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Wu D, Peng F, Zhang B, Ingram AJ, Kelly DJ, Gilbert RE, Gao B, Kumar S, Krepinsky JC. EGFR-PLCgamma1 signaling mediates high glucose-induced PKCbeta1-Akt activation and collagen I upregulation in mesangial cells. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2009; 297:F822-34. [PMID: 19605547 DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00054.2009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Glomerular matrix accumulation is a hallmark of diabetic nephropathy. We have recently shown that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) transactivation mediates high glucose (HG)-induced collagen I upregulation through PI3K-PKCbeta1-Akt signaling in mesangial cells (MC). Phospholipase Cgamma1 (PLCgamma1) interacts with activated growth factor receptors and activates classic PKC isoforms. We thus studied its role in HG-induced collagen I upregulation in MC. Primary rat MC were treated with HG (30 mM) or mannitol as osmotic control. Protein kinase activation was assessed by Western blotting and collagen I upregulation by Northern blotting. Diabetes was induced in rats by streptozotocin. HG treatment for 1 h led to PLCgamma1 membrane translocation and Y783 phosphorylation, both indicative of its activation. Mannitol was without effect. PLCgamma1 Y783 phosphorylation was also seen in cortex and glomeruli of diabetic rats. HG induced a physical association between EGFR and PLCgamma1 as identified by coimmunoprecipitation. PLCgamma1 activation required EGFR kinase activity since it was prevented by the EGFR inhibitor AG1478 or overexpression of kinase-inactive EGFR (K721A). Phosphoinositide-3-OH kinase inhibition also prevented PLCgamma1 activation. HG-induced Akt S473 phosphorylation, effected by PKCbeta1, was inhibited by the PLCgamma inhibitor U73122. PLCgamma1 inhibition or downregulation by small interference RNA also prevented HG-induced collagen I upregulation. Our results indicate that EGFR-PLCgamma1 signaling mediates HG-induced PKCbeta1-Akt activation and subsequent collagen I upregulation in MC. Inhibition of EGFR or PLCgamma1 may provide attractive therapeutic targets for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy.
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Vall-llosera G, Gao B, Kivimäki A, Coreno M, Álvarez Ruiz J, de Simone M, Ågren H, Rachlew E. Erratum: “The C 1s and N 1s near edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectra of five azabenzenes in the gas phase” [J. Chem. Phys. 128, 044316 (2008)]. J Chem Phys 2009. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3108589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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178
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Gao B, Mohan R, Gupta RS. Phylogenomics and protein signatures elucidating the evolutionary relationships among the Gammaproteobacteria. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2009; 59:234-47. [DOI: 10.1099/ijs.0.002741-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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179
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Shan ZY, Chen YY, Teng WP, Yu XH, Li CY, Zhou WW, Gao B, Zhou JR, Ding B, Ma Y, Wu Y, Liu Q, Xu H, Liu W, Li J, Wang WW, Li YB, Fan CL, Wang H, Guo R, Zhang HM. A study for maternal thyroid hormone deficiency during the first half of pregnancy in China. Eur J Clin Invest 2009; 39:37-42. [PMID: 19087128 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2362.2008.02055.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal thyroid hormone deficiency is the most common disorder of thyroid function during pregnancy and can influence the outcome for mother and foetus. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of thyroid hormone deficiency during the first half of pregnancy in iodine sufficient areas of China. MATERIALS AND METHODS Four thousand eight hundred pregnant women from 10 hospitals during the first 20 weeks of gestation were enrolled in this study. All sera obtained from pregnant women were measured for thyrotropin, free thyroxine and thyroid peroxidase antibody. Screening for thyroid hormone deficiency was performed on pregnant women using gestational age-specific reference intervals or non-pregnant population reference intervals. RESULTS With gestational age-specific reference intervals as the criterion, the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism at 4, 8, 12,16 and 20 weeks of gestation was 4.59%, 6.15%, 4.68%, 4.53% and 5.96%, respectively, and the prevalence of hypothyroxinaemia was 3.69%, 1.11%, 2.92%, 1.29% and 2.29%, respectively. Different prevalence was obtained when non-pregnant population reference intervals was used as the criterion. If non-pregnant population reference intervals were used, the percentage of potentially misclassified cases of subclinical hypothyroidism were 0.18%, 2.85%, 4.1%, 3.24%, and 3.21%, respectively, and 3.45%, 0.66%, 2.34%, 1.29%, and 1.83%, respectively, in potentially misclassified cases of hypothyroxinaemia. CONCLUSIONS The percentage of potentially misclassified cases of subclinical hypothyroidism and hypothyroxinaemia in pregnant women decreased by using the gestational age-specific reference intervals as a diagnostic criteria during the first half of pregnancy.
