scholarly journals Degeneracy in hippocampal physiology and plasticity

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahul Kumar Rathour ◽  
Rishikesh Narayanan
Keyword(s):  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Multiple Scales ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
List Type ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
State Dependent ◽  
Incoming Information ◽  
Alternate Routes ◽  
Lines Of Evidence ◽  
Analogous Function

ABSTRACTDegeneracy, defined as the ability of structurally disparate elements to perform analogous function, has largely been assessed from the perspective of maintaining robustness of physiology or plasticity. How does the framework of degeneracy assimilate into an encoding system where the ability to change is an essential ingredient for storing new incoming information? Could degeneracy maintain the balance between the apparently contradictory goals of the need to change for encoding and the need to resist change towards maintaining homeostasis? In this review, we explore these fundamental questions with the mammalian hippocampus as an example encoding system. We systematically catalog lines of evidence, spanning multiple scales of analysis, that demonstrate the expression of degeneracy in hippocampal physiology and plasticity. We assess the potential of degeneracy as a framework to achieve the conjoint goals of encoding and homeostasis without cross-interferences. We postulate that biological complexity, involving interactions among the numerous parameters spanning different scales of analysis, could establish disparate routes towards accomplishing these conjoint goals. These disparate routes then provide several degrees of freedom to the encoding-homeostasis system in accomplishing its tasks in an input- and state-dependent manner. Finally, the expression of degeneracy spanning multiple scales offers an ideal reconciliation to several outstanding controversies, through the recognition that the seemingly contradictory disparate observations are merely alternate routes that the system might recruit towards accomplishment of its goals. Against the backdrop of the ubiquitous prevalence of degeneracy and its strong links to evolution, it is perhaps apt to add a corollary to Theodosius Dobzhansky’s famous quote and state “nothing in physiology makes sense except in the light of degeneracy”.HighlightsDegeneracy is the ability of structurally distinct elements to yield similar functionWe postulate a critical role for degeneracy in the emergence of stable encoding systemsWe catalog lines of evidence for the expression of degeneracy in the hippocampusWe suggest avenues for research to explore degeneracy in stable encoding systemsDobzhansky wrote: “nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution”A corollary: “nothing in physiology makes sense except in the light of degeneracy”

Serotonergic Inhibition of Action Potential Evoked Calcium Transients in NOS-Containing Mesopontine Cholinergic Neurons

2000 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 1558-1572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher S. Leonard ◽  
Sanjai R. Rao ◽  
Takafumi Inoue
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Firing Rate ◽  
Rem Sleep ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Brain Slices ◽  
Receptor Activation ◽  
Repetitive Firing ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Laterodorsal Tegmental Nucleus ◽  
State Dependent

Nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-containing mesopontine cholinergic (MPCh) neurons of the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT) are hypothesized to drive the behavioral states of waking and REM sleep through a tonic increase in firing rate which begins before and is maintained throughout these states. In principle, increased firing could elevate intracellular calcium levels and regulate numerous cellular processes including excitability, gene expression, and the activity of neuronal NOS in a state-dependent manner. We investigated whether repetitive firing, evoked by current injection and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activation, produces somatic and proximal dendritic [Ca2+]i transients and whether these transients are modulated by serotonin, a transmitter thought to play a critical role in regulating the state-dependent firing of MPCh neurons. [Ca2+]i was monitored optically from neurons filled with Ca2+ indicators in guinea pig brain slices while measuring membrane potential with sharp microelectrodes or patch pipettes. Neither hyperpolarizing current steps nor subthreshold depolarizing steps altered [Ca2+]i. In contrast, suprathreshold currents caused large and rapid increases in [Ca2+]i that were related to firing rate. TTX (1 μM) strongly attenuated this relation. Addition of tetraethylammonium (TEA, 20 mM), which resulted in Ca2+spiking on depolarization, restored the change in [Ca2+]i to pre-TTX levels. Suprathreshold doses of NMDA also produced increases in [Ca2+]i that were reduced by up to 60% by TTX. Application of 5-HT, which hyperpolarized LDT neurons without detectable changes in [Ca2+]i, suppressed both current- and NMDA-evoked increases in [Ca2+]i by reducing the number of evoked spikes and by inhibiting spike-evoked Ca2+ transients by ∼40% in the soma and proximal dendrites. This inhibition was accompanied by a subtle increase in the spike repolarization rate and a decrease in spike width, as expected for inhibition of high-threshold Ca2+ currents in these neurons. NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry confirmed that recorded cells were NOS-containing. These findings indicate the prime role of action potentials in elevating [Ca2+]i in NOS-containing MPCh neurons. Moreover, they demonstrate that serotonin can inhibit somatic and proximal dendritic [Ca2+]i increases both indirectly by reducing firing rate and directly by decreasing the spike-evoked transients. Functionally, these data suggest that spike-evoked Ca2+ signals in MPCh neurons should be largest during REM sleep when serotonin inputs are expected to be lowest even if equivalent firing rates are reached during waking. Such Ca2+ signals may function to trigger Ca2+-dependent processes including cfosexpression and nitric oxide production in a REM-specific manner.

