Biologia futura最新文献

Antibiotic resistance, driven by the misuse of antibiotics and the slow pace of new drug development, has led to a global rise in multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRB), posing a major public health challenge. Host-directed therapies that enhance innate immune responses offer promising alternatives to traditional antibiotics. This review focuses on the central role of the PI3K/PKB (Akt) signaling pathway in phagocytosis and bacterial inactivation across both primitive phagocytes, such as Dictyostelium discoideum, and mammalian immune cells. In Dictyostelium, PI3K/PKB signaling coordinates the maturation of phagosomes and the fusion of phagolysosomes, processes essential for bacterial killing. Similarly, in immune cells, this pathway regulates cytoskeletal remodeling, vesicle trafficking, and the degradation of microbes. Specific pathogens, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Salmonella, subvert PI3K/PKB to evade immune responses, highlighting the pathway's dual role in host defense and pathogen survival. Targeting PI3K/PKB signaling or its inhibitory regulators may enhance phagocytic efficiency and restore immune function. Thus, PI3K/PKB represents a critical module in innate immunity and a compelling target for next-generation antimicrobial strategies.

Maize cultivation in northern regions is limited by the crop's sensitivity to low temperatures. The optimal temperature for its germination and early growth is around 30 °C, making cold stress a key barrier to early sowing. In the context of climate change, improving cold tolerance during germination is essential, particularly at higher latitudes, to support earlier sowing and avoid yield losses caused by summer drought and heat stress. Earlier flowering and reduced grain moisture at harvest are major agronomic advantages of early sowing. This study, conducted at the Agricultural Institute of the HUN-REN Centre for Agricultural Research (Hungary), aimed to evaluate cold tolerance among 56 genetically diverse maize inbred lines, including reference lines W401 (cold-tolerant) and W64A (cold-sensitive). Phenological traits were measured under controlled cold stress conditions. Several lines demonstrated strong cold tolerance, with a percentage of emergence (PE) > 85%, days from sowing to emergence (DSE) < 22 days, and cold tolerance index (CTI) values between 3 and 3.9. These inbred lines can represent promising candidates for future breeding programs targeting cold resilience.

In the current study, we investigated the effects of central asprosin administration on baseline brain activity and 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) induced epileptiform activity. Additionally, we examined the effects of asprosin on electrocorticography (ECoG) band powers. Forty-two male Wistar rats were divided into six groups as follows: sham, 4-AP (2.5 mg/kg i.p.), asprosin 20 nmol (i.c.v.), asprosin 50 nmol (i.c.v.), asprosin 50 nmol (i.c.v.) posttreatment, and asprosin 50 nmol (i.c.v.) pre-treatment. Recordings lasting 60-70 min were conducted for all groups under ketamine/xylazine (90/10 mg/kg) anesthesia. In the posttreatment group, asprosin was injected 20 min after the induction of epileptiform activity. In the pre-treatment group, asprosin was injected after baseline recordings, and following a 20-min pre-treatment period, 4-AP was administered. 4-AP alone induced epileptiform activity in all animals, peaking at approximately the 30th minute. Asprosin significantly reduced ECoG power at doses of 20 nmol and 50 nmol. Furthermore, both doses of asprosin reduced alpha, beta, delta, theta, and gamma band activity in ECoG recordings at various time points. However, asprosin pre- and posttreatment had no significant effect on 4-AP-induced epileptiform activity. These findings suggest that asprosin modulates cortical excitability under physiological conditions but is ineffective in attenuating induced epileptiform activity.

The immune system is a complex network of cells and small molecules that play a crucial role in defending the body against pathogens and maintaining overall health. It has long been recognized that gonadal steroid hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, exert significant influences on immune responses, leading to gender-specific variations in immune function and disease susceptibility. This comprehensive review aims to provide a thorough analysis of the current knowledge regarding the interplay between sex hormones and immune responses, with a specific focus on gender differences. The article explores the fundamental mechanisms underlying the impact of sex hormones on the immune system, highlighting the intricate interactions between hormones and immune cells, including B- and T-lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Moreover, the review sheds light on the dynamic changes in sex hormone levels throughout one's lifespan and their potential implications on immune functions at different developmental stages, including puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. Notably, the role of sex steroid hormones in modulating innate and adaptive immune responses, cytokine production, immune cell trafficking, and immune-mediated tissue damages are also reviewed here. Importantly, the potential of these findings in the development of personalized medicine is huge, as understanding the intricate relationship between sex hormones and immune responses could lead to the design of targeted therapeutic interventions that consider gender-specific factors. In conclusion, this review details the crucial role of sex hormones in shaping immune responses and highlights the profound impact of gender on immune-related diseases.

