@article{WorkuStichDaugschiesetal.2015,
  author    = {Worku, Netsanet and Stich, August and Daugschies, Arwid and Wenzel, Iris and Kurz, Randy and Thieme, Rene and Kurz, Susanne and Birkenmeier, Gerd},
  title     = {Ethyl Pyruvate Emerges as a Safe and Fast Acting Agent against Trypanosoma brucei by Targeting Pyruvate Kinase Activity},
  series = {PLoS ONE},
  volume    = {10},
  journal   = {PLoS ONE},
  number    = {9},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0137353},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-150002},
  pages     = {e0137353},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Background Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) also called sleeping sickness is an infectious disease in humans caused by an extracellular protozoan parasite. The disease, if left untreated, results in 100\% mortality. Currently available drugs are full of severe drawbacks and fail to escape the fast development of trypanosoma resistance. Due to similarities in cell metabolism between cancerous tumors and trypanosoma cells, some of the current registered drugs against HAT have also been tested in cancer chemotherapy. Here we demonstrate for the first time that the simple ester, ethyl pyruvate, comprises such properties. Results The current study covers the efficacy and corresponding target evaluation of ethyl pyruvate on T. brucei cell lines using a combination of biochemical techniques including cell proliferation assays, enzyme kinetics, phasecontrast microscopic video imaging and ex vivo toxicity tests. We have shown that ethyl pyruvate effectively kills trypanosomes most probably by net ATP depletion through inhibition of pyruvate kinase (Ki = 3.0\(\pm\)0.29 mM). The potential of ethyl pyruvate as a trypanocidal compound is also strengthened by its fast acting property, killing cells within three hours post exposure. This has been demonstrated using video imaging of live cells as well as concentration and time dependency experiments. Most importantly, ethyl pyruvate produces minimal side effects in human red cells and is known to easily cross the blood-brain-barrier. This makes it a promising candidate for effective treatment of the two clinical stages of sleeping sickness. Trypanosome drug-resistance tests indicate irreversible cell death and a low incidence of resistance development under experimental conditions. Conclusion Our results present ethyl pyruvate as a safe and fast acting trypanocidal compound and show that it inhibits the enzyme pyruvate kinase. Competitive inhibition of this enzyme was found to cause ATP depletion and cell death. Due to its ability to easily cross the blood-brain-barrier, ethyl pyruvate could be considered as new candidate agent to treat the hemo-lymphatic as well as neurological stages of sleeping sickness.},
  language  = {en}
}
@unpublished{WeithmannKlug2013,
  author    = {Weithmann, Sabrina and Klug, Stefan},
  title     = {Integrative Sustainable Concepts for Individual Mobility in Asia - A Qualitative Analysis of Carsharing and Taxi Services in Singapore},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-145982},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {Singapore has a unique and proactive approach towards managing the national transport system. This article explores the integrative approach of carsharing into the overall transport system from an individual sustainable mobility perspective. The authors argue that for Singapore, taxi services are the strongest competitor for the establishment of free-floating carsharing systems. Low taxi fares and a high distribution rate provide easy access for consumers and show great advantages in correspondence with the prevalent transport measures. Furthermore, the Singaporean government considers taxi services as part of public transport that helps bridging public transportation gaps in door-to-door travel. The article draws on literature review and expert interviews to evaluate the current market conditions and analyse the pros and cons of carsharing systems and taxi services as integrated part of the public transport system. The authors conclude by stating that from a sustainable perspective, the goal is to replace private car ownership. Provision of multi modal choices and therefore co-existence of different individual transport opportunities is indispensable.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Schramm2006,
  author    = {Schramm, Claudia},
  title     = {Ultraschneller Ladungstransfer und Energierelaxation an Grenzfl{\"a}chen},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-18344},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2006},
