scholarly journals Species comparison of liver proteomes reveals links to naked mole-rat longevity and human aging

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivonne Heinze ◽  
Martin Bens ◽  
Enrico Calzia ◽  
Susanne Holtze ◽  
Oleksandr Dakhovnik ◽  
...  

AbstractMammals display wide range of variation in their lifespan. Investigating the molecular networks that distinguish long-from short-lived species has proven useful to identify determinants of longevity. Here, we compared the liver of long-lived naked mole-rats (NMRs) and the phylogenetically closely related, shorter-lived, guinea pigs using an integrated omic approach. We found that NMRs livers display a unique expression pattern of mitochondrial proteins that result in distinct metabolic features of their mitochondria. For instance, we observed a generally reduced respiration rate associated with lower protein levels of respiratory chain components, particularly complex I, and increased capacity to utilize fatty acids. Interestingly, we show that the same molecular networks are affected during aging in both NMR and humans, supporting a direct link to the extraordinary longevity of both species. Finally, we identified a novel longevity pathway and validated it experimentally in the nematode C. elegans.

1994 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Puzicha

Effluents from point sources (industries, communities) and diffuse inputs introduce pollutants into the water of the river Rhine and cause a basic contaminant load. The aim is to establish a biological warning system to detect increased toxicity in addition to the already existing chemical-physical monitoring system. To cover a wide range of biocides, continuous working biotests at different trophic levels (bacteria, algae, mussels, water fleas, fishes) have been developed and proved. These are checked out for sensitivity against toxicants, reaction time, validity of data and practical handling under field conditions at the river. Test-specific appropriate methods are found to differentiate between the normal range of variation and true alarm signals.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 890
Author(s):  
Pietro Tedesco ◽  
Fortunato Palma Esposito ◽  
Antonio Masino ◽  
Giovanni Andrea Vitale ◽  
Emiliana Tortorella ◽  
...  

Extremophilic microorganisms represent a unique source of novel natural products. Among them, cold adapted bacteria and particularly alpine microorganisms are still underexplored. Here, we describe the isolation and characterization of a novel Gram-positive, aerobic rod-shaped alpine bacterium (KRL4), isolated from sediments from the Karuola glacier in Tibet, China. Complete phenotypic analysis was performed revealing the great adaptability of the strain to a wide range of temperatures (5–40 °C), pHs (5.5–8.5), and salinities (0–15% w/v NaCl). Genome sequencing identified KRL4 as a member of the placeholder genus Exiguobacterium_A and annotation revealed that only half of the protein-encoding genes (1522 of 3079) could be assigned a putative function. An analysis of the secondary metabolite clusters revealed the presence of two uncharacterized phytoene synthase containing pathways and a novel siderophore pathway. Biological assays confirmed that the strain produces molecules with antioxidant and siderophore activities. Furthermore, intracellular extracts showed nematocidal activity towards C. elegans, suggesting that strain KRL4 is a source of anthelmintic compounds.


Parasitology ◽  
1915 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. E. Robinson

Variability in the size and, in a lesser degree, the taxonomic features of male ticks, has arrested the attention of all who have had occasion to examine moderately large numbers of examples of the same species. In the case of the female tick, this variability, though doubtless coextensive with that of the male, is more or less obscured by the wide range of variation in size, depending upon the degree of engorgement; and, also, by the fact that in the female tick the taxonomic characters are, as a rule, less pronounced. The present note is only concerned with variability in the size of the male.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (13) ◽  
pp. 3924
Author(s):  
Maria Leonor Santos ◽  
Mariaelena D’Ambrosio ◽  
Ana P. Rodrigo ◽  
A. Jorge Parola ◽  
Pedro M. Costa

