Conversion of aspartate and asparagine residues to isoaspartate is a prevalent covalent protein modification in cells. The accumulation of these altered residues can lead to the loss of protein function and the consequent loss of cellular function. The L-ISOASPARTATE METHYLTRANSFERASE (EC 2.1.1.77) (PIMT) iteratively methylates abnormal isoaspartyl residues leading to conversion to L-aspartate, thereby mitigating the injurious effects of aging. Arabidopsis thaliana is unique among eukaryotes studied to date in that it possesses two genes (At3g48330 (PIMT1) and At5g50240 (PIMT2)) encoding PIMT. The PIMT2 gene exhibits a complex transcriptional control involving different transcriptional initiation sites and 5'- and 3'- alternative splice site selection in the first intron. Varying the transcriptional initiation site results in alternative targeting of the PIMT2 proteins thus produced to: 1) the nucleus, or 2) the cytoplasm, while PIMT1 is cytosolic. Inclusion of a 51 nucleotide 5 alternatively spliced sequence with or without a nine nucleotide 3 alternatively spliced sequence dramatically alteres the subcellular protein localization from the cytoplasm and around the chloroplast to inside the chloroplast. All recombinant PIMT2 isoform tested exhibit PIMT activity, although solubility varied among them. Multiplex RT-PCR was used to establish PIMT1 and PIMT2 transcript presence and abundance, relative to -TUBULIN, in various tissues and under a variety of stresses imposed on seeds and seedlings. PIMT1 transcript is constitutively present but can increase, along with PIMT2, in developing seeds presumably in response to increasing endogenous ABA. Transcript from PIMT2 also increases in establishing seedlings due to exogenous ABA application or applied stress presumably through an ABA-dependent pathway. Furthermore, Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequence analysis of the PIMT2 amplicons has shown that the ratio among the splicing variants alters upon ABA application, implicating a role for the spliceosome or differential RNA stability in orchestrating the plant's response to stress. T-DNA insertional mutants of both genes were isolated but no obvious phenotype has been identified. The double mutant has been generated and will be evaluated.

<div> The folding and unfolding processes of poly-protein has been tremendously studied recently. The poly-protein dynamics under an external force can play an important role in addressing the issue of the mechanics of muscle tissue. In this research, we use a single-molecule technique: magnetic tweezers to observe the dynamics of 8-mer poly-protein L under different loads applied and then in different Tris-buffered salines. Our result shows that more protein domains unfold as the force load becomes larger. At 6, 7 and 8 pN loads, the poly-protein is most likely to stay in state 1, 3 and 6 with 1, 3 and 6 domains unfolded, respectively according to the probability distribution. This can be well explained by our constructed free energy-related model. The fit results give protein L parameters of persistence length of 0.4 nm, contour length of 18.8 nm and the unfolding energy of 6.5 kT, all in reasonable ranges based on previously reported literature.</div><div> Besides, we also find the dependency of transition rate on force load and salt. The poly-protein has lower transition rate at high force than at low force due to the free energy tilting effect since high force extremely decreases the possibility of protein unfolding that results in a huge drop in the total number of folding and unfolding events. This inverse proportion effect can also be seen in different TRIS-buffered salines (TRIS-150mM NaCl, TRIS-1M NaCl, and TRIS-1M KCl,). We explore the effect of salt concentration, when the concentration of NaCl is increased, the transition rate increases while the probability distribution remains almost the same, indicating the protein unfolding barrier is lowered without altering the overall energy landscape. We attribute this to, first, the charge shielding effect that more interactions between ions and water molecules occur, causing fewer water molecules available to interact with the charged part of protein than before, and, second, more direct interactions of ions with protein that might affect the electrostatic-related transition rate. Considering the effect of salt type, the two 1M alkali metal-chloride salines are compared. We conclude that ions with larger size have less effect on transition rate because ions with smaller size (Na+) can create stronger bonds with water that increase the interference on the protein interaction with water and can easier penetrate into protein to directly interact with the protein.</div>

No description available.

Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) belongs to the family paramyxoviridae which comprises non segmented negative sense RNA viruses including measles and rinderpest virus. PPRV is the causative agent of peste des petits rumaninats disease (also known as sheep or goat plague disease) in small ruminants. The viral genome contains a non segmented negative sense RNA encapsidated by viral encoded nucleocapsid protein (N-RNA). Viral transcription is carried out by the virus encoded RNA dependent RNA polymerase complex represented by the large protein L and phosphoprotein P. Viral transcription begins at the 3’ end of the genome synthesising all the viral transcripts (3’-N-P-M-F-HN-L-5’). A remarkable feature common to all members of Paramyxoviridae family is the gradient of transcription from 3’ end to the 5’ end due to attenuation of polymerase transcription at each gene junction. The objectives of the present study are characterization of peste des petits ruminants virus transcription and the associated activities required for post transcriptional modification of viral mRNA. In addition, an attempt has been made to develop in vitro transcription with heterologous combination of PPRV and RPV polymerase proteins. The first reaction in capping involves removal of γ-phosphate from triphosphate ended precursor mRNA by RNA triphosphatase. The domain having RNA triphosphatase activity within the L protein has been identified and expressed independently in E. coli. The details of the objectives are presented below. 1. Development of in vitro transcription system for PPRV mRNA synthesis In order to develop an in vitro transcription reconstitution system for PPRV, the viral RNP complex comprising large (L), phospho (P) and N protein encapsidating viral genomic RNA was purified from virus infected Vero cells. The in vitro transcription reconstituted system with RNP complex was able to synthesise all the viral mRNA as analysed by RT-PCR. As a control, total RNA from virus infected cells was isolated and analysed by RT-PCR. In order to refine the in vitro transcription system, separately expressed recombinant polymerase complex was used to reconstitute transcriptional activity in vitro. For this,viral genomic RNA (N-RNA) was purified from PPRV infected cells using CsCl density gradient centrifugation. The recombinant baculovirus for PPRV P protein was earlier generated in the lab. A recombinant baculovirus harbouring the L gene of PPRV was generated in the present study (described in part one). The viral RNA polymerase consisting of L-P complex was expressed in Sf21 insect cells and partially purified by ultra centrifugation on 5-20% glycerol gradient. Glycerol gradient fraction containing the L-P complex was found to be active in the in vitro transcription reconstitution system. Further quantitation of transcripts made in vitro and in infected cells has been carried out by real time PCR. Notably, the gradient of polarity of transcription of viral mRNA observed in vitro with the partially purified recombinant L-P complex was similar to the gradient observed in infected cells. Host proteins have been shown to modulate the transcription of many paramyxoviruses. In order to test the role of host factors, uninfected cell lysate of Vero cells was added to the in vitro transcription reaction and the transcript level was measured by real time PCR. The result showed an increase in the transcription by addition of host proteins suggesting the involvement of host factors in viral transcription. Further, the newly developed in vitro reconstitution system was used to test if recombinant L and P proteins of RPV can functionally replace PPRV L and P protein in the in vitro transcription complementation assay. The result presented in part one indicates that the L or P protein of PPRV can be replaced by RPV L and P protein in heterologous transcription reconstitution system ,with a reduced efficiency. However, the homologous polymerase complex of RPV failed to recognise the N-RNA genomic template of PPRV. 2. RNA triphosphatase activity of PPRV L protein and identification of RNA triphosphatase domain Post transcriptional modification of mRNA such as capping and methylation determines the translatability of viral mRNA by cellular