A YAC contig encompassing the Treacher Collins syndrome critical region at 5q31.3-32.

Treacher Collins syndrome (TCOF1) is an autosomal dominant disorder of craniofacial development the features of which include conductive hearing loss and cleft palate. Previous studies have localized the TCOF1 locus between D5S519 (proximal) and SPARC (distal), a region of 22 centirays as estimated by radiation hybrid mapping. In the current investigation we have created a contig across the TCOF1 critical region, using YAC clones. Isolation of a novel short tandem repeat polymorphism corresponding to the end of one of the YACs has allowed us to reduce the size of the critical region to approximately 840 kb, which has been covered with three nonchimeric YACs. Restriction mapping has revealed that the region contains a high density of clustered rare-cutter restriction sites, suggesting that it may contain a number of different genes. The results of the present investigation have further allowed us to confirm that the RPS14 locus lies proximal to the critical region and can thereby be excluded from a role in the pathogenesis of TCOF1, while ANX6 lies within the TCOF1 critical region and remains a potential candidate for the mutated gene.     

Allelopathy and its coevolutionary implications between native and non‐native neighbors of invasive Cynara cardunculus L.

Invasive plants apply new selection pressures on neighbor plant species by different means including allelopathy. Recent evidence shows allelopathy functions as remarkably influential mediator for invaders to be successful in their invaded range. However, few studies have determined whether native and non‐native species co‐occurring with invaders have evolved tolerance to allelopathy. In this study, we conducted germination and growth experiments to evaluate whether co‐occurring native Juncus pallidus and non‐native Lolium rigidum species may evolve tolerance to the allelochemicals induced by Cyanara cardunculus in Australian agricultural fields. The test species were germinated and grown in pots filled with collected invaded and uninvaded rhizosphere soil of C. cardunculus with and without activated carbon (AC). Additionally, a separate experiment was done to differentiate the direct effects of AC on the test species. The soil properties showed invaded rhizosphere soils had higher total phenolic and lower pH compared with uninvaded soils. We found significant reduction of germination percentage and seedling growth in terms of above‐ and belowground biomass, and maximum plant height and root length of native in the invaded rhizosphere soil of C. cardunculus, but little effect on non‐native grass species. Even soil manipulated with AC showed no significant differences in the measured parameters of non‐native except aboveground biomass. Taken together, the results indicate allelochemicals induced by C. cardunculus exert more suppressive effects on native than non‐native linking the coevolved tolerance of those.     

Correction to: In Silico Evaluation of Food Derived Bioactive Peptides as Inhibitors of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE)

International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics - The original version of the article unfortunately contained a typo in co-author name.     

Naringin inhibits the biofilms of metallo-β-lactamases (MβLs) producing Pseudomonas species isolated from camel meat

Food producing animals harbouring bacteria carrying drug resistance genes especially the metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) pose high risk for the human population. In addition, formation of biofilm by these drug resistant pathogens represents major threat to food safety and public health. In this study, metallo-β-lactamases (MβLs) producing Pseudomonas spp. from camel meat were isolated and assessed for their biofilm formation. Further, in vitro and in silico studies were performed to study the effect of flavone naringin on biofilm formation against isolated Pseudomonas spp. A total of 55% isolates were found to produce metallo-β-lactamase enzyme. Naringin mitigated biofilm formation of Pseudomonas isolates up to 57%. Disturbed biofilm architecture and reduced the colonization of bacteria on glass was observed under scanning electron microscope (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). The biofilm related traits such as exopolysaccharides (EPS) and alginate production was also reduced remarkably in the presence of naringin. Eradication of preformed biofilms (32–60%) was also observed at the respective 0.50 × MICs. Molecular docking revealed that naringin showed strong affinity towards docked proteins with binding energy ranging from −8.6 to −8.8 kcal mol⁻¹. Presence of metallo-β-lactamase producers indicates that camel meat could be possible reservoir of drug-resistant Pseudomonas species of clinical importance. Naringin was successful in inhibiting biofilm formation as well as eradicating the preformed biofilms and demonstrated strong binding affinity towards biofilm associated protein. Thus, it is envisaged that naringin could be exploited as food preservative especially against the biofilm forming food-borne Pseudomonas species and is a promising prospect for the treatment of biofilm based infections.     

Exploring human-animal host interactions and emergence of COVID-19: Evolutionary and ecological dynamics

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that emerged in December 2019 had caused substantial morbidity and mortality at the global level within few months. It affected economies, stopped travel, and isolated individuals and populations around the world. Wildlife, especially bats, serve as reservoirs of coronaviruses from which the variant Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged that causes COVID-19. In this review, we describe the current knowledge on COVID-19 and the significance of wildlife hosts in its emergence. Mammalian and avian coronaviruses have diverse host ranges with distinct lineages of coronaviruses. Recombination and reassortments occur more frequently in mixed-animal markets where diverse viral genotypes intermingle. Human coronaviruses have evolved through gene gains and losses primarily in interfaces where wildlife and humans come in frequent contact. There is a gap in our understanding of bats as reservoirs of coronaviruses and there is a misconception that bats periodically transmit coronaviruses to humans. Future research should investigate bat viral diversity and loads at interfaces between humans and bats. Furthermore, there is an urgent need to evaluate viral strains circulating in mixed animal markets, where the coronaviruses circulated before becoming adapted to humans. We propose and discuss a management intervention plan for COVID-19 and raise questions on the suitability of current containment plans. We anticipate that more virulent coronaviruses could emerge unless proper measures are taken to limit interactions between diverse wildlife and humans in wild animal markets.     