  abstract  = {Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist es, den ultraschnellen Transport und die Energierelaxation von Ladungstr{\"a}gern an der Grenzfl{\"a}che von heterogenen Systemen zu untersuchen. Dabei wird gezeigt, dass zeitaufgel{\"o}ste Zweifarb-Mehrphotonen-Photoemissionsspektroskopie eine gute Methode ist, um Einblick in das Relaxationsverhalten und den dynamischen Ladungstr{\"a}gertransport in den untersuchten Systemen zu erhalten. Es werden Messungen an zwei unterschiedlichen Systemen vorgestellt: Silbernanoteilchen auf Graphit und ultrad{\"u}nne Silberfilme auf Silizium. Die Untersuchung von heterogenen Systemen erfordert einen selektiven Photoemissionsprozess, d.h. es muss m{\"o}glich sein, Photoemission von den Nanoteilchen bzw. vom Silberfilm und vom Substrat zu trennen. F{\"u}r Silbernanoteilchen auf Graphit kann dies erreicht werden, indem die Abfragewellenl{\"a}nge auf die Resonanz des Plasmon-Polaritons abgestimmt wird. So erh{\"a}lt man dominant Photoemission von den Nanoteilchen, Photoemission vom Graphit kann dagegen vernachl{\"a}ssigt werden. Die transiente Elektronenverteilung in den Nanoteilchen kann aus der Form der Photoemissionsspektren bestimmt werden. Die transiente Verschiebung der Spektren gibt Aufschluss {\"u}ber die Auf- oder Entladung des Nanoteilchens. Dadurch wird es hier m{\"o}glich, zeitaufgel{\"o}ste Photoemissionsspektroskopie als ultraschnelle Sonde im Nanometerbereich zu verwenden. Zusammen mit einem Modell f{\"u}r die Relaxation und den Ladungstransfer ist es m{\"o}glich, quantitative Ergebnisse f{\"u}r die Kopplung zwischen Nanoteilchen und Substrat zu erhalten. Das vorgestellte semiempirische Modell enth{\"a}lt dabei zus{\"a}tzlich zu Termen f{\"u}r die Relaxation in Nanoteilchen und Substrat die M{\"o}glichkeit eines zeitabh{\"a}ngigen Ladungstransfers zwischen Teilchen und Substrat. Die Kopplung wird durch eine Tunnelbarriere beschrieben, deren starke Energieabh{\"a}ngigkeit der Transferwahrscheinlichkeit die experimentellen Ergebnisse gut wiedergibt. Die St{\"a}rke des Ladungstransfers und das zeitabh{\"a}ngige Verhalten sind dabei stark von den gew{\"a}hlten Parametern f{\"u}r die Tunnelbarriere abh{\"a}ngig. Insbesondere zeigt der Vergleich der Simulationsergebnisse mit dem Experiment, dass transienter Ladungstransfer ein wichtiger Effekt ist und die K{\"u}hlungsdynamik, die im Elektronengas der Nanoteilchen beobachtet wird, wesentlich beeinflusst. Auch im Fall der ultrad{\"u}nnen Silberfilme auf Silizium ist es durch gezielte Wahl der Wellenl{\"a}ngen m{\"o}glich, die Photoelektronenausbeute selektiv dem Silberfilm oder dem Siliziumsubstrat zuzuordnen. Bei Anregung mit 3.1 eV Photonenenergie dominiert Photoemission aus dem Silberfilm, w{\"a}hrend es bei Anregung mit 4.65 eV m{\"o}glich ist, Informationen {\"u}ber die Grenzschicht und das Siliziumsubstrat zu erhalten. Intensit{\"a}tsabh{\"a}ngige Messungen zeigen den Einfluss der optischen Anregung auf den Verlauf der Schottkybarriere an der Metall-Halbleiter-Grenzschicht. Dieser Effekt ist als Oberfl{\"a}chen-Photospannung bekannt. Die Anregung mit 4.65 eV Photonenenergie bewirkt zus{\"a}tzlich eine S{\"a}ttigung langlebiger Zust{\"a}nde an der Metall-Halbleiter-Grenzfl{\"a}che, was zu einer linearen Abh{\"a}ngigkeit der Photoemissionsausbeute von der Laserfluenz f{\"u}hrt. Zeitaufgel{\"o}ste Zweifarb-Mehrphotonen-Photoemissionsmessungen machen es m{\"o}glich, die Elektronendynamik an der Metall-Halbleiter-Grenzschicht und im Siliziumsubstrat zu untersuchen. Das Relaxationsverhalten der Ladungstr{\"a}ger zeigt dabei eine komplexe Dynamik, die auf die Anregung von Ladungstr{\"a}gern in unterschiedlichen Bereichen zur{\"u}ckgef{\"u}hrt werden kann. Dabei dominiert f{\"u}r verschiedene Zwischenzustandsenergien die Dynamik entweder aus dem Film, der Grenzschicht oder dem Siliziumsubstrat, so dass das Relaxationsverhalten grob in drei unterschiedliche Energiebereiche eingeteilt werden kann. Im Silizium k{\"o}nnen aufgrund der Bandl{\"u}cke mit 3.1 eV Photonenenergie Elektronen nur bis zu Zwischenzustandsenergien von EF + 2.0 eV angeregt werden. In der Tat stimmen die Relaxationszeiten, die man in diesem Bereich aus den zeitaufgel{\"o}sten Messungen bestimmt, mit Werten von reinen Siliziumsubstraten {\"u}berein. F{\"u}r Zwischenzustandsenergien oberhalb von EF + 2.0 eV findet man {\"u}berwiegend Anregung im Silberfilm. Die Relaxationszeiten f{\"u}r diese Energien entsprechen Werten von Silberfilmen auf einem isolierenden Substrat. F{\"u}r sehr niedrige Zwischenzustandsenergien unterhalb von EF + 0.6 eV sind die Zust{\"a}nde wegen der vorliegenden experimentellen Bedingungen permanent besetzt. Der Anregepuls regt Elektronen aus diesen Zust{\"a}nden an und f{\"u}hrt daher in diesem Bereich zu einer Reduktion der Besetzung nach der Anregung mit Licht. Die Zeitkonstante f{\"u}r die Wiederbesetzung liegt im Bereich von mehreren 100 ps bis Nanosekunden. Solch lange Zeiten sind aus Rekombinationsprozessen an der Dipolschicht von Metall-Halbleiter-Grenzfl{\"a}chen bekannt. Zeitaufgel{\"o}ste Mehrphotonen-Photoemissionsspektroskopie ist also sehr gut geeignet, das komplexe Relaxationsverhalten und den Ladungstr{\"a}gertransfer an der Grenzfl{\"a}che eines Schichtsystems zu untersuchen.},