ribosome. In negative sense RNA viruses, synthesis of viral mRNA is carried out by the viral encoded RNA polymerase in the host cell cytoplasm. Since the host capping and methylation machinery is localized to the nucleus, viruses should either encode their own mRNA modification enzymes or adopt alternative methods as has been reported for orthomyxoviruses (cap snatching) and picornaviruses (presence of IRES element). In order to test, if PPRV RNA polymerase possesses any of the capping activities, the RNP complex containing the viral N-RNA and RNA polymerase (L-P) were purified from virion. Using the purified RNP complex, the first activity required for mRNA capping, RNA triphosphatase was tested and the results are described in part two. RNP complex purified from virion showed both RNA triphosphatase (RTPase) activity. The RNA triphosphatase from viruses, fungi and other eukaryotes have been classified into two groups, metal dependent and metal independent. The cleavage of the γ-phosphate from triphosphate ended precursor mRNA by L protein of PPRV was found to be metal dependent. So, by the metal dependency of the RTPase reaction, PPRV L protein was assigned to the metal dependent RTPase tunnel family. One of the key features of metal dependent RTPase group members is the ability to hydrolyse γ-β phosphoanhydride bond of NTPs. PPRV L protein associated with RNP complex also was also able to cleave γ-β phosphoanhydride bond of NTPs. Owing to the large size of L protein (240 KDa), it is conceivable that the L protein functions in a modular fashion for different activities pertaining to mRNA synthesis and post transcriptional modification. Sequence comparison of L proteins from different morbilliviruses revealed the presence of three conserved domains namely domain I (aa 1-606), domain II (aa 650-1694) and domain III (aa 1717-2183). Domain II has the catalytic motif for viral RNA dependent RNA polymerase. Multiple sequence alignment of PPRV L protein with known RNA triphosphatases predicted a two hundred amino acid long region on L protein comprising the C terminus of domain II and N terminus of DIII as a possible candidate for RNA triphosphatase domain. The above predicted domain was cloned and expressed in E. coli. The ability of the purified recombinant RTPase domain to cleave γ-β phosphoanhydride bond of RNA was tested. The results described in part two suggest that the predicted RTPase domain has RNA triphosphatase activity. In addition to RNA triphosphatase, the RTPase domain also has the NTPase activity. The RNA triphosphatase of DNA viruses, yeasts and other fungi have three motifs essential for enzyme activity. Motif A and motif C are rich in glutamate and are involved in metal binding. Motif B is rich in basic amino acids and forms the centre for catalysis. The glutamate residue (E1647) of motif A of PPRV L protein RTPase domain was converted to alanine and the loss of RTPase activity was assessed. The results summarised in appendix 1 shows that the E1647A mutant has reduced RNA triphosphatase and NTPase activity.

<p>Kardijalni biomarkeri u predviđanju operativnog rizika kardiohirur&scaron;kih bolesnika sa oslabljenom sistolnom funkcijom leve komore Evaluacija rezultata u kardiohirurgiji podrazumeva praćenje ishoda operativnog lečenja u određenom vremenskom periodu. Najče&scaron;će je to interval od 30 dana od datuma intervencije. Najče&scaron;ći kriterijumi za praćenje su stopa mortaliteta i morbiditeta, dužina boravka u jedinici intenzivnog lečenja, ukupna dužina hospitalizacije i tro&scaron;kovi lečenja. Stratifikacija rizika podrazumeva da se bolesnici mogu podeliti u grupe u zavisnosti od broja i važnosti preoperativno utvrđenih faktora rizika, odnosno da se pre operacije može predvideti ishod hirur&scaron;ke intervencije kod svakog od njih pojedinačno. U Evropi je, u periodu između 1995. i 1999. godine, na osnovu multicentrične studije u 8 evropskih zemalja i 128 kardiohirur&scaron;kih centara u kojima je operisano 19.030 odraslih bolesnika, kreiran EvroSKOR - EuroSCORE (European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation) model za stratifikaciju rizika u kardiohirurgiji. Međutim, neminovne promene i napredak u operativnom lečenju doveli su do toga da je neophodno ažurirati postojeći