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Hydrophobin
Hydrophobins are a group of small (~100 amino acids) cysteine-rich proteins that were discovered in filamentous fungi that are lichenized or not. Later similar proteins were also found in Bacteria. Hydrophobins are known for their ability to form a hydrophobic (water-repellent) coating on the surface of an object. They were first discovered and separated in '' Schizophyllum commune'' in 1991. Based on differences in hydropathy patterns and biophysical properties, they can be divided into two categories: class I and class II. Hydrophobins can self-assemble into a monolayer on hydrophilic:hydrophobic interfaces such as a water:air interface. Class I monolayer contains the same core structure as amyloid fibrils, and is positive to Congo red and thioflavin T. The monolayer formed by class I hydrophobins has a highly ordered structure, and can only be dissociated by concentrated trifluoroacetate or formic acid. Monolayer assembly involves large structural rearrangements with respec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Schizophyllum Commune
''Schizophyllum commune'' is a species of fungus in the genus '' Schizophyllum''. The mushroom resembles undulating waves of tightly packed corals or a loose Chinese fan. Gillies or split-gills vary from creamy yellow to pale white in colour. The cap is small, wide with a dense yet spongey body texture. It is known as the split-gill mushroom because of the unique, longitudinally divided nature of the namesake gills on the underside of the cap. It is found on rotting wood throughout the world. This fungus is an opportunistic environmental pathogen as well as an edible mushroom (when young). Etymology '' Schizophyllum'' is derived from Greek] ''Schíza'' meaning split because of the appearance of radial, centrally split, gill like folds; ''commune'' means common or shared ownership or ubiquitous. Description ''Schizophyllum commune'' is usually described as a morphological species of global distribution, but some research has suggested that it may be a species complex encompa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amyloids
Amyloids are aggregates of proteins characterised by a fibrillar morphology of typically 7–13 nm in diameter, a β-sheet secondary structure (known as cross-β) and ability to be stained by particular dyes, such as Congo red. In the human body, amyloids have been linked to the development of various diseases. Pathogenic amyloids form when previously healthy proteins lose their normal structure and physiological functions ( misfolding) and form fibrous deposits within and around cells. These protein misfolding and deposition processes disrupt the healthy function of tissues and organs. Such amyloids have been associated with (but not necessarily as the cause of) more than 50 human diseases, known as amyloidosis, and may play a role in some neurodegenerative diseases. Some of these diseases are mainly sporadic and only a few cases are familial. Others are only familial. Some result from medical treatment. Prions are an infectious form of amyloids that can act as a template ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fungi
A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one of the kingdom (biology)#Six kingdoms (1998), traditional eukaryotic kingdoms, along with Animalia, Plantae, and either Protista or Protozoa and Chromista. A characteristic that places fungi in a different kingdom from plants, bacteria, and some protists is chitin in their cell walls. Fungi, like animals, are heterotrophs; they acquire their food by absorbing dissolved molecules, typically by secreting digestive enzymes into their environment. Fungi do not photosynthesize. Growth is their means of motility, mobility, except for spores (a few of which are flagellated), which may travel through the air or water. Fungi are the principal decomposers in ecological systems. These and other differences place fungi in a single group of related o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trichoderma Reesei
''Trichoderma reesei'' is a mesophilic and filamentous fungus. It is an anamorph of the fungus ''Hypocrea jecorina''. ''T. reesei'' can secrete large amounts of cellulolytic enzymes ( cellulases and hemicellulases). Microbial cellulases have industrial application in the conversion of cellulose, a major component of plant biomass, into glucose. ''T. reesei'' isolate QM6a was originally isolated from the Solomon Islands during World War II because of its degradation of canvas and garments of the US army. All strains currently used in biotechnology and basic research were derived from this isolate. Recent advances in the biochemistry of cellulase enzymology, the mechanism of cellulose hydrolysis ( cellulolysis), strain improvement, molecular cloning and process engineering are bringing ''T. reesei'' cellulases closer to being a commercially viable route to cellulose hydrolysis. Several industrially useful strains have been developed and characterised, e.g. Rut-C30, RL-P37 a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Protein Family
A protein family is a group of evolutionarily related proteins. In many cases, a protein family has a corresponding gene family, in which each gene encodes a corresponding protein with a 1:1 relationship. The term "protein family" should not be confused with family as it is used in taxonomy. Proteins in a family descend from a common ancestor and typically have similar three-dimensional structures, functions, and significant sequence similarity. Sequence similarity (usually amino-acid sequence) is one of the most common indicators of homology, or common evolutionary ancestry. Some frameworks for evaluating the significance of similarity between sequences use sequence alignment methods. Proteins that do not share a common ancestor are unlikely to show statistically significant sequence similarity, making sequence alignment a powerful tool for identifying the members of protein families. Families are sometimes grouped together into larger clades called superfamilies based on st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thioflavin T
