An interdependent network of functional enhancers regulates transcription and EZH2 loading at the INK4a/ARF locus

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Seven cases of branchial cyst and sinuses in four generations.

7 cases of isolated branchial anomalies distributed in four consecutive generations of a Central Indian family are described: 6 were males and 1 was female. 3 members had a left-sided branchial sinus, 1 had a right-sided sinus, 2 had bilateral sinuses, and 1 had a right-sided cyst. The family shows that branchial (lateral cervical) cysts and sinuses are inherited as autosomal dominant characters, and that the two anomalies are indistinguishable genetically.     

Specificity of constitutive and induced resistance: pigment glands influence mites and caterpillars on cotton plants

Cotton plants contain suites of phytochemicals thought to be important in defense against herbivores, some of which are localized in pigment glands which contain gossypol and other terpenoid aldehydes. The simple genetic basis for the expression of these glands has led to the development of near-isogenic glanded and glandless genotypes. Glands may also be phenotypically induced by herbivory. We determined the consequences of constitutive and induced gland expression on two types of herbivores, spider mites (cell content feeders) and noctuid caterpillars (leaf chewers).Induction of glands was strongly dependent on the density of attackers. Spider mite herbivory on cotyledons (1) increased the density (but not total number) of glands on cotyledons linearly, (2) increased the density and total number of glands on the first true leaf linearly, and (3) affected the density and total number of glands on the second true leaf non-linearly, compared to controls. Neither constitutive nor induced expression of glands affected mite population growth. An equal reduction of mite population size on induced glanded and glandless plants (50%) relative to uninduced controls indicated that factors other than glands were associated with induced resistance to mites. Constitutive gland expression had a strong negative impact on caterpillar performance, reducing growth by 45%. Induced resistance to caterpillars was three times stronger in glanded genotypes than in glandless genotypes, indicating that factors associated with induced resistance to caterpillars are strongly associated with glands. Three cotton varieties were highly variable in their constitutive and induced resistance to mites and caterpillars.Thus, defense of cotton plants against herbivores can be roughly categorized as constitutive and inducible factors associated with terpenoid aldehyde containing pigment glands that are effective against caterpillars, and factors not associated with glands that are effective against mites.     

Cardiolipin-mediated PPARγ S112 phosphorylation impairs IL-10 production and inflammation resolution during bacterial pneumonia

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The directional absorption properties of rhodopsin and its photoproducts

The experimental data on the absorption of a plane polarised light by a solution of cattle rhodopsin at −196‡ C have been theoretically analysed to model the directional absorption properties of rhodopsin and its photoproducts. It is seen that these molecules behave like planar absorbers having a ratio of about 100∶7 between the extinction coefficients along the long axis and perpendicular to it. Using this result and the experimental observations on absorption and dichroism in the retina in situ, a model for the configuration of chromophores in the disc membranes has been derived. In this model the plane of the chromophore is perpendicular to that of the disc and the long axis of the chromophore makes an angle of 6.6‡ with the plane of the disc. The solution of the problem depends on the assumption that the absorption axes are the same for the rhodopsin, prelumirhodopsin and isorhodopsin. Work partially supported by Department of Science and Technology (India)