  subject      = {Elektronischer Transport},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Popp2005,
  author    = {Popp, Christian},
  title     = {Cuticular transport of hydrophilic molecules with special focus on primary metabolites and active ingredients},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-15174},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2005},
  abstract  = {The plant cuticle as an interface between the plant interior and the adjoining atmosphere plays an important role in any interaction between the plant and its environment. Transport processes across the cuticles were the object of countless research since many decades. However, bulk of the work done was focused on transport of lipophilic molecules. It is highly plausible to examine the penetration of lipophilic compounds, since the cuticle is dominated by lipophilic compartments itself, and the most crop protection agents have lipophilic character. As a result of this research, cuticular transport of lipophilic compounds is relatively well understood. Since several years, examinations were expanded on transport of hydrophilic molecules. In the present study, a direct comparison was made between transport properties of lipophilic and hydrophilic compounds, which allows an objective assessment of the mechanism governing their penetration. The results of this present study debunked the existence of two different pathways across isolated cuticles of Hedera helix (English ivy), a lipophilic and a hydrophilic pathway. This finding was supported by examinations regarding to accelerator and temperature effects on the mobility of both pathways, because the hydrophilic path is insensitive to them - in contrary to the lipophilic one. The lipophilic pathway is rigorously restricted to lipophilic molecules and the hydrophilic pathway is only accessible for hydrophilic molecules. Uncharged hydrophilic compounds can cross the cuticle even the molecules are of relatively large dimensions. In contrast to that, dissociable compounds with a molar volume higher than 110 cm³ mol-1 are excluded from cuticular penetration. Differences in the mobility of uncharged and dissociable molecules might be a hint towards the chemical nature of the polar pathways. It is assumed, that both, cellulose and pectin fibrils, traverse the cuticle which are originated from the epidermal cell wall. While uncharged carbohydrates might be able to penetrate across a pathway made up of cellulose and pectin, dissociated amino acids might be restricted to the cellulose path. This could be a plausible explanation for the higher mobility and the higher cuticle/water partition coefficients of the carbohydrates compared with the amino acids. A hydrophilic pathway was found with isolated grapevine cuticles, too. The apparent size selectivity of the hydrophilic pathway implies transport via narrow pores. From the present data, a mean pore radius of 0.31 nm (H. helix) or rather 0.34 nm (V. vinifera) was calculated. The absolute number of pores per cm² is 1.1 x 109 for H. helix and 3.3 x 109 for V. vinifera cuticles. This finding and the enlarged pore size distribution of grapevine cuticles might be an explanation for the transport of uncharged and dissociable hydrophilic compounds of higher molar volume like paraquat dichloride - in contrast to ivy membranes Wax extraction of ivy membranes uncovers additional pores, which explains the increased mobilities of the hydrophilic compounds across dewaxed membranes. From these extensive measurements it is very conspicuous, that the bulk of cuticular water transpiration occurs via the polar pathway. Since the work was focused on cuticular penetration of primary metabolites like amino acids and carbohydrates, a mechanistic explanation of leaching processes is obtained, simultaneously. In cuticular research, an inconsistent terminology regarding the transport path of the hydrophilic compounds was used. The term 'hydrophilic pathway' is definitely correct, since it makes no statement with regard to the shape of this path. In contrast to that, the terms 'polar pore' or 'aqueous pore' could imply that there is a tube or rather a water-filled tube traversing the cuticle. However - at this point of time - the imagination about the shape of this path is a pathway across interfibrilar gaps within polysaccharide strains. The proposed diameter of these interfibrilar gaps fits very well to the diameter determined in this study. Therefore, the imagination of a pore is not unfounded, but it is a very narrow pore, definitely. Additionally, this pathway is a very straight pathway which corresponds to this simplified imagination. An expanded study was done with paraquat dichloride, which was applied as aqueous droplets on grapevine cuticles. It is assumed that these model membranes reflect transport properties which are very close to that of relevant crops and weeds. The predominating parameter for paraquat penetration is the moisture, either originated from a relative humidity of at least 75\% or provided by added chemicals. There is a tendency for good suitability of hygroscopic additives. Increased paraquat penetration was also obtained by raised concentrations and removal of the cuticular waxes.},
