Maize plants of CPB2 and CPB8 hybrids were kept under water deficit for 22 d. In the CPB8 hybrid, leaf rolling initiated at the 9th d of water deficit period, while in CPB2 hybrid it was at the 15th d. Both hybrids showed leaf rolling initiation at the same leaf water potential, ΨW of -0.480±0.095 MPa. At leaf rolling initiation, the leaf osmotic potential, ΨS was -0.730±0.085 MPa in CPB8 and 0.630±0.110 MPa in CPB2. The leaf temperature and stomatal conductance were higher in CPB8 than in CPB2. Values of leaf ΨW, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase activity, chlorophyll content, and specific leaf area were similar in both hybrids. Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activity and protein content were lower in the CPB2 hybrid than in CPB8. In both hybrids leaf rolling initiation was associated with: (1) higher leaf temperature, with leaf rolling effect related to leaf temperature reduction, and (2) lower leaf ΨS, related to osmotic adjustment as an additional component of drought-tolerance strategy. and D. Fernandez, M. Castrillo.
Many aspects of protein function regulation require specific protein-protein interactions to carry out the exact biochemical and cellular functions. The highly conserved members of the 14-3-3 protein family mediate such interactions and through binding to hundreds of other proteins provide multitude of regulatory functions, thus playing key roles in many cellular processes. The 14-3-3 protein binding can affect the function of the target protein in many ways including the modulation of its enzyme activity, its subcellular localization, its structure and stability, or its molecular interactions. In this minireview, we focus on mechanisms of the 14-3- 3 protein-dependent regulation of three important 14-3-3 binding partners: yeast neutral trehalase Nth1, regulator of G-protein signaling 3 (RGS3), and phosducin., V. Obsilova ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
NYB is chlorophyll-less barley mutant, which is controlled by a recessive nuclear gene. The mutation mechanism is revealed. The activities of enzymes transforming 5-aminolevulinic acid into protochlorophyllide were the same in both NYB and the wild type (WT), but the activity of the protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase (POR) in WT was much higher than that of NYB. Most of the photosystem 2 apoproteins were present in both WT and NYB, suggesting that the capability of protein synthesis was probably fully preserved in the mutant. Thus chlorophyll (Chl) biosynthesis in NYB was hampered at conversion form protochlorophyllide (Pchlide) into chlorophyllide. The open reading frame of porB gene in NYB was inserted with a 95 bp fragment, which included a stop codon. The NYB mutant is a very useful material for studies of Chl biosynthesis, chloroplast signalling, and structure of light-harvesting POR-Pchlide complex (LHPP). and Z.-L. Liu ... [et al.].
Phosphorylation of phospholemman (PLM) on ser68 has been proposed to at least partially mediate cyclic AMP (cAMP) mediated relaxation of arterial smooth muscle. We evaluated the time course of the phosphorylation of phospholemman (PLM) on ser68, myosin regulatory light chains (MRLC) on ser19, and heat shock protein 20 (HSP20) on ser16 during a transient forskolin-induced relaxation of histamine-stimulated swine carotid artery. We also evaluated the dose response for forskolin- and nitroglycerin-induced relaxation in phenylephrine-stimulated PLM-/- and PLM+/+ mice. The time course for changes in ser19 MRLC dephosphorylation and ser16 HSP20 phosphorylation was appropriate to explain the forskolin-induced relaxation and the recontraction observed upon washout of forskolin. However, the time course for changes in ser68 PLM phosphorylation was too slow to explain forskolin-induced changes in force. There was no difference in the phenylephrine contractile dose response or in forskolin-induced relaxation dose response observed in PLM-/- and PLM+/+ aortae. In aortae precontracted with phenylephrine, nitroglycerin induced a slightly, but significantly greater relaxation in PLM-/- compared to PLM+/+ aortae. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that ser19 MRLC dephosphorylation and ser16 HSP20 phosphorylation are involved in forskolin-induced relaxation. Our data sugge st that PLM phosphorylation is not significantly involved in forskolin-induced arterial relaxation., M. K. Meeks, S. Han, A, L. Tucker, C. M. Rembold., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Photoinhibition of photosynthesis was investigated in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) exposed to 2 or 4h of high irradiance (HI) (1 700-1 800 μmol m-2 s-1) leaves under field conditions at different sampling time in a day. The degree of photoinhibition was determined by means of the ratio of variable to maximum chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) and photosynthetic electron transport measurements. When the photochemical efficiency of photosystem 2 (PS2), Fv/Fm, markedly declined, F0 increased in both 2 (HI2) and 4 h (HI4) HI leaves sampled at midday. When various photosynthetic activities were followed on isolated thylakoids, HI4 leaves showed significantly higher inhibition of whole chain and PS2 activity than the HI2 leaves sampled at midday. Later, the leaves reached maximum PS2 efficiencies similar to those observed early in the morning during sampling at evening. The artificial exogenous electron donor Mn2+ failed to restore PS2 activity in both variants of leaves, while DPC and NH2OH significantly restored PS2 activity in HI4 midday leaf samples. Quantification of the PS2 reaction centre protein D1 and 33 kDa protein of water splitting complex following midday exposure of leaves showed pronounced differences between HI2 and HI4 leaves. The marked loss of PS2 activity noticed in midday samples was mainly due to the marked loss of D1 protein in HI2, while in HI4 it was mainly 33-kDa protein. and M. Bertamini, N. Nedunchezhian.