Influence of foliar-applied triacontanol on growth, gas exchange characteristics, and chlorophyll fluorescence at different growth stages in wheat under saline conditions

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to examine the effect of foliar application of triacontanol (TRIA) on two cultivars (cv. S-24 and MH-97) of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) at different growth stages. Plants were grown in full strength Hoagland’s nutrient solution under salt stress (150 mM NaCl) or control (0 mM NaCl) conditions. Three TRIA concentrations (0, 10, and 20 μM) were sprayed over leaves at three different growth stages, i.e. vegetative (V), boot (B), and vegetative + boot (VB) stages (two sprays on same plants, i.e., the first at 30-d-old plants and the second 78-d-old plants). Salt stress decreased significantly growth, net photosynthetic rate (P _N), transpiration rate (E), chlorophyll contents (Chl a and b), and electron transport rate (ETR), while membrane permeability increased in both wheat cultivars. Stomatal conductance (g _s) decreased only in salt-sensitive cv. MH-97 under saline conditions. Foliar application of TRIA at different growth stages enhanced significantly the growth, P _N, g _s, Chl a and b contents, and ETR, while membrane permeability was reduced in both cultivars under salt stress. Of various growth stages, foliar-applied TRIA was comparatively more effective when it was applied at V and VB stages. Overall, 10 μM TRIA concentration was the most efficient in reducing negative effects of salinity stress in both wheat cultivars. The cv. S-24 showed the better growth and ETR, while cv. MH-97 exhibited higher nonphotochemical quenching.     

Targeted nitric oxide delivery preferentially induces glioma cell chemosensitivity via altered p53 and O6‐Methylguanine‐DNA Methyltransferase activity

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most common malignant central nervous system tumor, and also among the most difficult to treat due to a lack of response to chemotherapeutics. New methods of countering the mechanisms that confer chemoresistance to malignant gliomas could lead to significant advances in the quest to identify novel drug combinations or targeted drug delivery systems for cancer therapy. In this study, we investigate the use of a targeted nitric oxide (NO) donor as a pretreatment to sensitize glioma cells to chemotherapy. The protein chlorotoxin (CTX) has been shown to preferentially target glioma cells, and we have developed CTX–NO, a glioma‐specific, NO‐donating CTX derivative. Pretreatment of cells with CTX–NO followed by 48‐h exposure to either carmustine (BCNU) or temozolomide (TMZ), both common chemotherapeutics used in glioma treatment, resulted in increased efficacy of both therapeutics. After CTX–NO exposure, both T98G and U‐87MG human malignant glioma cells show increased sensitivity to BCNU and TMZ. Further investigation revealed that the consequences of this combination therapy was a reduction in active levels of the cytoprotective enzyme MGMT and altered p53 activity, both of which are essential in DNA repair and tumor cell resistance to chemotherapy. The combination of CTX–NO and chemotherapeutics also led to decreased cell invasion. These studies indicate that this targeted NO donor could be an invaluable tool in the development of novel approaches to treat cancer. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013; 110: 1211–1220. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Extremely stable indole-3-glycerol-phosphate synthase from hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus

Extremophiles - The gene-encoding Indole-3-glycerol phosphate synthase, a key enzyme involved in the cyclization of 1-(o-carboxyphenylamino)-1-deoxyribulose 5-phosphate, from Pyrococcus furiosus...     

Wingless/Wnt signal transduction requires distinct initiation and amplification steps that both depend on Arrow/LRP

Members of the Wg/Wnt family provide key intercellular signals during embryonic development and in the maintenance of homeostatic processes, but critical aspects of their signal transduction pathways remain controversial. We have found that canonical Wg signaling in Drosophila involves distinct initiation and amplification steps, both of which require Arrow/LRP. Expressing a chimeric Frizzled2-Arrow protein in flies that lack endogenous Wg or Arrow showed that this construct functions as an activated Wg receptor but is deficient in signal amplification. In contrast, a chimeric Arrow protein containing the dimerization domain of Torso acted as a potent amplifier of Wg signaling but could not initiate Wg signaling on its own. The two chimeric proteins synergized, so that their co-expression largely reconstituted the signaling levels achieved by expressing Wg itself. The amplification function of Arrow/LRP appears to be particularly important for long-range signaling, and may reflect a general mechanism for potentiating signals in the shallow part of a morphogen gradient.