  subject      = {Kutikula},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Pielstroem2013,
  author    = {Pielstr{\"o}m, Steffen},
  title     = {On the Role of Local Information in the Spatial Organisation of Collective Nest Digging in the Leaf-Cutting Ant Atta vollenweideri (Forel, 1893)},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-79118},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {Many ant species excavate underground nests. One of the most impressive examples is the Chaco leaf-cutting ant Atta vollenweideri from the Gran Chaco region in South America. The nests excavated by the workers of that species are among the largest insect-built structures on the planet. They are ecavated over years possibly involving millions of working individuals. However, the mechanisms underlying the organisation of collective nest digging in ants remain largely unknown. Considering the sheer dimensions of the nest in comparison to the size and presumably limited perceptual and cognitive abilities of the single worker, the assumption can be made that organising mechanisms are mostly based on responses of individuals to local stimuli within their perceptual range. Among these local stimuli that guide nest digging we can expect environmental variables, stimuli that relate to the requirements of the colony, and stimuli related to the spatial coordination of collective effort. The present thesis investigates the role of local stimuli from these three categories in the organisation of collective digging behaviour in the Chaco leaf-cutting ant. It describes experiments on (1) how workers respond in the context of digging to differences in soil moisture, which comprises an important environmental variable; (2) how available nest space influences nest enlargement; (3) and how the spatial coordination of excavating workers is implemented by responding to stimuli arising from nest mates while engaged in digging behaviour. The experiments on soil water content show that workers prefer to dig in moist materials that allow for fast excavation and transport rates. Accordingly, an unequal distribution of water in the soil around a nest can influence how the nest shape develops. On the other hand, results also indicate that workers strongly avoid excavating in extremely moist materials. Regarding the abundant occurrence of flooding events in the Gran Chaco region, the latter can be interpreted as an adaptation to avoid water inflow into the nest. In the experiments on the effect of nest space, the ants excavated less when presented with larger nests. When a large amount of space was suddenly added to the nest during the digging process, excavation rates decreased according to the new volume. These observations confirm the hypothesis that digging activity is regulated according to space requirements, possibly because crowding conditions inside the nest influence excavation behaviour. However, observations also indicate an intrinsic decrease of digging motivation with time. Moreover, excavation rates correlate with nest size only when comparing nests of similar shape. Distributing a similar nest volume to three smaller chambers, instead of one, resulted in drastically decreased digging rates. A possible explanation for that observation lies in the distribution of workers inside the nest that may vary according to nest geometry: a different distribution of individuals can lead to in different local crowding conditions in similar nest volumes. Furthermore, two different stimuli are described that are used in the spatial coordination of collective digging effort. First, fresh soil pellets deposited close to the digging site on their way from the surface increase the probability that arriving workers join excavation efforts at the same site. The deposition of pellets on the way is a consequence of sequential task partitioning during soil transport. The pellets are carried in transport chains that closely resemble the modalities of leaf transport observed at the surface. Second, workers stridulate while digging. The short-ranged vibrational signals produced thereby also attract nest mates to excavate at the same location. Accordingly, two mutually complementing mechanisms are described that allow to concentrate excavators at one location. In both cases, a local stimulus that is generated by current close-by excavation activity increases the probability of the stimulus receiver to dig close to other