Xenopus spermatozoon: Is there any correlation between motility and oxygen consumption?

The motility status of Xenopus laevis spermatozoa does not affect their respiration rate. Oxygen consumption for 10⁹ spermatozoa is approximately 0.4 μmol/minute. Oxygen consumption is not increased by gramicidin D, an uncoupler, and it is not blocked by KCN or NaN₃. The adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content of spermatozoa that have been activated is definitely less than that in the spermatozoa that remained immotile. Incubation in KCN, NaN₃, and gramicidin decreases the ATP content and impairs motility. The conclusions of the present study are that in Xenopus spermatozoa motility and oxygen consumption are not correlated, and the composition of the respiratory chain of these spermatozoa presents noteworthy peculiarities.     

Recurrent alpha beta loop structures in TIM barrel motifs show a distinct pattern of conserved structural features.

A systematic survey of seven parallel alpha/beta barrel protein domains, based on exhaustive structural comparisons, reveals that a sizable proportion of the alpha beta loops in these proteins--20 out of a total of 49--belong to either one of two loop types previously described by Thornton and co-workers. Six loops are of the alpha beta 1 type, with one residue between the alpha-helix and beta-strand, and 13 are of the alpha beta 3 type, with three residues between the helix and the strand. Protein fragments embedding the identified loops, and termed alpha beta connections since they contain parts of the flanking helix and strand, have been analyzed in detail revealing that each type of connection has a distinct set of conserved structural features. The orientation of the beta-strand relative to the helix and loop portions is different owing to a very localized difference in backbone conformation. In alpha beta 1 connections, the chain enters the beta-strand via a residue adopting an extended conformation, while in alpha beta 3 it does so via a residue in a near alpha-helical conformation. Other conserved structural features include distinct patterns of side chain orientation relative to the beta-sheet surface and of main chain H-bonds in the loop and the beta-strand moieties. Significant differences also occur in packing interactions of conserved hydrophobic residues situated in the last turn of the helix. Yet the alpha-helix surface of both types of connections adopts similar orientations relative to the barrel sheet surface. Our results suggest furthermore that conserved hydrophobic residues along the sequence of the connections, may be correlated more with specific patterns of interactions made with neighboring helices and sheet strands than with helix/strand packing within the connection itself. A number of intriguing observations are also made on the distribution of the identified alpha beta 1 and alpha beta 3 loops within the alpha/beta-barrel motifs. They often occur adjacent to each other; alpha beta 3 loops invariably involve even numbered beta-strands, while alpha beta 1 loops involve preferentially odd beta-strands; all the analyzed proteins contain at least one alpha beta 3 loop in the first half of the eightfold alpha/beta barrel. Possible origins of all these observations, and their relevance to the stability and folding of parallel alpha/beta barrel motifs are discussed.     

Immunochemical characterization of two antigenic sites on human apolipoprotein A-I; localization and lipid modulation of these epitopes

Two monoclonal antibodies, A17 and A30, were raised against human apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I). They were studied by competitive inhibition of 125I-labeled HDL3 with HDL subfractions, delipidated apo A-I, and complexes of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) containing apo A-I and apo A-II. Immunoblotting located the A17 antibody on CNBr fragment 4 of apo A-I and the A30 antibody on CNBr fragment 1. The A17 antigenic determinant was expressed identically in all HDL subclasses, on delipidated apo A-I as well as all on the DMPC-apo A-I and DMPC-apo A-I/apo A-II complexes. In contrast, the apparent affinity constant of the A30 antibody for delipidated apo A-I was about 30-times less than for HDL3 or for apo A-I/apo A-II-phospholipid complexes. These data suggest that the association of apo A-I with phospholipids improves the reactivity of the A30 monoclonal antibody towards apo A-I, and that this antigenic determinant has a different conformation in delipidated apo A-I compared to apo A-I complexed with phospholipids. Turbidimetric and fluorescence experiments monitoring the phospholipid-apo A-I association in the presence and in the absence of the A17 and A30 antibodies were consistent with the competition experiments carried out by solid phase radioimmunoassay (RIA). After reaction of apo A-I with the A30 antibody, we observed an enhancement of the degradation kinetics of large multilamellar vesicles (LMV), while the A17 antibody did not have a significant effect. Calcein leakage experiments carried out below the transition temperature of DPPC showed an enhancement of the degradation kinetics with both monoclonal antibodies, while the phase-transition release was independent of the reaction of apo A-I with the monoclonal antibodies. These data therefore suggest the existence of at least two different types of epitope on apo A-I, which might account for the differences in immunological reactivity of apo A-I that is either delipidated or present on HDL.     

