scholarly journals Nitrogen conservation, conserved: 46 million years of N-recycling by the core symbionts of turtle ants

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Hu ◽  
Jon G. Sanders ◽  
Piotr Łukasik ◽  
Catherine L. D’Amelio ◽  
John S. Millar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Sciences ◽  
Amino Acids ◽  
Direct Evidence ◽  
Essential Amino Acids ◽  
Nitrogen Acquisition ◽  
The Core ◽  
Nitrogen Conservation ◽  
Nutritional Mutualism

AbstractNitrogen acquisition is a major challenge for herbivorous animals, and the repeated origins of herbivory across the ants have raised expectations that nutritional symbionts have shaped their diversification. Direct evidence for N-provisioning by internally housed symbionts is rare in animals; among the ants, it has been documented for just one lineage. In this study we dissect functional contributions by bacteria from a conserved, multi-partite gut symbiosis in herbivorous Cephalotes ants through in vivo experiments, (meta)genomics, and in vitro assays. Gut bacteria recycle urea, and likely uric acid, using recycled N to synthesize essential amino acids that are acquired by hosts in substantial quantities. Specialized core symbionts of 17 studied Cephalotes species encode the pathways directing these activities, and several recycle N in vitro. These findings point to a highly efficient N-economy, and a nutritional mutualism preserved for millions of years through the derived behaviors and gut anatomy of Cephalotes ants.CategoryBiological Sciences-Evolution

THE STIMULATION OF INSULIN RELEASE BY ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS FROM RABBIT PANCREAS IN VITRO

1970 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 347-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. D. G. MILNER
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Insulin Release ◽  
Incubation Medium ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Adenosine Monophosphate ◽  
Essential Amino Acids ◽  
Isoleucine Leucine ◽  
Rabbit Pancreas

SUMMARY Pieces of rabbit pancreas were incubated in vitro in an incubation medium containing no glucose or 1·5 mg. glucose/ml. In each of these conditions the effect on insulin release of each of the essential amino acids at 5 mm concentration was studied. Leucine was the only essential amino acid that stimulated insulin release to a level which reached statistical significance in an incubation medium containing no glucose. In medium containing 1·5 mg. glucose/ml., arginine, isoleucine, leucine and lysine stimulated insulin release and phenylalanine inhibited insulin release. Glucagon, theophylline or dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate stimulated insulin release significantly in the presence of leucine but not in the presence of arginine. Arginine stimulated insulin release in the presence of leucine. The results of these experiments characterize further the difference in the mechanism of action of leucine and arginine on the pancreatic β-cell and indicate possible explanations for results obtained in other species in vivo.

The influx of amino acids into the brain of the rat in vivo : the essential compared with some non-essential amino acids

1973 ◽  
Vol 183 (1070) ◽  
pp. 59-70 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Essential Amino Acids ◽  
Transport Processes ◽  
Carrier Mediated Transport ◽  
A New Technique ◽  
High Degree ◽  
The Brain

The cerebral influx rates of fifteen amino acids were measured directly in living rats by means of a new technique which makes it possible to maintain a constant specific activity of a radioactively labelled amino acid in the bloodstream. A wide variation in the influx rates of the amino acids was found. These rates differed from those found by other workers using in vitro preparations, but are consistent with the theory that amino acids enter the brain mainly by carrier mediated transport processes with a high degree of specificity. There are a number of important differences between the behaviour of the transport processes in vivo and in vitro . The influx rates of the various amino acids were directly proportional to their concentra­tions in blood plasma (over the range of concentrations studied). All the nutritionally essential amino acids had relatively high influx rates as did other amino acids which the brain does not seem to be able to synthesize. On the other hand, amino acids that the brain can readily synthesize and two amino acids which are not normally found in mammalian tissues had low influx rates.

scholarly journals Increase of essential amino acids in the bovine uterine lumen during preimplantation development

Reproduction ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 141 (5) ◽  
pp. 685-695 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna E Groebner ◽  
Isabel Rubio-Aliaga ◽  
Katy Schulke ◽  
Horst D Reichenbach ◽  
Hannelore Daniel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Essential Amino Acids ◽  
Peptide Transporter ◽  
Bovine Embryo ◽  
Endometrial Cells ◽  
Culture Model ◽  
Uterine Fluid ◽  
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass

Amino acids (AAs) are crucial for the developing conceptus prior to implantation. To provide insights into the requirements of the bovine embryo, we determined the AA composition of the uterine fluid. At days 12, 15, and 18 post-estrus, the uteri of synchronized pregnant and non-pregnant Simmental heifers were flushed for the analysis of 41 AAs and their derivatives by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The ipsilateral endometrium was sampled for quantitative PCR. In addition to a pregnancy-dependent increase of the essential AAs (P<0.01), we detected elevated concentrations for most non-essential proteinogenic AAs. Histidine (His) and the expression of the His/peptide transporter solute carrier 15A3 (SLC15A3) were significantly increased at day 18 of pregnancyin vivo. In addition,SLC15A3was predominantly stimulated by trophoblast-derived interferon-τ in stroma cells of anin vitroco-culture model of endometrial cells. Our results show an increased concentration of AAs most likely to optimally provide the elongating pre-attachment conceptus with nutrients.

