Atypical Rho GTPases of the RhoBTB Subfamily: Roles in vesicle trafficking and tumorigenesis

RhoBTB proteins constitute a subfamily of atypical Rho GTPases represented in mammals by RhoBTB1, RhoBTB2, and RhoBTB3. Their characteristic feature is a carboxyl terminal extension that harbors two BTB domains capable of assembling cullin 3-dependent ubiquitin ligase complexes. The expression of all three RHOBTB genes has been found reduced or abolished in a variety of tumors. They are considered tumor suppressor genes and recent studies have strengthened their implication in tumorigenesis through regulation of the cell cycle and apoptosis. RhoBTB3 is also involved in retrograde transport from endosomes to the Golgi apparatus. One aspect that makes RhoBTB proteins atypical among the Rho GTPases is their proposed mechanism of activation. No specific guanine nucleotide exchange factors or GTPase activating proteins are known. Instead, RhoBTB might be activated through interaction with other proteins that relieve their auto-inhibited conformation and inactivated through auto-ubiquitination and destruction in the proteasome. In this review we discuss our current knowledge on the molecular mechanisms of action of RhoBTB proteins and the implications for tumorigenesis and other pathologic conditions

Political and institutional factors in regime change in the ERM: An application of duration analysis

This paper analyses the functioning of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM). To that end, we apply duration models to estimate an augmented target-zone model, explicitly incorporating political and institutional factors into the explanation of European exchange rate policies. The estimations are based on quarterly data of eight currencies participating in the ERM, covering the complete history of the European Monetary System. Our results suggest that both economic and political factors are important determinants of the ERM currency policies. Concerning economic factors, the money supply, the real exchange rate, the interest in Germany and the central parity deviation would have negatively affected the duration of a given central parity, while credibility and the price level in Germany would have positively influenced such duration. Regarding political variables, elections, central bank independence and left-wing administrations would have increased the probability of maintaining the current regime, while unstable governments would have been associated with more frequent regime changes. Moreover, we show how the political augmented model outperforms, both in terms of explanatory power and goodness of fit, the model which just incorporates pure economic determinants.Duration analysis, political variables, exchange rates, European Monetary System

Editorial of Special Issue “Frontiers in the Actin Cytoskeleton”

The actin cytoskeleton is of fundamental importance for eukaryotic cell homeostasis [...

3D Modelling of buildings interiors to support indoor navigation

Treball final de Grau en Disseny i Desenvolupament de Videojocs. Codi: VJ1241. Curs acadèmic: 2020/2021The following document represents the memory of my final work in the degree in Design and Development of Video Games. This project consists of the creation of Espaitec 2 Search, a video game developed with the aim of providing a fun and tourist guide to the Espaitec 2, a building created for investigation at the Universitat Jaume I. It is a first-person and exploration game, in which there are two modes to choose from: The first one, a free exploration mode where the player can visit the building from the bottom to the top, outside and inside, visiting every floor,room, office, terrace, and the time the player wants; then we have the second mode, an exploration mode but with a challenge, which it consists of an exploration mode with a countdown where the player has to collect all the objects inside the remaining time, being a fun adventure, and visiting and learning all elements of the building at the same time. Being an original way to show the entire building to the public standing out that it was modeled from zero using SketchUp, AutoCAD and CityEngine, and it is programmed and developed in Unity

Regulatory network built by Cytochrome c with Histone Chaperones in response to DNA damage

The maintenance of genome integrity is a critical process for cell life. To face DNA lesions, living beings have developed a complex network called DNA damage response (DDR), which encompasses an intricate phosphorylation signalling cascade, enabling a quick DNA damage repair. To control this signalling cascade and to avoid an illegitimate activation, this network is tightly regulated by protein phosphatases, such as Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A). Moreover, histone chaperones assist the DNA repair mechanisms altering chromatin dynamics through their nucleosome assembly activity. Recent studies have reported that the mitochondrial respiratory protein cytochrome c is promptly translocated into the cell nucleus upon DNA damage, where it interacts with several histone chaperones. Within this context, the role of nuclear cytochrome c has been partially disclosed. Here, we have delved into the functional consequences of the novel DNA damage-induced complex formed by cytochrome c with the histone chaperones ANP32A and ANP32B. Strikingly, the heme protein impairs the PP2A inhibitory effect exerted by the histone chaperones ANP32A, ANP32B and SET/TAF-I. Furthermore, biophysical and structural approaches have been used to characterize the cytochrome c complex with ANP32A and ANP32B and to unveil the molecular mechanism underlying the cytoplasmic accumulation of ANP32B upon its phosphorylation. In addition, we have extended our knowledge on the histone chaperone regulation in the DDR by studying the Arabidopsis thaliana complex between cytochrome c and NRP1, a SET/TAF-I analogous. Herein we propose a novel standpoint about DDR regulation, in which cytochrome c exerts a modulating role on such signalling cascade through its interaction with histone chaperones, both by tuning their nucleosome assembly and PP2A inhibitory activity

Presión fiscal en la Unión Europea : un análisis de beta, sigma y gamma convergencia

Este trabajo investiga la convergencia de la presión fiscal en la Unión Europea en el marco de la creciente integración económica y las políticas de armonización fiscal. En el estudio se analiza tanto la presión fiscal global como sus tres principales componentes de acuerdo a las subdivisiones de la OCDE: impuestos sobre rentas y beneficios, contribuciones a la seguridad social, impuestos sobre bienes y servicios. A partir de datos de la OCDE para el periodo 1965-2005 y tomando como referencia la UE (15), se aplican las técnicas de beta, sigma y gamma convergencia para concluir la existencia de convergencia de la presión fiscal sustentada en el comportamiento de la imposición sobre bienes y servicios, sometida a un mayor grado de armonización que el resto. Además se lleva a cabo un análisis cluster para determinar grupos de caracterçisticas fiscales similares a partir de un conjunto de indicadores tributarios.___________________________This work investigates the convergence of the tax burden in the European Union in the framework of increasing economic integration and policies of fiscal harmonization . In the study we analyze global fiscal pressure as well as its three principal components according to the subdivisions of the OECD: taxes on income and profits, social security contributions, and taxes on goods and services. From OECD data for the period 1965-2005 and taking EU-15 as a reference, we analyze beta, sigma and gamma convergence, finding the existence of convergence of fiscal pressure due primarily to the evolution of taxation on goods and services, which have been subject to a greater degree of harmonization . In addition a cluster analysis is carried out to determine similar groups of fiscal characteristics from a set of tax indicators