Genetic Analysis of Line x Tester Progenies Compared in Orthogonally Supplemented Efficiency Balanced Incomplete Block Designs

The theory which analyses the progenies of line X tester crossing procedure and one group of homozygous parents is presented. This analysis allows to conclude on genetics of a quantitative character of parents included in the experiment. The statistics like variance among parents, mean variance of progenies of lines, variance of tester progeny means and covariance of testers with means of their progenies can be derived. On that base one can get four different genetic parameters of variance. In a special case of experiment, it is possible to test the significance of additive variance.     

Meta-analysis of the literature on diagnostic accuracy of SPECT in parkinsonian syndromes

Background  

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. One of the most widely used techniques to diagnose PD is a Single Photon Emission Computer Tomography (SPECT) scan to visualise the integrity of the dopaminergic pathways in the brain. Despite this there remains some discussion on the value of SPECT in the differential diagnosis of PD. We did a meta-analysis of all the existing literature on the diagnostic accuracy of both pre- and post-synaptic SPECT imaging in the differential diagnosis of PD.     

Non-Human Primates Harbor Diverse Mammalian and Avian Astroviruses Including Those Associated with Human Infections

Astroviruses (AstVs) are positive sense, single-stranded RNA viruses transmitted to a wide range of hosts via the fecal-oral route. The number of AstV-infected animal hosts has rapidly expanded in recent years with many more likely to be discovered because of the advances in viral surveillance and next generation sequencing. Yet no study to date has identified human AstV genotypes in animals, although diverse AstV genotypes similar to animal-origin viruses have been found in children with diarrhea and in one instance of encephalitis. Here we provide important new evidence that non-human primates (NHP) can harbor a wide variety of mammalian and avian AstV genotypes, including those only associated with human infection. Serological analyses confirmed that >25% of the NHP tested had antibodies to human AstVs. Further, we identified a recombinant AstV with parental relationships to known human AstVs. Phylogenetic analysis suggests AstVs in NHP are on average evolutionarily much closer to AstVs from other animals than are AstVs from bats, a frequently proposed reservoir. Our studies not only demonstrate that human astroviruses can be detected in NHP but also suggest that NHP are unique in their ability to support diverse AstV genotypes, further challenging the paradigm that astrovirus infection is species-specific.     

Methane oxidation coupled to oxygenic photosynthesis in anoxic waters

Freshwater lakes represent large methane sources that, in contrast to the Ocean, significantly contribute to non-anthropogenic methane emissions to the atmosphere. Particularly mixed lakes are major methane emitters, while permanently and seasonally stratified lakes with anoxic bottom waters are often characterized by strongly reduced methane emissions. The causes for this reduced methane flux from anoxic lake waters are not fully understood. Here we identified the microorganisms and processes responsible for the near complete consumption of methane in the anoxic waters of a permanently stratified lake, Lago di Cadagno. Interestingly, known anaerobic methanotrophs could not be detected in these waters. Instead, we found abundant gamma-proteobacterial aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria active in the anoxic waters. In vitro incubations revealed that, among all the tested potential electron acceptors, only the addition of oxygen enhanced the rates of methane oxidation. An equally pronounced stimulation was also observed when the anoxic water samples were incubated in the light. Our combined results from molecular, biogeochemical and single-cell analyses indicate that methane removal at the anoxic chemocline of Lago di Cadagno is due to true aerobic oxidation of methane fuelled by in situ oxygen production by photosynthetic algae. A similar mechanism could be active in seasonally stratified lakes and marine basins such as the Black Sea, where light penetrates to the anoxic chemocline. Given the widespread occurrence of seasonally stratified anoxic lakes, aerobic methane oxidation coupled to oxygenic photosynthesis might have an important but so far neglected role in methane emissions from lakes.     