The Natural Flavonoid Naringenin Inhibits the Cell Growth of WilmsTumorinChildren by Suppressing TLR4/NF-κB Signaling

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongtao Li ◽  
Peng Chen ◽  
Lei Chen ◽  
Xinning Wang
Keyword(s):  
Cell Growth ◽  
Western Blot ◽  
Wilms Tumor ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Time Dependent ◽  
Luciferase Assay ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Tlr4 Expression ◽  
Protein Levels

Background: Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) is usually activated in Wilms tumor (WT) cells and plays a critical role in WT development. Objective: The study purpose was to screen a NF-κB inhibitor from natural product library and explore its effects on WT development. Methods: Luciferase assay was employed to assess the effects of natural chemical son NF-κB activity. CCK-8 assay was conducted to assess cell growth in response to naringenin. WT xenograft model was established to analyze the effect of naringenin in vivo. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot were performed to examine the mRNA and protein levels of relative genes, respectively. Results: Naringenin displayed significant inhibitory effect on NF-κB activation in SK-NEP-1 cells. In SK-NEP-1 and G-401 cells, naringenin inhibited p65 phosphorylation. Moreover, naringenin suppressed TNF-α-induced p65 phosphorylation in WT cells. Naringenin inhibited TLR4 expression at both mRNA and protein levels in WT cells. CCK-8 staining showed that naringenin inhibited cell growth of the two above WT cells in dose-and time-dependent manner, whereas Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) over expression partially reversed the above phenomena. Besides, naringenin suppressed WT tumor growth in dose-and time-dependent manner in vivo. Western blot found that naringenin inhibited TLR4 expression and p65 phosphorylation in WT xenograft tumors. Conclusion: Naringenin inhibits WT development viasuppressing TLR4/NF-κB signaling

scholarly journals Arginine Decarboxylase Is Essential for Pneumococcal Stress Responses

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 286
Author(s):  
Mary Frances Nakamya ◽  
Moses B. Ayoola ◽  
Leslie A. Shack ◽  
Mirghani Mohamed ◽  
Edwin Swiatlo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Responses ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Acid Stress ◽  
Arginine Decarboxylase ◽  
Arginine Deiminase ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Opportunistic Human Pathogen ◽  
Thiol Peroxidase ◽  
The Impact

