Sensing volatiles throughout the body: geographic- and tissue-specific olfactory receptor expression in the fig wasp.

An essential adaptive strategy in insects is the evolution of olfactory receptors (ORs) to recognize important volatile environmental chemical cues. Our model species, Ceratosolen fusciceps, a specialist wasp pollinator of Ficus racemosa, likely possesses an OR repertoire that allows it to distinguish fig-specific volatiles in highly variable environments. Using a newly assembled genome-guided transcriptome, we annotated 63 ORs in the species and reconstructed the phylogeny of Ceratosolen ORs in conjunction with other hymenopteran species.

Duffy antigen is expressed during erythropoiesis in Duffy-negative individuals.

The erythrocyte silent Duffy blood group phenotype in Africans is thought to confer resistance to Plasmodium vivax blood-stage infection. However, recent studies report P. vivax infections across Africa in Fy-negative individuals.

Regulatory mechanisms of c-di-AMP synthase from Mycobacterium smegmatis revealed by a structure: Function analysis.

Cyclic-di-nucleotide-based secondary messengers regulate various physiological functions, including stress responses in bacteria. Cyclic diadenosine monophosphate (c-di-AMP) has recently emerged as a crucial second messenger with implications in processes including osmoregulation, antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation, virulence, DNA repair, ion homeostasis, and sporulation, and has potential therapeutic applications. The contrasting activities of the enzymes diadenylate cyclase (DAC) and phosphodiesterase (PDE) determine the equilibrium levels of c-di-AMP.

Pleiotropic Effects of Bacterial Small Alarmone Synthetases: Underscoring the Dual-Domain Small Alarmone Synthetases in .

The nucleotide alarmone (p)ppGpp, signaling the stringent response, is known for more than 5 decades. The cellular turnover of the alarmone is regulated by RelA/SpoT homolog (RSH) superfamily of enzymes. There are long RSHs (RelA, SpoT, and Rel) and short RSHs [small alarmone synthetases (SAS) and small alarmone hydrolases (SAH)].

R-loop induced stress response by second (p)ppGpp synthetase in Mycobacterium smegmatis: functional and domain interdependence.

Persistent R-loops lead to replicative stress due to RNA polymerase stalling and DNA damage. RNase H enzymes facilitate the organisms to survive in the hostile condition by removing these R-loops. MS_RHII-RSD was previously identified to be the second (p)ppGpp synthetase in Mycobacterium smegmatis.

Recovery of active anti TNF-α ScFv through matrix-assisted refolding of bacterial inclusion bodies using CIM monolithic support.

Anti TNF-α molecules are important as therapeutic agents for many of the autoimmune diseases in chronic stage. Here we report the expression and purification of a recombinant single chain variable fragment (ScFv) specific to TNF-α from inclusion bodies. In contrast to the conventional on column refolding using the soft gel supports, an efficient methodology using monolithic matrix has been employed.

Cloning, expression, purification and characterization of a single chain variable fragment specific to tumor necrosis factor alpha in Escherichia coli.

Anti TNF-α molecules have been used as therapeutic agents in a variety of human diseases such as Rheumatoid arthritis, Ankylosing spondylitis, Chron's diseases, Psoriasis, etc., where high levels of TNF-α plays a destructive role. The limitations of the present TNF-α inhibitors in terms of size, tissue penetration and immunogenicity, etc.