bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Suppression of the homeobox gene HDTF1 enhances resistance to Verticillium dahliae and Botrytis cinerea in cotton
Authors: Gao Wei , Long Lu , Xu Li , Lindsey Keith , Zhang Xianlong , Zhu Longfu 
Published: September 2015

AbstractDevelopment of pathogen‐resistant crops, such as fungus‐resistant cotton, has significantly reduced chemical application and improved crop yield and quality. However, the mechanism of resistance to cotton pathogens such as Verticillium dahliae is still poorly understood. In this study, we characterized a cotton gene (HDTF1) that was isolated following transcriptome profiling during the resistance response of cotton to V. dahliae. HDTF1 putatively encodes a homeodomain transcription factor, and its expression was found to be down‐regulated in cotton upon inoculation with V. dahliae and Botrytis cinerea. To characterise the involvement of HDTF1 in the response to these pathogens, we used virus‐induced gene silencing (VIGS) to generate HDTF1‐silenced cotton. VIGS reduction in HDTF1 expression significantly enhanced cotton plant resistance to both pathogens. HDTF1 silencing resulted in activation of jasmonic acid (JA)‐mediated signaling and JA accumulation. However, the silenced plants were not altered in the accumulation of salicylic acid (SA) or the expression of marker genes associated with SA signaling. These results suggest that HDTF1 is a negative regulator of the JA pathway, and resistance to V. dahliae and B. cinerea can be engineered by activation of JA signaling.
Cocrystal habit engineering to improve drug dissolution and alter derived powder properties
Authors: Serrano Dolores R , O'Connell Peter , Paluch Krzysztof J , Walsh David , Healy Anne Marie 
Published: September 2015

Abstract

Objectives
Cocrystallization of sulfadimidine (SDM) with suitable coformers, such as 4-aminosalicylic acid (4-ASA), combined with changes in the crystal habit can favourably alter its physicochemical properties. The aim of this work was to engineer SDM : 4-ASA cocrystals with different habits to investigate the effect on dissolution, and the derived powder properties of flow and compaction.

Methods
Cocrystals were prepared in a 1 : 1 molar ratio by solvent evaporation using ethanol (habit I) or acetone (habit II), solvent evaporation followed by grinding (habit III) and spray drying (habit IV).

Key findings
Powder X-ray diffraction showed Bragg peak position was the same in all the solid products. The peak intensity varied, indicating different preferred crystal orientation confirmed by SEM micrographs: large prismatic crystals (habit I), large plate-like crystals (habit II), small cube-like crystals (habit III) and microspheres (habit IV). The habit III exhibited the fasted dissolution rate; however, it underwent a polymorphic transition during dissolution. Habits I and IV exhibited the highest Carr's compressibility index, indicating poor flowability. However, habits II and III demonstrated improved flow. Spray drying resulted in cocrystals with improved compaction properties.

Conclusions
Even for cocrystals with poor pharmaceutical characteristics, a habit can be engineered to alter the dissolution, flowability and compaction behaviour.
Polysorbate 80-coated PLGA nanoparticles improve the permeability of acetylpuerarin and enhance its brain-protective effects in rats
Authors: Sun Deqing , Xue Aiying , Zhang Bin , Lou Haiyan , Shi Huanying , Zhang Xiumei 
Published: September 2015

Abstract

Objectives
Acetylpuerarin (AP) is an acetylated derivative of puerarin (PUE). The study aimed to prepare polysorbate 80-coated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles to improve the permeability of AP across the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and enhance its brain-protective effects.

Methods
AP-loaded PLGA nanoparticles (AP-PLGA-NPs) were prepared using a solvent diffusion methodology. The NPs were characterized. The pharmacokinetics, tissue distributions and brain-protective effects of AP-PLGA-NPs were evaluated in animals.

Key findings
AP-PLGA-NPs were successfully prepared with a mean particle size of 145.0 nm and a zeta potential of −14.81 mV. The in-vitro release of AP from the PLGA-NPs showed a biphasic release profile. AP was metabolized into PUE in rats. The AUC0−∞ values of AP and PUE for AP-PLGA-NPs were 2.90- and 2.29-fold as great as those for AP solution, respectively. The values of the relative targeting efficiency in the brain were 2.40 and 2.58 for AP and PUE, and the ratios of peak concentration were 1.91 and 1.89 for AP and PUE, respectively. Compared with the crude drug, AP-PLGA-NPs showed better brain-protective effects in rats.

