Factors Associated With Major Lower Extremity Amputations in Diabetic Foot Infections at a County Hospital in Guatemala.

INTRODUCTION: Outcomes from diabetic foot infections (DFIs) at the major referral hospital (Hospital Nacional de San Benito) in El Petén, Guatemala have not been analyzed. We hypothesized that poor diabetic control might be associated with a high rate of major lower extremity amputations (mLEAs; above the ankle). METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis at Hospital Nacional de San Benito between (8/14 and 6/23) in patients presenting with DFIs. Patients receiving mLEAs were compared with all others (AO = [trans-metatarsal amputations, toe amputations, incision and drainage, and antibiotic treatment]). Interviews surgeons were undertaken to ascertain reasons for index operation choice. Univariable and multivariable analyses were undertaken to determine factors associated with mLEAs. RESULTS: Of 110 patients with DFIs, there were 23 mLEAs (above the knee = 21, below the knee = 2). Age, duration with diabetes, and a prior ipsilateral minor amputation were associated with mLEAs. Multivariable analysis identified white blood cell count as significant for mLEA (odds ratio = 1.5 95% confidence interval [1.0 to 2.5]). Cited reasons for a high rate of above the knee amputation (AKAs) versus below the knee amputation were patient related (advanced disease, patient frailty, and poor compliance), systemic (lack of vascular equipment and knee immobilizer), and surgeon related. CONCLUSIONS: This cohort of patients presented with an average of 15 years with diabetes mellitus and poor adherence to diabetic treatment (40%). Many of these diabetic patients developed a DFI requiring mLEAs (21%), most of which were AKAs (91%). Efforts to minimize the number of AKA versus below the knee amputation require immediate attention. Programs to adhere to DM control and foot care in patients with DM are urgently needed.

Unsafe Practices of Motorcycle Riders in El Petén, Guatemala: A Community Observational Study and a Retrospective Institutional Review.

INTRODUCTION: Outcomes from trauma at the major referral hospital [Hospital Nacional de San Benito (HNSB)] in El Petén, Guatemala, have not been analyzed. Empirical evidence demonstrated a high number of motorcycle accidents (MAs). We hypothesized a large incidence of head trauma with poor outcomes in MAs compared to all other forms of blunt trauma. METHODS: Our hypothesis was tested by performing a community observational study and a retrospective chart review in El Petén, Guatemala. An independent observer catalogued 100 motorcycle riders on the streets of El Petén for riding practices as well as helmet utilization. HNSB does not have electronic medical records. For this study, we performed a retrospective chart review of randomly selected nonconsecutive trauma admission at HNSB between March 2018 and June 2023. Blunt trauma was compared between MAs versus all others. Variables were examined by parametric and nonparametric tests as well as contingency table analyses. RESULTS: Most motorcycles riders involved multiple individuals (2.61 ± 0.79/motorcycle). Seventy riders included children (median = 1.0 [Q1-Q3 range = 1.0-3.0]/motorcycle). Overall, only three riders were wearing helmets. Forty-one were women. Of patients presenting to HNSB with trauma, 91 charts were reviewed (33.0 [20.0-37.0] y old; male 89%), 76.7% were blunt, and 23.3% were penetrating trauma. Within blunt trauma, 57.1% were MAs versus 42.9% all others; P = 0.13. MAs were younger (29.5 [20.0-37.0] versus 34.0 [21.8-45.8] y old; P < 0.05) and of similar gender (male 82.5% versus 96.6%; P = 0.1). More MAs had a computed tomography (70.0% versus 30.0%; P < 0.01) and they were more likely to present with head trauma (72.5% versus 46.7%; P = 0.04) but similar Glasgow Coma Scale (15.0 [13.5-15.0] versus 15.0 [12.5-15.0]; P = 0.7). MAs were less likely to require surgical intervention (37.5% versus 56.7%; P = 0.05) but had similar hospital length of stay (4.0 [2-6] versus 4.0 [2-10.5] d; P = 0.5). CONCLUSIONS: Unsafe motorcycle practices in El Petén are staggering. Most trauma at HNSB is blunt, and likely from MAs. More patients with MAs presented with head trauma. However, severe trauma might be transferred to higher level hospitals or mortality might occur on scene, which will need further investigations. Assessment of mortality from trauma admissions is ongoing. These findings should lead to enforcement of safe motorcycle practices in El Petén, Guatemala.

