38 research outputs found
Proteomic Insights into the Hidden World of Phloem Sap Feeding
The physical interface between a phloem-feeding insect and its host
plant is a single cell buried deep within the plant tissue. As such, the molecular
interactions between these notorious agricultural pests and the crop plants upon
which they feed are diffi cult to study. ‘Omic’ technologies have proved crucial in
revealing some of the fascinating detail of the molecular interplay between these
partners. Here we review the role of proteomics in identifying putative components
of the secreted saliva of phloem-feeding insects, particularly aphids, and discuss the
limited knowledge concerning the function of these proteins
Retroviral matrix and lipids, the intimate interaction
Retroviruses are enveloped viruses that assemble on the inner leaflet of cellular membranes. Improving biophysical techniques has recently unveiled many molecular aspects of the interaction between the retroviral structural protein Gag and the cellular membrane lipids. This interaction is driven by the N-terminal matrix domain of the protein, which probably undergoes important structural modifications during this process, and could induce membrane lipid distribution changes as well. This review aims at describing the molecular events occurring during MA-membrane interaction, and pointing out their consequences in terms of viral assembly. The striking conservation of the matrix membrane binding mode among retroviruses indicates that this particular step is most probably a relevant target for antiviral research
Potentiometric Sensing of Neutral Species Based on a Uniform-Sized Molecularly Imprinted Polymer as a Receptor
Cognition and multiple sclerosis: a historical analysis of medical perceptions
The earliest descriptions of multiple sclerosis (MS) rarely distinguished cognitive impairment from the general category of "mental symptoms", which also encompassed a broad range of affective disorders. Case-study methods led to disputes about the extent and nature of these symptoms, exacerbated by different national medical traditions. Appropriate scientific methods were only used to investigate cognitive performance in a modest number of studies up to the 1960s, and it was being argued as late as the mid 1970s that affective processes rather than cognitive processes were the key to understanding the psychological aspects of MS. However, the early 1980s, saw major developments in test procedures for the detection of subtle and selective cognitive changes, in the use of brain imaging techniques, and in collaboration between neurologists and neuropsychologists. Pressure to use research findings to improve patients' daily lives suggests a need to reconsider the connection between affective and cognitive processes in MS