Construction and next-generation sequencing analysis of a large phage-displayed V single-domain antibody library from six naïve nurse sharks.

Shark new antigen receptor variable domain (V) antibodies can bind restricted epitopes that may be inaccessible to conventional antibodies. Here, we developed a library construction method based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-Extension Assembly and Self-Ligation (named "EASeL") to construct a large V antibody library with a size of 1.2 × 10 from six naïve adult nurse sharks ().

Myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTFA) regulates the fate of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and its absence in mice leads to osteopenia.

Objective: Arising from common progenitors in the bone marrow, adipogenesis and osteogenesis are closely associated yet mutually exclusive during bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) development. Previous studies have shown that morphological changes can affect the early commitment of pluripotent BMSCs to the adipose versus osteoblastic lineage via modulation of RhoA activity. The RhoA pathway regulates actin polymerization to promote the incorporation of globular actin (G-actin) into filamentous actin (F-actin).

Myocardin-related transcription factor A regulates conversion of progenitors to beige adipocytes.

Adipose tissue is an essential regulator of metabolic homeostasis. In contrast with white adipose tissue, which stores excess energy in the form of triglycerides, brown adipose tissue is thermogenic, dissipating energy as heat via the unique expression of the mitochondrial uncoupling protein UCP1. A subset of UCP1+ adipocytes develops within white adipose tissue in response to physiological stimuli; however, the developmental origin of these "brite" or "beige" adipocytes is unclear.

A mutant prion protein sensitizes neurons to glutamate-induced excitotoxicity.

Growing evidence suggests that a physiological activity of the cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) plays a crucial role in several neurodegenerative disorders, including prion and Alzheimer's diseases. However, how the functional activity of PrP(C) is subverted to deliver neurotoxic signals remains uncertain. Transgenic (Tg) mice expressing PrP with a deletion of residues 105-125 in the central region (referred to as ΔCR PrP) provide important insights into this problem.

In silico analysis of the potential infection mechanisms of Magnaporthe grisea from horizontal gene transfer hypothesis.

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has long been considered as a principal force for an organism to gain novel genes in genome evolution. Homology search, phylogenetic analysis and nucleotide composition analysis are three major objective approaches to arguably determine the occurrence and directionality of HGT. Here, 21 genes that possess the potential to horizontal transfer were acquired from the whole genome of Magnaporthe grisea according to annotation, among which three candidate genes (corresponding protein accession numbers are EAA55123, EAA47200 and EAA52136) were selected for further analysis.

Plant lectins: potential antineoplastic drugs from bench to clinic.

Plant lectins, carbohydrate-binding proteins distributed widely in a variety of plant species, have drawn a rising attention for cancer biologists due to their remarkable anti-tumour properties. In this review, we present a brief outline of the up-to-date advances of plant lectins in elucidating their complex anti-cancer mechanisms implicated in apoptosis and autophagy. In addition, we further discuss the pre-clinical and clinical studies of plant lectins for their potential therapeutic applications.

Induction of apoptosis by Polygonatum odoratum lectin and its molecular mechanisms in murine fibrosarcoma L929 cells.

Background: The Galanthus nivalis agglutinin (GNA)-related lectins have been reported to bear antiproliferative and apoptosis-inducing activities in cancer cells; however, the precise mechanisms by which GNA-related lectins induce cell death are still only rudimentarily understood.

Methods: In the present study, Polygonatum odoratum lectin (designated POL), a mannose-binding specific GNA-related lectin, possessed a remarkable antiproliferative activity toward murine fibrosarcoma L929 cells. And, this lectin induced L929 cell apoptosis in a caspase-dependent manner.

Molecular mechanisms of Polygonatum cyrtonema lectin-induced apoptosis and autophagy in cancer cells.

Polygonatum cyrtonema lectin (PCL), a mannose/sialic acid-binding lectin, has been reported to display remarkable inhibitory and cytotoxic activity toward cancer cells. However, the precise mechanism by which PCL induces tumor cell death is still only rudimentarily understood. In the present study, PCL was shown to markedly inhibit the growth of human melanoma A375 cells with concomitant low toxicity to the normal melanocytes.

Antiproliferative activity and apoptosis-inducing mechanism of Concanavalin A on human melanoma A375 cells.

The objective of this study was to investigate the antiproliferative activity and apoptosis-inducing mechanism of Concanavalin A (ConA) on human melanoma A375 cells. We firstly simulated the three-dimensional structure of ConA. Subsequently, we found that ConA possessed remarkable antiproliferative effect on A375 cells.

Polygonatum cyrtonema lectin induces apoptosis and autophagy in human melanoma A375 cells through a mitochondria-mediated ROS-p38-p53 pathway.

Polygonatum cyrtonema lectin (PCL), a mannose-binding lectin, has been reported to induce cytotoxicity and apoptosis. Herein, we demonstrated that PCL-induced apoptosis and autophagy in A375 cells. The apoptotic mechanism was that PCL treatment regulated Bax, Bcl-xL and Bcl-2 proteins, leading to mitochondrial depolarization, cytochrome c release and caspase activation.

A novel sialic acid-specific lectin from Phaseolus coccineus seeds with potent antineoplastic and antifungal activities.

A novel lectin (PCL) with specificity towards sialic acid was purified from Phaseolus coccineus L. (P. multiflorus willd) seeds using ion exchange chromatography on CM and DEAE-Sepharose, and gel filtration on Sephacryl S-200 column.

Nebrodeolysin, a novel hemolytic protein from mushroom Pleurotus nebrodensis with apoptosis-inducing and anti-HIV-1 effects.

A novel hemolysin was isolated from the edible mushroom Pleurotus nebrodensis by ion exchange and gel filtration chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose and Sephacryl S-100. The hemolysin from Pleurotus nebrodensis hemolysin (nebrodeolysin) is a monomeric protein with a molecular weight of approximately 27 kDa as determined by gel filtration and SDS-PAGE. Nebrodeolysin exhibited remarkable hemolytic activity towards rabbit erythrocytes and caused efflux of potassium ions from erythrocytes.

Apoptosis-inducing effect and structural basis of Polygonatum cyrtonema lectin and chemical modification properties on its mannose-binding sites.

Polygonatum cyrtonema Lectin (PCL), which is classified as a monocot mannose-binding lectin, has received great regards for its uniquely biological activities and potentially medical applications in cancer cells. This paper was initially aimed to study apoptosis of PCL on Hela cells. Thus, 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method was carried out.

A mannose-binding lectin from Sophora flavescens induces apoptosis in HeLa cells.

The objective of this study was to investigate the anti-tumor activity of a lectin from Sophora flavescens and explore its potential apoptotic induction mechanism. Here, an elegant series of biochemical and cell biology methods were carried out in a sequential procedure (e.g.