The concentrations of photosynthetic pigments decreased in both chilling stressed species but the ratios of chlorophyll (Chl) a/b and total carotenoids (Car)/Chls were depressed only in faba bean. The contents of α+β carotene and lutein+lutein-5,6-epoxide remained unaffected in both species, but the de-epoxidation state involving the components of xanthophyll cycle increased in pea. Under chilling stress the photosynthetic electron transport associated with photosystem 2, PS2 (with and without the water oxidising complex) decreased in both plant species, the inhibition being higher in faba bean. The intrachloroplast quinone pool also decreased in both stressed species, yet an opposite trend was found for cytochrome b559LP. Under stress an increasing peroxidation of thylakoid acyl lipids was detected in pea, but higher protein/Chl ratio was detected in faba bean. Thus the acceptor side of PS2 is mostly affected in both chilling stressed species, but faba bean is more sensitive. and F. C. Lidon ... [et al.].
Hepcidin, a recently discovered antimicrobial peptide synthesized in the liver, was identified to be the key mediator of iron metabolism and distribution. Despite our knowledge of hepcidin increased in recent years, there are only limited data on hepcidin regulation during systemic inflammatory response in human subjects. In a prospective study, the time course of plasma hepcidin was analyzed in relations to six inflammatory parameters - plasma cytokines and acute-phase proteins in patients undergoing uncomplica ted pulmonary endarterectomy. Twenty-four patients (males, aged 52.6±10.2 years, treated with pulmonary endarterectomy in a deep hypothermic circulatory arrest) were enrolled into study. Hepcidin, interleukin (IL)-6, IL- 8, tumor necrosis factor-α, C-reactive protein, α1-antitrypsin and ceruloplasmin arterial concentrations were measured before surgery and repeatedly within 120 h post-operatively. Hemodynamic parameters, hematocrit and markers of iron metabolism were followed up. In a postoperative period, hepcidin increased from preoperative level 8.9 ng/ml (6.2-10.7) (median and interquartile range) to maximum 16.4 ng/ml (14.1-18.7) measured 72 h after the end of su rgery. Maximum post-operative concentrations of hepcidin correlated positively with maximum IL-6 levels. Both hepcidin and IL-6 maximum concentrations correlated positively with extracorporeal circulation time. In conclusions, the study demonstrated that plasma hepcidin is a positive acute-phase re actant in relation to an uncomplicated large cardiac surgery. Hepcidin increase was related to IL-6 concentrations and to the duration of surgical procedure. Our clinical findings are in conformity with recent experimental studies defining hepcidin as a type II acute-phase protein., P. Maruna, M. Vokurka, J. Lindner., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Proteiny jsou základní funkční jednotky biologické buňky. Jejich funkce je do značné míry determinována prostorovou strukturou, která je v buňce, ale i mimo ni, vytvořena v procesu sbalování. Sbalování proteinů jako fyzikální proces lze popsat ve velmi detailní úrovni molekulárně-dynamickými simulacemi, ukazuje se však, že významné vlastnosti sbalování proteinů lze překvapivě dobře popsat pomocí jednoduchých modelů založených pouze na znalosti správné (nativní) struktury proteinu a skutečnosti, že proteiny a jejich složení (sekvence) jsou předmětem biologické evoluce., Michal Kolář., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Understanding the behavior of single proteins at the polyelectrolyte multilayer film/solution interface is of prime importance for the designing of bio-functionalized surface coatings. In the present paper, we study the adsorption of the model proteins, albumin and lysozyme, as well as basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) on a polysaccharide multilayer film composed of quaternized chitosan and heparin. Several analytical methods were used to describe the formation of the polysaccharide film and its interactions with the proteins. Both albumin and lysozyme adsorbed on quaternized chitosan/heparin films, however this process strongly depended on the terminating polysaccharide. Protein adsorption was driven mainly by electrostatic interactions between protein and the terminal layer of the film. The effective binding of FGF-2 by the heparinterminated film suggested that other interactions could also contribute to the adsorption process. We believe that this FGF-2- presenting polysaccharide film may serve as a biofunctional surface coating for biologically-related applications., M. Kumorek, D. Kubies, T. Riedel., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Komunikace mezi buňkami mnohobuněčného organismu je nezbytná k zajištění přežití organismu, správné funkce tkání a orgánů, tvorby energie, růstu a vývoje. Bílkoviny sekretované z buněk jsou hlavními molekulami, které zprostředkovávají mezibuněčnou komunikaci na malé i velké vzdálenosti. Většina sekretovaných bílkovin je z buněk uvolňována cestou přes endoplasmatické retikulum a Golgiho aparát. Vývoj nových laboratorních technik pro studium sekretovaných bílkovin umožnil v posledním desetiletí studovat a popsat sekreci mnoha typů buněk., Communication among cells in a multicellular organism is fundamental for the correct functioning of organs and tissues, energy production, growth and development, to assure survival and reproduction of the organism. Proteins secreted by cells are principal molecules for intercellular communication at both short and long distances. Most of the secreted proteins are released through the endoplasmic reticulum – the Golgi pathway. The significant development of analytical techniques for detection of secreted proteins in the last 10 years has enabled us to explore the secretion of various cell types., and Helena Kupcová Skalníková.