Metabolism of pyruvate by pre-elongation sheep embryos and effect of pyruvate and lactate concentrations during culture in vitro

1993 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 417 ◽  
Author(s):  
JG Thompson ◽  
AC Bell ◽  
PA Pugh ◽  
HR Tervit
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Significant Interaction ◽  
Essential Amino Acids ◽  
Blastocyst Stage ◽  
Energy Substrates ◽  
Lactate Levels ◽  
Oviduct Fluid ◽  
High Lactate

In the first of two experiments, utilization of [1-14C]pyruvate by 8-cell and blastocyst-stage embryos derived in vivo was examined during a 3-h incubation in HEPES-buffered synthetic oviduct fluid (SOF) medium in the presence or absence of other substrates. In the second, a factorial design examined the effect of pyruvate (0, 0.33, 1.0 and 3.3 mM) and lactate (3.3, 10 and 33 mM) on development of 1- and 2-cell sheep embryos cultured in vitro in a modified SOF medium (containing glucose, glutamine and modified Eagle's medium non-essential amino acids). Peak utilization of [1-14C]pyruvate was unaffected by the presence or absence of other energy substrates. In contrast, rate of utilization was affected by the addition of other energy substrates, with half maximal utilization occurring at either 0.4 +/- 0.2 mM or 1.2 +/- 0.2 mM for 8-cells and either 0.2 +/- 0.2 mM or 1.3 +/- 0.3 mM for blastocysts when incubated in the absence or presence of other energy substrates respectively. In the second experiment the proportion of embryos developing to blastocysts was inhibited by high lactate levels (P < 0.001), but was generally not affected by pyruvate concentration. However, there was a significant interaction (P < 0.001) between pyruvate and lactate when both were present in the medium. At 0.33 mM pyruvate, 3.3 mM lactate supported good development (83 +/- 8% blastocysts) whereas 10 mM lactate supported less development (50 +/- 11%). However, at the higher levels of pyruvate this effect was lost.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

scholarly journals Genetic analysis reveals essential and non-essential amino acids within the telomeric DNA-binding interface of Cdc13p

2007 ◽  
Vol 403 (2) ◽  
pp. 289-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Chien Lin ◽  
Yan-Hwa Wu Lee ◽  
Jing-Jer Lin
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Dna Binding ◽  
Essential Amino Acids ◽  
Binding Domain ◽  
Telomeric Dna ◽  
Binding Interface ◽  
Binding Surface ◽  
Binding Residues

Cdc13p is a specific single-stranded telomeric DNA-binding protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It is involved in protecting telomeres and regulating telomere length. The telomere-binding domain of Cdc13p is located between residues 497 and 693, and its structure has been resolved by NMR spectroscopy. A series of aromatic, hydrophobic and basic residues located at the DNA-binding surface of Cdc13p are involved in binding to telomeres. Here we applied a genetic approach to analyse the involvements of these residues in telomere binding. A series of mutants within the telomere-binding domain of Cdc13p were identified that failed to complement cdc13 mutants in vivo. Among the amino acids that were isolated, the Tyr522, Arg635, and Ile633 residues were shown to locate at the DNA-binding surface. We further demonstrated that Y522C and R635A mutants failed to bind telomeric DNA in vitro, indicating that these residues are indeed required for telomere binding. We did not, however, isolate other mutant residues located at the DNA-binding surface of Cdc13p beyond these three residues. Instead, a mutant on Lys568 was isolated that did not affect the essential function of Cdc13p. The Lys568 is also located on the DNA-binding surface of Cdc13p. Thus these results suggested that other DNA-binding residues are not essential for telomere binding. In the present study, we have established a genetic test that enabled the identification of telomere-binding residues of Cdc13p in vivo. This type of analysis provides information on those residues that indeed contribute to telomere binding in vivo.

