Diet-induced obesity and associated disorders are prevented by natural bioactive type 1 fish collagen peptides (Naticol®) treatment

To fight against metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance, new alimentary behaviors are developed. For instance, hyperproteined, gluten-free, or collagen-enriched diets could be preconized in order to reduce the consequences of obesity. In this aim, this study evaluates the potential effects of warm sea fish collagen peptides (Naticol®) on representative metabolic and inflammatory parameters. For that, male C57Bl6/J mice fed with either a chow- (CD) or high-fat diet (HFD) were submitted or not to specific collagen peptides in drinking water (4 g/kg bw/d) for 20 weeks. Weight, body composition, glucose tolerance, and insulin sensitivity were followed up. Effects of fish collagen peptides on various blood parameters reflecting the metabolism status were also measured (free fatty acids, triglycerides, cholesterol, hormones) together with adipocyte inflammation. Results showed that HFD-fed mice supplemented by fish collagen peptides exhibited a significant lower increase in body weight as soon as the twelfth week of treatment whereas no effect of the peptide was observed in CD fed mice. In line with this result, a weaker increase in fat mass in HFD-fed mice supplemented with Naticol® at both 9 and 18 weeks of treatment was also observed. In spite of this resistance to obesity promoted by fish collagen peptides treatment, no difference in glucose tolerance was found between groups whereas mice treated with Naticol® exhibited a lower basal glycemia. Also, even if no effect of the treatment on adipocyte lipolysis was found, a decrease of inflammatory cytokines was retrieved in collagen-supplemented group arguing for a potential better insulin sensitivity. Altogether, these results need to be completed but are the first describing a benefic role of warm sea fish collagen peptides in a context of metabolic disease paving the route for a potential utilization in human obesity-associated disorders.     

Cell-cell interactions influence oligosaccharide modifications on mucins and other large glycoproteins

Intratumoral phenotypic diversity is well documented with regard to tumor associated carbohydrate antigens (TACA). The factors which control the expression of these cell-surface oligosaccharides on different cells of the same tumor are not understood. We investigated the expression of a panel of mucin associated oligosaccharides in cell lines growing at different surface densities (number of cells per cm² of growth flask). Results show that the apparent expression of extended Le^a-Le^x, Le^a and Le^x, sialyl Le^a, Tn and sialyl Tn varies with density of growth by an invasive human squamous cell lung carcinoma cell line (NU6-1), a benign variant (NE-18) and the human lung epithelial cell line BEAS-2B. The results indicate that one of the factors influencing the apparent expression of mucin-associated oligosaccharides is cell-cell interactions.Abbreviations Mab monoclonal antibody - FIT fluorescein isothiocyanate - TACA tumor associated carbohydrate antigen     

β-Glucosidase 2 (GBA2) Activity and Imino Sugar Pharmacology

β-Glucosidase 2 (GBA2) is an enzyme that cleaves the membrane lipid glucosylceramide into glucose and ceramide. The GBA2 gene is mutated in genetic neurological diseases (hereditary spastic paraplegia and cerebellar ataxia). Pharmacologically, GBA2 is reversibly inhibited by alkylated imino sugars that are in clinical use or are being developed for this purpose. We have addressed the ambiguity surrounding one of the defining characteristics of GBA2, which is its sensitivity to inhibition by conduritol B epoxide (CBE). We found that CBE inhibited GBA2, in vitro and in live cells, in a time-dependent fashion, which is typical for mechanism-based enzyme inactivators. Compared with the well characterized impact of CBE on the lysosomal glucosylceramide-degrading enzyme (glucocerebrosidase, GBA), CBE inactivated GBA2 less efficiently, due to a lower affinity for this enzyme (higher K_I) and a lower rate of enzyme inactivation (k_inact). In contrast to CBE, N-butyldeoxygalactonojirimycin exclusively inhibited GBA2. Accordingly, we propose to redefine GBA2 activity as the β-glucosidase that is sensitive to inhibition by N-butyldeoxygalactonojirimycin. Revised as such, GBA2 activity 1) was optimal at pH 5.5–6.0; 2) accounted for a much higher proportion of detergent-independent membrane-associated β-glucosidase activity; 3) was more variable among mouse tissues and neuroblastoma and monocyte cell lines; and 4) was more sensitive to inhibition by N-butyldeoxynojirimycin (miglustat, Zavesca®), in comparison with earlier studies. Our evaluation of GBA2 makes it possible to assess its activity more accurately, which will be helpful in analyzing its physiological roles and involvement in disease and in the pharmacological profiling of monosaccharide mimetics.     

Method for enhancing solubility of the expressed recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli

The production of correctly folded protein in Escherichia coli is often challenging because of aggregation of the overexpressed protein into inclusion bodies. Although a number of general and protein-specific techniques are available, their effectiveness varies widely. We report a novel method for enhancing the solubility of overexpressed proteins. Presence of a dipeptide, glycylglycine, in the range of 100 mM to 1 M in the medium was found to significantly enhance the solubility (up to 170-fold) of the expressed proteins. The method has been validated using mycobacterial proteins, resulting in improved solubilization, which were otherwise difficult to express as soluble proteins in E. coli. This method can also be used to enhance the solubility of other heterologous recombinant proteins expressed in a bacterial system.     

