Unveiling ophiuroid biodiversity across North Atlantic habitats via an integrative perspective.

The depths of the North Atlantic Ocean host a species-rich fauna providing heterogeneous habitats from thermal vent fields to cold-water coral reefs. With the increasing threat of destruction of deep-sea habitats due to human impacts, such as demersal fishing and the beginning of deep-sea mining, an analysis of the diversity and distribution of species is crucial for conservation efforts. Brittle stars occur in high biomasses, contributing to the biodiversity of the seafloor.

Tissue-specific profiling of membrane proteins in the salicin sequestering juveniles of the herbivorous leaf beetle, Chrysomela populi.

Sequestration of plant secondary metabolites is a detoxification strategy widespread in herbivorous insects including not only storage, but also usage of these metabolites for the insects' own benefit. Larvae of the poplar leaf beetle Chrysomela populi sequester plant-derived salicin to produce the deterrent salicylaldehyde in specialized exocrine glands. To identify putative transporters involved in the sequestration process we investigated integral membrane proteins of several tissues from juvenile C.

Silencing cuticular pigmentation genes enables RNA FISH in intact insect appendages.

Optical imaging of gene expression by fluorescence hybridisation (FISH) in insects is often impeded by their pigmented cuticle. As most chemical bleaching agents are incompatible with FISH, we developed an RNA interference (RNAi)-based method for clearing cuticular pigmentation which enables the use of whole-mount body appendages for RNA FISH (termed RNA-i-FISH). Silencing or in two leaf beetles species ( and ) cleared their pigmented cuticle and decreased light absorbance.

Comparative evaluation of three proliferation markers, Ki-67, TOP2A, and RacGAP1, in bronchopulmonary neuroendocrine neoplasms: Issues and prospects.

The classification of bronchopulmonary neuroendocrine neoplasms (BP-NEN) into four tumor entities (typical carcinoids (TC), atypical carcinoids (AC), small cell lung cancers (SCLC), large cell neuroendocrine lung carcinomas (LCNEC)) is difficult to perform accurately, but important for prognostic statements and therapeutic management decisions. In this regard, we compared the expression of three proliferation markers, Ki-67, Topoisomerase II alpha (TOP2A), and RacGAP1, in a series of tumor samples from 104 BP-NEN patients (24 TC, 21 AC, 52 SCLC, 7 LCNEC) using different evaluation methods (immunohistochemistry (IHC): Average evaluation, Hotspot evaluation, digital image analysis; RT-qPCR).The results indicated that all three markers had increased protein and mRNA expression with poorer differentiation and correlated well with each other, as well as with grading, staging, and poor survival.

One amino acid makes the difference: the formation of ent-kaurene and 16α-hydroxy-ent-kaurane by diterpene synthases in poplar.

Background: Labdane-related diterpenoids form the largest group among the diterpenes. They fulfill important functions in primary metabolism as essential plant growth hormones and are known to function in secondary metabolism as, for example, phytoalexins. The biosynthesis of labdane-related diterpenes is mediated by the action of class II and class I diterpene synthases.