Publications
| Title | Abstract | Year Filter | PMID(sorted ascending) Filter |
|---|
| effect of triclosan on anuran development and growth in a larval amphibian growth and development assay. | a larval amphibian growth and development assay was performed to evaluate the potential effects of environmentally-relevant concentrations of triclosan (tcs) on amphibian development and growth. xenopus laevis were exposed to tcs 0.0 (control), 6.3, 12.5 and 25.0 μg l-1 (estimated maximum tolerable concentration) until 10 weeks post-metamorphosis. at median metamorphosis time (nieuwkoop and faber stage 62), five larvae per replicate were collected for snout-vent length, hind limb length and body ... | 2017 | 28436085 |
| limited genomic consequences of hybridization between two african clawed frogs, xenopus gilli and x. laevis (anura: pipidae). | the cape platanna, xenopus gilli, an endangered frog, hybridizes with the african clawed frog, x. laevis, in south africa. estimates of the extent of gene flow between these species range from pervasive to rare. efforts have been made in the last 30 years to minimize hybridization between these two species in the west population of x. gilli, but not the east populations. to further explore the impact of hybridization and the efforts to minimize it, we examined molecular variation in one mitochon ... | 2017 | 28439068 |
| competition and feeding ecology in two sympatric xenopus species (anura: pipidae). | the widespread african clawed frog (xenopus laevis) occurs in sympatry with the iucn endangered cape platanna (xenopus gilli) throughout its entire range in the south-western cape, south africa. in order to investigate aspects of the interspecific competition between populations of x. laevis and x. gilli, an assessment of their niche differentiation was conducted through a comprehensive study on food composition and trophic niche structure at two study sites: the cape of good hope (cogh) and kle ... | 2017 | 28439453 |
| analysis of active transport by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. | fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (frap) is a well-established experimental technique to study binding and diffusion of molecules in cells. although a large number of analytical and numerical models have been developed to extract binding and diffusion rates from frap recovery curves, active transport of molecules is typically not included in the existing models that are used to estimate these rates. here we present a validated numerical method for estimating diffusion, binding/unbinding ... | 2017 | 28445762 |
| role of micrornas in zygotic genome activation: modulation of mrna during embryogenesis. | a fundamental process occurring during early development is the zygotic genome activation, i.e., the initiation of transcription from the embryonic genome. before that step, cellular processes in the developing embryo are dictated by transcripts produced by the maternal genome and accumulated in the egg during oogenesis. the maternal-to-zygotic transition (mzt) involves both the clearance of maternal rnas and the initiation of transcription of the embryonic genome and is a tightly regulated proc ... | 2017 | 28456956 |
| editorial: the xenopus laevis genome. | 2017 | 28457863 | |
| functional assessment of the nmda receptor variant glun2a r586k. | background: the n-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (nmdar) is an ionotropic glutamate receptor that has important roles in synaptogenesis, synaptic transmission, and synaptic plasticity. recently, a large number of rare genetic variants have been found in nmdar subunits in people with neurodevelopmental disorders, and also in healthy individuals. one such is the glun2ar586k variant, found in a person with intellectual disability. identifying the functional consequences, if any, of such variants allow ... | 2017 | 28459106 |
| mechanosensory stimulation evokes acute concussion-like behavior by activating girks coupled to muscarinic receptors in a simple vertebrate. | most vertebrates show concussion responses when their heads are hit suddenly by heavy objects. previous studies have focused on the direct physical injuries to the neural tissue caused by the concussive blow. we study a similar behavior in a simple vertebrate, the xenopus laevis tadpole. we find that concussion-like behavior can be reliably induced by the mechanosensory stimulation of the head skin without direct physical impacts on the brain. head skin stimulation activates a cholinergic pathwa ... | 2017 | 28462392 |
| the role of nitric oxide during embryonic epidermis development of xenopus laevis. | nitric oxide (no) is a potent radical molecule that participates in various biological processes such as vasodilation, cell proliferation, immune response and neurotransmission. no mainly activates soluble guanylate cyclase, leading to cgmp production and activation of protein kinase g and its downstream targets. here we report the essential role of no during embryonic epidermis development. xenopus embryonic epidermis has become a useful model reflecting human epithelial tissue composition. the ... | 2017 | 28483981 |
| hplc-based activity profiling for gabaa receptor modulators in extracts: validation of an approach utilizing a larval zebrafish locomotor assay. | gamma-aminobutyric acid type a (gabaa) receptors are major inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors in the central nervous system and a target for numerous clinically important drugs used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and epilepsy. a series of allosteric gabaa receptor agonists was identified previously with the aid of hplc-based activity profiling, whereby activity was tracked with an electrophysiological assay in xenopus laevis oocytes. to accelerate the discovery process, an approach has been esta ... | 2017 | 28485933 |
| a magnesium transporter osmgt1 plays a critical role in salt tolerance in rice. | salt stress is one of the major factors limiting rice (oryza sativa) production globally. although several transporters involved in salt tolerance have been identified in rice, the mechanisms regulating their transport activity are still poorly understood. here, we show evidence that a rice mg transporter osmgt1 is required for salt tolerance probably by regulating transport activity of oshkt1;5, a key transporter for the removal of na+ from the xylem sap at the root mature zone. knockout of osm ... | 2017 | 28487477 |
| opposing effects of valproic acid treatment mediated by histone deacetylase inhibitor activity in four transgenic x. laevis models of retinitis pigmentosa. | retinitis pigmentosa (rp) is an inherited retinal degeneration (rd) that leads to blindness for which no treatment is available. rp is frequently caused by mutations in rhodopsin; in some animal models, rd is exacerbated by light. valproic acid (vpa) is a proposed treatment for rp and other neurodegenerative disorders, with a phase ii trial for rp under way. however, the therapeutic mechanism is unclear, with minimal research supporting its use in rp. we investigated the effects of vpa on xenopu ... | 2017 | 28490005 |
| identification of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor silent agonists based on the spirocyclic quinuclidine-δ2 -isoxazoline scaffold: synthesis and electrophysiological evaluation. | compound 11 (3-(benzyloxy)-1'-methyl-1'-azonia-4h-1'-azaspiro[isoxazole-5,3'-bicyclo[2.2.2]octane] iodide) was selected from a previous set of nicotinic ligands as a suitable model compound for the design of new silent agonists of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nachrs). silent agonists evoke little or no channel activation but can induce the α7 desensitized ds state, which is sensitive to a type ii positive allosteric modulator, such as pnu-120596. introduction of meta substituents into t ... | 2017 | 28494140 |
