Progress in molecular and subcellular biology最新文献

Exposure to ionizing radiation can cause severe skin damage, leading to the development of cutaneous radiation syndrome. Wound healing of radiation-induced skin injuries proceeds in defined phases that depend on the intensity and type of radiation exposure. Skin damage caused by ionizing radiation can occur not only through accidental exposure, as in the case of the Chernobyl disaster, but also during radiotherapy of tumor patients. The extent of cell damage by ionizing radiation is greater in the presence of oxygen ("oxygen-effect"), most likely by the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which cause damage to macromolecules (nucleic acids, proteins, lipoproteins, and polymeric carbohydrate compounds). If DNA lesions are not repaired, cells can die by apoptosis. This chapter describes the application of sensitive high-throughput microplate assays to determine the frequency of single- and double-strand DNA breaks in individuals exposed during cleanup work at the Chernobyl reactor ("liquidators"), in personnel who had worked in the destroyed Unit IV of the reactor, and in radiotherapy patients. In addition, new materials based on chitin-glucan-melanin complexes (ChGMC) and melanin-glucan complexes (MGC) or on the regeneratively active polymer inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) are presented to prevent the induction and accelerate the healing of radiation-induced skin damage.

Wound healing is a highly energy-dependent process. Physiologically, the required metabolic energy is supplied by the blood platelets in the form of inorganic polyphosphate, which serves as a source for the generation of the energy carrier adenosine triphosphate (ATP). However, due to metabolic diseases, circulatory disorders, or bacterial wound infections, this energy supply can be insufficient, leading to the development of chronic wounds that are difficult or impossible to treat with conventional methods. It has been shown that this energy deficiency can be remedied by the topical application of synthetic polyP and amorphous polyP nanoparticles that mimic the natural polymer. Initial studies on patients were successful, as summarized in this chapter. Amorphous calcium carbonate particles stabilized with polyP as a source of soluble calcium have proven to be another promising application form of the polymer alongside polyP and polyP nanoparticles.

Platelets play a crucial role in physiological wound healing, providing the energy required for this highly ATP-dependent repair/regeneration process. The formation of these cell fragments, which accumulate the energy-rich polymer inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) in their dense granules, is described. The possible mechanism of storage of the polyanionic polyP in these organelles together with counterions, particularly calcium and serotonin, which is present as a cation in the acidic interior of the granules, is discussed. Synthetic polyP can be used for wound therapy, either as a soluble sodium salt or as calcium-polyP nanoparticles, which are converted into the metabolically active coacervate at the site of injury. A model based on the Donnan equilibrium is presented that explains the uneven distribution of positive and negative charges within the nanoparticulate and coacervate forms of polyP. Another focus of this chapter is on the central role of the enzyme alkaline phosphatase (ALP), present in wound fluid, in polyP metabolism and the conversion of the chemical energy stored in polyP into the metabolically usable energy of the energy carrier ATP. The mechanism of ALP-catalyzed hydrolytic cleavage of the energy-rich phosphoanhydride bonds of polyP is discussed, as are the subsequent reactions that keep this enzyme running.

Collagen is a biocompatible, biodegradable, and low-immunogenic protein, making it an ideal candidate for regenerative medicine. Due to ethical/religious concerns and the risk of disease transmission from traditional terrestrial mammal sources (bovine/porcine), scientific interest has increasingly shifted toward the vast marine ecosystem as a sustainable and alternative source. This chapter explores the primary applications of marine-derived collagen in wound healing, detailing its unique biochemical and structural characteristics compared to terrestrial collagen. Collagen, a fibrous protein of the extracellular matrix (ECM), is defined by its triple-helix structure, stabilized by hydroxyproline. Marine collagen shows significant diversity between vertebrates (fish) and invertebrates (Porifera, Cnidaria, Mollusca, Annelida, Echinodermata). For instance, fish collagen, though abundant from fishing industry waste, often has lower thermal stability due to a reduced imino acid content. However, specific invertebrate collagens, such as those from sponges (Chondrosia reniformis) or mollusk byssal threads, exhibit unique mechanical properties and surprising thermal resistance. The chapter comprehensively reviews the latest innovative applications using marine collagen (from fish, jellyfish, sponges, and mollusks) or gelatin in scaffolds, films, and bioactive peptides to promote skin regeneration and wound repair. This highlights the vast, unexplored potential of marine biodiversity for developing more efficient and sustainable biomaterials.

