Comparative genomics of proteins involved in RNA nucleocytoplasmic export

Background: The establishment of the nuclear membrane resulted in the physical separation of transcription and translation, and presented early eukaryotes with a formidable challenge: how to shuttle RNA from the nucleus to the locus of protein synthesis. In prokaryotes, mRNA is translated as it is being synthesized, whereas in eukaryotes mRNA is synthesized and processed in the nucleus, and it is then exported to the cytoplasm. In metazoa and fungi, the different RNA species are exported from the nucleus by specialized pathways. For example, tRNA is exported by exportin-t in a RanGTP-dependent fashion. By contrast, mRNAs are associated to ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) and exported by an essential shuttling complex (TAP-p15 in human, Mex67-mtr2 in yeast) that transports them through the nuclear pore. The different RNA export pathways appear to be well conserved among members of Opisthokonta, the eukaryotic supergroup that includes Fungi and Metazoa. However, it is not known whether RNA export in the other eukaryotic supergroups follows the same export routes as in opisthokonts. Methods: Our objective was to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the different RNA export pathways across eukaryotes. To do so, we screened an array of eukaryotic genomes for the presence of homologs of the proteins involved in RNA export in Metazoa and Fungi, using human and yeast proteins as queries. Results: Our genomic comparisons indicate that the basic components of the RanGTP-dependent RNA pathways are conserved across eukaryotes, and thus we infer that these are traceable to the last eukaryotic common ancestor (LECA). On the other hand, several of the proteins involved in RanGTP-independent mRNA export pathways are less conserved, which would suggest that they represent innovations that appeared later in the evolution of eukaryotes. Conclusions: Our analyses suggest that the LECA possessed the basic components of the different RNA export mechanisms found today in opisthokonts, and that these mechanisms became more specialized throughout eukaryotic evolution

Effects of lutein and chlorophyll b on GSH depletion and DNA damage induced by cisplatin in vivo

Recent studies have proposed the use of low concentrations of phytochemicals and combinations of phytochemicals in chemoprevention to reduce cytotoxicity and simulate normal ingestion through diet. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether the DNA damage, chromosome instability, and oxidative stress induced by cisplatin (cDDP) are modulated by a combination of the natural pigments lutein (LT) and chlorophyll b (CLb). The protective effects observed for synergism between phytochemicals have not been completely investigated. The comet assay and micronucleus test were performed and the catalase activities and glutathione (GSH) concentrations were measured in the peripheral blood, bone marrow, liver, and kidney cells of mice. The comet assay and micronucleus test results revealed that the pigments LT and CLb were not genotoxic or mutagenic and that the pigments presented antigenotoxic and antimutagenic effects in the different cell types evaluated. This protective effect is likely related to antioxidant properties in peripheral blood cells through the prevention of cDDP-induced GSH depletion. Altogether our results show that the combination of LT and CLb, which are both usually present in the same foods, such as leafy green vegetables, can be used safely.32882883

Influência do processo de familiarização para avaliação da força muscular em testes de 1-RM Influencia del proceso de familiarizacion para evaluación de la fuerza muscular en tests de 1-RM Influence of familiarization process on muscular strength assessment in 1-RM tests