| co-accumulation of cis-regulatory and coding mutations during the pseudogenization of the xenopus laevis homoeologs six6.l and six6.s. | common models for the evolution of duplicated genes after genome duplication are subfunctionalization, neofunctionalization, and pseudogenization. although the crucial roles of cis-regulatory mutations in subfunctionalization are well-documented, their involvement in pseudogenization and/or neofunctionalization remains unclear. we addressed this issue by investigating the evolution of duplicated homeobox genes, six6.l and six6.s, in the allotetraploid frog xenopus laevis. based on a comparative ... | 2017 | 28501477 |
| quantitative comparative analysis of the nasal chemosensory organs of anurans during larval development and metamorphosis highlights the relative importance of chemosensory subsystems in the group. | the anuran peripheral olfactory system is composed of a number of subsystems, represented by distinct neuroepithelia. these include the main olfactory epithelium and vomeronasal organ (found in most tetrapods) and three specialized epithelia of anurans: the buccal-exposed olfactory epithelium of larvae, and the olfactory recess and middle chamber epithelium of postmetamorphic animals. to better characterize the developmental changes in these subsystems across the life cycle, morphometric changes ... | 2017 | 28503895 |
| transcriptomic and macroevolutionary evidence for phenotypic uncoupling between frog life history phases. | anuran amphibians undergo major morphological transitions during development, but the contribution of their markedly different life-history phases to macroevolution has rarely been analysed. here we generate testable predictions for coupling versus uncoupling of phenotypic evolution of tadpole and adult life-history phases, and for the underlying expression of genes related to morphological feature formation. we test these predictions by combining evidence from gene expression in two distantly r ... | 2017 | 28504275 |
| the nodulin 26-like intrinsic membrane protein osnip3;2 is involved in arsenite uptake by lateral roots in rice. | previous studies have shown that the nodulin 26-like intrinsic membrane protein (nip) lsi1 (osnip2;1) is involved in arsenite [as(iii)] uptake in rice (oryza sativa). however, the role of other rice nips in as(iii) accumulation in planta remains unknown. in the present study, we investigated the role osnip3;2 in as(iii) uptake in rice. when expressed in xenopus laevis oocytes, osnip3;2 showed a high transport activity for as(iii). quantitative real-time rt-pcr showed that the expression of osnip ... | 2017 | 28505352 |
| quercetin, morin, luteolin, and phloretin are dietary flavonoid inhibitors of monocarboxylate transporter 6. | monocarboxylate transporter 6 (mct6; slc16a5) has been recognized for its role as a xenobiotic transporter, with characterized substrates probenecid, bumetanide, and nateglinide. to date, the impact of commonly ingested dietary compounds on mct6 function has not been investigated, and therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate a variety of flavonoids for their potential mct6-specific interactions. flavonoids are a large group of polyphenolic phytochemicals found in commonly consumed ... | 2017 | 28513167 |
| functional assessment of sodium chloride cotransporter ncc mutants in polarized mammalian epithelial cells. | the thiazide-sensitive sodium chloride cotransporter ncc is important for maintaining serum sodium (na+) and, indirectly, serum potassium (k+) levels. functional studies on ncc have used cell lines with native ncc expression, transiently transfected nonpolarized cell lines, or xenopus laevis oocytes. here, we developed the use of polarized madin-darby canine kidney type i (mdcki) mammalian epithelial cell lines with tetracycline-inducible human ncc expression to study ncc activity and membrane a ... | 2017 | 28515174 |
| two-electrode voltage-clamp recordings in xenopus laevis oocytes: reconstitution of abscisic acid activation of slac1 anion channel via pyl9 aba receptor. | two-electrode voltage-clamp (tevc) recording in xenopus laevis oocytes provides a powerful method to investigate the functions and regulation of ion channel proteins. this approach provides a well-known tool to characterize ion channels or transporters expressed in xenopus laevis oocytes. the plasma membrane of the oocyte is impaled by two microelectrodes, one for voltage sensing and the other one for current injection. here we list a protocol that allows robust reconstitution of multi-component ... | 2017 | 28516122 |
| leptin induces mitosis and activates the canonical wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in neurogenic regions of xenopus tadpole brain. | in addition to its well-known role as an adipostat in adult mammals, leptin has diverse physiological and developmental actions in vertebrates. leptin has been shown to promote development of hypothalamic circuits and to induce mitosis in different brain areas of mammals. we investigated the ontogeny of leptin mrna, leptin actions on cell proliferation in the brain, and gene expression in the preoptic area/hypothalamus of tadpoles of xenopus laevis. the level of leptin mrna was low in premetamor ... | 2017 | 28533765 |
| are invasive populations characterized by a broader diet than native populations? | invasive species are among the most significant threats to biodiversity. the diet of invasive animal populations is a crucial factor that must be considered in the context of biological invasions. a broad dietary spectrum is a frequently cited characteristic of invasive species, allowing them to thrive in a wide range of environments. therefore, empirical studies comparing diet in invasive and native populations are necessary to understand dietary requirements, dietary flexibility, and the assoc ... | 2017 | 28533950 |
| the c-terminal kinesin motor kifc1 may participate in nuclear reshaping and flagellum formation during spermiogenesis of larimichthys crocea. | spermatogenesis is a highly ordered process in the differentiation of male germ cells. nuclear morphogenesis is one of the most fundamental cellular transformations to take place during spermatogenesis. these striking transformations from spermatogonia to spermatozoa are a result of phase-specific adaption of the cytoskeleton and its association with molecular motor proteins. kifc1 is a c-terminal kinesin motor protein that plays an essential role in acrosome formation and nuclear reshaping duri ... | 2017 | 28534180 |
| an analysis of myod-dependent transcription using crispr/cas9 gene targeting in xenopus tropicalis embryos. | myogenic regulatory factors (mrfs) are known to have essential roles in both the establishment and differentiation of the skeletal muscle cell lineage. myod is expressed early in the xenopus mesoderm where it is present and active several hours before the activation of muscle differentiation genes. previous studies in cultured cells and in xenopus laevis have identified sets of genes that require myod prior to differentiation of skeletal muscle. here we report results from experiments using cris ... | 2017 | 28536000 |
| chromosome divergence during evolution of the tetraploid clawed frogs, xenopus mellotropicalis and xenopus epitropicalis as revealed by zoo-fish. | whole genome duplication (wgd) generates new species and genomic redundancy. in african clawed frogs of the genus xenopus, this phenomenon has been especially important in that (i) all but one extant species are polyploid and (ii) whole genome sequences of some species provide an evidence for genomic rearrangements prior to or after wgd. within xenopus in the subgenus silurana, at least one allotetraploidization event gave rise to three extant tetraploid (2n = 4x = 40) species-xenopus mellotropi ... | 2017 | 28545147 |
