo and in vivo conditions.

Despite vast knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying photochemical damage of photoreceptors, linked to progression of age-related macular degeneration, information on specific protein targets of the light-induced oxidative stress is scarce. Here, we demonstrate that prolonged intense illumination (halogen bulb, 1500 lx, 1-5 h) of mammalian eyes under ex vivo (cow) or in vivo (rabbit) conditions induces disulfide dimerization of recoverin, a Ca(2+)-dependent inhibitor of rhodopsin kinase. Western blotting and mass spectrometry analysis of retinal extracts reveals illumination time-dependent accumulation of disulfide homodimers of recoverin and its higher order disulfide cross-linked species, including a minor fraction of mixed disulfides with intracellular proteins (tubulins, etc.

Role of NAD⁺-Dependent Malate Dehydrogenase in the Metabolism of Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum 20Z and Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b.

We have expressed the l-malate dehydrogenase (MDH) genes from aerobic methanotrophs Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum 20Z and Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b as his-tagged proteins in Escherichia coli. The substrate specificities, enzymatic kinetics and oligomeric states of the MDHs have been characterized. Both MDHs were NAD⁺-specific and thermostable enzymes not affected by metal ions or various organic metabolites.

Ca(2+)-dependent permeabilization of mitochondria and liposomes by palmitic and oleic acids: a comparative study.

In the present work, we examine and compare the effects of saturated (palmitic) and unsaturated (oleic) fatty acids in relation to their ability to cause the Ca(2+)-dependent membrane permeabilization. The results obtained can be summarized as follows. (1) Oleic acid (OA) permeabilizes liposomal membranes at much higher concentrations of Ca(2+) than palmitic acid (PA): 1mM versus 100μM respectively.

Impact of amyloid β25-35 on membrane stability, energy metabolism, and antioxidant enzymes in erythrocytes.

Amyloid β25-35 (Aβ25-35) represents a neurotoxic fragment of Aβ1-40 or Aβ1-42, and is implicated in the progressive neurodegeneration in cases of the Alzheimer disease (AD). Amyloid β25-35 was shown to lyse rat erythrocytes (RBCs) of all ages, and the extent of the RBC toxicity is directly correlated with Aβ25-35 concentration and cell age. Activities of glycolytic, antioxidant, and Na(+)/K(+)-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) enzymes, in vivo, are significantly decreased in older RBCs as compared to the young RBCs.

Gold leaching by organic base polythionates: new non-toxic and secure technology.

The article present a review on own experimental and some published data which are related with the gold leaching. It is well-known that the most common and usual process of the leaching with cyanide can be dangerous, needs a great water consumption, and additional costs for remediation of the poisoned and toxic sites. The experimental data described production of poythionates which are not toxic but perspective for the prosperous gold leaching.

Delayed treatments with pharmacological modulators of pre- and postsynaptic mGlu receptors rescue the hippocampus from kainate-induced neurodegeneration.

Gene expression of mGluR2, mGluR3 and mGluR5 was evaluated in the hippocampus and frontal cortex in Wistar rats in 1 and 4 weeks after bilateral microinjection of kainic acid into the dorsal hippocampus. The time-course of the receptors' expression suggested their adaptive role in response on the induction of excitotoxicity. It was assumed that the decrease of kainate-induced neurodegeneration could be achieved through simultaneous activation of presynaptic mGluRs and inhibition of mGlu postsynaptic receptors.

Parvalbumin as a metal-dependent antioxidant.

Parvalbumin (PA) is a Ca(2+)-binding protein of vertebrates massively expressed in tissues with high oxygen uptake and respectively elevated level of reactive oxygen species (ROS). To characterize antioxidant properties of PA, antioxidant capacity (AOC) of intact rat α-PA has been explored. ORAC, TEAC and hydrogen peroxide AOC assays evidence conformation-dependent oxidation of the PA.

Effects of flavonoid-containing preparation Extralife on hydrogen peroxide production and functioning of mitochondrial ATP-dependent potassium channel.

Extralife, a Pentaphylloides fruticos extract, in concentrations of 0.005-10 μg/ml dose-dependently increased H2O2 production in rat heart mitochondria in the presence of respiration substrates. Extralife decreased ATP-induced accumulation of H2O2 related to inhibition of mitochondrial ATP-dependent potassium channel.

Methylopila musalis sp. nov., an aerobic, facultatively methylotrophic bacterium isolated from banana fruit.

A newly isolated, facultatively methylotrophic bacterium (strain MUSA(T)) was investigated. The isolate was strictly aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, asporogenous, motile, rod-shaped and multiplied by binary fission. The strain utilized methanol, methylamine and an apparently narrow range of multi-carbon compounds, but not methane, dichloromethane or CO2/H2, as the carbon and energy sources.