Properties of strains of Escherichia coli K12 carrying mutant lex and rec alleles

Summary Strains of Escherichia coli K12 have been constructed which carry the lex-3 mutation in combination with recA56, recB21, or recC22. The lex ^– recA ^–strain is equally as sensitive to ultraviolet light (UV) and ionizing radiation and as recombination-deficient as the corresponding lex ⁺ recA ^–strain, whereas the lex ^– recB ^–and lex ^– recC ^–strains are somewhat more sensitive to UV and ionizing radiation than the corresponding lex ^– rec ⁺strain and have approximately the same recombination deficiencies as the respective lex ⁺ recB ^–and Lex ⁺ recC ^–strains. When cultures of the lex ^– recB ^–and lex ^–recC^–strains are UV-irradiated, they degrade their DNA at the low rate characteristic of lex ⁺ recB ^–and lex ⁺ recC ^–single mutants, in contrast to the high rate of degradation seen with lex ^– rec ⁺single mutants.These results imply that the lex ⁺and recA ⁺products act in the same pathway of DNA repair and that both are needed to limit the DNA breakdown due to the recB ⁺/C⁺nuclease.     

Protein encoded by the Axin(Fu) allele effectively down-regulates Wnt signaling but exerts a dominant negative effect on c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling

Axin plays an architectural role in many important signaling pathways that control various aspects of development and tumorigenesis, including the Wnt, transforming growth factor-beta, MAP kinase pathways, as well as p53 activation cascades. It is encoded by the mouse Fused (Fu) locus; the Axin(Fu) allele is caused by insertion of an IAP transposon. Axin(Fu/Fu) mice display varying phenotypes ranging from embryonic lethality to relatively normal adulthood with kinky tails. However, the protein product(s) has not been identified or characterized. In the present study, we conducted immunoprecipitation using brain extracts from the Axin(Fu) mice with specific antibodies against different regions of Axin and found that a truncated Axin containing amino acids 1-596 (designated as Axin(Fu-NT)) and the full-length complement of Axin (Axin(WT)) can both be generated from the Axin(Fu) allele. When tested for functionality changes, Axin(Fu-NT) was found to abolish Axin-mediated activation of JNK, which plays a critical role in dorsoventral patterning. Together with a proteomics approach, we found that Axin(Fu-NT) contains a previously uncharacterized dimerization domain and can form a heterodimeric interaction with Axin(WT). The Axin(Fu-NT)/Axin(WT) is not conducive to JNK activation, providing a molecular explanation for the dominant negative effect of Axin(Fu-NT) on JNK activation by wild-type Axin. Importantly, Axin(Fu-NT) exhibits no difference in the inhibition of Wnt signaling compared with Axin(WT) as determined by reporter gene assays, interaction with key Wnt regulators, and expression of Wnt marker genes in zebrafish embryos, suggesting that altered JNK signaling contributes, at least in part, to the developmental defects seen in Axin(Fu) mice.     

Expression of IGF system genes during T-antigen driven pituitary tumorigenesis.

Expression of IGF-I, IGF-II, the Type-I IGF receptor and six IGF binding proteins were examined in three different T-ag-driven mouse tumors. Unlike the widespread expression of IGF-II in pancreatic beta-cell tumors, IGF-II was not widely expressed in the two different pituitary tumors examined indicating that a mechanism independent of focal IGF-II expression can also drive T-antigen tumorigenesis. In addition, multiple IGF binding proteins were expressed in all three tumor types. This expression, however, was generally heterogeneous with no specific changes to indicate a required role for any IGF binding protein in T-antigen tumorigenesis.     

