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This page shows you the most recent publications within this specialty of the MedWorm directory. This is page number 10.

Spectacular forcepfly species discovered for the first time in South America
(Pensoft Publishers) Austromerope is a genus of forcepflies, whose representatives are rare and mostly restricted in distribution. It belongs to the family Meropeidae (Mecoptera) and was recently unexpectedly discovered in South America. The species found in Brazil was described as new to science and named Austromerope braziliensis. The study was published in the open access journal ZooKeys.
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - February 15, 2013 Category: Biology Source Type: news

Research with Yorkshire Water to reduce lead in water supplies
(University of Huddersfield) Research at the University of Huddersfield aims to ensure that the risk of lead being found in domestic water supplies as a result of lead plumbing is reduced even further - in line with new regulations which come into force at the end of 2013.
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - February 15, 2013 Category: Biology Source Type: news

The discovery of a new genus of crustacean and 5 new species
(FECYT - Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology) On recent expeditions to Madagascar and the French Polynesia, two Spanish researchers have discovered five new species of crustacean and a new genus named Triodonthea.
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - February 15, 2013 Category: Biology Source Type: news

Malnutrition -- Living hungrily ever after
(Springer) Hunger is a two-sided coin. It refers simultaneously to that which is visible and can be subjectively and objectively viewed, and that which is hidden. This less-visible hunger is known as 'hidden hunger' or chronic malnutrition. Every two minutes 13 children worldwide die of the consequences of hidden hunger before they are five years old.
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - February 15, 2013 Category: Biology Source Type: news

Extreme winters impact fish negatively
(Umea University) Ecologists from Umeå University and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim have studied fish communities and fish habitat and reviewed the importance of winter conditions for fish in streams and rivers in cold regions. The findings are now being published in the journal BioScience.
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - February 15, 2013 Category: Biology Source Type: news

UC research takes a new approach to identifying 'food deserts'
(University of Cincinnati) New research takes a new look at an urban area's access to healthier foods.
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - February 15, 2013 Category: Biology Source Type: news

Nano-machines for 'bionic proteins'
(University of Vienna) Physicists of the University of Vienna together with researchers from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna developed nano-machines which recreate principal activities of proteins. They present the first versatile and modular example of a fully artificial protein-mimetic model system, thanks to the Vienna Scientific Cluster, a high performance computing infrastructure. These "bionic proteins" could play an important role in innovating pharmaceutical research. The results have now been published in the renowned journal Physical Review Letters.
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - February 15, 2013 Category: Biology Source Type: news

GPR17 Endocytic Trafficking in Oligodendroglial Cells [Neurobiology]
GPR17 is a G-protein-coupled receptor that is activated by two classes of molecules: uracil-nucleotides and cysteinyl-leukotrienes. GPR17 is required for initiating the differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursors but has to be down-regulated to allow cells to undergo terminal maturation. Although a great deal has been learned about GPR17 expression and signaling, no information is currently available about the trafficking of native receptors after the exposure of differentiating oligodendrocytes to endogenous agonists. Here, we demonstrate that neuron-conditioned medium induces the transcriptionally mediated, time-regula...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Fratangeli, A., Parmigiani, E., Fumagalli, M., Lecca, D., Benfante, R., Passafaro, M., Buffo, A., Abbracchio, M. P., Rosa, P. Tags: Cell Biology Source Type: research

ShcA Integrates TGF{beta} and ErbB2 Signaling Pathways [Cell Biology]
The ErbB2 and TGFβ signaling pathways cooperate to promote the migratory, invasive, and metastatic behavior of breast cancer cells. We previously demonstrated that ShcA is necessary for these synergistic interactions. Through a structure/function approach, we now show that the phosphotyrosine-binding, but not the Src homology 2, domain of ShcA is required for TGFβ-induced migration and invasion of ErbB2-expressing breast cancer cells. We further demonstrate that the tyrosine phosphorylation sites within ShcA (Tyr239/Tyr240 and Tyr313) transduce distinct and non-redundant signals that promote these TGFβ-mediated effects....
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Northey, J. J., Dong, Z., Ngan, E., Kaplan, A., Hardy, W. R., Pawson, T., Siegel, P. M. Tags: Signal Transduction Source Type: research