excavators. In an environment otherwise poor in digging stimuli, these mechanisms can be especially important to give collective digging efforts a common direction. As a consequence it can be argued that the spatial organisation of collective digging is based on choice copying. Individuals copy nest mate decisions on where to excavate by responding to local stimuli provided by nest mate digging activity. Taken together, responses to local stimuli can determine the direction of nest growth, aid in preventing the inflow of surface water into the nest, guide the adjustment of nest size to colony requirements and spatially coordinate collective digging efforts. Even though it cannot be ruled out that digging responses based e.g. on spatial memory or long-term experience exist, the results presented here clearly demonstrate that responses to local information account for many important aspects of nest development.},
  subject      = {Blattschneiderameisen},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{PfeifferGuglielmiDombertJablonkaetal.2014,
  author    = {Pfeiffer-Guglielmi, Brigitte and Dombert, Benjamin and Jablonka, Sibylle and Hausherr, Vanessa and van Thriel, Christoph and Schobel, Nicole and Jansen, Ralf-Peter},
  title     = {Axonal and dendritic localization of mRNAs for glycogen-metabolizing enzymes in cultured rodent neurons},
  series = {BMC Neuroscience},
  volume    = {15},
  journal   = {BMC Neuroscience},
  number    = {70},
  issn      = {1471-2202},
  doi       = {10.1186/1471-2202-15-70},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-116049},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Background: Localization of mRNAs encoding cytoskeletal or signaling proteins to neuronal processes is known to contribute to axon growth, synaptic differentiation and plasticity. In addition, a still increasing spectrum of mRNAs has been demonstrated to be localized under different conditions and developing stages thus reflecting a highly regulated mechanism and a role of mRNA localization in a broad range of cellular processes. Results: Applying fluorescence in-situ-hybridization with specific riboprobes on cultured neurons and nervous tissue sections, we investigated whether the mRNAs for two metabolic enzymes, namely glycogen synthase (GS) and glycogen phosphorylase (GP), the key enzymes of glycogen metabolism, may also be targeted to neuronal processes. If it were so, this might contribute to clarify the so far enigmatic role of neuronal glycogen. We found that the mRNAs for both enzymes are localized to axonal and dendritic processes in cultured lumbar spinal motoneurons, but not in cultured trigeminal neurons. In cultured cortical neurons which do not store glycogen but nevertheless express glycogen synthase, the GS mRNA is also subject to axonal and dendritic localization. In spinal motoneurons and trigeminal neurons in situ, however, the mRNAs could only be demonstrated in the neuronal somata but not in the nerves. Conclusions: We could demonstrate that the mRNAs for major enzymes of neural energy metabolism can be localized to neuronal processes. The heterogeneous pattern of mRNA localization in different culture types and developmental stages stresses that mRNA localization is a versatile mechanism for the fine-tuning of cellular events. Our findings suggest that mRNA localization for enzymes of glycogen metabolism could allow adaptation to spatial and temporal energy demands in neuronal events like growth, repair and synaptic transmission.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{KoenigBaenningerGarciaetal.2013,
  author    = {K{\"o}nig, Markus and Baenninger, Matthias and Garcia, Andrei G. F. and Harjee, Nahid and Pruitt, Beth L. and Ames, C. and Leubner, Philipp and Br{\"u}ne, Christoph and Buhmann, Hartmut and Molenkamp, Laurens W. and Goldhaber-Gordon, David},
  title     = {Spatially Resolved Study of Backscattering in the Quantum Spin Hall State},
  series = {Physical Review X},
  volume    = {3},
  journal   = {Physical Review X},
  number    = {2},
  issn      = {2160-3308},
  doi       = {10.1103/PhysRevX.3.021003},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-127225},
  pages     = {21003},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {The discovery of the quantum spin Hall (QSH) state, and topological insulators in general, has sparked strong experimental efforts. Transport studies of the quantum spin Hall state have confirmed the presence of edge states, showed ballistic edge transport in micron-sized samples, and demonstrated the spin polarization of the helical edge states. While these experiments have confirmed the broad theoretical model, the properties of the QSH edge states have not yet been investigated on a local scale. Using scanning gate microscopy to perturb the QSH edge states on a submicron scale, we identify well-localized scattering sites which likely limit the expected nondissipative transport in the helical edge channels. In the micron-sized regions between the scattering sites, the edge states appear to propagate unperturbed, as expected for an ideal QSH system, and are found to be robust against weak induced potential fluctuations.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{GuentzelSchillingHanioetal.2020,