Microbial biotechnology has historically relied heavily on bacteria, both in fundamental science and applied research. Their rapid growth capacity, ease of genetic manipulation, and extraordinary metabolic diversity enable them to offer a wide range of applications across all areas of modern biotechnology. Today, model bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas species are at the center of multidimensional research ranging from recombinant protein production to biofuel synthesis, bioremediation, and probiotic therapies. The biotechnological potential of bacteria extends beyond industrial product development to enable the creation of sustainable solutions for global health, food safety, and environmental issues. In the medical field, bacteria serve as cellular factories for the large-scale production of recombinant proteins, including insulin, growth hormones, and monoclonal antibodies. Additionally, bacterial vectors are utilized as platforms in vaccine development and gene therapy applications. Probiotic bacteria are used to regulate the gut microbiota, strengthen the immune system, and prevent infections. In the agricultural sector, bacteria are utilized as biofertilizers, nitrogen-fixing agents (Rhizobium, Azotobacter), and biocontrol agents. They also contribute to reducing chemical fertilizer use by increasing productivity through the production of phytohormones that promote plant growth and by enhancing the availability of nutrients to plants. Bacteria have gained an important place in industrial applications by being used in the production of valuable metabolites such as antibiotics, vitamins, amino acids, and organic acids. With advances in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology, they are also involved in the production of biofuels, biodegradable plastics, and enzymes used in the food and textile industries. In environmental biotechnology, bacteria have a wide range of applications in bioremediation processes. Natural or genetically modified bacteria make important contributions to the degradation or detoxification of petroleum derivatives, heavy metals, and industrial waste. They also play critical roles in wastewater treatment and sustainable environmental management. In conclusion, bacteria serve as biological tools that offer innovative solutions in various areas of biotechnology. Advances in genomics, CRISPR-based gene editing, and systems biology are expanding the biotechnological applications of bacteria, increasing their importance by offering sustainable solutions to global issues such as health, food safety, and environmental protection.

Omics technologies have revolutionized research across diverse fields, and their increasing use in microbiology has provided new opportunities for understanding microbial life. These methods enable detailed investigation of the molecular biology of individual organisms as well as the complex interactions within microbial communities. In this chapter, we describe key single-organism omics approaches, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, as well as meta-omics techniques such as metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metaproteomics, and meta-metabolomics. We also discuss integrative multi-omics strategies for studying microbial ecosystems. For each omics method, we outline its main features, experimental and bioinformatic workflows, major applications, and commonly used computational tools, thereby providing a practical guide for researchers aiming to explore microbial structure, function and interactions at multiple molecular levels.

Inorganic polyphosphate (polyP), a linear polymer of orthophosphoric acid residues, is essential for living cells from bacteria to humans. It forms complexes with metal ions, DNA, and polyhydroxybutyrate. The interaction of polyP with proteins includes polyphosphorylation at lysine and histidine residues, as well as participation in amyloid formation. The enzymes of polyP metabolism are polyfunctional, and their substrates include second messenger compounds and nucleoside phosphates. PolyP is a universal regulatory compound and plays an important role in bone tissue development, thrombosis and inflammation, signal transmission in nerve cells, carcinogenesis, and amyloid formation. PolyP participates in biofilm formation and other processes occurring during the interaction of pathogenic microorganisms with the host. PolyP of the gut microbiome is involved in maintaining intestinal functions. PolyP and the enzymes of its metabolism are promising targets for developing drugs against infections and novel approaches to treat bone, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases.

The convergence of biology, technology, and medicine has revolutionised healthcare, with microbial biotechnology at the forefront. While many microbes are often considered solely for their infectious properties, many are major producers of natural products, including antimicrobials. Now, not only sources of clinically relevant drugs, they are also being directly engineered for advanced applications such as targeted drug delivery, immune modulation, and precision therapeutics. Microorganisms are key sources of novel antimicrobials, immunomodulatory, and anticancer agents, which synthetic biology and genomics mining can exploit. Bioengineering and exploration of underused microbial taxa offer promising solutions to the problem of rising antimicrobial resistance. Microbes also play crucial roles in modern vaccine development, from live attenuated to recombinant antigen production. The human microbiome has emerged as an interesting player in health, driving innovations in diagnostics and therapies that include next-generation probiotics and microbiota transplants. Furthermore, synthetic biology further empowers the design of 'smart' microbes for in situ therapeutic functions like imaging, biosensing, and targeted treatment. While transformative, these innovations also raise critical ethical and regulatory concerns, including biosafety, ecological impact, data privacy, and equitable access. This chapter explores the multifaceted roles of microbes in medical biotechnology-spanning therapeutics, vaccines, microbiome-based interventions, and engineered systems-underscoring their importance in the evolution of sustainable, personalised healthcare.

Bacteria exhibit extraordinary evolutionary and ecological diversity. They range from dominant, well-characterized phyla to rare lineages that are known only through environmental sequencing. This chapter reviews four key bacterial phyla, including Pseudomonadota, Bacillota, Actinomycetota, and Bacteroidota. These phyla are widely distributed, metabolically versatile, and play a central role in ecosystem functioning and human health. We discuss unique phyla within the PVC superphylum (Planctomycetota, Verrucomicrobiota, Chlamydiota) for their unusual cell biology, compartmentalization, and host associations. We also highlight hyperthermophilic phyla, such as Thermotogota, Aquificota, and Thermodesulfobacteriota, that thrive in geothermal ecosystems and drive sulfur and carbon cycling. We consider less-cultivated lineages, including Deinococcota, Acidobacteriota, Nitrospirota, Fusobacteriota, Fibrobacterota, Synergistota, Deferribacterota, and Chrysiogenota, in terms of their ecological niches, metabolic specializations, and roles in biogeochemical cycles, symbiosis, and disease. Collectively, these examples demonstrate the remarkable metabolic flexibility and ecological impact of bacteria, ranging from host-associated commensals and pathogens to free-living autotrophs in extreme environments. Despite advances in genomics and cultivation-independent methods, vast portions of bacterial diversity remain uncultured and poorly understood. Continued exploration of both dominant phyla and rare lineages promises to refine bacterial taxonomy, expand our understanding of microbial evolution, and reveal novel metabolic pathways with implications for ecology, medicine, and biotechnology.