Conclusion
Polysorbate 80-coated PLGA-NPs can improve the permeability of AP cross the BBB and enhance its brain-protective effects in rats.
Etheliaceae fam. nov. (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta), with a clarification of the generitype of Ethelia and the addition of six novel species from warm waters
Authors: Dixon Kyatt R. , Saunders Gary W. , Schneider Craig W. , Lane Christopher E. 
Published: September 2015

Based upon COI‐5P, LSU rDNA, and rbcL sequence data and morphological characteristics, six new members of the noncalcified crustose genus of red algae Ethelia are described in a new family, Etheliaceae (Gigartinales), sister to the recently described Ptilocladiopsidaceae. The novel species are described from subtropical to tropical Atlantic and Indo‐Pacific Ocean basins; E. mucronata sp. nov. and E. denizotii sp. nov. from southern and northern Western Australia respectively, E. wilcei sp. nov. from the Cocos (Keeling) Islands of Australia, E. suluensis sp. nov. from the Philippines, E. umbricola sp. nov. from Bermuda and E. kraftii sp. nov. from Lord Howe Island, Australia. The generitype, Ethelia biradiata, originally reported from the Seychelles, Indian Ocean, is added to the Western Australian flora.
Naftopidil Improves Symptoms in a Rat Model of Tranilast‐Induced Interstitial Cystitis
Authors: SUGAYA Kimio , NISHIJIMA Saori , KADEKAWA Katsumi , ASHITOMI Katsuhiro , UEDA Tomoyuki , YAMAMOTO Hideyuki 
Published: September 2015

ObjectiveThe effect of naftopidil on symptoms of tranilast‐induced interstitial cystitis (IC) was examined in rats.MethodsThirty‐two female rats were divided into four groups (control, naftopidil, tranilast, and combination groups). Rats in the control group were fed a standard diet, while rats in the naftopidil, tranilast, and combination groups were fed diets containing naftopidil, tranilast, or naftopidil + tranilast, respectively. After 4 weeks of treatment, locomotor activity was measured and continuous cystometry was performed.ResultsDuring the light period, locomotor activity was lower in the tranilast group than in the control, naftopidil, and combination groups. During the dark period, locomotor activity was higher in the naftopidil group than in the other three groups. The combination group showed higher locomotor activity than the tranilast group, but significantly lower activity than the naftopidil group. Continuous cystometry revealed that the interval between bladder contractions was shorter in the tranilast group than in the other three groups. The combination group also had a shorter interval between contractions than the control group.ConclusionNaftopidil improved the symptoms of tranilast‐induced IC, such as reduced locomotor activity due to pelvic pain and a shortened interval between bladder contractions. Therefore, naftopidil may be a potential treatment for IC.
Influence of UGT2B7, CYP3A4, and OPRM1 Gene Polymorphisms on Transdermal Buprenorphine Pain Control in Patients with Critical Lower Limb Ischemia Awaiting Revascularization
Authors: Blanco Francisco , Muriel Clemente , Labrador Jorge , Gonzalez‐Porras Jose R. , Gonzalez‐Sarmiento Rogelio , Lozano Francisco S. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractBackgroundPain control in critical limb ischemia (CLI) varies considerably between individuals.ObjectiveTo evaluate pharmacogenetically the response to transdermal buprenorphine (BUP‐TTS) in patients with CLI who are awaiting revascularization.MethodsOne hundred and seven patients with CLI were treated with BUP‐TTS. The following were analyzed: (1) pain perception (visual analog scale (VAS) before and 4 days after treatment) and (2) genetics: glucuronosyltransferase (UGT2B7), cytochrome (CYP3A4), and μ‐opioid receptor (OPRM1) gene polymorphisms.ResultsNinety‐three patients completed the study. The VAS score by the fourth day of analgesia dropped from 6.82 to 3.38 (P < 0.05). The analgesic response to BUP‐TTS was greater in men than in women (P = 0.019). Patients who were AA homozygotes for the CYP3A4 gene showed the best response to analgesic treatment (P = 0.003). The combination of the CYP3A4 gene with UGT2B7 or OPRM1 was favorable to the effect of the CYP3A4 gene (P = 0.045 and P = 0.026, respectively). The combination of UGT2B7 with OPRM1 was ineffective (P = 0.648). The 3 polymorphisms together had no effect on response to treatment (P = 0.461).ConclusionsBUP‐TTS is efficacious in the control of pain in patients with CLI. The homozygous AA carriers of the CYP3A4 gene respond better to treatment with BUP‐TTS.
Recombinant K28 antigen in ELISA in the diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniosis
Authors: Venturin G. L. , Bragato J. P. , Silva K. L. O. , de Lima V. M. F. 
Published: September 2015

