The name "eukaryote" is derived from Greek, meaning "true kernel", and describes the domain of organisms whose cells have a nucleus. The nucleus is thus the defining feature of eukaryotes and distinguishes them from prokaryotes (Archaea and Bacteria), whose cells lack nuclei. Despite this, we discuss the intriguing possibility that organisms on the path from the first eukaryotic common ancestor to the last common ancestor of all eukaryotes did not possess a nucleus at all-at least not in a form we would recognize today-and that the nucleus in fact arrived relatively late in the evolution of eukaryotes. The clues to this alternative evolutionary path lie, most of all, in recent discoveries concerning the structure of the nuclear pore complex. We discuss the evidence for such a possibility and how this impacts our views of eukaryote origins and how eukaryotes have diversified subsequent to their last common ancestor.

• Klíčová slova
• eukaryogenesis, molecular evolution, nuclear pore complex, vesicle coats,
• MeSH
• biologická evoluce * MeSH
• buněčné jádro * MeSH
• eukaryotické buňky * MeSH
• jaderný pór * MeSH
• prokaryotické buňky * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH

The nuclear pore complex (NPC) is responsible for transport between the cytoplasm and nucleoplasm and one of the more intricate structures of eukaryotic cells. Typically composed of over 300 polypeptides, the NPC shares evolutionary origins with endo-membrane and intraflagellar transport system complexes. The modern NPC was fully established by the time of the last eukaryotic common ancestor and, hence, prior to eukaryote diversification. Despite the complexity, the NPC structure is surprisingly flexible with considerable variation between lineages. Here, we review diversification of the NPC in major taxa in view of recent advances in genomic and structural characterisation of plant, protist and nucleomorph NPCs and discuss the implications for NPC evolution. Furthermore, we highlight these changes in the context of mRNA export and consider how this process may have influenced NPC diversity. We reveal the NPC as a platform for continual evolution and adaptation.

• Klíčová slova
• eukaryogenesis, evolutionary biology, nuclear pores, nuclear protein transport,
• MeSH
• biologická evoluce * MeSH
• biologický transport MeSH
• jaderný pór metabolismus   MeSH
• membránové proteiny metabolismus   MeSH
• messenger RNA metabolismus   MeSH
• mitóza MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• membránové proteiny MeSH
• messenger RNA MeSH

Most of the experimental studies have revealed that female heart is more tolerant to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury as compared with the male myocardium. It is widely accepted that mitochondrial dysfunction, and particularly mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) opening, plays a major role in determining the extent of cardiac I/R injury. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to analyze (i) whether calcium-induced swelling of cardiac mitochondria is sex-dependent and related to the degree of cardiac tolerance to I/R injury and (ii) whether changes in MPTP components-cyclophilin D (CypD) and ATP synthase-can be involved in this process. We have observed that in mitochondria isolated from rat male and female hearts the MPTP has different sensitivity to the calcium load. Female mitochondria are more resistant both in the extent and in the rate of the mitochondrial swelling at higher calcium concentration (200 µM). At low calcium concentration (50 µM) no differences were observed. Our data further suggest that sex-dependent specificity of the MPTP is not the result of different amounts of ATP synthase and CypD, or their respective ratio in mitochondria isolated from male and female hearts. Our results indicate that male and female rat hearts contain comparable content of MPTP and its regulatory protein CypD; parallel immunodetection revealed also the same contents of adenine nucleotide translocator or voltage-dependent anion channel. Increased resistance of female heart mitochondria thus cannot be explained by changes in putative components of MPTP, and rather reflects regulation of MPTP function.

• Klíčová slova
• Calcium-induced swelling, Heart, Mitochondrial permeability transition pore, Sex difference,
• MeSH
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• přechodový pór mitochondriální permeability MeSH
• sexuální faktory * MeSH
• srdeční mitochondrie metabolismus   MeSH
• transportní proteiny mitochondriální membrány metabolismus   MeSH
• vápník metabolismus   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• přechodový pór mitochondriální permeability MeSH
• transportní proteiny mitochondriální membrány MeSH
• vápník MeSH

The mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) is a calcium-dependent, ion non-selective membrane pore with a wide range of functions. Although the MPTP has been studied for more than 50 years, its molecular structure remains unclear. Short-term (reversible) opening of the MPTP protects cells from oxidative damage and enables the efflux of Ca2+ ions from the mitochondrial matrix and cell signaling. However, long-term (irreversible) opening induces processes leading to cell death. Ca2+ ions, reactive oxygen species, and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential regulate pore opening. The sensitivity of the pore to Ca2+ ions changes as an organism ages, and MPTP opening plays a key role in the pathogenesis of many diseases. Most studies of the MPTP have focused on elucidating its molecular structure. However, understanding the mechanisms that will inhibit the MPTP may improve the treatment of diseases associated with its opening. To evaluate the functional state of the MPTP and its inhibitors, it is therefore necessary to use appropriate methods that provide reproducible results across laboratories. This review summarizes our current knowledge of the function and regulation of the MPTP. The latter part of the review introduces two optimized methods for evaluating the functional state of the pore under standardized conditions.

• Klíčová slova
• calcium retention capacity, calcium signaling, calcium-induced swelling, mitochondria, mitochondrial permeability transition, mitochondrial permeability transition pore,
• MeSH
• buněčná smrt MeSH
• mitochondrie metabolismus   MeSH
• přechodový pór mitochondriální permeability * metabolismus   MeSH
• transportní proteiny mitochondriální membrány * metabolismus   MeSH
• vápník metabolismus   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• přechodový pór mitochondriální permeability * MeSH
• transportní proteiny mitochondriální membrány * MeSH
• vápník MeSH

The organization of the nuclear periphery is crucial for many nuclear functions. Nuclear lamins form dense network at the nuclear periphery and play a substantial role in chromatin organization, transcription regulation and in organization of nuclear pore complexes (NPCs). Here, we show that TPR, the protein located preferentially within the nuclear baskets of NPCs, associates with lamin B1. The depletion of TPR affects the organization of lamin B1 but not lamin A/C within the nuclear lamina as shown by stimulated emission depletion microscopy. Finally, reduction of TPR affects the distribution of NPCs within the nuclear envelope and the effect can be reversed by simultaneous knock-down of lamin A/C or the overexpression of lamin B1. Our work suggests a novel role for the TPR at the nuclear periphery: the TPR contributes to the organization of the nuclear lamina and in cooperation with lamins guards the interphase assembly of nuclear pore complexes.

• Klíčová slova
• Image analysis, Lamina, Lamins, Nuclear pore complex, Nucleus, Super-resolution imaging, TPR, Translocated promoter region,
• MeSH
• HeLa buňky MeSH
• jaderná lamina metabolismus   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• jaderný obal metabolismus   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• komplex proteinů jaderného póru antagonisté a inhibitory   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• lamin typ A antagonisté a inhibitory   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• lamin typ B genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• malá interferující RNA genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• molekulární zobrazování MeSH
• protoonkogenní proteiny antagonisté a inhibitory   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• regulace genové exprese MeSH
• signální transdukce MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• komplex proteinů jaderného póru MeSH
• lamin typ A MeSH
• lamin typ B MeSH
• LMNA protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč
• malá interferující RNA MeSH
• protoonkogenní proteiny MeSH
• TPR protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč

The nuclear pore complex (NPC) facilitates the trafficking of proteins and RNA between the nucleus and cytoplasm. The role of nucleoporins (Nups) in transport in the context of the NPC is well established, yet their function in tRNA export has not been fully explored. We selected several nucleoporins from different parts of the NPC to investigate their potential role in tRNA trafficking in Trypanosoma brucei. We show that while all of the nucleoporins studied are essential for cell viability, only TbNup62 and TbNup53a function in tRNA export. In contrast to homologs in yeast TbNup144 and TbNup158, which are part of the inner and outer ring of the NPC, have no role in nuclear tRNA trafficking. Instead, TbNup144 plays a critical role in nuclear division, highlighting the role of nucleoporins beyond nucleocytoplasmic transport. These results suggest that the location of nucleoporins within the NPC is crucial to maintaining various cellular processes.

• Klíčová slova
• FG-Nups, NPC, Trypanosoma brucei, nuclear division, nucleoporins, tRNA trafficking,
• MeSH
• aktivní transport - buněčné jádro MeSH
• buněčné jádro metabolismus   MeSH
• jaderný pór * genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• komplex proteinů jaderného póru * genetika   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• komplex proteinů jaderného póru * MeSH