The Chinese paradise fish (Macropodus opercularis) is an obligate air-breathing species native to the hypoxic freshwater environments of Southeast Asia. While its ethological aspects have been extensively investigated since the 1970 s, the molecular biology of this species remains largely unexplored. Nevertheless, it offers significant potential for research in fields such as behavioral genetics, molecular evolution, and developmental biology. This study aims to optimize the in situ hybridization protocol, a widely used technique in developmental biology proven effective in zebrafish, and adapt it to paradise fish. We applied our optimized protocol to compare the expression of several conserved developmental genes, including chordin (chd), goosecoid (gsc), myogenic differentiation 1 (myod1), T box transcription factor Ta (tbxta), paired box 2a (pax2a), and retinal homebox gene 3 (rx3), in zebrafish and paradise fish embryos. Furthermore, we examined the role of key conserved signaling pathways during early development in both species using small molecular agonists and antagonists. Through these molecular analyses, we can gain deeper insights into the evolutionary conservation of early developmental programs.

Most of the agricultural products can potentially be exposed to mycotoxins-especially to ochratoxin A (OTA)-, which may cause foodborne diseases such as renal toxicity and notable economic losses worldwide. Biological detoxification is the most promising method to control OTA contamination. To provide a comprehensive understanding, this review summarizes the biodegradation pathways of OTA and discusses microbes capable of degrading OTA and their detoxification strategies. A detailed analysis of potentially useful enzymes for food and feed detoxification will be reported, highlighting specific enzymatic strategies identified in scientific literature. A comparative analysis of the functional capabilities of different OTA hydrolases demonstrates significant variation in degradation efficiency, thus the optimization of these enzymes is essential for the development of effective detoxification strategies. This review underscores the potential of harnessing these microorganisms and their enzymes for mitigating the toxic effects of OTA in contaminated environment and examining the essential requirements that must be met for the successful application of OTA degrading enzyme technology for promoting public health and food safety.

Intracellular calcium waves refer to the coordinated propagation of increased free calcium ion (Ca²⁺) concentration in the cytoplasm. Ca²⁺ is one of the major intracellular second messengers which coordinates many cells function including gene transcription, division, and cell apoptosis. The spread of the ions in the cytoplasm is not the same in all cell types. Experiments indicate the strength of the stimuli, the site of the first Ca²⁺ entry and the localization of the organelles influence the Ca²⁺ propagation and may lead to functional compartmentalization. Polarized cells with complex anatomy already have anatomical subparts (like processes) which elevate the probability of the functional separation between the cell parts. Cells are stimulated at special parts where the receptors/channels are located. Ca²⁺ enters the cell via ligand or voltage gated calcium channels, connexin channels from the neighboring cells or with the activation of G-protein coupled receptors which activate Ca²⁺ release from the cytosolic Ca²⁺ stores. The emptying stores may activate store-operated Ca²⁺ channels, too. These local signals could globalize and elevate free Ca²⁺ concentration in the cells. Smaller, more compact cells form a uniformly activated cell, however, in polarized cells this cannot happen in each time, leads to spatiotemporally different subpart activation. In this review, we discuss the main mechanisms of the cells which involved in Ca²⁺ signaling and the possible methods how a single event (a Ca²⁺ spike) can form slow intracellular Ca²⁺ wave and globalized signal. Intracellular Ca²⁺ waves were found in multiple cell types starting with simple egg cells. Here, we bring examples to anatomically more complex polarized cells with processes, but without excitability: the radial glia, astrocytes, Müller glia and osteocytes as a cell does not connect strongly to sensory-neural structures.

The invasive Asian hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax) continues its spread across Europe, posing a significant threat to biodiversity, viticulture, and apiculture. This study reports the first molecular data of the invasive yellowlegged Asian hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax) in Slovakia, confirmed through molecular analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Radio telemetry successfully located the nest within inaccessible private property, highlighting the technique's crucial role in early detection. This finding, along with the need for manual tracking techniques, public awareness campaigns, and regional monitoring programs, underscores the urgent need for proactive legal frameworks to facilitate the use of radio telemetry and ensure timely intervention to prevent further spread and mitigate the ecological and economic impacts of this invasive species in Slovakia and neighboring countries. Furthermore, this study emphasizes the importance of continued research and development of radio telemetry techniques, including improved signal range and integration with drone technology, to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of V. velutina detection and control.