SummaryCrude total antigen (CTA) from Leishmania infantum and recombinant antigen K39 (rK39) and recombinant antigen K28 (rK28) were compared using an ELISA for the diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniosis (CVL). Forty‐two blood samples from healthy dogs from a nonendemic area and 80 blood samples from an endemic area for dogs with visceral leishmaniosis (VL), confirmed with positive parasitological tests for Leishmania spp., were used in an ELISA. The parasitological diagnosis was chosen as a gold standard. The ELISA with rK28 antigen showed sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 100%, high agreement with CTA and rK39, indicating that the rK28 antigen is useful for ELISA serological diagnosis of CVL.
Asymmetrical deltas below wave base: Insights from the Fraser River Delta, Canada
Authors: Ayranci Korhan , Dashtgard Shahin E. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractThe Fraser River Delta exhibits distinct asymmetry in the sedimentological and neoichnological characteristics of the updrift (south) and downdrift (north) sides of the main distributary channel in water depths below storm‐wave base. The asymmetry is the result of net northward tidal flow. Tides erode sediments across the updrift delta front, whereas the downdrift delta front is an area of net deposition. A submarine channel prevents sand eroded from the updrift delta front from reaching the downdrift delta. The updrift delta front and updrift upper prodelta are composed of sand or heterolithic sand and mud that show a low density of burrowing (Bioturbation Index 0 to 3) and are dominated by simple traces. The downdrift delta front and prodelta, and the updrift lower prodelta are composed of homogeneous muds with significantly higher bioturbation intensities (Bioturbation Index 3 to 6), and a more diverse suite of traces akin to Cruziana Ichnofacies. Using the Fraser River Delta as an archetype and comparing the Fraser to the Amazon River Delta, a preliminary model for deep‐water (below storm‐wave base: ca 20 m) asymmetrical deltas is proposed. Firstly, deep‐water asymmetrical deltas are recognized from sediments deposited below storm‐wave base. At these depths, tidal and ocean currents are more likely to impact sediment transport, but wave processes are less effective as a sediment transport mechanism. Sediments deposited below storm‐wave base in deep‐water asymmetrical deltas will display the following: (i) the updrift delta front will be coarser‐grained (for example, sand‐dominated or heterolithic sand and mud), than the downdrift delta front (for example, mud‐dominated); and (ii) the updrift delta front should show low‐diversity suites of simple burrows. Depending on sedimentation rates, the downdrift delta front and prodelta may show either high diversity suites of traces that are dominated by both complex and simple burrows (low sedimentation rates) or low density and diversity suites akin to the updrift delta front (high sedimentation rates).
Molecular phylogeny of the horse flies: a framework for renewing tabanid taxonomy
Authors: MORITA SHELAH I. , BAYLESS KEITH M. , YEATES DAVID K. , WIEGMANN BRIAN M. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractHorse flies, family Tabanidae, are the most diverse family‐level clade of bloodsucking insects, but their phylogeny has never been thoroughly explored using molecular data. Most adult female Tabanidae feed on nectar and on the blood of various mammals. Traditional horse fly classification tends towards large heterogeneous taxa, which impede much‐needed taxonomic work. To guide renewed efforts in the systematics of horse flies and their relatives, we assembled a dataset of 110 exemplar species using nucleotide data from four genes—mitochondrial CO1, and nuclear 28S, CAD and AATS. All commonly recognized tribes in Tabanidae are represented, along with outgroups in Tabanomorpha. The phylogeny is reconstructed using Bayesian inference, and divergence times are estimated using Bayesian relaxed clock methods with time constraints from tabanid fossils. Our results show Athericidae strongly supported as the lineage most closely related to Tabanidae, and Pangoniinae and Tabaninae as monophyletic lineages. However, Chrysopsinae is nonmonophyletic, with strong support for both a nonmonophyletic Bouvieromyiini and for Rhinomyzini as sister to Tabaninae. Only the tribes Philolichini, Chrysopsini, Rhinomyzini and Haematopotini are recovered as monophyletic, although Scionini is monophyletic with exclusion of the peculiar genus Goniops Aldrich. Mycteromyia Philippi and Adersia Austen, two enigmatic genera sometimes placed in separate family‐level groups, are recovered inside Pangoniini and Chrysopsini, respectively. Several species‐rich genera are not recovered as monophyletic, including Esenbeckia Rondani, Silvius Meigen, Dasybasis Macquart and Tabanus L. Tabanidae likely originated in the Cretaceous, and all major extant groups were present by the early Palaeogene. This newly revised phylogenetic framework for Tabanidae forms the basis for a new assessment of tabanid diversification and provides context for understanding the evolution of trophic specialization in horse flies.
Biodegradation of the Organic Disulfide 4,4′-Dithiodibutyric Acid by Rhodococcus spp
Authors: Khairy Heba , Wübbeler Jan Hendrik , Steinbüchel Alexander 
Published: September 2015

