Purkyn? cells and Betz cells

J.E. Purkyn? was the first to discover, by achromatic microscopy of stained and fixed as well as of fresh material, that animal tissues in general, and those of the central nervous system in particular, are made up of cells, as are those of plants. His discoveries laid the foundations of modern research on the ultrastructure and biophysies of the cerebellar neurons which bear his name, as well as on other types of neurons, in vitro as well as in vivo.     

Genetic networks regulated by ASYMMETRIC LEAVES1 (AS1) and AS2 in leaf development in Arabidopsis thaliana: KNOX genes control five morphological events

The asymmetric leaves 1 ( as1 ) and as2 mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana exhibit pleiotropic phenotypes. Expression of a number of genes, including three class-1 KNOTTED -like homeobox ( KNOX ) genes ( BP , KNAT2 and KNAT6 ) and ETTIN / ARF3 , is enhanced in these mutants. In the present study, we attempted to identify the phenotypic features of as1 and as2 mutants that were generated by ectopic expression of KNOX genes, using multiple loss-of-function mutations of KNOX genes as well as as1 and as2 . Our results revealed that the ectopic expression of class-1 KNOX genes resulted in reductions in the sizes of leaves, reductions in the size of sepals and petals, the formation of a less prominent midvein, the repression of adventitious root formation and late flowering. Our results also revealed that the reduction in leaf size and late flowering were caused by the repression, by KNOX genes, of a gibberellin (GA) pathway in as1 and as2 plants. The formation of a less prominent midvein and the repression of adventitious root formation were not, however, related to the GA pathway. The asymmetric formation of leaf lobes, the lower complexity of higher-ordered veins, and the elevated frequency of adventitious shoot formation on leaves of as1 and as2 plants were not rescued by multiple mutations in KNOX genes. These features must, therefore, be controlled by other genes in which expression is enhanced in the as1 and as2 mutants.     

Hereditary defects in both germ cells and the blood-testis barrier system in as-mutant rats: evidence from spermatogonial transplantation and tracer-permeability analysis

The rat mutant allele as is located on chromosome 12. Homozygous (as/as) males show arrested spermatogenesis, mainly at the pachytene spermatocyte stage. It is not clear whether this defective spermatogenesis is caused by a failure in a somatic cell component that supports spermatogenesis or in the germ cell itself. Spermatogonial transplantation was performed to identify the genetically defective site in the as/as testis. In experiment 1, germ cells collected from as/as testes were transplanted into the testes of immunodeficient mice and normal rats. In experiment 2, normal rat germ cells were transplanted into as/as testes. The results of experiment 1 showed arrest of spermatogenesis at the pachytene spermatocyte stage, accompanied by a characteristic morphological feature, i.e., the formation of inclusion-like bodies in the cytoplasm, in both rat and mouse recipients. These results revealed the intrinsic effect of the mutant gene(s) on germ cells. In experiment 2, no restoration of spermatogenesis was detected in the recipient testes despite thorough histological examination. These results suggest that defects in a somatic cell component in as/as testes prevent the donor germ cells from colonizing and regaining their spermatogenetic ability. When the seminiferous epithelium of the as/as testis was examined by electron microscopy, no morphological abnormalities, including the formation of ectoplasmic specializations between adjacent Sertoli cells, were observed in the somatic cell components. However, when cytochrome c was applied as a tracer material, it penetrated the tight junctions between the Sertoli cells, indicating dysfunction of the blood-testis barrier in the as/as testis. The lack of restoration of spermatogenesis in the as/as testis after transplantation of normal germ cells may have been caused by the unfavorable environment in the seminiferous epithelium resulting from the incomplete barrier system between adjoining Sertoli cells. The gene(s) at the as locus may have a role in both germ cell differentiation and the establishment of the blood-testis barrier.     

Biochemical mechanism of combined effect of ethambutol and sparfloxacin against Mycobacterium smegmatis

M. smegmatis cells grown in the presence of combination of ethambutol (EMB) and sparfloxacin (SPX) had decreased level of total cellular lipids as compared to control as well as cells grown in the presence of sub-inhibitory concentration (MIC50) of individual drugs. Amongst various phospholipids analyzed, maximum decrease was observed in the content of phosphatidylinositolmannosides (PIMs) of the cells grown in combination of EMB and SPX. In contrast, the subcellular distribution of phospholipids revealed a significant increase in PIMs content of both cell wall and cell membrane of the cells grown in the presence of combination of drugs as compared to control as well as individual drugs. Mycolic acids of M. smegmatis cells were found to be main targets as combination of drugs resulted in significant decrease in total cellular as well as cell wall mycolic acids as compared to control and individual drugs. Changed lipid composition of M. smegmatis cells grown in the presence of MIC50 of EMB, SPX and combination resulted in significant surface changes as was evident from decreased limiting fluorescence (Fmax) intensity of 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate (ANS). Thus, the results of this study suggested that ethambutol and sparfloxacin in combination exerted their antimycobacterial effect principally due to their action on phosphatidylinositolmannosides (PIMs) and mycolic acids, which form the permeability barrier of mycobacteria.     

