Genetic characterization of Uruguayan Pampa Rocha pigs with microsatellite markers

In this study, we genetically characterized the Uruguayan pig breed Pampa Rocha. Genetic variability was assessed by analyzing a panel of 25 microsatellite markers from a sample of 39 individuals. Pampa Rocha pigs showed high genetic variability with observed and expected heterozygosities of 0.583 and 0.603, respectively. The mean number of alleles was 5.72. Twenty-four markers were polymorphic, with 95.8% of them in Hardy Weinberg equilibrium. The level of endogamy was low (F_IS = 0.0475). A factorial analysis of correspondence was used to assess the genetic differences between Pampa Rocha and other pig breeds; genetic distances were calculated, and a tree was designed to reflect the distance matrix. Individuals were also allocated into clusters. This analysis showed that the Pampa Rocha breed was separated from the other breeds along the first and second axes. The neighbour-joining tree generated by the genetic distances D_A showed clustering of Pampa Rocha with the Meishan breed. The allocation of individuals to clusters showed a clear separation of Pampa Rocha pigs. These results provide insights into the genetic variability of Pampa Rocha pigs and indicate that this breed is a well-defined genetic entity.     

Long-term effects of graduated compression stockings on cardiorespiratory performance

The use of graduated compression stockings (GCS) in sport has been increasing in the last years due to their potential positive effects for athletes. However, there is little evidence to support whether these types of garments actually improve cardiorespiratory performance. The aim of this study was to examine the cardiorespiratory responses of GCS during running after three weeks of regular use. Twenty recreational runners performed three tests on different days: test 1) – a 5-min maximal effort run in order to determine the participants’ maximal aerobic speed; and tests 2) and 3) – a fatigue running test of 30 minutes at 80% of their maximal aerobic speed with either GCS or PLACEBO stockings at random. Cardiorespiratory parameters (minute ventilation, heart rate, relative oxygen consumption, relative carbon dioxide production, ventilatory equivalents for oxygen and carbon dioxide, and oxygen pulse) were measured. Before each test in the laboratory, the participants trained with the randomly assigned stockings (GCS or PLACEBO) for three weeks. No significant differences between GCS and PLACEBO were found in any of the cardiorespiratory parameters. In conclusion, the present study provides evidence that running with GCS for three weeks does not influence cardiorespiratory parameters in recreational runners.     

Effects of citronella oil (Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt ex Bor) on Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) midgut and fat body

The armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, is the principal pest of corn in Brazil. Control is achieved primarily by synthetic insecticides, which cause problems for the agro-ecosystem. Alternative methods of control are under investigation and citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus) essential oil appears to be a promising agent. We investigated the effects of citronella oil using histological, histochemical and immunohistochemical methods. The midgut of larvae treated with citronella exhibited altered epithelium including cytoplasmic protrusions, columnar cell extrusion, pyknotic nuclei, and increased periodic acid-Schiff positive granules. Regenerative cells in the epithelium of the midgut increased in number, which facilitated subsequent regeneration of this tissue. After exposure to citronella, trophocytes, the principal cell type of the fat body, possessed enlarged vacuoles and mitotic bodies, and contained reduced amounts of glycogen, lipid, and protein. Citronella oil caused morphological changes of the midgut and reduction of stored resources in the fat body, which may adversely affect insect reproduction and survival.     

GSMN-TB: a web-based genome-scale network model of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mycobacterium tuberculosis</Emphasis>metabolism

Background  

An impediment to the rational development of novel drugs against tuberculosis (TB) is a general paucity of knowledge concerning the metabolism of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, particularly during infection. Constraint-based modeling provides a novel approach to investigating microbial metabolism but has not yet been applied to genome-scale modeling of M. tuberculosis.     