| digital dissection of the model organism xenopus laevis using contrast-enhanced computed tomography. | the african clawed frog, xenopus laevis, is one of the most widely used model organisms in biological research. however, the most recent anatomical description of x. laevis was produced nearly a century ago. compared with other anurans, pipid frogs - including x. laevis - exhibit numerous unusual morphological features; thus, anatomical descriptions of more 'typical' frogs do not detail many aspects of x. laevis skeletal and soft-tissue morphology. the relatively new method of using iodine-based ... | 2017 | 28547827 |
| the gliotransmitter d-serine promotes synapse maturation and axonal stabilization in vivo. | the nmdar is thought to play a key role in the refinement of connectivity in developing neural circuits. pharmacological blockade or genetic loss-of-function manipulations that prevent nmdar function during development result in the disorganization of topographic axonal projections. however, because nmdars contribute to overall glutamatergic neurotransmission, such loss-of-function experiments fail to adequately distinguish between the roles played by nmdars and neural activity in general. the g ... | 2017 | 28550169 |
| neun immunoreactivity in the brain of xenopus laevis. | neuronal nuclear antigen (neun), discovered in mice brain cell nuclei by mullen et al. (1992), is used as an excellent marker of post-mitotic neurons in vertebrates. in this study, the expression pattern of neun was examined in the xenopus brain to explore phylogenetic differences in neun expression. anti-neun antibody showed selective staining in mouse and xenopus brain extracts, but the number and molecular weight of the bands differed in western blotting analysis. in immunostaining, anti-neun ... | 2017 | 28558928 |
| the flexible cytoplasmic loop 3 contributes to the substrate affinity of human monocarboxylate transporters. | human monocarboxylate transporters (hmcts/slc16as) mediate the transport of small molecular weight monocarboxylates. among hmcts, hmct1 exhibits high-affinity l-lactate transport and broad substrate recognition, whereas hmct4 shows highly specific substrate recognition and low-affinity l-lactate transport, indicating that hmct1 and hmct4 have different roles in the body. however, the molecular mechanism of transporter-mediated substrate transport remains unknown. the aim of this study is to iden ... | 2017 | 28559188 |
| inhibition of insect olfactory behavior by an airborne antagonist of the insect odorant receptor co-receptor subunit. | response to volatile environmental chemosensory cues is essential for insect survival. the odorant receptor (or) family is an important class of receptors that detects volatile molecules; guiding insects towards food, mates, and oviposition sites. ors are odorant-gated ion channels, consisting of a variable odorant specificity subunit and a conserved odorant receptor co-receptor (orco) subunit, in an unknown stoichiometry. the orco subunit possesses an allosteric site to which modulators can bin ... | 2017 | 28562598 |
| anesthetic synergy between two n-alkanes. | n-butane and n-pentane can both produce general anesthesia. both compounds potentiate γ-aminobutyric acid type a (gabaa) receptor function, but only butane inhibits n-methyl-d-aspartate (nmda) receptors. it was hypothesized that butane and pentane would exhibit anesthetic synergy due to their different actions on ligand-gated ion channels. | 2017 | 28583773 |
| characterization of the transport activity of sglt2/map17, the renal low-affinity na+-glucose cotransporter. | the cotransporter sglt2 is responsible for 90% of renal glucose reabsorption, and we recently showed that map17 appears to work as a required β-subunit. we report in the present study a detailed functional characterization of human sglt2 in coexpression with human map17 in xenopus laevis oocytes. addition of external glucose generates a large inward current in the presence of na, confirming an electrogenic transport mechanism. at a membrane potential of -50 mv, sglt2 affinity constants for gluco ... | 2017 | 28592437 |
| high-quality frozen extracts of xenopus laevis eggs reveal size-dependent control of metaphase spindle micromechanics. | cell-free extracts from unfertilized xenopus laevis eggs offer the opportunity for a variety of biochemical and biophysical assays for analyzing essential cell cycle events such as metaphase spindle assembly. however, the extracts often exhibit substantial variation in quality and have low storage stability, factors that hamper their experimental utility. here we report a simple two-step method for preparing frozen egg extracts that retain spindle assembly activity levels similar to those of fre ... | 2017 | 28592634 |
| the neuronal and astrocytic protein slc38a10 transports glutamine, glutamate, and aspartate, suggesting a role in neurotransmission. | in brain cells, glutamine transporters are vital to monitor and control the levels of glutamate and gaba. there are 11 members of the slc38 family of amino acid transporters of which eight have been functionally characterized. here, we report the first histological and functional characterization of the previously orphan member, slc38a10. we used pairwise global sequence alignments to determine the sequence identity between the slc38 family members. slc38a10 was found to share 20-25% transmembra ... | 2017 | 28593130 |
| xenopus pitx3 target genes lhx1 and xnr5 are identified using a novel three-fluor flow cytometry-based analysis of promoter activation and repression. | pitx3 plays a well understood role in directing development of lens, muscle fiber, and dopaminergic neurons; however, in xenopus laevis, it may also play a role in early gastrulation and somitogenesis. potential downstream targets of pitx3 possess multiple binding motifs that would not be readily accessible by conventional promoter analysis. | 2017 | 28598520 |
| tgf-β family signaling in early vertebrate development. | tgf-β family ligands function in inducing and patterning many tissues of the early vertebrate embryonic body plan. nodal signaling is essential for the specification of mesendodermal tissues and the concurrent cellular movements of gastrulation. bone morphogenetic protein (bmp) signaling patterns tissues along the dorsal-ventral axis and simultaneously directs the cell movements of convergence and extension. after gastrulation, a second wave of nodal signaling breaks the symmetry between the lef ... | 2017 | 28600394 |
| α-conotoxin [s9a]txid potently discriminates between α3β4 and α6/α3β4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. | α3β4 nachrs have been implicated in various pathophysiological conditions. however, the expression profile of α3β4 nachrs and α6/α3β4 nachrs overlap in a variety of tissues. to distinguish between these two subtypes, we redesigned peptide 1 (α-conotoxin txid), which inhibits α3β4 and α6/α3β4 nachr subtypes. we systematically mutated 1 to evaluate analogue selectivity for α3β4 vs α6/α3β4 nachrs expressed in xenopus laevis oocytes. one analogue, peptide 7 ([s9a]txid), had 46-fold greater potency f ... | 2017 | 28603989 |
| global realized niche divergence in the african clawed frog xenopus laevis. | although of crucial importance for invasion biology and impact assessments of climate change, it remains widely unknown how species cope with and adapt to environmental conditions beyond their currently realized climatic niches (i.e., those climatic conditions existing populations are exposed to). the african clawed frog xenopus laevis, native to southern africa, has established numerous invasive populations on multiple continents making it a pertinent model organism to study environmental niche ... | 2017 | 28616199 |
