143 research outputs found
Manipulation of Mitochondria Dynamics Reveals Separate Roles for Form and Function in Mitochondria Distribution
Mitochondria shape is controlled by membrane fusion and fission mediated by mitofusins, Opa1, and Drp1, whereas mitochondrial motility relies on microtubule motors. These processes govern mitochondria subcellular distribution, whose defects are emphasized in neurons because of their polarized structure. We have studied how perturbation of the fusion/fission balance affects mitochondria distribution in Drosophila axons. Knockdown of Marf or Opa1 resulted in progressive loss of distal mitochondria and in a distinct oxidative phosphorylation and membrane potential deficit. Downregulation of Drp1 rescued the lethality and bioenergetic defect caused by neuronal Marf RNAi, but induced only a modest restoration of axonal mitochondria distribution. Surprisingly, Drp1 knockdown rescued fragmentation and fully restored aberrant distribution of axonal mitochondria produced by Opa1 RNAi; however, Drp1 knockdown did not improve viability or mitochondria function. Our data show that proper morphology is critical for proper axonal mitochondria distribution independent of bioenergetic efficiency. The health of neurons largely depends on mitochondria function, but does not depend on shape or distribution. Trevisan et al. separate the independent contribution of form and function in determining the distribution of mitochondria in axons. They show that morphology is crucial for proper axonal mitochondria distribution, independent of their bioenergetic efficiency. However, the health of neurons depends on mitochondria function, but does not depend on shape or distributio
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Ordering the world, ordering our thinking, ordering interdisciplinary collaboration - on knowledge organization and ontology engineering
The more we rely on machines to navigate the information oceans, the more important so-called structured data become, i.e. data that have been given a certain meaning. In this contribution we bring together two specialists in the field: Richard Smiraglia, currently executive director of a non-profit research institute The Institute for Knowledge Organization and Structure, and Enrico Daga, currently Senior Research Fellow at the Knowledge Media Institute of the Open University in the UK, to discuss with each other the history of Knowledge Organization in various fields, and important challenges in the present. The conversation was led by Andrea Scharnhorst, policy advisor at DANS, an institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
Nutrition, Exercise, and Stress Management for Treatment and Prevention of Psychiatric Disorders. A Narrative Review Psychoneuroendocrineimmunology-Based
Psychoneuroendocrineimmunology (PNEI) brings together knowledge acquired since the 1930s from endocrinology, immunology, neuroscience, and psychology. With PNEI, a model of research and interpretation of health and disease is emerging, which sees the human body as a structured and interconnected unit, where the psychological and biological systems are mutually coordinated. In the PNEI view, many factors could influence mental health, with the endocrine system involved in mediating the effects of environmental stress on mental health and inflammation in the onset and course of psychiatric disorders as a result of individual and collective conditions and behaviors. Among these, nutrition is one way by which the environment impacts physiology: indeed, many pieces of research showed that several elements (e.g., probiotics, fish oil, zinc) have a positive effect on mental disorders thus being potentially augmentation agents in treatment. Still, physical activity can moderate depressive symptoms, while prolonged stress increases the risk of psychopathology. Taken together, the PNEI-based approach may inform prevention and treatment strategies, also in the field of mental health care
Il suolo ci regala tanto. Non calpestiamolo
LIFE + SAM4CP “Soil Administration Model 4 Community Profit” (www.sam4cp.com), aims to demonstrate that the
planning and regulation of land use require the integration of policies for the protection of soil resources and evaluation the
economic implications, in terms of cost/benefit, their impact on the ecosystemic functions of the resource itself. With effects on the production capacity, availability of raw materials,
biodiversity, carbon cycle, water cycle, landscape heritage and environmental functions of rural areas and the hydrogeological hazards.
The project aims to propose simulation models on the impacts of soil sealing both the consequences, regarding ecosystem and economic, for the community, to be used in the context of urban planning and policies of government land
Molecular characterization of the transcription termination factor from human mitochondria
The transcription termination factor (mTERF), which plays a central role in the control of mitochondrial rRNA and mRNA synthesis in mammalian mitochondria, has been previously identified and purified by DNA affinity chromatography from a human mitochondrial lysate (Kruse, B., Narasimhan, N., and Attardi, G. (1989) Cell 58, 391-397). In the present work, this factor has been characterized as to its protein composition and the activities of the protein components. Three polypeptides, two of approximately 34-kDa molecular mass and one of approximately 31 kDa, were shown to be associated with the specific DNA binding and footprinting activity of the factor, with the 31-kDa component having a much lower affinity for the recognition sequence than the 34-kDa components. On the other hand, the transcription termination activity, as assayed in an in vitro system, was found to be associated exclusively with the two 34-kDa polypeptides. Mass spectroscopic analysis of tryptic peptides derived from highly purified polypeptides indicated that all three polypeptides share regions with common sequences. The evidence obtained suggests that differential phosphorylation is not responsible for the difference in electrophoretic mobility of the three polypeptides
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