Identification and characterization of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) gene in birds

Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) is a triglyceride hydrolysis lipase and is generally related to lipid metabolism in animals. The ATGL gene was well studied in mammals, however very less was known in birds that differed significantly with mammals for lipid metabolism. In this study, cloning, mRNA real time and association analysis was performed to characterize the ATGL gene in birds. Results showed that the obtained ATGL gene cDNA of parrot, quail, duck were 1,651 bp (NCBI accession number: GQ221784), 1,557 bp (NCBI accession number: GQ221783) and 1,440 bp each, encoded 481-, 482- and 279-amino acid (AA) peptide, respectively. The parrot ATGL (pATGL) gene was found to predominantly express in breast muscle and leg muscle, and very higher ATGL mRNA level was also found in heart, abdominal fat and subcutaneous fat. The quail ATGL (qATGL) gene was also predominantly expressed in breast muscle and leg muscle, and then to a much lesser degree in heart. The duck ATGL (dATGL) gene was found to predominantly express in subcutaneous fat and abdominal fat, quite higher ATGL mRNA was also found in heart, spleen, breast muscle and leg muscle. Blast analyses indicated the high homology of ATGL and its patatin region, and moreover, and the active serine hydrolase motif (“GASAG” for “GXSXG”) and the glycine rich motif (“GCGFLG” for “GXGXXG”) were completely conservative among 14 species. Association analyses showed that c.950+24C>A, c.950+45C>G, c.950+73G>A, c.950+83C>T and c.950+128delA of chicken ATGL gene (cATGL) were all significantly or highly significantly with cingulated fat width (CFW) (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and c.777−26C>A, c.950+45C>G, c.950+73G>A and c.950+118C>T were all significantly or highly significantly with pH value of breast muscle (BMPH) (P < 0.05).     

Systems Mapping for Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Heterogeneity

Cells with the same genotype growing under the same conditions can show different phenotypes, which is known as “population heterogeneity”. The heterogeneity of hematopoietic progenitor cells has an effect on their differentiation potential and lineage choices. However, the genetic mechanisms governing population heterogeneity remain unclear. Here, we present a statistical model for mapping the quantitative trait locus (QTL) that affects hematopoietic cell heterogeneity. This strategy, termed systems mapping, integrates a system of differential equations into the framework for systems mapping, allowing hypotheses regarding the interplay between genetic actions and cell heterogeneity to be tested. A simulation approach based on cell heterogeneity dynamics has been designed to test the statistical properties of the model. This model not only considers the traditional QTLs, but also indicates the methylated QTLs that can illustrate non-genetic individual differences. It has significant implications for probing the molecular, genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of hematopoietic progenitor cell heterogeneity.     

Mud-puddling in the yellow-spined bamboo locust, Ceracris kiangsu (Oedipodidae: Orthoptera): Does it detect and prefer salts or nitrogenous compounds from human urine?

C. kiangsu adults were observed visiting human urine, especially on hot summer days. The main chemicals in fresh human urine include inorganic salts and CO(NH₂)_2. When human urine was incubated, NH₄HCO₃ became the richest nitrogenous compound. The phagostimulants, repellents and attractants in urine were identified here. On the filter papers treated with fresh or incubated urine samples, the 5th instar nymphs and the adults started and continued gnawing around the edges, in contrast to the 3rd and the 4th instar nymphs. The consumed areas were dramatically greater on the filters treated with the urine samples incubated for 3-6 days. The feedings of both male and female adults were also stimulated by several urine-borne components such as NaCl, NaH₂PO₄, Na₂SO₄, KCl, NH₄Cl and NH₄HCO₃ but not by CO(NH₂)₂. Among them NaCl was the most powerful phagostimulant. The repelling, or attractive/arresting effects of CO(NH₂)₂ and NH₄HCO₃ were also evaluated by a two-choice test. When exposed to water- and CO(NH₂)₂ solution-immersed filters simultaneously, the adults prefer to stay on water-immersed filter. In contrast, when provided water- and NH₄HCO₃ solution-treated filters, the adults prefer to stay on NH₄HCO₃ solution-treated filter. This demonstrated that CO(NH₂)₂ acted as a repellent and NH₄HCO₃ as an attractant/arrestant. In the bamboo forest, similar feeding behavior was also elicited by NaCl, NH₄HCO₃ but not by CO(NH₂)₂. Comparing to NaCl solution, a mixed solution of NaCl and CO(NH₂)₂ (1:1) significantly decreased the consumed area of the treated filters whereas a mixed solution of NaCl and NH₄HCO₃ (1:1) dramatically increased the consumed area. These results demonstrated that the phagostimulatory effect by NaCl was reduced by CO(NH₂)₂ in fresh urine and was enhanced by NH₄HCO₃ in incubated urine.     

