Age-dependent remodelling of ionotropic signalling in cortical astroglia

Cortical astrocytes express fast ionotropic receptors for glutamate and ATP, although their role in neurone-glia communication remains controversial. Stimulation of neuronal afferents in mice neocortex triggers complex glial synaptic currents (GSCs) mediated by NMDA, P2X and AMPA receptors and glutamate transporters. In addition, astrocytes demonstrate spontaneous 'miniature' GSCs resulting from quantal release of neurotransmitters. Here, we demonstrate that maturation and aging of the brain of mice (from 1 to 21 months) affect the density of ionotropic receptors in astrocytes and their role in GSCs generation. The AMPA-receptor-mediated component is the largest in young animals and progressively declines with age. The P2X and NMDA components of GSC are smallest in young, maximal in adult (3 and 6 months old) and once more decrease in old mice, probably reflecting the remodelling of neuronal-glial circuitry. Our results demonstrate that fast synaptic transmission between neurones and astrocytes in neocortex that may be involved in information processing in neuronal-glial networks undergoes remodelling during brain maturation and aging.     

Compounds of the 1,5-di(4-R-phenyl)- 3-selenopentanediones-1,5 series interaction with the basidiomycete Lentinula edodes lectins: computations and experiment

The role of spatial and electron structure, hydrophobic properties and concentration of organoselenium compounds on their interaction with fungal metabolites--extracellular lectins of Lentinula edodes (shiitake mushroom) has been considered. By the hybrid method of density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) theory level, spatial and electronic structure of the 1,5-diphenyl-3-selenopentanedione-1,5 (preparation DAPS-25), 1,5-di(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-selenopentanedione-1,5 and 1,5-di(4-ethoxyphenyl)-3-selenopentanedione-1,5 molecules has been studied. The above molecules have been stated to be substantially similar to each other by their electronic and spatial characteristics. By means of the QSAR properties evaluation by the atomic-additive schemes, it has been shown that the molecules of the preparation DAPS-25, its dimethoxy- and diethoxy-substituted are close to each other by the hydrophilic-lipophilic balance, whereas di-n-octoxy derivative DAPS-25 is explicitly hydrophobic. The hemagglutinating activity of lectins in the presence of the preparation DAPS-25 and its alkyloxy-substituted increases, therewith the most effective addition is 1,5-di(4-ethoxyphenyl)-3-selenopentanedione-1,5. Apparently, the greater effectiveness of the said substance compared to DAPS -25 is caused by the formation of hydrogen bonds with a participation of unshared electron pairs of oxygen atoms from the ethoxy groups and mobile hydrogen atoms from the OH groups of glycoconjugates on erythrocytes surface. The positive effect of 1,5-di(4-n-octoxyphenyl)-3-selenopentanedione-1,5 is not so prominent, since the enlarged alkyl chain shields the aromatic fragments of organoselenium molecule participating in the binding with lectin.     

The Antitumor Efficacy of a Complex Based on Two-Vector System for Coexpression of the Suicide Gene <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fcu1</Emphasis> and Cre Recombinase

In this study, we evaluated the antitumor activity of a gene therapy complex in which the tumor-specific control of the expression of the effector suicide gene FCU1 was performed using a two-vector system based on the site-specific Cre–LoxP recombinase system. The complex of interest showed a high therapeutic potential in a mouse colon adenocarcinoma model.     

基于最大熵生态位模型的中华穿山甲潜在适宜生境预测

中华穿山甲（Manis pentadactyla）属于全球极度濒危物种,也是我国一级保护动物。对中华穿山甲的非法捕杀曾导致其种群数量锐减。但是,近年来相关研究报道较少,穿山甲分布状况不明,极大地制约了对该物种的有效保护。搜集了近年来国内中华穿山甲的救护记录和救护新闻,甄别出67个记录分布点,利用最大熵模型软件（MaxEnt）进行因子筛选,结果表明最冷季度降水量、人口密度、年降水量、坡度、坡向、海拔等6个环境变量是与中华穿山甲分布显著相关的影响因子。基于6个主导环境变量构建的MaxEnt模型AUC平均值为0.961±0.014,预测结果达到极好标准。刀切法（Jackknife）表明,其中最冷季度降水量、年降水量、人口密度和海拔是影响中华穿山甲分布的主要因素。中华穿山甲适宜生境（出现概率大于0.498）具有以下特点：最冷季度降水量141.22-439.46 mm,年降水量1471.67-2386.56 mm,人口密度≥390人/km²,海拔<316.98 m。该模型预测中华穿山甲在我国的潜在分布适宜区主要位于我国长江以南地区,总面积约为74.27×10⁴ km²,占国土面积的7.73%,主要集中在江西、广东、湖南和广西省,面积分别占该区域的97.58%,89.65%,76.90%和73.08%;其次是浙江、福建、台湾和安徽省。湖北、江苏、四川、云南、贵州等省份也有中华穿山甲的零星分布。湖北东南部、江苏南部、浙江西南部和福建西北部等与江西接壤的区域也是中华穿山甲的重要潜在分布适宜区。明确中华穿山甲的潜在分布适宜区,可为该物种的种群保护和栖息地管理提供科技支撑。     

