The capsule polysaccharide structure and biogenesis for non-O1 Vibrio cholerae NRT36S: genes are embedded in the LPS region

Background  

In V. cholerae, the biogenesis of capsule polysaccharide is poorly understood. The elucidation of capsule structure and biogenesis is critical to understanding the evolution of surface polysaccharide and the internal relationship between the capsule and LPS in this species. V. cholerae serogroup O31 NRT36S, a human pathogen that produces a heat-stable enterotoxin (NAG-ST), is encapsulated. Here, we report the covalent structure and studies of the biogenesis of the capsule in V. cholerae NRT36S.     

Release of growth hormone from ox pituitary slices after pronase treatment

Proteolytic enzymes have been used both to modify properties of the cell membrane and to dissociate cells from many tissues including pituitary (4, 5, 12). Exposure of secretory tissues to pronase can alter their secretory response. Thus incubation of pancreatic islets of Langerhans in the presence of low concentrations of pronase increased the subsequent release of insulin in the presence of stimulatory and nonstimulatory glucose concentrations (7). The purpose of the present investigation was to determine whether low concentrations of pronase have the same stimulatory effect on the release of a pituitary hormone, growth hormone. Such an effect on hormone release could be of some importance in view of the development of dissociated cell systems as models for the study of the control of hormone release (4, 5).     

A blood based 12-miRNA signature of Alzheimer disease patients

Background

Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia but the identification of reliable, early and non-invasive biomarkers remains a major challenge. We present a novel miRNA-based signature for detecting AD from blood samples.

Results

We apply next-generation sequencing to miRNAs from blood samples of 48 AD patients and 22 unaffected controls, yielding a total of 140 unique mature miRNAs with significantly changed expression levels. Of these, 82 have higher and 58 have lower abundance in AD patient samples. We selected a panel of 12 miRNAs for an RT-qPCR analysis on a larger cohort of 202 samples, comprising not only AD patients and healthy controls but also patients with other CNS illnesses. These included mild cognitive impairment, which is assumed to represent a transitional period before the development of AD, as well as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson disease, major depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. miRNA target enrichment analysis of the selected 12 miRNAs indicates an involvement of miRNAs in nervous system development, neuron projection, neuron projection development and neuron projection morphogenesis. Using this 12-miRNA signature, we differentiate between AD and controls with an accuracy of 93%, a specificity of 95% and a sensitivity of 92%. The differentiation of AD from other neurological diseases is possible with accuracies between 74% and 78%. The differentiation of the other CNS disorders from controls yields even higher accuracies.

Conclusions

The data indicate that deregulated miRNAs in blood might be used as biomarkers in the diagnosis of AD or other neurological diseases.     

Molecular linkage mapping and phylogeny of the chalcone synthase multigene family in soybean

Chalcone synthase (CHS), the key enzyme in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway, is encoded by a multigene family, CHS1–CHS8 and dCHS1 in soybean. A tandem repeat of CHS1, CHS3 and CHS4, and dCHS1 that is believed to be located in the vicinity comprises the I locus that suppresses coloration of the seed coat. This study was conducted to determine the location of all CHS members by using PCR-based DNA markers. Primers were constructed based on varietal differences in either the nucleotide sequence of the 5-upstream region or the first intron of two cultivars, Misuzudaizu, with a yellow seed coat (II), and Moshidou Gong 503, with a brown seed coat (ii). One hundred and fifty recombinant inbred lines that originated from a cross between these two cultivars were used for linkage mapping together with 360 markers. Linkage mapping confirmed that CHS1, CHS3, CHS4, dCHS1, and the I locus are located at the same position in molecular linkage group (MLG) A2. CHS5 was mapped at a distance of 0.3 cM from the gene cluster. CHS2 and CHS6 were located in the middle region of MLGs A1 and K, respectively, while CHS7 and CHS8 were found at the distal end of MLGs D1a and B1, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that CHS1, CHS3, CHS4, and CHS5 are closely related, suggesting that gene duplication may have occurred repeatedly to form the I locus. In addition, CHS7 and CHS8 located at the distal end and CHS2, CHS6, and CHS members around the I locus located around the middle of the MLG are also related. Ancient tetraploidization and repeated duplication may be responsible for the evolution of the complex genetic loci of the CHS multigene family in soybean.