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Qi FH, Li AY, Lv H, Zhao L, Li JJ, Gao B, Tang W. Apoptosis-inducing effect of cinobufacini, Bufo bufo gargarizans Cantor skin extract, on human hepatoma cell line BEL-7402. Drug Discov Ther 2008; 2:339-343. [PMID: 22504743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Cinobufacini, a water-soluble preparation of Chinese medicine, is extracted from the skin of Bufo bufo gargarizans Cantor. The present study sought to investigate the effects of Cinobufacini on apoptosis of the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line BEL-7402. Cell viability was measured by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. Cell morphology was observed by Hoechst 33258 staining. Western blotting analysis was used to detect Bax and Bcl-2 expression. Results indicated that Cinobufacini inhibited the proliferation of BEL-7402 cells in a dose and time-dependent manner. Marked morphological changes indicative of apoptosis were observed after treatment with different concentrations of Cinobufacini. Western blot analysis showed that Bcl-2 expression was down-regulated while Bax expression was upregulated. Thus, Cinobufacini may have a significant apoptosis-inducing effect on BEL-7402 cells, and this could prove useful for further anti-cancer research.
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Gao B, Zhu SY. Differential potency of drosomycin to Neurospora crassa and its mutant: implications for evolutionary relationship between defensins from insects and plants. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2008; 17:405-411. [PMID: 18651922 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2583.2008.00810.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Drosomycin, the first inducible antifungal peptide isolated from Drosophila, belongs to the superfamily of CSalphabeta-type defensins. In the present study we report a modified approach for high-level expression of drosomycin, which allows us to evaluate its differential potency on the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa WT (wild type) and N. crassa MUT16, a specific resistance mutant strain to plant defensins, by using different approaches. The results presented here show for the first time that N. crassa MUT16 is resistant to our recombinant drosomycin. Differential survival rates of Drosophila larvae infected by N. crassa WT and MUT16 further confirm the key antifungal role of drosomycin in vivo. The absence of activity against MUT16 suggests a mechanical commonality between drosomycin and plant defensins, which provides additional evidence in favor of their homologous relationship. Furthermore, the existence of drosomycin-like molecules in fungi suggests that all these peptides could originate from a common ancestry rather than horizontal gene transfer between plants and insects, which is further strengthened by the monophyletic origin of these peptides from plants, fungi and insects.
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182
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Abrey LE, Wen P, Govindan R, Reimers H, Rigas JR, Robins HI, Allen-Freda E, Gao B, Ko J, Johri A. Patupilone for the treatment of recurrent/progressive brain metastases in patients (pts) with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): An open-label phase II study. J Clin Oncol 2008. [DOI: 10.1200/jco.2008.26.15_suppl.2033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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183
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Fracasso PM, Ravaud A, Baggstrom MQ, LoRusso PM, Jones DV, Sguotti C, Urban P, Gao B, Medioni J. Patupilone combined with carboplatin in patients (pts) with advanced solid tumors: preliminary safety and activity results. J Clin Oncol 2008. [DOI: 10.1200/jco.2008.26.15_suppl.13544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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184
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Yin YL, Tang ZR, Sun ZH, Liu ZQ, Li TJ, Huang RL, Ruan Z, Deng ZY, Gao B, Chen LX, Wu GY, Kim SW. Effect of Galacto-mannan-oligosaccharides or Chitosan Supplementation on Cytoimmunity and Humoral Immunity in Early-weaned Piglets. ASIAN-AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCES 2008. [DOI: 10.5713/ajas.2008.70408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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185
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Sui B, Gao P, Lin Y, Gao B, Liu L, An J. Assessment of wall shear stress in the common carotid artery of healthy subjects using 3.0-tesla magnetic resonance. Acta Radiol 2008; 49:442-9. [PMID: 18415789 DOI: 10.1080/02841850701877349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wall shear stress (WSS) has been proven to play a critical role in the formation and development of atherosclerotic plaques. Measurement of WSS in vivo is significant for the clinical assessment of atherosclerosis. PURPOSE To assess the magnitude and distribution of local WSS in the common carotid artery (CCA) in vivo using 3.0T magnetic resonance (MR). MATERIAL AND METHODS The common carotid artery of eight healthy volunteers was studied using a cine phase-contrast MR sequence. A three-dimensional paraboloid model was applied to fit the velocity profiles, and the WSS values were calculated. The cross-sectional area, average flow velocity, maximum velocity, and flow rate were also obtained. RESULTS Mean WSS was 0.850 +/- 0.195 (range 0.132-3.464) N/m(2) for the common carotid arteries; the spatial and temporal distribution and change of WSS were displayed. During a cardiac cycle, the mean velocity was 22.8 +/- 3.5 (16.9-28.3) cm/s, blood flow rate 8.03+/-1.45 (5.73-10.72) ml/s, and luminal vessel area 34.94+/-7.06 (24.25-49.01) mm(2). CONCLUSION Local WSS values in CCAs can be measured using 3.0T MR imaging combined with image-processing techniques. Intersubject variations were found in the distribution and magnitude of wall shear stress as well as in the flow profile pattern in CCAs, which may be caused by different vessel morphologies.
