Postepy biochemiiPub Date : 2021-12-02Print Date: 2021-12-31DOI: 10.18388/pb.2021_426
Maciej J Nałęcz, Jolanta Barańska, Konrad S Famulski, Adam Szewczyk
{"title":"Professor Lech Wojtczak (1926-2019) as remembered by his four former students","authors":"Maciej J Nałęcz, Jolanta Barańska, Konrad S Famulski, Adam Szewczyk","doi":"10.18388/pb.2021_426","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18388/pb.2021_426","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The sudden death of Professor Lech Wojtczak, the great Polish biochemist and a remarkable man, our Mentor and Friend, left us in sorrow and emptiness difficult to accept. Two years have passed already from this event and our memories seem to be even more vivid, and his absence even more felt. Hence we decided to put on paper our personal reflections on Lech Wojtczak, each of us concentrating on a slightly different aspect of this towering figure. We tried to focus on memories and comments that were not mentioned in official obituaries that followed His passing away. Therefore do not expect to find here a comprehensive text on the Founder of Polish Bioenergetics, and a famous Polish biochemist, but rather a set of subjective comments on a man who made us scientists. Our memories are presented in a chronological order. The first chapter is by Professor Jolanta Barańska, who joined the group of Lech Wojtczak in 1968, followed by a chapter by Professor Maciej J. Nałęcz, who joined Lech in 1976, then Professor Konrad S. Famulski (1978) and finally followed by a chapter by Professor Adam Szewczyk, the youngest, joining the group in 1984.</p>","PeriodicalId":20335,"journal":{"name":"Postepy biochemii","volume":"67 4","pages":"436-445"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39880426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Here, there and everywhere - the importance of neutral lipids in plant growth and development.","authors":"A. Zienkiewicz, Marta Saldat, K. Zienkiewicz","doi":"10.18388/pb.2021_409","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18388/pb.2021_409","url":null,"abstract":"In plants, lipids serve as one of the major and vital cellular constituents. Neutral lipids reserves play an essential role in the plant life cycle by providing carbon and energy equivalents for periods of active metabolism. The most common form of lipid storage are triacylglycerols (TAGs) packed into specialized organelles called lipid droplets (LDs). They have been observed in diverse plant organs and tissues, like oil seeds or pollen grains. LDs consist of a core, composed mostly of TAGs, enclosed by a single layer of phospholipids that is decorated by a unique set of structural proteins. Moreover, the recent advances in exploration of LDs proteome revealed a plethora of diverse proteins interacting with LDs. This is likely the result of a highly dynamic nature of these organelles and their involvement in many diverse aspect of cellular metabolism, tightly synchronized with plant developmental programs and directly related to plant-environment interactions. In this review we summarize and discuss the current progress in understanding the role of LDs and their cargo during plants life cycle, with a special emphasis on developmental aspects.","PeriodicalId":20335,"journal":{"name":"Postepy biochemii","volume":"68 1 1","pages":"46-56"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48520625","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Postepy biochemiiPub Date : 2021-11-12Print Date: 2021-12-31DOI: 10.18388/pb.2021_408
Piotr Świątek, Anna Urbisz
{"title":"Germ-line cysts in animal gametogenesis - genesis, organization and functioning","authors":"Piotr Świątek, Anna Urbisz","doi":"10.18388/pb.2021_408","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18388/pb.2021_408","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>During early gametogenesis the incomplete mitotic divisions occur. The cytokinesis is blocked and the sister cells do not fully separate. Instead, they stay connected via modified contractile rings known as stable intercellular bridges or ring canals. Intercellular bridges are broad cytoplasmic strands (from 0,2μm to 20μm in diameter), which allow to exchange the gene products and organelles between interconnected cells. Such syncytial structures are termed germ-line cysts. As a rule, cysts are formed during spermatogenesis and they interconnect germ cells till sperm formation. In the female germ-line (oogenesis) cysts may not form at all, may be formed for a short period of time (till early meiosis) or may function till late oogenesis. Despite of universal mechanism of cysts formation (incomplete cytokinesis and bridge formation) there are substantial differences in cysts organization and functioning between taxa. The present paper gives the basic knowledge about formation and functioning of male and female germ-line cysts.</p>","PeriodicalId":20335,"journal":{"name":"Postepy biochemii","volume":"67 4","pages":"309-322"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39742958","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Postepy biochemiiPub Date : 2021-11-09Print Date: 2021-12-31DOI: 10.18388/pb.2021_411
Marta Migocka-Patrzałek, Magda Dubińska-Magiera, Damian Lewandowski, Magdalena Elias, Małgorzata Daczewska