Air Pollution: Involvement of Oxygen Radicals (A Mini Review)

In the past decades air pollution has increased worldwide. We also gained more insight into the complex interactions between different air pollutants in the atmosphere as well as their effects on living cells and organisms. It also has been unequivocally shown by several groups in different countries that oxy radicals play an outstanding role in the interconversion of air pollutants as well as during the manifestation of toxic effects. Not only living systems are affected by air pollutants, but also inorganic systems such as buildings and sculptures. In the following overview the most important reactions occuring in the atmosphere as well as effects of oxidative gaseous compounds and particles such as diesel soot and asbestos will be discussed.     

Sphingolipid players in the leukemia arena

Sphingolipids function as bioactive mediators of different cellular processes, mostly proliferation, survival, differentiation and apoptosis, besides being structural components of cellular membranes. Involvement of sphingolipid metabolism in cancerogenesis was demonstrated in solid tumors as well as in hematological malignancies. Herein, we describe the main biological and clinical aspects of leukemias and summarize data regarding sphingolipids as mediators of apoptosis triggered in response to anti-leukemic agents and synthetic analogs as inducers of cell death as well. We also report the contribution of molecules that modulate sphingolipid metabolism to development of encouraging strategies for leukemia treatment. Finally we address how deregulation of sphingolipid metabolism is associated to occurrence of therapy resistance both in vitro and in vivo. Sphingolipids can be considered promising therapeutic tools alone or in combination with other compounds, as well as valid targets in the attempt to eradicate leukemia and overcome drug resistance.     

SLX4: multitasking to maintain genome stability

The SLX4/FANCP tumor suppressor has emerged as a key player in the maintenance of genome stability, making pivotal contributions to the repair of interstrand cross-links, homologous recombination, and in response to replication stress genome-wide as well as at specific loci such as common fragile sites and telomeres. SLX4 does so in part by acting as a scaffold that controls and coordinates the XPF–ERCC1, MUS81–EME1, and SLX1 structure-specific endonucleases in different DNA repair and recombination mechanisms. It also interacts with other important DNA repair and cell cycle control factors including MSH2, PLK1, TRF2, and TOPBP1 as well as with ubiquitin and SUMO. This review aims at providing an up-to-date and comprehensive view on the key functions that SLX4 fulfills to maintain genome stability as well as to highlight and discuss areas of uncertainty and emerging concepts.     

Possible roles of glycosphingolipids in lipid rafts

Recent studies have suggested that glycosphingolipid (GSL)-cholesterol microdomains in cell membranes may function as platforms for the attachment of lipid-modified proteins, such as glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins and src-family tyrosine kinases. The microdomains are proposed to be involved in membrane trafficking of GPI-anchored proteins and in signal transduction via src-family kinases. Here, the possible roles of GSLs in the physical properties of these microdomains, as well as in membrane trafficking and signal transduction, are discussed. Sphingolipid depletion inhibits the intracellular transport of GPI-anchored proteins in biosynthetic traffic and endocytosis via GPI-anchored proteins. Antibodies against GSLs as well as GPI-anchored proteins co-precipitate src-family kinases. Antibody-mediated cross-linking of GSLs, as well as that of GPI-anchored proteins, induces a transient increase in the tyrosine phosphorylation of several substrates. Thus, GSLs have important roles in lipid rafts.     

Familial true hermaphroditism: paternal and maternal transmission of true hermaphroditism (46,XX) and XX maleness in the absence of Y-chromosomal sequences

We report on 46,XX true hermaphroditism and 46,XX maleness coexisting in the same pedigree, with maternal as well as paternal transmission of the disorder. Molecular genetic analysis showed that both hermaphrodites as well as the 46,XX male were negative for Y-chromosomal sequences. Thus, this pedigree is highly informative and allows the following conclusions: first, the maternal as well as paternal transmission of the disorder allows the possibility of an autosomal dominant as well as an X-chromosomal dominant mode of inheritance; second, testicular determination in the absence of Y-specific sequences in familial 46,XX true hermaphrodites as well as in 46,XX males seems to be due to the varying expression of the same genetic defect; and third, there is incomplete penetrance of the defect.     

