The CBRB regulon: Promoter dissection reveals novel insights into the CbrAB expression network in Pseudomonas putida

CbrAB is a high ranked global regulatory system exclusive of the Pseudomonads that responds to carbon limiting conditions. It has become necessary to define the particular regulon of CbrB and discriminate it from the downstream cascades through other regulatory components. We have performed in vivo binding analysis of CbrB in P. putida and determined that it directly controls the expression of at least 61 genes; 20% involved in regulatory functions, including the previously identified CrcZ and CrcY small regulatory RNAs. The remaining are porines or transporters (20%), metabolic enzymes (16%), activities related to protein translation (5%) and orfs of uncharacterised function (38%). Amongst the later, we have selected the operon PP2810-13 to make an exhaustive analysis of the CbrB binding sequences, together with those of crcZ and crcY. We describe the implication of three independent non-palindromic subsites with a variable spacing in three different targets; CrcZ, CrcY and operon PP2810-13 in the CbrAB activation. CbrB is a quite peculiar σN—depen-dent activator since it is barely dependent on phosphorylation for transcriptional activation. With the depiction of the precise contacts of CbrB with the DNA, the analysis of the multi-merisation status and its dependence on other factors such as RpoN o IHF, we propose a model of transcriptional activation.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad BIO2014-57545-

MSAP markers and global cytosine methylation in plants: a literature survey and comparative analysis for a wild-growing species

Methylation of DNA cytosines affects whether transposons are silenced and genes are expressed, and is a major epigenetic mechanism whereby plants respond to environmental change. Analyses of methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism (MS-AFLP or MSAP) have been often used to assess methyl-cytosine changes in response to stress treatments and, more recently, in ecological studies of wild plant populations. MSAP technique does not require a sequenced reference genome and provides many anonymous loci randomly distributed over the genome for which the methylation status can be ascertained. Scoring of MSAP data, however, is not straightforward, and efforts are still required to standardize this step to make use of the potential to distinguish between methylation at different nucleotide contexts. Furthermore, it is not known how accurately MSAP infers genome-wide cytosine methylation levels in plants. Here, we analyse the relationship between MSAP results and the percentage of global cytosine methylation in genomic DNA obtained by HPLC analysis. A screening of literature revealed that methylation of cytosines at cleavage sites assayed by MSAP was greater than genome-wide estimates obtained by HPLC, and percentages of methylation at different nucleotide contexts varied within and across species. Concurrent HPLC and MSAP analyses of DNA from 200 individuals of the perennial herb Helleborus foetidus confirmed that methyl-cytosine was more frequent in CCGG contexts than in the genome as a whole. In this species, global methylation was unrelated to methylation at the inner CG site. We suggest that global HPLC and context-specific MSAP methylation estimates provide complementary information whose combination can improve our current understanding of methylation-based epigenetic processes in nonmodel plants.Peer reviewe

The incorporation of alpha-tocopherol and functional doses of phytosterol esters during cheesemaking does not affect DNA or mRNA dynamics of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactococcus lactis throughout and after the end of ripening

Tocopherols and phytosterols are lipid-soluble molecules which have been widely used in the food industry. Nevertheless, the influence of these compounds on the performance of starter lactic acid bacteria (SLAB) in fermented foods has received little attention. Here, we assessed the behavior of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactococcus lactis during the ripening of a functional Port Salut light cheese elaborated with these SLAB and with alpha-tocopherol and phytosterol esters as bioactive molecules. Functional and control cheeses were manufactured at an industrial plant and sampled at 7, 21, 40, 60 and 90 days after elaboration for real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) or reverse transcription-qPCR (RT-qPCR) experiments. Target DNA and mRNA from both SLAB were detected after 90 days of elaboration in both functional and control cheeses, supporting their potential role in generating flavor metabolites. Furthermore, here we showed for the first time that the addition of alpha-tocopherol and functional doses of phytosterols did not affect DNA or mRNA dynamics of these SLAB during cheesemaking, throughout and after the end of ripening. Therefore, our results support the use of cheese manufactured with both S. thermophilus and L. lactis as an optimal delivery system for these beneficial bioactive compounds.Fil: Pega, Juan Franco. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación de Agroindustria. Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Pérez, Carolina Daiana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación de Agroindustria. Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Rizzo, Sergio Anibal. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación de Agroindustria. Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; ArgentinaFil: Rossetti, Luciana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación de Agroindustria. Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; ArgentinaFil: Diaz, G.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación de Agroindustria. Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; ArgentinaFil: Ruzal, Sandra Mónica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Nanni, M.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación de Agroindustria. Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; ArgentinaFil: Descalzo, Adriana Maria. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación de Agroindustria. Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina. Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développerment; Francia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Hierarchical Clustering with Membrane Computing

In this paper we approach the problem of hierarchical clustering through membrane computing. A specific P system with external output is designed for each Boolean matrix associated with a finite set of individuals. The computation of the system allows us to obtain one of the possible classifications in a non-deterministic way. The amount of resources required in the construction is polynomial in the number of individuals and of characteristics analyzed

Hierarchical clustering with Membrane Computing.

