The application of high pressure for biological macromolecules investigations was an object of interest already in the begining of this century.Recently, attention has been paid to this method because of its possible applications in biotechnology.In this paper, we summarized the data existing in the literature on the machanism of high pressure effects on protein and nucleic acids.We also reviewed various practical aplications of high pressure, especially in food industry.
Recent analyses of the human genome and available data about the other higher eukaryotic genomes have revealed that, in contrast to Eubacteria and Archaea, only a small fraction of the genetic material (ca 1.5%) codes for proteins. Most of genomic DNA and its RNA transcripts are involved in regulation of gene expression, which can be exerted at either the transcriptional level, controlling whether a gene is transcribed and to what extent, or at the post-translational level, regulating the fate of the transcribed RNA molecules, including their stability, efficiency of their translation and subcellular localization. Noncoding RNA genes produce functional RNA molecules (ncRNAs) rather than encoding proteins. These stable RNAs act by multiple mechanisms such as RNA-RNA base pairing, RNA-protein interactions and intrinsic RNA activity, as well as regulate diverse cellular functions, including RNA processing, mRNA stability, translation, protein stability and secretion. Non-protein-coding RNAs are known to play significant roles. Along with transfer RNAs, ribosomal RNAs and mRNAs, ncRNAs contribute to gene splicing, nucleotide modification, protein transport and regulation of gene expression.
In recent years there was a growing number of reports of new non-protein-coding RNAs which are implicated in the regulation of many cellular processes. They differ in many respects from already known housekeeping RNA species involved in protein biosynthesis (tRNA, rRNA) and RNA maturation or modification (RNase P RNA, snRNAs, snoRNAs). Regulatory RNAs (riboregulators) are expressed only in certain cell types, at particular stages of organism development or cell differentiation or in response to biotic and abiotic stimuli. Their expression is usually accompanied by the alteration of patterns of the expression of other genes. The mechanisms employed by riboregulators can affect transcription, pre-mRNA processing and translation. In the post-genomic era, the noncoding regulatory RNAs emerge as key determinants of organismal complexity, providing efficient and highly specific means for integration of various cellular processes.
For the first time, high pressure was used for milk sterilization at the beginning of this century. However, only recently attention has been paid to this method and its possible applications in food preservation and inactivation of some viruses. In this review, we summarize high pressure effects on biological macromolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, ribosomes and other cell components. We also show examples of practical application of high pressure in food conservation and medicine.
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