351 research outputs found
Proceedings of the 21st annual Central Plains irrigation conference, Colby Kansas, February 24-25, 2009
Presented at the the 21st annual Central Plains irrigation conference on February 24-25, 2009 in Colby, Kansas.Includes bibliographical references
Stat1 nuclear translocation by nucleolin upon monocyte differentiation
BACKGROUND: Members of the signal transducer and activator of transcription (Stat) family of transcription factors traverse the nuclear membrane through a specialized structure, called the nuclear pore complex (NPC), which represents a selective filter for the import of proteins. Karyophilic molecules can bind directly to a subset of proteins of the NPC, collectively called nucleoporins. Alternatively, the transport is mediated via a carrier molecule belonging to the importin/karyopherin superfamily, which transmits the import into the nucleus through the NPC. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this study, we provide evidence for an alternative Stat1 nuclear import mechanism, which is mediated by the shuttle protein nucleolin. We observed Stat1-nucleolin association, nuclear translocation and specific binding to the regulatory DNA element GAS. Using expression of nucleolin transgenes, we found that the nuclear localization signal (NLS) of nucleolin is responsible for Stat1 nuclear translocation. We show that this mechanism is utilized upon differentiation of myeloid cells and is specific for the differentiation step from monocytes to macrophages. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our data add the nucleolin-Stat1 complex as a novel functional partner for the cell differentiation program, which is uniquely poised to regulate the transcription machinery via Stat1 and nuclear metabolism via nucleolin
Prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection and effect on lamb growth
Background: A major challenge in sheep farming during the grazing season along the coast of south-western
Norway is tick-borne fever (TBF) caused by the bacteria Anaplasma phagocytophilum that is transmitted by the tick
Ixodes ricinus.
Methods: A study was carried out in 2007 and 2008 to examine the prevalence of A. phagocytophilum infection
and effect on weaning weight in lambs. The study included 1208 lambs from farms in Sunndal Ram Circle in Møre
and Romsdal County in Mid-Norway, where ticks are frequently observed. All lambs were blood sampled and
serum was analyzed by an indirect fluorescent antibody assay (IFA) to determine an antibody status (positive or
negative) to A. phagocytophilum infection. Weight and weight gain and possible effect of infection were analyzed
using ANOVA and the MIXED procedure in SAS.
Results: The overall prevalence of infection with A. phagocytophilum was 55%. A lower weaning weight of 3%
(1.34 kg, p < 0.01) was estimated in lambs seropositive to an A. phagocytophilum infection compared to
seronegative lambs at an average age of 137 days.
Conclusions: The results show that A. phagocytophilum infection has an effect on lamb weight gain. The study
also support previous findings that A. phagocytophilum infection is widespread in areas where ticks are prevalent,
even in flocks treated prophylactic with acaricides
Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum
Understanding how Anaplasma phagocytophilum alters neutrophils will improve diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of this severe illness
Detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Ixodes ricinus ticks from Norway using a realtime PCR assay targeting the Anaplasma citrate synthase gene gltA
Using detergent to enhance detection sensitivity of African trypanosomes in human CSF and blood by Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP)
<p><b>Background:</b> The loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay, with its advantages of simplicity, rapidity and cost effectiveness, has evolved as one of the most sensitive and specific methods for the detection of a broad range of pathogenic microorganisms including African trypanosomes. While many LAMP-based assays are sufficiently sensitive to detect DNA well below the amount present in a single parasite, the detection limit of the assay is restricted by the number of parasites present in the volume of sample assayed; i.e. 1 per µL or 103 per mL. We hypothesized that clinical sensitivities that mimic analytical limits based on parasite DNA could be approached or even obtained by simply adding detergent to the samples prior to LAMP assay.</p>
<p><b>Methodology/Principal Findings:</b> For proof of principle we used two different LAMP assays capable of detecting 0.1 fg genomic DNA (0.001 parasite). The assay was tested on dilution series of intact bloodstream form Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or blood with or without the addition of the detergent Triton X-100 and 60 min incubation at ambient temperature. With human CSF and in the absence of detergent, the LAMP detection limit for live intact parasites using 1 µL of CSF as the source of template was at best 103 parasites/mL. Remarkably, detergent enhanced LAMP assay reaches sensitivity about 100 to 1000-fold lower; i.e. 10 to 1 parasite/mL. Similar detergent-mediated increases in LAMP assay analytical sensitivity were also found using DNA extracted from filter paper cards containing blood pretreated with detergent before card spotting or blood samples spotted on detergent pretreated cards.</p>
<p><b>Conclusions/Significance:</b> This simple procedure for the enhanced detection of live African trypanosomes in biological fluids by LAMP paves the way for the adaptation of LAMP for the economical and sensitive diagnosis of other protozoan parasites and microorganisms that cause diseases that plague the developing world.</p>
Superinfection occurs in Anaplasma phagocytophilum infected sheep irrespective of infection phase and protection status
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