| loops d, e and g in the drosophila dα1 subunit contribute to high neonicotinoid sensitivity of dα1-chicken β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. | neonicotinoid insecticides interact with the orthosteric site formed at subunit interfaces of insect nicotinic ach (nach) receptors. however, their interactions with the orthosteric sites at α-non α and α-α subunit interfaces remain poorly understood. the aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanism of neonicotinoid actions using the drosophila dα1-chicken β2 hybrid nach receptor. | 2017 | 28616862 |
| cells from subcutaneous tissues contribute to scarless skin regeneration in xenopus laevis froglets. | mammals cannot regenerate the dermis and other skin structures after an injury and instead form a scar. however, a xenopus laevis froglet can regenerate scarless skin, including the dermis and secretion glands, on the limbs and trunk after skin excision. subcutaneous tissues in the limbs and trunk consist mostly of muscles. although subcutaneous tissues beneath a skin injury appear disorganized, the cellular contribution of these underlying tissues to skin regeneration remains unclear. | 2017 | 28618059 |
| roles of the cilium-associated gene ccdc11 in left-right patterning and in laterality disorders in humans. | axial determination occurs during early stages of embryogenesis. flaws in laterality patterning result in abnormal positioning of visceral organs, as manifested in heterotaxy syndrome, or complete left-right inversion as in situs inversus totalis. these malformations are often associated with ciliopathies, as seen in primary ciliary dyskinesia. we have recently described a novel mutation in the coiled-coil domain-containing 11 (ccdc11) gene associated with laterality disorders in a consanguineou ... | 2017 | 28621423 |
| foxd1 protein interacts with wnt and bmp signaling to differentially pattern mesoderm and neural tissue. | the foxd1 gene (previously known as brain factor 2/bf2) is expressed during early xenopus laevis development. at gastrula stages, foxd1 is expressed in dorsal mesoderm regions fated for muscle and notochord, while at neurula stages, foxd1 is expressed in the forebrain region. previous studies in the neural plate showed that foxd1 protein acts as transcriptional repressor downstream of bmp antagonism, neuralizing the embryo to control anterior neural cell fates. foxd1 mesoderm function was not ri ... | 2017 | 28621426 |
| adhfe1: a novel enzyme involved in retinoic acid-dependent hox activation. | retinoic acid (ra) signaling is a central pathway regulating anterior-posterior patterning of the embryo through its targets, the hox genes. ra is produced by two sequential oxidations from vitamin a (retinol) and this biosynthesis has to be regulated temporally, spatially and quantitatively. mining xenopus embryonic expression databases identified a novel component of the ra metabolic network, adhfe1. using xenopus laevis embryos as our experimental system we determined the temporal and spatial ... | 2017 | 28621427 |
| mutation of the inhibitory ethanol site in gabaa ρ1 receptors promotes tolerance to ethanol-induced motor incoordination. | genes encoding the ρ1/2 subunits of gabaa receptors have been associated with alcohol (ethanol) dependence in humans, and ρ1 was also shown to regulate some of the behavioral effects of ethanol in animal models. ethanol inhibits gaba-mediated responses in wild-type (wt) ρ1, but not ρ1(t6'y) mutant receptors expressed in xenopus laevis oocytes, indicating the presence of an inhibitory site for ethanol in the second transmembrane helix. in this study, we found that ρ1(t6'y) receptors expressed in ... | 2017 | 28623169 |
| xenopus-fv3 host-pathogen interactions and immune evasion. | we first review fundamental insights into anti-ranavirus immunity learned with the xenopus laevis/ranavirus fv3 model that are generally applicable to ectothermic vertebrates. we then further investigate fv3 genes involved in immune evasion. focusing on fv3 knockout (ko) mutants defective for a putative viral caspase activation and recruitment domain-containing (card)-like protein (δ64r-fv3), a β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase homolog (δ52l-fv3), and an immediate-early18kda protein (fv3-δ18k), we ... | 2017 | 28625407 |
| measurement of surface topography and stiffness distribution on cross-section of xenopus laevis tailbud for estimation of mechanical environment in embryo. | the stress distribution inside a xenopus laevis tailbud embryo was estimated to examine the cause of the straightening and elongation. the embryos were cut in the middle, yielding a cross-section perpendicular to the body axis. the section was not flat, owing to the residual stress relief. the stress needed to restore the flatness corresponded to the stress inside the embryo and was calculated using the surface topography and young's-moduli in the section. we found the areas of the notochord (nc ... | 2017 | 28627765 |
| comparative micrornaome analysis of the testis and ovary of the chinese giant salamander. | micrornas (mirnas) are 18-24 nucleotides non-coding rnas that regulate gene expression by post-transcriptional suppression of mrna. the chinese giant salamander (cgs, andrias davidianus), which is an endangered species, has become one of the important models of animal evolution; however, no mirna studies on this species have been conducted. in this study, two small rna libraries of cgs ovary and testis were constructed using deep sequencing technology. a bioinformatics pipeline was developed to ... | 2017 | 28630098 |
| using short-term bioassays to evaluate the endocrine disrupting capacity of the pesticides linuron and fenoxycarb. | several short-term whole-organism bioassays based on transgenic aquatic models are now under validation by the oecd (organization for economic co-operation and development) to become standardized test guidelines for the evaluation of the endocrine activity of substances. evaluation of the endocrine disrupting capacity of pesticides will be a domain of applicability of these future reference tests. the herbicide linuron and the insecticide fenoxycarb are two chemicals commonly used in agricultura ... | 2017 | 28634053 |
| adipose tissue macrophages develop from bone marrow-independent progenitors in xenopus laevis and mouse. | atms have a metabolic impact in mammals as they contribute to metabolically harmful at inflammation. the control of the atm number may have therapeutic potential; however, information on atm ontogeny is scarce. whereas it is thought that atms develop from circulating monocytes, various tissue-resident mϕs are capable of self-renewal and develop from bm-independent progenitors without a monocyte intermediate. here, we show that amphibian at contains self-renewing atms that populate the at before ... | 2017 | 28642277 |
| xenopus laevis as model system to study dna damage response and replication fork stability. | although many players of the dna damage response and dna repair have been identified in several systems their biochemical role is still poorly understood. the use of the xenopus laevis egg extract cell-free system allowed biochemical dissection of dna replication and cell cycle events in a complex biological context. the possibility of manipulating the protein content by using protein depletion procedures makes egg extract a powerful system to study proteins whose inactivation results in cellula ... | 2017 | 28645370 |
