Oxidative stress correlates with headache symptoms in fibromyalgia: coenzyme Q₁₀ effect on clinical improvement

Background

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain syndrome with unknown etiology and a wide spectrum of symptoms such as allodynia, debilitating fatigue, joint stiffness and migraine. Recent studies have shown some evidences demonstrating that oxidative stress is associated to clinical symptoms in FM of fibromyalgia. We examined oxidative stress and bioenergetic status in blood mononuclear cells (BMCs) and its association to headache symptoms in FM patients. The effects of oral coenzyme Q₁₀ (CoQ₁₀) supplementation on biochemical markers and clinical improvement were also evaluated.

Methods

We studied 20 FM patients and 15 healthy controls. Clinical parameters were evaluated using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), visual analogues scales (VAS), and the Headache Impact Test (HIT-6). Oxidative stress was determined by measuring CoQ₁₀, catalase and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels in BMCs. Bioenergetic status was assessed by measuring ATP levels in BMCs.

Results

We found decreased CoQ₁₀, catalase and ATP levels in BMCs from FM patients as compared to normal control (P<0.05 and P<0.001, respectively) We also found increased level of LPO in BMCs from FM patients as compared to normal control (P<0.001). Significant negative correlations between CoQ₁₀ or catalase levels in BMCs and headache parameters were observed (r = −0.59, P<0.05; r = −0.68, P<0.05, respectively). Furthermore, LPO levels showed a significant positive correlation with HIT-6 (r = 0.33, P<0.05). Oral CoQ₁₀ supplementation restored biochemical parameters and induced a significant improvement in clinical and headache symptoms (P<0.001).

Discussion

The results of this study suggest a role for mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in the headache symptoms associated with FM. CoQ10 supplementation should be examined in a larger placebo controlled trial as a possible treatment in FM.     

Landscape genetics of a specialized grasshopper inhabiting highly fragmented habitats: a role for spatial scale

Aim The study of geographical discontinuities in the distribution of genetic variability in natural populations is a central topic in both evolutionary and conservation research. In this study, we aimed to analyse (1) the factors associated with genetic diversity at the landscape spatial scale in the highly specialized grasshopper Mioscirtus wagneri and (2) to identify the relative contribution of alternative factors to the observed patterns of genetic structure in this species. Location La Mancha region, Central Spain. Methods We sampled 28 populations of the grasshopper M. wagneri and genotyped 648 individuals at seven microsatellite loci. We employed a causal modelling approach to identify the most influential variables associated with genetic differentiation within a multiple hypothesis‐testing framework. Results We found that genetic diversity differs among populations located in different river basins and decreases with population isolation. Causal modelling analyses showed variability in the relative influence of the studied landscape features across different spatial scales. When a highly isolated population is considered, the analyses suggested that geographical distance is the only factor explaining the genetic differentiation between populations. When that population is excluded, the causal modelling analysis revealed that elevation and river basins are also relevant factors contributing to explaining genetic differentiation between the studied populations. Main conclusions These results indicate that the spatial scale considered and the inclusion of outlier populations may have important consequences on the inferred contribution of alternative landscape factors on the patterns of genetic differentiation even when all populations are expected to similarly respond to landscape structure. Thus, a multiscale perspective should also be incorporated into the landscape genetics framework to avoid biased conclusions derived from the spatial scale analysed and/or the geographical distribution of the studied populations.     

结核分枝杆菌16-kDa α晶体蛋白的原核表达及纯化

目的:利用基因工程技术原核表达并纯化结核分枝杆菌α晶体蛋白(Acr)。方法:以结核分枝杆菌H37Rv株基因组DNA为模板,通过PCR方法扩增Acr的编码基因,以pCold为载体构建重组质粒,再转化到表达宿主菌大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中,用IPTG诱导表达,经SDS-PAGE和Western印迹分析和纯化该表达产物。结果:构建了具有正确基因序列的Acr重组表达质粒,重组Acr在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中经低温诱导得到可溶性表达;分别用6×His的单克隆抗体和16-kDa单克隆抗体对表达产物进行Western印迹分析,结果显示在相对分子质量约19 000处均有特异性条带,与预计大小吻合;纯化后蛋白纯度达90%,浓度达0.8 mg/mL。结论:表达了重组可溶性Acr,为深入研究该蛋白的生物学、免疫学活性奠定了基础。     

Competitive interactions between felid species may limit the southern distribution of bobcats Lynx rufus

