Publications

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
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
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
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
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
toxicity effects of functionalized quantum dots, gold and polystyrene nanoparticles on target aquatic biological models: a review.	nano-based products are widespread in several sectors, including textiles, medical-products, cosmetics, paints and plastics. nanosafety and safe-by-design are driving nanoparticle (np) production and applications through np functionalization (@nps). indeed, @nps frequently present biological effects that differ from the parent material. this paper reviews the impact of quantum dots (qds), gold nanoparticles (aunps), and polystyrene-cored nps (psnps), evidencing the role of np functionalization i ...	2017	28858240
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
amphibase: a new genomic resource for non-model amphibian species.	more than five thousand genes annotated in the recently published xenopus laevis and xenopus tropicalis genomes do not have a candidate orthologous counterpart in other vertebrate species. to determine whether these sequences represent genuine amphibian-specific genes or annotation errors, it is necessary to analyze them alongside sequences from other amphibian species. however, due to large genome sizes and an abundance of repeat sequences, there are limited numbers of gene sequences available ...	2017	28095648
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
genomic epidemiology of the emerging pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis from native and invasive amphibian species in chile.	emerging fungal diseases represent a threat to food security, animal and human health worldwide. amphibian chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), has been associated with catastrophic and well-documented amphibian population declines and extinctions. for the first time, bd was cultured from native and non-native wild amphibians in chile. phylogenomic analyses revealed that chilean isolates avs2, avs4 and avs7 group within the global panzootic lineage of bd (b ...	2017	29205924
molecular evolution of two distinct dmrt1 promoters for germ and somatic cells in vertebrate gonads.	the transcription factor dmrt1 has important functions in two distinct processes, somatic-cell masculinization and germ-cell development in mammals. however, it is unknown whether the functions are conserved during evolution, and what mechanism underlies its expression in the two cell lineages. our analysis of the xenopus laevis and silurana tropicalis dmrt1 genes indicated the presence of two distinct promoters: one upstream of the noncoding first exon (ncex1), and one within the first intron. ...	2017	27927791
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
comparative study of diclofenac-induced embryotoxicity and teratogenesis in xenopus laevis and lithobates catesbeianus, using the frog embryo teratogenesis assay: xenopus (fetax).	water is an increasingly deteriorated, limited natural resource due to population increase and industrialization. also, the widespread use of pharmaceuticals in modern society leads to their presence in domestic, hospital and industrial effluents. due to their analgesic properties, some of the most commonly used pharmaceuticals are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nsaids). high concentrations of one these products, diclofenac (dcf), have been detected in effluents and water bodies of differ ...	2017	27644024
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
vitamin a induced homeotic hindlimb formation on dorsal and ventral sides of regenerating tissue of amputated tails of japanese brown frog tadpoles.	when anuran tadpoles are treated with vitamin a after tail amputation, hindlimb-like structures can be generated instead of the lost tail part at the amputation site. this homeotic transformation was initially expected to be a key to understanding the body plan of vertebrates. unfortunately, homeotic limb formation has been reproduced in only some indian frog species and a european species, but not in experimental anurans such as xenopus laevis or rana catesbeiana. consequently, this fascinating ...	2017	29094344
analysis of cell size in the gastrula of ten frog species reveals a correlation of egg with cell sizes, and a conserved pattern of small cells in the marginal zone.	we investigated the relationship between egg and cell sizes in the early gastrula of ten species of frogs with eggs of 1,100-3,500 μm diameters. we asked whether differences in cell size of the vegetal region, blastocoel roof, and marginal zone of the early gastrula were associated with egg size. alternatively, we proposed that cell size differences may associate with gastrulation characteristics. the analyzed species were as follows: xenopus laevis, engystomops randi, engystomops coloradorum, e ...	2017	27381278
effects of a commonly used glyphosate-based herbicide formulation on early developmental stages of two anuran species.	environmental contamination, especially due to the increasing use of pesticides, is suggested to be one out of six main reasons for the global amphibian decline. adverse effects of glyphosate-based herbicides on amphibians have been already discussed in several studies with different conclusions, especially regarding sublethal effects at environmentally relevant concentrations. therefore, we studied the acute toxic effects (mortality, growth, and morphological changes) of the commonly used glyph ...	2017	27785717
three-dimensional reconstruction of the cranial and anterior spinal nerves in early tadpoles of xenopus laevis (pipidae, anura).	xenopus laevis is one of the most widely used model organism in neurobiology. it is therefore surprising, that no detailed and complete description of the cranial nerves exists for this species. using classical histological sectioning in combination with fluorescent whole mount antibody staining and micro-computed tomography we prepared a detailed innervation map and a freely-rotatable three-dimensional (3d) model of the cranial nerves and anterior-most spinal nerves of early x. laevis tadpoles. ...	2017	29218708
