Role of Campylobacter jejuni gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase on epithelial cell apoptosis and lymphocyte proliferation.

Background: A gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) is produced by up to 31% of strains of Campylobacter jejuni isolates. C. jejuni GGT is close to Helicobacter pylori GGT suggesting a conserved activity but unlike the latter, C.

Enhancing production and cytotoxic activity of polymeric soluble FasL-based chimeric proteins by concomitant expression of soluble FasL.

Membrane FasL is the natural trigger of Fas-mediated apoptosis. A soluble homotrimeric counterpart (sFasL) also exists which is very weakly active, and needs oligomerization beyond its trimeric state to induce apoptosis. We recently generated a soluble FasL chimera by fusing the immunoglobulin-like domain of the leukemia inhibitory factor receptor gp190 to the extracellular region of human FasL, which enabled spontaneous dodecameric homotypic polymerization of FasL.

Biochemical, cellular and molecular identification of DNA polymerase α in yeast mitochondria.

DNA replication occurs in various compartments of eukaryotic cells such as the nuclei, mitochondria and chloroplasts, the latter of which is used in plants and algae. Replication appears to be simpler in the mitochondria than in the nucleus where multiple DNA polymerases, which are key enzymes for DNA synthesis, have been characterized. In mammals, only one mitochondrial DNA polymerase (pol γ) has been described to date.

Plasma membrane localization of Solanum tuberosum remorin from group 1, homolog 3 is mediated by conformational changes in a novel C-terminal anchor and required for the restriction of potato virus X movement].

The formation of plasma membrane (PM) microdomains plays a crucial role in the regulation of membrane signaling and trafficking. Remorins are a plant-specific family of proteins organized in six phylogenetic groups, and Remorins of group 1 are among the few plant proteins known to specifically associate with membrane rafts. As such, they are valuable to understand the molecular bases for PM lateral organization in plants.

First identification of small-molecule inhibitors of Pontin by combining virtual screening and enzymatic assay.

The human protein Pontin, which belongs to the AAA+ (ATPases associated with various cellular activities) family, is overexpressed in several cancers and its silencing in vitro leads to tumour cell growth arrest and apoptosis, making it a good target for cancer therapy. In particular, high levels of expression were found in hepatic tumours for which the therapeutic arsenal is rather limited. The three-dimensional structure of Pontin has been resolved previously, revealing a hexameric assembly with one ADP molecule co-crystallized in each subunit.

Combined directed ortho-zincation and palladium-catalyzed strategies: Synthesis of 4,n-dimethoxy-substituted benzo[b]furans.

A new route to regioselectively dialkoxy-functionalized benzo[b]furan derivatives has been developed from 3-halo-2-iodoanisoles bearing an additional methoxy group, which have been accessed through an ortho-zincation/iodination reaction. Two palladium-catalyzed processes, namely a Sonogashira coupling followed by a tandem hydroxylation/cyclization sequence, give rise to new and interesting dimethoxy-substituted benzo[b]furans.

A novel class of PTEN protein in Arabidopsis displays unusual phosphoinositide phosphatase activity and efficiently binds phosphatidic acid.

PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten) proteins are dual phosphatases with both protein and phosphoinositide phosphatase activity. They modulate signalling pathways controlling growth, metabolism and apoptosis in animals and are implied in several human diseases. In the present paper we describe a novel class of PTEN pro-teins in plants, termed PTEN2, which comprises the AtPTEN (Arabidopsis PTEN) 2a and AtPTEN2b proteins in Arabidopsis.

Actin-independent exclusion of CD95 by PI3K/AKT signalling: implications for apoptosis.

The immune system eliminates infected or transformed cells through the activation of the death receptor CD95. CD95 engagement drives the recruitment of the adaptor protein Fas-associated death domain protein (FADD), which in turn aggregates and activates initiator caspases-8 and -10. The CD95-mediated apoptotic signal relies on the capacity to form the CD95/FADD/caspases complex termed the death-inducing signalling complex (DISC).

Approaches to the synthesis of 2,3-dihaloanilines. Useful precursors of 4-functionalized-1H-indoles.

