Microsporidia, amitochondrial protists, possess a 70-kDa heat shock protein gene of mitochondrial evolutionary origin

An intronless gene encoding a protein of 592 amino acid residues with similarity to 70-kDa heat shock proteins (HSP70s) has been cloned and sequenced from the amitochondrial protist Encephalitozoon cuniculi (phylum Microsporidia). Southern blot analyses show the presence of a single gene copy located on chromosome XI. The encoded protein exhibits an N-terminal hydrophobic leader sequence and two motifs shared by proteobacterial and mitochondrially expressed HSP70 homologs. Phylogenetic analysis using maximum likelihood and evolutionary distances place the E. cuniculi sequence in the cluster of mitochondrially expressed HSP70s, with a higher evolutionary rate than those of homologous sequences. Similar results were obtained after cloning a fragment of the homologous gene in the closely related species E. hellem. The presence of a nuclear targeting signal-like sequence supports a role of the Encephalitozoon HSP70 as a molecular chaperone of nuclear proteins. No evidence for cytosolic or endoplasmic reticulum forms of HSP70 was obtained through PCR amplification. These data suggest that Encephalitozoon species have evolved from an ancestor bearing mitochondria, which is in disagreement with the postulated presymbiotic origin of Microsporidia. The specific role and intracellular localization of the mitochondrial HSP70-like protein remain to be elucidated.      

Phylogenetic analyses of Lapita decoration do not support branching evolution or regional population structure during colonization of Remote Oceania

Intricately decorated Lapita pottery (3100-2700 BP) was made and deposited by the prehistoric colonizers of Pacific islands, east of the main Solomon's chain. For decades, analyses of this pottery have focused on the ancestor-descendant relationships of populations and the relative degree of interaction across the region to explain similarities in Lapita decoration. Cladistic analyses, increasingly used to examine the evolutionary relationships of material culture assemblages, have not been conducted on Lapita artefacts. Here, we present the first cladistic analysis of Lapita pottery and note the difficulties in using cladistics to investigate datasets where a high degree of horizontal transmission and non-branching evolution may explain observed variation. We additionally present NeighborNet and phenetic distance network analyses to generate hypotheses that may account for Lapita decorative similarity.     

Topical Application of PPADS Inhibits Complement Activation and Choroidal Neovascularization in a Model of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of blindness among the elderly. AMD patients have elevated levels of membrane attack complex (MAC) in their choroidal blood vessels and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). MAC forms pores in cell membranes. Low levels of MAC result in an elevation of cytokine release such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that promotes the formation of choroidal neovascularization (CNV). High levels of MAC result in cell lysis and RPE degeneration is a hallmark of advanced AMD. The current standard of care for CNV associated with wet AMD is intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF molecules every 4 to 12 weeks. Such injections have significant side effects. Recently, it has been found that membrane pore-forming proteins such as α-haemolysin can mediate their toxic effects through auto- and paracrine signaling and that complement-induced lysis is amplified through ATP release followed by P2X receptor activation. We hypothesized that attenuation of P2X receptor activation may lead to a reduction in MAC deposition and consequent formation of CNV. Hence, in this study we investigated topical application of the purinergic P2X antagonist Pyridoxalphosphate-6-azophenyl-2'',4''-disulphonic acid (PPADS) as a potential treatment for AMD. We found that 4.17 µM PPADS inhibited formation of HUVEC master junctions and master segments by 74.7%. In a human complement mediated cell lysis assay, 104 µM PPADS enabled almost complete protection of Hepa1c1c7 cells from 1% normal human serum mediated cell lysis. Daily topical application of 4.17 mM PPADS for 3 days attenuated the progression of laser induced CNV in mice by 41.8% and attenuated the deposition of MAC at the site of the laser injury by 19.7%. Our data have implications for the future treatment of AMD and potentially other ocular disorders involving CNV such as angioid streaks, choroidal rupture and high myopia.     

A Nano-MgO and Ionic Liquid-Catalyzed ‘Green’ Synthesis Protocol for the Development of Adamantyl-Imidazolo-Thiadiazoles as Anti-Tuberculosis Agents Targeting Sterol 14α-Demethylase (CYP51)

In this work, we describe the ‘green’ synthesis of novel 6-(adamantan-1-yl)-2-substituted-imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazoles (AITs) by ring formation reactions using 1-(adamantan-1-yl)-2-bromoethanone and 5-alkyl/aryl-2-amino1,3,4-thiadiazoles on a nano material base in ionic liquid media. Given the established activity of imidazothiadiazoles against M. tuberculosis, we next examined the anti-TB activity of AITs against the H₃₇Rv strain using Alamar blue assay. Among the tested compounds 6-(adamantan-1-yl)-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazole (3f) showed potent inhibitory activity towards M. tuberculosis with an MIC value of 8.5 μM. The inhibitory effect of this molecule against M. tuberculosis was comparable to the standard drugs such as Pyrazinamide, Streptomycin, and Ciprofloxacin drugs. Mechanistically, an in silico analysis predicted sterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51) as the likely target and experimental activity of 3f in this system corroborated the in silico target prediction. In summary, we herein report the synthesis and biological evaluation of novel AITs against M. tuberculosis that likely target CYP51 to induce their antimycobacterial activity.     

