Human exposure to mycotoxins in Egypt

This investigation examined the exposure of Egyptian infants to Aflatoxin M₁ (AfM₁) and of lactating mothers to Aflatoxin B₁, using AfM₁ in human milk as a biomarker for exposure to AfB₁. The presence of ochratoxin A (OA) in human milk was also investigated to determine the levels of infants exposure to OA from human milk. The results indicated that AfM₁ was found in 66 (55 %) of 120 human milk samples with a mean of 0.3 ± 0.53 ng/mL (range 0.02 to 2.09 ng/mL). OA was found in 43 (35.8 %) of 120 human milk samples with a mean of 21.1 ± 13.7 ng/mL (range 5.07 to 45.01 ng/mL), which will cause a daily intake of OA from human milk exceeding the suggested tolerable dose of 5 ng/kg_-1 of OA body weight. On the other side AfM₁ was found in 25 % of blood samples (5 out of 20 samples), at a mean of 1.18 ng/mL, but it was detected only in one urine sample (1 out of 20 samples). OA was detected only in 2 out of 13 blood samples (15.4 %) with an average 3.67 ng/mL. Whereas OA was not detected in all analyzed urine samples.     

Fragmented and scrambled mitochondrial ribosomal RNA coding regions among green algae: a model for their origin and evolution

Mitochondrial ribosomal RNA coding regions in the only three green algal taxa investigated to date are fundamentally different in that they are continuous in Prototheca wickerhamii, but highly fragmented and scrambled in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Chlamydomonas eugametos. To gain more insight into the mode of evolution of fragmented and scrambled mitochondrial ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes within the green algal group, this work (1) provides additional information on fragmentation patterns of mitochondrial small- and large-subunit (SSU and LSU) rRNAs that strongly supports the concept of a gradual increase in the extent of discontinuity of mitochondrial rRNAs among chlorophycean green algae and (2) reports the first example of fragmented and scrambled mitochondrial LSU rRNA coding regions in a green algal taxon outside the Chlamydomonas group. The present study (1) suggests that the scrambling of the mitochondrial rRNA coding regions may have occurred early in the evolution of fragmented and scrambled mitochondrial rRNA genes within the chlorophycean green algal group, most likely in parallel with the fragmentation events, (2) proposes recombination as a possible mechanism involved in the evolution of these mitochondrial rRNA genes, and (3) presents a hypothetical pathway for converting continuous mitochondrial rRNA genes into the highly fragmented and scrambled rRNA coding regions of Chlamydomonas through a series of recombinatorial events between short repeated sequences.      

A computational investigation of kinetoplastid trans-splicing

Trans-splicing is an unusual process in which two separate RNA strands are spliced together to yield a mature mRNA. We present a novel computational approach which has an overall accuracy of 82% and can predict 92% of known trans-splicing sites. We have applied our method to chromosomes 1 and 3 of Leishmania major, with high-confidence predictions for 85% and 88% of annotated genes respectively. We suggest some extensions of our method to other systems.     

Whole-genome sequence analysis reveals differences in population management and selection of European low-input pig breeds

Background

A major concern in conservation genetics is to maintain the genetic diversity of populations. Genetic variation in livestock species is threatened by the progressive marginalisation of local breeds in benefit of high-output pigs worldwide. We used high-density SNP and re-sequencing data to assess genetic diversity of local pig breeds from Europe. In addition, we re-sequenced pigs from commercial breeds to identify potential candidate mutations responsible for phenotypic divergence among these groups of breeds.

Results

Our results point out some local breeds with low genetic diversity, whose genome shows a high proportion of regions of homozygosis (>50%) and that harbour a large number of potentially damaging mutations. We also observed a high correlation between genetic diversity estimates using high-density SNP data and Next Generation Sequencing data (r = 0.96 at individual level). The study of non-synonymous SNPs that were fixed in commercial breeds and also in any local breed, but with different allele, revealed 99 non-synonymous SNPs affecting 65 genes. Candidate mutations that may underlie differences in the adaptation to the environment were exemplified by the genes AZGP1 and TAS2R40. We also observed that highly productive breeds may have lost advantageous genotypes within genes involve in immune response – e.g. IL12RB2 and STAB1–, probably as a result of strong artificial in the intensive production systems in pig.

