Genetic analyses

identified the squid as Gonatus madokai (family Gonatidae), now the second gonatid and third squid known to brood.”
“Human UDP-alpha-D-glucose 6-dehydrogenase (hUGDH) forms a hexamer that catalyzes the NAD(+)-dependent oxidation of UDP-alpha-D-glucose (UDG) to produce UDP-alpha-D-glucuronic acid. Mammalian UGDH displays hysteresis (observed as a lag in progress curves), indicating that the enzyme undergoes a slow BAY 80-6946 transition from an inactive to an active state. Here we show that hUGDH is sensitive to product inhibition during the lag. The inhibition results in a systematic decrease in steady-state velocity and makes the lag appear to have a second-order dependence on enzyme concentration. Using transient-state kinetics, we confirm that the lag is in fact due to a substrate and cofactor-induced isomerization of the Dactolisib supplier enzyme. We also show that the cofactor binds to the hUGDH:UDG complex with

negative cooperativity. This suggests that the isomerization may be related to the formation of an asymmetric enzyme complex. We propose that the hysteresis in hUGDH is the consequence of a functional adaptation; by slowing the response of hUGDH to sudden increases in the flux of UDG, the other biochemical pathways that use this important metabolite (i.e., glycolysis) will have a competitive edge.”
“Because prostate cancer cells metastasize to bone and exhibit osteoblastic features (osteomimicry), the interrelationships Selleck BI-2536 between bone-specific microenvironment and prostate cancer cells at sites of bone metastasis are critical to disease progression. In this work the bone marrow microenvironment in vitro was recreated both by tailoring scaffolds physical properties and by functionalizing

electrospun polymer fibers with a bioactive peptide derived from domain IV of perlecan heparan sulfate proteoglycan. Electrospun poly (epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) fibers and PCL/gelatin composite scaffolds were modified covalently with perlecan domain IV (PlnDIV) peptide. The expression of tight junction protein (E-cadherin) and focal adhesion kinase (FAR) phosphorylation on tyrosine 397 also were investigated. The described bioactive motif significantly enhanced adherence and infiltration of the metastatic prostate cancer cells on all modified electrospun substrates by day 5 post-seeding. Cells cultured on PlnDIV-modified matrices organized stress fibers and increased proliferation at statistically significant rates. Additional findings suggest that presence of PlnDIV peptide in the matrix reduced expression of tight junction protein and binding to PlnDIV peptide was accompanied by increased focal adhesion kinase (FAR) phosphorylation on tyrosine 397.