Polyamines such as putrescine, cadaverine, and spermidine are small cationic molecules that play significant roles in cellular processes, including bacterial stress responses and host–pathogen interactions. Streptococcus pneumoniae is an opportunistic human pathogen, which causes several diseases that account for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. As it transits through different host niches, S. pneumoniae is exposed to and must adapt to different types of stress in the host microenvironment. We earlier reported that S. pneumoniae TIGR4, which harbors an isogenic deletion of an arginine decarboxylase (ΔspeA), an enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of agmatine in the polyamine synthesis pathway, has a reduced capsule. Here, we report the impact of arginine decarboxylase deletion on pneumococcal stress responses. Our results show that ΔspeA is more susceptible to oxidative, nitrosative, and acid stress compared to the wild-type strain. Gene expression analysis by qRT-PCR indicates that thiol peroxidase, a scavenger of reactive oxygen species and aguA from the arginine deiminase system, could be important for peroxide stress responses in a polyamine-dependent manner. Our results also show that speA is essential for endogenous hydrogen peroxide and glutathione production in S. pneumoniae. Taken together, our findings demonstrate the critical role of arginine decarboxylase in pneumococcal stress responses that could impact adaptation and survival in the host.

scholarly journals Colorectal Cancer Apoptosis Induced by Dietary δ-Valerobetaine Involves PINK1/Parkin Dependent-Mitophagy and SIRT3

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (15) ◽  
pp. 8117
Author(s):  
Nunzia D’Onofrio ◽  
Elisa Martino ◽  
Luigi Mele ◽  
Antonino Colloca ◽  
Martina Maione ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Colon Cancer ◽  
Mitochondrial Dysfunction ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Apoptotic Cell ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Colon Cancer Cells ◽  
Protein Levels

Understanding the mechanisms of colorectal cancer progression is crucial in the setting of strategies for its prevention. δ-Valerobetaine (δVB) is an emerging dietary metabolite showing cytotoxic activity in colon cancer cells via autophagy and apoptosis. Here, we aimed to deepen current knowledge on the mechanism of δVB-induced colon cancer cell death by investigating the apoptotic cascade in colorectal adenocarcinoma SW480 and SW620 cells and evaluating the molecular players of mitochondrial dysfunction. Results indicated that δVB reduced cell viability in a time-dependent manner, reaching IC50 after 72 h of incubation with δVB 1.5 mM, and caused a G2/M cell cycle arrest with upregulation of cyclin A and cyclin B protein levels. The increased apoptotic cell rate occurred via caspase-3 activation with a concomitant loss in mitochondrial membrane potential and SIRT3 downregulation. Functional studies indicated that δVB activated mitochondrial apoptosis through PINK1/Parkin pathways, as upregulation of PINK1, Parkin, and LC3B protein levels was observed (p < 0.0001). Together, these findings support a critical role of PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy in mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis induced by δVB in SW480 and SW620 colon cancer cells.

184 Two types of anti-TIGIT antibodies with distinct binding epitope and functional activities

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A198-A198
Author(s):  
Tingting Zhong ◽  
Xinghua Pang ◽  
Zhaoliang Huang ◽  
Na Chen ◽  
Xiaoping Jin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Mixed Culture ◽  
Cell Activity ◽  
Cross Reactivity ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Jurkat Cells ◽  
List Type ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Vitro Assay

