1,721,015 research outputs found
Metallothioneins, Unconventional Proteins from Unconventional Animals: A Long Journey from Nematodes to Mammals
Full text linkMetallothioneins (MTs) are ubiquitous low molecular weight cysteine-rich proteins characterized by high affinity for d10 electron configuration metals, including essential (Zn and Cu) and non-essential (Cd and Hg) trace elements. The biological role of these ancient and well-conserved multifunctional proteins has been debated since MTs were first discovered in 1957. Their main hypothesized functions are: (1) homeostasis of Zn and Cu; (2) detoxification of Cd, and Hg; and (3) free radical scavenging. This review will focus on MTs in unconventional animals, those not traditionally studied in veterinary medicine but of increasing interest in this field of research. Living in different environments, these animals represent an incredible source of physiological and biochemical adaptations still partly unexplored. The study of metal-MT interactions is of great interest for clinicians and researchers working in veterinary medicine, food quality and endangered species conservation
Elettroforesi proteica
No full textNei mammiferi, l’elettroforesi zonale delle proteine sieriche (SPE) su gel di agarosio premette la loro separazione in 6 frazioni, che solitamente corrispondono ad albumina, α1-, α2-, β1-, β2- e γ-globuline. L’elettroforesi è una tecnica analitica che presenta molti vantaggi: è semi-automatica, necessita di pochi microlitri di campione, è rapida, riproducibile ed economica. La SPE è utilizzata di routine per valutare disproteinemie nel cane e nel gatto, ma è ancora poco utilizzata per la maggior parte degli animali “non convenzionali”.
In questo capitolo sono presentati due esempi di applicazioni di elettroforesi:
- in un mammifero, il furetto (Mustela putorius furo), per il quale vengono riportati i ferogrammi di riferimento e i valori medi per ciascuna frazione ottenuti da 12 soggetti clinicamente sani, e, per confronto, i ferogrammi di due soggetti affetti uno da linfoma e uno da cimurro;
- in un rettile, la testuggine Testudo hermanni, riportando i ferogrammi ed i valori medi ottenuti da esemplari campionati in due periodi dell’anno, agli inizi dell’estate e dell’autunno, ed il confronto con due soggetti affetti uno da tumore cervicale e uno da anoressia
Proteomic Research in Urine and Other Fluids
No full textUrine is an ideal biological sample. It is an important source of clinical biomarkers of systemic and renal diseases and can be obtained repeatedly without causing stress. Different analytical protocols for the study of the urine proteome have been used, from the simplest electrophoresis on agarose gels to the most sensitive and complex 2DE. As with urine, a range of bodily fluids (saliva, cerebrospinal, bronchoalveolar, amniotic fluids) are amenable to the tools of proteomics. The identification and characterization of the protein content of such fluids are being used to provide novel insights into the evolutionary adaptations of farm and domestic animal species and to characterize their normal physiological state. A comprehensive review on the application of proteomics to these biological samples is presented
Matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 of amniotic fluid in mares with normal and high-risk pregnancy
No full textAnalysis of Artemisia annua extracts and related products by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry coupled to sample treatment miniaturisation
Full text linkArtemisinin, the main antimalarial compound of Artemisia annua L., is currently attracting increasing interest for its antiproliferative properties, but its content is highly variable, depending on several genetic, environmental and processing conditions. Aim of the present study is to analyse the artemisinin content in different plant extracts, to test their in vitro activity on cell proliferation and then to correlate these data to the active principle concentration. For this purpose, an innovative miniaturised sample pretreatment strategy based on microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS) was developed and coupled to an original advanced method based on liquid chromatography with diode array detection and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-DAD-MS/MS). The method was fully validated, granting consistent data. Good linearity was found over a suitable concentration range, i.e. 5–1000ng/mL. Extraction yields (>85%), precision (RSD < 3.5%) and accuracy (recovery 88–93%) were all within acceptable levels of confidence. After validation, the method was successfully applied to the determination of artemisinin in A. annua extracts. Analyte content was widely variable (up to twenty-fold) according to the starting material and the extraction procedure, ranging between 5.9μg/g and 109μg/mL. The cytotoxic activity of all analysed extracts was also tested on human leukemic cells by viable cell count and cell cycle analysis. Artemisinin concentrations and biological activity were carefully evaluated and the observed antiproliferative effects varied according to artemisinin content in each extract type. This highlights the need to quantitatively analyse the main active constituent of plant extracts and the obtained data have shown to be promising for the choice of the related herbal product dosage
The trophic potential of pollens with different botanical origin: a comprehensive proteomic and microbiological approach
No full textAgricultural practices, pollutants and climate change can influence plant metabolic functions as well as the spatial distribution and abundance of trophic resources for pollinators. Nectar and pollen availability or changes in their dietary profile are may also occur and lead to nutritional deficit in pollinators, and trigger additional threats to ecosystem stability. The absence of a balanced diet, concerning the pollen source diversity and quantity and quality of protein content, has been proven to be detrimental for honeybee health, gut microbiome fitness and haemolymph protein content. Our research aims at investigating the potential of different trophic sources, i.e. of different botanical origin, on the stimulation of honeybee’s immune and proteomic response and modulation of the gut microbiome development. For these objectives, a holistic approach was proposed using MALDI-MS (MALDI BeeTyping) for antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and SDS-PAGE for vitellogenin detection in haemolymph. Moreover, q-PCR was used for gut microbiome analysis. Newly-emerged caged honeybees were daily fed with a fresh suspension of pollen and sugar syrup (1:1 w/v) for a total of 40 monofloral and 13 polyfloral pollens belonging to 8 botanical families (Cistaceae, Asteraceae, Cornaceae, Boraginaceae, Fagaceae, Leguminosae, Rosaceae and Salicaceae) collected in 5 Italian regions. After 5 days, haemolymph and guts were extracted for the MALDI-BeeTyping, SDS-PAGE, and qPCR analysis after DNA extraction. Our results showed that different pollen sources can affect both AMPs and vitellogenin content in haemolymph but without significant variations. However, using a genetic algorithm on MALDI BeeTyping spectra, we developed a model able to discriminate various small size proteins correlating with vitellogenin. Finally, qPCR results highlighted that all botanical families could influence significantly the gut core microorganisms within the genera Bifidobacterium, Bombilactobacillus, Lactobacillus, Frischella, Bartonella, Gilliamella and Snodgrassella. These results represent a first step in understanding the complex interaction between pollen sources, microbiome and honeybees’ health
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
50° Congresso Nazionale della Società Italiana di Biochimica e Biologia Molecolare, 27-30 Settembre 2005, Riccione
No full textCome Presidente dei Comitati Organizzatore e Scientifico del Convegno (Emilio Carpenè) e membro del Comitato Organizzatore (Gloria Isani), hanno progettato e presieduto lo svolgimento dell'evento che ha previsto la presenza di importanti ricercatori nazionali e internazionali che hanno presentato relazioni inerenti i seguenti argomenti di ricerca: biotossine, proteine redox, trasduzione del segnale, modulazione di risposte cellulari in risposta a nutrienti, adattamenti biochimici all'esercizio fisico
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