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Investigation of genes expression of the JAK/STAT signalling pathway and AMPs in the presence of Borrelia spirochetes in Ixodes ricinus
Abstract Multicellular animals need to control the spread of invading pathogens. This is a particular challenge for blood-feeding vectors such as ticks, which ingest large amounts of blood potentially laden with harmful microorganisms. Ticks have a basic innate immune system and protect themselves from infection through innate immune responses involving pathways such as Janus kinase (JAK) or the signalling transducer activator of transcription (STAT). Direct antimicrobial defence occurs through the rapid synthesis of numerous antimicrobial agents including antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). The tick Ixodes ricinus is one of the main vectors of the Lyme disease pathogen, the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. Data suggest that the JAK/STAT signalling pathway controls the expression of AMPs and regulates the infection of the pathogen in the tick body. The innate immune system during the off-host period keeps the level of spirochete infection in check. Spirochetes may influence the innate immune response in ticks. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyse the expression of the genes related to the JAK/STAT pathway and selected AMPs in questing ticks in which B. burgorferi s.l. was detected. In the ticks infected with spirochetes, overexpression of genes related to the JAK/STAT signalling pathway was observed in the case of STAM and SOCS genes. AMPs genes such as def1, ric, lzs were overexpressed with different expression patterns. The results obtained suggest that AMPs may be involved in infection management in ticks.
Structure and mechanism of biosynthesis of Streptococcus mutans cell wall polysaccharide
Abstract Streptococcus mutans, the causative agent of human dental caries, expresses a cell wall attached Serotype c-specific Carbohydrate (SCC) that is critical for cell viability. SCC consists of a polyrhamnose backbone of →3)α-Rha(1 → 2)α-Rha(1→ repeats with glucose (Glc) side-chains and glycerol phosphate (GroP) decorations. This study reveals that SCC has one predominant and two more minor Glc modifications. The predominant Glc modification, α-Glc, attached to position 2 of 3-rhamnose, is installed by SccN and SccM glycosyltransferases and is the site of the GroP addition. The minor Glc modifications are β-Glc linked to position 4 of 3-rhamnose installed by SccP and SccQ glycosyltransferases, and α-Glc attached to position 4 of 2-rhamnose installed by SccN working in tandem with an unknown enzyme. Both the major and the minor β-Glc modifications control bacterial morphology, but only the GroP and major Glc modifications are critical for biofilm formation.
Mechanistic insights into pachymic acid’s action on triple-negative breast Cancer through TOP2A targeting
A lightweight prosthetic hand with 19-DOF dexterity and human-level functions
Modified titanium post with polished sidewalls and prefabricated shoulders can effectively preserve the teeth with subgingival defects
Seismic versus aseismic slip for the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake doublet
Understanding the influence of stratification for mine water management: a comparative study
Motif distribution and DNA methylation underlie distinct Cdx2 binding during development and homeostasis
The expanded theory of planned behavior for energy saving among academics in Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Slovakia
Abstract Given the escalating global energy consumption and the concurrent economic and energy crises, energy-saving behaviour must be adopted on a large scale. Universities that are energy-intensive institutions should be one of the institutions where energy-saving behaviour is widely adopted. Academics devote a substantial portion of their time to their offices, which leads to increased energy usage. However, no study has investigated academics’ energy-saving behaviours in the literature. Most studies focus on students or employees in various organizations. Our study tries to cover the gap by examining the energy-saving behaviour of academics in four countries (Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Slovakia) based on the expanded Theory of Planned Behaviour. A questionnaire was distributed to 228 academics from the four countries to gather data. The research hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modelling. The findings show that individual factors (attitude and perceived behaviour control) influence the energy-saving intention of academics but not the organisational factors due to the weak identification with their universities. The study offers valuable insights for policymakers seeking to promote energy-saving programs in academic institutions. The academics can be seen as role models for their students which emphasizes the need to study more their sustainable behaviours.
Intrinsic p53 activation restricts gammaherpesvirus driven germinal center B cell expansion during latency establishment
Abstract Gammaherpesviruses are DNA tumor viruses that establish lifelong latent infections in lymphocytes. For viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus and murine gammaherpesvirus 68, this is accomplished through a viral gene-expression program that promotes cellular proliferation and differentiation, especially of germinal center B cells. Intrinsic host mechanisms that control virus-driven cellular expansion are incompletely defined. Using a small-animal model of gammaherpesvirus pathogenesis, we demonstrate in vivo that the tumor suppressor p53 is activated specifically in B cells latently infected by murine gammaherpesvirus 68. In the absence of p53, the early expansion of murine gammaherpesvirus 68 latency greatly increases, especially in germinal center B cells, a cell type whose proliferation is conversely restricted by p53. We identify the B cell-specific latency gene M2, a viral promoter of germinal center B cell differentiation, as a viral protein sufficient to elicit a p53-dependent anti-proliferative response caused by Src-family kinase activation. We further demonstrate that Epstein-Barr virus-encoded latent membrane protein 1 similarly triggers a p53 response in primary B cells. Our data highlight a model in which gammaherpesvirus latency gene-expression programs that promote B cell proliferation and differentiation to facilitate viral colonization of the host trigger aberrant cellular proliferation that is controlled by p53.
Protective effect of low-dose lactulose in dextran sulfate sodium induced ulcerative colitis model of rats
Dynamically induced spatial segregation in multispecies bacterial bioconvection
Blue photoluminescence from active carboxyl adatoms on nanoporous anodic alumina films
Active learning framework to optimize process parameters for additive-manufactured Ti-6Al-4V with high strength and ductility
Novel application of sinh cosh optimizer for robust controller design in hybrid photovoltaic-thermal power systems
Multichrome encoding-based multiplexed, spatially resolved imaging reveals single-cell RNA epigenetic modifications heterogeneity
A lectin produced by a Streptomyces species targets mammalian pancreatic acinar cells in mice and humans
Probing and manipulating the Mexican hat-shaped valence band of In2Se3
Abstract Ferroelectrics based on van der Waals semiconductors represent an emergent class of materials for disruptive technologies ranging from neuromorphic computing to low-power electronics. However, many theoretical predictions of their electronic properties have yet to be confirmed experimentally and exploited. Here, we use nanoscale angle-resolved photoemission electron spectroscopy and optical transmission in high magnetic fields to reveal the electronic band structure of the van der Waals ferroelectric indium selenide (α-In2Se3). This indirect bandgap semiconductor features a weakly dispersed valence band, which is shaped like an inverted Mexican hat. Its form changes following an irreversible structural phase transition of α-In2Se3 into β-In2Se3 via a thermal annealing in ultra-high vacuum. Density functional theory supports the experiments and reveals the critical contribution of spin orbit coupling to the form of the valence band. The measured band structure and its in situ manipulation offer opportunities for precise engineering of ferroelectrics and their functional properties beyond traditional semiconducting systems.