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At least 883 records · Page 49Linked to original sources

PubMed2005

Effect of different thawing temperatures on the viability, in vitro fertilizing capacity and chromatin condensation of frozen boar semen packaged in 5 ml straws.

The effect of two different thawing temperatures on frozen boar semen viability, in vitro fertilizing capacity and chromatin condensation and stability was studied. Freeze-thaw motility, normal apical ridge (NAR), in vitro fertilizing (IVF) capacity and chromatin condensation and stability were evaluated after thawing at 42 degrees C, 40s and 50 degrees C, 40s. Chromatin condensation degree was determined by flow cytometry, using propidium iodide as fluorochrome intercalating agent, and chromatin stability was evaluated by the same procedure after inducing sperm chromatin decondensation with ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The results showed that thawing straws at 42 degrees C, 40s significantly reduced motility compared to straws thawed at 50 degrees C, 40s. NAR, penetration, monospermy and polyspermy were not different between the two groups of samples thawed at different temperatures. Chromatin was significantly more compact when thawing was performed at 50 degrees C, but its stability did not show any difference relative to thawing at 42 degrees C. It is suggested that the interactions involved in chromatin overcondensation had a non-covalent nature.

Acrosome↗

PubMed2005

Excluded volume driven counterion condensation inside nanotubes in a concave electrical double layer model.

The physical properties of organic nanotubes attract increasing attention due to their potential benefit in technology, biology and medicine. We study the effect of ion size on the electrical properties of cylindrical nanotubes filled with electrolyte solution within a modified Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) approach. For comparison purposes, small hollow nanospheres filled with electrolyte solution are considered. The finite size of the particles in the inner electrolyte solution is described by the excluded volume effect within a lattice statistics approach. We found that an increased ion size reduces the number of counterions near the charged inner surface of the nanotube, leading to an enlarged electrostatic surface potential. The concentration of counterions close to the inner surface saturates for higher surface charge densities and larger ions. In the case of saturation, the closest counterion packing is achieved, all lattice sites near the surface are occupied and an actual counterion condensation is observed. By contrast, the counterion concentration at the axis of the nanotube steadily increases with increasing surface charge density. This growth is more pronounced for smaller nanotube radii and larger ions. At larger nanotube radii for small ion size counterion condensation may also be observed according to the Tsao criterion, i.e. the counterion concentration at the centre is independent of the number of counterions in the system. With decreasing radius the Tsao condensation effect is shifted towards physiologically unrealistic surface charge densities.

Electricity↗

PubMed2004

In vitro and in vivo immunotoxic and immunomodulatory effects of nonsupplemented and selenium-supplemented cigarette smoke condensate.

Cigarette smoke condensate has been evaluated for its in vitro and in vivo immunotoxic and immunomodulatory properties. It was found that cigarette smoke condensate used in vitro at concentration from 6.6 to 20 microg/ml exerted pronounced inhibitory effects upon cell surface antigen-presenting major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) expression and immunoglobulin (Ig) synthesis. In vivo, i.p. administration of cigarette smoke condensate to C57BL/6 mice before challenging with ovalbumin (OVA) antigen, has led to a decrease of anti-OVA specific antibody response. This inhibition affected more Ig protein synthesis than membrane bound MHC-I expression. Supplementation with selenium (Se) significantly reduced the inhibitory effects both in vitro and in vivo.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

PubMed2004

Acetylene-based analogues of thiolactomycin, active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis mtFabH fatty acid condensing enzyme.

Analogues of the natural antibiotic thiolactomycin, with acetylene-based side chains, have the highest recorded in vitro inhibitory activity against the recombinant Mycobacterium tuberculosis beta-ketoacyl-ACP synthase mtFabH condensing enzyme. In particular, 5-[3-(4-acetyl-phenyl)-prop-2-ynyl]-4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethyl-5H-thiophen-2-one exhibited more than an 18-fold increased potency, compared to thiolactomycin, against this key condensing enzyme, involved in M. tuberculosis mycolic acid biosynthesis. Analogues of the antibiotic thiolactomycin, with acetylene-based side chains, have the highest recorded activity against cloned mtFabH condensing enzyme.

Acetylene↗

PubMed2006

Mitotic chromosome structure and condensation.