Synaptic cell adhesion molecule-2 and collapsin response mediator protein-2 are novel members of the matrix metalloproteinase-9 degradome

The elucidation of entire sets of protease substrates ("proteodegradomes") is important for understanding proteolytic pathways, their networks, and their role in the regulation of cell function. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is an extracellularly operating protease that is expressed and released in the brain in response to enhanced neuronal activity. Under physiological conditions, MMP-9 is involved in neuronal plasticity, including long-term potentiation, learning, and memory. This function may be related to its activity at the synapse. Under pathological conditions (e.g., during excitotoxicity, stroke, and traumatic brain injury), when the concentration of glutamate is persistently increased, MMP-9 is detrimental to brain tissue. To assess the MMP-9 degradome, we used synaptoneurosomal fractions isolated from the hippocampus of wildtype and MMP-9 knockout mice. To induce MMP-9 activity, the synaptoneurosomal fractions were treated with 50 μM glutamate for 30 min at 37°C. To investigate MMP-9 targets, two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis was performed. This approach enabled the accurate analysis of differences in protein abundance between samples. The differential spots that contained potential MMP-9 substrates were excised from the gel, and proteins of interest were identified using mass spectrometry. Two novel MMP-9 targets were identified: synaptic cell adhesion molecule-2 and collapsin response mediator protein-2. The MMP-9-driven processing of the newly identified substrates was confirmed by western blot in primary hippocampal neurons after stimulation with either N-methyl-D-aspartate or glutamate or incubation with recombinant autoactivating MMP-9 and use of a specific inhibitor.     

New derivatives of 11-methyl-6-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoline as cytotoxic DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors

Novel indolo[2,3-b]quinoline derivatives substituted at N-6 and C-2 or C-9 positions with (dimethylamino)ethyl chains linked to heteroaromatic core by ether, amide or amine bonds, were manufactured and evaluated in vitro for their cytotoxic activity against several cell lines of different origin including multidrug resistant sublines and tested for their ability to influence the cell cycle and inhibit topoisomerase II activity. It was found, that all compounds show cytotoxic activity against cell lines tested, including multidrug resistant LoVo/DX, MES-SA/DX5 and HL-60 sublines. The tested compounds induce the G(2)M phase cell cycle arrest in Jurkat cells, and inhibit topoisomerase II activity.     

Tardigrada of the Revdalen (Spitsbergen) with the descriptions of two new species: Bryodelphax parvuspolaris (Heterotardigrada) and Isohypsibius coulsoni (Eutardigrada)

Despite a century long history of research, tardigrade fauna of the Svalbard Archipelago remains poorly known. In order to deepen our knowledge of tardigrade biodiversity in the Arctic, we collected forty-one moss and lichen samples from the Revdalen and on the south-east slopes of the Rotjesfjellet (Spitsbergen, Svalbard Archipelago) in June 2010. In these samples, twenty-five tardigrade species were found, including two new for science: Bryodelphax parvuspolaris sp. nov. and Isohypsibius coulsoni sp. nov. B. parvuspolaris sp. nov. belongs to the weglarskae group but differs from all other species of the group by a unique configuration of ventral plates. I. coulsoni sp. nov. differs from the most similar species I. ceciliae Pilato and Binda, 1987 mainly by the absence of ventral sculpture. Two additional species, Milnesium asiaticum Tumanov, 2006 and Diphascon (Adropion) prorsirostre Thulin, 1928, are recorded from the Svalbard Archipelago for the first time.     

RanBPM associates with CD39 and modulates ecto-nucleotidase activity

CD39/ecto-NTPDase 1 (nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 1) is an ecto-nucleotidase that influences P2 receptor activation to regulate vascular and immune cell adhesion and signalling events pivotal in inflammation. Whether CD39 interacts with other membrane or cytoplasmic proteins has not been established to date. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we note that the N-terminus of CD39 binds to RanBPM (Ran binding protein M; also known as RanBP9), a multi-adaptor scaffolding membrane protein originally characterized as a binding protein for the small GTPase Ran. We confirm formation of complexes between CD39 and RanBPM in transfected mammalian cells by co-immunoprecipitation studies. Endogenous CD39 and RanBPM are also found to be co-expressed and abundant in cell membranes of B-lymphocytes. NTPDase activity of recombinant CD39, but not of N-terminus-deleted-CD39 mutant, is substantially diminished by RanBPM co-expression in COS-7 cells. The conserved SPRY [repeats in splA and RyR (ryanodine receptor)] moiety of RanBPM is insufficient alone for complete physical and functional interactions with CD39. We conclude that CD39 associations with RanBPM have the potential to regulate NTPDase catalytic activity. This intermolecular interaction may have important implications for the regulation of extracellular nucleotide-mediated signalling.