Protein evolution of ANTP and PRD homeobox genes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although homeobox genes have been the subject of many studies, little is known about the main amino acid changes that occurred early in the evolution of genes belonging to different classes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this study, we report a method for the fast and efficient retrieval of sequences belonging to the ANTP (HOXL and NKL) and PRD classes. Furthermore, we look for diagnostic amino acid residues that can be used to distinguish HOXL, NKL and PRD genes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The reported protein features will facilitate the robust classification of homeobox genes from newly sequenced bilaterian genomes. Nevertheless, in non-bilaterian genomes our findings must be cautiously applied. In principle, as long as a good manually curated data set is available the approach here described can be applied to non-bilaterian organisms as well. Our results help focus experimental studies onto investigating the biochemical functions of key homeodomain residues in different gene classes.</p

Redes de inovação na indústria têxtil e de vestuário em Portugal

Ao nível empresarial, Portugal é caracterizado por uma forte representatividade de Pequenas e Médias Empresas (PMEs) com um papel essencial no desenvolvimento do país e da economia. A crise política e económica atual obriga as empresas a procurarem soluções sólidas, de forma a destacarem-se num mercado cada vez mais competitivo e exigente. As oportunidades que o mercado atual apresenta são escassas e é necessário que as empresas consigam evoluir e inovar, de forma a responder às necessidades dos clientes, que são cada vez mais exigentes. Uma cultura de abertura com definição de parcerias com elementos externos traduz-se numa maior capacidade de inovação e sucesso. Este projeto de investigação pretende contribuir para esta temática, no sentido de perceber como a Indústria Têxtil e de Vestuário em Portugal utiliza as suas redes de inovação no sucesso e desempenho das suas atividades de inovação, uma vez que esta indústria retrata uma indústria diversificada de transformação de variadas matérias-primas em produtos cada vez mais personalizados

Genetic and molecular characterization of three novel S-haplotypes in sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.)

Tetraploid sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) exhibits gametophytic self-incompatibility (GSI) whereby the specificity of self-pollen rejection is controlled by alleles of the stylar and pollen specificity genes, S-RNase and SFB (S haplotype-specific F-box protein gene), respectively. As sour cherry selections can be either self-compatible (SC) or self-incompatible (SI), polyploidy per se does not result in SC. Instead the genotype-dependent loss of SI in sour cherry is due to the accumulation of non-functional S-haplotypes. The presence of two or more non-functional S-haplotypes within sour cherry 2x pollen renders that pollen SC. Two new S-haplotypes from sour cherry, S33 and S34, that are presumed to be contributed by the P. fruticosa species parent, the complete S-RNase and SFB sequences of a third S-haplotype, S35, plus the presence of two previously identified sweet cherry S-haplotypes, S14 and S16 are described here. Genetic segregation data demonstrated that the S16-, S33-, S34-, and S35-haplotypes present in sour cherry are fully functional. This result is consistent with our previous finding that ‘hetero-allelic’ pollen is incompatible in sour cherry. Phylogenetic analyses of the SFB and S-RNase sequences from available Prunus species reveal that the relationships among S-haplotypes show no correspondence to known organismal relationships at any taxonomic level within Prunus, indicating that polymorphisms at the S-locus have been maintained throughout the evolution of the genus. Furthermore, the phylogenetic relationships among SFB sequences are generally incongruent with those among S-RNase sequences for the same S-haplotypes. Hypotheses compatible with these results are discussed

Programas de apoio institucional ao empreendedorismo: a experiência da Universidade do Minho

Em muitos países tem sido feito um esforço significativo no sentido de promover o empreendedorismo. As universidades, dado o seu potencial de conhecimento e pesquisa, têm implementado programas de incentivo ao empreendedorismo, nomeadamente com a criação de gabinetes de transferência tecnológica, incubadoras, centros de empreendedorismo ou a criação de fundos internos para estimular a aplicação de patentes, licenciamento e criação de spin-offs. A Universidade do Minho, um dos exemplos na região norte do país, tem em funcionamento um laboratório de ideias de negócio, designado por IdeaLab, que apoia a geração e o desenvolvimento de ideias de negócio de base tecnológica e/ou conhecimento intensivo

Comportamento ético e trabalho em equipa: estudo comparativo entre Portugal e Brasil

Cada vez mais o exercício profissional do Engenheiro de Produção / Gestão Industrial exige o aprimoramento de competências que vão além daquelas simplesmente técnicas. A velocidade requerida nas respostas aos clientes, aos fornecedores e a todos os demais interessados exige que as empresas disponham de profissionais com competência para resolver prontamente diversos tipos de problemas. Com muita frequência e em grande quantidade, esses problemas se caracterizam por conflitos oriundos de ruídos de comunicação, diferenças culturais, idiomas, desconhecimento das actividades, dentre outros. Além destes problemas básicos de gestão, em muitos casos, são ainda acrescidos os problemas éticos e de relacionamento. Considerando que a Universidade tem a missão de capacitar o profissional tecnicamente, nas diversas áreas do conhecimento, entende-se que a mesma deva também proporcionar-lhes uma capacitação mais abrangente, incluindo disciplinas e/ou actividades capazes de atender melhor às demandas sociais e comportamentais. No presente trabalho pretende-se apresentar uma discussão sobre algumas práticas já realizadas na Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), com vistas a uma pesquisa sobre o comportamento ético e a disposição para trabalho em equipa dos estudantes de engenharia na Universidade do Minho

