TmToll-7 Plays a Crucial Role in Innate Immune Responses Against Gram-Negative Bacteria by Regulating 5 AMP Genes in .

Although it is known that the Toll-7 receptor plays a critical role in antiviral autophagy, its function in other insects has not yet been reported. Here, we have identified a Toll-like receptor 7 gene, , in the coleopteran insect and examined its potential role in antibacterial and antifungal immunity. We showed that expression was significantly induced in larvae 6 h after infection with and and 9 h after infection with .

Molecular Cloning and Expression Analysis of Three Suppressors of Cytokine Signaling Genes (, , ) in the Mealworm Beetle .

Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) influence cytokine and growth factor signaling by negatively regulating the Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) pathway to maintain homeostasis during immune responses. However, functional characterization of SOCS family members in invertebrates is limited. Here, we identified and evaluated three SOCS genes (type I sub-family) in the mealworm beetle .

Molecular Cloning and Effects of -Silencing on Larval Survivability Against and in .

The 14-3-3 family of proteins performs key regulatory functions in phosphorylation-dependent signaling pathways including cell survival and proliferation, apoptosis, regulation of chromatin structure and autophagy. In this study, the zeta isoform of 14-3-3 proteins (designated as Tm14-3-3ζ) was identified from the expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) database of the coleopteran pest, . messenger RNA (mRNA) is expressed at higher levels in the immune organs of the larval and adult stages of the insect and exhibit almost five-fold induction within 3 h post-infection of the larvae with and .

TmSR-C, scavenger receptor class C, plays a pivotal role in antifungal and antibacterial immunity in the coleopteran insect Tenebrio molitor.

Scavenger receptors (SRs) constitute a family of membrane-bound receptors that bind to multiple ligands. The SR family of proteins is involved in removing cellular debris, oxidized low-density lipoproteins, and pathogens. Specifically, class C scavenger receptors (SR-C) have also been reported to be involved in phagocytosis of gram-positive and -negative bacteria in Drosophila and viruses in shrimp.

Houttuynia cordata Thunb Promotes Activation of HIF-1A-FOXO3 and MEF2A Pathways to Induce Apoptosis in Human HepG2 Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

Houttuynia cordata Thunb ( H cordata), a medicinal plant, has anticancer activity, as it inhibits cell growth and induces cell apoptosis in cancer. However, the potential anti-cancer activity and mechanism of H cordata for human liver cancer cells is not well understood. Recently, we identified hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1A, Forkhead box (FOX)O3, and MEF2A as proapoptotic factors induced by H cordata, suggesting that HIF-1A, FOXO3, and MEF2A contribute to the apoptosis of HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Effects of different selenium levels on growth and regulation of laccase and versatile peroxidase in white-rot fungus, Pleurotus eryngii.

This study was conducted to evaluate the physiological effects of different selenium (Se) levels on the growth of white-rot fungus, Pleurotus eryngii, with special reference to the regulation of ligninolytic enzymes such as laccase and versatile peroxidase. The fungus was grown in medium supplemented with 1, 10, 100, 1,000 and 10,000 μM of sodium selenite. Mycelial growth was stronger at lower Se levels, but declined significantly at higher concentrations of 1,000 and 10,000 μM, highlighting its association in mediating toxic responses.

Molecular cloning, sequence characterization and expression analysis of a CD63 homologue from the coleopteran beetle, Tenebrio molitor.

CD63, a member of the tetraspanin membrane protein family, plays a pivotal role in cell growth, motility, signal transduction, host-pathogen interactions and cancer. In this work, the cDNA encoding CD63 homologue (TmCD63) was cloned from larvae of a coleopteran beetle, Tenebrio molitor. The cDNA is comprised of an open reading frame of 705 bp, encoding putative protein of 235 amino acid residues.

Gene expression profiling of kidneys from Sprague-Dawley rats following 12-week inhalation exposure to silver nanoparticles.

The specific properties of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), such as antimicrobial activity and electrical conductivity, allow them to be used in many fields. However, their expanding application is also raising health, environmental and safety concerns. Previous in vivo AgNP toxicity studies have indicated a gender-different accumulation of silver in the kidneys, with 2-3 times more silver in female kidneys compared to male kidneys.

Lack of Mutagenicity Potential of Periploca sepium Bge. in Bacterial Reverse Mutation (Ames) Test, Chromosomal Aberration and Micronucleus Test in Mice.

Objectives: The root barks of Periploca sepium Bge. (P. sepium) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for healing wounds and treating rheumatoid arthritis.

Toxicogenomic comparison of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and asbestos.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have specific properties, including electrical and thermal conductivity, great strength, and rigidity, that allow them to be used in many fields. However, this increasing contact with humans and the environment is also raising health and safety concerns. Thus, research on the safety of CNTs has attracted much interest, including a comparison of the toxic effects of asbestos and carbon nanotubes, due to their physical similarity of a high aspect ratio (length/diameter).

