Plants maintain their internal temperature under environments with fluctuating temperatures by adjusting their morphology and architecture, an adaptive process termed thermomorphogenesis. Notably, ...the rhythmic patterns of plant thermomorphogenesis are governed by day-length information. However, it remains elusive how thermomorphogenic rhythms are regulated by photoperiod. Here, we show that warm temperatures enhance the accumulation of the chaperone GIGANTEA (GI), which thermostabilizes the DELLA protein, REPRESSOR OF ga1-3 (RGA), under long days, thereby attenuating PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (PIF4)-mediated thermomorphogenesis. In contrast, under short days, when GI accumulation is reduced, RGA is readily degraded through the gibberellic acid-mediated ubiquitination-proteasome pathway, promoting thermomorphogenic growth. These data indicate that the GI–RGA–PIF4 signaling module enables plant thermomorphogenic responses to occur in a day-length-dependent manner. We propose that the GI-mediated integration of photoperiodic and temperature information shapes thermomorphogenic rhythms, which enable plants to adapt to diel fluctuations in day length and temperature during seasonal transitions.
This study demonstrates that GIGANTEA modulates thermomorphogenesis by stabilizing the DELLA protein RGA, maintaining day-length-dependent growth rhythms.
This study aims to examine the contribution of nanoporous silica entrapped lipid-drug complexes (NSCs) in improving the solubility and bioavailability of dutasteride (DUT). An NSC was loaded with DUT ...(dissolved in lipids) and dispersed at a nanoscale level using an entrapment technique. NSC microemulsion formation was confirmed using a ternary phase diagram, while the presence of DUT and lipid entrapment in NSC was confirmed using scanning electron microscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction revealed the amorphous properties of NSC. The prepared all NSC had excellent flowability and enhanced DUT solubility but showed no significant difference in drug content homogeneity. An increase in the lipid content of NSC led to an increase in the DUT solubility. Further the NSC were formulated as tablets using D-α tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate, glyceryl caprylate/caprate, and Neusilin
. The NSC tablets showed a high dissolution rate of 99.6% at 30 min. Furthermore, NSC stored for 4 weeks at 60 °C was stable during dissolution testing. Pharmacokinetic studies performed in beagle dogs revealed enhanced DUT bioavailability when administered as NSC tablets. NSC can be used as a platform to develop methods to overcome the technical and commercial limitations of lipid-based preparations of poorly soluble drugs.
Chemosensation is important for the survival and reproduction of animals. The odorant binding proteins (OBPs) are thought to be involved in chemosensation together with chemosensory receptors. While ...OBPs were initially considered to deliver hydrophobic odorants to olfactory receptors in the aqueous lymph solution, recent studies suggest more complex roles in various organs. Here, we use GAL4 transgenes to systematically analyze the expression patterns of all 52 members of the Obp gene family and 3 related chemosensory protein genes in adult Drosophila, focusing on chemosensory organs such as the antenna, maxillary palp, pharynx, and labellum, and other organs such as the brain, ventral nerve cord, leg, wing, and intestine. The OBPs were observed to express in diverse organs and in multiple cell types, suggesting that these proteins can indeed carry out diverse functional roles. Also, we constructed 10 labellar-expressing Obp mutants, and obtained behavioral evidence that these OBPs may be involved in bitter sensing. The resources we constructed should be useful for future Drosophila OBP gene family research.
Immunogenic peptides from wheat gluten can be produced during digestion, which are difficult to digest by gastrointestinal proteases and negatively affect immune responses in humans. Gluten ...intolerance is a problem in countries where wheat is a staple food, and a gluten-free diet is commonly recommended for its treatment and prevention. Enzyme approaches for degradation of the peptides can be considered as a strategy for its prevention. Here, we isolated a gluten-degrading bacterium,
subsp.
, from wheat grains. The culture conditions for enzyme production or microbial use were considered based on gluten decomposition patterns. Additionally, the pH range for the activity of the crude enzyme was investigated. The bacterium production of gluten-degrading enzymes was temperature-dependent within 25 °C to 45 °C, and the production time decreased with increasing culture temperature. However, it was markedly decreased with increasing biofilm formation. The bacterium decomposed high-molecular-weight glutenin proteins first, followed by gliadin proteins, regardless of the culture temperature. Western blotting with an anti-gliadin antibody revealed that the bacterium decomposed immunogenic proteins related to α/β-gliadins. The crude enzyme was active in the pH ranges of 5 to 8, and enzyme production was increased by adding gliadin into the culture medium. In this study, the potential of the
subsp.
for gluten-degrading enzyme production was demonstrated. If further studies for purification of the enzyme specific to the immunogenic peptides and its characteristics are conducted, it may contribute as a strategy for prevention of gluten intolerance.
