scholarly journals Microbial 5′-nucleotidases: their characteristics, roles in cellular metabolism, and possible practical applications

2021 ◽  
Vol 105 (20) ◽  
pp. 7661-7681
Author(s):  
Natalia P. Zakataeva

Abstract5′-Nucleotidases (EC 3.1.3.5) are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolytic dephosphorylation of 5′-ribonucleotides and 5′-deoxyribonucleotides to their respective nucleosides and phosphate. Most 5′-nucleotidases have broad substrate specificity and are multifunctional enzymes capable of cleaving phosphorus from not only mononucleotide phosphate molecules but also a variety of other phosphorylated metabolites. 5′-Nucleotidases are widely distributed throughout all kingdoms of life and found in different cellular locations. The well-studied vertebrate 5′-nucleotidases play an important role in cellular metabolism. These enzymes are involved in purine and pyrimidine salvage pathways, nucleic acid repair, cell-to-cell communication, signal transduction, control of the ribo- and deoxyribonucleotide pools, etc. Although the first evidence of microbial 5′-nucleotidases was obtained almost 60 years ago, active studies of genetic control and the functions of microbial 5′-nucleotidases started relatively recently. The present review summarizes the current knowledge about microbial 5′-nucleotidases with a focus on their diversity, cellular localizations, molecular structures, mechanisms of catalysis, physiological roles, and activity regulation and approaches to identify new 5′-nucleotidases. The possible applications of these enzymes in biotechnology are also discussed.Key points• Microbial 5′-nucleotidases differ in molecular structure, hydrolytic mechanism, and cellular localization.• 5′-Nucleotidases play important and multifaceted roles in microbial cells.• Microbial 5′-nucleotidases have wide range of practical applications. Graphical abstract

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Miretti ◽  
Cristina Lecchi ◽  
Fabrizio Ceciliani ◽  
Mario Baratta

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small and highly conserved non-coding RNA molecules that orchestrate a wide range of biological processes through the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. An intriguing aspect in identifying these molecules as biomarkers is derived from their role in cell-to-cell communication, their active secretion from cells into the extracellular environment, their high stability in body fluids, and their ease of collection. All these features confer on miRNAs the potential to become a non-invasive tool to score animal welfare. There is growing interest in the importance of miRNAs as biomarkers for assessing the welfare of livestock during metabolic, environmental, and management stress, particularly in ruminants, pigs, and poultry. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge regarding the potential use of tissue and/or circulating miRNAs as biomarkers for the assessment of the health and welfare status in these livestock species.


Author(s):  
J.M. Cowley

The HB5 STEM instrument at ASU has been modified previously to include an efficient two-dimensional detector incorporating an optical analyser device and also a digital system for the recording of multiple images. The detector system was built to explore a wide range of possibilities including in-line electron holography, the observation and recording of diffraction patterns from very small specimen regions (having diameters as small as 3Å) and the formation of both bright field and dark field images by detection of various portions of the diffraction pattern. Experience in the use of this system has shown that sane of its capabilities are unique and valuable. For other purposes it appears that, while the principles of the operational modes may be verified, the practical applications are limited by the details of the initial design.


2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hueyling Tan

Molecular self-assembly is ubiquitous in nature and has emerged as a new approach to produce new materials in chemistry, engineering, nanotechnology, polymer science and materials. Molecular self-assembly has been attracting increasing interest from the scientific community in recent years due to its importance in understanding biology and a variety of diseases at the molecular level. In the last few years, considerable advances have been made in the use ofpeptides as building blocks to produce biological materials for wide range of applications, including fabricating novel supra-molecular structures and scaffolding for tissue repair. The study ofbiological self-assembly systems represents a significant advancement in molecular engineering and is a rapidly growing scientific and engineering field that crosses the boundaries ofexisting disciplines. Many self-assembling systems are rangefrom bi- andtri-block copolymers to DNA structures as well as simple and complex proteins andpeptides. The ultimate goal is to harness molecular self-assembly such that design andcontrol ofbottom-up processes is achieved thereby enabling exploitation of structures developed at the meso- and macro-scopic scale for the purposes oflife and non-life science applications. Such aspirations can be achievedthrough understanding thefundamental principles behind the selforganisation and self-synthesis processes exhibited by biological systems.


2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (42) ◽  
pp. 4510-4522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Biancamaria Longoni ◽  
Irene Fasciani ◽  
Shivakumar Kolachalam ◽  
Ilaria Pietrantoni ◽  
Francesco Marampon ◽  
...  

: Exosomes are extracellular vesicles produced by eukaryotic cells that are also found in most biological fluids and tissues. While they were initially thought to act as compartments for removal of cellular debris, they are now recognized as important tools for cell-to-cell communication and for the transfer of pathogens between the cells. They have attracted particular interest in neurodegenerative diseases for their potential role in transferring prion-like proteins between neurons, and in Parkinson’s disease (PD), they have been shown to spread oligomers of α-synuclein in the brain accelerating the progression of this pathology. A potential neuroprotective role of exosomes has also been equally proposed in PD as they could limit the toxicity of α-synuclein by clearing them out of the cells. Exosomes have also attracted considerable attention for use as drug vehicles. Being nonimmunogenic in nature, they provide an unprecedented opportunity to enhance the delivery of incorporated drugs to target cells. In this review, we discuss current knowledge about the potential neurotoxic and neuroprotective role of exosomes and their potential application as drug delivery systems in PD.


