Asc2

In this work, we present a detailed study of the interaction between ascorbic acid (L-asc) and anatase TiO2 (101) surface both in gas phase and in contact with water by using density functional theory and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. In gas phase, L-asc strongly binds the TiO2(101) surface as a dianion (L-asc2-), adopting a bridging bidentate coordination mode (BB), with the two acid protons transferred to two surface 2-fold bridging oxygens (O2c). AIMD simulations show that the interaction between the organic ligand and the anatase surface is stable and comparable to the vacuum one despite the possible solvent effects and/or possible structural distortions of the ligand...

To better diagnose and treat tumors related to arginine metabolism, (2S,4S)-2-amino-4-(4-(2-(fluoro-18 F)ethoxy)benzyl)-5-guanidinopentanoic acid ( [18 F]7 ) was designed and prepared by introducing [18 F]fluoroethoxy benzyl on carbon-4 of arginine. [18 F]7 and 7 were successfully prepared using synthesis methods similar to those used for (2S,4S)-4-[18 F]FEBGln and (2S,4S)-4-FEBGln, respectively. In vitro experiments on cell transport mechanisms showed that [18 F]7 was similar to (2S,4S)4-[18 F]FPArg and was transported into tumor cells by cationic amino acid transporters...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: 17 β-estradiol (E2) is an important pollutant of the aquatic system. It is responsible for sexual disruptions in the majority of aquatic organisms. This study aimed to search for bacteria with high potential degradation of E2 as an important method for bioremediation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sewage water samples were collected and treated to isolate bacterial strains which were identified by conventional methods and 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence analysis...

Bat ASC2 inhibits inflammasome activation by preventing ASC speck formation.

Pancreatic beta cell function is an important component of glucose homeostasis. Here, we investigated the function of PIMT (PRIP-interacting protein with methyl transferase domain), a transcriptional co-activator binding protein, in the pancreatic beta cells. We observed that the protein levels of PIMT, along with key beta cell markers such as PDX1 (pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1) and MafA (MAF bZIP transcription factor A), were reduced in the beta cells exposed to hyperglycemic and hyperlipidemic conditions...

Bats are special in their ability to live long and host many emerging viruses. Our previous studies showed that bats have altered inflammasomes, which are central players in aging and infection. However, the role of inflammasome signaling in combating inflammatory diseases remains poorly understood. Here, we report bat ASC2 as a potent negative regulator of inflammasomes. Bat ASC2 is highly expressed at both the mRNA and protein levels and is highly potent in inhibiting human and mouse inflammasomes. Transgenic expression of bat ASC2 in mice reduced the severity of peritonitis induced by gout crystals and ASC particles...

Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) are adult stem cells, endowed with self-renewal, multipotent capacities, and immunomodulatory properties, as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from other origins. However, in a pathological context, ASCs like MSCs can exhibit pro-inflammatory properties and attract inflammatory immune cells at their neighborhood. Subsequently, this creates an inflammatory microenvironment leading to ASCs' or MSCs' dysfunctions. One such example is given by obesity where adipogenesis is impaired and insulin resistance is initiated...

Adipose stem cells (ASCs) are reported to play a role in normal physiology as well as in inflammation and disease. The objective of this work was to elucidate inter-individual differences in growth, gene expression and response to inflammatory stimuli in ASCs from different donors. Human ASC1 (male donor) and ASC2 (female donor) were purchased from Lonza (Walkersville, MD). Cell proliferation was determined by the sulforhodamine B assay. After time-dependent treatment of ASCs with or without bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), marker gene mRNAs for proliferation, steroid hormones, and xenobiotic and immune pathways were determined using RT-PCR, and secreted cytokine levels in media were measured using the Bio-Plex cytokine assay kit...

The first-principles approach has been used while employing the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof exchange-correlation functional of generalized gradient approximation (PBE-GGA) along with the Hubbard parameter to study the structural, optoelectronic, mechanical and magnetic properties of titanium-based MAX materials Ti3 AC2 (A = P, As, Cd) for the first time. As there is no band gap found between the valence and conduction bands in the considered materials, these compounds belong to the conductor family of materials...

As senescence progresses, the sensitivity of wheat organs to plant hormones during the grain-filling stages cannot be ignored. Especially under water deficit situation, non-leaf organs (spikes) have better photosynthesis and drought-tolerance traits than flag leaves. However, the mechanism of ethylene synthesis in wheat organs under water deficit remains unclear. We have studied the influence of water deficit in wheat flag leaves and spike bracts on photosynthetic parameters and on the expression of key enzymes involved in the ethylene biosynthesis pathway during the late grain-filling stages...

ASC is a component of the inflammasome playing crucial roles in the inflammatory response. In mammals, ASC induces pyroptosis and inflammatory cytokine production. In this study, three asc genes (asc1, asc2, and asc3) from the Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) were identified and characterized. These asc genes were tandem replicates on chromosome 16, and their exon-intron structures differed between them. All three ASCs conserved the pyrin and caspase-recruitment domains, which are important for inflammasome formation...

