New celleporid (Bryozoa,Cheilostomata) species from Tertiary deposits of western Kachchh,Gujarat, India

Five new bryozoan species (Buffonellaria cornuta, Lagenipora chedopadiensis, Turbicellepora canui, T. naniberensis andT. rostrata) belonging to the family CelleporidaeHINCKS, 1884 are described and illustrated from the Tertiary sequences of western Kachchh, Gujarat, India. The zoaria of these species comprise about 17 percent of total cheilostome bryozoan colonies from Kachchh in the present collection, and those ofTurbicellepora rostrata n. sp. account for over 64 percent of the celleporid specimens. These records of celleporids enrich our knowledge of the fossil occurrence of this group during the Early Miocene in the Indo-Pacific province.     

The role of abscisic acid in the ripening of grapes

Ripening in grapes ( Vitis vinifera L. cv. Thompson seedless) was accompanied by an increase in the levels of sucrose, glucose and fructose and a decrease in the levels of acids. The activity of glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-l–6-bisphospbatase was lower in sweet grapes as compared to sour ones. Abscisic acid (10⁻⁶ M) stimulated the gluconeogenic process in sour grapes. The levels of some gluconeogenic enzymes were also elevated in its presence. Cyclohexitnide (0.036–1.8 mM) nullified the abscisic acid effect, suggesting that this effect involves de novo protein synthesis. The incorporation of [¹⁴C]-leucine into proteins was enhanced about 80% by abscisic acid, confirming that abscisic acid promoted protein synthesis. Again, cycloheximide blocked the hormone mediated increase in the incorporation of radioactivity into proteins. The results indicate that one of the factors for sourness in certain mature ripe grapes may be that abscisic acid is not available.     

Network Analysis of Breast Cancer Progression and Reversal Using a Tree-Evolving Network Algorithm

The HMT3522 progression series of human breast cells have been used to discover how tissue architecture, microenvironment and signaling molecules affect breast cell growth and behaviors. However, much remains to be elucidated about malignant and phenotypic reversion behaviors of the HMT3522-T4-2 cells of this series. We employed a “pan-cell-state” strategy, and analyzed jointly microarray profiles obtained from different state-specific cell populations from this progression and reversion model of the breast cells using a tree-lineage multi-network inference algorithm, Treegl. We found that different breast cell states contain distinct gene networks. The network specific to non-malignant HMT3522-S1 cells is dominated by genes involved in normal processes, whereas the T4-2-specific network is enriched with cancer-related genes. The networks specific to various conditions of the reverted T4-2 cells are enriched with pathways suggestive of compensatory effects, consistent with clinical data showing patient resistance to anticancer drugs. We validated the findings using an external dataset, and showed that aberrant expression values of certain hubs in the identified networks are associated with poor clinical outcomes. Thus, analysis of various reversion conditions (including non-reverted) of HMT3522 cells using Treegl can be a good model system to study drug effects on breast cancer.     

Dietary Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplementation Modulates Hippocampal Development in the Pemt?/? Mouse

The development of fetal brain is influenced by nutrients such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6) and choline. Phosphatidylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PEMT) catalyzes the biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine from phosphatidylethanolamine enriched in DHA and many humans have functional genetic polymorphisms in the PEMT gene. Previously, it was reported that Pemt^−/− mice have altered hippocampal development. The present study explores whether abnormal phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis causes altered incorporation of DHA into membranes, thereby influencing brain development, and determines whether supplemental dietary DHA can reverse some of these changes. Pregnant C57BL/6 wild type (WT) and Pemt^−/− mice were fed a control diet, or a diet supplemented with 3 g/kg of DHA, from gestational day 11 to 17. Brains from embryonic day 17 fetuses derived from Pemt^−/− dams fed the control diet had 25–50% less phospholipid-DHA as compared with WT (p < 0.05). Also, they had 60% more neural progenitor cell proliferation (p < 0.05), 60% more neuronal apoptosis (p < 0.01), and 30% less calretinin expression (p < 0.05; a marker of neuronal differentiation) in the hippocampus compared with WT. The DHA-supplemented diet increased fetal brain Pemt^−/− phospholipid-DHA to WT levels, and abrogated the neural progenitor cell proliferation and apoptosis differences. Although this diet did not change proliferation in the WT group, it halved the rate of apoptosis (p < 0.05). In both genotypes, the DHA-supplemented diet increased calretinin expression 2-fold (p < 0.05). These results suggest that the changes in hippocampal development in the Pemt^−/− mouse could be mediated by altered DHA incorporation into membrane phospholipids, and that maternal dietary DHA can influence fetal brain development.     

Mass spectrometry of some permethylated apiosyl nucleosides

The mass spectra of the permethyl derivatives of a group of synthetic D-apio-L-furanosyl nucleosides were collected and compared with those of their ribosyl analogs. While most of the m/e values are the same between analogous spectra, some of the relative intensities differ markedly. Each spectrum contains characteristics ions which are probably due to fragmentation of the dissimilar sugar moieties.     

Molecular cytogenetics of alpha satellite DNA from chromosome 12: fluorescence in situ hybridization and description of DNA and array length polymorphisms.

A 340-bp EcoRI fragment of alpha satellite DNA from human chromosome 12 has been isolated and used in molecular cytogenetic and genetic studies. The clone, pSP12-1, detects tandemly repeated 1.4-kb repeat units at the centromeric region of chromosome 12. By fluorescence in situ hybridization, biotinylated pSP12-1 is highly specific for chromosome 12 and has been used to confirm an i(12p) in a case of Pallister-Killian syndrome, both in metaphase spreads and in interphase nuclei. A dominant DNA polymorphism for the centromeric D12Z3 locus is detected with the enzyme TaqI. In addition, a high frequency of D12Z3 array length polymorphisms can be detected using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The D12Z3 array has been measured by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to span approximately 2,250-4,300 kb at the centromeric region of chromosome 12.     

Nested genetic bit analysis (N-GBA) for mutation detection in the p53 tumor suppressor gene.

There is a growing and significant demand for reliable, simple and sensitive methods for repeated scanning of a given gene or gene fragment for detection and characterization of mutations. Solid-phase sequencing by single base primer extension of nested GBATM primers on miniaturized DNA arrays can be used to effectively scan targeted sequences for missense, insertion and deletion mutations. This paper describes the use of N-GBA arrays designed to scan the sequence of a 33 base region of exon 8 of the p53 gene (codons 272-282) encompassing a hot spot for mutations associated with the development of cancer. Synthetic DNA templates containing various missense, insertion and deletion mutations, as well as DNA prepared from pancreatic and biliary tumor cells, were genotyped using the exon 8 arrays.     

Systems-level metabolic flux profiling identifies fatty acid synthesis as a target for antiviral therapy

Viruses rely on the metabolic network of their cellular hosts to provide energy and building blocks for viral replication. We developed a flux measurement approach based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to quantify changes in metabolic activity induced by human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). This approach reliably elucidated fluxes in cultured mammalian cells by monitoring metabolome labeling kinetics after feeding cells (13)C-labeled forms of glucose and glutamine. Infection with HCMV markedly upregulated flux through much of the central carbon metabolism, including glycolysis. Particularly notable increases occurred in flux through the tricarboxylic acid cycle and its efflux to the fatty acid biosynthesis pathway. Pharmacological inhibition of fatty acid biosynthesis suppressed the replication of both HCMV and influenza A, another enveloped virus. These results show that fatty acid synthesis is essential for the replication of two divergent enveloped viruses and that systems-level metabolic flux profiling can identify metabolic targets for antiviral therapy.