{"title":"What is unknown in skeletal muscles?","authors":"Marta Migocka-Patrzałek, Magda Dubińska-Magiera, Damian Lewandowski, Magdalena Elias, Małgorzata Daczewska","doi":"10.18388/pb.2021_411","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18388/pb.2021_411","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Skeletal muscles are a highly specialized animal tissue whose basic function is the contraction, which leads into animal movement. One of the types of skeletal muscles are trunk (myotomal) muscles, which in vertebrates belong to the oldest phylogenetically group of muscles. The comparative studies of myotomal myogenesis have shown that these muscles, despite a similar structure plan and under the control of the same genetic factors, may differentiate differently in individual species of vertebrates (both in model and non-model species). The understanding of the skeletal muscle development mechanisms seem to be a precondition for understanding the muscle tissue diseases observed in humans. This paper summarizes the current knowledge on the skeletal muscles differentiation in animals, pathological states of muscles caused by mutations in the genes of structural and metabolic proteins.</p>","PeriodicalId":20335,"journal":{"name":"Postepy biochemii","volume":"67 4","pages":"410-419"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39880856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Balbiani body: morphogenesis and functioning in the oocytes of vertebrates and invertebrates","authors":"Wacław Tworzydło, Małgorzata Sekuła, Szczepan Biliński","doi":"10.18388/pb.2021_410","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18388/pb.2021_410","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Balbiani body is an organelle assemblage (termed sometimes a super-organelle) characteristic for the developing oocytes of almost all investigated animal species. In the vast majority of species, this complex resides next to the germinal vesicle and comprises such organelles as mitochondria, elements of endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complexes as well as accumulations of nuage material. Comparative analyses have shown that the Balbiani bodies, even in closely related organisms, are often morphologically different. The differences concern not only the composition of this assemblage but also mutual relations between its components. So far, it has been found that the Balbiani body is implicated in several cellular processes undergoing in female germline cells. Most importantly this organelle complex is responsible for the delivery and localization of certain macromolecules and organelles to specific regions of the ooplasm (oocyte cytoplasm), as well as in the transfer of mitochondria to the zygote, i.e. to the next generation. Moreover, it has been shown recently that at least in some species the Balbiani body participates in the elimination of nonfunctional, damaged mitochondria from the developing oocytes and egg cells.</p>","PeriodicalId":20335,"journal":{"name":"Postepy biochemii","volume":"67 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39742957","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Embryogenesis in Crassulaceae: structural aspect of suspensor development","authors":"M. Kozieradzka-Kiszkurno","doi":"10.18388/pb.2021_406","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18388/pb.2021_406","url":null,"abstract":"The suspensor in the majority of angiosperms is an evolutionally conserved embryonic organ functioning as a conduit that connects ovule tissues with the embryo proper for nutrients and growth regulators flux. In this article the present knowledge on the embryo-suspensor ultrastructure and function in representatives of Crassulaceae genera: Sedum, Jovibarba, Sempervivum, Aeonium, Monanthes, Aichryson and Echeveria. The role of the suspensor in the transport of nutrients from the tissues of the ovule to the proper embryo is confirmed by the structure of the basal cell, especially the nature of the micropylar part of its wall, the \"transfer wall\". The basal suspensor cell is a site of intense metabolic activity. The special attention is paid to the plasmodesmata. The correlation between types of suspensors and structure of plasmodesmata was investigated. Final conclusions are given and the presented data summarized.","PeriodicalId":20335,"journal":{"name":"Postepy biochemii","volume":"60 3 Pt 2 1","pages":"38-45"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90921224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Postepy biochemiiPub Date : 2021-11-03Print Date: 2022-06-30DOI: 10.18388/pb.2021_397
Małgorzata Rydzy, Michał Tracz, Piotr Kolesiński, Andrzej Szczepaniak
{"title":"Chaperone proteins involved in Rubisco biosynthesis","authors":"Małgorzata Rydzy, Michał Tracz, Piotr Kolesiński, Andrzej Szczepaniak","doi":"10.18388/pb.2021_397","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18388/pb.2021_397","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rubisco is an enzyme found in photosynthetic organisms, which catalyse the first step of biomass accumulation: the carbon dioxide incorporation to ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate. Because of Rubisco’s complicated, multimeric structure and a presence of many labile structural elements the enzyme cannot assemble to its native quaternary structure by itself. This is why the folding and assembly process of Rubisco requires the strictly organized operation of a number of auxiliary factors. Chaperone proteins take part in folding of holoenzyme subunits, subsequently they mediate in subunit oligomerisation, and in some cases chaperone proteins direct subunits to their cellular destination such as the carboxysomes or the pyrenoid. In addition to their canonical function of mediating Rubisco assembly, these chaperones are involved in additional processes such as quality control of the biosynthetic process, and regulation of organelle physiology and cellular compartments.</p>","PeriodicalId":20335,"journal":{"name":"Postepy biochemii","volume":"68 2","pages":"149-160"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40587875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Postepy biochemiiPub Date : 2021-09-14Print Date: 2021-09-30DOI: 10.18388/pb.2021_388
