Preparation of soybean seed samples for FT-IR microspectroscopy

Typical preparation of seed samples for infrared (IR) microspectroscopy involves imbibition of the seed for varying time periods followed by cryosectioning. Imbibition, however, may initiate germination even at 4° C with associated changes in the chemistry of the sample. We have found that it is possible to section seeds that are sufficiently hard, such as soybeans, on a standard laboratory microtome without imbibition. The use of dry sectioning of unimbibed seeds is reported here, as well as a comparison of different mounting media and modes of analysis. Glycerol, Tissue-Tek, and ethanol were used as mounting media, and the quality of the resulting spectra was assessed. Ethanol was the preferred mountant, because it dried quickly with no residue and thus did not interfere with the spectrum of interest. Analysis in transmission mode using barium fluoride windows to hold the samples was compared with transmission-reflection analysis with sections mounted on special infrared-reflecting slides. The two modes of analysis performed well in different regions of the spectrum. The mode of analysis (transmission vs. transmission-reflection) should be based on the components of greatest interest in the sample.     

Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis in The Gambia

BackgroundThe prevalence of Wuchereria bancrofti, which causes lymphatic filariasis (LF) in The Gambia was among the highest in Africa in the 1950s. However, surveys conducted in 1975 and 1976 revealed a dramatic decline in LF endemicity in the absence of mass drug administration (MDA). The decline in prevalence was partly attributed to a significant reduction in mosquito density through the widespread use of insecticidal nets. Based on findings elsewhere that vector control alone can interrupt LF, we asked the question in 2013 whether the rapid scale up in the use of insecticidal nets in The Gambia had interrupted LF transmission.ConclusionsWe conclude that LF transmission may have been interrupted in The Gambia through the extensive use of insecticidal nets for malaria control for decades. The growing evidence for the impact of malaria vector control activities on parasite transmission has been endorsed by WHO through a position statement in 2011 on integrated vector management to control malaria and LF.     

Fibroblast growth factor receptor-4 shows novel features in genomic structure, ligand binding and signal transduction.

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor (FGFR) gene family consists of at least four receptor tyrosine kinases that transduce signals important in a variety of developmental and physiological processes related to cell growth and differentiation. Here we have characterized the binding of different FGFs to FGFR-4. Our results establish an FGF binding profile for FGFR-4 with aFGF having the highest affinity, followed by K-FGF/hst-1 and bFGF. In addition, FGF-6 was found to bind to FGFR-4 in ligand competition experiments. Interestingly, the FGFR-4 gene was found to encode only the prototype receptor in a region where both FGFR-1 and FGFR-2 show alternative splicing leading to differences in their ligand binding specificities and to secreted forms of these receptors. Ligands binding to FGFR-4 induced receptor autophosphorylation and phosphorylation of a set of cellular polypeptides, which differed from those phosphorylated in FGFR-1-expressing cells. Specifically, the FGFR-1-expressing cells showed a considerably more extensive tyrosine phosphorylation of PLC-gamma than the FGFR-4-expressing cells. Structural and functional specificity within the FGFR family exemplified by FGFR-4 may help to explain how FGFs perform their diverse functions.     

Cloning of the human serotonin 5-HT2 and 5-HT1C receptor subtypes.

We report the cloning and the deduced amino acid sequence of cDNAs encoding both the human serotonin 5-HT2 and 5-HT1C receptors. The human 5-HT2 and 5-HT1C receptors shared 87% and 90% amino acid homology, respectively, with their rat counterparts. The most divergent regions of the 5-HT2 receptor between human and rat were the N-terminal extracellular domain (75% homology) and the C-terminal intracellular domain (67% homology between amino acids 426-474). The greatest variability between the human and rat 5-HT1C receptors were at the N-terminal extracellular domain (78% homology) and the third cytoplasmic loop (71% homology). The availability of the cloned human 5-HT2 and 5-HT1C receptors will help facilitate the further understanding of the molecular pharmacology and physiology of these receptors.     

Cloning and expression of two distinct high-affinity receptors cross-reacting with acidic and basic fibroblast growth factors.