Conclusions

The high correlation between genetic diversity computed with the 60K SNP and whole genome re-sequence data indicates that the Porcine 60K SNP Beadchip provides reliable estimates of genomic diversity in European pig populations despite the expected bias. Moreover, this analysis gave insights for strategies to the genetic characterization of local breeds. The comparison between re-sequenced local pigs and re-sequenced commercial pigs made it possible to report candidate mutations to be responsible for phenotypic divergence among those groups of breeds. This study highlights the importance of low input breeds as a valuable genetic reservoir for the pig production industry. However, the high levels of ROHs, inbreeding and potentially damaging mutations emphasize the importance of the genetic characterization of local breeds to preserve their genomic variability.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-601) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

lemmingA encodes the Apc11 subunit of the APC/C in Drosophila melanogaster that forms a ternary complex with the E2-C type ubiquitin conjugating enzyme, Vihar and Morula/Apc2

Background

The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) inhibits anaphase progression in the presence of insufficient kinetochore-microtubule attachments, but cells can eventually override mitotic arrest by a process known as mitotic slippage or adaptation. This is a problem for cancer chemotherapy using microtubule poisons.

Results

Here we describe mitotic slippage in yeast bub2?? mutant cells that are defective in the repression of precocious telophase onset (mitotic exit). Precocious activation of anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C)-Cdh1 caused mitotic slippage in the presence of nocodazole, while the SAC was still active. APC/C-Cdh1, but not APC/C-Cdc20, triggered anaphase progression (securin degradation, separase-mediated cohesin cleavage, sister-chromatid separation and chromosome missegregation), in addition to telophase onset (mitotic exit), during mitotic slippage. This demonstrates that an inhibitory system not only of APC/C-Cdc20 but also of APC/C-Cdh1 is critical for accurate chromosome segregation in the presence of insufficient kinetochore-microtubule attachments.

Conclusions

The sequential activation of APC/C-Cdc20 to APC/C-Cdh1 during mitosis is central to accurate mitosis. Precocious activation of APC/C-Cdh1 in metaphase (pre-anaphase) causes mitotic slippage in SAC-activated cells. For the prevention of mitotic slippage, concomitant inhibition of APC/C-Cdh1 may be effective for tumor therapy with mitotic spindle poisons in humans.     

The genus Teliocrinus (Crinoidea,Echinodermata): a key taxon among pentacrinid stalked crinoids

The main characters of the stalked crinoids of the family Pentacrinitidae attributed to the genus Teliocrinus are re‐evaluated from a quantitative study of phenotype variation, new observations on arm and stalk articulations, and observation of ontogenetic trends. All of the specimens collected in the northern Indian Ocean belong to the same species, i.e. Teliocrinus springeri (Clark, 1909). However, two phenotypes living at different depths remain valid as subspecies: Teliocrinus springeri springeri (Clark, 1909) and Teliocrinus springeri liliaceus (Clark, 1909). Teliocrinus shares several ontogenetic trends with Endoxocrinus, especially in nonfunctional brachial articulations and stalk symplexies. Its assignment to the Diplocrininae is confirmed. A discussion of its affinities with pentacrinid fossil genera in which the crown is well preserved suggests that Diplocrininae could have first appeared during the Lower Cretaceous. A shortening of brachitaxes and a paedomorphic trend of stalk symplexies are the main other evolutionary traits. Nonfunctional articulations are frequently found at the paedomorphic pole of the heterochronic gradient, without clear derived characters. Classification of pentacrinids mainly based on such symplesiomorphy or paedomorphic characters must be definitively abandoned. However, in post‐Palaeozoic stalked crinoids the scarcity of well‐preserved fossils, the high frequency of paedomorphy, and convergent adaptive characters makes phylogenetic reconstruction only based on morphological characters very difficult and speculative. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 155 , 22–39.     

