Ethanol stress (10% v/v) causes selective mRNA export in Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a similar manner to heat shock (42 degrees C). Bulk poly(A)(+) mRNA accumulates in the nucleus, whereas heat shock protein mRNA is exported under such conditions. Here we investigated the effects of stress on mRNA export factors. In cells treated with ethanol stress, the DEAD box protein Rat8p showed a rapid an...

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is able to accumulate ≥17% ethanol (v/v) by fermentation in the absence of cell proliferation. The genetic basis of this unique capacity is unknown. Up to now, all research has focused on tolerance of yeast cell proliferation to high ethanol levels. Comparison of maximal ethanol accumulation capacity and ethanol tolerance of cell proliferation in 68 yeast stra...

Long-term alcohol exposure may lead to development of alcohol dependence in consequence of altered neurotransmitter functions. Accumulating evidence suggests that the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) type of glutamate receptors is a particularly important site of ethanol's action. Several studies showed that ethanol potently inhibits NMDA receptors (NMDARs) and prolonged ethanol exposition leads to ...

BACKGROUND Prenatal exposure to ethanol and later socially mediated exposure predicts ethanol intake in human adolescents. Animal rat models indicate that brief interactions with an ethanol-intoxicated peer result in heightened preference for ethanol odor and ethanol intake. METHODS This study assessed preference for ethanol odor in adolescent male rats (observers) following social interactio...

The Freundlich model was evaluated for use to assess the effect of heat on the adsorption capacity of an activated carbon for decolorizing/deodorizing corn zein. Because zein protein and its color/odor components are all adsorbed by activated carbon, a method to monitor their removal was needed. Yellow color is due to xanthophylls; a contributor to off-odor is diferuloylputrescine. The off-odor...

In insects, the search for food is highly dependent on olfactory sensory input. Here, we investigated whether a single key odorant within an odor blend or the complexity of the odor blend influences the attraction of Drosophila melanogaster to a food source. A key odorant is defined as an odorant that elicits a difference in the behavioral response when two similar complex odor blends are offer...

Surprisingly little is known about the effects of big-city air pollution on olfactory function and even less about its effects on the intranasal trigeminal system, which elicits sensations like burning, stinging, pungent, or fresh and contributes to the overall chemosensory experience. Using the Sniffin' Sticks olfactory test battery and an established test for intranasal trigeminal perception,...