DOCSLIB.ORG

Identification of a Novel Cathelicidin from the Deinagkistrodon Acutus

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Identification of a Novel Cathelicidin from the Deinagkistrodon Acutus toxins Article Identification of a Novel Cathelicidin from the Deinagkistrodon acutus Genome with Antibacterial Activity by Multiple Mechanisms Lipeng Zhong, Jiye Liu, Shiyu Teng and Zhixiong Xie * Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; [email protected] (L.Z.); [email protected] (J.L.); [email protected] (S.T.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 13 October 2020; Accepted: 1 December 2020; Published: 4 December 2020 Abstract: The abuse of antibiotics and the consequent increase of drug-resistant bacteria constitute a serious threat to human health, and new antibiotics are urgently needed. Research shows that antimicrobial peptides produced by natural organisms are potential substitutes for antibiotics. Based on Deinagkistrodon acutus (known as five-pacer viper) genome bioinformatics analysis, we discovered a new cathelicidin antibacterial peptide which was called FP-CATH. Circular dichromatic analysis showed a typical helical structure. FP-CATH showed broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. It has antibacterial activity to Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that FP-CATH could cause the change of bacterial cell integrity, having a destructive effect on Gram-negative bacteria and inducing Gram-positive bacterial surface formation of vesicular structure. FP-CATH could bind to LPS and showed strong binding ability to bacterial DNA. In vivo, FP-CATH can improve the survival rate of nematodes in bacterial invasion experiments, and has a certain protective effect on nematodes. To sum up, FP-CATH is likely to play a role in multiple mechanisms of antibacterial action by impacting bacterial cell integrity and binding to bacterial biomolecules. It is hoped that the study of FP-CATH antibacterial mechanisms will prove useful for development of novel antibiotics. Keywords: D. acutus cathelicidin; bacterial cell integrity; antimicrobial peptide; DNA binding Key Contribution: FP-CATH binding to bacterial biomolecules affects the integrity of bacterial cells. This study laid the foundation for the design of antimicrobial peptides with multiple mechanisms. 1. Introduction The use of antibiotics is an effective treatment for infectious diseases, but in recent years, the misuse of antibiotics has caused more bacteria to become resistant or become superbugs [1]. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a broad term referring to resistance to drugs that treat infections caused by bacteria. According to research reports, at the current growth rate, AMR could cause 10 million deaths by 2050, and exceed the 8.2 million cancer deaths in 2019 [2]. Perhaps in the near future, there may be no effective antibiotics available to humans, and more people will die from bacterial infections. Antibiotic resistance has become one of the world’s most pressing health problems. Antimicrobial peptides (Amps) are small molecular peptides with biological activity that exist in many organisms. The molecular weight of antimicrobial peptides is about 2000~7000 Da, and they are composed of 20~60 amino acid residues [3]. These active peptides are generally characterized by strong alkalinity, thermal stability, and broad-spectrum antibacterial activity [4–7]. Antimicrobial peptides are an important defense against the invasion of pathogenic microorganisms. Toxins 2020, 12, 771; doi:10.3390/toxins12120771 www.mdpi.com/journal/toxins Toxins 2020, 12, 771 2 of 17 Antimicrobial peptides (Amps) are small molecular peptides with biological activity that exist in many organisms. The molecular weight of antimicrobial peptides is about 2000~7000 Da, and they are composed of 20~60 amino acid residues [3]. These active peptides are generally characterized by strong alkalinity, thermal stability, and broad-spectrum antibacterial activity [4–7]. Antimicrobial peptides are an important defense against the invasion of pathogenic microorganisms. Toxins 2020, 12, 771 2 of 16 Cathelicidins are one of the largest families of structurally diverse antimicrobial peptides and are at least 400 million years old [8,9]. They were first identified in mammalian myeloid cells, and were Cathelicidinsthen found in are a onevariety of the of largestanimals, families including of