Smokers with CT Detected Emphysema and No Airway Obstruction Have Decreased Plasma Levels of EGF,IL-15, IL-8 and IL-1ra

Rationale

Low-grade inflammation and emphysema have been shown to be associated with an increased risk of lung cancer. However, the systemic inflammatory response in patients with emphysema is still unknown.

Objective

To compare the plasma cytokine profiles in two groups of current or former smokers without airway obstruction: a control group of individuals without computed tomography (CT) detected emphysema vs. a study group of individuals with CT detected emphysema.

Methods

Subjects underwent a chest CT, spirometry, and determination of EGF, IL-15, IL-1ra, IL-8, MCP-1, MIP-1β, TGFα, TNFα, and VEGF levels in plasma. Cytokine levels in each group were compared adjusting for confounding factors.

Results

160 current smokers and former smokers without airway obstruction participated in the study: 80 without emphysema and 80 subjects with emphysema. Adjusted group comparisons revealed significant reductions in EGF (−0.317, p = 0.01), IL-15 (−0.21, p = 0.01), IL-8 (−0.180, p = 0.02) and IL-1ra (−0.220, p = 0.03) in subjects with emphysema and normal spirometry.

Conclusions

Current or former smokers expressing a well-defined disease characteristic such as emphysema, has a specific plasma cytokine profile. This includes a decrease of cytokines mainly implicated in activation of apoptosis or decrease of immunosurveillance. This information should be taken into account when evaluated patients with tobacco respiratory diseases.     

Metal cation toxicity in the alga Gracilaria domingensis as evaluated by the daily growth rates in synthetic seawater

Macroalgae of the genus Gracilaria have considerable economic importance as raw material for agar production and belong to an important group of organisms that are tolerant of high concentrations of metal. The median inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values obtained by measuring the ratio of fresh mass variation (i.e., daily growth rates) of the red macroalga Gracilaria domingensis during a 48-h aquatic toxicity assay are reported here. The alga was exposed to 14 different metal cations as well as the molybdate anion in synthetic seawater. The actual concentrations of these ionic species (at IC₅₀ values) and the proportion of free ions (aqueous complexes) were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy and the Environmental Protection Agency-recommended software, MINTEQA2, respectively. Based on the free IC₅₀ values (IC₅₀ ^F), the ions were ranked in terms of toxicity: Cd²⁺???Cu²⁺???Pb²⁺???Zn²⁺???Ni²⁺?>?Co²⁺?>?La³⁺???Mn²⁺?>?Ca²⁺?~?Li⁺???MoO₄ ^2????Sr²⁺?>?Mg²⁺???K⁺?>?Na⁺. As a member of the first trophic level in the marine food chain, G. domingensis is an appropriate target organism both for the development of toxicological assays and as a bioindicator of marine degradation.     

Diversity and distribution of hidden cultivable fungi associated with marine animals of Antarctica

In the present study, we surveyed the distribution and diversity of fungal assemblages associated with 10 species of marine animals from Antarctica. The collections yielded 83 taxa from 27 distinct genera, which were identified using molecular biology methods. The most abundant taxa were Cladosporium sp. 1, Debaryomyces hansenii, Glaciozyma martinii, Metschnikowia australis, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, Thelebolus cf. globosus, Pseudogymnoascus pannorum, Tolypocladium tundrense, Metschnikowia australis, and different Penicillium species. The diversity, richness, and dominance of fungal assemblages ranged among the host; however, in general, the fungal community, which was composed of endemic and cold-adapted cosmopolitan taxa distributed across the different sites of Antarctic Peninsula, displayed high diversity, richness, and dominance indices. Our results contribute to knowledge about fungal diversity in the marine environment across the Antarctic Peninsula and their phylogenetic relationships with species that occur in other cold, temperate, and tropical regions of the World. Additionally, despite their extreme habitats, marine Antarctic animals shelter cryptic and complex fungal assemblages represented by endemic and cosmopolitan cold-adapted taxa, which may represent interesting models to study different symbiotic associations between fungi and their animal hosts in the extreme conditions of Antarctica.     