expression of cyclin d1, cyclin d2, and n-myc in embryos of the direct developing frog eleutherodactylus coqui, with a focus on limbs.	species of frogs that develop directly have removed the tadpole from their ontogeny and form adult structures precociously. to see whether cell cycle regulators could be involved in this altered embryogenesis, we examined the expression of ccnd1, ccnd2, and mycn in embryos of the direct developing frog, eleutherodactylus coqui. notable differences compared to embryos of xenopus laevis, a species with a tadpole, included prominent expression of ccnd2 in the midbrain and ccnd1 in the mandibular ne ...	2017	23473789
spinal cord cells from pre-metamorphic stages differentiate into neurons and promote axon growth and regeneration after transplantation into the injured spinal cord of non-regenerative xenopus laevis froglets.	mammals are unable to regenerate its spinal cord after a lesion, meanwhile, anuran amphibians are capable of spinal cord regeneration only as larvae, and during metamorphosis, this capability is lost. sox2/3+ cells present in the spinal cord of regenerative larvae are required for spinal cord regeneration. here we evaluate the effect of the transplantation of spinal cord cells from regenerative larvae into the resected spinal cord of non-regenerative stages (nr-stage). donor cells were able to s ...	2017	29326551
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
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
differences in mobility at the range edge of an expanding invasive population of xenopus laevis in the west of france.	theoretical models predict that spatial sorting at the range edge of expanding populations should favor individuals with increased mobility relative to individuals at the center of the range. despite the fact that empirical evidence for the evolution of locomotor performance at the range edge is rare, data on cane toads support this model. however, whether this can be generalized to other species remains largely unknown. here, we provide data on locomotor stamina and limb morphology in individua ...	2017	28100805
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
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
xenopus laevis as a model organism for the study of spinal cord formation, development, function and regeneration.	the spinal cord is the first central nervous system structure to develop during vertebrate embryogenesis, underscoring its importance to the organism. because of its early formation, accessibility to the developing spinal cord in amniotes is challenging, often invasive and the experimental approaches amenable to model systems like mammals are limited. in contrast, amphibians, in general and the african-clawed frog xenopus laevis, in particular, offer model systems in which the formation of the s ...	2017	29218002
species specific rna a-to-i editing of mosquito rdl modulates gaba potency and influences agonistic, potentiating and antagonistic actions of ivermectin.	the insect gaba receptor, rdl, is the target of several classes of pesticides. the peptide sequences of rdl are generally highly conserved between diverse insects. however, rna a-to-i editing can effectively alter amino acid residues of rdl in a species specific manner, which can affect the potency of gaba and possibly insecticides. we report here that rna a-to-i editing alters the gene products of rdl in three mosquito disease vectors, recoding five amino acid residues in rdl of aedes aegypti a ...	2017	29223796
microprobe capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry for single-cell metabolomics in live frog (xenopus laevis) embryos.	the quantification of small molecules in single cells raises new potentials for better understanding the basic processes that underlie embryonic development. to enable single-cell investigations directly in live embryos, new analytical approaches are needed, particularly those that are sensitive, selective, quantitative, robust, and scalable to different cell sizes. here, we present a protocol that enables the in situ analysis of metabolism in single cells in freely developing embryos of the sou ...	2017	29286491
proton-independent activation of acid-sensing ion channel asic3 by alkaloid lindoldhamine from laurus nobilis.	acid-sensing ion channels (asics) play an important role in synaptic plasticity and learning, as well as in nociception and mechanosensation. asics are implicated in pain, neurological and psychiatric diseases but their therapeutic potential is limited by lack of ligands activating them at physiological ph.	2017	29277899
direct modification of the 5-ht3 receptor current by some anticancer drugs.	the serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) type 3 (5-ht3) receptor is an important target in the control of emesis, and 5-ht3 receptor antagonists are effective against the early phase chemotherapy evoked vomiting. we recently reported that the anticancer drugs irinotecan and topotecan directly modulate the 5-ht-mediated 5-ht3 receptor current in vitro. in addition, the drug response depends on the 5-ht3 subunit composition. here, we explored the effects of 35 anticancer drugs on the 5-ht3 receptor cur ...	2017	29277715
bioelectric regulation of innate immune system function in regenerating and intact xenopus laevis.	two key inputs that regulate regeneration are the function of the immune system, and spatial gradients of transmembrane potential (vmem). endogenous bioelectric signaling in somatic tissues during regenerative patterning is beginning to be understood, but its role in the context of immune response has never been investigated. here, we show that vmem levels modulate innate immunity activity in xenopus laevis embryos. we developed an assay in which x. laevis embryos are infected with a uropathogen ...	2017	29302351
rnas coordinate nuclear envelope assembly and dna replication through elys recruitment to chromatin.	upon fertilisation, the sperm pronucleus acquires the competence to replicate the genome through a cascade of events that link chromatin remodelling to nuclear envelope formation. the factors involved have been partially identified and are poorly characterised. here, using xenopus laevis egg extracts we show that rnas are required for proper nuclear envelope assembly following sperm dna decondensation. although chromatin remodelling and pre-replication complex formation occur normally, rna-deple ...	2017	29242643
