Role of Cln1 during melanization of Cryptococcus neoformans

Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that has several well-described virulence determinants. A polysaccharide capsule and the ability to produce melanin are among the most important. Melanization occurs both in vitro, in the presence of catecholamine and indole compounds, and in vivo during the infection. Despite the importance of melanin production for cryptococcal virulence, the component and mechanisms involved in its synthesis have not been fully elucidated. In this work, we describe the role of a G1/S cyclin (Cln1) in the melanization process. Cln1 has evolved specifically with proteins present only in other basidiomycetes. We found that Cln1 is required for the cell wall stability and production of melanin in C. neoformans. Absence of melanization correlated with a defect in the expression of the LAC1 gene. The relation between cell cycle elements and melanization was confirmed by the effect of drugs that cause cell cycle arrest at a specific phase, such as rapamycin. The cln1 mutant was consistently more susceptible to oxidative damage in a medium that induces melanization. Our results strongly suggest a novel and hitherto unrecognized role for C. neoformans Cln1 in the expression of virulence traits.We thank Rajendra Uphadya (Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MI, USA) for providing the sequence of oligonucleotides for 18s gene used in this article. RG-R was supported by a FPI fellowship (reference BES-2009-015913) from the Spanish Ministry of Economics and Competitivity. NT-C is supported by a FPI fellowship (reference BES-2012-051837). OZ is funded by grant SAF2011-25140 and SAF2014-54336 from the Spanish Ministry for Economics and CompetitivityS

Aprendizaje autónomo del Laboratorio de Química Inorgánica mediante el uso de TICs

Se ha creado un Entorno Virtual de Enseñanza y Aprendizaje (EVEA) circunscrito a la realización de prácticas en el Laboratorio de Química Inorgánica orientado a incrementar el grado de interacción entre el alumno con algún tipo de dificultad auditiva o dificultad idiomática y el profesor o el resto de sus compañeros mediante el uso conjunto del material elaborado y el uso de sistemas basados en redes sociales, mensajerías

Diseño e implantación de un sistema de seguimiento de calidad mediante la utilización de plataformas online

Fac. de FarmaciaFALSEsubmitte

Diseño de un sistema de información y gestión documental adaptado a normas ISO y AUDIT

Fac. de FarmaciaFALSEsubmitte

Diseño e implantación de una red de egresados en el Grado en Farmacia mediante la utilización de redes sociales

Proyecto Innova Gestión 2022 donde se describe la implantación de una red de egresados de la Faculta de Farmacia usando la plataforma LinkedI

Implementación de los recursos audiovisuales elaborados para el aprendizaje autónomo del Laboratorio de Química. Potenciación de la compresión por parte de personas con dificultades auditivas y del aprendizaje del vocabulario técnico en ingles

Depto. de Química en Ciencias FarmacéuticasFac. de FarmaciaFALSEsubmitte

In vivo behavior in rabbit radius bone defect of scaffolds based on nanocarbonate hydroxyapatite

Bone defects treatment may require the use of biomaterials that behave as a support and promote bone regeneration. Limitations associated with the use of autografts and allografts make it necessary to design new synthetic bone substitutes. Some of the most promising biomaterials currently under investigation are based on nanocarbonate hydroxyapatite (nCHA). In this study, we studied the bone-inducing capacity of nCHA-based scaffolds alone (SAG) and enriched with osteostatin (SAGO) or with bone marrow aspirate(SAGB) after implantation for 12 weeks in a 15-mm long critical defect performed in the radius of New Zealand rabbits. Bone formation obtained was compared with a group with the unfilled defect (CE), as control group, and other with the defect filed with iliac crest autograft (GS), as gold standard. X-ray follow-up was performed at 2, 4, 6 and 12 weeks and μCT and histological studies at 12 weeks. The radiological results showed a greater increment in bone formation in the GS group (75%–100%), followed by the SAG and SAGB groups (50%–75%). μCT results showed an increase of bone volume/tissue volume values in GS group followed by SAG and SAGB groups (0.53, 0.40, and 0.31 respectively) compared with CE group (0.26). Histological results showed limited resorption of the nCHA scaffolds and partial osseointegration in the SAG and SAGB groups. However, in the SAGO group, the presence of connective tissue encapsulating the scaffold was detected. In SAG, SAGB, and increase of bone formation were observed compared with CE group, but less than the GS group. Thus, the investigated materials represent a significant advance in the design of synthetic materials for bone grafting, but further studies are needed to bring their in vivo behavior closer to autograft, the gold standard.Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIDepto. de Química en Ciencias FarmacéuticasFac. de FarmaciaTRUEpu

Creation of an interactive periodic table of chemical elements and their ordered properties with internet access

Se ha construido una base de datos con las propiedades de los elementos químicos, isótopos naturales y artificiales de los elementos y el tiempo de semivida de los radiactivos, así como, la serie de la tabla periódica a la que pertenecen, carácter metálico/no metálico/metaloide, configuración electrónica y número atómico, etimología, descubridor y año de descubrimiento de cada elemento químico y de alguna/s de sus características o curiosidades más significativas.Depto. de Química en Ciencias FarmacéuticasFac. de FarmaciaFALSEUniversidad Complutensesubmitte