Membrane palmitoylated proteins regulate trafficking and processing of nectins

Nectins are cell-cell adhesion molecules involved in the formation of various intercellular junctions and the establishment of apical-basal polarity at cell-cell adhesion sites. To have a better understanding of the roles of nectins in the formation of cell-cell junctions, we searched for new cytoplasmic binding partners for nectin. We report that nectin-1α associates with membrane palmitoylated protein 3 (MPP3), one of the human homologues of a Drosophila tumor suppressor gene, Disc large. Two major forms of MPP3 at 66 and 98 kDa were detected, in conjunction with nectin-1α, suggesting that an association between the two may occur in various cell types. Nectin-1α recruits MPP3 to cell-cell contact sites, mediated by a PDZ-binding motif at the carboxyl terminus of nectin-1α. Association with MPP3 increases cell surface expression of nectin-1α and enhances nectin-1α ectodomain shedding, indicating that MPP3 regulates trafficking and processing of nectin-1α. Further study showed that MPP3 interacts with nectin-3α, but not with nectin-2α, showing that the association of nectins with MPP3 is isoform-specific. MPP5, another MPP family member, interacts with nectins with varying affinity and facilitates surface expression of nectin-1α, nectin-2α, and nectin-3α. These data suggest that wide interactions between nectins and MPP family members may occur in various cell-cell junctions and that these associations may regulate trafficking and processing of nectins.     

Squeezed flow preconcentration for probe tip biosensors

The preconcentration of analytes improves sensing using probe tips. In this work, we report a method based on creating a squeeze flow between a cylinder and circular coverslip to preconcentrate material at the liquid–gas interface while allowing a probe tip to be readily inserted there. In verification tests using enhanced green fluorescent protein, this capacity is proven. We estimated a 9.7 times increase in probability for fluorophores to be picked up at the tip using inference from fluorescence intensity distributions found. The method is expeditious, simple, and inexpensive, and it does not require any electrical energy source to operate.     

Structural studies of the L-threonine-O-3-phosphate decarboxylase (CobD) enzyme from Salmonella enterica: the apo,substrate, and product-aldimine complexes

The evolution of biosynthetic pathways is difficult to reconstruct in hindsight; however, the structures of the enzymes that are involved may provide insight into their development. One enzyme in the cobalamin biosynthetic pathway that appears to have evolved from a protein with different function is L-threonine-O-3-phosphate decarboxylase (CobD) from Salmonella enterica, which is structurally similar to histidinol phosphate aminotransferase [Cheong, C. G., Bauer, C. B., Brushaber, K. R., Escalante-Semerena, J. C., and Rayment, I. (2002) Biochemistry 41, 4798-4808]. This enzyme is responsible for synthesizing (R)-1-amino-2-propanol phosphate which is the precursor for the linkage between the nucleotide loop and the corrin ring in cobalamin. To understand the relationship between this decarboxylase and the aspartate aminotransferase family to which it belongs, the structures of CobD in its apo state, the apo state complexed with the substrate, and its product external aldimine complex have been determined at 1.46, 1.8, and 1.8 A resolution, respectively. These structures show that the enzyme steers the breakdown of the external aldimine toward decarboxylation instead of amino transfer by positioning the carboxylate moiety of the substrate out of the plane of the pyridoxal ring and by placing the alpha-hydrogen out of reach of the catalytic base provided by the lysine that forms the internal aldimine. It would appear that CobD evolved from a primordial PLP-dependent aminotransferase, where the selection was based on similarities between the stereochemical properties of the substrates rather than preservation of the fate of the external aldimine. These structures provide a sequence signature for distinguishing between L-threonine-O-3-phosphate decarboxylase and histidinol phosphate aminotransferases, many of which appear to have been misannotated.     

Heat generation in laser irradiated tissue

Many medical applications involving lasers rely upon the generation of heat within the tissue for the desired therapeutic effect. Determination of the absorbed light energy in tissue is difficult in many cases. Although UV wavelengths of the excimer laser and 10.6 microns wavelength of the CO2 laser are absorbed within the first 20 microns of soft tissue, visible and near infrared wavelengths are scattered as well as absorbed. Typically, multiple scattering is a significant factor in the distribution of light in tissue and the resulting heat source term. An improved model is presented for estimating heat generation due to the absorption of a collimated (axisymmetric) laser beam and scattered light at each point r and z in tissue. Heat generated within tissue is a function of the laser power, the shape and size of the incident beam and the optical properties of the tissue at the irradiation wavelength. Key to the calculation of heat source strength is accurate estimation of the light distribution. Methods for experimentally determining the optical parameters of tissue are discussed in the context of the improved model.     

Prevalence of simian malaria parasites in macaques of Singapore

Plasmodium knowlesi is a simian malaria parasite currently recognized as the fifth causative agent of human malaria. Recently, naturally acquired P. cynomolgi infection in humans was also detected in Southeast Asia. The main reservoir of both parasites is the long-tailed and pig-tailed macaques, which are indigenous in this region. Due to increased urbanization and changes in land use, there has been greater proximity and interaction between the long-tailed macaques and the general population in Singapore. As such, this study aims to determine the prevalence of simian malaria parasites in local macaques to assess the risk of zoonosis to the general human population. Screening for the presence of malaria parasites was conducted on blood samples from 660 peridomestic macaques collected between Jan 2008 and Mar 2017, and 379 wild macaques collected between Mar 2009 and Mar 2017, using a Pan-Plasmodium-genus specific PCR. Positive samples were then screened using a simian Plasmodium species-specific nested PCR assay to identify the species of parasites (P. knowlesi, P. coatneyi, P. fieldi, P. cynomolgi, and P. inui) present. All the peridomestic macaques sampled were tested negative for malaria, while 80.5% of the 379 wild macaques were infected. All five simian Plasmodium species were detected; P. cynomolgi being the most prevalent (71.5%), followed by P. knowlesi (47.5%), P. inui (42.0%), P. fieldi (32.5%), and P. coatneyi (28.5%). Co-infection with multiple species of Plasmodium parasites was also observed. The study revealed that Singapore’s wild long-tailed macaques are natural hosts of the five simian malaria parasite species, while no malaria was detected in all peridomestic macaques tested. Therefore, the risk of simian malaria transmission to the general human population is concluded to be low. However, this can be better demonstrated with the incrimination of the vectors of simian malaria parasites in Singapore.