Development of ChillPeach genomic tools and identification of cold-responsive genes in peach fruit

The ChillPeach database was developed to facilitate identification of genes controlling chilling injury (CI), a global-scale post-harvest physiological disorder in peach. It contained 7,862 high-quality ESTs (comprising 4,468 unigenes) obtained from mesocarp tissues of two full-sib progeny contrasting for CI, about 48 and 13% of which are unique to Prunus and Arabidopsis, respectively. All ESTs are in the Gateway vector to facilitate functional assessment of the genes. The data set contained several putative SNPs and 184 unigenes with high quality SSRs, of which 42% were novel to Prunus. Microarray slides containing 4,261 ChillPeach unigenes were printed and used in a pilot experiment to identify differentially expressed genes in cold-treated compared to control mesocarp tissues, and in vegetative compared to mesocarp tissues. Quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) confirmed microarray results for all 13 genes tested. The microarray and qRT-PCR analyses indicated that ChillPeach is rich in putative fruit-specific and novel cold-induced genes. A website ( http://bioinfo.ibmcp.upv.es/genomics/ChillPeachDB ) was created holding detailed information on the ChillPeach database.     

The yeast SR protein kinase Sky1p modulates salt tolerance,membrane potential and the Trk1,2 potassium transporter

Protein kinases dedicated to the phosphorylation of SR proteins have been implicated in the processing and nuclear export of mRNAs. Here we demonstrate in Saccharomyces cerevisiae their participation in cation homeostasis. A null mutant of the single yeast SR protein kinase Sky1p is viable but exhibits increased tolerance to diverse toxic cations such as Na(+), Li(+), spermine, tetramethylammonium, hygromycin B and Mn(2+). This pleiotropic phenotype correlates with reduced accumulation of cations, suggesting a decrease in membrane electrical potential. Genetic analysis and Rb(+) uptake measurements indicate that Sky1p modulates Trk1,2, the high-affinity K(+) uptake system of yeast and a major determinant of membrane potential.     

Evidence for selection on synonymous mutations affecting stability of mRNA secondary structure in mammals

Background  

In mammals, contrary to what is usually assumed, recent evidence suggests that synonymous mutations may not be selectively neutral. This position has proven contentious, not least because of the absence of a viable mechanism. Here we test whether synonymous mutations might be under selection owing to their effects on the thermodynamic stability of mRNA, mediated by changes in secondary structure.     

血管内皮祖细胞与糖尿病微血管病变研究进展

糖尿病微血管病变严重影响了患者生活质量,是患者致死致残主要原因。微血管病变主要表现在视网膜、肾、神经、心肌组织。微血管病变的机制尚未完全清楚,近年越来越多研究发现血管内皮祖细胞(endothelial progenitor cells,EPCs)是该病发病重要原因。EPCs有分化为成熟的内皮细胞并且参与新血管形成和新生的能力。正常情况下内皮损失和EPCs对内皮的修复作用处于动态平衡状态,一旦EPCs受损,内皮损害和修复之间的平衡被打破,内皮层的完整性遭到破坏,必然参与糖尿病血管病变的发生发展。国内外大量研究证明糖尿病合并大血管病变EPCs数目功能改变,而糖尿病合并微血管病变EPCs的怎样变化?本文就EPCs与糖尿病微血管病变的关系进行系统综述。     

CDK targeting of NBS1 promotes DNA-end resection, replication restart and homologous recombination

The conserved MRE11–RAD50–NBS1 (MRN) complex is an important sensor of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and facilitates DNA repair by homologous recombination (HR) and end joining. Here, we identify NBS1 as a target of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) phosphorylation. We show that NBS1 serine 432 phosphorylation occurs in the S, G2 and M phases of the cell cycle and requires CDK activity. This modification stimulates MRN-dependent conversion of DSBs into structures that are substrates for repair by HR. Impairment of NBS1 phosphorylation not only negatively affects DSB repair by HR, but also prevents resumption of DNA replication after replication-fork stalling. Thus, CDK-mediated NBS1 phosphorylation defines a molecular switch that controls the choice of repair mode for DSBs.