scholarly journals Cerebral Sulcal Asymmetry in Macaque Monkeys

Symmetry ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1509
Author(s):  
Kazuhiko Sawada
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
Evolutionary Significance ◽  
Macaque Monkeys ◽  
Left Handedness ◽  
Cynomolgus Macaques ◽  
Sulcal Morphology ◽  
And Function ◽  
Cortical Morphology

The asymmetry of the cerebral sulcal morphology is particularly obvious in higher primates. The sulcal asymmetry in macaque monkeys, a genus of the Old World monkeys, in our previous studies and others is summarized, and its evolutionary significance is speculated. Cynomolgus macaques displayed fetal sulcation and gyration symmetrically, and the sulcal asymmetry appeared after adolescence. Population-level rightward asymmetry was revealed in the length of arcuate sulcus (ars) and the surface area of superior temporal sulcus (sts) in adult macaques. When compared to other nonhuman primates, the superior postcentral sulcus (spcs) was left-lateralized in chimpanzees, opposite of the direction of asymmetry in the ars, anatomically-identical to the spcs, in macaques. This may be associated with handedness: either right-handedness in chimpanzees or left-handedness/ambidexterity in macaques. The rightward asymmetry in the sts surface area was seen in macaques, and it was similar to humans. However, no left/right side differences were identified in the sts morphology among great apes, which suggests the evolutionary discontinuity of the sts asymmetry. The diversity of the cortical lateralization among primate species suggests that the sulcal asymmetry reflects the species-related specialization of the cortical morphology and function, which is facilitated by evolutionary expansion in higher primates.

scholarly journals A Rubisco-binding protein is required for normal pyrenoid number and starch sheath morphology inChlamydomonas reinhardtii

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (37) ◽  
pp. 18445-18454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan K. Itakura ◽  
Kher Xing Chan ◽  
Nicky Atkinson ◽  
Leif Pallesen ◽  
Lianyong Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Binding Motif ◽  
Starch Granules ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Bisphosphate Carboxylase ◽  
Biophysical Mechanism ◽  
Mechanism Function ◽  
And Function

A phase-separated, liquid-like organelle called the pyrenoid mediates CO2fixation in the chloroplasts of nearly all eukaryotic algae. While most algae have 1 pyrenoid per chloroplast, here we describe a mutant in the model algaChlamydomonasthat has on average 10 pyrenoids per chloroplast. Characterization of the mutant leads us to propose a model where multiple pyrenoids are favored by an increase in the surface area of the starch sheath that surrounds and binds to the liquid-like pyrenoid matrix. We find that the mutant’s phenotypes are due to disruption of a gene, which we call StArch Granules Abnormal 1 (SAGA1) because starch sheath granules, or plates, in mutants lacking SAGA1 are more elongated and thinner than those of wild type. SAGA1 contains a starch binding motif, suggesting that it may directly regulate starch sheath morphology. SAGA1 localizes to multiple puncta and streaks in the pyrenoid and physically interacts with the small and large subunits of the carbon-fixing enzyme Rubisco (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase), a major component of the liquid-like pyrenoid matrix. Our findings suggest a biophysical mechanism by which starch sheath morphology affects pyrenoid number and CO2-concentrating mechanism function, advancing our understanding of the structure and function of this biogeochemically important organelle. More broadly, we propose that the number of phase-separated organelles can be regulated by imposing constraints on their surface area.

scholarly journals Ecological Immunology of mosquito-malaria interactions: Of non-natural versus natural model systems and their inferences

Parasitology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 136 (14) ◽  
pp. 1935-1942 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. TRIPET
Keyword(s):  
Immune Responses ◽  
Population Biology ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
Ecological Immunology ◽  
Experimental Systems ◽  
Evolutionary Context ◽  
And Function

SUMMARYThere has been a recent shift in the literature on mosquito/Plasmodium interactions with an increasingly large number of theoretical and experimental studies focusing on their population biology and evolutionary processes. Ecological immunology of mosquito-malaria interactions – the study of the mechanisms and function of mosquito immune responses to Plasmodium in their ecological and evolutionary context – is particularly important for our understanding of malaria transmission and how to control it. Indeed, describing the processes that create and maintain variation in mosquito immune responses and parasite virulence in natural populations may be as important to this endeavor as describing the immune responses themselves. For historical reasons, Ecological Immunology still largely relies on studies based on non-natural model systems. There are many reasons why current research should favour studies conducted closer to the field and more realistic experimental systems whenever possible. As a result, a number of researchers have raised concerns over the use of artificial host-parasite associations to generate inferences about population-level processes. Here I discuss and review several lines of evidence that, I believe, best illustrate and summarize the limitations of inferences generated using non-natural model systems.

