Genome scan reveals new coat color loci in exotic pig cross

The porcine genome was scanned to identify loci affecting coat color in an experimental cross between the Meishan breed and Dutch commercial lines. Linkage was studied in 1181 F(2) animals for 132 microsatellite markers and seven binary coat color scores: White, Black spotting, Speckle, Gray, Black, and specific color phenotypes for head and legs. The analyses were performed using interval mapping under various models. The study confirmed the existence of coat color loci on chromosome 8 and chromosome 6. One additional locus affecting White was detected on chromosome 5, possibly representing the porcine equivalent of the steel factor. Two new loci affecting Black were detected on chromosome 2. One of these showed exclusive maternal expression and mapped to a region where imprinted genes have been reported. The effect of the binary coding was tested by additional analyses excluding the white animals (>50% of F(2) animals). This showed that Black spotting was strongly influenced by the locus on chromosome 6 and the other color phenotypes were mainly influenced by the locus on chromosome 8. Epistatic effects were found between the loci on chromosomes 6 and 8 for Black spotting. For Black color, all combinations among chromosomes 2, 6, and 8 showed epistatic effects.     

Insect antifeedant activity of clerodane diterpenes and related model compounds

A comprehensive compilation of all test results on the insect antifeedant activity of clerodane diterpenes and related model compounds is reported. To increase the compatibility of data from different sources, some of the results reported in the literature have been converted into a standardized form. The compounds were sorted into groups according to the different types of sidechain attached to C-9. Despite the wealth of information, collected in 15 tables, it remains difficult to assign importance to separate structural elements in relation to the observed antifeedant activity. A detailed analysis of the structure-activity relationships could not be presented, but some interesting trends can be distinguished based on the structures of the strongest antifeedants. The compilation covers the literature up to December 2001.     

Digital video combined with conventional radiography creates an excellent high-speed X-ray video system

Analysing rapid internal movement in animals requires high-speed X-ray imaging to visualise motion of bony and soft body structures. The frame rate of X-ray cinematic camera is limited to 200 frames s(-1) with a shutter speed of 1/3000s, due to the low X-ray kV, required for small animals. These rates are often too slow for analysing the rapid accelerations of which small animals are capable. Here, we present three alternative digital-video systems that can be combined with a conventional X-ray intensifier to yield excellent slow-motion images of internal body parts of small animals. Each system shows high performance for different requirements of radiographic motion analysis.     

Cold-induced apoptosis of hepatocytes: mitochondrial permeability transition triggered by nonmitochondrial chelatable iron

We previously described that the cold-induced apoptosis of cultured hepatocytes is mediated by an increase in the cellular chelatable iron pool. We here set out to assess whether a mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) is involved in cold-induced apoptosis. When cultured hepatocytes were rewarmed after 18 h of cold (4°C) incubation in cell culture medium or University of Wisconsin solution, the vast majority of cells rapidly lost mitochondrial membrane potential. This loss was due to MPT as assessed by confocal laser scanning microscopy and as evidenced by the inhibitory effect of the MPT inhibitors trifluoperazine plus fructose. The occurrence of the MPT was iron-dependent: it was strongly inhibited by the iron chelators 2,2′-dipyridyl and deferoxamine. Addition of trifluoperazine plus fructose also strongly inhibited cold-induced apoptosis, suggesting that the MPT constitutes a decisive intermediate event in the pathway leading to cold-induced apoptosis. Further experiments employing the non-site-specific iron indicator Phen Green SK and specifically mitochondrial iron indicators and chelators (rhodamine B-[(1,10-phenanthrolin-5-yl)aminocarbonyl]benzyl ester, RPA, and rhodamine B-[(2,2′-bipyridin-4-yl)aminocarbonyl]benzyl ester, RDA) suggest that it is the cold-induced increase in cytosolic chelatable iron that triggers the MPT and that mitochondrial chelatable iron is not involved in this process.     

Assignment of amide proton signals by combined evaluation of HN,NN and HNCA MAS-NMR correlation spectra

In this paper, we present a strategy for the ¹H^N resonance assignment in solid-state magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR, using the -spectrin SH3 domain as an example. A novel 3D triple resonance experiment is presented that yields intraresidue H^N-N-C correlations, which was essential for the proton assignment. For the observable residues, 52 out of the 54 amide proton resonances were assigned from 2D (¹H-¹⁵N) and 3D (¹H-¹⁵N-¹³C) heteronuclear correlation spectra. It is demonstrated that proton-driven spin diffusion (PDSD) experiments recorded with long mixing times (4 s) are helpful for confirming the assignment of the protein backbone ¹⁵N resonances and as an aid in the amide proton assignment.     

PLD pathway involved in carbachol-induced Cl- secretion: possible role of TNF-alpha

In a previous study, it was found thatexposure to tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) potentiated theelectrophysiological response to carbachol in a time-dependent andcycloheximide-sensitive manner. It was deduced that the potentiationcould be due to protein kinase C activity because of increased1,2-diacylglycerol. It was also observed that propranolol coulddecrease the electrophysiological response to carbachol (Oprins JC,Meijer HP, and Groot JA. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 278:C463-C472, 2000). The aim of the present study was to investigatewhether the phospholipase D (PLD) pathway plays a role in the carbacholresponse and the potentiating effect of TNF-. Thetransphosphatidylation reaction in the presence of the primary alcohol1-butanol [leading to stable phosphatidylbutanol (Pbut) formation]was used to measure activity of PLD. The phosphatidic acid (PA) levelswere also measured. Muscarinic stimulation resulted in an increasedformation of Pbut and PA. TNF- decreased levels of PA.

     

The non-coding RNAs as riboregulators

The non-coding RNAs database (http://biobases.ibch.poznan.pl/ncRNA/) contains currently available data on RNAs, which do not have long open reading frames and act as riboregulators. Non-coding RNAs are involved in the specific recognition of cellular nucleic acid targets through complementary base pairing to control cell growth and differentiation. Some of them are connected with several well known developmental and neuro-behavioral disorders. We have divided them into four groups. This paper is a short introduction to the database and presents its latest, updated edition.