Migráció, helyi társadalom, identitás = Migration, local society, identity

A vizsgált településeken az elmúlt másfél évtizedben a migrációs folyamatok polarizálódásának lehetünk tanúi. A falvak egy része a népesség tartós csökkenésének következményeivel, az elöregedéssel, a fiatal, képzett generációk eltűnésével küszködik, míg a szuburb falvak éppen a népesség gyors növekedéséből fakadó problémákat igyekeznek kezelni. A német kisebbség, a kisebbségi politizálás esélyei felől nézve mindkét irányú migrációs folyamat kedvezőtlen: egyrészt kiürülnek a kisebbségi kultúra, érdekképviselet intézményesült formái, másrészt a helyi hatalomban mind nagyobb mértékű a svábok térvesztése. Ha a német kisebbség asszimilációról beszélünk, akkor egyúttal a kisebbségi identitás alakváltozásairól beszélünk. A vegyes házasságok - köttessenek bár kisebbségek, kisebbség és többség között -, valamint a németek magyar hazával szembeni mindenkori lojalitása, a többes etnikai, kulturális identitás lehetőségét teremtik meg s táplálják. A kisebbségi identitás elszakadása a családon belül áthagyományozott tradicionális lokális kultúrától és dialektustól, nem csak azt eredményezi, hogy a magyarországi németek számára a kultúra, a (német irodalmi) nyelv az iskolában elsajátítandó tartalommá vált (amely egyébként bárki más számára is hozzáférhető), hanem azt is, hogy a nemzetiségi identitás, kötődés (különösebb kockázat nélküli) választás kérdése lett. Ez viszont azt is jelenti, hogy közösségi identitásként való megmaradása, fenntartása csak tudatos, intézményépítő politikával biztosítható. | In the settlements under survey in the past fifteen years the polarisation of migration tendencies could be observed. A part of the villages struggles with a steady decrease of population , with ageing population and the lack of the young qualified inhabitants, whereas suburban villages try to cope with the problems deriving from the quick increase in population number. In general, for the chances of political representation of ethnic and national minorities both types of migration tendency have proved to be unfavourable. The institutionalised forms of the representation of minority culture and the enforcement of minority rights have become emptied; on the other hand Germans have lost considerable positions and functions in shaping local politics. In case the assimilation of the German minority is taken into consideration, then, at the same time, it should be understood as a transformation of the forms of minority identity. Mixed marriages and the persisting loyalty of Germans to Hungary as homeland establish and promote the possibility of multiple ethnic and cultural identity. The secession of minority identity from the traditional local culture and dialect formerly transmitted within the families results not only in that for Germans in Hungary German culture and standard German language has become a subject to be acquired at educational institutions, but also in that national identity and attachment has become a matter of choice. This means that the maintenance of communal minority identity can only be ensured with conscious institution-constructing policy

Módosított peptidek - peptidek térszerkezetének valamint biológiai hatásának modulálási lehetőségei = Modified peptides - Possibilities for modification of the 3D structure and the biological action.

cisz-(1R,2S) és transz-(1S,2S)-ACHC (2-amino ciklohexán karbonsav) homooligomereket szintetizáltunk és vizsgálatokat kezdtünk kedvezményezett térszerkezetükkel kapcsolatban. Heterokirális homooligomereket szintetizáltunk 2R,3S valamint 2S,3R amino norbornén és norbornán karbonsav felhasználásával, mad meghatároztuk térszerkezetüket. Heterokirális homooligomereket szintetizáltunk alternáló gerinckonformációjú cisz és transz ACPC (2-amino ciklopentán karbonsav) felhasználásával. Megállapítottuk, hogy a kiralitással egyértelműen szabályozható a kapott oligomerek másodlagos szekezete Számos transzporterpeptidet illetve ezek fluoreszcensen jelzett származékait állítottuk elő és vizsgáltunk meg abból a célból, hogy melyik az optimális lipo-foszfopeptidek sejtbejuttatására. A korábbi vizsgálatok szerint funkcionálisan aktívnak bizonyult Gab1 foszfopeptid fragmens aktív centrumának meghatározása céljából számos új foszfopeptidet szintetizáltunk és vizsgáltunk meg. Enzimrezisztens peptidtiofoszfát analógokat állítottunk elő. Szintetizáltunk egy minifehérjét és néhány származékát. Megvizsgáltuk a módosítások konformációs hatásait Hidrazinoprolin (2-aza ACPC) felhasználásával homo és heterooligomereket készítettünk és térszerkezetvizsgálatokat végeztünk. Hidrazinoprolin és cisz valamint transz ACPC felhasználásával elkészítettük a lehetséges alternáló heterooligomereket. Ezekkel NMR és VCD vizsgálatokat valamint molekuladinamikai számításokat végeztünk Módszereket dolgoztunk ki N-glikopeptidek szintézisére. | Cis-(1R,2S)- and trans-(1S,2S)-ACHC (2-aminocyclohexane carboxylic acid) homooligomers were synthesized and the examination of their steric structure was started. Heterochiral homooligomers were synthesized using (2R,3S)- and (2S,3R)-aminonorbornene and norbornane carboxylic acid, and their steric structure was determined. Using cis- and trans-ACPC (2-aminocyclopentane carboxylic acid) having alternating backbone conformation, heterochiral homooligomers were synthesized. The secondary structure of the oligomers could be unequivocally regulated with the chirality of the monomers. Numerous transporter peptides and their fluorescently labeled derivatives were synthesized and tested in order to find the optimal cell-permeable fragment for the internalization of lipo-phosphopeptides into the cell. To determine the active site of a Gab1 phosphopeptide fragment whose activity was proved before, several new phosphopeptides were synthesized and examined. Moreover, enzyme resistant peptide thiophosphate analogues were prepared. A miniprotein and some analogues of it were synthesized and the effect of the modification on the conformation was examined. Using hydrazinoproline (2-aza-ACPC), homo- and heterooligomers were prepared and used for structural investigations. The possible alternating heterooligomers were synthesized with the use of hydrazinoproline and cis- and trans-ACPC. These compounds were subjected to NMR and VCD investigations, and molecular dynamics calculations. Different methods have been worked out for the synthesis of N-glycopeptides