CYBASC proteins are ascorbate (AscH- ) reducible, diheme b containing membrane integral cytochrome b 561 proteins (cyt b 561 ), which are proposed to be involved in AscH- recycling and facilitation of iron absorption. Two distinct CYBASC paralogs from the plant Arabidopsis thaliana , At cyt b 561 -A (A-paralog) and At cyt b 561 -B (B-paralog), have been found to differ in their vis-spectral characteristics and their interaction with AscH- and ferric iron chelates. A previously determined crystal structure of the B-paralog provides first insights into the structural organisation of a CYBASC member and implies hydrogen-bonding between the substrate AscH- and the conserved lysine residues on positions 77 (B-K77) and 81 (B-K81)...

We report the preparation of a novel glutamine derivative, (2S,4S)-2,5-diamino-4-(4-(2-fluoroethoxy)benzyl)-5-oxopentanoic acid, (2S, 4S)4-[18 F]FEBGln ([18 F]4), through efficient organic and radiosyntheses. In vitro assays of [18 F]4 using MCF-7 cells showed that it entered cells via multiple amino acid transporter systems including system L and ASC2 transporters but not through the system A transporter. [18 F]4 showed promising properties for tumor imaging and may serve as a lead compound for further optimizing and targeting the system L transporter associated with enhanced glutamine metabolism in cancer cells...

The current research is based on computational study of the Death Domain (DD) superfamily of proteins involved in the cytoplasmic inflammasome complexes associated with apoptosis and inflammation in response to the nanoparticle treatment. The PYD domains of the DD superfamily proteins, NALP3 and ASC, were chosen for investigation as they are found to be primarily involved in the regulation of innate immunity and are associated with apoptosis and inflammation. The in-vitro studies of these proteins have proven to be a challenge as the proteins have a tendency to aggregate under laboratory conditions...

BACKGROUND: Our study aimed to search for novel bacteria capable of producing polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) using crude glycerol residue obtained from biodiesel production in which used cooking oils were the substrates. RESULTS: Newly isolated bacteria from soils in Thailand were screened for the efficient production of PHAs from crude glycerol. The bacterial strains were cultivated on glucose, refined glycerol, crude glycerol, or various cooking oils (canola oil, palm oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, grape seed oil, olive oil, rice bran oil, camellia seed oil) for growth and PHA production...

Advances have been made in our understanding of Ascochyta blight resistance genetics through mapping candidate genes associated with QTL regions and demonstrating the importance of epistatic interactions in determining resistance. Ascochyta blight disease of pea (Pisum sativum L.) is economically significant with worldwide distribution. The causal pathogens are Didymella pinodes, Phoma medicaginis var pinodella and, in South Australia, P. koolunga. This study aimed to identify candidate genes that map to quantitative trait loci (QTL) for Ascochyta blight field disease resistance and to explore the role of epistatic interactions...

NLRP4 is a member of the nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat receptor (NLR) family of cytosolic receptors and a member of an inflammation signaling cascade. Here, we present the crystal structure of the NLRP4 pyrin domain (PYD) at 2.3 Å resolution. The NLRP4 PYD is a member of the death domain (DD) superfamily and adopts a DD fold consisting of six α-helices tightly packed around a hydrophobic core, with a highly charged surface that is typical of PYDs. Importantly, however, we identified several differences between the NLRP4 PYD crystal structure and other PYD structures that are significant enough to affect NLRP4 function and its interactions with binding partners...

Kabuki syndrome (KS) is one of the classical, clinically well-known multiple anomalies/mental retardation syndromes, mainly characterized by a very distinctive facial appearance in combination with additional clinical signs such as developmental delay, short stature, persistent fingerpads, and urogenital tract anomalies. In our study, we sequenced all 54 coding exons of the recently identified MLL2 gene in 34 patients with Kabuki syndrome. We identified 18 distinct mutations in 19 patients, 11 of 12 tested de novo...

HBV (hepatitis B virus) is a primary cause of chronic liver disease, which frequently results in hepatitis, cirrhosis and ultimately HCC (hepatocellular carcinoma). Recently, we showed that HBx (HBV protein X) expression induces lipid accumulation in hepatic cells mediated by the induction of SREBP1 (sterol-regulatory-element-binding protein 1), a key regulator of lipogenic genes in the liver. However, the molecular mechanisms by which HBx increases SREBP1 expression and transactivation remain to be clearly elucidated...

Activating signal cointegrator-2 (ASC-2), a coactivator of multiple transcription factors that include retinoic acid receptor (RAR), associates with histone H3-K4 methyltranferases (H3K4MTs) MLL3 and MLL4 in mixed-lineage leukemia. Here, we show that mice expressing a SET domain mutant of MLL3 share phenotypes with isogenic ASC2+/- mice and that expression and H3-K4 trimethylation of RAR target gene RAR-beta2 are impaired in ASC-2-null mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs) or in MEFs expressing siRNAs against both MLL3 and MLL4...