Search results for " nucleic acid"
showing 10 items of 272 documents
Repetitive DNAs in the slug Milax nigricans: association of ribosomal (18S–28S and 5S rDNA) and (TTAGGG)n telomeric sequences) in the slug M. nigrica…
2003
Spermatocyte chromosomes of the slug Milax nigricans (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Pulmonata) were studied using silver staining (Ag-NOR) and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with four repetitive DNA probes [18S rDNA, 5S rDNA, (TTAGGG)n and (GATA)n]. Silver impregnation was inadequate to localize the chromosome sites of nucleolus organizer regions (NORs) since no silver dots occurred on the chromosomes at spermatogonial metaphase and a diffuse silver stainability could be observed on the bivalents at metaphase-I. Unlike silver staining, single-colour rDNA FISH consistently mapped major ribosomal sites (18S-28S rDNA) on two small-sized chromosomes in spermatogonial cells and on the correspo…
Thyroid hormone induction of the adrenoleukodystrophy-related gene (ABCD2).
2003
X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is a demyelinating disorder associated with impaired very-long-chain fatty-acid (VLCFA) beta-oxidation caused by mutations in the ABCD1 (ALD) gene that encodes a peroxisomal membrane ABC transporter. ABCD2 (ALDR) displays partial functional redundancy because when overexpressed, it is able to correct the X-ALD biochemical phenotype. The ABCD2 promoter contains a putative thyroid hormone-response element conserved in rodents and humans. In this report, we demonstrate that the element is capable of binding retinoid X receptor and 3,5,3'-tri-iodothyronine (T3) receptor (TRbeta) as a heterodimer and mediating T3 responsiveness of ABCD2 in its promoter conte…
Fibrate induction of the adrenoleukodystrophy-related gene (ABCD2)
2001
X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is a neurodegenerative disease due to a defect in the ABCD1 (ALD) gene. ABCD1, and the two close homologues ABCD2 (ALDR) and ABCD3 (PMP70), are genes encoding ATP-binding cassette half-transporters of the peroxisomal membrane. As overexpression of the ABCD2 or ABCD3 gene can reverse the biochemical phenotype of X-ALD (reduced beta-oxidation of very-long-chain fatty acids), pharmacological induction of these partially redundant genes may represent a therapeutic approach to X-ALD. We previously reported that the ABCD2 and ABCD3 genes could be strongly induced by fibrates, which are hypolipidaemic drugs and peroxisome-proliferators in rodents. We provide e…
COVID-19 and non–COVID-19 pneumonia: a comparison
2021
Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the relocation of huge financial resources to departments dedicated to infected patients, at the expense of those suffering from other pathologies. Aim To compare clinical features and outcomes in COVID-19 pneumonia and non-COVID-19 pneumonia patients. Patients and methods 53 patients (35 males, mean age 61.5 years) with COVID-19 pneumonia and 50 patients (32 males, mean age 72.7 years) with non-COVID-19 pneumonia, consecutively admitted between March and May 2020 were included. Clinical, laboratory and radiological data at admission were analyzed. Duration of hospitalization and mortality rates were evaluated. Results Among the non-COVID…
TLR7 and TLR8 ligands and antiphospholipid antibodies show synergistic effects on the induction of IL-1beta and caspase-1 in monocytes and dendritic …
2009
TLRs represent the first line of defense against invading pathogens in the innate immune system. Certain cytokines are important mediators and essentially necessary to assure an appropriately regulated immune response. Recent data gave initial evidence that IL-1beta is one of the most relevant members of these regulating cytokines. We investigated the induction of IL-1beta production in monocytes and pDCs stimulated with ligands for TLR7 and TLR8 and with antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). Using human monocytes and pDCs for stimulation with specific TLR7 and TLR8 ligands such as resiquimod (R848) and single stranded RNA (RNA42) as well as with a human monoclonal aPL HL5B resulted in a speci…
The oxytocin receptor system: structure, function, and regulation.
2001
The neurohypophysial peptide oxytocin (OT) and OT-like hormones facilitate reproduction in all vertebrates at several levels. The major site of OT gene expression is the magnocellular neurons of the hypothalamic paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei. In response to a variety of stimuli such as suckling, parturition, or certain kinds of stress, the processed OT peptide is released from the posterior pituitary into the systemic circulation. Such stimuli also lead to an intranuclear release of OT. Moreover, oxytocinergic neurons display widespread projections throughout the central nervous system. However, OT is also synthesized in peripheral tissues, e.g., uterus, placenta, amnion, corpus lut…
Cell-free DNA and Microvascular Damage in ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Treated With Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.
2019
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction might originate from hyperactivated leukocytes at the coronary lesion. Our aim was to investigate the relationship between cfDNA and coronary reperfusion. METHODS We studied 116 patients treated with primary angioplasty using thrombus aspiration. Coronary (during aspiration) and peripheral (at the end of the procedure) blood samples were drawn for cfDNA, as well as high-sensitivity troponin T and myeloperoxidase quantification. The primary endpoint was no ST-segment resolution (STR) (≥ 70%) and the secondary endpoint was lack of final Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction flow 3 (TIMI 3). RESULTS…
Formation of new genes explains lower intron density in mammalian Rhodopsin G protein-coupled receptors
2007
Mammalian G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) genes are characterised by a large proportion of intronless genes or a lower density of introns when compared with GPCRs of invertebrates. It is unclear which mechanisms have influenced intron density in this protein family, which is one of the largest in the mammalian genomes. We used a combination of Hidden Markov Models (HMM) and BLAST searches to establish the comprehensive repertoire of Rhodopsin GPCRs from seven species and performed overall alignments and phylogenetic analysis using the maximum parsimony method for over 1400 receptors in 12 subgroups. We identified 14 different Ancestral Receptor Groups (ARGs) that have members in both vert…
A DNA-nanoparticle actuator enabling optical monitoring of nanoscale movements induced by an electric field.
2018
Merging biological and non-biological matter to fabricate nanoscale assemblies with controllable motion and function is of great interest due to its potential application, for example, in diagnostics and biosensing. Here, we have constructed a DNA-based bionanoactuator that interfaces with biological and non-biological matter via an electric field in a reversibly controllable fashion. The read-out of the actuator is based on motion-induced changes in the plasmon resonance of a gold nanoparticle immobilized to a gold surface by single stranded DNA. The motion of the gold nanoparticle and thus the conformational changes of the DNA under varying electric field were analyzed by dark field spect…
Cloning of Clostridium difficile toxin B gene and demonstration of high N-terminal homology between toxin A and B.
1990
High titered Clostridium sordellii lethal toxin antiserum, cross-reactive with C. difficile cytotoxin B (ToxB), was used to isolate toxB fragments from a C. difficile expression library. Recombinant clones containing toxB fragments of the 5' and 3' end were isolate. A 2.5-kb HincII fragment of chromosomal DNA overlaps both groups of clones. A partial restriction map of the total toxB gene is presented. The gene is positioned upstream of utxA and toxA, toxB has a size of 6.9 kb, corresponding to a 250-kDa polypeptide. A partial sequence of the 5' end of toxB was determined. The sequence contains 398 bp upstream of toxB with a putative Shine-Dalgarno box (AGGAGA) and 609 bp of the toxB open r…