Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide


Book Description

Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide is the first volume to be written on the neuropeptide PACAP. It covers all domains of PACAP from molecular and cellular aspects to physiological activities and promises for new therapeutic strategies. Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide is the twentieth volume published in the Endocrine Updates book series under the Series Editorship of Shlomo Melmed, MD.




Thioredoxin and Glutaredoxin Systems


Book Description

This Special Issue features recent data concerning thioredoxins and glutaredoxins from various biological systems, including bacteria, mammals, and plants. Four of the sixteen articles are review papers that deal with the regulation of development of the effect of hydrogen peroxide and the interactions between oxidants and reductants, the description of methionine sulfoxide reductases, detoxification enzymes that require thioredoxin or glutaredoxin, and the response of plants to cold stress, respectively. This is followed by eleven research articles that focus on a reductant of thioredoxin in bacteria, a thioredoxin reductase, and a variety of plant and bacterial thioredoxins, including the m, f, o, and h isoforms and their targets. Various parameters are studied, including genetic, structural, and physiological properties of these systems. The redox regulation of monodehydroascorbate reductase, aminolevulinic acid dehydratase, and cytosolic isocitrate dehydrogenase could have very important consequences in plant metabolism. Also, the properties of the mitochondrial o-type thioredoxins and their unexpected capacity to bind iron–sulfur center (ISC) structures open new developments concerning the redox mitochondrial function and possibly ISC assembly in mitochondria. The final paper discusses interesting biotechnological applications of thioredoxin for breadmaking.




Annual Plant Reviews, Plant Mitochondria


Book Description

This long-awaited second edition covers the major changes that have occurred in the field over the last decade Completely revised with the most up-to-date research and including brand new chapters, Annual Plant Reviews, Volume 50: Plant Mitochondria, 2nd Edition presents the multifaceted roles of mitochondria in plants. The book starts with a short history of plant mitochondrial research; discusses how coevolution shaped plant mitochondrial gene expression; explains control of number, shape, size, and motility of mitochondria; delves into stress responses and roles in stress alleviation in mitochondrial biochemistry; covers the damage repair pathway of the Calvin-Benson cycle; and more. Containing sections written by many of the world’s leading researchers in this area, this book brings together and reviews for the first time many recent advances. It offers chapters on: Bioblasts, Cytomikrosomen & Chondriosomes; The Crosstalk Between Genomes; The Dynamic Chondriome; Metal Homeostasis in Plant Mitochondria; RNA Metabolism and Transcript Regulation; Mitochondrial Regulation and Signalling in the Photosynthetic Cell; Mitochondrial Biochemistry; Ecophysiology of Plant Respiration; Photorespiration; and Mitochondria and Cell Death. Annual Plant Reviews, Volume 50: Plant Mitochondria, 2nd Edition is an extremely important and timely book that will be of great use and interest to plant scientists, cell and molecular biologists, and biochemists.




Encyclopedic Reference of Molecular Pharmacology


Book Description

Presents current information on the molecular mechanisms of drug action. Provides 159 essays describing groups of drugs and drug targets. Several essays deal with general principles of pharmacology, such as drug tolerance, drug addiction, or drug metabolism.







Cardioprotection


Book Description

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Cardioprotection refers to the prevention of CHD and the clinical improvement in patients suffering from cardiovascular problems.




Protocols for Macroalgae Research


Book Description

This book presents a wide range of tested and proven protocols relevant to a number of fields within biotechnology used in laboratory experiments in everyday phycological (seaweed) research. A major focus will be on bioenergy related aspects of this emerging technology. These protocols will be written in a clear and concise manner using simple language permitting even nonspecialist to adequately understand the significance of this research. It will also contain all necesssary notes and guidelines for successful execution of these experiments.




Molecular Infection Biology


Book Description

This comprehensive volume focuses on molecular methods and principles of prokaryotic and eukaryotic pathogens. The authors present the molecular and cellular aspects by focusing on the interactions between pathogenic microorganisms and their hosts. The publication begins with an overview of the most important and dangerous causative agents of infectious diseases. Next are discussions of how microbial "weapons," pathogenicity factors, protein secretion machines, and surface variation systems work, presenting the molecular and genetic methods that are used by scientists for their discovery and analysis. Furthermore, infectious diseases are discussed in light of the newly formed research areas of evolutionary and cellular microbiology and genomics. Future aspects on diagnostic techniques, therapy, and vaccine development are also presented.




Free Radicals, Oxidative Stress, and Antioxidants


Book Description

There has been an explosion of research related to free radicals and antioxidants in recent years, and hundreds of laboratories worldwide are actively involved in many as pects of free radicals, oxidative stress, and antioxidants. The literature on these topics in creases exponentially every year. Over the last few years, we have been fortunate to witness a widespread recognition of the important role of free radicals in a wide variety of pathological conditions including diseases such as atherosclerosis, cardiovascular and neurological diseases, ischemia, emphysema, diabetes, radiation injury, cancer, etc. In ad dition, many laboratories are studying the role of free radicals in the inexorable process of aging. Increased evidence involves free radicals with the etiology of various diseases, thereby suggesting the use of antioxidants as a viable therapeutic approach for the treat ment of free radical mediated pathologies. Despite these impressive developments, many important aspects of free radical and antioxidant research are open for investigation. It is important to understand the overall mechanisms involved in free radical mediated physiological and pathological conditions. This knowledge will undoubtedly lead to the development of new therapeutic approaches to prevent or control free radical related diseases. This book contains the proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute (ASI) on "Free Radicals, Oxidative Stress, and Antioxidants: Pathological and Physiological Sig nificance," which was held in Antalya, Turkey from May 24-June 4, 1997.