functional reintegration of sensory neurons and transitional dendritic reduction of mitral/tufted cells during injury-induced recovery of the larval xenopus olfactory circuit.	understanding the mechanisms involved in maintaining lifelong neurogenesis has a clear biological and clinical interest. in the present study, we performed olfactory nerve transection on larval xenopus to induce severe damage to the olfactory circuitry. we surveyed the timing of the degeneration, subsequent rewiring and functional regeneration of the olfactory system following injury. a range of structural labeling techniques and functional calcium imaging were performed on both tissue slices an ...	2017	29234276
developmental changes in spinal neuronal properties, motor network configuration and neuromodulation at free-swimming stages of xenopus frog tadpoles.	we describe a novel preparation of the isolated brainstem and spinal cord from pro-metamorphic tadpole stages of the south african clawed frog (xenopus laevis) that permits whole cell patch-clamp recordings from neurons in the ventral spinal cord. previous research on earlier stages of the same species has provided one of the most detailed understandings of the design and operation of a cpg circuit. here we have addressed how development sculpts complexity from this more basic circuit. the prepa ...	2017	29142093
it's not all black and white: visual scene parameters influence optokinetic reflex performance in xenopus laevis tadpoles.	the maintenance of visual acuity during active and passive body motion is ensured by gaze-stabilizing reflexes that aim at minimizing retinal image slip. for the optokinetic reflex (okr), large-field visual motion of the surround forms the essential stimulus that activates eye movements. properties of the moving visual world influence cognitive motion perception and the estimation of visual image velocity. therefore, the performance of brainstem-mediated visuo-motor behaviors might also depend o ...	2017	29141881
the human dna glycosylases neil1 and neil3 excise psoralen-induced dna-dna cross-links in a four-stranded dna structure.	interstrand cross-links (icls) are highly cytotoxic dna lesions that block dna replication and transcription by preventing strand separation. previously, we demonstrated that the bacterial and human dna glycosylases nei and neil1 excise unhooked psoralen-derived icls in three-stranded dna via hydrolysis of the glycosidic bond between the crosslinked base and deoxyribose sugar. furthermore, neil3 from xenopus laevis has been shown to cleave psoralen- and abasic site-induced icls in xenopus egg ex ...	2017	29234069
a glyphosate micro-emulsion formulation displays teratogenicity in xenopus laevis.	glyphosate is the active ingredient in broad-spectrum herbicide formulations used in agriculture, domestic area and aquatic weed control worldwide. its market is growing steadily concurrently with the cultivation of glyphosate-tolerant transgenic crops and emergence of weeds less sensitive to glyphosate. ephemeral and lentic waters near to agricultural lands, representing favorite habitats for amphibian reproduction and early life-stage development, may thus be contaminated by glyphosate based h ...	2017	29306033
antagonistic effect of dopamine structural analogues on human gabaρ1 receptor.	gabaergic and dopaminergic pathways are co-localized in several areas of the central nervous system and recently several reports have shown co-release of both neurotransmitters. the gaba-a receptor (β and ρ1 subunits) is modulated by dopamine (da) and, interestingly, gabaρ1 can be modulated by several biogenic amines. here we explored the effects of the metabolites of the dopaminergic pathway and other structural analogues of da on gabaρ1 and the da gated ion channel (lgc-53) from caenorhabditis ...	2017	29234054
increasing the length and hydrophobicity of the c-terminal sequence of transthyretin strengthens its binding affinity to retinol binding protein.	transthyretin (ttr) is a transporter for thyroid hormone (th) and retinol, the latter via binding with retinol binding protein (rbp). both the n-terminal and c-terminal regions of the ttr subunit are located in close proximity to the central binding channel for ligands. during the evolution of vertebrates, these regions changed in length and hydropathy. the changes in the n-terminal sequence were demonstrated to affect the binding affinities for ths and rbp. here, the effects of changes in the c ...	2017	29226076
interaction of purinergic p2x4 and p2x7 receptor subunits.	p2x4 and p2x7 are members of the p2x receptor family, comprising seven isoforms (p2x1-p2x7) that form homo- and heterotrimeric non-specific cation channels gated by extracellular atp. p2x4 and p2x7 are widely coexpressed, particularly in secretory epithelial cells and immune and inflammatory cells, and regulate inflammation and nociception. although functional heteromerization has been established for p2x2 and p2x3 subunits expressed in sensory neurons, there are contradictory reports regarding ...	2017	29213241
spindle-to-cortex communication in cleaving frog eggs.	during cytokinesis, the mitotic spindle communicates with the cell cortex to position a cleavage furrow that will cut through the cell in the plane defined by the metaphase plate. we investigated the molecular basis of this communication in xenopus laevis eggs, where the signal has to travel ∼400 µm in ∼30 min to reach the cortex from the first anaphase spindle. at anaphase onset, huge microtubule asters grow out from the poles of the spindle and meet at the plane previously defined by the metap ...	2017	29196560
the ectodomain of cadherin-11 binds to erbb2 and stimulates akt phosphorylation to promote cranial neural crest cell migration.	during development, a multi-potent group of cells known as the cranial neural crest (cnc) migrate to form craniofacial structures. proper migration of these cells requires proteolysis of cell adhesion molecules, such as cadherins. in xenopus laevis, preventing extracellular cleavage of cadherin-11 impairs cnc migration. however, overexpression of the soluble cleavage product (ec1-3) is capable of rescuing this phenotype. the mechanism by which ec1-3 promotes cnc migration has not been investigat ...	2017	29190819
tissue-specific gene inactivation in xenopus laevis: knockout of lhx1 in the kidney with crispr/cas9.	studying genes involved in organogenesis is often difficult because many of these genes are also essential for early development. the allotetraploid frog, xenopus laevis, is commonly used to study developmental processes, but because of the presence of two homeologs for many genes, it has been difficult to use as a genetic model. few studies have successfully used crispr in amphibians, and currently there is no tissue-targeted knockout strategy described in xenopus the goal of this study is to d ...	2017	29187504
