Mitochondrial dynamics quantitatively revealed by STED nanoscopy with an enhanced squaraine variant probe

AbstractMitochondria play a critical role in generating energy to support the entire lifecycle of biological cells, yet it is still unclear how their morphological structures evolve to regulate their functionality. Conventional fluorescence microscopy can only provide ∼300 nm resolution, which is insufficient to visualize mitochondrial cristae. Here, we developed an enhanced squaraine variant dye (MitoESq-635) to study the dynamic structures of mitochondrial cristae in live cells at superresolution. The low saturation intensity and high photostability make it ideal for long-term, high-resolution STED nanoscopy. We demonstrate the time-lapsed imaging of the mitochondrial inner membrane over 50 minutes in living HeLa cells at 35.2 nm resolution for the first time. The forms of the cristae during mitochondrial fusion and fission can be clearly resolved. Our study demonstrates the emerging capability of optical STED nanoscopy to investigate intracellular physiological processes at nanoscale resolution for long periods of time with minimal phototoxicity.

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PTX Instructs the Development of Lung-Resident Memory T Cells in Bordetella pertussis Infected Mice

Toxins ◽

10.3390/toxins13090632 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 632

Author(s):

Julie Tomas ◽

Yoon Koo ◽

Dimitri Popoff ◽

Vilma Arce-Gorvel ◽

Sean Hanniffy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

T Cells ◽

Respiratory Tract ◽

Mucosal Immunity ◽

Memory T Cells ◽

Whooping Cough ◽

Critical Role ◽

Human Respiratory Tract ◽

Resident Memory T Cells ◽

First Time

Whooping cough is a severe, highly contagious disease of the human respiratory tract, caused by Bordetellapertussis. The pathogenicity requires several virulence factors, including pertussis toxin (PTX), a key component of current available vaccines. Current vaccines do not induce mucosal immunity. Tissue-resident memory T cells (Trm) are among the first lines of defense against invading pathogens and are involved in long-term protection. However, the factors involved in Trm establishment remain unknown. Comparing two B.pertussis strains expressing PTX (WT) or not (ΔPTX), we show that the toxin is required to generate both lung CD4+ and CD8+ Trm. Co-administering purified PTX with ΔPTX is sufficient to generate these Trm subsets. Importantly, adoptive transfer of lung CD4+ or CD8+ Trm conferred protection against B. pertussis in naïve mice. Taken together, our data demonstrate for the first time a critical role for PTX in the induction of mucosal long-term protection against B. pertussis.

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Somatic Embryogenesis and In vitro Plant Regeneration in Vigna trilobata (L.) Verd. - A Potential Pasture Legume

Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology ◽

10.3329/ptcb.v19i1.4990 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 89-99

Author(s):

K. Choudhary ◽

M. Singh ◽

M. S. Rathore ◽

N. S. Shekhawat

Keyword(s):

Somatic Embryogenesis ◽

Growth Regulators ◽

Somatic Embryos ◽

Basal Medium ◽

Long Term Study ◽

Continuous Application ◽

First Time ◽

Pasture Legume

This long term study demonstrates for the first time that it is possible to propagate embryogenic Vigna trilobata and to subsequently initiate the differentiation of embryos into complete plantlets. Initiation of callus was possible on 2,4-D. Somatic embryos differentiated on modified MS basal nutrient medium with 1.0 mg/l of 2,4-D and 0.5 mg/l of Kn. Sustained cell division resulted in globular and heart shape stages of somatic embryos. Transfer of embryos on to a fresh modified MS basal medium with 0.5 mg/l of Kn and 0.5 mg/l of GA3 helped them to attain maturation and germination. However, the propagation of cells, as well as the differentiation of embryos, were inhibited by a continuous application of these growth regulators. For this reason, a long period on medium lacking these growth regulators was necessary before the differentiation of embryos occurred again. The consequences for improving the propagation of embryogenic cultures in Vigna species are discussed. Key words: Pasture legume, Vigna trilobata, Globular, Heart shape, somatic embryogenesis D.O.I. 10.3329/ptcb.v19i1.4990 Plant Tissue Cult. & Biotech. 19(1): 89-99, 2009 (June)