Transforming growth factor beta1 and prostaglandin E2 concentrations are associated with bone formation markers in ulcerative colitis patients

Osteoporosis is a significant complication of a multifactoral etiology associated with inflammatory bowel disease. The aim of study was to evaluate the relationships between bone mineral density as well as bone turnover markers and inflammatory activity modulators (i.e., PGE2 and TGFbeta1) in ulcerative colitis (UC). Twenty-one active ulcerative colitis subjects and 14 healthy individuals were included into the study. We observed no significant differences in serum concentrations of osteoprotegerin and osteocalcin, as well as bone mineral density between UC patients and healthy individuals. Plasma concentrations of PGE2, TGFbeta1 and TNF-alpha were significantly higher in UC patients than in controls. Serum osteocalcin demonstrated a positive correlation with both serum PGE2 and plasma TGFbeta1. Moreover there was significant correlation between osteoprotegerin and TGFbeta1 as well as serum TNF-alpha concentrations. In conclusion a positive association between PGE2 and TGFbeta1 and bone formation markers-osteoprotegerin and osteocalcin, as well as a comparable BMD in UC patients and healthy individuals was shown. Our results may indicate that increase of PGE2 as well as TGFbeta1 concentrations may play a protective role against bone loss in ulcerative colitis patients.     

Hedgehog signalling: how to get from Smo to Ci and Gli

The secreted morphogens of the Hedgehog family have important roles in normal development as well as in associated pathologies, including cancer. The Hedgehog signalling pathway has been studied in Drosophila and is thought to be conserved in vertebrates. Hedgehog elicits a signalling response that activates Smoothened (Smo). There is evidence of differences between Drosophila and vertebrates concerning signalling downstream of Smo, as well as in Smo itself. Here, we discuss this evidence and its importance for investigations of the pathway and related biology, as well as for the development of drugs targeting components of the pathway for treatment of associated pathologies.     

Polyphenol Oxidase Activity and Phenolic Content Pattern During Shoot Development of Grape (Vitis vinifera L.) in Different Growing Seasons

The PPO activity and content of phenolic compounds were estimated during the different growing seasons and developmental age of shoots in seven grape genotypes. Both, the total phenol content and catecholase activity were found significantly affected by the growing season, developmental age of shoot and the genotype. But, season as well as age of shoot could not influence cresolase activity. Spring as season; 30 days of sprouting as age; Gold and Anab-e-Shahi as genotypes were found better in comparison to summer as season and 15 days of sprouting as age in respect to level of phenols and PPO activity.     

Production and activation of recombinant papain-like cysteine proteases

Papain-like cysteine proteases are the most numerous family of the cysteine protease class. They are expressed throughout the animal and plant kingdoms as well as in viruses and bacteria. More recently, this protease family has drawn attention as a potential pharmaceutical drug target in diseases characterized by excessive extracellular matrix degradation such as in osteoporosis, arthritis, vascular diseases, and cancer. Moreover, papain-like cysteine proteases have been identified as critical components of the life cycle and invasive potential of various human and live stock pathogens as well as major allergens. Therefore, this protease class is rigorously studied and requires sufficient amounts of protease protein to analyze structure-activity relationships, their 3-D structures as well as to screen for and optimize potent and selective inhibitors. This review summarizes approaches to generate active papain-like cysteine proteases by heterologous expression in a variety of expression systems.     

中国狗寄生虫名录

1.本文将中国已发现之狗寄生虫,列成名录。 2.迄目前止,中国已知之狗寄生虫自然感染者有原虫12种、线虫18种、吸虫34种、絛虫17种、蛭1种,蜱25种、螨4种、舌形虫2种、昆虫18种,计131种;实验感染者有线虫2种、棘头虫1种、吸虫13种,计16种,共147种。 3.上海发现的马氏斜睾吸虫Plagiorchis(M.)massino Petrov and Tichonov,1927及Alaria sp.均为国内狗寄生虫之新纪录。     

Biotechnological uses of cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) are 0₂-evolving photosynthesizing prokaryotes that have an extensive history of use as a human food source and as a fertilizer in rice fields. They have also been recognized as an excellent source of vitamins and proteins and as such are found in health food stores in North America and elsewhere. Cyanobacteria have a great deal of potential as a source of fine chemicals, as a biofertilizer and as a source of renewable fuel. This potential is being realized as data from research in the areas of the physiology and chemistry of these organisms are gathered and as the knowledge of cyanobacterial genetics and genetic engineering increases. We review, here, the present (and possible future) uses of cyanobacteria and assess the state of the art with respect to the genetic manipulation of cyanobacteria.     