TGF-{beta} Induces PUMA in Myc-driven Lymphomas [Cell Biology]
c-Myc transformed human Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) cells are highly sensitive to TGF-β-induced apoptosis. Previously we demonstrated that TGF-β-mediated cell death in BL cells is regulated via the mitochondrial intrinsic apoptosis pathway, which is dependent on the activation of BAX and/or BAK. TGF-β directly induces transcription of the BH3-only protein BIK and represses expression of the pro-survival factor BCL-XL but has no effect on the direct BAX/BAK “activators” BIM or BID (tBID). Here we show that TGF-β induces the BH3-only activator PUMA to aid induction of the intrinsic cell death pathway. TGF-β also induced...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Spender, L. C., Carter, M. J., O'Brien, D. I., Clark, L. J., Yu, J., Michalak, E. M., Happo, L., Cragg, M. S., Inman, G. J. Tags: Signal Transduction Source Type: research

Classical PKC Isoforms Regulate ApoE Secretion [Lipids]
In conclusion, PKC regulates the secretion of apoE from primary human macrophages.
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Karunakaran, D., Kockx, M., Owen, D. M., Burnett, J. R., Jessup, W., Kritharides, L. Tags: Cell Biology Source Type: research

The Bacterial Ortholog of Mitochondrial Phosphatase PTPMT1 [Membrane Biology]
Cardiolipin is a glycerophospholipid found predominantly in the mitochondrial membranes of eukaryotes and in bacterial membranes. Cardiolipin interacts with protein complexes and plays pivotal roles in cellular energy metabolism, membrane dynamics, and stress responses. We recently identified the mitochondrial phosphatase, PTPMT1, as the enzyme that converts phosphatidylglycerolphosphate (PGP) to phosphatidylglycerol, a critical step in the de novo biosynthesis of cardiolipin. Upon examination of PTPMT1 evolutionary distribution, we found a PTPMT1-like phosphatase in the bacterium Rhodopirellula baltica. The purified recom...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Teh, P. G., Chen, M. J., Engel, J. L., Worby, C. A., Manning, G., Dixon, J. E., Zhang, J. Tags: Lipids Source Type: research

CORVET Targeting and Function at Endosomes [Cell Biology]
Transport along the endolysosomal system requires multiple fusion events at early and late endosomes. Deletion of several endosomal fusion factors, including the Vac1 tether and the Class C core vacuole/endosome tethering (CORVET) complex-specific subunits Vps3 and Vps8, results in a class D vps phenotype. As these mutants have an apparently similar defect in endosomal transport, we asked whether CORVET and Vac1 could still act in distinct tethering reactions. Our data reveal that CORVET mutants can be rescued by Vac1 overexpression in the endocytic pathway but not in CPY or Cps1 sorting to the vacuole. Moreover, when we c...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Cabrera, M., Arlt, H., Epp, N., Lachmann, J., Griffith, J., Perz, A., Reggiori, F., Ungermann, C. Tags: Cell Biology Source Type: research

VTV Formation Requires CideB [Lipids]
Nascent very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) exits the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in a specialized ER-derived vesicle, the VLDL transport vesicle (VTV). Similar to protein transport vesicles (PTVs), VTVs require coat complex II (COPII) proteins for their biogenesis from the ER membranes. Because the size of the VTV is large, we hypothesized that protein(s) in addition to COPII components might be required for VTV biogenesis. Our proteomic analysis, supported by Western blotting data, shows that a 26-kDa protein, CideB, is present in the VTV but not in other ER-derived vesicles such as PTV and pre-chylomicron transport vesic...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Tiwari, S., Siddiqi, S., Siddiqi, S. A. Tags: Cell Biology Source Type: research

Membrane-bound Topology of Helices 6, 7, and 10 of ColE1 [Molecular Biophysics]
The pre-channel state of helices 6, 7, and 10 (Val447–Gly475 and Ile508–Ile522) of colicin E1 was investigated by a site-directed fluorescence labeling technique. A total of 44 cysteine variants were purified and covalently labeled with monobromobimane fluorescent probe. A variety of fluorescence properties of the bimane fluorophore were measured for both the soluble and membrane-bound states of the channel peptide, including the fluorescence emission maximum, fluorescence anisotropy, and membrane bilayer penetration depth. Using site-directed fluorescence labeling combined with our novel helical periodicity analysis m...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Ho, D., Lugo, M. R., Merrill, A. R. Tags: Membrane Biology Source Type: research