Thioflavins are fluorescent dyes that are available as at least two compounds, namely Thioflavin T and Thioflavin S. Both are used for histology staining and biophysical studies of protein aggregation. In particular, these dyes have been used since 1989 to investigate amyloid formation. They are also used in biophysical studies of the electrophysiology of bacteria. Thioflavins are corrosive, irritant, and acutely toxic, causing serious eye damage. Thioflavin T has been used in research into Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Thioflavin T Thioflavin T (Basic Yellow 1, Methylene yellow, CI 49005, or ThT) is a benzothiazole salt obtained by the methylation of dehydrothiotoluidine with methanol in the presence of hydrochloric acid. The dye is widely used to visualize and quantify the presence of misfolded protein aggregates called amyloid, both ''in vitro'' and ''in vivo'' (e.g., plaques composed of amyloid beta found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease pat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
X-ray Diffraction
X-ray diffraction is a generic term for phenomena associated with changes in the direction of X-ray beams due to interactions with the electrons around atoms. It occurs due to elastic scattering, when there is no change in the energy of the waves. The resulting map of the directions of the X-rays far from the sample is called a diffraction pattern. It is different from X-ray crystallography which exploits X-ray diffraction to determine the arrangement of atoms in materials, and also has other components such as ways to map from experimental diffraction measurements to the positions of atoms. This article provides an overview of X-ray diffraction, starting with the early #History, history of x-rays and the discovery that they have the right spacings to be diffracted by crystals. In many cases these diffraction patterns can be #Introduction to x-ray diffraction theory, Interpreted using a single scattering or kinematical theory with conservation of energy (#Ewald's sphere, wave vecto ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amphipathic
In chemistry, an amphiphile (), or amphipath, is a chemical compound possessing both hydrophilic (''water-loving'', polar) and lipophilic (''fat-loving'', nonpolar) properties. Such a compound is called amphiphilic or amphipathic. Amphiphilic compounds include surfactants and detergents. The phospholipid amphiphiles are the major structural component of cell membranes. Amphiphiles are the basis for a number of areas of research in chemistry and biochemistry, notably that of lipid polymorphism. Organic compounds containing hydrophilic groups at both ends of the molecule are called bolaamphiphilic. The micelles they form in the aggregate are prolate. Structure The lipophilic group is typically a large hydrocarbon moiety, such as a long chain of the form CH3(CH2)n, with n > 4. The hydrophilic group falls into one of the following categories: # charged groups #* anionic. Examples, with the lipophilic part of the molecule represented by ''R'', are: #** carboxylates: RCO2− #** ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wallemia Ichthyophaga
''Wallemia ichthyophaga'' is one of the three species of Fungus, fungi in the genus ''Wallemia'', which in turn is the only genus of the class Wallemiomycetes. The phylogenetic origin of the lineage was placed to various parts of Basidiomycota, but according to the analysis of larger datasets it is a (495-million-years-old) sister group of Agaricomycotina. Although initially believed to be Asexual (fungus), asexual, population genomics found evidence of recombination between strains and a mating type locus was identified in all sequenced genomes of the species. Only a limited number of strains of ''W. ichthyophaga ''have been isolated so far (from hypersaline water of Salt evaporation pond, solar salterns, bitterns (magnesium-rich residual solutions in salt production from sea water) and salted meat). ''W. ichthyophaga'' requires at least 1.5 M NaCl for in-vitro growth (or some other osmolyte for an equivalent water activity), and it thrives even in saturated NaCl solution. This ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wallemia Sebi
''Wallemia sebi'' is a xerophilic fungus of the phylum Basidiomycota. It is commonly found on highly sugared or salted materials, such as jams, bread, cakes, sugar, bacon, salted meats, and salted fish. It is also found in indoor air, house dust, and soil. One distinctive feature of ''W. sebi'' is its relationship with water activity. Most fungi are profoundly affected by the availability of water. The ability to tolerate environments with low water activity has been found mostly in Ascomycota, but rarely in Basidiomycota. However, ''W. sebi.'' can adjust its morphology and physiology to adapt to different environmental conditions and survive osmotic stress. ''Wallemia sebi'' have lower limits for growth below water activity of 0.75 (0.69-0.75) aw, while most microorganisms are limited to 0.95 and above. ''Wallemia sebi'' has been isolated from hair, hay, textiles and man. It can grow slowly without additional solute in the growth medium, and form small, reddish-brown, powdery ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fungal Spore
In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual (in fungi) or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, fungi and protozoa. They were thought to have appeared as early as the mid-late Ordovician period as an adaptation of early land plants. Bacterial spores are not part of a sexual cycle, but are resistant structures used for survival under unfavourable conditions. Myxozoan spores release amoeboid infectious germs ("amoebulae") into their hosts for parasitic infection, but also reproduce within the hosts through the pairing of two nuclei within the plasmodium, which develops from the amoebula. In plants, spores are usually haploid and unicellular and are produced by meiosis in the sporangium of a diploid sporophyte. In some rare cases, a diploid spore is also produced in some algae, or fungi. Under favourable conditions, the spore ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
