Biological performance and gastrointestinal development of broiler chicks fed diets varying in energy : protein ratio

(South African J of Animal Science, 2000, 30, Supplement 1: 136-137

Curcumin regulates transcription in Dictyostelium discoideum

Botanicals are widely used as dietary supplements and for the prevention and treatment of a myriad of diseases ranging from the common cold to depression. One in four Americans uses a botanical as part of their primary healthcare with billions of dollars spent annually. Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, has gained a lot attention in recent years for its therapeutic uses and has been linked to a wide spectrum of pharmacological effects including anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, Alzheimer's prevention and antioxidant activity. Despite the large and growing interest in the use of botanicals such as curcumin in disease treatment and prevention, there is little evidence regarding their efficacy, safety and long-term effects. Importantly, the fundamental mechanisms associated with the cellular response to botanicals are generally not clearly understood, and there are often unknown off-target effects. This is supported by the bafflingly large number of effects associated with curcumin. The use of suitable model systems in pharmacogenetic analysis allows for the subsequent characterization of genes and their protein products to explain the mechanisms of drug action. Understanding the complex mechanisms associated with drug response is compounded by the use of mammalian models. In addition, the maintenance and care of such models, the large numbers of animals required for experimental study as well as ethical concerns have necessitated the use of simple and genetically tractable non-mammalian models. The social amoeba, Dictyostelium discoideum, has proven to be an excellent model for the molecular and genetic study of the mechanisms of action of drugs and their effects on the cell. D discoideum has been successfully used to find targets to improve efficacy of drugs used in psychiatry and cancer treatment. Those studies were subsequently validated in human cells. By taking advantage of this simple but powerful biological model and the molecular genetic tools available to us, we have started to investigate the complex effects of the botanical compound curcumin on cell growth, cell physiology and the underlying molecular mechanisms of action. Results from our studies revealed a rather complex pleiotropic response to curcumin including effects on proliferation, oxidative stress and a global regulation of gene expression at the transcriptional level. The relative lack of conclusive scientific evidence regarding the therapeutic benefits of curcumin, coupled with curcumin's possible deleterious effects as revealed by our research findings, underscore the importance of further research to establish curcumin's risks and benefits. Ascertaining the risk-benefits of curcumin with more conclusive scientific evidence would better equip consumers to make decisions about using curcumin, and in fact other botanicals, as part of their primary healthcare

Effect of dietary protein level, amino acid balance and feeding level on growth, gastrointestinal tract, and mucosal structure of the small intestine in broiler chickens

Harry Kofi Swatson, Robert Gou, Paul Ade Iji and Reza Zarrinkala

Espacio residencial urbano e integración social: una propuesta metodológica de medición

This paper deals with the methodology used in a research on the relationship between the spatial and social aspects in the analysis of social integration. This is done through its expression in the capacity of the groups to create organisations as well as in the intervention of public spaces. The specific contexts are middle height minimal standard housing groups in Greater Santiago. The objective was to explore the relationship between the physical characteristics of the residential groups habitats and the degree of association of the people living in those habitats.El presente artículo destaca la metodología utilizada en una investigación sobre la relación entre lo espacial y lo social en el análisis de la problemática de integración social, a través de su expresión tanto en la capacidad de los grupos de constituir organizaciones (asociatividad), como en la de realizar intervenciones en el espacio público; en un contexto social y espacial específico referido a conjuntos residenciales de vivienda básica de media Altura en el Gran Santiago. Su objetivo general fue explorar la relación entre las características físicas de los hábitats de los conjuntos residenciales en media altura con el nivel de asociatividad de las personas que viven en dichos hábitats

Use of a temporary immersion bioreactor system for the sustainable production of thapsigargin in shoot cultures of <i>Thapsia garganica</i>

