Coenzymes and the primary and specialized metabolism interface

In plants, primary and specialized metabolism have classically been distinguished as either essential for growth or required for survival in a particular environment. Coenzymes (organic cofactors) are essential for growth but their importance to specialized metabolism is often not considered. In line with the recent proposal of viewing primary and specialized metabolism as an integrated whole rather than segregated lots with a defined interface, we highlight here the importance of collating information on the regulation of coenzyme supply with metabolic demands using examples of vitamin B derived coenzymes. We emphasize that coenzymes can have enormous influence on the outcome of metabolic as well as engineered pathways and should be taken into account in the era of synthetic biology

COMPORTAMIENTO FISIOLÓGICO POSTCOSECHA DE TALLOS FLORALES DE ROSA (Rosa hybrida L.) EN RESPUESTA AL FÓSFORO APLICADO EN PRECOSECHA

Durante el crecimiento y desarro- llo de las flores, la nutrición fosforada es un factor que puede influir en la vida en flore- ro. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el efecto de cinco niveles de fósforo (P): 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 y 2.0 me·L-1 de P aplicados en precosecha, mediante un sistema hidropóni- co abierto, en el comportamiento fisiológico postcosecha de tallos florales de rosa (Rosa hybrida L.) ‘Classy’ y ‘Vega’. Las variables evaluadas durante la vida de florero de los tallos florales fueron: transpiración foliar y floral, potencial de turgencia foliar y de pétalos. Además, se evaluó la concentración de antocianinas en pétalos al momento de la cosecha. Las aplicaciones de P en precose- cha tuvieron efecto significativo únicamente en la transpiración foliar; sin embargo, se demostró que la mayor vida en florero (15.8 días) de ‘Classy’ en comparación con ‘Vega’ (11.7 días) estuvo directamente asociada con mayores potenciales de turgencia foliar y de pétalos, mayor tasa transpiratoria floral y menor tasa transpiratoria foliar en ‘Classy’

Matemáticas en Educación Infantil: una mirada al aprendizaje de las magnitudes desde el desarrollo sostenible

This research presents an investigation about the learning of mathematics in Early Childhood Education, in particular the magnitudes, in an educational center that develops the European Outdoor Model, we set as our objective of this article is to describe and analyse the performance and mathematics skills developed by the students who follow this model as well as the perception of their teachers have. In order to achieve it, we used an ethnographic methodology that allowed us to describe, with emphasis, the way of life of the participants. Firstly, we interviewed the teachers in a public center in Waldkindergarten (a school in the forest) in Germany. Later, we lived there for two months, together with 20 children and their 4 teachers. to be able to observe each of the activities carried out there. Among the results we find an anticipation in the age of the handling of the magnitudes length and area, while there are greater obstacles for the development of the magnitudes volume and mass. En este documento presentamos una investigación sobre el aprendizaje de las matemáticas en Educación Infantil, en particular de las magnitudes, en un centro educativo que desarrolla el Modelo Europeo al Aire Libre. Establecemos como objetivo describir y analizar la actuación y las destrezas matemáticas desarrolladas por el alumnado que sigue este modelo, así como la percepción que tiene su profesorado. Para lograrlo, utilizamos una metodología etnográfica que permitiese describir, enfatizando, el modo de vida de los participantes. En primer lugar, entrevistamos al profesorado de un centro público Waldkindergarten (escuela en el bosque) en Alemania. Posteriormente, convivimos en él durante dos meses, junto a 20 niños y sus 4 docentes, para poder observar cada una de las actividades que allí se realizaban. Entre los resultados encontramos un anticipo en la edad del manejo de las magnitudes longitud y área, mientras que existen mayores obstáculos para el desarrollo de las magnitudes volumen y masa

A Role for DPPX Modulating External TEA Sensitivity of Kv4 Channels

Shal-type (Kv4) channels are expressed in a large variety of tissues, where they contribute to transient voltage-dependent K+ currents. Kv4 are the molecular correlate of the A-type current of neurons (ISA), the fast component of ITO current in the heart, and also of the oxygen-sensitive K+ current (KO2) in rabbit carotid body (CB) chemoreceptor cells. The enormous degree of variability in the physiological properties of Kv4-mediated currents can be attributable to the complexity of their regulation together with the large number of ancillary subunits and scaffolding proteins that associate with Kv4 proteins to modify their trafficking and their kinetic properties. Among those, KChIPs and DPPX proteins have been demonstrated to be integral components of ISA and ITO currents, as their coexpression with Kv4 subunits recapitulates the kinetics of native currents. Here, we explore the presence and functional contribution of DPPX to KO2 currents in rabbit CB chemoreceptor cells by using DPPX functional knockdown with siRNA. Additionally, we investigate if the presence of DPPX endows Kv4 channels with new pharmacological properties, as we have observed anomalous tetraethylammonium (TEA) sensitivity in the native KO2 currents. DPPX association with Kv4 channels induced an increased TEA sensitivity both in heterologous expression systems and in CB chemoreceptor cells. Moreover, TEA application to Kv4-DPPX heteromultimers leads to marked kinetic effects that could be explained by an augmented closed-state inactivation. Our data suggest that DPPX proteins are integral components of KO2 currents, and that their association with Kv4 subunits modulate the pharmacological profile of the heteromultimers