SEDA: a desktop tool suite for FASTA files processing

SEDA (SEquence DAtaset builder) is a multiplatform desktop application for the manipulation of FASTA files containing DNA or protein sequences. The convenient graphical user interface gives access to a collection of simple (filtering, sorting, or file reformatting, among others) and advanced (BLAST searching, protein domain annotation, gene annotation, and sequence alignment) utilities not present in similar applications, which eases the work of life science researchers working with DNA and/or protein sequences, especially those who have no programming skills. This paper presents general guidelines on how to build efficient data handling protocols using SEDA, as well as practical examples on how to prepare high-quality datasets for single gene phylogenetic studies, the characterization of protein families, or phylogenomic studies. The user-friendliness of SEDA also relies on two important features: (i) the availability of easy-to-install distributable versions and installers of SEDA, including a Docker image for Linux, and (ii) the facility with which users can manage large datasets. SEDA is open-source, with GNU General Public License v3.0 license, and publicly available at GitHub (https://github.com/sing-group/seda). SEDA installers and documentation are available at https://www. sing-group.org/seda/.Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431C2018/55-GRCFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia | Ref. UIDB/04293/202

Multiple independent L-gulonolactone oxidase (GULO) gene losses and vitamin C synthesis reacquisition events in non-Deuterostomian animal species

Background: L-ascorbate (Vitamin C) is an important antioxidant and co-factor in eukaryotic cells, and in mammals it is indispensable for brain development and cognitive function. Vertebrates usually become L-ascorbate auxothrophs when the last enzyme of the synthetic pathway, an L-gulonolactone oxidase (GULO), is lost. Since Protostomes were until recently thought not to have a GULO gene, they were considered to be auxothrophs for Vitamin C. Results: By performing phylogenetic analyses with tens of non-Bilateria and Protostomian genomes, it is shown, that a GULO gene is present in the non-Bilateria Placozoa, Myxozoa (here reported for the first time) and Anthozoa groups, and in Protostomians, in the Araneae family, the Gastropoda class, the Acari subclass (here reported for the first time), and the Priapulida, Annelida (here reported for the first time) and Brachiopoda phyla lineages. GULO is an old gene that predates the separation of Animals and Fungi, although it could be much older. We also show that within Protostomes, GULO has been lost multiple times in large taxonomic groups, namely the Pancrustacea, Nematoda, Platyhelminthes and Bivalvia groups, a pattern similar to that reported for Vertebrate species. Nevertheless, we show that Drosophila melanogaster seems to be capable of synthesizing L-ascorbate, likely through an alternative pathway, as recently reported for Caenorhabditis elegans. Conclusions: Non-Bilaterian and Protostomians seem to be able to synthesize Vitamin C either through the conventional animal pathway or an alternative pathway, but in this animal group, not being able to synthesize L-ascorbate seems to be the exception rather than the ruleXunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431C2018/55-GRCNorte 2020 y FEDER | Ref. Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000008Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED481B 2016/068–

ATXN1 N-terminal region explains the binding differences of wild-type and expanded forms

Background Wild-type (wt) polyglutamine (polyQ) regions are implicated in stabilization of protein-protein interactions (PPI). Pathological polyQ expansion, such as that in human Ataxin-1 (ATXN1), that causes spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), results in abnormal PPI. For ATXN1 a larger number of interactors has been reported for the expanded (82Q) than the wt (29Q) protein. Methods To understand how the expanded polyQ affects PPI, protein structures were predicted for wt and expanded ATXN1, as well as, for 71 ATXN1 interactors. Then, the binding surfaces of wt and expanded ATXN1 with the reported interactors were inferred. Results Our data supports that the polyQ expansion alters the ATXN1 conformation and that it enhances the strength of interaction with ATXN1 partners. For both ATXN1 variants, the number of residues at the predicted binding interface are greater after the polyQ, mainly due to the AXH domain. Moreover, the difference in the interaction strength of the ATXN1 variants was due to an increase in the number of interactions at the N-terminal region, before the polyQ, for the expanded form. Conclusions There are three regions at the AXH domain that are essential for ATXN1 PPI. The N-terminal region is responsible for the strength of the PPI with the ATXN1 variants. How the predicted motifs in this region affect PPI is discussed, in the context of ATXN1 post-transcriptional modifications.Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED481B 2016/068–0Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431C2018/55-GRCFEDER | Ref. Norte-01-0145-FEDER-00000

Educação e produtividade na Euroregiao Galiza-Norte de Portugal, 1995-2002

The progress, the growth and the development are concepts related to the intrinsic qualities of the existing productive factors, either in the regional or national perspective. Therefore, the theory of the human capital launches the idea that low levels of scholarship do not show great profits per capita, nor glimpses significant incremental improvements in the performance of the people. In this study it is analyzed the school qualifications of the active population by sector of economic activity and the gross value added of the Euroregion Galiza - North of Portugal. With particular incidence, labour productivity index are focussed, in an input-output analysis perspective of the productive process, during 1995-2002 period.B913-0565-0908 | Elvira Vieirainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio