Tracing the Lipid Fingerprints of Preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia (PE) is the most common pregnancy-related complication responsible for maternal mortality and morbidity. PE pathogenesis is characterized by placental dysfunction, impaired invasion of trophoblast, and defective spiral artery remodelling. Even after many years of research on PE, the etiology and pathophysiology of PE is still elusive.

MicroRNA, Proteins, and Metabolites as Novel Biomarkers for Prediabetes, Diabetes, and Related Complications.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is no more a lifestyle disease of developed countries. It has emerged as a major health problem worldwide including developing countries. However, how diabetes could be detected at an early stage (prediabetes) to prevent the progression of disease is still unclear.

Dehydroascorbate-derivatized chitosan particles for targeting antimalarial agents to infected erythrocytes.

The mammalian glucose transporter GLUT-1 and Plasmodium falciparum hexose transporter PfHT1 are overexpressed on human RBC infected with the parasite (iRBC), presumably for enhanced glucose uptake. Dehydroascorbic acid (DHA) competes out glucose in GLUT-1 binding. We prepared particles containing chloroquine phosphate using novel derivatives of chitosan (CSN).

Translation in Organelles of Apicomplexan Parasites.

The protein translation machineries of the apicoplast and mitochondrion-the two actively translating organelles of apicomplexan parasites-have potential sites for drug intervention against diseases caused by these organisms. Work in the past few years, particularly on Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii, has shown that a reduced machinery of enzymes and factors is sufficient for organellar translation, which is also supported by components shared with the cytosolic translation system. This interplay between eukaryotic and prokaryotic-like components for mRNA translation in organelles is reviewed here.

Polypeptide release factors and stop codon recognition in the apicoplast and mitochondrion of Plasmodium falciparum.

Correct termination of protein synthesis would be a critical step in translation of organellar open reading frames (ORFs) of the apicoplast and mitochondrion of the malaria parasite. We identify release factors (RFs) responsible for recognition of the UAA and UGA stop-codons of apicoplast ORFs and the sole UAA stop-codon that terminates translation from the three mitochondrial ORFs. A single nuclear-encoded canonical RF2, PfRF2Api , localizes to the apicoplast.

The effect of fusidic acid on Plasmodium falciparum elongation factor G (EF-G).

Inhibition of growth of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum by known translation-inhibitory antibiotics has generated interest in understanding their action on the translation apparatus of the two genome containing organelles of the malaria parasite: the mitochondrion and the relic plastid (apicoplast). We report GTPase activity of recombinant EF-G proteins that are targeted to the organelles and further use these to test the effect of the EF-G inhibitor fusidic acid (FA) on the factor-ribosome interface. Our results monitoring locking of EF-G·GDP onto surrogate Escherichia coli ribosomes as well as multi-turnover GTP hydrolysis by the factor indicate that FA has a greater effect on apicoplast EF-G compared to the mitochondrial counterpart.