Auxin-related gene families in abiotic stress response in Sorghum bicolor

Sorghum, a C4 model plant, has been studied to develop an understanding of the molecular mechanism of resistance to stress. The auxin-response genes, auxin/indole-3-acetic acid (Aux/IAA), auxin-response factor (ARF), Gretchen Hagen3 (GH3), small auxin-up RNAs, and lateral organ boundaries (LBD), are involved in growth/development and stress/defense responses in Arabidopsis and rice, but they have not been studied in sorghum. In the present paper, the chromosome distribution, gene duplication, promoters, intron/exon, and phylogenic relationships of Aux/IAA, ARF, GH3, and LBD genes in sorghum are presented. Furthermore, real-time PCR analysis demonstrated these genes are differently expressed in leaf/root of sorghum and indicated the expression profile of these gene families under IAA, brassinosteroid (BR), salt, and drought treatments. The SbGH3 and SbLBD genes, expressed in low level under natural condition, were highly induced by salt and drought stress consistent with their products being involved in both abiotic stresses. Three genes, SbIAA1, SbGH3-13, and SbLBD32, were highly induced under all the four treatments, IAA, BR, salt, and drought. The analysis provided new evidence for role of auxin in stress response, implied there are cross talk between auxin, BR and abiotic stress signaling pathways.     

All-trans retinoic acid suppresses exocrine differentiation and branching morphogenesis in the embryonic pancreas

Recent evidence has shown that retinoic acid (RA) signalling is required for early pancreatic development in zebrafish and frog but its role in later development in mammals is less clear cut. In the present study, we determined the effects of RA on the differentiation of the mouse embryonic pancreas. Addition of all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) to embryonic pancreatic cultures induced a number of changes. Branching morphogenesis and exocrine differentiation were suppressed and there was premature formation of endocrine cell clusters (although the total area of beta cells was not different in control and atRA-treated buds). We investigated the mechanism of these changes and found that the premature formation of beta cells was associated with the early expression of high-level Pdx1 in the endocrine cell clusters. In contrast, the suppressive effect of RA on exocrine differentiation may be due to a combination of two mechanisms (i) up-regulation of the extracellular matrix component laminin and (ii) enhancement of apoptosis. We also demonstrate that addition of fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-10 is able to partially prevent apoptosis and rescue exocrine differentiation and branching morphogenesis in atRA-treated cultures but not in mice lacking the FGF receptor 2-IIIb, suggesting the effects of FGF-10 are mediated through this receptor.     

Tumor necrosis factor regulates intestinal epithelial cell migration by receptor-dependent mechanisms

Altered mucosal integrity andincreased cytokine production, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF),are the hallmarks of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In this study,we addressed the role of TNF receptors (TNFR) on intestinal epithelialcell migration in an in vitro wound closure model. With mouse TNFR1 orTNFR2 knockout intestinal epithelial cells, gene transfection, andpharmacological inhibitors, we show a concentration-dependentreceptor-mediated regulation of intestinal cell migration by TNF. Aphysiological TNF level (1 ng/ml) enhances migration through TNFR2,whereas a pathological level (100 ng/ml) inhibits wound closure through TNFR1. Increased rate of wound closure by TNFR2 or inhibition by TNFR1cannot be explained by either increased proliferation orapoptosis, respectively. Furthermore, inhibiting Src tyrosine kinase decreases TNF-induced focal adhesion kinase (FAK) tyrosine phosphorylation and cellular migration. We therefore conclude thatTNFR2 activates a novel Src-regulated pathway involving FAK tyrosinephosphorylation that enhances migration of intestinal epithelial cells.