A lipid signature of BAK-driven apoptotic pore formation.

Apoptotic cell death is regulated by the BCL-2 protein family, with clusters of BAK or BAX homodimers driving pore formation in the mitochondrial outer membrane via a poorly understood process. There is growing evidence that, in addition to BAK and BAX, lipids play an important role in pore formation. Towards a better understanding of the lipidic drivers of apoptotic pore formation in isolated mitochondria, two complementary approaches were taken.

Microplastics in the Indian and South Atlantic oceans translocate to gills, digestive glands, and muscle of the chokka squid Loligo reynaudii.

Comparative microplastic (MP) data for cephalopods between oceans is scarce. Our aim was to quantify, characterise, and compare MPs in gills, digestive gland, and mantle of chokka squid from the South Atlantic Ocean (SAO) and Indian Ocean (IO) off the coast of South Africa. South African squid had more MPs compared with other studies (means = 2.

Sequence differences between BAX and BAK core domains manifest as differences in their interactions with lipids.

The B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) family members, BCL2-associated protein X (BAX) and BCL2 homologous antagonist killer (BAK), are required for programmed cell death via the mitochondrial pathway. When cells are stressed, damaged or redundant, the balance of power between the BCL2 family of proteins shifts towards BAX and BAK, allowing their transition from an inactive, monomeric state to a membrane-active oligomeric form that releases cytochrome c from the mitochondrial intermembrane space. That oligomeric state has an essential intermediate, a symmetric homodimer of BAX or BAK.

Elements in muscle tissue of three dolphin species from the east coast of South Africa.

We investigated elemental concentrations in muscle tissue of three species of dolphins incidentally bycaught off the KwaZulu-Natal coastline, South Africa. Thirty-six major, minor and trace elements were analysed in Indian Ocean humpback dolphin Sousa plumbea (n = 36), Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin Tursiops aduncus (n = 32) and the Common dolphin Delphinus delphis (n = 8). Significant differences in concentration between the three species were observed for 11 elements (cadmium, iron, manganese, sodium, platinum, antimony, selenium, strontium, uranium, vanadium and zinc).