The PRK/Rubisco shunt strongly influences Arabidopsis seed metabolism and oil accumulation, affecting more than carbon recycling

The carbon efficiency of storage lipid biosynthesis from imported sucrose in green Brassicaceae seeds is proposed to be enhanced by the PRK/Rubisco shunt, in which ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) acts outside the context of the Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle to recycle CO2 molecules released during fatty acid synthesis. This pathway utilizes metabolites generated by the nonoxidative steps of the pentose phosphate pathway. Photosynthesis provides energy for reactions such as the phosphorylation of ribulose 5-phosphate by phosphoribulokinase (PRK). Here, we show that loss of PRK in Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) blocks photoautotrophic growth and is seedling-lethal. However, seeds containing prk embryos develop normally, allowing us to use genetics to assess the importance of the PRK/Rubisco shunt. Compared with nonmutant siblings, prk embryos produce one-third less lipids—a greater reduction than expected from simply blocking the proposed PRK/Rubisco shunt. However, developing prk seeds are also chlorotic and have elevated starch contents compared with their siblings, indicative of secondary effects. Overexpressing PRK did not increase embryo lipid content, but metabolite profiling suggested that Rubisco activity becomes limiting. Overall, our findings show that the PRK/Rubisco shunt is tightly integrated into the carbon metabolism of green Arabidopsis seeds, and that its manipulation affects seed glycolysis, starch metabolism, and photosynthesis.ISSN:1040-4651ISSN:1531-298XISSN:1532-298

Physicochemical Quality, Antioxidant Capacity and Nutritional Value in Tuberous Roots of Some Wild Dahlia Species

The aim of this research was to evaluate the physicochemical quality, antioxidant capacity and nutritional value in tuberous roots of some wild dahlia species. The experiment was carried out in the Department of Plant Science of the Autonomous University Chapingo, Mexico. Plants were established in a randomized complete block design with five replications. The total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), vitamin C (VC), total phenols (TP), antioxidant capacity (AC), inulin and its proximate composition were evaluated. Among the materials analyzed, the most outstanding wild species were Dahlia campanulata, D. coccinea and D. brevis, where D. campanulata stood out for its concentration of VC (0.05 mg 100 g-1), AC (1.88 mg VCEAC g-1), inulin, DM and TC (72.25, 24.38 and 88.37%, respectively), however, the inulin content was similar to D. coccinea (66.17%), which was also outstanding with respect to the content of TP (1.74 mg GA g-1). Likewise, D. brevis presented the highest values of RFi (5.49%) and A (78.42%). According to our results, the tuberous roots of wild dahlia species can be used as food, as well as being a source of selection of traits of nutraceutic interest for genetic improvement

The Association between Inflammatory Biomarkers and Cardiovascular Autonomic Dysfunction after Bacterial Infection.

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a known measure of cardiac autonomic function. A cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction (CAD), measured as changes in HRV, is usually presented after an infectious process. The aim of the present study is to assess the association between serum inflammatory markers and CAD. For this purpose, 50 volunteers (13 of them recovering from an infection) were recruited and followed-up for 6 weeks. Their serum inflammatory biomarkers (CRP, IL1, IL4, IL6, IL10, and TNFalpha) were quantified throughout those weeks, along with their HRV resting, in response to the Valsalva maneuver, metronome breathing, standing and sustained handgrip. The correlation of within-subject changes in both HRV and inflammatory biomarkers was assessed to evaluate the concurrent changes. An inverse within-subject correlation was found between CRP and HRV in response to the Valsalva maneuver (rho (95% CI)

Inflammatory Cytokines Are Associated with Cognitive Dysfunction and Depressive State during Acute Bacterial Infections and the Recovery Phase

During a bacterial infection, individuals may present with behavioral changes referred to as sickness behavior, which has been suggested is induced by the inflammatory markers that are released because of the infective immunological challenge. However, few studies have explored this multidimensional phenomenon in naturally occurring conditions. A longitudinal observational study was conducted to explore the role of inflammatory cytokines in mediating the sickness behavior during a bacterial infection. There were 13, 11 and 37 participants in the infection, hospital control and healthy groups, respectively. They were all followed up for 6 weeks and their inflammatory markers were quantified throughout those weeks. Cognitive function and depressive state were assessed by means of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD). Reductions in proinflammatory markers C-Reactive protein (CRP), interleukin – 6 (IL6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) and increments in anti-inflammatory markers (interleukin – 4 (IL4)) were associated with an improvement in CSDD and MSEE in patients recovering from a bacterial infection. The correlation between inflammatory makers and CSDD was statistically significant for the CRP (r = 0.535, p = 0.001), the IL6 (r = 0.499, p < 0.001), the TNFα (r = 0.235, p = 0.007) and the IL4 (r = −0.321, p = 0.018). Inflammatory cytokines may mediate sickness behavior during acute illness. These results may enhance the understanding of the pathophysiology and potential treatment strategies to palliate this sickness behavior