Two small, cysteine-rich and cationic antifungal proteins from Penicillium chrysogenum: A comparative study of PAF and PAFB

The filamentous fungus Penicillium chrysogenum Q176 secretes the antimicrobial proteins (AMPs) PAF and PAFB, which share a compact disulfide-bond mediated, β-fold structure rendering them highly stable. These two AMPs effectively inhibit the growth of human pathogenic fungi in micromolar concentrations and exhibit antiviral potential without causing cytotoxic effects on mammalian cells in vitro and in vivo. The antifungal mechanism of action of both AMPs is closely linked to - but not solely dependent on - the lipid composition of the fungal cell membrane and requires a strictly regulated protein uptake into the cell, indicating that PAF and PAFB are not canonical membrane active proteins. Variations in their antifungal spectrum and their killing dynamics point towards a divergent mode of action related to their physicochemical properties and surface charge distribution. In this review, we relate characteristic features of PAF and PAFB to the current knowledge about other AMPs of different sources. In addition, we present original data that have never been published before to substantiate our assumptions and provide evidences that help to explain and understand better the mechanistic function of PAF and PAFB. Finally, we underline the promising potential of PAF and PAFB as future antifungal therapeutics

Analytical and Structural Studies for the Investigation of Oxidative Stress in Guanine Oligonucleotides

DNA damage plays a decisive role in epigenetic effects. The detection and analysis of DNA damages, like the most common change of guanine (G) to 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (OG), is a key factor in cancer research. It is especially true for G quadruplex structure (GQ), which is one of the best-known examples of a non-canonical DNA arrangement. In the present work, we provided an overview on analytical methods in connection with the detection of OG in oligonucleotides with GQ-forming capacity. Focusing on the last five years, novel electrochemical tools, like dedicated electrodes, were overviewed, as well as different optical methods (fluorometric assays, resonance light scattering or UV radiation) along with hyphenated detection and structural analysis methods (CD, NMR, melting temperature analysis and nanopore detection) were also applied for OG detection. Additionally, GQ-related computational simulations were also summarized. All these results emphasize that OG detection and the analysis of the effect of its presence in higher ordered structures like GQ is still a state-of-the-art research line with continuously increasing interest

The potential use of the Penicillium chrysogenum antifungal protein PAF, the designed variant PAFopt and its γ-core peptide Pγopt in plant protection.

The prevention of enormous crop losses caused by pesticide-resistant fungi is a serious challenge in agriculture. Application of alternative fungicides, such as antifungal proteins and peptides, provides a promising basis to overcome this problem; however, their direct use in fields suffers limitations, such as high cost of production, low stability, narrow antifungal spectrum and toxicity on plant or mammalian cells. Recently, we demonstrated that a Penicillium chrysogenum-based expression system provides a feasible tool for economic production of P. chrysogenum antifungal protein (PAF) and a rational designed variant (PAFopt ), in which the evolutionary conserved γ-core motif was modified to increase antifungal activity. In the present study, we report for the first time that γ-core modulation influences the antifungal spectrum and efficacy of PAF against important plant pathogenic ascomycetes, and the synthetic γ-core peptide Pγopt , a derivative of PAFopt , is antifungal active against these pathogens in vitro. Finally, we proved the protective potential of PAF against Botrytis cinerea infection in tomato plant leaves. The lack of any toxic effects on mammalian cells and plant seedlings, as well as the high tolerance to harsh environmental conditions and proteolytic degradation further strengthen our concept for applicability of these proteins and peptide in agriculture