A catalogue of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum monococcum</Emphasis> genes encoding toxic and immunogenic peptides for celiac disease patients

The celiac disease (CD) is an inflammatory condition characterized by injury to the lining of the small-intestine on exposure to the gluten of wheat, barley and rye. The involvement of gluten in the CD syndrome has been studied in detail in bread wheat, where a set of “toxic” and “immunogenic” peptides has been defined. For wheat diploid species, information on CD epitopes is poor. In the present paper, we have adopted a genomic approach in order to understand the potential CD danger represented by storage proteins in diploid wheat and sequenced a sufficiently large number of cDNA clones related to storage protein genes of Triticum monococcum. Four bona fide toxic peptides and 13 immunogenic peptides were found. All the classes of storage proteins were shown to contain harmful sequences. The major conclusion is that einkorn has the full potential to induce the CD syndrome, as already evident for polyploid wheats. In addition, a complete overview of the storage protein gene arsenal in T. monococcum is provided, including a full-length HMW x-type sequence and two partial HMW y-type sequences. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Nutrient and chlorophyll a temporal patterns in eutrophic mountain ponds with contrasting macrophyte coverage

Hydrobiologia - In shallow lakes, macrophytes have important effects on food webs, community structure and nutrient dynamics. For this reason they play a significant role in the restoration of...     

Lymphocyte transformation and macrophage migration inhibition by electrofocused and gel-filtered fractions of group A streptococcal filtrate

Culture filtrates of group A streptococci were fractionated either by isoelectric focusing on a sucrose gradient at pH 3–10, or by gel filtration on a G-75 Superfine Sephadex column. Some fractions induced lymphocyte transformation, others inhibition of macrophage migration, and others both. With the two types of fractionation here used the lymphocyte transformation activity was concentrated in a single peak, while the activity responsible for macrophage migration inhibition was scattered over multiple fractions. The significance of these findings is discussed.     

Selective Vulnerability of Spinal and Cortical Motor Neuron Subpopulations in delta7 SMA Mice

Loss of the survival motor neuron gene (SMN1) is responsible for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the most common inherited cause of infant mortality. Even though the SMA phenotype is traditionally considered as related to spinal motor neuron loss, it remains debated whether the specific targeting of motor neurons could represent the best therapeutic option for the disease. We here investigated, using stereological quantification methods, the spinal cord and cerebral motor cortex of ∆7 SMA mice during development, to verify extent and selectivity of motor neuron loss. We found progressive post-natal loss of spinal motor neurons, already at pre-symptomatic stages, and a higher vulnerability of motor neurons innervating proximal and axial muscles. Larger motor neurons decreased in the course of disease, either for selective loss or specific developmental impairment. We also found a selective reduction of layer V pyramidal neurons associated with layer V gliosis in the cerebral motor cortex. Our data indicate that in the ∆7 SMA model SMN loss is critical for the spinal cord, particularly for specific motor neuron pools. Neuronal loss, however, is not selective for lower motor neurons. These data further suggest that SMA pathogenesis is likely more complex than previously anticipated. The better knowledge of SMA models might be instrumental in shaping better therapeutic options for affected patients.     

Identification, sequencing and mutagenesis of the gene for a d-carbamoylase from Agrobacterium radiobacter

Abstract A clone positive for d-carbamoylase activity (2.7 kb Hin dIII- Bam H1 DNA fragment) was obtained by screening a genomic library of Agrobacterium radiobacter in Escherichia coli . This DNA fragment contains an open reading frame of 912 bp which is predicted to encode a peptide of 304 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 34247 Da. The d-carbamoylase gene. named cauA , was placed under the control of T7 RNA-dependent promoter and expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3). After induction with isopropyl-thio-β-d-galactopyranoside, the synthesis of d-carbamoylase in E. coli reached about 40% of the total protein. The expressed protein was shown to possess a molecular mass, on SDS-PAGE, of 36 kDa and showed an enhanced allowed us to establish that a Pro¹⁴→Leu¹⁴ exchange leads to an inactive enzyme species, while a Cys²⁷⁹→Ser²⁷⁹ exchange did not impair the functional properties of the enxyme.     

Two of the three influenza viral polymerase proteins expressed by using baculovirus vectors form a complex in insect cells.

Each of the influenza virus polymerase (P) genes PB1, PB2, and PA was inserted into a baculovirus vector under the control of the polyhedrin promoter. In insect (Spodoptera frugiperda) cells infected by each baculovirus recombinant containing a P gene insert, a large amount of the encoded P protein was synthesized. Gel electrophoretic analysis of the total proteins in infected cells revealed the presence of a new protein band corresponding to the encoded P protein that was abundant enough to be stained with Coomassie blue. In cells infected simultaneously with both the PB1 and PB2 baculovirus recombinants, a PB1-PB2 complex was formed that was immunoprecipitated with an antiserum specific for either PB1 or PB2. In cells infected simultaneously with all three P baculovirus recombinants, a PB1-PB2 complex lacking the PA protein was formed. Formation of this PB1-PB2 complex partially mimics events that occur in influenza virus-infected cells, where all three P proteins form a complex with each other (B. M. Detjen, C. St. Angelo, M. G. Katze, and R. M. Krug, J. Virol. 61:16-22, 1987). These results indicate that the ability of PB1 and PB2 to form a complex is an intrinsic property of these two proteins that does not require the participation of other influenza viral gene products. Possible reasons for the absence of the PA protein from the immunoprecipitable P protein complex in insect cells infected by the three P baculovirus recombinants are discussed.     

S-100 protein in human lung neuroendocrine neoplasms. Immunohistochemical study of 14 cases and review of the literature

A group of lung neuroendocrine (NE) neoplasms are investigated in view of the possible presence of S-100 protein immunoreactivity in their cells. The selected tumours were classified according to Gould et al. (1983a) and Mosca et al. (1985). They comprise 5 carcinoids, 3 neuroendocrine carcinomas of the well-differentiated type, or peripheral carcinoids, 5 neuroendocrine carcinomas of the intermediate cell type, or intermediate-cell, poorly differentiated carcinomas, 3 neuroendocrine carcinomas of the microcytoma type, or small cell carcinomas-SCC and a nodal metastasis of microcytoma. All but 2 tumours were immunoreactive for neuron specific enolase (NSE). Few S-100 immunoreactive cells were detected in 4 out of 5 carcinoids, in 1 out of 3 peripheral carcinoids, in 4 out of 5 poorly differentiated carcinomas and in the 3 microcytomas examined. No S-100 positive cells were found in the SCC's nodal metastasis. The S-100 immunolabelled cells can be interpreted as dendritic reticulum cells migrating through the tumours. However, in one case of typical carcinoid, abundant S-100 positive cells were detected: their stellate morphology and their intimate relation with neoplastic cells suggest that they are part of the neoplasia as a sort of satellite cell.