scholarly journals Taste sensitivity to a mixture of monosodium glutamate and inosine 5′-monophosphate by mice lacking both subunits of the T1R1+T1R3 amino acid receptor

2018 ◽  
Vol 314 (6) ◽  
pp. R802-R810 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ginger D. Blonde ◽  
Susan P. Travers ◽  
Alan C. Spector
Keyword(s):  
Compound Stimulus ◽  
Allelic Variation ◽  
Monosodium Glutamate ◽  
Taste Sensitivity ◽  
Receptor Subunit ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Independent Mechanism ◽  
Limited Degree ◽  
Operant Task ◽  
High Concentrations

The taste of l-glutamate and its synergism with 5′-ribonucleotides is thought to be primarily mediated through the T1R1+T1R3 heterodimer in some mammals, including rodents and humans. While knockout (KO) mice lacking either receptor subunit show impaired sensitivity to a range of monosodium glutamate (MSG) concentrations mixed with 2.5 mM inosine 5′-monophosphate (IMP) in amiloride, wild-type (WT) controls can detect this IMP concentration, hindering direct comparison between genotypes. Moreover, some residual sensitivity persists in the KO group, suggesting that the remaining subunit could maintain a limited degree of function. Here, C57BL/6J, 129X1/SvJ, and T1R1+T1R3 double KO mice ( n = 16 each to start the experiment) were trained in a two-response operant task in gustometers and then tested for their ability to discriminate 100 µM amiloride from MSG (starting with 0.6 M) and IMP (starting with 2.5 mM) in amiloride (MSG+I+A). Testing continued with successive dilutions of both MSG and IMP (in amiloride). The two WT strains were similarly sensitive to MSG+I+A ( P > 0.8). KO mice, however, were significantly impaired relative to either WT strain ( P < 0.01), although they were able to detect the highest concentrations. Thus, normal detectability of MSG+I+A requires an intact T1R1+T1R3 receptor, without regard for allelic variation in the T1R3 gene between the WT strains. Nevertheless, residual sensitivity by the T1R1+T1R3 KO mice demonstrates that a T1R-independent mechanism can contribute to the detectability of high concentrations of this prototypical umami compound stimulus.

scholarly journals Loss of Ethanolamine Utilization in Enterococcus faecalis Increases Gastrointestinal Tract Colonization

mBio ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karan Gautam Kaval ◽  
Kavindra V. Singh ◽  
Melissa R. Cruz ◽  
Sruti DebRoy ◽  
Wade C. Winkler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Enterococcus Faecalis ◽  
Opposite Effect ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Food Poisoning ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Gi Tract ◽  
Human Gut ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Serovar Typhimurium ◽  
High Concentrations

ABSTRACT Enterococcus faecalis is paradoxically a dangerous nosocomial pathogen and a normal constituent of the human gut microbiome, an environment rich in ethanolamine. E. faecalis carries the eut (ethanolamine utilization) genes, which enable the catabolism of ethanolamine (EA) as a valuable source of carbon and/or nitrogen. EA catabolism was previously shown to contribute to the colonization and growth of enteric pathogens, such as Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), in the gut environment. We tested the ability of eut mutants of E. faecalis to colonize the gut using a murine model of gastrointestinal (GI) tract competition and report the surprising observation that these mutants outcompete the wild-type strain. IMPORTANCE Some bacteria that are normal, harmless colonizers of the human body can cause disease in immunocompromised patients, particularly those that have been heavily treated with antibiotics. Therefore, it is important to understand the factors that promote or negate these organisms’ ability to colonize. Previously, ethanolamine, found in high concentrations in the GI tract, was shown to promote the colonization and growth of bacteria associated with food poisoning. Here, we report the surprising, opposite effect of ethanolamine utilization on the commensal colonizer E. faecalis , namely, that loss of this metabolic capacity made it a better colonizer.

scholarly journals Identification of Zinc-Dependent Mechanisms Used by Group B Streptococcus To Overcome Calprotectin-Mediated Stress

mBio ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsey R. Burcham ◽  
Yoann Le Breton ◽  
Jana N. Radin ◽  
Brady L. Spencer ◽  
Liwen Deng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Knockout Mice ◽  
Metal Ion ◽  
Invasive Disease ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Zinc Uptake ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Metal Transporters ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Group B

