A novel group of IncQ1 plasmids conferring multidrug resistance.

The IncQ is a group of non-conjugative but mobilisable plasmids that are found and stably maintained in a wide range of bacteria contributing to the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes and to the insurgence of multidrug resistant bacteria. Here we report the identification, in clinical Salmonella Typhimurium strains, of an IncQ1 plasmid (pNUC) which confers resistance to sulfamethoxazole, streptomycin and tetracycline through the presence of sul2, strAB and tetA genes, respectively. pNUC was detected in five multidrug resistant S.

Therapeutic role of sirtuins in neurodegenerative disease and their modulation by polyphenols.

Searching for effective therapeutic agents‏‎ to ‎‏prevent‏ ‏neurodegeneration ‎is a challenging task due ‎to ‎the growing list of neurodegenerative disorders associated with a multitude of inter-related pathways.‎ The induction and inhibition of several different signaling pathways has been shown to slow down and/or attenuate ‎neurodegeneration and decline in cognition and locomotor function. Among these signaling pathways, a new class of enzymes known as sirtuins or silent information regulators of gene transcription has been shown to play important regulatory roles in the ageing process.

Post-translational modification by acetylation regulates the mitochondrial carnitine/acylcarnitine transport protein.

The carnitine/acylcarnitine transporter (CACT; SLC25A20) mediates an antiport reaction allowing entry of acyl moieties in the form of acylcarnitines into the mitochondrial matrix and exit of free carnitine. The transport function of CACT is crucial for the β-oxidation pathway. In this work, it has been found that CACT is partially acetylated in rat liver mitochondria as demonstrated by anti-acetyl-lys antibody immunostaining.

All trans retinoic acid depresses the content and activity of the mitochondrial ATP synthase in human keratinocytes.

Proteomic analysis shows that treatment of keratinocytes cultures with all trans retinoic acid (ATRA), under condition in which it inhibits cell growth, results in marked decrease of the level of the F1-β subunit of the catalytic sector of the mitochondrial FoF1 ATP synthase complex. Enzymatic analysis shows in ATRA-treated keratinocytes a consistent depression of the ATPase activity, with decreased olygomycin sensitivity, indicating an overall alteration of the ATP synthase complex. These findings, together with the previously reported inhibition of respiratory complex I, show that depression of the activity of oxidative phosphorylation enzymes is involved in the cell growth inhibitory action of ATRA.

Biochemical characterization of a new mitochondrial transporter of dephosphocoenzyme A in Drosophila melanogaster.

CoA is an essential cofactor that holds a central role in cell metabolism. Although its biosynthetic pathway is conserved across the three domains of life, the subcellular localization of the eukaryotic biosynthetic enzymes and the mechanism behind the cytosolic and mitochondrial CoA pools compartmentalization are still under debate. In humans, the transport of CoA across the inner mitochondrial membrane has been ascribed to two related genes, SLC25A16 and SLC25A42 whereas in D.

Plant polyphenols as natural drugs for the management of Down syndrome and related disorders.

Polyphenols are secondary metabolites of plants largely found in fruits, vegetables, cereals and beverages, and therefore represent important constituents of the human diet. Increasing studies have demonstrated the potential beneficial effects of polyphenols on human health. Extensive reviews have discussed the protective effects of polyphenols against a series of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders.

Gene expression profile of endothelial cells during perturbation of the gut vascular barrier.

It has been widely demonstrated that tolerance against gut microbiota is compartmentalized to mucosal sites where microbes mostly reside. How the commensal bacteria are excluded from the entrance into the blood stream via intestinal capillaries that are located beneath the gut epithelium was not clear. We recently described the existence of a new anatomical structure, the 'gut vascular barrier' (GVB), both in murine and human intestines that plays a fundamental role in avoiding indiscriminate trafficking of bacteria from the gut into the blood circulation.

Diversity and temporal patterns of planktonic protist assemblages at a Mediterranean Long Term Ecological Research site.

We tracked temporal changes in protist diversity at the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) station MareChiara in the Gulf of Naples (Mediterranean Sea) on eight dates in 2011 using a metabarcoding approach. Illumina analysis of the V4 and V9 fragments of the 18S rDNA produced 869 522 and 1 410 071 sequences resulting in 6517 and 6519 OTUs, respectively. Marked compositional variations were recorded across the year, with less than 2% of OTUs shared among all samples and similar patterns for the two marker tags.

BioVeL: a virtual laboratory for data analysis and modelling in biodiversity science and ecology.

Background: Making forecasts about biodiversity and giving support to policy relies increasingly on large collections of data held electronically, and on substantial computational capability and capacity to analyse, model, simulate and predict using such data. However, the physically distributed nature of data resources and of expertise in advanced analytical tools creates many challenges for the modern scientist. Across the wider biological sciences, presenting such capabilities on the Internet (as "Web services") and using scientific workflow systems to compose them for particular tasks is a practical way to carry out robust "in silico" science.

Geographic Population Structure in Epstein-Barr Virus Revealed by Comparative Genomics.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latently infects the majority of the human population and is implicated as a causal or contributory factor in numerous diseases. We sequenced 27 complete EBV genomes from a cohort of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients and healthy controls from Italy, although no variants showed a statistically significant association with MS. Taking advantage of the availability of ∼130 EBV genomes with known geographical origins, we reveal a striking geographic distribution of EBV sub-populations with distinct allele frequency distributions.

Characterization of Human and Yeast Mitochondrial Glycine Carriers with Implications for Heme Biosynthesis and Anemia.

Heme is an essential molecule in many biological processes, such as transport and storage of oxygen and electron transfer as well as a structural component of hemoproteins. Defects of heme biosynthesis in developing erythroblasts have profound medical implications, as represented by sideroblastic anemia. The synthesis of heme requires the uptake of glycine into the mitochondrial matrix where glycine is condensed with succinyl coenzyme A to yield δ-aminolevulinic acid.

Complexity and Dynamics of the Winemaking Bacterial Communities in Berries, Musts, and Wines from Apulian Grape Cultivars through Time and Space.

Currently, there is very little information available regarding the microbiome associated with the wine production chain. Here, we used an amplicon sequencing approach based on high-throughput sequencing (HTS) to obtain a comprehensive assessment of the bacterial community associated with the production of three Apulian red wines, from grape to final product. The relationships among grape variety, the microbial community, and fermentation was investigated.

Function and expression study uncovered hepatocyte plasma membrane ecto-ATP synthase as a novel player in liver regeneration.

ATP synthase, canonically mitochondrially located, is reported to be ectopically expressed on the plasma membrane outer face of several cell types. We analysed, for the first time, the expression and catalytic activities of the ecto- and mitochondrial ATP synthase during liver regeneration. Liver regeneration was induced in rats by two-thirds partial hepatectomy.

Profile of microbial communities on carbonate stones of the medieval church of San Leonardo di Siponto (Italy) by Illumina-based deep sequencing.

Comprehensive studies of the biodiversity of the microbial epilithic community on monuments may provide critical insights for clarifying factors involved in the colonization processes. We carried out a high-throughput investigation of the communities colonizing the medieval church of San Leonardo di Siponto (Italy) by Illumina-based deep sequencing. The metagenomic analysis of sequences revealed the presence of Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya.

β3 adrenergic receptor in the kidney may be a new player in sympathetic regulation of renal function.

To date, the study of the sympathetic regulation of renal function has been restricted to the important contribution of β1- and β2-adrenergic receptors (ARs). Here we investigate the expression and the possible physiologic role of β3-adrenergic receptor (β3-AR) in mouse kidney. The β3-AR is expressed in most of the nephron segments that also express the type 2 vasopressin receptor (AVPR2), including the thick ascending limb and the cortical and outer medullary collecting duct.

Chemical-Induced Read-Through at Premature Termination Codons Determined by a Rapid Dual-Fluorescence System Based on S. cerevisiae.