Clinical significance of mitochondrial DNA content in acute promyelocytic leukaemia.

Although a growing body of evidence demonstrates that altered mtDNA content (mtDNAc) has clinical implications in several types of solid tumours, its prognostic relevance in acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) patients remains largely unknown. Here, we show that patients with higher-than-normal mtDNAc had better outcomes regardless of tumour burden. These results were more evident in patients with low-risk of relapse. The multivariate Cox proportional hazard model demonstrated that high mtDNAc was independently associated with a decreased cumulative incidence of relapse. Altogether, our data highlights the possible role of mitochondrial metabolism in APL patients treated with ATRA.

Non-chlorophyllous and crypto-chlorophyllous fern spores differ in their mobilisation of fatty acids during priming.

During fern spore germination, lipid hydrolysis primarily provides the energy to activate their metabolism. In this research, fatty acids (linoleic, oleic, palmitic and stearic) were quantified in the spores exposed or not to priming (hydration-dehydration treatments). Five fern species were investigated, two from xerophilous shrubland and three from a cloud forest. We hypothesised that during the priming hydration phase, the fatty acids profile would change in concentration, depending on the spore type (non-chlorophyllous and crypto-chlorophyllous). The fatty acid concentration was determined by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. Chlorophyll in spores was vizualised by epifluorescence microscopy and quantified by high-resolution liquid chromatography with a DAD-UV/Vis detector. Considering all five species and all the treatments, the oleic acid was the most catabolised. After priming, we identified two patterns in the fatty acid metabolism: (1) in non-chlorophyllous species, oleic, palmitic, and linoleic acids were catabolised during imbibition and (2) in crypto-chlorophyllous species, these fatty acids increased in concentration. These patterns suggest that crypto-chlorophyllous spores with homoiochlorophylly (chlorophyll retained after drying) might not require the assembly of new photosynthetic apparatus during dark imbibition. Thus, these spores might require less energy from pre-existing lipids and less fatty acids as 'building blocks' for cell membranes than non-chlorophyllous spores, which require de novo synthesis and structuring of the photosynthetic apparatus.

FASN inhibition sensitizes metastatic OSCC cells to cisplatin and paclitaxel by downregulating cyclin B1.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the potential effect of fatty acid synthase (FASN) inhibitor orlistat to enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs widely used to treat oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC), such as 5-fluorouracil, cisplatin, and paclitaxel. METHODS: The OSCC SCC-9 LN-1 metastatic cell line, which expresses high levels of FASN, was used for drug combination experiments. Cell viability was analyzed by crystal violet staining and automatic cell counting. Apoptosis and cell cycle were analyzed by flow cytometry with Annexin-V/7-AAD and propidium iodide staining, respectively. Cyclin B1, Cdc25C, Cdk1, FASN, and ERBB2 levels were assessed by Western blotting. Finally, cell scratch and transwell assays were performed to assess cell migration and invasion. RESULTS: Inhibition of FASN with orlistat sensitized SCC-9 LN-1 cells to the cytotoxic effects of paclitaxel and cisplatin, but not 5-fluorouracil, which was accompanied by a significant reduction in cyclin B1. The suppression of proliferation, migration, and invasion of SCC-9 LN-1 cells induced by orlistat plus cisplatin or paclitaxel was not superior to the effects of chemotherapy drugs alone. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that orlistat enhances the chemosensitivity of SCC-9 LN-1 cells to cisplatin and paclitaxel by downregulating cyclin B1.

