Association of FTO Gene Variants With Adiposity in African‐American Adolescents

The prevalence of obesity continues to increase significantly, with the largest rise in the African‐American adolescents. Genetic contributions to obesity are being identified with the advent of genome‐wide association studies (GWAS). Specifically, variants of the fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene have been associated with obesity in populations of European descent. The studies in African Americans have been inconclusive. To further evaluate the association of the FTO gene and adiposity in African Americans, we genotyped 47 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), including seven SNPs previously reported to be significant in the literature in a cohort consisting of 561 non‐Hispanic white and 497 African‐American individuals. Analysis of our data showed 17 SNPs to be associated with BMI Z‐score (BMI‐Z) in our study population. The strongest association was found in the African Americans. The most significant SNP was rs8057044, which was associated with BMI‐Z in the African Americans (P = 0.00054). SNP rs9939609 was found to be significant in the non‐Hispanic white population (P = 0.028). Our data confirm the association between FTO and adiposity suggesting that FTO is a childhood obesity susceptibility gene. Our data also identify a novel SNP of the FTO gene (rs8057044) that is associated with measures of adiposity in the African‐American population.     

Characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-hydroxybenzaldehyde dehydrogenase,the final enzyme of <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-hydroxybenzoic acid biosynthesis in hairy roots of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Daucus carota</Emphasis>

Hairy root cultures of Daucus carota respond to methyl-jasmonate treatment with enhanced accumulation of p-hydroxybenzoic acid. The final C₁-side chain of this compound is shaped by p-hydroxybenzaldehyde dehydrogenase (HBD) that catalyzes the formation of p-hydroxybenzoic acid from p-hydroxybenzaldehyde in the presence of NAD⁺. HBD was biochemically characterized from cell-free hairy root extracts of D. carota. The preferred substrate for HBD was p-hydroxybenzaldehyde. The apparent K _m values were 54.8 and 74.4 μM for p-hydroxybenzaldehyde and NAD⁺, respectively. Divalent metal cations did not significantly affect enzyme activity.     

Structural, bioinformatic, and in vivo analyses of two Treponema pallidum lipoproteins reveal a unique TRAP transporter

Treponema pallidum, the bacterial agent of syphilis, is predicted to encode one tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic transporter (TRAP-T). TRAP-Ts typically employ a periplasmic substrate-binding protein (SBP) to deliver the cognate ligand to the transmembrane symporter. Herein, we demonstrate that the genes encoding the putative TRAP-T components from T. pallidum, tp0957 (the SBP), and tp0958 (the symporter), are in an operon with an uncharacterized third gene, tp0956. We determined the crystal structure of recombinant Tp0956; the protein is trimeric and perforated by a pore. Part of Tp0956 forms an assembly similar to those of "tetratricopeptide repeat" (TPR) motifs. The crystal structure of recombinant Tp0957 was also determined; like the SBPs of other TRAP-Ts, there are two lobes separated by a cleft. In these other SBPs, the cleft binds a negatively charged ligand. However, the cleft of Tp0957 has a strikingly hydrophobic chemical composition, indicating that its ligand may be substantially different and likely hydrophobic. Analytical ultracentrifugation of the recombinant versions of Tp0956 and Tp0957 established that these proteins associate avidly. This unprecedented interaction was confirmed for the native molecules using in vivo cross-linking experiments. Finally, bioinformatic analyses suggested that this transporter exemplifies a new subfamily of TPATs (TPR-protein-associated TRAP-Ts) that require the action of a TPR-containing accessory protein for the periplasmic transport of a potentially hydrophobic ligand(s).     

Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarkers in ovarian cancer and the potential roles of cancer stem cells – An updated review

Ovarian carcinomas relate to highest death rate in gynecologic malignancies as absence of symptoms shield the disease in the early stage. Current evidences have been devoted to discovering early effective screening mechanism prior to the onset of clinical symptoms. Therefore, biomarkers are the crucial tools that are capable of predicting progression, risk stratification and overall therapeutic benefit to fight against this deadly disease. Although recent studies have revealed serum protein markers, CA-125, HE4, mesothelin etc. have higher sensitivity and specificity at the early stages of the cancer; the critical questions arise regarding the applicability and reproducibility of genomic profiling across different patient groups. Hence, our hypothesis is that the panels of signature biomarkers will be much more effective to improve the diagnosis and prediction of patient survival outcome with high sensitivity and specificity. Ovarian cancer is heterogeneous in nature and contain a sub-population of stem cell-like characteristics that has the ability to grow as anchorage-independent manner and subsequently is able to metastasize. Highly tumorigenic and chemotherapy-resistant cancer stem cells (CSCs)-specific biomarkers therefore reflects the interesting possibilities to be targeted to minimize the high frequency of relapse and resistance to drugs. Several putative ovarian CSC markers such as CD24, CD44, CD133, SSEA have already been proposed in recent studies, yet, a large panel of updated biomarkers have high clinical relevance to define the prospective isolation of viable circulating CSCs. Therefore, this review highlights current evidence based updated ovarian cancer specific prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers and potential importance of CSCs in context of tumorigenicity and metastatic activity for fundamental biological and clinical implications.     

