Publications

identification and characterization of a novel intelectin in the digestive tract of xenopus laevis.	the intelectin (intl) family is a group of secretory lectins in chordates that serve multiple functions, including innate immunity, through ca(2+)-dependent recognition of carbohydrate chains. although six intl family lectins have so far been reported in xenopus laevis, none have been identified in the intestine. using a monoclonal antibody to the xenopus embryonic epidermal lectin (xeel or intl-1), i identified cross-reactive proteins in the intestines. the proteins were purified by affinity ch ...	2016	26855011
differential effects of the recombinant toxin pntx4(5-5) from the spider phoneutria nigriventer on mammalian and insect sodium channels.	the toxin pntx4(5-5) from the spider phoneutria nigriventer is extremely toxic/lethal to insects but has no macroscopic behavioral effects observed in mice after intracerebral injection. nevertheless, it was demonstrated that it inhibits the n-methyl-d-aspartate (nmda) - subtype of glutamate receptors of cultured rat hippocampal neurons. pntx4(5-5) has 63% identity to pntx4(6-1), another insecticidal toxin from p. nigriventer, which can slow down the sodium current inactivation in insect central ...	2016	26747232
recombinant expression and characterization of α-conotoxin lvia in escherichia coli.	α-conotoxin lvia is derived from conus lividus, native to hainan, and is the most selective inhibitor of α3β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nachrs) known to date. in this study, an efficient approach for the production of recombinant α-conotoxin lvia is described. tandem repeats of a lvia gene fragment were constructed and fused with a ksi gene and a his₆ tag in a escherichia coli (e. coli) expression vector pet-31b(+). the recombinant plasmids were transformed into e. coli and were found t ...	2016	26742048
investigations of the synergistic enhancement of antimicrobial activity in mixtures of magainin 2 and pgla.	magainins are antimicrobial peptides isolated from the african clawed frog xenopus laevis. they interact with bacterial membranes where they cause channel formation and membrane disruption. when added as a cocktail magainin 2 and pgla are considerably more efficient when compared to the corresponding amounts of individual components. in order to investigate this synergistic interaction of pgla and magainin a number of magainin variants have been prepared and investigated in biological and biophy ...	2016	26099623
the cholinomimetic morantel as an open channel blocker of the ascaris suum acr-16 nachr.	nematode parasite infections pose a significant threat in human and veterinary medicine. at least a third of the world's population is at risk from nematode parasite infections. these infections not only cause health problems, but also cause loss of livestock production and hence, economic losses. anthelmintic drugs are the mainstay by which control of nematode parasite infections is achieved. many of the currently available anthelmintics act on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nachrs). howeve ...	2016	27995347
inter- and intra-subunit butanol/isoflurane sites of action in the human glycine receptor.	glycine receptors (glyrs) mediate inhibitory neurotransmission and are targets for alcohols and anesthetics in brain. glyr transmembrane (tm) domains contain critical residues for alcohol/anesthetic action: amino acid a288 in tm3 forms crosslinks with tm1 (i229) in the adjacent subunit as well as tm2 (s267) and tm4 (y406, w407, i409, y410) in the same subunit. we hypothesized that these residues may participate in intra-subunit and inter-subunit sites of alcohol/anesthetic action. the following ...	2016	27378846
biometric data assessment on xenopus laeis tadpoles.		2016	30701053
structural heterogeneity of cnga1 channels revealed by electrophysiology and single-molecule force spectroscopy.	the determination at atomic resolution of the three-dimensional molecular structure of membrane proteins such as receptors and several ion channels has been a major breakthrough in structural biology. the molecular structure of several members of the superfamily of voltage-gated ionic channels such as k+ and na+ is now available. however, despite several attempts, the molecular structure at atomic resolution of the full cyclic nucleotide-gated (cng) ion channel, although a member of the same sup ...	2016	31457189
a matter of the heart: the african clawed frog xenopus as a model for studying vertebrate cardiogenesis and congenital heart defects.	the african clawed frog, xenopus, is a valuable non-mammalian model organism to investigate vertebrate heart development and to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms of human congenital heart defects (chds). in this review, we outline the similarities between xenopus and mammalian cardiogenesis, and provide an overview of well-studied cardiac genes in xenopus, which have been associated with congenital heart conditions. additionally, we highlight advantages of modeling candidate genes deri ...	2016	29367567
pre-meiotic transformation of germplasm-related structures during male gamete differentiation in xenopus laevis.	to highlight the ultrastructural features of transformation occurring with germplasm-related structures (gprs), the spermatogenic cells of xenopus laevis were studied by transmission electron microscopy and quantitative analysis. it was determined that in spermatogonia and spermatocytes, the compact germinal granules underwent fragmentation into particles comparable with inter-mitochondrial cement (imc). fragments of imc agglutinated some cell mitochondria and resulted in the creation of mitocho ...	2016	25511532
identification of genes expressed in the migrating primitive myeloid lineage of xenopus laevis.	during primitive hematopoiesis in xenopus, cebpa and spib expressing myeloid cells emerge from the anterior ventral blood island. primitive myeloid cells migrate throughout the embryo and are critical for immunity, healing, and development. although definitive hematopoiesis has been studied extensively, molecular mechanisms leading to the migration of primitive myelocytes remain poorly understood. we hypothesized these cells have specific extracellular matrix modifying and cell motility gene exp ...	2016	26264370
kbot55, purified from buthus occitanus tunetanus venom, represents the first member of a novel α-ktx subfamily.	kbot55 is a 39 amino acid peptide isolated from the venom of the tunisian scorpion buthus occitanus tunetanus. this peptide is cross-linked by 3 disulfide bridges and has a molecular mass of 4128.65da. kbot55 is very low represented in the venom and thus represents a challenge for biochemical characterization. in this study, kbot55 has been subjected to a screening on ion channels expressed in xenopus laevis oocytes. it was found that kbot55 targets voltage-gated potassium channels with high aff ...	2016	26079392
metamorphic remodeling of the olfactory organ of the african clawed frog, xenopus laevis.	the amphibian olfactory system undergoes massive remodeling during metamorphosis. the transition from aquatic olfaction in larvae to semiaquatic or airborne olfaction in adults requires anatomical, cellular, and molecular modifications. these changes are particularly pronounced in pipidae, whose adults have secondarily adapted to an aquatic life style. in the fully aquatic larvae of xenopus laevis, the main olfactory epithelium specialized for sensing water-borne odorous substances lines the pri ...	2016	26294036