The 1- and 2-Naphthylalanine Analogs of Oxytocin and Vasopressin

1995 ◽  
Vol 60 (12) ◽  
pp. 2170-2177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zdenko Procházka ◽  
Jiřina Slaninová
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Pressor Test

Solid phase technique on p-methylbenzhydrylamine resin was used for the synthesis of four analogs of oxytocin and four analogs of vasopressin with the non-coded amino acids L- or D- and 1- or 2-naphthylalanine and D-homoarginine. [L-1-Nal2]oxytocin, [D-1-Nal2]oxytocin, [L-2-Nal2]oxytocin, [D-2-Nal2]oxytocin, [L-1-Nal2, D-Har8]vasopressin, [D-1-Nal2, D-Har8]vasopressin, [L-2-Nal2, D-Har8]vasopressin and [D-2-Nal2, D-Har8]vasopressin were synthesized. All eight analogs were found to be uterotonic inhibitors in vitro and in vivo. Analogs with 2-naphthylalanine are stronger inhibitors, particularly in the vasopressin series than the analogs with 1-naphthylalanine. Analogs with 1-naphthylalanine have no activity in the pressor test, analogs with 2-naphthylalanine are weak pressor inhibitors.

scholarly journals Synthesis, Characterization and Evaluation of Peptide Nanostructures for Biomedical Applications

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (15) ◽  
pp. 4587
Author(s):  
Fanny d’Orlyé ◽  
Laura Trapiella-Alfonso ◽  
Camille Lescot ◽  
Marie Pinvidic ◽  
Bich-Thuy Doan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Biomedical Applications ◽  
Chemical Reactivity ◽  
Physical Stability ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Imaging Probes ◽  
Therapeutic Molecules

There is a challenging need for the development of new alternative nanostructures that can allow the coupling and/or encapsulation of therapeutic/diagnostic molecules while reducing their toxicity and improving their circulation and in-vivo targeting. Among the new materials using natural building blocks, peptides have attracted significant interest because of their simple structure, relative chemical and physical stability, diversity of sequences and forms, their easy functionalization with (bio)molecules and the possibility of synthesizing them in large quantities. A number of them have the ability to self-assemble into nanotubes, -spheres, -vesicles or -rods under mild conditions, which opens up new applications in biology and nanomedicine due to their intrinsic biocompatibility and biodegradability as well as their surface chemical reactivity via amino- and carboxyl groups. In order to obtain nanostructures suitable for biomedical applications, the structure, size, shape and surface chemistry of these nanoplatforms must be optimized. These properties depend directly on the nature and sequence of the amino acids that constitute them. It is therefore essential to control the order in which the amino acids are introduced during the synthesis of short peptide chains and to evaluate their in-vitro and in-vivo physico-chemical properties before testing them for biomedical applications. This review therefore focuses on the synthesis, functionalization and characterization of peptide sequences that can self-assemble to form nanostructures. The synthesis in batch or with new continuous flow and microflow techniques will be described and compared in terms of amino acids sequence, purification processes, functionalization or encapsulation of targeting ligands, imaging probes as well as therapeutic molecules. Their chemical and biological characterization will be presented to evaluate their purity, toxicity, biocompatibility and biodistribution, and some therapeutic properties in vitro and in vivo. Finally, their main applications in the biomedical field will be presented so as to highlight their importance and advantages over classical nanostructures.

Turnover of total proteins and ornithine aminotransferase during liver regeneration in rats

1980 ◽  
Vol 238 (1) ◽  
pp. E46-E52
Author(s):  
S. L. Augustine ◽  
R. W. Swick
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Liver Regeneration ◽  
Protein Degradation ◽  
Partial Hepatectomy ◽  
Free Amino ◽  
Liver Protein ◽  
Ornithine Aminotransferase ◽  
Fractional Rate

The recovery of approximately 40% of the total liver protein during the first day after partial hepatectomy was shown to be due to the near cessation of protein breakdown rather than to an increase in protein synthesis. The decrease in degradation of total protein was less if rats were adrenalectomized or protein-depleted prior to partial hepatectomy. The effect of these treatments originally suggested that changes in free amino acid levels in liver might be related to the rate of protein degradation. However, no correlation was found between levels of total free amino acids and rates of breakdown. Measurements of individual amino acids during liver regeneration suggested that levels of free methionine and phenylalanine, amino acids that have been found to lower rates of protein degradation in vitro, are not correlated with rates of breakdown in vivo. The difference between the fractional rate of ornithine aminotransferase degradation (0.68/day and 0.28/day in sham-hepatectomized and partially hepatectomized rats, respectively) was sufficient to account for the higher level of this protein 3 days after surgery in the latter group.

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