Expression of a Novel Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Receptor Motif Protein Gene in Maturing Rat Testes

(S)-1,3-Butanediol (BOO) oxidizing enzyme was purified from Candida parapsilosis IFO 1396, which could produce (R)-1,3-BDO from the racemate. The purified enzyme was an NAO⁺ -dependent secondary alcohol dehydrogenase that oxidized (S)-1,3-BDO to 4-hydroxy-2-butanone stereo-specifically.     

Stage-Specific Inhibition of TrkB Activity Leads to Long-Lasting and Sexually Dimorphic Effects on Body Weight and Hypothalamic Gene Expression

During development, prenatal and postnatal factors program homeostatic set points to regulate food intake and body weight in the adult. Combinations of genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of neural circuitry that regulates whole-body energy homeostasis. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) and its receptor, Tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB), are strong candidates for mediating the reshaping of hypothalamic neural circuitry, given their well-characterized role in the central regulation of feeding and body weight. Here, we employ a chemical-genetic approach using the TrkB^F616A/F616A knock-in mouse model to define the critical developmental period in which TrkB inhibition contributes to increased adult fat mass. Surprisingly, transient TrkB inhibition in embryos, preweaning pups, and adults all resulted in long-lasting increases in body weight and fat content. Moreover, sex-specific differences in the effects of TrkB inhibition on both body weight and hypothalamic gene expression were observed at multiple developmental stages. Our results highlight both the importance of the Bdnf/TrkB pathway in maintaining normal body weight throughout life and the role of sex-specific differences in the organization of hypothalamic neural circuitry that regulates body weight.     

Stage-Specific Differential Gene Expression of Glutathione Peroxidase in Leishmania Major and Leishmania Tropica

Background:Leishmania (L) major and L. tropica are the etiological agents of cutaneous leishmaniosis. Leishmania species cause a board spectrum of phenotypes. A small number of genes are differentially expressed between them that have likely an important role in the disease phenotype. Procyclic and metacyclic are two morphological promastigote forms of Leishmania that express different genes. The glutathione peroxidase is an important antioxidant enzyme that essential in parasite protection against oxidative stress and parasite survival. This study aimed to compare glutathione peroxidase (TDPX) gene expression in procyclic and metacyclic and also interspecies in Iranian isolates of L. major and L. tropica. Methods:The samples were cultured in Novy-Nicolle-Mc Neal medium to obtain the promastigotes and identified using PCR-RFLP technique. They were then grown in RPMI1640 media for mass cultivation. The expression level of TDPX gene was compared by Real-time PCR.Results:By comparison of expression level, up-regulation of TDPX gene was observed (5.37 and 2.29 folds) in L. major and L. tropica metacyclic compared to their procyclic, respectively. Moreover, there was no significant difference between procyclic forms of isolates, while 3.05 folds up-regulation in metacyclic was detected in L. major compared L. tropica.Conclusion:Our data provide a foundation for identifying infectivity and high survival related factors in the Leishmania spp. In addition, the results improve our understanding of the molecular basis of metacyclogenesis and development of new potential targets to control or treatment and also, to the identification of species-specific factors contributing to virulence and pathogenicity in the host cells.Key Words: Glutathione peroxidase, Leishmania, L. major, L. tropica, Quantitative Real-time PCR     

CMO,BADH双基因植物表达载体的构建

以pC1303质粒和pC1391质粒为基础,利用载体pBIUC和pBIB构建了分别有Ubi启动子、35S启动子调控的带有控制甜菜碱合成的CMO和BADH的植物表达载体pC1303-Ubi-CMO-35S-BADH,为进一步开展提高植物抗逆性基因工程提供了基础.