Nervous system myelin in the electric ray, Torpedo marmorata: Morphological characterization of the membrane and biochemical analysis of its protein components

In Torpedo, PNS as well as CNS myelines are characterized by clearly separated double intraperiod lines. CNS myelin of Torpedo contains two glycosylated hydrophobic proteins labelled T1 (25,800 Da1) and T2 (29,700 Da1), and two basic proteins BP1 and BP2, migrating like mammalian large basic protein (BP2) and pre-small basic protein (BP1) (Barbarese et al., 1977). PNS myelin of Torpedo carries only BP1 and is characterized by a closely spaced doublet of the glycosylated hydrophobic proteins Con A+ (29,700 Da1) and Con A? (31,000 Da1); the latter does not bind Concanavalin A. These glycosylated proteins (T1, T2, Con A+, Con A?) contain mannose, N-acetylglucosamine and galactose, but lack fucose and sialic acids. They have isoleucine at their amino terminus. They bind anti-rat PNS myelin P₀ antibodies but do not react with anti-rat CNS myelin PLP antibodies. Limited proteolyses of isolated proteins suggest sequence homologies between T1 and T2, and possibly between Con A+ and Con A?. The two basic proteins BP1 and BP2 bind antibodies directed against human myelin basic protein. All Torpedo myelin proteins electrofocus in pH regions characteristic of their mammalian counterparts.     

Comprehensive evaluation of differential gene expression analysis methods for RNA-seq data

A large number of computational methods have been developed for analyzing differential gene expression in RNA-seq data. We describe a comprehensive evaluation of common methods using the SEQC benchmark dataset and ENCODE data. We consider a number of key features, including normalization, accuracy of differential expression detection and differential expression analysis when one condition has no detectable expression. We find significant differences among the methods, but note that array-based methods adapted to RNA-seq data perform comparably to methods designed for RNA-seq. Our results demonstrate that increasing the number of replicate samples significantly improves detection power over increased sequencing depth.     

Both high and low maternal salt intake in pregnancy alter kidney development in the offspring

In humans, low glomerular numbers are related to hypertension, cardiovascular, and renal disease in adult life. The present study was designed 1) to explore whether above- or below-normal dietary salt intake during pregnancy influences nephron number and blood pressure in the offspring and 2) to identify potential mechanisms in kidney development modified by maternal sodium intake. Sprague-Dawley rats were fed low (0.07%)-, intermediate (0.51%)-, or high (3.0%)-sodium diets during pregnancy and lactation. The offspring were weaned at 4 wk and subsequently kept on a 0.51% sodium diet. The kidney structure was assessed at postnatal weeks 1 and 12 and the expression of proteins of interest at term and at week 1. Blood pressure was measured in male offspring by telemetry from postnatal month 2 to postnatal month 9. The numbers of glomeruli at weeks 1 and 12 were significantly lower and, in males, telemetrically measured mean arterial blood pressure after month 5 was higher in offspring of dams on a high- or low- compared with intermediate-sodium diet. A high-salt diet was paralleled by higher concentrations of marinobufagenin in the amniotic fluid and an increase in the expression of both sprouty-1 and glial cell-derived neutrophic factor in the offspring's kidney. The expression of FGF-10 was lower in offspring of dams on a low-sodium diet, and the expression of Pax-2 and FGF-2 was lower in offspring of dams on a high-sodium diet. Both excessively high and excessively low sodium intakes during pregnancy modify protein expression in offspring kidneys and reduce the final number of glomeruli, predisposing the risk of hypertension later in life.     

Interaction with factor associated with neutral sphingomyelinase activation,a WD motif-containing protein,identifies receptor for activated C-kinase 1 as a novel component of the signaling pathways of the p55 TNF receptor

Factor associated with neutral sphingomyelinase activation (FAN) represents a p55 TNFR (TNF-R55)-associated protein essential for the activation of neutral sphingomyelinase. By means of the yeast interaction trap system, we have identified the scaffolding protein receptor for activated C-kinase (RACK)1 as an interaction partner of FAN. Mapping studies in yeast revealed that RACK1 is recruited to the C-terminal WD-repeat region of FAN and binds to FAN through a domain located within WD repeats V to VII of RACK1. Our data indicate that binding of both proteins is not mediated by linear motifs but requires folding into a secondary structure, such as the multibladed propeller characteristic of WD-repeat proteins. The interaction of FAN and RACK1 was verified in vitro by glutathione S-transferase-based coprecipitation assays as well as in eukaryotic cells by coimmunoprecipitation experiments. Colocalization studies in transfected cells suggest that TNF-R55 forms a complex with FAN and that this complex recruits RACK1 to the plasma membrane. Furthermore, activation of N-SMase by TNF was strongly enhanced when RACK1, FAN, and a noncytotoxic TNF-R55 mutant were expressed concurrently, suggesting RACK1 as a modulator of N-SMase activation. Together, these findings implicate RACK1 as a novel component of the signaling pathways of TNF-R55.