Localization of multiple pleiotropic genes for lipoprotein metabolism in baboons

We employed a novel approach to identify the key loci that harbor genes influencing lipoprotein metabolism in approximately 2,000 pedigreed baboons fed various diets differing in levels of fat and cholesterol. In this study, 126 overlapping traits related to both LDL and HDL metabolism were normalized and subjected to genome-wide linkage screening. As was expected, the traits were highly, but not completely, correlated. We exploited the information in these correlated traits by focusing on those genomic regions harboring quantitative trait loci (QTL) for multiple traits, reasoning that the more influential genes would impact a larger number of traits. This study identified five major QTL clusters (each with at least two significant logarithm of the odds scores >4.7), two of which had not been previously reported in baboons. One of these mapped to the baboon ortholog of human chromosome 1p32-p34 and influenced concentrations of LDL-cholesterol on Basal and high-fat, low-cholesterol diets. The other novel QTL cluster mapped to the baboon ortholog of human chromosome 12q13.13-q14.1 and influenced LDL size properties on high-fat, low-cholesterol and high-fat, high-cholesterol, but not Basal, diets. Confirming the value of this approach, three of the QTL clusters replicated published linkage findings for the same or similar traits.     

Animal models of human amyloidoses: Are transgenic mice worth the time and trouble?

The amyloidoses are the prototype gain of toxic function protein misfolding diseases. As such, several naturally occurring animal models and their inducible variants provided some of the first insights into these disorders of protein aggregation. With greater analytic knowledge and the increasing flexibility of transgenic and gene knockout technology, new models have been generated allowing the interrogation of phenomena that have not been approachable in more reductionist systems, i.e. behavioral readouts in the neurodegenerative diseases, interactions among organ systems in the transthyretin amyloidoses and taking pre-clinical therapeutic trials beyond cell culture. The current review describes the features of both transgenic and non-transgenic models and discusses issues that appear to be unresolved even when viewed in their organismal context.     

Physical association of the catalytic and helper modules of a family-9 glycoside hydrolase is essential for activity

Clostridium thermocellum cellulase 9I (Cel9I) is a non-cellulosomal tri-modular enzyme, consisting of a family-9 glycoside hydrolase (GH9) catalytic module and two family-3 carbohydrate-binding modules (CBM3c and CBM3b). The presence of CBM3c was previously shown to be essential for activity, however the mechanism by which it functions is unclear. We expressed the three recombinant modules independently in Escherichia coli and examined their interactions. Non-denaturing gel electrophoresis, isothermal titration calorimetry, and affinity purification of the GH9-CBM3c complex revealed a specific non-covalent binding interaction between the GH9 module and CBM3c. Their physical association was shown to recover 60-70% of the intact Cel9I endoglucanase activity.

Structured summary:

MINT-6946626:Cel9I (uniprotkb:Q02934) and Cel9I (uniprotkb:Q02934) bind (MI:0407) by comigration in non-denaturing gel electrophoresis (MI:0404)MINT-6946649:Cel9I (uniprotkb:Q02934) and Cel9I (uniprotkb:Q02934) bind (MI:0407) by molecular sieving (MI:0071)MINT-6946687:Cel9I (uniprotkb:Q02934) and Cel9I (uniprotkb:Q02934) bind (MI:0407) by isothermal titration calorimetry (MI:0065)MINT-6946706:Cel9I (uniprotkb:Q02934) binds (MI:0407) to Cel9I (uniprotkb:Q02934) by pull down (MI:0096)     

The naturally split Npu DnaE intein exhibits an extraordinarily high rate in the protein trans-splicing reaction

We have studied the naturally split α subunit of the DNA polymerase III (DnaE) intein from Nostoc punctiforme PCC73102 (Npu) using purified proteins and determined an apparent first-order rate constant of (1.1±0.2)×10^-2 s⁻¹ at 37 °C. This represents the highest rate reported for the protein trans-splicing reaction so far (t_1/2 of ∼ 60 s). Furthermore, the reaction was very robust and high-yielding with respect to different extein sequences, temperatures from 6 to 37 °C, and the presence of up to 6 M urea. Given these outstanding properties, the Npu DnaE intein appears to be the intein of choice for many applications in protein and cellular chemistry.     

