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Parasitology International Jun 2024Proalarioides Yamaguti, 1933 (Digenea Carus, 1863: Diplostomoidea Poirier, 1886) is a small genus of proterodiplostomids parasitic in the intestines of snakes in Asia....
Proalarioides Yamaguti, 1933 (Digenea Carus, 1863: Diplostomoidea Poirier, 1886) is a small genus of proterodiplostomids parasitic in the intestines of snakes in Asia. Only two species are considered valid: Proalarioides serpentis Yamaguti, 1933 and Proalarioides tropidonotis Vidyarthi, 1937. Unlike other proterodiplostomids, Proalarioides spp. possess pseudosuckers and lack the paraprostate, otherwise extremely characteristic of the Proterodiplostomidae Dubois, 1936. In the present study, we describe the morphology of progenetic metacercariae of a Proalarioides sp. from bicolored frog, Clinotarsus curtipes (Jerdon), collected in India and provide the first DNA sequences from any member of the genus. These specimens differ from previously described metacercariae and adults of P. serpentis and P. tropidonotis in several ways, including body and structure sizes, sucker ratios, and distribution of vitellarium. The newly generated partial large ribosomal subunit (28S) rRNA gene sequence was used to test the phylogenetic position of the genus among other major lineages of diplostomoideans. Our 28S phylogeny clearly demonstrated Proalarioides sp. to be well-separated from other members of the Proterodiplostomidae. Based on morphological and molecular evidence, we transfer Proalarioides out of the Proterodiplostomidae into the Diplostomidae Poirier, 1886.
PubMed: 38936765
DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2024.102917 -
Molecular Cell Jun 2024The bacterial world offers diverse strains for understanding medical and environmental processes and for engineering synthetic biological chassis. However, genetically...
The bacterial world offers diverse strains for understanding medical and environmental processes and for engineering synthetic biological chassis. However, genetically manipulating these strains has faced a long-standing bottleneck: how to efficiently transform DNA. Here, we report imitating methylation patterns rapidly in TXTL (IMPRINT), a generalized, rapid, and scalable approach based on cell-free transcription-translation (TXTL) to overcome DNA restriction, a prominent barrier to transformation. IMPRINT utilizes TXTL to express DNA methyltransferases from a bacterium's restriction-modification systems. The expressed methyltransferases then methylate DNA in vitro to match the bacterium's DNA methylation pattern, circumventing restriction and enhancing transformation. With IMPRINT, we efficiently multiplex methylation by diverse DNA methyltransferases and enhance plasmid transformation in gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. We also develop a high-throughput pipeline that identifies the most consequential methyltransferases, and we apply IMPRINT to screen a ribosome-binding site library in a hard-to-transform Bifidobacterium. Overall, IMPRINT can enhance DNA transformation, enabling the use of sophisticated genetic manipulation tools across the bacterial world.
PubMed: 38936361
DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.06.003 -
Journal of Autoimmunity Jun 2024This study aims to elucidate the significance of VNN2 expression in peripheral blood monocytes and its clinical relevance in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS).
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to elucidate the significance of VNN2 expression in peripheral blood monocytes and its clinical relevance in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS).
METHODS
We investigated VNN2 expression by analyzing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Flow cytometry was used to detect and compare VNN2 expression in total monocytes, classical monocytes (cMo), intermediate monocytes (iMo) and non-classical monocytes (ncMo). Additionally, we examined the expression of HLA, ICAM1, CD62L, ITGAM, S100A8, S100A9, CCR2, CCR6, CX3CR1 and CXCR3 in VNN2 and VNN2 cells. We analyzed the correlation between VNN2 expression and clinical indicators and assessed the clinical utility of VNN2 monocytes in pSS diagnosis using receiver operating characteristic curves.
RESULTS
We observed high VNN2 expression in monocytes, with significantly higher levels in CD14 monocytes compared to ncMo. VNN2 monocytes exhibited decreased expression of HLA and CD62L and increased expression of ICAM1, ITGAM, S100A8, S100A9, CCR2, CCR6, CX3CR1 and CXCR3 compared to VNN2 monocytes. Although scRNA-seq data showed that VNN2 mRNA was upregulated, cell surface expression of VNN2 was decreased in monocytes from pSS patients compared to healthy controls. The reduced levels of VNN2 monocyte subpopulations in pSS patients were negatively correlated with anti-ribosome antibody levels and positively correlated with complement 4 levels. Detection of VNN2 expression in monocytes can aid in the auxiliary diagnosis of pSS.
CONCLUSION
Monocytes expressing cell surface VNN2 are significantly reduced in pSS patients. This suggests a potential role for VNN2 in pSS development and its potential use as a diagnostic marker for pSS.
PubMed: 38936146
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2024.103275 -
PloS One 2024Chronic enteropathies are a common cause of morbidity in dogs and are associated with disruption of the normal gastrointestinal mucosal barrier. The objective of this...