ABSTRACT Nutritional immunity is an elegant host mechanism used to starve invading pathogens of necessary nutrient metals. Calprotectin, a metal-binding protein, is produced abundantly by neutrophils and is found in high concentrations within inflammatory sites during infection. Group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonizes the gastrointestinal and female reproductive tracts and is commonly associated with severe invasive infections in newborns such as pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis. Although GBS infections induce robust neutrophil recruitment and inflammation, the dynamics of GBS and calprotectin interactions remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that disease and colonizing isolate strains exhibit susceptibility to metal starvation by calprotectin. We constructed a mariner transposon (Krmit) mutant library in GBS and identified 258 genes that contribute to surviving calprotectin stress. Nearly 20% of all underrepresented mutants following treatment with calprotectin are predicted metal transporters, including known zinc systems. As calprotectin binds zinc with picomolar affinity, we investigated the contribution of GBS zinc uptake to overcoming calprotectin-imposed starvation. Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed a significant upregulation of genes encoding zinc-binding proteins, adcA, adcAII, and lmb, following calprotectin exposure, while growth in calprotectin revealed a significant defect for a global zinc acquisition mutant (ΔadcAΔadcAIIΔlmb) compared to growth of the GBS wild-type (WT) strain. Furthermore, mice challenged with the ΔadcAΔadcAIIΔlmb mutant exhibited decreased mortality and significantly reduced bacterial burden in the brain compared to mice infected with WT GBS; this difference was abrogated in calprotectin knockout mice. Collectively, these data suggest that GBS zinc transport machinery is important for combatting zinc chelation by calprotectin and establishing invasive disease. IMPORTANCE Group B Streptococcus (GBS) asymptomatically colonizes the female reproductive tract but is a common causative agent of meningitis. GBS meningitis is characterized by extensive infiltration of neutrophils carrying high concentrations of calprotectin, a metal chelator. To persist within inflammatory sites and cause invasive disease, GBS must circumvent host starvation attempts. Here, we identified global requirements for GBS survival during calprotectin challenge, including known and putative systems involved in metal ion transport. We characterized the role of zinc import in tolerating calprotectin stress in vitro and in a mouse model of infection. We observed that a global zinc uptake mutant was less virulent than the parental GBS strain and found calprotectin knockout mice to be equally susceptible to infection by wild-type (WT) and mutant strains. These findings suggest that calprotectin production at the site of infection results in a zinc-limited environment and reveals the importance of GBS metal homeostasis to invasive disease.

Glycoprotein V-Deficient Platelets Have Undiminished Thrombin Responsiveness and Do Not Exhibit a Bernard-Soulier Phenotype

Blood ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 94 (12) ◽  
pp. 4112-4121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark L. Kahn ◽  
Thomas G. Diacovo ◽  
Dorothy F. Bainton ◽  
Francois Lanza ◽  
JoAnn Trejo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wild Type ◽  
Spontaneous Bleeding ◽  
Atp Secretion ◽  
Platelet Receptor ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
And Function ◽  
A1 Domain ◽  
Von Willebrand ◽  
Willebrand Factor ◽  
Adhesion Of Platelets

Abstract Adhesion of platelets to extracellular matrix via von Willebrand factor (vWF) and activation of platelets by thrombin are critical steps in hemostasis. Glycoprotein (GP) V is a component of the GPIb-V-IX complex, the platelet receptor for vWF. GPV is also cleaved by thrombin. Deficiency of GPIb or GPIX results in Bernard-Soulier syndrome (BSS), a bleeding disorder in which platelets are giant and have multiple functional defects. Whether GPV-deficiency might also cause BSS is unknown as are the roles of GPV in platelet-vWF interaction and thrombin signaling. We report that GPV-deficient mice developed normally, had no evidence of spontaneous bleeding, and had tail bleeding times that were not prolonged compared with wild-type mice. GPV-deficient platelets were normal in size and structure as assessed by flow cytometry and electron microscopy. GPV-deficient and wild-type platelets were indistinguishable in botrocetin-mediated platelet agglutination and in their ability to adhere to mouse vWF A1 domain. Platelet aggregation and ATP secretion in response to low and high concentrations of thrombin were not decreased in GPV-deficient platelets compared with wild-type. Our results show that (1) GPV is not necessary for GPIb expression and function in platelets and that GPV deficiency is not likely to be a cause of human BSS and (2) GPV is not necessary for robust thrombin signaling. Whether redundancy accounts for the lack of phenotype of GPV-deficiency or whether GPV serves subtle or as yet unprobed functions in platelets or other cells remains to be determined.

scholarly journals The Variability of Puroindoline-Encoding Alleles and Their Influence on Grain Hardness in Modern Wheat Cultivars Cultivated in Poland, Breeding Lines and Polish Old Landraces (Triticum aestivum L.)

