The cowpea weevil (Callosobruchus maculatus) is the main pest that attacks (Vigna unguiculata) seeds during storage, causing nutritional and economic losses in crop. Thus, studies aiming to identify resistant cultivars have been developed. Chitin-binding proteins (CBP), such vicilins chitinases, detected related with toxicity insects. In this work, we investigated presence of chitin-binding par...

Objective(s): The periodic binding of protein expressed by Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv with the host cell receptor molecules i.e. fibronectin (Fn) is gaining significance because of its adhesive properties.  The genome sequencing of M. tuberculosis H37Rv revealed that the proline-glutamic (PE) proteins contain polymorphic GC-rich repetitive sequences (PGRS) which have clinical importance i...

Mutations in the ergosterol biosynthesis gene 11 (ERG11) of Candida albicans have been frequently reported in fluconazole-resistant clinical isolates. Exploring the mutations and their effect could provide new insights into the underlying mechanism of fluconazole resistance.  Erg11p_Threonine285Alanine (Erg11p_THR285ALA), Erg11p_Leucine321Phenylalanine (Erg11p_LEU321PHE) and Erg11p_Serine457Pro...

33 The choroid plexus epithelium forms the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier and 34 accumulates essential minerals and heavy metals. Choroid plexus is cited as being a ‘sink’ for 35 heavy metals and excess minerals, serving to minimize accumulation of these potentially toxic 36 agents in the brain. Understanding of how low doses of contaminant metals might alter transport 37 of other solutes in...

the aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of the population of fez and casablanca in morocco to dry white beans (phaseolus vulgaris) and to investigate the effect of food processing (heat and/or enzymatic hydrolysis by pepsin) on this sensitivity. work was based on a bank consisting of 146 sera from patients with atopic hypersensitivity in order to evaluate specific immunoglobulin e...

The synthesis of phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) by the CDP-choline pathway is under the control of the rate-limiting enzyme CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CCT). Sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs) have been proposed to regulate CCT at the transcriptional level, or via the synthesis of lipid activators or substrates of the CDP-choline pathway. To assess the contributions ...

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) elicits a broad spectrum of species-specific effects that have not yet been fully characterized. This study compares the temporal effects of TCDD on hepatic aqueous and lipid metabolite extracts from immature ovariectomized C57BL/6 mice and Sprague-Dawley rats using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomic a...

BetP is an Na(+)-coupled betaine-specific transporter of the betaine-choline-carnitine (BCC) transporter family involved in the response to hyperosmotic stress. The crystal structure of BetP revealed an overall fold of two inverted structurally related repeats (LeuT-fold) that BetP shares with other sequence-unrelated Na(+)-coupled symporters. Numerous structures of LeuT-fold transporters in di...

Embryonic development in the sea urchin requires trophic actions of the same neurotransmitters that participate in mammalian brain assembly. We evaluated the development of the high-affinity choline transporter, which controls acetylcholine synthesis. A variety of developmental neurotoxicants affect this transporter in mammalian brain. [3H]Hemicholinium-3 binding to the transporter was found in...

Canine cardiac microsomes were shown to incorporate the nitrogenous bases, serine, ethanolamine, and choline, into their respective phospholipids by the energy-independent, Ca2+-stimulated base-exchange reactions. The optimal Ca2+ concentration was 2.5 mM. Metal ions other than Ca2+ either inhibited or had no effect on the activities. La3+ and Mn2+ were both potent inhibitors. The pH optimum fo...