Plants ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vila-Aiub

Herbicide resistance is the ultimate evidence of the extraordinary capacity of weeds to evolve under stressful conditions. Despite the extraordinary plant fitness advantage endowed by herbicide resistance mutations in agroecosystems under herbicide selection, resistance mutations are predicted to exhibit an adaptation cost (i.e., fitness cost), relative to the susceptible wild-type, in herbicide untreated conditions. Fitness costs associated with herbicide resistance mutations are not universal and their expression depends on the particular mutation, genetic background, dominance of the fitness cost, and environmental conditions. The detrimental effects of herbicide resistance mutations on plant fitness may arise as a direct impact on fitness-related traits and/or coevolution with changes in other life history traits that ultimately may lead to fitness costs under particular ecological conditions. This brings the idea that a “lower adaptive value” of herbicide resistance mutations represents an opportunity for the design of resistance management practices that could minimize the evolution of herbicide resistance. It is evident that the challenge for weed management practices aiming to control, minimize, or even reverse the frequency of resistance mutations in the agricultural landscape is to “create” those agroecological conditions that could expose, exploit, and exacerbate those life history and/or fitness traits affecting the evolution of herbicide resistance mutations. Ideally, resistance management should implement a wide range of cultural practices leading to environmentally mediated fitness costs associated with herbicide resistance mutations.


2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (7) ◽  
pp. 2481-2488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Volker Winstel ◽  
Petra Kühner ◽  
Bernhard Krismer ◽  
Andreas Peschel ◽  
Holger Rohde

ABSTRACTGenetic manipulation of emerging bacterial pathogens, such as coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), is a major hurdle in clinical and basic microbiological research. Strong genetic barriers, such as restriction modification systems or clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), usually interfere with available techniques for DNA transformation and therefore complicate manipulation of CoNS or render it impossible. Thus, current knowledge of pathogenicity and virulence determinants of CoNS is very limited. Here, a rapid, efficient, and highly reliable technique is presented to transfer plasmid DNA essential for genetic engineering to important CoNS pathogens from a uniqueStaphylococcus aureusstrain via a specificS. aureusbacteriophage, Φ187. Even strains refractory to electroporation can be transduced by this technique once donor and recipient strains share similar Φ187 receptor properties. As a proof of principle, this technique was used to delete the alternative transcription factor sigma B (SigB) via allelic replacement in nasal and clinicalStaphylococcus epidermidisisolates at high efficiencies. The described approach will allow the genetic manipulation of a wide range of CoNS pathogens and might inspire research activities to manipulate other important pathogens in a similar fashion.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 1486
Author(s):  
Eugene B. Caldona ◽  
Ernesto I. Borrego ◽  
Ketki E. Shelar ◽  
Karl M. Mukeba ◽  
Dennis W. Smith

Many desirable characteristics of polymers arise from the method of polymerization and structural features of their repeat units, which typically are responsible for the polymer’s performance at the cost of processability. While linear alternatives are popular, polymers composed of cyclic repeat units across their backbones have generally been shown to exhibit higher optical transparency, lower water absorption, and higher glass transition temperatures. These specifically include polymers built with either substituted alicyclic structures or aromatic rings, or both. In this review article, we highlight two useful ring-forming polymer groups, perfluorocyclobutyl (PFCB) aryl ether polymers and ortho-diynylarene- (ODA) based thermosets, both demonstrating outstanding thermal stability, chemical resistance, mechanical integrity, and improved processability. Different synthetic routes (with emphasis on ring-forming polymerization) and properties for these polymers are discussed, followed by their relevant applications in a wide range of aspects.


Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 68
Author(s):  
Fulvio Massaro ◽  
Florent Corrillon ◽  
Basile Stamatopoulos ◽  
Nathalie Meuleman ◽  
Laurence Lagneaux ◽  
...  

Aging of bone marrow is a complex process that is involved in the development of many diseases, including hematologic cancers. The results obtained in this field of research, year after year, underline the important role of cross-talk between hematopoietic stem cells and their close environment. In bone marrow, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are a major player in cell-to-cell communication, presenting a wide range of functionalities, sometimes opposite, depending on the environmental conditions. Although these cells are actively studied for their therapeutic properties, their role in tumor progression remains unclear. One of the reasons for this is that the aging of MSCs has a direct impact on their behavior and on hematopoiesis. In addition, tumor progression is accompanied by dynamic remodeling of the bone marrow niche that may interfere with MSC functions. The present review presents the main features of MSC senescence in bone marrow and their implications in hematologic cancer progression.


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