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Topic Review
Biography
Topic Review
Amino Acid Metabolism in SARS-CoV2-Infected Patients
The immune response to infectious diseases is directly influenced by metabolic activities. COVID-19 is a disease that affects the entire body and can significantly impact cellular metabolism. The most significant groups of metabolites include amino acids, which act as precursors for various major cellular components, such as proteins and nucleobases. Among the amino acids that make up proteins, nine cannot be synthesized from other compounds and must be obtained from food; these are also essential amino acids. The human body can use amino acids ingested from food to synthesize proteins and other biomolecules, but they can also be oxidized to urea and carbon dioxide to produce energy through oxidative pathways. Their involvement in synthesizing proteins and metabolic regulators makes them an excellent marker for diseases. Their chemical properties and compositions not only affect the structure and function of proteins, but also control the metabolic pathways associated with illness. Furthermore, amino acids ensure the immune response against diseases by being used in the activation of T and B lymphocytes, natural killer cells, and macrophages; in the cellular redox status, gene expression, and lymphocyte proliferation; and in the production of antibodies, cytokines, lymphokines, and cytotoxic substances.
127
27 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Benefits of Organic Farming
Organic farming, which is deeply rooted in traditional agricultural practices, has witnessed a profound evolution over the last century. Transitioning from a grassroots initiative resisting the industrialization of agriculture to a global industry, organic farming now plays a pivotal role in addressing contemporary challenges related to environmental health, sustainability, and food safety.
369
27 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Impact of Climate Change on Soil N
2
O Emission
Microbial-driven processes, including nitrification and denitrification closely related to soil nitrous oxide (N2O) production, are orchestrated by a network of enzymes and genes such as amoA genes from ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA), narG (nitrate reductase), nirS and nirK (nitrite reductase), and nosZ (N2O reductase). However, how climatic factors could influence these genes and processes and, consequently, soil N2O emissions remain unclear.
338
26 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Hibernation on the Gut Microbes of Mammalian Animals
Hibernating mammals confront seasonal and harsh environmental shifts, prompting a cycle of pre-hibernation feeding and subsequent winter fasting. These adaptive practices induce diverse physiological adjustments within the animal’s body. With the gut microbiota’s metabolic activity being heavily reliant on the host’s diet, this cycle’s primary impact is on this microbial community. When the structure and composition of the gut microbiota changes, corresponding alterations in the interactions occur between these microorganisms and their host. These successive adaptations significantly contribute to the host’s capacity to sustain relatively stable metabolic and immune functions in severe environmental conditions.
103
26 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Protein Tertiary Structure Prediction
The prediction of three-dimensional (3D) protein structure from amino acid sequences has stood as a significant challenge in computational and structural bioinformatics for decades. The widespread integration of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms has substantially expedited advancements in protein structure prediction, yielding numerous significant milestones. In particular, the end-to-end deep learning method AlphaFold2 has facilitated the rise of structure prediction performance to new heights, regularly competitive with experimental structures in the 14th Critical Assessment of Protein Structure Prediction (CASP14).
191
26 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Sources of Reactive Oxygen Species
Oxidative stress, characterized by an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the cellular anti-oxidant defense mechanisms, plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of various human diseases. ROS are either produced through cellular processes or environmental factors. Of note, oxidative stress has been described as a secondary effect within the pathology of several rare monogenic diseases and sometimes been called a common denominator.
221
26 Feb 2024
Topic Review
The Structural Proteins of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus
Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus (PEDV) is one of the main pathogens causing diarrhea in piglets and fattening pigs. The clinical signs of PED are vomiting, acute diarrhea, dehydration, and mortality resulting in significant economic losses and becoming a major challenge in the pig industry. PEDV possesses various crucial structural and functional proteins, which play important roles in viral structure, infection, replication, assembly, and release, as well as in escaping host innate immunity.
228
26 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Melanocortins Protect against Diabetes Caused by Obesity
Melanocortins, a group of cleavage peptide products of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), activate melanocortin receptors on the surface of a diverse range of cell types, leading to different biological actions. They are so named because of their melanotropic activity, that is, the ability of melanocortins to increase pigmentation in melanocytes in the skin and hair follicles, increase concentrations of eumelanin and prevent an increase in photosensitive pheomelanin. Melanocortins are produced by POMC neurons in the pars intermedia of the pituitary gland, the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus and the dorsal medullary nucleus of the solitary tract. They can be distinguished by the presence of an invariant amino acid sequence in each melanocortin peptide, His-Phe-Arg-Trp. The melanocortins produced in humans include alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH), beta-melanocyte stimulating hormone (β-MSH), gamma-melanocyte stimulating hormone (γ-MSH) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH).
385
26 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Endogenous Retroviruses Expression Regulation Mechanisms
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are the result of retroviral infections acquired millions of years ago; nowadays, they compose around 8% of human DNA. Multiple mechanisms have been employed for endogenous retroviral deactivation, rendering replication and retrotransposition defective, while some of them have been co-opted to serve host evolutionary advantages. A pleiad of mechanisms retains the delicate balance of HERV expression in modern humans. Thus, epigenetic modifications, such as DNA and histone methylation, acetylation, deamination, chromatin remodeling, and even post-transcriptional control are recruited.
183
26 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Preclinical and Clinical Endeavors Targeting Mitochondria
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of motor neurons, for which current treatment options are limited. Recent studies have shed light on the role of mitochondria in ALS pathogenesis, making them an attractive therapeutic intervention target.
224
26 Feb 2024
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