Crypt architecture of tonsilla lingualis in the monkey,Macaca fascicularis

Summary Crypts of the lingual tonsil were investigated in 10 male and female Macaca fascicularis by use of correlated light and scanning-electron microscopy. Counting of crypt openings provided an estimate of the total number of respective crypto-lymphatic units, which were found to range from 20 to 39. Crypt openings appeared in three distinct morphological varieties, i.e. circular, oval or slit-like. Tonsillar units existed individually or were arranged in a rosary fashion below a slit-like mucosal fold serving as a common exit. Although the crypt epithelium was generally non-keratinized, individual cells showing a surface pattern similar to that of the keratinized cells could be encountered. The crypt epithelium was frequently fragmented and showed heavy mononuclear cell infiltration and surface discontinuities, with lymphoid cells coming in contact with luminal contents. The crypt lumen either appeared as a simple epithelial invagination or existed as a complex, cavernous pouch with many blind-ending diverticula. The lumen contained a mixture of exfoliated epithelial cells, leucocytes and bacteria. The secretory ducts of the posterior lingual glands opened occasionally at various levels into the crypt lumina or independently to the exterior.     

The Mycobacterial MsDps2 Protein Is a Nucleoid-Forming DNA Binding Protein Regulated by Sigma Factors σA and σB

The Dps (DNA-binding protein from starved cells) proteins from Mycobacterium smegmatis MsDps1 and MsDps2 are both DNA-binding proteins with some differences. While MsDps1 has two oligomeric states, with one of them responsible for DNA binding, MsDps2 has only one DNA-binding oligomeric state. Both the proteins however, show iron-binding activity. The MsDps1 protein has been shown previously to be induced under conditions of starvation and osmotic stress and is regulated by the extra cellular sigma factors σ^H and σ^F. We show here, that the second Dps homologue in M. smegmatis, namely MsDps2, is purified in a DNA-bound form and exhibits nucleoid-like structures under the atomic force microscope. It appears that the N-terminal sequence of Dps2 plays a role in nucleoid formation. MsDps2, unlike MsDps1, does not show elevated expression in nutritionally starved or stationary phase conditions; rather its promoter is recognized by RNA polymerase containing σ^A or σ^B, under in vitro conditions. We propose that due to the nucleoid-condensing ability, the expression of MsDps2 is tightly regulated inside the cells.     

The Erf4 Subunit of the Yeast Ras Palmitoyl Acyltransferase Is Required for Stability of the Acyl-Erf2 Intermediate and Palmitoyl Transfer to a Ras2 Substrate

Protein S-palmitoylation is a posttranslational modification in which a palmitoyl group is added to a protein via a thioester linkage on cysteine. Palmitoylation is a reversible modification involved in protein membrane targeting, receptor trafficking and signaling, vesicular biogenesis and trafficking, protein aggregation, and protein degradation. An example of the dynamic nature of this modification is the palmitoylation-depalmitoylation cycle that regulates the subcellular trafficking of Ras family GTPases. The Ras protein acyltransferase (PAT) consists of a complex of Erf2-Erf4 and DHHC9-GCP16 in yeast and mammalian cells, respectively. Both subunits are required for PAT activity, but the function of the Erf4 and Gcp16 subunits has not been established. This study elucidates the function of Erf4 and shows that one role of Erf4 is to regulate Erf2 stability through an ubiquitin-mediated pathway. In addition, Erf4 is required for the stable formation of the palmitoyl-Erf2 intermediate, the first step of palmitoyl transfer to protein substrates. In the absence of Erf4, the rate of hydrolysis of the active site palmitoyl thioester intermediate is increased, resulting in reduced palmitoyl transfer to a Ras2 substrate. This is the first demonstration of regulation of a DHHC PAT enzyme by an associated protein.     

Grass vs. tree origin of soil organic carbon under different land-use systems in the Brazilian Cerrado

Aims

This study aimed at assessing whether patch type (i.e., under-shrub soil patch and inter-shrub soil patch) has an effect on soil microbes and how different shrub species altered the soil microbes through understanding soil microbial activity, biomass, and community structure.

