Primeros pasos hacia el tomate autorreparable

Un estudio realizado en el Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterranea de la UMA pone el foco en esta hortaliza. El trabajo tratará de controlar ciertos mecanismos que permitirían su cultivo en condiciones adversas y donde paliar el daño en las celulas de los tejidos cobra especial importancia

SYT mutations membrane fusions with whole plant hypersensitivity to abiotic stresses

Plants undergo continuous exposure to various abiotic stresses in their natural environment. For this reason they have evolved intricate mechanisms to perceive external signals and trigger the physiological changes necessary to adapt and survive under such conditions. The plasma membrane is a physical barrier that separates the intracellular and extracellular environments and its integrity is essential for stress tolerance. Here we present a role for plant synaptotagmins in plasma membrane integrity maintenance through Vesicle-PM fusions. We also evaluate the physiological consequences of the SYT depletion under several abiotic stress conditions.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Molecular locks and keys: the role of small molecules in phytohormone research

Plant adaptation, growth and development rely on the integration of many environmental and endogenous signals that collectively determine the overall plant phenotypic plasticity. Plant signaling molecules, also known as phytohormones, are fundamental to this process. These molecules act at low concentrations and regulate multiple aspects of plant fitness and development via complex signaling networks. By its nature, phytohormone research lies at the interface between chemistry and biology. Classically, the scientific community has always used synthetic phytohormones and analogs to study hormone functions and responses. However, recent advances in synthetic and combinational chemistry, have allowed a new field, plant chemical biology, to emerge and this has provided a powerful tool with which to study phytohormone function. Plant chemical biology is helping to address some of the most enduring questions in phytohormone research such as: Are there still undiscovered plant hormones? How can we identify novel signaling molecules? How can plants activate specific hormone responses in a tissue-specific manner? How can we modulate hormone responses in one developmental context without inducing detrimental effects on other processes? The chemical genomics approaches rely on the identification of small molecules modulating different biological processes and have recently identified active forms of plant hormones and molecules regulating many aspects of hormone synthesis, transport and response. We envision that the field of chemical genomics will continue to provide novel molecules able to elucidate specific aspects of hormone-mediated mechanisms. In addition, compounds blocking specific responses could uncover how complex biological responses are regulated. As we gain information about such compounds we can design small alterations to the chemical structure to further alter specificity, enhance affinity or modulate the activity of these compounds.This work was partially funded by the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery Grant RGPIN-2014-06468 to Abel Rosado and funding from the Canada Research Chairs program. John Vaughan-Hirsch is funded through the BBSRC Doctoral Training Programme. Anthony Bishopp is supported by the Royal Society through a University Research Fellowship. Andrea Chini is supported by a “Ramon y Cajal” fellowship (RYC-2010-05680) and this work was partially funded the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad project BIO2013-44407-R, the AECID AP/040886/11 and the CSIC i-COOP060. This project was supported by NSTIP strategic technologies programs, number (11-BIO-2119-02) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Andrea Chini.Peer reviewedPeer Reviewe

The Arabidopsis Synaptotagmin1 is enriched in endoplasmic reticulum-plasma membrane contact sites and confers cellular resistance to mechanical stresses

Eukaryotic endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-plasma membrane (PM) contact sites are evolutionarily conserved microdomains that have important roles in specialized metabolic functions such as ER-PM communication, lipid homeostasis, and Ca2+ influx. Despite recent advances in knowledge about ER-PM contact site components and functions in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and mammals, relatively little is known about the functional significance of these structures in plants. In this report, we characterize the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) phospholipid binding Synaptotagmin1 (SYT1) as a plant ortholog of the mammal extended synaptotagmins and yeast tricalbins families of ER-PM anchors. We propose that SYT1 functions at ER-PM contact sites because it displays a dual ER-PM localization, it is enriched in microtubule-depleted regions at the cell cortex, and it colocalizes with Vesicle-Associated Protein27-1, a known ER-PM marker. Furthermore, biochemical and physiological analyses indicate that SYT1 might function as an electrostatic phospholipid anchor conferring mechanical stability in plant cells. Together, the subcellular localization and functional characterization of SYT1 highlights a putative role of plant ER-PM contact site components in the cellular adaptation to environmental stresses

