http://hdl.handle.net/10256/10231 Sat, 30 Aug 2025 14:03:12 GMT 2025-08-30T14:03:12Z http://hdl.handle.net/10256/26336 Efectes de la gestió del sòl agrícola en la comunitat microbiana edàfica : relació amb els balanços dels gasos d’efecte hivernacle a l'atmosfera i possibilitats biotecnològiques de millora Merino Martin, Sònia Soil microorganisms are crucial in terrestrial biogeochemical cycles, as they perform processes unique to these cycles. Their activity plays a key role in the exchange of greenhouse gases (GHG) between the lithosphere and the atmosphere. Anthropogenic activities, such as agricultural intensification, have disrupted the natural functioning of terrestrial ecosystems by impacting the habitat of the Soil Microbial Community (SMC) and altering its biodiversity and activity. This study presents evidence showing that conventional practices in intensive agricultural systems, such as tillage, fertilization, and pesticide use, adversely affect the soil ecosystem, notably by reducing biodiversity. Consequently, these practices can lead to various environmental problems, such as increased GHG emissions, decreased soil fertility, and reduced crop yields. The biodiversity and ecological functionality of the Soil Microbial Community (SMC) are essential for maintaining a beneficial environment. Therefore, it is imperative to understand their role to develop soil management techniques that minimize environmental impact. Strategies such as reduced tillage, the use of cover crops, biofertilizers and organic fertilizers like biochar have been identified as effective solutions. Consequently, agricultural biotechnology has emerged as a vital tool for advancing improvement techniques in this field. This study offers an updated perspective on the role of biodiversity and the activity of the Soil Microbial Community (SMC), evaluating the impact of conventional agricultural practices on this community and their potential to exacerbate microbial processes with adverse environmental consequences, thereby contributing to climate change. Despite numerous areas in this emerging field remaining unexplored, the shift toward agricultural practices that preserve essential ecosystem services is critical for enhancing soil quality and mitigating the effects of climate change Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10256/26336 2024-07-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10256/26335 Role of non-enzymatic acetylation and NHE1 channel in sperm acrosome reaction Junyent Latorre, Martí With increasing interest in therapies targeting infertility, many research avenues are being probed to provide both greater understanding and feasible remedies. One of these specific avenues of interest being explored is a subset of ion channels implicated in intracellular homeostasis and pH regulation, the socalled Na+/H+ exchangers, or NHEs, specifically in this study, the isoform NHE1. While the main task of the NHE1 channel is suggested to be pH modulation, recent interest has peaked in its hypothesised role in protein acetylation, particularly non-enzymatic acetylation as directly depends on pH. Both of these NHE1-regulated phenomena have been presumed to be important factors directing pre-fecundation steps such as sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction (AR). As such, this study aims to first investigate the impact of acrosomal pH levels on non-enzymatic acetylation, specifically during the acrosomal reaction. Furthermore, by building on a recent understanding of NHE1 channel relevancy, this study also aims to determine the effects of NHE1 channel inhibition on acrosomal pH and the sperm ability to undergo AR. In this present study, we analysed non-enzymatic acetylation and NHE1 inhibition using pig as a model. Pig sperm samples underwent both capacitation and AR in vitro by incubating sperm in capacitating media and in presence of progesterone, that is an inductor of AR. Then, the effects of pH on non-enzymatic acetylation and the relevancy of NHE1 inhibition on acrosomal pH and AR during in-vitro capacitation were examined using an acetylase inhibitor cocktail and a specific NHE1 channel blocker, respectively. Non-enzymatic acetylation was stimulated incubating sperm with an acetylase inhibitor cocktail under alkaline pH (9). NHE1 was inhibited with 5-NN-dimethyl amiloride hydrochloride. Both non-enzimatic acetylation and NHE1 activity were probe with an increase in the acetylation level and pH modificatios, respectively. Samples were then analysed for acrosomal integrity, intracellular pH, and acrosomal pH by flow cytometry. Additionally, protein acetylation was evaluated via immunochemical analysis. Our results showed that acetylation plays an important role during sperm capacitation and AR, with acetylation increases dependent on acetylase action. Moreover, AR completion was found to be highly dependent on correct acetylase performance. Additionally, while the induction of non-enzymatic acetylation can provoke increases in protein acetylation, it is not capable of reestablishing baseline levels of AR