Abstract Background Thapsigargin and nortrilobolide are sesquiterpene lactones found in the Mediterranean plant Thapsia garganica L. Thapsigargin is a potent inhibitor of the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase pump, inducing apoptosis in mammalian cells. This mechanism has been used to develop a thapsigargin-based cancer drug first by GenSpera and later Inspyr Therapeutics (Westlake Village, California). However, a stable production of thapsigargin is not established. Results In vitro regeneration from leaf explants, shoot multiplication and rooting of T. garganica was obtained along with the production of thapsigargins in temporary immersion bioreactors (TIBs). Thapsigargin production was enhanced using reduced nutrient supply in combination with methyl jasmonate elicitation treatments. Shoots grown in vitro were able to produce 0.34% and 2.1% dry weight of thapsigargin and nortrilobolide, respectively, while leaves and stems of wild T. garganica plants contain only between 0.1 and 0.5% of thapsigargin and below detectable levels of nortrilobolide. In addition, a real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) study was performed to study the regulatory role of the biosynthetic genes HMG-CoA reductase (HMGR), farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPPS), epikunzeaol synthase (TgTPS2) and the cytochrome P450 (TgCYP76AE2) of stem, leaf and callus tissues. Nadi staining showed that the thapsigargins are located in secretory ducts within these tissues. Conclusions Shoot regeneration, rooting and biomass growth from leaf explants of T. garganica were achieved, together with a high yield in vitro production of thapsigargin in TIBs

Coastal Research Seen Through an Early Career Lens—A Perspective on Barriers to Interdisciplinarity in Norway

The value of interdisciplinarity for solving complex coastal problems is widely recognized. Many early career researchers (ECRs) therefore actively seek this type of collaboration through choice or necessity, for professional development or project funding. However, establishing and conducting interdisciplinary research collaborations as an ECR has many challenges. Here, we identify these challenges through the lens of ECRs working in different disciplines on a common ecosystem, the Norwegian Skagerrak coast. The most densely populated coastline in Norway, the Skagerrak coast, is experiencing a multitude of anthropogenic stressors including fishing, aquaculture, eutrophication, climate change, land runoff, development, and invasive species. The Skagerrak coastline has also been the focus of environmental science research for decades, much of which aims to inform management of these stressors. The region provides a fantastic opportunity for interdisciplinary collaboration, both within and beyond the environmental sciences. This perspective article identifies the barriers ECRs in Norway face in establishing interdisciplinary and collaborative research to inform management of coastal ecosystems, along with their root causes. We believe our discussion will be of broad interest to all research institutions who employ or educate ECRs (in Norway and worldwide), and to those who develop funding mechanisms for ECRs and interdisciplinary research.publishedVersio

Curcumin and derivatives function through protein phosphatase 2A and presenilin orthologues in Dictyostelium discoideum.

Natural compounds often have complex molecular structures and unknown molecular targets. These characteristics make them difficult to analyse using a classical pharmacological approach. Curcumin, the main curcuminoid of turmeric, is a complex molecule possessing wide-ranging biological activities, cellular mechanisms and roles in potential therapeutic treatment including Alzheimer's disease and cancer. Here, we investigate the physiological effects and molecular targets of curcumin in Dictyostelium discoideum We show curcumin causes acute effects on cell behaviour, reduces cell growth, and slows multicellular development. We then employ a range of structurally related compounds to show the distinct role of different structural groups cell behaviour, growth, and development, highlighting active moieties in cell function, and showing that these cellular effects are unrelated to the well-known antioxidant activity of curcumin. Molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of curcumin and one synthetic analogue (EF24) were then investigated to identify a curcumin-resistant mutant lacking the protein phosphatase 2A regulatory subunit (PsrA) and an EF24-resistant mutant lacking the presenilin 1 orthologue (PsenB). Using in-silico docking analysis, we then show that curcumin may function through direct binding to a key regulatory region of PsrA. These findings reveal novel cellular and molecular mechanisms for the function of curcumin and related compounds

Travel Tales of a Worldwide Weed: Genomic Signatures of Plantago major L. Reveal Distinct Genotypic Groups With Links to Colonial Trade Routes

