Notch-responsive cells initiate the secondary transition in larval zebrafish pancreas

Zebrafish provide a highly versatile model in which to study vertebrate development. Many recent studies have elucidated early events in the organogenesis of the zebrafish pancreas; however, several aspects of early endocrine pancreas formation in the zebrafish are not homologous to the mammalian system. To better identify mechanisms of islet formation in the zebrafish, with true homology to those observed in mammals, we have temporally and spatially characterized zebrafish secondary islet formation. As is the case in the mouse, we show that Notch inhibition leads to precocious differentiation of endocrine tissues. Furthermore, we have used transgenic fish expressing fluorescent markers under the control of a Notch-responsive element to observe the precursors of these induced endocrine cells. These pancreatic Notch-responsive cells represent a novel population of putative progenitors that are associated with larval pancreatic ductal epithelium, suggesting functional homology between secondary islet formation in zebrafish and the secondary transition in mammals. We also show that Notch-responsive cells persist in the adult pancreas and possess the classical characteristics of centroacinar cells, a cell type believed to be a multipotent progenitor cell in adult mammalian pancreas.     

Neutralizing chimeric mouse-human antibodies against Burkholderia pseudomallei protease: expression, purification and characterization

A recombinant Fab monoclonal antibody (Fab) C37, previously obtained by phage display and biopanning of a random antibody fragment library against Burkholderia pseudomallei protease, was expressed in different strains of Escherichia coli. E. coli strain HB2151 was deemed a more suitable host for Fab expression than other E. coli strains when grown in media supplemented with 0.2 % glycerol. The expressed Fab fragment was purified by affinity chromatography on a Protein G-Sepharose column, and the specificity of the recombinant Fab C37 towards B. pseudomallei protease was proven by Western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by proteolytic activity neutralization. In addition, polyclonal antibodies against B. pseudomallei protease were produced in rabbits immunized with the protease. These were isolated from high titer serum by affinity chromatography on recombinant-Protein A-Sepharose. Purified polyclonal antibody specificity towards B. pseudomallei protease was proven by Western blotting and ELISA.     

Adverse wind conditions during northward Sahara crossings increase the in‐flight mortality of Black‐tailed Godwits

Long‐distance migratory flights are predicted to be associated with higher mortality rates when individuals encounter adverse weather conditions. However, directly connecting environmental conditions experienced in‐flight with the survival of migrants has proven difficult. We studied how the in‐flight mortality of 53 satellite‐tagged Black‐tailed Godwits (Limosa limosa limosa) during 132 crossings of the Sahara Desert, a major geographical barrier along their migration route between The Netherlands and sub‐Saharan Africa, is correlated with the experienced wind conditions and departure date during both southward and northward migration. We show that godwits experienced higher wind assistance during southward crossings, which seems to reflect local prevailing trade winds. Critically, we found that fatal northward crossings (15 deaths during 61 crossings) were associated with adverse wind conditions. Wind conditions during migration can thus directly influence vital rates. Changing wind conditions associated with global change may thus profoundly influence the costs of long‐distance migration in the future.     

Comparative genetic mapping reveals synteny and collinearity between the American cranberry and diploid blueberry genomes

Cranberry and blueberry are closely related and recently domesticated fruit crops in the genus Vaccinium. Both have a presumed American origin and likely evolved from a common ancestor; however, details of their adaptive radiation and the extent of their genomic divergence remains little understood. To better understand their evolutionary and genomic relationships, a set of 323 cross-transferable simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were identified, added to existing marker datasets, and used to construct linkage maps for cranberry (582 SSRs) and an interspecific diploid blueberry population (V. darrowii x V. corymbosum) x V. corymbosum (409 markers, densest blueberry SSR map currently available). The maps allowed for the first comparative genetic mapping study in Vaccinium, and revealed a surprisingly high degree of macro-synteny and collinearity between the cranberry and blueberry genomes. Approximately 93% of the blueberry linkage map was collinear with cranberry, while the remaining 7% (66.3 cM) was spread across 15 non-collinear regions detected in eight of the 12 linkage groups. These observations suggest that large-scale genome differentiation between the cranberry and blueberry genomes has not occurred during their evolution, and that sequence information will be highly transferable between the species in future genetic research and breeding. Finally, the set of 323 cross-transferable SSRs and linkage maps they were used to construct can serve as a shared resource for the Vaccinium research community, enabling additional comparative mapping studies, the identification and transfer of quantitative trait loci and candidate genes between species, and future exploration of evolutionary relationships in Vaccinium.     

