A correlation between BCL-2 modifying factor,p53 and livin gene expressions in cancer colon patients

Accumulating evidence has revealed that livin gene and BCL-2 modifying factor (BMF) gene are closely associated with the initiation and progression of colon carcinoma by activating or suppressing multiple malignant processes. Those genes that can detect colon - cancer are a promising approach for cancer screening and diagnosis. This study aimed to evaluate correlation between livin, BMF and p53 genes expression in colon cancer tissues of patients included in the study, and their relationship with clinicopathological features and survival outcome in those patients. In this study, 50 pathologically diagnosed early cancer colon patients included and their tissue biopsy with 50 matched adjacent normal tissue, and 50 adenoma tissue specimens were analyzed for livin gene and BMF gene expressions using real time PCR. The relationship of those genes expressions with clinicopathological features, tumor markers, Time to Progression and overall survival for those patients were correlated in cancer colon group. In this study, there was a significant a reciprocal relationship between over expression of livin gene and down regulation of BMF and p53 genes in colon cancer cells. Livin mRNA was significantly higher, while BMF and p53 mRNA were significantly lower in colorectal cancer tissue compared to benign and normal colon tissue specimens (P < 0.001), however, this finding was absent between colon adenomas and normal mucosa. There was a significant association between up regulation of livin and down regulation of BMF and p53 expressions with more aggressive tumor (advanced TNM stage), rapid progression with metastasis and decreased overall survival in cancer colon patients, hence these genes can serve as significant prognostic markers of poor outcome in colon cancer patients. This work highlights the role of livin, BMF and p53 genes in colorectal tumorigenesis and the applicability of using those genes as a diagnostic and prognostic markers in patients with colon carcinoma and as a good target for cancer colon treatment in the future.     

Biocides formulation of essential oils having antimicrobial activity

Essential oils of fennel, peppermint, caraway, eucalyptus, geranium and lemon were tested for their antimicrobial activities against some plant pathogenic micro-organisms (Fusarium oxysporum, Alternaria alternate, Penicilium italicum Penicilium digitatum and Botyritus cinerea). Essential oils of fennel, peppermint, caraway were selected as an active ingredient for the formulation of biocides due to their efficiency in controlling the tested micro-organisms. Successful emulsifiable concentrates (biocides) were prepared from these oils using different emulsifiers (Emulgator B.L.M. Tween20 and Tween80) and different fixed oils (sesame, olive, cotton and soybean oils). Physico-chemical properties of the formulated biocide (spontaneous emulsification, emulsion stability test, cold stability and heat stability tests as well as viscosity, surface tension and pH) were measured. The prepared biocides were ready to be tested for application in a future work as a safe pesticide against different pathogens.     

Metagenomic insights into strategies of carbon conservation and unusual sulfur biogeochemistry in a hypersaline Antarctic lake

Organic Lake is a shallow, marine-derived hypersaline lake in the Vestfold Hills, Antarctica that has the highest reported concentration of dimethylsulfide (DMS) in a natural body of water. To determine the composition and functional potential of the microbial community and learn about the unusual sulfur chemistry in Organic Lake, shotgun metagenomics was performed on size-fractionated samples collected along a depth profile. Eucaryal phytoflagellates were the main photosynthetic organisms. Bacteria were dominated by the globally distributed heterotrophic taxa Marinobacter, Roseovarius and Psychroflexus. The dominance of heterotrophic degradation, coupled with low fixation potential, indicates possible net carbon loss. However, abundant marker genes for aerobic anoxygenic phototrophy, sulfur oxidation, rhodopsins and CO oxidation were also linked to the dominant heterotrophic bacteria, and indicate the use of photo- and lithoheterotrophy as mechanisms for conserving organic carbon. Similarly, a high genetic potential for the recycling of nitrogen compounds likely functions to retain fixed nitrogen in the lake. Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) lyase genes were abundant, indicating that DMSP is a significant carbon and energy source. Unlike marine environments, DMSP demethylases were less abundant, indicating that DMSP cleavage is the likely source of high DMS concentration. DMSP cleavage, carbon mixotrophy (photoheterotrophy and lithoheterotrophy) and nitrogen remineralization by dominant Organic Lake bacteria are potentially important adaptations to nutrient constraints. In particular, carbon mixotrophy relieves the extent of carbon oxidation for energy production, allowing more carbon to be used for biosynthetic processes. The study sheds light on how the microbial community has adapted to this unique Antarctic lake environment.     

