53 research outputs found
Candida albicans Possesses Sap7 as a Pepstatin A-Insensitive Secreted Aspartic Protease
BACKGROUND: Candida albicans, a commensal organism, is a part of the normal flora of healthy individuals. However, once the host immunity is compromised, C. albicans opportunistically causes recurrent superficial or fatal systemic candidiasis. Secreted aspartic proteases (Sap), encoded by 10 types of SAP genes, have been suggested to contribute to various virulence processes. Thus, it is important to elucidate their biochemical properties for better understanding of the molecular mechanisms that how Sap isozymes damage host tissues. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The SAP7 gene was cloned from C. albicans SC5314 and heterogeneously produced by Pichia pastoris. Measurement of Sap7 proteolytic activity using the FRETS-25Ala library showed that Sap7 was a pepstatin A-insensitive protease. To understand why Sap7 was insensitive to pepstatin A, alanine substitution mutants of Sap7 were constructed. We found that M242A and T467A mutants had normal proteolytic activity and sensitivity to pepstatin A. M242 and T467 were located in close proximity to the entrance to an active site, and alanine substitution at these positions widened the entrance. Our results suggest that this alteration might allow increased accessibility of pepstatin A to the active site. This inference was supported by the observation that the T467A mutant has stronger proteolytic activity than the wild type. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We found that Sap7 was a pepstatin A-insensitive protease, and that M242 and T467 restricted the accessibility of pepstatin A to the active site. This finding will lead to the development of a novel protease inhibitor beyond pepstatin A. Such a novel inhibitor will be an important research tool as well as pharmaceutical agent for patients suffering from candidiasis
Secondary crystalline phases identification in Cu2ZnSnSe4 thin films: contributions from Raman scattering and photoluminescence
In this work, we present the Raman peak
positions of the quaternary pure selenide compound
Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) and related secondary phases that
were grown and studied under the same conditions. A vast
discussion about the position of the X-ray diffraction
(XRD) reflections of these compounds is presented. It is
known that by using XRD only, CZTSe can be identified
but nothing can be said about the presence of some secondary
phases. Thin films of CZTSe, Cu2SnSe3, ZnSe,
SnSe, SnSe2, MoSe2 and a-Se were grown, which allowed
their investigation by Raman spectroscopy (RS). Here we
present all the Raman spectra of these phases and discuss
the similarities with the spectra of CZTSe. The effective
analysis depth for the common back-scattering geometry
commonly used in RS measurements, as well as the laser penetration depth for photoluminescence (PL) were estimated
for different wavelength values. The observed
asymmetric PL band on a CZTSe film is compatible with
the presence of CZTSe single-phase and is discussed in the
scope of the fluctuating potentialsâ model. The estimated
bandgap energy is close to the values obtained from
absorption measurements. In general, the phase identification
of CZTSe benefits from the contributions of RS and
PL along with the XRD discussion.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Sap6, a secreted aspartyl proteinase, participates in maintenance the cell surface integrity of Candida albicans
Kinin release from human kininogen by 10 aspartic proteases produced by pathogenic yeast Candida albicans
European trainee exchange:Experiences due the ENTOG exchange programme 2015 in Utrecht, the Netherlands
The European Network of Trainees in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (ENTOG) is a Europe wide association of trainees in gynaecology and obstetric. It is closely associated with the European Board and College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Both organisations aim to improve the training in gynaecology and obstetrics as the fundamental step to overcome large differences in women's health across Europe. Annually, ENTOG meeting takes place which brings together trainees from the member countries to share their professional experience. The training session of the meeting which is preceded by an exchange programme. The exchange programme aims to learn something about the everyday work of the host country. This article reports about the ENTOG exchange program that took place in the Netherlands this year and outlines difference to the German health system. The inter-collegiate exchange within Europe represents both a challenge as well as an opportunity to learn from eachother. The 2016 ENTOG exchange will take place in Turkey
Senology in Gynaecology Specialist Training: a Baseline Survey from 2014
Introduction: Qualified training in senology is essential for maintaining adequate, high quality patient care. In order to meet the needs of doctors in training and those of the medical infrastructure it is necessary to assess the quality of training regularly, to enable its adaption and optimisation. Methods: We developed a comprehensive, 10 item online questionnaire to assess the quality of specialised training in senology. This questionnaire was sent to 4000 speciality trainees and young specialists countrywide via the DGGG newsletter and was accessible for over four weeks. Results: 111 obstetrics and gynaecology speciality trainees participated in this national survey, 79% of whom were female. 33% of participants were working at university hospitals, 29% at hospitals offering maximal level care without an associated medical faculty, 37% at hospitals offering primary and secondary level care and 2% at gynaecology practices. 25% of participants could imagineworking in the field of senology in future. On average the current perception of general specialist training was satisfactory. Specialist trainees at university hospitals rated training in senology highest (score: 2.95) compared to those at other hospitals. A fixed rotation through a breast centre offering comprehensive advanced training was seen as a potential improvement to senology training. Conclusions: This is the first survey of specialised training in senology to be conducted in Germany. Results showed that there is significant potential for young doctors to enter the speciality in future. There are also significant differences in the perceived quality of senology training between training facilities. This survey aimed to determine the quality of specialised training at senology centres and hopes to contribute to a sustainable improvement in training. The intention is to continue to make senology attractive to gynaecologists and to ensure well-grounded training
Pré-Eclùmpsia Grave. Gravidade Relacionada com Idade Gestacional
A prĂ©-eclĂąmpsia (PE) complica 3% das gestaçÔes. Nas suas formas mais graves Ă© responsĂĄvel por importante morbilidade e mortalidade materna e fetal. Neste estudo de 126 gravidezes com PE grave apĂłs as 24 semanas, pretendeu-se avaliar se a precocidade da instalação do quadro clĂnico esteve associada a maior morbilidade materna e perinatal. Formaram-se dois grupos de acordo com a idade gestacional no parto - antes e apĂłs as 32 semanas (Grupo 1 e 2, respectivamente). Foram avaliadas 49 gravidezes no grupo 1 e 77 gravidezes no grupo 2. Verificou-se maior incidĂȘncia de sintomatologia clĂnica, alteraçÔes laboratoriais indicadoras de gravidade clĂnica, dados ecogrĂĄficos sugestivos de compromisso fetal e risco relativo para recĂ©m-nascido leve para idade gestacional, asfixia neonatal e sĂndrome de dificuldade respiratĂłria no grupo 1. NĂŁo se encontraram diferenças na mortalidade materna. A PE grave com parto antes das 32 semanas de gestação associou-se a maior deterioração da condição clĂnica materna, restrição de crescimento intra-uterino, fluxometria doppler fetal patolĂłgica e asfixia neonatal
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