Bobcats are opportunistic felids occurring in a diverse range of habitats and with a widespread distribution from southern Canada to southern Mexico. To explore why the bobcat's distribution stops at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, we modelled the ecological niches, projected as potential distributions, of the felid community (bobcat Lynx rufus, puma Puma concolor, jaguar Panthera onca, margay Leopardus wiedii, jaguarundi Herpailurus yagouaroundi, and ocelot Leopardus pardalis) in southern Mexico, using occurrence data, environmental maps, the computer algorithm GARP, and a GIS platform. The resulting geographical projection of the ecological niche of bobcats extends south of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, suggesting that ecological conditions exist for the establishment of populations. The overlap of the modelled distribution of the bobcat was large with that of the puma (97%), but low with that of the ocelot (44%), margay (46%), jaguar (49%), and jaguarundi (52%), the latter three having relatively similar size and feeding habits to bobcats. Moreover, an independent analysis computing a geographic co‐occurrence index showed a similar trend of geographic avoidance (values 0.15), while all felids, except bobcats, showed a geographic co‐occurrence in southern Mexico (values ranging from ?1.91 to 4.71). The Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a lowland region with subtropical habitat, is unlikely to serve as a geographic and ecological barrier to bobcats. As mammal inventories have been conducted for over a century in this region with no records of bobcats, it is unlikely that bobcats are present but have just not been seen. Fossil records also provide no support for the presence of bobcats in that region in the past. Thus, competitive interactions with other felid species appear important in limiting the southern distribution of bobcats, preventing dispersal to a suitable but geographically reduced area south of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.     

Age dependent sex allocation in the polygynous spotless starling

Theoretical and empirical evidence suggests that avian females are able to manipulate the offspring sex ratio at birth. Although mating with an attractive male may induce females to skew the sex ratio toward males, the balance between the benefits of producing attractive sons and the costs of competing with other females for mates could vary with female age, a possibility that had not been previously explored. In this paper we increment experimentally the attractiveness of males of the polygynous spotless starling (Sturnus unicolor) by adding green plants to their nests, a trait involved in courtship, and look for female age-differential effects on offspring primary sex ratio. Young and middle aged females produced more sons in experimental than in control nests, as expected, but old females showed the opposite tendency. To explain this novel result, we speculate that older females are limited to produce the most costly sex because the physiological drawbacks imposed by ageing reduce their ability to compete with younger ones for the non-shareable resources offered by males. We discuss that this evolutionary scenario may be widespread in avian polygynous systems.     

海南黄牛HSF1 cDNA全长的克隆与序列分析

目的：根据人、小鼠HSF1cDNA保守区序列设计引物,通过PCR方法扩增海南黄牛HSF1cDNA,并进行序列分析。方法：利用RT-PCR、半巢式PCR以及3＇-RACE技术分段扩增得到了海南黄牛HSF1cDNA序列,测序正确后进行拼接。用DNAMAN 生物信息学软件分析海南黄牛HSF1 cDNA与赫里福德牛、人、小鼠同源性和海南黄牛HSF1蛋白的氨基酸组成、等电点、亲/疏水区等蛋白质性质,并根据各种动物HSF1蛋白绘制进化树。结果：（1）海南黄牛的HSF1 cDNA序列全长为1 993bp,包括150bp的5＇非翻译区,1 578bp的开放阅读框以及264bp（不含poly（A）尾）的3＇非翻译区,编码524个氨基酸,分子量为56.42 kD,等电点（pI）为 4.79。（2）海南黄牛的HSF1 cDNA与赫里福德牛、小鼠和人HSF1 cDNA的同源性分别为98.99 %、81.78 %、87.82 %,相应编码蛋白氨基酸序列的同源性分别为98.86 %、83.84 %、89.06 %,其中N-末端和C-末端高度保守,而中间区域存在缺失或替换。（3）根据氨基酸序列构建不同动物HSF1蛋白的进化树,与采用经典遗传分类法构建的进化树基本一致。结论：首次克隆了海南黄牛 HSF1 cDNA全长,分析表明：海南黄牛HSF1蛋白是亲水性蛋白,在8种动物中,其同源性大于73 %,高度保守。海南黄牛与赫里福德牛HSF1蛋白同源性高达98.86 %,在三聚体化区域、转录调节域和激活域存在6个位点的单氨基酸突变,这些发现为进一步揭示海南黄牛抗热性状形成的分子机制提供了重要依据。     