In this paper we approach the problem of hierarchical clustering through membrane computing. A specific P system with external output is designed for each Boolean matrix associated with a finite set of individuals. The computation of the system allows us to obtain one of the possible classifications in a non-deterministic way. The amount of resources required in the construction is polynomial in the number of individuals and of characteristics analyzed.Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia TIN2006-13425Junta de Andalucía TIC-58

A P System Based Model of an Ecosystem of Some Scavenger Birds

The Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus Barbatus) is an endangered species in Eu- rope that feeds almost exclusively on bone remains provided by wild and domestic ungu- lates. In [1], we presented a P system in order to study the evolution of these species in the Pyrenees (NE Spain). Here, we present a new model that overcomes some limitations of the previous work incorporating other scavenger species (predatory) and additional prey species that provide food for the scavenger intraguild and interact with the Bearded Vulture in the ecosystem. After the validation, the new model can be a useful tool for the study of the evolution and management of the ecosystem. P systems provide a high level computational modelling framework which integrates the structural and dynamical aspects of ecosystems in a compressive and relevant way. The inherent randomness and uncertainty in ecosystems is captured by using probabilistic strategies.Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia TIN2006-13425Junta de Andalucía P08–TIC-0420

P System Based Model of an Ecosystem of the Scavenger Birds

The Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus Barbatus) is an endangered species in Europe that feeds almost exclusively on bone remains provided by wild and domestic ungulates. In, we presented a P system in order to study the evolution of these species in the Pyrenees (NE Spain). Here, we present a new model that overcomes some limitations of the previous work incorporating other scavenger species (predatory) and additional prey species that provide food for the scavenger intraguild and interact with the Bearded Vulture in the ecosystem. After the validation, the new model can be a useful tool for the study of the evolution and management of the ecosystem. P systems provide a high level computational modelling framework which integrates the structural and dynamical aspects of ecosystems in a compressive and relevant way. The inherent stochasticity and uncertainty in ecosystems is captured by using probabilistic strategies.Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia TIN2006–13425Junta de Andalucía P08-TIC-0420

A P System Modeling an Ecosystem Related to the Bearded Vulture

The Bearded Vulture is one of the rarest raptors in Europe and it is an endangered species. In this paper, we present a model of an ecosystem related with the Bearded Vulture which is located in the Catalan Pyrenees, by using P systems. The population dynamics constituted by the Bearded Vulture (that feeds almost exclusively on bones) and other five subfamilies that provide the bones they feed on, is studied. P systems provide a high level computational modeling framework which integrates the structural and dynamical aspects of ecosystems in a comprehensive and relevant way. P systems explicitly represent the discrete character of the components of an ecosystem by using rewriting rules on multisets of objects which represent individuals of the population and bones. The inherent stochasticity and uncertainty in ecosystems is captured by using probabilistic strategies. In order to give an experimental validation of the P system designed, we have constructed a simulator that allows us to analyze the evolution of the ecosystem with different initial conditions.Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia TIN2006-13425Junta de Andalucía TIC 58

Mobbing: acoso moral o psicológico en el trabajo

The mobbing has been considered as the new organizational epidemic of the XXI century, given the enormous suffering caused to people who suffer it and the loss of potential competitiveness of the organizations in which it occurs, thus becoming, in one of the most important aspects of the modern civil liability law in the workplace. While mobbing, also called aggression, violence or bullying is not a new situation, the novelty, what has changed is the social sensitivity to this type of behavior which has been increasing in parallel with the development of social rights. Thus, the great merit that it should be recognized to mobbing is to have removed the veil to the work world, in the sense of being allowed to observe, from another perspective, these personal relationships at the workplace, primarily through the growing awareness of how those discriminatory and aggressive behaviors have a destructive and devastating capability to the employee-victim. This paper, motivated by the few studies in this area in Colombia, aims to look at the conceptualization of the phenomenon from the developments reached in comparative law, especially in continental European law.El mobbing ha sido considerado como la nueva epidemia organizativa del siglo XXI, dado los enormes sufrimientos que causa a las personas que lo padecen y la merma de la competitividad potencial de las organizaciones en las que se produce, convirtiéndose, de este modo, en uno de los aspectos más importantes del moderno derecho de la responsabilidad civil en el mundo laboral. Si bien el mobbing, también llamado agresión, violencia o acoso psicológico, no es una situación nueva, lo novedoso, lo que ha cambiado ha sido la sensibilidad social frente a este tipo de conductas que han aumentado de forma paralela al desarrollo de los derechos sociales. Así, el gran mérito que se debe reconocer al mobbing es el de haber quitado el velo al mundo del trabajo, en el sentido de haber permitido observar, desde otra perspectiva, las relaciones personales presentes en el escenario laboral, principalmente, a través de la toma de consciencia sobre cómo aquellas conductas discriminatorias y agresivas poseen una capacidad destructiva y devastadora para el trabajador-víctima. El presente artículo, motivado por los escasos estudios en la materia en Colombia, tiene como finalidad revisar la conceptualización del fenómeno a partir de los desarrollos alcanzados en el derecho comparado, especialmente, en el derecho continental europeo