regulation of growth rate and developmental timing by xenopus thyroid hormone receptor α.	thyroid hormone (th) is critical for vertebrate postembryonic development, a period around birth in mammals when plasma th levels are high. interestingly, th receptors (trs), especially trα, are expressed prior to the synthesis and secretion of zygotic th, suggesting the existence of unliganded tr during development. however, the role of unliganded tr during mammalian development has been difficult to study, in part due to the relatively weak phenotype of tr knockout mice. amphibian metamorphosi ...	2016	26219216
xenopus lap2β protein knockdown affects location of lamin b and nucleoporins and has effect on assembly of cell nucleus and cell viability.	xenopus lap2β protein is the single isoform expressed in xtc cells. the protein localizes on heterochromatin clusters both at the nuclear envelope and inside a cell nucleus. the majority of xlap2β fraction neither colocalizes with tpx2 protein during interphase nor can be immunoprecipitated with xlap2β antibody. knockdown of the xlap2β protein expression in xtc cells by synthetic sirna and plasmid encoded sirna resulted in nuclear abnormalities including changes in shape of nuclei, abnormal chro ...	2016	26209045
developing xenopus embryos recover by compacting and expelling single wall carbon nanotubes.	single wall carbon nanotubes are high aspect ratio nanomaterials being developed for use in materials, technological and biological applications due to their high mechanical stiffness, optical properties and chemical inertness. because of their prevalence, it is inevitable that biological systems will be exposed to nanotubes, yet studies of the effects of nanotubes on developing embryos have been inconclusive and are lacking for single wall carbon nanotubes exposed to the widely studied model or ...	2016	26153061
complicated behavior of g-quadruplexes and evaluating g-quadruplexes' ligands in various systems mimicking cellular circumstance.	environments surrounding g-rich sequences remarkably affect the conformations of these structures. a proper evaluation system mimicking the crowded environment in a cell with macromolecules should be developed to perform structural and functional studies on g-quadruplexes. in this study, the topology and stability of a g-quadruplex formed by human telomeric repeat sequences were investigated in a macromolecule-crowded environment created by polyethylene glycol 200 (peg200), tumor cell extract, a ...	2016	28955851
proteomics of xenopus development.	modern mass spectrometry-based methods provide an exciting opportunity to characterize protein expression in the developing embryo. we have employed an isotopic labeling technology to quantify the expression dynamics of nearly 6000 proteins across six stages of development in xenopus laevis from the single stage zygote through the mid-blastula transition and the onset of organogenesis. approximately 40% of the proteins show significant changes in expression across the development stages. the exp ...	2016	26396253
phosphorylation at serine 52 and 635 does not alter the transport properties of glucosinolate transporter atgtr1.	little is known about how plants regulate transporters of defense compounds. in a. thaliana, glucosinolates are transported between tissues by npf2.10 (atgtr1) and npf2.11 (atgtr2). mining of the phosphat4.0 database showed two cytosol exposed phosphorylation sites for atgtr1 and one membrane-buried phosphorylation site for atgtr2. in this study, we investigate whether mutation of the two potential regulatory sites of atgtr1 affected transport of glucosinolates in xenopus oocytes. characterizati ...	2016	26340317
cell cycle synchronization in xenopus egg extracts.	many important discoveries in cell cycle research have been made using cell-free extracts prepared from the eggs of the south african clawed frog xenopus laevis. these extracts efficiently support the key nuclear functions of the eukaryotic cell cycle in vitro under apparently the same controls that exist in vivo. the xenopus cell-free system is therefore uniquely suited to the study of the mechanisms, dynamics and integration of cell cycle regulated processes at a biochemical level. here, we de ...	2016	26254920
impact of the whole-cell patch-clamp configuration on the pharmacological assessment of the herg channel: trazodone as a case example.	voltage- and state-dependent blocks are important mechanisms by which drugs affect voltage-gated ionic channels. however, spontaneous (i.e. drug-free) time-dependent changes in the activation and inactivation of herg and na(+) channels have been reported when using conventional whole-cell patch-clamp in hek-293 cells.	2016	24412489
[follicular cells of the amphibian ovary: origin, structure, and functions].	formation of the follicular envelopes surrounding oocytes in the developing ovary and their subsequent morphological differentiation go hand-in-hand with succession of the steroidogenesis stages, arrest of meiosis and its maintenance, establishment of the conditions necessary for vitellogenesis, oocyte growth, and maturation. metabolites are exchanged via gap junctions and receptor-mediated transport through the perioocytic space. the ion transport in follicular cells (fcs) regulates the plasma ...	2016	25434201
odorant receptor-based discovery of natural repellents of human lice.	the body louse, pediculus humanus humanus, is an obligate blood-feeding ectoparasite and an important insect vector that mediates the transmission of diseases to humans. the analysis of the body louse genome revealed a drastic reduction of the chemosensory gene repertoires when compared to other insects, suggesting specific olfactory adaptations to host specialization and permanent parasitic lifestyle. here, we present for the first time functional evidence for the role of odorant receptors (ors ...	2015	26494014
evaluation of presurgical skin preparation agents in african clawed frogs (xenopus laevis).	despite the routine collection of oocytes from african clawed frogs (xenopus laevis) for use in research, few studies have evaluated methods for preparing their skin for surgery. we evaluated 3 skin preparatory agents by examining their antibacterial efficacy and the gross and microscopic appearance of xenopus skin after exposure. frogs (n = 14) were sedated and treated (contact time, 10 min) with 0.9% sterile nacl on one-half of the ventrum and with 0.5% povidone-iodine or 0.75% chlorhexidine o ...	2015	26632790
the ph sensitivity of aqp0 channels in tetraploid and diploid teleosts.	water homeostasis and the structural integrity of the vertebrate lens is partially mediated by aqp0 channels. emerging evidence indicates that external ph may be involved in channel gating. here we show that a tetraploid teleost, the atlantic salmon, retains 4 aqp0 genes (aqp0a1, -0a2, -0b1, and -0b2), which are highly, but not exclusively, expressed in the lens. functional characterization reveals that, although each paralog permeates water efficiently, the permeability is respectively shifted ...	2015	25667219
adaptive evolutionary paths from uv reception to sensing violet light by epistatic interactions.	ultraviolet (uv) reception is useful for such basic behaviors as mate choice, foraging, predator avoidance, communication, and navigation, whereas violet reception improves visual resolution and subtle contrast detection. uv and violet reception are mediated by the short wavelength-sensitive (sws1) pigments that absorb light maximally (λmax) at ~360 nm and ~395 to 440 nm, respectively. because of strong nonadditive (epistatic) interactions among amino acid changes in the pigments, the adaptive e ...	2015	26601250
