Genetic diversity in India and the inference of Eurasian population expansion

Background  

Genetic studies of populations from the Indian subcontinent are of great interest because of India's large population size, complex demographic history, and unique social structure. Despite recent large-scale efforts in discovering human genetic variation, India's vast reservoir of genetic diversity remains largely unexplored.     

Phylogenetic Relationships of a Distinct Species of Globodera from Portugal and Two Punctodera Species

Evolutionary relationships based on ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequence data for a previously unknown species of Globodera from Portugal, Punctodera chalcoensis from Mexico, and P. punctata from Estonia, plus previously published sequences, support the following relationships: (((Cactodera weissi, G. artemisiae, C. milleri), ((G. sp. Bouro, G. sp. Canha, G. sp. Ladoeiro), ((G. pallida, G. rostochiensis), (P. chalcoensis, P. punctata)))), Heterodera avenae). Globodera sp. from Portugal, which can be confused with potato cyst nematodes by phytosanitary services when the identification is based only on morphological characters, is clearly different based on our molecular data. In addition, the rDNA data show the Globodera sp. to be only distantly related to other European Globodera species that parasitize Asteraceae. Punctodera chalcoensis and P. punctata form a sister clade to the G. pallida + G. rostochiensis clade.     

The mitochondrial genome of safflower: Isolation and restriction fragment analysis of DNA from CMS and restorer lines

Summary Mitochondria were isolated and purified from paired lines of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) restorer and cytoplasmic male sterile plants using isopycnic gradient centrifugation in isoosmotic Percoll. Agarose gel electrophoresis of restriction endonuclease digested DNAs showed characteristic polymorphism. Restriction fragments representing about 75% of the mitochondrial genome were common to both the fertile and CMS plants, but differed significantly in stoichiometric amounts. The remaining 25% could be accounted for by unique restriction fragments observed in only one or the other plant types.     

Synthesis and biological activity of LH-RH antagonists modified in position 1

As part of our studies on the design of more potent antagonists of the LH-RH (luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone) decapeptide, twelve new highly soluble D-Arg⁶-analogs have been synthesized. These peptides contain modifications in position 1 and are typified by the general formula (N-acetyl-X¹, D-p-Cl-Phe², D-Trp³, D-Arg⁶, D-Ala¹⁰) LH-RH. We have found that a lypophilic, aromatic substituent is required in position 1 in order to elicit antiovulatory activity at a dose as low as 3 μg. The larger the hydrophobic amino acid (X: p-Br-Phe, β-Nal-2) in position 1, the higher is the antiovulatory activity that can be attained. Analogs with non-aromatic or hydrophilic amino acids (X: Gly, Leu, Arg, His, Glu) in position 1 generally have much lower activities in this series of LH-RH antagonists.     

Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells: A review of recent proteomic applications

Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) represent a sentinel blood sample which reacts to different pathophysiological stimuli in the form of immunological responses/immunophenotypic changes. The study of molecular content of PBMCs can provide better understanding of immune processes giving the possibility of monitoring the health conditions of the host organism. Proteomic analysis of PBMCs can achieve mentioned goal as important immune-related biomarkers are easily accessible for analysis. PBMCs have been gaining attention in different research areas including preclinical or clinical investigations. In this review, recent applications of proteomic analysis of PBMCs are described and discussed. Approaches are divided based on different proteomic workflows such as in-gel, in-solution and on-filter modes. The effect of various diseases such as autoimmune, cancer, neurodegenerative, viral, metabolic, and various immune stimulations such as radiation, vaccine, corticosteroids over PBMCs proteome, are described with emphasis on promising protein biomarker candidates.     

Antimicrobial Peptide Engineering: Rational Design,Synthesis, and Synergistic Effect

Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry - The swift killing kinetics is an attractive characteristics of wide-spectrum antimicrobial activity of peptides, which made them generate great attention...     

Lbx1 expression and frog limb development

In order to identify prospective limb muscle cells in a frog, we cloned Lbx1 from the direct developing frog Eleutherodactylus coqui. Like in embryos of the frog Xenopus laevis but unlike in other vertebrates, EcLbx1 is expressed in all trunk somites. Like in embryos of chick, mouse, and zebrafish, cells expressing EcLbx1 are then found in limb buds, consistent with migration of those cells from somites. EcLbx1 is also expressed in the dorsal spinal cord as in other vertebrates.