evaluating the longevity of surgically extracted xenopus laevis oocytes for the study of nematode ligand-gated ion channels.	xenopus laevis oocytes have been extensively used as a heterologous expression system for the study of ion channels. while used successfully worldwide as tool for expressing and characterizing ion channels from a wide range of species, the limited longevity of oocytes once removed from the animal can pose significant challenges. in this study, we evaluate a simple and useful method that extends the longevity of xenopus oocytes after removal from the animal and quantitatively assessed the reliabi ...	2017	29185074
quantification of size effect on protein rotational mobility in cells by 19f nmr spectroscopy.	protein diffusion in living cells might differ significantly from that measured in vitro. little is known about the effect of globular protein size on rotational diffusion in cells because each protein has distinct surface properties, which result in different interactions with cellular components. to overcome this problem, the b1 domain of protein g (gb1) and several concatemers of the protein were labeled with 5-fluorotryptophan and studied by 19f nmr in escherichia coli cells, xenopus laevis ...	2017	29184995
the r81t mutation in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor of aphis gossypii is associated with neonicotinoid insecticide resistance with differential effects for cyano- and nitro-substituted neonicotinoids.	the cotton aphid, aphis gossypii glover, is one of the most agriculturally important insect pests. neonicotinoid insecticides and sulfoxaflor have generally shown excellent control of a. gossypii, but these aphids have recently developed resistance against neonicotinoid insecticides. we previously characterized a field-collected a. gossypii kushima clone that showed higher resistance to nitro-substituted neonicotinoids, such as imidacloprid, than to cyano-substituted neonicotinoids, such as acet ...	2017	29183611
targeted base editing via rna-guided cytidine deaminases in xenopus laevis embryos.	genome editing using programmable nucleases such as crispr/cas9 or cpf1 has emerged as powerful tools for gene knock-out or knock-in in various organisms. while most genetic diseases are caused by point mutations, these genome-editing approaches are inefficient in inducing single-nucleotide substitutions. recently, cas9-linked cytidine deaminases, named base editors (bes), have been shown to convert cytidine to uridine efficiently, leading to targeted single-base pair substitutions in human cell ...	2017	29179261
rna helicase mov10 is essential for gastrulation and cns development.	mov10 is an rna helicase that modulates access of argonaute 2 to microrna recognition elements in mrnas. we examined the role of mov10 in xenopus laevis development and show a critical role for mov10 in gastrulation and in the development of the central nervous system.	2017	29266590
dynamic intramolecular regulation of the histone chaperone nucleoplasmin controls histone binding and release.	nucleoplasmin (npm) is a highly conserved histone chaperone responsible for the maternal storage and zygotic release of histones h2a/h2b. npm contains a pentameric n-terminal core domain and an intrinsically disordered c-terminal tail domain. though intrinsically disordered regions are common among histone chaperones, their roles in histone binding and chaperoning remain unclear. using an nmr-based approach, here we demonstrate that the xenopus laevis npm tail domain controls the binding of hist ...	2017	29263320
tight junctions negatively regulate mechanical forces applied to adherens junctions in vertebrate epithelial tissue.	epithelia are layers of polarised cells tightly bound to each other by adhesive contacts. epithelia act as barriers between an organism and its external environment. understanding how epithelia maintain their essential integrity while remaining sufficiently plastic to allow events such as cytokinesis to take place is a key biological problem. in vertebrates, the remodelling and reinforcement of adherens junctions maintains epithelial integrity during cytokinesis. the involvement of tight junctio ...	2017	29246943
differentiation-dependent antiviral capacities of amphibian (xenopus laevis) macrophages.	infections by ranaviruses such as frog virus 3 (fv3) are significantly contributing to the worldwide amphibian population declines. notably, amphibian macrophages (mφs) are important to both the fv3 infection strategies and the immune defense against this pathogen. however, the mechanisms underlying amphibian mφ fv3 susceptibility and resistance remain unknown. mφ differentiation is mediated by signaling through the colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (csf-1r), which is now known to be bound by ...	2017	29259133
a nonredundant role for the trpm6 channel in neural tube closure.	in humans, germline mutations in trpm6 cause autosomal dominant hypomagnesemia with secondary hypocalcemia disorder. loss of trpm6 in mice also perturbs cellular magnesium homeostasis but additionally results in early embryonic lethality and neural tube closure defects. to define the mechanisms by which trpm6 influences neural tube closure, we functionally characterized the role of trpm6 during early embryogenesis in xenopus laevis. the expression of xenopus trpm6 (xtrpm6) is elevated at the ons ...	2017	29142255
4-aminopyridine: a pan voltage-gated potassium channel inhibitor that enhances kv 7.4 currents and inhibits noradrenaline-mediated contraction of rat mesenteric small arteries.	kv 7.4 and kv 7.5 channels are regulators of vascular tone. 4-aminopyridine (4-ap) is considered a broad inhibitor of voltage-gated potassium (kv ) channels, with little inhibitory effect on kv 7 family members at mmol concentrations. however, the effect of 4-ap on kv 7 channels has not been systematically studied. the aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacological activity of 4-ap on kv 7.4 and kv 7.5 channels and characterize the effect of 4-ap on rat resistance arteries.	2017	29156097