Retracing pathways of historical species introductions is fundamental to understanding the factors involved in the successful colonization and spread, centuries after a species’ establishment in an introduced range. Numerous plants have been introduced to regions outside their native ranges both intentionally and accidentally by European voyagers and early colonists making transoceanic journeys; however, records are scarce to document this. We use genotyping-by-sequencing and genotype-likelihood methods on the selfing, global weed, Plantago major, collected from 50 populations worldwide to investigate how patterns of genomic diversity are distributed among populations of this global weed. Although genomic differentiation among populations is found to be low, we identify six unique genotype groups showing very little sign of admixture and low degree of outcrossing among them. We show that genotype groups are latitudinally restricted, and that more than one successful genotype colonized and spread into the introduced ranges. With the exception of New Zealand, only one genotype group is present in the Southern Hemisphere. Three of the most prevalent genotypes present in the native Eurasian range gave rise to introduced populations in the Americas, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, which could lend support to the hypothesis that P. major was unknowlingly dispersed by early European colonists. Dispersal of multiple successful genotypes is a likely reason for success. Genomic signatures and phylogeographic methods can provide new perspectives on the drivers behind the historic introductions and the successful colonization of introduced species, contributing to our understanding of the role of genomic variation for successful establishment of introduced taxa.publishedVersio

Travel Tales of a Worldwide Weed: Genomic Signatures of Plantago major L. Reveal Distinct Genotypic Groups With Links to Colonial Trade Routes

Retracing pathways of historical species introductions is fundamental to understanding the factors involved in the successful colonization and spread, centuries after a species’ establishment in an introduced range. Numerous plants have been introduced to regions outside their native ranges both intentionally and accidentally by European voyagers and early colonists making transoceanic journeys; however, records are scarce to document this. We use genotyping-by-sequencing and genotype-likelihood methods on the selfing, global weed, Plantago major, collected from 50 populations worldwide to investigate how patterns of genomic diversity are distributed among populations of this global weed. Although genomic differentiation among populations is found to be low, we identify six unique genotype groups showing very little sign of admixture and low degree of outcrossing among them. We show that genotype groups are latitudinally restricted, and that more than one successful genotype colonized and spread into the introduced ranges. With the exception of New Zealand, only one genotype group is present in the Southern Hemisphere. Three of the most prevalent genotypes present in the native Eurasian range gave rise to introduced populations in the Americas, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, which could lend support to the hypothesis that P. major was unknowlingly dispersed by early European colonists. Dispersal of multiple successful genotypes is a likely reason for success. Genomic signatures and phylogeographic methods can provide new perspectives on the drivers behind the historic introductions and the successful colonization of introduced species, contributing to our understanding of the role of genomic variation for successful establishment of introduced taxa.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Assessing specialized metabolite diversity in the cosmopolitan plant genus Euphorbia l.

Coevolutionary theory suggests that an arms race between plants and herbivores yields increased plant specialized metabolite diversity and the geographic mosaic theory of coevolution predicts that coevolutionary interactions vary across geographic scales. Consequently, plant specialized metabolite diversity is expected to be highest in coevolutionary hotspots, geographic regions, which exhibit strong reciprocal selection on the interacting species. Despite being well-established theoretical frameworks, technical limitations have precluded rigorous hypothesis testing. Here we aim at understanding how geographic separation over evolutionary time may have impacted chemical differentiation in the cosmopolitan plant genus Euphorbia. We use a combination of state-of-the-art computational mass spectral metabolomics tools together with cell-based high-throughput immunomodulatory testing. Our results show significant differences in specialized metabolite diversity across geographically separated phylogenetic clades. Chemical structural diversity of the highly toxic Euphorbia diterpenoids is significantly reduced in species native to the Americas, compared to Afro-Eurasia. The localization of these compounds to young stems and roots suggest a possible ecological relevance in herbivory defense. This is further supported by reduced immunomodulatory activity in the American subclade as well as herbivore distribution patterns. We conclude that computational mass spectrometric metabolomics coupled with relevant ecological data provide a strong tool for exploring plant specialized metabolite diversity in a chemo-evolutionary framework