Lipid phosphate phosphatase-1 dephosphorylates exogenous lysophosphatidate and thereby attenuates its effects on cell signalling

The serum-derived phospholipid growth factor, lysophosphatidate (LPA), activates cells through a family of G-protein-coupled EDG receptors. The present article examines the role of lipid phosphate phosphatase-1 (LPP-1, or phosphatidate phosphate 2A) in regulating cell activation by LPA. Overexpressing LPP-1 approximately doubled the rate of dephosphorylation of exogenous LPA by Rat2 fibroblasts. The amount of LPA dephosphorylation was restricted to less than 10% of the total exogenous LPA. Over-expression of LPP-1 attenuated cell activation as indicated by diminished responses including cAMP, Ca2+, activation of phospholipase D and ERK, DNA synthesis and cell division. LPP-1 therefore provides a novel level of regulation for controlling cell signalling by exogenous LPA.     

Relatedness of chromosomal and plasmid DNAs of Erwinia pyrifoliae and Erwinia amylovora

The plant pathogen Erwinia pyrifoliae has been classified as a separate species from Erwinia amylovora based in part on differences in molecular properties. In this study, these and other molecular properties were examined for E. pyrifoliae and for additional strains of E. amylovora, including strains from brambles (Rubus spp.). The nucleotide composition of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was determined for six of the seven 16S-23S rRNA operons detected in these species with a 16S rRNA gene probe. Each species contained four operons with a tRNA(Glu) gene and two with tRNA(Ile) and tRNA(Ala) genes, and analysis of the operons from five strains of E. amylovora indicated a high degree of ITS variability among them. One tRNA(Glu)-containing operon from E. pyrifoliae Ep1/96 was identical to one in E. amylovora Ea110, but three tRNA(Glu) operons and two tRNA(Ile) and tRNA(Ala) operons from E. pyrifoliae contained unique nucleotide changes. When groEL sequences were used for species-specific identification, E. pyrifoliae and E. amylovora were the closest phylogenetic relatives among a set of 12 bacterial species. The placement of E. pyrifoliae distinct from E. amylovora corroborated molecular hybridization data indicating low DNA-DNA similarity between them. Determination of the nucleotide sequence of plasmid pEP36 from E. pyrifoliae Ep1/96 revealed a number of presumptive genes that matched genes previously found in pEA29 from E. amylovora and similar organization for the genes and origins of replication. Also, pEP36 and pEA29 were incompatible with clones containing the reciprocal origin regions. Finally, the ColE1-like plasmid pEP2.6 from strain Ep1/96 contained sequences found in small plasmids in E. amylovora strains IL-5 and IH3-1.     

Tolerability and efficacy of single dose albendazole,diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) or co-administration of albendazole with DEC in the clearance of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Wuchereria bancrofti</Emphasis>in asymptomatic microfilaraemic volunteers in Pondicherry,South India: a hospital-based study

Background  

The tolerability and efficacy of single dose albendazole (400 mg), diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) (6 mg/kg bodyweight) or co-administration of albendazole (400 mg) + DEC (6 mg/kg bodyweight) was studied in 54 asymptomatic Wuchereria bancrofti microfilaraemic volunteers in a double blind hospital-based clinical study.     

Identification of gene expression patterns using planned linear contrasts

Background  

In gene networks, the timing of significant changes in the expression level of each gene may be the most critical information in time course expression profiles. With the same timing of the initial change, genes which share similar patterns of expression for any number of sampling intervals from the beginning should be considered co-expressed at certain level(s) in the gene networks. In addition, multiple testing problems are complicated in experiments with multi-level treatments when thousands of genes are involved.     

P53 status influences regulation of HSPs and ribosomal proteins by PDTC and radiation

Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) is a thiol-containing compound that can act under varying conditions as an anti-oxidant or pro-oxidant. Utilizing microarrays, we determined the effect of PDTC +/- ionizing radiation (IR) on the expression of heat shock protein (HSP) genes in isolated B6/129 wild-type (WT) and p53-/- spleen cells. Extremely significant microarrays demonstrated that PDTC, but not IR, markedly up-regulated the expression of the majority of detectable HSP genes in WT and many to a significantly greater degree in p53-/- deficient cells. Determination of the glutathione/glutathione disulfide ratio indicated that PDTC was acting as a pro-oxidant under these conditions. From these data we conclude that the clinical use of "antioxidants" with radiotherapy or chemotherapy must be very carefully based on knowledge of the p53 status of their intended normal and tumor target cells.