CLEC-2 Signaling Requires Syk and the HemITAM [Cell Biology]
CLEC-2 is a member of new family of C-type lectin receptors characterized by a cytosolic YXXL downstream of three acidic amino acids in a sequence known as a hemITAM (hemi-immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif). Dimerization of two phosphorylated CLEC-2 molecules leads to recruitment of the tyrosine kinase Syk via its tandem SH2 domains and initiation of a downstream signaling cascade. Using Syk-deficient and Zap-70-deficient cell lines we show that hemITAM signaling is restricted to Syk and that the upstream triacidic amino acid sequence is required for signaling. Using surface plasmon resonance and phosphorylati...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Hughes, C. E., Sinha, U., Pandey, A., Eble, J. A., O'Callaghan, C. A., Watson, S. P. Tags: Signal Transduction Source Type: research

Munc18-1 Molecules Move between Membrane Molecular Depots [Molecular Biophysics]
Four evolutionarily conserved proteins are required for mammalian regulated exocytosis: three SNARE proteins, syntaxin, SNAP-25, and synaptobrevin, and the SM protein, Munc18-1. Here, using single-molecule imaging, we measured the spatial distribution of large cohorts of single Munc18-1 molecules correlated with the positions of single secretory vesicles in a functionally rescued Munc18-1-null cellular model. Munc18-1 molecules were nonrandomly distributed across the plasma membrane in a manner not directed by mode of interaction with syntaxin1, with a small mean number of molecules observed to reside under membrane reside...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Smyth, A. M., Yang, L., Martin, K. J., Hamilton, C., Lu, W., Cousin, M. A., Rickman, C., Duncan, R. R. Tags: Membrane Biology Source Type: research

Sulf1 in Wg Degradation [Developmental Biology]
Heparan sulfate proteoglycans regulate various physiological and developmental processes through interactions with a number of protein ligands. Heparan sulfate (HS)-ligand binding depends on the amount and patterns of sulfate groups on HS, which are controlled by various HS sulfotransferases in the Golgi apparatus as well as extracellular 6-O-endosulfatases called “Sulfs.” Sulfs are a family of secreted molecules that specifically remove 6-O-sulfate groups within the highly sulfated regions on HS. Vertebrate Sulfs promote Wnt signaling, whereas the only Drosophila homologue of Sulfs, Sulf1, negatively regulates Wingles...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Kleinschmit, A., Takemura, M., Dejima, K., Choi, P. Y., Nakato, H. Tags: Glycobiology and Extracellular Matrices Source Type: research

REFLECTIONS: Practicing Biochemistry without a License [Protein Structure and Folding]
Prelude I grew up in a New Jersey suburb twenty miles east of Manhattan. My passion for science began early in grade school, prompted in part by my father's training in chemical engineering and his work at Union Carbide Corporation during the development of the plastics industry. My first chemistry set and home laboratory were followed by a series of summer jobs in industrial laboratories. My fondest memory was making a ball-and-stick model of the most complicated organic molecule I could find in my chemistry textbook and showing it to my father. He instantly identified it as sulfanilamide. From that moment on, I knew I wa...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Bunn, H. F. Tags: Reflections Source Type: research

REPORT: Mn(II) Speciation in D. radiodurans [Cell Biology]
High magnetic field high frequency electron paramagnetic resonance techniques were used to measure in situ Mn(II) speciation in Deinococcus radiodurans, a radiation-resistant bacteria capable of accumulating high concentrations of Mn(II). It was possible to identify and quantify the evolution of Mn(II) species in intact cells at various stages of growth. Aside from water, 95-GHz high field electron nuclear double resonance showed that the Mn(II) ions are bound to histidines and phosphate groups, mostly from fructose-1,6-bisphosphate but also inorganic phosphates and nucleotides. During stationary growth phase, 285-GHz cont...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Tabares, L. C., Un, S. Tags: Reports Source Type: research

Ash2l Essential for ES Cell Pluripotency and Open Chromatin [Gene Regulation]
Embryonic stem (ES) cells exhibit general characteristics of open chromatin, a state that may be necessary for ES cells to efficiently self-renew while remaining poised for differentiation. Histone H3K4 and H3K9 trimethylation associate as a general rule, with open and silenced chromatin, respectively, for ES cell pluripotency maintenance. However, how histone modifications are regulated to maintain open chromatin in ES cells remains largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that trithorax protein Ash2l, homologue of the Drosophila Ash2 (absent, small, homeotic-2) protein, is a key regulator of open chromatin in ES cells. Cons...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Wan, M., Liang, J., Xiong, Y., Shi, F., Zhang, Y., Lu, W., He, Q., Yang, D., Chen, R., Liu, D., Barton, M., Songyang, Z. Tags: Cell Biology Source Type: research

