Coccidioides posadasii is a dimorphic fungal pathogen that grows as a filamentous saprobe in the soil and as endosporulating spherules within the host. To identify genes specific to the pathogenic ...phase of
Co. posadasii, we carried out a large-scale study of gene expression in two isolates of the species. From the sequenced
Co. posadasii genome, we chose 1000 open reading frames to construct a 70-mer microarray. RNA was recovered from both isolates at three life-cycle phases: hyphae, presegmented spherules, and spherules releasing endospores. Comparative hybridizations were conducted in a circuit design, permitting comparison between both isolates at all three life-cycle phases, and among all life-cycle phases for each isolate. By using this approach, we identified 92 genes that were differentially expressed between pathogenic and saprobic phases in both fungal isolates, and 43 genes with consistent differential expression between the two parasitic developmental phases. Genes with elevated expression in the pathogenic phases of both isolates included a number of genes that were involved in the response to environmental stress as well as in the metabolism of lipids. The latter observation is in agreement with previous studies demonstrating that spherules contain a higher proportion of lipids than saprobic phase tissue. Intriguingly, we discovered statistically significant and divergent levels of gene expression between the two isolates profiled for 64 genes. The results suggest that incorporating more than one isolate in the experimental design offers a means of categorizing the large collection of candidate genes that transcriptional profiling typically identifies into those that are strain-specific and those that characterize the entire species.
...when including all subjects in the Supplementary Information analyses, they incorrectly control for whether subjects answer on time. The time pressure effect is in the opposite direction of Rand ...et al.1 in experiments 2-4, but not significant (t value520.55, P value50.586 in experiment 2; t value520.44, P value50.663 in experiment 3; t value521.93, P value50.054 in experiment 4) (Fig. 1a).
Sample adsorption to the inner surface of fused silica capillaries is a common problem in CE when analyzing macromolecules and is harmful to the analysis. We previously utilized the pH hysteresis ...effect of fused silica to facilitate electrophoresis of the strongly adsorbing protein β2gpI in plain‐fused silica capillaries at neutral pH. In the present paper, the effect of different pretreatments of the capillary on the adsorption of the β2‐glycoprotein I has been investigated using electroosmosis markers, SDS mobilization, and imaging based on indirect immunofluorescence microscopy for direct visualization. The amount of β2gpI adsorbed on the surface was probed using all these independent techniques after electrophoresis at neutral pH on capillaries pretreated with HCl, background electrolyte (BGE), and NaOH. BGE pretreatment was included as a positive control. We found that 80% or more of the starting material was adsorbed to the inner surface of the silica capillaries during electrophoresis after pretreatment with only BGE or with NaOH, but after acidic pretreatment the loss was consistently less than 20%. NaOH most efficiently removes adsorbed protein between runs. A theoretical calculation of the pH change of the BGE showed that electrolysis affects the pH more than the deprotonation of silanols during electrophoresis. We conclude that acidic pretreatment of fused silica capillaries diminishes adsorption of β2gpI by decreasing charge‐dependent wall adsorption.
It was investigated whether azithromycin (AZM) stimulates chloride (Cl−) efflux from cystic fibrosis (CF) and non-CF airway epithelial cells, possibly secondary to up-regulation of the multidrug ...resistance protein (MDR). CF and non-CF human airway epithelial cell lines (CFBE and 16HBE) were treated with 0.4, 4, and 40 μ g/mL AZM for 4 days. Cl− efflux was explored in the presence or absence of specific inhibitors of CFTR and alternative Cl− channels. Six CF patients received AZM (500 mg daily) for 6 months. The percentage of predicted forced vital capacity (FVC%), forced expiratory volume (FEV1%), and the number of acute exacerbations were compared before and after treatment. Nasal biopsies were taken before and after treatment, and mRNA expression of MDR and CFTR was determined by in situ hybridization. A significant dose-dependent increase of Cl− efflux from CFBE cells (but not from 16HBE cells) was observed after AZM treatment. A CFTR inhibitor significantly reduced AZM-stimulated Cl− efflux from CFBE cells. A significant improvement in FEV1%, and fewer exacerbations were observed. AZM treatment did not affect mRNA expression of MDR and CFTR. The stimulation of Cl− efflux could be part of the explanation for the clinical improvement seen among the patients.