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An Evaluation of Provincial Macroeconomic Performance in Vietnam

Journal of Economics and Development ◽

10.33301/2017.19.02.02 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 34-47

Author(s):

Hoi Le Quoc ◽

Nam Pham Xuan ◽

Tuan Nguyen Anh

Keyword(s):

Development Strategy ◽

Institutional Transformation ◽

Economic Indicators ◽

Macroeconomic Performance ◽

Economic Development Strategy ◽

Socio Economic Development ◽

The Cost ◽

Development Objectives ◽

First Time

The study was targeted at developing a methodology for constructing a macroeconomic performance index at a provincial level for the first time in Vietnam based on 4 groups of measurements: (i) Economic indicators; (ii) oriented economic indicators; (iii) socio-economic indicators; and (iv) economic - social – institutional indicators. Applying the methodology to the 2011 - 2015 empirical data of all provinces in Vietnam, the research shows that the socio-economic development strategy implemented by those provinces did not provide balanced outcomes between growth and social objectives, sustainability and inclusiveness. Many provinces focused on economic growth at the cost of structural change, equality and institutional transformation. In contrast, many provinces were successful in improving equality but not growth. Those facts threaten the long-term development objectives of the provinces.

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Non-Plasmonic SERS with Silicon: Is It Really Safe? New Insights into Opto-Thermics of Core/Shell Microbeads

10.26434/chemrxiv.5813979.v1 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Nicolò Bontempi ◽

Irene Vassalini ◽

Stefano Danesi ◽

Matteo Ferroni ◽

Paolo Colombi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Critical Role ◽

Raman Laser ◽

Core Shell ◽

Thermal Coupling ◽

Melting Points ◽

Experimental Proof ◽

Weakly Coupled ◽

Light Management ◽

Laser Sources ◽

First Time

<p>Here we investigate for the first time the opto-thermal behavior of SiO<sub>2</sub>/Si core/shell microbeads (Si-rex) irradiated with three common Raman laser sources (lambda=532, 633, 785 nm) under real working conditions. We obtained an experimental proof of the critical role played by bead size and aggregation in heat and light management, demonstrating that in the case of strong opto-thermal coupling the temperature can exceed that of the melting points of both core and shell components. In addition, we also show that weakly coupled beads can be utilized as stable substrates for plasmon-free SERS experiments.</p>

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NEW VARIETIES OF CURRANTS AND GOOSEBERRY BREEDING PLANTS

Vestnik of the Russian agricultural science ◽

10.30850/vrsn/2020/4/41-46 ◽

1970 ◽

pp. 41-46

Author(s):

O. D. Golyaeva ◽

O. V. Kurashev ◽

S. D. Knyazev ◽

А. Yu. Bakhotskaya

Keyword(s):