Cooperation of Sall4, Sox2, and Oct-3/4 in ES Cells [Developmental Biology]
In this study we show that Sall4, a member of the Spalt-like family of proteins, directly interacts with Sox2 and Oct-3/4. Sall4 in combination with Sox2 or Oct-3/4 simultaneously occupies the Oct-Sox elements in mouse ES cells. Overexpression of Sall4 in ES cells increased reporter activities in a luciferase assay when the Pou5f1- or Nanog-derived Oct-Sox element was included in the reporter. Microarray analyses revealed that Sall4 and Sox2 bound to the same genes in ES cells significantly more frequently than expected from random coincidence. These factors appeared to bind the promoter regions of a subset of the Sall4 an...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Tanimura, N., Saito, M., Ebisuya, M., Nishida, E., Ishikawa, F. Tags: Gene Regulation Source Type: research

Scube1 Regulates Primitive Hematopoiesis [Developmental Biology]
In this study, we identified and characterized zebrafish scube1 and analyzed its function by injecting antisense morpholino-oligonucleotide into embryos. Whole-mount in situ hybridization revealed that zebrafish scube1 mRNA is maternally expressed and widely distributed during early embryonic development. Knockdown of scube1 by morpholino-oligonucleotide down-regulated the expression of marker genes associated with early primitive hematopoietic precursors (scl) and erythroid (gata1 and hbbe1), as well as early (pu.1) and late (mpo and l-plastin) myelomonocytic lineages. However, the expression of an early endothelial marke...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Tsao, K.-C., Tu, C.-F., Lee, S.-J., Yang, R.-B. Tags: Signal Transduction Source Type: research

Sulfation of Estrogen by Chst10 [Developmental Biology]
Chst10 adds sulfate to glucuronic acid to form a carbohydrate antigen, HNK-1, in glycoproteins and glycolipids. To determine the role of Chst10 in vivo, we generated systemic Chst10-deficient mutant mice. Although Chst10−/− mice were born and grew to adulthood with no gross defects, they were subfertile. Uteri from Chst10−/− females at the pro-estrus stage were larger than those from wild-type females and exhibited a thick uterine endometrium. Serum estrogen levels in Chst10−/− females were higher than those from wild-type females, suggesting impaired down-regulation of estrogen. Because steroid hormones are of...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Suzuki-Anekoji, M., Suzuki, A., Wu, S.-W., Angata, K., Murai, K. K., Sugihara, K., Akama, T. O., Khoo, K.-H., Nakayama, J., Fukuda, M. N., Fukuda, M. Tags: Glycobiology and Extracellular Matrices Source Type: research

{alpha}-Catenin and Vinculin Promote E-cadherin-based Adhesion Strength [Molecular Biophysics]
Maintaining cell cohesiveness within tissues requires that intercellular adhesions develop sufficient strength to support traction forces applied by myosin motors and by neighboring cells. Cadherins are transmembrane receptors that mediate intercellular adhesion. The cadherin cytoplasmic domain recruits several partners, including catenins and vinculin, at sites of cell-cell adhesion. Our study used force measurements to address the role of αE-catenin and vinculin in the regulation of the strength of E-cadherin-based adhesion. αE-catenin-deficient cells display only weak aggregation and fail to strengthen intercellular a...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Thomas, W. A., Boscher, C., Chu, Y.-S., Cuvelier, D., Martinez-Rico, C., Seddiki, R., Heysch, J., Ladoux, B., Thiery, J. P., Mege, R., Dufour, S. Tags: Cell Biology Source Type: research

ROS Generation in a CerS2 Null Mouse [Membrane Biology]
Ceramide is a key intermediate in the pathway of sphingolipid biosynthesis and is an important intracellular messenger. We recently generated a ceramide synthase 2 (CerS2) null mouse that cannot synthesize very long acyl chain (C22-C24) ceramides. This mouse displays severe and progressive hepatopathy. Significant changes were observed in the sphingolipid profile of CerS2 null mouse liver, including elevated C16-ceramide and sphinganine levels in liver and in isolated mitochondrial fractions. Because ceramide may be involved in reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, we examined whether ROS generation was affected in CerS...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Zigdon, H., Kogot-Levin, A., Park, J.-W., Goldschmidt, R., Kelly, S., Merrill, A. H., Scherz, A., Pewzner-Jung, Y., Saada, A., Futerman, A. H. Tags: Lipids Source Type: research