In this prospective study, the overall treatment and outcome of patients that underwent major lower limb amputation in a defined population is described. The study was performed over a five year ...period in the Health Care District of North-East Skåne, Sweden. Some 190 patients, permanent inhabitants of the Health Care District, underwent major lower limb amputation. Sixteen (16) of these patients had amputations before the study started and went through late second leg amputation during the period. One hundred and seventy four (174) patients had primary major amputation. Seventy nine (79) were men and 95 were women, with a median age of 81. The re-amputation rate was 17% although the primary knee preservation ratio was as high as 3.0:1. Rigid dressing was the standard method following trans-tibial amputation and was used for 5-7 days. ICEROSS silicone liner was used for compression therapy in 90% of all cases that resulted in delivery of a prosthesis. Prostheses were delivered to 43% of all patients with primary amputations. These patients spent a median of 13 days at the orthopaedic clinic. 55 days at the rehabilitation unit. Pressure casting was used as a standard method in the production of the prosthetic socket. ICEX carbon-fibre socket was used in 52%. New procedures, treatments and techniques were introduced, standardised and evaluated whilst the routines in the hospital were reorganised. In this way, a system has been implemented that better guarantees the outcome of the whole procedure and the service received by this category of patients.
Sample adsorption to the inner surface of fused silica capillaries is a common problem in
CE
when analyzing macromolecules and is harmful to the analysis. We previously utilized the p
H
hysteresis ...effect of fused silica to facilitate electrophoresis of the strongly adsorbing protein β
2
gp
I
in plain‐fused silica capillaries at neutral p
H
. In the present paper, the effect of different pretreatments of the capillary on the adsorption of the β
2
‐glycoprotein I has been investigated using electroosmosis markers,
SDS
mobilization, and imaging based on indirect immunofluorescence microscopy for direct visualization. The amount of β
2
gp
I
adsorbed on the surface was probed using all these independent techniques after electrophoresis at neutral p
H
on capillaries pretreated with
HCl
, background electrolyte (
BGE
), and
N
a
OH
.
BGE
pretreatment was included as a positive control. We found that 80% or more of the starting material was adsorbed to the inner surface of the silica capillaries during electrophoresis after pretreatment with only
BGE
or with
N
a
OH
, but after acidic pretreatment the loss was consistently less than 20%.
N
a
OH
most efficiently removes adsorbed protein between runs. A theoretical calculation of the p
H
change of the
BGE
showed that electrolysis affects the p
H
more than the deprotonation of silanols during electrophoresis. We conclude that acidic pretreatment of fused silica capillaries diminishes adsorption of β
2
gp
I
by decreasing charge‐dependent wall adsorption.
Genome dynamics that allow pathogens to escape host immune responses are fundamental to our understanding of host-pathogen interactions. Here we present the first population-based study of the ...process of concerted evolution in the repetitive domain of a protein-coding gene. This gene, SOWgp, encodes the immunodominant protein in the parasitic phase of the human pathogenic fungi Coccidioides immitis and C. posadasii. We sequenced the entire gene from strains representing the geographic ranges of the two Coccidioides species. By using phylogenetic and genetic distance analyses we discovered that the repetitive part of SOWgp evolves by concerted evolution, predominantly by the mechanism of unequal crossing over. We implemented a mathematical model originally developed for multigene families to estimate the rate of homogenization and recombination of the repetitive array, and the results indicate that the pattern of concerted evolution is a result of homogenization of repeat units proceeding at a rate close to the nucleotide point mutation rate. The release of the SOWgp molecules by the pathogen during proliferation may mislead the host: we speculate that the pathogen benefits from concerted evolution of repeated domains in SOWgp by an enhanced ability to misdirect the host's immune system.
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