Genomic analysis of response to traumatic brain injury in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (APPsw).

Numerous studies have shown that the beta-amyloid peptide (Abeta) or beta-amyloid deposits impact many processes that can contribute to neurodegeneration, ranging from immune and inflammatory processes to cell death and apoptosis, processes characteristic of both Alzheimer's disease and head injury. Human and animal studies of traumatic brain injury (TBI) have shown that Abeta production is increased acutely following injury, and there is evidence for increased amyloid deposition and risk for Alzheimer's disease following TBI. Given the poorer outcome after injury observed both in transgenic mice overproducing Abeta, as well as in humans subjected to repetitive head injury, one may conclude that the presence of elevated brain levels of Abeta, whether endogenous or as a consequence of previous injury, exacerbates many of the deleterious processes triggered by TBI.

The genome of deep-sea vent chemolithoautotroph Thiomicrospira crunogena XCL-2.

Presented here is the complete genome sequence of Thiomicrospira crunogena XCL-2, representative of ubiquitous chemolithoautotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria isolated from deep-sea hydrothermal vents. This gammaproteobacterium has a single chromosome (2,427,734 base pairs), and its genome illustrates many of the adaptations that have enabled it to thrive at vents globally. It has 14 methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein genes, including four that may assist in positioning it in the redoxcline.

CD45 isoform RB as a molecular target to oppose lipopolysaccharide-induced microglial activation in mice.

CD45 is a membrane-bound protein tyrosine phosphatase expressed on all hemopoietic cells with multiple splice variants, including RA, RB, RC and RO. Our previous studies have shown that cross-linking of CD45 with an anti-CD45 antibody markedly inhibits LPS-induced microglia activation. In order to determine which of the CD45 isoforms may be responsible for these effects, we have investigated the expression of CD45 isoforms on cultured microglial cells using flow cytometric analysis.