SmSP2: A serine protease secreted by the blood fluke pathogen Schistosoma mansoni with anti-hemostatic properties.

BackgroundSerine proteases are important virulence factors for many pathogens. Recently, we discovered a group of trypsin-like serine proteases with domain organization unique to flatworm parasites and containing a thrombospondin type 1 repeat (TSR-1). These proteases are recognized as antigens during host infection and may prove useful as anthelminthic vaccines, however their molecular characteristics are under-studied. Here, we characterize the structural and proteolytic attributes of serine protease 2 (SmSP2) from Schistosoma mansoni, one of the major species responsible for the tropical infectious disease, schistosomiasis.Methodology/principal findingsSmSP2 comprises three domains: a histidine stretch, TSR-1 and a serine protease domain. The cleavage specificity of recombinant SmSP2 was determined using positional scanning and multiplex combinatorial libraries and the determinants of specificity were identified with 3D homology models, demonstrating a trypsin-like endopeptidase mode of action. SmSP2 displayed restricted proteolysis on protein substrates. It activated tissue plasminogen activator and plasminogen as key components of the fibrinolytic system, and released the vasoregulatory peptide, kinin, from kininogen. SmSP2 was detected in the surface tegument, esophageal glands and reproductive organs of the adult parasite by immunofluorescence microscopy, and in the excretory/secretory products by immunoblotting.Conclusions/significanceThe data suggest that SmSP2 is secreted, functions at the host-parasite interface and contributes to the survival of the parasite by manipulating host vasodilatation and fibrinolysis. SmSP2 may be, therefore, a potential target for anti-schistosomal therapy

Similarity-based virtual screening using 2D fingerprints

This paper summarises recent work at the University of Sheffield on virtual screening methods that use 2D fingerprint measures of structural similarity. A detailed comparison of a large number of similarity coefficients demonstrates that the well-known Tanimoto coefficient remains the method of choice for the computation of fingerprint-based similarity, despite possessing some inherent biases related to the sizes of the molecules that are being sought. Group fusion involves combining the results of similarity searches based on multiple reference structures and a single similarity measure. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach to screening, and also describe an approximate form of group fusion, turbo similarity searching, that can be used when just a single reference structure is available

Modification of Working Electrode Surface with Carbon Nanotubes as an Electrochemical Sensor for Estimation of Melting Points of DNA

Screen-printed with three electrode system was used in this study. A working electrode has been printed from carbon nanotubes based paste on silver layer modified with nano-patterned structures for the first case. In the second case, vertically aligned carbonnanotubes were grown on the Au working electrode. The process of the nanotubes growing was tested to create homogenous and high density carbon nanotubes layer directly on the thick-film silver layer. Based on the characterization of electrodes, we used Au based for detection of nucleic acids. Moreover, we were able to estimated melting points of DNA. © 2009

Proteomics for beginners

Proteomic tutorial for the beginners will summarise and present current methods to analyse and evaluate proteomic samples. The tutorial will be divided into two parts. The first part will focus on data accquisition process and interpretation of spectra. The second part will focus on protein quantification

Induction of gynogenesis in sterlet

This bachelor thesis deals with the induction of gynogenesis in sturgeons. Theoretical part of thesis describes general basics of the induction of gynogenesis in fish and focuses on the published results of gynogenesis in sturgeon. It recapitulates the methods used and the different steps of gynogenesis induction and, last but not least, the importance of its practical use. Practical part of thesis acquaints with the results of experimental induction of mitotic gynogenesis in sterlet. It recapitulates the effectiveness of different steps, concludes on correctness of the performed process, compares the obtained results and brings one of the first information about optimization of the mitotic gynogenesis protocol in sturgeons

Polyploidizační schopnost jeseterů a její vliv na fitness

Sturgeons (order Acipenseriformes) are considered one of the most ancient groups of fish still present on Earth. The evolution of these 'living fossils' is inherently connected to polyploidization events. Moreover, spontaneously arisen polyploidy has been widely reported in farmed populations of many sturgeon species, and there is also evidence that it randomly occurs in the wild. The persistence of sturgeons for creating polyploid genomes underlines the genome plasticity of these fishes and makes them suitable candidates for polyploid research. However, only a few studies have ever investigated the effects of newly formed polyploidy on fitness or physiology of sturgeons. Broadening the scope of research is of particular interest, since it may shed light on how sturgeon neopolyploids perform in aquaculture and nature, uncover the impact of contemporary polyploidization on sturgeon farming and conservation, and contribute to scientific knowledge regarding the consequences of polyploidy on fish. The second chapter of this thesis introduced an optimized protocol for the creation of biologically triploid populations of sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) via the second polar body retention (SPBR) achieved by hydrostatic pressure shock. Apart from the presented study, the application of this type of shock in sturgeons has only ever been reported in shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum). Our findings suggested that hydrostatic pressure shock can be more reliable at producing 100% triploids and yield better hatching rates than conventionally used heat shock. Its utilization may thus improve the efficiency in obtaining triploidized progeny of sturgeons. Flow cytometric analysis of relative DNA content in cell nuclei is among the most preferred techniques for the measurement of ploidy levels in sturgeons, but its application has so far been limited to the examination of fresh material. The third chapter of this thesis provided the verified methods for 10-day storage of various types of sturgeon samples - blood, finclip and larva tail tissue. The protocols proposed are easy to use, do not contain centrifugation steps and allow field sampling. The viability and growth of early developmental stages of autopolyploid sterlet kept at both optimal (16 °C) and suboptimal temperatures (10 and 20 °C) were investigated in fourth chapter. The results suggested that irrespective of temperature, biologically triploid sterlet arising from SPBR do not differ from individuals of normal ploidy (normoploids) in terms of survival and growth. The viability of embryos obtained from tetraploidization via the first mitotic division suppression (FMDS) was considerably reduced at optimal temperature and even more so at suboptimal conditions. Biologically tetraploid prelarvae were not able to survive at suboptimal temperatures, assuming their lower thermal tolerance when compared to normoploids or biological triploids. Biological hexaploidy seemed to be lethal, since the individuals obtained from the combined treatment causing both SPBR and FMDS were unable to survive the prelarval period at any temperature. In the fifth chapter of this thesis, the effects of SPBR-induced polyploidy on critical swimming speed, physiology and haematology were investigated using nine-month-old juveniles of two pure sturgeon species, sterlet and Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii), and their reciprocal hybrids. SPBR-induced polyploids of both purebreds and hybrids did not differ from their normoploid counterparts in swimming performance, and the haematological analysis revealed that they were able to fully compensate for having fewer erythrocytes than normoploids in blood haemoglobin and haematocrit. Likewise, the study did not provide any evidence for SPBR-induced polyploidy affecting stress response. These results may indicate that sturgeon polyploids arising from SPBR do not suffer from any substantial physiological limitation and are as fit as their counterparts of normal