Iwona Przybylska, Damian Kania, Piotr Tymosiewicz, Józef Langfort, Małgorzata Chalimoniuk
{"title":"Post-translational and post-transcriptional mechanisms of activity regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase in the central nervous system – the effect of physical exercise","authors":"Iwona Przybylska, Damian Kania, Piotr Tymosiewicz, Józef Langfort, Małgorzata Chalimoniuk","doi":"10.18388/pb.2021_388","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18388/pb.2021_388","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Numerous studies indicate that dopamine (DA) is an important regulator of motor, psychological and cognitive functions. Maintaining the appropriate concentration of DA is a condition for the proper functioning of these functions. Tyrosine hydroxylase is involved in the control of DA synthesis. The aim of this study is to discuss the regulation of TH activity with the participation of three main mechanisms: 1) post-translational immediate regulation by phosphorylation of various sites in the enzyme molecule and 2) post-transcriptional with the participation of transcription factors and specific miRNAs, and 3) a DA mediated feedback mechanism. Important factors which are directly or indirectly involved in these regulations of TH activity and DA concentration are BDNF, testosterone, alpha-synuclein and protein kinases.\u0000 A drastic reduction in DA levels in the extrapyramidal system causes drastic impairment of motor, psychological and cognitive functions. On the other hand, increased physical activity, in particular prolonged repetitive physical exercises by increasing the level of testosterone and BDNF in the blood, may activate signaling pathways dependent on them, increasing the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase, and thus increase the level of dopamine in the extrapyramidal system.</p>","PeriodicalId":20335,"journal":{"name":"Postepy biochemii","volume":"67 3","pages":"278-286"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39715745","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Postepy biochemiiPub Date : 2021-09-13Print Date: 2021-09-30DOI: 10.18388/pb.2021_390
Anna Alwani, Monika Baj-Krzyworzeka
{"title":"MiRNAs - targets in cancer therapy","authors":"Anna Alwani, Monika Baj-Krzyworzeka","doi":"10.18388/pb.2021_390","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18388/pb.2021_390","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small single-stranded molecules of RNA (21-23 nucleotides) which regulate the expression of different genes on a posttranscriptional level through binding to mRNA. miRNA regulate a number of biological processes such as: proliferation, differentiation, angiogenesis, migration, apoptosis or oncogenesis. Many studies have proved involvement of miRNA in cancer progression from its initial stage to metastasis. Wide range of genes regulated by miRNA in the course of the cancer disease allowed to distinguish two classes of miRNA: suppressors and oncomirs. Monitoring the changes in expression profile of chosen miRNA could help in early identification of cancer cells and serve as a prediction factor of the disease or treatment. Defining target genes of deregulated miRNA in cancer cells and developing methods of their selective silencing is a promising therapeutic strategy. This paper presents selected studies focused on the use of miRNA as a diagnostic marker and a potential target of modern cancer therapies.</p>","PeriodicalId":20335,"journal":{"name":"Postepy biochemii","volume":"67 3","pages":"259-267"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39715743","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Postepy biochemiiPub Date : 2021-09-13Print Date: 2021-09-30DOI: 10.18388/pb.2021_396
Jakub Włodarczyk, Martyna Płoska, Karol Płoski, Jakub Fichna
{"title":"The role of short-chain fatty acids in inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancer","authors":"Jakub Włodarczyk, Martyna Płoska, Karol Płoski, Jakub Fichna","doi":"10.18388/pb.2021_396","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18388/pb.2021_396","url":null,"abstract":"Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced in the human colon are the major products of bacterial fermentation and are believed that they have a protective effect in case of gastrointestinal diseases. SCFAs, such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate are significant metabolites in intestinal homeostasis, and have been shown to be beneficial in inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancer. SCFA are responsible for maintaining proper intestinal barrier and they take part in relevant immune functions. Action of SCFAs is dependent on the activation of protein receptors for receptor activation (GPCR) such as GPR41, GPR43 and GPR109A. In this review, we discuss the effects of SCFA on the intestinal mucosa in terms of inflammatory diseases and colorectal cancer.","PeriodicalId":20335,"journal":{"name":"Postepy biochemii","volume":"67 3","pages":"223-230"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39714779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}