对一株铜绿假单胞菌22种耐药基因的研究

目的研究铜绿假单胞菌多重耐药情况和相关机制。方法采用聚合酶链反应（PCR）法对一株多重耐药铜绿假单胞菌进行β-内酰胺酶基因、氨基糖苷类修饰酶（AMEs）基因、喹诺酮类耐药基因、耐消毒剂基因（qacE△1-sul1）和整合酶基因检测,并对VIM基因进行了测序。结果PCR扩增结果显示该菌株aac（6′）-Ⅰb、blaCARB、gyrA、oprD2、ant（2″）-Ⅰ、qacE△1-sul1、blaIMP-I、blaTEM、blaVEB、aac（3）-Ⅱ、ant（3″）-Ⅰ、intⅠ1、blaVIM基因均为阳性,而aac（3）-Ⅰ、aac（6′）-Ⅱ、blaGES、blaGIM、blaOXA-10群、blaPER、blaSPM、blaSHV、blaDHA基因均为阴性,VIM基因扩增产物测序后经BLAST同源性分析表明为VIM-2型。结论铜绿假单胞菌存在多重耐药基因。管壁涂有季胺类、双胍类消毒剂和磺胺的II代导管的抑菌效果需重新评价。     

Patterns of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA variation in Iberian populations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Emys orbicularis</Emphasis> (Emydidae): conservation implications

The European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) is threatened and in decline in several regions of its natural range, due to habitat loss combined with population fragmentation. In this work, we have focused our efforts on studying the genetic diversity and structure of Iberian populations with a fine-scale sampling (254 turtles in 10 populations) and a representation from North Africa and Balearic island populations. Using both nuclear and mitochondrial markers (seven microsatellites, ∼1048 bp nDNA and ∼1500 bp mtDNA) we have carried out phylogenetic and demographic analyses. Our results show low values of genetic diversity at the mitochondrial level although our microsatellite dataset revealed relatively high levels of genetic variability with a latitudinal genetic trend decreasing from southern to northern populations. A moderate degree of genetic differentiation was estimated for Iberian populations (genetic distances, F _ST values and clusters in the Bayesian analysis). The results in this study combining mtDNA and nDNA, provide the most comprehensive population genetic data for E. orbicularis in the Iberian Peninsula. Our results suggest that Iberian populations within the Iberian–Moroccan lineage should be considered as a single subspecies with five management units, and emphasize the importance of habitat management rather than population reinforcement (i.e. captive breeding and reintroduction) in this long-lived species.     

Extra-pair fertilizations in Tree Sparrows Passer montanus

Females of socially monogamous bird species frequently accept or solicit copulations from males other than their social mates. At the interspecific level, it has been proposed that species with few or no sexual plumage differences have lower levels of extra-pair fertilizations (EPFs) than more dichromatic species. This is because it is easier for females to assess the quality of extra-pair mates in dichromatic than monochromatic species. To test this, by using genetic profiling, we compared the occurrence of extra-pair young in nests of Tree Sparrows Passer montanus , a monochromatic species, in Switzerland and Spain, with published estimates for the House Sparrow Passer domesticus , a closely related dichromatic species. We found that 25% (10/40) of Tree Sparrow broods in Spain and 23% (8/35) in Switzerland had at least one extra-pair offspring, and that 8% (12/151) of nestlings in Spain and 10% (12/114) in Switzerland were sired by extra-pair mates. These proportions did not differ significantly between the two populations. Tree Sparrow EPF rates did not differ significantly from available data for the House Sparrow, either in the proportion of broods with EPF young (24%, 18/75 in Tree vs. 26%, 92/359 in House Sparrows) or the overall proportion of extra-pair young (9%, 24/265 in Tree vs. 11%, 142/1110 in House Sparrows). Our results suggest that a close taxonomic relationship and similarities in behaviour and ecology may be more important in determining levels of EPF in these species than sexual phenotypic differences.     

Different genetic backgrounds influence the secretory expression of the LKA1-encoded Lipomyces kononenkoae α-amylase in industrial strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A haploid laboratory strain and four industrial (baking, brewing, wine, ATCC) strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were transformed with the Lipomyces kononenkoae -amylase-encoding gene (LKA1). These transformants displayed significant differences in terms of the level of secretory expression of LKA1 under control of the PGK1 promoter and terminator, as well as their ability to produce and secrete the LKA1-encoded rawstarch-degrading -amylase and to ferment starch. These results demonstrate the importance of the selection of appropriate host strains for yeast development pursuant to starch conversion into commercially important commodities via consolidated bioprocessing.