The effects of amyloid peptides on A-type K+ currents of Drosophila larval cholinergic neurons: modeled actions on firing properties

In a previous paper we described the actions of beta-amyloid on an A-type K⁺ current from Drosophila 3^rd Instar larval neurons. The results were a depolarizing shift in the steady-state voltage dependence of inactivation and an increase in the rate of recovery from inactivation of the current. In this work we have used the simulation program NEURON to construct a model cell. We then use the model to predict the effects of changing the A-type K⁺ current as was observed in the amyloid treated neurons on the firing properties of the cell. We show that changing the steady-state voltage dependence of inactivation of the current to a more depolarized level as observed in experiments in beta-amyloid treated neurons causes an increase in the threshold for the initiation of repetitive firing. However, increasing the rate of recovery from inactivation had no effect. Changing both properties simultaneously had no additional effect over changing the voltage dependence of inactivation alone. Thus, a change in the steady-state properties of the A-type K⁺ current as seen in the amyloid-treated Drosophila cholinergic neurons is sufficient to alter the firing properties of the modeled cell.     

pH-dependent photoautotrophic growth of specific photosystem II mutants lacking lumenal extrinsic polypeptides in Synechocystis PCC 6803

The removal of either the PsbU or PsbV protein has been investigated in a cyanobacterial DeltaPsbO strain and in mutants carrying deletions or substitutions in lumen-exposed domains of CP47. These experiments have demonstrated a functional interaction between the PsbU protein and photosystem II (PSII) in the absence of the PsbO subunit. The control:DeltaPsbO:DeltaPsbU strain assembled PSII centers at pH 7.5 but did not evolve oxygen; however, photoautotrophic growth was restored at pH 10.0. In addition, several CP47 mutants, lacking extrinsic proteins, were obligate photoheterotrophs at pH 7.5 but photoautotrophic at pH 10.0, whereas other strains remained photoheterotrophs at alkaline pH.     

Amino acid transport by<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Sphingomonas</Emphasis> sp. strain Ant 17 isolated from oil-contaminated Antarctic soil

The Antarctic bacterial isolate Sphingomonas sp. strain Ant 17 utilized a wide range of L-isomer amino acids as the sole carbon and energy source for growth. The pH and temperature optima for growth on amino acids were pH 7.0 and 15°C, respectively. Growth on serine and tryptophan was inhibited by uncouplers and inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation, but not by monensin, a Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter, suggesting that sodium gradients were not specifically required for growth on these amino acids. Serine transport was via a high-affinity (apparent K_m of 8 M) permease specific for both the L- and D-isomer. Tryptophan transport exhibited biphasic kinetics with both high-affinity (apparent K_m of 2.5 M) and low-affinity (non-saturable) uptake systems detected. The high-affinity system was specific for L-tryptophan, L-tyrosine, and L-phenylalanine whereas the low-affinity permease was specific for L-tryptophan and L-phenylalanine, but not L-tyrosine. Neither orthovanadate nor sodium arsenate, inhibitors of ATP-dependent permeases, had any significant inhibitory effect on the rate of serine and tryptophan transport. The protonophore carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone completely abolished serine and tryptophan transport; maximum rates of solute uptake were observed at acidic pH values (pH 4.0–5.0) for both amino acids. These results suggest that an electrochemical potential of protons is the driving force for serine and tryptophan transport by Ant 17. These high-affinity proton-driven permeases function over environmental extremes (e.g. broad temperature and pH range) that are likely to prevail in the natural habitat of this bacterium.     

Comparison of UV inactivation of spores of three encephalitozoon species with that of spores of two DNA repair-deficient Bacillus subtilis biodosimetry strains

When exposed to 254-nm UV, spores of Encephalitozoon intestinalis, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, and Encephalitozoon hellem exhibited 3.2-log reductions in viability at UV fluences of 60, 140, and 190 J/m(2), respectively, and demonstrated UV inactivation kinetics similar to those observed for endospores of DNA repair-defective mutant Bacillus subtilis strains used as biodosimetry surrogates. The results indicate that spores of Encephalitozoon spp. are readily inactivated at low UV fluences and that spores of UV-sensitive B. subtilis strains can be useful surrogates in evaluating UV reactor performance.     

Prevalence and predictability of handling effects in field studies: results from field experiments and a meta-analysis

Various effects on plant growth associated with handling or touching plants are well documented from greenhouse and laboratory studies, but are generally unknown or ignored under field conditions. We examined the prevalence of the effects of handling, at levels typical of many ecological experiments, on aboveground biomass and damage by invertebrate herbivores for a total of 16 common species from three plant communities in western Canada. Significant effects of handling were observed in the alpine meadow and grassland, but not in the boreal forest. Handling reduced aboveground biomass and increased the mean intensity of invertebrate leaf damage for most species. A meta-analysis of the relationship between plant traits and response to handling indicated that woody plants and species without strong chemical or conspicuous morphological defenses were most strongly affected. Overall, our results indicate that potentially confounding effects of routinely sampling plants in the field are widespread and merit further investigation.     

A Method of Drusen Measurement Based on the Geometry of Fundus Reflectance

Background  

The hallmarks of age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the developed world, are the subretinal deposits known as drusen. Drusen identification and measurement play a key role in clinical studies of this disease. Current manual methods of drusen measurement are laborious and subjective. Our purpose was to expedite clinical research with an accurate, reliable digital method.     

Protection against anoikis and down-regulation of cadherin expression by a regulatable beta-catenin protein

beta-Catenin signaling plays a key role in a variety of cellular contexts during embryonic development and tissue differentiation. Aberrant beta-catenin signaling has also been implicated in promoting human colorectal carcinomas as well as a variety of other cancers. To study the molecular and cellular biological functions of beta-catenin in a controlled fashion, we created a regulatable form of activated beta-catenin by fusion to a modified estrogen receptor (ER) ligand binding domain (G525R). Transfection of tissue culture cells with expression vectors encoding this hybrid protein allows the signal transduction function of beta-catenin to be induced by the synthetic estrogen, 4-hydroxytamoxifen, leading to regulated activation of a beta-catenin-lymphocyte enhancer-binding factor-dependent reporter gene as well as induction of endogenous cyclin D1 expression. The activation of ER-beta-catenin signaling rescues RK3E cells from anoikis and correlates with an increased phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase. The inhibition of anoikis by ER-beta-catenin can be abolished by a mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway inhibitor, PD98059. Evidence is also provided to show that ER-beta-catenin down-regulates cadherin protein levels. These findings support a key role for activated beta-catenin signaling in processes that contribute to tumor formation and progression.