The key role played by mesoporous alumina as binder for obtaining ultra-hard CaO based pellets for thermochemical heat storage leveraging the CaO/CaCO3 cycle

The synthesis of CaO-based pellets with high energy storage and suitable mechanical resistance after prolonged cycling is pivotal for the successful implementation of the Calcium looping (CaL) technology for energy storage in CSP plants. In this work, CaO-based spherical pellets (CAA) were prepared made up of 60 wt % Ca(OH)2 and varying ratios (0-40 wt %) of commercial γ-Al2O3 and mesoporous γ-Al2O3 (m-Al2O3). They were tested in TG in several CO2 carbonation/decarbonation cycles (15 and 50 for selected pellets) and their respective average crushing strengths measured. After 15 cycles, the optimum pellet CAA 20-20 (60 wt % Ca(OH)2/20 wt % γ-Al2O3/20 wt % m-Al2O3) exhibits a remarkable energy storage density of 1030 kJ/kg with a superb crushing strength of ∼29 N. This was ascribed to the enhanced formation of the calcium aluminate mayenite (Ca12Al14O33), since the high BET surface area (384 m2 g−1) of mesoporous γ-Al2O3 promotes the interaction with calcium oxide. Additionally, CAA 20-20 showed meaningful porosity that favored CO2 mass transport. Interestingly, after 50 cycles, the optimum CAA 20-20 pellet maintained a high carbonation yield (0.46), representing an 84 % of the initial value and corresponding to an energy storage density of ∼873 kJ/kg. Additionally, the optimum CAA 20-20 pellet was coated with an external layer of Al-MCM-41 silica that augmented its crushing strength up to 37 N, with a concurrent slight abatement in the carbonation yield and energy storage density after 50 cycles (0.43 and ∼824 kJ/kg). Consequently, both uncoated and coated CAA 20-20 pellet are promising for the successful implementation of CaL in CSP plants

Separation and characterization of late endosomal membrane domains.

Very little is known about the biophysical properties and the lipid or protein composition of membrane domains presumably present in endocytic and biosynthetic organelles. Here we analyzed the membrane composition of late endosomes by suborganellar fractionation in the absence of detergent. We found that the internal membranes of this multivesicular organelle can be separated from the limiting membrane and that each membrane population exhibited a defined composition. Our data also indicated that internal membranes may consist of at least two populations, containing primarily phosphatidylcholine or lysobisphosphatidic acid as major phospholipid, arguing for the existence of significant microheterogeneity within late endosomal membranes. We also found that lysobisphosphatidic acid exhibited unique pH-dependent fusogenic properties, and we speculated that this lipid is an ideal candidate to regulate the dynamic properties of this internal membrane mosaic

Evolucion sedimentaria entre la cuenca Gaus-Tremp y la cuenca de Jaca Pamplona

Available from Centro de Informacion y Documentacion Cientifica CINDOC. Joaquin Costa, 22. 28002 Madrid. SPAIN / CINDOC - Centro de Informaciòn y Documentaciòn CientìficaSIGLEESSpai

Palmitoylation of Tetraspanin Proteins: Modulation of CD151 Lateral Interactions, Subcellular Distribution, and Integrin-dependent Cell Morphology

Here we demonstrate that multiple tetraspanin (transmembrane 4 superfamily) proteins are palmitoylated, in either the Golgi or a post-Golgi compartment. Using CD151 as a model tetraspanin, we identified and mutated intracellular N-terminal and C-terminal cysteine palmitoylation sites. Simultaneous mutations of C11, C15, C242, and C243 (each to serine) eliminated >90% of CD151 palmitoylation. Notably, palmitoylation had minimal influence on the density of tetraspanin protein complexes, did not promote tetraspanin localization into detergent-resistant microdomains, and was not required for CD151-α3β1 integrin association. However, the CD151 tetra mutant showed markedly diminished associations with other cell surface proteins, including other transmembrane 4 superfamily proteins (CD9, CD63). Thus, palmitoylation may be critical for assembly of the large network of cell surface tetraspanin-protein interactions, sometimes called the “tetraspanin web.” Also, compared with wild-type CD151, the tetra mutant was much more diffusely distributed and showed markedly diminished stability during biosynthesis. Finally, expression of the tetra-CD151 mutant profoundly altered α3 integrin-deficient kidney epithelial cells, such that they converted from a dispersed, elongated morphology to an epithelium-like cobblestone clustering. These results point to novel biochemical and biological functions for tetraspanin palmitoylation

Integrative multi-omics analysis identifies a prognostic miRNA signature and a targetable miR-21-3p/TSC2/mTOR axis in metastatic pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma

Rationale: Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are rare neuroendocrine tumors that present variable outcomes. To date, no effective therapies or reliable prognostic markers are available for patients who develop metastatic PPGL (mPPGL). Our aim was to discover robust prognostic markers validated through in vitro models, and define specific therapeutic options according to tumor genomic features. Methods: We analyzed three PPGL miRNome datasets (n=443), validated candidate markers and assessed them in serum samples (n=36) to find a metastatic miRNA signature. An integrative study of miRNome, transcriptome and proteome was performed to find miRNA targets, which were further characterized in vitro. Results: A signature of six miRNAs (miR-21-3p, miR-183-5p, miR-182-5p, miR-96-5p, miR-551b-3p, and miR-202-5p) was associated with metastatic risk and time to progression. A higher expression of five of these miRNAs was also detected in PPGL patients' liquid biopsies compared with controls. The combined expression of miR-21-3p/miR-183-5p showed the best power to predict metastasis (AUC=0.804, P=4.67.10(-18)), and was found associated in vitro with pro-metastatic features, such as neuroendocrine-mesenchymal transition phenotype, and increased cell migration rate. A pan-cancer multi-omic integrative study correlated miR-21-3p levels with TSC2 expression, mTOR pathway activation, and a predictive signature for mTOR inhibitor-sensitivity in PPGLs and other cancers. Likewise, we demonstrated in vitro a TSC2 repression and an enhanced rapamycin sensitivity upon miR-21-3p expression. Conclusions: Our findings support the assessment of miR-21-3p/miR-183-5p, in tumors and liquid biopsies, as biomarkers for risk stratification to improve the PPGL patients' management. We propose miR-21-3p to select mPPGL patients who may benefit from mTOR inhibitors

Role of Adaptor Complex AP-3 in Targeting Wild-Type and Mutated CD63 to Lysosomes

CD63 is a lysosomal membrane protein that belongs to the tetraspanin family. Its carboxyterminal cytoplasmic tail sequence contains the lysosomal targeting motif GYEVM. Strong, tyrosine-dependent interaction of the wild-type carboxyterminal tail of CD63 with the AP-3 adaptor subunit μ3 was observed using a yeast two-hybrid system. The strength of interaction of mutated tail sequences with μ3 correlated with the degree of lysosomal localization of similarly mutated human CD63 molecules in stably transfected normal rat kidney cells. Mutated CD63 containing the cytosolic tail sequence GYEVI, which interacted strongly with μ3 but not at all with μ2 in the yeast two-hybrid system, localized to lysosomes in transfected normal rat kidney and NIH-3T3 cells. In contrast, it localized to the cell surface in transfected cells of pearl and mocha mice, which have genetic defects in genes encoding subunits of AP-3, but to lysosomes in functionally rescued mocha cells expressing the δ subunit of AP-3. Thus, AP-3 is absolutely required for the delivery of this mutated CD63 to lysosomes. Using this AP-3–dependent mutant of CD63, we have shown that AP-3 functions in membrane traffic from the trans-Golgi network to lysosomes via an intracellular route that appears to bypass early endosomes