Interactions in the Bcl-2 Family [Signal Transduction]
The key event in the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis is the activation of Bax and Bak by BH3-only proteins through a molecular mechanism that is still a matter of debate. Here we studied interactions among anti- and proapoptotic proteins of the Bcl-2 family in living cells by using bimolecular fluorescence complementation analysis. Our results indicate that the antiapoptotic proteins Mcl-1 and Bcl-xL bind preferably to the BH3-only proteins Bim, PUMA, and Noxa but can also bind to Bak and Bax. We also found a direct interaction between Bim, PUMA, or Noxa with either Bax or Bak during apoptosis induction. In HeLa cells, ...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Vela, L., Gonzalo, O., Naval, J., Marzo, I. Tags: Cell Biology Source Type: research

Phospholipid Flippase-mediated Control of Cell Migration [Membrane Biology]
Type IV P-type ATPases (P4-ATPases) and CDC50 family proteins form a putative phospholipid flippase complex that mediates the translocation of aminophospholipids such as phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) from the outer to inner leaflets of the plasma membrane. In Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, at least eight members of P4-ATPases were identified, but only a single CDC50 family protein, CDC50A, was expressed. We demonstrated that CDC50A associated with and recruited P4-ATPase ATP8A1 to the plasma membrane. Overexpression of CDC50A induced extensive cell spreading and greatly enhanced cell migrati...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Kato, U., Inadome, H., Yamamoto, M., Emoto, K., Kobayashi, T., Umeda, M. Tags: Lipids Source Type: research

TM-binding and Actin-capping Abilities of Tmod [Cell Biology]
In this study, we tested mutations in the TM-binding sites of Tmod1, using circular dichroism (CD) and prediction analysis (PONDR). The mutations R11K, D12N, and Q144K were chosen because they decreased the affinity of Tmod1 to stTM, making it similar to that of affinity of Tmod3 and Tmod4 to stTM. Significant reduction of inhibition of actin pointed-end polymerization in the presence of stTM was shown for Tmod1 (R11K/D12N/Q144K) as compared with WT Tmod1. When GFP-Tmod1 and mutants were expressed in primary chicken skeletal myocytes, decreased assembly of Tmod1 mutants was revealed. This indicates a direct correlation bet...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Moroz, N. A., Novak, S. M., Azevedo, R., Colpan, M., Uversky, V. N., Gregorio, C. C., Kostyukova, A. S. Tags: Protein Structure and Folding Source Type: research

IAPs Modulate TNF-induced Cytokine Production [Immunology]
Inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) play a major role in determining whether cells undergo apoptosis in response to TNF as well as other stimuli. However, TNF is also highly proinflammatory through its ability to trigger the secretion of multiple inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, which is arguably the most important role of TNF in vivo. Indeed, deregulated production of TNF-induced cytokines is a major driver of inflammation in several autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Here, we show that IAPs are required for the production of multiple TNF-induced proinflammatory mediators. Ablation or antagonism ...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Kearney, C. J., Sheridan, C., Cullen, S. P., Tynan, G. A., Logue, S. E., Afonina, I. S., Vucic, D., Lavelle, E. C., Martin, S. J. Tags: Cell Biology Source Type: research

Splicing Isoform of Rat CLCA [Membrane Biology]
We previously found that a rat CLCA homologue (rCLCA-f) modulates Ca2+-dependent Cl− transport in the ductal cells of the rat submandibular gland. CLCA proteins have been shown to be multifunctional, with roles in, for example, cell adhesion. Here, we describe the mRNA and protein expressions of a splicing isoform of rat rCLCA (rCLCA-t). This isoform is a 514-amino acid protein containing a C-terminal 59-amino acid that is distinct from the rCLCA-f sequence. Immunohistochemistry revealed rCLCA-t to be located in the basal cells of the rat submandibular gland excretory duct and the stratum basale of rat epidermis, whereas...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Yamazaki, J., Okamura, K., Uehara, K., Hatta, M. Tags: Cell Biology Source Type: research