BackgroundTIGIT is an inhibitory receptor mainly expressed on natural killer (NK) cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells and Treg cells. TIGIT competes with CD226 for binding with CD155. In cancers, CD155 has been reported to up-regulate on tumor cells, and TIGIT was found to increase on TILs.1 Activation of TIGIT/CD155 pathway would mediate immunosuppression in tumor; while blockade of TIGIT promotes anti-tumor immune response.MethodsAK126 and AK113 are two humanized anti-human TIGIT monoclonal antibodies developed by Akesobio. Binding activity of AK126 and AK113 to human TIGIT, and competitive binding activity with CD155 and CD112, were performed by using ELISA, Fortebio, and FACS assays. Cross-reactivity with cynomolgus monkey TIGIT and epitope binning were also tested by ELISA assay. In-vitro assay to investigate the activity to promote IL-2 secretion was performed in mixed-culture of Jurkat-TIGIT cells and THP-1 cells.ResultsAK126 and AK113 could specifically bind to human TIGIT with comparative affinity and effectively blocked the binding of human CD155 and CD112 to human TIGIT. X-ray crystal structure of TIGIT and PVR revealed the C’-C’’ loop and FG loop regions of TIGIT are the main PVR interaction regions.2 The only amino acid residue differences in these regions between human and monkey TIGIT are 70C and 73D. AK126 binds to both human and monkey TIGIT, AK113 binds only to monkey TIGIT. This suggests that these residues are required for AK113 binding to human TIGIT, but not required for AK126. Interestingly, results from cell-based assays indicated that AK126 and AK113 showed significantly different activity to induce IL-2 secretion in mixed-culture of Jurkat-TIGIT cells and THP-1 cells (figure 1A and B), in which AK126 had a comparable capacity of activity to 22G2, a leading TIGIT mAb developed by another company, to induce IL-2 secretion, while, AK113 showed a significantly higher capacity than 22G2 and AK126.Abstract 184 Figure 1Anti-TIGIT Antibodies Rescues IL-2 Production in Vitro T-Cell Activity Assay in a dose dependent manner. Jurkat-TIGIT cells (Jurkat cells engineered to over-express human TIGIT) were co-cultured with THP-1 cells, and stimulated with plate-bound anti-CD3 mAb in the presence of TIGIT ligand CD155 (A) or CD112 (B) with anti-TIGIT antibodies. After incubated for 48h at 37° C and 5.0% CO2, IL-2 levels were assessed in culture supernatants by ELISA. Data shown as mean with SEM for n = 2.ConclusionsWe discovered two distinct types of TIGIT antibodies with differences in both epitope binding and functional activity. The mechanism of action and clinical significance of these antibodies require further investigation.ReferencesSolomon BL, Garrido-Laguna I. TIGIT: a novel immunotherapy target moving from bench to bedside. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2018;67:1659–1667.Stengel KF, Harden-Bowles K, Yu X, et al. Structure of TIGIT immunoreceptor bound to poliovirus receptor reveals a cell-cell adhesion and signaling mechanism that requires cis-trans receptor clustering. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2012;109:5399–5404.

734 A novel NQO1 specific anti-tumor agent, SBSC-S3001, selectively regresses the growth of tumors with high NQO1 expression

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A778-A778
Author(s):  
Minhyuk Yun ◽  
Goo-Young Kim ◽  
Sang Woo Jo ◽  
Changhoon In ◽  
Gyu-Young Moon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Metabolism ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Poor Prognosis ◽  
High Expression ◽  
List Type ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Breast Cancers ◽  
Quinone Oxidoreductase ◽  
Key Enzymes

BackgroundNAD(P)H-quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is a cytosolic two-electron oxidoreductase overexpressed in many types of cancers, including breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, uterine cervical cancer, melanoma, and lung cancer.1Up-regulation of NQO1 protects cells from oxidative stress and various cytotoxic quinones and is associated with late clinical stage, poor prognosis and lymph node metastasis.2 3 NQO1 increases stability of HIF-1α protein, which has been implicated in survival, proliferation, and malignance of cancer.1 Therefore, accumulating evidences suggest NQO1 as a promising therapeutic target for cancer. Accordingly, we have characterized the effect of a novel synthetic NQO1 substrate SBSC-S3001, and demonstrated its selective cytotoxic effects in cancer cells with high expression of NQO1.MethodsIn vitro cytotoxicity was determined by sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay in cancer cells with high NQO1 expression and CRISPR-mediated NQO1 knockout cells. The effect of SBSC-S3001 on the energy metabolism pathway was evaluated by western blot analysis of metabolism associated proteins from NQO1-overexpressed cancer cells treated with the compound for 24 hours. In vivo anti-tumor activity was evaluated in MC38 syngeneic and DLD-1 orthotopic mice models.ResultsSBSC-S3001 exhibited selective cytotoxicity in cancer cells with high expression of NQO1 in a dose-dependent manner. The cytotoxicity was observed in both normoxia and hypoxia conditions, correlating with the energy metabolism, mitochondrial biogenesis, and cancer proliferative pathways. Also, stronger cytotoxicity was observed in NQO1-overexpressed cancer cells treated with SBSC-S3001 compared to beta-lapachone and analogue treatment.4 When evaluated in vivo, SBSC-S3001 effectively inhibited the growth of syngeneic and orthotopic tumors when administered as a monotherapy. SBSC-S3001 treatment associated with reduction in key enzymes of the glycolytic pathway (LDHa and GAPDH) and HIF-1α and increase in levels of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complex.ConclusionsTreatment of SBSC-S3001, a novel, NQO1-specific substrate reduces HIF-1α and key enzymes associated with glycolysis and suppresses the growth of tumors overexpressing NQO1. Further characterization of SBSC-S3001 as a novel metabolic anti-cancer agent for cancers with NQO1 overexpression is warranted.Ethics ApprovalThe study was approved by Samyang Biopharmaceuticals Institution’s Ethics Board, approval number SYAU2031.ReferencesOh ET, Kim JW, Kim JMet. al., NQO1 inhibits proteasome-mediated degradation of HIF-1α. Nat Commun 2016; 14:13593.Ma, Y. et al. NQO1 overexpression is associated with poor prognosis in squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. BMC Cancer 2014;14: 414Yang, Y. et al. Clinical implications of high NQO1 expression in breast cancers. J. Exp. Clin. Cancer Res 2014;33:144.Yang Y, Zhou X, Xu M, et al., β-lapachone suppresses tumour progression by inhibiting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in NQO1-positive breast cancers. Sci Rep 2017;7:2681.

