Maria Cavaletto | Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale (original) (raw)

Papers by Maria Cavaletto

Milchwissenschaft-milk Science International, 1994

PROTEOMICS, 2002

Human butyrophilin (BTN) expression in milk fat globule (MFGM) was evaluated using two dimensiona... more Human butyrophilin (BTN) expression in milk fat globule (MFGM) was evaluated using two dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) as the separation technique, and peptide mass mapping by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) as the identification tool. Since milk composition changes throughout lactation time, 2-DE maps in the pH range 4-7 of colostral MFGM and mature MFGM were compared, showing only slight differences in BTN spot distribution. The BTN gene family codes for seven proteins (BTN, BTN2A1, BTN2A2, BTN2A3, BTN3A1, BTN3A2, BTN3A3), their presence in human tissues has to date been evaluated only at a transcriptional level. Among 70 spots, analyzed and identified by MALDI-MS, 13 spots were identified as BTN spots and only one as a fragment of BTN2A1. BTN was present in multiple glycoforms, and two smaller BTN forms of about 45 kDa were also identified. We propose an array of BTNs on human MFGM, which could provide breast-fed infants with immune molecules during the neonatal period.

Plants

Plant pathogens are responsible for important damages to valuable crops causing important economi... more Plant pathogens are responsible for important damages to valuable crops causing important economic losses. Agrobiodiversity protection is crucial for the valorization of local varieties that could possess higher resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. At the beginning of germination, seeds are susceptible to pathogens attacks, thus they can release endogenous antimicrobial compounds of different natures in the spermosphere, to contrast proliferation of microorganisms. The work aimed at characterizing the maize of local variety Nostrano di Storo seed exudates secreted during the first phases of germination, to identify compounds active in the defense towards pathogens. Storo seed exudates were proven to inhibit F. verticilloides germination. In order to investigate the cause of the described effect, compositional profiling of the exudates was performed through NMR, lipidomic, and proteomic analyses. This study suggests an important role of microbial endophytic communities in the pro...

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology, 2010

Multiple contaminants can affect plant-microbial remediation processes because of their interacti... more Multiple contaminants can affect plant-microbial remediation processes because of their interactive effects on environmental behaviour, bioavailability and plant growth. Recent studies have suggested that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can facilitate the revegetation of soils co-contaminated with rare earth elements (REEs) and heavy metals. However, little is known regarding the role of AMF in the interaction of REEs and heavy metals. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of Claroideoglomus etunicatum on the biomass, nutrient uptake, metal uptake and translocation of maize grown in soils spiked with Lanthanum (La) and Cadmium (Cd). The results indicated that individual and combined applications of La (100 mg kg-1) and Cd (5 mg kg-1) significantly decreased root colonization rates by 22.0% to ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 35.0%. With AMF inoculation, dual-metal treatment significantly increased maize biomass by 26.2% compared to single-metal treatment. Dual-metal treatment significantly increased N, P and K uptake by 20.1% to 76.8% compared to singlemetal treatment. Dual-metal treatment significantly decreased shoot La concentration by 52.9% compared to single La treatment, whereas AM symbiosis caused a greater decrease of 87.8%. Dual-metal treatment significantly increased shoot and root Cd concentrations by 65.5% and 58.7% compared to single Cd treatment and the La translocation rate by 142.0% compared to single La treatment, whereas no difference was observed between their corresponding treatments with AMF inoculation. Furthermore, AMF had differential effects on the interaction of La and Cd on metal uptake and translocation under the background concentrations of soil metals. Taken together, these results indicated that AMF significantly affected the interaction between La and Cd, depending on metal types and concentrations in soils. These findings promote a further understanding of the contributions of AMF to the phytoremediation of co-contaminated soil. Capsule AM symbiosis significantly affected the interaction between La and Cd.