2,3-Dihaloanilines have been proved as useful starting materials for synthesizing 4-halo-1H-indoles. Subsequent or in situ functionalization of the prepared haloindoles allows the access to a wide variety of 2,4- or 2,3,4-regioselectively functionalized indoles in good overall yields. As no efficient synthetic routes to 2,3-dihaloanilines have been described in the literature, different approaches to the preparation of these 1,2,3-functionalized aromatic precursors are now presented.

The Agaricus bisporus cox1 gene: the longest mitochondrial gene and the largest reservoir of mitochondrial group i introns.

In eukaryotes, introns are located in nuclear and organelle genes from several kingdoms. Large introns (up to 5 kbp) are frequent in mitochondrial genomes of plant and fungi but scarce in Metazoa, even if these organisms are grouped with fungi among the Opisthokonts. Mitochondrial introns are classified in two groups (I and II) according to their RNA secondary structure involved in the intron self-splicing mechanism.

Complexomics study of two Helicobacter pylori strains of two pathological origins: potential targets for vaccine development and new insight in bacteria metabolism.

Helicobacter pylori infection plays a causal role in the development of gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma (LG-MALT) and duodenal ulcer (DU). Although many virulence factors have been associated with DU, many questions remain unanswered regarding the evolution of the infection toward this exceptional event, LG-MALT. The present study describes and compares the complexome of two H.

Nuclear entry of hepatitis B virus capsids involves disintegration to protein dimers followed by nuclear reassociation to capsids.

Assembly and disassembly of viral capsids are essential steps in the viral life cycle. Studies on their kinetics are mostly performed in vitro, allowing application of biochemical, biophysical and visualizing techniques. In vivo kinetics are poorly understood and the transferability of the in vitro models to the cellular environment remains speculative.

Screening for toxic amyloid in yeast exemplifies the role of alternative pathway responsible for cytotoxicity.

The relationship between amyloid and toxic species is a central problem since the discovery of amyloid structures in different diseases. Despite intensive efforts in the field, the deleterious species remains unknown at the molecular level. This may reflect the lack of any structure-toxicity study based on a genetic approach.

Spiroplasma citri Spiralin Acts In Vitro as a Lectin Binding to Glycoproteins from Its Insect Vector Circulifer haematoceps.

ABSTRACT In order to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying transmission of Spiroplasma citri by the leafhopper Circulifer haematoceps, we screened leafhopper proteins as putative S. citri-binding molecules using a spiroplasma overlay assay of protein blots (Far-western assay). Insect proteins were separated by one- or two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, blotted, and probed with S.

The Agrocybe aegerita mitochondrial genome contains two inverted repeats of the nad4 gene arisen by duplication on both sides of a linear plasmid integration site.

The Agrocybe aegerita mitochondrial genome possesses two polB genes with linear plasmid origin. The cloning and sequencing of the regions flanking Aa-polB P1 revealed two large inverted repeats (higher than 2421 nt) separated by a single copy region of 5834 nt. Both repeats contain identical copies of the nad4 gene.

Scope and mechanism of direct indole and pyrrole couplings adjacent to carbonyl compounds: total synthesis of acremoauxin A and oxazinin 3.

Full details are provided for a recently invented method to couple indoles and pyrroles to carbonyl compounds. The reaction is ideally suited for structurally complex substrates and exhibits high levels of chemoselectivity (functional group tolerability), regioselectivity (coupling occurs exclusively at C-3 of indole or C-2 of pyrrole), stereoselectivity (substrate control), and practicality (amenable to scaleup). In addition, quaternary stereocenters are easily and predictably generated.

Regioselective synthesis of 4- and 7-alkoxyindoles from 2,3-dihalophenols: application to the preparation of indole inhibitors of phospholipase A2.

An efficient and regioselective synthesis of 4- and 7-alkoxyindoles has been developed from commercially available starting materials such as 3-halophenols and 3-chloroanisole. Directed ortho-metalation followed by two palladium-catalyzed processes, a Sonogashira coupling and a tandem amination/cyclization reaction, allows the synthesis of regiochemically pure 4- and 7-substituted indoles. This strategy has been successfully applied to the preparation of 2-[3-(2-amino-2-oxoacetyl)-1-benzyl-2-ethyl-1H-indol-4-yloxy]acetic acid (LY315920), a known inhibitor of phospholipase A2.