Alopecia areata (AA) is a chronic, relapsing hair-loss disorder that is considered to be a T-cell-mediated autoimmune disease. Several animal models for AA have been created to investigate the ...pathophysiology and screen for effective therapeutic targets. As C3H/HeJ mice develop AA spontaneously in a low frequency, a novel animal model is needed to establish an AA-like condition faster and more conveniently. In this study, we present a novel non-invasive AA rodent model that avoids skin or lymph-node cell transfer. We simply injected C3H/HeJ mice subcutaneously with interferon-gamma (IFNγ) along with polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (polyI:C), a synthetic dsRNA, to initiate innate immunity via inflammasome activation. Approximately 80% of the IFNγ and poly(I:C) co-injected mice showed patchy AA lesions after 8 weeks. None of the mice displayed hair loss in the IFNγ or poly(I:C) solely injection group. Immunohistochemical staining of the AA lesions revealed increased infiltration of CD4
and CD8
cells infiltration around the hair follicles. IFNγ and poly(I:C) increased the expression of NLRP3, IL-1β, CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 in mouse skin. Taken together, these findings indicate a shorter and more convenient means of AA animal model induction and demonstrate that inflammasome-activated innate immunity is important in AA pathogenesis.
Aim
This study was done to determine the effects of temperature, pH and sodium chloride (NaCl) on antimicrobial activity of magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles (NPs) against E. coli O157:H7.
Methods ...and results
Culture conditions were established by varying the pH (5.0, 7.2 and 9.0), NaCl concentration (0.5, 2.0, 3.5 and 5.0%, w/v), and incubation temperatures (4, 12, 22 and 37°C). At each condition, the antimicrobial activities of MgO‐NPs (0, 1, 2 and 4 mg/ml) against E. coli O157:H7 were measured. Four‐way analysis of variance indicated interactions among all factors had a significant effect (p ≤ 0.05) on the antimicrobial activity of MgO‐NPs. The concentration of MgO‐NPs necessary to cause a 5‐log reduction of E. coli O157:H7 under the most inhibitory conditions (37°C, pH 9.0, and 5.0% NaCl) was 0.50 mg/ml of MgO‐NPs.
Conclusion
The antimicrobial activity of the MgO‐NPs increased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) with increased temperature, pH and NaCl concentration in TSB.
Significance and impact of the study
The influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on antimicrobial activity of MgO‐NPs we found will contribute to the development of microbial decontamination strategies using MgO in the food industry.
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•Different cell sedimentation rate is effective for screening of oleaginous cells.•Mutant strains having low sedimentation rate shows high lipid content.•The isolated mutant strain ...had a 57.3% enhancement in lipid content.•High lipid content of isolated mutant strain contributes to high LHV of biomass.
The co-combustion of microalgae biomass with coal has the potential to significantly reduce CO2 emissions by eliminating expensive and carbon-emitting downstream processes. In this study, the utilization of microalgal biomass as a direct combustion fuel in co-firing industries and the screening of potential oleaginous strains of high calorific value was investigated. High-lipid accumulating mutants were selected from mutant mixtures based on cell density using differential sedimentation rates. Of the mutant strains obtained in the top phase of the separation medium, 72% showed a higher lipid content than the wild-type strain. One mutant strain exhibited a 57.3% enhanced lipid content and a 9.3% lower heating value (LHV), both indicators of direct combustion fuel performance, compared to the wild-type strain. Our findings indicate that sedimentation rate-based strain selection allows for the easy and rapid screening of high-lipid content algal strains for the use of microalgae as direct combustion fuels.
The compounds 1,8-cineole and zerumbone (ZER) from the Cyperus rotundus rhizome along with another 11 previously identified rhizome essential oil constituents and α-humulene, which lacks the only ...carbonyl group present in ZER, as well as binary mixtures of ZER and seven active compounds were tested for repellency to male B. germanica. The results were compared to N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (deet). In filter-paper choice tests, ZER was the most repellent compound, and α-humulene was ineffective, which indicates that the α,β-unsaturated carbonyl group of ZER is a prerequisite component for repellency. At 81.5 μg cm
, enhanced repellency was produced by binary mixtures of ZER and 1,8-cineole, (+)-dihydrocarvone or (R)-(+)-limonene (70:30, 50:50 and 30:70 ratios by weight). These mixtures were very effective against male B. germanica within 24 h and were more repellent than a single compound or deet alone. The optimum ZER content was determined to be more than 50%. In Ebeling choice box tests at 652.4 μg cm
, these compounds and deet resulted in complete repellency to intact male B. germanica, while they exhibited 35-47% repellency to antennectomized male one. Mixtures formulated from the active constituents of the C. rotundus rhizome could be useful as potential repellents for controlling B. germanica.
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