A simple method for preparing physiologically active mitochondria from plant leaves rich in oils and phenolics

Amberlite XAD-7, a nonionic polyacrylate adsorbent, was found to be a very effective protectant for isolating mitochondria from tissues rich in oils and phenolics. Physiologically active, well-coupled mitochondria were successfully prepared from young green leaf tissues of citrus, apple, pear and tobacco.Abbreviations DNP 2,4-dinitrophenol - CCCP carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone - BSA bovine serum albumin - PVP polyvinylpyrrolidone     

Sequence-specific microscopic visualization of DNA methylation status at satellite repeats in individual cell nuclei and chromosomes

Methylation-specific fluorescence in situ hybridization (MeFISH) was developed for microscopic visualization of DNA methylation status at specific repeat sequences in individual cells. MeFISH is based on the differential reactivity of 5-methylcytosine and cytosine in target DNA for interstrand complex formation with osmium and bipyridine-containing nucleic acids (ICON). Cell nuclei and chromosomes hybridized with fluorescence-labeled ICON probes for mouse major and minor satellite repeats were treated with osmium for crosslinking. After denaturation, fluorescent signals were retained specifically at satellite repeats in wild-type, but not in DNA methyltransferase triple-knockout (negative control) mouse embryonic stem cells. Moreover, using MeFISH, we successfully detected hypomethylated satellite repeats in cells from patients with immunodeficiency, centromeric instability and facial anomalies syndrome and 5-hydroxymethylated satellite repeats in male germ cells, the latter of which had been considered to be unmethylated based on anti-5-methylcytosine antibody staining. MeFISH will be suitable for a wide range of applications in epigenetics research and medical diagnosis.     

The relationship between consumption of tyrosine and phenylalanine as precursors of catecholamine at breakfast and the circadian typology and mental health in Japanese infants aged 2 to 5 years

Background

This study aims to examine the relationship between tyrosine and phenylalanine intake at breakfast as precursors of dopamine, and scores on the Torsvall-Åkerstedt Diurnal Type Scale and of mental health in Japanese infants aged 2 to 5 years.

Results

An integrated questionnaire was administered to parents of 1,367 infants attending one of ten nursery schools governed by Kochi City or a kindergarten affiliated with the Faculty of Education at Kochi University (775 answers for analysis: 56.7%) in May and June 2008. Questionnaires included the Torsvall-Åkerstedt Diurnal Type Scale and questions on sleep habits (onset, offset, quality, quantity, and so on), meal habits (content and regularity of timing), and mental health (depressive states). Amount of tyrosine and phenylalanine intake was calculated based on a breakfast content questionnaire and data on the components of amino acids in foods. Infants who ingested more than 800 mg of tyrosine or phenylalanine at breakfast per meal were more morning-type than those who ingested less than 800 mg (ANOVA: P= 0.005). However, this relationship disappeared in the ANCOVA analysis (with the covariance of tryptophan intake, P= 0.894). Infants who ingested more than 800 mg of the two amino acids at breakfast showed significantly higher mental health scores (lower frequency of depressive states) than those who ingested less than 800 mg (ANOVA: P = 0.004). This relationship remained significant when ANCOVA analysis was performed with the covariance of tryptophan (ANCOVA: P= 0.017).

Conclusions

These results suggest that tyrosine and phenylalanine ingested at breakfast are not related with circadian phase, but are relate with mental health in infants.     

Effects of combination of Caiapo with other plant-derived substance on anti-diabetic efficacy in KK-Ay mice

B. Ludvik et al., have recently shown the effect of Caiapo (Ipomoea batatas L.) on reducing fasting blood glucose and insulin resistance in type-2 diabetic patients. It, however, was required 2-4 weeks after the single administration of Caiapo. The present study aimed to determine if the combination therapy of Caiapo with a mulberry leaf powder, which inhibits alpha-glucosidase, or with a loquat leaf extract, which shows an insulin-like effect, could make it possible to enhance the antidiabetic activities of Caiapo, and to shorten the time necessary for the inhibition of increasing blood glucose levels. A mixture of the pulverized tuber of Caiapo (357 mg/kg) and the mulberry leaf powder (143 mg/kg), or a mixture of the pulverized skin of Caiapo (194 mg/kg) and the powdered loquat leaf extract (6 mg/kg) was orally administered to 6 weeks-old male KK-Ay mice for 28 days and the glucose loading test was conducted every 7 days. In the glucose loading test after one week feeding, a reduction in blood glucose concentration after 60 minutes of the administration of glucose was observed in both mixture groups against the control group (p < 0.05) in the case of Caiapo only, similar delayed effects were seen in 2-3 weeks after feeding.     