overland movement in african clawed frogs (xenopus laevis): empirical dispersal data from within their native range.	dispersal forms are an important component of the ecology of many animals, and reach particular importance for predicting ranges of invasive species. african clawed frogs (xenopus laevis) move overland between water bodies, but all empirical studies are from invasive populations with none from their native southern africa. here we report on incidents of overland movement found through a capture-recapture study carried out over a three year period in overstrand, south africa. the maximum distance ...	2017	29134157
specific inhibition of gpcr-independent g protein signaling by a rationally engineered protein.	activation of heterotrimeric g proteins by cytoplasmic nonreceptor proteins is an alternative to the classical mechanism via g protein-coupled receptors (gpcrs). a subset of nonreceptor g protein activators is characterized by a conserved sequence named the gα-binding and activating (gba) motif, which confers guanine nucleotide exchange factor (gef) activity in vitro and promotes g protein-dependent signaling in cells. gba proteins have important roles in physiology and disease but remain greatl ...	2017	29133411
towards functional selectivity for α6β3γ2 gabaa receptors: a series of novel pyrazoloquinolinones.	the gabaa receptors are ligand-gated ion channels, which play an important role in neurotransmission. their variety of binding sites serves as an appealing target for many clinically relevant drugs. here, we explored the functional selectivity of modulatory effects at specific extracellular α+/β- interfaces, using a systematically varied series of pyrazoloquinolinones.	2017	29127702
wall following in xenopus laevis is barrier-driven.	the tendency of animals to follow boundaries within their environment can serve as a strategy for spatial learning or defensive behaviour. we examined whether xenopus laevis tadpoles and froglets employ such a strategy by characterizing their swimming pattern in a square tank with shallow water. trajectories obtained from video recordings were analysed for proximity to the nearest wall. with the exception of young larvae, the vast majority of animals (both tadpoles and froglets) spent a dispropo ...	2017	29119247
nuclear pore complex plasticity during developmental process as revealed by super-resolution microscopy.	nuclear pore complex (npc) is of paramount importance for cellular processes since it is the unique gateway for molecular exchange through the nucleus. unraveling the modifications of the npc structure in response to physiological cues, also called nuclear pore plasticity, is key to the understanding of the selectivity of this molecular machinery. as a step towards this goal, we use the optical super-resolution microscopy method called direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dstorm) ...	2017	29116248
the rice high-affinity k+ transporter oshkt2;4 mediates mg2+ homeostasis under high-mg2+ conditions in transgenic arabidopsis.	rice (oryza sativa; background nipponbare) contains nine hkt (high-affinity k+ transport)-like genes encoding membrane proteins belonging to the superfamily of ktr/trk/hkt. oshkts have been proposed to include four selectivity filter-pore-forming domains homologous to the bacterial k+ channel kcsa, and are separated into oshkt1s with na+-selective activity and oshkt2s with na+-k+ symport activity. as a member of the oshkt2 subfamily, oshkt2;4 renders mg2+ and ca2+ permeability for yeast cells an ...	2017	29114257
rare gabra3 variants are associated with epileptic seizures, encephalopathy and dysmorphic features.	genetic epilepsies are caused by mutations in a range of different genes, many of them encoding ion channels, receptors or transporters. while the number of detected variants and genes increased dramatically in the recent years, pleiotropic effects have also been recognized, revealing that clinical syndromes with various degrees of severity arise from a single gene, a single mutation, or from different mutations showing similar functional defects. accordingly, several genes coding for gabaa rece ...	2017	29053855
pfkfb4 control of akt signaling is essential for premigratory and migratory neural crest formation.	neural crest (nc) specification comprises an early phase, initiating immature nc progenitors formation at neural plate stage, and a later phase at neural fold stage, resulting in a functional premigratory nc that is able to delaminate and migrate. we found that the nc gene regulatory network triggers upregulation of pfkfb4 (6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 4) during this late specification phase. as shown in previous studies, pfkfb4 controls akt signaling in gastrulas and gly ...	2017	29038306
comparative early life stage toxicity of the african clawed frog, xenopus laevis following exposure to selected herbicide formulations applied to eradicate alien plants in south africa.	the rise in pesticides application has increased the need for better understanding of their ecological impacts. the global amphibian declines, for example, have been positively correlated with pesticides use. the differential susceptibility in the developmental stages of amphibians to chemical substances are still largely unknown. we examined the 96-h differential toxicity responses of embryos, premetamorphic and transitional larval stage of xenopus laevis, to six formulated aquatic herbicide pr ...	2017	29051999
a molecular atlas of the developing ectoderm defines neural, neural crest, placode, and nonneural progenitor identity in vertebrates.	during vertebrate neurulation, the embryonic ectoderm is patterned into lineage progenitors for neural plate, neural crest, placodes and epidermis. here, we use xenopus laevis embryos to analyze the spatial and temporal transcriptome of distinct ectodermal domains in the course of neurulation, during the establishment of cell lineages. in order to define the transcriptome of small groups of cells from a single germ layer and to retain spatial information, dorsal and ventral ectoderm was subdivid ...	2017	29049289
geraniin is a diuretic by inhibiting the na+:k+:2cl- cotransporter, nkcc2.	geranium seemannii peyr is a perennial plant endemic in central mexico that has been widely used for its diuretic effect, but the responsible compound of this effect is unknown as well as the mechanism by which the diuretic effect is achieved. geraniin is one of the compounds isolated from this kind of geranium. this study was designed to determinate whether geraniin possesses diuretic activity and to elucidate the mechanism of action. geraniin was extracted and purified from geranium seemannii ...	2017	29046296