attainment. Similarly, the importance of acrosomal pH was also highlighted, showcasing its essential role in correct AR completion. Finally, while NHE1 was not found to be involved in the sperm's ability to undergo capacitation, our findings indicate that the NHE1 channel plays a specific role in controlling sperm protein acetylation through the modulation of cytoplasmic pH Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10256/26335 2024-07-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10256/26334 El paper dels sistemes toxina-antitoxina tipus II en E.coli LF82 Iglesias Segur, Marta Adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) is implicated in Crohn's disease, a disorder that involves chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. AIEC are able to adhere to and invade intestinal epithelial cells, survive and replicate in macrophages without causing cell death, and form persistent cells and intracellular biofilms in the inside macrophages. Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are gene loci widely distributed among bacterial genomes and plasmids that have been linked to various biological functions in different pathogenic bacteria. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of type II toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems in the pathogenicity of AIEC from mutants generated by deletion of selected type II TA systems in the AIEC reference strain LF82. In previous studies by the group, the possible involvement of the mazEF-1, hipA-2/xre-3 and relE-1/yiaG-1 systems in the invasion capacity of intestinal epithelial cells of the LF82 strain was determined. From this point, this work has focused on the characterization of the mutants in other phenotypic assays. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) has been determined for LF82 and for the mutants of the TA systems to ciprofloxacin to subsequently perform the persistent cell formation assay. This persistence assay was performed from exponential phase cultures and overnight cultures. Subsequently, intracellular replication in macrophages and motility have been studied. In the work, an increase in the fraction of persistent cells is observed when starting from the night culture. In the analysis of intracellular survival in macrophages, a replication index value of around 400% is obtained, with no differences between the mutants and the LF82 “wild-type” (WT) strain. Regarding motility, no variation is observed with respect to the LF82 strain. In this work it has been concluded that TA systems do not seem to play a role in the ability to form persistent cells, in intracellular replication in macrophages and in motility Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10256/26334 2024-07-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10256/26333 Lemna minor per al tractament de la fracció líquida del purí porcí : estudi preliminar sobre el creixement de biomassa i la composició de nutrient Juncà Colom, Neus Despite the significant improvement in managing livestock manure that is poured into crop fields as manure and fertilizers, it is yet a source of ecosystem contamination, especially in areas with a high number of livestock farms, such as Osona. The purpose of this study is to investigate and design a possible nature-based solution (NBS) for the treatment of swine manure. Specifically, the aquatic plant Lemna minor was used through a phytoremediation process, since recent studies demonstrate the potential of this plant to absorb and accumulate pollutants such as nitrogen, phosphorus and ammonium. Nevertheless, this work consists of a preliminary study focused on evaluating the growth of Lemna minor in different increasing concentrations of swine manure, with the main objective of establish the optimal growth range of this plant. To do it, L. Minor has been grown on dechlorinated water, adding three treatments of different slurry concentrations (33, 66 and 100%) continuously for 42 days through multichannel peristaltic pump. During system monitoring, on the one hand, the physicochemical parameters (temperature, pH, electrical conductivity and dissolved oxygen) of the liquid medium have been evaluated and the concentration of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and total organic carbon (TOC) has been measured. On the other hand, the growth of L. Minor has been quantified and the plant has been characterized through morphology observation and photosynthetic activity. The results obtained conclude that there is more growth of Lemna when a higher concentration of swine slurry enters. Furthermore, high positive correlations have been obtained between growth and TN and between growth and TP. This indicates that a greater availability of nitrogen and phosphorus, achieved by a greater input of manure, favours plant growth. Possible future research could be focus on the study of nutrient absorption capacity of Lemna, to correlate this absorption with the elimination of contaminants from the media Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10256/26333 2024-06-01T00:00:00Z