Transformation techniques for metabolic engineering of diatoms and haptophytes: current state and prospects

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology - Diatoms and haptophytes represent a key segment of the dominant phytoplankton communities that frequently form massive blooms in the photic zone of the...     

Dynamics of Repeat Polymorphisms under a Forward-Backward Mutation Model: within- and between-Population Variability at Microsatellite Loci

Suggested molecular mechanisms for the generation of new tandem repeats of simple sequences indicate that the microsatellite loci evolve via some form of forward-backward mutation. We provide a mathematical basis for suggesting a measure of genetic distance between populations based on microsatellite variation. Our results indicate that such a genetic distance measure can remain proportional to the divergence time of populations even when the forward-backward mutations produce variable and/or directionally biased alleles size changes. If the population size and the rate of mutation remain constant, then the measure will be proportional to the time of divergence of populations. This genetic distance is expressed in terms of a ratio of components of variance of allele sizes, based on expressions developed for studying population dynamics of quantitative traits. Application of this measure to data on 18 microsatellite loci in nine human populations leads to evolutionary trees consistent with the known ethnohistory of the populations.     

Association of CTG repeats and the 1-kbAlu insertion/deletion polymorphism at the myotonin protein kinase gene in the Japanese population suggests a common Eurasian origin of the myotonic dystrophy mutation

We have studied linkage disequilibrium between CTG repeats and anAlu insertion/deletion polymorphism at the myotonin protein kinase gene (DMPK) in 102 Japanese families, of which 93 were affected with myotonic dystrophy (DM). All of the affected chromosomes are in complete linkage disequilibrium with theAlu insertion allele. Among the normal chromosomes, alleles of CTG repeats 5 and 17 are exclusively associated with the insertion allele. On the other hand, intermediate alleles of 11-6 repeats show a significantly greater association with the deletion allele. A strikingly similar pattern of linkage disequilibrium observed in European populations suggests a common origin of the DM mutation in the Japanese and European populations.     

Restricted diet breadth of the larvae of Antheraea assamensis and the role of the labrum‐epipharynx and galeal sensilla

The silkworm, Antheraea assamensis Helfer (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), grows primarily on Persea bombycina and Litsea polyantha. To understand if the restricted diet breadth is due to the specific role of gustatory sensilla of the larvae of A. assamensis, the same fifth instar larvae retaining only labrum‐epipharynx or galeal sensilla were subjected to food choice tests. The foods used were leaves of two host‐plant and two non‐host‐plant species. Mean per cent consumption and per cent of choosing larvae were used as parameters for drawing conclusions. The finding indicated involvement of the labrum‐epipharynx for acceptance and galeal sensilla for rejection of a non‐host‐plant species. Scanning electron microscope studies revealed the presence of two sensilla on the galea, one lateral and one medial sensilla styloconicum and two gustatory sensilla in the epipharynx of A. assamensis. The study revealed the key role of galeal sensilla in the restrictive diet‐breadth of A. assamensis.     

Some biological features of Proteus bacilli. 2. Haemolytic activities of Proteus mirabilis and Proteus vulgaris strains

The haemolytic activities of Proteus mirabilis and P. vulgaris strains were studied under different conditions. No filterable alpha haemolysin could be detected in P. mirabilis uropathogens provided from patients with urinary tract infections. Together with the results presented in the accompanying paper, in which three clinical isolates with temporary ability to produce a soluble haemolysin were described, the occurrence of alpha haemolytic P. mirabilis isolates did not exceed 3%. Cell bound beta haemolysin is present in nearly 35% of P. mirabilis urinary strains. Another kind of haemolytic activity was observed when P. mirabilis and P. vulgaris strains were grown in liquid media supplemented with erythrocytes. During the logarithmic growth phase nearly 100% of P. mirabilis and P. vulgaris strains of various origin haemolyzed 100-50% of erythrocytes. Except for Serratia, the other representatives of Enterobacteriaceae did not demonstrate such activity in the same conditions. The preliminary characteristics of this phenomenon is given.     

Genetic variation of five blood group polymorphisms in ten populations of Assam,India

Six Mongoloid and four Caucasoid populations of Assam, India, were examined for A₁A₂BO, Rhesus, Duffy and Diego blood groups. The distribution of their phenotypes and allele frequencies are presented. In the perspective of the ethnographic background, the results have been discussed in terms of genetic variability among these populations and probable reasons for its existence. The major groups, namely Caucasoids and Mongoloids, appear to form two separate groups in terms of these blood groups, though evidence is there to suggest intermixture.