Daptomycin is a calcium-dependent lipodepsipeptide antibiotic clinically used to treat serious infections caused by Gram-positive pathogens. Its precise mode of action is somewhat controversial; the biggest issue is daptomycin pore formation, which we directly investigated here. We first performed a screening experiment using propidium iodide (PI) entry to Bacillus subtilis cells and chose the optimum and therapeutically relevant conditions (10 µg/ml daptomycin and 1.25 mM CaCl2) for the subsequent analyses. Using conductance measurements on planar lipid bilayers, we show that daptomycin forms nonuniform oligomeric pores with conductance ranging from 120 pS to 14 nS. The smallest conductance unit is probably a dimer; however, tetramers and pentamers occur in the membrane most frequently. Moreover, daptomycin pore-forming activity is exponentially dependent on the applied membrane voltage. We further analyzed the membrane-permeabilizing activity in B. subtilis cells using fluorescence methods [PI and DiSC3(5)]. Daptomycin most rapidly permeabilizes cells with high initial membrane potential and dissipates it within a few minutes. Low initial membrane potential hinders daptomycin pore formation.

• Klíčová slova
• Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, antimicrobial lipopeptides, daptomycin, membrane, pore formation, single pore conductance,
• MeSH
• antibakteriální látky farmakologie   MeSH
• Bacillus subtilis účinky léků   metabolismus   MeSH
• biologický transport fyziologie   MeSH
• cytotoxické proteiny tvořící póry farmakologie   MeSH
• daptomycin farmakologie   MeSH
• membránové potenciály účinky léků   MeSH
• mikrobiální testy citlivosti MeSH
• permeabilita buněčné membrány účinky léků   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antibakteriální látky MeSH
• cytotoxické proteiny tvořící póry MeSH
• daptomycin MeSH

The store-operated calcium channels Orai1-3 form extraordinary long and funnel like pores, in stark contrast to a classical pore loop architecture. A hydrophobic segment centrally located in the Orai pore controls gating. Here, we comment on a recent work that describes decisive binding between three residues that controls the open and closed conformation of Orai channels.

• Klíčová slova
• Ca(2+) channel, Gating, Orai1, Pore, STIM1,
• MeSH
• gating iontového kanálu * MeSH
• protein ORAI1 genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• protein STIM1 metabolismus   MeSH
• síra MeSH
• vápníkové kanály * metabolismus   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• komentáře MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• protein ORAI1 MeSH
• protein STIM1 MeSH
• síra MeSH
• vápníkové kanály * MeSH

Every cell is protected by a semipermeable membrane. Peptides with the right properties, for example Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), can disrupt this protective barrier by formation of leaky pores. Unfortunately, matching peptide properties with their ability to selectively form pores in bacterial membranes remains elusive. In particular, the proline/glycine kink in helical peptides was reported to both increase and decrease antimicrobial activity. We used computer simulations and fluorescence experiments to show that a kink in helices affects the formation of membrane pores by stabilizing toroidal pores but disrupting barrel-stave pores. The position of the proline/glycine kink in the sequence further controls the specific structure of toroidal pore. Moreover, we demonstrate that two helical peptides can form a kink-like connection with similar behavior as one long helical peptide with a kink. The provided molecular-level insight can be utilized for design and modification of pore-forming antibacterial peptides or toxins.

• Klíčová slova
• antibiotics, fluorescent probes, membrane structure, membrane transport, molecular biophysics, none, structural biology,
• MeSH
• biologické modely MeSH
• buněčná membrána chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• hydrofobní a hydrofilní interakce MeSH
• kationické antimikrobiální peptidy chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• konformace proteinů * MeSH
• metoda Monte Carlo MeSH
• molekulární modely MeSH
• poriny chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• vztahy mezi strukturou a aktivitou MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• kationické antimikrobiální peptidy MeSH
• poriny MeSH

The repertoire of the cytolytic pore-forming protein toxins (PFT) comprises 81 identified members. The essential feature of these cytolysins is their capacity to provoke the formation of hydrophilic pores in the cytoplasmic membranes of target eukaryotic cells. This process results from the binding of the proteins on the cell surface, followed by their oligomerization which leads to the insertion of the oligomers into the membrane and formation of protein-lined channels. It impairs the osmotic balance of the cell and causes cytolysis. In this review the molecular aspects of a number of important PFT and their respective encoding structural genes will be briefly described.

• MeSH
• Bacteria metabolismus   patogenita   MeSH
• bakteriální proteiny chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• bakteriální toxiny chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• buněčná membrána metabolismus   MeSH
• cytotoxiny chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• poriny chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• bakteriální proteiny MeSH
• bakteriální toxiny MeSH
• cytotoxiny MeSH
• poriny MeSH