Molecular Docking and In Vitro Studies of Ochratoxin A (OTA) Biodetoxification Testing Three Endopeptidases.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is considered one of the main mycotoxins responsible for health problems and considerable economic losses in the feed industry. The aim was to study OTA's detoxifying potential of commercial protease enzymes: (i) Ananas comosus bromelain cysteine-protease, (ii) bovine trypsin serine-protease and (iii) Bacillus subtilis neutral metalloendopeptidase. In silico studies were performed with reference ligands and T-2 toxin as control, and in vitro experiments. In silico study results showed that tested toxins interacted near the catalytic triad, similar to how the reference ligands behave in all tested proteases. Likewise, based on the proximity of the amino acids in the most stable poses, the chemical reaction mechanisms for the transformation of OTA were proposed. In vitro experiments showed that while bromelain reduced OTA's concentration in 7.64% at pH 4.6; trypsin at 10.69% and the neutral metalloendopeptidase in 8.2%, 14.44%, 45.26% at pH 4.6, 5 and 7, respectively (p < 0.05). The less harmful α-ochratoxin was confirmed with trypsin and the metalloendopeptidase. This study is the first attempt to demonstrate that: (i) bromelain and trypsin can hydrolyse OTA in acidic pH conditions with low efficiency and (ii) the metalloendopeptidase was an effective OTA bio-detoxifier. This study confirmed α-ochratoxin as a final product of the enzymatic reactions in real-time practical information on OTA degradation rate, since in vitro experiments simulated the time that food spends in poultry intestines, as well as their natural pH and temperature conditions.

Determination of in vitro digestibility of forage species used in ruminant feeding.

Within the evaluation of the quality of forage resources, the main parameter that defines it is the digestibility of dry matter, which together with the amount of neutral and acidic detergent fibers and crude protein constitutes the basic information to assess forages which are supplied in the diet of the cattle. This research was carried out at the University of Los Llanos (Villavicencio, Colombia), and its objective was to determine the digestibility of three forages in cattle through three different in vitro techniques: inoculation with ruminal fluid and with feces and enzymatic digestibility technique, making the comparison with the in situ technique in order to validate the techniques and equipment that are being used for these procedures. The following species were evaluated: Pennisetum purpureum (PP), Tithonia diversifolia (TD), and Bauhinia variegata (BV), assessing the curve and rate of degradation of dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and total protein (TP) (0 to 72 h). A design of repeated measures was used, under which the analysis of variance was carried out to determine the ranges of deviation between the techniques and thus establish the trend of the data; the variables evaluated were the DM, NDF, and TP digestibilities of the three forages using the four techniques (three in vitro and one in situ). After verifying the differences between the variances of the digestibilities and checking the sphericity assumption with the Mauchly test, multiple comparisons were made with the Bonferroni test with a significance of 5%. The digestibility of DM, NDF, and TP varied between 38.62 and 44.22, 54.18 and 66.97, and 47.54 and 57.05%; 49.07 and 70.70, 72.52 and 75.44, and 62.61 and 74.02%; 29.93 and 34.84, 26.21 and 70.88, and 25.67 and 50.60% respectively in forages PP, TD, and BV, depending on the technique used for their estimation. Despite finding statistically significant differences between several of the comparisons made in the digestibility techniques, a high coefficient of determination and a high correlation between the in vitro estimations with respect to the in situ estimation were found; therefore, it is possible to use these techniques routinely thus avoiding the need to have cattle with fistulae to perform digestibility tests, with enzymatic digestibility technique being the most practical one.

Barriers to adoption of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a county hospital in Guatemala.

BACKGROUND: Despite international efforts to increase performance of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in rural Guatemala, the vast majority of cholecystectomies are still performed via the open cholecystectomy (OC) approach. Our goal was to explore barriers to the adoption of LC in Guatemala as well as possible mechanisms to overcome them. METHODS: We reviewed 9402 cholecystectomies performed over 14 years by surgeons at the Hospital Nacional de San Benito (HNSB) in El Peten, Guatemala, with either an open or a laparoscopic approach. We conducted personal interviews with all the surgeons who perform cholecystectomies at HNSB to determine current practice and barriers to adopting LC. RESULTS: Overall, seven general surgeons were interviewed who regularly perform cholecystectomy. Of the total number of cholecystectomies reviewed, 8440 (90%) were open and 962 (10%) were laparoscopic. The mean number of cholecystectomies performed per surgeon was 1341.1 ± 1244.9, with OC at 1205.7 ± 1194.9, and LC at 137.4 ± 188.0. Lack of formal training in laparoscopy was identified in 57% of surgeons. Lack of government funds to implement a laparoscopic program was noted by 71% of surgeons (29% felt there was insufficient ancillary staff, 29% poor allocation of hospital funding to purchase laparoscopic equipment/training). Lack of sufficient laparoscopic equipment was identified by 71% of surgeons. CONCLUSIONS: Ninety percent of cholecystectomies performed by surgeons at HNSB continue to be OC. The major limitation is the lack of funding to provide sufficient equipment or ancillary staff. The majority of surgeons preferred to perform LC if these problems could be addressed.

