Cell Death Mechanisms Induced by CLytA-DAAO Chimeric Enzyme in Human Tumor Cell Lines

The combination of the choline binding domain of the amidase N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine (CLytA)-D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO) (CLytA-DAAO) and D-Alanine induces cell death in several pancreatic and colorectal carcinoma and glioblastoma cell lines. In glioblastoma cell lines, CLytA-DAAO-induced cell death was inhibited by a pan-caspase inhibitor, suggesting a classical apoptotic cell death. Meanwhile, the cell death induced in pancreatic and colon carcinoma cell lines is some type of programmed necrosis. In this article, we studied the mechanisms that trigger CLytA-DAAO-induced cell death in pancreatic and colorectal carcinoma and glioblastoma cell lines and we acquire a further insight into the necrotic cell death induced in pancreatic and colorectal carcinoma cell lines. We have analyzed the intracellular calcium mobilization, mitochondrial membrane potential, PARP-1 participation and AIF translocation. Although the mitochondrial membrane depolarization plays a crucial role, our results suggest that CLytA-DAAO-induced cell death is context dependent. We have previously detected pancreatic and colorectal carcinoma cell lines (Hs766T and HT-29, respectively) that were resistant to CLytA-DAAO-induced cell death. In this study, we have examined the putative mechanism underlying the resistance in these cell lines, evaluating both detoxification mechanisms and the inflammatory and survival responses. Overall, our results provide a better understanding on the cell death mechanism induced by CLytA-DAAO, a promising therapy against cancer.     

Waste waters from the leachate of mushroom as vine foliar treatments: influence on grape volatile composition over two consecutive seasons

Edible mushrooms production presents a potential problem for the environment, due to the large amount of waste generated. These wastes contain nitrogenous matter, which could be used as biostimulant in plants. The aim of this work was to study the effect of waste waters, from the mushroom production process, applied at veraison and 1 week later to grapevine leaves, on grape volatile compounds over two vintages. The results evidenced that mushroom water treatment decreased the grape content of certain terpenoids, C₁₃ norisoprenoids, benzenoid compounds and esters, increasing C6 compounds content during the first season. Treated mushroom water application slightly affected grape volatile composition. This was the treatment that least affected the content of grape volatile composition. Few differences were found after the biostimulation during the second vintage. The season was the dominant factor of grape volatile content variation compared to the treatment and their interaction.     

A visual tool for monitoring and detecting anomalies in robot performance

Pattern Analysis and Applications - In robotic systems, both software and hardware components are equally important. However, scant attention has been devoted until now in order to detect...     

Distinct annexin subfamilies in plants and protists diverged prior to animal annexins and from a common ancestor

Annexin homologues in the kingdoms of Planta and Protista were characterized by molecular sequence analysis to determine their phylogenetic and structural relationship with annexins of Animalia. Sequence fragments from 19 plant annexins were identified in sequence databases and composite sequences were also assembled from expressed sequence tags for Arabidopsis thaliana. Length differences in protein aminotermini and evidence for unique exon splice sites indicated that plant annexins were distinct from those of animals. A third annexin gene of Giardia lamblia (Anx21-Gla) was identified as a distant relative to other protist annexins and to those of higher eukaryotes, thus providing a suitable outgroup for evolutionary reconstruction of the family tree. Rooted evolutionary trees portrayed protist, plant, and Dictyostelium annexins as early, monophyletic ramifications prior to the appearance of closely related animal annexin XIII. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of DNA and protein sequence alignments revealed at least seven separate plant subfamilies, represented by Anx18 (alfalfa, previously classified), Anx22 (thale cress), Anx23 (thale cress, cotton, rape and cabbage), Anx24 (bell pepper and tomato p34), Anx25 (strawberry, horseradish, pea, soybean, and castor bean), Anx26-Zma, and Anx27-Zma (maize). Other unique subfamilies may exist for rice, tomato p35, apple, and celery annexins. Consensus sequences compiled for each eukaryotic kingdom showed some breakdown of the "annexin-fold" motif in repeats 2 and 3 of protist and plant annexins and a conserved codon deletion in repeat 3 of plants. The characterization of distinct annexin genes in plants and protists reflects their comparable diversity among animal species and offers alternative models for the comparative study of structure-function relationships within this important gene family.     

Tectal codification of eye movements in goldfish studied by electrical microstimulation. f

This work compares the tectal codification of eye movements in goldfish with those reported for other vertebrate groups. Focal electrical stimulation was applied in various tectal zones and the characteristics of evoked eye movements were examined as a function of (i) the position of the stimulation over the tectal surface, (ii) the initial position of the eyes and (iii) the parameters (pulse rate, current strength, duration) of the stimulus. In a large medial zone, stimulation within the intermediate and deep layers of the tectum evoked contraversive saccades of both eyes, whose direction and amplitude were roughly congruent with the retinotopic representation of the visual world within overlying layers. These saccades were minimally influenced by the initial position of the eye in the orbit. The topographical arrangement of evoked saccades and body movements suggests that this tectal zone triggers orienting responses in a similar way to those described in other vertebrates. Stimulations applied within the caudal tectum also evoked contraversive saccades, but in disagreement with the overlying retinotopic map--the vertical component was absent. Taken together with electrically evoked body movements reported in free-swimming fish, these saccades could reveal that this zone is involved in escape responses. When stimulations were applied within the anteromedial zone of the tectum, contraversive movements of both eyes appeared much more dependent on initial eye position. Saccades elicited from this area displayed characteristics of "goal-directed saccades" which were similar to those described in the cat. The generation of goal-directed movements from the anteromedial zone suggests that this portion of the goldfish optic tectum has a different intrinsic organization or is connected with the brainstem saccade generator in a different fashion than the medial zone. Finally, stimulation of the extreme anteromedial zone evoked convergent eye movements. These movements and those reported in free-swimming fish following electrical stimulation of this tectal area suggest that this zone could be involved in feeding responses. The relationships between the parameters of electrical stimulation and the characteristics of elicited saccades suggest that the stimulated location within the tectum determines a constant direction in the evoked saccade, whereas the amount and duration of tectal activity, as mimicked by changes in stimulus parameters, together with the tectal locus, determine the velocity and amplitude of the evoked saccade.     

3D Printing of a Thermo‐ and Solvatochromic Composite Material Based on a Cu(II)–Thymine Coordination Polymer with Moisture Sensing Capabilities

This work presents the fabrication of 3D‐printed composite objects based on copper(II) 1D coordination polymer ( CP1 ) decorated with thymine along its chains with potential utility as an environmental humidity sensor and as a water sensor in organic solvents. This new composite object has a remarkable sensitivity, ranging from 0.3% to 4% of water in organic solvents. The sensing capacity is related to the structural transformation due to the loss of water molecules that CP1 undergoes with temperature or by solvent molecules' competition, which induces significant change in color simultaneously. The CP1 and 3D printed materials are stable in air over 1 year and also at biological pHs (5–7), therefore suggesting potential applications as robust colorimetric sensors. These results open the door to generate a family of new 3D printed materials based on the integration of multifunctional coordination polymers with organic polymers.