| ensemble and single-molecule analysis of non-homologous end joining in frog egg extracts. | non-homologous end joining (nhej) repairs the majority of dna double-strand breaks in human cells, yet the detailed order of events in this process has remained obscure. here, we describe how to employ xenopus laevis egg extract for the study of nhej. the egg extract is easy to prepare in large quantities, and it performs efficient end joining that requires the core end joining proteins ku, dna-pkcs, xlf, xrcc4, and dna ligase iv. these factors, along with the rest of the soluble proteome, are p ... | 2017 | 28645371 |
| switch-like behavior enables wnt11 concentration specific response during dorso-ventral axis formation in xenopus laevis. | wnt signaling plays a role in diverse processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, migration or cell polarity. dysfunction of wnt signaling is associated with human diseases and aging. wnts can activate several interacting intracellular signaling pathways, in particular the so called canonical and non-canonical pathways. the canonical wnt response leads to a stabilization of cytoplasmic β-catenin whereas non-canonical wnt signaling can result in the activation of calcium-calmodulin dep ... | 2017 | 28648560 |
| a method for detailed movement pattern analysis of tadpole startle response. | prolonged space flight, specifically microgravity, presents a problem for space exploration. animal models with altered connections of the vestibular ear, and thus altered gravity sensation, would allow the examination of the effects of microgravity and how various countermeasures can establish normal function. we describe an experimental apparatus to monitor the effects of ear manipulations to generate asymmetric gravity input on the tadpole escape response. to perform the movement pattern anal ... | 2017 | 28653338 |
| renal localization and regulation by dietary phosphate of the mct14 orphan transporter. | mct14 is an orphan transporter belonging to the slc16 transporter family mediating the transport of monocarboxylates, aromatic amino acids, creatine, and thyroid hormones. the expression, tissue localization, regulation, and function of mct14 are unknown. in mouse mct14 mrna abundance is highest in kidney. using a newly developed and validated antibody, mct14 was localized to the luminal membrane of the thick ascending limb of the loop of henle colocalizing in the same cells with uromodulin and ... | 2017 | 28662032 |
| a multi-tiered, in vivo, quantitative assay suite for environmental disruptors of thyroid hormone signaling. | the essential role of thyroid hormone (th) signaling in mammalian development warrants the examination of man-made chemicals for its disruption. among vertebrate species, the molecular components of th signaling are highly conserved, including the thyroid hormone receptors (trs), their heterodimer binding partners the retinoid-x receptors (rxrs), and their dna recognition sequences (tres). this molecular conservation allows examination of potential th disruption in the tractable, in vivo model s ... | 2017 | 28662416 |
| developmental neurogenesis in mouse and xenopus is impaired in the absence of nosip. | genetic deletion of nosip in mice causes holoprosencephaly, however, the function of nosip in neurogenesis is currently unknown. | 2017 | 28663132 |
| the tyrosine y2502.39 in frizzled 4 defines a conserved motif important for structural integrity of the receptor and recruitment of disheveled. | frizzleds (fzds) are unconventional g protein-coupled receptors, which activate diverse intracellular signaling pathways via the phosphoprotein disheveled (dvl) and heterotrimeric g proteins. the interaction interplay of fzds with dvl and g proteins is complex, involves different regions of fzd and the potential dynamics are poorly understood. in the present study, we aimed to characterize the function of a highly conserved tyrosine (y2502.39) in the intracellular loop 1 (il1) of human fzd4. we ... | 2017 | 28668722 |
| maitotoxin is a potential selective activator of the endogenous transient receptor potential canonical type 1 channel in xenopus laevis oocytes. | maitotoxin (mtx) is the most potent marine toxin known to date. it is responsible for a particular human intoxication syndrome called ciguatera fish poisoning (cfp). several reports indicate that mtx is an activator of non-selective cation channels (nscc) in different cell types. the molecular identity of these channels is still an unresolved topic, and it has been proposed that the transient receptor potential (trp) channels are involved in this effect. in xenopus laevis oocytes, mtx at picomol ... | 2017 | 28672825 |
| the regulation of heat shock proteins in response to dehydration in xenopus laevis. | african clawed frogs (xenopus laevis) endure bouts of severe drought in their natural habitats and survive the loss of approximately 30% of total body water due to dehydration. to investigate molecular mechanisms employed by x. laevis during periods of dehydration, the heat shock protein response, a vital component of the cytoprotective stress response, was characterized. using western immunoblotting and multiplex technology, the protein levels of hsp27, hsp40, hsp60, hsp70, hsc70, and hsp90 wer ... | 0 | 28676984 |
| acetylcholinesterase plays a non-neuronal, non-esterase role in organogenesis. | acetylcholinesterase (ache) is crucial for degrading acetylcholine at cholinergic synapses. in vitro studies suggest that, in addition to its role in nervous system signaling, ache can also modulate non-neuronal cell properties, although it remains controversial whether ache functions in this capacity in vivo here, we show that ache plays an essential non-classical role in vertebrate gut morphogenesis. exposure of xenopus embryos to ache-inhibiting chemicals results in severe defects in intestin ... | 2017 | 28684626 |
| the cannabinoid receptor interacting proteins 1 of zebrafish are not required for morphological development, viability or fertility. | the cannabinoid receptor interacting protein 1 (cnrip1) was discovered as an interactor with the intracellular region of cannabinoid receptor 1 (cb1r, also known as cnr1 or cb1). functional assays in mouse show cannabinoid sensitivity changes and cnrip1 has recently been suggested to control eye development in xenopus laevis. two cnrip1 genes are described in zebrafish, cnrip1a and cnrip1b. in situ mrna hybridisation revealed accumulation of mrna encoding each gene primarily in brain and spinal ... | 2017 | 28687732 |
| family of ricinus communis monosaccharide transporters and rcstp1 in promoting the uptake of a glucose-fipronil conjugate. | enhancing the systemic distribution of a bioactive compound by exploiting the vascular transport system of a plant presents a means of reducing both the volume and frequency of pesticide/fungicide application. the foliar uptake of the glucose-fipronil conjugate n-[3-cyano-1-[2,6-dichloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-4-[(trifluoromethyl)sulfinyl]-1h-pyrazol-5-yl]-1-(β-d-glucopyranosyl)-1h-1,2,3-triazole-4-methanamine (gtf) achieved in castor bean (ricinus communis) and its transport via the phloem ... | 2017 | 28692262 |
| a functional approach to understanding the role of nckx5 in xenopus pigmentation. | nckx5 is an ion exchanger expressed mostly in pigment cells; however, the functional role for this protein in melanogenesis is not clear. a variant allele of slc24a5, the gene encoding nckx5, has been shown to correlate with lighter skin pigmentation in humans, indicating a key role for slc24a5 in determining human skin colour. slc24a5 expression has been found to be elevated in melanoma. knockdown analyses have shown slc24a5 to be important for pigmentation, but to date the function of this ion ... | 2017 | 28692664 |