Lung cancer mortality and municipal marginalization in Mexico, 1998-2016.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the mortality trend of lung cancer (LC) in Mexico, according to the municipality marginalization index (MMI) by age group and sex, during the period 1998-2016. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The information on mortality, population and MMI was obtained from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) and the National Council of Population (Conapo). The adjusted LC mortality rate trends were analyzed using the joinpoint regression analysis. A total of 126 132 deaths were included. RESULTS: The adjusted LC mortality rate decreased from 7.83 to 4.97 100 000 inhabitants during the period from 1998-2016, but the decrease was found to be less in women and in areas with very high marginalization. CONCLUSIONS: Unequal reduction in LC mortality according to the degree of marginalization are related to early diagnosis, timely treatment and inequity in medical services. This inequity affects mainly the populations of women, highly marginalized groups and older populations.

OBJETIVO: Analizar la tendencia de mortalidad por cáncer de pulmón (CP) en México, según el índice de marginación municipal (IMM) por grupo de edad y sexo, de 1998 a 2016. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: La información sobre mortalidad, población e IMM se obtuvo del Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI) y del Consejo Nacional de Población (Conapo). Las tendencias de la tasa de mortalidad ajustada para CP se analizaron mediante el análisis de regresión de joinpoint. Se incluyeron 126 132 defunciones. RESULTADOS: La tasa de mortalidad ajustada por CP disminuyó de 7.83 a 4.97 por 100 000 habitantes durante el periodo 1998-2016. CONCLUSIONES: La reducción desigual en la mortalidad por CP, de acuerdo con el grado de marginación, está relacionada con en el diagnóstico temprano, el tratamiento oportuno y la inequidad en los servicios médicos. Esta inequidad afecta principalmente a las mujeres, a los grupos altamente marginados y a las poblaciones más envejecidas.

3D thickness map reconstruction of dielectric thin films using scattering of surface plasmon polaritons.

Thin films are key elements in the current development of nanotechnology, and their characterization has become an essential task. In this Letter, we report on a technique to reconstruct full 3D maps of dielectric thin films using the scattered light of decoupled surface plasmon polaritons. Patterned magnesium fluoride thin films were fabricated, and their 3D thickness map was fully reconstructed with high (<1 nm) precision. This technique can be applied and easily adjusted to identify inhomogeneities in wide areas (mm2-cm2) of dielectric samples with subnanometer precision, or to characterize the fabrication processes involved in the preparation of patterned multilayered systems.

Anti-Candida Activity of Bursera morelensis Ramirez Essential Oil and Two Compounds, α-Pinene and γ-Terpinene-An In Vitro Study.

The candidiasis caused by C. albicans is a public health problem. The abuse of antifungals has contributed to the development of resistance. B. morelensis has demonstrated antibacterial and antifungal activities. In this work the activity of the essential oil of B. morelensis was evaluated and for its two pure compounds with analysis of the different mechanisms of pathogenesis important for C. albicans. The essential oil was obtained by the hydro-distillation method and analyzed using GC-MS. The anti-Candida activity was compared between to essential oil, α-Pinene and γ-Terpinene. GC-MS of the essential oil demonstrated the presence of 13 compounds. The essential oil showed antifungal activity against four C. albicans strains. The most sensitive strain was C. albicans 14065 (MFC 2.0 mg/mL and MIC50 0.125 mg/mL) with α-Pinene and γ-Terpinene having MFCs of 4.0 and 16.0 mg/mL respectively. The essential oil inhibited the growth of the germ tube in 87.94% (8.0 mg/mL). Furthermore, it was observed that the essential oil diminishes the transcription of the gene INT1. This work provides evidence that confirms the anti-Candida activity of the B. morelensis essential oil and its effect on the growth of the germ tube and transcription of the gene INT1.