The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family consists of at least seven closely related polypeptide mitogens which exert their activities by binding and activation of specific cell surface receptors. Unanswered questions have been whether there are multiple FGF receptors and what factors determine binding specificity and biological response. We report the complete cDNA cloning of two human genes previously designated flg and bek. These genes encode two similar but distinct cell surface receptors comprised of an extracellular domain with three immunoglobulin-like regions, a single transmembrane domain, and a cytoplasmic portion containing a tyrosine kinase domain with a typical kinase insert. The expression of these two cDNAs in transfected NIH 3T3 cells led to the biosynthesis of proteins of 150 kd and 135 kd for flg and bek, respectively. Direct binding experiments with radiolabeled acidic FGF (aFGF) or basic FGF (bFGF), inhibition of binding with native growth factors, and Scatchard analysis of the binding data indicated that bek and flg bind either aFGF or bFGF with dissociation constants of (2-15) x 10(-11) M. The high affinity binding of two distinct growth factors to each of two different receptors represents a unique double redundancy without precedence among polypeptide growth factor-receptor interactions.     

Isolation and sequencing of a cDNA clone homologous to the v-sis oncogene from human endothelial cells.

A clone containing the 3' end of the mRNA for the human c-sis gene (homologous to the B chain of platelet-derived growth factor) was isolated from a cDNA library derived from human umbilical vein endothelial cells and then sequenced. The analysis of possible translation products in all three reading frames indicated that the A chain of platelet-derived growth factor was not coded for within the 3' end of the c-sis mRNA. The 3' end of the mRNA for c-sis is contained in or adjacent to exon 6.     

Cloning and expression of the human substance K receptor and analysis of its role in mitogenesis.

The primary structure of the human substance K receptor was established from the sequences of complementary DNA clones isolated from a human jejunal complementary DNA library. It consists of 398 amino acids, including seven putative transmembrane regions. The gene for the human substance K receptor was localized to chromosome region 10p13-10q23, a region with frequent chromosomal abnormalities. The human substance K receptor was expressed in transfected NIH-3T3 cells lacking endogenous substance K receptors, and Scatchard analysis of 125I-labeled substance K binding indicates approximately 100,000 receptors/cell with a single dissociation constant of 12 nM. Covalent cross-linking experiments utilizing 125I-substance K and three different chemical cross-linking reagents (disuccinimidyl suberate, disuccinimidyl tartrate, or 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide-HCl) demonstrate an apparent molecular weight of 45,000, consistent with little or no N-linked glycosylation. The binding of substance K to its receptor on transfected cells led to a rapid increase in the production of total inositol phosphates and the release of Ca2+ from internal stores. Growth of the cells transfected with the human substance K receptor is stimulated by the addition of substance K to the medium to a level similar to 10% serum. Therefore, the human substance K receptor can function as a growth factor receptor when expressed in mouse 3T3 cells.     

An angiogenic growth factor is expressed in human glioma cells.

Progression to increased malignancy frequently occurs in human brain tumors of glial origin and usually involves neovascularization--a massive proliferation of endothelial cells into the tumor tissue. We have shown previously that subversion of a normal growth factor-related pathway is frequently associated with human gliomas. Here we show that human glioma cell lines express the gene encoding the angiogenic peptide endothelial cell growth factor (ECGF) or acidic fibroblast growth factor (a-FGF) and that an ECGF-like polypeptide is produced by these cells. The glioma-derived growth factor was partially purified from cell extracts by heparin-Sepharose affinity chromatography where it eluted at 1.5 M sodium chloride. On reversed-phase h.p.l.c., growth factor activity for endothelial cells was eluted at the same concentration of acetonitrile as found for bovine brain-ECGF, also a potent mitogen for endothelial cells. Moreover, human glioma cells possess specific cell surface receptors for ECGF and are mitogenically stimulated by exogenous addition of this growth factor. Glioma derived-ECGF may therefore have a dual influence: first, by autocrine growth-stimulation of human gliomas and, second, by paracrine-stimulation of endothelial cell proliferation which results in neovascularization of the tumor tissue.