Incorporation of tellurium into amino acids and proteins in a tellurium-tolerant fungi

Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus terreus, and Penicillium chrysogenum, a tellurium tolerant fungi, are able to grow on sulfur free medium amended with 0.2% (w/v) tellurite. Tellurium was incorporated into several types of low and high molecular weight proteins. The newly detected telluro-proteins contained an extraordinary high level of tellurium, as well as telluro-cysteine, telluro-cystine, telluro-methionine, and serine.     

Flow Cytometric Characterization of Bovine Blood Neutrophil Phagocytosis of Fluorescent Bacteria and Zymosan Particles

A Flow Cytometric method for the evaluation of the phagocytic capacity of bovine blood neutrophils is described. The neutrophils were isolated from bovine blood by a one step discontinuous gradient of Percoll. By this technique of isolation, 90 ± 2.8 % (mean ± s) of the granulocytes in the whole blood were recovered. Isolated neutrophils were incubated with FITC labeled S. aureus or zymosan particles in a ratio of 1:20 and 1:10, respectively, and a final serum concentration of 10 %. Phagocytosis was terminated after 15 min and the number of extracellular bacteria or zymosan particles and the percentage of phagocytic granulocytes were registered by Flow Cytometry (FCM). FCM and microscopic studies revealed that eosinophils play a minor role in the phagocytosis of bacteria. The neutrophils were the main population of the granulocytes which were actively phagocytic. Variation among cows in the ability of their blood neutrophils to phagocytize bacteria was evident.     

Genes encoding homologues of three consecutive enzymes in the butyrate/butanol-producing pathway of Clostridium acetobutylicum are clustered on the Clostridium difficile chromosome

Abstract Screening of a Clostridium difficile ψEMBL3 gene library with antisera raised against C. difficile culture supernatant identified several clones expressing a 31-kDa protein. A 1.8-kb Hin dIII fragment subcloned from one of the clones was sufficient for expression of the 31-kDa polypeptide. Southern blot analysis showed a region homologous to this fragment to be present in all of 13 different C. difficile strains tested. Sequence analysis of the 1.8-kb fragment revealed three adjacent open reading frames. A database search showed that these three open reading frames appeared to encode homologues of three consecutive enzymes in the butanol/butyrate-producing pathway of Clostridium acetobutylicum (crotonase, β-hydroxybutyryl coenzyme A dehydrogenase and thiolase).     

Alternaria infectoria , a Promising Biological Control Agent for the Fig Wax Scale, Ceroplastes rusci (Homoptera: Coccidae), in Egypt

Alternaria infectoria E . G . Simmons was isolated from naturally infected eggs of the fig wax scale insect , Ceroplastes rusci L . (Homoptera: Coccidae) , that were showing different degrees of shriveling . This fungus proved to be pathogenic to eggs , nymphs and adults of this pest . The fungus had significant effects on both the mortality and hatchability of the eggs ( P = 0 . 0001) . Three days after exposure to the fungus , nearly one - third (31 . 5%) of the fungus - treated eggs became discolored and 17% showed moderate shrinking but no mortality . Fifteen days post - application , 91% of the fungus - treated eggs were diseased (74 . 8% of them were dead) due to A. infectoria, while no disease developed on the untreated eggs . Hatching decreased by 39 . 6% over a 15 - day period in the fungus - treated eggs compared to the control . Additionally , crawlers hatching from fungus - treated eggs became infected . The fungus seemed to induce crawlers to enter the settling stage . Seventy - two per cent of the fungus - treated crawlers versus 9% of the untreated controls entered the settling stage 6 days after exposure to the fungal inoculum . The highest level of nymphal mortality attributed to A. infectoria occurred when 30% (wet w:v blended mycelium in water containing 0 . 5% w:v Metamucil) inoculum was applied , and a high relative humidity was maintained for the following 48 h . This is the first record of A. infectoria on the fig wax scale and for the genus Alternaria as an entomopatho genic fungus .     