Mitotic chromosome structure has been the cell biology equivalent of a 'riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma'. Observations that genetic knockout or knockdown of condensin subunits or topoisomerase II cause only minimal perturbation in overall chromosome condensation, together with analysis of early stages of chromosome condensation and effects produced by histone H1 depletion, suggest a need to reconsider textbook models of mitotic chromosome condensation and organization.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

PubMed2005

Evaluation of nuclear transfer and transcription of plasmid DNA condensed with protamine by microinjection: the use of a nuclear transfer score.

In the present study, the nuclear delivery of a green fluorescence protein (GFP)-encoding pDNA condensed by protamine was investigated in terms of trans-gene expression after cytoplasmic (E(cyt)) and nuclear (E(nuc)) microinjection. To compare the nuclear transfer process, a novel parameter; the nuclear transfer (NT) score was introduced. The E(cyt) value for protamine/pDNA particles increased in a charge ratio-dependent manner. The calculated NT score showed that this increase results from an enhancement in nuclear transfer efficiency, which was also quantitatively confirmed by a recently developed confocal image-assisted three-dimensionally integrated quantification (CIDIQ) method. Moreover, E(nuc) for protamine/pDNA particles was significantly higher than that for poly-L-lysine/pDNA particles, suggesting that pDNA, when condensed with protamine, is more accessible to intra-nuclear transcription. Collectively, protamine is an excellent DNA condenser, with bi-functional advantages: improvement in nuclear delivery and efficient intra-nuclear transcription.

Cell Nucleus↗

PubMed2005

Simulation and experiment conspire to reveal cryptic intermediates and a slide from the nucleation-condensation to framework mechanism of folding.

There is a change from three-state to two-state kinetics of folding across the homeodomain superfamily of proteins as the mechanism slides from framework to nucleation-condensation. The tendency for framework folding in this family correlates with inherent helical propensity. The cellular myeloblastis protein (c-Myb) falls in the mechanistic transition region. An earlier, preliminary report of protein engineering experiments and molecular dynamics simulations (MD) showed that the folding mechanism for this protein has aspects of both the nucleation-condensation and framework models. In the more in-depth analysis of the MD trajectories presented here, we find that folding may be attributed to both of these mechanisms in different regions of the protein. The folding of the loop, middle helix, and turn is best described by nucleation-condensation, whereas folding of the N and C-terminal helices may be described by the framework model. Experimentally, c-Myb folds by apparent two-state kinetics, but the MD simulations predict that the kinetics hide a high-energy intermediate. We stabilized this hypothetical folding intermediate by deleting a residue (P174) in the loop between its second and third helices, and the mutant intermediate is long-lived in the simulations. Equilibrium and kinetic experiments demonstrate that folding of the DeltaP174 mutant is indeed three-state. The presence and shape of the intermediate observed in the simulations were confirmed by small angle X-ray scattering experiments.

Computer Simulation↗

PubMed2006

Pyrolysis mechanism of carbon matrix precursor cyclohexane--the formation of condensed-ring aromatics and the growing process of molecules.

Based on the experiments, the UAM1 method was adopted to investigate benzene condensation of an important intermediate and the molecule growing mechanism during the cyclohexane pyrolysis process. The conclusions were drawn as follows: (1) from the viewpoint of thermodynamics, the condensation of benzene and C4H5* is a spontaneous reaction and the rising temperature will increase the spontaneous tendency of the reaction. (2) From the viewpoint of kinetic, the condensation of benzene and C4H5* is a two-step reaction. The rate-determining step is step 2 of hydrogen removal from intermediate C10H10 (I1) with the activation energy of 350.61 kJ/mol below 1473 K while the rate-determining step is step 1 that free radical C4H5* attacks benzene to form intermediate C10H10 (I1) with the activation energy DeltaE(0)(not equal to theta)=31.74 kJ/mol above 1473 K. (3) The space structure, electronic structure and thermodynamics parameters of molecular reaction of dense-ring aromatizing compounds can be used to replace the resonance energy and free valence to judge the activation of thermodynamic reaction of compounds. And (4) the analysis of the space structure, electronic structure and thermodynamic parameters show that the growing process of molecules with benzene used as initial reactants becomes more easier as the multi-ring aromatizing molecular system increases.