Lack of inhibitory effects of the anti-fibrotic drug imatinib on endothelial cell functions in vitro and in vivo

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a systemic autoimmune disease that is characterized by microangiopathy with progressive loss of capillaries and tissue fibrosis. Imatinib exerts potent anti-fibrotic effects and is currently evaluated in clinical trials. The aim of the present study was to exclude that the anti-fibrotic effects of imatinib are complicated by inhibitory effects on endothelial cell functions, which might augment vascular disease in SSc. Endothelial cells and mice were treated with pharmacologically relevant concentrations of imatinib. The expression of markers of vascular activation was assessed with real-time PCR. Proliferation was analysed with the cell counting experiments and the MTT assay. Apoptosis was quantified with caspase 3 assays, annexin V in vitro and with TUNEL staining in vivo. Migration was studied with scratch and transwell assays. Tube forming was investigated with the matrigel assay. Imatinib did not alter the expression of markers of vascular activation. Imatinib did not increase the percentage of annexin V positive cells or the activity of caspase 3. No reduction in proliferation or metabolic activity of endothelial cells was observed. Imatinib did not affect migration of endothelial cells and did not reduce the formation of capillary tubes. Consistent with the in vitro data, no difference in the number of apoptotic endothelial cells was observed in vivo in mice treated with imatinib. Imatinib does not inhibit activation, viability, proliferation, migration or tube forming of endothelial cells in vitro and in vivo. Thus, treatment with imatinib might not augment further endothelial cell damage in SSc.     

Genomic survey of prepulse inhibition in mouse chromosome substitution strains

Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is a measure of sensorimotor gating, a pre-attentional inhibitory brain mechanism that filters extraneous stimuli. Prepulse inhibition is correlated with measures of cognition and executive functioning, and is considered an endophenotype of schizophrenia and other psychiatric illnesses in which patients show PPI impairments. As a first step toward identifying genes that regulate PPI, we performed a quantitative trait locus (QTL) screen of PPI phenotypes in a panel of mouse chromosome substitution strains (CSSs). We identified five CSSs with altered PPI compared with the host C57BL/6J strain: CSS-4 exhibited decreased PPI, whereas CSS-10, -11, -16 and -Y exhibited higher PPI compared with C57BL/6J. These data indicate that A/J chromosomes 4, 10, 11, 16 and Y harbor at least one QTL region that modulates PPI in these CSSs. Quantitative trait loci for the acoustic startle response were identified on seven chromosomes. Like PPI, habituation of the startle response is also disrupted in schizophrenia, and in the present study CSS-7 and -8 exhibited deficits in startle habituation. Linkage analysis of an F₂ intercross identified a highly significant QTL for PPI on chromosome 11 between positions 101.5 and 114.4 Mb (peak LOD = 4.54). Future studies will map the specific genes contributing to these QTLs using congenic strains and other genomic approaches. Identification of genes that modulate PPI will provide insight into the neural mechanisms underlying sensorimotor gating, as well as the psychopathology of disorders characterized by gating deficits.     

Variation in Floral Sex Allocation and Reproductive Success in Sequentially Flowering Inflorescence of Corydalis remota var. lineariloba (Fumariaceae)

In hermaphroditic plants, female reproductive success often varies among different positions within an inflorescence.However, few studies have evaluated the relative importance of underlying causes such as pollen limitation, resource limitation or architectural effect, and few have compared male allocation. During a 2-year investigation, we found that female reproductive success of an acropetally flowering species, Corydalis remota Fisch. ex Maxim. var. Iineariloba Maxim. was significantly lower in the upper late developing flowers when compared with the lower early flowers. Supplementation with outcross pollen did not improve female reproductive success of the upper flowers, while removal of the lower developing fruits significantly increased female reproductive success of the upper flowers in both years, evidencing resource limitation of the upper flowers. Female production in upper flowers was greatly improved by simultaneous pollen supplementation of the upper flowers and removal of the lower fruits, suggesting that, when resources are abundant, pollen may limit the female reproductive success of the upper flowers. The less seed mass in the upper flowers didn't increase in all treatments due to architecture. In the upper flowers, ovule production was significantly lower and the pollen : ovule ratio was significantly higher. These results suggest that male-biased sex allocation in the upper flowers may lead to increased male reproductive success, whereas the lower flowers have higher female reproductive success.     

Additive and over-dominant effects resulting from epistatic loci are the primary genetic basis of heterosis in rice

A set of 148 F9 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) was developed from the cross of an indica cultivar 93-11 and japonica cultivar DTT13,showing strong F1 heterosis.Subsequently,two backcross F1 (BCF1) populations were constructed by backcrossing these 148 RILs to two parents,93-11 and DT713.These three related populations (281BCF1 lines,148 RILs) were phenotyped for six yield-related traits in two locations.Significant inbreeding depression was detected in the population of RILS and a high level of heterosis was observed in the two BCF1 populations.A total of 42 main-effect quantitative trait loci (M-QTLs) and 109 epistatic effect QTL pairs (E-QTLs) were detected in the three related populations using the mixed model approach.By comparing the genetic effects of these QTLs detected in the RILs,BCF1 performance and mid-parental heterosis (HMp),we found that,in both BCF1 populations,the QTLs detected could be classified into two predominant types:additive and over-domlnant loci,which indicated that the additive and over-dominant effect were more important than complete or partially dominance for M-QTLs and E-QTLs.Further,we found that the E-QTLs detected collectively explained a larger portion of the total phenotypic variation than the M-QTLs in both RILs and BCF1 populations.All of these results suggest that additive and over-dominance resulting from epistatic loci might be the primary genetic basis of heterosis in rice.