direct recording of trans-plasma membrane electron currents mediated by a member of the cytochrome b561 family of soybean.	trans-plasma membrane electron transfer is achieved by b-type cytochromes of different families, and plays a fundamental role in diverse cellular processes involving two interacting redox couples that are physically separated by a phospholipid bilayer, such as iron uptake and redox signaling. despite their importance, no direct recordings of trans-plasma membrane electron currents have been described in plants. in this work, we provide robust electrophysiological evidence of trans-plasma membran ...	2015	26282237
the structure of a contact-dependent growth-inhibition (cdi) immunity protein from neisseria meningitidis mc58.	contact-dependent growth inhibition (cdi) is an important mechanism of intercellular competition between neighboring gram-negative bacteria. cdi systems encode large surface-exposed cdia effector proteins that carry a variety of c-terminal toxin domains (cdia-cts). all cdi(+) bacteria also produce cdii immunity proteins that specifically bind to the cognate cdia-ct and neutralize its toxin activity to prevent auto-inhibition. here, the x-ray crystal structure of a cdii immunity protein from neis ...	2015	26057799
perturbation of critical prolines in gloeobacter violaceus ligand-gated ion channel (glic) supports conserved gating motions among cys-loop receptors.	gloeobacter violaceus ligand-gated ion channel (glic) has served as a valuable structural and functional model for the eukaryotic cys-loop receptor superfamily. in cys-loop and other receptors, we have previously demonstrated the crucial roles played by several conserved prolines. here we explore the role of prolines in the gating transitions of glic. as conventional substitutions at some positions resulted in nonfunctional proteins, we used in vivo non-canonical amino acid mutagenesis to determ ...	2015	26668320
functional characterization of a novel class of morantel-sensitive acetylcholine receptors in nematodes.	acetylcholine receptors are pentameric ligand-gated channels involved in excitatory neuro-transmission in both vertebrates and invertebrates. in nematodes, they represent major targets for cholinergic agonist or antagonist anthelmintic drugs. despite the large diversity of acetylcholine-receptor subunit genes present in nematodes, only a few receptor subtypes have been characterized so far. interestingly, parasitic nematodes affecting human or animal health possess two closely related members of ...	2015	26625142
follicle online: an integrated database of follicle assembly, development and ovulation.	folliculogenesis is an important part of ovarian function as it provides the oocytes for female reproductive life. characterizing genes/proteins involved in folliculogenesis is fundamental for understanding the mechanisms associated with this biological function and to cure the diseases associated with folliculogenesis. a large number of genes/proteins associated with folliculogenesis have been identified from different species. however, no dedicated public resource is currently available for fo ...	2015	25931457
using supported bilayers to study the spatiotemporal organization of membrane-bound proteins.	cell division in prokaryotes and eukaryotes is commonly initiated by the well-controlled binding of proteins to the cytoplasmic side of the cell membrane. however, a precise characterization of the spatiotemporal dynamics of membrane-bound proteins is often difficult to achieve in vivo. here, we present protocols for the use of supported lipid bilayers to rebuild the cytokinetic machineries of cells with greatly different dimensions: the bacterium escherichia coli and eggs of the vertebrate xeno ...	2015	25997350
remyelination by resident oligodendrocyte precursor cells in a xenopus laevis inducible model of demyelination.	we have generated a xenopus laevis transgenic line, mbp-gfp-ntr, allowing conditional ablation of myelin-forming oligodendrocytes. in this transgenic line the transgene is driven by the proximal portion of the myelin basic protein regulatory sequence, specific to mature oligodendrocytes. the transgene protein is formed by the green fluorescent protein reporter fused to the escherichia coli nitroreductase (ntr) selection enzyme. the ntr enzyme converts the innocuous prodrug metronidazole (mtz) to ...	2015	25896276
the influence of electromagnetic pollution on living organisms: historical trends and forecasting changes.	current technologies have become a source of omnipresent electromagnetic pollution from generated electromagnetic fields and resulting electromagnetic radiation. in many cases this pollution is much stronger than any natural sources of electromagnetic fields or radiation. the harm caused by this pollution is still open to question since there is no clear and definitive evidence of its negative influence on humans. this is despite the fact that extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields were ...	2015	25811025
chytrid fungus infections in laboratory and introduced xenopus laevis populations: assessing the risks for u.k. native amphibians.	the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is notorious amongst current conservation biology challenges, responsible for mass mortality and extinction of amphibian species. world trade in amphibians is implicated in global dissemination. exports of south african xenopus laevis have led to establishment of this invasive species on four continents. bd naturally infects this host in africa and now occurs in several introduced populations. however, no previous studies have investigated t ...	2015	25843959
aspergillus glaucus aquaglyceroporin gene glpf confers high osmosis tolerance in heterologous organisms.	aquaglyceroporins (glpfs) that transport glycerol along with water and other uncharged solutes are involved in osmoregulation in myriad species. fungal species form a large group of eukaryotic organisms, and their glpfs may be diverse, exhibiting various activities. however, few filamentous fungal glpfs have been biologically investigated. here, a glpf gene from the halophilic fungus aspergillus glaucus (agglpf) was verified to be a channel of water or glycerol in xenopus laevis oocytes and was ...	2015	26209670
proton-dependent glutamine uptake by aphid bacteriocyte amino acid transporter apglnt1.	aphids house large populations of the gammaproteobacterial symbiont buchnera aphidicola in specialized bacteriocyte cells. the combined biosynthetic capability of the holobiont (acyrthosiphon pisum and buchnera) is sufficient for biosynthesis of all twenty protein coding amino acids, including amino acids that animals alone cannot synthesize; and that are present at low concentrations in a. pisum's plant phloem sap diet. collaborative holobiont amino acid biosynthesis depends on glutamine import ...	2015	26028424
nonclassical mhc-restricted invariant vα6 t cells are critical for efficient early innate antiviral immunity in the amphibian xenopus laevis.	nonclassical mhc class ib-restricted invariant t (it) cell subsets are attracting interest because of their potential to regulate immune responses against various pathogens. the biological relevance and evolutionary conservation of it cells have recently been strengthened by the identification of it cells (invariant vα6 [ivα6]) restricted by the nonclassical mhc class ib molecule xnc10 in the amphibian xenopus laevis. these ivα6 t cells are functionally similar to mammalian cd1d-restricted invar ...	2015	26062996