Enhancing macroautophagy protects against ischemia/reperfusion injury in cardiac myocytes

Cardiac myocytes undergo programmed cell death as a result of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). One feature of I/R injury is the increased presence of autophagosomes. However, to date it is not known whether macroautophagy functions as a protective pathway, contributes to programmed cell death, or is an irrelevant event during cardiac I/R injury. We employed simulated I/R of cardiac HL-1 cells as an in vitro model of I/R injury to the heart. To assess macroautophagy, we quantified autophagosome generation and degradation (autophagic flux), as determined by steady-state levels of autophagosomes in relation to lysosomal inhibitor-mediated accumulation of autophagosomes. We found that I/R impaired both formation and downstream lysosomal degradation of autophagosomes. Overexpression of Beclin1 enhanced autophagic flux following I/R and significantly reduced activation of pro-apoptotic Bax, whereas RNA interference knockdown of Beclin1 increased Bax activation. Bcl-2 and Bcl-x(L) were protective against I/R injury, and expression of a Beclin1 Bcl-2/-x(L) binding domain mutant resulted in decreased autophagic flux and did not protect against I/R injury. Overexpression of Atg5, a component of the autophagosomal machinery downstream of Beclin1, did not affect cellular injury, whereas expression of a dominant negative mutant of Atg5 increased cellular injury. These results demonstrate that autophagic flux is impaired at the level of both induction and degradation and that enhancing autophagy constitutes a powerful and previously uncharacterized protective mechanism against I/R injury to the heart cell.     

A unique Mycobacterium ESX-1 protein co-secretes with CFP-10/ESAT-6 and is necessary for inhibiting phagosome maturation

The ESX-1 secretion system plays a critical role in the virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. marinum. To date, three proteins are known to be secreted by ESX-1 and necessary for virulence, two of which are CFP-10 and ESAT-6. The ESX-1 secretion and the virulence mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, we have examined the M. marinum secretomes and identified four proteins specific to ESX-1. Two of those are CFP-10 and ESAT-6, and the other two are novel: MM1553 (homologous to Rv3483c) and Mh3881c (homologous to Rv3881c). We have shown that Mh3881c, CFP-10 and ESAT-6 are co-dependent for secretion. Mh3881c is being cleaved at close to the C-terminus during secretion, and the C-terminal portion is critical to the co-dependent secretion, the ESAT-6 cellular levels, and interaction with ESAT-6. The co-dependent secretion is required for M. marinum intracellular growth in macrophages, where the Mh3881c C-terminal portion plays a critical role. The role of the co-dependent secretion in intracellular growth correlates with its role in inhibiting phagosome maturation. Both the secretion and the virulence defects of the Mh3881c mutant are complemented by Mh3881c or its M. tuberculosis homologue Rv3881c, suggesting that in M. tuberculosis, Rv3881c has similar functions.     

Latitudinal patterns of range size and species richness of New World woody plants

Aim  Relationships between range size and species richness are contentious, yet they are key to testing the various hypotheses that attempt to explain latitudinal diversity gradients. Our goal is to utilize the largest data set yet compiled for New World woody plant biogeography to describe and assess these relationships between species richness and range size.
Location  North and South America.
Methods  We estimated the latitudinal extent of 12,980 species of woody plants (trees, shrubs, lianas). From these estimates we quantified latitudinal patterns of species richness and range size. We compared our observations with expectations derived from two null models.
Results   Peak richness and the smallest- and largest-ranged species are generally found close to the equator. In contrast to prominent diversity hypotheses: (1) mean latitudinal extent of tropical species is greater than expected; (2) latitudinal extent appears to be decoupled from species richness across New World latitudes, with abrupt transitions across subtropical latitudes; and (3) mean latitudinal extents show equatorial and north temperate peaks and subtropical minima. Our results suggest that patterns of range size and richness appear to be influenced by three broadly overlapping biotic domains (biotic provinces) for New World woody plants.
Main conclusions  Hypotheses that assume a direct relationship between range size and species richness may explain richness patterns within these domains, but cannot explain gradients in richness across the New World.     

