Crucial role of zebrafish <Emphasis Type="Italic">prox1</Emphasis>in hypothalamic catecholaminergic neurons development

Background  

Prox1, the vertebrate homolog of prospero in Drosophila melanogaster, is a divergent homeogene that regulates cell proliferation, fate determination and differentiation during vertebrate embryonic development.     

The molecular evolution of <Emphasis Type="Italic">PL10</Emphasis> homologs

Background  

PL10 homologs exist in a wide range of eukaryotes from yeast, plants to animals. They share a DEAD motif and belong to the DEAD-box polypeptide 3 (DDX3) subfamily with a major role in RNA metabolism. The lineage-specific expression patterns and various genomic structures and locations of PL10 homologs indicate these homologs have an interesting evolutionary history.     

Factors acting on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mos1</Emphasis> transposition efficiency

Background  

Mariner-like elements (MLEs) are widespread DNA transposons in animal genomes. Although in vitro transposition reactions require only the transposase, various factors depending on the host, the physico-chemical environment and the transposon sequence can interfere with the MLEs transposition in vivo.     

Genetic transformation of cotton with a harpin-encoding gene <Emphasis Type="Italic">hpa</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">Xoo</Emphasis></Subscript> confers an enhanced defense response against different pathogens through a priming mechanism

Background  

The soil-borne fungal pathogen Verticillium dahliae Kleb causes Verticillium wilt in a wide range of crops including cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). To date, most upland cotton varieties are susceptible to V. dahliae and the breeding for cotton varieties with the resistance to Verticillium wilt has not been successful.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">R-spondin1</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">FOXL2</Emphasis>act into two distinct cellular types during goat ovarian differentiation

Background  

Up to now, two loci have been involved in XX sex-reversal in mammals following loss-of-function mutations, PIS (Polled Intersex Syndrome) in goats and R-spondin1 (RSPO1) in humans. Here, we analyze the possible interaction between these two factors during goat gonad development. Furthermore, since functional redundancy between different R-spondins may influence gonad development, we also studied the expression patterns of RSPO2, 3 and 4.     

A <Emphasis Type="Italic">var2</Emphasis> leaf variegation suppressor locus, <Emphasis Type="Italic">SUPPRESSOR OF VARIEGATION3</Emphasis>, encodes a putative chloroplast translation elongation factor that is important for chloroplast development in the cold

Background  

The Arabidopsis var2 mutant displays a unique green and white/yellow leaf variegation phenotype and lacks VAR2, a chloroplast FtsH metalloprotease. We are characterizing second-site var2 genetic suppressors as means to better understand VAR2 function and to study the regulation of chloroplast biogenesis.     

Variability in SCC <Emphasis Type="Italic">mec</Emphasis><Subscript>N1</Subscript> spreading among injection drug users in Zurich,Switzerland

Background  

An extremely low level methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) belonging to ST45, circulates among intravenous drug users in the Zurich area. This clone can be misinterpreted as an MSSA by phenotypic oxacillin resistance tests, although it carries a staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) element encoding a functional mecA gene and it produces PBP2a.     

Viable nonsense mutants for the essential gene <Emphasis Type="Italic">SUP45</Emphasis> of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharomyces cerevisiae</Emphasis>

Background  

Termination of protein synthesis in eukaryotes involves at least two polypeptide release factors (eRFs) – eRF1 and eRF3. The highly conserved translation termination factor eRF1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is encoded by the essential gene SUP45.     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">MB2</Emphasis> gene family of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plasmodium</Emphasis> species has a unique combination of S1 and GTP-binding domains

Background  

Identification and characterization of novel Plasmodium gene families is necessary for developing new anti-malarial therapeutics. The products of the Plasmodium falciparum gene, MB2, were shown previously to have a stage-specific pattern of subcellular localization and proteolytic processing.     

Structure and evolution of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Apetala3</Emphasis>, a sex-linked gene in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Silene latifolia</Emphasis>

Background  

The evolution of sex chromosomes is often accompanied by gene or chromosome rearrangements. Recently, the gene AP3 was characterized in the dioecious plant species Silene latifolia. It was suggested that this gene had been transferred from an autosome to the Y chromosome.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vivo</Emphasis> molecular imaging of experimental joint inflammation by combined <Superscript>18</Superscript>F-FDG positron emission tomography and computed tomography

Introduction  

The purpose of this work was to establish and validate combined small animal positron emission tomography - computed tomography (PET/CT) as a new in vivo imaging method for visualisation and quantification of joint inflammation.     

Remobilization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tol2</Emphasis> transposons in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xenopus tropicalis</Emphasis>

Background  

The Class II DNA transposons are mobile genetic elements that move DNA sequence from one position in the genome to another. We have previously demonstrated that the naturally occurring Tol2 element from Oryzias latipes efficiently integrates its corresponding non-autonomous transposable element into the genome of the diploid frog, Xenopus tropicalis. Tol2 transposons are stable in the frog genome and are transmitted to the offspring at the expected Mendelian frequency.     

Attenuation of fibrosis <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vivo</Emphasis> with <Emphasis Type="Italic">SPARC</Emphasis> siRNA

Introduction  

SPARC is a matricellular protein, which, along with other extracellular matrix components including collagens, is commonly over-expressed in fibrotic diseases. The purpose of this study was to examine whether inhibition of SPARC can regulate collagen expression in vitro and in vivo, and subsequently attenuate fibrotic stimulation by bleomycin in mouse skin and lungs.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">AtMRP6</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">AtABCC6</Emphasis>, an ATP-Binding Cassette transporter gene expressed during early steps of seedling development and up-regulated by cadmium in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis thaliana</Emphasis>

Background  

ABC proteins constitute one of the largest families of transporters found in all living organisms. In Arabidopsis thaliana, 120 genes encoding ABC transporters have been identified. Here, the characterization of one member of the MRP subclass, AtMRP6, is described.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">PGM2</Emphasis> overexpression improves anaerobic galactose fermentation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharomyces cerevisiae</Emphasis>

Background  

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae galactose is initially metabolized through the Leloir pathway after which glucose 6-phosphate enters glycolysis. Galactose is controlled both by glucose repression and by galactose induction. The gene PGM2 encodes the last enzyme of the Leloir pathway, phosphoglucomutase 2 (Pgm2p), which catalyses the reversible conversion of glucose 1-phosphate to glucose 6-phosphate. Overexpression of PGM2 has previously been shown to enhance aerobic growth of S. cerevisiae in galactose medium.     

Analysis of a <Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis><Subscript>0</Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">t-1</Emphasis> library enables the targeted identification of minisatellite and satellite families in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Beta vulgaris</Emphasis>

Background  

Repetitive DNA is a major fraction of eukaryotic genomes and occurs particularly often in plants. Currently, the sequencing of the sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) genome is under way and knowledge of repetitive DNA sequences is critical for the genome annotation. We generated a c ₀ t-1 library, representing highly to moderately repetitive sequences, for the characterization of the major B. vulgaris repeat families. While highly abundant satellites are well-described, minisatellites are only poorly investigated in plants. Therefore, we focused on the identification and characterization of these tandemly repeated sequences.     

Evolution and origin of merlin,the product of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neurofibromatosis type 2</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">NF2</Emphasis>) tumor-suppressor gene

Background  

Merlin, the product of the Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) tumor suppressor gene, belongs to the ezrin-radixin-moesin (ERM) subgroup of the protein 4.1 superfamily, which links cell surface glycoproteins to the actin cytoskeleton. While merlin's functional activity has been examined in mammalian and Drosophila models, little is understood about its evolution, diversity, and overall distribution among different taxa.