Perceptions of fitness professionals regarding fitness occupations and careers : a phenomenological analysis

The purpose of this study was to examine fitness professionals' perceptions of their profession and careers. Sixteen Portuguese fitness instructors (M age = 28 years old) took part in semi-structured interviews regarding their perceptions of their profession. The data was analysed thematically using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (Smith & Osborn, 2003). The participants were asked to consider topics like their professional functions, profile and abilities; social, group and organizational factors; personal factors relating to their profession and the labour market; and their job's social and financial prospects. From an analysis of the interviews, a comprehensive list of sentences was drawn up, expressing opinions and ideas by the interviewees. These were organized and included in pre-defined categories, leading to a network of sub-themes. This study has highlighted some characteristics specific to the profession that should be considered at a more general level, with significant implications on the professional guidance given to young people, in the organization of workflows, and in the training and organization of the professional activity as a whole.El propósito de este estudio fue examinar las representaciones de los profesionales del fitness acerca de sus profesiones y carreras. Dieciséis instructores portugueses de fitness (M edad = 28 años) participaron en entrevistas semiestructuradas en relación a las representaciones sobre sus profesiones. Los datos se analizaron temáticamente utilizando el Análisis Fenomenológico Interpretativo (Smith y Osborn, 2003). Los participantes abordaron temas como, las funciones del perfil profesional, perfil y competencias, factores sociales, factores organizacionales y de grupo y factores personales que afectan a su profesión y al mercado laboral, las perspectivas sociales y económicas sobre su trabajo. El análisis de las entrevistas permitió la elaboración de una lista exhaustiva de frases, expresando opiniones e ideas de los entrevistados, que han sido organizados e integrados en las categorías previamente definidas, originando una red de sub-temas. El estudio ha puesto de manifiesto cierta especificidad de la profesión que debe ser considerado en un nivel más general, con implicaciones importantes en la orientación profesional de los jóvenes, en la organización de los flujos de trabajo y en la formación y organización de la actividad profesional en su conjunto.O objectivo deste estudo foi examinar as representações dos profissionais de fitness acerca das suas profissões e carreiras. Dezasseis instrutores de fitness portugueses (M idade = 28) participaram em entrevistas semiestruturadas sobre as representações da sua profissão. Os dados analisram-se utilizando a Análise Fenomenológica Interpretativa (Smith y Osborn, 2003). Os participantes abordaram temas como as funções, tarefas e competências profissionais, os factores sociais, organizacionais e de grupo, bem como factores pessoais, que afetam a sua profissão e o mercado de trabalho e, ainda, as perspectivas sociais e económicas sobre o seu trabalho. A análise das entrevistas permitiu a elaboração de uma lista exaustiva de ideias, expressando as opiniões dos entrevistados, que foram organizadas e integradas em categorias previamente definidas, originando uma rede de sub-temas. O estudo evidenciou especificidades da profissão que devem ser consideradas a diversos níveis, uma vez que têm implicações importantes na orientação profissional dos jovens, na organização dos fluxos de trabalho e na formação e organização da actividade profissional no seu conjunto

Plasma membrane lipid remodeling during cold acclimation is mediated by the ER-PM contact sites-localized synaptotagmins 1 and 3