[Peroxisomal disorder, rhizomelyc chondrodysplasia punctata type 1: case report]. / Enfermedad peroxisomal, condrodisplasia rizomelica punctata tipo 1: reporte de caso.

INTRODUCTION: Peroxisomal diseases are a group of monogenic disorders that include defects in peroxisome biogenesis or enzyme dificiencies. Rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata type 1 (RCDP1) belongs to the first group, caused by autosomal recessive mutations on PEX7 gene, encoding for PTS2 receptor. The aims of this report are to describe a genetic disease of low prevalence, explaining its main characteristics and the importance of the diagnostic approach and genetic counseling. CASE REPORT: 13-month-old male infant with no medical history, family or consanguinity, demonstrate at birth upper limbs shortening. Surgery intervention at seven months old for bilateral cataract. Growth retardation, psychomotor retardation, minor craniofacial anomalies, rhyzomelic shortened upper limbs and lower limbs lesser degree. Punctata calcifications in patella cartilage. Also fatty acid phytanic and pristanic increased levels. Patient dead at age of 3 years. DISCUSSION: RCDP1 is a rare disease, with a prevalence of 1/100,000. Different mutations of PEX7 gene have been described, with variations in phenotype. The treatment is basically symptomatic and depends on the severity of clinical manifestations. The rhizomelic type has poor prognosis, most patients do not survive before the first decade of live. Genetic counseling is essential because it is consider a 25% risk of recurrence.

Plasmonic channel waveguides in random arrays of metallic nanoparticles.

We report detailed characterization of surface plasmon-polariton guiding along 1-, 1.5- and 2-µm-wide channels in high-density (~75 µm-2) random arrays of gold 70-nm-high and 50-nm-wide nanoparticles fabricated on a 70-nm-thin gold film supported by a 170-µm-thick silica substrate. The mode propagation losses, effective index dispersion, and scattering parameters are characterized using leakage-radiation microscopy, in direct and Fourier planes, in the wavelength range of 740-840 nm. It is found that the mode supported by 2-µm-wide channels propagates over > 10 µm in straight waveguides, with the corresponding S-bends and Y-splitters functioning reasonably well. The results show that the SPP waves can efficiently be guided by narrow scattering-free channels cut through randomly corrugated surface regions. The potential of this waveguiding mechanism is yet to be fully explored by tuning the scattering mean-free path and localization length via the density and size of random nanoparticles. Nevertheless, the results obtained are encouraging and promising diverse applications of these waveguide components in plasmonic circuitry.

Intestinal paracellular absorption is necessary to support the sugar oxidation cascade in nectarivorous bats.

We made the first measurements of the capacity for paracellular nutrient absorption in intact nectarivorous bats. Leptonycteris yerbabuenae (20 g mass) were injected with or fed inert carbohydrate probes L-rhamnose and D(+)-cellobiose, which are absorbed exclusively by the paracellular route, and 3-O-methyl-D-glucose (3OMD-glucose), which is absorbed both paracellularly and transcellularly. Using a standard pharmacokinetic technique, we collected blood samples for 2 h after probe administration. As predicted, fractional absorption (f) of paracellular probes declined with increasing Mr in the order of rhamnose (f=0.71)>cellobiose (f=0.23). Absorption of 3OMD-glucose was complete (f=0.85; not different from unity). Integrating our data with those for glucose absorption and oxidation in another nectarivorous bat, we conclude that passive paracellular absorption of glucose is extensive in nectarivorous bat species, as in other bats and small birds, and necessary to support high glucose fluxes hypothesized for the sugar oxidation cascade.

