Project description:The aim of the study was mycological examination of ulcerated corneal tissues from an ophthalmic patient. Tissue fragments were analyzed on potato-glucose agar (PDA) and maltose (MA) (Difco) media using standard laboratory techniques. Cultures were identified using classical and molecular methods. Macro- and microscopic colony morphology was characteristic of fungi from the genus Aspergillus (restricted growth series), most probably Aspergillus penicillioides Speg. Molecular analysis of the following rDNA regions: ITS1, ITS2, 5.8S, 28S rDNA, LSU and β-tubulin were carried out for the isolates studied. A high level of similarity was found between sequences from certain rDNA regions, i.e. ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and LSU, what confirmed the classification of the isolates to the species A. penicillioides. The classification of our isolates to A. penicillioides species was confirmed also by the phylogenetic analysis.The aim of the study was mycological examination of ulcerated corneal tissues from an ophthalmic patient. Tissue fragments were analyzed on potato-glucose agar (PDA) and maltose (MA) (Difco) media using standard laboratory techniques. Cultures were identified using classical and molecular methods. Macro- and microscopic colony morphology was characteristic of fungi from the genus Aspergillus (restricted growth series), most probably Aspergillus penicillioides Speg. Molecular analysis of the following rDNA regions: ITS1, ITS2, 5.8S, 28S rDNA, LSU and β-tubulin were carried out for the isolates studied. A high level of similarity was found between sequences from certain rDNA regions, i.e. ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and LSU, what confirmed the classification of the isolates to the species A. penicillioides. The classification of our isolates to A. penicillioides species was confirmed also by the phylogenetic analysis.
Project description:Background: Strategies to improve long term renal allograft survival have been directed to recipient dependent mechanisms of renal allograft injury. In contrast, no such efforts have been made to optimize organ quality in the donor. In order to get insight into the deleterious gene pathways expressed at different time points during deceased kidney transplantation, transcriptomics was performed on kidney biopsies from a large cohort of deceased kidney transplants. Methods: A total of 554 kidney biopsies were taken from living and deceased donor kidneys at donation, after cold ischemia and after reperfusion. Transcriptomics by means of whole genome micro-array analyses followed by functional pathway analyses was performed. Results: Oxidative stress and complement- and coagulation pathways were uncovered as potential pathways for intervention in deceased donors. No genes were found to be differentially expressed between donation and cold ischemia. After reperfusion, pathways related to oxidative stress, NOD-like signalling, MAPK, cytokine-cytokine receptor, complement- and-coagulation and chemokines were enriched in kidneys from deceased organ donors. Pathways related to prolonged and worsening deprivation of oxygen were associated with delayed graft function of DCD grafts. Conclusions: The present study reveals oxidative stress and enrichment of complement and coagulation pathways in deceased donor kidneys. Future intervention therapies to optimize donor organ quality and prolong allograft survival should target oxidative stress and innate immune activation in the donor.
Project description:We used the nanopore Cas9 targeted sequencing (nCATS) strategy to specifically sequence 125 L1HS-containing loci in parallel and measure their DNA methylation levels using nanopore long-read sequencing. Each targeted locus is sequenced at high coverage (~45X) with unambiguously mapped reads spanning the entire L1 element, as well as its flanking sequences over several kilobases. The genome-wide profile of L1 methylation was also assessed by bs-ATLAS-seq in the same cell lines (E-MTAB-10895).
Project description:To identify early markers to predict post-transplantation outcomes we performed a transcriptome analysis in pre-implantation kidney biopsies from deceased donors searching for genes associated with DGF and graft function one year post-transplantation.
Project description:An extracellular α-amylase from the obligate halophilic Aspergillus penicillioides TISTR3639 strain was produced and enriched to apparent homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation and Sephadex G100 gel filtration column chromatography. The mass of the purified amylase was estimated to be 42 kDa by SDS-PAGE. With soluble starch as the substrate it had a specific activity of 118.42 U · mg(-1) and Vmax and Km values of 1.05 µmol · min(-1) · mg(-1) and 5.41 mg · mL(-1), respectively. The enzyme was found to have certain polyextremophilic characteristics, with an optimum activity at pH 9, 80 °C, and 300 g · L(-1) NaCl. The addition of CaCl2 at 2 mM was found to slightly enhance the amylase activity, while ZnCl2, FeCl2, or EDTA at 2 mM was strongly or moderately inhibitory, respectively, suggesting the requirement for a (non-Fe(2+) or Zn(2+)) divalent cation. The enzyme retained more than 80% of its activity when incubated with three different laundry detergents and had a better performance compared to a commercial amylase and three detergents in the presence of increasing NaCl concentrations up to 300 g · L(-1). Accordingly, it has a good potential for use as an α-amylase in a low water activity (high salt concentration) and at high pH and temperatures.
Project description:We investigated whether the features of donor-derived stromal vascular fraction of perirenal adipose tissue (PRAT-SVF) could be indicative of the deleterious impact of the ECD microenvironment on renal transplants. A comparative analysis of cellular components, transcriptomic and vasculogenic profiles was performed in PRAT-SVF obtained from deceased donors (non ECD) and expanded criteria donors (ECD) The global RNA sequencing approach indicated a differential molecular signature in the PRAT-SVF of ECD donors characterized by the overexpression of inflammatory transcripts (CXCL1, CCL4, IL1-β,INF-ϒ).