Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Assyrtiko Grape Microbiota.

Vitis vinifera, an economically significant grapevine species, is known for wine, juice, and table grape production. The berries of wine grapes host a diverse range of microorganisms influencing both grapevine health and the winemaking process. Indigenous to Greece, the emblematic variety Assyrtiko, renowned for high-quality white wines, originated from Santorini and spread to various Greek regions. Despite existing studies on the microbiota of several varieties, the carposphere microbiota of Assyrtiko grapes remains unexplored. Thus, we conducted a spatiotemporal metagenomic study to identify the epiphytic microbial community composition of Assyrtiko grapes. The study was conducted in two consecutive vintage years (2019 and 2020) across three different and distinct viticulture regions in Greece (Attica, Thessaloniki, Evros). We performed amplicon sequencing, targeting the 16S rRNA gene for bacteria and the ITS region for fungi, with subsequent comprehensive bioinformatic analysis. Our data indicate that the distribution and relative abundance of the epiphytic carposphere microbial communities of the Assyrtiko variety are shaped both by vintage and biogeography.

Novel Wild-Type Pediococcus and Lactiplantibacillus Strains as Probiotic Candidates to Manage Obesity-Associated Insulin Resistance.

As the food and pharmaceutical industry is continuously seeking new probiotic strains with unique health properties, the aim of the present study was to determine the impact of short-term dietary intervention with novel wild-type strains, isolated from various sources, on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced insulin resistance. Initially, the strains were evaluated in vitro for their ability to survive in simulated gastrointestinal (GI) conditions, for adhesion to Caco-2 cells, for bile salt hydrolase secretion, for cholesterol-lowering and cellular cholesterol-binding ability, and for growth inhibition of food-borne pathogens. In addition, safety criteria were assessed, including hemolytic activity and susceptibility to antibiotics. The in vivo test on insulin resistance showed that mice receiving the HFD supplemented with Pediococcus acidilactici SK (isolated from human feces) or P. acidilactici OLS3-1 strain (isolated from olive fruit) exhibited significantly improved insulin resistance compared to HFD-fed mice or to the normal diet (ND)-fed group.

Characterization of the Abracl-Expressing Cell Populations in the Embryonic Mammalian Telencephalon.

Abracl (ABRA C-terminal-like protein) is a small, non-typical winged-helix protein that shares similarity with the C-terminal domain of the protein ABRA (Actin-Binding Rho-Activating protein). The role of Abracl in the cell remains elusive, although in cancer cells, it has been implicated in proliferation, migration and actin dynamics. Our previous study showed that Abracl mRNA was expressed in the dividing cells of the subpallial subventricular zone (SVZ), in the developing cortical plate (CP), and in the diencephalic SVZ; however, the molecular identities of the Abracl-expressing cell populations were not defined in that work. In this study, we use double immunofluorescence to characterize the expression of Abracl on sections of embryonic murine (E11.5-E18.5) and feline (E30/31-E33/34) telencephalon; to this end, we use a battery of well-known molecular markers of cycling (Ki67, Ascl1, Dlx2) or post-mitotic (Tubb3, Gad65/67, Lhx6 and Tbr1) cells. Our experiments show that Abracl protein has, compared to the mRNA, a broader expression domain, including, apart from proliferating cells of the subpallial and diencephalic SVZ, post-mitotic cells occupying the subpallial and pallial mantle (including the CP), as well as subpallial-derived migrating interneurons. Interestingly, in late embryonic developmental stages, Abracl was also transiently detected in major telencephalic fiber tracts.

Assessment of the Anti-Amyloidogenic Properties of Essential Oils and Their Constituents in Cells Using a Whole-Cell Recombinant Biosensor.

Essential oils exhibit numerous medicinal properties, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Recent studies also indicate that certain essential oils demonstrate anti-amyloidogenic activity against ß-amyloid, the protein implicated in Alzheimer's disease. To investigate whether the anti-aggregating properties of essential oils extend to α-synuclein, the protein involved in Parkinson's disease, we constructed and employed a whole-cell biosensor based on the split-luciferase complementation assay. We validated our biosensor by using baicalein, a known inhibitor of α-synuclein aggregation, and subsequently we tested eight essential oils commonly used in food and the hygienic industry. Two of them, citron and sage, along with their primary components, pure linalool (the main constituent in citron essential oil) and pure eucalyptol (1,8-cineole, the main constituent in sage essential oil), were able to reduce α-syn aggregation. These findings suggest that both essential oils and their main constituents could be regarded as potential components in functional foods or incorporated into complementary Parkinson's disease therapies.