Biochemical characterization of the mitochondrial tRNASer(UCN) T7511C mutation associated with nonsyndromic deafness

We report here the biochemical characterization of the deafness-associated mitochondrial tRNA^Ser(UCN) T7511C mutation, in conjunction with homoplasmic ND1 T3308C and tRNA^Ala T5655C mutations using cybrids constructed by transferring mitochondria from lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from an African family into human mtDNA-less (ρ°) cells. Three cybrids derived from an affected matrilineal relative carrying the homoplasmic T7511C mutation, exhibited ~75% decrease in the tRNA^Ser(UCN) level, compared with three control cybrids. This amount of reduction in the tRNA^Ser(UCN) level is below a proposed threshold to support a normal rate of mitochondrial protein synthesis in lymphoblastoid cell lines. This defect is likely a primary contributor to ~52% reduction in the rate of mitochondrial protein synthesis and marked defects in respiration and growth properties in galactose-containing medium. Interestingly, the T5655C mutation produces ~50% reduction in the tRNA^Ala level in mutant cells. Strikingly, the T3308C mutation causes a significant decrease both in the amount of ND1 mRNA and co-transcribed tRNA^Leu(UUR) in mutant cells. Thus, mitochondrial dysfunctions caused by the T5655C and T3308C mutations may modulate the phenotypic manifestation of the T7511C mutation. These observations imply that a combination of the T7511C mutation with two mtDNA mutations accounts for the high penetrance of deafness in this family.     

Selective precipitation and purification of monovalent proteins using oligovalent ligands and ammonium sulfate

This paper describes a method for the selective precipitation and purification of a monovalent protein (carbonic anhydrase is used as a demonstration) from cellular lysate using ammonium sulfate and oligovalent ligands. The oligovalent ligands induce the formation of protein-ligand aggregates, and at an appropriate concentration of dissolved ammonium sulfate, these complexes precipitate. The purification involves three steps: (i) the removal of high-molecular-weight impurities through the addition of ammonium sulfate to the crude cell lysate; (ii) the introduction of an oligovalent ligand and the selective precipitation of the target protein-ligand aggregates from solution; and (iii) the removal of the oligovalent ligand from the precipitate by dialysis to release the target protein. The increase of mass and volume of the proteins upon aggregate formation reduces their solubility, and results in the selective precipitation of these aggregates. We recovered human carbonic anhydrase, from crude cellular lysate, in 82% yield and 95% purity with a trivalent benzene sulfonamide ligand. This method provides a chromatography-free strategy of purifying monovalent proteins--for which appropriate oligovalent ligands can be synthesized--and combines the selectivity of affinity-based purification with the convenience of salt-induced precipitation.     

AFN-1252 is a potent inhibitor of enoyl-ACP reductase from Burkholderia pseudomallei—Crystal structure,mode of action,and biological activity

Melioidosis is a tropical bacterial infection caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei (B. pseudomallei; Bpm), a Gram-negative bacterium. Current therapeutic options are largely limited to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and β-lactam drugs, and the treatment duration is about 4 months. Moreover, resistance has been reported to these drugs. Hence, there is a pressing need to develop new antibiotics for Melioidosis. Inhibition of enoyl-ACP reducatase (FabI), a key enzyme in the fatty acid biosynthesis pathway has shown significant promise for antibacterial drug development. FabI has been identified as the major enoyl-ACP reductase present in B. pseudomallei. In this study, we evaluated AFN-1252, a Staphylococcus aureus FabI inhibitor currently in clinical development, for its potential to bind to BpmFabI enzyme and inhibit B. pseudomallei bacterial growth. AFN-1252 stabilized BpmFabI and inhibited the enzyme activity with an IC₅₀ of 9.6 nM. It showed good antibacterial activity against B. pseudomallei R15 strain, isolated from a melioidosis patient (MIC of 2.35 mg/L). X-ray structure of BpmFabI with AFN-1252 was determined at a resolution of 2.3 Å. Complex of BpmFabI with AFN-1252 formed a symmetrical tetrameric structure with one molecule of AFN-1252 bound to each monomeric subunit. The kinetic and thermal melting studies supported the finding that AFN-1252 can bind to BpmFabI independent of cofactor. The structural and mechanistic insights from these studies might help the rational design and development of new FabI inhibitors.