Whole-Genome Sequence of Strain VS1, an Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Epibiont Isolated from .

strain VS1, an extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing epibiont, was isolated from in central Florida, USA. Here, we report the whole-genome sequence of this strain, which consists of a total of 191 contigs spanning 5,412,831 bp, with a GC content of 57.3% and comprising 4,836 predicted coding sequences.

Whole-Genome Sequence of Strain AS1, Isolated from Rhizosphere in Central Florida, USA.

strain AS1 was isolated from the rhizophere of a cycad, , in central Florida, USA. Here, we report the whole-genome sequence of this strain, which consists of a total of 83 contigs spanning 4,960,415 bp, with a G+C content of 59.6%, and comprising 4,527 predicted coding sequences.

Draft Genome Sequences of Extended-Spectrum-Beta-Lactamase-Producing Strains AA1 and AV1, Isolated from a Freshwater Lake and Roots.

Two strains of , AA1 and AV1, were isolated from freshwater and roots, respectively. Here, we report their draft genome sequences, which are ~3.6 Mb and have 51% G+C content.

Whole-Genome Sequence of Strain 5Co, Isolated from Lichen in Central Florida, United States, with High Tolerance to Salt and Heavy Metal.

strain 5Co was isolated from lichen in central Florida, United States. Here, we report a draft genome sequence of this strain, which consists of 159 contigs spanning 3,628,496 bp, with a G+C content of 41.3% and comprises 3,729 predicted coding sequences.

The long noncoding RNA acts as an intranuclear organizing hub for pre-mRNA molecules.

Molecular mechanisms by which long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) molecules may influence cancerous condition are poorly understood. The aberrant expression of lncRNA, encoded within the drosophila gene homolog intron, is correlated with a variety of cancers, including human melanomas. We demonstrate by SHAPE-seq and dChIRP that RNA secondary structure has a core pseudoknotted domain.

Deep Sequencing-Identified Kanamycin-Resistant Paenibacillus sp. Strain KS1 Isolated from Epiphyte Tillandsia usneoides (Spanish Moss) in Central Florida, USA.

Paenibacillus sp. strain KS1 was isolated from an epiphyte, Tillandsia usneoides (Spanish moss), in central Florida, USA. Here, we report a draft genome sequence of this strain, which consists of a total of 398 contigs spanning 6,508,195 bp, with a G+C content of 46.

The Long Noncoding RNA SPRIGHTLY Regulates Cell Proliferation in Primary Human Melanocytes.

The long noncoding RNA SPRIGHTLY (formerly SPRY4-IT1), which lies within the intronic region of the SPRY4 gene, is up-regulated in human melanoma cells compared to melanocytes. SPRIGHTLY regulates a number of cancer hallmarks, including proliferation, motility, and apoptosis. To better understand its oncogenic role, SPRIGHTLY was stably transfected into human melanocytes, which resulted in increased cellular proliferation, colony formation, invasion, and development of a multinucleated dendritic-like phenotype.

MicroRNA 211 Functions as a Metabolic Switch in Human Melanoma Cells.

MicroRNA 211 (miR-211) negatively regulates genes that drive invasion of metastatic melanoma. Compared to normal human melanocytes, miR-211 expression is significantly reduced or absent in nonpigmented melanoma cells and lost during human melanoma progression. To investigate the molecular mechanism of its tumor suppressor function, miR-211 was ectopically expressed in nonpigmented melanoma cells.

The functional characterization of long noncoding RNA SPRY4-IT1 in human melanoma cells.

Expression of the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) SPRY4-IT1 is low in normal human melanocytes but high in melanoma cells. siRNA knockdown of SPRY4-IT1 blocks melanoma cell invasion and proliferation, and increases apoptosis. To investigate its function further, we affinity purified SPRY4-IT1 from melanoma cells and used mass spectrometry to identify the protein lipin 2, an enzyme that converts phosphatidate to diacylglycerol (DAG), as a major binding partner.

Long noncoding RNAs as putative biomarkers for prostate cancer detection.

Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality among US males. There is an urgent unmet need to develop sensitive and specific biomarkers for the early detection of prostate cancer to reduce overtreatment and accompanying morbidity. We identified a group of differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs in prostate cancer cell lines and patient samples and further characterized six long noncoding RNAs (AK024556, XLOC_007697, LOC100287482, XLOC_005327, XLOC_008559, and XLOC_009911) in prostatic adenocarcinoma tissue samples (Gleason score >6.

Genome-wide methylated CpG island profiles of melanoma cells reveal a melanoma coregulation network.

Metastatic melanoma is a malignant cancer with generally poor prognosis, with no targeted chemotherapy. To identify epigenetic changes related to melanoma, we have determined genome-wide methylated CpG island distributions by next-generation sequencing. Melanoma chromosomes tend to be differentially methylated over short CpG island tracts.

An SREBP-responsive microRNA operon contributes to a regulatory loop for intracellular lipid homeostasis.

Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) have evolved as a focal point for linking lipid synthesis with other pathways that regulate cell growth and survival. Here, we have uncovered a polycistrionic microRNA (miRNA) locus that is activated directly by SREBP-2. Two of the encoded miRNAs, miR-182 and miR-96, negatively regulate the expression of Fbxw7 and Insig-2, respectively, and both are known to negatively affect nuclear SREBP accumulation.

Epigenetic regulation of microRNA genes and the role of miR-34b in cell invasion and motility in human melanoma.

Invasive melanoma is the most lethal form of skin cancer. The treatment of melanoma-derived cell lines with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-dC) markedly increases the expression of several miRNAs, suggesting that the miRNA-encoding genes might be epigenetically regulated, either directly or indirectly, by DNA methylation. We have identified a group of epigenetically regulated miRNA genes in melanoma cells, and have confirmed that the upstream CpG island sequences of several such miRNA genes are hypermethylated in cell lines derived from different stages of melanoma, but not in melanocytes and keratinocytes.

Epigenetic regulation of microRNA-375 and its role in melanoma development in humans.

To identify epigenetically regulated miRNAs in melanoma, we treated a stage 3 melanoma cell line WM1552C, with 5AzadC and/or 4-PBA. Several hypermethylated miRNAs were detected, one of which, miR-375, was highly methylated and was studied further. Minimal CpG island methylation was observed in melanocytes, keratinocytes, normal skin, and nevus but hypermethylation was observed in patient tissue samples from primary, regional, distant, and nodular metastatic melanoma.

Curcumin prevents corticosterone-induced neurotoxicity and abnormalities of neuroplasticity via 5-HT receptor pathway.

Curcumin, a major active component of Curcuma longa, possesses antioxidant and neuroprotective activities. The present study explores the mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effect of curcumin against corticosterone and its relation to 5-hydroxy tryptamine (5-HT) receptors. Exposure of cortical neurons to corticosterone results in decreased mRNA levels for three 5-HT receptor subtypes, 5-HT(1A), 5-HT(2A) and 5-HT(4), but 5-HT(1B,) 5-HT(2B), 5-HT(2C), 5-HT(6) and 5-HT(7) receptors remain unchanged.