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Vall-llosera G, Gao B, Kivimäki A, Coreno M, Álvarez Ruiz J, de Simone M, Ågren H, Rachlew E. Publisher’s Note: “The C1s and N1s near edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectra of five azabenzenes in the gas phase” [J. Chem. Phys. 128, 044316 (2008)]. J Chem Phys 2008. [DOI: 10.1063/1.2898871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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187
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Gao B, Wu YC, Zhang ZG, Hua JJ, Yao KD, Hou X. Poly(acrylamide‐co‐acrylic acid)/Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) Polymer Blends Prepared by Dispersion Polymerization. J MACROMOL SCI B 2008. [DOI: 10.1080/00222340801955495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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188
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Vall-llosera G, Gao B, Kivimäki A, Coreno M, Álvarez Ruiz J, de Simone M, Ågren H, Rachlew E. The C 1s and N 1s near edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectra of five azabenzenes in the gas phase. J Chem Phys 2008; 128:044316. [DOI: 10.1063/1.2822985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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189
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Wu X, Ruan Z, Zhang YG, Hou YQ, Yin YL, Li TJ, Huang RL, Chu WY, Kong XF, Gao B, Chen LX. True Digestibility of Phosphorus in Different Resources of Feed Ingredients in Growing Pigs. ASIAN-AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCES 2008. [DOI: 10.5713/ajas.2008.70143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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190
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Wu HQ, Liu ZG, Gao B, Li M, Ran PX, Xing M. Localization of Per a 3 allergen in the gut and faecal pellets of the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana). Int J Immunogenet 2007; 34:347-51. [PMID: 17845305 DOI: 10.1111/j.1744-313x.2007.00697.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Cockroach-derived materials are known to be a major source of potent aeroallergens, causing allergic respiratory diseases such as asthma and allergic rhinitis. The aim of this study was to determine the localization of the major allergen, Per a 3 (Cr-PI), within the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana), which might reveal the relative importance of excreted materials and nonexcreted cockroach components as allergen sources. American cockroaches (P. americana) and their faecal pellets were embedded in paraffin, and serial sections were cut and collected on glass slides. After being stained with mouse polyclonal antiserum against Per a 3, the sections were incubated sequentially with biotin-labelled sheep antimouse immunoglobulin G (IgG) and a preformed fluorescent isothiocyanate (FITC)-avidin complex. Finally, the sections were mounted and examined under a fluorescent microscope. Examination of Per a 3 immunoreactivity on the sections of the American cockroaches (P. americana) revealed that the midgut mucosa, gut contents and faecal pellets were all strongly labelled. Per a 3 immunoreactive products were not detected in any other internal organs of the American cockroaches. These results suggest that Per a 3 allergen might be synthesized in and secreted from the epithelia of the midgut mucosa and excreted from the body in the faecal pellets.