Occurrence and transmission potential of asymptomatic and presymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections: Update of a living systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundDebate about the level of asymptomatic Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection continues. The amount of evidence is increasing and study designs have changed over time. We updated a living systematic review to address 3 questions: (1) Among people who become infected with SARS-CoV-2, what proportion does not experience symptoms at all during their infection? (2) What is the infectiousness of asymptomatic and presymptomatic, compared with symptomatic, SARS-CoV-2 infection? (3) What proportion of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in a population is accounted for by people who are asymptomatic or presymptomatic?Methods and findingsThe protocol was first published on 1 April 2020 and last updated on 18 June 2021. We searched PubMed, Embase, bioRxiv, and medRxiv, aggregated in a database of SARS-CoV-2 literature, most recently on 6 July 2021. Studies of people with PCR-diagnosed SARS-CoV-2, which documented symptom status at the beginning and end of follow-up, or mathematical modelling studies were included. Studies restricted to people already diagnosed, of single individuals or families, or without sufficient follow-up were excluded. One reviewer extracted data and a second verified the extraction, with disagreement resolved by discussion or a third reviewer. Risk of bias in empirical studies was assessed with a bespoke checklist and modelling studies with a published checklist. All data syntheses were done using random effects models. Review question (1): We included 130 studies. Heterogeneity was high so we did not estimate a mean proportion of asymptomatic infections overall (interquartile range (IQR) 14% to 50%, prediction interval 2% to 90%), or in 84 studies based on screening of defined populations (IQR 20% to 65%, prediction interval 4% to 94%). In 46 studies based on contact or outbreak investigations, the summary proportion asymptomatic was 19% (95% confidence interval (CI) 15% to 25%, prediction interval 2% to 70%). (2) The secondary attack rate in contacts of people with asymptomatic infection compared with symptomatic infection was 0.32 (95% CI 0.16 to 0.64, prediction interval 0.11 to 0.95, 8 studies). (3) In 13 modelling studies fit to data, the proportion of all SARS-CoV-2 transmission from presymptomatic individuals was higher than from asymptomatic individuals. Limitations of the evidence include high heterogeneity and high risks of selection and information bias in studies that were not designed to measure persistently asymptomatic infection, and limited information about variants of concern or in people who have been vaccinated.ConclusionsBased on studies published up to July 2021, most SARS-CoV-2 infections were not persistently asymptomatic, and asymptomatic infections were less infectious than symptomatic infections. Summary estimates from meta-analysis may be misleading when variability between studies is extreme and prediction intervals should be presented. Future studies should determine the asymptomatic proportion of SARS-CoV-2 infections caused by variants of concern and in people with immunity following vaccination or previous infection. Without prospective longitudinal studies with methods that minimise selection and measurement biases, further updates with the study types included in this living systematic review are unlikely to be able to provide a reliable summary estimate of the proportion of asymptomatic infections caused by SARS-CoV-2.Review protocolOpen Science Framework (https://osf.io/9ewys/)

Diana Buitrago-Garcia and co-workers update a living systematic review and meta-analysis on occurrence and transmission of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections.     

A Predictive Model of the Extent of Listerial Contamination Within Damaged Silage Bales

A computer simulation model which describes the spatial and temporal variation in the extent of listerial contamination within a damaged silage bale is presented. The silage bale is assumed to be split into a number of distinct sites and these sites are represented by a two dimensional lattice structure. Each site is classified in relation to its listerial composition. This classification results in three states which are dormant, active and unpopulated. Sites change state as a result of the movement of oxygen through the bale. This movement is initiated when a hole is punched in the plastic covering of the bale. The model is stochastic in nature and at any time following damage, the proportion of the bale which is contaminated is calculated. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of contaminated sites is predicted. The models are a first attempt at introducing structure into the selection process for feeding silage. We highlight areas of future research which will be invaluable for validation and practical use of the model.     

Isolation and Partial Characterization of Temperature-Sensitive Escherichia coli Mutants with Altered Leucyl- and Seryl-Transfer Ribonucleic Acid Synthetases

Two temperature-sensitive mutants of Escherichia coli have been found in which the conditional growth is a result of a thermosensitive leucyl-transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) synthetase and seryl-tRNA synthetase, respectively. The corresponding genetic loci, leuS and serS, cotransduce with lip and serC, respectively. As a result of the mutationally altered leucyl-tRNA synthetase, some leucine-, valine-, and isoleucine-forming enzymes were derepressed. Thus, leucyl-tRNA synthetase is involved in the repression of the enzymes needed for the synthesis of branched-chain amino acids.