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1075
Author(s):  
Mateusz Przyborowski ◽  
Sebastian Gasparis ◽  
Maciej Kała ◽  
Wacław Orczyk ◽  
Anna Nadolska-Orczyk
Keyword(s):  
Triticum Aestivum ◽  
System Analysis ◽  
Allelic Variation ◽  
Triticum Aestivum L ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Wheat Cultivars ◽  
Grain Hardness ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Breeding Lines ◽  
Modern Wheat

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain hardness is determined mainly by variations in puroindoline genes (Pina-D1 and Pinb-D1), which are located on the short arm of chromosome 5D. This trait has a direct effect on the technological properties of the flour and the final product quality. The objective of the study was to analyze the mutation frequency in both Pin genes and their influence on grain hardness in 118 modern bread wheat cultivars and breeding lines cultivated in Poland, and 80 landraces from Poland. The PCR products containing the Pin gene coding sequences were sequenced by the Sanger method. Based on detected the SNPs (single-nucleotide polymorphisms) we designed CAPS (cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence) markers for the fast screening of Pinb alleles in a large number of genotypes. All analyzed cultivars, breeding lines, and landraces possess the wild-type Pina-D1a allele. Allelic variation was observed within the Pinb gene. The most frequently occurring allele in modern wheat cultivars and breeding lines (over 50%) was Pinb-D1b. The contribution of the remaining alleles (Pinb-D1a, Pinb-D1c, and Pinb-D1d) was much less (approx. 15% each). In landraces, the most frequent allele was Pinb-D1a (over 70%), followed by Pinb-D1b (21% frequency). Pinb-D1c and Pinb-D1g were found in individual varieties. SKCS (single-kernel characterization system) analysis revealed that grain hardness was strictly connected with Pinb gene allelic variation in most tested cultivars. The mean grain hardness values were significantly greater in cultivars with mutant Pinb variants as compared to those with the wild-type Pinb-D1a allele. Based on grain hardness measured by SKCS, we classified the analyzed cultivars and lines into different classes according to a previously proposed classification system.

Nutritional Requirement for 4-Aminobenzoate Caused by Mutation of Dihydropteroate Synthetase

1976 ◽  
Vol 31 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 285-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helmut Rappold ◽  
Adelbert Bacher
Keyword(s):  
Parent Strain ◽  
The Other ◽  
Synthetase Activity ◽  
Nutritional Requirement ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Aerobacter Aerogenes ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
High Concentrations

Abstract Aerobacter aerogenes mutant 62-1 AC requires high concentrations of 4-aminobenzoate for growth. The mutant accumulates N-glucosyl-4-aminobenzoate and has an intact 4-aminobenzoate synthetase (Bacher, Gilch, Rappold, and Lingens, Z. Naturforsch. 28c, 614 - 617 [1973]). On the other hand the ability of the mutant to synthesize dihydropteroate is markedly reduced. The dihydropteroate synthetase level of mutant 62-1 AC is 1% as compared to the parent strain. Spontaneous revertants of mutant 62-1 AC show wild type levels of dihydropteroate synthetase. We conclude that the requirement for 4-aminobenzoate in mutant 62-1 AC is due to poor utilization of 4-aminobenzoate as a consequence of the low level of dihydropteroate synthetase activity.

scholarly journals Analogs of the Autoinducer 3-Oxooctanoyl-Homoserine Lactone Strongly Inhibit Activity of the TraR Protein ofAgrobacterium tumefaciens

1998 ◽  
Vol 180 (20) ◽  
pp. 5398-5405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Zhu ◽  
John W. Beaber ◽  
Margret I. Moré ◽  
Clay Fuqua ◽  
Anatol Eberhard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Homoserine Lactone ◽  
Mass Action ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Dna Binding Sites ◽  
Agonistic Activity ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Mediate Cell ◽  
Potent Antagonist ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Related Compounds