The elongation factor 1A: a novel regulator in the DNA replication/repair protein network in wheat cells?

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is a DNA sliding clamp interacting with multiple partners in DNA transactions such as DNA replication/repair and recombination as well as chromatin assembly. We previously detected and purified by chromatographic procedures a 31 kDa PCNA from cultured wheat cells (Triticum monococcum L). Here we report the complete sequence of the wheat 31 kDa PCNA showing a very high aminoacid identity with its plant counterparts (maize and rice).

Identification and biochemical analysis of a mitochondrial endonuclease of Podospora anserina related to curved-DNA binding proteins.

We purified and characterized previously from Podospora anserina mitochondria an endonuclease, active on single-stranded, double-stranded and flap DNA, with RNAse H activity, named P49 according to the major 49 kDa band observed on SDS-PAGE. Edman sequencing allowed us to identify the corresponding gene called nuc49. Here we report the properties of the (His)-tagged NUC49 protein expressed in E.

A route to regioselectively functionalized carbazoles, dibenzofurans, and dibenzothiophenes through anionic cyclization of benzyne-tethered aryllithiums.

The treatment of 2-fluorophenyl 2-iodophenylamines, ether, and thioether, easily prepared from commercially available products, with 3.3 equiv of t-BuLi and further reaction with selected electrophiles gives rise to functionalized carbazole, dibenzofuran, and dibenzothiophene derivatives in a direct and regioselective manner. The process involves an anionic cyclization on a benzyne-tethered aryllithium intermediate.

The ARE-associated factor AUF1 binds poly(A) in vitro in competition with PABP.

The ARE (AU-rich element) is a post-transcriptional element controlling both mRNA turnover and translation initiation by primarily inducing poly(A) tail shortening. The mechanisms by which the ARE-associated proteins induce deadenylation are still obscure. One possibility among others would be that an ARE-ARE-BP (ARE-binding protein) complex intervenes in the PABP [poly(A)-binding protein]-poly(A) tail association and facilitates poly(A) tail accessibility to deadenylases.

Absence of accessory subunit in the DNA polymerase gamma purified from yeast mitochondria.

In yeast and animals, replication of the mitochondrial genome is carried out by the DNA polymerase gamma. In mammals this polymerase is composed of a catalytic and an accessory subunit. Yeast DNA polymerase gamma was purified over 6600-fold from mitochondria.

A new and efficient synthesis of 4-functionalized benzo[b]furans from 2,3-dihalophenols.

Tandem Sonogashira coupling/5-endo-dig cyclization reactions on 2,3-dihalophenols suppose a straightforward entry to 4-halobenzo[b]furans, which can be easily transformed into 4-functionalized benzo[b]furans, that are difficult to synthesize by other procedures. On the other hand, the starting 2,3-dihalophenols are efficiently prepared from commercially available 3-halophenols, via their N,N-diethyl carbamates by selective lithiation at the 2-positions by treatment with s-BuLi/TMEDA or LDA at low temperature and reaction with halogen electrophilic reagents.

HIV-1 integrase crosslinked oligomers are active in vitro.

The oligomeric state of active human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase (IN) has not been clearly elucidated. We analyzed the activity of the different purified oligomeric forms of recombinant IN obtained after stabilization by platinum crosslinking. The crosslinked tetramer isolated by gel chromatography was able to catalyze the full-site integration of the two viral LTR ends into a target DNA in vitro, whereas the isolated dimeric form of the enzyme was involved in the processing and integration of only one viral end.

PCR-RFLP using a SNP on the mitochondrial Lsu-rDNA as an easy method to differentiate Tuber melanosporum (Perigord truffle) and other truffle species in cans.

Canned truffle products labeled Tuber melanosporum, the famous Perigord truffle, may contain other less tasty and cheaper truffle species. To protect consumers from fraud, a PCR DNA-based method was used to unequivocally identify the nature of the product. Several rapid and simple cell lysis procedures, used in conjunction with a commercially available DNA purification kit, were evaluated for their effectiveness in recovering DNA from canned truffle.