Epigenetic control of adaptive or homeostatic splicing during interval-training activities.

Interval-training activities induce adaptive cellular changes without altering their fundamental identity, but the precise underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we demonstrate that interval-training depolarization (ITD) of pituitary cells triggers distinct adaptive or homeostatic splicing responses of alternative exons. This occurs while preserving the steady-state expression of the Prolactin and other hormone genes.

Transcriptome-Wide Detection of Intron/Exon Definition in the Endogenous Pre-mRNA Transcripts of Mammalian Cells and Its Regulation by Depolarization.

Pairing of splice sites across an intron or exon is the central point of intron or exon definition in pre-mRNA splicing with the latter mode proposed for most mammalian exons. However, transcriptome-wide pairing within endogenous transcripts has not been examined for the prevalence of each mode in mammalian cells. Here we report such pairings in rat GH3 pituitary cells by measuring the relative abundance of nuclear RNA-Seq reads at the intron start or end (RISE).

Immunoinformatics analysis to design novel epitope based vaccine candidate targeting the glycoprotein and nucleoprotein of Lassa mammarenavirus (LASMV) using strains from Nigeria.

Lassa mammarenavirus (LASMV) is responsible for a specific type of acute viral hemorrhagic fever known as Lassa fever. Lack of effective treatments and counter-measures against the virus has resulted in a high mortality rate in its endemic regions. Therefore, in this study, a novel epitope-based vaccine has been designed using the methods of immunoinformatics targeting the glycoprotein and nucleoprotein of the virus.

A Crisis within a Crisis: COVID-19 and Hunger in African Children.

The WHO recently expressed concern at the potential impact of COVID-19 on hunger, which is likely to exacerbate the already considerable burden of malnutrition of Africa. The impact of the disease is expected to be greater among those grappling with malnutrition, whereas widespread hunger and malnutrition will likely increase because of movement restrictions. COVID-19 is unfolding in Africa against a backdrop of worrying levels of hunger and undernourishment which could worsen as the virus threatens livelihoods and household economies.