Hyperoxia and Neutrophil {beta}2 Integrin Inhibition [Membrane Biology]
This investigation was to elucidate the basis for augmentation of nitric-oxide synthesis in neutrophils exposed to hyperbaric oxygen. Hyperoxia increases synthesis of reactive species leading to S-nitrosylation of β-actin, which causes temporary inhibition of β2 integrin adherence. Impaired β2 integrin function and actin S-nitrosylation do not occur in neutrophils from mice lacking type-2 nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS) or when incubated with 1400W, an iNOS inhibitor. Similarly, effects of hyperoxia were abrogated in cells depleted of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) by treatment with small inhibitory RNA and those exposed to a...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Thom, S. R., Bhopale, V. M., Milovanova, T. N., Yang, M., Bogush, M., Buerk, D. G. Tags: Cell Biology Source Type: research

m-AAA Protease Affects Retention of a Transmembrane Segment [Protein Synthesis and Degradation]
Sorting of mitochondrial inner membrane proteins is a complex process in which translocons and proteases function in a concerted way. Many inner membrane proteins insert into the membrane via the TIM23 translocon, and some are then further acted upon by the mitochondrial m-AAA protease, a molecular motor capable of dislocating proteins from the inner membrane. This raises the possibility that the threshold hydrophobicity for the retention of transmembrane segments in the inner membrane is different depending on whether they belong to membrane proteins that are m-AAA protease substrates or not. Here, using model transmembra...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Botelho, S. C., Tatsuta, T., von Heijne, G., Kim, H. Tags: Membrane Biology Source Type: research

TGD4 Phosphatidic Acid Binding Site [Plant Biology]
Chloroplast membrane lipid synthesis relies on the import of glycerolipids from the ER. The TGD (TriGalactosylDiacylglycerol) proteins are required for this lipid transfer process. The TGD1, -2, and -3 proteins form a putative ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporter transporting ER-derived lipids through the inner envelope membrane of the chloroplast, while TGD4 binds phosphatidic acid (PtdOH) and resides in the outer chloroplast envelope. We identified two sequences in TGD4, amino acids 1–80 and 110–145, which are necessary and sufficient for PtdOH binding. Deletion of both sequences abolished PtdOH binding activity. W...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Wang, Z., Anderson, N. S., Benning, C. Tags: Membrane Biology Source Type: research

Role of GRIM-19 in STAT3 Import into Mitochondria [Signal Transduction]
In this report we show that mitochondrial-localized STAT3 resides in the inner mitochondrial membrane. In vitro import studies show that the gene associated with retinoid interferon induced cell mortality 19 (GRIM-19), a complex I subunit that acts as a chaperone to recruit STAT3 into mitochondria. In addition, GRIM-19 enhances the integration of STAT3 into complex I. A S727A mutation in STAT3 reduces its import and assembly even in the presence of GRIM-19. Together, our studies unveil a novel chaperone function for GRIM-19 in the recruitment of STAT3 into mitochondria.
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Tammineni, P., Anugula, C., Mohammed, F., Anjaneyulu, M., Larner, A. C., Sepuri, N. B. V. Tags: Cell Biology Source Type: research

Dma1 Controls Stability of G1 Cyclins [Protein Synthesis and Degradation]
Progression through the G1 phase of the cell cycle is controlled by diverse cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) that might be associated to numerous cyclin isoforms. Given such complexity, regulation of cyclin degradation should be crucial for coordinating progression through the cell cycle. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, SCF is the only E3 ligase known to date to be involved in G1 cyclin degradation. Here, we report the design of a genetic screening that uncovered Dma1 as another E3 ligase that targets G1 cyclins in yeast. We show that the cyclin Pcl1 is ubiquitinated in vitro and in vivo by Dma1, and accordingly, is stabilized...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Hernandez–Ortega, S., Bru, S., Ricco, N., Ramirez, S., Casals, N., Jimenez, J., Isasa, M., Crosas, B., Clotet, J. Tags: Cell Biology Source Type: research

NQO1 Regulates Host Susceptibility to Ozone via A2-isoP [Cell Biology]
NADPH:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is recognized as a major susceptibility gene for ozone-induced pulmonary toxicity. In the absence of NQO1 as can occur by genetic mutation, the human airway is protected from harmful effects of ozone. We recently reported that NQO1-null mice are protected from airway hyperresponsiveness and pulmonary inflammation following ozone exposure. However, NQO1 regenerates intracellular antioxidants and therefore should protect the individual from oxidative stress. To explain this paradox, we tested whether in the absence of NQO1 ozone exposure results in increased generation of A2-isoprostane,...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Kummarapurugu, A. B., Fischer, B. M., Zheng, S., Milne, G. L., Ghio, A. J., Potts-Kant, E. N., Foster, W. M., Soderblom, E. J., Dubois, L. G., Moseley, M. A., Thompson, J. W., Voynow, J. A. Tags: Gene Regulation Source Type: research

