Aquaporins (AQPs ) are a family of transmembrane proteins present in almost all species including virus. They are grossly divided into three subfamilies based on the sequence around a highly conserved pore-forming NPA motif: (1) classical water -selective AQP (CAQP), (2) glycerol -permeable aquaglyceroporin (AQGP) and (3) AQP super-gene channel, superaquaporin (SAQP). AQP is composed of two tan...

Lymphocytes are endowed with unique and specialized enzymatic mutagenic properties that allow them to diversify their antigen receptors, which are crucial sensors for pathogens and mediators of adaptive immunity. During lymphocyte development, the antigen receptors expressed by B and T lymphocytes are assembled in an antigen-independent fashion by ordered variable gene segment recombinations (V...

Of the approximately 250,000 species of flowering plants, nearly one in ten are members of the Compositae (Asteraceae), a diverse family found in almost every habitat on all continents except Antarctica. With an origin in the mid Eocene, the Compositae is also a relatively young family with remarkable diversifications during the last 40 My. Previous cytologic and systematic investigations sugge...

Several technologies have been provided to farmers increase production under the rainfed systems of Ethiopia. However, much attention has focused on drought emergency relief and associated interventions. Conservation agriculture (CA), among others, recently encouraged as part sustainable intensification technology in Ethiopian smallholder farming systems. CA research Ethiopia traditionally stay...

Aim We investigated evolutionary relationships and biogeographical patterns within the genus Boeckella to evaluate (1) whether its current widespread distribution in Southern Hemisphere is due recent long-distance dispersal or long-term diversification; (2) age origin of sub-Antarctic Antarctic species, with particular focus on most widely distributed species: poppei. Location South America, is...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Hemodynamic normality is crucial to maintaining the integrity of cerebral vessels and, therefore, preserving the cognitive functions of Alzheimer's disease patients. This study investigates the implications of the hemodynamic changes and the neuropathological diversifications of AlCl3-induced AD. METHODS The experimental animals were 8- to 12-wk-old male Wistar rats. The r...

With our increasing ability for generating whole-genome sequences, comparative analysis of whole genomes has become a powerful tool for understanding the structure, function, and evolutionary history of human and other vertebrate genomes. By virtue of their position basal to bony vertebrates, cartilaginous fishes (class Chondrichthyes) are a valuable outgroup in comparative studies of vertebrat...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The largest subfamily of orchids, Epidendroideae, represents one of the most significant diversifications among flowering plants in terms of pollination strategy, vegetative adaptation and number of species. Although many groups in the subfamily have been resolved, significant relationships in the tree remain unclear, limiting conclusions about diversification and creating u...

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) such as arachidonic (ARA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids are essential components of biomembranes, particularly in neural tissues. Endogenous synthesis of ARA, EPA and DHA occurs from precursor dietary essential fatty acids such as linoleic and α-linolenic acid through elongation and Δ5 and Δ6 desaturations. With respect...

*Correspondence: Federico Luebert, Nees-Institut für Biodiversität der Pflanzen, Universität Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 170, 53115 Bonn, Germany e-mail: [email protected] Andean orogeny is considered as one of the most important events for the development of current plant diversity in South America. We compare available phylogenetic studies and divergence time estimates for plant lineages that...