Your browser does not fully support modern features. Please upgrade for a smoother experience.
Subject:
All Disciplines Arts & Humanities Biology & Life Sciences Business & Economics Chemistry & Materials Science Computer Science & Mathematics Engineering Environmental & Earth Sciences Medicine & Pharmacology Physical Sciences Public Health & Healthcare Social Sciences
Sort by:
Most Viewed Latest Alphabetical (A-Z) Alphabetical (Z-A)
Filter:
All Topic Review Biography Peer Reviewed Entry Video Entry
Topic Review
Arabidopsis RETICULON-LIKE4 (RTNLB4)
Agrobacterium tumefaciens genetically transforms plant cells by transferring the transfer-DNA (T-DNA) and virulence (Vir) proteins from bacteria via a VirB-encoded type IV secretion system into plants. The effectors manipulate plant proteins to assist in T-DNA transfer, integration, and expression in plant cells. The Arabidopsis reticulon-like (RTNLB) proteins are located in the endoplasmic reticulum and are involved in endomembrane trafficking in plant cells. We functionally characterized reticulon-like protein B4 (RTNLB4), which interacted with the A. tumefaciens VirB2 protein, a major component of A. tumefaciens T-pilus. Overexpression or knockdown of RTNLB4 affected the expression of A. tumefaciens elf18 peptide-induced plant defense-related genes and could affect Agrobacterium-mediated transformation rates. Pre-treatment with elf18 peptide decreased Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression efficiency more in wild-type seedlings than RTNLB4 O/E transgenic plants, which suggests that the induced defense responses in RTNLB4 O/E transgenic plants might be affected after bacterial elicitor treatments. We also showed that two VirB2 peptides induced the expression of defense-related genes and H2O2 production and inhibited seedling growth. These typical pathogen-associated molecular pattern-trigged immune responses were less induced in RTNLB4 overexpression transgenic plants. Our findings provide strong evidence that RTNLB4 has major roles in the A. tumefaciens elf18 and VirB2 peptide-derived plant defense responses. We believe this study advances our understanding of possible functions of the RTNLB4 protein in the A. tumefaciens infection process and plant immunity.
  • 1.5K
  • 01 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Thermophilic Nucleic Acid Polymerases
Nucleic acid polymerases are enzymes that catalyze DNA or RNA synthesis, including DNA polymerases (DNAPs), RNA polymerases (RNAPs), reverse transcriptases (RTs), and RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRps), which play central roles in the storage and transmission of genetic information in living organisms, and have been widely applied in molecular biology and biotechnology. Their unique activities and functions have laid the foundation of many broadly used or modern techniques, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA sequencing, and DNA information storage. Thermostability is a desired property of nucleic acid polymerases for many of their applications, especially those involving thermocycling.
  • 1.5K
  • 09 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Dermo-Cosmetic Benefits of Marine Macroalgae-Derived Phenolic Compounds
Marine macroalgae have an interesting profile of bioactive compounds and have gained tremendous attention in cosmeceuticals with negligible toxicity effects (cytotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, genotoxicity, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, etc.) on humans and exhibit strong benefits for the skin. Among the diversified compounds, phenolic compounds are the group of phytochemicals found in high amounts with great structural diversity. Phlorotannin is the most studied polyphenol compound in brown algae, but besides there are some other phenolic compounds observed and studied in macroalgae such as terpenoids, bromophenols, mycosporine amino acids (MAAs), and flavonoids. These compounds are already characterized and studied for their full range of cosmeceutical benefits such as skin whitening, moisturizing, photoprotection, antiaging, antiwrinkle, anti-melanogenic, and antioxidant activities as well as in the treatment of pruritus (caused by acne, eczema, dermatitis, hives, psoriasis), photoaging, and skin pigmentation disorders (hypopigmentation due to the absence of melanocytes and hyperpigmentation caused by skin irritation or metabolic disorders). 
  • 1.5K
  • 05 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Fragile X Syndrome(FXS)
Among the inherited causes of intellectual disability and autism, Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most frequent form, for which there is currently no cure. In most FXS patients, the FMR1 gene is epigenetically inactivated following the expansion over 200 triplets of a CGG repeat (FM: full mutation). FMR1 encodes the Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP), which binds several mRNAs, mainly in the brain. When the FM becomes methylated at 10–12 weeks of gesta-tion, the FMR1 gene is transcriptionally silent.
  • 1.5K
  • 04 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Calcium Dysregulation in Alzheimer’s Disease
Intracellular calcium (Ca2+) is an important second messenger that regulates multiple cellular functions, such as synaptic plasticity, action potentials, and learning and memory. Ca2+ dyshomeostasis, on the other hand, contributes to detrimental mechanisms such as necrosis, apoptosis, autophagy deficits, and neurodegeneration. Perturbations in intracellular Ca2+ are involved in many neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease.  Ca2+ dyshomeostasis is an early event in the AD timeline. Ca2+ dysregulation in AD comes as a result of hyperactivity of Ca2+ channels in the plasma membrane and intracellular compartments. It does not seem to be restricted to neurons, but rather is a global phenomenon that affects many cell types in the brain.