structurally mammals, diversefish, birds, antimicrobial amphibians peptides, and reptiles and are [at10 least]. Snake 400 c millionathelicidin yearss w oldere [ 8found,9]. They in both were venomous first identified and non in mammalian-venomous snakes myeloid in cells, the literature, and were includingthen found KR in(F/A a variety)KKFFKK of animals,(L/P)K conservative including mammals, motif [11 fish,,12]. birds,They amphibians,showed a certain and reptilesefficacy [ 10in]. killingSnake cathelicidinspathogenic microorganisms, were found in both but venomous the specific and mechanism non-venomous is not snakes very clear. in the literature, including KR(FD/A)KKFFKK(L. acutus is endemic/P)K conservative to southern motif China [11;, 12it ].is They also showedknown aas certain the fi eveffi-cacypacer in viper killing, commonly pathogenic usedmicroorganisms, in traditional but Chinese the specific medicine mechanism. However, is not to verydate clear.no cathelicidin has been identified from D. acutusD.. T acutushis articleis endemic is based to southernon D. acutus China; genome it is also bioinformatics known as the analysis, five-pacer which viper, revealed commonly a usednew memberin traditional of the Chinese snake medicine.cathelicidin However, family tocalled date FP no-C cathelicidinATH. We hasshow beened that identified it possesses from D. potent acutus . broadThis article-spectrum is based and onrapidD. acutus antimicrobialgenome bioinformaticsactivity, low hemolytic analysis, toxicity which revealed, and strong a new anti memberbacterial of efftheect snake on bacterial cathelicidin cell integrity. family called We also FP-CATH. discovered We showed it could that bind it to possesses bacterial potent LPS and broad-spectrum DNA at low concentrationsand rapid antimicrobial. In vivo, FP activity,-CATH low can hemolytic protect nematode toxicity, ands in strongbacterial antibacterial invasion experiment effect on bacterials. Insights cell intointegrity. the mechanism We also discovered employed it could by FP bind-CATH to bacterial will h LPSelp andto fully DNA atunderstand low concentrations. the antibacterialIn vivo , mechanismFP-CATH can and protect guide the nematodes development in bacterial of efficient invasion antibiotics. experiments. Insights into the mechanism employed by FP-CATH will help to fully understand the antibacterial mechanism and guide the 2.development Results of efficient antibiotics. 2.1.2. Results Prediction and Analysis of FP-CATH in the D.acutus Transcriptome and Genome 2.1. PredictionThe D. acutus and Analysistranscriptome of FP-CATH and genome in the D. w acutusere analy Transcriptomezed by local and BLAST Genome program in NCBI. The sequence with the highest similarity peptide blast ExPASy was selected (see www.expasy.org). The resultsThe showD.ed acutus that transcriptomeit had a similarity and genometo cathelicidin were analyzedand had never by local been BLAST reported program before in; it NCBI. was namedThe sequence FP-CATH with. FP the-CATH highest pre similaritymature peptide peptide was blast used ExPASy as a template was selected for genomic (see www.expasy.org localization. It). isThe composed results showed of four thatexons it and had three a similarity introns to and cathelicidin locates at and genomic had never scaffold been 1306 reported (Figure before; 1A). it was named FP-CATH. FP-CATH premature peptide was used as a template for genomic localization. It is composed of four exons and three introns and locates at genomic scaffold 1306 (Figure1A). (A) (B) (C) Figure 1. Cont. ToxinsToxins 20202020,, 1212,, 771771 33 ofof 1617 (D) (E) FigureFigure 1.1. The FP-CATH bioinformatics analysis. (A) FP-CATH chromosomechromosome localization.localization. (B) Tertiary structurestructure predictionprediction ofof FP-CATH.FP-CATH. ((CC)) PropertiesProperties ofof selectedselected aminoamino acidacid residuesresidues formingforming thethe spiralspiral structurestructure ofof FP-CATHFP-CATH werewere calculatedcalculated byby Heli-QuestHeli-Quest WebWeb server.server. Arrow Arrow means (µμH) vectorvector (hydrophobic(hydrophobic momentmoment ofof peptide).peptide). ((DD)) PhylogeneticPhylogenetic analysisanalysis ofof FP-CATH.FP-CATH. TheThe treetree waswas constructedconstructed usingusing thethe neighbor-joining method by 1000 bootstrap replicates based on the immature cathelicidins. ((EE)) AminoAmino acidacid sequencessequences alignalign