ABSTRACT The TraR and TraI proteins of Agrobacterium tumefaciensmediate cell-density-dependent expression of the Ti plasmidtra regulon. TraI synthesizes the autoinducer pheromoneN-(3-oxooctanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C8-HSL), while TraR is an 3-oxo-C8-HSL-responsive transcriptional activator. We have compared the abilities of 3-oxo-C8-HSL and 32 related compounds to activate expression of a TraR-regulated promoter. In a strain that expresses wild-type levels of TraR, only 3-oxo-C8-HSL was strongly stimulatory, four compounds were detectably active only at high concentrations, and the remaining 28 compounds were inactive. Furthermore, many of these compounds were potent antagonists. In contrast, almost all of these compounds were stimulatory in a congenic strain that overexpresses TraR and no compound was a potent antagonist. We propose a model in which autoinducers enhance the affinity of TraR either for other TraR monomers or for DNA binding sites and that overexpression of TraR potentiates this interaction by mass action. Wild-type A. tumefaciens released a rather broad spectrum of autoinducers, including several that antagonize induction of a wild-type strain. However, under all conditions tested, 3-oxo-C8-HSL was more abundant than any other analog, indicating that other released autoinducers do not interfere with tra gene induction. We conclude that (i) in wild-type strains, only 3-oxo-C8-HSL significantly stimulates tra gene expression, while many autoinducer analogs are potent antagonists; (ii) TraR overexpression increases agonistic activity of autoinducer analogs, allowing sensitive biodetection of many autoinducers; and (iii) autoinducer stimulatory activity is potentiated by TraR overproduction, suggesting that autoinducers may shift an equilibrium between TraR monomers and dimers or oligomers. When autoinducer specificities of other quorum-sensing proteins are tested, care should be taken not to overexpress those proteins.

DISSOCIATION OF PHOSPHOLIPASE A2 ACTIVATION FROM CYTOSOLIC FREE CA2+ MOBILIZATION IN PLATELETS EXPOSED TO FLUORIDE

1987 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Kienast ◽  
J Arnout ◽  
G Pfliegler ◽  
H Deckmyn ◽  
B Hoet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phospholipase A2 ◽  
Thromboxane A2 ◽  
Significant Rise ◽  
Regulatory Proteins ◽  
Membrane Phospholipids ◽  
Functional Changes ◽  
Kinase C ◽  
Independent Mechanism ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Camp Levels

Elevated cytosolic free Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) are thought to be required for phosphol ipase A2 activity to liberate arachidonic acid (AA) from membrane phospholipids in platelets. The major AA metabolite formed during agonist-induced platelet activation is thromboxane A2 (TxA2). We have investigated the effect of sodium fluoride (NaF) on platelet TxAz formation in correlation to platelet functional changes (aggregation and release of ATP) and intracellular events specific for either agonist- or antagonist-induced platelet responses. A first peak in platelet TxAffi formation reaching 30 × control values was observed at 20 - 30 mM of NaF which also induced platelet aggregation and release of ATP in association with a rise in [Ca2+]i . Increasing the concentration of NaF resulted in a decrease in TxA2 release to a minimum of 12 × control values at 50 mM. A second, concentration-dependent rise in TxA2 formation was observed at higher concentrations of NaF with a maximum of 40 × control values at 100 mM. These concentrations, however, did induce neither aggregation nor a significant rise in [Ca2+]i but a rapid, transient increase in platelet cAMP levels. Activation of phospholipase C and protein kinase C was observed at all concentrations of NaF tested whereby the rate rather than the extent of activation of these enzymes was concentration-dependent. Our results demonstrate that fluoride at high concentrations can induce platelet TxA2 formation in the absence of elevated [Ca2+]i suggesting an additional, Ca2+-independent mechanism of phospholipase A2 activation possibly mediated by fluoride sensitive GTP-binding regulatory proteins.

scholarly journals Efficacy of Two Antibiotic-Extender Combinations on Mycoplasma bovis in Bovine Semen Production

Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarja Pohjanvirta ◽  
Nella Vähänikkilä ◽  
Henri Simonen ◽  
Sinikka Pelkonen ◽  
Tiina Autio
Keyword(s):  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Enrichment Culture ◽  
Contamination Level ◽  
Mycoplasma Bovis ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Atcc Strain ◽  
Frozen Semen ◽  
Semen Extender ◽  
High Concentrations

Mycoplasma bovis is an important bovine pathogen. Artificial insemination (AI) using contaminated semen can introduce the agent into a naïve herd. Antibiotics, most often gentamycin, tylosin, lincomycin, spectinomycin (GTLS) combination are added to semen extender to prevent transmission of pathogenic bacteria and mycoplasmas. In a commercial AI straw production system with industrial scale procedures, we analyzed the mycoplasmacidal efficacy of GTLS and ofloxacin on M. bovis ATCC and wild type strain isolated from commercial AI straws. The strains were spiked at two concentrations (106 and 103 CFU/mL) into semen. Viable M. bovis in frozen semen straws was detected by enrichment culture and real-time PCR. We also compared different protocols to extract M. bovis DNA from spiked semen. None of the antibiotic protocols had any effect on the viability of either of the M. bovis strains at high spiking concentration. At low concentration, the wild type was inhibited by all other protocols, except low GTLS, whereas the ATCC strain was inhibited only by high GTLS. The InstaGene™ matrix was the most effective method to extract M. bovis DNA from semen. When there is a low M. bovis contamination level in semen, GTLS used at high concentrations, in accordance with Certified Semen Services requirements, is more efficient than GTLS used at concentrations stated in the OIE Terrestrial Code.