| high-efficiency non-mosaic crispr-mediated knock-in and indel mutation in f0 xenopus. | the revolution in crispr-mediated genome editing has enabled the mutation and insertion of virtually any dna sequence, particularly in cell culture where selection can be used to recover relatively rare homologous recombination events. the efficient use of this technology in animal models still presents a number of challenges, including the time to establish mutant lines, mosaic gene editing in founder animals, and low homologous recombination rates. here we report a method for crispr-mediated g ... | 2017 | 28694259 |
| the effect of pungent and tingling compounds from piper nigrum l. on background k+ currents. | black peppercorns (piper nigrum l.) elicit a pungent and tingling oral impression. their pungency is partially explained by the agonist activity of some of their active principles, especially piperine, on trp channels. however, we recently showed that piperine, as well as other pungent compounds, also possess a marked effect on two-pore domain (kcnk, k2p) k+ channels. members of this family play a key role in maintaining the resting membrane potential of excitable cells. interestingly, tingling ... | 2017 | 28694780 |
| apolipoprotein c-i mediates wnt/ctnnb1 signaling during neural border formation and is required for neural crest development. | in vertebrates, the neural crest and placodes originate in the neural border, which is located between the neural plate and epidermal ectoderm. the neural crest and placodes give rise to a vast array of cell types. formation of neural crest is a multi-step process, in which wnt signals are used reiteratively, but it is currently not clear if a wnt signal is required for neural border formation. here, we have identified apolipoprotein c-i (apoc1) in a screen for genes regulated by wnt/ctnnb1 sign ... | 2017 | 28695961 |
| chk1 inhibition of the replication factor drf1 guarantees cell-cycle elongation at the xenopus laevis mid-blastula transition. | the early cell divisions of many metazoan embryos are rapid and occur in the near absence of transcription. at the mid-blastula transition (mbt), the cell cycle elongates and several processes become established including the onset of bulk transcription and cell-cycle checkpoints. how these events are timed and coordinated is poorly understood. here we show in xenopus laevis that developmental activation of the checkpoint kinase chk1 at the mbt results in the scfβ-trcp-dependent degradation of a ... | 2017 | 28697335 |
| charged antimicrobial peptides can translocate across membranes without forming channel-like pores. | how can highly charged, cationic antimicrobial peptides (amps) translocate across hydrophobic lipid bilayers despite the prohibitive energetic penalty to do so? a common explanation has been the formation of peptide-lined channels. however, for most amps, no structures of membrane pores have been found despite clear evidence of membrane leakage and antimicrobial activity. the study here suggests an alternative and simple reason: for the amp pgla from xenopus laevis (charge +5), such pores are no ... | 2017 | 28700927 |
| coordinating heart morphogenesis: a novel role for hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (hcn) channels during cardiogenesis in xenopus laevis. | hyperpolarization-activated cyclic-nucleotide gated channel (hcn) proteins are important regulators of both neuronal and cardiac excitability. among the 4 hcn isoforms, hcn4 is known as a pacemaker channel, because it helps control the periodicity of contractions in vertebrate hearts. although the physiological role of hcn4 channel has been studied in adult mammalian hearts, an earlier role during embryogenesis has not been clearly established. here, we probe the embryonic roles of hcn4 channels ... | 2017 | 28702127 |
| g-quadruplex dna and ligand interaction in living cells using nmr spectroscopy. | gathering structural information from biologically relevant molecules inside living cells has always been a challenging task. in this work, we have used multidimensional nmr spectroscopy to probe dna g-quadruplexes inside living xenopus laevis oocytes. some of these structures can be found in key regions of chromosomes. g-quadruplexes are considered potential anticancer therapeutic targets and several lines of evidence indirectly point out roles in key biological processes, such as cell prolifer ... | 2015 | 28706695 |
| regulation of the insulin-akt signaling pathway and glycolysis during dehydration stress in the african clawed frog xenopus laevis. | estivation is an adaptive stress response utilized by some amphibians during periods of drought in the summer season. in this study, we examine the regulation of the insulin signaling cascade and glycolysis pathway in the african clawed frog xenopus laevis during the dehydration stress induced state of estivation. we show that in the brain and heart of x. laevis, dehydration reduces the phosphorylation of the insulin growth factor-1 receptor (igf-1r), and this is followed by similar reductions i ... | 2017 | 28708941 |
| fluorescence correlation spectroscopy experiments to quantify free diffusion coefficients in reaction-diffusion systems: the case of ca^{2+} and its dyes. | many cell signaling pathways involve the diffusion of messengers that bind and unbind to and from intracellular components. quantifying their net transport rate under different conditions then requires having separate estimates of their free diffusion coefficient and binding or unbinding rates. in this paper, we show how performing sets of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (fcs) experiments under different conditions, it is possible to quantify free diffusion coefficients and on and off rate ... | 2017 | 28709293 |
| cip29 is phosphorylated following activation of the dna damage response in xenopus egg extracts. | acting through a complex signalling network, dna lesions trigger a range of cellular responses including dna repair, cell cycle arrest, altered gene expression and cell death, which help to limit the mutagenic effects of such dna damage. rna processing factors are increasingly being recognised as important targets of dna damage signalling, with roles in the regulation of gene expression and also more directly in the promotion of dna repair. in this study, we have used a xenopus laevis egg extrac ... | 2017 | 28715428 |
| conserved gene regulatory module specifies lateral neural borders across bilaterians. | the lateral neural plate border (npb), the neural part of the vertebrate neural border, is composed of central nervous system (cns) progenitors and peripheral nervous system (pns) progenitors. in invertebrates, pns progenitors are also juxtaposed to the lateral boundary of the cns. whether there are conserved molecular mechanisms determining vertebrate and invertebrate lateral neural borders remains unclear. using single-cell-resolution gene-expression profiling and genetic analysis, we present ... | 2017 | 28716930 |
| neuronal degeneration and regeneration induced by axotomy in the olfactory epithelium of xenopus laevis. | the olfactory epithelium (oe) has the remarkable capability to constantly replace olfactory receptor neurons (orns) due to the presence of neural stem cells (nscs). for this reason, the oe provides an excellent model to study neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation. in the present work, we induced neuronal degeneration in the oe of xenopus laevis larvae by bilateral axotomy of the olfactory nerves. we found that axotomy induces specific- neuronal death through apoptosis between 24 and 48h post ... | 2017 | 28719101 |
