Effects of a small, volatile bacterial molecule on Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria using whole cell high-resolution magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and genomics.

In the present study, high-resolution magic-angle spinning (HRMAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was applied to live Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) bacterial cells to determine the metabolome of this opportunistic Gram-negative human pathogen, and in particular, its response to the volatile aromatic low molecular weight signaling molecule, 2-aminoacetophenone (2-AA). Multi-dimensional HRMAS NMR is a promising method which may be used to determine the in vivo metabolome of live intact bacterial cells; 2-AA is produced by PA and triggers the emergence of phenotypes that promote chronic infection phenotypes in in vitro and in vivo (animal) models. In the present study, we applied one-dimensional and two-dimensional proton (1H) HRMAS NMR to PA cells which were grown with or without 2-AA in order to examine the associations between metabolites and cellular processes in response to 2-AA.

Disulfide Connectivity Analysis of Peptides Bearing Two Intramolecular Disulfide Bonds Using MALDI In-Source Decay.

Disulfide connectivity in peptides bearing at least two intramolecular disulfide bonds is highly important for the structure and the biological activity of the peptides. In that context, analytical strategies allowing a characterization of the cysteine pairing are of prime interest for chemists, biochemists, and biologists. For that purpose, this study evaluates the potential of MALDI in-source decay (ISD) for characterizing cysteine pairs through the systematic analysis of identical peptides bearing two disulfide bonds, but not the same cysteine connectivity.

Paracellular calcium flux across Caco-2 cell monolayers: Effects of individual amino acids.

High-protein diets are generally considered beneficial for calcium (Ca) economy and bone health. Improved intestinal Ca absorption efficiency may be one mechanism by which higher-protein diets affect Ca homeostasis and bone health. The signaling pathways and individual amino acids (AA) responsible for this effect have not been fully elucidated and may involve the transcellular pathway, paracellular pathway or a combination.

Evolution of pathogen and parasite avoidance behaviours.

All free-living animals are subject to intense selection pressure from parasites and pathogens resulting in behavioural adaptations that can help potential hosts to avoid falling prey to parasites. This special issue on the evolution of parasite avoidance behaviour was compiled following a Royal Society meeting in 2017. Here we have assembled contributions from a wide range of disciplines including genetics, ecology, parasitology, behavioural science, ecology, psychology and epidemiology on the disease avoidance behaviour of a wide range of species.

Neuronal and non-neuronal signals regulate avoidance of contaminated food.

One way in which animals minimize the risk of infection is to reduce their contact with contaminated food. Here, we establish a model of pathogen-contaminated food avoidance using the nematode worm We find that avoidance of pathogen-contaminated food protects from the deleterious effects of infection and, using genetic approaches, demonstrate that multiple sensory neurons are required for this avoidance behaviour. In addition, our results reveal that the avoidance of contaminated food requires bacterial adherence to non-neuronal cells in the tail of that are also required for the cellular immune response.

Cytochrome P450 2AA molecular clone, expression pattern, and different regulation by fish oil and lard oil in diets of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella).

Cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP enzymes) catalyze important metabolic reactions of exogenous and endogenous substrates, including fatty acid. In this study, we cloned the complete CDS of the cytochrome P450 2AA (CYP2AA) gene from the grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) for the first time. CYP2AA consisted of 1500 bp, which encoded a predicted protein of 499 amino acids.

The glycomic effect of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase III overexpression in metastatic melanoma cells. GnT-III modifies highly branched N-glycans.

N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase III (GnT-III) is known to catalyze N-glycan "bisection" and thereby modulate the formation of highly branched complex structures within the Golgi apparatus. While active, it inhibits the action of other GlcNAc transferases such as GnT-IV and GnT-V. Moreover, GnT-III is considered as an inhibitor of the metastatic potential of cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo.

Association of human platelet antigen polymorphisms with platelet count and mean platelet volume.

Objectives: Although recent genome-wide association studies have identified a number of single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with platelet count and mean platelet volume (MPV), it is unclear whether polymorphisms in the human platelet antigens (HPA) genes are associated with platelet count and MPV. The aim of this study was to determine the association of the HPA-2, -3, -5 and -15 polymorphisms with platelet count and MPV.

Methods: The HPA were genotyped by 5'-nuclease assay in 139 healthy Chinese Han individuals, while platelet count and MPV from the same samples were measured using an hematology cell analyzer.

Expression of Pyridoxal 5'-Phosphate-Independent Racemases Can Reduce 2-Aminoacrylate Stress in Salmonella enterica.

The RidA protein (PF01042) from is a deaminase that quenches 2-aminoacrylate (2AA) and other reactive metabolites. In the absence of RidA, 2AA accumulates, damages cellular enzymes, and compromises the metabolic network. , RidA homologs from all domains of life deaminate 2AA, and RidA proteins from plants, bacteria, yeast, and humans complement the mutant phenotype of a mutant strain of In the present study, a methanogenic archaeon, S2, was used to probe alternative mechanisms to restore metabolic balance.

Physical activity and the prevention, reduction, and treatment of alcohol and/or substance use across the lifespan (The PHASE review): protocol for a systematic review.

Background: Alcohol and substance use results in significant human and economic cost globally and is associated with economic costs of £21 billion and £15billion within the UK, respectively, and trends for use are not improving. Pharmacological interventions are well researched, but relapse rates across interventions for substance and alcohol use disorders are as high as 60-90%. Physical activity may offer an alternative or adjunct approach to reducing rates of alcohol and substance use that is associated with few adverse side effects, is easily accessible, and is potentially cost-effective.

Hif-1α and Hif-2α regulate hemogenic endothelium and hematopoietic stem cell formation in zebrafish.

During development, hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) derive from specialized endothelial cells (ECs) called hemogenic endothelium (HE) via a process called endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition (EHT). Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) has been reported to positively modulate EHT in vivo, but current data indicate the existence of other regulators of this process. Here we show that in zebrafish, Hif-2α also positively modulates HSC formation.

Determination of N-glycans by high performance liquid chromatography using 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate as the glycosylamine labeling reagent.

Robust, efficient identification and accurate quantification of N-glycans are of great significance in N-glycomics analysis. Here, a simple and rapid derivatization method, based on the combination of microwave-assisted deglycosylation and 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate (AQC) labeling, was developed for the analysis of N-glycan by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD). After optimizing various parameters affecting deglycosylation and derivatization by RNase B, the time for N-glycan labeling was shortened to 50 min with ∼10-fold enhancement in detection sensitivity comparing to conventional 2-aminobenzoic acid (2-AA) labeling method.

Investigating the toxic effects of 2-aminoanthracene ingestion in pregnant Sprague Dawley dams.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) refer to organic compounds that are byproducts of incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and wood. One specific polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, 2-aminoanthracene (2AA), is a member of a broader group of compounds known as anthracenes, which have been classified by the United States Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ASTDR) as one of a group of PAHs of top concern based on their greater potential risk for exposure and greater harmful effects to humans, compared to other PAHs. Previous research has shown that 2AA affects genes involved in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, inflammatory stress responses, and immune system responses, among other processes.

Smelling Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections using a whole-cell biosensor - An alternative for the gold-standard culturing assay.

Improved easy-to-use diagnostic tools for infections are in strong demand worldwide. Yet, despite dramatic advances in diagnostic technologies, the gold-standard remains culturing. Here we offer an alternative tool demonstrating that a bacterial biosensor can efficiently detect Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in patients suffering from otitis externa.

Antigenotoxicity properties of Copaifera multijuga oleoresin and its chemical marker, the diterpene (-)-copalic acid.

Unlabelled: In view of the biological activities and growing therapeutic interest in oleoresin obtained from Copaifera multijuga, this study aimed to determine the genotoxic and antigenotoxic potential of this oleoresin (CMO) and its chemical marker, diterpene (-)-copalic acid (CA). The micronucleus (MN) assay in V79 cell cultures and the Ames test were used for in vitro analyses, as well as MN and comet assays in Swiss mice for in vivo analyses. The in vitro genotoxicity/mutagenicity results showed that either CMO (30, 60, or 120 µg/ml-MN assay; 0.