betweenbetween FP-CATHFP-CATH and and other other snake snake cathelicidins. cathelicidins. PredictingPredicting and and modeling modeling of of FP-CATH FP-CATH secondar secondaryy structure structure was was conducted conducted using using ExPASy. ExPASy. The Thepredicted predicted secondary secondary and tertiary and tertiary structures structures of the protein of the proteinshowed showedthat the thatamino the acids amino at 1-20 acids of atN 1-20fragment of N fragmentwere typical were helical typical structures helical structures as in Fi asgure in Figure1B. The1B. properties The properties of selected of selected amino amino acid acidresidues residues forming forming the thespiral spiral structure structure
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Bibliography and Scientific Name Index to Amphibians
    lb BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SCIENTIFIC NAME INDEX TO AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES IN THE PUBLICATIONS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON BULLETIN 1-8, 1918-1988 AND PROCEEDINGS 1-100, 1882-1987 fi pp ERNEST A. LINER Houma, Louisiana SMITHSONIAN HERPETOLOGICAL INFORMATION SERVICE NO. 92 1992 SMITHSONIAN HERPETOLOGICAL INFORMATION SERVICE The SHIS series publishes and distributes translations, bibliographies, indices, and similar items judged useful to individuals interested in the biology of amphibians and reptiles, but unlikely to be published in the normal technical journals. Single copies are distributed free to interested individuals. Libraries, herpetological associations, and research laboratories are invited to exchange their publications with the Division of Amphibians and Reptiles. We wish to encourage individuals to share their bibliographies, translations, etc. with other herpetologists through the SHIS series. If you have such items please contact George Zug for instructions on preparation and submission. Contributors receive 50 free copies. Please address all requests for copies and inquiries to George Zug, Division of Amphibians and Reptiles, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC 20560 USA. Please include a self-addressed mailing label with requests. INTRODUCTION The present alphabetical listing by author (s) covers all papers bearing on herpetology that have appeared in Volume 1-100, 1882-1987, of the Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington and the four numbers of the Bulletin series concerning reference to amphibians and reptiles. From Volume 1 through 82 (in part) , the articles were issued as separates with only the volume number, page numbers and year printed on each. Articles in Volume 82 (in part) through 89 were issued with volume number, article number, page numbers and year.
    [Show full text]
  • Species Identification of Shed Snake Skins in Taiwan and Adjacent Islands
    Zoological Studies 56: 38 (2017) doi:10.6620/ZS.2017.56-38 Open Access Species Identification of Shed Snake Skins in Taiwan and Adjacent Islands Tein-Shun Tsai1,* and Jean-Jay Mao2 1Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology 1 Shuefu Road, Neipu, Pingtung 912, Taiwan 2Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, National Ilan University No.1, Sec. 1, Shennong Rd., Yilan City, Yilan County 260, Taiwan. E-mail: [email protected] (Received 28 August 2017; Accepted 25 November 2017; Published 19 December 2017; Communicated by Jian-Nan Liu) Tein-Shun Tsai and Jean-Jay Mao (2017) Shed snake skins have many applications for humans and other animals, and can provide much useful information to a field survey. When properly prepared and identified, a shed snake skin can be used as an important voucher; the morphological descriptions of the shed skins may be critical for taxonomic research, as well as studies of snake ecology and conservation. However, few convenient/ expeditious methods or techniques to identify shed snake skins in specific areas have been developed. In this study, we collected and examined a total of 1,260 shed skin samples - including 322 samples from neonates/ juveniles and 938 from subadults/adults - from 53 snake species in Taiwan and adjacent islands, and developed the first guide to identify them. To the naked eye or from scanned images, the sheds of almost all species could be identified if most of the shed was collected. The key features that aided in identification included the patterns on the sheds and scale morphology.
