A Toxoplasma type 2C serine-threonine phosphatase is involved in parasite growth in the mammalian host cell

Toxoplasma gondii is a human protozoan parasite that belongs to the phylum of Apicomplexa and causes toxoplasmosis. As the other members of this phylum, T. gondii obligatory multiplies within a host cell by a peculiar type of mitosis that leads to daughter cell assembly within a mother cell. Although parasite growth and virulence have been linked for years, few molecules controlling mitosis have been yet identified and they include a couple of kinases but not the counteracting phosphatases. Here, we report that in contrast to other animal cells, type 2C is by far the major type of serine threonine phosphatase activity both in extracellular and in intracellular dividing parasites. Using wild type and transgenic parasites, we characterized the 37 kDa TgPP2C molecule as an abundant cytoplasmic and nuclear enzyme with activity being under tight regulation. In addition, we showed that the increase in TgPP2C activity significantly affected parasite growth by impairing cytokinesis while nuclear division still occurred. This study supports for the first time that type 2C protein phosphatase is an important regulator of cell growth in T. gondii.     

Genotype-specific interactions and the trade-off between host and parasite fitness

Background  

Evolution of parasite traits is inextricably linked to their hosts. For instance one common definition of parasite virulence is the reduction in host fitness due to infection. Thus, traits of infection must be viewed in both protagonists and may be under shared genetic and physiological control. We investigated these questions on the oomycete Hyaloperonospora arabidopsis (= parasitica), a natural pathogen of the Brassicaceae Arabidopsis thaliana.     

RGD Surface Functionalization of the Hydrophilic Acrylic Intraocular Lens Material to Control Posterior Capsular Opacification

Posterior Capsular Opacification (PCO) is the capsule fibrosis developed on implanted IntraOcular Lens (IOL) by the de-differentiation of Lens Epithelial Cells (LECs) undergoing Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT). Literature has shown that the incidence of PCO is multifactorial including the patient''s age or disease, surgical technique, and IOL design and material. Reports comparing hydrophilic and hydrophobic acrylic IOLs have shown that the former has more severe PCO. On the other hand, we have previously demonstrated that the adhesion of LECs is favored on hydrophobic compared to hydrophilic materials. By combining these two facts and contemporary knowledge in PCO development via the EMT pathway, we propose a biomimetically inspired strategy to promote LEC adhesion without de-differentiation to reduce the risk of PCO development. By surface grafting of a cell adhesion molecule (RGD peptide) onto the conventional hydrophilic acrylic IOL material, the surface-functionalized IOL can be used to reconstitute a capsule-LEC-IOL sandwich structure, which has been considered to prevent PCO formation in literature. Our results show that the innovative biomaterial improves LEC adhesion, while also exhibiting similar optical (light transmittance, optical bench) and mechanical (haptic compression force, IOL injection force) properties compared to the starting material. In addition, compared to the hydrophobic IOL material, our bioactive biomaterial exhibits similar abilities in LEC adhesion, morphology maintenance, and EMT biomarker expression, which is the crucial pathway to induce PCO. The in vitro assays suggest that this biomaterial has the potential to reduce the risk factor of PCO development.     

寄生云杉树蜂的枝跗瘿蜂一新种(膜翅目:瘿蜂总科:枝跗瘿蜂科)

枝跗瘿蜂科(Ibahidae)是个小科,所有种类均寄生蛀干害虫树蜂科(Siricidae)的幼虫。我国大陆的本科种类由杨忠岐1991年首次作了报道。现记述采自祁连山林区的另1新种。该种寄生于为害青海云杉(Picea crassifolia Kom.)的黄肩长尾树蜂(Xeris spec-trum spectrum)等树蜂的幼虫。新种的模式标本保存于西北林学院天敌昆虫研究室。至此,我国大陆共有本科种类3种,加上台湾的1个种,我国共有4种:     

Characterization of cytokeratin patterns in the developing human tongue.

