A 286 bp upstream regulatory region of a rice anther-specific gene, OSIPP3, confers pollen-specific expression in Arabidopsis

OSIPP3 gene (coding for pectin methylesterase inhibitor protein) was isolated from a pre-pollinated inflorescence-specific cDNA library by differential screening of stage-specific libraries from Oryza sativa. OSIPP3 is present in the genome of rice as a single copy gene. OSIPP3 gene was expressed exclusively in the pre-pollinated spikelets of rice. Upstream regulatory region (URR) of OSIPP3 was isolated and a series of 5′-deletions were cloned upstream of GUS reporter gene and were used to transform Arabidopsis. OSIPP3_del1 and del2 transgenic plants showed GUS expression in root, anther and silique, while OSIPP3_del3 showed GUS activity only in anthers and siliques. Pollen-specific expression was observed in case of plants harboring OSIPP3_del4 construct. It can, therefore, be concluded that the OSIPP3 URR between ?178 and +108 bp is necessary for conferring pollen-specific expression in Arabidopsis.     

Structural Basis for Complement Evasion by Lyme Disease Pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi

Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes that cause Lyme borreliosis survive for a long time in human serum because they successfully evade the complement system, an important arm of innate immunity. The outer surface protein E (OspE) of B. burgdorferi is needed for this because it recruits complement regulator factor H (FH) onto the bacterial surface to evade complement-mediated cell lysis. To understand this process at the molecular level, we used a structural approach. First, we solved the solution structure of OspE by NMR, revealing a fold that has not been seen before in proteins involved in complement regulation. Next, we solved the x-ray structure of the complex between OspE and the FH C-terminal domains 19 and 20 (FH19-20) at 2.83 Å resolution. The structure shows that OspE binds FH19-20 in a way similar to, but not identical with, that used by endothelial cells to bind FH via glycosaminoglycans. The observed interaction of OspE with FH19-20 allows the full function of FH in down-regulation of complement activation on the bacteria. This reveals the molecular basis for how B. burgdorferi evades innate immunity and suggests how OspE could be used as a potential vaccine antigen.     

Spatial memory deficits in maternal iron deficiency paradigms are associated with altered glucocorticoid levels

"The goal of this study was to examine the effect of maternal iron deficiency on the developing hippocampus in order to define a developmental window for this effect, and to see whether iron deficiency causes changes in glucocorticoid levels. The study was carried out using pre-natal, post-natal, and pre + post-natal iron deficiency paradigm. Iron deficient pregnant dams and their pups displayed elevated corticosterone which, in turn, differentially affected glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression in the CA1 and the dentate gyrus. Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) was reduced in the hippocampi of pups following elevated corticosterone levels. Reduced neurogenesis at P7 was seen in pups born to iron deficient mothers, and these pups had reduced numbers of hippocampal pyramidal and granule cells as adults. Hippocampal subdivision volumes also were altered. The structural and molecular defects in the pups were correlated with radial arm maze performance; reference memory function was especially affected. Pups from dams that were iron deficient throughout pregnancy and lactation displayed the complete spectrum of defects, while pups from dams that were iron deficient only during pregnancy or during lactation displayed subsets of defects. These findings show that maternal iron deficiency is associated with altered levels of corticosterone and GR expression, and with spatial memory deficits in their pups."     

Design,synthesis and biological studies of Survivin Dimerization Modulators that prolong mitotic cycle

Survivin, a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family proteins, has essential roles in cell division and inhibition of apoptosis. Several clinical studies in cancer patients have shown that the elevated levels of survivin correlate with aggressiveness of the disease and resistance to radiation and chemotherapeutic treatments. Survivin is an integral component of chromosomal passenger complex (CPC) where it binds to borealin and INCENP through its dimerization interface. Thus, disruption of functional survivin along its dimer interface with a small molecule is hypothesized to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells and sensitize them to therapeutic agents and radiation. Recently, a small molecule (Abbott8) was reported to bind at the dimerization interface of survivin. Further development of this compound was accomplished by computational modeling of the molecular interactions along the dimerization interface, which has led to the design of promising survivin dimerization modulators. Two of the most potent survivin modulators, LLP3 and LLP9 at concentrations between 50 and 100 nM, caused delay in mitotic progression and major mitotic defects in proliferating human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and prostate cancer cells (PC3).     

The N-Terminal GYPSY Motif Is Required for Pilin-Specific Sortase SrtC1 Functionality in Lactobacillus rhamnosus Strain GG

Predominantly identified in pathogenic Gram-positive bacteria, sortase-dependent pili are also found in commensal species, such as the probiotic-marketed strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain GG. Pili are typically associated with host colonization, immune signalling and biofilm formation. Comparative analysis of the N-terminal domains of pilin-specific sortases from various piliated Gram-positive bacteria identified a conserved motif, called GYPSY, within the signal sequence. We investigated the function and role of the GYPSY residues by directed mutagenesis in homologous (rod-shaped) and heterologous (coccoid-shaped) expression systems for pilus formation. Substitutions of some of the GYPSY residues, and more specifically the proline residue, were found to have a direct impact on the degree of piliation of Lb. rhamnosus GG. The present findings uncover a new signalling element involved in the functionality of pilin-specific sortases controlling the pilus biogenesis of Lb. rhamnosus GG and related piliated Gram-positive species.     