    [Show full text]
  • Knowledge Management Enviroments for High Throughput Biology
    Knowledge Management Enviroments for High Throughput Biology Abhey Shah A Thesis submitted for the degree of MPhil Biology Department University of York September 2007 Abstract With the growing complexity and scale of data sets in computational biology and chemoin- formatics, there is a need for novel knowledge processing tools and platforms. This thesis describes a newly developed knowledge processing platform that is different in its emphasis on architecture, flexibility, builtin facilities for datamining and easy cross platform usage. There exist thousands of bioinformatics and chemoinformatics databases, that are stored in many different forms with different access methods, this is a reflection of the range of data structures that make up complex biological and chemical data. Starting from a theoretical ba- sis, FCA (Formal Concept Analysis) an applied branch of lattice theory, is used in this thesis to develop a file system that automatically structures itself by it’s contents. The procedure of extracting concepts from data sets is examined. The system also finds appropriate labels for the discovered concepts by extracting data from ontological databases. A novel method for scaling non-binary data for use with the system is developed. Finally the future of integrative systems biology is discussed in the context of efficiently closed causal systems. Contents 1 Motivations and goals of the thesis 11 1.1 Conceptual frameworks . 11 1.2 Biological foundations . 12 1.2.1 Gene expression data . 13 1.2.2 Ontology . 14 1.3 Knowledge based computational environments . 15 1.3.1 Interfaces . 16 1.3.2 Databases and the character of biological data .
    [Show full text]
  • Screening for Subtle Chromosomal Rearrangements in an Egyptian Sample of Children with Unexplained Mental Retardation
    The Egyptian Journal of Medical Human Genetics (2011) 12, 63–68 Ain Shams University The Egyptian Journal of Medical Human Genetics www.ejmhg.eg.net www.sciencedirect.com ORIGINAL ARTICLE Screening for subtle chromosomal rearrangements in an Egyptian sample of children with unexplained mental retardation Rabah M. Shawky *, Farida El-Baz, Ezzat S. Elsobky, Solaf M. Elsayed, Eman Zaky, Riham M. El-Hossiny Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt Received 16 October 2010; accepted 5 December 2010 KEYWORDS Abstract Mental retardation is present in about 1–3% of individuals in the general population, but Idiopathic mental retarda- it can be explained in about half of the cases. A descriptive study was carried out to screen for subtle tion (IMR); chromosomal rearrangements in a group of Egyptian children with idiopathic mental retardation High resolution banding (IMR) to estimate its frequency if detected. The study enrolled 30 patients with IMR, with the per- (HRB); quisite criteria of being <18 years at referral, their IQ <70, and manifesting at least one of the cri- Fluorescent in situ hybrid- teria for selection of patients with subtelomeric abnormalities. Males were 63.3% and females were ization (FISH); 36.7%, with a mean age of 7.08 ± 4.22 years. Full history taking, thorough clinical examination, Subtelomeric chromosomal IQ, visual, and audiological assessment, brain CT scan, plasma aminogram, pelvi-abdominal ultra- rearrangement sonography, echocardiography, and cytogenetic evaluation using routine conventional karyotyp- ing, high resolution banding (HRB), and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) technique with appropriate probes were carried out for all studied patients. All enrolled patients had apparently normal karyotypes within 450 bands resolution, except for one patient who had 46, XY, [del (18) (p11.2)].
    [Show full text]
  • Integrating Protein Copy Numbers with Interaction Networks to Quantify Stoichiometry in Mammalian Endocytosis
    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.10.29.361196; this version posted October 29, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-ND 4.0 International license. Integrating protein copy numbers with interaction networks to quantify stoichiometry in mammalian endocytosis Daisy Duan1, Meretta Hanson1, David O. Holland2, Margaret E Johnson1* 1TC Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21218. 2NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892. *Corresponding Author: [email protected] bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.10.29.361196; this version posted October 29, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-ND 4.0 International license. Abstract Proteins that drive processes like clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) are expressed at various copy numbers within a cell, from hundreds (e.g. auxilin) to millions (e.g. clathrin). Between cell types with identical genomes, copy numbers further vary significantly both in absolute and relative abundance. These variations contain essential information about each protein’s function, but how significant are these variations and how can they be quantified to infer useful functional behavior? Here, we address this by quantifying the stoichiometry of proteins involved in the CME network. We find robust trends across three cell types in proteins that are sub- vs super-stoichiometric in terms of protein function, network topology (e.g.
