Membrane-associated proteins in giardia lamblia

The manner in which membrane-associated proteins interact with the membrane defines their subcellular fate and function. This interaction relies on the characteristics of the proteins, their journey after synthesis, and their interaction with other proteins or enzymes. Understanding these properties may help to define the function of a protein and also the role of an organelle. In the case of microorganisms like protozoa parasites, it may help to understand singular features that will eventually lead to the design of parasite-specific drugs. The protozoa parasite Giardia lamblia is an example of a widespread parasite that has been infecting humans and animals from ancestral times, adjusting itself to the changes of the environment inside and outside the host. Several membrane-associated proteins have been posted in the genome database GiardiaDB, although only a few of them have been characterized. This review discusses the data regarding membrane-associated proteins in relationship with lipids and specific organelles and their implication in the discovery of anti-giardial therapies.Fil: Touz, Maria Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Feliziani, Constanza. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Ropolo, Andrea Silvana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; Argentin

An improved SPH method for multi-phase simulations

In this work a new SPH model for simulating interface flows is presented. This new model is an extension of the formulation discussed in Colagrossi and Landrini (2003), and shows strong similarities with one proposed by Hu and Adams (2006) to study multiphase flow. The main difference between these two models is that the present formulation allows for simulating multiphase flows together with the presence of a free surface. The new formulation is validated on test cases for which reference solutions are available in literature. A Rayleigh-Taylor instability is first studied. Then, the rise of an air bubble in a water column is investigated. Finally, the model capabilities are illustrated on the case of a drop of a heavy fluid entering a tank filled with water

The giardial VPS35 retromer subunit is necessary for multimeric complex assembly and interaction with the Vacuolar protein sorting receptor

The retromer is a pentameric protein complex that mediates the retrograde transport of acid hydrolase receptors between endosomes and the trans-Golgi network and is conserved across all eukaryotes. Unlike other eukaryotes, the endomembrane system of Giardia trophozoite is simple and is composed only of the endoplasmic reticulum and peripheral vesicles (PVs), which may represent an ancient organellar system converging compartments such as early and late endosomes and lysosomes. Sorting and trafficking of membrane proteins and soluble hydrolases from the endoplasmic reticulum to the PVs have been described as specific and conserved but whether the giardial retromer participates in receptor recycling remains elusive. Homologs of the retromer Vacuolar Protein Sorting (Vps35p, Vps26p, and Vps29p) have been identified in this parasite. Cloning the GlVPS35 subunit and antisera production enabled the localization of this protein in the PVs as well as in the cytosol. Tagged expression of the subunits was used to demonstrate their association with membranes, and immunofluorescence confocal laser scanning revealed high degrees of colabeling between the retromer subunits and also with the endoplasmic reticulum and PV compartment markers. Protein-protein interaction data revealed interaction between the subunits of GlVPS35 and the cytosolic domain of the hydrolase receptor GlVps. Altogether our data provide original information on the molecular interactions that mediate assembly of the cargo-selective retromer subcomplex and its involvement in the recycling of the acid hydrolase receptor in this parasite.Fil: Miras, Silvana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Merino, Maria Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Gottig Schor, Natalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Ropolo, Andrea Silvana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Touz, Maria Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; Argentin

Numerical study of the thermal behavior of a new deicing road structuredesign with energy harvesting capabilities

International audienceFacing the heavy organisational, financial and environmental constraints imposed by usual winter maintenancesalting operations, pavement engineers have been led to look for alternative solutions to avoid ice or snow depositat pavements surface. Among the solutions, one is self-de-icing heating pavements, for which two technologieshave been developed so far: one is based on embedded coils circulating a heated calorific fluid under the pavementsurface; the other one relies on the use of embedded resistant electric wires. The use and operation of such systemsin the world is still limited and was only confined to small road stretches or specific applications, such as bridgeswhich are particularly sensitive to frost. One of the most significant “coil technology” example in Europe is theSERSO-System (Solar Energy recovery from road surfaces) built in 1994, on a Switzerland bridge. Many ofthese experiences are referenced in the technical literature, which provides state-of-the art papers (see for instanceEugster) and useful detailed information dealing with the construction and operational management of suchinstallation.The present study is taking part of the Forever Open Road Concept addressed by the R5G: 5th Generation Road, one of the major project supported by IFSTTAR. It considers a different design of self-de-icing road thatsimplify its mode of construction and maintenance, compared to the two technologies mentioned above. It shouldalso be noted that similar to pavements instrumented with coils, such structure could be used in the reversible wayto capture the solar energy at the pavement surface during sunny days and store it, to either warm the pavementat a later stage or for exogenous needs (e.g. contribution to domestic hot water). To complete our study we alsoconsidered the use of semi-transparent pavement course wearing in place of the traditional opaque one.In the present study, a 2D model was developed using FEM approach. It combines 2 numerical models. Oneis dedicated to the calculation of the heat transfer inside the porous layer between the fluid and the structureaccording to the geometry studied and the physical properties of the components of the system. The second oneaddresses the heat transfer inside the different layer of the pavement and was adapted to allow the insertion of asemi-transparent surface layer (for sun radiation). The temperature spatial distribution within the structure and itssurface is calculated at different time step according to the evolution of boundary conditions at its surface. Variouslocation in France were selected and calculation of the temperature field was carried-out over a year. Discussionon the performances of such system versus its location is proposed. Influence of a semi-transparent layer is alsodiscussed. Future works will compared numerical simulations with experiments thank to a dedicated test benchunder development and that will allow to test various structure in parallel

