| 1. |
- Aarum, J, et al.
(författare)
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Migration and differentiation of neural precursor cells can be directed by microglia
- 2003
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424. ; 100:26, s. 15983-15988
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent reports have supported the existence of neural stem cells in the adult mammalian CNS. Important features of such cells are self-renewal and multipotency, i.e., they can give rise to neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes and thus in principle replace lost cells in the CNS. Observations in several animal models of CNS diseases have shown that by unknown mechanisms endogenous as well as exogenous precursor cells preferentially migrate to damaged areas. Microglia are immunoreactive cells of nonneural lineage resident in the CNS. After injury to the CNS, microglia are rapidly activated and found concentrated at the sites of injury. In the present article we show, in two different assays, that soluble factors released from mouse microglial cells direct the migration of neural CNS precursor cells. We also provide evidence that microglia have the capacity to influence the differentiation of both adult and embryonic neural precursor cells toward a neuronal phenotype. Given that an invariant feature of pathological processes in CNS is the activation of microglia, these results indicate an important and unique role for microglia in directing the replacement of damaged or lost cells in the CNS.
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| 2. |
- Aizman, O., et al.
(författare)
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Ouabain, a steroid hormone that signals with slow calcium oscillations
- 2001
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 98:23, s. 13420-13424
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The plant-derived steroid, digoxin, a specific inhibitor of Na,K-ATPase, has been used for centuries in the treatment of heart disease. Recent studies demonstrate the presence of a digoxin analog, ouabain, in mammalian tissue, but its biological role has not been elucidated. Here, we show in renal epithelial cells that ouabain, in doses causing only partial Na,K-ATPase inhibition, acts as a biological inducer of regular, low-frequency intracellular calcium ([Ca2+](i)) oscillations that elicit activation of the transcription factor, NF-KB. Partial inhibition of Na,K-ATPase using low extracellular K+ and depolarization of cells did not have these effects. Incubation of cells in Ca2+-free media, inhibition of voltage-gated calcium channels, inositol triphosphate receptor antagonism, and redistribution of actin to a thick layer adjacent to the plasma membrane abolished [Ca2+](i) oscillations, indicating that they were caused by a concerted action of inositol triphosphate receptors and capacitative calcium entry via plasma membrane channels. Blockade of ouabain-induced [C-a2+](i) oscillations prevented activation of NF-kappaB. The results demonstrate a new mechanism for steroid signaling via plasma membrane receptors and underline a novel role for the steroid hormone, ouabain, as a physiological inducer of [Ca2+](i) oscillations involved in transcriptional regulation in mammalian cells.
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| 3. |
- Allen, LT, et al.
(författare)
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Interaction of soft condensed materials with living cells: Phenotype/transcriptome correlations for the hydrophobic effect
- 2003
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 100, s. 6331-6336
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The assessment of biomaterial compatibility relies heavily on the analysis of macroscopic cellular responses to material interaction. However, new technologies have become available that permit a more profound understanding of the molecular basis of cell-biomaterial interaction. Here, both conventional phenotypic and contemporary transcriptomic (DNA microarray-based) analysis techniques were combined to examine the interaction of cells with a homologous series of copolymer films that subtly vary in terms of surface hydrophobicity. More specifically, we used differing combinations of N-isopropylacrylamide, which is presently used as an adaptive cell culture substrate, and the more hydrophobic, yet structurally similar, monomer N-tert-butylacrylamide. We show here that even discrete modifications with respect to the physiochemistry of soft amorphous materials can lead to significant impacts on the phenotype of interacting cells. Furthermore, we have elucidated putative links between phenotypic responses to cell-biomaterial interaction and global gene expression profile alterations. This case study indicates that high-throughput analysis of gene expression not only can greatly refine our knowledge of cell-biomaterial interaction, but also can yield novel biomarkers for potential use in biocompatibility assessment
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| 4. |
- Alsmark, Cecilia M., et al.