ABSTRACT

Four
Rhodococcus
spp. exhibited the ability to use 4,4′-dithiodibutyric acid (DTDB) as a sole carbon source for growth. The most important step for the production of a novel polythioester (PTE) using DTDB as a precursor substrate is the initial cleavage of DTDB. Thus, identification of the enzyme responsible for this step was mandatory. Because
Rhodococcus erythropolis
strain MI2 serves as a model organism for elucidation of the biodegradation of DTDB, it was used to identify the genes encoding the enzymes involved in DTDB utilization. To identify these genes, transposon mutagenesis of
R. erythropolis
MI2 was carried out using transposon pTNR-TA. Among 3,261 mutants screened, 8 showed no growth with DTDB as the sole carbon source. In five mutants, the insertion locus was mapped either within a gene coding for a polysaccharide deacetyltransferase, a putative ATPase, or an acetyl coenzyme A transferase, 1 bp upstream of a gene coding for a putative methylase, or 176 bp downstream of a gene coding for a putative kinase. In another mutant, the insertion was localized between genes encoding a putative transcriptional regulator of the TetR family (
noxR
) and an NADH:flavin oxidoreductase (
nox
). Moreover, in two other mutants, the insertion loci were mapped within a gene encoding a hypothetical protein in the vicinity of
noxR
and
nox
. The interruption mutant generated,
R. erythropolis
MI2
nox
Ω
tsr
, was unable to grow with DTDB as the sole carbon source. Subsequently,
nox
was overexpressed and purified, and its activity with DTDB was measured. The specific enzyme activity of Nox amounted to 1.2 ± 0.15 U/mg. Therefore, we propose that Nox is responsible for the initial cleavage of DTDB into 2 molecules of 4-mercaptobutyric acid (4MB).
Formation of Polyphosphate by Polyphosphate Kinases and Its Relationship to Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate) Accumulation in Ralstonia eutropha Strain H16
Authors: Tumlirsch Tony , Sznajder Anna , Jendrossek Dieter 
Published: September 2015

ABSTRACT

A protein (PhaX) that interacted with poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) depolymerase PhaZa1 and with PHB granule-associated phasin protein PhaP2 was identified by two-hybrid analysis. Deletion of
phaX
resulted in an increase in the level of polyphosphate (polyP) granule formation and in impairment of PHB utilization in nutrient broth-gluconate cultures. A procedure for enrichment of polyP granules from cell extracts was developed. Twenty-seven proteins that were absent in other cell fractions were identified in the polyP granule fraction by proteome analysis. One protein (A2437) harbored motifs characteristic of type 1 polyphosphate kinases (PPK1s), and two proteins (A1212, A1271) had PPK2 motifs.
In vivo
colocalization with polyP granules was confirmed by expression of C- and N-terminal fusions of enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (eYFP) with the three polyphosphate kinases (PPKs). Screening of the genome DNA sequence for additional proteins with PPK motifs revealed one protein with PPK1 motifs and three proteins with PPK2 motifs. Construction and subsequent expression of C- and N-terminal fusions of the four new PPK candidates with eYFP showed that only A1979 (PPK2 motif) colocalized with polyP granules. The other three proteins formed fluorescent foci near the cell pole (apart from polyP) (A0997, B1019) or were soluble (A0226). Expression of the
Ralstonia eutropha ppk
(

ppk
Reu

) genes in an
Escherichia coli
Δ
ppk
background and construction of a set of single and multiple chromosomal deletions revealed that both A2437 (PPK1a) and A1212 (PPK2c) contributed to polyP granule formation. Mutants with deletion of both genes were unable to produce polyP granules. The formation and utilization of PHB and polyP granules were investigated in different chromosomal backgrounds.
A Large Set of Newly Created Interspecific Saccharomyces Hybrids Increases Aromatic Diversity in Lager Beers
Authors: Mertens Stijn , Steensels Jan , Saels Veerle , De Rouck Gert , Aerts Guido , Verstrepen Kevin J. 
Published: September 2015

