Visual responses on neck muscles reveal selective gating that prevents express saccades

Express saccades promote the acquisition of visual targets at extremely short reaction times. Because of the head's considerable inertia, it is unknown whether express saccades are accompanied by a parallel command to the head. Here, by recording electromyographic (EMG) activity from monkey neck muscles, we demonstrate that visual target presentation elicits time-locked, lateralized recruitment of neck muscles at extremely short latencies (55-95 ms). Remarkably, such recruitment not only accompanies express saccades, but also precedes nonexpress saccades, occasionally by up to 150 ms. These results demonstrate selective gating of components of descending commands from the superior colliculus to prevent express saccades yet permit recruitment of a head orienting synergy. We conclude that such selective gating aids eye-head coordination by permitting force development at neck muscles while a decision to commit to a gaze shift is being made, optimizing the contribution of the more inertial head to the ensuing gaze shift.     

Inhibition of yeast growth by molybdenum-hydroxylamido complexes correlates with their presence in media at differing pH values

The effects of Mo-hydroxylamido complexes on cell growth were determined in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to investigate the biological effects of four different Mo complexes as a function of pH. Studies with yeast, an eukaryotic cell, are particularly suited to examine growth at different pH values because this organism grows well from pH 3 to 6.5. Studies can therefore be performed both in the presence of intact complexes and when the complexes have hydrolyzed to ligand and free metal ion. One of the complexes we examined was structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. Yeast growth was inhibited in media solutions containing added Mo-dialkylhydroxylamido complexes at pH 3-7. When combining the yeast growth studies with a systematic study of the Mo-hydroxylamido complexes' stability as a function of pH and an examination of their speciation in yeast media, the effects of intact complexes can be distinguished from that of ligand and metal. This is possible because different effects are observed with complex present than when ligand or metal alone is present. At pH 3, the growth inhibition is attributed to the forms of molybdate ion that exist in solution because most of the complexes have hydrolyzed to oxomolybdate and ligand. The monoalkylhydroxylamine ligand inhibited yeast growth at pH 5, 6 and 7, while the dialkylhydroxylamine ligands had little effect on yeast growth. Growth inhibition of the Mo-dialkylhydroxylamido complexes is observed when a complex exists in the media. A complex that is inert to ligand exchange is not effective even at pH 3 where other Mo-hydroxylamido complexes show growth inhibition as molybdate. These results show that the formation of some Mo complexes can protect yeast from the growth inhibition observed when either the ligand or Mo salt alone are present.     

The 5-HT2B receptor: a main cardio-pulmonary target of serotonin

In agreement with previous data in the literature, our results indicate that serotonin, a monoamine neurotransmitter, can also regulate cell proliferation, cell movements and cell differentiation. We have recently shown that serotonin is required for embryonic heart development. Genetic ablation of the 5-HT2B receptor leads to partial embryonic and postnatal lethality with abnormal heart development. Similar molecular mechanisms seem to be involved in adult cardiomyocytes since mutant mice surviving to adulthood display a dilated cardiomyopathy. Furthermore this receptor appears to be involved in survival of cardiomyocytes. The 5-HT2B receptor is also implicated in systemic hypertension. Furthermore, mice with pharmacological or genetic ablation of 5-HT2B receptor are totally resistant to hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension, indicating that this receptor is regulating the pathologic vascular proliferation leading to this disease. Underlying mechanisms are still to be discovered.     

Using genetic markers to estimate the pollen dispersal curve

Pollen dispersal is a critical process that shapes genetic diversity in natural populations of plants. Estimating the pollen dispersal curve can provide insight into the evolutionary dynamics of populations and is essential background for making predictions about changes induced by perturbations. Specifically, we would like to know whether the dispersal curve is exponential, thin-tailed (decreasing faster than exponential), or fat-tailed (decreasing slower than the exponential). In the latter case, rare events of long-distance dispersal will be much more likely. Here we generalize the previously developed TWOGENER method, assuming that the pollen dispersal curve belongs to particular one- or two-parameter families of dispersal curves and estimating simultaneously the parameters of the dispersal curve and the effective density of reproducing individuals in the population. We tested this method on simulated data, using an exponential power distribution, under thin-tailed, exponential and fat-tailed conditions. We find that even if our estimates show some bias and large mean squared error (MSE), we are able to estimate correctly the general trend of the curve - thin-tailed or fat-tailed - and the effective density. Moreover, the mean distance of dispersal can be correctly estimated with low bias and MSE, even if another family of dispersal curve is used for the estimation. Finally, we consider three case studies based on forest tree species. We find that dispersal is fat-tailed in all cases, and that the effective density estimated by our model is below the measured density in two of the cases. This latter result may reflect the difficulty of estimating two parameters, or it may be a biological consequence of variance in reproductive success of males in the population. Both the simulated and empirical findings demonstrate the strong potential of TWOGENER for evaluating the shape of the dispersal curve and the effective density of the population (d(e)).     