sistem stratifikacije. Tako je 2012. godine u rutinsku upotrebu uveden novi sistem Euroscore II. Na Klinici za kardiohirurgiju Instituta za kardiovaskularne bolesti Vojvodine (IKVBV), EuroSCORE model uveden je u rutinsku upotrebu od početka 2001. godine. Analizom rezultata, posle dvogodi&scaron;nje primene, pokazalo se da je model bio precizan, odnosno da nije postojala značajna razlika između očekivanog (3,7%) i stvarnog mortaliteta (3,47%). U poslednjih nekoliko godina, kod bolesnika kojima sledi kardiohirur&scaron;ka intervencija, u smislu razmatranja njihove prediktivne vrednosti, sve vi&scaron;e pažnje se poklanja kardijalnim biomarkerima. Najznačajniji biomarkeri u kardiovaskularnoj medicini su: Troponin, Kreatin kinaza MB izoenzim (CKMB), N-terminalni pro B-tip natriuretski peptid (NT-proBNP), C-reaktivni protein (CRP), Laktat dehidrogenaza (LDH), Mokraćna kiselina (Acidum uricum). Ciljevi ovog rada su bili da se kreira model za predviđanje preoperativnog rizika kardiohirur&scaron;kih bolesnika sa oslabljenom sistolnom funkcijom leve komore na osnovu preoperativnih vrednosti određenih biomarkera i da se kreira novi model sa kombinacijom prethodnog modela i već postojećeg modela EuroSCORE II. Ispitana su 704 bolesnika sa oslabljenom sistolnom funkcijom leve komore, ejekcione frakcije manje ili jednake 50%. Bolesnici su operisani na Institutu za kardiovaskularne bolesti Vojvodine, od 20. januara 2014. do 20. aprila 2016. Kod bolesnika su urađene tri vrste operacija: revaskularizacija miokarda-koronarna hirurgija, hirurgija stečenih srčanih mana - valvularna hirurgija i kombinovane operacije. Od biohemijskih analiza, 24 sata pre operacije, urađene su sledeće analize: troponin I, kreatin kinaza, kreatin kinaza MB izoenzim, masena kreatin kinaza, laktat dehidrogenaza, C-reaktivni protein, NT-proBNP i mokraćna kiselina. Praćen je postoperativni mortalitet, postoperativni infarkt miokarda i postoperativni cerebrovaskularni incident i njihova povezanost sa preoperativnim vrednostima nabrojanih biomarkera. U studiju su bili uključeni svi bolesnici sa stečenim bolestima srca, stariji od 18 godina, kod kojih je ejekciona frakcija leve komore bila manja ili jednaka 50% i kod kojih su izvr&scaron;ene sledeće vrste operacija: revaskularizacija miokarda - koronarna hirurgija, hirurgija stečenih srčanih mana - valvularna hirurgija i kombinovane operacije - koronarna i valvularna hirurgija. Rezultati su pokazali da je postoperativni mortalitet bio 3,13%, da je postoperativni infarkt miokarda imalo 7,95% a postoperativni cerebrovaskularni incident 9,23% od ukupnog broja ispitanika. 1. Povezanost vrednosti biomarkera sa postoperativnim infarktom miokarda kod bolesnika sa oslabljenom ejekcionom frakcijom leve komore: povi&scaron;ene preoperativne vrednosti troponina I su bile povezane sa postoperativnim infarktom miokarda. Povezanost preoperativnih vrednosti biomarkera sa postoperativnim cerebrovaskularnim incidentom kod bolesnika sa oslabljenom ejekcionom frakcijom leve komore: povi&scaron;ene preoperativne vrednosti troponina I i CRP-a su bile povezane sa postoperativnim cerebrovaskularnim incidentom. 2. Analiziran je uticaj preoperativnog nivoa svih biomarkera, pojedinačno, na značajne neželjene kardijalne i cerebrovaskularne događaje - Major Adverse Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Events (MACCE) kao ishod posle operacije na srcu, kod bolesnika sa oslabljenom ejekcionom frakcijom leve komore. Dobijeni su sledeći rezultati: Preoperativna vrednost nivoa troponina I veća od 0,01&mu;g/L i MACCE bili su povezani. Povećane preoperativne vrednosti nivoa C-reaktivnog proteina (CRP) i postoperativni MACCE bili su povezani. Povećane preoperativne vrednosti nivoa laktat dehidrogenaze (LDH) i MACCE bili su povezani. Zaključci ove teze su: 1. Nezavisni prediktor postoperativnog infarkta miokarda i značajnih neželjenih kardijalnih i cerebrovaskularnih događaja, kod kardiohirur&scaron;kih bolesnika sa oslabljenom sistolnom funkcijom leve komore, ejekcionom frakcijom manjom ili jednakom 50%, jeste povi&scaron;ena preoperativna vrednost troponina I. 2.Vrednost preoperativnog troponina I je slab marker za predviđanje postoperativnog infarkta miokarda i značajnih neželjenih kardijalnih i cerebrovaskularnih događaja, kod kardiohirur&scaron;kih bolesnika sa oslabljenom sistolnom funkcijom leve komore, ejekcionom frakcijom manjom ili jednakom 50%. 