Optimization of reference genes for qRT-PCR analysis of microRNA expression under abiotic stress conditions in sweetpotato.

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas. L) is an important food crop, harvested for its nutrient-rich tuberous roots. Drought and salt stresses are two major factors limiting the sweetpotato production.

Mild-Temperature Solution-Assisted Encapsulation of Phosphorus into ZIF-8 Derived Porous Carbon as Lithium-Ion Battery Anode.

The high theoretical capacity of red phosphorus (RP) makes it a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries. However, the large volume change of RP during charging/discharging imposes an adverse effect on the cyclability and the rate performance suffers from its low conductivity. Herein, a facile solution-based strategy is exploited to incorporate phosphorus into the pores of zeolitic imidazole framework (ZIF-8) derived carbon hosts under a mild temperature.

A systematic study of single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the A4GALT gene suggests a molecular genetic basis for the P1/P2 blood groups.

Background: The molecular mechanism for the formation of the P1/P2 blood groups remains unsolved. It has been shown that the P1/P2 polymorphism is connected to the different A4GALT gene expression levels in P1 and P2 red blood cells.

Study Design And Methods: The present investigation conducted a pilot investigation that involved the detailed and stepwise screening of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the A4GALT gene, followed by a larger-scale association study.

Suppression of B3GNT7 gene expression in colon adenocarcinoma and its potential effect in the metastasis of colon cancer cells.

The cell surface sialyl Lewis a (sLe(a)) and sialyl Lewis x (sLe(x)) antigens, which are built on the terminals of glyco-structures called poly-N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) chains, have been shown to play a critical role in the metastasis of colon cancer. In the present investigation, expression of the B3GNT7 gene, which encodes a β-1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase that mainly acts on and extends sulfated poly-LacNAc chains, was found to be markedly suppressed during the oncogenetic processes associated with colon cancer. DNA methylation in the promoter region of the B3GNT7 gene was found to play a significant role in the suppression of the B3GNT7 gene in colon cancer cells.

Bacterial biosensors for screening isoform-selective ligands for human thyroid receptors α-1 and β-1.

Subtype-selective thyromimetics have potential as new pharmaceuticals for the prevention or treatment of heart disease, high LDL cholesterol and obesity, but there are only a few methods that can detect agonistic behavior of TR-active compounds. Among these are the rat pituitary GH3 cell assay and transcriptional activation assays in engineered yeast and mammalian cells. We report the construction and validation of a newly designed TRα-1 bacterial biosensor, which indicates the presence of thyroid active compounds through their impacts on the growth of an engineered Escherichia coli strain in a simple defined medium.

Intein-mediated one-step purification of Escherichia coli secreted human antibody fragments.

In this work, we apply self-cleaving affinity tag technology to several target proteins secreted into the Escherichia coli periplasm, including two with disulfide bonds. The target proteins were genetically fused to a self-cleaving chitin-binding domain-intein tag for purification via a chitin-agarose affinity resin. By attaching the intein-tagged fusion genes to the PelB secretion leader sequence, the tagged target proteins were secreted to the periplasmic space and could be recovered in active form by simple osmotic shock.

Self-cleaving purification tags re-engineered for rapid Topo® cloning.

In this work, our previously reported ΔI-CM and ΔI(G)-CM mutant inteins were rationally re-engineered to be compatible with Invitrogen's Topo® cloning system. The resulting new inteins include the vaccinia virus topoisomerase I DNA recognition sequence TCCTT at their 3' ends, making them compatible with the highly convenient one-step Topo® cloning method. Addition of the Topo® recognition sequence resulted in an altered amino acid sequence at the C-termini of the inteins, changing their final five residues from VVVHN to VLVHN.

The potential role of self-cleaving purification tags in commercial-scale processes.

Purification tags are robust tools that can be used to purify a wide selection of target proteins, which makes them attractive candidates for implementation into platform processes. However, tag removal remains an expensive and significant issue that must be resolved before these tags can become widely used. One alternative is self-cleaving purification tags, which can provide the purity and versatility of conventional tags but eliminate the need for proteolytic tag removal.

Recombinant protein purification by self-cleaving elastin-like polypeptide fusion tag.

This unit presents a rapid and simple method for the nonchromatographic purification of recombinant proteins expressed in E. coli. This method relies on a thermally responsive elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) tag, where the tagged protein is precipitated using a mild temperature shift.

Optimization of ELP-intein mediated protein purification by salt substitution.

In this paper we discuss improvements to our previously reported ELP-intein purification system described by Banki et al. [M.R.

Regulation of shear-induced nuclear translocation of the Nrf2 transcription factor in endothelial cells.

Background: Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) constantly experience fluid shear stresses generated by blood flow. Laminar flow is known to produce atheroprotective effects on ECs. Nrf2 is a transcription factor that is essential for the antioxidant response element (ARE)-mediated induction of genes such as heme-oxygenase 1 (HO-1).

Recombinant protein purification by self-cleaving aggregation tag.

A simple technique is presented for non-chromatographic purification of recombinant proteins expressed in Escherichia coli. This method is based on a reversibly precipitating, self-cleaving purification tag. The tag is made up of two components: an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP), which reversibly self-associates in high-salt buffers at temperatures above 30 degrees C; and an intein, which causes the ELP tag to self-cleave in response to a mild pH shift.