Benzene↗

PubMed2004

Detection of p53 gene mutations in exhaled breath condensate of non-small cell lung cancer patients.

Early diagnosis of lung carcinoma is greatly desired. A potential source of early information regarding the process of cancerisation in the airways is exhaled breath condensate (EBC). The direct approach to detecting cancerisation is examining DNA from the area of chronic damage, i.e. airways and lung parenchyma. We therefore investigated DNA in EBC of patients with NSCLC and healthy volunteers. Human DNA was amplified by PCR in exhaled breath condensate and used to detect p53 mutations. A PCR of the beta-actin gene fragment was used to detect human DNA in each of the EBC samples. In 65.7% of the samples, the beta-actin gene was found. Extracted DNA as well as native EBC were equally suited as starting material for amplification. Mutations of the p53 gene were investigated in all EBC samples of NSCLC patients. p53 exons 5-8 were amplified using nested PCR and subsequently sequenced. Mutations were found in four of the patients (n=11; 36.4%) while no mutation was found in volunteers (n=10). Mutations detected in EBC were also compared with those of corresponding tumor tissue. Different point mutations in EBC and tumor tissue were revealed in all cases. Our findings demonstrate that exhaled breath condensate may be used for analysis of somatic gene mutations in an area of direct tobacco-related DNA damage.

Actins↗

PubMed2004

Glucosinolate biosynthesis: demonstration and characterization of the condensing enzyme of the chain elongation cycle in Eruca sativa.

Glucosinolates are a group of sulfur-rich thioglucoside natural products common in the Brassicaceae and related plant families. The first phase in the formation of many glucosinolates involves the chain extension of the amino acid methionine. Additional methylene groups are inserted into the side chain of methionine by a three-step elongation cycle involving 2-oxo acid intermediates. This investigation demonstrated the first step of this chain elongation cycle in a partially-purified preparation from arugula (Eruca sativa). The 2-oxo acid derived from methionine, 4-methylthio-2-oxobutanoic acid, was shown to condense with acetyl-CoA to form 2-(2'-methylthioethyl)malate. The catalyst, designated as a 2-(omega-methylthioalkyl)malate synthase, belongs to a family of enzymes that mediate the condensation of acyl-CoAs with 2-oxo acids, including citrate synthase of the citric acid cycle, and 2-isopropylmalate synthase of leucine biosynthesis. The 2-(omega-methylthioalkyl)malate synthase studied here shares properties with other enzymes of this class, but appears chromatographically distinct and is found only in extracts of plant species producing glucosinolates from chain-elongated methionine derivatives. Although the principal glucosinolates of arugula are formed from methionine that has undergone two rounds of chain elongation to form dihomomethionine, studies with substrates and substrate analogs of different chain lengths showed that the isolated enzyme is responsible only for the condensation step of the first round of elongation.

2-Isopropylmalate Synthase↗

PubMed2005

A comparison of two strategies to modify the hydroxylation of condensed tannin polymers in Lotus corniculatus L.

A full-length sense Antirrhinum majus dihydroflavonol reductase (DFR) sequence was introduced into birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) in experiments aimed at modifying condensed tannin content and polymer hydroxylation in a predictable manner. Analysis of transgenic plants indicated lines that showed enhanced tannin content in leaf and stem tissues. In contrast to previous data from root cultures, levels of propelargonidin units were not markedly elevated in lines with enhanced tannin content. RT-PCR analysis of four selected lines indicated a correlation between enhanced tannin content and expression of the introduced DFR transgene. Using a contrasting approach we introduced a flavonoid 3'5' hydroxylase (F3'5'H) sequence derived from Eustoma grandiflorum into Lotus root cultures. Expression of the transgene was associated with increased levels of condensed tannins and in this case there was also no alteration in polymer hydroxylation. These results suggest that additional mechanisms may exist that control the hydroxylation state of condensed tannins in this model species.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

PubMed2004

Adenosine 5'-monophosphate increases levels of leukotrienes in breath condensate in asthma.

