Structural mechanism of bridge RNA-guided recombination.

Insertion sequence (IS) elements are the simplest autonomous transposable elements found in prokaryotic genomes. We recently discovered that IS110 family elements encode a recombinase and a non-coding bridge RNA (bRNA) that confers modular specificity for target DNA and donor DNA through two programmable loops. Here we report the cryo-electron microscopy structures of the IS110 recombinase in complex with its bRNA, target DNA and donor DNA in three different stages of the recombination reaction cycle.

Design of a novel hybrid multimode interferometer operating with both TE and TM polarizations for sensing applications.

A novel hybrid multimode interferometer for sensing applications operating with both TE and TM polarizations simultaneously is proposed and numerically demonstrated. The simulations were performed assuming an operating wavelength of 633 nm with the goal of future use as a biosensor, but its applications extend beyond that area and could be adapted for any wavelength or application of interest. By designing the mutimode waveguide core with a low aspect ratio, the confinement characteristics of TE modes and TM modes become very distinct and their interaction with the sample in the sensing area becomes very different as well, resulting in high device sensitivity.

Structure of the IscB-ωRNA ribonucleoprotein complex, the likely ancestor of CRISPR-Cas9.

Transposon-encoded IscB family proteins are RNA-guided nucleases in the OMEGA (obligate mobile element-guided activity) system, and likely ancestors of the RNA-guided nuclease Cas9 in the type II CRISPR-Cas adaptive immune system. IscB associates with its cognate ωRNA to form a ribonucleoprotein complex that cleaves double-stranded DNA targets complementary to an ωRNA guide segment. Although IscB shares the RuvC and HNH endonuclease domains with Cas9, it is much smaller than Cas9, mainly due to the lack of the α-helical nucleic-acid recognition lobe.

Structure and engineering of the type III-E CRISPR-Cas7-11 effector complex.

The type III-E CRISPR-Cas effector Cas7-11, with dual RNase activities for precursor CRISPR RNA (pre-crRNA) processing and crRNA-guided target RNA cleavage, is a new platform for bacterial and mammalian RNA targeting. We report the 2.5-Å resolution cryoelectron microscopy structure of Cas7-11 in complex with a crRNA and its target RNA.

High-Order Multimode Waveguide Interferometer for Optical Biosensing Applications.

A generalization of the concept of multimode interference sensors is presented here for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. The existing bimodal and trimodal sensors correspond to particular cases of those interference sensors. A thorough study of the properties of the multimode waveguide section provided a deeper insight into the behavior of this class of sensors, which allowed us to establish new criteria for designing more sensitive structures.

Angiotensin II type 2 receptor signaling significantly attenuates growth of murine pancreatic carcinoma grafts in syngeneic mice.

Background: Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive human malignancies, with a very poor prognosis. To evaluate the effect of angiotensin II (Ang II) type 2 receptor (AT2) expression in the host's body on the growth of pancreatic carcinoma, we have investigated the growth of mouse pancreatic ductal carcinoma grafts in syngeneic wild type and AT2 receptor-deficient (AT2-KO) mice.

Methods: The role of AT2 receptor-signaling in stromal cells on the growth of murine pancreatic carcinoma cells (PAN02) was studied using various in vitro and in vivo assays.

Biodiesel production by supercritical process with crude bio-methanol prepared by wood gasification.

In order to prepare a genuine biodiesel, it is essential to use methanol prepared from biomass but not natural gas for biodiesel production. Thus, we have proposed to use crude bio-methanol produced by wood gasification for biodiesel production. Since such a bio-methanol contains some impurities, an effect of its impurities was studied on the biodiesel production by supercritical method.

[Hodgkin lymphoma of the nasopharynx associated with a pituitary adenoma].

A 46-year-old man had a headache and a slight superior bitemporal contraction of the visual field with no lymphadenopathy. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a sellar mass and a tumor of the nasopharynx. After the nasopharyngeal tumor was resected, the patient was diagnosed as having lymphocyterich classical Hodgkin lymphoma at clinical stage IEA.

Modulation of cAMP-mediated vasorelaxation by endothelial nitric oxide and basal cGMP in vascular smooth muscle.

Recent in vitro evidence shows a role of endothelial nitric oxide (NO) in the modulation of isoproterenol-induced vasorelaxation. To elucidate roles of endothelial cells and NO in cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-mediated vasodilators we examined the effects of removal of endothelium and a NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor on relaxant responses in vitro of rat aortic strips to beta-adrenoceptor stimulants and colforsin dapropate, a water-soluble forskolin, and changes in cAMP and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) contents. Relaxant responses of rat aorta to isoproterenol, denopamine, salbutamol, colforsin, and dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP) were blunted by removal of endothelial cells or treatment with NOS inhibitor N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME).

The effect of chronic treatment with trandolapril on cyclic AMP-and cyclic GMP-dependent relaxations in aortic segments of rats with chronic heart failure.

1 Characteristics of cyclic GMP- and cyclic AMP-mediated relaxation in aortic segments of rats with chronic heart failure (CHF) and the effects of chronic treatment with an angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, trandolapril, were examined 8 weeks after coronary artery ligation. 2 Cardiac output indices of coronary artery-ligated and sham-operated rats were 125+/-8 and 189+/-10 ml min(-1) kg(-1), respectively (P<0.05), indicating the development of CHF at this period.