Methods

We characterized the soil microbes in under-shrub and inter-shrub soil patches in three shrublands (Artemisia ordosica, Salix psammophila, and Caragana microphylla), respectively, in the Mu Us Desert, China, using microbial activity indicators, chloroform fumigation-extraction analysis, and high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Results

Members of the phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Planctomycetes, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, and Gemmatimonadetes were dominant. Inter-shrub soil patch differed from under-shrub soil patch in soil bacterial composition, microbial enzyme activity, and biomass, but not in diversity. Soil collected in A. ordosica shrubland exhibited the highest microbial enzyme activity, biomass, and diversity. Shrub species had significant effects on community structure, primarily the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes.

Conclusions

The results indicated that both shrub species and patch type had effects on soil microbial communities. In shrub-dominated desert ecosystems, spatial heterogeneity of soil nutrients and moisture might not be the main factors underlying variations in bacterial diversity. The different compositions of microbial communities in various shrublands provide a foundation for further research into the mechanisms of soil organic carbon accumulation.

     

Ultrastructural changes induced by ACTH in normal adrenocortical cells in culture

The effects of ACTH, its o-nitrophenyl sulfenyl derivative (NPS-ACTH) and dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbc AMP) on the ultrastructural morphology of adrenocortical cells of adult rats in monolayer culture have been investigated. NPS-ACTH, which has previously been shown to stimulate steroidogenesis but not cAMP synthesis in adrenal cells, induced the same characteristic transformation of mitochondrial architecture as produced by ACTH or high concentrations of dbcAMP. All three agents caused the disappearance of electron-opaque granules present in the mitochondria of unstimulated cells. It was found that these granules could be extracted with EGTA (ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether) N,N,N',N'-tetraacetate). These results are discussed in the light of the known importance of calcium ions in the actions of ACTH.     

Design and synthesis of potent, orally-active DGAT-1 inhibitors containing a dioxino[2,3-d]pyrimidine core

A novel series of potent DGAT-1 inhibitors was developed originating from the lactam-based clinical candidate PF-04620110. Incorporation of a dioxino[2,3-d]pyrimidine-based core afforded good alignment of pharmacophore features and resulted in improved passive permeability. Development of an efficient, homochiral synthesis of these targets facilitated confirmation of predictions regarding the stereochemical-dependence of DGAT-1 inhibition for this series. Compound 10 was shown to be a potent inhibitor of human DGAT-1 (10 nM) and to suppress triglyceride synthesis at oral doses of <3mg/kg.     

Enhancing TB Case Detection: Experience in Offering Upfront Xpert MTB/RIF Testing to Pediatric Presumptive TB and DR TB Cases for Early Rapid Diagnosis of Drug Sensitive and Drug Resistant TB

Background

Diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in children is challenging due to difficulties in obtaining good quality sputum specimens as well as the paucibacillary nature of disease. Globally a large proportion of pediatric tuberculosis (TB) cases are diagnosed based only on clinical findings. Xpert MTB/RIF, a highly sensitive and specific rapid tool, offers a promising solution in addressing these challenges. This study presents the results from pediatric groups taking part in a large demonstration study wherein Xpert MTB/RIF testing replaced smear microscopy for all presumptive PTB cases in public health facilities across India.

Methods

The study covered a population of 8.8 million across 18 programmatic sub-district level tuberculosis units (TU), with one Xpert MTB/RIF platform established at each study TU. Pediatric presumptive PTB cases (both TB and Drug Resistant TB (DR-TB)) accessing any public health facilities in study area were prospectively enrolled and tested on Xpert MTB/RIF following a standardized diagnostic algorithm.

Results

4,600 pediatric presumptive pulmonary TB cases were enrolled. 590 (12.8%, CI 11.8–13.8) pediatric PTB were diagnosed. Overall 10.4% (CI 9.5–11.2) of presumptive PTB cases had positive results by Xpert MTB/RIF, compared with 4.8% (CI 4.2–5.4) who had smear-positive results. Upfront Xpert MTB/RIF testing of presumptive PTB and presumptive DR-TB cases resulted in diagnosis of 79 and 12 rifampicin resistance cases, respectively. Positive predictive value (PPV) for rifampicin resistance detection was high (98%, CI 90.1–99.9), with no statistically significant variation with respect to past history of treatment.

