The Probiotic Strain CL1285 Reduces Fat Deposition and Oxidative Stress and Increases Lifespan in .

was recently shown to be a powerful model for studying and identifying probiotics with specific functions. CL1285, LBC80R, and CLR2, which are three bacteria that were marketed by Bio-K+, were evaluated using the nematode to study fat accumulation, lifespan, and resistance to oxidative stress. Although the general effects of probiotics in terms of protection against oxidative stress were highlighted, the CL1285 strain had an interesting and specific feature, namely its ability to prevent fat accumulation in nematodes; this effect was verified by both the Oil Red and Nile Red methods.

Bi-allelic variants in disrupt the development of multiple organs in humans.

Background: Pulmonary hypoplasia, Diaphragmatic anomalies, Anophthalmia/microphthalmia and Cardiac defects delineate the PDAC syndrome. We aim to identify the cause of PDAC syndrome in patients who do not carry pathogenic variants in and , which have been previously associated with this disorder.

Methods: We sequenced the exome of patients with unexplained PDAC syndrome and performed functional validation of candidate variants.

Screening and Characterization of Some Lactobacillaceae for Detection of Cholesterol-Lowering Activities.

Dyslipidemia, specifically abnormal levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), is an important risk factor of cardiovascular disease. Evidence showing the promising abilities of probiotics to lower total cholesterol or LDL-C has, however, not yet convinced experts to recommend probiotic bacteria as treatment for blood lipid management. Therefore, there are opportunities for the development of new efficient cholesterol-lowering probiotics.

Mutations in conserved residues of the C. elegans microRNA Argonaute ALG-1 identify separable functions in ALG-1 miRISC loading and target repression.

microRNAs function in diverse developmental and physiological processes by regulating target gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. ALG-1 is one of two Caenorhabditis elegans Argonautes (ALG-1 and ALG-2) that together are essential for microRNA biogenesis and function. Here, we report the identification of novel antimorphic (anti) alleles of ALG-1 as suppressors of lin-28(lf) precocious developmental phenotypes.

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) study identifies novel genomic regions associated to Chiari-like malformation in Griffon Bruxellois dogs.

Chiari-like malformation (CM) is a developmental abnormality of the craniocervical junction that is common in the Griffon Bruxellois (GB) breed with an estimated prevalence of 65%. This disease is characterized by overcrowding of the neural parenchyma at the craniocervical junction and disturbance of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow. The most common clinical sign is pain either as a direct consequence of CM or neuropathic pain as a consequence of secondary syringomyelia.

The slicing activity of miRNA-specific Argonautes is essential for the miRNA pathway in C. elegans.

Among the set of Argonautes proteins encoded by metazoan genomes, some have conserved amino acids important for catalytic or slicing activity. The functional significance of these residues in microRNA (miRNA)-specific Argonautes in animals is still unclear since miRNAs do not induce site-specific cleavage of targeted messenger RNAs (mRNAs), unlike small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). Here, we report that miRNA-specific ALG-1 and ALG-2 Argonautes from Caenorhabditis elegans possess the slicing activity normally implicated in the siRNA-silencing pathway.

Function, targets, and evolution of Caenorhabditis elegans piRNAs.

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are small RNAs required to maintain germline integrity and fertility, but their mechanism of action is poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that Caenorhabditis elegans piRNAs silence transcripts in trans through imperfectly complementary sites. Target silencing is independent of Piwi endonuclease activity or "slicing.

The ribosomal protein RACK1 is required for microRNA function in both C. elegans and humans.

Despite the importance of microRNAs (miRNAs) in gene regulation, it is unclear how the miRNA-Argonaute complex--or miRNA-induced silencing complex (miRISC)--can regulate the translation of their targets in such diverse ways. We demonstrate here a direct interaction between the miRISC and the ribosome by showing that a constituent of the eukaryotic 40S subunit, receptor for activated C-kinase (RACK1), is important for miRNA-mediated gene regulation in animals. In vivo studies demonstrate that RACK1 interacts with components of the miRISC in nematodes and mammals.