Crystal violet staining of Bordetella bronchiseptica colonies for differentiation of phase-I strains from variant strains in degraded phases.

After 2 days of growth on Brain heart infusion agar (BHIA) at 38 degrees C, phase-I colonies and degraded-phase colonies of Bordetella bronchiseptica could be differentiated by their ability to take up crystal violet (CV). Phase-I colonies in X mode, but not colonies in degraded phases (phases II, III, and rough) bound CV. Phenotypically-altered C-mode colonies (grown at 32 degrees C or lower temperatures) also lacked this ability.

beta-Adrenoreceptor antagonistic actions and mutagenicities of R(+)- and S(-)-enantiomers of N-desisopropylpropranolol and its N-acetyl conjugate.

Enantiospecific acetyl conjugation was examined in the rat liver 105000 x g supernatant (cytosol) system using racemic 1-amino-3-(1-naphthyloxy)-2-propanol (NDP), a N-desisopropyl metabolite of propranolol. From the results of chiral separative determination of the samples by HPLC using a Chiralcel OD-R column, more remarkable enantiospecificity was observed in the R(+)-enantiomer on NDP elimination and N-acetyl conjugate (AcNDP) formation. Next, the strength of beta-adrenoceptor antagonistic actions and mutagenicities was compared between R(+)- and S(-)-enantiomers of NDP and AcNDP, respectively.

Genotyping of isolates of Taylorella equigenitalis from thoroughbred brood mares in Japan.

Profiles of the genomic DNA of 104 strains of T. equigenitalis isolated from brood mares with contagious equine metritis in Hokkaido during the breeding seasons from 1980 to 1993, as well as those of five strains (SS28, EQ56, EQ59, EQ70 and HH139) previously isolated in Japan were examined after restriction digestion and crossed-field gel electrophoresis. These profiles were essentially identical to each other and the various isolates and strains appeared to have a common genotype, designated 'genotype J', with respect to two restriction enzymes, ApaI and NotI.

[Event-related potentials in anisometropic amblyopia].

Event-related potentials were recorded from 20 neurologically normal children with anisometropic amblyopia. Stimulation was performed with an 'odd-ball' paradigm counting Randolts' circle, and in all cases N200 and P300 were recorded as event-related potentials. The latencies of N200 showed statistically significant delay (p < 0.

Analysis of chromosome-sized DNA and genome typing of isolated strains of Taylorella equigenitalis.

Analysis of chromosome-sized DNA and genome typing of Taylorella equigenitalis NCTC11184, Kentucky 188, and five strains of T. equigenitalis isolated in Japan were carried out. The three restriction enzymes used, ApaI, NaeI and NotI, cleaved the genomic DNAs of five Japanese strains of T.

Serum C-reactive protein and immune responses in dogs inoculated with Bordetella bronchiseptica (phase I cells).

Eight Beagle dogs were inoculated intrabronchially with 5 x 10(9) live, avirulent cells of Bordetella bronchiseptica L-414 strain (phase I cells) (B. bronchiseptica) to investigate the serum levels of their C-reactive protein, the white blood cell counts, the antibody responses to B. bronchiseptica in the sera and tracheal secretions, and the effects of prednisolone given to four of the dogs on C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cells (WBC) and immune responses.

[A case of cerebral arteriovenous malformation revealed at repeated subcortical hematoma with initially normal angiogram].

An 18-year-old male admitted to our hospital suffered left temporal subcortical hemorrhage. No abnormality was demonstrated on carotid or vertebral angiography at that time. On the day following the onset, left frontotemporal craniotomy was performed and the subcortical hematoma was evacuated.

Hydrophobic surface properties of Bordetella bronchiseptica X-mode cells and their possible role in adherence to porcine nasal mucosa.

Bordetella bronchiseptica strains were examined to determine whether the surface hydrophobicity of the bacteria correlates with their adherence to porcine nasal epithelial cells. The relative hydrophobicity of the bacteria, measured by their retention to a column of hydrophobic phenyl-Sepharose gel and their aggregation in ammonium sulfate solution, correlated well with their adhesive properties. Phase I cells in X-mode, which adhered well to the epithelial cells, were conspicuously hydrophobic.

Decrease in antimicrobial susceptibility of Bordetella bronchiseptica caused by antigenic modulation and phase variation.

The susceptibilities to 20 antimicrobial agents of Bordetella bronchiseptica variants in C mode and degraded phases were compared with those of their parents in X mode. Increases in MICs of 4- to 32-fold were observed for ampicillin, carbenicillin, erythromycin, novobiocin, rifampin, chloramphenicol, nalidixic acid, and oxolinic acid.

Bovine erythrocyte-agglutinin as a possible adhesin of Bordetella bronchiseptica responsible for binding to porcine nasal epithelium.

The bovine erythrocyte-agglutinin (BEA) of Bordetella bronchiseptica, located on the cell surface in non-fimbrial form, has been identified as a possible adhesion responsible for binding to porcine nasal epithelium in studies with BEA-negative (BEA-) mutants and in competitive studies with bovine erythrocytes.