(författare)
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The louse-borne human pathogen Bartonella quintana is a genomic derivative of the zoonotic agent Bartonella henselae
- 2004
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 101:26, s. 9716-9721
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present the complete genomes of two human pathogens, Bartonella quintana (1,581,384 bp) and Bartonella henselae (1,931,047 bp). The two pathogens maintain several similarities in being transmitted by insect vectors, using mammalian reservoirs, infecting similar cell types (endothelial cells and erythrocytes) and causing vasculoproliferative changes in immunocompromised hosts. A primary difference between the two pathogens is their reservoir ecology. Whereas B. quintana is a specialist, using only the human as a reservoir, B. henselae is more promiscuous and is frequently isolated from both cats and humans. Genome comparison elucidated a high degree of overall similarity with major differences being B. henselae specific genomic islands coding for filamentous hemagglutinin, and evidence of extensive genome reduction in B. quintana, reminiscent of that found in Rickettsia prowazekii. Both genomes are reduced versions of chromosome I from the highly related pathogen Brucella melitensis. Flanked by two rRNA operons is a segment with similarity to genes located on chromosome II of B. melitensis, suggesting that it was acquired by integration of megareplicon DNA in a common ancestor of the two Bartonella species. Comparisons of the vector-host ecology of these organisms suggest that the utilization of host-restricted vectors is associated with accelerated rates of genome degradation and may explain why human pathogens transmitted by specialist vectors are outnumbered by zoonotic agents, which use vectors of broad host ranges.
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| 5. |
- Anand, S, et al.
(författare)
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Divergence of Hoxc8 early enhancer parallels diverged axial morphologies between mammals and fishes
- 2003
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 1091-6490 .- 0027-8424. ; 100:26, s. 15666-15669
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- There is considerable interest in understanding how cis-regulatory modifications drive morphological changes across species. Because developmental regulatory genes, including Hox genes, are remarkably conserved, their noncoding regulatory regions are likely sources for variations. Modifications of Hox cis-regulatory elements have potential to alter Hox gene expression and, hence, axial morphologies. In vertebrates, differences in the axial levels of Hox gene expression correlate with differences in the number and relative position of thoracic vertebrae. Variation in cis-regulatory elements of Hox genes can be identified by comparative sequence and reporter gene analyses in transgenic mouse embryos. Using these approaches, we show a remarkable divergence of the Hoxc8 early enhancers between mammals and fishes representing diverse axial morphologies. Extensive restructuring of the Hoxc8 early enhancer including nucleotide substitutions, inversion, and divergence result in distinct patterns of reporter gene expression along the embryonic axis. Our results provide an evolutionary perspective on how the enhancer elements are engineered and support the hypothesis that remodeling of Hox regulatory elements in different species has played a significant role in generating morphological diversity.
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| 6. |
- Andersson, P, et al.
(författare)
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A constitutively active dioxin/aryl hydrocarbon receptor induces stomach tumors
- 2002
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424. ; 99:15, s. 9990-9995
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The dioxin/aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) functions as a ligand-activated transcription factor regulating transcription of a battery of genes encoding xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes. Known receptor ligands are environmental pollutants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated dioxins. Loss-of-function (gene-disruption) studies in mice have demonstrated that the AhR is involved in toxic effects of dioxins but have not yielded unequivocal results concerning the physiological function of the receptor. Gain-of-function studies therefore were performed to unravel the biological functions of the AhR. A constitutively active AhR expressed in transgenic mice reduced the life span of the mice and induced tumors in the glandular part of the stomach, demonstrating the oncogenic potential of the AhR and implicating the receptor in regulation of cell proliferation.
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| 7. |
- Antzutkin, Oleg, et al.
(författare)
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Multiple quantum solid-state NMR indicates a parallel, not antiparallel, organization of β-sheets in Alzheimer's β-amyloid fibrils
- 2000
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 97:24, s. 13045-13050
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Senile plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease contain deposits of fibrils formed by 39- to 43-residue β-amyloid peptides with possible neurotoxic effects. X-ray diffraction measurements on oriented fibril bundles have indicated an extended β-sheet structure for Alzheimer's β-amyloid fibrils and other amyloid fibrils, but the supramolecular organization of the β-sheets and other structural details are not well established because of the intrinsically noncrystalline, insoluble nature of amyloid fibrils. Here we report solid-state NMR measurements, using a multiple quantum (MQ) 13C NMR technique, that probe the β-sheet organization in fibrils formed by the full-length, 40-residue β-amyloid peptide (Aβ1-40). Although an antiparallel β-sheet organization often is assumed and is invoked in recent structural models for full-length β-amyloid fibrils, the MQNMR data indicate an in-register, parallel organization. This work provides site-specific, atomic-level structural constraints on full-length β-amyloid fibrils and applies MQNMR to a significant problem in structural biology.