The irregular xylem 2 mutant is an allele of korrigan that affects the secondary cell wall of Arabidopsis thaliana

The irregular xylem 2 (irx2) mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana exhibits a cellulose deficiency in the secondary cell wall, which is brought about by a point mutation in the KORRIGAN (KOR) beta,1-4 endoglucanase (beta,1-4 EGase) gene. Measurement of the total crystalline cellulose in the inflorescence stem indicates that the irx2 mutant contains approximately 30% of the level present in the wild type (WT). Fourier-Transform Infra Red (FTIR) analysis, however, indicates that there is no decrease in cellulose in primary cell walls of the cortical and epidermal cells of the stem. KOR expression is correlated with cellulose synthesis and is highly expressed in cells synthesising a secondary cell wall. Co-precipitation experiments, using either an epitope-tagged form of KOR or IRX3 (AtCesA7), suggest that KOR is not an integral part of the cellulose synthase complex. These data are supported by immunolocalisation of KOR that suggests that KOR does not localise to sites of secondary cell wall deposition in the developing xylem. The defect in irx2 plant is consistent with a role for KOR in the later stages of secondary cell wall formation, suggesting a role in processing of the growing microfibrils or release of the cellulose synthase complex.     

Sesquiterpene lactone from Wunderlichia crulsiana inhibits the respiratory burst of leukocytes triggered by distinct biochemical pathways

The sesquiterpene lactone tubiferin was chemically purified from the brazilian native plant Wunderlichia crulsiana and identified by NMR and GC/MS data. Its ability to inhibit the respiratory burst of peritoneal inflammatory polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) stimulated upon addition of phorbol miristate acetate (PMA), opsonized zymosan (OZ), and N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) was evaluated. The tubiferin inhibition was more pronounced when PMN were stimulated through the protein kinase C pathway (PMA) compared to the alternative complement pathway (OZ). The inhibition when PMN were triggered by a chemoattractant stimulus (fMLP) was similar to that achieved with OZ-stimulated phagocytes. Tubiferin showed dose-dependent effects on the PMN respiratory burst triggered by the three different substances, and also decreased substantially the carrageenan-induced mice paw edema.     

Characterization and daily variation of nitrate reductase in Gracilaria tenuistipitata (Rhodophyta)

The chemosensory protein CSP-sg4 of the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria binds reversibly N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine in fluorescent-binding assays, with a dissociation constant of 4 microM. Upon binding to the protein, the emission peaks of the fluorescent probe undergo a marked blue shift, accompanied by an order of magnitude increase of the maximum intensity. The assay has also allowed the measurement of the affinity of CSP to other aromatic and aliphatic compounds. The binding capacity of this protein is unaffected by thermal treatments up to 100 degrees C for 20 min. The ligand-binding characteristics of chemosensory proteins may help in clarifying the role of this recently discovered class of soluble proteins in chemoreception.     

Netting operation to control neurofibroma of the face

When neurofibroma involves the face, it can lead to a most disfiguring, destructive, and debilitating condition. Because of the unique aesthetic and functional properties of the face, the surgeon might hesitate to remove all of the involved soft tissues and facial nerves in a radical procedure. Involvement of the craniofacial skeleton makes the treatment more difficult and complex. The treatment usually consists of excising the symptomatic lesion, and often these lesions are incompletely corrected. Regrowth after partial excision is frequent and leads to recurrence of deformity. The force of gravity plays a major role in the appearance of deformity, leading to facial tissue drooping and bulging as the mass grows and gains weight. The aim of this operation was to contain the residual mass after excision within a tight net against the force of gravity, thus limiting and preventing drooping or bulging of the facial soft tissue while preserving muscles and nerves associated with facial expression. Polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) mesh, used as a net, was evaluated as a replacement material for subcutaneous tissue and a substitute for superficial fascia destroyed by tumor infiltration. The mesh was suspended in the superior-posterior direction, capturing the residual mass like a net capturing fish. From 1989 to 1999, a total of eight patients underwent the netting procedure after partial excision of neurofibroma of the face. The follow-up period was 3 to 10 years. The use of Teflon mesh proved to be compatible with the surrounding tissue, endurable at follow-up, and consistent with expectations. Follow-up computed tomographic scans revealed no further visible tumor growth, and the area was contained under the mesh net with satisfactory postoperative facial contour. The advantages of this procedure are the avoidance of radical excision of facial soft tissue, preservation of remnant facial expression, and prevention of progression of facial dysmorphism.