A Study on the Origin of Peroxisomes: Possibility of Actinobacteria Symbiosis

The origin of peroxisomes as having developed from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) was proposed on the basis of the similarity between some peroxisomal proteins and ER proteins, and the localization of some peroxisomal proteins on the ER. To study the evolutionary distance between peroxisomes and ER and Prokaryotes, we carried out a phylogenetic analysis of CDC48 (cell division control 48) and its homologs, including ER-localized CDC48, CDC48 homologs in Prokaryotes and peroxisome-localized PEX1 and PEX6. A similarity search analysis of peroxisomal protein sequences to prokaryotic protein sequences using BLAST at several thresholds (E-values) was also done. We propose Actinobacteria symbiosis for the origin of peroxisomes based on the following evidence: (1) PEX1 and PEX6 are close in distance to CDC48 homologs in Actinobacteria, and these distances are closer than to ER-localized CDC48. (2) Actinobacteria proteins show the highest degree of similarity to peroxisomal proteins compared with other prokaryotes

Comments on the Session 3

Session statement 3: Diverse aspects of translation: Buddhism, Islam, and Wikipedi

Effects of Exercise Therapy and Nutrition Therapy on Patients with Possible Malnutrition and Sarcopenia in a Recovery Rehabilitation Ward

We compared the effects of an exercise intervention with that of exercise combined with nutrition therapy in patients with possible malnutrition and sarcopenia admitted to a recovery rehabilitation ward, and we examined the differences in the patients’ physical function and activities of daily living (ADLs). There were 16 patients in the Exercise group with exercise therapy and ADL exercises, and 14 patients in the Combined intervention group with exercise therapy, ADL exercises, and nutrition therapy. The survey items were body weight, body mass index, grip strength, lower-leg circumference, gait speed, and ADLs, each of which was measured at the baseline and at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and at discharge. Significant improvements in grip strength were observed in the Combined intervention group as follows: at 4 weeks>at 2 weeks (pbaseline and 2 weeks (p<0.05). There were no significant changes in the Exercise group, and an interaction was recognized in both groups. Comprehensive rehabilitation including nutrition therapy is necessary for patients with possible malnutrition and/or sarcopenia, as our results indicate that nutrition therapy in addition to exercise therapy has the effect of promoting improvements of physical function in such patients

Human group II phospholipase A2 in normal and diseased intervertebral discs

AbstractWe measured calcium-dependent phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity and immunoreactive group II PLA2 levels of 54 normal discs obtained from cadavers and 73 disc samples surgically obtained from patients with spinal disorders, including intervertebral disc herniations, spondylosis, and spondylolisthesis. Both cadaveric and surgical disc specimens contained about two-fold greater PLA2 activity than the ileal mucosa, one of the richest sources of group II PLA2. Discs of middle-aged cases had significantly higher activity than those of younger and elder cases. In cadaveric normal discs, calcium-dependent PLA2 activity was significantly higher in females than in males. Annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus contained the same PLA2 levels. In diseases discs, herniated fragments that had extruded or protruded out of the discs possessed lower activity than other parts of discs in the intervertebral space. Immunoreactive group II PLA2 levels of intervertebral discs closely correlated with PLA2 enzymatic activity. We purified a PLA2 from human intervertebral disc to homogeneity to further identify the isozymic nature of discal PLA2. Its NH2-terminal amino acid sequence and molecular weight were identical to those of human group II PLA2. Immunohistochemical analysis using a monoclonal anti-group II PLA2 antibody showed that in both annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus chondrocyte contained intense grou II PLA2 immunoreactivity in their cytoplasm, and that the matrix contained no substantial immunoreactivity. These results suggest that group II PLA2 in chondrocytes has important physiological roles in discal ordinary metabolism, maintaining discal homeostasis