Identification of a new promoter in the early region of the human papillomavirus type 16 genome

Transcription of the human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) genome is controlled by several promoters; the P97 promoter is considered to be the main one. An additional promoter has been identified within the E7 ORF as well as an antisense promoter just upstream of the L2 ORF. The significance of these promoters for early and late gene expression and their activity related to cell differentiation is not known in detail. Identification of two new, previously undescribed transcription start sites at nt 542 just upstream of the E7 ORF and at nt 611 within the E7 ORF is reported. The promoter responsible for the start site at nt 542 (P542) was active in SiHa, HeLa and C33A cells. Very low promoter activity was found upstream of the nt 611 start site. The E7 protein has previously been shown to be synthesized from a polycistronic mRNA encoding both the E6 and E7 proteins under the control of the P97 promoter. The data reported in the present paper suggest that promoter P542 may control synthesis of the E7 oncoprotein from a monocistronic mRNA

Effect of probiotics in prevention of atopic dermatitis is dependent on the intrinsic microbiota at early infancy

Although a link between probiotic intervention and reduction in atopic disease has been documented, no consistent associations with microbiota has yet been established. Here we have conducted an extensive analysis of the microbiota from more than 250 mother child pairs from a probiotic intervention cohort, where we previously have shown 40 % reduction in atopic dermatitis. Within the probiotic intervention group at the age of 10 days we found that the atopic children had a deviating microbiota (p = 0.028, BH-FDR corrected Kruskal Wallis) with high levels (> 10 %) of a bacterium related to Bifidobacterium dentium (p=0.039, BHFDR corrected Chi-square). Based on these findings, we propose a model with two groups of children where the group responding to probiotic intervention, has gut microbiota related to that of non-atopic children; while the non-responding group has a divergent microbiota at the age of 10 days with overrepresented amounts of B. dentium. In conclusion, our results support the importance of early colonization for prevention of diseases developing later in life, with potential intervention effects being dependent on the intrinsic microbiota.Peer reviewe

Long tails matter in sugarbirds--positively for extrapair but negatively for within-pair fertilization success

Extrapair mating is known to occur in many animals and potentially has a significant influence on reproductive success. Female extrapair mate choice may explain the occurrence of exaggerated ornaments in socially monogamous species, but the influence of ornamentation on extrapair mating success has rarely been investigated experimentally. Cape sugarbirds (Promerops cafer) are socially monogamous, almost always lay 2 egg clutches and have long-term pair bonds often lasting several seasons. However, they also display sexually dimorphic extravagant ornamentation in the form of a long, graduated tail and have one of the highest rates (65% of young) of extrapair paternity recorded in birds. We provide a test of the hypothesis that the ornamented tail is used in mate choice for extrapair partners by conducting an experiment in which tail length was manipulated after social mating but before copulation. This experiment therefore allowed females to respond to the manipulation of male tail length when making a choice of copulation partner but not social mate. We show that the tail length of male sugarbirds has a significant effect on the success of males in gaining extrapair paternity, with long-tailed males obtaining significantly more extrapair young than short-tailed males. However, males with short tails sire a significantly greater proportion of the nestlings in their own nests than long-tailed individuals. This result suggests that males may adopt alternative strategies dependent on their ornamentation. Copyright 2009, Oxford University Press.