scholarly journals Structure and Function of CC-Chemokine Receptor 5 Homologues Derived from Representative Primate Species and Subspecies of the Taxonomic Suborders Prosimii and Anthropoidea

2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (22) ◽  
pp. 12310-12318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin J. Kunstman ◽  
Bridget Puffer ◽  
Bette T. Korber ◽  
Carla Kuiken ◽  
Una R. Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Chemokine Receptor ◽  
Transmembrane Domain ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
Amino Acid Substitutions ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
And Function ◽  
Cc Chemokine Receptor 5 ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT A chemokine receptor from the seven-transmembrane-domain G-protein-coupled receptor superfamily is an essential coreceptor for the cellular entry of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) strains. To investigate nonhuman primate CC-chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) homologue structure and function, we amplified CCR5 DNA sequences from peripheral blood cells obtained from 24 representative species and subspecies of the primate suborders Prosimii (family Lemuridae) and Anthropoidea (families Cebidae, Callitrichidae, Cercopithecidae, Hylobatidae, and Pongidae) by PCR with primers flanking the coding region of the gene. Full-length CCR5 was inserted into pCDNA3.1, and multiple clones were sequenced to permit discrimination of both alleles. Compared to the human CCR5 sequence, the CCR5 sequences of the Lemuridae, Cebidae, and Cercopithecidae shared 87, 91 to 92, and 96 to 99% amino acid sequence homology, respectively. Amino acid substitutions tended to cluster in the amino and carboxy termini, the first transmembrane domain, and the second extracellular loop, with a pattern of species-specific changes that characterized CCR5 homologues from primates within a given family. At variance with humans, all primate species examined from the suborder Anthropoidea had amino acid substitutions at positions 13 (N to D) and 129 (V to I); the former change is critical for CD4-independent binding of SIV to CCR5. Within the Cebidae, Cercopithecidae, and Pongidae (including humans), CCR5 nucleotide similarities were 95.2 to 97.4, 98.0 to 99.5, and 98.3 to 99.3%, respectively. Despite this low genetic diversity, the phylogeny of the selected primate CCR5 homologue sequences agrees with present primate systematics, apart from some intermingling of species of the Cebidae and Cercopithecidae. Constructed HOS.CD4 cell lines expressing the entire CCR5 homologue protein from each of the Anthropoidea species and subspecies were tested for their ability to support HIV-1 and SIV entry and membrane fusion. Other than that of Cercopithecus pygerythrus, all CCR5 homologues tested were able to support both SIV and HIV-1 entry. Our results suggest that the shared structure and function of primate CCR5 homologue proteins would not impede the movement of primate immunodeficiency viruses between species.

Replacing surface-area to volume with diffusion length

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tzachi Bar
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Diffusion Length ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Fast Diffusion ◽  
Mathematical Framework ◽  
Simple Explanation ◽  
Academic Degree ◽  
Visual Spatial ◽  
And Function ◽  
Graphical Illustration

Surface-area to volume (S/V) has central place in STEM syllabuses, explaining the relation between structure and function governed by the heat equation, such as in diffusion and heat transfer by conduction. However, teaching the abstract S/V quotient faces many difficulties, due to the need for high reasoning abilities and visual-spatial skills. Surprisingly, an exploratory survey among 64 high school biology teachers revealed that 12.5% of them teach the relation between structure and function in diffusion by one dimensional, tangible, quotient free, explanation: small and non-spherical structure results in short diffusion length, which results in fast diffusion. Those teachers tend to hold higher academic degree (p= 0.002) and be more experienced (p=0.045). A plausible explanation for the limited usage in the 'diffusion length' model may be the lack of mathematical framework and graphical illustration to support it. Here I link the diffusion length, volume (V) and surface-area (S) and show that the average diffusion length = 3V/S and present an illustration of V/S. Therefore, the small, non-spherical shapes of structures adopted for fast diffusion can be equivalently explained by the short diffusion length in these structures. Having the necessary mathematical framework and graphical illustration should help other teachers adopt this simple explanation.

scholarly journals Tunable Surface Area, Porosity, and Function in Conjugated Microporous Polymers

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (34) ◽  
pp. 11715-11719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Chen ◽  
Wei Yan ◽  
Esther J. Townsend ◽  
Jiangtao Feng ◽  
Long Pan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Microporous Polymers ◽  
And Function ◽  
Conjugated Microporous Polymers

scholarly journals Tunable Surface Area, Porosity, and Function in Conjugated Microporous Polymers

2019 ◽  
Vol 131 (34) ◽  
pp. 11841-11845 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Chen ◽  
Wei Yan ◽  
Esther J. Townsend ◽  
Jiangtao Feng ◽  
Long Pan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Microporous Polymers ◽  
And Function ◽  
Conjugated Microporous Polymers