Recognition of gluconeogenic enzymes; Icl1, Fbp1, and Mdh2 by Gid4 ligase: A molecular docking study

The pro/N‐degron pathway is an evolved protein degradation pathway through the ubiquitin‐proteasome system. It is a vital pathway to attain protein homeostasis inside the liver cells with varying glucose levels. N‐terminal proline exists in more than 300 proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but only three of them are the gluconeogenic enzymes; isocitrate lyase (Icl1), fructose‐1,6‐bisphosphatase (Fbp1), and malate dehydrogenase (Mdh2). The present in silico study aims to structurally illustrate the binding of Icl1 enzyme to Gid4 ligase concerning its peers; Fbp1 and Mdh2. Based on the molecular docking scores and interactions, one can attribute the binding stability of Gid4 with degrons, to peptides of length six up to eight from the N‐terminal. Moreover, the percent change in the docking score provides a rationale for the unique Gid4‐Icl1^1‐4 interaction. The present study provides insights on the binding attitude of Gid4 ligase to degrons of different lengths, so one will consider in designing peptidomimetics to target Gid4 ligase.     

Effect of mesenchymal stem cells on cytochrome-c release and inflammation in colon cancer induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in Wistar albino rats

Colon cancer is one of the most common causes of deaths by cancer worldwide. Stem cells have immunosuppressive properties that promote tumor targeting and circumvent obstacles currently in gene therapy. Bone marrow stem cells are believed to have anticancer potential. The transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), a type of bone marrow stem cells, has been considered a potential therapy for patients with solid tumors due to their capability to enhance the immune response; MSC transplantation has received renewed interest in recent years. The present study aimed to evaluate the antiapoptotic effects of the MSCs on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced inflammation in the rat model of colorectal cancer. The rats were randomly allocated into four groups: control, treated with MSCs, induced by DMH, and induced by DMH and treated with MSCs. The MSCs were intra-rectally injected, and DMH was subcutaneously injected at 20 mg/kg body weight once a week for 15 weeks. The administration of MSCs into rats starting from day 0 of the DMH injection was found to enhance the histopathological picture. The MSC treatment resulted in fewer inflammatory cells than in the DMH group. Therefore, our findings suggest that BMCs have antitumor effects by modulating the cellular redox status and down-regulating the pro-inflammatory genes. Thus, BMCs may provide therapeutic value for colon cancer treatment.     

Farsenyl pyrophosphate synthase is a potential molecular drug target of risedronate in Babesia bovis

A cDNA encoding farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase of Babesia bovis (BbFPPS) has been isolated, cloned and characterized as molecular drug target. Sequence analysis revealed that BbFPPS contains an open reading frame of 1011 bp with predicted 336 amino acids and molecular mass of 38 kDa. Antiserum raised in mice against recombinant BbFPPS expressed in Escherichia coli specifically reacted with native protein of B. bovis parasites by Western blot analysis and indirect immunofluorescent test. Enzymatic assay using recombinant BbFPPS revealed that the K_m value of the enzyme for isopentenyl pyrophosphate and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate was 2.494 ± 1.536 μM. Risedronate inhibited the activity of BbFPPS yielding IC₅₀ value of 8.4 ± 1.2 nM. Furthermore, the in vitro growth of B. bovis was significantly inhibited in the presence of a micromolar concentration of risedronate (IC₅₀ = 4.02 ± 0.91 μM). No regrowth of B. bovis was observed at 10 μM of risedronate in the subsequent viability test. These results demonstrate that BbFPPS is the molecular target of risedronate, which could inhibit the in vitro growth of B. bovis.     

Luteolin protects against lead acetate-induced nephrotoxicity through antioxidant,anti-inflammatory,anti-apoptotic,and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways

Molecular Biology Reports - Lead (Pb) is one of the most common heavy metal pollutants affecting living organisms. It induces nephrotoxicity with significant alterations in renal structure and...     

