We determined whether the presence of phosphatidylserine (PS) in the outer membrane leaflet of human tumor cells correlated with their recognition by activated human monocytes. Three tumorigenic cell lines, A375 melanoma and A431 and Colo-16 carcinomas, and a normal human epidermal keratinocyte line (NHEK) were incubated with monocytes activated to the tumoricidal state by T-interferon and lipo...

We determined whether the presence of phosphatidylserine (PS) in the outer membrane leaflet of human tumor cells correlated with their recognition by activated human monocytes. Three tumorigenic cell lines, A375 melanoma and A431 and Colo-16 carcinomas, and a normal human epidermal keratinocyte line (NHEK) were incubated with monocytes activated to the tumoricidal state by T-interferon and lipo...

The Drosophila position-specific (PS) antigens are homologues of the vertebrate integrins, a family of transmembrane proteins that function in cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion. The common beta subunit of PS integrins (PS beta) is encoded by the lethal(l)myospheroid gene (mys) and is required during wing, eye and muscle development. By expressing PS beta protein at defined developmental period...

Working in the cell membrane milieu, phosphatidylserine (PS) is a nutrient that supports membrane proteins crucial for homeostasis, maintenance, and specialized cell functions. PS is found most concentrated in the brain, where its relative abundance reflects its involvement in specialized nerve cell functions such as chemical transmitter production and release, receptor action, and synaptic act...

Neurexins are a large family of neuronal plasma membrane proteins, which function as trans-synaptic receptors during synaptic differentiation. The binding of presynaptic neurexins to postsynaptic partners, such as neuroligins, has been proposed to participate in a signaling pathway that regulates synapse formation/stabilization. The identification of mutations in neurexin genes associated with ...

AIMS Evaluation of the cellular effects of Origanum compactum essential oil on Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213. METHODS AND RESULTS The damage induced by O. compactum essential oil on these two strains has been studied using different techniques: plate count, potassium leakage, flow cytometry (FC) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results s...

Endocytic sorting is achieved through the formation of morphologically and functionally distinct sub-domains within early endosomes. Cargoes destined for recycling are sorted to and transported through newly-formed tubular membranes, but the processes that regulate membrane tubulation are poorly understood. Here, we identified a novel Caenorhabditis elegans Cdc50 family protein, CHAT-1, which a...

The cytotoxic properties of cytotoxins (CTs) from snake venom are mediated by their interaction with the cell membrane. The hydrophobic pattern containing the tips of loops I-III and flanked by polar residues is known to be a membrane-binding motif of CTs. However, this is not enough to explain the difference in activity among various CTs which are similar in sequence and in 3D structure. The m...

Cells of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus 6301 were grown under illumination whose spectral composition favoured absorption either by the phycobilisome (PBS) light-harvesting antenna of photosystem II (PS II) or by the chlorophyll (Chi) a light-harvesting antenna of photosystem I (PS I). Cells grown under PS I-light developed relatively high PS II/PS I and PBS/Chl ratios. Cells grown under PS I...

Abstract Background and Aims The lifespan of erythrocytes in patients with renal anemia is shortened (∼70 days) compared to that healthy (120 days), but the pathological mechanisms causes are unclear. Senescent express phosphatidylserine (PS) on their outer membrane, which a signal for being removed by macrophages. PS localization cellular membrane mainly regulated two transporters: flippases s...