prominent amphibian (xenopus laevis) tadpole type iii interferon response to the frog virus 3 ranavirus.	ranaviruses (iridoviridae) are posing an increasing threat to amphibian populations, with anuran tadpoles being particularly susceptible to these viral infections. moreover, amphibians are the most basal phylogenetic class of vertebrates known to possess both type i and type iii interferon (ifn)-mediated immunity. moreover, little is known regarding the respective roles of the ifn mediators in amphibian antiviral defenses. accordingly, we transcriptionally and functionally compared the amphibian ...	2015	25717104
a molecular characterization of the agonist binding site of a nematode cys-loop gaba receptor.	cys-loop gaba receptors represent important targets for human chemotherapeutics and insecticides and are potential targets for novel anthelmintics (nematicides). however, compared with insect and mammalian receptors, little is known regarding the pharmacological characteristics of nematode cys-loop gaba receptors. here we have investigated the agonist binding site of the cys-loop gaba receptor unc-49 (hco-unc-49) from the parasitic nematode haemonchus contortus.	2015	25850584
effects of transgenic cry1ca rice on the development of xenopus laevis.	in fields of genetically modified, insect-resistant rice expressing bacillus thuringiensis (bt) proteins, frogs are exposed to bt cry proteins by consuming both target and non-target insects, and through their highly permeable skin. in the present study, we assessed the potential risk posed by transgenic cry1ca rice (t1c-19) on the development of a frog species by adding purified cry1ca protein or t1c-19 rice straw into the rearing water of xenopus laevis tadpoles, and by feeding x. laevis frogl ...	2015	26695426
lizip3 is a cellular zinc transporter that mediates the tightly regulated import of zinc in leishmania infantum parasites.	cellular zinc homeostasis ensures that the intracellular concentration of this element is kept within limits that enable its participation in critical physiological processes without exerting toxic effects. we report here the identification and characterization of the first mediator of zinc homeostasis in leishmania infantum, lizip3, a member of the zip family of divalent metal-ion transporters. the zinc transporter activity of lizip3 was first disclosed by its capacity to rescue the growth of s ...	2015	25644708
cdc174, a novel component of the exon junction complex whose mutation underlies a syndrome of hypotonia and psychomotor developmental delay.	siblings of non-consanguineous jewish-ethiopian ancestry presented with congenital axial hypotonia, weakness of the abducens nerve, psychomotor developmental delay with brain ventriculomegaly, variable thinning of corpus callosum and cardiac septal defects. homozygosity mapping identified a single disease-associated locus of 3.5 mb on chromosome 3. studies of a bedouin consanguineous kindred affected with a similar recessive phenotype identified a single disease-associated 18 mb homozygosity loc ...	2015	26358778
pseudouridine in mrna: incorporation, detection, and recoding.	it has long been known that pseudouridine (ψ) is the most abundant modified nucleotide in stable rnas, including trna, rrna, and snrna. recent studies using massive parallel sequencing have uncovered the presence of hundreds of ψs in mrnas as well. in eukaryotes and archaea, rna pseudouridylation is introduced predominantly by box h/aca rnps, rna-protein complexes each consisting of a single rna moiety and four core proteins. it has been well established that ψ plays an essential role in regulat ...	2015	26253972
dna-protein crosslink repair.	dna-protein crosslinks (dpcs) are highly toxic dna adducts, but whether dedicated dpc-repair mechanisms exist was until recently unknown. this has changed with discoveries made in yeast and xenopus laevis that revealed a protease-based dna-repair pathway specific for dpcs. importantly, mutations in the gene encoding the putative human homologue of a yeast dpc protease cause a human premature ageing and cancer predisposition syndrome. thus, dpc repair is a previously overlooked genome-maintenance ...	2015	26130008
the xenopus laevis atg4b protease: insights into substrate recognition and application for tag removal from proteins expressed in pro- and eukaryotic hosts.	during autophagy, members of the ubiquitin-like atg8 protein family get conjugated to phosphatidylethanolamine and act as protein-recruiting scaffolds on the autophagosomal membrane. the atg4 protease produces mature atg8 from c-terminally extended precursors and deconjugates lipid-bound atg8. we now found that xenopus laevis atg4b (xatg4b) is ideally suited for proteolytic removal of n-terminal tags from recombinant proteins. to implement this strategy, an atg8 cleavage module is inserted in be ...	2015	25923686
iron deficiency regulated osopt7 is essential for iron homeostasis in rice.	the molecular mechanism of iron (fe) uptake and transport in plants are well-characterized; however, many components of fe homeostasis remain unclear. we cloned iron-deficiency-regulated oligopeptide transporter 7 (osopt7) from rice. osopt7 localized to the plasma membrane and did not transport fe(iii)-dma or fe(ii)-na and gsh in xenopus laevis oocytes. furthermore osopt7 did not complement the growth of yeast fet3fet4 mutant. osopt7 was specifically upregulated in response to fe-deficiency. pro ...	2015	25893776
rapid method to express and purify human membrane protein using the xenopus oocyte system for functional and low-resolution structural analysis.	progress toward elucidating the 3d structures of eukaryotic membrane proteins has been hampered by the lack of appropriate expression systems. recent work using the xenopus oocyte as a novel expression system for structural analysis demonstrates the capability of providing not only the significant amount of protein yields required for structural work but also the expression of eukaryotic membrane proteins in a more native and functional conformation. there is a long history using the oocyte expr ...	2015	25857785
screening breeding sites of the common toad (bufo bufo) in england and wales for evidence of endocrine disrupting activity.	anuran amphibians are often present in agricultural landscapes and may therefore be exposed to chemicals in surface waters used for breeding. we used passive accumulation devices (spmd and pocis) to sample contaminants from nine breeding sites of the common toad (bufo bufo) across england and wales, measuring endocrine activity of the extracts in a recombinant yeast androgen screen (yas) and yeast estrogen screen (yes) and an in vitro vitellogenin induction screen in primary culture of xenopus l ...	2015	25817886
rmnd5 from xenopus laevis is an e3 ubiquitin-ligase and functions in early embryonic forebrain development.	in saccharomyces cerevisiae the gid-complex functions as an ubiquitin-ligase complex that regulates the metabolic switch between glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. in higher organisms six conserved gid proteins form the ctlh protein-complex with unknown function. here we show that rmnd5, the gid2 orthologue from xenopus laevis, is an ubiquitin-ligase embedded in a high molecular weight complex. expression of rmnd5 is strongest in neuronal ectoderm, prospective brain, eyes and ciliated cells of the ...	2015	25793641
investigating polymorphisms in membrane-associated transporter protein slc45a2, using sucrose transporters as a model.	solute carrier family 45 member 2 encodes the melanosomal membrane protein, membrane-associated transporter protein (matp), of unknown function, that is required for normal melanin synthesis. the present study analyzed the effects of two human matp mutations, d93n, which causes oculocutaneous albinism 4 (oca4), and l374f, which is correlated with light pigmentation in european populations. corresponding mutations were produced in the related and well-characterized sucrose transporter from rice, ...	2015	25760657
