Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in a free-ranging urban dog from Argentina.

Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium are the most important Mycobacteria isolated from diseased dogs, but Mycobacterium tuberculosis can be isolated as well, especially when close contact with humans exists. Free ranging street dogs may carry zoonotic diseases, being a potential health risk to new owners after adoption. In this study, the clinical case of a dog affected by Mycobacterium tuberculosis is described.

Activity budget, home range, and habitat use of moor macaques (Macaca maura) in the karst forest of South Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Primate behavior can be responsive to the different ecological pressures associated with different habitats, as well as to the effects of direct and indirect anthropogenic disturbance. The karst forest ecosystem of South Sulawesi (Indonesia) represents one of the few intact forests available for residual populations of the moor macaque, but our understanding of its habitat use is limited. In the present study, this gap in knowledge was addressed by observing the activity and habitat use of two groups of moor macaques and by assessing the suitability of different habitats in the karst forest.

A photoreactive G-quadruplex ligand triggered by green light.

A photoreactive molecular dye targeting the G-quadruplex nucleic acid (G4) of the human telomeric sequence Tel22, and several mutated analogues, was activated by green light (λ=532 nm). Highly selective covalent modification of G4 versus single-stranded and double-stranded DNA was achieved with efficiency up to 64%. The phenoxyl radical was generated and detected by laser-flash photolysis as a reactive intermediate that targeted loop thymine residues.

Targeting loop adenines in G-quadruplex by a selective oxirane.

Caught in the oxirane: Naphthalene diimides conjugated to a quinone methide and an oxirane have been synthesized and investigated as selective DNA G-quadruplex alkylating agents. The oxirane derivative generates a stable adduct with a G-quadruplex and shows selective alkylation of the loop adenines, as illustrated.

Hybrid ligand-alkylating agents targeting telomeric G-quadruplex structures.

The synthesis, physico-chemical properties and biological effects of a new class of naphthalene diimides (NDIs) capable of reversibly binding telomeric DNA and alkylate it through an electrophilic quinone methide moiety (QM), are reported. FRET and circular dichroism assays showed a marked stabilization and selectivity towards telomeric G4 DNA folded in a hybrid topology. NDI-QMs' alkylating properties revealed a good reactivity on single nucleosides and selectivity towards telomeric G4.