Conclusion

Upfront access to Xpert MTB/RIF testing in pediatric presumptive PTB cases was associated with a two-fold increase in bacteriologically-confirmed PTB, and increased detection of rifampicin-resistant TB cases under routine operational conditions across India. These results suggest that routine Xpert MTB/RIF testing is a promising solution to present-day challenges in the diagnosis of PTB in pediatric patients.     

Disabling receptor ensembles with rationally designed interface peptidomimetics

Members of the erbB family receptor tyrosine kinases (erbB1, erbB2, erbB3, and erbB4) are overexpressed in a variety of human cancers and represent important targets for the structure-based drug design. Homo- and heterodimerization (oligomerization) of the erbB receptors are known to be critical events for receptor signaling. To block receptor self-associations, we have designed a series of peptides derived from potential dimerization surfaces in the extracellular subdomain IV of the erbB receptors (erbB peptides). In surface plasmon resonance (BIAcore) studies, the designed peptides have been shown to selectively bind to the erbB receptor ectodomains and isolated subdomain IV of erbB2 with submicromolar affinities and to inhibit heregulin-induced interactions of erbB3 with different erbB receptors. A dose-dependent inhibition of native erbB receptor dimerization by the erbB peptides has been observed in 32D cell lines transfected with different combinations of erbB receptors. The peptides effectively inhibited growth of two types of transformed cells overexpressing different erbB receptors, T6-17 and 32D, in standard MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and cell viability assays. The study identifies distinct loops within the membrane-proximal part of the subdomain IV as potential receptor-receptor interaction sites for the erbB receptors and demonstrates the possibility of disabling receptor activity by structure-based targeting of the dimerization interfaces. Molecular models for possible arrangement of the erbB1.EGF complex, consistent with the involvement of subdomain IV in inter-receptor interactions, are proposed. Small dimerization inhibitors described herein can be useful as probes to elucidate different erbB signaling pathways and may be developed as therapeutic agents.     

Phosphorylation of high-mobility-group proteins by the calcium-phospholipid-dependent protein kinase and the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase

Purified lamb thymus high-mobility-group (HMG) proteins 1, 2, and 17 have been investigated as potential substrates for the Ca2+-phospholipid-dependent protein kinase and the cAMP-dependent protein kinase. HMG proteins 1, 2, and 17 are phosphorylated by the Ca2+-phospholipid-dependent protein kinase; the reactions are totally Ca2+ and lipid dependent and are not inhibited by the inhibitor protein of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase. HMG 17 is phosphorylated predominantly in a single seryl residue, Ser 24 in the sequence Gln-Arg-Arg-Ser 24-Ala-Arg-Leu-Ser 28-Ala-Lys, with the second seryl moiety, Ser 28, modified to a markedly lesser degree. HMGs 1 and 2 are also phosphorylated in only seryl residues but with each there are multiple phosphorylation sites. HMG 17, but not HMG 1 or 2, is also phosphorylated by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase with the site phosphorylated being the minor of the two phosphorylated by the Ca2+-phospholipid-dependent protein kinase; the Km for phosphorylation by the cAMP-dependent enzyme is 50-fold higher than that by the Ca2+-phospholipid-dependent enzyme. HMG 17 is an equally effective substrate for the Ca2+-phospholipid-dependent protein kinase either as the pure protein or bound to nucleosomes. Preliminary evidence has indicated that lamb thymus HMG 14 is also a substrate for the Ca2+-phospholipid-dependent enzyme. It is phosphorylated with a Km similar to that of HMG 17 (4-6 microM), and a comparison of tryptic peptides suggests that it is phosphorylated in a site that is homologous with Ser 24 of HMG 17 and distinct from the sites phosphorylated by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase.