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Articles 1 - 11 of 11

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Interdependent Assembly Of Specific Regulatory Lipids And Membrane Fusion Proteins Into The Vertex Ring Domain Of Docked Vacuoles, Rutilio A. Fratti, Youngsoo Jun, Alexey J. Merz, Nathan Margolis, William Wickner Dec 2004

Interdependent Assembly Of Specific Regulatory Lipids And Membrane Fusion Proteins Into The Vertex Ring Domain Of Docked Vacuoles, Rutilio A. Fratti, Youngsoo Jun, Alexey J. Merz, Nathan Margolis, William Wickner

Dartmouth Scholarship

Membrane microdomains are assembled by lipid partitioning (e.g., rafts) or by protein-protein interactions (e.g., coated vesicles). During docking, yeast vacuoles assemble "vertex" ring-shaped microdomains around the periphery of their apposed membranes. Vertices are selectively enriched in the Rab GTPase Ypt7p, the homotypic fusion and vacuole protein sorting complex (HOPS)-VpsC Rab effector complex, SNAREs, and actin. Membrane fusion initiates at vertex microdomains. We now find that the "regulatory lipids" ergosterol, diacylglycerol and 3- and 4-phosphoinositides accumulate at vertices in a mutually interdependent manner. Regulatory lipids are also required for the vertex enrichment of SNAREs, Ypt7p, and HOPS. Conversely, SNAREs and actin …


An Intramolecular Association Between Two Domains Of The Protein Kinase Fused Is Necessary For Hedgehog Signaling, Manuel Ascano Jr., David J. Robbins Dec 2004

An Intramolecular Association Between Two Domains Of The Protein Kinase Fused Is Necessary For Hedgehog Signaling, Manuel Ascano Jr., David J. Robbins

Dartmouth Scholarship

The protein kinase Fused (Fu) is an integral member of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway. Although genetic studies demonstrate that Fu is required for the regulation of the Hh pathway, the mechanistic role that it plays remains largely unknown. Given our difficulty in developing an in vitro kinase assay for Fu, we reasoned that the catalytic activity of Fu might be highly regulated. Several mechanisms are known to regulate protein kinases, including self-association in either an intra- or an intermolecular fashion. Here, we provide evidence that Hh regulates Fu through intramolecular association between its kinase domain (ΔFu) and its carboxyl-terminal …


Identification Of Sarv (Sa2062), A New Transcriptional Regulator, Is Repressed By Sara And Mgra (Sa0641) And Involved In The Regulation Of Autolysis In Staphylococcus Aureus, Adhar C. Manna, Susham S. Ingavale, Marybeth Maloney, Willem Van Wamel, Ambrose L. Cheung Aug 2004

Identification Of Sarv (Sa2062), A New Transcriptional Regulator, Is Repressed By Sara And Mgra (Sa0641) And Involved In The Regulation Of Autolysis In Staphylococcus Aureus, Adhar C. Manna, Susham S. Ingavale, Marybeth Maloney, Willem Van Wamel, Ambrose L. Cheung

Dartmouth Scholarship

The expression of genes involved in the pathogenesis of Staphylococcus aureus is known to be controlled by global regulatory loci, including agr, sarA, sae, arlRS, lytSR, and sarA-like genes. Here we described a novel transcriptional regulator called sarV of the SarA protein family. The transcription of sarV is low or undetectable under in vitro conditions but is significantly augmented in sarA and mgrA (norR or rat) (SA0641) mutants. The sarA and mgrA genes act as repressors of sarV expression, as confirmed by transcriptional fusion and Northern analysis data. Purified SarA and MgrA proteins bound specifically to separate regions of the …


A Novel Triterpenoid Induces Transforming Growth Factor Β Production By Intraepithelial Lymphocytes To Prevent Ileitis, Laurie A. Minns, Dominique Buzoni-Gatel, Kenneth H. Ely, Nicolas Rachinel, Souphalone Luangsay, Lloyd H. Kasper Jul 2004

A Novel Triterpenoid Induces Transforming Growth Factor Β Production By Intraepithelial Lymphocytes To Prevent Ileitis, Laurie A. Minns, Dominique Buzoni-Gatel, Kenneth H. Ely, Nicolas Rachinel, Souphalone Luangsay, Lloyd H. Kasper

Dartmouth Scholarship

The loss of homeostasis is a hallmark of inflammatory bowel disease. Oral infection of susceptible mice with Toxoplasma gondii results in an acute lethal ileitis characterized by increased interferon γ, tumor necrosis factor α, and inducible nitric oxide synthase; homeostasis results from transforming growth factor β production by intraepithelial lymphocytes. The synthetic oleanane triterpenoid 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9-dien-28-oic acid (CDDO) is a potent anti-inflammatory molecule previously shown in vitro to suppress the de novo synthesis of inducible nitric oxide synthase and to induce the transcription and activation of genes from the transforming growth factor β signaling pathway. We evaluated the immune response in …


Sadb Is Required For The Transition From Reversible To Irreversible Attachment During Biofilm Formation By Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Pa14, Nicky C. Caiazza, George A. O'Toole Jul 2004

Sadb Is Required For The Transition From Reversible To Irreversible Attachment During Biofilm Formation By Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Pa14, Nicky C. Caiazza, George A. O'Toole

Dartmouth Scholarship

Current models of biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa propose that (i) planktonic cells become surface associated in a monolayer, (ii) surface-associated cells form microcolonies by clonal growth and/or aggregation, (iii) microcolonies transition to a mature biofilm comprised of exopolysaccharide-encased macrocolonies, and (iv) cells exit the mature biofilm and reenter the planktonic state. Here we report a new class of P. aeruginosa biofilm mutant that defines the transition from reversible to irreversible attachment and is thus required for monolayer formation. The transposon insertion carried by the sadB199 mutant was mapped to open reading frame PA5346 of P. aeruginosa PA14 and encodes …


Endogenous No Regulates Superoxide Production At Low Oxygen Concentrations By Modifying The Redox State Of Cytochrome C Oxidase, Miriam Palacios-Callender, Marisol Quintero, Veronica S. Hollis, Roger J. Springett, Salvador Moncada May 2004

Endogenous No Regulates Superoxide Production At Low Oxygen Concentrations By Modifying The Redox State Of Cytochrome C Oxidase, Miriam Palacios-Callender, Marisol Quintero, Veronica S. Hollis, Roger J. Springett, Salvador Moncada

Dartmouth Scholarship

We have investigated in whole cells whether, at low oxygen concentrations ([O(2)]), endogenous nitric oxide (NO) modulates the redox state of the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC), and whether such an action has any signaling consequences. Using a polarographic-and-spectroscopic-coupled system, we monitored redox changes in the ETC cytochromes b(H), cc(1), and aa(3) during cellular respiration. The rate of O(2) consumption (VO(2)) remained constant until [O(2)] fell below 15 microM, whereas the onset of reduction of cytochromes aa(3), part of the terminal ETC enzyme cytochrome c oxidase, occurred at approximately 50 microM O(2). Incubation of the cells with an inhibitor of …


Characterization Of Hemoglobin, Water, And Nir Scattering In Breast Tissue: Analysis Of Intersubject Variability And Menstrual Cycle Changes, Brian W. Pogue, Shudong Jiang, Hamid Dehghani, Christine Kogel, Sandra Soho, Subhadra Srinivasan, Xiaomei Song, Tor D. Tosteson, Steven P. Poplack, Keith D. Paulsen May 2004

Characterization Of Hemoglobin, Water, And Nir Scattering In Breast Tissue: Analysis Of Intersubject Variability And Menstrual Cycle Changes, Brian W. Pogue, Shudong Jiang, Hamid Dehghani, Christine Kogel, Sandra Soho, Subhadra Srinivasan, Xiaomei Song, Tor D. Tosteson, Steven P. Poplack, Keith D. Paulsen

Dartmouth Scholarship

Near-infrared imaging was used to quantify typical values of hemoglobin concentration, oxygen saturation, water fraction, scattering power, and scattering amplitude within the breast tissue of volunteer subjects. A systematic study of the menstrual variations in these parameters was carried out by measuring a group of seven premenopausal normal women (aged 41 to 47 years) in the follicular (days 7 to 14 of the cycle) and secretory phases (days 21 to 28) of the cycle, for two complete menstrual cycles. An average increase in hemoglobin concentration of 2.6 μM or 13% of the background breast values was observed in the …


The Tumor Suppressor Lkb1 Kinase Directly Activates Amp-Activated Kinase And Regulates Apoptosis In Response To Energy Stress, Reuben J. Shaw, Monica Kosmatka, Nabeel Bardeesy, Rebecca L. Hurley, Lee A. Witters, Ronald A. Depinho, Lewis C. Cantley Mar 2004

The Tumor Suppressor Lkb1 Kinase Directly Activates Amp-Activated Kinase And Regulates Apoptosis In Response To Energy Stress, Reuben J. Shaw, Monica Kosmatka, Nabeel Bardeesy, Rebecca L. Hurley, Lee A. Witters, Ronald A. Depinho, Lewis C. Cantley

Dartmouth Scholarship

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a highly conserved sensor of cellular energy status found in all eukaryotic cells. AMPK is activated by stimuli that increase the cellular AMP/ATP ratio. Essential to activation of AMPK is its phosphorylation at Thr-172 by an upstream kinase, AMPKK, whose identity in mammalian cells has remained elusive. Here we present biochemical and genetic evidence indicating that the LKB1 serine/threonine kinase, the gene inactivated in the Peutz-Jeghers familial cancer syndrome, is the dominant regulator of AMPK activation in several mammalian cell types. We show that LKB1 directly phosphorylates Thr-172 of AMPKalpha in vitro and activates its …


Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 Endocytosis In Endothelial Cells Proceed Via Syndecan-4-Dependent Activation Of Rac1 And A Cdc42-Dependent Macropinocytic Pathway, Eugene Tkachenko, Esther Lutgens, Radu-Virgil Stan, Michael Simons Feb 2004

Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 Endocytosis In Endothelial Cells Proceed Via Syndecan-4-Dependent Activation Of Rac1 And A Cdc42-Dependent Macropinocytic Pathway, Eugene Tkachenko, Esther Lutgens, Radu-Virgil Stan, Michael Simons

Dartmouth Scholarship

Full activity of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) requires their internalization in addition to the interaction with cell surface receptors. Recent studies have suggested that the transmembrane proteoglycan syndecan-4 functions as a FGF2 receptor. In this study we investigated the molecular basis of syndecan endocytosis and its role in FGF2 internalization in endothelial cells. We found that syndecan-4 uptake, induced either by treatment with FGF2 or by antibody clustering, requires the integrity of plasma membrane lipid rafts for its initiation, occurs in a non-clathrin-, non-dynamin-dependent manner and involves Rac1, which is activated by syndecan-4 clustering. FGF2 was internalized in a complex …


Trans-Snare Interactions Elicit Ca2+ Efflux From The Yeast Vacuole Lumen, Alexey J. Merz, William T. Wickner Jan 2004

Trans-Snare Interactions Elicit Ca2+ Efflux From The Yeast Vacuole Lumen, Alexey J. Merz, William T. Wickner

Dartmouth Scholarship

Ca2+ transients trigger many SNARE-dependent membrane fusion events. The homotypic fusion of yeast vacuoles occurs after a release of lumenal Ca2+. Here, we show that trans-SNARE interactions promote the release of Ca2+ from the vacuole lumen. Ypt7p-GTP, the Sec1p/Munc18-protein Vps33p, and Rho GTPases, all of which function during docking, are required for Ca2+ release. Inhibitors of SNARE function prevent Ca2+ release. Recombinant Vam7p, a soluble Q-SNARE, stimulates Ca2+ release. Vacuoles lacking either of two complementary SNAREs, Vam3p or Nyv1p, fail to release Ca2+ upon tethering. Mixing these two vacuole populations together allows Vam3p and Nyv1p to interact in trans and …


Inactivation Of A Bacterial Virulence Pheromone By Phagocyte-Derived Oxidants: New Role For The Nadph Oxidase In Host Defense, Jacob M. Rothfork, Graham S. Timmins, Michael N. Harris, Xian Chen, Aldons J. Lusis, Michael Otto, Ambrose L. Cheung, Hattie D. Gresham Jan 2004

Inactivation Of A Bacterial Virulence Pheromone By Phagocyte-Derived Oxidants: New Role For The Nadph Oxidase In Host Defense, Jacob M. Rothfork, Graham S. Timmins, Michael N. Harris, Xian Chen, Aldons J. Lusis, Michael Otto, Ambrose L. Cheung, Hattie D. Gresham

Dartmouth Scholarship

Quorum sensing triggers virulence factor expression in medically important bacterial pathogens in response to a density-dependent increase in one or more autoinducing pheromones. Here, we show that phagocyte-derived oxidants target these autoinducers for inactivation as an innate defense mechanism of the host. In a skin infection model, expression of phagocyte NADPH oxidase, myeloperoxidase, or inducible nitric oxide synthase was critical for defense against a quorum-sensing pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus, but not for defense against a quorum sensing-deficient mutant. A virulence-inducing peptide of S. aureus was inactivated in vitro and in vivo by reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediates, including HOCl and ONOO(-). …