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191
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Gao B, Yasui T, Itoh Y, Li Z, Okada A, Tozawa K, Hayashi Y, Kohri K. Association of osteopontin gene haplotypes with nephrolithiasis. Kidney Int 2007; 72:592-8. [PMID: 17519954 DOI: 10.1038/sj.ki.5002345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Osteopontin (OPN) is one of the glycosylated phosphoproteins produced in the kidney that can modulate nephrolithiasis. We had previously found a modest association between OPN gene polymorphisms and the risk for urinary stone formation. In order to determine if sequence variants within the OPN gene could be linked to the risk of nephrolithiasis; we sequenced the entire OPN gene of 45 stone forming patients and 54 control patients of Japanese ancestry. We identified 61 polymorphisms and of these evaluated four haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms in a total of 126 kidney stone cases and 214 healthy individuals; all of Japanese ancestry. There was a significant association of two of these haplotypes located in the OPN promoter with the relative probability of nephrolithiasis; one of increased and one of reduced risk. Our findings provide potential support for significant increased and decreased associations between OPN gene haplotypes and the relative potential of stone formation in the Japanese population. We suggest that such genetic findings may help to clarify the function of OPN in nephrolithiasis.
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192
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Wu D, Peng F, Zhang B, Ingram AJ, Gao B, Krepinsky JC. Collagen I induction by high glucose levels is mediated by epidermal growth factor receptor and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt signalling in mesangial cells. Diabetologia 2007; 50:2008-2018. [PMID: 17622510 DOI: 10.1007/s00125-007-0721-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2006] [Accepted: 05/03/2007] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
AIMS/HYPOTHESIS Glomerular matrix accumulation is a hallmark of diabetic nephropathy. Recent data have linked the serine/threonine kinase protein kinase B (Akt) to matrix modulation. Here, we studied its role in high glucose-induced collagen elaboration by mesangial cells. METHODS Primary rat mesangial cells were treated with high glucose levels (30 mmol/l) or mannitol as osmotic control. Western blots, northern blots, ELISA and immunohistochemistry were used for assessment. Diabetes was induced in rats by streptozotocin. RESULTS Phosphorylated Akt at S473 (pAktS473), corresponding to Akt activation, was seen in diabetic glomeruli. In mesangial cells, high glucose levels induced pAktS473 by 20 min. This was sustained to 72 h, while mannitol had no effect. Akt activation by kinase assay and phosphorylation on threonine 308 was also observed. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors LY294002 (20 micromol/l) and wortmannin (100 nmol/l) prevented pAktS473. Collagen IA1 transcript and collagen I protein upregulation by high glucose levels were inhibited by PI3K blockade, as was collagen I secretion into the medium (ELISA). Dominant-negative Akt overexpression also inhibited high glucose-induced collagen IA1 transcript and collagen I protein production. Since signalling through the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) can activate PI3K-Akt, we studied its activation by high glucose levels. EGFR was correspondingly activated by 10 min; mannitol had no effect. EGFR activation was also seen in glomeruli from diabetic rats and co-localised with collagen IA1 in diabetic glomeruli. Specific EGFR inhibition (AG1478, 5 micromol/l or dominant-negative EGFR) blocked high glucose-induced pAktS473, phosphorylation on threonine 308 and activation of the EGFR downstream target p44 extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) mitogen-activated protein kinase. Finally, EGFR inhibition also blocked high glucose-induced collagen I upregulation at transcriptional and protein levels. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION We conclude that EGFR-PI3K-Akt signalling mediates high glucose-induced collagen I upregulation in mesangial cells and that this pathway is activated in diabetic glomeruli. Targeting its components may provide a new therapeutic approach to diabetic kidney disease.
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Liu F, Wang X, Liu Y, Xie J, Gray SM, Zhou G, Gao B. A Chinese isolate of barley yellow dwarf virus-PAV represents a third distinct species within the PAV serotype. Arch Virol 2007; 152:1365-73. [PMID: 17347769 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-007-0947-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2006] [Accepted: 01/22/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The complete nucleotide sequence of barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) PAV-CN genomic RNA was determined. This represents the seventh complete genome sequence of a BYDV-PAV serotype. The genome organization of PAV-CN was comparable to that of other BYDV-PAV serotypes, but the nucleotide sequence of full genome was only 76.9-80.3% similar. Sequence similarity of individual open reading frames and untranslated regions (UTR) between PAV-CN and other PAV isolates ranged from 37.9 to 98.2%. Overall, PAV-CN was most similar to BYDV-PAS, which belongs to one of two distinct species within the PAV serotype of BYDV, although the 5' UTR and ORF1 of PAV-CN was most similar to BYDV-GAV, another member of the genus Luteovirus that is not serologically related to BYDV-PAV. These data suggest that PAV-CN may have undergone a recombination event with GAV and that PAV-CN represents a third distinct species within the PAV serotype of BYDV.