Hemophilia a Clots Generated with Recombinant Factor VIIa Differed in Structure and Composition from Those Formed with Factor VIII

Blood ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (22) ◽  
pp. 3798-3798
Author(s):  
Lilley Leong ◽  
Irina N. Chernysh ◽  
Yifan Xu ◽  
Cornell Mallari ◽  
Billy Wong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Factor Viii ◽  
Whole Blood ◽  
Neutralizing Antibodies ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Thrombin Generation ◽  
Hemophilia A ◽  
Clot Formation ◽  
Factor Vii ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Independent Mechanism

Abstract Patients with severe factor VIII (FVIII) deficiency (hemophilia A [HemA]) develop neutralizing antibodies (inhibitors) against FVIII in up to ~30% of cases. For HemA patients with inhibitors, activated recombinant factor VII (rFVIIa) is a treatment option. High levels of rFVIIa are required for treating HemA patients with inhibitors to induce direct activation of factor X on the surface of activated platelets via a tissue factor (TF)-independent mechanism (Hoffman M, Monroe DM. Thromb Res. 2010;125(suppl 1):S16-S18). To assess how rFVIIa-mediated clot formation in HemA patients with inhibitors may differ from unaffected individuals, we compared the effect of rFVIIa on HemA versus control (or HemA supplemented with 100% FVIII) clot formation in human and/or mouse systems. By TF-induced thrombin generation assay, increasing rFVIIa from 5 nM to 100 nM did not appreciably alter the kinetics or extent of thrombin generation compared with the same human HemA plasma containing 100% FVIII. Confocal microscopy of human HemA plasma clots generated with 75 nM rFVIIa and TF showed few branching fibrin fibers and an open fibrin meshwork. In contrast, TF-induced coagulation of the same HemA plasma containing 100% FVIII formed fibrin clots with numerous branches, interconnecting to form a dense meshwork. To confirm that these findings reflect rFVIIa-mediated clot formation in vivo, we assessed the intrinsic coagulation of mouse HemA whole blood collected without anticoagulant and spiked with rFVIIa. Intrinsic coagulation with rFVIIa was assessed by T2 magnetic resonance (T2MR), a technique capable of monitoring the separation of whole blood into serum, loose-clot, and tight-clot compartments during coagulation (Skewis et al. Clin Chem. 2014;60:1174-1182; Cines et al. Blood. 2014;123:1596-1603). By T2MR, rFVIIa induced the separation of HemA whole blood into the serum and clot compartments, indicating that the reduced fibrin generation with rFVIIa did not interfere with whole blood coagulation. Furthermore, saphenous vein puncture of HemA mice treated with rFVIIa showed a dose-dependent decrease in clot times. Scanning electron microscopy of the clots extracted from these HemA mice indicated markedly different composition than clots extracted from wild-type mice. In wild-type clots, fibrin and polyhedral erythrocytes formed a large proportion of the total structures. In contrast, clots from rFVIIa-treated HemA mice consisted primarily of platelets and erythrocytes with forms intermediate between discoid and polyhedral but, surprisingly, low fibrin content. Taken together, these data suggest that rFVIIa-mediated clot formation may require greater activated platelet involvement, which would be consistent with the TF-independent mechanism of action proposed for rFVIIa in HemA. Finally, the compositional difference between clots from wild-type versus HemA mice dosed with rFVIIa suggest that evaluating HemA therapies for their ability to form more physiologic clots could be an approach to improve treatment options for patients with HemA. Disclosures Leong: Bayer: Employment. Xu:Bayer: Employment. Mallari:Bayer: Employment. Wong:Bayer: Employment. Sim:Bayer: Employment. Cuker:Stago: Consultancy; Genzyme: Consultancy; Amgen: Consultancy; Biogen-Idec: Consultancy, Research Funding; T2 Biosystems: Research Funding. Marturano:T2 Biosystems: Employment. Lowery:T2 Biosystems: Employment. Kauser:Bayer: Employment. Weisel:Bayer: Research Funding.

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