3. Na pojavu postoperativnog cerebrovaskularnog incidenta, kod kardiohirur&scaron;kih bolesnika sa oslabljenom sistolnom funkcijom leve komore, ejekcionom frakcijom manjom ili jednakom 50%, ne utiče nijedna od ispitivanih varijabli. 4. Nezavisni prediktori postoperativnog mortaliteta kod kardiohirur&scaron;kih bolesnika sa oslabljenom sistolnom funkcijom leve komore, ejekcionom frakcijom manjom ili jednakom 50%, na osnovu kojih je moguće kreirati prediktivni Model su godine starosti i povi&scaron;ene preoperativne vrednosti NT-proBNP. 5. Kreirani Model je dobar marker za predikciju ishoda posle operacije na srcu, kod kardiohirur&scaron;kih bolesnika sa oslabljenom sistolnom funkcijom leve komore, ejekcionom frakcijom manjom ili jednakom 50%. 6. Povi&scaron;ena preoperativna vrednost NT- proBNP može da bude dobar marker u predikciji smrtnog ishoda posle operacije na srcu kod bolesnika sa oslabljenom sistolnom funkcijom leve komore, ejekcionom frakcijom manjom ili jednakom 50%. 7. Model EuroSCORE II se pokazao kao slabiji marker za predikciju ishoda posle operacije na srcu kod kardiohirur&scaron;kih bolesnika sa oslabljenom sistolnom funkcijom leve komore, ejekcionom frakcijom manjom ili jednakom 50%. 8. Testiranjem kreiranog modela, podelom na manje rizične i vi&scaron;e rizične bolesnike, u odnosu na visinu ejekcione frakcije leve komore, pokazalo se da je model dobar marker za predviđanje smrtnog ishoda posle operacije na srcu, u obe grupe.</p> / <p>Cardiac surgery operative risk assessment in patients with imapired systolic left ventricular function using cardial biomarkers Evaluation of results in cardiac surgery involves monitoring the outcomes of operative treatment in a given time period. Typically, this interval includes 30 days from the date of operation. The most common criteria used for monitoring are the rate of mortality and morbidity, length of stay in the intensive care unit, the total length of hospitalization and medical costs. Risk stratification means that patients can be divided into groups depending on the number and importance of preoperatively identified risk factors, and that the outcome of surgery for each of the patients can be predicted preoperatively. In Europe, in the period of 1995-1999 on the basis of a multi-center study in 8 European countries and 128 cardiac centers in which 19,030 adult patients were operated on, EuroSCORE (European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation) model for risk stratification in cardiac surgery was developed. However, the inevitable changes and progress in the surgical treatment rendered the EuroSCORE model obsolete warranting updated system. It was in 2012 when a new system EuroSCORE II was introduced into practice At the Clinic for Cardiac Surgery of the Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, EuroSCORE model was introduced in routine clinical use since the beginning of 2001. By analyzing the results, two years after application, it was shown that the model was accurate, and that there was no significant difference between the expected (3.7%) and the actual mortality (3.47%) In recent years, in patients who are candidates for cardiac surgery, more attention is paid to cardiac biomarkers in terms of evaluating their predictive power. The most significant biomarkers in cardiovascular medicine are: Troponin, creatine kinase MB isoenzyme (CKMB), N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), C-reactive protein (CRP), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and uric acid (Uric uricum). The objectives of this study were to create a model to predict preoperative risk for cardiac surgery patients with impaired systolic left ventricular function on the basis of preoperative levels of certain biomarkers and to create a new model with a combination of the previous model and already existing EuroSCORE II model. The study included 704 patients with impaired systolic left ventricular function, ejection fraction less than or equal to 50%. All patients underwent cardiac surgery at the Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, from January 20th 2014 until 20th April 2016. Patients