Exploring several nonconventional interactions of ice-binding proteins

Traditionally, ice-binding proteins (IBPs), also known as antifreeze proteins (AFPs), have been defined by two universal activities: ice recrystallization inhibition and thermal hysteresis. However, there remains the possibility IBPs have other complementary functions given the diversity found within this protein group. This thesis explores some of these in both natural and applied settings, in the hopes of furthering our understanding of this remarkable group of proteins. Plant IBPs could function as part of a defensive strategy against ice nucleators produced by certain pathogens. To assess this hypothesis, recombinant IBPs from perennial ryegrass and purple false brome were combined with the ice nucleation protein (INP) from the plant pathogen, Pseudomonas syringae. Strikingly, the plant proteins depressed the freezing point of the bacterial INP, while a fish AFP could not, nor did the INPs have any effect on IBP activity. Thus, the interaction between these two different proteins suggests a role in plant defensive strategies against pathogenic bacteria as another IBP function. In addition, the potential use of hyperactive insect IBPs in organ preservation was investigated. Current kidney preservation techniques involve storing the organ at 4 °C for a maximum of 24 h prior to transplantation. Extending this “safe” time would have profound effects on renal transplants, however, ischemic injury is prevalent when storage periods are prolonged. Experiments described here allowed subzero preservation for 72 h with the addition of a beetle IBP to CryoStasis® solution. Kidneys stored using the traditional technique for 24 h and the method developed here for 72 h showed similar levels of biomarker enzymes, underscoring the potential utility of insect IBPs for future transplant purposes. Finally, IBP function in the freeze-tolerant gall fly, Eurosta solidaginis, was examined. Larvae representing the mid-autumn stage displayed ice-binding activity, suggesting an IBP is being expressed, possibly as a protective measure against freezing damage when fall temperatures can unpredictably drop. IBP activity was also observed in the larvae’s host plant, Solidago spp. Mass spectrometry analysis of ice-affinity purified plant extracts provided three candidate pathogenesis-related proteins that could be responsible for the detected activity, further demonstrating additional functions of IBPs.

Valorização da carne de ovinos e caprinos fora da marca com qualidade DOP e IGP

Com objectivo de melhorar a qualidade da carne de origem caprina e ovina proveniente de animais adultos de raças Serrana e Churra Galega Bragançana (CGB), de forma a atribuir-lhe um valor comercial acrescentado, foram elaborados diferentes tipos de patês com incorporação de diferentes níveis de gordura de porco. O estudo foi feito no laboratório de Tecnologias de Qualidade da Carcaça e da Carne da Escola Superior Agrária, do Instituto Politécnico de Bragança. Os patês foram submetidos a uma avaliação da qualidade físico-química no período de um ano como forma de estudar a vida útil dos mesmos, quando conservados à temperatura de 2 a 4º C. As determinações físico-químicas foram repetidas quatro vezes em cada período de estudo, nomeadamente 1, 6 e 12 meses de conservação. Diferenças entre as médias foram consideradas estatisticamente significantes, no nível de 5%, quando p ≤ 0,05. O tratamento estatístico dos dados foi realizado utilizando o programa Statistix 10. A transformação de carne de animais adultos em subprodutos originou patês de alto valor nutricional, com vida útil superior a um ano. Com a avaliação do pH em patês de ambas espécies, foi possível observar maior queda de pH em patês de origem caprina, podendo-se afirmar que os mesmos têm baixa estabilidade quando comparados com os de origem ovina. A incorporação de gordura de porco, proveniente de abdómen, influenciou positivamente na qualidade físico-química do produto final. Patês com incorporação de gordura de porco apresentaram maior teor de ácidos gordos saturados e poli-insaturados. Em relação às duas espécies, as amostras de patês de origem ovina sem incorporação de gordura de porco apresentaram maior teor de gordura saturada e menor teor de gordura mono-insaturada.

Chiral, Three-Dimensional Supramolecular Compounds: Homo- and Bimetallic Oxalate- and 1,2-Dithiooxalate-Bridged Networks. A Structural and Photophysical Study.

