Putting the brakes on phagocytosis: “don't‐eat‐me” signaling in physiology and disease

Timely removal of dying or pathogenic cells by phagocytes is essential to maintaining host homeostasis. Phagocytes execute the clearance process with high fidelity while sparing healthy neighboring cells, and this process is at least partially regulated by the balance of “eat‐me” and “don''t‐eat‐me” signals expressed on the surface of host cells. Upon contact, eat‐me signals activate “pro‐phagocytic” receptors expressed on the phagocyte membrane and signal to promote phagocytosis. Conversely, don''t‐eat‐me signals engage “anti‐phagocytic” receptors to suppress phagocytosis. We review the current knowledge of don''t‐eat‐me signaling in normal physiology and disease contexts where aberrant don''t‐eat‐me signaling contributes to pathology.     

Stereoselective binding of chiral ligands to single nucleotide polymorphisms of the human organic cation transporter-1 determined using cellular membrane affinity chromatography

Membranes from stably transfected cell lines that express two point mutations of the human organic cation transporter-1 (hOCT1), R488 M and G465R, have been immobilized on the immobilized artificial membrane (IAM) liquid chromatographic stationary phase to form two cellular membrane affinity chromatography (CMAC) columns, CMAC(hOCT1_G465R) and CMAC(hOCT1_R488M). Columns were created using both stationary phases, and frontal displacement chromatography experiments were conducted using [³H] MMP⁺ (1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium) as the marker ligand and various displacers, including the single enantiomers of verapamil, fenoterol, and isoproterenol. The chromatographic data obtained were used to refine a previously developed pharmacophore for hOCT1.     

Recombineering facilitates the discovery of natural product biosynthetic pathways in Pseudomonas parafulva

Microbial natural products among other functions they play a vital role in the disease prevention in humans, animals and plants. Pseudomonas parafulva CRS01-1 is a broad-spectrum antagonistic bacterium present in plants. However, no natural products have been isolated from this strain till date. Corresponding biosynthetic gene clusters to natural products is an effective method for bioprospecting, for which, genome manipulation tools are essential. We previously developed Pseudomonas-specific phage-derived homologous recombination systems for genetic engineering in four Pseudomonas species. Herein, we report the application of these recombineering systems in Pseudomonas parafulva CRS01-1, along with structural elucidation and bioactivity evaluation of natural products. The Pseudomonas recombineering toolbox established before in different four species is efficient for genome mining and bioactive metabolite discovery from more distant species.     

Plant regeneration through somatic embryogenesis from mature leaf explants of Eryngium foetidum,a condiment

Eryngium foetidum L. is an important plant cultivated as a leafy vegetable and for its essential oil, which are of high economic value in international trade market. Plants were regenerated through somatic embryogenesis from mature leaf explants of field grown plants. Leaf explants produced dark brown, compact callus on Linsmaier and Skoog (LS) medium with the combination of 1.0 mg l^-1 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) and 1.0 mg l^-1 benzylaminopurine (BAP). Somatic embryos were induced from embryo-forming callus cultures on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 0.1 mg l^-1 2,4-D, 2.0 mg l^-1 BAP and 1.0 mg l^-1 gibberellic acid (GA₃). Subsequently, conversion of these somatic embryos into plantlets occurred on MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg l^-1 GA₃ and/or 0.1 mg l^-1 BAP. The regenerated shoots were rooted and elongated on MS medium supplemented with 0.1 mg l^-1 IAA and 1.0 mg l^-1 GA₃. These plantlets were hardened and transferred to the soil. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Ultrapotent miniproteins targeting the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain protect against infection and disease

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