Discovery of a novel swine enteric alphacoronavirus (SeACoV) in southern China.

Outbreaks of diarrhea in newborn piglets without detection of transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV), have been recorded in a pig farm in southern China since February 2017. Isolation and propagation of the pathogen in cell culture resulted in discovery of a novel swine enteric alphacoronavirus (tentatively named SeACoV) related to the bat coronavirus HKU2 identified in the same region a decade ago. Specific fluorescence signal was detected in Vero cells infected with SeACoV by using a positive sow serum collected in the same farm, but not by using TGEV-, PEDV- or PDCoV-specific antibody.

Magnesium stearate, a widely-used food additive, exhibits a lack of and genotoxic potential.

Magnesium stearate is widely used in the production of dietary supplement and pharmaceutical tablets, capsules and powders as well as many food products, including a variety of confectionery, spices and baking ingredients. Although considered to have a safe toxicity profile, there is no available information regarding its potential to induce genetic toxicity. To aid safety assessment efforts, magnesium sulfate was evaluated in a battery of tests including a bacterial reverse mutation assay, an chromosome aberration assay, and an erythrocyte micronucleus assay.

Endogenously generated 2-aminoacrylate inhibits motility in Salmonella enterica.

Members of the broadly distributed Rid/YER057c/UK114 protein family have imine/enamine deaminase activity, notably on 2-aminoacrylate (2AA). Strains of Salmonella enterica, and other organisms lacking RidA, have diverse growth phenotypes, attributed to the accumulation of 2AA. In S.

Genotoxicity evaluation of alpha-linolenic acid-diacylglycerol oil.

The alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)-diacylglycerol (DAG) oil is an edible oil enriched with DAG (>80%) and ALA (>50%). Although DAG oil, which mainly consists of oleic and linoleic acids has no genotoxic concerns, the fatty acid composition could affect the chemical property of DAG. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the genotoxicity of ALA-DAG oil using standard genotoxicity tests in accordance with the OECD guidelines.

Association of human platelet antigens polymorphisms with susceptibility to hepatitis C virus infection in Chinese population.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic hepatitis. Previous studies have identified a number of single nucleotide polymorphisms that are associated with HCV infection. Human platelet antigens (HPAs) polymorphisms play an important role in several diseases.

Antimutagenic and antioxidant activity of the essential oils of Citrus sinensis and Citrus latifolia.

The essential oils of Citrus sinensis and Citrus latifolia showed antimycotic activity against Candida spp. isolated from the oral cavity; they are neither mutagenic on the Ames test nor cytotoxic. Their main components are R-(+)-limonene, β-thujene, α-myrcene and γ-terpinene.

Acquired haemophilia A with a recalcitrant high-titre factor VIII inhibitor in the setting of interstitial lung disease.

Acquired haemophilia A (AHA) is a bleeding disorder that results from autoantibodies against factor VIII (FVIII). A 70-year-old man with a history of interstitial lung disease presented with spontaneous bleeding into his thigh. He had undetectable FVIII levels and a high-titre FVIII inhibitor (>2000ââ'¬â€°Bethesda units/mL) and was diagnosed with AHA.

Nutrition and osteoporosis prevention for the orthopaedic surgeon: A wholefoods approach.

Osteoporosis is a prevalent and debilitating condition with no signs of subsiding. Rising numbers of people consuming nutrient-poor diets coupled with ageing populations and sedentary lifestyles appear to be the main drivers behind this.While the nutrients calcium and vitamin D have received most attention, there is growing evidence that wholefoods and other micronutrients have roles to play in primary and potentially secondary osteoporosis prevention.

Associations between Red Meat Intakes and the Micronutrient Intake and Status of UK Females: A Secondary Analysis of the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey.

Blanket health messages to lower red meat intakes are being communicated at present. These could have adverse implications on the micronutrient quality of women's diets. The current paper evaluates the nutritional impact of lower red meat intakes on British women's micronutrient intakes and status.