In analogy to the [M(II)(bpy)(3)](2+) cations, where M(II) is a divalent transition-metal and bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine, the tris-chelated [M(III)(bpy)(3)](3+) cations, where M(III) is Cr(III) or Co(III), induce the crystallization of chiral, anionic three-dimensional (3D) coordination polymers of oxalate-bridged (&mgr;-ox) metal complexes with stoichiometries [M(II)(2)(ox)(3)](n)()(2)(n)()(-) or [M(I)M(III)(ox)(3)](n)()(2)(n)()(-). The tripositive charge is partially compensated by inclusion of additional complex anions like ClO(4)(-), BF(4)(-), or PF(6)(-) which are encapsulated in cubic shaped cavities formed by the bipyridine ligands of the cations. Thus, an elaborate structure of cationic and anionic species within a polymeric anionic network is realized. The compounds isolated and structurally characterized include [Cr(III)(bpy)(3)][ClO(4)] [NaCr(III)(ox)(3)] (1), [Cr(III)(bpy)(3)][ClO(4)][Mn(II)(2)(ox)(3)] (2), [Cr(III)(bpy)(3)][BF(4)] [Mn(II)(2)(ox)(3)] (3), [Co(III)(bpy)(3)][PF(6)][NaCr(III)(ox)(3)] (4). Crystal data: 1, cubic, P2(1)3, a = 15.523(4) Å, Z = 4; 2, cubic, P4(1)32, a = 15.564(3) Å, Z = 4; 3, cubic, P4(1)32, a = 15.553(3) Å, Z = 4; 4, cubic, P2(1)3, a = 15.515(3) Å, Z = 4. Furthermore, it seemed likely that 1,2-dithiooxalate (dto) could act as an alternative to the oxalate bridging ligand, and as a result the compound [Ni(II)(phen)(3)][NaCo(III)(dto)(3)].C(3)H(6)O (5) has successfully been isolated and structurally characterized. Crystal data: 5, orthorhombic, P2(1)2(1)2(1), a = 16.238(4) Å, b = 16.225(4) Å, c = 18.371(5) Å, Z = 4. In addition, the photophysical properties of compound 1 have been investigated in detail. In single crystal absorption spectra of [Cr(III)(bpy)(3)][ClO(4)][NaCr(III)(ox)(3)] (1), the spin-flip transitions of both the [Cr(bpy)(3)](3+) and the [Cr(ox)(3)](3)(-) chromophores are observed and can be clearly distinguished. Irradiating into the spin-allowed (4)A(2) --> (4)T(2) absorption band of [Cr(ox)(3)](3)(-) results in intense luminescence from the (2)E state of [Cr(bpy)(3)](3+) as a result of rapid energy transfer processes.

Observaciones preliminares del crecimiento de Paralichthys adspersus y presencia de infecciones por Vibrio spp. durante el ensayo de cultivo de Tumbes

La presente investigación es para evaluar la posibilidad de cultivo de Paralichthys adspersus (lenguado común) bajo las condiciones fisicoquímicas del agua del mar de la región de Tumbes. Luego de aclimatar 100 ejemplares de P. adspersus a la temperatura de 23,4 °C y 32 ‰ de salinidad, se distribuyó en dos tanques iguales de 1000 L a una densidad inicial de 50 ind./m3, realizando recambios diarios de 50 %, alimentados a saciedad durante todo el día con alimento balanceado de 42 % de proteínas (consumo total de alimento: 413 g). Mensualmente se muestreo el 100 % de los peces, determinando su tasa de crecimiento especifico, supervivencia y presencia de infecciones por Vibrio spp. La tasa de crecimiento específico durante esta experiencia fue de 0,41 %/día, la supervivencia luego de la aclimatación fue de 100 % hasta los 42 días de cultivo que alcanzó el 0 %, debido a la infestación por protozoarios parásitos del genero Amyloodinium en las branquias, descartando en todo momento la presencia de infecciones por Vibrio spp. La presente investigación permite precisar que P. adspersus se adapta a las condiciones fisicoquímicas de la región de Tumbes

Degradation of [14C]GlcDGD in the marine sediment by monitoring radioactivity in the aqueous and gas phase using liquid scintillation counting (LSC) techniques