Current Oscillations Under Voltage-Clamp Conditions: An Interplay of Series Resistance and Negative Slope Conductance

Using the patch-clamp technique, we observed profound oscillations of the whole-vacuole outward current across the tonoplast of Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L. (common ice plant). These current oscillations showed a clear voltage dependence and appeared at membrane potentials more positive than 90–100 mV. This paper describes the oscillations in terms of two separate mechanisms. First, the Mesembryanthemum vacuolar membrane shows a negative slope conductance at membrane potentials more positive than 100–120 mV. The fact that the oscillations and the negative slope conductance show a similar threshold potential suggests that (part of) the same mechanism is involved in both phenomena. The second mechanism involved is the voltage drop across the series resistance. As a result, the potential actually experienced by the vacuolar membrane deviates from the command potential defined by the patch-clamp amplifier. This deviation depends in an Ohmic manner on the current magnitude. We suggest that the interplay of the negative slope conductance and the voltage drop across the series resistance can cause a positive feedback which is responsible for the current oscillations. Received: 30 April 1999/Revised: 9 September     

Ultrastructure of the replication site in Taura syndrome virus (TSV)-infected cells

Taura syndrome virus (TSV) is a member of the family Dicistroviridae that infects Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (also called Penaeus vannamei), and its replication strategy is largely unknown. To identify the viral replication site within infected shrimp cells, the viral RNA was located in correlation with virus-induced membrane rearrangement. Ultrastructural changes in the infected cells, analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), included the induction and proliferation of intracellular vesicle-like membranes, while the intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies and pyknotic nuclei indicative of TSV infection were frequently seen. TSV plus-strand RNA, localized by electron microscopic in situ hybridization (EM-ISH) using TSV-specific cDNA probes, was found to be associated with the membranous structures. Moreover, TSV particles were observed in infected cells by TEM, and following EM-ISH, they were also seen in close association with the proliferating membranes. Taken together, our results suggest that the membranous vesicle-like structures carry the TSV RNA replication complex and that they are the site of nascent viral RNA synthesis. Further investigations on cellular origins and biochemical compositions of these membranous structures will elucidate the morphogenesis and propagation strategy of TSV.     

In vitro antitumor activity and interaction with DNA model bases of cis-[PtCl2(iPram)(azole)] complexes and comparison with their trans analogues

Asymmetric cis-platinum(II) complexes with isopropylamine and two different azole ligands were synthesized and characterized with different techniques. In addition, for one of the complexes the X-ray structure was determined. Cytotoxicity tests using several human tumor cell lines, including the cisplatin-sensitive cell line A2780 and its cisplatin-resistant analogue. These results were compared with the results obtained for the trans isomers of the presented complexes and a relation between the structure and the activity was established. It was found that complexes with cis geometry are less active than their trans analogues, in particular in the resistant cell line A2780R. However, complex 1 can overcome cisplatin resistance to a certain extent. In the interaction with GMP, the asymmetric cis-Pt(II) complexes react with similar rates as their trans analogues and they behave as bifunctional species.     

Protein profiling of epidermal bladder cells from the halophyte Mesembryanthemum crystallinum

Plant epidermal trichomes are as varied in morphology as they are in function. In the halophyte Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, specialized trichomes called epidermal bladder cells (EBC) line the surface of leaves and stems, and increase dramatically in size and volume upon plant salt-treatment. These cells have been proposed to have roles in plant defense and UV protection, but primarily in sodium sequestration and as water reservoirs. To gain further understanding into the roles of EBC, a cell-type-specific proteomics approach was taken in which precision single-cell sampling of cell sap from individual EBC was combined with shotgun peptide sequencing (LC-MS/MS). Identified proteins showed diverse biological functions and cellular locations, with a high representation of proteins involved in H(+) -transport, carbohydrate metabolism, and photosynthesis. The proteome of EBC provides insight into the roles of these cells in ion and water homeostasis and raises the possibility that they are photosynthetically active and functioning in Crassulacean acid metabolism.     

Diversity and phylogenetic relationships of Wolbachia in Drosophila and other native Hawaiian insects

Wolbachia is a genus of parasitic alphaproteobacteria found in arthropods and nematodes, and represents on of the most common, widespread endosymbionts known. Wolbachia affects a variety of reproductive functions in its host (e.g., male killing, cytoplasmic incompatibility, parthenogenesis), which have the potential to dramatically impact host evolution and species formation. Here, we present the first broad-scale study to screen natural populations of native Hawaiian insects for Wolbachia, focusing on the endemic Diptera. Results indicate that Wolbachia infects native Hawaiian taxa, with alleles spanning phylogenetic supergroups, A and B. The overall frequency of Wolbachia incidene in Hawaiian insects was 14%. The incidence of infection in native Hawaiian Diptera was 11% for individuals and 12% for all species screened. Wolbachia was not detected in two large, widespread Hawaiian dipteran families—Dolichopodidae (44 spp screened) and Limoniidae (12 spp screened). Incidence of infection within endemic Hawaiian lineages that carry Wolbachia was 18% in Drosophilidae species, 25% in Caliphoridae species, > 90% in Nesophrosyne species, 20% in Drosophila dasycnemia and 100% in Nesophrosyne craterigena. Twenty unique alleles were recovered in this study, of which 18 are newly recorded. Screening of endemic populations of D. dasycnemia across Hawaii Island revealed 4 unique alleles. Phylogenetic relationships and allele diversity provide evidence for horizontal transfer of Wolbachia among Hawaiian arthropod lineages.