The characterization of cytokeratin (CK) in adult oral mucosa and developing teeth have been well documented in human. Cytokeratin distribution in developing oral mucosa has not yet been described. The aim of this study was to identify the expression of CK in human fetal tongue (week 10 to week 23) and to correlate the results with morphological maturation. Simple epithelial CK are expressed in all cell layers during the early stages, essentially in peridermal cells. From the 14th week, CK 18 is present only in the taste buds, making this polypeptide a reliable marker for this sensory organ. CK 4 and 13 are expressed from the 10th to the 23rd week by both ventral and dorsal lingual epithelia. Terminal differentiation keratins (CK 1, 2 and 10-11) can only be detected immunohistochemically at the 14th week in some cells on the external surface of some papillae. The number of these papillae and positive cells increase at the 19th and 23rd weeks. The terminal differentiation markers are expressed several weeks earlier than the formation of a well-distinguished keratinized layer.     

Role of androgens in fetal and pubertal development

During fetal development, androgens exert long-term effects which are either organizational on specific organs during a critical phase of morphogenesis (e.g. sexual differentiation of external genitalia), or programming neural functions or enzyme activities expressed later in life. At all stages of development, which extends from fetal and neonatal stages to pubertal accomplishment, androgens also have activational effects that are immediate, multiple, reversible and dose dependent. Both types of actions are intricate during human development. This review will focus (1) on the intricate morphological and activational roles of androgens on sexual differentiation and pubertal development of the genital tract, external genitalia and mammary glands, and (2) on the organizational effects of androgens on four central nervous system functions: pituitary regulation of liver metabolism, gonadotropin secretions, sex dimorphic behavioral patterns, and 'sexualization of the brain'. If the molecular basis of the immediate androgenic action is known, depending of androgen receptor's availability and affinity, little is known of the way androgens exert their influence on either so various morphological processes or neuroendocrine imprinting.     

四节金小蜂科在我国的首次发现并记述一新种(膜翅目:小蜂总科)

四节金小蜂科Tetracampidae是小蜂总科中的1个小科。1968年统计,全世界只有2亚科6属18种(Boucek and Askew,1968)。1971年,苏联的Sugonjaev根据在蒙古和苏联的哈萨克加盟共和国采到的标本描述了3新属1新亚科。Boucek于1988年又记述了澳大利亚的1个新属。这样,四节金小蜂科现在共包括3亚科10属31种(不含化石种)。我国迄今还未见有本科昆虫分布的报道。     

Cell cycle dependent distribution of a centrosomal antigen at the perinuclear MTOC or at the kinetochores of higher plant cells

Compelling evidence has been obtained in favour of the idea that the nuclear surface of higher plant cells is a microtubule-nucleating and/or organizing site (MTOC), in the absence of defined centrosomes. How these plant MTOC proteins are redistributed and function during the progression of the cell cycle remains entirely unknown. Using a monoclonal antibody (mAb 6C6) raised against isolated calf thymus centrosomes and showing apparent reaction with the plant nuclear surface, we followed the targeted antigen distribution during mitosis and meiosis of higher plants. Immunoblot analysis of protein fractions from Allium root meristematic cell extracts probed with mAb 6C6 reveals a polypeptide of an apparent Mr of 78000. In calf centrosome extracts, a polypeptide of comparable molecular mass is found in addition to a major antigen of Mr 180000 after mAb 6C6 immunoblotting. During mitotic initiation, the plant antigen is prominent on the periphery of the prophase nucleus. When the nuclear envelope breaks down, the antigen suddenly becomes associated with the centromere-kinetochores until late anaphase. In telophase, when the nuclear envelope is being reconstructed, it is no longer detected at the kinetochores but is solely associated again with the nuclear surface. This antigen displays a unique spatial and temporal distribution, which may reflect the pathway of plant protein(s) between the nuclear surface and the kinetochores under cell cycle control. So far, such processes have not been described in higher plant cells. These observations shed light on the putative activity of the plant kinetochore as a protein transporter. They also suggest that a plant centrosome-like antigen may have different cytoskeletal related functions depending on cell cycle regulated changes in its subcellular distribution.Abbreviations mAb monoclonal antibody - MSB microtubule stabilizing buffer - TBS Tris buffered saline - MTOC microtubule organizing centre