Phytases are a group of enzymes that catalyze phytic acid hydrolysis with release of phosphorus (P). The ability of Chromobacterium sp. to produce phytase was detected in 115 out of 118 candidate bacteria isolated from different Brazilian biomas. This is the first report revealing the genus Chromobacterium as phytase producer.
Mating-type genes control the entry into the sexual cycle, mating identity and sexual development in fungi. The mat A-2 and mat A-3 genes, present in the mat A idiomorph of the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa, are required for post-fertilization functions but are not essential for mating identity. Their putative roles as transcription factors are based on the similarity of mat A-2 with the Podospora anserina SMR1 gene and an HMG motif present in the mat A-3 gene. In this work the yeast two-hybrid system was used to identify transcriptional activity and protein-protein interaction of N. crassa mat A-2 and mat A-3 genes. We observed that the mat A-3 protein alone is capable of weakly activating transcription of yeast reporter genes; it also binds with low specificity to the GAL1 promoter sequence, possibly due to its HMG domain. Our results also indicate that mat A-3 is capable to form homodimers, and interact with mat A-2. Interference on yeast growth was observed on some transformants suggesting a toxic action of the mat A-2 protein. Our data on pattern of interactions of mat proteins contributes towards understanding the control of vegetative and sexual cycles in filamentous fungi.
A complexidade da Genética contribui para dificuldades no entendimento de conceitos e processos essenciais na área, sendo a meiose um dos conteúdos de difícil compreensão. O objetivo do estudo aqui apresentado foi compreender como licenciandos de Ciências Biológicas entendem a divisão meiótica e sua relação com a genética mendeliana, a partir da análise de uma tarefa desenvolvida em uma disciplina. Os resultados observados foram analisados à luz da literatura que tenta avaliar porque erros conceituais nessa área de conhecimentos são persistentes e o papel do professor em formação nesse cenário. As concepções alternativas que se destacaram na análise foram sobre a conexão do processo de replicação na meiose e conceitos como locos e ploidia. Conclui-se que as concepções alternativas aqui descritas apontam aos professores onde podem estar as principais dúvidas e questões dos estudantes sobre o conteúdo de divisão celular e auxiliá-los na busca de novas estratégias didáticas.
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