| a g326e substitution in the glutamate-gated chloride channel 3 (glucl3) of the two-spotted spider mite tetranychus urticae abolishes the agonistic activity of macrocyclic lactones. | the macrocyclic lactones abamectin and milbemectin are frequently used to control phytophagous mites such as tetranychus urticae. consequently, resistance has developed and was genetically linked with substitutions in the glutamate-gated chloride channel (glucl) subunits tuglucl1 and tuglucl3. here, we functionally validated a g326e substitution in tuglucl3 by functional expression in xenopus laevis oocytes followed by two-electrode voltage-clamp electrophysiology. | 2017 | 28736919 |
| splice variants of ph-sensitive chloride channel identify a key determinant of ivermectin sensitivity in the larvae of the silkworm bombyx mori. | the ph-sensitive chloride channels (phcls) are broadly expressed in insects, but little is known about their physiologic role, diversity, and sensitivity to insecticides acting on relevant chloride channels. here we have sequenced 50 transcripts of the phcl-1 gene from the brain, third thoracic ganglion (t3g), and midgut of larvae of silkworm bombyx mori it was found that >50 variants were expressed with distinct splicing in the t3g compared with the brain and midgut. of the variants detected, v ... | 2017 | 28739571 |
| histone methyltransferase dot1l is a coactivator for thyroid hormone receptor during xenopus development. | histone modifications are associated with transcriptional regulation by diverse transcription factors. genome-wide correlation studies have revealed that histone activation marks and repression marks are associated with activated and repressed gene expression, respectively. among the histone activation marks is histone h3 k79 methylation, which is carried out by only a single methyltransferase, disruptor of telomeric silencing-1-like (dot1l). we have been studying thyroid hormone (t3)-dependent ... | 2017 | 28739643 |
| xenopus laevis m18bp1 directly binds existing cenp-a nucleosomes to promote centromeric chromatin assembly. | vertebrate centromeres are epigenetically defined by nucleosomes containing the histone h3 variant, cenp-a. cenp-a nucleosome assembly requires the three-protein mis18 complex (mis18α, mis18β, and m18bp1) that recruits the cenp-a chaperone hjurp to centromeres, but how the mis18 complex recognizes centromeric chromatin is unknown. using xenopus egg extract, we show that direct, cell-cycle-regulated binding of m18bp1 to cenp-a nucleosomes recruits the mis18 complex to interphase centromeres to pr ... | 2017 | 28743005 |
| tonoplast-localized nitrate uptake transporters involved in vacuolar nitrate efflux and reallocation in arabidopsis. | a great proportion of nitrate taken up by plants is stored in vacuoles. vacuolar nitrate accumulation and release is of great importance to nitrate reallocation and efficient utilization. however, how plants mediate nitrate efflux from vacuoles to cytoplasm is largely unknown. the current study identified npf5.11, npf5.12 and npf5.16 as vacuolar nitrate efflux transporters in arabidopsis. histochemical analysis showed that npf5.11, npf5.12 and npf5.16 were expressed preferentially in root pericy ... | 2017 | 28743909 |
| first parasitological study of the african clawed frog (xenopus laevis, amphibia) in chile. | introduced species can arrive into new territories with parasites; however, these species are expected to face lower parasite richness than in their original regions. both introduced hosts and parasites can affect native fauna. since their release into the wild in chile following laboratory use, xenopus laevis daudin, 1802 has widely spread throughout central chile. the only pathogen described on the host is the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis longcore, pessier, nichols, 1999; thus, this i ... | 2017 | 28746452 |
| lethal digenic mutations in the k+ channels kir4.1 (kcnj10) and slack (kcnt1) associated with severe-disabling seizures and neurodevelopmental delay. | a 2-yr-old boy presented profound developmental delay, failure to thrive, ataxia, hypotonia, and tonic-clonic seizures that caused the death of the patient. targeted and whole exome sequencing revealed two heterozygous missense variants: a novel mutation in the kcnj10 gene that encodes for the inward-rectifying k+ channel kir4.1 and another previously characterized mutation in kcnt1 that encodes for the na+-activated k+ channel known as slo2.2 or slack. the objectives of this study were to perfo ... | 2017 | 28747464 |
| fetax assay for evaluation of developmental toxicity. | the frog embryo teratogenesis assay xenopus (fetax) test is a development toxicity screening test. due to the small amount of compound needed and the capability to study organogenesis in a short period of time (96 h), fetax test constitutes an efficient development toxicity alert test when performed early in drug safety development. the test is conducted on fertilized xenopus laevis mid-blastula-stage eggs over the organogenesis period. compound teratogenic potential is determined after analysis ... | 2017 | 28748472 |
| functional characterization of an aquaporin from a microsporidium, nosema bombycis. | microsporidia are a diverse group of eukaryotic organisms, capable of causing parasitic infections in both vertebrates and invertebrates. during the germination process, there is an increase in the osmotic pressure of microsporidian spores. as part of this study, we cloned a homologous aquaporin gene in nosema bombycis, and named it nosema bombycis aquaporin (nbaqp). sequence analysis revealed that the nbaqp contains an open reading frame with a length of 750 bp and encodes a polypeptide of 249 ... | 2017 | 28749993 |
| the xenopus tadpole: an in vivo model to screen drugs favoring remyelination. | in multiple sclerosis, development of screening tools for remyelination-promoting molecules is timely. | 2017 | 28752787 |
| smarcal1-mediated fork reversal triggers mre11-dependent degradation of nascent dna in the absence of brca2 and stable rad51 nucleofilaments. | brca2 deficiency causes mre11-dependent degradation of nascent dna at stalled forks, leading to cell lethality. to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying this process, we isolated xenopus laevis brca2. we demonstrated that brca2 protein prevents single-stranded dna gap accumulation at replication fork junctions and behind them by promoting rad51 binding to replicating dna. without brca2, forks with persistent gaps are converted by smarcal1 into reversed forks, triggering extensive mre11- ... | 2017 | 28757209 |
| essential roles of thyroid hormone-regulated hyaluronan/cd44 signaling in adult stem cell development during xenopus laevis intestinal remodeling. | in the amphibian intestine during metamorphosis, thyroid hormone (th) induces some larval epithelial cells to dedifferentiate into stem cells, which generate the adult epithelium analogous to the mammalian intestinal epithelium. we have previously shown that the canonical wnt signaling pathway is involved in adult epithelial development in the xenopus laevis intestine. to understand the function of this pathway more precisely, we here focused on cd44, a major wnt target, which has been identifie ... | 2017 | 28758360 |
| modeling dominant and recessive forms of retinitis pigmentosa by editing three rhodopsin-encoding genes in xenopus laevis using crispr/cas9. | the utility of xenopus laevis, a common research subject for developmental biology, retinal physiology, cell biology, and other investigations, has been limited by lack of a robust gene knockout or knock-down technology. here we describe manipulation of the x. laevis genome using crispr/cas9 to model the human disorder retinitis pigmentosa, and to introduce point mutations or exogenous dna sequences. we introduced and characterized in-frame and out-of-frame insertions and deletions in three gene ... | 2017 | 28761125 |
