179 research outputs found
Modular evolution of domain repeat proteins. Metal-binding and domain repeats of Metallothioneins in molluscs and chordates
[eng] Proteins are composed of domains, a well-defined region within a protein that constitutes a stable, independently folding, compact structural unit, and that usually performs a specific function. During protein evolution, domains have been used as a ‘modules’, and the vast majority of the current proteins show a modular organization in which two or more domains are combined. While the creation of multi-domain proteins through shuffling different domains has been studied extensively, the evolution of proteins made of tandem repeats of a same domain has been less investigated. It is known, for instance, that the fraction of proteins with domain repeats is higher in multicellular organisms than in unicellular organisms, or that proteins with domain repeats seem to be related with stress response functions or with the acquisition of high yielding capacity, but the origin, the genetic mechanisms and the evolutionary forces controlling the expansion of domains repeats in modular proteins are still poorly understood.
To investigate the functional and structural evolution of modular proteins with domain repeats, we have chosen the Metallothioneins (MTs) as a case study. MTs are present across all the tree of life and due to their metal-binding ability have been involved in metal homeostasis and detoxification of many organisms. They are modular cysteine-rich proteins that bind metal ions through functionally and structurally independent domains that form metal-thiolate clusters. Many MTs are bi-modular proteins made of a tandem repetition of two similar (although not identical) metal-binding domains. There also are large multi-modular MTs that have expanded the number of their domain repeats, and therefore, their metal-binding capacity. Studying the evolution of metallothionein domains in several phyla can help us to understand, at some level, the evolvability of organisms to adapt to new environmental conditions. In our studies we have identified, analysed, characterized and compared many MTs from different groups of selected organisms (chordates and molluscs) in order to study their domain composition and arrangement, and to untangle the evolution of their modular organization.[spa] Las proteínas están compuestas por dominios, una región bien definida dentro de una proteína que constituye una unidad estructural compacta, estable y que se pliega independientemente, y que normalmente realiza una función específica. Durante la evolución de las proteínas, los dominios se han utilizado como "módulos", y la gran mayoría de las proteínas actuales muestran una organización modular en la que se combinan dos o más dominios. Si bien la creación de proteínas de múltiples dominios mediante la combinación aleatoria de diferentes dominios se ha estudiado ampliamente, la evolución de proteínas compuestas de repeticiones en tándem de un mismo dominio se ha investigado menos. Se sabe, por ejemplo, que la fracción de proteínas con dominios repetidos es mayor en organismos multicelulares que en organismos unicelulares, o que las proteínas con dominios repetidos parecen estar relacionadas con funciones de respuesta al estrés o con la adquisición de una alta capacidad productiva, pero el origen, los mecanismos genéticos y las fuerzas evolutivas que controlan la expansión de las repeticiones de dominios en las proteínas modulares aún son poco conocidos.
Para investigar la evolución funcional y estructural de las proteínas modulares con dominio repetido, hemos elegido las metalotioneínas (MT) como caso de estudio. Los MT están presentes en todo el árbol de la vida y, debido a su capacidad de unión a metales, han estado involucrados en la homeostasis de metales y la desintoxicación de muchos organismos. Son proteínas modulares ricas en cisteína que se unen a iones metálicos a través de dominios funcional y estructuralmente independientes que forman grupos de tiolatos metálicos. Muchos MT son proteínas bimodulares hechas de una repetición en tándem de dos dominios de unión a metales similares (aunque no idénticos). También hay grandes MT multimodulares que han ampliado el número de repeticiones de su dominio y, por lo tanto, su capacidad de unión a metales. El estudio de la evolución de los dominios de las metalotioneínas en varios filos puede ayudarnos a comprender, hasta cierto punto, la capacidad de evolución de los organismos para adaptarse a nuevas condiciones ambientales. En nuestros estudios hemos identificado, analizado, caracterizado y comparado muchos MT de diferentes grupos de organismos seleccionados (cordados y moluscos) para estudiar la composición y disposición de sus dominios y desentrañar la evolución de su organización modular
Storytelling en el aula de inglés de Educación Infantil
Este Trabajo Final de Grado, pretende mostrar información acerca del uso de la
herramienta de storytelling en el aula de inglés en Educación Infantil debido a que es muy
importante que proporcionemos una base para el aprendizaje de la lengua inglesa en las
etapas tempranas para un mejor desarrollo posterior. Es fundamental que utilicemos
herramientas de este tipo no solamente para incentivar en los alumnos el hábito a la
lectura, sino también para motivarles en el aprendizaje de la lengua inglesa. Además,
storytelling permite el desarrollo de las distintas habilidades lingüísticas, a través de
distintas fases: primero la escucha, luego la repetición y, finalmente, la producción oral,
a través de un input comprensible y natural para los alumnos en estas edades.Aquest Treball Final de Grau, pretén mostrar informació sobre l'ús de l'eina de storytelling