Studies on the binding site of the galactose-specific agglutinin PA-IL from Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The binding properties of Pseudomonas aeruginosa agglutinin-I (PA-IL) with glycoproteins (gps) and polysaccharides were studied by both the biotin/avidin-mediated microtiter plate lectin-binding assay and the inhibition of agglutinin-glycan interaction with sugar ligands. Among 36 glycans tested for binding, PA-IL reacted best with two glycoproteins containing Galalpha1-->4Gal determinants and a human blood group ABO precursor equivalent gp, but this lectin reacted weakly or not at all with A and H active gps or sialylated gps. Among the mammalian disaccharides tested by the inhibition assay, the human blood group Pkactive Galalpha1-->4Gal, was the best. It was 7.4-fold less active than melibiose (Galalpha1-->6Glc). PA-IL has a preference for the alpha-anomer in decreasing order as follows: Galalpha1-->6 >Galalpha1-->4 >Galalpha1-->3. Of the monosaccharides studied, the phenylbeta derivatives of Gal were much better inhibitors than the methylbeta derivative, while only an insignificant difference was found between the Galalpha anomer of methyl- and p -NO2-phenyl derivatives. From these results, it can be concluded that the combining size of the agglutinin is as large as a disaccharide of the alpha-anomer of Gal at nonreducing end and most complementary to Galalpha1-->6Glc. As for the combining site of PA-IL toward the beta-anomer, the size is assumed to be less than that of Gal; carbon-6 in the pyranose form is essential, and hydrophobic interaction is important for binding.      

Yield and quality of forage maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) with different levels of subsurface drip irrigation and plant density

The scarcity of water in arid and semiarid regions of the world is a problem that every day increases by climate change. The subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) and changes in population density of plants are alternatives that can be used to make a sustainable use of water. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine the combination that allows for an increased corn performance and efficient use of water without losing the quality of forage. Three different irrigation levels were applied through a system of a SDI at three different densities of forage maize plants in an arid region. The results demonstrated that by applying different levels of water, either enough or lack of soil moisture is created, which is directly reflected in crop yield, and its determining variables such as green forage and dry matter yield, and nutritional quality. The irrigation level to a 100% of potential evapotranspiration (PET), at a density of 80000 plants/ha, increased yield of green forage to 57664 kg/ha; crude protein was 8.59%, while the rest of the quality parameters decreased. This study allowed to conclude that the irrigation level was the major factor in the response of the crop.     

Applications of support vector machines to cancer classification with microarray data

Microarray gene expression data usually have a large number of dimensions, e.g., over ten thousand genes, and a small number of samples, e.g., a few tens of patients. In this paper, we use the support vector machine (SVM) for cancer classification with microarray data. Dimensionality reduction methods, such as principal components analysis (PCA), class-separability measure, Fisher ratio, and t-test, are used for gene selection. A voting scheme is then employed to do multi-group classification by k(k - 1) binary SVMs. We are able to obtain the same classification accuracy but with much fewer features compared to other published results.     

Effect of calcification on the mechanical stability of plaque based on a three-dimensional carotid bifurcation model

Background

This study characterizes the distribution and components of plaque structure by presenting a three-dimensional blood-vessel modelling with the aim of determining mechanical properties due to the effect of lipid core and calcification within a plaque. Numerical simulation has been used to answer how cap thickness and calcium distribution in lipids influence the biomechanical stress on the plaque.

Method

Modelling atherosclerotic plaque based on structural analysis confirms the rationale for plaque mechanical examination and the feasibility of our simulation model. Meaningful validation of predictions from modelled atherosclerotic plaque model typically requires examination of bona fide atherosclerotic lesions. To analyze a more accurate plaque rupture, fluid-structure interaction is applied to three-dimensional blood-vessel carotid bifurcation modelling. A patient-specific pressure variation is applied onto the plaque to influence its vulnerability.

Results

Modelling of the human atherosclerotic artery with varying degrees of lipid core elasticity, fibrous cap thickness and calcification gap, which is defined as the distance between the fibrous cap and calcification agglomerate, form the basis of our rupture analysis. Finite element analysis shows that the calcification gap should be conservatively smaller than its threshold to maintain plaque stability. The results add new mechanistic insights and methodologically sound data to investigate plaque rupture mechanics.

Conclusion

Structural analysis using a three-dimensional calcified model represents a more realistic simulation of late-stage atherosclerotic plaque. We also demonstrate that increases of calcium content that is coupled with a decrease in lipid core volume can stabilize plaque structurally.