Embora testes de uma repetição máxima (1-RM) sejam freqüentemente utilizados para a avaliação da força muscular, acredita-se que os resultados obtidos possam ser afetados pela falta de familiarização prévia, até mesmo em sujeitos com experiência em exercícios com pesos. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi investigar o impacto do processo de familiarização para avaliação da força muscular em testes de 1-RM. Para tanto, 21 homens (24,5 &plusmn; 3,8 anos), aparentemente saudáveis, com experiência prévia de pelo menos seis meses em treinamento com pesos, foram submetidos a testes repetitivos de 1-RM nos exercícios supino em banco horizontal, agachamento e rosca direta de bíceps. Os testes foram executados em quatro sessões, intervaladas a cada 48-72 horas. Um número máximo de três tentativas, com intervalo de três a cinco minutos para recuperação, foi utilizado em cada exercício, nas quatro sessões de testagem. ANOVA para medidas repetidas, seguida pelo teste post hoc de Tukey, quando p < 0,05, foi utilizada para o tratamento dos dados. Aumentos significantes na força muscular (p < 0,01) foram encontrados nos três exercícios analisados entre a primeira e a quarta sessão de familiarização (2,4% no supino em banco horizontal, 3,4% no agachamento e 5,4% na rosca direta de bíceps). Todavia, nenhuma diferença estatisticamente significante foi encontrada entre a segunda e a quarta sessão de familiarização na rosca direta de bíceps (p > 0,05), bem como entre a terceira e a quarta sessão no supino em banco horizontal e no agachamento (p > 0,05). Os resultados indicam que a falta de familiarização prévia com testes de 1-RM pode comprometer a avaliação da força muscular. Portanto, sugere-se, para avaliação mais acurada da força muscular mediante testes de 1-RM, a execução de duas a três sessões de familiarização em homens adultos com experiência em exercícios com pesos.<br>Embora la utilización de tests de una repetición máxima (1-RM) es frecuente para la evaluación de la fuerza muscular, se acredita que los resultados obtenidos puedan ser afectados por la falta de familiarización previa, hasta mismo en sujetos con experiencia en ejercicios con pesos. Asi, el objetivo de este estudio fué investigar el impacto del proceso de familiarización para evaluación de la fuerza muscular en tests de 1-RM. Por lo tanto, 21 hombres (24,5 &plusmn; 3,8 años), aparentemente saludables con experiencia previa de por lo menos seis meses de entrenamiento con pesos, fueron sometidos a tests reptitivos de 1-RM en los ejercicios supino en banco horizontal, agachamiento y rosca directa de bíceps. Los tests fueran ejecutados en cuatro sesiones, intervaladas en cada 48-72 horas. Un número máximo de tres tentativas, con intérvalo de tres a cinco minutos para recuperación, fué utilizado en cada ejercicio, en las cuatro sessiones de testeo. ANOVA se utilizó para medidas repetidas, seguida por el test post hoc de Tukey, cuando p < 0,05, fué utilizada para el tratamiento de los datos. Aumentos significantes en la fuerza muscular (p < 0,01) fueron encontrados los tres ejercicios analizados entre la primera y la cuarta sesión de familiarización (2,4% en supino en banco horizontal, 3,4% en agachamiento y 5,4% en la rosca directa del bíceps). Todavía, ninguna diferencia estadísticamente significativamente fuera encontrada entre la segunda y la cuarta sesión de familiarización en la rosca directa de bíceps (p > 0,05), bien con entre la tercera y la cuarta sesión en el supino en el banco horizontal y en el agachamiento (p > 0,05). Los resultados indican que la falta de familiarización previa con tests de 1-RM puede comprometer la evaluación de la fuerza muscular. Por lo tanto, se sugiere para la evaluación mas acurada de la fuerza muscular mediante tests de 1-RM la ejecución de dos a tres sesiones de familiarización en los hombres adultos con experiencia en ejercicios con pesos.<br>Although the use of maximum repetition tests (1-RM) is frequent for assessment of the muscular strength, one believes that the results obtained may be affected by the lack of previous familiarization, even in skilled subjects in exercises with weights. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the impact of the familiarization process on the muscular strength assessment in 1-RM tests. To do so, 21 men (24.5 &plusmn; 3.8 years of age), apparently healthy and with previous experience of at least six months on weight training, were submitted to repetitive tests of 1-RM in bench press, squat, and arm curl exercises. The tests were performed in four sessions with intervals every 48-72 hours. A maximum number of three attempts with 3-5 minutes interval for recovery was used in each exercise in the four testing sessions. The analysis of variance ANOVA for repeated measures followed by the post hoc Tukey test when p < 0.05 were used for the data treatment. Significant increases on the muscular strength (p < 0.01) were found in the three exercises analyzed between the first and the fourth familiarization session (2.4% in bench press, 3.4% in squat, and 5.4% in the arm curl). However, no statistically significant difference was found between the second and fourth familiarization sessions in the arm curl (p > 0.05) as well as between the third and fourth sessions in the bench press and squat (p > 0.05). The results indicate that the lack of previous familiarization with 1-RM tests may impair the muscular strength evaluation. Therefore, the performance of two to three familiarization sessions in adult men with previous experience with weightlifting is suggested for a more accurate muscular strength assessment by means of the 1-RM tests