Effect of temperature on the saccharide composition obtained after alpha-amylolysis of starch

The hydrolysis of starch to low-molecular-weight products (normally characterised by their dextrose equivalent (DE), which is directly related to the number-average molecular mass) was studied at different temperatures. Amylopectin potato starch, lacking amylose, was selected because of its low tendency towards retrogradation at lower temperatures. Bacillus licheniformis alpha-amylase was added to 10% [w/w] gelatinised starch solutions. The hydrolysis experiments were done at 50, 70, and 90 degrees C. Samples were taken at defined DE values and these were analysed with respect to their saccharide composition. At the same DE the oligosaccharide composition depended on the hydrolysis temperature. This implies that at the same net number of bonds hydrolysed by the enzyme, the saccharide composition was different. The hydrolysis temperature also influenced the initial overall molecular-weight distribution. Higher temperatures led to a more homogenous molecular weight distribution. Similar effects were observed for alpha-amylases from other microbial sources such as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Bacillus stearothermophilus. Varying the pH (5.1, 6.2, and 7.6) at 70 degrees C did not significantly influence the saccharide composition obtained during B. licheniformis alpha-amylase hydrolysis. The underlying mechanisms for B. licheniformis alpha-amylase were studied using pure linear oligosaccharides, ranging from maltotriose to maltoheptaose as substrates. Activation energies for the hydrolysis of individual oligosaccharides were calculated from Arrhenius plots at 60, 70, 80, and 90 degrees C. Oligosaccharides with a degree of polymerisation exceeding that of the substrate could be detected. The contribution of these oligosaccharides increased as the degree of polymerisation of the substrate decreased and the temperature of hydrolysis increased. The product specificity decreased with increasing temperature of hydrolysis, which led to a more equal distribution between the possible products formed. Calculations with the subsite map as determined for the closely related alpha-amylase from B. amyloliquefaciens reconfirmed this finding of a decreased substrate specificity with increased temperature of hydrolysis. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Impact of Postovulatory Food Deprivation on the Ova Transport, Hormonal Profiles and Metabolic Changes in Sows

The effect of food deprivation on ova transport, hormonal profiles and metabolic changes was studied in 20 crossbred multiparous sows during their second oestrus after weaning. To determine the time of ovulation, transrectal ultrasonographic examination was performed. The sows were divided into 2 groups, one control group (C-group), which was fed according to Swedish standards, and one experimental group (E-group). The E-group sows were deprived of food from the first morning meal after ovulation until slaughter. Blood samples were collected every second hour from about 12 h before expected ovulation in the second oestrus after weaning until slaughter and were analysed for progesterone, prostaglandin F_2α-metabolite, insulin, glucose, free fatty acids and triglycerides. All sows were slaughtered approximately 48 h after ovulation and the genital tract was recovered. The isthmic part of the oviduct was divided into 3 equally long segments and flushed separately with phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Uterine horns were also flushed with PBS. A significantly greater number of ova were found in the first and second part of the isthmus in the E-group (p = 0.05) while in the C-group most of the ova were found in the third part of the isthmus or the uterus (p = 0.01). The level of prostaglandin F_2α-metabolite was significantly higher in the E-group compared with the C-group. The concentration of progesterone increased in both groups after ovulation but there were no significant differences between the groups. The other blood parameters showed that the food-deprived sows were in a catabolic state. The 48 h period of fasting results, directly or indirectly in an delayed ova transport, which may be due to a delayed relaxation in the smooth circular muscle layer of the isthmus.     

POCUS: mining genomic sequence annotation to predict disease genes

Here we present POCUS (prioritization of candidate genes using statistics), a novel computational approach to prioritize candidate disease genes that is based on over-representation of functional annotation between loci for the same disease. We show that POCUS can provide high (up to 81-fold) enrichment of real disease genes in the candidate-gene shortlists it produces compared with the original large sets of positional candidates. In contrast to existing methods, POCUS can also suggest counterintuitive candidates.