  author    = {G{\"u}ntzel, Paul and Schilling, Klaus and Hanio, Simon and Schlauersbach, Jonas and Schollmayer, Curd and Meinel, Lorenz and Holzgrabe, Ulrike},
  title     = {Bioinspired Ion Pairs Transforming Papaverine into a Protic Ionic Liquid and Salts},
  series = {ACS Omega},
  volume    = {5},
  journal   = {ACS Omega},
  number    = {30},
  doi       = {10.1021/acsomega.0c02630},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-230265},
  pages     = {19202-19209},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {Microbial, mammalian, and plant cells produce and contain secondary metabolites, which typically are soluble in water to prevent cell damage by crystallization. The formation of ion pairs, for example, with carboxylic acids or mineral acids, is a natural blueprint to maintain basic metabolites in solution. Here, we aim at showing whether the mostly large carboxylates form soluble protic ionic liquids (PILs) with the basic natural product papaverine resulting in enhanced aqueous solubility. The obtained PILs were characterized by H-1-N-15 HMBC nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and in the solid state using X-ray powder diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and dissolution measurements. Furthermore, their supramolecular pattern in aqueous solution was studied by means of potentiometric and photometrical solubility, NMR aggregation assay, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, and viscosity measurements. Thereby, we identified the naturally occurring carboxylic acids, citric acid, malic acid, and tartaric acid, as being appropriate counterions for papaverine and which will facilitate the formation of PILs with their beneficial characteristics, like the improved dissolution rate and enhanced apparent solubility.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Dunkel2013,
  author    = {Dunkel, Nico},
  title     = {Regulation of virulence-associated traits of the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans by nitrogen availability},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-83076},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {Nitrogen-regulated pathogenesis describes the expression of virulence attributes as direct response to the quantity and quality of an available nitrogen source. As consequence of nitrogen availability, the opportunistic human fungal pathogen Candida albicans changes its morphology and secretes aspartic proteases [SAPs], both well characterized virulence attributes. C. albicans, contrarily to its normally non-pathogenic relative Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is able to utilize proteins, which are considered as abundant and important nitrogen source within the human host. To assimilate complex proteinaceous matter, extracellular proteolysis is followed by uptake of the degradation products through dedicated peptide transporters (di-/tripeptide transporters [PTRs] and oligopeptide transporters [OPTs]). The expression of both traits is transcriptionally controlled by Stp1 - the global regulator of protein utilization - in C. albicans. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the regulation of virulence attributes of the pathogenic fungus C. albicans by nitrogen availability in more detail. Within a genome wide binding profile of Stp1, during growth with proteins, more than 600 Stp1 target genes were identified, thereby confirming its role in the usage of proteins, but also other nitrogenous compounds as nitrogen source. Moreover, the revealed targets suggest an involvement of Stp1 in the general adaption to nutrient availability as well as in the environmental stress response. With the focus on protein utilization and nitrogen-regulated pathogenesis, the regulation of the major secreted aspartic protease Sap2 - additionally one of the prime examples of allelic heterogeneity in C. albicans - was investigated in detail. Thereby, the heterogezygous SAP2 promoter helped to identify an unintended genomic alteration as the true cause of a growth defect of a C. albicans mutant. Additionally, the promoter region, which was responsible for the differential activation of the SAP2 alleles, was delimited. Furthermore, general Sap2 induction was demonstrated to be mediated by distinct cis-acting elements that are required for a high or a low activity of SAP2 expression. For the utilization of proteins as nitrogen source it is also crucial to take up the peptides that are produced by extracellular proteolysis. Therefore, the function