Rsp1p, a J domain protein required for disassembly and assembly of microtubule organizing centers during the fission yeast cell cycle

Regulation of microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs) orchestrates the reorganization of the microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton. In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, an equatorial MTOC (eMTOC) at the cell division site disassembles after cytokinesis, and multiple interphase MTOCs (iMTOCs) appear on the nucleus. Here, we show that, upon eMTOC disassembly, small satellites carrying MTOC components such as the gamma-tubulin complex travel in both directions along interphase MTs. We identify rsp1p, an MTOC protein required for eMTOC disassembly. In rsp1 loss-of-function mutants, the eMTOC persists and organizes an abnormal microtubule aster, while iMTOCs and satellites are greatly reduced. Conversely, rsp1p overexpression inhibits eMTOC formation. Rsp1p is a J domain protein that interacts with an hsp70. Thus, our findings suggest a model in which rsp1p is part of a chaperone-based mechanism that disassembles the eMTOC into satellites, contributing to the dynamic redistribution of MTOC components for organization of interphase microtubules.     

A role of the Duffy antigen for the maintenance of plasma chemokine concentrations

We examined plasma chemokine concentrations and chemokine clearance rates in Duffy antigen knockout mice. The plasma concentrations of eotaxin and MCP-1 in Duffy antigen knockout mice were less than one-third of those in wild-type mice. When eotaxin or hMGSA was intravenously injected, the chemokine disappeared more rapidly from the plasma of Duffy antigen knockout mice than from the plasma of wild-type mice. The half-lives of hIP-10 and interferon-gamma, which do not have an affinity for the Duffy antigen, in plasma were indistinguishable between Duffy antigen knockout mice and wild-type mice. These results suggest that the Duffy antigen delays the disappearance of chemokines from the plasma, resulting in the maintenance of plasma chemokine concentrations.     

Superantigen-induced TCR alpha locus secondary rearrangement: role in tolerance induction

Immunization with superantigen in vivo induces transient activation of superantigen-specific T cells, followed by a superantigen-nonresponsive state. In this study, using a TCR alpha knock-in mouse in which the knock-in alpha-chain can be replaced with endogenous alpha-chain through secondary rearrangement, we show that immunization of superantigen changes the TCR alpha-chain expression on peripheral superantigen-specific T cells, induces expression of recombination-activating genes, and generates DNA double-strand breaks at the TCR alpha-chain locus. These results suggest that viral superantigens are capable of inducing peripheral TCR revision. Our findings thus provide a new perspective on pathogen-immune system interaction.     

Degradation pathways of trichloroethylene and 1,1,1-trichloroethane by Mycobacterium sp. TA27

We analyzed the kinetics and metabolic pathways of trichloroethylene and 1,1,1-trichloroethane degradation by the ethane-utilizing Mycobacterium sp. TA27. The apparent Vmax and Km of trichloroethylene were 9.8 nmol min(-1) mg of cells(-1) and 61.9 microM, respectively. The apparent Vmax and Km of 1,1,1-trichloroethane were 0.11 nmol min(-1) mg of cells(-1) and 3.1 microM, respectively. 2,2,2-trichloroethanol, trichloroacetic acid, chloral, and dichloroacetic acid were detected as metabolites of trichloroethylene. 2,2,2-trichloroethanol, trichloroacetic acid, and dichloroacetic acid were also detected as metabolites of 1,1,1-trichloroethane. The amounts of 2,2,2-trichloroethanol, trichloroacetic acid, chloral, and dichloroacetic acid derived from the degradation of 3.60 micromol trichloroethylene were 0.16 micromol (4.4%), 0.11 micromol (3.1%), 0.02 micromol (0.6%), and 0.02 micromol (0.6%), respectively. The amounts of 2,2,2-trichloroethanol, trichloroacetic acid and dichloroacetic acid derived from the degradation of 1.73 micromol 1,1,1-trichloroethane were 1.48 micromol (85.5%), 0.22 micromol (12.7%), and 0.02 micromol (1.2%), respectively. More than 90% of theoretical total chloride was released in trichloroethylene degradation. Chloral and 2,2,2-trichloroethanol were transformed into each other, and were finally converted to trichloroacetic acid, and dichloroacetic acid. Trichloroacetic acid and dichloroacetic acid were not degraded by strain TA27.