Powdery Mildew ◽

Genetic Basis ◽

Black Currant ◽

Leaf Spots ◽

Agricultural Sciences ◽

Berry Crops ◽

New Varieties ◽

First Time ◽

Red Currant

The main goal of the scientific institution was and remains to improve the assortment of fruit and berry crops for the development of domestic horticulture. Black currant breeding at VNIISPK was started by A.F Tamarova and continued by the doctor of agricultural Sciences T.P.Ogoltsova and doctor of agricultural Sciences S.D. Knyazev. A long-term breeding program has been developed. The main goals of the program are to create black currant cultivars with continuous resistance to diseases, first of all powdery mildew, as wells resistance to pests, i.e. bud mite. As a result of the long-term work, over 40 black currant cultivars have been developed, 14 of them are zoned. Red currant breeding was led by the candidate of agricultural Sciences L.V. Bayanova; since 2001 the work has been continued by the candidate of agricultural Sciences O.D. Golyaeva. ‘Heinemanns Rote Spӓtlese’, the descendant of R. multiflorum Kit., was involved in the red currant breeding for the first time in Russia. On its genetic basis, a series of late maturing cultivars with long and dense racemes was created. At the Institute, in total 21cultivars of red currants have been developed, 13 of them are zoned. At present, red currant cultivars make up 25.5% of the zoned assortment in Russia. The first research on gooseberries was stated by V.P. Semakin and A.F Tamarova; since 1992 the systematic gooseberry breeding has been carried out by the candidate of agricultural Sciences O.V. Kurashev. On the basis of Grossularia robusta, we have created gooseberry forms that are resistant to powdery mildew and leaf spots. These forms are highly productive, weakly thorned, having bush habit suitable for mechanized harvest. The result of breeding activities was the transfer of 6 gooseberry cultivars to State agricultural testing: ‘Solnechny Zaychik’, ‘Nekrasovsky’, ‘Yupiter’, ‘Zemlianichny’, ‘Moryachok’ and ‘Discovery’.

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Understanding sex differences in long-term blood pressure regulation: insights from experimental studies and computational modeling

AJP Heart and Circulatory Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpheart.00035.2019 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 316 (5) ◽

pp. H1113-H1123 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Sameed Ahmed ◽

Rui Hu ◽

Jessica Leete ◽

Anita T. Layton

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Sex Differences ◽

Computational Models ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Pressure Control ◽

Blood Pressure Regulation ◽

Pressure Regulation ◽

Physiological Processes ◽

Key Players

Sex differences in blood pressure and the prevalence of hypertension are found in humans and animal models. Moreover, there has been a recent explosion of data concerning sex differences in nitric oxide, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, inflammation, and kidney function. These data have the potential to reveal the mechanisms underlying male-female differences in blood pressure control. To elucidate the interactions among the multitude of physiological processes involved, one may apply computational models. In this review, we describe published computational models that represent key players in blood pressure regulation, and highlight sex-specific models and their findings.

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Configurations to Superior Environmental Innovation Strategy: A Both–And Approach

Organization & Environment ◽

10.1177/10860266211031623 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 108602662110316

Author(s):

Tiziana Russo-Spena ◽

Nadia Di Paola ◽

Aidan O’Driscoll

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Value Chain ◽

Critical Role ◽

Well Being ◽

Point Of View ◽

Future Generations ◽

Innovation Strategy ◽

Environmental Innovation ◽

Data Set

An effective climate change action involves the critical role that companies must play in assuring the long-term human and social well-being of future generations. In our study, we offer a more holistic, inclusive, both–and approach to the challenge of environmental innovation (EI) that uses a novel methodology to identify relevant configurations for firms engaging in a superior EI strategy. A conceptual framework is proposed that identifies six sets of driving characteristics of EI and two sets of beneficial outcomes, all inherently tensional. Our analysis utilizes a complementary rather than an oppositional point of view. A data set of 65 companies in the ICT value chain is analyzed via fuzzy-set comparative analysis (fsQCA) and a post-QCA procedure. The results reveal that achieving a superior EI strategy is possible in several scenarios. Specifically, after close examination, two main configuration groups emerge, referred to as technological environmental innovators and organizational environmental innovators.