| the zahn drawings: new illustrations of xenopus embryo and tadpole stages for studies of craniofacial development. | the embryos and tadpoles of the frog xenopus are increasingly important subjects for studies of the development of the head and face - studies that are providing novel and crucial insight into the causes and prevention of a suite of devastating birth defects, as well as basic evolutionary and developmental biology. however, many studies are conducted on a range of embryonic stages that are not fully represented in the beloved xenopus resource, nieuwkoop and faber's classic normal table of xenopu ... | 2017 | 28765211 |
| iron is a substrate of the plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter pfcrt in xenopus oocytes. | the chloroquine resistance transporter of the human malaria parasite plasmodium falciparum, pfcrt, is an important determinant of resistance to several quinoline and quinoline-like antimalarial drugs. pfcrt also plays an essential role in the physiology of the parasite during development inside erythrocytes. however, the function of this transporter besides its role in drug resistance is still unclear. using electrophysiological and flux experiments conducted on pfcrtexpressing xenopus laevis oo ... | 2017 | 28768767 |
| heterologous expression of panax ginseng pgtip1 confers enhanced salt tolerance of soybean cotyledon hairy roots, composite, and whole plants. | the panax ginseng tip gene pgtip1 was previously demonstrated to have high water channel activity by its heterologous expression in xenopus laevis oocytes and in yeast; it also plays a significant role in growth of pgtip1-transgenic arabidopsis plants under favorable conditions and has enhanced tolerance toward salt and drought treatment. in this work, we first investigated the physiological effects of heterologous pgtip1 expression in soybean cotyledon hairy roots or composite plants mediated b ... | 2017 | 28769947 |
| tectal corticotropin-releasing factor (crf) neurons respond to fasting and a reactive stressor in the african clawed frog, xenopus laevis. | it is well established that hypothalamic neurons producing the peptide corticotropin-releasing factor (crf) play a key role in stress adaptation, including reduction of food intake when a threat or stressor is present. we have previously reported on the presence of an intrinsic crf signaling system within the optic tectum (ot), a brain area that plays a key role in visually guided prey capture/predator avoidance decisions. to better understand the potential role of tectal crf neurons in regulati ... | 2017 | 28774755 |
| multi-omics analysis sheds light on the evolution and the intracellular lifestyle strategies of spotted fever group rickettsia spp. | arthropod-borne rickettsia species are obligate intracellular bacteria which are pathogenic for humans. within this genus, rickettsia slovaca and rickettsia conorii cause frequent and potentially severe infections, whereas rickettsia raoultii and rickettsia massiliae cause rare and milder infections. all four species belong to spotted fever group (sfg) rickettsiae. however, r. slovaca and r. raoultii cause scalp eschar and neck lymphadenopathy (senlat) and are mainly associated with dermacentor ... | 2017 | 28775717 |
| combining cytotoxicity assessment and xenopus laevis phenotypic abnormality assay as a predictor of nanomaterial safety. | the african clawed frog, xenopus laevis, has been used as an efficient pre-clinical screening tool to predict drug safety during the early stages of the drug discovery process. x. laevis is a relatively inexpensive model that can be used in whole organism high-throughput assays whilst maintaining a high degree of homology to the higher vertebrate models often used in scientific research. despite an ever-increasing volume of biomedical nanoparticles (nps) in development, their unique physico-chem ... | 2017 | 28777439 |
| hmmr mediates anterior neural tube closure and morphogenesis in the frog xenopus. | development of the central nervous system requires orchestration of morphogenetic processes which drive elevation and apposition of the neural folds and their fusion into a neural tube. the newly formed tube gives rise to the brain in anterior regions and continues to develop into the spinal cord posteriorly. conspicuous differences between the anterior and posterior neural tube become visible already during neural tube closure (ntc). planar cell polarity (pcp)-mediated convergent extension (ce) ... | 2017 | 28778799 |
| expression of the aquaglyceroporin hc-9 in a freeze-tolerant amphibian that accumulates glycerol seasonally. | as ambient temperatures fall in the autumn, freeze-tolerant cope's gray treefrogs, dryophytes chrysoscelis (formerly hyla chrysoscelis), accumulate glycerol as a cryoprotective agent. we hypothesized that these treefrogs express an ortholog of the mammalian aquaglyceroporin aqp9 and that aqp9 expression is upregulated in the cold to facilitate glycerol transport. we sequenced 1790 bp from cloned cdna that codes for a 315 amino acid protein, hc-9, containing the predicted six transmembrane spanni ... | 2017 | 28784850 |
| the α2β2 isoform combination dominates the astrocytic na+ /k+ -atpase activity and is rendered nonfunctional by the α2.g301r familial hemiplegic migraine type 2-associated mutation. | synaptic activity results in transient elevations in extracellular k+ , clearance of which is critical for sustained function of the nervous system. the k+ clearance is, in part, accomplished by the neighboring astrocytes by mechanisms involving the na+ /k+ -atpase. the na+ /k+ -atpase consists of an α and a β subunit, each with several isoforms present in the central nervous system, of which the α2β2 and α2β1 isoform combinations are kinetically geared for astrocytic k+ clearance. while transcr ... | 2017 | 28787093 |
| comprehensive analyses of hox gene expression in xenopus laevis embryos and adult tissues. | from whole genome sequencing of an allotetraploid frog, xenopus laevis, two homeologous sets (l and s) of four hox clusters a through d (hoxa.l/s, hoxb.l/s, hoxc.l/s, and hoxd.l/s) and 13 paralogous groups (pgs) with 76 genes were identified, allowing us to carry out the first comprehensive analyses of hox gene expression in vertebrates. expression of all hox genes during development and in adult tissues was analyzed by rna-sequencing. the expression levels of most hox genes were similar between ... | 2017 | 28791673 |
| in vivo analysis of the neurovascular niche in the developing xenopus brain. | the neurovascular niche is a specialized microenvironment formed by the interactions between neural progenitor cells (npcs) and the vasculature. while it is thought to regulate adult neurogenesis by signaling through vascular-derived soluble cues or contacted-mediated cues, less is known about the neurovascular niche during development. in xenopus laevis tadpole brain, npcs line the ventricle and extend radial processes tipped with endfeet to the vascularized pial surface. using in vivo labeling ... | 2017 | 28795134 |
| role of aqp9 in transport of monomethyselenic acid and selenite. | aqp9 is an aquaglyceroporin with a very broad substrate spectrum. in addition to its orthodox nutrient substrates, aqp9 also transports multiple neutral and ionic arsenic species including arsenic trioxide, monomethylarsenous acid (masiii) and dimethylarsenic acid (dmav). here we discovered a new group of aqp9 substrates which includes two clinical relevant selenium species. we showed that aqp9 efficiently transports monomethylselenic acid (msea) with a preference for acidic ph, which has been d ... | 2017 | 28798983 |