scholarly journals Adaptive evolution targets a piRNA precursor transcription network

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Swapnil S. Parhad ◽  
Tianxiong Yu ◽  
Gen Zhang ◽  
Nicholas P. Rice ◽  
Zhiping Weng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adaptive Evolution ◽  
Host Defense ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Transcription Network ◽  
Functional Interactions ◽  
Defense Systems ◽  
Transposon Silencing ◽  
Dominant Negative Allele ◽  
Transposon Insertions

SUMMARYInDrosophila, transposon-silencing piRNAs are derived from heterochromatic clusters and a subset of euchromatic transposon insertions, which are transcribed from internal non-canonical initiation sites and flanking canonical promoters. Rhino binds to Deadlock, which recruits TRF2 to promote non-canonical transcription of these loci. Cuff co-localizes with Rhino and Del. The role of Cuff is less well understood, but thecuffgene shows hallmarks of adaptive evolution, which frequently targets functional interactions within host defense systems. We show thatDrosophila simulans cuffis a dominant negative allele when expressed inDrosophila melanogaster, where it traps Deadlock, TRF2 and the transcriptional co-repressor CtBP in stable nuclear complexes. Cuff promotes Rhino and Deadlock localization, driving non-canonical transcription. CtBP, by contrast, suppresses canonical cluster and transposon transcription, which interferes with downstream non-canonical transcription and piRNA production. Cuff, TRF2 and CtBP thus form a network that balances canonical and non-canonical piRNA precursor transcription.

Role of the macrophage-inducible C-type lectin Mincle in the lung host defense against mycobacterial infections in mice

Pneumologie ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 65 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
F Behler ◽  
K Steinwede ◽  
R Maus ◽  
J Bohling ◽  
UA Maus
Keyword(s):  
Host Defense ◽  
Mycobacterial Infections

scholarly journals ROS Defense Systems and Terminal Oxidases in Bacteria

Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 839
Author(s):  
Vitaliy B. Borisov ◽  
Sergey A. Siletsky ◽  
Martina R. Nastasi ◽  
Elena Forte
Keyword(s):  
Defense Mechanisms ◽  
Protective Role ◽  
Superoxide Dismutases ◽  
Oxygen Species ◽  
Ros Scavenging ◽  
Terminal Oxidases ◽  
Defense Systems ◽  
Respiratory Chains ◽  
Scavenging Enzymes

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) comprise the superoxide anion (O2·−), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), hydroxyl radical (·OH), and singlet oxygen (1O2). ROS can damage a variety of macromolecules, including DNA, RNA, proteins, and lipids, and compromise cell viability. To prevent or reduce ROS-induced oxidative stress, bacteria utilize different ROS defense mechanisms, of which ROS scavenging enzymes, such as superoxide dismutases, catalases, and peroxidases, are the best characterized. Recently, evidence has been accumulating that some of the terminal oxidases in bacterial respiratory chains may also play a protective role against ROS. The present review covers this role of terminal oxidases in light of recent findings.

scholarly journals Family quarrels in seeds and rapid adaptive evolution in Arabidopsis

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (19) ◽  
pp. 9463-9468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine S. Geist ◽  
Joan E. Strassmann ◽  
David C. Queller
Keyword(s):  
Adaptive Evolution ◽  
Kin Selection ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Flowering Plant ◽  
Rapid Adaptation ◽  
Arms Races ◽  
Evolutionary Conflict ◽  
Alternative Hypotheses

Evolutionary conflict can drive rapid adaptive evolution, sometimes called an arms race, because each party needs to respond continually to the adaptations of the other. Evidence for such arms races can sometimes be seen in morphology, in behavior, or in the genes underlying sexual interactions of host−pathogen interactions, but is rarely predicted a priori. Kin selection theory predicts that conflicts of interest should usually be reduced but not eliminated among genetic relatives, but there is little evidence as to whether conflict within families can drive rapid adaptation. Here we test multiple predictions about how conflict over the amount of resources an offspring receives from its parent would drive rapid molecular evolution in seed tissues of the flowering plant Arabidopsis. As predicted, there is more adaptive evolution in genes expressed in Arabidopsis seeds than in other specialized organs, more in endosperms and maternal tissues than in embryos, and more in the specific subtissues involved in nutrient transfer. In the absence of credible alternative hypotheses, these results suggest that kin selection and conflict are important in plants, that the conflict includes not just the mother and offspring but also the triploid endosperm, and that, despite the conflict-reducing role of kinship, family members can engage in slow but steady tortoise-like arms races.

scholarly journals mTORC1 and mTORC2 regulate insulin secretion through Akt in INS-1 cells

2012 ◽  
Vol 216 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivier Le Bacquer ◽  
Gurvan Queniat ◽  
Valery Gmyr ◽  
Julie Kerr-Conte ◽  
Bruno Lefebvre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Secretion ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Antagonistic Effect ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Insulin Content ◽  
Insulin Biosynthesis ◽  
Direct Role ◽  
Β Cell Function ◽  
Glucose Stimulated Insulin Secretion