    [Show full text]
  • Sounding Paiwan: Institutionalization and Heritage-Making of Paiwan Lalingedan and Pakulalu Flutes in Contemporary Taiwan
    Ethnomusicology Review 22(2) Sounding Paiwan: Institutionalization and Heritage-Making of Paiwan Lalingedan and Pakulalu Flutes in Contemporary Taiwan Chia-Hao Hsu Lalingedan ni vuvu namaya tua qaun Lalingedan ni vuvu namaya tua luseq…… Lalingedan sini pu’eljan nu talimuzav a’uvarun Lalingedan nulemangeda’en mapaqenetje tua saluveljengen The ancestor’s nose flute is like weeping. The ancestor’s nose flute is like tears... When I am depressed, the sound of the nose flute becomes a sign of sorrow. When I hear the sound of the nose flute, I always have my lover in mind. —Sauniaw Tjuveljevelj, from the song “Lalingedan ni vuvu,” in the album Nasi1 In 2011, the Taiwanese government’s Council for Cultural Affairs declared Indigenous Paiwan lalingedan (nose flutes) and pakulalu (mouth flutes) to be National Important Traditional Arts. 2 Sauniaw Tjuveljevelj, a designated preserver of Paiwan nose and mouth flutes at the county level, released her first album Nasi in 2007, which included one of her Paiwan songs “Lalingedan ni vuvu” [“The Ancestor’s Nose Flute”]. Using both nose flute playing and singing in Paiwan language, the song shows her effort to accentuate her Paiwan roots by connecting with her ancestors via the nose flute. The lines of the song mentioned above reflect how prominent cultural discourses in Taiwan depict the instruments today; the sound of Paiwan flutes (hereafter referred to collectively as Paiwan flutes) resembles the sound of weeping, which is a voice that evokes a sense of ancestral past and “thoughtful sorrow.” However, the music of Paiwan flutes was rarely labeled as sorrowful in literature before the mid-1990s.
    [Show full text]
  • P. 1 AC27 Inf. 7 (English Only / Únicamente En Inglés / Seulement
    AC27 Inf. 7 (English only / únicamente en inglés / seulement en anglais) CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA ____________ Twenty-seventh meeting of the Animals Committee Veracruz (Mexico), 28 April – 3 May 2014 Species trade and conservation IUCN RED LIST ASSESSMENTS OF ASIAN SNAKE SPECIES [DECISION 16.104] 1. The attached information document has been submitted by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of * Nature) . It related to agenda item 19. * The geographical designations employed in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the CITES Secretariat or the United Nations Environment Programme concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The responsibility for the contents of the document rests exclusively with its author. AC27 Inf. 7 – p. 1 Global Species Programme Tel. +44 (0) 1223 277 966 219c Huntingdon Road Fax +44 (0) 1223 277 845 Cambridge CB3 ODL www.iucn.org United Kingdom IUCN Red List assessments of Asian snake species [Decision 16.104] 1. Introduction 2 2. Summary of published IUCN Red List assessments 3 a. Threats 3 b. Use and Trade 5 c. Overlap between international trade and intentional use being a threat 7 3. Further details on species for which international trade is a potential concern 8 a. Species accounts of threatened and Near Threatened species 8 i. Euprepiophis perlacea – Sichuan Rat Snake 9 ii. Orthriophis moellendorfi – Moellendorff's Trinket Snake 9 iii. Bungarus slowinskii – Red River Krait 10 iv. Laticauda semifasciata – Chinese Sea Snake 10 v.