influence of oxidized purine processing on strand directionality of mismatch repair.	replicative dna polymerases are high fidelity enzymes that misincorporate nucleotides into nascent dna with a frequency lower than [1/10(5)], and this precision is improved to about [1/10(7)] by their proofreading activity. because this fidelity is insufficient to replicate most genomes without error, nature evolved postreplicative mismatch repair (mmr), which improves the fidelity of dna replication by up to 3 orders of magnitude through correcting biosynthetic errors that escaped proofreading. ...	2015	25694431
atnpf5.5, a nitrate transporter affecting nitrogen accumulation in arabidopsis embryo.	dipeptide (leu-leu) and nitrate transport activities of 26 arabidopsis npf (nrt1/ptr family) proteins were screened in saccharomyces cerevisiae and xenopus laevis oocytes, respectively. dipeptide transport activity has been confirmed for 2 already known dipeptide transporters (atnpf8.1 and atnpf8.3) but none of the other tested npfs displays dipeptide transport. the nitrate transport screen resulted in the identification of two new nitrate transporters, atnpf5.5 and atnpf5.10. the localization o ...	2015	25608465
a lactate and formate transporter in the intraerythrocytic malaria parasite, plasmodium falciparum.	the intraerythrocytic malaria parasite relies primarily on glycolysis to fuel its rapid growth and reproduction. the major byproduct of this metabolism, lactic acid, is extruded into the external medium. in this study, we show that the human malaria parasite plasmodium falciparum expresses at its surface a member of the microbial formate-nitrite transporter family (pffnt), which, when expressed in xenopus laevis oocytes, transports both formate and lactate. the transport characteristics of pffnt ...	2015	25823844
backbone and side-chain nmr assignments for the c-terminal domain of mammalian vps28.	vps28 is one of four cytosolic proteins comprising the endosomal sorting complex required for transport i (escrt-i). escrt-i is involved in sorting ubiquitinated proteins to multivesicular bodies as well as in mediating budding of retroviruses. here, we report the backbone and side-chain assignments of the mammalian c-terminal domain of vps28 (mvps28(ctd)), which is involved in interactions with other escrt components. we also compare the predicted secondary structures of mvps28(ctd) with those ...	2015	24366722
a heteromeric potassium channel involved in the modulation of the plasma membrane potential is essential for the survival of african trypanosomes.	discovery of novel drug targets may lead to improved treatment of trypanosomiasis. we characterize here 2 gene products of trypanosoma brucei that are essential for the growth of bloodstream form (bsf) parasites, as shown by rna interference (rnai)-mediated down-regulation of the individual mrnas. the primary sequences of the 2 proteins--protein encoded by gene tb927.1.4450 (tbk1) and protein encoded by gene tb927.9.4820 (tbk2)--indicate that both belong to the family of putative, ca(2+)-activat ...	2015	25868728
identification and functional characterization of a novel arginine/ornithine transporter, a member of a cationic amino acid transporter subfamily in the trypanosoma cruzi genome.	trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of chagas disease, is auxotrophic for arginine. it obtains this amino acid from the host through transporters expressed on the plasma membrane and on the membranes of intracellular compartments. a few cationic amino acid transporters have been characterized at the molecular level, such as the novel intracellular arginine/ornithine transporter, tccat1.1, a member of the tccat subfamily that is composed of four almost identical open reading frames in the t. ...	2015	26109388
tcpho91 is a contractile vacuole phosphate sodium symporter that regulates phosphate and polyphosphate metabolism in trypanosoma cruzi.	we have identified a phosphate transporter (tcpho91) localized to the bladder of the contractile vacuole complex (cvc) of trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of chagas disease. tcpho91 has 12 transmembrane domains, an n-terminal regulatory spx (named after syg1, pho81 and xpr1) domain and an anion permease domain. functional expression in xenopus laevis oocytes followed by two-electrode voltage clamp showed that tcpho91 is a low-affinity transporter with a km for pi in the millimolar range, a ...	2015	26031800
comparative and phylogenetic perspectives of the cleavage process in tailed amphibians.	the order caudata includes about 660 species and displays a variety of important developmental traits such as cleavage pattern and egg size. however, the cleavage process of tailed amphibians has never been analyzed within a phylogenetic framework. we use published data on the embryos of 36 species concerning the character of the third cleavage furrow (latitudinal, longitudinal or variable) and the magnitude of synchronous cleavage period (up to 3-4 synchronous cell divisions in the animal hemis ...	2015	25180466
grapevine and arabidopsis cation-chloride cotransporters localize to the golgi and trans-golgi network and indirectly influence long-distance ion transport and plant salt tolerance.	plant cation-chloride cotransporters (cccs) have been implicated in conferring salt tolerance. they are predicted to improve shoot salt exclusion by directly catalyzing the retrieval of sodium (na(+)) and chloride (cl(-)) ions from the root xylem. we investigated whether grapevine (vitis vinifera [vvi]) ccc has a role in salt tolerance by cloning and functionally characterizing the gene from the cultivar cabernet sauvignon. amino acid sequence analysis revealed that vviccc shares a high degree o ...	2015	26378102
aquaporins contribute to aba-triggered stomatal closure through ost1-mediated phosphorylation.	stomatal movements in response to environmental stimuli critically control the plant water status. although these movements are governed by osmotically driven changes in guard cell volume, the role of membrane water channels (aquaporins) has remained hypothetical. assays in epidermal peels showed that knockout arabidopsis thaliana plants lacking the plasma membrane intrinsic protein 2;1 (pip2;1) aquaporin have a defect in stomatal closure, specifically in response to abscisic acid (aba). aba ind ...	2015	26163575
high yield expression and purification of equilibrative nucleoside transporter 7 (ent7) from arabidopsis thaliana.	equilibrative nucleoside transporters (ents) facilitate the import of nucleosides and their analogs into cells in a bidirectional, non-concentrative manner. however, in contrast to their name, most characterized plant ents act in a concentrative manner. a direct characterization of any ent protein has been hindered due to difficulties in overexpression and obtaining pure recombinant protein.	2015	26080001
the neonicotinoid imidacloprid, and the pyrethroid deltamethrin, are antagonists of the insect rdl gaba receptor.	a mutation in the second transmembrane domain of the gaba receptor subunit, rdl, is associated with resistance to insecticides such as dieldrin and fipronil. molecular cloning of rdl cdna from a strain of the malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae, which is highly resistant to dieldrin revealed this mutation (a296g) as well as another mutation in the third transmembrane domain (t345m). wild-type, a296g, t345m and a296g + t345m homomultimeric rdl were expressed in xenopus laevis oocytes and their se ...	2015	26296809
