Functional characterization of two defensin isoforms of the hard tick Ixodes ricinus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The immune system of ticks is stimulated to produce many pharmacologically active molecules during feeding and especially during pathogen invasion. The family of cationic peptides - defensins - represents a specific group of antimicrobial compounds with six conserved cysteine residues in a molecule.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two isoforms of the defensin gene <it>(def1 </it>and <it>def2</it>) were identified in the European tick <it>Ixodes ricinus</it>. Expression of both genes was induced in different tick organs by a blood feeding or pathogen injection. We have tested the ability of synthetic peptides def1 and def2 to inhibit the growth or directly kill several pathogens. The antimicrobial activities (expressed as minimal inhibition concentration and minimal bactericidal concentration values) against Gram positive bacteria were confirmed, while Gram negative bacteria, yeast, Tick Borne Encephalitis and West Nile Viruses were shown to be insensitive. In addition to antimicrobial activities, the hemolysis effect of def1 and def2 on human erythrocytes was also established.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although there is nothing known about the realistic concentration of defensins in <it>I. ricinus </it>tick body, these results suggest that defensins play an important role in defence against different pathogens. Moreover this is a first report of a one amino acid substitution in a defensins molecule and its impact on antimicrobial activity.</p

Individual Professional Practice in the Company

Import 05/08/2014Táto bakalárska práca sa zaoberá mojou pracovnou stážou v spoločnosti AstrumQ Interactive s.r.o., kde prebiehala moja odborná prax. Jej náplňou bol vývoj mobilných aplikácií na platformu Windows Phone. V mojej práci sa zaoberám aplikáciou Abiotel Klubu a vývojom softwaru pre platformu Windows Phone a poznatkov, ktoré som v priebehu vývoja aplikácie na platformu Windows Phone nadobudol. Abiotel Klub je aplikácia pre pohodlné nakupovanie výhod pre zákazníkov telofónneho operátora Abiotel, ktorý je novou spolocnostou na ceskom trhu. Výstupom mojej pracovnej stáže je plne funkcná mobilná aplikácia, ktorá je nasadená do obchodného reťazca Windows Store.This bachelor thesis deals with my professional experience at a company AstrumQ Interactive s.r.o., in which I accomplished my bachelor practice. It’s mission was a mobile application development forWindows Phone platform. In the thesis I deal with anAbiotel Club application and with a software development in .NET framework and the knowledge I achieved by the proccess of application development forWindows Phone platform. Abiotel Club is an application for a convenient way of purchasing benefits for customers of Abiotel, which is a new telephone operator on Czech market. The output of my bachelor practice is a fully functional mobile application, which is passed into the retail chain of Windows Store.460 - Katedra informatikyvýborn