inheritance of histones h3 and h4 during dna replication in vitro.	nucleosomes are believed to carry epigenetic information through the cell cycle, including through dna replication. it has been known for decades that parental histones are reassembled on newly replicated chromatin, but the mechanisms underlying histone inheritance and dispersal during dna replication are not fully understood. we monitored the fate of histones h3 or h4 from a single nucleosome through dna replication in two in vitro systems. in the sv40 system, histones assembled on a single nuc ...	2017	29091772
abnormal creatine transport of mutations in monocarboxylate transporter 12 (mct12) found in patients with age-related cataract can be partially rescued by exogenous chaperone cd147.	membrane transporters influence biological functions in the ocular lens. here, we investigate the monocarboxylate transporter 12 (mct12), also called creatine transporter 2 (crt2), which is found in the ocular lens and is involved in cataract. as the age-related form affects about half of the population world-wide, understanding relevant pathomechanisms is a prerequisite for exploring non-invasive treatments. we screened the coding exons of the gene slc16a12 in 877 patients from five cohorts, in ...	2017	29088427
active site voltage clamp fluorometry of the sodium glucose cotransporter hsglt1.	in the human sodium glucose cotransporter (hsglt1) cycle, the protein undergoes conformational changes where the sugar-binding site alternatively faces the external and internal surfaces. functional site-directed fluorometry was used to probe the conformational changes at the sugar-binding site. residues (y290, t287, h83, and n78) were mutated to cysteines. the mutants were expressed in xenopus laevis oocytes and tagged with environmentally sensitive fluorescent rhodamines [e.g., tetramethylrhod ...	2017	29087341
elicitation of xenopus laevis tadpole and adult frog peritoneal leukocytes.	peritoneal lavage of xenopus laevis tadpoles and adult frogs is a reliable way of isolating resident and/or recruited innate immune populations. this protocol details the isolation of tadpole and adult amphibian (xenopus laevis) peritoneal leukocytes. the isolated cells are comprised predominantly of innate immune populations and chiefly of mononuclear and polymorphonuclear granulocytes. as described here, these cells are typically elicited by peritoneal injections of animals with heat-killed es ...	2017	29084862
bioconcentration and metabolism of pyriproxyfen in tadpoles of african clawed frogs, xenopus laevis.	bioconcentration and metabolism of pyriproxyfen uniformly labeled with 14c at the phenoxyphenyl ring were studied using tadpoles of african clawed frog, xenopus laevis, exposed to water at the nominal concentrations of 3 and 300 ppb for 22 days under the flow-through conditions, with a following 3 day depuration phase. neither meaningful mortality nor abnormal behavior was observed in control and exposure groups throughout the study. after the rapid uptake to tadpoles, pyriproxyfen was extensive ...	2017	29084385
development of xenopus laevis bipotential gonads into testis or ovary is driven by sex-specific cell-cell interactions, proliferation rate, cell migration and deposition of extracellular matrix.	information on the mechanisms orchestrating sexual differentiation of the bipotential gonads into testes or ovaries in amphibians is limited. the aim of this study was to investigate the development of xenopus laevis gonad, to identify the earliest signs of sexual differentiation, and to describe mechanisms driving these processes. we used light and electron microscopy, immunofluorescence and cell tracing. in order to identify the earliest signs of sexual differentiation the sex of each tadpole ...	2017	29080791
reactivation of larval keratin gene (krt62.l) in blastema epithelium during xenopus froglet limb regeneration.	limb regeneration is considered a form of limb redevelopment because of the molecular and morphological similarities. forming a regeneration blastema is, in essence, creating a developing limb bud in an adult body. this reactivation of a developmental process in a mature body is worth studying. xenopus laevis has a biphasic life cycle that involves distinct larval and adult stages. these distinct developmental stages are useful for investigating the reactivation of developmental processes in pos ...	2017	29079423
collagen-embedded tumor transplantations in xenopus laevis tadpoles.	the xenopus laevis tadpole provides a valuable model for studying tumorigenesis and tumor immunity by intravital real-time microscopy. using well-characterized thymic lymphoid tumor lines (15/0 and ff-2) that are transplantable into their compatible hosts (lg-15 isogenic clones and the f inbred strain, respectively), a system of semisolid tumor engraftment has been designed. because these lymphoid tumor cell lines are not adherent and grow in suspension, they are first immobilized in a matrix of ...	2017	28912374
the first successful observation of in-cell nmr signals of dna and rna in living human cells.	in order to understand intracellular biological events, information on the structure, dynamics and interaction of proteins and nucleic acids in living cells is of crucial importance. in-cell nmr is a promising method to obtain this information. although nmr signals of proteins in human cells have been reported, those of nucleic acids were reported only in xenopus laevis oocytes, i.e., not in human cells. here, dna and rna were introduced into human cells by means of pore formation by bacterial t ...	2017	29022027
fanconi-anemia-associated mutations destabilize rad51 filaments and impair replication fork protection.	fanconi anemia (fa) is a genetic disorder characterized by a defect in dna interstrand crosslink (icl) repair, chromosomal instability, and a predisposition to cancer. recently, two rad51 mutations were reported to cause an fa-like phenotype. despite the tight association of fa/hr proteins with replication fork (rf) stabilization during normal replication, it remains unknown how fa-associated rad51 mutations affect replication beyond icl lesions. here, we report that these mutations fail to prot ...	2017	29020621