Hyperresponsiveness (AHR) is a key physiological abnormality in asthma. In clinical and research studies AHR is measured bronchial challenge, with methacholine (MCh), but more recently with adenosine-5'-monophosphate (AMP). In the search for markers of airway inflammation in asthmatic patients, we measured the concentrations of histamine and cysteinyl-leukotrienes (cys-LTs) before and after MCh and AMP challenges in the exhaled breath condensate of 13 patients with mild asthma (FEV1 78.5%pred) and nine healthy non-smokers, using specific enzyme immunoassays. With methacholine challenge we did not find any differences between asthmatics and normal subjects in the pre- and post-challenge concentrations of cys-LTs: 27.2+/-1.4 vs. 29.2+/-1.2 pg/ml and 26.3+/-2.2 vs. 27.5+/-4.2 pg/ml, respectively or histamine: 5.1+/-0.4 vs. 5.1+/-0.6 nM and 4.5+/-0.4 vs. 4.4+/-0.3 nM; P>0.05). In asthmatic patients cys-LT levels were significantly higher after AMP challenge (56.2+/-9.7 vs. 31.7+/-6.9 pg/ml; P<0.05); but there was no difference in healthy subjects (27.2+/-4.6 vs. 30.3+/-4.7 pg/ml). There was no difference in histamine concentrations in asthmatic (5.9+/-1.8 vs. 4.5+/-0.5 nM), or healthy subjects (5.5+/-0.4 vs.5.7+/-0.9 nM) after AMP challenge. In conclusion, our results show that the cys-LTs are increased in exhaled breath condensate after AMP challenge, which may indicate that the AMP acts indirectly by releasing cys-LTs from primed mast cells. The detection of LTs and histamine in exhaled breath condensate may be useful in monitoring asthma.

Adenosine Monophosphate↗

PubMed2006

Comparative study of infrared and Raman spectra of CCl4 in vapour and condensed phases: effect of LO-TO splitting resulting from hetero-isotopic TD-TD interactions.

Salient features of an in-depth comparative study of infrared and Raman spectra of CCl(4) in vapour, liquid and condensed phases are presented. Wavenumbers of nu(4), nu(1)+nu(4), nu(3) and 2 nu(3) modes of CCl(4) vapour in infrared and Raman spectra are found to be in good agreement. Analysis of the vibrational spectra of liquid CCl(4) together with the spectroscopic observations on solid CCl(4) at low temperatures reveal TD-TD interaction amongst various CCl(4) isotopes in condensed states. The concept of LO-TO splitting of dipole active nu(3) and nu(1)+nu(4) Fermi doublet have been invoked to explain several features of the vibrational spectra of liquid CCl(4). There is significant strengthening of Fermi resonance interaction between nu(3) and nu(1)+nu(4) modes of CCl(4) in condensed phases relative to that in vapour phase. The Fermi resonance interaction parameter W has been found to be independent of molecular environment.

Carbon Isotopes↗

PubMed2005

Adsorption mechanism of palladium by redox within condensed-tannin gel.

Condensed-tannin gel particles with polyhydroxyphenyl groups were synthesized as the adsorbent for the new recovery system of palladium (Pd), which was simple and generated little secondary waste in comparison with the conventional recovery processes. The properties of condensed-tannin gel particles for the Pd adsorption were examined in PdCl2 aqueous solution and it was found that Pd(II) was adsorbed onto the tannin gel particles as a reduced metallic Pd through redox reaction mechanism: chloropalladium(II) species were reduced to Pd(0), while hydroxyl groups of condensed-tannin gel were oxidized during the adsorption. Additionally, it was observed that Pd(II) species containing fewer Cl, such as PdCl2(H2O)2 and PdCl(H2O)3+, were more favorable for the adsorption than PdCl3(H2O)- and PdCl4(2-). By utilizing such characteristics of tannin gel particles, it is expected that they can be applied to recover Pd efficiently and simply with low cost.

Adsorption↗

PubMed2006

FGF is essential for both condensation and mesenchymal-epithelial transition stages of pronephric kidney tubule development.

