The ROP2 GTPase Participates in Nitric Oxide (NO)-Induced Root Shortening in Arabidopsis.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a versatile signal molecule that mediates environmental and hormonal signals orchestrating plant development. NO may act via reversible S-nitrosation of proteins during which an NO moiety is added to a cysteine thiol to form an S-nitrosothiol. In plants, several proteins implicated in hormonal signaling have been reported to undergo S-nitrosation.

The Arabidopsis Rho of Plants GTPase ROP1 Is a Potential Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase (CDPK) Substrate.

Plant Rho-type GTPases (ROPs) are versatile molecular switches involved in a number of signal transduction pathways. Although it is well known that they are indirectly linked to protein kinases, our knowledge about their direct functional interaction with upstream or downstream protein kinases is scarce. It is reasonable to suppose that similarly to their animal counterparts, ROPs might also be regulated by phosphorylation.

In silico identification and experimental validation of amino acid motifs required for the Rho-of-plants GTPase-mediated activation of receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases.

Several amino acid motifs required for Rop-dependent activity were found to form a common surface on RLCKVI_A kinases. This indicates a unique mechanism for Rho-type GTPase-mediated kinase activation in plants. Rho-of-plants (Rop) G-proteins are implicated in the regulation of various cellular processes, including cell growth, cell polarity, hormonal and pathogen responses.

Tissue-specific Gene Expression in Rat Hearts and Aortas in a Model of Vascular Nitrate Tolerance.

Nitroglycerin exerts a direct myocardial anti-ischemic effect even in the state of vascular nitrate tolerance. To examine the potentially diverse molecular responses in vascular and cardiac tissues, we investigated the gene expression profile of the heart and the aorta by DNA microarray in male Wistar rats that were previously made tolerant to the vascular effects of nitroglycerin. The blood pressure-lowering effect of nitroglycerin (1-100 μg/kg) was markedly attenuated in rats pretreated for 3 days with 3 × 100 mg/kg nitroglycerin.

The Arabidopsis ROP-activated receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase RLCK VI_A3 is involved in control of basal resistance to powdery mildew and trichome branching.

The Arabidopsis receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase AtRLCK VI_A3 is activated by AtROPs and is involved in trichome branching and pathogen interaction. Receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs) belong to the large superfamily of receptor-like kinases, which are involved in a variety of cellular processes like plant growth, development and immune responses. Recent studies suggest that RLCKs of the VI_A subfamily are possible downstream effectors of the small monomeric G proteins of the plant-specific Rho family, called 'Rho of plants' (RAC/ROPs).

Altered expression of genes for Kir ion channels in dilated cardiomyopathy.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a multifactorial disease characterized by left ventricular dilation that is associated with systolic dysfunction and increased action potential duration. The Kir2.x K⁺ channels (encoded by KCNJ genes) regulate the inward rectifier current (IK1) contributing to the final repolarization in cardiac muscle.

Loss of the starvation-induced gene Rack1 leads to glycogen deficiency and impaired autophagic responses in Drosophila.

Autophagy delivers cytoplasmic material for lysosomal degradation in eukaryotic cells. Starvation induces high levels of autophagy to promote survival in the lack of nutrients. We compared genome-wide transcriptional profiles of fed and starved control, autophagy-deficient Atg7 and Atg1 null mutant Drosophila larvae to search for novel regulators of autophagy.

Hypothalamic gene expression in ω-3 PUFA-deficient male rats before, and following, development of hypertension.

Dietary deficiency of ω-3 fatty acids (ω-3 DEF) produces hypertension in later life. This study examined the effect of ω-3 DEF on blood pressure and hypothalamic gene expression in young rats, before the development of hypertension, and in older rats following the onset of hypertension. Animals were fed experimental diets that were deficient in ω-3 fatty acids, sufficient in short-chain ω-3 fatty acids or sufficient in short- and long-chain ω-3 fatty acids, from the prenatal period until 10 or 36 weeks-of-age.

Changes in gene expression following cardiac pacing-induced delayed cardioprotection in the canine heart.

The aim of the present study was to identify gene expression changes in the rapid cardiac pacing-induced delayed antiarrhythmic protection in the canine, using cDNA microarrays and quantitative real-time PCR (QRT -PCR) techniques. In all dogs under light pentobarbitone anaesthesia, a pacing electrode was introduced into the right ventricle, and then the animals were divided into three groups: (1) sham-operated and sham-paced group (SP, n = 3) (2) ischaemic control group (IC; n = 3); these were without cardiac pacing and subjected only to a 25 min occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), and (3) paced group (PC, n = 3); these animals were paced at a rate of 220-240 beats min-1 24 h prior to ischaemia. With cDNA chip 23 genes were found with altered expression in response to rapid cardiac pacing and 10 genes in the IC group when compared to SP dogs.

Gene and protein expression profiling of the fat-1 mouse brain.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential structural components of all cell membranes and, more so, of the central nervous system. Several studies revealed that n-3 PUFAs possess anti-inflammatory actions and are useful in the treatment of dyslipidemia. These actions explain the beneficial actions of n-3 PUFAs in the management of cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory conditions, neuronal dysfunction, and cancer.

Structurally related TPR subunits contribute differently to the function of the anaphase-promoting complex in Drosophila melanogaster.

The anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome or APC/C is a key regulator of chromosome segregation and mitotic exit in eukaryotes. It contains at least 11 subunits, most of which are evolutionarily conserved. The most abundant constituents of the vertebrate APC/C are the four structurally related tetratrico-peptide repeat (TPR) subunits, the functions of which are not yet precisely understood.

High-throughput functional genomic methods to analyze the effects of dietary lipids.

The applications of 'omics' (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics) technologies in nutritional studies have opened new possibilities to understand the effects and the action of different diets both in healthy and diseased states and help to define personalized diets and to develop new drugs that revert or prevent the negative dietary effects. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms have already been investigated for potential gene-diet interactions in the response to different lipid diets. It is also well-known that besides the known cellular effects of lipid nutrition, dietary lipids influence gene expression in a tissue, concentration and age-dependent manner.