  • 1.5K
  • 25 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Development of Anticancer Agents with Peptide-Based Drugs
Peptides are increasingly being developed for use as therapeutics to treat many ailments, including cancer. Therapeutic peptides have the advantages of target specificity and low toxicity. The anticancer effects of a peptide can be the direct result of the peptide binding its intended target, or the peptide may be conjugated to a chemotherapy drug or radionuclide and used to target the agent to cancer cells. Peptides can be targeted to proteins on the cell surface, where the peptide–protein interaction can initiate internalization of the complex, or the peptide can be designed to directly cross the cell membrane. Peptides can induce cell death by numerous mechanisms including membrane disruption and subsequent necrosis, apoptosis, tumor angiogenesis inhibition, immune regulation, disruption of cell signaling pathways, cell cycle regulation, DNA repair pathways, or cell death pathways. 
  • 1.5K
  • 25 Nov 2021
Topic Review
The Dbf4-Dependent Kinase
The Dbf4-dependent kinase (DDK) is formed by the association of the kinase subunit, cell division cycle 7 (Cdc7), with its activating partner, dumb-bell factor 4 (Dbf4). By analogy with the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK), Cdc7:Dbf4 is now most often referred to as ‘Dbf4-dependent kinase’ or DDK.
  • 1.5K
  • 27 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Pharmacological Activities of Galactomannan Derivatives
Galactomannans are versatile macromolecules with broad industrial potential. The influence of changes in the chemical structures and respective bioactivities of these polysaccharides have been extensively studied. The derivatives obtained by sulfation, complexation, and phosphorylation are the most studied biological properties in galactomannans. The derivatives obtained have shown several pharmacological activities such as antiviral, antimicrobial, anticoagulant, fibrinolytic, chemopreventive, anticancer, antioxidant, chondroprotective, analgesic, immunomodulatory, and antileishmanial. 
  • 1.5K
  • 24 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Mitochondrial Processing Peptidases
Mitochondrial proteins are encoded by both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. While some of the essential subunits of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complexes responsible for cellular ATP production are synthesized directly in the mitochondria, most mitochondrial proteins are first translated in the cytosol and then imported into the organelle using a sophisticated transport system. These proteins are directed mainly by targeting presequences at their N-termini. These presequences need to be cleaved to allow the proper folding and assembly of the pre-proteins into functional protein complexes. In the mitochondria, the presequences are removed by several processing peptidases, including the mitochondrial processing peptidase (MPP), the inner membrane processing peptidase (IMP), the inter-membrane processing peptidase (MIP), and the mitochondrial rhomboid protease (Pcp1/PARL). Their proper functioning is essential for mitochondrial homeostasis as the disruption of any of them is lethal in yeast and severely impacts the lifespan and survival in humans.
  • 1.5K
  • 16 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Mechanism of Mild-Temperature Photothermal Therapy
Conventional photothermal therapy (PTT) irradiates the tumor tissues by elevating the temperature above 48 °C to exert thermal ablation, killing tumor cells. However, thermal ablation during PTT harmfully damages the surrounding normal tissues, post-treatment inflammatory responses, rapid metastasis due to the short-term mass release of tumor-cellular contents, or other side effects. To circumvent this limitation, mild-temperature photothermal therapy (MTPTT) was introduced to replace PTT as it exerts its activity at a therapeutic temperature of 42–45 °C.
  • 1.5K
  • 04 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Sialic Acids
This article gives a very short overview on sialic acids and is an excerpt of the introduction from the publication ‘Control of Innate Immunity by Sialic Acids in the Nervous Tissue’ by Liao H, Klaus C, Neumann H. in the Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Jul 31;21(15):E5494. doi: 10.3390/ijms21155494
  • 1.5K
  • 13 Aug 2020
Topic Review
Spermine in Prostate Cancer
Spermine, a member of polyamines, exists in all organisms and is essential for normal cell growth and function. It is highly expressed in the prostate compared with other organs and is detectable in urine, tissue, expressed prostatic secretions, and erythrocyte. A significant reduction of spermine level was observed in prostate cancer (PCa) tissue compared with benign prostate tissue, and the level of urinary spermine was also significantly lower in men with PCa. Decreased spermine level may be used as an indicator of malignant phenotype transformation from normal to malignant tissue in prostate.
  • 1.5K
  • 25 May 2021
Topic Review
Forkhead Box Protein O1 (FOXO1)
Forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) also known as forkhead in rhabdomyosarcoma (FKHR) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the FOXO1 gene. FOXO1 is a transcription factor that plays important roles in regulation of gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis by insulin signaling, and is also central to the decision for a preadipocyte to commit to adipogenesis. It is primarily regulated through phosphorylation on multiple residues; its transcriptional activity is dependent on its phosphorylation state.
