The fractionation of cell components in Oscillatoria agardhii: an audit of procedures

Carbon partitioning techniques for the separation of physiologically important macromolecules (lipid, carbohydrate and protein) need to be efficient if they are to yield meaningful estimates of carbon flow in macromolecular synthesis, as measured by [¹⁴C] bicarbonate incorporation techniques. However, the efficiency of partitioning is rarely checked. Using existing methods, we found highly variable extraction efficiency of these macromolecules particularly of carbohydrate from cells grown under light:dark regimes. We report on a highly reproducible modification to existing methods which involves autoclaving with 5% trichloroacetic acid and centrifugation to separate carbohydrate and protein fractions. The presence of a structural non-extractable carbohydrate pool is reported.     

Nuclear receptors and microRNAs: Who regulates the regulators in neural stem cells?

In this mini-review, we focus on regulatory loops between nuclear receptors and microRNAs, an emerging class of small RNA regulators of gene expression. Evidence supporting interactions between microRNAs and nuclear receptors in the regulation of gene expression networks is discussed in relation to its possible role in neural stem cell self renewal and differentiation. Furthermore, we discuss possible disturbances of the regulatory loops between microRNAs and nuclear receptors in human neurodegenerative disease. Finally, we discuss the possible use of nuclear receptors as pharmacological entry points to regulate neural stem cell self-renewal and differentiation.     

Activation dependence of stretch activation in mouse skinned myocardium: implications for ventricular function

Recent evidence suggests that ventricular ejection is partly powered by a delayed development of force, i.e., stretch activation, in regions of the ventricular wall due to stretch resulting from torsional twist of the ventricle around the apex-to-base axis. Given the potential importance of stretch activation in cardiac function, we characterized the stretch activation response and its Ca2+ dependence in murine skinned myocardium at 22 degrees C in solutions of varying Ca2+ concentrations. Stretch activation was induced by suddenly imposing a stretch of 0.5-2.5% of initial length to the isometrically contracting muscle and then holding the muscle at the new length. The force response to stretch was multiphasic: force initially increased in proportion to the amount of stretch, reached a peak, and then declined to a minimum before redeveloping to a new steady level. This last phase of the response is the delayed force characteristic of myocardial stretch activation and is presumably due to increased attachment of cross-bridges as a consequence of stretch. The amplitude and rate of stretch activation varied with Ca2+ concentration and more specifically with the level of isometric force prior to the stretch. Since myocardial force is regulated both by Ca2+ binding to troponin-C and cross-bridge binding to thin filaments, we explored the role of cross-bridge binding in the stretch activation response using NEM-S1, a strong-binding, non-force-generating derivative of myosin subfragment 1. NEM-S1 treatment at submaximal Ca2+-activated isometric forces significantly accelerated the rate of the stretch activation response and reduced its amplitude. These data show that the rate and amplitude of myocardial stretch activation vary with the level of activation and that stretch activation involves cooperative binding of cross-bridges to the thin filament. Such a mechanism would contribute to increased systolic ejection in response to increased delivery of activator Ca2+ during excitation-contraction coupling.     

Assessment of Pediococcus acidilactici as a Potential Silage Inoculant

Eighteen Pediococcus strains were screened for their potential as silage inoculants. Pediococcus acidilactici G24 was found to be the most suitable, exhibiting a short lag phase on both glucose and fructose, a rapid rate of acid production, a high sugar-to-lactate conversion efficiency, no detectable breakdown of proteins or lactic acid, and the ability to grow within a broad range of pH and temperature. When tested in laboratory silos using grass with a water-soluble carbohydrate content of 24 g/kg of aqueous extract, P. acidilactici G24 stimulated the natural Lactobacillus plantarum population and accelerated the rates of lactic acid production and pH decrease. After 6 days of fermentation, the inoculated silage exhibited a 12% decrease in ammonia nitrogen and an 11% increase in crude protein levels compared with uninoculated controls. The use of an L. plantarum inoculant at a rate of 10⁴ bacteria per g of grass in conjunction with P. acidilactici G24 produced no additional beneficial effect. Inoculation of grass with a water-soluble carbohydrate level of 8 g/kg of aqueous extract with P. acidilactici G24 led to no acceleration in the rate of L. plantarum growth or pH decrease. However, after 7 days of fermentation the inoculated silage had a 14% lower ammonia nitrogen protein content than did uninoculated controls. The results suggest that P. acidilactici G24 may be useful as a silage inoculant for crops with a sufficiently high water-soluble carbohydrate level.     

Destabilization of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex without functional deficits in alpha-dystrobrevin null muscle

Alpha-dystrobrevin is a component of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex (DGC) and is thought to have both structural and signaling roles in skeletal muscle. Mice deficient for alpha-dystrobrevin (adbn(-/-)) exhibit extensive myofiber degeneration and neuromuscular junction abnormalities. However, the biochemical stability of the DGC and the functional performance of adbn(-/-) muscle have not been characterized. Here we show that the biochemical association between dystrophin and beta-dystroglycan is compromised in adbn(-/-) skeletal muscle, suggesting that alpha-dystrobrevin plays a structural role in stabilizing the DGC. However, despite muscle cell death and DGC destabilization, costamere organization and physiological performance is normal in adbn(-/-) skeletal muscle. Our results demonstrate that myofiber degeneration alone does not cause functional deficits and suggests that more complex pathological factors contribute to the development of muscle weakness in muscular dystrophy.