Regulated associated protein of mTOR (Raptor) and rapamycin-insensitive companion of mTOR (rictor) are two proteins that delineate two different mTOR complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2 respectively. Recent studies demonstrated the role of rictor in the development and function of β-cells. mTORC1 has long been known to impact β-cell function and development. However, most of the studies evaluating its role used either drug treatment (i.e. rapamycin) or modification of expression of proteins known to modulate its activity, and the direct role of raptor in insulin secretion is unclear. In this study, using siRNA, we investigated the role of raptor and rictor in insulin secretion and production in INS-1 cells and the possible cross talk between their respective complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2. Reduced expression of raptor is associated with increased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and intracellular insulin content. Downregulation of rictor expression leads to impaired insulin secretion without affecting insulin content and is able to correct the increased insulin secretion mediated by raptor siRNA. Using dominant-negative or constitutively active forms of Akt, we demonstrate that the effect of both raptor and rictor is mediated through alteration of Akt signaling. Our finding shed new light on the mechanism of control of insulin secretion and production by the mTOR, and they provide evidence for antagonistic effect of raptor and rictor on insulin secretion in response to glucose by modulating the activity of Akt, whereas only raptor is able to control insulin biosynthesis.

scholarly journals Regulation of Insulin Secretion and β-Cell Mass by Activating Signal Cointegrator 2

2006 ◽  
Vol 26 (12) ◽  
pp. 4553-4563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seon-Yong Yeom ◽  
Geun Hyang Kim ◽  
Chan Hee Kim ◽  
Heun Don Jung ◽  
So-Yeon Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Secretion ◽  
Endocrine Cells ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Cell Mass ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Transcriptional Coactivator ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Islet Mass

ABSTRACT Activating signal cointegrator 2 (ASC-2) is a transcriptional coactivator of many nuclear receptors (NRs) and other transcription factors and contains two NR-interacting LXXLL motifs (NR boxes). In the pancreas, ASC-2 is expressed only in the endocrine cells of the islets of Langerhans, but not in the exocrine cells. Thus, we examined the potential role of ASC-2 in insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells. Overexpressed ASC-2 increased glucose-elicited insulin secretion, whereas insulin secretion was decreased in islets from ASC-2+/− mice. DN1 and DN2 are two dominant-negative fragments of ASC-2 that contain NR boxes 1 and 2, respectively, and block the interactions of cognate NRs with the endogenous ASC-2. Primary rat islets ectopically expressing DN1 or DN2 exhibited decreased insulin secretion. Furthermore, relative to the wild type, ASC-2+/− mice showed reduced islet mass and number, which correlated with increased apoptosis and decreased proliferation of ASC-2+/− islets. These results suggest that ASC-2 regulates insulin secretion and β-cell survival and that the regulatory role of ASC-2 in insulin secretion appears to involve, at least in part, its interaction with NRs via its two NR boxes.

scholarly journals Depletion of Centromeric MCAK Leads to Chromosome Congression and Segregation Defects Due to Improper Kinetochore Attachments

2004 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 1146-1159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan L. Kline-Smith ◽  
Alexey Khodjakov ◽  
Polla Hergert ◽  
Claire E. Walczak
Keyword(s):  
Essential Role ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Primary Role ◽  
Complex Behavior ◽  
Chromosome Movement ◽  
Immunofluorescence Localization ◽  
Microtubule Attachment ◽  
Chromosome Congression

The complex behavior of chromosomes during mitosis is accomplished by precise binding and highly regulated polymerization dynamics of kinetochore microtubules. Previous studies have implicated Kin Is, unique kinesins that depolymerize microtubules, in regulating chromosome positioning. We have characterized the immunofluorescence localization of centromere-bound MCAK and found that MCAK localized to inner kinetochores during prophase but was predominantly centromeric by metaphase. Interestingly, MCAK accumulated at leading kinetochores during congression but not during segregation. We tested the consequences of MCAK disruption by injecting a centromere dominant-negative protein into prophase cells. Depletion of centromeric MCAK led to reduced centromere stretch, delayed chromosome congression, alignment defects, and severe missegregation of chromosomes. Rates of chromosome movement were unchanged, suggesting that the primary role of MCAK is not to move chromosomes. Furthermore, we found that disruption of MCAK leads to multiple kinetochore–microtubule attachment defects, including merotelic, syntelic, and combined merotelic-syntelic attachments. These findings reveal an essential role for Kin Is in prevention and/or correction of improper kinetochore–microtubule attachments.

scholarly journals Experiments on the role of deleterious mutations as stepping stones in adaptive evolution

2013 ◽  
Vol 110 (34) ◽  
pp. E3171-E3178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur W. Covert ◽  
Richard E. Lenski ◽  
Claus O. Wilke ◽  
Charles Ofria
Keyword(s):  
Adaptive Evolution ◽  
Deleterious Mutations ◽  
Stepping Stones
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