Effect of Free or Immobilized Lactiplantibacillus plantarum T571 on Feta-Type Cheese Microbiome.

BACKGROUND: Cheese microbiome plays a key role in determining the organoleptic and physico-chemical properties and may be also used as an authenticity tool for distinguishing probiotic cultures. Due to significant reduction of cell viability often witnessed during food production processes and storage, immobilization is proposed to ascertain high probiotic cell loads required to confer the potential health benefits. Hence, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of free or immobilized Lactiplantibacillus plantarum T571 on whey protein on feta cheese microbiome. METHODS: Next-Generation Sequencing technology was used to investigate cheese microbiome. Cheese samples containing free or immobilized Lactiplantibacillus plantarum T571 (a wild type strain isolated from Feta cheese brine) on whey protein, along with products containing commercial starter culture, were analyzed. RESULTS: The results showed a great diversity of bacteria and fungi genera among the samples. An increased presence of Lactobacillus OTUs in cheese with immobilized cells on whey protein was witnessed, highlighting the survival of the strain in the final product. The immobilized culture had also a significant impact on other genera, such as Lactococcus, Leuconostoc and Debaryomyces, which are associated with improved technological characteristics and health benefits. CONCLUSIONS: Enrichment of feta cheese with immobilized potential probiotics to secure cell viability consists of an industrial challenge and leads to distinct microbiome composition that may be used as a valuable food authenticity tool.

Interplay Between mTOR and Hippo Signaling in the Ovary: Clinical Choice Guidance Between Different Gonadotropin Preparations for Better IVF.

One of the most widely used types of assisted reproduction technology is the in vitro fertilization (IVF), in which women undergo controlled ovarian stimulation through the administration of the appropriate hormones to produce as many mature follicles, as possible. The most common hormone combination is the co-administration of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues with recombinant or urinary-derived follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). In the last few years, scientists have begun to explore the effect that different gonadotropin preparations have on granulosa cells' maturation and apoptosis, aiming to identify new predictive markers of oocyte quality and successful fertilization. Two major pathways that control the ovarian development, as well as the oocyte-granulosa cell communication and the follicular growth, are the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and the Hippo signaling. The purpose of this article is to briefly review the current knowledge about the effects that the different gonadotropins, used for ovulation induction, may exert in the biology of granulosa cells, focusing on the importance of these two pathways, which are crucial for follicular maturation. We believe that a better understanding of the influence that the various ovarian stimulation protocols have on these critical molecular cascades will be invaluable in choosing the best approach for a given patient, thereby avoiding cancelled cycles, reducing frustration and potential treatment-related complications, and increasing the pregnancy rate. Moreover, individualizing the treatment plan will help clinicians to better coordinate assisted reproductive technology (ART) programs, discuss the specific options with the couples undergoing IVF, and alleviate stress, thus making the IVF experience easier.

Molecular Genetics of Microcephaly Primary Hereditary: An Overview.

MicroCephaly Primary Hereditary (MCPH) is a rare congenital neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a significant reduction of the occipitofrontal head circumference and mild to moderate mental disability. Patients have small brains, though with overall normal architecture; therefore, studying MCPH can reveal not only the pathological mechanisms leading to this condition, but also the mechanisms operating during normal development. MCPH is genetically heterogeneous, with 27 genes listed so far in the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database. In this review, we discuss the role of MCPH proteins and delineate the molecular mechanisms and common pathways in which they participate.

Genoarchitectonic Compartmentalization of the Embryonic Telencephalon: Insights From the Domestic Cat.