[Microsatellite instability in patients with diagnostic of colorectal cancer]. / Inestabilidad de microsatélites en pacientes con diagnóstico de cáncer colorrectal.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the presence of microsatellite instability in patients with colorectal cancer using the molecular panel Bethesda and discuss its significance in patients with suspected hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) or Lynch Syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We worked with samples of peripheral blood and tumor tissue of 28 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer referred to the Laboratory of Molecular Biology of the Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas (INEN), Lima, with suspected of Lynch syndrome. DNA was extracted using kits of nucleic acid extraction of peripheral blood and paraffin-embedded tumor tissue. Five microsatellite markers of Bethesda panel were amplified: BAT25, BAT26, D2S123, D5S346 and D17S250, by polymerase chain reaction. IMS analysis was performed by electrophoresis on chip in the Bioanalyzer Agilent 2100. RESULTS: Of the patients studied, 11 had high IMS(IMS-H) and one could not be fully ranked, staying as MSI-H / IMS-L. In all cases of IMS-H both BAT26 and BAT25 were unstable. The IMS-H in these patients indicates high probability of HNPCC or Lynch syndrome; it must be contrasted with the genetic analysis of MMR genes. CONCLUSION: The technique allowed determine which patients have to continue with the study of system mismatch repair genes, for establish whether we facing to HNPCC or sporadic colorectal cancer.

Local excitation of surface plasmon polaritons using nitrogen-vacancy centers.

Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are locally excited at silver surfaces using (∼100) nanometer-sized nanodiamonds (NDs) with multiple nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers (∼400). The fluorescences from an externally illuminated (at 532 nm) ND and from nearby NDs, which are not illuminated but produce out-of-plane scattering of SPPs excited by the illuminated ND, exhibit distinctly different wavelength spectra, showing short-wavelength filtering due to the SPP propagation loss. The results indicate that NDs with multiple NV centers can be used as efficient subwavelength SPP sources in planar integrated plasmonics for various applications.

Carotenoid production and gene expression in an astaxanthin-overproducing Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous mutant strain.

The primary carotenoid synthesized by Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous is astaxanthin, which is used as a feed additive in aquaculture. Cell growth kinetics and carotenoid production were correlated with the mRNA levels of the idi, crtE, crtYB, crtI, crtS and crtR genes, and the changes in gene sequence between the wild-type and a carotenoid overproducer XR4 mutant strain were identified. At the late stationary phase, the total carotenoid content in XR4 was fivefold higher than that of the wild-type strain. Additionally, the mRNA levels of crtE and crtS increased during the XR4 growth and were three times higher than the wild-type strain in the late stationary phase. Moreover, the nucleotide sequences of crtYB, crtI and crtR exhibited differences between the strains. Both the higher crtE and crtS transcript levels and the crtYB, crtI and crtR mutations can, at least in part, act to up-regulate the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway in the XR4 strain.

Efficient excitation of channel plasmons in tailored, UV-lithography-defined V-grooves.

We demonstrate the highly efficient (>50%) conversion of freely propagating light to channel plasmon-polaritons (CPPs) in gold V-groove waveguides using compact 1.6 µm long waveguide-termination coupling mirrors. Our straightforward fabrication process, involving UV-lithography and crystallographic silicon etching, forms the coupling mirrors innately and ensures exceptional-quality, wafer-scale device production. We tailor the V-shaped profiles by thermal silicon oxidation in order to shift initially wedge-located modes downward into the V-grooves, resulting in well-confined CPPs suitable for nanophotonic applications.

Analysis of proteomic changes in colored mutants of Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous (Phaffia rhodozyma).

The yeast Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous synthesizes astaxanthin as its most prevalent xanthophyll derivative. Comparisons between the protein profiles of mutant lines of this yeast can provide insight into the carotenogenic pathway. Differently colored mutants (red, orange, pink, yellow, and white) were obtained from this yeast species, and their protein profiles were determined using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2DE). Individual proteins differentially expressed were identified using mass spectrometry. The red mutants hyperproduced total carotenoids (mainly astaxanthin), while in white and orange mutants, mutagenesis affected the phytoene dehydrogenase activity as indicated by the accumulation of phytoene. Inactivation of astaxanthin synthase after the mutagenic treatment was evident in ß-carotene accumulating mutants. Differences in the proteomic profiles of wild-type X. dendrorhous and its colored mutants were demonstrated using 2DE. Of the total number of spots detected in each gel (297-417), 128 proteins were present in all strains. The red mutant showed the greatest number of matches with respect to the wild type (305 spots), while the white and yellow mutants, which had reduced concentrations of total carotenoids, presented the highest correlation coefficient (0.6) between each other. A number of differentially expressed proteins were sequenced, indicating that tricarboxylic acid cycle and stress response proteins are closely related to the carotenogenic process.