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Structure-Properties Correlation of Cross-Linked Penicillin G Acylase Crystals

Crystals ◽

10.3390/cryst11040451 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 451

Author(s):

Marta Kubiak ◽

Janine Mayer ◽

Ingo Kampen ◽

Carsten Schilde ◽

Rebekka Biedendieck

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Stability ◽

Structural Characteristics ◽

Penicillin G ◽

Bacillus Species ◽

Diffusion Limitations ◽

Small Water ◽

Long Term Stability ◽

Atomic Force ◽

First Time

In biocatalytic processes, the use of free enzymes is often limited due to the lack of long-term stability and reusability. To counteract this, enzymes can be crystallized and then immobilized, generating cross-linked enzyme crystals (CLECs). As mechanical stability and activity of CLECs are crucial, different penicillin G acylases (PGAs) from Gram-positive organisms have proven to be promising candidates for industrial production of new semisynthetic antibiotics, which can be crystallized and cross-linked to characterize the resulting CLECs regarding their mechanical and catalytic properties. The greatest hardness and Young’s modulus determined by indentation with an atomic force microscope were observed for CLECs of Bacillus species FJAT-PGA CLECs (26 MPa/1450 MPa), followed by BmPGA (Priestia megaterium PGA, 23 MPa/1170 MPa) and BtPGA CLECs (Bacillus thermotolerans PGA, 11 MPa/614 MPa). In addition, FJAT- and BtPGA CLECs showed up to 20-fold higher volumetric activities compared to BmPGA CLECs. Correlation to structural characteristics indicated that a high solvent content and low number of cross-linking residues might lead to reduced stability. Furthermore, activity seems to be restricted by small water channels due to severe diffusion limitations. To the best of our knowledge, we show for the first time in this study that the entire process chain for the characterization of diverse industrially relevant enzymes can be performed at the microliter scale to discover the most important relationships and limitations.

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Disulfide-Reduction-Triggered Spontaneous Photoblinking Cy5 Probe for Nanoscopic Imaging of Mitochondrial Dynamics in Live Cells

Analytical Chemistry ◽

10.1021/acs.analchem.0c04658 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 93 (4) ◽

pp. 2596-2602

Author(s):

Wen Li ◽

Wenhui Pan ◽

Meina Huang ◽

Zhigang Yang ◽

Ying He ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mitochondrial Dynamics ◽

Live Cells ◽

Disulfide Reduction

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Overexpression of MdATG8i improves water use efficiency in transgenic apple by modulating photosynthesis, osmotic balance, and autophagic activity under moderate water deficit

Horticulture Research ◽

10.1038/s41438-021-00521-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Xin Jia ◽

Ke Mao ◽

Ping Wang ◽

Yu Wang ◽

Xumei Jia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Water Deficit ◽

Water Use ◽

Photosynthetic Capacity ◽

Critical Role ◽

Drought Conditions ◽

Moderate Drought ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Autophagic Activity

AbstractWater deficit is one of the major limiting factors for apple (Malus domestica) production on the Loess Plateau, a major apple cultivation area in China. The identification of genes related to the regulation of water use efficiency (WUE) is a crucial aspect of crop breeding programs. As a conserved degradation and recycling mechanism in eukaryotes, autophagy has been reported to participate in various stress responses. However, the relationship between autophagy and WUE regulation has not been explored. We have shown that a crucial autophagy protein in apple, MdATG8i, plays a role in improving salt tolerance. Here, we explored its biological function in response to long-term moderate drought stress. The results showed that MdATG8i-overexpressing (MdATG8i-OE) apple plants exhibited higher WUE than wild-type (WT) plants under long-term moderate drought conditions. Plant WUE can be increased by improving photosynthetic efficiency. Osmoregulation plays a critical role in plant stress resistance and adaptation. Under long-term drought conditions, the photosynthetic capacity and accumulation of sugar and amino acids were higher in MdATG8i-OE plants than in WT plants. The increased photosynthetic capacity in the OE plants could be attributed to their ability to maintain optimal stomatal aperture, organized chloroplasts, and strong antioxidant activity. MdATG8i overexpression also promoted autophagic activity, which was likely related to the changes described above. In summary, our results demonstrate that MdATG8i-OE apple lines exhibited higher WUE than WT under long-term moderate drought conditions because they maintained robust photosynthesis, effective osmotic adjustment processes, and strong autophagic activity.

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