Chronic enteropathies are a common cause of morbidity in dogs and are associated with disruption of the normal gastrointestinal mucosal barrier. The objective of this prospective study was to determine the association between measures of gastrointestinal dysbiosis and plasma concentrations of glucagon-like peptide-2, a hormone responsible for normal mucosal structure, in dogs with chronic enteropathies. Fecal 16S V4 rRNA gene sequencing and quantitative PCR via the dysbiosis index was performed on 16 healthy controls and 18 dogs with chronic enteropathy prior to and 1 month after initiation of individualized therapy. Fasting and post-prandial plasma GLP-2 concentrations were measured via ELISA in healthy dogs and chronic enteropathy dogs at both time points. Alpha and beta diversity indices, as well as bacterial population abundances were compared between groups and time-points. Principal component analysis combined with least squares regression was used to identify taxa contributing to glucagon-like peptide-2 variance among groups. While the dysbiosis index did not differ between healthy dogs and dogs with chronic enteropathy, 16S V4 genomic sequencing identified 47 operational taxonomic units that differed between the groups, all but 2 of which resolved following chronic enteropathy treatment. Principal component analysis identified 6 families and 19 genera that contributed to differences in glucagon-like peptide-2 concentrations between groups. Dysbiosis associated with chronic enteropathies in dogs may contribute to the observed lower plasma glucagon-like peptide-2 concentrations. Further research into mechanisms of microbiota impact on the enteroendocrine system is needed. Association between glucagon-like peptide-2 secretion and microbiome indices may help to guide research into future treatment strategies for dogs with chronic enteropathy.
Topics: Dogs; Animals; Glucagon-Like Peptide 2; Dysbiosis; Dog Diseases; Female; Male; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Chronic Disease; Prospective Studies; Feces; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Intestinal Diseases
PubMed: 38935795
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305711 -
Current Microbiology Jun 2024A novel thermotolerant caproic acid-producing bacterial strain, Clostridium M1NH, was successfully isolated from sewage sludge. Ethanol and acetic acid at a molar ratio...
A novel thermotolerant caproic acid-producing bacterial strain, Clostridium M1NH, was successfully isolated from sewage sludge. Ethanol and acetic acid at a molar ratio of 4:1 proved to be the optimal substrates, yielding a maximum caproic acid production of 3.5 g/L. Clostridium M1NH exhibited remarkable tolerance to high concentrations of ethanol (up to 5% v/v), acetic acid (up to 5% w/v), and caproic acid (up to 2% w/v). The strain also demonstrated a wide pH tolerance range (pH 5.5-7.5) and an elevated temperature optimum between 35 and 40 °C. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that Clostridium M1NH shares a 98% similarity with Clostridium luticellarii DSM 29923. The robustness of strain M1NH and its efficient caproic acid production from low-cost substrates highlight its potential for sustainable bio-based chemical production. The maximum caproic acid yield achieved by Clostridium M1NH was 1.6-fold higher than that reported for C. kluyveri under similar fermentation conditions. This study opens new avenues for valorizing waste streams and advancing a circular economy model in the chemical industry.
Topics: Acetic Acid; Ethanol; Clostridium; Fermentation; Phylogeny; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Thermotolerance; Sewage; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Caprylates; Temperature; Caproates
PubMed: 38935285
DOI: 10.1007/s00284-024-03780-z -
Parasitology Research Jun 2024Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), a neglected tropical disease, is a major public health concern in Yemen, with Leishmania tropica identified as the main causative agent....
First report of Leishmania tropica in domestic and wild animal hosts in hyperendemic areas of human cutaneous leishmaniasis in western Yemen: a neglected tropical disease needing One Health approach.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), a neglected tropical disease, is a major public health concern in Yemen, with Leishmania tropica identified as the main causative agent. This study aims to investigate the occurrence and distribution of Leishmania parasites in domestic and wild animals in CL endemic areas in the western highlands of Yemen. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Utmah District of western Yemen. Blood and skin scraping specimens were collected from 122 domestic and wild animals and tested for the Leishmania DNA using internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) nested polymerase chain reaction. Phylogenetic analyses were performed on 20 L. tropica sequences obtained from animals in this study and 34 sequences from human isolates (collected concurrently from the same study area) retrieved from the GenBank. Overall, L. tropica was detected in 16.4% (20/122) of the examined animals, including 11 goats, two dogs, two bulls, one cow, one donkey, one rabbit, one rat and one bat. None of the examined cats and sheep was positive. The animal sequences were segregated into four different L. tropica haplotypes, with the majority of the animal (15/20) and human (32/34) sequences composed of one dominant haplotype/genotype. These findings represent the first confirmed evidence of natural L. tropica infections in different kinds of domestic and wild animals in western Yemen, suggesting these animals potentially have a role in the transmission of CL in Yemen. Therefore, a One Health approach is required for the effective prevention and control of this devastating disease among endemic populations.
Topics: Animals; Leishmania tropica; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous; Yemen; Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; Animals, Wild; Animals, Domestic; Phylogeny; One Health; DNA, Protozoan; Neglected Diseases; Endemic Diseases; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Male
PubMed: 38935203
DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08273-3 -
Genome Biology and Evolution Jun 2024During evolution, new ORFs with the potential to give rise to novel proteins continuously emerge. A recent compilation of non-canonical ORFs with translation signatures...