  • 1.5K
  • 30 Nov 2022
Topic Review
CeRNA Networks in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Protein aggregation is classically considered the main cause of neuronal death in neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). However, increasing evidence suggests that alteration of RNA metabolism is a key factor in the etiopathogenesis of these complex disorders. Non-coding RNAs are the major contributor to the human transcriptome and are particularly abundant in the central nervous system, where they have been proposed to be involved in the onset and development of NDDs. Interestingly, some ncRNAs (such as lncRNAs, circRNAs and pseudogenes) share a common functionality in their ability to regulate gene expression by modulating miRNAs in a phenomenon known as the competing endogenous RNA mechanism. Moreover, ncRNAs are found in body fluids where their presence and concentration could serve as potential non-invasive biomarkers of NDDs.
  • 1.5K
  • 17 Feb 2021
Topic Review
HEV infectivity in water samples
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a non-enveloped single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus, belonging to the Hepeviridae family, resistant to environmental conditions, and transmitted by the consumption of contaminated water. This virus is responsible for both sporadic and epidemic outbreaks, leading to thousands of infections per year in several countries, and is thus considered an emerging disease in Europe and Asia. This study refers to a survey in Portugal during 2019, targeting the detection and eventual quantification of enteric viruses in surface and drinking water sources. Samples positive for HEV RNA were recurrently found by reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), in both matrices. The infectivity of these samples was evaluated in cultured Vero E6 cells and RNA from putative viruses produced in cell cultures was subjected to RT-qPCR targeting HEV genomic RNA. Our results evidenced the existence of samples positive either for HEV RNA (77.8% in surface water and 66.7% in drinking water) or for infectious HEV (23.0% in surface water and 27.7% in drinking water). These results highlight the need of effective virological control of water for human consumption and activities.
  • 1.5K
  • 26 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Glyphosate Pollution Treatment
Glyphosate (N-Phosphonomethyl-glycine) is a broad-spectrum herbicide extensively used worldwide to eliminate weeds in agricultural areas, control vegetation in urban areas, and accelerate the harvest of several crops. Recently was classified as a potentially carcinogenic compound, due to this several countries banned or are in the process of banning its use.
  • 1.5K
  • 24 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Cell Cycle Checkpoints
Studies have shown that during early embryogenesis, preimplantation embryos exhibit higher levels of chromosomal abnormalities in the initial stages of cleavage compared to the late morula stage or blastocysts. Thus, preimplantation embryos can acquire an aneuploidy phenotype already in early developmental stages, which points to the fact that these first mitotic cycles are more susceptible to chromosomal aberrations. The monitoring of chromatin damage, the so-called cell cycle checkpoint, is therefore an essential aspect of the cell cycle.
  • 1.5K
  • 12 May 2023
Topic Review
Glutamate Receptor in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases
Glutamate excitotoxicity is a complex biological process that initiates when glutamate receptors are activated, leading to damage in dendrites and eventually causing cell death.
  • 1.5K
  • 13 Nov 2023
Topic Review
WNT Signalling in Dental Pathologies
Great efforts have been made over the past decades to discover new therapeutic targets for a big variety of human pathologies. Most of the studies dealing with severe pathological conditions such as cancers and tissue malformations are focused on the role of either widely recognized master controlling genes such as ras and myc or pivotal components of key signalling pathways, among which Wnt and Notch. However, these genes and molecules are fundamental for paired embryogenesis as well as for tissue and organ homeostasis and regeneration, where they regulate cell proliferation, migration, differentiation and apoptosis. The precise timing and localization of their activation are important to ensure the appropriate cellular functions in physiological conditions. Thus, their indiscriminate targeting is not desirable, due to both the high risk of severe side effects and the certainty of broad phenotypic consequences. On the contrary, optimal therapeutic targets should be selected based on their tissue, time and pathology specific roles. Here, we suggest a paradigmatic example of such target molecules that could be represented by the Wnt/b-catenin signalling components Bcl9 and Bcl9l. 
  • 1.5K
  • 05 Nov 2020
Topic Review
MGluRI and ErbB Receptors
It is well-appreciated that phosphorylation is an essential post-translational mechanism of regulation for several proteins, including group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRI), mGluR1 and mGluR5 subtypes. While contributions of various serine/threonine protein kinases on mGluRI modulation have been recognized, the functional role of tyrosine kinases (TKs) is less acknowledged. Here, we describe current evidence on the modulatory roles of the ErbB tyrosine kinases receptors - activated by the neurotrophic factors neuregulins (NRGs) - on mGluRI function. Available evidence suggests that mGluRI activity is tightly dependent on ErbB signaling, and that ErbB's modulation profoundly influences mGluRI-dependent effects on neurotransmission, neuronal excitability, synaptic plasticity, and learning and memory processes. 
  • 1.5K
  • 13 Nov 2020
  • Page
  • of
  • 133
Featured Entry Collections
>>

Featured Books

>>
Encyclopedia of Digital Society, Industry 5.0 and Smart City
Encyclopedia of Engineering
Encyclopedia of Social Sciences
Encyclopedia of COVID-19
Academic Video Service
Feedback