Ca2+- and ROS-induced Activation of Superoxide Flashes [Membrane Biology]
Mitochondrial superoxide flashes reflect a quantal, bursting mode of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production that arises from stochastic, transient opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) in many types of cells and in living animals. However, the regulatory mechanisms and the exact nature of the flash-coupled mPTP remain poorly understood. Here we demonstrate a profound synergistic effect between mitochondrial Ca2+ uniport and elevated basal ROS production in triggering superoxide flashes in intact cells. Hyperosmotic stress potently augmented the flash activity while simultaneously elevating mito...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Hou, T., Zhang, X., Xu, J., Jian, C., Huang, Z., Ye, T., Hu, K., Zheng, M., Gao, F., Wang, X., Cheng, H. Tags: Cell Biology Source Type: research

Neutrophil Lyso-PS Regulates Tissue Neutrophilia [Lipids]
Resolution of neutrophilia characteristic of acute inflammation requires cessation of neutrophil recruitment and removal of tissue neutrophils. Based on in vitro studies, a role in these events was hypothesized for oxidant-generated lysophosphatidylserine (lyso-PS) on recruited neutrophils signaling via the G2A receptor on macrophages. Peritoneal exudate neutrophils harvested from wild type (WT) mice had 5-fold more lyso-PS (lyso-PShigh) than those of gp91phox−/− (lyso-PSlow) mice. Ex vivo engulfment of lyso-PShigh neutrophils (95% viable) by WT peritoneal macrophages was quantitatively similar to UV-irradiated apoptot...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Frasch, S. C., Fernandez-Boyanapalli, R. F., Berry, K. A. Z., Murphy, R. C., Leslie, C. C., Nick, J. A., Henson, P. M., Bratton, D. L. Tags: Cell Biology Source Type: research

Functional Interaction of GAT-1 Gate Mutants [Molecular Biophysics]
The GABA transporter GAT-1 belongs to the neurotransmitter:sodium:symporters which are crucial for synaptic transmission. GAT-1 mediates electrogenic transport of GABA together with sodium and chloride. Structure-function studies indicate that the bacterial homologue LeuT, which possess extra- and intracellular thin gates, is an excellent model for this class of neurotransmitter transporters. We recently showed that a conserved aspartate residue of GAT-1, Asp-451, whose LeuT equivalent participates in its thin extracellular gate, is functionally irreplaceable in GAT-1. Only the D451E mutant exhibited residual transport act...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Ben-Yona, A., Kanner, B. I. Tags: Membrane Biology Source Type: research

LRP1 Ligands in CNS Myelin [Membrane Biology]
We report that LRP1 binds intracellular proteins via its extracellular domain and functions as a receptor for necrotic cells. Peptidyl arginine deiminase-2 and cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase are novel LRP1 ligands identified in our screen, which interact with full-length LRP1. Furthermore, the extracellular domain of LRP1 is a target of peptidyl arginine deiminase-2-mediated deimination in vitro. We propose that LRP1 functions as a receptor for endocytosis of intracellular components released during cellular damage and necrosis.
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Fernandez-Castaneda, A., Arandjelovic, S., Stiles, T. L., Schlobach, R. K., Mowen, K. A., Gonias, S. L., Gaultier, A. Tags: Neurobiology Source Type: research

Role of FAM57B in Adipocyte Differentiation [Lipids]
This report identifies a novel gene encoding Fam57b (family with sequence similarity 57, member B) as a novel peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ)-responsive transmembrane gene that is related to obesity. The gene was identified based on an integrated bioinformatics analysis of the following three expression profiling data sets: adipocyte differentiation of mouse stromal cells (ST2 cells), adipose tissues from obesity mice, and siRNA-mediated knockdown of Pparγ using ST2 cells. Fam57b consists of three variants expressed from different promoters and contains a Tram-Lag1-CLN8 domain that is related to cer...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Yamashita-Sugahara, Y., Tokuzawa, Y., Nakachi, Y., Kanesaki-Yatsuka, Y., Matsumoto, M., Mizuno, Y., Okazaki, Y. Tags: Cell Biology Source Type: research

Amino Acid-induced GLP-1 Secretion in GLUTag Cells [Signal Transduction]
Although amino acids are dietary nutrients that evoke the secretion of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) from intestinal L cells, the precise molecular mechanism(s) by which amino acids regulate GLP-1 secretion from intestinal L cells remains unknown. Here, we show that the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), family C group 6 subtype A (GPRC6A), is involved in amino acid-induced GLP-1 secretion from the intestinal L cell line GLUTag. Application of l-ornithine caused an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in GLUTag cells. Application of a GPRC6A receptor antagonist, a phospholipase C inhibitor, or an IP3 re...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Oya, M., Kitaguchi, T., Pais, R., Reimann, F., Gribble, F., Tsuboi, T. Tags: Cell Biology Source Type: research