Identification of bacterial muramyl dipeptide as activator of the NALP3/cryopyrin inflammasome

Activation of caspase-1 and subsequent processing and secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1beta is triggered upon assembly of the inflammasome complex. It is generally believed that bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are activators of the inflammasome through stimulation of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Like TLRs, NALP3/Cryopyrin, which is a key component of the inflammasome, contains Leucine-Rich-Repeats (LRRs). LRRs are frequently used to sense bacterial components, thus raising the possibility that bacteria directly activate the inflammasome. Here, we show that bacterial peptidoglycans (PGN), but surprisingly not LPS, induce NALP3-mediated activation of caspase-1 and maturation of proIL-1beta. Activation is independent of TLRs because the PGN degradation product muramyl dipeptide (MDP), which is not sensed by TLRs, is the minimal-activating structure. Macrophages from a patient with Muckle-Wells syndrome, an autoinflammatory disease associated with mutations in the NALP3/Cryopyrin gene, show increased IL-1beta secretion in the presence of MDP. The activation of the NALP3-inflammasome by MDP may be the basis of the potent adjuvant activity of MDP.     

Horizontal Gene Transfer of “Prototype” Nramp in Bacteria

Eukaryotic Nramp genes encode divalent metal ion permeases important for nutrition and resistance to microbial infection. Bacterial homologs encode proton-dependent transporters of manganese (MntH), and other divalent metal ions. Bacterial MntH were classified in three homology groups (A, B, C) and MntH C further subdivided in C, C, C. The proteins from C. tepidum (MntH B) and E. faecalis (MntH C1, 2), divergent in sequence and hydropathy profile, conferred increased metal sensitivity when expressed in E. coli, suggesting conservation of divalent metal transport function in MntH B and C. Several genomic evidence suggest horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of mntH C genes: (i) The enterobacteria Wigglesworthia mntH C gene is linked to an Asn t-RNA, and its sequence most conserved with Gram positive bacteria homologs; (ii) all the C genes identified in oral streptococcaceae are associated with different potentially mobile DNA elements; (iii) Lactococcus lactis and Burkholderia mallei genomes contain an mntH gene prematurely terminated and a novel full-length mntH C gene; (iv) remarkable sequence relatedness between the unicellular alga C. reinhardtii prototype Nramp and some MntH C (e.g., Nostoc spp., Listeria spp.) suggests HGT between Eukarya and Bacteria. Other prototype Nramp genes (intronless, encoding proteins strongly conserved with MntH A and B proteins) identified in invertebrates represent a possible source for transfer of Nramp genes toward opportunistic bacteria. This study demonstrates complex evolution of MntH in Bacteria. It is proposed that prototype Nramp are ancestors of bacterial MntH C proteins, which could facilitate bacterial infection. Equally contributing authors (Etienne Richer and Pascal Courville).     

Dysfunction of mitochondrial complex I and the proteasome: interactions between two biochemical deficits in a cellular model of Parkinson's disease

Two biochemical deficits have been described in the substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease, decreased activity of mitochondrial complex I and reduced proteasomal activity. We analysed interactions between these deficits in primary mesencephalic cultures. Proteasome inhibitors (epoxomicin, MG132) exacerbated the toxicity of complex I inhibitors [rotenone, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+)] and of the toxic dopamine analogue 6-hydroxydopamine, but not of inhibitors of mitochondrial complex II-V or excitotoxins [N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA), kainate]. Rotenone and MPP+ increased free radicals and reduced proteasomal activity via adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion. 6-hydroxydopamine also increased free radicals, but did not affect ATP levels and increased proteasomal activity, presumably in response to oxidative damage. Proteasome inhibition potentiated the toxicity of rotenone, MPP+ and 6-hydroxydopamine at concentrations at which they increased free radical levels >/= 40% above baseline, exceeding the cellular capacity to detoxify oxidized proteins reduced by proteasome inhibition, and also exacerbated ATP depletion caused by complex I inhibition. Consistently, both free radical scavenging and stimulation of ATP production by glucose supplementation protected against the synergistic toxicity. In summary, proteasome inhibition increases neuronal vulnerability to normally subtoxic levels of free radicals and amplifies energy depletion following complex I inhibition.     

PIAS1-mediated sumoylation of focal adhesion kinase activates its autophosphorylation

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a protein tyrosine kinase enriched in focal adhesions, which plays a critical role in integrin-dependent cell motility and survival. The crucial step in its activation is autophosphorylation on Tyr-397, which promotes the recruitment of several enzymes including Src family kinases and the activation of multiple signaling pathways. We found in a yeast two-hybrid screen that the N-terminal domain of FAK interacted with protein inhibitor of activated STAT1 (PIAS1). This interaction was confirmed and shown to be direct using in vitro assays. PIAS1 was co-immunoprecipitated with FAK from transfected cells and brain extracts. PIAS1 has recently been recognized as a small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) ligase. In the presence of PIAS1 and SUMO-1, FAK was sumoylated in intact cells, whereas PYK2, a closely related enzyme, was not. Sumoylation occurred on Lys-152, a residue conserved in FAK during evolution. Sumoylated FAK, like PIAS1, was recovered predominantly from the nuclear fraction. Sumoylation did not require the catalytic activity or autophosphorylation of FAK. In contrast, sumoylation increased dramatically the ability of FAK to autophosphorylate in intact cells and in immune precipitate kinase assays. Endogenous FAK was sumoylated in the presence of PIAS1 and SUMO-1 independently of cell adhesion, and autophosphorylation of sumoylated FAK was persistently increased in suspended cells. These observations show that sumoylation controls the activity of a protein kinase and suggest that FAK may play a novel role in signaling between the plasma membrane and the nucleus.