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Topic Review

Zoo Animal Welfare Assessment

Zoological institutions, such as zoos and aquariums, have made animal welfare a top priority, as it is not only a moral obligation but also crucial for fulfilling their roles in education and conservation. Thus, there is a need for science-based tools to assess and monitor animal welfare in these settings.

189
27 Jun 2023

Topic Review

All mammalian oocytes and eggs are surrounded by a relatively thick extracellular matrix (ECM), the zona pellucida (ZP), that plays vital roles during oogenesis, fertilization, and preimplantation development. Unlike ECM surrounding somatic cells, the ZP is composed of only a few glycosylated proteins, ZP1–4, that are unique to oocytes and eggs. ZP1–4 have a large region of polypeptide, the ZP domain (ZPD), consisting of two subdomains, ZP-N and ZP-C, separated by a short linker region, that plays an essential role in polymerization of nascent ZP proteins into crosslinked fibrils. Both subdomains adopt immunoglobulin (Ig)-like folds for their 3-dimensional structure. Mouse and human ZP genes are encoded by single-copy genes located on different chromosomes and are highly expressed in the ovary by growing oocytes during late stages of oogenesis. Genes encoding ZP proteins are conserved among mammals, and their expression is regulated by cis-acting sequences located close to the transcription start-site and by the same/similar trans-acting factors. Nascent ZP proteins are synthesized, packaged into vesicles, secreted into the extracellular space, and assembled into long, crosslinked fibrils that have a structural repeat, a ZP2-ZP3 dimer, and constitute the ZP matrix. Fibrils are oriented differently with respect to the oolemma in the inner and outer layers of the ZP. Sequence elements in the ZPD and the carboxy-terminal propeptide of ZP1–4 regulate secretion and assembly of nascent ZP proteins. The presence of both ZP2 and ZP3 is required to assemble ZP fibrils and ZP1 and ZP4 are used to crosslink the fibrils. Inactivation of mouse ZP genes by gene targeting has a detrimental effect on ZP formation around growing oocytes and female fertility. Gene sequence variations in human ZP genes due to point, missense, or frameshift mutations also have a detrimental effect on ZP formation and female fertility. The latter mutations provide additional support for the role of ZPD subdomains and other regions of ZP polypeptide in polymerization of human ZP proteins into fibrils and matrix.

568
10 Sep 2021

Topic Review

ZnO Nanoparticles and Wheat and Maize

The zinc oxide nanoparticle (ZnO NP) is a commonly used metal oxide ENPs finding application as sunscreens and cosmetics, biosensors, and in solar cells, etc. Presently, many kinds of metal oxide NPs have been applied in agriculture, specifically in fertilization and plant protection in abiotic and biotic stress conditions.

563
22 Dec 2021

Topic Review

ZNF71 KRAB in NSCLC

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer and remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the U.S. Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 84% of lung cancer cases. Our previous study found that zinc finger protein 71 (ZNF71) mRNA expression was associated with chemosensitivity and its protein expression was prognostic of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

613
12 Apr 2021

Topic Review

Zinc finger protein 341

418
24 Dec 2020

Topic Review

Zinc finger myeloid, nervy, and deformed epidermal autoregulatory factor 1-type containing 8 (Zinc finger MYND-type containing 8, ZMYND8) is a transcription factor, a histone H3-interacting protein, and a putative chromatin reader/effector that plays an essential role in regulating transcription during normal cellular growth. Mutations and altered expression of ZMYND8 are associated with the development and progression of cancer. Increased expression of ZMYND8 is linked to breast, prostate, colorectal, and cervical cancers. It exerts pro-oncogenic effects in breast and prostate cancers, and it promotes angiogenesis in zebrafish, as well as in breast and prostate cancers. In contrast, downregulation of ZMYND8 is also reported in breast, prostate, and nasopharyngeal cancers. ZMYND8 acts as a tumor suppressor in breast and prostate cancers, and it inhibits tumor growth by promoting differentiation; inhibiting proliferation, cell-cycle progression, invasiveness, and metastasis; and maintaining the epithelial phenotype in various types of cancers. These data together suggest that ZMYND8 is important in tumorigenesis; however, the existing data are contradictory. More studies are necessary to clarify the exact role of ZMYND8 in tumorigenesis. In the future, regulation of expression/activity of ZMYND8 and/or its binding partners may become useful in treating cancer.

675
10 Mar 2021

Topic Review

Zinc finger MYM-type containing 2

605
24 Dec 2020

Topic Review

Zinc metallopeptidase STE24: the ZMPSTE24 gene provides instructions for making a protein that acts as a protease.

389
24 Dec 2020

Topic Review

Zinc transporter ZIP9 also known as Zrt- and Irt-like protein 9 (ZIP9) and solute carrier family 39 member 9 (SLC39A9) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SLC39A9 gene. This protein is the 9th member out of 14 ZIP family proteins, which is a membrane androgen receptor (mAR) coupled to G proteins, and also classified as a zinc transporter protein. ZIP family proteins transport zinc metal from the extracellular environment into cells through cell membrane.

377
21 Nov 2022

Topic Review

Zinc-Dependent Histone Deacetylases in Lung Endothelial Pathobiology

The intricate dynamics of endothelial cells (ECs), form a monolayer along blood vessel lumens and act as a semi-selective barrier between blood and interstitial spaces. In instances of inflammatory or toxic events, compromise of the lung EC barrier may lead to pulmonary edema, a crucial aspect of acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The nuanced control of EC functions involves epigenetic mechanisms, particularly those mediated by zinc-dependent histone deacetylases (HDACs). Representing the largest HDAC subgroup, zinc-dependent HDACs are activated by Zn2+ and play a pivotal role in epigenetic regulation by modifying chromatin structure and deacetylating non-histone proteins.

160
28 Feb 2024

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