Sphingolipid players in the leukemia arena

Sphingolipids function as bioactive mediators of different cellular processes, mostly proliferation, survival, differentiation and apoptosis, besides being structural components of cellular membranes. Involvement of sphingolipid metabolism in cancerogenesis was demonstrated in solid tumors as well as in hematological malignancies. Herein, we describe the main biological and clinical aspects of leukemias and summarize data regarding sphingolipids as mediators of apoptosis triggered in response to anti-leukemic agents and synthetic analogs as inducers of cell death as well. We also report the contribution of molecules that modulate sphingolipid metabolism to development of encouraging strategies for leukemia treatment. Finally we address how deregulation of sphingolipid metabolism is associated to occurrence of therapy resistance both in vitro and in vivo. Sphingolipids can be considered promising therapeutic tools alone or in combination with other compounds, as well as valid targets in the attempt to eradicate leukemia and overcome drug resistance.     

Non-coding RNAs as new autophagy regulators in cancer progression

Recent advances highlight that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are emerging as fundamental regulators in various physiological as well as pathological processes by regulating macro-autophagy. Studies have disclosed that macro-autophagy, which is a highly conserved process involving cellular nutrients, components, and recycling of organelles, can be either selective or non-selective and ncRNAs show their regulation on selective autophagy as well as non-selective autophagy. The abnormal expression of ncRNAs will result in the impairment of autophagy and contribute to carcinogenesis and cancer progression by regulating both selective autophagy as well as non-selective autophagy. This review focuses on the regulatory roles of ncRNAs in autophagy and their involvement in cancer which may provide valuable therapeutic targets for cancer management.     

Prospects for the use of sulfated polysaccharides from brown seaweeds as vaccine adjuvants

The data from the Russian and foreign literature on the effects of brown seaweed-derived sulfated polysaccharides (fucoidans) used as potential vaccine adjuvants to enhance the anti-infection and anti-tumor immune response are discussed in the present review. Due to their low toxicity, high biocompatibility, safety, and good tolerability by macroorganisms, as well as their mechanisms of immunomodulatory activity, fucoidans can be considered as promising adjuvants to administer in the composition of prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines. Fucoidans are agonists to receptors of innate immunity and are potent inducers of the cellular and humoral immune response, which is an important factor to be taken into account in the development of vaccines against various pathogens, including viruses, as well as anti-tumor vaccines. The results of numerous studies in which sulfated polysaccharides were tested as components of experimental vaccines, as presented in this review, show that these substances can be used as safe and effective adjuvants.     

Effects of successional status, habit, sexual systems, and pollinators on flowering patterns in tropical rain forest trees

Based on data from observations of 302 tree species at La Selva, Costa Rica, we tested a range of hypotheses about the relationship between flowering parameters such as time, frequency, and duration and ecological features such as successional status, habit, sexual systems, and pollen vectors with and without considering the effect of family membership. We predicted that early successional species would flower any time of the year, but species pollinated by different vectors as well as dioecious species would flower nonrandomly across seasons. However, there was little evidence that flowering time varied with successional status, pollen vectors, and sexual systems. As we predicted, supra-annual flowering was proportionately less common in early successional species as compared to late ones, in understory species as compared to canopy species, and in dioecious species as compared to those with hermaphroditic flowers. When considering phylogeny, however, supra-annual flowering in the understory was not as rare as predicted. Our prediction of longer flowering in the early successional species as compared to late successional species was also supported. Predictions about longer flowering of dioecious species as compared to hermaphroditic species and of species pollinated by generalist vectors as compared to the specialists were not supported, though there was a trend in the expected direction.     

Abundance of RNase4 and RNase5 mRNA and protein in host defence related tissues and secretions in cattle

Members of the RNaseA family are present in various tissues and secretions but their function is not well understood. Some of the RNases are proposed to participate in host defence. RNase4 and RNase5 are present in cows' milk and have antimicrobial activity. However, their presence in many tissues and secretions has not been characterised. We hypothesised that these two RNases are present in a range of tissues and secretions where they could contribute to host defence. We therefore, determined the relative abundance of RNase4 and RNase5 mRNA as well as protein levels in a range of host defence related and other tissues as well as a range of secretions in cattle, using real time PCR and western blotting. The two RNases were found to be expressed in liver, lung, pancreas, mammary gland, placenta, endometrium, small intestine, seminal vesicle, salivary gland, kidney, spleen, lymph node, skin as well as testes. Corresponding proteins were also detected in many of the above tissues, as well as in seminal fluid, mammary secretions and saliva. This study provides evidence for the presence of RNase4 and RNase5 in a range of tissues and secretions, as well as some major organs in cattle. The data are consistent with the idea that these proteins could contribute to host defence in these locations. This work contributes to growing body of data suggesting that these proteins contribute to the physiology of the organism in a more complex way than acting merely as digestive enzymes.