Publications by authors named "L Kumarasinghe"
Article Synopsis
- Lafora disease (LD) is a neurological condition marked by progressive myoclonus epilepsy and the accumulation of insoluble glycogen forms, known as polyglucosan bodies (PGBs), in the brain.
- Recent research shows that astrocytes, a type of brain cell, are the primary accumulators of PGBs, which may lead to their dysfunction and contribute to disease symptoms.
- By using primary cultures of astrocytes from LD mice, researchers are exploring the metabolic changes and potential treatments to reduce PGB accumulation, finding that these cells exhibit increased glucose uptake and can help identify compounds that may alleviate PGB-related issues.
Laforin and Malin are two proteins that are encoded by the genes EPM2A and EPM2B, respectively. Laforin is a glucan phosphatase and Malin is an E3-ubiquitin ligase, and these two proteins function as a complex. Mutations occurring at the level of one of the two genes lead to the accumulation of an aberrant form of glycogen meant to cluster in polyglucosans that go under the name of Lafora bodies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTripartite motif (TRIM) proteins are RING E3 ubiquitin ligases defined by a shared domain structure. Several of them are implicated in rare genetic diseases, and mutations in TRIM32 and TRIM-like malin are associated with Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy R8 and Lafora disease, respectively. These two proteins are evolutionary related, share a common ancestor, and both display NHL repeats at their C-terminus.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSpider mites of the genus Tetranychus are difficult to identify due to their limited diagnostic characters. Many of them are morphologically similar and males are needed for species-level identification. Tetranychus urticae is a common interception and non-regulated pest at New Zealand's borders, however, most of the intercepted specimens are females and the identification was left at Tetranychus sp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSpotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) is an emerging pest that began spreading in 2008 and its distribution now includes 13 countries across two continents. Countries where it is established have reported significant economic losses of fresh produce, such as cherries due to this species of fly. At larval stages, it is impossible to identify due to its striking similarities with other cosmopolitan and harmless drosophilids.
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