Our experiments aimed to investigate responses of the marine cyanobacteria Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus to toxic arsenic species, such as arsenate, and to understand cellular mechanisms that contribute to arsenic tolerance. We used two strains of Prochlorococcus, a high-light adapted MED4 and low-light adapted MIT9313, both axenic, for cultivation experiments. For...
A method for large quantity dsRNA production was developed since a small amount of dsRNA synthesized in vitro with commercial kits are used for small scale bioassay evaluations. Developing a large-scale production system for dsRNA is critical for practical RNAi application, especially for non-transgenic RNAi-based control. However, large-scale analysis or...
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an environmental bacterium which
opportunistically infects humans. Commonly residing in irondepleted
environments, P. aeruginosa uses iron-chelating
molecules called siderophores to scavenge iron from its
environment. The most prevalent siderophore used by P.
aeruginosa is known as pyoverdine. After the cell synthesizes and
secretes pyoverdine, the molecule binds...
The acquired ability of Salmonella to express varying morphotypes when placed in nutrient-limited conditions is hypothesized to predict increased resistance to food processing interventions. Two of the morphotypes expressed by Salmonella are Red, Dry and Rough (RDAR) and Smooth and White (SAW). Increased resistance is predicted for the RDAR morphotype...
Phospholipase C enzymes hydrolyze the rare membrane lipids phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PIP) and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) PIP into inositol triphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG). Phospholipase C enzymes of the β subtype (PLC-β) function specifically in the signal transduction pathways regulated by Gαq-coupled seven transmembrane receptors. These signaling pathways link plasma membrane receptor activation...
Bacteria found in clarified ovine rumen fluid are capable of degradation of high-energy explosives such as RDX (Hexahydro-1,3,-trinitro‐1,3,5‐triazine) and HMX (Octahydro‐1,3,5,7‐tetranitro‐1,3,5,7-tetrazocine).
Phylogenic studies suggest that cells from long-lived species are more resistant to a variety of stressors than short-lived species. However, there is little information on the cellular mechanisms that give rise to increased resistance to stress. Our previous studies have shown that liver proteins from a long-lived species have lower...
Native to the Pacific Northwest, Ceratomyxashastais a myxosporeanparasite that infects wild and cultivated salmon and has a significance impact on its population in the Klamath River basin. The study suggests that the transmission of mixed genotypes of the parasite are common in Chinook salmon but the age of the fish...
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) play a significant role in the production of several food products for human consumption. Humans exploit and maximize the various benefits from LAB characteristics, especially in foods such as cheese, yogurt and other fermented products. More recently, research discovered that certain LAB, such as Lactococcus species,...
Marine bacteria from the SAR11 clade (class Alphaproteobacteria), specifically strains
HTCC1062 and HTCC7211, were characterized according to a polyphasic taxonomic approach.
Maximum cell densities and growth rates at various temperatures, salinities, and pH’s were
analyzed. Strains HTCC1062 and HTCC7211 were observed as having different growth
optimums. On the basis of...
Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF α) and interferon gamma (IFN γ) were initially recognized as inflammatory mediators produced by immune cells in response to infectious agents or foreign material. (1,5) However, over the past decade much research in mammalian species has indicated that these proteins also play key roles in...
For the past twenty-seven years, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has become a worldwide pandemic. Due to the properties of HIV, such as its fast replication rate and error-prone reverse transcriptase, researchers have been unsuccessful in finding a cure or vaccine. Researchers have, however, developed a treatment regimen...