    [Show full text]
  • Eleutherodactylus Ridens (Pygmy Rainfrog) Predation Tobias Eisenberg
    Sacred Heart University DigitalCommons@SHU Biology Faculty Publications Biology 9-2007 Eleutherodactylus ridens (Pygmy Rainfrog) Predation Tobias Eisenberg Twan Leenders Sacred Heart University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/bio_fac Part of the Population Biology Commons, and the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Eisenberg, T. & Leenders, T. (2007). Eleutherodactylus ridens (Pygmy Rainfrog) predation. Herpetological Review, 38(3), 323. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Biology at DigitalCommons@SHU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Biology Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@SHU. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. SSAR Officers (2007) HERPETOLOGICAL REVIEW President The Quarterly News-Journal of the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles ROY MCDIARMID USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Editor Managing Editor National Museum of Natural History ROBERT W. HANSEN THOMAS F. TYNING Washington, DC 20560, USA 16333 Deer Path Lane Berkshire Community College Clovis, California 93619-9735, USA 1350 West Street President-elect [email protected] Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201, USA BRIAN CROTHER [email protected] Department of Biological Sciences Southeastern Louisiana University Associate Editors Hammond, Louisiana 70402, USA ROBERT E. ESPINOZA CHRISTOPHER A. PHILLIPS DEANNA H. OLSON California State University, Northridge Illinois Natural History Survey USDA Forestry Science Lab Secretary MARION R. PREEST ROBERT N. REED MICHAEL S. GRACE R. BRENT THOMAS Joint Science Department USGS Fort Collins Science Center Florida Institute of Technology Emporia State University The Claremont Colleges Claremont, California 91711, USA EMILY N. TAYLOR GUNTHER KÖHLER MEREDITH J. MAHONEY California Polytechnic State University Forschungsinstitut und Illinois State Museum Naturmuseum Senckenberg Treasurer KIRSTEN E.
    [Show full text]
  • A New Species of the Genus Achalinus from Huangshan, Anhui, China (Squamata: Xenodermidae)
    ORIGINAL Asian Herpetological Research 2021, 12(2): xxx–xxx ARTICLE DOI: 10.16373/j.cnki.ahr.200075 A New Species of the Genus Achalinus from Huangshan, Anhui, China (Squamata: Xenodermidae) Ruyi HUANG1,2,3#, Lifang PENG1,3#, Lei YU4, Tianqi HUANG5, Ke JIANG6, Li DING6, Jinkang CHANG7, Diancheng YANG1,3, Yuhao XU8 and Song HUANG1,3* 1 Anhui Province Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resource, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, Anhui, China 2 Shanghai Jian Qiao University, Shanghai 201306, China 3 Huangshan Noah Biodiversity Institute, Huangshan 245000, Anhui, China 4 Anhui Rare Birds Protection Association, Hefei 230601, Anhui, China 5 Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolution, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA 6 Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China 7 School of plant protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, China 8 School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, China 1. Introduction Abstract A new species of the genus Achalinus is described based on five specimens collected from the There are currently 13 described species in the genus Achalinus villages of Huangjialing and Fuxi, Huangshan, Anhui, Peters, 1869 (Serpentes: Xenodermidae): A. ater1, A. emilyae, China. It can be morphologically differentiated A. formosanus2, A. hainanus3, I, A. jinggangensis4, II, A. juliani, A. from all the other species in Achalinus except for A. meiguensis5, III, A. niger6, IV, A. ru fescens7, A. spinalis8, A. timi, A. spinalis and A. werneri by the presence of a dotted werneri, and A.
    [Show full text]
  • Downregulation of Umbilical Cord Blood Levels of Mir-374A.Pdf
    Downregulation of Umbilical Cord Blood Levels of miR-374a in Neonatal Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy Ann-Marie Looney, MSc1, Brian H. Walsh, PhD1, Gerard Moloney, PhD2, Sue Grenham, PhD2, Ailis Fagan, PhD3, Gerard W. O’Keeffe, PhD1,2, Gerard Clarke, PhD3,4, John F. Cryan, PhD2,3, Ted G. Dinan, PhD3,4, Geraldine B. Boylan, PhD1, and Deirdre M. Murray, PhD1 Objective To investigate the expression profile of microRNA (miRNA) in umbilical cord blood from infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Study design Full-term infants with perinatal asphyxia were identified under strict enrollment criteria. Degree of encephalopathy was defined using both continuous multichannel electroencephalogram in the first 24 hours of life and modified Sarnat score. Seventy infants (18 controls, 33 with perinatal asphyxia without HIE, and 19 infants with HIE [further graded as 13 mild, 2 moderate, and 4 severe]) were included in the study. MiRNA expression profiles were determined using a microarray assay and confirmed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results Seventy miRNAs were differentially expressed between case and control groups. Of these hsa-miR-374a was the most significantly downregulated in infants with HIE vs controls. Validation of hsa-miR-374a expression using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction confirmed a significant reduction in expression among infants with HIE compared with those with perinatal asphyxia and healthy controls (mean relative quantification [SD] = 0.52 [0.37] vs 1.10 [1.52] vs 1.76 [1.69], P < .02). Conclusions We have shown a significant step-wise downregulation of hsa-miR-374a expression in cord blood of infants with perinatal asphyxia and subsequent HIE.