The past decade has seen growing interest in marine natural pigments for biotechnological applications. One of the most abundant classes of biological pigments is the tetrapyrroles, which are prized targets due their photodynamic properties; porphyrins are the best known examples of this group. Many animal porphyrinoids and other tetrapyrroles are produced through heme metabolic pathways, the best known of which are the bile pigments biliverdin and bilirubin. Eulalia is a marine Polychaeta characterized by its bright green coloration resulting from a remarkably wide range of greenish and yellowish tetrapyrroles, some of which have promising photodynamic properties. The present study combined metabolomics based on HPLC-DAD with RNA-seq transcriptomics to investigate the molecular pathways of porphyrinoid metabolism by comparing the worm’s proboscis and epidermis, which display distinct pigmentation patterns. The results showed that pigments are endogenous and seemingly heme-derived. The worm possesses homologs in both organs for genes encoding enzymes involved in heme metabolism such as ALAD, FECH, UROS, and PPOX. However, the findings also indicate that variants of the canonical enzymes of the heme biosynthesis pathway can be species- and organ-specific. These differences between molecular networks contribute to explain not only the differential pigmentation patterns between organs, but also the worm’s variety of novel endogenous tetrapyrrolic compounds.


1970 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-85
Author(s):  
ZN Tahmida Begum ◽  
Dilara Khanam

Phytoplankton from a part of the Shitalakhya river receiving effluents from a pharmaceutical industry have been studied. A total of 78 taxa were identified of which 14 belonged to Cyanophyceae, 11 Chlorophyceae, 20 Euglenophyceae and 33 Bacillariophyceae. The water body was mostly alkaline (6.6 - 8.0) and showed a wide range of variation in conductivity (135 - 4768 μS/cm), DO (anoxia to 15 mg/l), free- CO2 (3 - 29 mg/l), bicarbonate alkalinity (49 - 355 mg/l), BOD (8 - 1800 mg/l) at different locations. Pharmaceutical effluents appeared to affect diversity of phytoplankton. Three diatoms namely Fragilaria brevistriata Grun., F. construens (Ehr.) Grun. and Navicula oblonga Kütz. present in the area, are described as new for Bangladesh. Keywords: Phytoplankton; Pharmaceutical effluents; Shitalakhya River; Bangladesh DOI: 10.3329/bjb.v38i1.5127 Bangladesh J. Bot. 38(1): 77-85, 2009 (June)


1970 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-127
Author(s):  
AKM Ashraful Alam ◽  
Md Mokbul Hossain

In order to assess the variability of yield contributing characters of 50 okra accessions and their interrelation effects on the yield of green pod a field experiment was undertaken at the Horticulture Farm of Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the period from February, 2002 to May, 2002. A wide range of variation was observed in case of weight of green pod per plant (105- 281g), days to first flowering (40-52days) and weight of individual green pod (14-26g). Moderate variation for length of green pod (12-19cm), number of green pods per plant (6-11) and yield of green pod (4-13 t/ha), lesser variation for percent of dry matter content (5-8%), number of ridges per green pod (5-9) and diameter of green pod (1-2cm) was observed. The highest genotypic coefficient of variation was observed in case of yield of green pod (GCV= 23.22%) followed by weight of green pod per plant (22.24%), weight of individual green pod (18.68%), number of ridges per green pod (13.49%), number of green pod per plant (10.84%), dry matter content of green pod (10.48%), diameter of green pod (6.90%) and length of green pod (6.24%). These characters suggested the existence of justifiable genetic distance among different cultivars. Correlation coefficient indicated that yield of green pod had highly significant positive association with weight of green pod per plant and weight of individual green pod. Path coefficient analysis showed that the weight of green pod per plant and weight of individual green pod were directly contributed towards the yield of green pod. Key words: Okra, accession, variability, yield.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen M Blazie ◽  
Seika Takayanagi-Kiya ◽  
Katherine A McCulloch ◽  
Yishi Jin

AbstractThe translation initiation complex eIF3 imparts specialized functions to regulate protein expression. However, understanding of eIF3 activities in neurons remains limited despite widespread dysregulation of eIF3 subunits in neurological disorders. Here, we report a selective role of theC. elegansRNA-binding subunit EIF-3.G in shaping the neuronal protein landscape. We identify a missense mutation in the conserved Zinc-Finger (ZF) of EIF-3.G that acts in a gain-of-function manner to dampen neuronal hyperexcitation. Using neuron type-specific seCLIP, we systematically mapped EIF-3.G-mRNA interactions and identified EIF-3.G occupancy on GC-rich 5′UTRs of a select set of mRNAs enriched in activity-dependent functions. We demonstrate that the ZF mutation in EIF-3.G alters translation in a 5′UTR dependent manner. Our study reveals anin vivomechanism for eIF3 in governing neuronal protein levels to control activity states and offers insights into how eIF3 dysregulation contributes to neuronal disorders.


