Class dynamics and development in the mining region of Eastern India

Dialectical Anthropology - This paper examines how intra- and inter-class relations mold the development process. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in the bauxite-rich, plateau of Gumla district in...     

REH2C Helicase and GRBC Subcomplexes May Base Pair through mRNA and Small Guide RNA in Kinetoplastid Editosomes

Mitochondrial mRNAs in Trypanosoma brucei undergo extensive insertion and deletion of uridylates that are catalyzed by the RNA editing core complex (RECC) and directed by hundreds of small guide RNAs (gRNAs) that base pair with mRNA. RECC is largely RNA-free, and accessory mitochondrial RNA-binding complex 1 (MRB1) variants serve as scaffolds for the assembly of mRNA-gRNA hybrids and RECC. However, the molecular steps that create higher-order holoenzymes (“editosomes”) are unknown. Previously, we identified an RNA editing helicase 2-associated subcomplex (REH2C) and showed that REH2 binds RNA. Here we showed that REH2C is an mRNA-associated ribonucleoprotein (mRNP) subcomplex with editing substrates, intermediates, and products. We isolated this mRNP from mitochondria lacking gRNA-bound RNP (gRNP) subcomplexes and identified REH2-associated cofactors 1 and 2 (^H2F1 and ^H2F2). ^H2F1 is an octa-zinc finger protein required for mRNP-gRNP docking, pre-mRNA and RECC loading, and RNP formation with a short synthetic RNA duplex. REH2 and other eukaryotic DEAH/RHA-type helicases share a conserved regulatory C-terminal domain cluster that includes an oligonucleotide-binding fold. Recombinant REH2 and ^H2F1 constructs associate in a purified complex in vitro. We propose a model of stepwise editosome assembly that entails controlled docking of mRNP and gRNP modules via specific base pairing between their respective mRNA and gRNA cargo and regulatory REH2 and ^H2F1 subunits of the novel mRNP that may control specificity checkpoints in the editing pathway.     

Photosynthetic control of nitrate metabolism inPhormidium uncinatum,a cyanobaterium

The impact of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) was studied on growth, Hill reaction, nitrate uptake, enzymes of nitrate utilization, and of oxidative pentose pathway by phototrophically growingPhormidium uncinatum and its DCMU-resistant (DCMUR) mutant. The growth-inhibitory action of DCMU was apparently the consequence of an inactivation of photosystem II (PS II) reaction and of reduction of nitrate utilization owing to an inhibition of nitrite reductase (NiR) activity. Mutation to this herbicide rendered both the processes insensitive to DCMU. Nevertheless, nitrate transport, nitrate reduction to nitrite, and ammonia assimilation of both the strains remained rather unaffected by DCMU. Photosynthetically inactive cells of the two strains exhibited higher activity levels of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) than their phototrophic cultures.These data suggest that photosynthesis regulates nitrate utilization in this cyanobacterium at nitrite reduction level and that nitrate uptake and reduction to nitrite are relaxed from this control and conditionally sustained by oxidative breakdown of reserve glycogen.     

Milk-Derived Antimicrobial Peptides: Overview,Applications, and Future Perspectives

Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins - The growing consumer awareness towards healthy and safe food has reformed food processing strategies. Nowadays, food processors are aiming at natural,...     

Postnatal developmental expression and localization of apelin and apelin receptor protein in the ovary and uterus of mice

Postnatal ovarian and uterine development is crucial to accomplished female fertility. Thus, the investigations of factors that present in pre-pubertal stages are important as it might be responsible for the regulation of ovarian and uterine function. Apelin, an adipokine and its receptor (APJ) are present in female reproductive organs. However, no study has reported its postnatal expression in uterus and ovary. Thus, we investigated the postnatal developmental changes in expression and localization of apelin and APJ in the ovary and uterus of mice. Postnatal ovary and uterus were collected from postnatal day (PND) 1, 7, 14, 21, 42, 65 and performed western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. Uterine APJ is elevated in PND14 and PND65, whereas, ovarian APJ elevated in PND7, PND14, and PND65. Apelin expression in both ovary and uterus showed intense staining at PND65 and PND14. Our results showed that apelin and APJ abundance was lower at PND21 in uterus and ovary. In conclusion, apelin and APJ are developmentally regulated in the ovary and uterus, and its localization in the different compartments of ovary and uterus suggest its distribution specific physiological role in the uterus and ovary.