Monthly variations in calix growth, polyp tissue, and density banding of the Mediterranean scleractinian Cladocora caespitosa (L.)

Monthly skeletal growth of the scleractinian, temperate coral Cladocora caespitosa (L.) from the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean) was analysed for a period of 1 year and compared with seawater parameters. Measurements on corallite sections and on X-ray images showed that the formation of the high-density (HD) band and two dissepiments are favoured by fall–winter conditions, characterised by high quantities of rain, rough seas, and cold seawater. In summer, when the low-density (LD) band is formed, the corallites stretch upward and form one new dissepiment and one deep calix, where the polyps recede almost completely in August. These findings confirmed the adaptation of the temperate coral to winter environmental conditions, characterised by low irradiance and high availability of nutrients and food particles resuspended from bottom sediments. On the contrary, the high seawater temperature, irradiance, and ammonia contents stressed the coral in August and, when they persist in September, may cause the onset of mortality events.     

One-step refolding and purification of disulfide-containing proteins with a C-terminal MESNA thioester

Background  

Expression systems based on self-cleavable intein domains allow the generation of recombinant proteins with a C-terminal thioester. This uniquely reactive C-terminus can be used in native chemical ligation reactions to introduce synthetic groups or to immobilize proteins on surfaces and nanoparticles. Unfortunately, common refolding procedures for recombinant proteins that contain disulfide bonds do not preserve the thioester functionality and therefore novel refolding procedures need to be developed.     

An operative approach to correct CD spectra distortions due to absorption flattening

We discuss the influence of absorption flattening (AF) on CD spectra, aiming at finding a simple way to compensate the induced distortions. A simple algebraic formalism is proposed based on an unconventional measuring approach, which makes use of a commercial unit. Validation of the proposed compensation method for AF is conducted not only on the already studied CD Vis spectral region of a Co chiral complex with the use of an AF emulator, but also on the far UV CD spectra of poly-L-glutamic acid suspensions with different turbidity levels. Comparison with some correction factors proposed in the literature is presented.     

Integrating gene expression and GO classification for PCA by preclustering

Background  

Gene expression data can be analyzed by summarizing groups of individual gene expression profiles based on GO annotation information. The mean expression profile per group can then be used to identify interesting GO categories in relation to the experimental settings. However, the expression profiles present in GO classes are often heterogeneous, i.e., there are several different expression profiles within one class. As a result, important experimental findings can be obscured because the summarizing profile does not seem to be of interest. We propose to tackle this problem by finding homogeneous subclasses within GO categories: preclustering.     

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: X-ray crystallographic structure of the adduct of human isozyme II with a bis-sulfonamide-two heads are better than one?

The X-ray crystal structure for the adduct of human carbonic anhydrase II (hCA II) with 4-(4-sulfamoylphenylcarboxamidoethyl)benzenesulfonamide, a topically acting antiglaucoma sulfonamide has been resolved at a resolution of 1.8 A. Its binding to the enzyme is similar with that of other sulfonamides, considering the interactions of the sulfonamide zinc anchoring group, but differs considerably when the organic part of the inhibitor is analyzed. This part of the inhibitor interacts only within the hydrophobic half of the CA active site, leaving the hydrophilic half able to accomodate several water molecules not present in the uncomplexed enzyme. Furthermore, the second head (sulfonamide moiety) participates in two strong hydrogen bonds with amino acid residues (Gly 132 and Gln 136) situated on the rim of the entrance to the active site cleft. Thus, the answer to the question in the title of this paper is that two heads are better than one, since the two sulfamoyl moieties of the inhibitor allow its proper orientation within the active site, with only one head binding in ionized form to the zinc ion, the organic part lying within the hydrophobic half of the active site, and the terminal, carboxamido containing phenylsulfamoyl head participating in strong hydrogen bonds with amino acid residues located at the entrance of it. All these findings are important for the design of better carboxamido CA inhibitors with applications in clinical medicine.     

Genetic dissection of Al tolerance QTLs in the maize genome by high density SNP scan

Background

Aluminum (Al) toxicity is an important limitation to food security in tropical and subtropical regions. High Al saturation on acid soils limits root development, reducing water and nutrient uptake. In addition to naturally occurring acid soils, agricultural practices may decrease soil pH, leading to yield losses due to Al toxicity. Elucidating the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying maize Al tolerance is expected to accelerate the development of Al-tolerant cultivars.

Results

Five genomic regions were significantly associated with Al tolerance, using 54,455 SNP markers in a recombinant inbred line population derived from Cateto Al237. Candidate genes co-localized with Al tolerance QTLs were further investigated. Near-isogenic lines (NILs) developed for ZmMATE2 were as Al-sensitive as the recurrent line, indicating that this candidate gene was not responsible for the Al tolerance QTL on chromosome 5, qALT5. However, ZmNrat1, a maize homolog to OsNrat1, which encodes an Al³⁺ specific transporter previously implicated in rice Al tolerance, was mapped at ~40 Mbp from qALT5. We demonstrate for the first time that ZmNrat1 is preferentially expressed in maize root tips and is up-regulated by Al, similarly to OsNrat1 in rice, suggesting a role of this gene in maize Al tolerance. The strongest-effect QTL was mapped on chromosome 6 (qALT6), within a 0.5 Mbp region where three copies of the Al tolerance gene, ZmMATE1, were found in tandem configuration. qALT6 was shown to increase Al tolerance in maize; the qALT6-NILs carrying three copies of ZmMATE1 exhibited a two-fold increase in Al tolerance, and higher expression of ZmMATE1 compared to the Al sensitive recurrent parent. Interestingly, a new source of Al tolerance via ZmMATE1 was identified in a Brazilian elite line that showed high expression of ZmMATE1 but carries a single copy of ZmMATE1.

Conclusions

High ZmMATE1 expression, controlled either by three copies of the target gene or by an unknown molecular mechanism, is responsible for Al tolerance mediated by qALT6. As Al tolerant alleles at qALT6 are rare in maize, marker-assisted introgression of this QTL is an important strategy to improve maize adaptation to acid soils worldwide.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-153) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Interleukin-18 as a Therapeutic Target in Acute Myocardial Infarction and Heart Failure

Interleukin 18 (IL-18) is a proinflammatory cytokine in the IL-1 family that has been implicated in a number of disease states. In animal models of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), pressure overload, and LPS-induced dysfunction, IL-18 regulates cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and induces cardiac contractile dysfunction and extracellular matrix remodeling. In patients, high IL-18 levels correlate with increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and with a worse prognosis in patients with established CVD. Two strategies have been used to counter the effects of IL-18:IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP), a naturally occurring protein, and a neutralizing IL-18 antibody. Recombinant human IL-18BP (r-hIL-18BP) has been investigated in animal studies and in phase I/II clinical trials for psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. A phase II clinical trial using a humanized monoclonal IL-18 antibody for type 2 diabetes is ongoing. Here we review the literature regarding the role of IL-18 in AMI and heart failure and the evidence and challenges of using IL-18BP and blocking IL-18 antibodies as a therapeutic strategy in patients with heart disease.