an inhibitor of thyroid hormone synthesis protects tail skin grafts transplanted to syngenic adult frogs.	tail regression in amphibian tadpoles during metamorphosis is one of the most dynamic morphological changes in animal development and is induced by thyroid hormone (th). it has been proposed that tail resorption is driven by immunological rejection in xenopus laevis, based on experimental evidence showing that larval skin grafts become atrophic on syngenic recipient adult frogs. this led to the hypothesis that tail regression is induced by an immunological rejection against larval skin-specific ...	2017	28990472
design of light-sensitive nmdars by genetically encoded photo-cross-linkers.	genetic code expansion exploiting unnatural amino acids (uaas) is a powerful technique to create novel protein function in vivo. here, we provide a protocol for the incorporation of two uv-sensitive crosslinking uaas into nmda receptors (nmdars), a type of glutamate-gated ion channels mediating fast synaptic transmission. through heterologous expression in xenopus laevis oocytes, we have identified light-sensitive nmdars of glun2b subtype by using the two-electrode voltage electrophysiology meas ...	2017	28986874
permeant-specific gating of connexin 30 hemichannels.	gap junctions confer interconnectivity of the cytoplasm in neighboring cells via docking of two connexons expressed in each of the adjacent membranes. undocked connexons, referred to as hemichannels, may open and connect the cytoplasm with the extracellular fluid. the hemichannel configuration of connexins (cxs) displays isoform-specific permeability profiles that are not directly determined by the size and charge of the permeant. to further explore ca2+-mediated gating and permeability features ...	2017	28982982
the effect of food properties on grasping and manipulation in the aquatic frog xenopus laevis.	the ability to grasp an object is fundamental from an evolutionary perspective. involved in many daily activities, grasping has been extensively studied in primates and other mammals. yet other groups of tetrapods, including anurans, have also evolved significant forelimb prehensile capacities that are often thought to have originated in an arboreal context. in addition, grasping is also observed in aquatic species. but how aquatic frogs use their forelimbs to capture and manipulate prey remains ...	2017	28982969
desynchronizing embryonic cell division waves reveals the robustness of xenopus laevis development.	the early xenopus laevis embryo is replete with dynamic spatial waves. one such wave, the cell division wave, emerges from the collective cell division timing of first tens and later hundreds of cells throughout the embryo. here, we show that cell division waves do not propagate between neighboring cells and do not rely on cell-to-cell coupling to maintain their division timing. instead, intrinsic variation in division period autonomously and gradually builds these striking patterns of cell divi ...	2017	28978482
e-cigarette aerosol exposure can cause craniofacial defects in xenopus laevis embryos and mammalian neural crest cells.	since electronic cigarette (ecig) introduction to american markets in 2007, vaping has surged in popularity. many, including women of reproductive age, also believe that ecig use is safer than traditional tobacco cigarettes and is not hazardous when pregnant. however, there are few studies investigating the effects of ecig exposure on the developing embryo and nothing is known about potential effects on craniofacial development. therefore, we have tested the effects of several aerosolized e-ciga ...	2017	28957438
six1 and eya1 both promote and arrest neuronal differentiation by activating multiple notch pathway genes.	the transcription factor six1 and its cofactor eya1 are important regulators of neurogenesis in cranial placodes, activating genes promoting both a progenitor state, such as hes8, and neuronal differentiation, such as neurog1. here, we use gain and loss of function studies in xenopus laevis to elucidate how these genes function during placodal neurogenesis. we first establish that hes8 is activated by notch signaling and represses neurog1 and neuronal differentiation, indicating that it mediates ...	2017	28947179
mammalian odorant receptor tuning breadth persists across distinct odorant panels.	the molecular receptive range (mrr) of a mammalian odorant receptor (or) is the set of odorant structures that activate the or, while the distribution of these odorant structures across odor space is the tuning breadth of the or. variation in tuning breadth is thought to be an important property of ors, with the mrrs of these receptors varying from narrowly to broadly tuned. however, defining the tuning breadth of an or is a technical challenge. for practical reasons, a screening panel that broa ...	2017	28945824
tumor immunology viewed from alternative animal models-the xenopus story.	nonmammalian comparative animal models are important not only to gain fundamental evolutionary understanding of the complex interactions of tumors with the immune system, but also to better predict the applicability of novel immunotherapeutic approaches to humans. after reviewing recent advances in developing alternative models, we focus on the amphibian xenopus laevis and its usefulness in deciphering the perplexing roles of mhc class i-like molecules and innate (i)t cells in tumor immunity.	2017	28944105
the brain is required for normal muscle and nerve patterning during early xenopus development.	possible roles of brain-derived signals in the regulation of embryogenesis are unknown. here we use an amputation assay in xenopus laevis to show that absence of brain alters subsequent muscle and peripheral nerve patterning during early development. the muscle phenotype can be rescued by an antagonist of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. the observed defects occur at considerable distances from the head, suggesting that the brain provides long-range cues for other tissue systems during develo ...	2017	28943634
identification of regions responsible for the function of the plant k+ channels kat1 and akt2 in saccharomyces cerevisiae and xenopus laevis oocytes.	the arabidopsis k+ channel kat1 complements in k+-limited medium the growth of the k+ uptake defective saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant strain cy162, while another k+ channel, akt2, does not. to gain insight into the structural basis for this difference, we constructed 12 recombinant chimeric channels from these two genes. when expressed in cy162, only three of these chimeras fully rescued the growth of cy162 under k+-limited conditions. we conclude that the transmembrane core region of kat1 is i ...	2017	28933647