Length–weight relationships of Dermogenys pusilla Kuhl & van Hasselt, 1823 (Zenarchopteridae) and Labeo bata (Hamilton, 1822) (Cyprinidae) from the Ganges River (NW Bangladesh)

Length‐weight relationships (LWRs) were determined for Dermogenys pusilla (n = 75) and Labeo bata (n = 304) from the Ganges River, northwestern Bangladesh, collected between July 2013 and June 2014, using traditional fishing gear (e.g. cast net, square lift net and gill net). Total length (TL) was measured to 0.1 cm and whole body weight (BW) was taken to the nearest 0.1 g for each individual. The TL varied from 6.60 to 16.10 cm for D. pusilla and 7.90–25.20 cm for L. bata. The BW ranged from 1.20 to 10.90 g for D. pusilla and 4.70–167.30 g for L. bata. All LWRs were highly significant (P < 0.001), with all r² values ≥0.976. Moreover, the present study provides a new record of the maximum length (16.10 cm TL) for the D. pusilla female. The present study can assist in the management of these two endangered species in the Ganges River ecosystem.     

Synthesis of highly fluorescent nitrogen and phosphorus doped carbon dots for the detection of Fe3+ ions in cancer cells

Highly fluorescent nitrogen and phosphorus‐doped carbon dots with a quantum yield 59% have been successfully synthesized from citric acid and di‐ammonium hydrogen phosphate by single step hydrothermal method. The synthesized carbon dots have high solubility as well as stability in aqueous medium. The as‐obtained carbon dots are well monodispersed with particle sizes 1.5–4 nm. Owing to a good tunable fluorescence property and biocompatibility, the carbon dots were applied for intercellular sensing of Fe³⁺ ions as well as cancer cell imaging. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

BRCA1 Haploinsufficiency Is Masked by RNF168-Mediated Chromatin Ubiquitylation

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Role of putrescine in ovary and embryo development in fruit bat Cynopterus sphinx during embryonic diapause

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of putrescine on ovarian activity and the rate of embryonic development in Cynopterus sphinx during delayed development. The result showed the presence of a rate‐limiting enzyme, ornithine decarboxylase‐1, in both ovary and utero‐embryonic unit of C. sphinx suggests a synthesis of putrescine in these sites. The corpus luteum showed increased, whereas utero‐embryonic unit showed decreased production of putrescine during delayed development as compared with the normal development. The bat treated in vivo with putrescine during delayed development showed increase in progesterone and estradiol synthesis, correlated with increased expression of luteinizing hormone receptor, steroidogenic acute receptor protein, and 3β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase through extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK1/2)‐mediated pathway in the ovary; but showed increase in the weight and expression of progesterone receptor (PR), B‐cell lymphoma 2, proliferating cell nucleus antigen, and vascular endothelial growth factor proteins in utero‐embryonic unit. The in vitro treatment of putrescine showed stimulatory whereas treatment with an inhibitor of putrescine, 2‐difluoromethylornithine caused an inhibitory effect on ovarian progesterone synthesis and cell proliferation, and cell survival in the utero‐embryonic unit. In conclusion, the putrescine showed two separate roles during embryonic diapause, high concentration of putrescine in the ovary may support corpus luteum and basal synthesis of progesterone, whereas a low level of putrescine causes retarded embryonic development by inhibiting cell proliferation in the utero‐embryonic unit. The bat treated with putrescine either directly promotes cell proliferation, cell survival, and angiogenic activities or acts indirectly increasing PR on utero‐embryonic unit thereby activating development in delayed embryo in C. sphinx.     

1064 nm acoustic resolution photoacoustic microscopy

Photoacoustic imaging is a noninvasive imaging technique having the advantages of high‐optical contrast and good acoustic resolution at improved imaging depths. Light transport in biological tissues is mainly characterized by strong optical scattering and absorption. Photoacoustic microscopy is capable of achieving high‐resolution images at greater depth compared to conventional optical microscopy methods. In this work, we have developed a high‐resolution, acoustic resolution photoacoustic microscopy (AR‐PAM) system in the near infra‐red (NIR) window II (NIR‐II, eg, 1064 nm) for deep tissue imaging. Higher imaging depth is achieved as the tissue scattering at 1064 nm is lesser compared to visible or near infrared window‐I (NIR‐I). Our developed system can provide a lateral resolution of 130 μm, axial resolution of 57 μm, and image up to 11 mm deep in biological tissues. This 1064‐AR‐PAM system was used for imaging sentinel lymph node and the lymph vessel in rat. Urinary bladder of rat filled with black ink was also imaged to validate the feasibility of the developed system to study deeply seated organs.