scholarly journals Detection of acute ventilatory problems via magnetic induction in a newborn animal model

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabrina C. Behr ◽  
Christopher Platen ◽  
Pascal Vetter ◽  
Nicole Heussen ◽  
Steffen Leonhardt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Detection ◽  
Magnetic Induction ◽  
Side Information ◽  
Pulmonary Ventilation ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
List Type ◽  
Newborn Animal ◽  
Newborn Piglets ◽  
Patient Side

Abstract Background Magnetic induction measurement (MIM) is a noninvasive method for the contactless registration of respiration in newborn piglets by using measurement coils positioned at the bottom of an incubator. Acute pulmonary problems may be determinants of poor neurological and psychomotor outcomes in preterm infants. The current study tested the detection of pulmonary ventilation disorders via MIM in 11 newborn piglets. Methods Six measurement coils determined changes in magnetic induction, depending on the ventilation of the lung, in comparison with flow resistance. Contactless registration of induced acute pulmonary ventilation disorders (apnea, atelectasis, pneumothorax, and aspiration) was detected by MIM. Results All pathologies except aspiration were detected by MIM. Significant changes occurred after induction of apnea (three coils), malposition of the tube (one coil), and pneumothorax (three coils) (p ≤ 0.05). No significant changes occurred after induction of aspiration (p = 0.12). Conclusions MIM seems to have some potential to detect acute ventilation disorders in newborn piglets. The location of the measurement coil related to the animal’s position plays a critical role in this process. In addition to an early detection of acute pulmonary problems, potential information pointing to a therapeutic intervention, for example, inhalations or medical respiratory analepsis, may be conceivable with MIM in the future. Impact MIM seems to be a method in which noncontact ventilation disorders of premature and mature infants can be detected. This study is an extension of the experimental setup to obtain preliminary evidence for detection of respiratory activity in neonatal piglets. For the first time, MIM is used to register acute ventilation problems of neonates. The possibility of an early detection of acute ventilation problems via MIM may provide an opportunity to receive patient-side information for therapeutical interventions like inhalations or medical respiratory analepsis.

scholarly journals The binding of NCAM to FGFR1 induces a specific cellular response mediated by receptor trafficking

2009 ◽  
Vol 187 (7) ◽  
pp. 1101-1116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Francavilla ◽  
Paola Cattaneo ◽  
Vladimir Berezin ◽  
Elisabeth Bock ◽  
Diletta Ami ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Migration ◽  
Cellular Response ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Biological Significance ◽  
Receptor Activation ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Fgf Receptor ◽  
Neural Cell Adhesion ◽  
Sustained Activation

Neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) associates with fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor-1 (FGFR1). However, the biological significance of this interaction remains largely elusive. In this study, we show that NCAM induces a specific, FGFR1-mediated cellular response that is remarkably different from that elicited by FGF-2. In contrast to FGF-induced degradation of endocytic FGFR1, NCAM promotes the stabilization of the receptor, which is recycled to the cell surface in a Rab11- and Src-dependent manner. In turn, FGFR1 recycling is required for NCAM-induced sustained activation of various effectors. Furthermore, NCAM, but not FGF-2, promotes cell migration, and this response depends on FGFR1 recycling and sustained Src activation. Our results implicate NCAM as a nonconventional ligand for FGFR1 that exerts a peculiar control on the intracellular trafficking of the receptor, resulting in a specific cellular response. Besides introducing a further level of complexity in the regulation of FGFR1 function, our findings highlight the link of FGFR recycling with sustained signaling and cell migration and the critical role of these events in dictating the cellular response evoked by receptor activation.

Characterizing spatial structures of larval fish assemblages at multiple scales in relation to environmental heterogeneity in the Strait of Georgia (British Columbia, Canada)

2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (11) ◽  
pp. 1902-1914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lu Guan ◽  
John F. Dower ◽  
Pierre Pepin
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Environmental Heterogeneity ◽  
Multiple Scales ◽  
Larval Fish ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Multiscale Approach ◽  
Spatial Structures ◽  
Strait Of Georgia ◽  
Medium Scale

Spatial structures of larval fish in the Strait of Georgia (British Columbia, Canada) were quantified in the springs of 2009 and 2010 to investigate linkages to environmental heterogeneity at multiple scales. By applying a multiscale approach, principal coordinate neighborhood matrices, spatial variability was decomposed into three predefined scale categories: broad scale (>40 km), medium scale (20∼40 km), and fine scale (<20 km). Spatial variations in larval density of the three dominant fish taxa with different early life histories (Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii), Pacific hake (Merluccius productus), and northern smoothtongue (Leuroglossus schmidti)) were mainly structured at broad and medium scales, with scale-dependent associations with environmental descriptors varying interannually and among species. Larval distributions in the central-southern Strait were mainly associated with salinity, temperature, and vertical stability of the top 50 m of the water column on the medium scale. Our results emphasize the critical role of local estuarine circulation, especially at medium spatial scale, in structuring hierarchical spatial distributions of fish larvae in the Strait of Georgia and suggest the role of fundamental differences in life-history traits in influencing the formation and maintenance of larval spatial structures.

The P-element-induced silencing effect of KP transposons is dose dependent in Drosophila melanogaster

Genome ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 752-762 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alireza Sameny ◽  
John Locke
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Mutagenic Effect ◽  
P Element ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Concentration Dependent Manner ◽  
P Elements ◽  
Single Well ◽  
Dose Dependent

Transposable elements are found in the genomes of all eukaryotes and play a critical role in altering gene expression and genome organization. In Drosophila melanogaster, transposable P elements are responsible for the phenomenon of hybrid dysgenesis. KP elements, a deletion-derivative of the complete P element, can suppress this mutagenic effect. KP elements can also silence the expression of certain other P-element-mediated transgenes in a process called P-element-dependent silencing (PDS), which is thought to involve the recruitment of heterochromatin proteins. To explore the mechanism of this silencing, we have mobilized KP elements to create a series of strains that contain single, well-defined KP insertions that show PDS. To understand the quantitative role of KP elements in PDS, these single inserts were combined in a series of crosses to obtain genotypes with zero, one, or two KP elements, from which we could examine the effect of KP gene dose. The extent of PDS in these genotypes was shown to be dose dependent in a logarithmic rather than linear fashion. A logarithmic dose dependency is consistent with the KP products interacting with heterochromatic proteins in a concentration-dependent manner such that two molecules are needed to induce gene silencing.

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