a l'aula d'anglés en Educació Infantil pel fet que és molt important que proporcionem una
base per a l'aprenentatge de la llengua anglesa en les etapes primerenques per a un millor
desenvolupament posterior. És fonamental que utilitzem eines d'aquest tipus no solament
per a incentivar en els alumnes l'hàbit a la lectura, sinó també per a motivar-los en
l'aprenentatge de la llengua anglesa. A més, storytelling permet el desenvolupament de
les diferents habilitats lingüístiques, a través de diferents fases: primer l'escolta, després
la repetició i, finalment, la producció oral, a través d'un input comprensible i natural per
als alumnes en aquestes edats.This End of Degree Paper aims to provide information about the use of the storytelling
tool in the English classroom in Early Childhood Education because it is very important
that we provide a basis for learning the English language in the early stages for better
later development. It is essential for Pre-Primary teachers to use this type of educational
tools not just to encourage children's reading habits, but also to motivate them in the
English language learning. In addition, storytelling allows children to encourage the
development of different language skills, through different stages: listening first, then
repetition and finally short speaking production, thanks to the necessary comprehensible,
natural input for children at that age.Educació
Análisis de Sentimientos del proceso de vacunación en España durante las diferentes olas del COVID-19
La pandemia del COVID-19 ha supuesto un impacto económico y social sin precedentes, implicando un retroceso en todos los ámbitos de la sociedad española desde marzo de 2020 hasta la actualidad. Las emociones experimentadas por los usuarios españoles compartidas en Twitter sobre el proceso de vacunación durante cada una de las olas vividas, se han visto reflejadas en este trabajo a través de un análisis de sentimientos. Conuna muestra de 101.286 tuits, se ha realizado un estudio cuantitativo extrayendoinformación subjetiva a partir de un examen de la polaridad emocional, distinguiendo las connotaciones del lenguaje utilizado entre positivas y negativas. Una vez clasificadas estas sensaciones, se han comparado durante las diferentes olas observando en gráficos, cómo ha afectado la pandemia a los pensamientos y actitudes de la población. En concreto, se ha analizado la evolución de las emociones más representativas, concluyendoque los sentimientos positivos han predominado frente a los negativos, debido a la propuesta de desescalada por parte del gobierno, el inicio de la estrategia de vacunación y su posterior ampliación. Este estudio puede ayudar a evaluar el estado de ánimo de los ciudadanos y calibrar el apoyo social a las políticas orientadas a mitigar los efectos de la pandemia.<br /
GB_SynP: A Modular dCas9-Regulated Synthetic Promoter Collection for Fine-Tuned Recombinant Gene Expressionin Plants
[EN] Programmable transcriptional factors based on the CRISPR architecture are becoming commonly used in plants for endogenous gene regulation. In plants, a potent CRISPR tool for gene induction is the so-called dCasEV2.1 activation system, which has shown remarkable genome-wide specificity combined with a strong activation capacity. To explore the ability of dCasEV2.1 to act as a transactivator for orthogonal synthetic promoters, a collection of DNA parts was created (GB_SynP) for combinatorial synthetic promoter building. The collection includes (i) minimal promoter parts with the TATA box and 5'UTR regions, (ii) proximal parts containing single or multiple copies of the target sequence for the gRNA, thus functioning as regulatory cis boxes, and (iii) sequence-randomized distal parts that ensure the adequate length of the resulting promoter. A total of 35 promoters were assembled using the GB_SynP collection, showing in all cases minimal background and predictable activation levels depending on the proximal parts used. GB_SynP was also employed in a combinatorial expression analysis of an autoluminescence pathway in Nicotiana benthamiana, showing the value of this tool in extracting important biological information such as the determination of the limiting steps in an enzymatic pathway.This work was funded by Era-CoBiotech SUSPHIRE (PCI2018-092893) and PID2019-108203RB-I00 Plan Nacional I+D, Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. E.M.-G. and S.S. acknowledge support by a FPU (FPU18/02019) and a FPI (BIO2016-78601-R) H2020 Research Program: 760331 Newcotiana fellowships, respectively, from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. C.C. acknowledges support by a FPI-UPV (PAID-01-20) fellowship from Universitat Politecnica de Valencia. The authors would like to thank Dr. Lynne Yenush for her assistance with the manuscript preparation.Moreno-Giménez, E.; Selma, S.; Calvache-Román, CA.; Orzáez Calatayud, DV. (2022). GB_SynP: A Modular dCas9-Regulated Synthetic Promoter Collection for Fine-Tuned Recombinant Gene Expressionin Plants. ACS Synthetic Biology. 11(9):3037-3048. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssynbio.2c002383037304811
Indirect sinus lift without bone graft material: systematic review and meta-analysis
A systematic literature review and a meta-analysis of indirect sinus lift without the use of bone graft material was
performed. A PubMed search was made from January 2005 to January 2012 with keywords:
“sinus lift”
,
“osteo-tome”
,
“graft”
and
“maxillary sinus elevation”
. The inclusion criteria were: maxillary sinus lift technique with
osteotomes with a minimum follow-up period of 5 months after surgery without bone graft material.
11 articles were included. The mean gain in residual crestal bone height after maxillary sinus lift without bone
graft material was 3,43 mm ± 0,09 (2,5 mm – 4,4 mm). The survival rate ranged from 94% to 100%. Placement of
implants with sinus lift without bone graft material, is a valid surgical technique to gain residual crestal height and
placed implants in an atrophic posterior maxillary with a crestal height from 5 to 9 m
Two unconventional Metallothioneins in the apple snail Pomacea Bridgesii have lost their metal specificity during adaptation to freshwater habitats
Metallothioneins (MTs) are a diverse group of proteins responsible for the control of metal homeostasis and detoxification. To investigate the impact that environmental conditions might have had on the metal-binding abilities of these proteins, we have characterized the MTs from the apple snail Pomacea bridgesii, a gastropod species belonging to the class of Caenogastropoda with an amphibious lifestyle facing diverse situations of metal bioavailability. P. bridgesii has two structurally divergent MTs, named PbrMT1 and PbrMT2, that are longer than other gastropod MTs due to the presence of extra sequence motifs and metal-binding domains. We have characterized the Zn(II), Cd(II), and Cu(I) binding abilities of these two MTs after their heterologous expression in E. coli. Our results have revealed that despite their structural differences, both MTs share an unspecific metal-binding character, and a great ability to cope with elevated amounts of different metal ions. Our analyses have also revealed slight divergences in their metal-binding features: PbrMT1 shows a more pronounced Zn(II)-thionein character than PbrMT2, while the latter has a stronger Cu(I)-thionein character. The characterization of these two unconventional PbrMTs supports the loss of the metal-binding specificity during the evolution of the MTs of the Ampullariid family, and further suggests an evolutionary link of this loss with the adaptation of these gastropod lineages to metal-poor freshwater habitats
Modular Evolution and Population Variability of Oikopleura dioica Metallothioneins
Chordate Oikopleura dioica probably is the fastest evolving metazoan reported so far, and thereby, a suitable system in which to explore the limits of evolutionary processes. For this reason, and in order to gain new insights on the evolution of protein modularity, we have investigated the organization, function and evolution of multi-modular metallothionein (MT) proteins in O. dioica. MTs are a heterogeneous group of modular proteins defined by their cysteine (C)-rich domains, which confer the capacity of coordinating different transition metal ions. O. dioica has two MTs, a bi-modular OdiMT1 consisting of two domains (t-12C and 12C), and a multi-modular OdiMT2 with six t-12C/12C repeats. By means of mass spectrometry and spectroscopy of metal-protein complexes, we have shown that the 12C domain is able to autonomously bind four divalent metal ions, although the t-12C/12C pair -as it is found in OdiMT1- is the optimized unit for divalent metal binding. We have also shown a direct relationship between the number of the t-12C/12C repeats and the metal-binding capacity of the MTs, which means a stepwise mode of functional and structural evolution for OdiMT2. Finally, after analyzing four different O. dioica populations worldwide distributed, we have detected several OdiMT2 variants with changes in their number of t-12C/12C domain repeats. This finding reveals that the number of repeats fluctuates between current O. dioica populations, which provides a new perspective on the evolution of domain repeat proteins
Piconewton Mechanical Forces Promote Neurite Growth
Investigations over half a century have indicated that mechanical forces induce neurite growth, with neurites elongating at a rate of 0.1–0.3 μm h−1 pN−1 when mechanical force exceeds a threshold, with this being identified as 400–1000 pN for neurites of PC12 cells. In this article, we demonstrate that neurite elongation of PC12 cells proceeds at the same previously identified rate on application of mechanical tension of ∼1 pN, which is significantly lower than the force generated in vivo by axons and growth cones. This observation raises the possibility that mechanical tension may act as an endogenous signal used by neurons for promoting neurite elongation
Castillos de los Serranos : Chulilla, Gestalgar y Domeño
Calatayud Giner, S.; Ramos Albiñana, M.; Moreno Gutiérrez, S. (2011). Castillos de los Serranos : Chulilla, Gestalgar y Domeño. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/12637.Archivo delegad
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