Nonsense mutations generate in-frame stop codons in mRNA leading to a premature arrest of translation. Functional consequences of premature termination codons (PTCs) include the synthesis of truncated proteins with loss of protein function causing severe inherited or acquired diseases. A therapeutic approach has been recently developed that is based on the use of chemical agents with the ability to suppress PTCs (read-through) restoring the synthesis of a functional full-length protein.

The sea urchin mitochondrial transcription factor A binds and bends DNA efficiently despite its unusually short C-terminal tail.

Mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) is a key component for the protection and transcription of the mitochondrial genome. TFAM belongs to the high mobility group (HMG) box family of DNA binding proteins that are able to bind to and bend DNA. Human TFAM (huTFAM) contains two HMG box domains separated by a linker region, and a 26 amino acid C-terminal tail distal to the second HMG box.

[Corrigendum] Constitutive activation of MAPK/ERK inhibits prostate cancer cell proliferation through upregulation of BRCA2.

After the publication of the article the authors noted the following errors in the assembling of the figures. In Fig. 3A the tubulin panel for PC-3 cells is incorrect.

Metagenomics Reveals Dysbiosis and a Potentially Pathogenic N. flavescens Strain in Duodenum of Adult Celiac Patients.

Objectives: Celiac disease (CD)-associated duodenal dysbiosis has not yet been clearly defined, and the mechanisms by which CD-associated dysbiosis could concur to CD development or exacerbation are unknown. In this study, we analyzed the duodenal microbiome of CD patients.

Methods: The microbiome was evaluated in duodenal biopsy samples of 20 adult patients with active CD, 6 CD patients on a gluten-free diet, and 15 controls by DNA sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA libraries.

Divergent Evolution of Nuclear Localization Signal Sequences in Herpesvirus Terminase Subunits.

The tripartite terminase complex of herpesviruses assembles in the cytoplasm of infected cells and exploits the host nuclear import machinery to gain access to the nucleus, where capsid assembly and genome-packaging occur. Here we analyzed the structure and conservation of nuclear localization signal (NLS) sequences previously identified in herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) large terminase and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) small terminase. We found a monopartite NLS at the N terminus of large terminase, flanking the ATPase domain, that is conserved only in α-herpesviruses.

Glio-vascular modifications caused by Aquaporin-4 deletion in the mouse retina.

Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is the Central Nervous System water channel highly expressed at the perivascular glial domain. In the retina, two types of AQP4 expressing glial cells take part in the blood-retinal barrier (BRB), astrocytes and Müller cells. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of AQP4 deletion on the retinal vasculature by looking at typical pathological hallmark such as BRB dysfunction and gliotic condition.

Identification and Characterization of the Sucrose Synthase 2 Gene (Sus2) in Durum Wheat.

Sucrose transport is the central system for the allocation of carbon resources in vascular plants. Sucrose synthase (SUS), which reversibly catalyzes sucrose synthesis and cleavage, represents a key enzyme in the control of the flow of carbon into starch biosynthesis. In the present study the genomic identification and characterization of the Sus2-2A and Sus2-2B genes coding for SUS in durum wheat (cultivars Ciccio and Svevo) is reported.

The polyphenols resveratrol and epigallocatechin-3-gallate restore the severe impairment of mitochondria in hippocampal progenitor cells from a Down syndrome mouse model.

Mitochondrial dysfunctions critically impair nervous system development and are potentially involved in the pathogenesis of various neurodevelopmental disorders, including Down syndrome (DS), the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability. Previous studies from our group demonstrated impaired mitochondrial activity in peripheral cells from DS subjects and the efficacy of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) - a natural polyphenol major component of green tea - to counteract the mitochondrial energy deficit. In this study, to gain insight into the possible role of mitochondria in DS intellectual disability, mitochondrial functions were analyzed in neural progenitor cells (NPCs) isolated from the hippocampus of Ts65Dn mice, a widely used model of DS which recapitulates many major brain structural and functional phenotypes of the syndrome, including impaired hippocampal neurogenesis.