The pronephros is a transient embryonic kidney that is essential for the survival of aquatic larvae. It is also absolutely critical for adult kidney development, as the pronephric derivative the wolffian duct forms the ductal system of the adult kidney and also triggers the condensation of metanephric mesenchyme into the adult nephrons. While exploring Xenopus pronephric patterning, we observed that epidermally delivered hedgehog completely suppresses pronephric kidney tubule development but does not effect development of the pronephric glomus, the equivalent of the mammalian glomerulus or corpuscle. This effect is not mediated by apoptosis. Microarray analysis of microdissected primordia identified FGF8 as one of the potential mediators of hedgehog action. Further investigation demonstrated that SU5402-sensitive FGF signaling plays a critical role in the very earliest stages of pronephric tubule development. Modulation of FGF8 activity using a morpholino has a later effect that blocks condensation of pronephric mesenchyme into the pronephric tubule. Together, these data show that FGF signaling plays a critical role at two stages of embryonic kidney development, one in the condensation of the pronephric primordium from the intermediate mesoderm and a second in the later epithelialization of this mesenchyme into the pronephric nephron. The data also show that in Xenopus, development of the glomus/glomerulus can be uncoupled from nephron formation via ectopic hedgehog expression and provides an experimental avenue for investigating glomerulogenesis in the complete absence of tubules.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Partially condensed DNA conformations observed by single molecule fluorescence microscopy.

To detect partially condensed conformations of a double-stranded DNA molecule, single molecule fluorescence microscopy is performed here. The single DNA molecules are ethidium stained, 670 kilobase pair bacteriophage G genomes that are observed both during and after expulsion from capsids. Expulsion occurs in an agarose gel. Just after expulsion, the entire G DNA molecule typically has a partially condensed conformation not previously described (called a balloon). A balloon subsequently extrudes a filamentous segment of DNA. The filamentous segment becomes gently elongated via diffusion into the network that forms the agarose gel. The elongated DNA molecule usually has bright spots that undergo both appearance/disappearance and apparent motion. These spots are called dynamic spots. A dynamic spot is assumed to be the image of a zone of partially condensed DNA segments (globule). The positions of globules along an elongated DNA molecule 1) are restricted primarily to time-stable regions with comparatively high thermal motion-induced, micrometer-scale bending of the DNA molecule and 2) move within a given region on a time scale smaller than the time scale of recording. Less mobile globules are observed when either magnesium cation or ethanol is added before gel-embedding DNA molecules. These observations are explained by globules induced at equilibrium by a bending-dependent, inter-DNA segment force. Theory has previously predicted that globules are induced by electrostatic forces along an electrically charged polymer at equilibrium. The hypothesis is proposed that intracellular DNA globules assist action-at-a-distance during DNA metabolism.

Bacteriophages↗

PubMed2001

Toroidal condensates of semiflexible polymers in poor solvents: adsorption, stretching, and compression.

When a semiflexible polymer chain is placed in a poor solvent, or in the presence of condensing agents, a toroidal condensate can result. In typical experiments, these condensates are adsorbed to surfaces. Here we examine the changes that can occur when a toroid is adsorbed. We then examine the behavior of a toroid when stretched and identify two regimes: a weak stretching regime where the toroid deforms from a circle to an ellipse, and a strong stretching regime where a tether is pulled from the toroid. In the weak stretching regime, the force increases linearly with separation whereas in the strong stretching regime, the applied force is a constant. We then look at the case of a toroid compressed in the plane of the toroid. In this case the form of the force law depends on how strongly the toroid wets the surfaces. In general, an inverse square force law is found.

Biophysical Phenomena↗

PubMed1990

Specular reflection of neutrons at phospholipid monolayers. Changes of monolayer structure and headgroup hydration at the transition from the expanded to the condensed phase state.

The specular neutron reflection technique has been applied for the first time to study the structure and head group hydration of a phospholipid monolayer (dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine containing negatively charged phospholipids) in the condensed and expanded state. By variation of the contrast of the subphase to that of the air it is shown that at the transition from the condensed to the expanded state the carboxyl bonds of the glycerol backbone are hydrated leading to a strong structural change of the headgroup. The total monolayer thickness in the condensed state is 22.5 +/- 1 A (tilt angle 32 +/- 6 degrees) and decreases to 19.5 +/- 1 A in the expanded state. The mean molecular volume increases from 1190 +/- 50 A3 to 1250 +/- 50 A3.

Deuterium↗