An experiment was conceived in which we monitored degradation of GlcDGD. Independent of the fate of the [14C]glucosyl headgroup after hydrolysis from the glycerol backbone, the 14C enters the aqueous or gas phase whereas the intact lipid is insoluble and remains in the sediment phase. Total degradation of GlcDGD then is obtained by combining the increase of radioactivity in the aqueous and gaseous phases. We chose two different sediment to perform this experiment. One is from microbially actie surface sediment sampled in February 2010 from the upper tidal flat of the German Wadden Sea near Wremen (53° 38' 0N, 8° 29' 30E). The other one is deep subsurface sediments recovered from northern Cascadia Margin during Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 311 [site U1326, 138.2 meters below seafloor (mbsf), in situ temperature 20 °C, water depth 1,828 m. We performed both alive and killed control experiments for comparison. Surface and subsurface sediment slurry were incubated in the dark at in situ temperature, 4 °C and 20 °C for 300 d, respectively. The sterilized slurry was stored at 20 °C. All incubations were carried out under N2 headspace to ensure anaerobic conditions. The sampling frequency was high during the first half-month, i.e., after 1, 2, 7, and 14 d; thereafter, the sediment slurry was sampled every 2 months. At each time point, samples were taken in triplicate for radioactivity measurements. After 300 d of incubation, no significant changes of radioactivity in the aqueous phase were detected. This may be the result of either the rapid turnover of released [14C] glucose or the relatively high limit of detection caused by the slight solubility (equivalent to 2% of initial radioactivity) of GlcDGD in water. Therefore, total degradation of GlcDGD in the dataset was calculated by combining radioactivity of DIC, CH4, and CO2, leading to a minimum estimate.

Symphonien

Bd. 1. No. 1, D dur [K.504] No. 2, G moll [K.550] No. 3, Es dur [K.543] No. 4, C dur [K.551] No. 5, D dur [K.385] No. 6, C dur [K.425]--Bd. 2. No. 7, D dur [Serenade, K.320] No. 8, D dur [Serenade, K.248b (250)] No. 9, D dur [K.300a (297) No. 10, C dur [K.338] No. 11, B dur [K.319] No. 12, G dur [K.Anh.293]

Quatuors für 2 Violinen, Viola und Violoncell /

Each part paged continuously.

Complete works for the piano.

Sonata (Posthumous) op. 4, C Minor -- Sonata, op. 35, B♭ Minor -- Sonata, op. 58, B Minor.

Libro de medicina, y remedios de las enfermedades, por orden alfabético /

Mode of access: Internet.

Matthiae Untzeri ... Ieronosologia chymiatrica. Hoc est epilepsiae seu morbi sacri, accuratissima, juxta Hippocratico-Galenica atque Hermetica principia, descriptio, eiusdemque per remedia elegantissima ac probatissima cum dogmaticorum, tum chymicorum, methodica curatio : Duobus libris comprehensa

Mode of access: Internet.

Michaelis Bernhardi Valentini,... Pandectae medico-legales, sive Responsa medico-forensia ex archivis academiarum celebriorum scriptisque probatissimorum medicorum deprompta ac... latinitate donata. Cum introductionibus generalibus... Accedunt authoris Declamationes panegyricae, Polychresta exotica et Dissert. epistolicae varii argumenti.

Mode of access: Internet.

El Alphonso o La Fundación del Reino de Portugal, assegurada y perfecta en la conquista de Elysia /

Mode of access: Internet.

Indice istorico del gran prospetto di Roma... da Giuseppe Vasi: ovvero itinerario istruttivo per ritrovare con facilità tutte le antiche e moderne magnificenze di Roma, con una breve digressione-sopra alcune Città e Castelli Suburbani

MTSD 0159.

Selectarum de lingua latina observationum : Libri duo ; Prior inscribitur Latine loquendi norma ; h. e. aurei Latinitatis seculi Locutio ; Posterior Barbare, vitioseve loquendi Consuetudinem investigat, patefacit, emendat. Uterque in ususm juventutis, incorruptae Latini sermonis integritatis studiosae, confectus /

Mode of access: Internet.

Hermanni Friderici Teichmeyeri ... Institutiones materiae medicae sive Introitus apertus ad materiam medicam et methodum medendi in usum auditorum conscriptae /

Mode of access: Internet.