and importance of specific peptide transporters was investigated in C. albicans mutants, unable to use peptides as nitrogen source (opt1Δ/Δ opt2Δ/Δ opt3Δ/Δ opt4Δ/Δ opt5Δ/Δ ptr2Δ/Δ ptr22Δ/Δ septuple null mutants). The overexpression of individual transporters in these mutants revealed differential substrate specificities and expanded the specificity of the OPTs to dipeptides, a completely new facet of these transporters. The peptide-uptake deficient mutants were further used to elucidate, whether indeed proteins and peptides are an important in vivo nitrogen source for C. albicans. It was found that during competitive colonization of the mouse intestine these mutants exhibited wild-type fitness, indicating that neither proteins nor peptides are primary nitrogen sources required to efficiently support growth of C. albicans in the mouse gut. Adequate availability of the preferred nitrogen source ammonium represses the utilization of proteins and other alternative nitrogen sources, but also the expression of virulence attributes, like Sap secretion and nitrogen-starvation induced filamentation. In order to discriminate, whether ammonium availability is externally sensed or determined inside the cell by C. albicans, the response to exterior ammonium concentrations of ammonium-uptake deficient mutants (mep1Δ/Δ mep2Δ/Δ null mutants) was investigated. This study showed that presence of an otherwise suppressing ammonium concentration did not inhibit Sap2 proteases secretion and arginine-induced filamentation in these mutants. Conclusively, ammonium availability is primarily determined inside the cell in order to control the expression of virulence traits. In sum, the present work contributes to the current understanding of how C. albicans regulates expression of virulence-associated traits in response to the presence of available nitrogen sources - especially proteins and peptides - in order to adapt its lifestyle within a human host.},
  subject      = {Candida albicans},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Derrer2013,
  author    = {Derrer, Carmen},
  title     = {Biophysikalische Aufschl{\"u}sselung des Transportzyklus von ZmSUT1, einem H+/Saccharose Symporter aus Mais},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-78949},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {Die Mesophyllzellen vollentwickelter Bl{\"a}tter stellen den Hauptort der Photosynthese h{\"o}herer Pflanzen dar. Diese autotrophen Zellen (source-Gewebe) produzieren einen {\"U}berschuss an Kohlenstoff-Assimilaten, die f{\"u}r die Versorgung anderer heterotropher Gewebe und Organe, wie z.B. Fr{\"u}chten oder Wurzeln (sink-Gewebe), genutzt werden. Das Langstrecken-Transportsystem h{\"o}herer Pflanzen, das Phloem, transportiert die Photoassimilate durch den gesamten Pflanzenk{\"o}rper. Der zwischen source- und sink-Geweben herrschende hydrostatische Druckunterschied wird von osmotisch aktiven Substanzen generiert und treibt den Massenstrom in diesem Gef{\"a}ßsystem an. Der nicht-reduzierende Zucker Saccharose stellt in den meisten h{\"o}heren Pflanzen die Haupttransportform der photosynthetisch hergestellten Kohlenstoffverbindungen im Phloem dar. Protonen-gekoppelte Saccharosetransporter reichern Saccharose im Phloemgewebe mit einer 1000-fach h{\"o}heren Konzentration (bis zu 1M), verglichen zum extrazellul{\"a}ren Raum, an. Aufgrund dieser einzigartigen F{\"a}higkeit {\"u}ben diese Carrier eine essentielle Rolle in der Phloembeladung aus und gew{\"a}hrleisten so die Versorgung der gesamten Pflanze mit Photoassimilaten. Saccharosetransporter k{\"o}nnen diese Energie-aufw{\"a}ndige Aufgabe nur durch eine enge Kopplung des zeitgleichen Transports von Saccharose und Protonen bewerkstelligen. Molekulare Einblicke in diesen physiologisch außerordentlich wichtigen Prozess der Zuckertranslokation sind jedoch bis heute immer noch sehr l{\"u}ckenhaft. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde der Saccharosetransporter ZmSUT1 aus Mais im heterologen Expressionssystem der Xenopus Oozyten exprimiert. ZmSUT1 generiert in Oozyten ungew{\"o}hnlich hohe Str{\"o}me im µA-Bereich, was diesen Zuckertransporter f{\"u}r pr{\"a}zise elektrophysiologische Messungen geradezu pr{\"a}destiniert. Erste elektrophysiologische Messungen zur Substratspezifit{\"a}t zeigten, dass der synthetische S{\"u}ßstoff Sucralose kein Substrat f{\"u}r ZmSUT1 darstellt. Dar{\"u}ber hinaus gelang es, Sucralose als kompetitiven Inhibitor der Saccharose-induzierten Transportstr{\"o}me von ZmSUT1 zu identifizieren. Die Verwendung dieses Saccharose-Derivats erm{\"o}glichte es, den Transportmechanismus in einzelne Schritte zu zerlegen und diese zu quantifizieren. Durch hochaufl{\"o}sende elektrophysiologische Messungen konnten transiente Str{\"o}me in der Abwesenheit jeglichen Substrats detektiert werden, die jedoch in der Anwesenheit s{\"a}ttigender Saccharosekonzentrationen erloschen. Diese