Cold acclimation is the capacity of certain plants to increase their freezing tolerance in response to a period of low non-freezing temperatures. Cold acclimation involves a series of biochemical and physiological adaptations, including a deep transcriptional reprogramming and drastic changes in the lipid composition of cellular membranes in order to prevent the freeze-induced damage (1). While a profound knowledge has been acquired on the regulation of gene expression triggered by cold-acclimation, very little is known about the mechanisms governing the cold-induced changes in membranes’ lipid composition. In this study we report that in Arabidopsis, the constitutively expressed Synaptotagmin 1 (SYT1) and the cold-induced homolog Synaptotagmin 3 (SYT3) are essential for cold- acclimated freezing tolerance and for the lipid remodelling of the plasma membrane during cold-acclimation. SYT1 and SYT3 are phospholipid-binding proteins located in Endoplasmic Reticulum-Plasma Membrane contact sites (ER-PMcs), conserved structures defined as regions of the cortical ER in close apposition to the PM (2). ER-PMcs facilitate the non-vesicular lipid transport between ER and PM in yeast and mammals, and are essential for lipid homeostasis (3). In contrast to the high and ubiquitous SYT1 expression, SYT3 expression is low and mainly restricted to meristemoids, young stomata, and old primary root. TIRF microscopy analyses show that during cold acclimation there is an increase of SYT1::SYT1:GFP and SYT3::SYT3:GFP signals as spots at the PM. High-resolution lipidome analyses show the over-accumulation of phosphatidylinositols phosphate (PIPs) and glycerolipids in vivo in syt1 and specially syt1/syt3 mutant plants compared to WT in one-week cold-acclimated plants. Interestingly, protein-lipid overlay assays (membrane-strips and PIP-strips) reveal PIPs and glycerolipids as major interactors for both, SYT1 and SYT3. Here we show that 1) Arabidopsis SYT1 and SYT3 are induced by cold, 2) SYT1 and SYT3 localize to ER-PMcs, 3) the specific lipids that directly interact with SYT1 and SYT3 accumulate in syt1/syt3 mutant after cold acclimation, and 4) syt1/syt3 show reduced cold acclimated freezing tolerance. We propose that SYT1 and SYT3 have essential roles in ER-PMcs mediated lipid remodelling during cold acclimation, which in turn leads to freezing tolerance.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Estrategia para el enfoque de Marketing en una cadena de Tiendas

En el convulso orden nacional e internacional, en la actual economía cubana, existe la necesidad de alcanzar competitividad en la actividad empresarial, a partir de un diagnostico estratégico. Se conoce la situación de la Cadena de Tiendas Habaguanex, sus oportunidades y amenazas, que se generan en el entorno, las fortalezas y debilidades propias de la entidad. Utilizando una tecnología diseñada al efecto, se develan las bases para la elaboración de una estrategia de marketing que permita a la Cadena distinguirse ante el mercado y la competencia Palabras clave: estrategia de marketing, tiendas, economía

Spectator-based brand equity in professional soccer

The purpose of this study was to assess brand equity in professional soccer teams. Through a preliminary analysis and further adaptation of the Spectator-Based Brand Equity (SBBE) scale, a refined model was tested among soccer fans. Results gathered from a confirmatory factor analysis indicated an acceptable fit of the model to the data and confirmed the relationship between Internalization, a single first-order construct, and Brand Associations, a second-order construct with ten dimensions. Review of the psychometric properties indicated all constructs had good internal consistency, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. A multi-group analysis showed the cross validity of the model, and a structural equation model revealed its predictive validity, indicating the proposed model as a valid tool for assessing brand equity in professional soccer teams. Managerial implications of these results are discussed, and some guidelines are suggested for future research

Members’ segmentation, service quality and behabioral intentions: a case study of a professional football team

This study aims to identify segments of members in a professional football team, and to compare service quality perceptions and behavioral intentions among these segments. The members registered in the club’s database were invited to complete a survey including demographic questions, measures of consumer behavior, service quality, and behavioral intentions. The results from a sample of 6820 participants allowed the identification of three distinct segments, named as ‘Occasional’, ‘Die-hard’, and ‘Weekend Lovers’. Results also indicate that these three segments of members showed statistically significant differences regarding service quality perceptions and behavioral intentions. Managerial implications of these results are discussed and suggestions for future research are provided.Este estudo teve como objetivos identificar diferentes segmentos de sócios de uma equipa de profissional de futebol e comparar a perceção da qualidade do serviço e as intenções comportamentais entre os segmentos. Os sócios registados na base de dados do clube foram convidados a responder a um questionário que incluía questões demográficas, variáveis de comportamento de consumo, qualidade do serviço e intenções comportamentais. Os resultados obtidos através de uma amostra de 6820 sócios permitiram identificar três segmentos distintos de sócios denominados por ‘Ocasionais’, ‘Fanáticos’ e ‘Domingueiros’. Os resultados indicaram ainda que os três segmentos de sócios apresentam diferenças estatisticamente significativas em relação à perceção da qualidade do serviço e intenções comportamentais. Implicações de gestão destes resultados são discutidas e sugestões para futuras pesquisas são apresentadas