third-generation electrokinetically pumped sheath-flow nanospray interface with improved stability and sensitivity for automated capillary zone electrophoresis-mass spectrometry analysis of complex proteome digests.	we have reported a set of electrokinetically pumped sheath flow nanoelectrospray interfaces to couple capillary zone electrophoresis with mass spectrometry. a separation capillary is threaded through a cross into a glass emitter. a side arm provides fluidic contact with a sheath buffer reservoir that is connected to a power supply. the potential applied to the sheath buffer drives electro-osmosis in the emitter to pump the sheath fluid at nanoliter per minute rates. our first-generation interfac ...	2015	25786131
phylogenetic and structural analysis of the phospholipase a2 gene family in vertebrates.	the phospholipase a (pla)2 family is the most complex gene family of phospholipases and plays a crucial role in a number of physiological activities. however, the phylogenetic background of the pla2 gene family and the amino acid residues of the pla2g7 gene following positive selection gene remain undetermined. in this study, we downloaded 49 genomic data sets of pla from different species, including the human, house mouse, norway rat, pig, dog, chicken, cattle, african clawed frog, sumatran ora ...	2015	25543670
light induces ultrastructural changes in rod outer and inner segments, including autophagy, in a transgenic xenopus laevis p23h rhodopsin model of retinitis pigmentosa.	we previously reported a transgenic xenopus laevis model of retinitis pigmentosa in which tadpoles express the bovine form of p23h rhodopsin (bp23h) in rod photoreceptors. in this model, retinal degeneration was dependent on light exposure. here, we investigated ultrastructural changes that occurred in the rod photoreceptors of these retinas when exposed to light.	2015	26720441
gene expression pattern of kifc3 during spermatogenesis of the skink eumeces chinensis.	kinesin superfamily is a class of microtubule-dependent motors that play crucial roles in acrosome biogenesis, nuclear reshaping and flagellum formation during spermiogenesis. we have cloned kinesin-like gene kifc3 (termed ec-kifc3) from the total rna of the testis of the skink eumeces chinensis. the cdna sequence of ec-kifc3 had a full-length of 3033bp, including a 260bp 5'-untranslated region (5'utr), a 445bp 3'-untranslated region (3'utr) and an open reading frame that encoded a 775-amino-aci ...	2015	25434495
on the origin of vertebrate somites.	somites, blocks of mesoderm tissue located on either side of the neural tube in the developing vertebrate embryo, are derived from mesenchymal cells in the presomitic mesoderm (psm) and are a defining characteristic of vertebrates. in vertebrates, the somite segmental boundary is determined by notch signalling and the antagonistic relationship of the downstream targets of notch, lfng, and delta1 in the anterior psm. the presence of somites in the basal chordate amphioxus (branchiostoma floridae) ...	2015	26613046
developmental role of plk4 in xenopus laevis and danio rerio: implications for seckel syndrome.	the polo-like kinases are a family of conserved serine/threonine kinases that play multiple roles in regulation of the cell cycle. unlike its four other family members, the role of plk4 in embryonic development has not been well characterized. in mice, plk4(-)(/)(-) embryos arrest at e7.5, just prior to the initiation of somitogenesis. this has led to the hypothesis that plk4 expression may be essential to somitogenesis. recently characterized human mutations lead to seckel syndrome. riboprobe i ...	2015	26150138
site-specific methylation of notch1 controls the amplitude and duration of the notch1 response.	physiologically, notch signal transduction plays a pivotal role in differentiation; pathologically, notch signaling contributes to the development of cancer. transcriptional activation of notch target genes involves cleavage of the notch receptor in response to ligand binding, production of the notch intracellular domain (nicd), and nicd migration into the nucleus and assembly of a coactivator complex. posttranslational modifications of the nicd are important for its transcriptional activity and ...	2015	25805888
comparative assessment of in vitro and in vivo toxicity of azinphos methyl and its commercial formulation.	the toxic effects of gusathion (gus), which is a commercial organophosphate (op) pesticide, and also its active ingredient, azinphos methyl (azm), are evaluated comparatively with in vitro and in vivo studies. initially, the 96-h lc50 values of azm and gus were estimated for two different life stages of xenopus laevis, embryos, and tadpoles. the actual azm concentrations in exposure media were monitored by high-performance liquid chromatography. also, the sub-lethal effects of these compounds to ...	2015	24616035
the human acid-sensing ion channel asic1a: evidence for a homotetrameric assembly state at the cell surface.	the chicken acid-sensing ion channel asic1 has been crystallized as a homotrimer. we address here the oligomeric state of the functional asic1 in situ at the cell surface. the oligomeric states of functional asic1a and mutants with additional cysteines introduced in the extracellular pore vestibule were resolved on sds-page. the functional asic1 complexes were stabilized at the cell surface of xenopus laevis oocytes or cho cells either using the sulfhydryl crosslinker bmoe, or sodium tetrathiona ...	2015	26252376
a gamut of undiscovered electrophysiological effects produced by tityus serrulatus toxin 1 on nav-type isoforms.	in the last decades, ts1 has not only been the subject of many studies, it has also been considered as a very useful tool to investigate nav channels and to explore the exact role of nav channels in channelopathies. ts1 is believed to modulate the activation process of nav upon interaction at the neurotoxin binding site 4. our aim was to carry out an in depth functional characterization of ts1 on a wide array of nav channels, in order to investigate its mechanism of action and to verify if ts1 c ...	2015	25862296
pipa carvalhoi skin secretion profiling: absence of peptides and identification of kynurenic acid as the major constitutive component.	the presence of peptides has been identified in all african pipid genera; nevertheless, little is known about skin secretion of south american frog genus pipa. skin secretion from captive and wild pipa carvalhoi were obtained in the presence or absence of norepinephrine stimulation. the <10 kda fraction was analyzed by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, searching for peptides. chromatographic profiles show the presence of a major component in this secretion, regardless of the stimulati ...	2015	25181950
global gene expression during early differentiation of xenopus (silurana) tropicalis gonad tissues.	african clawed frog xenopus sp. is used extensively for developmental biology and toxicology research. amid concerns of environmental pollutants disrupting endocrine systems and causing altered reproductive development in wildlife, eco-toxicology research has led to a focus on linking molecular initiating events to population-level effects. as such, efforts to better understand reproductive development at the molecular level in these model species are warranted. to that end, transcriptomes were ...	2015	24960269