sogenannten presteady-state Str{\"o}me (Ipre) zeichneten sich durch eine schnelle und eine langsame Komponente in der Relaxationskinetik der Str{\"o}me aus. Ipre konnten mit dem Binden der Protonen an den Transporter innerhalb des elektrischen Feldes der Membran in Verbindung gebracht werden. Somit f{\"u}hrte die Analyse der presteady-state Str{\"o}me zur Aufkl{\"a}rung des ersten Schritts - dem Binden der Protonen - im Transportzyklus von ZmSUT1. Interessanterweise reduzierte der kompetitive Inhibitor Sucralose die langsame Komponente der presteady-state Str{\"o}me in Abh{\"a}ngigkeit von der Sucralosekonzentration, w{\"a}hrend die schnelle Komponente von Ipre unbeeinflusst blieb. Um dieses Verhalten erkl{\"a}ren zu k{\"o}nnen und einen weiteren Schritt im Transportzyklus von ZmSUT1 zu studieren, wurde die Methode der Spannungsklemmen-Fluorometrie zur Untersuchung der Konformations{\"a}nderung von ZmSUT1 etabliert. Tats{\"a}chlich gelang es, zum ersten Mal die intramolekulare Bewegung eines pflanzlichen Transportproteins zu visualisieren. Detaillierte Analysen zeigten, dass die Konformations{\"a}nderungen von ZmSUT1, unabh{\"a}ngig von Saccharose, mit einer schwachen pH-Abh{\"a}ngigkeit auftraten. Interessanterweise wurde die Beweglichkeit des Transporters durch die Applikation des kompetitiven Inhibitors Sucralose deutlich reduziert. Dieser Effekt deutet, zusammen mit dem Sucralose-induzierten Verschwinden der langsamen Komponente der Ipre darauf hin, dass Sucralose den Transporter in seiner ausw{\"a}rts-gerichteten Konformation arretiert. Somit repr{\"a}sentiert die Zug{\"a}nglichkeit der extrazellul{\"a}ren Protonenbindestelle und folglich die Konformations{\"a}nderung den Geschwindigkeits-bestimmenden Schritt im Reaktionszyklus von ZmSUT1. Zusammenfassend gelang es in dieser Arbeit, das Binden der Protonen und den Zusammenhang mit der Bewegung des Proteins, von einer ausw{\"a}rts-gerichteten in eine einw{\"a}rts-gerichtete Konformation, aufzukl{\"a}ren. Mit der Hilfe der Erkenntnisse aus dieser Arbeit konnte ein mechanistisches Modell f{\"u}r den Transportzyklus von ZmSUT1 entwickelt werden, anhand dessen alle Ergebnisse schl{\"u}ssig erkl{\"a}rt und diskutiert werden konnten.},
  subject      = {Mais},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Arndt2000,
  author    = {Arndt, Petra},
  title     = {Klonierung und funktionelle Charakterisierung von organischen Kationentransportern aus der Rattenniere},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-793},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2000},
  abstract  = {Der organische Kationentransport im proximalen Tubulus der Niere spielt eine wichtige Rolle bei der Aufrechterhaltung der Hom{\"o}ostase der K{\"o}rperfl{\"u}ssigkeiten und der Ausschleusung von toxischen organischen Kationen. Der Transport von organischen Kationen wird an der B{\"u}rstensaummembran durch den H+/organische Kationen-Austauscher vermittelt, w{\"a}hrend bei dem Transport von organischen Kationen an der basolateralen Membran das nach innen gerichtete negative Membranpotential eine treibende Kraft darstellt. Durch Expressionsklonierung wurde der erste organische Kationentransporter, rOCT1, aus der Rattenniere isoliert. Kurz darauf wurde im Rahmen dieser Arbeit ein zweiter organischer Kationentransporter ebenfalls aus der Ratenniere kloniert. rOCT2 besteht aus 593 Aminos{\"a}uren und besitzt 12 putative Transmembrandom{\"a}nen. Zum funktionellen Vergleich zwischen rOCT1 und rOCT2 wurde das Oozytenexpressionssystem verwendet. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde ein pharmakologisches Profil von rOCT2 erstellt. Das Substratsprektrum von rOCT2 ist dem von rOCT1 sehr {\"a}hnlich. Die Affinit{\"a}ten von rOCT2 gegen{\"u}ber verschiedenen Substanzen wurden direkt mit denen von rOCT1 verglichen. Einerseits fanden wir bei einigen Substraten Unterschiede in den Km- und Vmax-Werten, aber andererseits auch viele {\"A}hnlichkeiten zwischen beiden Transportern. Anionen (z. B. p-Aminohippurat) wurden als neue Gruppe von Inhibitoren f{\"u}r den durch rOCT1- und rOCT2-vermittelten Transport identifiziert. Die Potentialdifferenz ist die treibende Kraft des rOCT1- und rOCT2-vermittelten Transportes. Wir konnten potentialabh{\"a}ngige Ver{\"a}nderungen der Km-Werte von Cholin-induzierten Einw{\"a}rtsstr{\"o}men zeigen. Bei dem Austausch von Na+-Ionen gegen K+-Ionen im Reaktionspuffer wurde die Aufnahme von Cholin und MPP durch rOCT2 erniedrigt. Der bidirektionale Transport von MPP wurde gezeigt und trans-Stimulationsexperimente f{\"u}r MPP-Influx und MPP-Efflux durchgef{\"u}hrt, um die Asymmetrie des Transporters zu studieren. Dar{\"u}berhinaus wurde in der vorliegenden Arbeit die Interaktion von verschiedenen Substraten mit rOCT1 und rOCT2 untersucht und ein kompetitver und nicht-kompetitiver Hemmtyp bei der TEA-Aufnahme gefunden.},
  subject      = {Ratte},
  language  = {de}
}