The telencephalon develops from the alar plate of the secondary prosencephalon and is subdivided into two distinct divisions, the pallium, which derives solely from prosomere hp1, and the subpallium which derives from both hp1 and hp2 prosomeres. In this first systematic analysis of the feline telencephalon genoarchitecture, we apply the prosomeric model to compare the expression of a battery of genes, including Tbr1, Tbr2, Pax6, Mash1, Dlx2, Nkx2-1, Lhx6, Lhx7, Lhx2, and Emx1, the orthologs of which alone or in combination, demarcate molecularly distinct territories in other species. We characterize, within the pallium and the subpallium, domains and subdomains topologically equivalent to those previously described in other vertebrate species and we show that the overall genoarchitectural map of the E26/27 feline brain is highly similar to that of the E13.5/E14 mouse. In addition, using the same approach at the earlier (E22/23 and E24/25) or later (E28/29 and E34/35) stages we further analyze neurogenesis, define the timing and duration of several developmental events, and compare our data with those from similar mouse studies; our results point to a complex pattern of heterochronies and show that, compared with the mouse, developmental events in the feline telencephalon span over extended periods suggesting that cats may provide a useful animal model to study brain patterning in ontogenesis and evolution.

Spatial distribution of the full-length members of the Grg family during embryonic neurogenesis reveals a "Grg-mediated repression map" in the mouse telencephalon.

The full-length members of the Groucho/Transducin-like Enhancer of split gene family, namely Grg1-4, encode nuclear corepressors that act either directly, via interaction with transcription factors, or indirectly by modifying histone acetylation or chromatin structure. In this work we describe a detailed expression analysis of Grg1-4 family members during embryonic neurogenesis in the developing murine telencephalon. Grg1-4 presented a unique, complex yet overlapping expression pattern; Grg1 and Grg3 were mainly detected in the proliferative zones of the telencephalon, Grg2 mainly in the subpallium and finally, Grg4 mainly in the subpallial post mitotic neurons. In addition, comparative analysis of the expression of Grg1-4 revealed that, at these stages, distinct telencephalic progenitor domains or structures are characterized by the presence of different combinations of Grg repressors, thus forming a "Grg-mediated repression map".

PTTG-1 (Securin) immunoexpression in meningiomas correlates with tumor grade and proliferation rate: potential use as a diagnostic marker of malignancy.

This study essentially aims to contribute to the immunohistochemical investigation of the use of pituitary tumor transforming gene (PTTG) as a marker of cell proliferation or advanced tumor grade in meningiomas of various WHO grades. In all, 51 cases were recovered in total, 21 Grade-I, 23 Grade-II and 7 Grade-III meningiomas. Mitotic index (MI), Ki-67/MiB-1 positivity percentage and PTTG expression were analyzed in correlation to each other as well as to the tumor WHO grades. All three biomarkers showed a high diagnostic significance and a strong association with WHO grades. In comparison, PTTG expression was on a par with the other two indices, and performed very well regarding identification of advanced grade tumors. PTTG may be considered an important diagnostic tool and serve in the future as a novel prognosticator of the biological behavior of all grade meningiomas as well as a useful high-risk patient selection tool.

HSPC280, a winged helix protein expressed in the subventricular zone of the developing ganglionic eminences, inhibits neuronal differentiation.

Winged helix proteins have critical roles in a variety of developmental processes. During a screening for genes expressed in the developing forebrain, we identified HSPC280, a non-typical winged helix protein, which shares similarity with a protein-protein interaction domain found in the proteins of the actin-binding Rho-activating protein family. In this work, we analyzed HSPC280 expression during mouse development as well as during neuronal differentiation of mouse Neuro2a cells. HSPC280 expression is tightly regulated; during mouse development, it was detected predominantly in the ganglionic eminences of the ventral telencephalon, from their appearance at E11.5 to P0, with the highest levels between E13.5 and E15.5, a period that correlates with the peak of neurogenesis in these structures. Comparative expression analysis of HSPC280 with Dlx2, cyclinD2 and Lhx6 revealed that, within the ganglionic eminences, HSPC280 was restricted in the proliferating cell population of the subventricular zone, in a pattern similar to that of cyclinD2. Finally, we showed that HSPC280 is a nuclear protein which, when overexpressed in Neuro2a cells, it inhibited neuronal differentiation in vitro, suggesting its involvement in the mechanisms controlling neural progenitor cells proliferation.