the frog inner ear: picture perfect?	many recent accounts of the frog peripheral auditory system have reproduced wever's (1973) schematic cross-section of the ear of a leopard frog. we sought to investigate to what extent this diagram is an accurate and representative depiction of the anuran inner ear, using three-dimensional reconstructions made from serial sections of rana pipiens, eleutherodactylus limbatus and xenopus laevis. in rana, three discrete contact membranes were found to separate the posterior otic (=endolymphatic) la ...	2015	25630769
do hormone-modulating chemicals impact on reproduction and development of wild amphibians?	globally, amphibians are undergoing a precipitous decline. at the last estimate in 2004, 32% of the approximately 6000 species were threatened with extinction and 43% were experiencing significant declines. these declines have been linked with a wide range of environmental pressures from habitat loss to climate change, disease and pollution. this review evaluates the evidence that endocrine-disrupting contaminants (edcs) - pollutants that affect hormone systems - are impacting on wild amphibians ...	2015	25335651
normal table of embryonic development in the four-toed salamander, hemidactylium scutatum.	we present a complete staging table of normal development for the lungless salamander, hemidactylium scutatum (caudata: plethodontidae). terrestrial egg clutches from naturally ovipositing females were collected and maintained at 15 °c in the laboratory. observations, photographs, and time-lapse movies of embryos were taken throughout the 45-day embryonic period. the complete normal table of development for h. scutatum is divided into 28 stages and extends previous analyses of h. scutatum embryo ...	2015	25617760
comparative analysis of cartilage marker gene expression patterns during axolotl and xenopus limb regeneration.	axolotls (ambystoma mexicanum) can completely regenerate lost limbs, whereas xenopus laevis frogs cannot. during limb regeneration, a blastema is first formed at the amputation plane. it is thought that this regeneration blastema forms a limb by mechanisms similar to those of a developing embryonic limb bud. furthermore, xenopus laevis frogs can form a blastema after amputation; however, the blastema results in a terminal cone-shaped cartilaginous structure called a "spike." the causes of this p ...	2015	26186213
mesodermal origin of median fin mesenchyme and tail muscle in amphibian larvae.	mesenchyme is an embryonic precursor tissue that generates a range of structures in vertebrates including cartilage, bone, muscle, kidney, and the erythropoietic system. mesenchyme originates from both mesoderm and the neural crest, an ectodermal cell population, via an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (emt). because ectodermal and mesodermal mesenchyme can form in close proximity and give rise to similar derivatives, the embryonic origin of many mesenchyme-derived tissues is still unclear. ...	2015	26086331
[on the classification of the cleavage patterns in amphibian embryos].	this paper presents a brief survey and preliminary classification of embryonic cleavage patterns in the class amphibia. we use published data on 41 anuran and 22 urodele species concerning the character of the third cleavage furrow (latitudinal or longitudinal) and the stage of transition from synchronous to asynchronous blastomere divisions in the animal hemisphere (4-8-celled stage, 8-16-celled stage or later). based on this, four patterns of amphibian embryonic cleavage are recognized, and an ...	2015	25720261
homodimeric anoctamin-1, but not homodimeric anoctamin-6, is activated by calcium increases mediated by the p2y1 and p2x7 receptors.	the p2x7 receptor (p2x7r) is a ligand-gated ion channel that conducts na(+), k(+), and ca(2+) when activated by extracellular atp. in various cell types, such as secretory epithelia, the p2x7r is co-expressed with ca(2+)-dependent cl(-) channels of the tmem16/anoctamin family. here, we studied whether the p2x7r and tmem16a/anoctamin-1 (ano1) or tmem16f/anoctamin-6 (ano6) interact functionally and physically, using oocytes of xenopus laevis and ambystoma mexicanum (axolotl) for heterologous expre ...	2015	25592660
histone deacetylases are required for amphibian tail and limb regeneration but not development.	amphibians such as xenopus laevis and ambystoma mexicanum are capable of whole structure regeneration. however, transcriptional control over these events is not well understood. here, we investigate the role of histone deacetylase (hdac) enzymes in regeneration using hdac inhibitors. the class i/ii hdac inhibitor valproic acid (vpa) inhibits tail regeneration in embryos of the anuran amphibian xenopus laevis, confirming a recent report by others (tseng et al., 2011). this inhibition correlates w ...	2015	22947425
extraordinary diversity in the origins of sex chromosomes in anurans inferred from comparative gene mapping.	sex determination in frogs (anurans) is genetic and includes both male and female heterogamety. however, the origins of the sex chromosomes and their differentiation processes are poorly known. to investigate diversity in the origins of anuran sex chromosomes, we compared the chromosomal locations of sex-linked genes in 4 species: the african clawed frog (xenopus laevis), the western clawed frog (silurana/x. tropicalis), the japanese bell-ring frog (buergeria buergeri), and the japanese wrinkled ...	2015	26089094
gene expression profiles in rana pirica tadpoles following exposure to a predation threat.	rana pirica tadpoles show morphological changes in response to a predation threat: larvae of the dragonfly aeshna nigroflava induce heightened tail depth, whereas larval salamander hynobius retardatus induce a bulgy morphology with heightened tail depth. although both predators induce similar tail morphologies, it is possible that there are functional differences between these tail morphs.	2015	25886855
passive stiffness of hindlimb muscles in anurans with distinct locomotor specializations.	anurans (frogs and toads) have been shown to have relatively compliant skeletal muscles. using a meta-analysis of published data we have found that muscle stiffness is negatively correlated with joint range of motion when examined across mammalian, anuran and bird species. given this trend across a broad phylogenetic sample, we examined whether the relationship held true within anurans. we identified four species that differ in preferred locomotor mode and hence joint range of motion (lithobates ...	2015	26006308
effects of an environmentally relevant temporal application scheme of low herbicide concentrations on larvae of two anuran species.	cultivation of herbicide-tolerant crops involves repeated applications of the complementary herbicide throughout the growing season, while in conventional corn production, herbicide application is restricted to the beginning of cultivation. repeated application of herbicides increases both the likelihood an organism will be exposed to the herbicide and the concentration it may be exposed to. we examined effects of short and pulsed exposure of the cycloxydim-based herbicide formulation focus® ult ...	2015	25950411
a screening assay for thyroid hormone signaling disruption based on thyroid hormone-response gene expression analysis in the frog pelophylax nigromaculatus.	amphibian metamorphosis provides a wonderful model to study the thyroid hormone (th) signaling disrupting activity of environmental chemicals, with xenopus laevis as the most commonly used species. this study aimed to establish a rapid and sensitive screening assay based on th-response gene expression analysis using pelophylax nigromaculatus, a native frog species distributed widely in east asia, especially in china. to achieve this, five candidate th-response genes that were sensitive to t3 ind ...	2015	26257357