were submitted to three types of operations: revascularization - coronary surgery, surgery of acquired heart defects - valvular surgery and combined operations. Following biochemical analyses were performed 24 hours prior to surgery: troponin I, creatine kinase, creatine kinase MB isoenzyme, mass creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, NT-proBNP and uric acid. Postoperative mortality, postoperative onset of myocardial infarction and occurence of cerebrovascular accident and their correlation with preoperative values of listed biomarkers were registered. The study included all patients with acquired heart disease, older than 18 years, with the left ventricular ejection fraction less than or equal to 50% who were submitted to the following types of operations: revascularization - coronary surgery, surgery of acquired heart diseases - valvular surgery and combined operations - coronary and valvular surgery. The results showed that the postoperative mortality was 3.13%, new onset of postoperative myocardial infarction was detected in 7.95% of the patients and postoperative cerebrovascular accident developed in 9.23% of patients. Correlation of preoperative biomarkers values with postoperative myocardial infarction in patients with impaired left ventricular ejection fraction - elevated preoperative troponin I were associated with postoperative myocardial infarction. Correlation of preoperative biomarkers values with postoperative cerebrovascular incident occurence in patients with impaired left ventricular ejection fraction - elevated preoperative troponin I and CRP were associated with postoperative cerebrovascular incident. The influence of preoperative levels of all biomarkers, separetly, on the rate of significant adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events - Major Adverse Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Events (MACCE) as the heart surgery outcome, in patients with impaired left ventricular ejection fraction. The following results were obtained: Increased preoperative levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and postoperative MACCE were related. Increased preoperative levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and MACCE were related. The conclusions of this thesis are: 1. Independent predictor of postoperative myocardial infarction onset and significant adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events in cardiac surgery patients with impaired systolic left ventricular function (ejection fraction less than or equal to 50%) is elevated preoperative value of troponin I. 2. Preoperative Troponin I value was poor marker for predicting postoperative myocardial infarction and significant adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events in cardiac surgery patients with impaired systolic left ventricular function (ejection fraction less than or equal to 50%). 3. None of the studied variables showed influence on the postoperative cerebrovascular accident occurence, in cardiac surgery patients with impaired systolic left ventricular function (ejection fraction less than or equal to 50%). 4. Independent predictors of postoperative mortality in cardiac surgery patients with impaired systolic left ventricular function (ejection fraction less than or equal to 50%), that could be used to create a predictive model are: age and elevated preoperative value of NT-proBNP. 5. Developed model showed satisfactory results for predicting outcome after heart surgery in cardiac surgery patients with impaired systolic left ventricular function (ejection fraction less than or equal to 50%). 6. Elevated preoperative value of NT-proBNP may be a good marker for mortality prediction after the cardiac surgery in patients with impaired systolic left ventricular function (ejection fraction less than or equal to 50%). 7. EuroSCORE II model showed poor performance when predicting outcomes after cardiac surgery in patients with impaired systolic left ventricular function (ejection fraction less than or equal to 50%). 8. Validation of the newly-created model, considering low and medium risk patients, based on the value of left ventricular ejection fraction, showed that the model is a good marker for the mortality prediction in both groups.</p>