Chemerin, a novel peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) target gene that promotes mesenchymal stem cell adipogenesis

Chemerin is an adipocyte-secreted protein that regulates adipogenesis and the metabolic function of mature adipocytes via activation of chemokine-like receptor 1 (CMKLR1). Herein we report the interaction of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and chemerin in the context of adipogenesis. Knockdown of chemerin or CMKLR1 expression or antibody neutralization of secreted chemerin protein arrested adipogenic clonal expansion of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) by inducing a loss of G(2)/M cyclins (cyclin A2/B2) but not the G(1)/S cyclin D2. Forced expression of PPARγ in BMSCs did not completely rescue this loss of clonal expansion and adipogenesis following chemerin or CMKLR1 knockdown. However, forced expression and/or activation of PPARγ in BMSCs as well as non-adipogenic cell types such as NIH-3T3 embryonic fibroblasts and MCA38 colon carcinoma cells significantly induced chemerin expression and secretion. Sequence analysis revealed a putative PPARγ response element (PPRE) sequence within the chemerin promoter. This PPRE was able to confer PPARγ responsiveness on a heterologous promoter, and mutation of this sequence abolished activation of the chemerin promoter by PPARγ. Chromatin immunoprecipitation confirmed the direct association of PPARγ with this PPRE. Treatment of mice with rosiglitazone elevated chemerin mRNA levels in adipose tissue and bone marrow coincident with an increase in circulating chemerin levels. Together, these findings support a fundamental role for chemerin/CMKLR1 signaling in clonal expansion during adipocyte differentiation as well as a role for PPARγ in regulating chemerin expression.     

Muscle‐derived exophers promote reproductive fitness

Caenorhabditis elegans body wall muscles release vesicles called exophers that transport muscle‐synthesized yolk proteins to nourish the next generation.     

Ubiquitin Signaling Regulates RNA Biogenesis,Processing, and Metabolism

The fate of eukaryotic proteins, from their synthesis to destruction, is supervised by the ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS). The UPS is the primary pathway responsible for selective proteolysis of intracellular proteins, which is guided by covalent attachment of ubiquitin to target proteins by E1 (activating), E2 (conjugating), and E3 (ligating) enzymes in a process known as ubiquitylation. The UPS can also regulate protein synthesis by influencing multiple steps of RNA (ribonucleic acid) metabolism. Here, recent publications concerning the interplay between the UPS and different types of RNA are reviewed. This interplay mainly involves specific RNA-binding E3 ligases that link RNA-dependent processes with protein ubiquitylation. The emerging understanding of their modes of RNA binding, their RNA targets, and their molecular and cellular functions are primarily focused on. It is discussed how the UPS adapted to interact with different types of RNA and how RNA molecules influence the ubiquitin signaling components.     

Evaluation of DNA methylation and mRNA expression of heat shock proteins in thermal manipulated chicken

Thermal manipulation during embryogenesis has been demonstrated to enhance the thermotolerance capacity of broilers through epigenetic modifications. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are induced in response to stress for guarding cells against damage. The present study investigates the effect of thermal conditioning during embryogenesis and thermal challenge at 42 days of age on HSP gene and protein expression, DNA methylation and in vitro luciferase assay in brain tissue of Naked Neck (NN) and Punjab Broiler-2 (PB-2) chicken. On the 15th day of incubation, fertile eggs from two breeds, NN and PB-2, were randomly divided in to two groups: control (C)—eggs were incubated under standard incubation conditions, and thermal conditioning (TC)—eggs were exposed to higher incubation temperature (40.5°C) for 3 h on the 15th, 16th, and 17th days of incubation. The chicks obtained from each group were further subdivided and reared under different environmental conditions from the 15th to the 42nd day as normal [N; 25 ± 1 °C, 70% relative humidity (RH)] and heat exposed (HE; 35 ± 1 °C, 50% RH) resulting in four treatment groups (CN, CHE, TCN, and TCHE). The results revealed that HSP promoter activity was stronger in CHE, which had lesser methylation and higher gene expression. The activity of promoter region was lesser in TCHE birds that were thermally manipulated at the embryonic stage, thus reflecting their stress-free condition. This was confirmed by the lower level of mRNA expression of all the HSP genes. In conclusion, thermal conditioning during embryogenesis has a positive impact and improves chicken thermotolerance capacity in postnatal life.     