During evolution, new ORFs with the potential to give rise to novel proteins continuously emerge. A recent compilation of non-canonical ORFs with translation signatures in humans has identified thousands of cases with a putative de novo origin. However, it is not known which is their distribution in the population. Are they universally translated? Here we use ribosome profiling data from 65 lymphoblastoid cell lines from individuals of Yoruba origin to investigate this question. We identify 2,587 de novo ORFs translated in at least one of the cell lines. In line with their de novo origin, the encoded proteins tend to be smaller than 100 amino acids and encode positively charged proteins. We observe that the de novo ORFs are more polymorphic in the population than the set of canonical proteins, with a substantial fraction of them being translated in only some of the cell lines. Remarkably, this difference remains significant after controlling for differences in the translation levels. These results suggest that variations in the level translation of de novo ORFs could be a relevant source of intra-species phenotypic diversity in humans.
PubMed: 38934859
DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evae126 -
Alzheimer's & Dementia : the Journal of... Jun 2024Impaired brain protein synthesis, synaptic plasticity, and memory are major hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The ketamine metabolite (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine...
INTRODUCTION
Impaired brain protein synthesis, synaptic plasticity, and memory are major hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The ketamine metabolite (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine (HNK) has been shown to modulate protein synthesis, but its effects on memory in AD models remain elusive.
METHODS
We investigated the effects of HNK on hippocampal protein synthesis, long-term potentiation (LTP), and memory in AD mouse models.
RESULTS
HNK activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), and p70S6 kinase 1 (S6K1)/ribosomal protein S6 signaling pathways. Treatment with HNK rescued hippocampal LTP and memory deficits in amyloid-β oligomers (AβO)-infused mice in an ERK1/2-dependent manner. Treatment with HNK further corrected aberrant transcription, LTP and memory in aged APP/PS1 mice.
DISCUSSION
Our findings demonstrate that HNK induces signaling and transcriptional responses that correct synaptic and memory deficits in AD mice. These results raise the prospect that HNK could serve as a therapeutic approach in AD.
HIGHLIGHTS
The ketamine metabolite HNK activates hippocampal ERK/mTOR/S6 signaling pathways. HNK corrects hippocampal synaptic and memory defects in two mouse models of AD. Rescue of synaptic and memory impairments by HNK depends on ERK signaling. HNK corrects aberrant transcriptional signatures in APP/PS1 mice.
PubMed: 38934107
DOI: 10.1002/alz.14034 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2024Interpretation of the genetic code from triplets of nucleotides to amino acids is fundamental to life. This interpretation is achieved by cellular tRNAs, each reading a...
Interpretation of the genetic code from triplets of nucleotides to amino acids is fundamental to life. This interpretation is achieved by cellular tRNAs, each reading a triplet codon through its complementary anticodon (positions 34-36) while delivering the amino acid charged to its 3'-end. This amino acid is then incorporated into the growing polypeptide chain during protein synthesis on the ribosome. The quality and versatility of the interpretation is ensured not only by the codon-anticodon pairing, but also by the post-transcriptional modifications at positions 34 and 37 of each tRNA, corresponding to the wobble nucleotide at the first position of the anticodon and the nucleotide on the 3'-side of the anticodon, respectively. How each codon is read by the matching anticodon, and which modifications are required, cannot be readily predicted from the codon-anticodon pairing alone. Here we provide an easily accessible modification pattern that is integrated into the genetic code table. We focus on the Gram-negative bacterium as a model, which is one of the few organisms whose entire set of tRNA modifications and modification genes is identified and mapped. This work provides an important reference tool that will facilitate research in protein synthesis, which is at the core of the cellular life.
PubMed: 38933027
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1415100 -
Ecology and Evolution Jun 2024Understanding the ability of internal- and external-infesting stored product insects to vector microbes is important for estimating the relative risk that insects pose...
Microbial vectoring capacity by internal- and external-infesting stored product insects after varying dispersal periods between novel food patches: An underestimated risk.
Understanding the ability of internal- and external-infesting stored product insects to vector microbes is important for estimating the relative risk that insects pose to postharvest commodities as they move between habitat patches and in the landscape. Thus, the aim of the current study was to evaluate and compare the microbial growth in novel food patches at different dispersal periods by different populations of (e.g., internal-infesting) and (e.g., external-infesting). Adults of both species collected from laboratory colonies or field-captured populations were either placed immediately in a novel food patch, or given a dispersal period of 24 or 72 h in a sterilized environment before entering a surrogate food patch. Vectored microbes in new food patches were imaged after 3 or 5 days of foraging, and microbial growth was processed using ImageJ while fungal species were identified through sequencing the ITS4/5 ribosomal subunit. We found that increasing dispersal time resulted in multiple-fold reductions in microbial growth surrogate food patches by but not . This was likely attributable to higher mobility by than . A total of 20 morphospecies were identified from 13 genera among the 59 sequences, with a total of 23% and 16% classified as and spp. Our data suggest that there is a persistent risk of microbial contamination by both species, which has important food safety implications at food facilities.
PubMed: 38932970
DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11368