the nitrate transporter family protein ljnpf8.6 controls the n-fixing nodule activity.	n-fixing nodules are new organs formed on legume roots as a result of the beneficial interaction with soil bacteria, rhizobia. the nodule functioning is still a poorly characterized step of the symbiotic interaction, as only a few of the genes induced in n-fixing nodules have been functionally characterized. we present here the characterization of a member of the lotus japonicus nitrate transporter1/peptide transporter family, ljnpf8.6 the phenotypic characterization carried out in independent l ...	2017	28931627
beyond mouse cancer models: three-dimensional human-relevant in vitro and non-mammalian in vivo models for photodynamic therapy.	the proper design of experiments is a critical step for each study in order to obtain reproducible and reliable data. taking into account constant competitiveness in the quickly developing biomedical sciences and the availability of sophisticated techniques, the choice and establishment of an experimental model system are essential for a successful research project. currently, various sophisticated in vitro and in vivo models are being designed and developed in order to replace the use of mammal ...	2017	28927532
expression and functional proteomic analyses of osteocytes from xenopus laevis tested under mechanical stress conditions: preliminary observations on an appropriate new animal model.	hitherto, the role of the osteocyte as transducer of mechanical stimuli into biological signals is far from settled. in this study, we used an appropriate model represented by the cortex of xenopus laevis long bone diaphysis lacking (unlike the mammalian one) of vascular structures and containing only osteocytes inside the bone matrix. these structural features allow any change of protein profile that might be observed upon different experimental conditions, such as bone adaptation to stress/mec ...	2017	28925539
β subunits control the effects of human kv4.3 potassium channel phosphorylation.	the transient outward k+ current, ito, activates early in the cardiac myocyte action potential, to begin repolarization. human ito is generated primarily by two kv4.3 potassium channel α subunit splice variants (kv4.3l and kv4.3s) that diverge only by a c-terminal, membrane-proximal, 19-residue stretch unique to kv4.3l. protein kinase c (pkc) phosphorylation of threonine 504 within the kv4.3l-specific 19-residues mediates α-adrenergic inhibition of ito in human heart. kv4.3 is regulated in human ...	2017	28919864
a comparison of electronic and traditional cigarette butt leachate on the development of xenopus laevis embryos.	potential developmental toxicities of three different cigarette butt leachates were evaluated using the frog embryo teratogenesis assay-xenopus (fetax). xenopus laevis embryos were exposed to regular cigarette butt (rcb), menthol (mcb) and electronic (ecb) in concentrations ranging from 0 to 4 butts/l for rcb and mcb and 0-10 butts/l for ecb. the embryos were from stage 8 to 11 and were exposed for a 96-h period in static renewal test conditions. median lethal concentration (lc50), malformation ...	2017	28959628
dual control of pcdh8l/pcns expression and function in xenopus laevis neural crest cells by adam13/33 via the transcription factors tfap2α and arid3a.	adam13/33 is a cell surface metalloprotease critical for cranial neural crest (cnc) cell migration. it can cleave multiple substrates including itself, fibronectin, ephrinb, cadherin-11, pcdh8 and pcdh8l (this work). cleavage of cadherin-11 produces an extracellular fragment that promotes cnc migration. in addition, the adam13 cytoplasmic domain is cleaved by gamma secretase, translocates into the nucleus and regulates multiple genes. here, we show that adam13 interacts with the arid3a/dril1/bri ...	2017	28829038
assembly rules for gabaa receptor complexes in the brain.	gabaa receptor (gabaar) pentamers are assembled from a pool of 19 subunits, and variety in subunit combinations diversifies gabaar functions to tune brain activity. pentamers with distinct subunit compositions localize differentially at synaptic and non-synaptic sites to mediate phasic and tonic inhibition, respectively. despite multitudes of theoretical permutations, limited subunit combinations have been identified in the brain. currently, no molecular model exists for combinatorial gabaar ass ...	2017	28816653
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
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
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
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
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
interleukin-11 induces and maintains progenitors of different cell lineages during xenopus tadpole tail regeneration.	unlike mammals, xenopus laevis tadpoles possess high ability to regenerate their lost organs. in amphibians, the main source of regenerated tissues is lineage-restricted tissue stem cells, but the mechanisms underlying induction, maintenance and differentiation of these stem/progenitor cells in the regenerating organs are poorly understood. we previously reported that interleukin-11 (il-11) is highly expressed in the proliferating cells of regenerating xenopus tadpole tails. here, we show that i ...	2017	28887447
dextmp: deep dive into text for predicting moonlighting proteins.	moonlighting proteins (mps) are an important class of proteins that perform more than one independent cellular function. mps are gaining more attention in recent years as they are found to play important roles in various systems including disease developments. mps also have a significant impact in computational function prediction and annotation in databases. currently mps are not labeled as such in biological databases even in cases where multiple distinct functions are known for the proteins. ...	2017	28881966
loss of fourth electron-transferring tryptophan in animal (6-4) photolyase impairs dna repair activity in bacterial cells.	(6-4) photolyases [(6-4)pls] are flavoproteins that use blue light to repair the ultraviolet-induced pyrimidine(6-4)pyrimidone photoproduct in dna. their flavin adenine dinucleotide (fad) cofactor can be reduced to its repair-active fadh- form by a photoinduced electron transfer reaction. in animal (6-4)pls, a chain of four trp residues was suggested to be involved in a stepwise transfer of an oxidation hole from the flavin to the surface of the protein. here, we investigated the effect of mutat ...	2017	28880077