ABSTRACT

Lager beer is the most consumed alcoholic beverage in the world. Its production process is marked by a fermentation conducted at low (8 to 15°C) temperatures and by the use of
Saccharomyces pastorianus
, an interspecific hybrid between
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
and the cold-tolerant
Saccharomyces eubayanus
. Recent whole-genome-sequencing efforts revealed that the currently available lager yeasts belong to one of only two archetypes, “Saaz” and “Frohberg.” This limited genetic variation likely reflects that all lager yeasts descend from only two separate interspecific hybridization events, which may also explain the relatively limited aromatic diversity between the available lager beer yeasts compared to, for example, wine and ale beer yeasts. In this study, 31 novel interspecific yeast hybrids were developed, resulting from large-scale robot-assisted selection and breeding between carefully selected strains of
S. cerevisiae
(six strains) and
S. eubayanus
(two strains). Interestingly, many of the resulting hybrids showed a broader temperature tolerance than their parental strains and reference
S. pastorianus
yeasts. Moreover, they combined a high fermentation capacity with a desirable aroma profile in laboratory-scale lager beer fermentations, thereby successfully enriching the currently available lager yeast biodiversity. Pilot-scale trials further confirmed the industrial potential of these hybrids and identified one strain, hybrid H29, which combines a fast fermentation, high attenuation, and the production of a complex, desirable fruity aroma.
Bioinformatic Characterization of Glycyl Radical Enzyme-Associated Bacterial Microcompartments
Authors: Zarzycki Jan , Erbilgin Onur , Kerfeld Cheryl A. 
Published: September 2015

ABSTRACT

Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are proteinaceous organelles encapsulating enzymes that catalyze sequential reactions of metabolic pathways. BMCs are phylogenetically widespread; however, only a few BMCs have been experimentally characterized. Among them are the carboxysomes and the propanediol- and ethanolamine-utilizing microcompartments, which play diverse metabolic and ecological roles. The substrate of a BMC is defined by its signature enzyme. In catabolic BMCs, this enzyme typically generates an aldehyde. Recently, it was shown that the most prevalent signature enzymes encoded by BMC loci are glycyl radical enzymes, yet little is known about the function of these BMCs. Here we characterize the glycyl radical enzyme-associated microcompartment (GRM) loci using a combination of bioinformatic analyses and active-site and structural modeling to show that the GRMs comprise five subtypes. We predict distinct functions for the GRMs, including the degradation of choline, propanediol, and fuculose phosphate. This is the first family of BMCs for which identification of the signature enzyme is insufficient for predicting function. The distinct GRM functions are also reflected in differences in shell composition and apparently different assembly pathways. The GRMs are the counterparts of the vitamin B
12
-dependent propanediol- and ethanolamine-utilizing BMCs, which are frequently associated with virulence. This study provides a comprehensive foundation for experimental investigations of the diverse roles of GRMs. Understanding this plasticity of function within a single BMC family, including characterization of differences in permeability and assembly, can inform approaches to BMC bioengineering and the design of therapeutics.
A Virulent Phage Infecting Lactococcus garvieae, with Homology to Lactococcus lactis Phages
Authors: Eraclio Giovanni , Tremblay Denise M. , Lacelle-Côté Alexia , Labrie Simon J. , Fortina Maria Grazia , Moineau Sylvain 
Published: September 2015

ABSTRACT

A new virulent phage belonging to the
Siphoviridae
family and able to infect
Lactococcus garvieae
strains was isolated from compost soil. Phage GE1 has a prolate capsid (56 by 38 nm) and a long noncontractile tail (123 nm). It had a burst size of 139 and a latent period of 31 min. Its host range was limited to only two
L. garvieae
strains out of 73 tested. Phage GE1 has a double-stranded DNA genome of 24,847 bp containing 48 predicted open reading frames (ORFs). Putative functions could be assigned to only 14 ORFs, and significant matches in public databases were found for only 17 ORFs, indicating that GE1 is a novel phage and its genome contains several new viral genes and encodes several new viral proteins. Of these 17 ORFs, 16 were homologous to deduced proteins of virulent phages infecting the dairy bacterium
Lactococcus lactis
, including previously characterized prolate-headed phages. Comparative genome analysis confirmed the relatedness of
L. garvieae
phage GE1 to
L. lactis
phages c2 (22,172 bp) and Q54 (26,537 bp), although its genome organization was closer to that of phage c2. Phage GE1 did not infect any of the 58
L. lactis
strains tested. This study suggests that phages infecting different lactococcal species may have a common ancestor.