Natural Blends of Phytochemicals Impact the Soil Microbiome [Metabolism]
The roots of plants have the ability to influence its surrounding microbiology, the so-called rhizosphere microbiome, through the creation of specific chemical niches in the soil mediated by the release of phytochemicals. Here we report how these phytochemicals could modulate the microbial composition of a soil in the absence of the plant. For this purpose, root exudates of Arabidopsis were collected and fractionated to obtain natural blends of phytochemicals at various relative concentrations that were characterized by GC-MS and applied repeatedly to a soil. Soil bacterial changes were monitored by amplifying and pyrosequ...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - February 15, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Badri, D. V., Chaparro, J. M., Zhang, R., Shen, Q., Vivanco, J. M. Tags: Plant Biology Source Type: research

Neuronal activity induces tau release from healthy neurons
(European Molecular Biology Organization) Researchers from King's College London have discovered that neuronal activity can stimulate tau release from healthy neurons in the absence of cell death. The results published by Diane Hanger and her colleagues in EMBO reports show that treatment of neurons with known biological signaling molecules increases the release of tau into the culture medium. The release of tau from cortical neurons is therefore a physiological process that can be regulated by neuronal activity.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - February 15, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Source Type: news

Specific nuclear envelope transmembrane proteins can promote the location of chromosomes to and from the nuclear periphery
A new study identifies nuclear envelope proteins which may reposition human chromosomes in a tissue-specific manner
Source: Genome Biology - February 15, 2013 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Nikolaj ZulegerShelagh BoyleDavid KellyJose de las HerasVassiliki LazouNadia KorfaliDzmitry BatrakouK Natalie RandlesGlenn MorrisDavid HarrisonWendy BickmoreEric Schirmer Source Type: research

Rare Sumatran Tiger Cub Born at San Francisco Zoo
By Laila KearneySAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A Sumatran tiger gave birth to an apparently healthy cub at the San Francisco Zoo over the weekend in a rare boost to the critically endangered subspecies, zookeepers said on Thursday.There are estimated to be as few as 400 Sumatran tigers in the wild, and zookeepers were monitoring the pair in the zoo's secluded Lion House via webcam to allow the 9-year-old mother, named Leanne, and baby to bond with little human interference."All signs seem to be positive so far," said Corinne MacDonald, San Francisco Zoo curator of carnivores and primates."Mom and cub are bonding," she said, add...
Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed - February 14, 2013 Category: Science Tags: Energy & Sustainability,Environment,Evolution,Biology,Society Policy Source Type: research

Love Is the New Superfood
Food and love are inextricably linked by our mammalian biology. Yet our hectic modern lifestyles mean that many people are no longer accessing the emotional and spiritual nurturance that delicious, healthy food offers. Read here how you can relearn to love your food, and be loved by it in return.read more
Source: Psychology Today Food and Diet Center - February 14, 2013 Category: Nutrition Authors: Conner Middelmann-Whitney Tags: Diet Happiness Health aphrodisiac properties caviar central kitchen chia seeds chocolate mousse days of the year green coffee beans hunch moroccan chicken nurturance oysters physical nourishment plum sauce salade niçoise Source Type: news

New Sexual Revolution: Polyamory May Be Good for You
On Valentine's Day, images of couples are everywhere. They're buying each other diamond rings, making eyes over expensive restaurant meals and canoodling over chocolate-covered strawberries and champagne. But two-by-two isn't the only way to go through life. In fact, an estimated 4 to 5 percent of Americans are looking outside their relationship for love and sex -- with their partner's full permission. [More]
Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed - February 14, 2013 Category: Science Tags: Health,Chemistry,Health,History of Science,Medical Technology,Society & Policy,Everyday Science,More Science,Evolutionary Biology,Ethics,Biology,Mind Brain Source Type: research

Novel microwave near-field sensors for material characterization, biology, and nanotechnology
R. Joffe, E. O. Kamenetskii, and R. Shavit The wide range of interesting electromagnetic behavior of contemporary materials requires that experimentalists working in this field master many diverse measurement techniques and have a broad understanding of condensed matter physics and biophysics. Measurement of the electromagnetic response of m ... [J. Appl. Phys. 113, 063912 (2013)] published Wed Feb 13, 2013.
Source: Journal of Applied Physics - February 14, 2013 Category: Physics Source Type: research