Plants, Feb 9, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Scientific Reports, 2021

Cannabis sativa L. (hemp) is a versatile plant which can adapt to various environmental condition... more Cannabis sativa L. (hemp) is a versatile plant which can adapt to various environmental conditions. Hempseeds provide high quality lipids, mainly represented by polyunsaturated acids, and highly digestible proteins rich of essential aminoacids. Hempseed composition can vary according to plant genotype, but other factors such as agronomic and climatic conditions can affect the presence of nutraceutic compounds. In this research, seeds from two cultivars of C. sativa (Futura 75 and Finola) grown in a mountain environment of the Italian Alps were analyzed. The main purpose of this study was to investigate changes in the protein profile of seeds obtained from such environments, using two methods (sequential and total proteins) for protein extraction and two analytical approaches SDS-PAGE and 2D-gel electrophoresis, followed by protein identification by mass spectrometry. The fatty acids profile and carotenoids content were also analysed. Mountain environments mainly affected fatty acid ...

PubMed, Mar 1, 1990

The enzyme ADH1 has been extracted and purified from the budding yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus, a... more The enzyme ADH1 has been extracted and purified from the budding yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus, and its enzymatic activity has been compared, with the ADH1 extracted and purified in the same way from the well known yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. K. marxianus ADH1 has an optimal temperature higher than the S. cerevisiae enzyme (45-50 degrees vs 35 degrees C), a better stability to pH variations in the oxidative reaction (pH optimum 7.5), a lower Michaelis constant for acetaldehyde, and a good catalytic activity both for fermentative and oxidative reactions. In fact, while in Saccharomyces the constants ratio (velocity constant fermentation/velocity constant oxidation) is about 20,000, in Kluyveromyces the same ratio is only 15. Even if these two Genera are quite related (they belong to the same subfamily) it seems that their ADH1s possess different catalytic properties.

Frontiers in Plant Science, Oct 15, 2019

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a multifunctional crop that is capable of prompt environmental adapt... more Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a multifunctional crop that is capable of prompt environmental adaptation. In this study, a monoecious cultivar (Futura 75) and a dioecious one (Finola) were tested in a mountain area in Valsaviore (Rhaetian Alps, Italy; elevation: 1,100 m a.s.l.) during the growing season 2018. Phytochemical behavior was evaluated by different analytical approaches: HPLC-high-resolution mass spectrometry, SDS-PAGE LC-MS/ MS, HS-SPME GC-MS, and GC-FID in order to obtain complete profile of two varieties cultivated in altitude. CSR functional strategy used for ecological evaluation revealed that both genotypes are mainly competitors, although Finola is more stress tolerator

Proteomics, Apr 1, 2007

Cannabis sativa is an annual herb with very high biomass and capability to absorb and accumulate ... more Cannabis sativa is an annual herb with very high biomass and capability to absorb and accumulate heavy metals in roots and shoots; it is therefore a good candidate for phytoremediation of soils contaminated with metals. Copper is an essential micronutrient for all living organisms, it participates as an important redox component in cellular electron transport chains; but is extremely toxic to plants at high concentrations. The aim of this work was to investigate copper effects on the root proteome of C. sativa, whose genome is still unsequenced. Copper stress induced the suppression of two proteins, the down-regulation of seven proteins, while five proteins were up-regulated. The resulting differences in protein expression pattern were indicative of a plant adaptation to chronic stress and were directed to the reestablishment of the cellular and redox homeostasis.

Springer eBooks, Dec 25, 2007

The milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) is the membrane surrounding lipid droplets during their secr... more The milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) is the membrane surrounding lipid droplets during their secretion in the alveolar lumen of the lactating mammary gland. MFGM proteins represent only 1-4% of total milk protein content; nevertheless, the MFGM consists of a complex system of integral and peripheral proteins, enzymes, and lipids. Despite their low classical nutritional value, MFGM proteins have been reported to play an important role in various cellular processes and defense mechanisms in the newborn. Using a proteomic approach, such as high-resolution, two-dimensional electrophoresis followed by direct protein identification by mass spectrometry, it has been possible to comprehensively characterize the subcellular organization of MFGM. This chapter covers the description of MFGM proteomics from the first studies about 10 years ago through the most recent papers. Most of the investigations deal with MFGMs from human and cow milk.