Environmental enteropathy is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in Peruvian children

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 337-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. O. Lee ◽  
M. Paredes Olortegui ◽  
M. Siguas Salas ◽  
P. Peñataro Yori ◽  
D. Rengifo Trigoso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Surface Area ◽  
Cardiometabolic Risk ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Apolipoprotein Ai ◽  
Biological Mechanisms ◽  
Environmental Enteropathy ◽  
Plasma Antibody ◽  
And Function ◽  
Cardiometabolic Profile

Environmental enteropathy (EE) is a syndrome of altered small intestine structure and function hypothesized to be common among individuals lacking access to improved water and sanitation. There are plausible biological mechanisms, both inflammatory and non-inflammatory, by which EE may alter the cardiometabolic profile. Here, we test the hypothesis that EE is associated with the cardiometabolic profile among young children living in an environment of intense enteropathogen exposure. In total, 156 children participating in the Peruvian cohort of a multicenter study on childhood infectious diseases, growth and development were contacted at 3–5 years of age. The urinary lactulose:mannitol ratio, and plasma antibody to endotoxin core were determined in order to assess intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation. Blood pressure, anthropometry, fasting plasma glucose, insulin, and cholesterol and apolipoprotein profiles were also assessed. Extant cohort data were also used to relate biomarkers of EE during the first 18 months of life to early child cardiometabolic profile. Lower intestinal surface area, as assessed by percent mannitol excretion, was associated with lower apolipoprotein-AI and lower high-density lipoprotein concentrations. Lower intestinal surface area was also associated with greater blood pressure. Inflammation at 7 months of age was associated with higher blood pressure in later childhood. This study supports the potential for a relationship between EE and the cardiometabolic profile.

scholarly journals Design principles of hair-like structures as biological machines

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (142) ◽  
pp. 20180206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madeleine Seale ◽  
Cathal Cummins ◽  
Ignazio Maria Viola ◽  
Enrico Mastropaolo ◽  
Naomi Nakayama
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Surface Area ◽  
Large Surface Area ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Basic Design ◽  
Form And Function ◽  
Mechanical Unit ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Range Of Functions ◽  
And Function

Hair-like structures are prevalent throughout biology and frequently act to sense or alter interactions with an organism's environment. The overall shape of a hair is simple: a long, filamentous object that protrudes from the surface of an organism. This basic design, however, can confer a wide range of functions, owing largely to the flexibility and large surface area that it usually possesses. From this simple structural basis, small changes in geometry, such as diameter, curvature and inter-hair spacing, can have considerable effects on mechanical properties, allowing functions such as mechanosensing, attachment, movement and protection. Here, we explore how passive features of hair-like structures, both individually and within arrays, enable diverse functions across biology. Understanding the relationships between form and function can provide biologists with an appreciation for the constraints and possibilities on hair-like structures. Additionally, such structures have already been used in biomimetic engineering with applications in sensing, water capture and adhesion. By examining hairs as a functional mechanical unit, geometry and arrangement can be rationally designed to generate new engineering devices and ideas.

scholarly journals Impact of Biochar on Physicochemical Properties of Haplic Luvisol Soil under Different Land Use: A Plot Experiment

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Cybulak ◽  
Zofia Sokołowska ◽  
Patrycja Boguta
Keyword(s):  
Physicochemical Properties ◽  
Specific Surface ◽  
Surface Area ◽  
Specific Surface Area ◽  
Physicochemical Characterization ◽  
Organic Carbon Content ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Opposite Trend ◽  
And Function ◽  
Positive Effect

There is limited information regarding the effect of biochar (BioC) on improving the fertility of degraded soils (fallow and grassland), particularly with respect to changes with time. The objective of the study was to evaluate, in a three-year field experiment, the influence of BioC on the physicochemical properties of Haplic Luvisol. BioC, obtained via wood waste pyrolysis at 650 °C, was applied to the soil of subplots under fallow and grassland at rates of 0, 1, 2, and 3 kg·m−2. Soil samples were collected eight times, from 2013 to 2015. Physicochemical characterization was performed for soil and BioC by analyzing density, pH, surface charge, as well as ash and organic carbon content. BioC’s influence on the physicochemical properties of degraded soils was determined by analyzing the changes in pH, specific surface area, radius, and volume of the micropore. The addition of BioC affected analyzed soils to varying degrees. In the case of the fallow, a positive effect on changes in these parameters was observed, particularly at the highest biochar dose and for the last year of the experiment. However, for the grassland, in most cases we observed the opposite trend—for example, pH and specific surface area values decreased with increasing biochar dose. We believe that it is necessary to examine how BioC affects sorption properties of organic matter of fallow and grassland soils, as well as the BioC’s influence on humic acids of these soils as a function on BioC dose and function of time.

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