The mechanism by which odontocetes produce sound is unique among mammals. To gain insight into the physiological properties that support sound production in toothed whales, we examined myoglobin content ([Mb]), non-bicarbonate buffering capacity (β), fiber-type profiles, and myosin heavy chain expression of vocal musculature in two odontocetes: the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus; n = 4) and the harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena; n = 5). Both species use the same anatomical structures to produce sound, but differ markedly in their vocal repertoires.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNonprimate animal models of HIV-1 infection are prevented by missing cellular cofactors and by antiviral actions of species-specific host defense factors. These blocks are profound in rodents but may be less abundant in certain Carnivora. Here, we enabled productive, spreading replication and passage of HIV-1 in feline cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMultiprotein complexes play an important role in nearly all cell functions; therefore, the characterization of protein-protein interactions in living cells constitutes an important step in the analysis of cellular signaling pathways. Using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) as a "molecular ruler" is a powerful approach for identifying biologically relevant molecular interactions with high spatiotemporal resolution. Here, we describe two methods that use FRET to detect a physical interaction between the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) and the CXCR4 chemokine receptor in living T lymphocytes.
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