Phospholipid Acyltransferases: Characterization and Involvement of the Enzymes in Metabolic and Cancer Diseases.

This review delves into the enzymatic processes governing the initial stages of glycerophospholipid (phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylserine) and triacylglycerol synthesis. The key enzymes under scrutiny include GPAT and AGPAT. Additionally, as most AGPATs exhibit LPLAT activity, enzymes participating in the Lands cycle with similar functions are also covered. The review begins by discussing the properties of these enzymes, emphasizing their specificity in enzymatic reactions, notably the incorporation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) into phospholipids. The paper sheds light on the intricate involvement of these enzymes in various diseases, including obesity, insulin resistance, and cancer. To underscore the relevance of these enzymes in cancer processes, a bioinformatics analysis was conducted. The expression levels of the described enzymes were correlated with the overall survival of patients across 33 different types of cancer using the GEPIA portal. This review further explores the potential therapeutic implications of inhibiting these enzymes in the treatment of metabolic diseases and cancer. By elucidating the intricate enzymatic pathways involved in lipid synthesis and their impact on various pathological conditions, this paper contributes to a comprehensive understanding of these processes and their potential as therapeutic targets.

Neurotrophic and Neuroprotective Effects of Hericium erinaceus.

Hericium erinaceus is a valuable mushroom known for its strong bioactive properties. It shows promising potential as an excellent neuroprotective agent, capable of stimulating nerve growth factor release, regulating inflammatory processes, reducing oxidative stress, and safeguarding nerve cells from apoptosis. The active compounds in the mushroom, such as erinacines and hericenones, have been the subject of research, providing evidence of their neuroprotective effects. Further research and standardization processes for dietary supplements focused on H. erinaceus are essential to ensuring effectiveness and safety in protecting the nervous system. Advancements in isolation and characterization techniques, along with improved access to pure analytical standards, will play a critical role in achieving standardized, high-quality dietary supplements based on H. erinaceus. The aim of this study is to analyze the protective and nourishing effects of H. erinaceus on the nervous system and present the most up-to-date research findings related to this topic.

PRIME EDITING - a new method of editing genes / PRIME EDITING - nowa metoda edycji genów.

The Prime Editing method introduces the expected manipulations within a given genome with a Cas9-nicase and pegRNA structure and a reverse transcriptase, which is responsible for the synthesis of the segment, which is then incorporated into the edited strand. This technique is based on the previously discovered CRISPR/Cas9 method. It differs from CRISPR/Cas9 in the absence of double cracks within the DNA helix, which is due to its complex structure, including the presence of additional elements, i. e. the reverse transcriptase and the matrix within the pegRNA. PE is used to modify the DNA double helix. The work deals mainly with the creation and improvement as well as testing of the modern Prime Editing method. Information on the structure and functioning of the system is provided, as well as the research carried out so far with the use of PE, carried out within the genomes of cells derived from plant, animal, and human organisms, is described. The paper also contains information on the potential benefits and hopes related to the use of this innovative method.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Hygrobates turcicus Pesic, Esen & Dabert, 2017 (Acari, Hydrachnidia, Hygrobatoidea).

The aim of the study was sequencing of the mitogenome of Hygrobates turcicus Pesic, Esen & Dabert, 2017 to expand knowledge of the polymorphism and cryptic or pseudocryptic diversity within Hydrachnidia. The samples originated from Bulgaria, Vidima River near Debnewo, 42°56'41.4''N, 24°48'44.6''E, depth 0.4 m, stones on the bottom, water flow 0.71 m/s, temperature 10 °C, pH 8.53, oxygen 110%, conductivity 279 µS/cm, hardness 121 CaO mg/l; 11 males, 27 females, 2 deutonymphs 12.x.2019 leg. Zawal, Michonski & Bankowska; one male and one female dissected and slides mounted. The study was carried out using the following methods: DNA extraction, sequencing, assembly and annotation, comparison with other populations of H. turcicus, and multigene phylogeny. As a result of the study, it was determined that the mitogenome is 15,006 bp long and encodes for 13 proteins, 2 rRNAs, and 22 tRNAs. The genome is colinear with those of H. longiporus and H. taniguchii, the difference in size originating from a non-coding region located between protein-coding genes ND4L and ND3. Five genes have alternative start-codon, and four display premature termination. The multigene phylogeny obtained using all mitochondrial protein-coding genes unambiguously associates H. turcicus with the cluster formed by H. longiporus and H. taniguchii.

CRISPR/Cas as the intelligent immune system of bacteria and archea / CRISPR/Cas jako inteligentny system immunologiczny bakterii i archea.

The invention of CRISPR is considered to be one of the most breakthrough discoveries in recent years in the history of biology, biotechnology, medicine, as well as the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. The methods developed using CRISPR create new, previously unattainable possibilities that can significantly improve the quality of life. From the invention of this intelligent immune system to the present day, much research has been done using the CRISPR/Cas systems. The result of these studies was the development of a modern tool for genetic manipulation, which allows for the introduction of many modifications within the DNA, which may contribute to the silencing of the expression of given genes or their overexpression through e.g. mutations or deletions. The paper describes the application of the method for genetic manipulation with the use of the second class system ­ CRISPR/Cas9 and the advantages of this method and its advantage over the previously used genetic engineering tools, as well as its limitations and disadvantages, which significantly limit the possibility of its application. The potential use of the method was also presented as well as the research carried out with the use of CRSPR/Cas9.

Natural Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Hyperaccumulation and Hypertolerance towards Heavy Metals.

The main mechanism of plant tolerance is the avoidance of metal uptake, whereas the main mechanism of hyperaccumulation is the uptake and neutralization of metals through specific plant processes. These include the formation of symbioses with rhizosphere microorganisms, the secretion of substances into the soil and metal immobilization, cell wall modification, changes in the expression of genes encoding heavy metal transporters, heavy metal ion chelation, and sequestration, and regenerative heat-shock protein production. The aim of this work was to review the natural plant mechanisms that contribute towards increased heavy metal accumulation and tolerance, as well as a review of the hyperaccumulator phytoremediation capacity. Phytoremediation is a strategy for purifying heavy-metal-contaminated soils using higher plants species as hyperaccumulators.