application of local gene induction by infrared laser-mediated microscope and temperature stimulator to amphibian regeneration study.	urodele amphibians (newts and salamanders) and anuran amphibians (frogs) are excellent research models to reveal mechanisms of three-dimensional organ regeneration since they have exceptionally high regenerative capacity among tetrapods. however, the difficulty in manipulating gene expression in cells in a spatially restricted manner has so far hindered elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of organ regeneration in amphibians. recently, local heat shock by laser irradiation has enabled local g ...	2015	26510480
toxicity of ceo2 nanoparticles at different trophic levels--effects on diatoms, chironomids and amphibians.	the aim of the present work is to provide wider information on the toxicity of cerium dioxide nanoparticles (ceo2 nps) in aquatic environments, by studying the toxicity of two types of ceo2 nps for four species (diatoms nitzschia palea, the sediment-dwelling invertebrate chironomus riparius, and the amphibian larvae xenopus laevis and pleurodeles waltl.). the two types of ceo2 nps have different intrinsic properties: some of them are small citrate-coated spheres (2-5 nm), and the others are larg ...	2015	25086917
de novo transcriptome assemblies of rana (lithobates) catesbeiana and xenopus laevis tadpole livers for comparative genomics without reference genomes.	in this work we studied the liver transcriptomes of two frog species, the american bullfrog (rana (lithobates) catesbeiana) and the african clawed frog (xenopus laevis). we used high throughput rna sequencing (rna-seq) data to assemble and annotate these transcriptomes, and compared how their baseline expression profiles change when tadpoles of the two species are exposed to thyroid hormone. we generated more than 1.5 billion rna-seq reads in total for the two species under two conditions as tre ...	2015	26121473
purification and characterization of cholecystokinin from the skin of salamander tylototriton verrucosus.	as a group of intestinal hormones and neurotransmitters, cholecystokinins (ccks) regulate and affect pancreatic enzyme secretion, gastrointestinal motility, pain hypersensitivity, digestion and satiety, and generally contain a dymgwmdfg sequence at the c-terminus. many ccks have been reported in mammals. however, only a few have been reported in amphibians, such as hyla nigrovittata, xenopus laevis, and rana catesbeiana, with none reported in urodele amphibians like newts and salamanders. here, ...	2015	26018861
reprint of "baroreflex function in anurans from different environments".	anurans from terrestrial environments have an enhanced ability to maintain mean arterial blood pressure (pm) through lymph mobilization in response to desiccation or hemorrhage compared with semiaquatic or aquatic species. because short term blood pressure homeostasis is regulated by arterial baroreceptors, we compared baroreflex function in three species of anurans that span a range of environments, dehydration tolerance and an ability to maintain pm with dehydration and hemorrhage. the cardiac ...	2015	25843212
the effect of long-term corticosterone treatment on blood cell differentials and function in laboratory and wild-caught amphibian models.	the effect of long-term stress on amphibian immunity is not well understood. we modeled a long-term endocrine stress scenario by elevating plasma corticosterone in two species of amphibians and examined effects on white blood cell differentials and innate immune activity. plasma corticosterone was elevated in american bullfrogs (lithobates catesbeianus) by surgically implanting corticosterone capsules and in african clawed frogs (xenopus laevis) by immersion in corticosterone-treated water. to p ...	2015	25616196
chronic sublethal exposure to silver nanoparticles disrupts thyroid hormone signaling during xenopus laevis metamorphosis.	nanoparticles (nps) are engineered in the nanoscale (<100 nm) to have unique physico-chemical properties from their bulk counterparts. nanosilver particles (agnps) are the most prevalent nps in consumer products due to their strong antimicrobial action. while agnp toxicity at high concentrations has been thoroughly investigated, the sublethal effects at or below regulatory guidelines are relatively unknown. amphibian metamorphosis is mediated by thyroid hormone (th), and initial studies with bul ...	2015	25531432
baroreflex function in anurans from different environments.	anurans from terrestrial environments have an enhanced ability to maintain mean arterial blood pressure (p(m)) through lymph mobilization in response to desiccation or hemorrhage compared with semiaquatic or aquatic species. because short term blood pressure homeostasis is regulated by arterial baroreceptors, we compared baroreflex function in three species of anurans that span a range of environments, dehydration tolerance and an ability to maintain p(m) with dehydration and hemorrhage. the car ...	2015	25447736
genetics, morphology, advertisement calls, and historical records distinguish six new polyploid species of african clawed frog (xenopus, pipidae) from west and central africa.	african clawed frogs, genus xenopus, are extraordinary among vertebrates in the diversity of their polyploid species and the high number of independent polyploidization events that occurred during their diversification. here we update current understanding of the evolutionary history of this group and describe six new species from west and central sub-saharan africa, including four tetraploids and two dodecaploids. we provide information on molecular variation, morphology, karyotypes, vocalizati ...	2015	26672747
host-defense and trefoil factor family peptides in skin secretions of the mawa clawed frog xenopus boumbaensis (pipidae).	peptidomic analysis of norepinephrine-stimulated skin secretions from the octoploid mawa clawed frog xenopus boumbaensis loumont, 1983 led to the identification and characterization of 15 host-defense peptides belonging to the magainin (two peptides), peptide glycine-leucine-amide (pgla; three peptides), xenopsin precursor fragment (xpf; three peptides), caerulein precursor fragment (cpf; two peptides), and caerulein precursor fragment-related peptide (cpf-rp; five peptides) families. in additio ...	2015	25849343
xenopus borealis as an alternative source of oocytes for biophysical and pharmacological studies of neuronal ion channels.	for the past 30 years, oocytes from xenopus laevis have been extensively used to express and characterise ion channels in an easily controlled environment. here we report the first use of oocytes from the closely related species xenopus borealis as an alternative expression system for neuronal ion channels. using the two-electrode voltage-clamp technique, we show that a wide variety of voltage- and ligand-gated ion channels have the same channel properties and pharmacological profiles when expre ...	2015	26440210
semi-solid tumor model in xenopus laevis/gilli cloned tadpoles for intravital study of neovascularization, immune cells and melanophore infiltration.	tumors have the ability to grow as a self-sustaining entity within the body. this autonomy is in part accomplished by the tumor cells ability to induce the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) and by controlling cell trafficking inside the tumor mass. these abilities greatly reduce the efficacy of many cancer therapies and pose challenges for the development of more effective cancer treatments. hence, there is a need for animal models suitable for direct microscopy observation of blood ...	2015	25601449