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Raczkowska J, Bernasik A, Budkowski A, Rysz J, Gao B, Lieberman M. Compositional Mismatch between Chemical Patterns on a Substrate and Polymer Blends Yielding Spin-Cast Films with Subpattern Periodicity. Macromolecules 2007. [DOI: 10.1021/ma062614f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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195
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Xie D, Gao B, Yao Y, Yuan Z. Investigation of the material removal model
for bonnet tool polishing with precession. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN TECHNOLOGY 2007. [DOI: 10.1504/ijcat.2007.015258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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196
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Zheng N, Gao B, Moser M, Indelicato P. BILATERAL DIFFERENCES OF 3-D MOTION IN ACL-DIFICENT AND ACL-RECONSTRUCTED KNEES. J Biomech 2007. [DOI: 10.1016/s0021-9290(07)70097-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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197
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Gao B, Subramanian S, Zheng N. MRI MODEL-BASED KNEE JOINT SURFACE MOTION ANALYSIS. J Biomech 2007. [DOI: 10.1016/s0021-9290(07)70152-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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198
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Zhu S, Gao B. Molecular characterization of a new scorpion venom lipolysis activating peptide: Evidence for disulfide bridge-mediated functional switch of peptides. FEBS Lett 2006; 580:6825-36. [PMID: 17141763 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2006.11.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2006] [Revised: 11/13/2006] [Accepted: 11/16/2006] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Venoms from scorpions contain extremely rich bioactive peptides that often carry diverse functions and are presumably needed to achieve synergistic effects for rapidly immobilizing prey and defending themselves. BotLVP1 is a unique heterodimer protein recently found in the scorpion Buthus occitanus tunetanus venom that is structurally related to scorpion toxins affecting sodium channels (NaScTxs) but exhibits adipocyte lipolysis activity. We have isolated and identified two cDNA clones encoding subunits alpha and beta of a BotLVP1-like peptide (named BmLVP1) from the Chinese scorpion Buthus martensii venom gland and determined the first complete gene structure of this subfamily. These results highlight a genetic link between these lipolysis activating peptides and NaScTxs. Comparison of cDNA and genomic sequences combined with protein structural and functional analysis provides evidence supporting the existence of RNA editing mechanism in scorpion venom glands, which could mediate functional switch of BmLVP1 gene, from adipocyte lipolysis to neurotoxicity, by altering the wrapper disulfide bridge (WDB) pattern of the peptides.
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Zhu S, Gao B. Molecular characterization of a possible progenitor sodium channel toxin from the Old World scorpion Mesobuthus martensii. FEBS Lett 2006; 580:5979-87. [PMID: 17054952 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2006.09.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2006] [Revised: 09/26/2006] [Accepted: 09/27/2006] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Toxins affecting sodium channels widely exist in the venoms of scorpions throughout the world. These molecules comprise an evolutionarily related peptide family with three shared features including conserved three-dimensional structure and gene organization, and similar function. Based on different pharmacological profiles and binding properties, scorpion sodium channel toxins are divided into alpha- and beta-groups. However, their evolutionary relationship is not yet established. Here, we report a gene isolated from the venom gland of scorpion Mesobuthus martensii which encodes a novel sodium channel toxin-like peptide of 64 amino acids, named Mesotoxin. The Mesotoxin gene is organized into three exons and two introns with the second intron location conserved across the family. This peptide is unusual in that it has only three disulfides and a long cysteine-free tail with loop size and structural characteristics close to beta-toxins. Evolutionary analysis favors its basal position in the origin of scorpion sodium channel toxins as a progenitor. The discovery of Mesotoxin will assist investigations into the key issue regarding the origin and evolution of scorpion toxins.
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Bao H, Chen Z, Xu W, Wu P, Wang Y, Gao B, Liu J. Synthesis of nano-sized magnetic colloidal particles from ferrous salts and hydroxylated poly(butyl methacrylate-b-glycidyl methacrylate). COLLOID JOURNAL 2006. [DOI: 10.1134/s1061933x06050176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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