Neto2 Interacts with the Scaffolding Protein GRIP and Regulates Synaptic Abundance of Kainate Receptors

Kainate receptors (KARs) are a class of ionotropic glutamate receptors that are expressed throughout the central nervous system. The function and subcellular localization of KARs are tightly regulated by accessory proteins. We have previously identified the single-pass transmembrane proteins, Neto1 and Neto2, to be associated with native KARs. In the hippocampus, Neto1, but not Neto2, controls the abundance and modulates the kinetics of postsynaptic KARs. Here we evaluated whether Neto2 regulates synaptic KAR levels in the cerebellum where Neto1 expression is limited to the deep cerebellar nuclei. In the cerebellum, where Neto2 is present abundantly, we found a ∼40% decrease in GluK2-KARs at the postsynaptic density (PSD) of Neto2-null mice. No change, however, was observed in total level of GluK2-KARs, thereby suggesting a critical role of Neto2 on the synaptic localization of cerebellar KARs. The presence of a putative class II PDZ binding motif on Neto2 led us to also investigate whether it interacts with PDZ domain-containing proteins previously implicated in regulating synaptic abundance of KARs. We identified a PDZ-dependent interaction between Neto2 and the scaffolding protein GRIP. Furthermore, coexpression of Neto2 significantly increased the amount of GRIP associated with GluK2, suggesting that Neto2 may promote and/or stabilize GluK2:GRIP interactions. Our results demonstrate that Neto2, like Neto1, is an important auxiliary protein for modulating the synaptic levels of KARs. Moreover, we propose that the interactions of Neto1/2 with various scaffolding proteins is a critical mechanism by which KARs are stabilized at diverse synapses.     

Development of sporeless/low sporing strains of Pleurotus through mutation

Summary The sporophores of Pleurotus are gymnocarpous and continuously release spores in the atmosphere causing respiratory allergies like hay fever and farmer’s lung disease among workers. The allergy is caused by the antigens present on the walls of the spores. Apart from this, during commercial production, these spores settle on the fruit bodies, germinate and form a velvety film which gives an unpleasant appearance to the mushrooms. The spores emitted may include new genotypes likely to attack wood or trees. Spore allergy is one of the most important limiting factors for the large scale cultivation of this species. Different approaches are being adopted at IIHR for the production of commercial sporeless/low-sporing strains of Pleurotus to alleviate the spore allergy problem. Attempts were made during the present investigation to produce sporeless or low-sporing mutants through u.v. mutation. Mutation of the mycelium did not yield the desired results. Mutation of the spores of Pleurotus sajor-caju yielded an extremely low-sporing mutant after 75 min exposure. The character has been found to be stable for more than 10 generations of subculturing.     

Membrane lipid alterations and thermal stress in Salmonella typhimurium 7136

Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 7136 exhibited major changes in lipid composition when grown in the presence of either 0.15% sodium deoxycholate or 0.15% sodium benzoate. These lipophilic compounds had directly opposing effects on the lipid profile of the organism. The saturated/unsaturated ratio was markedly elevated in benzoate-grown cells. On the other hand, it was depressed by an even greater margin from the control after growth in the presence of deoxycholate. Adjustments in the phospholipid content of the cells were also recorded. Phosphatidylethanolamines decreased by 28 and 50% in the deoxycholate- and benzoate-grown cells, respectively. Compensatory increases in phosphatidylglycerols of 87.5 and 175% occurred, along with increases in cardiolipins of 12- and 22-fold, respectively. Deoxycholate or benzoate supplementation also altered the relative distribution of neutral lipids; again, benzoate stimulated the greater change. Compositional changes were accompanied in the organism by increased heat sensitivity, but the effect on the susceptibility of S. typhimurium to injury varied with the physical properties of the supplement used.     

An influenza A virus-specific and HLA-DRw8-restricted T cell clone cross-reacting with a transcomplementation product of the HLA-DR2 and DR4 haplotypes

The clone TA10 is a T3+ T4+ T8- proliferative and cytolytic human T cell clone. This clone has been shown to be specific for the hemagglutinin of influenza A Texas virus and restricted by an HLA class II molecule associated with the DRw8-Dw8.1 phenotype. Here we show that TA10 and all of its subclones can also react with eight HLA-DRw8 negative, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed cell lines or phytohemagglutinin blasts in the absence of influenza antigens. All of these cell lines are HLA-DR2/DR4 with a classic DR2 long haplotype. The only nonreactive HLA-DR2/DR4 cell line observed bears a DR2 short haplotype. Only heterozygous HLA-DR2/DR4 but not parental DR2 or DR4 EBV-transformed cell lines can be recognized by TA10, indicating that the cross-reacting determinant is a transcomplementation product between HLA-DR2 and HLA-DR4 haplotypes. DR-specific, but not DQ- or DP-specific monoclonal antibodies, inhibit in the proliferation assay and in the chromium release test both the DRw8-Dw8.1-restricted and the anti-DR2/DR4 reactions. These results show that HLA-DR-restricted, anti-viral human T cell clone can evidence cross-reactivity for allospecific class II molecules of the major histocompatibility complex, and human CTL can recognize transcomplementation products of class II HLA genes. In addition, the results suggest that a beta-chain coded for by an HLA-DR gene and associated with an alpha-chain coded for by a still unidentified but possibly HLA-DQ gene constitute this functional transcomplementation product.