American Journal of Physiology-regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology, Dec 1, 1999

Metallothionein (MT) is a sulfhydryl-rich protein involved mainly in heavy metal homeostasis and ... more Metallothionein (MT) is a sulfhydryl-rich protein involved mainly in heavy metal homeostasis and detoxification. In this study, the use of the mussel as an experimental model allowed us to test MT antioxidant properties at the molecular, cellular, and organism level. MT induction was achieved by mussel exposure to Cd (200 µg/l) in aquaria for 7 days followed by detoxification in the sea for 28 days. Cdpreexposed and nonexposed mussels were then treated with Fe (300-600 µg/l) in aquaria for 3 days. Biochemical assays on digestive gland tissue showed that treatment with Fe led to a significant increase in oxyradical production and malondialdehyde level only in mussels not preexposed to Cd. The Cd-dependent resistance to oxidative stress was ascribed to MT induction, as Cd produced no significant variation of reduced glutathione and major antioxidant enzymes. Digital imaging of isolated digestive gland cells showed lower oxyradical rise and higher viability in cells from Cd-preexposed mussels after treatments with 0.5-5 mM H 2 O 2. Analyses on whole organisms showed that anoxic survival was lowered in mussels that had been treated with Fe, but such an effect was less pronounced in Cd-preexposed mussels compared with nonpreexposed ones. In conclusion, data suggest an antioxidant role for MT, which seems to occur through oxyradical scavenging and is able to protect both isolated cells and the entire organism from oxidative stress.

Biological chemistry Hoppe-Seyler, 1994

Casein components of human milk are generally reported to belong to the β-and κ-groups. In this r... more Casein components of human milk are generally reported to belong to the β-and κ-groups. In this research human casein fraction was obtained from pooled mature milk, either by ultracentrifugation or by acid precipitation. In both cases a minor component with a slightly higher mobility in SDS-PAGE than-casein was identified. The protein was purified to homogeneity, the N-terminal sequence of the first 14 amino acid residues of this new human casein subunit shows a high degree of homology with the as!-case in sequences from other species.

Cells

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a lethal and rare cancer, even if its incidence has conti... more Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a lethal and rare cancer, even if its incidence has continuously increased all over the world. Asbestos exposure leads to the development of mesothelioma through multiple mechanisms, including chronic inflammation, oxidative stress with reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and persistent aberrant signaling. Together, these processes, over the years, force normal mesothelial cells’ transformation. Chronic inflammation supported by “frustrated” macrophages exposed to asbestos fibers is also boosted by the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, damage-associated molecular proteins (DAMPs), and the generation of ROS. In addition, the hypoxic microenvironment influences MPM and immune cells’ features, leading to a significant rewiring of metabolism and phenotypic plasticity, thereby supporting tumor aggressiveness and modulating infiltrating immune cell responses. This review provides an overview of the complex tumo...

Nutrients

Human milk is the ideal food for newborns until the age of six months. Human milk can be defined ... more Human milk is the ideal food for newborns until the age of six months. Human milk can be defined as a dynamic living tissue, containing immunological molecules, such as immunoglobulins, supra-molecular structures, such as the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM), and even entire cells, such as the milk microbiota. The milk composition changes throughout lactation to fulfill the infant’s requirements and reflect the healthy/disease status of the lactating mother. Many bioactive milk components are either soluble or bound to the MFGM. In this work, we focus on the peculiar role of the MFGM components, from their structural organization in fat globules to their route into the gastrointestinal tract. Immunometabolic differences between human and bovine MFGM components are reported and the advantages of supplementing infant formula with the MFGM are highlighted.

Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2003

... From this point of view, the study of functional traits or properties of EMAB could help to u... more ... From this point of view, the study of functional traits or properties of EMAB could help to understand the complexity of microbial activities in the ectomycorrhizosphere. PGPR stimulates plant growth through several mechanisms which are broadly categorized as either direct or ...