Prevalence estimates of chronic kidney disease in Canada: results of a nationally representative survey

Background:

Chronic kidney disease is an important risk factor for death and cardiovascular-related morbidity, but estimates to date of its prevalence in Canada have generally been extrapolated from the prevalence of end-stage renal disease. We used direct measures of kidney function collected from a nationally representative survey population to estimate the prevalence of chronic kidney disease among Canadian adults.

Methods:

We examined data for 3689 adult participants of cycle 1 of the Canadian Health Measures Survey (2007–2009) for the presence of chronic kidney disease. We also calculated the age-standardized prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors by chronic kidney disease group. We cross-tabulated the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) with albuminuria status.

Results:

The prevalence of chronic kidney disease during the period 2007–2009 was 12.5%, representing about 3 million Canadian adults. The estimated prevalence of stage 3–5 disease was 3.1% (0.73 million adults) and albuminuria 10.3% (2.4 million adults). The prevalence of diabetes, hypertension and hypertriglyceridemia were all significantly higher among adults with chronic kidney disease than among those without it. The prevalence of albuminuria was high, even among those whose eGFR was 90 mL/min per 1.73 m² or greater (10.1%) and those without diabetes or hypertension (9.3%). Awareness of kidney dysfunction among adults with stage 3–5 chronic kidney disease was low (12.0%).

Interpretation:

The prevalence of kidney dysfunction was substantial in the survey population, including individuals without hypertension or diabetes, conditions most likely to prompt screening for kidney dysfunction. These findings highlight the potential for missed opportunities for early intervention and secondary prevention of chronic kidney disease.Chronic kidney disease is defined as the presence of kidney damage or reduced kidney function for more than 3 months and requires either a measured or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of less than 60 mL/min per 1.73 m², or the presence of abnormalities in urine sediment, renal imaging or biopsy results.¹ Between 1.3 million and 2.9 million Canadians are estimated to have chronic kidney disease, based on an extrapolation of the prevalence of end-stage renal disease.² In the United States, the 1999–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reported a prevalence of 5.0% for stage 1 and 2 disease and 8.1% for stage 3 and 4 disease.^3,4Chronic kidney disease has been identified as a risk factor for death and cardiovascular-related morbidity and is a substantial burden on the health care system.^1,5 Hemodialysis costs the Canadian health care system about $60 000 per patient per year of treatment.¹ The increasing prevalence of chronic kidney disease can be attributed in part to the growing elderly population and to increasing rates of diabetes and hypertension.^1,6,7Albuminuria, which can result from abnormal vascular permeability, atherosclerosis or renal disease, has gained recognition as an independent risk factor for progressive renal dysfunction and adverse cardiovascular outcomes.^8–10 In earlier stages of chronic kidney disease, albuminuria has been shown to be more predictive of renal and cardiovascular events than eGFR.^4,9 This has prompted the call for a new risk stratification for cardiovascular outcomes based on both eGFR and albuminuria.¹¹A recent review advocated screening people for chronic kidney disease if they have hypertension, diabetes, clinically evident cardiovascular disease or a family history of kidney failure or are more than 60 years old.⁴ The Canadian Society of Nephrology published guidelines on the management of chronic kidney disease but did not offer guidance on screening.¹ The Canadian Diabetes Association recommends annual screening with the use of an albumin:creatinine ratio,¹² and the Canadian Hypertension Education Program guideline recommends urinalysis as part of the initial assessment of hypertension.¹³ Screening for chronic kidney disease on the basis of eGFR and albuminuria is not considered to be cost-effective in the general population, among older people or among people with hypertension.¹⁴The objective of our study was to use direct measures (biomarkers) of kidney function to generate nationally representative, population-based prevalence estimates of chronic kidney disease among Canadian adults overall and in clinically relevant groups.