Expression of a high-activity diacylglycerol acetyltransferase results in enhanced synthesis of acetyl-TAG in camelina seed oil.

Acetyl-triacylglycerols (acetyl-TAG) contain an acetate group in the sn-3 position instead of the long-chain fatty acid present in regular triacylglycerol (TAG). The acetate group confers unique physical properties such as reduced viscosity and a lower freezing point to acetyl-TAG, providing advantages for use as emulsifiers, lubricants, and 'drop-in' biofuels. Previously, the synthesis of acetyl-TAG in the seeds of the oilseed crop camelina (Camelina sativa) was achieved through the heterologous expression of the diacylglycerol acetyltransferase gene EaDAcT, isolated from Euonymus alatus seeds that naturally accumulate high levels of acetyl-TAG.

Synaptic proteins and choline acetyltransferase loss in visual cortex in dementia with Lewy bodies.

Functional neuroimaging studies have consistently reported abnormalities in the visual cortex in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), but their neuropathologic substrates are poorly understood. We analyzed synaptic proteins and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in the primary (BA17) and association (BAs18/19) visual cortex in DLB and similar aged control and Alzheimer disease (AD) subjects. We found lower levels of synaptophysin, syntaxin, SNAP-25, and γ-synuclein in DLB subjects versus both aged control (68%-78% and 27%-72% for BA17 and BAs18/19, respectively) and AD cases (54%-67% and 10%-56% for BA17 and BAs18/19, respectively).

Phospho-STAT5 and phospho-Akt expression in chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms.

The majority of Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPNs) are characterised by mutations in genes encoding molecules or receptors involved in cell signalling, the most common being the JAK2 V617F mutation. This mutation leads to ligand-independent activation of downstream signalling pathways by constitutive phosphorylation. The signalling pathways affected include the Janus kinase-signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK-STAT) and phosphotidylinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) pathways, which regulate cell survival and apoptosis respectively.

Wild-type estrogen receptor beta expression in normal and neoplastic paraffin-embedded tissues.

Recently, several antibodies have allowed the detection of estrogen receptor beta (ER-beta) in paraffin-embedded tissue; however, these attempts have failed to specifically identify the wild-type form and revealed technical difficulties such as the necessity for alterations to standard staining protocols and amplification detection systems. The aim of this study was to generate a monoclonal antibody that could provide enhanced sensitivity for detection of ER-beta in paraffin embedded tissues. A 130-amino acid region of the C-terminus of ER-beta was expressed as a fusion protein and used as an antigen to generate monoclonal antibodies.