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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Pre-Mrna Secondary Structures Influence Exon Recognition, Michael Hiller, Zhaiyi Zhang, Rolf Backofen, Stefan Stamm
Pre-Mrna Secondary Structures Influence Exon Recognition, Michael Hiller, Zhaiyi Zhang, Rolf Backofen, Stefan Stamm
Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications
The secondary structure of a pre-mRNA influences a number of processing steps including alternative splicing. Since most splicing regulatory proteins bind to single-stranded RNA, the sequestration of RNA into double strands could prevent their binding. Here, we analyzed the secondary structure context of experimentally determined splicing enhancer and silencer motifs in their natural pre-mRNA context. We found that these splicing motifs are significantly more single-stranded than controls. These findings were validated by transfection experiments, where the effect of enhancer or silencer motifs on exon skipping was much more pronounced in single-stranded conformation. We also found that the structural context of …
A Non-Circadian Role For Clock-Genes In Sleep Homeostasis: A Strain Comparison, Paul Franken, Ryan Thomason, H. Craig Heller, Bruce F. O'Hara
A Non-Circadian Role For Clock-Genes In Sleep Homeostasis: A Strain Comparison, Paul Franken, Ryan Thomason, H. Craig Heller, Bruce F. O'Hara
Biology Faculty Publications
BACKGROUND: We have previously reported that the expression of circadian clock-genes increases in the cerebral cortex after sleep deprivation (SD) and that the sleep rebound following SD is attenuated in mice deficient for one or more clock-genes. We hypothesized that besides generating circadian rhythms, clock-genes also play a role in the homeostatic regulation of sleep. Here we follow the time course of the forebrain changes in the expression of the clock-genes period (per)-1, per2, and of the clock-controlled gene albumin D-binding protein (dbp) during a 6 h SD and subsequent recovery sleep in three inbred strains of mice for which …
Induction Of Insulin Secretion In Engineered Liver Cells By Nitric Oxide, Latha Muniappan, Sabire Özcan
Induction Of Insulin Secretion In Engineered Liver Cells By Nitric Oxide, Latha Muniappan, Sabire Özcan
Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications
BACKGROUND: Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus results from an autoimmune destruction of the pancreatic beta cells, which produce insulin. The lack of insulin leads to chronic hyperglycemia and secondary complications, such as cardiovascular disease. The currently approved clinical treatments for diabetes mellitus often fail to achieve sustained and optimal glycemic control. Therefore, there is a great interest in the development of surrogate beta cells as a treatment for type 1 diabetes. Normally, pancreatic beta cells produce and secrete insulin only in response to increased blood glucose levels. However in many cases, insulin secretion from non-beta cells engineered to produce insulin occurs …
A Simple Array Platform For Microrna Analysis And Its Application In Mouse Tissues, Xiaoqing Tang, Jozsef Gal, Xun Zhuang, Wang-Xia Wang, Haining Zhu, Guiliang Tang
A Simple Array Platform For Microrna Analysis And Its Application In Mouse Tissues, Xiaoqing Tang, Jozsef Gal, Xun Zhuang, Wang-Xia Wang, Haining Zhu, Guiliang Tang
Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a novel class of small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and play a critical role in many important biological processes. Most miRNAs are conserved between humans and mice, which makes it possible to analyze their expressions with a set of selected array probes. Here, we report a simple array platform that can detect 553 nonredundant miRNAs encompassing the entire set of miRNAs for humans and mice. The platform features carefully selected and designed probes with optimized hybridization parameters. Potential cross-reaction between mature miRNAs and their precursors was investigated. The array platform was …
Chronic Administration Of R-Flurbiprofen Attenuates Learning Impairments In Transgenic Amyloid Precursor Protein Mice, Thomas Kukar, Sonya Prescott, Jason L. Eriksen, Vallie Holloway, M. Paul Murphy, Edward H. Koo, Todd E. Golde, Michelle M. Nicolle
Chronic Administration Of R-Flurbiprofen Attenuates Learning Impairments In Transgenic Amyloid Precursor Protein Mice, Thomas Kukar, Sonya Prescott, Jason L. Eriksen, Vallie Holloway, M. Paul Murphy, Edward H. Koo, Todd E. Golde, Michelle M. Nicolle
Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications
BACKGROUND: Long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is associated with a reduced incidence of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We and others have shown that certain NSAIDs reduce secretion of Abeta42 in cell culture and animal models, and that the effect of NSAIDs on Abeta42 is independent of the inhibition of cyclooxygenase by these compounds. Since Abeta42 is hypothesized to be the initiating pathologic molecule in AD, the ability of these compounds to lower Abeta42 selectively may be associated with their protective effect. We have previously identified R-flurbiprofen (tarenflurbil) as a selective Abeta42 lowering agent with greatly reduced cyclooxygenase activity that …
Expansion Of The Calcium Hypothesis Of Brain Aging And Alzheimer's Disease: Minding The Store, Olivier Thibault, John C. Gant, Philip W. Landfield
Expansion Of The Calcium Hypothesis Of Brain Aging And Alzheimer's Disease: Minding The Store, Olivier Thibault, John C. Gant, Philip W. Landfield
Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications
Evidence accumulated over more than two decades has implicated Ca2+ dysregulation in brain aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD), giving rise to the Ca2+ hypothesis of brain aging and dementia. Electrophysiological, imaging, and behavioral studies in hippocampal or cortical neurons of rodents and rabbits have revealed aging-related increases in the slow afterhyperpolarization, Ca2+ spikes and currents, Ca2+transients, and L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channel (L-VGCC) activity. Several of these changes have been associated with age-related deficits in learning or memory. Consequently, one version of the Ca2+ hypothesis has been that increased L-VGCC activity drives many of the other Ca2+-related biomarkers of hippocampal aging. …
Trophic Interactions Between Two Herbivorous Insects, Galerucella Calmariensis And Myzus Lythri, Feeding On Purple Loosestrife, Lythrum Salicaria, And Two Insect Predators, Harmonia Axyridis And Chrysoperla Carnea, Bethzayda Matos, John J. Obrycki
Trophic Interactions Between Two Herbivorous Insects, Galerucella Calmariensis And Myzus Lythri, Feeding On Purple Loosestrife, Lythrum Salicaria, And Two Insect Predators, Harmonia Axyridis And Chrysoperla Carnea, Bethzayda Matos, John J. Obrycki
Entomology Faculty Publications
The effects of two herbivorous insects, Galerucella calmariensis Duftschmid and Myzus lythri L. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), feeding on purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria L. (Myrtiflorae: Lythraceae), were measured in the presence of two insect predators, Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). A greenhouse cage experiment examined the direct effects of these predators on these herbivores, and indirect effects of predation on aboveground biomass, defoliation, number of leaves, and internode length. Eight treatment combinations with G. calmariensis, M. lythri, H. axyridis and C. carnea were applied to caged L. salicaria. The experiment ended …