Dopamine receptor genetic polymorphisms and body composition in undernourished pastoralists: An exploration of nutrition indices among nomadic and recently settled Ariaal men of northern Kenya

Background  

Minor alleles of the human dopamine receptor polymorphisms, DRD2/TaqI A and DRD4/48 bp, are related to decreased functioning and/or numbers of their respective receptors and have been shown to be correlated with body mass, height and food craving. In addition, the 7R minor allele of the DRD4 gene is at a higher frequency in nomadic compared to sedentary populations. Here we examine polymorphisms in the DRD2 and DRD4 genes with respect to body mass index (BMI) and height among men in two populations of Ariaal pastoralists, one recently settled (n = 87) and the other still nomadic (n = 65). The Ariaal live in northern Kenya, are chronically undernourished and are divided socially among age-sets.     

Herpetomonas megaseliae, Crithidia fasciculata, and Leptomonas collosoma (Kinetoplastida, Trypanosomatidae) in Feces of Lizards Fed Culture Forms of the Flagellates

ABSTRACT. Herpetomonas megaseliae, Crithidia fasciculata , and Leptomonas collosoma from culture survived gut passage in Anolis carolinensis following their ingestion by this lizard. Maximum persistence of H. megaseliae in lizards, as detected by fecal culture, was seven days. No invasion of tissues by H. megaseliae could be detected by means of sectioned material, stained impression slides, or cultures inoculated with material from organs. Crithidia fasciculata was evident in cloacal fluid for up to three days in wet mount preparations. Leptomonas collosoma was observed in feces 24 h after the organisms were fed to lizards. Both C. fasciculata and L. collosoma were cultured from feces of lizards fed the parasites 24 h earlier. Herpetomonas megaseliae was differentiated in lizard feces, with greater than 40% of the forms observed being paramastigotes or opisthomastigotes. Truncate, semispherical forms resembling choanomastigotes were seen, but the kinetoplast was posterior to the nucleus in some of these. Many forms showed extensive coiling of the axoneme within the body of the flagellate. Choanomastigotes and spheromastigotes of C. fasciculata and promastigotes, sphero-mastigotes and amastigotes of L. collosoma were also observed in the feces.     

Antitumor immunotherapy with the use of synthetic fragments of survivin

The endogenous protein survivin is present in tumor cells and inhibits apoptosis. The influence of vaccination of mice by survivin fragments on growth of various types of tumors was studied in order to examine the possibility of creation of an antitumor vaccinating agent on its basis. Two peptides corresponding to the 118–144 and (80–88)-(153–165) sequences of survivin 2B were chosen and synthesized on the basis of literature data and theoretical calculations. Their ability to stimulate antibody production in mice of the C57BL/6J line (b-haplotype) and in BDF1 hybrids (b × d-haplotype) was investigated. Both peptides were shown to stimulate production of antibodies that bound the recombinant survivin in the BDF1 mice. Immunization of BDF1 and C57BL/6J mice with the recombinant survivin resulted in formation of antibodies that reacted with 118–144 peptide. The effect of preventive vaccination with the peptides and the recombinant protein on dynamics of growth of several species of tumors was studied. Vaccination with the (80–88)-(153–165) peptide was found to cause an antitumor effect in BDF1 mice suffered from sarcoma S-37. Thus, creation of antitumor agent on the basis of this peptide is a promising area of further studies.     

拟南芥高亲和性K~+转运蛋白AtHAK5功能位点的鉴定

AtHAK5是拟南芥高亲和性钾转运体,其基因表达受低钾条件强烈诱导,编码蛋白在低钾条件下可以整合到质膜.生物信息学分析发现其氨基酸序列含有多处潜在的磷酸化位点.本研究假设这些位点对于AtHAK5的功能至关重要,为探讨AtHAK5的功能位点,分别将AtHAK5 cDNA和带有13种不同点突变位点的AtHAK5转化到athak5突变体中,获得14种稳定表达的转基因植株.利用athak5突变体根对Cs敏感的表型,最终确定T549A和T666A为非核心磷酸化位点.如下11个位点为AtHAK5功能必需位点:F85L,T86A,T311A,T359A,P551S,D552N,S603A,S604A,K668E,S698A和V713L.     

Linking microarray reporters with protein functions

Background  

The analysis of microarray experiments requires accurate and up-to-date functional annotation of the microarray reporters to optimize the interpretation of the biological processes involved. Pathway visualization tools are used to connect gene expression data with existing biological pathways by using specific database identifiers that link reporters with elements in the pathways.