Expression, purification, and characterization of recombinant fibulin-5 in a prokaryote expression system.

Fibulin-5 is a widely expressed, integrin-binding extracellular matrix protein that mediates endothelial cell adhesion and scaffolds cells to elastic fibers. To investigate anti-angiogenesis activities and context-specific activities on responsive cells of recombinant fibulin-5 (rfibulin-5) expressed in Escherichia coli, the cDNA of fibulin-5 cloned from a human placenta cDNA library was inserted into the pET32a (+) vector to allow fibulin-5 expression as a Trx fusion protein. The fusion protein Trx-fibulin-5, expressed as insoluble inclusion bodies, was solubilized and its resulting expression level reached to 15% of the total cell protein.

Expression of recombinant hybrid peptide hinnavin II/alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone in Escherichia coli: purification and characterization.

The increasing problem of antibiotic resistance among pathogenic bacteria requires novel strategies for the construction of multiple, joined genes of antimicrobial agents. The strategy used in this study involved synthesis of a cDNA-encoding hinnavin II/alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (hin/MSH) hybrid peptide, which was cloned into the pET32a (+) vector to allow expression of the hybrid peptide as a fusion protein in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The resulting expression of fusion protein Trx-hin/MSH could reach up to 20% of the total cell proteins.

Biologically active and C-amidated hinnavinII-38-Asn produced from a Trx fusion construct in Escherichia coli.

The cabbage butterfly (Artogeia rapae) antimicrobial peptide hinnavinII as a member of cecropin family is synthesized as 37 residues in size with an amidated lysine at C-terminus and shows the humoral immune response to a bacterial invasion. In this work, a synthetic gene for hinnavinII-38-Asn (HIN) with an additional amino acid asparagine residue containing amide group at C-terminus was cloned into pET-32a(+) vector to allow expression of HIN as a Trx fusion protein in Escherichia coli strain BL21 (DE3) pLysS. The resulting expression level of the fusion protein Trx-HIN could reach 15-20% of the total cell proteins and more than 70% of the target proteins were in soluble form.

Separation of the effects of pH and polymer concentration on the swelling pressure and elastic modulus of a pH-responsive hydrogel.

The elastic shear modulus G and swelling pressure ω are studied for a basic, pH-responsive hydrogel synthesized by crosslinking copolymerization of co-monomers hydroxypropyl methacrylate and N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate with crosslinker tetraethylene glycol dimethacrylate. Under normal conditions of use as a "smart" material, hydrogel swelling ratio Q and pH vary simultaneously, but here G and ω values are presented as a function of pH with Q held constant and vice-versa. At fixed pH, G decreases with increase in Q in a power law dependence, as predicted by the Flory-Rehner model.

Characterization and cDNA cloning of hinnavin II, a cecropin family antibacterial peptide from the cabbage butterfly, Artogeia rapae.

Hinnavins, together with lysozymes, are the main types of antibacterial peptides/proteins previously isolated from the larval haemolymph of the cabbage butterfly, Artogeia rapae as part of the humoral immune response to a bacterial invasion. One of these antibacterial peptides, named hinnavin II, was purified and characterized after cDNA cloning. The purified hinnavin II was more active against Gram negative than against Gram positive bacteria.

Expression and characterization of human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF165) in insect cells.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the best characterized multifunctional protein which plays a key role in normal and pathologic angiogenesis. The gene encoding the human VEGF165 was cloned from the ovarian carcinoma cell line (OVCAR3) and expressed in insect cells using the baculovirus expression vector system. The recombinant human VEGF165 (rhVEGF165) protein produced by Sf21 (Spodoptera frugiperda) cells underwent a similar processing compared with mammalian cells, including efficient glycosylation, formation of a disulfide-linked dimer and secretion into the media.

Ultramicroscopic observations on morphological changes in hair during 25 years of weathering.

Weathering or long-term burial may cause profound morphological and histological changes in hair, which may affect the results of forensic and archaeological investigations. We therefore used ultramicroscopic techniques to assay the changes in weathering hair shafts caused by burial for up to 25 years. We found that the middle portion of hair shafts from living individuals shows the expected histological hair structure, while the cuticle layer was absent from the terminal portion of the same hairs, which may be due to the increased weathering experienced by the terminal portion.

Elephant albumin: a multipurpose pheromone shuttle.

(Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate (Z7-12:Ac) is present in the urine of female Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) approaching ovulation and functions as a female-to-male sex pheromone. Here we show that a significant fraction of the pheromone in the urine is bound to a protein, elephant serum albumin (ESA), and provide evidence for key physiological functions of urinary ESA. Our biochemical and behavioral experiments suggest a three-fold role of ESA in pheromone signaling: (1) transporting Z7-12:Ac from serum into urine; (2) extending the presence of the pheromone in the environment without hampering detection; and (3) targeting pheromone delivery to chemosensory organs through localized release of the ligand induced by a pH change.