Contrasting Patterns of Transposable Element Insertions in Drosophila Heat-Shock Promoters

The proximal promoter regions of heat-shock genes harbor a remarkable number of P transposable element (TE) insertions relative to both positive and negative control proximal promoter regions in natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster. We have screened the sequenced genomes of 12 species of Drosophila to test whether this pattern is unique to these populations. In the 12 species' genomes, transposable element insertions are no more abundant in promoter regions of single-copy heat-shock genes than in promoters with similar or dissimilar architecture. Also, insertions appear randomly distributed across the promoter region, whereas insertions clustered near the transcription start site in promoters of single-copy heat-shock genes in D. melanogaster natural populations. Hsp70 promoters exhibit more TE insertions per promoter than all other genesets in the 12 species, similarly to in natural populations of D. melanogaster. Insertions in the Hsp70 promoter region, however, cluster away from the transcription start site in the 12 species, but near it in natural populations of D. melanogaster. These results suggest that D. melanogaster heat-shock promoters are unique in terms of their interaction with transposable elements, and confirm that Hsp70 promoters are distinctive in TE insertions across Drosophila

The role of vitamin D in pulmonary disease: COPD, asthma, infection, and cancer

The role of vitamin D (VitD) in calcium and bone homeostasis is well described. In the last years, it has been recognized that in addition to this classical function, VitD modulates a variety of processes and regulatory systems including host defense, inflammation, immunity, and repair. VitD deficiency appears to be frequent in industrialized countries. Especially patients with lung diseases have often low VitD serum levels. Epidemiological data indicate that low levels of serum VitD is associated with impaired pulmonary function, increased incidence of inflammatory, infectious or neoplastic diseases. Several lung diseases, all inflammatory in nature, may be related to activities of VitD including asthma, COPD and cancer. The exact mechanisms underlying these data are unknown, however, VitD appears to impact on the function of inflammatory and structural cells, including dendritic cells, lymphocytes, monocytes, and epithelial cells. This review summarizes the knowledge on the classical and newly discovered functions of VitD, the molecular and cellular mechanism of action and the available data on the relationship between lung disease and VitD status

Conservação pós-colheita de melão Charentais tratado com 1-MCP e armazenado sob refrigeração e atmosfera modificada Postharvest conservation of charentais melons treated with 1-MCP and stored under refrigeration and modified atmosphere

Objetivando avaliar a vida útil pós-colheita de melão tipo Charentais (Cucumis melo L.) sob refrigeração, tratados com 1-MCP e associado ou não a atmosfera modificada (AM), foram conduzidos dois experimentos em laboratório da Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical, Fortaleza-CE. Os frutos foram provenientes da Agroindústria Nolem Comercial Importadora e Exportadora Ltda, localizada no Agropólo Mossoró Açu-RN. Os frutos foram tratados com 300 e 600 ppb de 1-MCP, em seguida, metade desses frutos foram embalados em filmes plásticos, mantendo-se frutos embalados sem aplicação de 1-MCP nas mesmas condições de armazenamento dos demais. Os melões foram armazenados por 21 dias sendo 14 dias (9±1ºC e 87±5% UR) + 7 dias (22±2ºC e 70±5% UR). Em função da aparência externa, a vida útil pós-colheita dos frutos armazenados sob atmosfera modificada, com ou sem tratamento inicial de 1-MCP foi de 21 dias, enquanto que dos frutos tratados inicialmente apenas com 1-MCP foi de 19 dias. A aplicação do 1-MCP proporcionou redução na atividade respiratória e na produção de etileno, e maior retenção da firmeza da polpa, menor perda de massa e melhor aparência externa quando associado a atmosfera modificada. A atmosfera modificada, isoladamente, foi eficiente em reduzir a perda de massa e manter melhor aparência externa.<br>Aiming to evaluate the postharvest shelf life of Charentais melon (Cucumis melo L.) stored under refrigeration, the fruits were treated with 1-MCP, associated or not with modified atmosphere (MAP). Two experiments were carried out at the laboratory of Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical in Fortaleza, Brazil, analyzing the chemical and physic quality characteristics. The fruits were obtained at the Agroindústria Nolem Comercial Importadora e Exportadora Ltda, located in Mossoró Açu, Brazil. The fruits were treated with 300 and 600 nL L-1 of 1-MCP, half of those were wrapped in plastic films, which were wrapped without the use of 1-MCP in the same conditions of storage. The melons were stored during 21 days, being 14 days (9±1ºC and 87±5% UR) + 7 days (22±2ºC and 70±5% UR). Based on external appearance, postharvest shelf life of the fruits stored under modified atmosphere, with or without initial treatment of 1-MCP was 21 days, while in fruits treated initially only with 1- MCP, it was 19 days. The application of the 1-MCP provided reduction in the respiratory activity and ethylene production, and higher flesh firmness retention, smaller weight loss and better external appearance, when associated the modified atmosphere. The modified atmosphere, separately, was efficient to reduce the weight loss and to maintain better external appearance