Identification of Proteins Secreted by Malaria Parasite into Erythrocyte using SVM and PSSM profiles

Background  

Malaria parasite secretes various proteins in infected RBC for its growth and survival. Thus identification of these secretory proteins is important for developing vaccine/drug against malaria. The existing motif-based methods have got limited success due to lack of universal motif in all secretory proteins of malaria parasite.     

Identification of ATP binding residues of a protein from its primary sequence

Background  

One of the major challenges in post-genomic era is to provide functional annotations for large number of proteins arising from genome sequencing projects. The function of many proteins depends on their interaction with small molecules or ligands. ATP is one such important ligand that plays critical role as a coenzyme in the functionality of many proteins. There is a need to develop method for identifying ATP interacting residues in a ATP binding proteins (ABPs), in order to understand mechanism of protein-ligands interaction.     

Sensitive fluorescence in situ hybridization signal detection in maize using directly labeled probes produced by high concentration DNA polymerase nick translation

The signal produced by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) often is inconsistent among cells and sensitivity is low. Small DNA targets on the chromatin are difficult to detect. We report here an improved nick translation procedure for Texas red and Alexa Fluor 488 direct labeling of FISH probes. Brighter probes can be obtained by adding excess DNA polymerase I. Using such probes, a 30 kb yeast transgene, and the rp1, rp3 and zein multigene clusters were clearly detected.     

Sex differences in heritability of BMI: a comparative study of results from twin studies in eight countries.

Body mass index (BMI), a simple anthropometric measure, is the most frequently used measure of adiposity and has been instrumental in documenting the worldwide increase in the prevalence of obesity witnessed during the last decades. Although this increase in overweight and obesity is thought to be mainly due to environmental changes, i.e., sedentary lifestyles and high caloric diets, consistent evidence from twin studies demonstrates high heritability and the importance of genetic differences for normal variation in BMI. We analysed self-reported data on BMI from approximately 37,000 complete twin pairs (including opposite sex pairs) aged 20-29 and 30-39 from eight different twin registries participating in the GenomEUtwin project. Quantitative genetic analyses were conducted and sex differences were explored. Variation in BMI was greater for women than for men, and in both sexes was primarily explained by additive genetic variance in all countries. Sex differences in the variance components were consistently significant. Results from analyses of opposite sex pairs also showed evidence of sex-specific genetic effects suggesting there may be some differences between men and women in the genetic factors that influence variation in BMI. These results encourage the continued search for genes of importance to the body composition and the development of obesity. Furthermore, they suggest that strategies to identify predisposing genes may benefit from taking into account potential sex specific effects.     

Heritability of adult body height: a comparative study of twin cohorts in eight countries.

A major component of variation in body height is due to genetic differences, but environmental factors have a substantial contributory effect. In this study we aimed to analyse whether the genetic architecture of body height varies between affluent western societies. We analysed twin data from eight countries comprising 30,111 complete twin pairs by using the univariate genetic model of the Mx statistical package. Body height and zygosity were self-reported in seven populations and measured directly in one population. We found that there was substantial variation in mean body height between countries; body height was least in Italy (177 cm in men and 163 cm in women) and greatest in the Netherlands (184 cm and 171 cm, respectively). In men there was no corresponding variation in heritability of body height, heritability estimates ranging from 0.87 to 0.93 in populations under an additive genes/unique environment (AE) model. Among women the heritability estimates were generally lower than among men with greater variation between countries, ranging from 0.68 to 0.84 when an additive genes/shared environment/unique environment (ACE) model was used. In four populations where an AE model fit equally well or better, heritability ranged from 0.89 to 0.93. This difference between the sexes was mainly due to the effect of the shared environmental component of variance, which appears to be more important among women than among men in our study populations. Our results indicate that, in general, there are only minor differences in the genetic architecture of height between affluent Caucasian populations, especially among men.     

Wnt/��-catenin signaling in hepatic organogenesis

Wnt/β-catenin signaling has come to the forefront of liver biology in recent years. This pathway regulates key pathophysiological events inherent to the liver including development, regeneration and cancer, by dictating several biological processes such as proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, adhesion, zonation and metabolism in various cells of the liver. This review will examine the studies that have uncovered the relevant roles of Wnt/β-catenin signaling during the process of liver development. We will discuss the potential roles of Wnt/β-catenin signaling during the phases of development, including competence, hepatic induction, expansion and morphogenesis. In addition, we will discuss the role of negative and positive regulation of this pathway and how the temporal expression of Wnt/β-catenin can direct key processes during hepatic development. We will also identify some of the major deficits in the current understanding of the role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in liver development in order to provide a perspective for future studies. Thus, this review will provide a contextual overview of the role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling during hepatic organogenesis.Key words: liver development, liver cancer, liver regeneration, Wnt signaling, proliferation, differentiationThe Wnt/β-catenin pathway is an evolutionarily well-conserved pathway that has proven to be essential to normal cellular processes such as development, growth, survival, regeneration and self-renewal.^1–5 Its diverse functions also include the initiation and progression of cancer.⁶ In fact, one area in which this pathway has been extensively studied is in liver cancer.Mutations of Wnt/β-catenin pathway members in hepatocarcinogenesis are common. For example, 90–100% of hepatoblastomas contain mutations in adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), CTNNB1 and/or Axin1/2, which causes cytoplasmic and nuclear localization of β-catenin.^7–9 Axin1 and β-catenin mutations have also been identified in approximately 25% of hepatocellular carcinomas,^10–12 while overexpression of the frizzled-7 receptor¹³ and glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) inactivation¹⁴ can also lead to aberrant β-catenin pathway activation. The dysregulation of this pathway in hepatic cancers makes it an attractive target for potential therapies, and experimental treatment in vivo has shown promising results. For example, inhibiting β-catenin expression by siRNA or R-Etodolac decreases proliferation and survival of human hepatoma cell lines.^15,16 Since cancer recapitulates development, determining the timing of β-catenin activation during hepatogenesis will help us to better understand the inappropriate activation of this pathway in hepatocarcinogenesis.Recent work has elucidated the role of β-catenin signaling in the liver, and has highlighted its essential role in liver health and disease.¹⁷ In addition, emerging evidence suggests that this pathway plays a key role in liver organogenesis.