A5074284194- Marine Sponges and Natural Products
- Cholinesterase and Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Chemical synthesis and alkaloids
- Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology
- Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry
- Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Study
- Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior
- Marine Toxins and Detection Methods
- Venomous Animal Envenomation and Studies
- Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
- Microbial Natural Products and Biosynthesis
- Synthetic Organic Chemistry Methods
- Hemoglobin structure and function
- Pesticide Exposure and Toxicity
- Computational Drug Discovery Methods
- Enzyme function and inhibition
- Fungal Biology and Applications
- Ion channel regulation and function
- Antimicrobial agents and applications
- Cellular transport and secretion
- Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Redox biology and oxidative stress
- Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions
- Antimicrobial Peptides and Activities
- Nitric Oxide and Endothelin Effects
University of Ljubljana
2011-2024
University of Genoa
2010
Institut za filozofiju
2008
University of Trento
1997-2006
Loyola University Medical Center
2002
Biotechnical Educational Centre Ljubljana
2000
Inštitut Bion
1996
Brandeis University
1991-1992
Nitric oxide reductase was purified from Paracoccus denitrificans very nearly to homogeneity by a simple method that involved the use of octyl glucoside solubilize enzyme membranes and required single hydroxyapatite column. The had specific activities about 10 mumol NO reduced x min-1 mg-1 at pH 6.5 in an amperometric assay system using phenazine methosulfate/ascorbate as reducing agent 22 5.0, which is optimum pH. These values are based on average rates over kinetically complex progress...
AbstractA number of cytolytic toxins are commonly found in sea anemones. They represent a unique class animal considering their biochemical characteristics and biological activity. Sea anemone cytolysins lethal polypeptides which act directly at the membrane level have potent cardiotoxic Cytotoxic, cytocidal cytostatic activity were also detected. In general they basic proteins usually lack Cys or Met residues. slightly hydrophilic molecules which, however, possess large hydrophobic domains...
From the marine sponge Reniera sarai 3-alkylpyridinium oligomers and polymers have been isolated. 3-Alkylpyridinium are potent anticholinesterase agents; in addition, they show hemolytic cytotoxic activities. Oligomers with a molecular weight lower than 3000 Da do not possess any significant activity. We report structural characterization of their behavior aqueous solutions. found that biologically active composed head-to-tail units. According to MALDI-TOF spectrometry two species exist,...
Ostreolysin is a 16‐kDa cytolytic protein specifically expressed in primordia and fruiting bodies of the edible mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus . To understand its interaction with lipid membranes, we compared effects on mammalian cells, vesicles prepared either pure lipids or total extracts, dispersions lysophospholipids fatty acids. At nanomolar concentrations, lysed human, bovine sheep erythrocytes by colloid‐osmotic mechanism, compatible formation pores 4 nm diameter, was cytotoxic to tumor...
We report on screening tests of 66 extracts obtained from 35 marine sponge species the Caribbean Sea (Curaçao) and eight Great Barrier Reef (Lizard Island). Extracts were prepared in aqueous organic solvents tested for hemolytic, hemagglutinating, antibacterial anti-acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities, as well their ability to inhibit or activate cell protein phosphatase 1 (PP1). The most interesting activities Ircinia felix, Pandaros acanthifolium, Topsentia ophiraphidites, Verongula...
The antifouling activity and toxicity of polymeric 3-alkylpyridinium salts (poly-APS) isolated from the Mediterranean sponge Reniera sarai were studied. these natural products was compared to that zinc copper complexes pyrithione, two non-persistent booster biocides successfully used in current coatings. Larvae Balanus amphitrite (cyprids nauplii) monitor settlement inhibition extent which due toxicity. microalga Tetraselmis suecica larvae mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis bioassays. Compared...
Ostreolysin, a pore-forming protein from the edible oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus), is member of aegerolysin family, novel group small acidic proteins found in bacteria, molds, mushrooms, and plants. It binds to lipid rafts interacts specifically with cholesterol-rich domains. In this study, ostreolysin was classified as single-domain all-β-structured on basis cDNA sequencing. pH-induced thermally induced unfolding studied by means CD, UV absorption, intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence...
Dimers and tetramers of linear 3-alkylpyridinium salts have been synthesized by an efficient synthetic pathway, which is also applicable to the preparation higher oligomers. Mono-, di- tetrameric compounds tested for antibacterial hemolytic activities inhibition acetylcholinesterase protein phosphatase 2A. Their were compared those natural poly-3-octylpyridinium alkaloids isolated from Mediterranean sponge Reniera sarai. Relatively high anti-acetylcholinesterase observed that increase with...
Disulfide pairings and active site residues are highly conserved in secretory phospholipases A(2) (PLA(2)s). However, PLA(2)s of marine invertebrates display some distinctive structural features. In this study, we report the isolation characterization a PLA(2) from northern Pacific sea anemone, Urticina crassicornis (UcPLA(2)), containing C27N substitution truncated C-terminal sequence. This novel cnidarian shares about 60% identity almost 70% homology with two putative identified starlet...
We report on the screening of ethanolic extracts from 33 deep-sea Antarctic marine sponges for different biological activities. monitored hemolysis, inhibition acetylcholinesterase, cytotoxicity towards normal and transformed cells growth laboratory, commensal clinically ecologically relevant bacteria. The most prominent activities were associated with belonging to genus Latrunculia, which show all these While are already known secondary metabolites, extremely strong acetylcholinesterase...
Polymeric 3-alkylpyridinium salts (poly-APS) present in the marine sponge Reniera sarai show a broad spectrum of biological activities. They are lytic to erythrocytes and various other mammalian cells, enabling transfection latter with alien DNA. Furthermore, they inhibitory effects bacteria can inhibit fouling micro- macroorganisms submerged surfaces. Finally, poly-APS act as potent cholinesterase inhibitors. The kinetics acetylcholinesterase inhibition by vitro is complex comprises several...
Naturally occurring 3-alkylpyridinium polymers (poly-APS) from the marine sponge Reniera sarai, consisting of monomers containing polar pyridinium and nonpolar alkyl chain moieties, have been demonstrated to exert a wide range biological activities, including selective cytotoxicity against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. APS8, an analog poly-APS with defined length molecular size, non-competitively inhibits α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) at nanomolar concentrations...
Polymeric alkylpyridinium salts (poly-APS) isolated from the Mediterranean marine sponge, Haliclona (Rhizoniera) sarai, effectively inhibit barnacle larva settlement and natural biofilm formation through a non-toxic reversible mechanism. Potential use of poly-APS-like compounds as antifouling agents led to chemical synthesis monomeric oligomeric 3-alkylpyridinium analogues. However, these are less efficient in assays have greater toxicity than polymers. Recently, new method enabled...
Previous studies have shown that the cholinergic system plays a pivotal rule in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) growth through an autocrine loop activates nicotinic receptor, which together with activation of this receptor by nicotine links SCLC evolution tobacco use. Non-small (NSCLC) is most common form and also linked to Here we describe presence molecules NSCLC samples lines investigate implications regulation. Cholino-acetyltransferase (ChAT), vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT)...