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| 8. |
- Arnason, Ulfur, et al.
(författare)
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Mammalian mitogenomic relationships and the root of the eutherian tree.
- 2002
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 1091-6490 .- 0027-8424. ; 99:12, s. 8151-8156
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The strict orthology of mitochondrial (mt) coding sequences has promoted their use in phylogenetic analyses at different levels. Here we present the results of a mitogenomic study (i.e., analysis based on the set of protein-coding genes from complete mt genomes) of 60 mammalian species. This number includes 11 new mt genomes. The sampling comprises all but one of the traditional eutherian orders. The previously unrepresented order Dermoptera (flying lemurs) fell within Primates as the sister group of Anthropoidea, making Primates paraphyletic. This relationship was strongly supported. Lipotyphla ("insectivores") split into three distinct lineages: Erinaceomorpha, Tenrecomorpha, and Soricomorpha. Erinaceomorpha was the basal eutherian lineage. Sirenia (dugong) and Macroscelidea (elephant shrew) fell within the African clade. Pholidota (pangolin) joined the Cetferungulata as the sister group of Carnivora. The analyses identified monophyletic Pinnipedia with Otariidae (sea lions, fur seals) and Odobenidae (walruses) as sister groups to the exclusion of Phocidae (true seals).
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| 9. |
- Arnqvist, Göran, 1961-, et al.
(författare)
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Sexual conflict promotes speciation in insects
- 2000
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - Umea Univ, Dept Ecol & Environm Sci, SE-90187 Umea, Sweden. : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 97:19, s. 10460-10464
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Speciation rates among extant lineages of organisms vary extensively, but our understanding of the causes of this variation and, therefore, the processes of speciation is still remarkably incomplete. Both theoretical and empirical studies have indicated that sexual selection is important in speciation, but earlier discussions have focused almost exclusively on the potential role of female mate choice. Recent findings of postmating reproductive conflicts of interest between the sexes suggest a quite different route to speciation. Such conflicts may lead to perpetual antagonistic coevolution between males and females and may thus generate rapid evolutionary divergence of traits involved in reproduction. Here, we assess this hypothesis by contrasting pairs of related groups of insect species differing in the opportunity for postmating sexual conflict. Groups where females mate with many males exhibited speciation rates four times as high as in related groups where females mate only once. Our results not only highlight the general importance of postmating sexual selection in speciation, but also support the recent suggestion that sexual conflict is a key engine of speciation.
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| 10. |
- Aslani, Alireza, 1965, et al.
(författare)
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Complementary intrastrand base pairing during initiation of Herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA replication.
- 2001
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424. ; 98:13, s. 7194-9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The herpes simplex virus type 1 origin of DNA replication, oriS, contains three copies of the recognition sequence for the viral initiator protein, origin binding protein (OBP), arranged in two palindromes. The central box I forms a short palindrome with box III and a long palindrome with box II. Single-stranded oriS adopts a conformation, oriS*, that is tightly bound by OBP. Here we demonstrate that OBP binds to a box III-box I hairpin with a 3' single-stranded tail in oriS*. Mutations designed to destabilize the hairpin abolish the binding of OBP to oriS*. The same mutations also inhibit DNA replication. Second site complementary mutations restore binding of OBP to oriS* as well as the ability of mutated oriS to support DNA replication. OriS* is also an efficient activator of the hydrolysis of ATP by OBP. Sequence analyses show that a box III-box I palindrome is an evolutionarily conserved feature of origins of DNA replication from human, equine, bovine, and gallid alpha herpes viruses. We propose that oriS facilitates initiation of DNA synthesis in two steps and that OBP exhibits exquisite specificity for the different conformations oriS adopts at these stages. Our model suggests that distance-dependent cooperative binding of OBP to boxes I and II in duplex DNA is succeeded by specific recognition of a box III-box I hairpin in partially unwound DNA.
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