Author(s):  
Scott W. Strum ◽  
Laszlo Gyenis ◽  
David W. Litchfield

AbstractProtein kinase CSNK2 (CK2) is a pleiotropic serine/threonine kinase frequently dysregulated in solid and hematologic malignancies. To consolidate a wide range of biological and clinically oriented data from this unique kinase in cancer, this systematic review summarises existing knowledge from in vitro, in vivo and pre-clinical studies on CSNK2 across 24 different human cancer types. CSNK2 mRNA transcripts, protein levels and activity were found to be routinely upregulated in cancer, and commonly identified phosphotargets included AKT, STAT3, RELA, PTEN and TP53. Phenotypically, it frequently influenced evasion of apoptosis, enhancement of proliferation, cell invasion/metastasis and cell cycle control. Clinically, it held prognostic significance across 14 different cancers, and its inhibition in xenograft experiments resulted in a positive treatment response in 12. In conjunction with commentary on preliminary studies of CSNK2 inhibitors in humans, this review harmonises an extensive body of CSNK2 data in cancer and reinforces its emergence as an attractive target for cancer therapy. Continuing to investigate CSNK2 will be crucial to advancing our understanding of CSNK2 biology, and offers the promise of important new discoveries scientifically and clinically.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhoomi Madhu ◽  
Tina L. Gumienny

Innate immunity in animals is orchestrated by multiple cell signaling pathways, including the TGF-β; superfamily pathway. While the role of TGF-β signaling in innate immunity has been clearly identified, the requirement for this pathway in generating specific, robust responses to different bacterial challenges has not been characterized. Here, we address the role of DBL-1/TGF-β in regulating signature host defense responses to a wide range of bacteria in C. elegans. This work reveals a role of DBL-1/TGF-β in animal survival, organismal behaviors, and molecular responses in different environments. Additionally, we identify a novel role for SMA-4/Smad that suggests both DBL-1/TGF-β-dependent and -independent functions in host avoidance responses. RNA-seq analyses and immunity reporter studies indicate DBL-1/TGF-β differentially regulates target gene expression upon exposure to different bacteria. Furthermore, the DBL-1/TGF-β pathway is itself differentially affected by the bacteria exposure. Collectively, these findings demonstrate bacteria-specific host immune responses regulated by the DBL-1/TGF-β signaling pathway.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dingxia Feng ◽  
Zhiwei Zhai ◽  
Zhiyong Shao ◽  
Yi Zhang ◽  
Jo Anne Powell-Coffman

AbstractDuring development, homeostasis, and disease, organisms must balance responses that allow adaptation to low oxygen (hypoxia) with those that protect cells from oxidative stress. The evolutionarily conserved hypoxia-inducible factors are central to these processes, as they orchestrate transcriptional responses to oxygen deprivation. Here, we employ genetic strategies in C. elegans to identify stress-responsive genes and pathways that modulate the HIF-1 hypoxia-inducible factor and facilitate oxygen homeostasis. Through a genome-wide RNAi screen, we show that RNAi-mediated mitochondrial or proteasomal dysfunction increases the expression of hypoxia-responsive reporter Pnhr-57:GFP in C. elegans. Interestingly, only a subset of these effects requires hif-1. Of particular importance, we found that skn-1 RNAi increases the expression of hypoxia-responsive reporter Pnhr-57:GFP and elevates HIF-1 protein levels. The SKN-1/NRF transcription factor has been shown to promote oxidative stress resistance. We present evidence that the crosstalk between HIF-1 and SKN-1 is mediated by EGL-9, the prolyl hydroxylase that targets HIF-1 for oxygen-dependent degradation. Treatment that induces SKN-1, such as heat, increases expression of a Pegl-9:GFP reporter, and this effect requires skn-1 function and a putative SKN-1 binding site in egl-9 regulatory sequences. Collectively, these data support a model in which SKN-1 promotes egl-9 transcription, thereby inhibiting HIF-1. We propose that this interaction enables animals to adapt quickly to changes in cellular oxygenation and to better survive accompanying oxidative stress.


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