Functional Characterization of Lycopene Cyclases Illustrates the Metabolic Pathway toward Lutein in Red Algal Seaweeds

2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (5) ◽  
pp. 1354-1363
Author(s):  
Yin-Yin Deng ◽  
Lu Cheng ◽  
Qi Wang ◽  
Zi-Han Ge ◽  
Hui Zheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Pathway ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Red Algal

Functional characterization of arginine metabolic pathway enzymes in the antibacterial immune response of penaeid shrimp

2022 ◽  
Vol 127 ◽  
pp. 104293
Author(s):  
Zishu Huang ◽  
Yueling Zhang ◽  
Xiaoyu Zheng ◽  
Zhuoyan Liu ◽  
Defu Yao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Metabolic Pathway ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Penaeid Shrimp

Functional characterization of a cellulose synthase, CtCESA1, from the marine red alga Calliarthron tuberculosum (Corallinales)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Xue ◽  
Pallinti Purushotham ◽  
Justin F Acheson ◽  
Ruoya Ho ◽  
Jochen Zimmer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Cellulose Synthase ◽  
Red Alga ◽  
Land Plant ◽  
Primary Cell Wall ◽  
Vitro Assay ◽  
Red Algal

Abstract In land plants and algae, cellulose is important for strengthening cell walls and preventing breakage due to physical forces. Though our understanding of cellulose production by cellulose synthase enzymes (CESAs) has seen significant advances for several land plant and bacterial species, functional characterization of this fundamental protein is absent in red algae. Here we identify CESA gene candidates in the calcifying red alga Calliarthron tuberculosum (Ct) using sequence similarity-based approaches and elucidate their phylogenetic relationship with other CESAs from diverse taxa. One gene candidate, CtCESA1, was closely related to other putative red algal CESAs. To test if CtCESA1 encoded a true cellulose synthase, CtCESA1 protein was expressed and purified from insect and yeast expression systems. CtCESA1 showed glucan synthase activity in glucose tracer assays. CtCESA1 activity was relatively low when compared to plant and bacterial CESA activity. In an in vitro assay, a predicted N-terminal starch-binding domain from CtCESA1 bound red algal floridean starch extracts, representing a unique domain in red algal CESAs not present in CESAs from other lineages. When the CtCESA1 gene was introduced into Arabidopsis thaliana cesa mutants, the red algal CtCESA1 partially rescued the growth defects of the primary cell wall cesa6 mutant, but not cesa3 or secondary cell wall cesa7 mutants. A fluorescently tagged CtCESA1 localized to the plasma membrane in the Arabidopsis cesa6 mutant background. This study presents functional evidence validating the sequence annotation of red algal cellulose synthases. The relatively low activity of CtCESA1, partial complementation in Arabidopsis, and presence of unique protein domains suggest that there are likely functional differences between the algal and land plant CESAs.

Functional characterization of human brown adipose tissue metabolism

2020 ◽  
Vol 477 (7) ◽  
pp. 1261-1286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Anne Richard ◽  
Hannah Pallubinsky ◽  
Denis P. Blondin
Keyword(s):  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Brown Adipose Tissue ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Human Infants ◽  
Positron Emission ◽  
Brown Adipose ◽  
Treatment Of Obesity ◽  
And Function

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) has long been described according to its histological features as a multilocular, lipid-containing tissue, light brown in color, that is also responsive to the cold and found especially in hibernating mammals and human infants. Its presence in both hibernators and human infants, combined with its function as a heat-generating organ, raised many questions about its role in humans. Early characterizations of the tissue in humans focused on its progressive atrophy with age and its apparent importance for cold-exposed workers. However, the use of positron emission tomography (PET) with the glucose tracer [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) made it possible to begin characterizing the possible function of BAT in adult humans, and whether it could play a role in the prevention or treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). This review focuses on the in vivo functional characterization of human BAT, the methodological approaches applied to examine these features and addresses critical gaps that remain in moving the field forward. Specifically, we describe the anatomical and biomolecular features of human BAT, the modalities and applications of non-invasive tools such as PET and magnetic resonance imaging coupled with spectroscopy (MRI/MRS) to study BAT morphology and function in vivo, and finally describe the functional characteristics of human BAT that have only been possible through the development and application of such tools.

Functional Characterization of PM6/13, a β3-specific (GPIIIa/CD61) Monoclonal Antibody that Shows Preferential Inhibition of Fibrinogen Binding over Fibronectin Binding to Activated Human Platelets

1998 ◽  
Vol 79 (01) ◽  
pp. 177-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashia Siddiqua ◽  
Michael Wilkinson ◽  
Vijay Kakkar ◽  
Yatin Patel ◽  
Salman Rahman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Monoclonal Antibody ◽  
Platelet Aggregation ◽  
Platelet Rich Plasma ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Human Platelets ◽  
Western Blots ◽  
Activated Platelets ◽  
Reducing Conditions ◽  
Fibronectin Binding

SummaryWe report the characterization of a monoclonal antibody (MAb) PM6/13 which recognises glycoprotein IIIa (GPIIIa) on platelet membranes and in functional studies inhibits platelet aggregation induced by all agonists examined. In platelet-rich plasma, inhibition of aggregation induced by ADP or low concentrations of collagen was accompanied by inhibition of 5-hydroxytryptamine secretion. EC50 values were 10 and 9 [H9262]g/ml antibody against ADP and collagen induced responses respectively. In washed platelets treated with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, PM6/13 inhibited platelet aggregation induced by thrombin (0.2 U/ml), collagen (10 [H9262]g/ml) and U46619 (3 [H9262]M) with EC50 = 4, 8 and 4 [H9262]g/ml respectively, without affecting [14C]5-hydroxytryptamine secretion or [3H]arachidonate release in appropriately labelled cells. Studies in Fura 2-labelled platelets revealed that elevation of intracellular calcium by ADP, thrombin or U46619 was unaffected by PM6/13 suggesting that the epitope recognised by the antibody did not influence Ca2+ regulation. In agreement with the results from the platelet aggregation studies, PM6/13 was found to potently inhibit binding of 125I-fibrinogen to ADP activated platelets. Binding of this ligand was also inhibited by two other MAbs tested, namely SZ-21 (also to GPIIIa) and PM6/248 (to the GPIIb-IIIa complex). However when tested against binding of 125I-fibronectin to thrombin stimulated platelets, PM6/13 was ineffective in contrast with SZ-21 and PM6/248, that were both potent inhibitors. This suggested that the epitopes recognised by PM6/13 and SZ-21 on GPIIIa were distinct. Studies employing proteolytic dissection of 125I-labelled GPIIIa by trypsin followed by immunoprecipitation with PM6/13 and analysis by SDS-PAGE, revealed the presence of four fragments at 70, 55, 30 and 28 kDa. PM6/13 did not recognize any protein bands on Western blots performed under reducing conditions. However Western blotting analysis with PM6/13 under non-reducing conditions revealed strong detection of the parent GP IIIa molecule, of trypsin treated samples revealed recognition of an 80 kDa fragment at 1 min, faint recognition of a 60 kDa fragment at 60 min and no recognition of any product at 18 h treatment. Under similar conditions, SZ-21 recognized fragments at 80, 75 and 55 kDa with the 55kDa species persisting even after 18 h trypsin treatment. These studies confirm the epitopes recognised by PM6/13 and SZ-21 to be distinct and that PM6/13 represents a useful tool to differentiate the characteristics of fibrinogen and fibronectin binding to the GPIIb-IIIa complex on activated platelets.

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