    [Show full text]
  • The First European Pit Viper from the Miocene of Ukraine
    The first European pit viper from the Miocene of Ukraine MARTIN NANOV Ivanov, M. 1999. The fust European pit viper from the Miocene of Ukraine. - Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 44,3,327-334. The first discoveries of European pit vipers (Crotalinae gen. et sp. indet. A and B) are re- ported from the Ukrainian Miocene (MN 9a) locality of Gritsev. Based on perfectly pre- served maxillaries, two species closely related to pit vipers of the 'Agkistrodon' complex are represented at the site. It is suggested that the European fossil representatives of the 'Agkistrodon' complex are Asiatic immigrants. Pit vipers probably never expanded into the broader areas of Europe during their geological hstory. Key words: Snakes, Crotalinae, migrations, Miocene, Ukraine. Martin Ivanov [[email protected]], Department of Geology & Palaeontology, Mu- ravian Museum, Zelny' trh 6, 659 37 Bmo, Czech Republic. Introduction Gritsev is located in the western part of Ukraine, in the Khrnelnitsk area, Shepetovski district. The locality contains karstic fillings within a limestone quarry on the right bank of the Khomora river, less than 5 km west of the village of Gritsev. The strati- graphic age of the site corresponds to the Upper Miocene (lower - 'novomoskevski' - horizon of the Middle Sarmatian, MN 9a Mammal Neogene faunal zone). This locality corresponds to the Kalfinsky Formation ('Kalfinsky faunistic complex') and to the Gritsev layers ('Gritsev faunistic complex'). Fossil reptiles from Gritsev have already been investigated. Thus far, Agarnidae, Gekkonidae, Lacertidae, Anguidae, Scincidae, ?Amphisbaenia, Boidae (subfamily Erycinae), Colubridae, Elapidae and Viperidae have been reported (Lungu et al. 1989; Szyndlar & Zerova 1990; Zerova 1987, ,1989, 1992).
    [Show full text]
  • Form and Meaning in Paiwanese Art and Material Culture
    Form and Meaning in Paiwanese Art and Material Culture Hueiyun Chen August 2015 Research School of Humanities and the Arts A thesis submitted for the degree Doctor of Philosophy of The Australian National University Declaration of authorship Except where reference is made in the text of the thesis, this thesis contains no material published elsewhere or extracted in whole or part from a thesis by which I have qualified for. II Acknowledgement Foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Professor Howard Morphy for the continuous support to my PhD study, for his patience, motivation, and immense knowledge. His guidance helped me in all the time of research and writing of this thesis. My sincere thanks also goes to Dr, Louise Hamby, whose encouragement, interest, enthusiasm in my work helped me through many difficult moments. I would also like to thank my advisor Judith MacDougall for her great instruction with the management of images in this research. My gratitude also goes to Professor Paul Darcy, for his kindness and sincere to help me with some difficult issues in this thesis. I am also very grateful to the help from my Landlord and landlady: Colin and Rosemary Jeffcott. Thanks to their warm heart to offer me a shelter, which makes Australia become home. I especially thank my great teacher – Rosemary, without her help and guidance of English writing, this thesis would have never come about in the same way. So many Paiwanese respectful elders and friends made this research come true through their assistance and collaboration. I am truly thankful for their unselfish attitude to share me with their knowledge, experience and insight of this unique culture.
    [Show full text]