High infectivity of Toxocara cati larvae from muscles of experimentally infected rats.

The organ distribution of Toxocara cati larvae in albino rats Rattus norvegicus (n=6/group) experimentally inoculated with 1000 embryonated eggs was examined 1, 2, 3, 7, 30, 90, and 180 days post inoculation (dpi), and the infectivity of recovered larvae was evaluated by bioassay in mice. The intestines, liver, lungs, muscles (carcass) and other organs (heart, brain, spleen, kidneys and genital organs) were digested for larval recovery. Larvae were recovered from all rats, with the mean number of recovered larvae ranging from 13.

Celf1 regulation of dmrt2a is required for somite symmetry and left-right patterning during zebrafish development.

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) bind to numerous and diverse mRNAs to control gene expression post-transcriptionally, although the in vivo functions of specific RBP-mRNA interactions remain largely unknown. Here, we show that an RBP named Cugbp, Elav-like family member 1 (Celf1) controls expression of a gene named doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor 2a (dmrt2a), which is essential for somite symmetry and left-right patterning during zebrafish development. Celf1 promotes dmrt2a mRNA decay by binding to UGU repeats in the 3'UTR of dmrt2a mRNA such that celf1 overexpression reduces the amount of dmrt2a mRNA, leading to asymmetric somitogenesis and laterality defects.