Point of Care Tuberculosis Sero-Diagnosis Kit for Wild Animals: Combination of Proteins for Improving the Diagnostic Sensitivity and Specificity

Tuberculosis is a significant problem globally for domestic animals as well as captive and free ranging wild life. Rapid point of care (POC) serology kits are well suited for the diagnosis of TB in wild animals. However, wild animals are invariably exposed to environmental non-pathogenic mycobacterium species with the development of cross reacting antibodies. In the present study, POC TB diagnosis kit was developed using a combination of pathogenic Mycobacteria specific recombinant antigens and purified protein derivatives of pathogenic and non-pathogenic Mycobacteria. To benchmark the TB antibody detection kit, particularly in respect to specificity which could not be determined in wildlife due to the lack of samples from confirmed uninfected animals, we first tested well-characterized sera from 100 M. bovis infected and 100 uninfected cattle. Then we investigated the kit’s performance using sera samples from wildlife, namely Sloth Bears (n = 74), Elephants (n = 9), Cervidae (n = 14), Felidae (n = 21), Cape buffalo (n = 2), Wild bear (n = 1) and Wild dog (n = 1).In cattle, a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 90% were obtained. The diagnostic sensitivity of the kit was 94% when the kit was tested using known TB positive sloth bear sera samples. 47.4% of the in-contact sloth bears turned seropositive using the rapid POC TB diagnostic kit. Seropositivity in other wild animals was 25% when the sera samples were tested using the kit. A point of care TB sero-diagnostic kit with the combination of proteins was developed and the kit was validated using the sera samples of wild animals.     

Effect of Supplemental Trace Minerals on Hsp-70 mRNA Expression in Commercial Broiler Chicken

The effects of supplementing the organic forms of selenium (Se), chromium (Cr), and zinc (Zn) on Hsp-70 mRNA expression and body weight in broiler chickens were evaluated. 200 chicks were equally distributed into stainless steel battery brooders at the rate of 5 birds per pen and reared under heat stress condition up to 42^nd day. The chicks were fed with three experimental diets supplemented with organic forms of Se (0.30?mg/kg), Cr (2?mg/kg), and Zn (40?mg/kg) during the starter and finisher phases and a control diet without any supplementation. On the 21st and 42nd day, 20 birds from each period were sacrificed and samples were collected for analysis. Organic Se, Cr, and Zn supplementation significantly (P?Hsp-70 mRNA levels. The Hsp-70 mRNA expression levels were significantly (P?Hsp-70 mRNA expression level was not affected by age of the birds. The study concluded that organic trace mineral (oTM) supplementation resulted in low Hsp-70 mRNA expression, indicating reduced heat stress in broilers.     

An optimized protocol for large‐scale in situ sampling and analysis of volatile organic compounds

Chemical ecology is an ever‐expanding field with a growing interest in population‐ and community‐level studies. Many such studies are hindered due to lack of an efficient and accelerated protocol for large‐scale sampling and analysis of chemical compounds. Here, we present an optimized protocol for such large‐scale study of volatiles. A large‐scale in situ study to understand role of semiochemicals in variation in mating success of lekking blackbuck was conducted. Suitable methods for sampling and statistical analysis were identified by testing and comparing the efficiencies of available techniques to reduce analysis time while retaining sensitivity and comprehensiveness. Solid‐phase extraction using polydimethylsiloxane, analysis using a semiautomated detection of retention time and base peak, and statistical analysis using random forest algorithm were identified as the most efficient methods for large‐scale in situ sampling and analysis of volatiles. The protocol for large‐scale volatile analysis can facilitate evolutionary and metaecological studies of volatiles in situ from all types of biological samples. The protocol has potential for wider application with the analysis and interpretation methods being suitable for all kinds of semiochemicals, including nonvolatile chemicals.