Multi-physics fem model of solar hybrid roads for energy harvesting performance evaluation in presence of semi-transparent or opaque pavement surface layer

IHTC 2018, 16th International Heat Transfer Conference, Beijing, CHINE, 10-/08/2018 - 15/08/2018We present in this paper the concept of solar hybrid road and focus on the thermal performances of such system. Main differences between these multi-layer structures with traditional road structures come from the pavement surface, which can be opaque or semi-transparent and the porous sub-layer, submitted to fluid flow. These structures aim at collecting solar energy during the summer season, what helps also to prevent from a too high temperature and urban heat island effect. A finite element model is presented to couple thermal diffusion, hydraulic convection and radiative transfer. This numerical model allows to compute the temperature field for different weather conditions and also to evaluate the thermal performances of the system. Annual simulations are performed and a comparison between two surface layer solutions for different locations and climates is presented and discussed

Infrared thermography applied to the study of heated and solar pavement: from numerical modeling to small scale laboratory experiments

International audienceThe present study addresses the thermal behaviour of a modified pavement structure to prevent icing at its surface in adverse winter time conditions or overheating in hot summer conditions. First a multi-physic model based on finite elements method was built to predict the evolution of the surface temperature. In a second time, laboratory experiments on small specimen were carried out and the surface temperature was monitored by infrared thermography. Results obtained are analyzed and performances of the numerical model for real scale outdoor application are discussed. Finally conclusion and perspectives are proposed

Solar hybrid road: from concept to modeling and lab scale mock-up experiments

International audience; We present in this paper the concept of solar hybrid road and the numerical model studied and develop to compute its thermal state at any time step. The aim of these new structures is to collect part of the solar radiation during the summer period, to prevent from icing at the surface during the winter period. As it is reversible, it will help also to prevent from a too high structure temperature (in particular closed to the surface) in summer season. Two types of modifications, compared to traditional structures are presented. The first one concerns the insertion of a porous layer allowing a heat fluid to exchange thermal energy. The second one concerns the use of a semi-transparent material at pavement surface allowing the solar radiation to penetrate deeper in the structure. The numerical model of this multi-physics problem develop with the finite element method is presented and discussed. A validation on two test cases is proposed. First results on energy harvesting evaluation for few locations (i.e. climatic conditions) in France are presented and discussed. Finally, conclusion and perspectives are proposed. Document type: Conference objec

Receptor-mediated endocytosis and trafficking between endosomal–lysosomal vacuoles in Giardia lamblia

The early branching Giardia lamblia has highly polarized vacuoles, located underneath the plasma membrane, which have at least some of the characteristics of endosomes and of lysosomes. These peripheral vacuoles (PVs) are necessary for nutrient uptake and the maintenance of plasma membrane composition, but whether they carry out sorting and segregation of receptors and ligands is a matter of debate. Here, we showed that the internalization of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to the PVs is highly dynamic in trophozoites with a rate similar to the internalization of the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1. Moreover, by analyzing receptor-mediated and fluid-phase endocytosis in living cells, we showed that after endocytosis LDL but not dextran moved laterally between the PVs. We speculate on PV functional heterogeneity and maturation in this parasite.Fil: Rivero, Maria Romina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Jausoro, Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Bisbal, Mariano. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Feliziani, Constanza. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Lanfredi Rangel, Adriana. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Serviço de Microscopia Eletrônica; BrasilFil: Touz, Maria Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; Argentin

A Lesson in Survival, by Giardia lamblia

In the relationships between host and parasites, there is a cross-talk that involves diverse mechanisms developed by two different genetic systems during years of evolution. On the one hand, immunocompetent hosts have developed effective innate and acquired immune responses that are used to restrict or avoid parasitism. On the other hand, parasites evade the immune response, expressing different antigens on their surface or by using other specific mechanisms, such as nutrient depletion. In this review, we analyze the survival mechanisms used by the protozoan parasite Giardia lamblia during infection. In particular, we examine the multiple roles played by the enzyme arginine deiminase during colonization of the gut, also involving the parasite's mechanism of antigenic variation. Potential drug targets for the treatment of giardiasis are also discussed