Increase in Phytase Activity and Decrease in Phytate During Germination of Four Common Legumes

Maximum phytase activity in four legume species, lentils, chick peas, broad beans and runner beans, was reached after 6 days of germination for chick peas and 8 days for the rest of them. In all legumes, the increase in phytase activity was accompanied by a concomitant decrease in phytate content. After 10 days of germination the decrease in phytate varied from 83% in broad beans up to 64% in runner beans.     

Morphogenetic effects of 9-cis-retinoic acid on the regenerating limbs of the axolotl

9-cis-retinoic acid has recently been found to be a high affinity ligand for the retinoic X receptor (RXR). RXRs are believed to be involved in metabolic activities rather than in morphogenetic ones. Interestingly, RXR has been found to form heterodimers involving other receptors from the steroid family, such as the thyroid hormone receptor, vitamin D receptor or retinoic acid receptors (RARs). In this paper we examined whether or not 9-cis-retinoic acid had any morphogenetic properties on the regenerating axolotl limb. It is shown that 9-cis-retinoic acid proximalized regenerating limbs and was somewhat more potent in this action than all-trans-retinoic acid. Based on these observations, the possible roles of other receptors during pattern formation is discussed. Correspondence to: P.A. Tsonis     

Integrative structure of a 10-megadalton eukaryotic pyruvate dehydrogenase complex from native cell extracts

1. Download : Download high-res image (252KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image

     

Pathomechanisms of ALS8: altered autophagy and defective RNA binding protein (RBP) homeostasis due to the VAPB P56S mutation

Mutations in RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and in genes regulating autophagy are frequent causes of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS). The P56S mutation in vesicle-associated membrane protein-associated protein B (VAPB) leads to fALS (ALS8) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). While VAPB is primarily involved in the unfolded protein response (UPR), vesicular trafficking and in initial steps of the autophagy pathway, the effect of mutant P56S-VAPB on autophagy regulation in connection with RBP homeostasis has not been explored yet. Examining the muscle biopsy of our index ALS8 patient of European origin revealed globular accumulations of VAPB aggregates co-localised with autophagy markers LC3 and p62 in partially atrophic and atrophic muscle fibres. In line with this skin fibroblasts obtained from the same patient showed accumulation of P56S-VAPB aggregates together with LC3 and p62. Detailed investigations of autophagic flux in cell culture models revealed that P56S-VAPB alters both initial and late steps of the autophagy pathway. Accordingly, electron microscopy complemented with live cell imaging highlighted the impaired fusion of accumulated autophagosomes with lysosomes in cells expressing P56S-VAPB. Consistent with these observations, neuropathological studies of brain and spinal cord of P56S-VAPB transgenic mice revealed signs of neurodegeneration associated with altered protein quality control and defective autophagy. Autophagy and RBP homeostasis are interdependent, as demonstrated by the cytoplasmic mis-localisation of several RBPs including pTDP-43, FUS, Matrin 3 which often sequestered with P56S-VAPB aggregates both in cell culture and in the muscle biopsy of the ALS8 patient. Further confirming the notion that aggregation of the RBPs proceeds through the stress granule (SG) pathway, we found persistent G3BP- and TIAR1-positive SGs in P56S-VAPB expressing cells as well as in the ALS8 patient muscle biopsy. We conclude that P56S-VAPB-ALS8 involves a cohesive pathomechanism of aberrant RBP homeostasis together with dysfunctional autophagy.Subject terms: Mechanisms of disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis     

The preload of individual myocardial fibers

The preload of the indiviuual myocardial fibers of the left ventricle, that is, the stress exerted upon the myocardial fibers at end-diastole, is calculated by means of a set of equations. The development of the equations was based on anatomical data referring to the shape of the left ventricle and the orientation of the myocardial fibers, as well as some assumptions of minor importance. Numerical solution of the equations shows that in general, the preload increases as one advances from the apex to the equator of the left ventricle and then it decreases as one advances toward the base. The preload also changes as one advances from the epicardium to the endocardium in such a way that one can distinguish three zones: one outer, or epicardial, with low preloads, one middle with high preloads and one inner, or endocardial, with low preloads. The physiological significance of the findings as well as the validity of the assumptions on which the theory was based are discussed.     

Raman spectroscopy of blood and urine liquid biopsies for ovarian cancer diagnosis: identification of chemotherapy effects

Blood plasma and serum Raman spectroscopy for ovarian cancer diagnosis has been applied in pilot studies, with promising results. Herein, a comparative analysis of these biofluids, with a novel assessment of urine, was conducted by Raman spectroscopy application in a large patient cohort. Spectra were obtained through samples measurements from 116 ovarian cancer patients and 307 controls. Principal component analysis identified significant spectral differences between cancers without previous treatment (n = 71) and following neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NACT), (n = 45). Application of five classification algorithms achieved up to 73% sensitivity for plasma, high specificities and accuracies for both blood biofluids, and lower performance for urine. A drop in sensitivities for the NACT group in plasma and serum, with an opposite trend in urine, suggest that Raman spectroscopy could identify chemotherapy-related changes. This study confirms that biofluids' Raman spectroscopy can contribute in ovarian cancer's diagnostic work-up and demonstrates its potential in monitoring treatment response.     

Rapid identification of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmo trutta</Emphasis> lineages by multiplex PCR utilizing primers tailored to discriminate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the mitochondrial control region

Analyses of the mtDNA control region sequence variation of the brown trout Salmo trutta through its distribution range have demonstrated five distinct phylogenetic lineages. In this work we report the design and implementation of a rapid and accurate molecular diagnostic procedure which allows the assignment of all major phylogenetic lineages. Our method relies on multiplex PCR that discriminates diagnostic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) characteristic of each lineage. The method is straightforward and easy to set up, involves a single reaction, yields data easy to interpret and does not pose significant risk for false positive/negative lineage assignment of a given individual. Panagotis K. Apostolou and Andreas Georgiadis contributed equally to this work.