Novel intron length polymorphic (ILP) markers from starch biosynthesis genes reveal genetic relationships in Indian wheat varieties and related species

Molecular Biology Reports - Introns experience lesser selection pressure, thus are liable for higher polymorphism. Intron Length Polymorphic (ILP) markers designed from exon-flanking introns...     

Olfactory behavior and response of household ants (Hymenoptera) to different types of coffee odor: A coffee-based bait development prospect

Odor sensation is a sensory modality of considerable significance in the foraging behavior and interactional organization of ants. In the food bait technology, smell is the basis of attraction, which, in turn, is the line of bait use and a key parameter for judging efficacy. Yet, the currently available baits possess low attractiveness to many ant pests. Hence, strategies to produce ant bait with increased attractiveness are needed. Despite evidence that coffee has a diverse aroma complex that affects the behavior of honey bees and ants, its attraction to house-invading ants has yet to be investigated. In a series of Y-tube olfactometer bioassays, we examined the behavioral responses of Tapinoma indicum (TI), Monomorium pharaonis (MP) and Solenopsis geminata (SG) to various coffee-induced odor stimuli, comprised of extracts from Arabica, Robusta and Liberica. All coffee extracts showed an influence on the behavior of TI, MP and SG workers, with Arabica showed the most significant influence to the tested ants. The workers of TI, MP and SG were more attracted to the odor of 0.01% Arabica extract (ONE), in comparison with 0.05% Arabica extract (TWO) or 0.10% Arabica extract (THREE). Arabica extract mixed with sugar (S) elicited a significant attraction from workers of all three species in a balanced competition with either unsweetened Arabica extract or water. These results indicated that coffee, particularly Arabica, was attractive to the foragers of TI, MP and SG, thus, the use of coffee as a novel stimulus agent seems plausible in ant bait development.     

Stem cell factor expression after renal ischemia promotes tubular epithelial survival

Background

Renal ischemia leads to apoptosis of tubular epithelial cells and results in decreased renal function. Tissue repair involves re-epithelialization of the tubular basement membrane. Survival of the tubular epithelium following ischemia is therefore important in the successful regeneration of renal tissue. The cytokine stem cell factor (SCF) has been shown to protect the tubular epithelium against apoptosis.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In a mouse model for renal ischemia/reperfusion injury, we studied how expression of c-KIT on tubular epithelium and its ligand SCF protect cells against apoptosis. Administration of SCF specific antisense oligonucleotides significantly decreased specific staining of SCF following ischemia. Reduced SCF expression resulted in impaired renal function, increased tubular damage and increased tubular epithelial apoptosis, independent of inflammation. In an in vitro hypoxia model, stimulation of tubular epithelial cells with SCF activated survival signaling and decreased apoptosis.

Conclusions/Significance

Our data indicate an important role for c-KIT and SCF in mediating tubular epithelial cell survival via an autocrine pathway.     

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens BSL16 improves phytoremediation potential of Solanum lycopersicum during copper stress

Current study aimed at exploring the diversity of bacterial endophytes with Boswellia sacra and their role in copper (Cu) stress to tomato plants. Bacterial endophytes were belonged to Bacillus, Rhizobium and Paenibacillus, which were screened against Cu (0–10?mM) stress to dwarf and normal rice seeds. Among strains, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens BSL16 showed significantly higher bioremediation potential by accumulating high Cu and promoting growth of rice seeds. B. amyloliquefaciens BSL16 significantly increased growth of tomato plants during 2.5?mM Cu stress. Active colonization of BSL16 reduced the accumulation of Cu in leaf, shoot, and root, and in parallel up-regulated total protein contents in leaf and stem. Glutathione peroxidase and reduced glutathione contents were significantly higher and lipid peroxidation was lower in endophyte-treated tomato plants as compared to Cu treatment. The current results conclude that application of metal bio-accumulating bacteria can help in improving the plant growth of tomato plants during Cu stress.     

Linkage mapping of the locus responsible for congenital multiple ocular defects in cattle on bovine Chromosome 18

Congenital multiple ocular defects (MOD) in Japanese black cattle is a hereditary ocular disorder with an autosomal recessive manner of inheritance, showing developmental defects of the lens, retina, and iris, persistent embryonic eye vascularization, and microphthalmia. In the present study, we mapped the locus responsible for the disorder by linkage analysis using 240 microsatellite markers covering the entire bovine genome and an inbred pedigree obtained from commercial herds. The linkage analysis demonstrated a significant linkage between the disorder locus and markers on the proximal region of bovine Chromosome (BTA) 18 with the maximum LOD score of 5.1. Homozygosity mapping using the haplotype of the linked markers further refined the critical region. The results revealed the localization of the locus responsible for MOD in an approximately 6.6-cM region of BTA18. Comparison of published linkage and radiation hybrid (RH) maps of BTA18 with its evolutionary ortholog, human Chromosome (HSA) 16, revealed several potential candidate genes for the disorder including the MAF and FOXC2 genes.