Project description:The aim of this study is to demonstrate that mechanical unloading via SMG will induce a higher osteoarthritic-like gene profile in bioengineered meniscal cartilage from healthy female MFC versus healthy male MFC. This would serve as the molecular basis for early onset of knee osteoarthritis in females
Project description:MFC 10A for bru-seq comparison For data usage terms and conditions, please refer to http://www.genome.gov/27528022 and http://www.genome.gov/Pages/Research/ENCODE/ENCODE_Data_Use_Policy_for_External_Users_03-07-14.pdf
Project description:The acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentation of solventogenic clostridia was operated as a successful, worldwide industrial process during the first half of the twentieth century, but went into decline for economic reasons. The recent resurgence in interest in the fermentation has been due principally to the recognised potential of butanol as a biofuel, and development of reliable molecular tools has encouraged realistic prospects of bacterial strains being engineered to optimise fermentation performance. In order to minimise costs, emphasis is being placed on waste feedstock streams containing a range of fermentable carbohydrates. It is therefore important to develop a detailed understanding of the mechanisms of carbohydrate uptake so that effective engineering strategies can be identified. This review surveys present knowledge of sugar uptake and its control in solventogenic clostridia. The major mechanism of sugar uptake is the PEP-dependent phosphotransferase system (PTS), which both transports and phosphorylates its sugar substrates and plays a central role in metabolic regulation. Clostridial genome sequences have indicated the presence of numerous phosphotransferase systems for uptake of hexose sugars, hexose derivatives and disaccharides. On the other hand, uptake of sugars such as pentoses occurs via non-PTS mechanisms. Progress in characterization of clostridial sugar transporters and manipulation of control mechanisms to optimise sugar fermentation is described.
Project description:Mouse splenic total B cells (6 million cells/sample) were pre-treated with the control Ab (1000ng/ml, IgG1κ, BioXCell, #BE0083) or mBaffR-mFc (1000ng/ml, a fusion protein consists of murine BR3 ecto-domain fused to murine IgG1 Fc fragment obtained from Biogen, US) for 30 min, and then treated with 100 ng/ml of recombinant human BAFF 3mer (AdipoGen, #AG-40B-0016), 60mer (AdipoGen, #AG-40B-0112) or left untreated for the next 4 hours. Each treatment was in triplicates. Total RNA was extracted from the samples using QIAGEN RNeasy Mini Kit and were sent to Novogene Corporation (Wilmingtom, DE, USA) to determine the gene expression levels.
Project description:A PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) method was used to examine on-farm sources of Clostridium cluster I strains in four dairy farms over 2 years. Conventional microbiological analysis was used in parallel to monitor size of clostridial populations present in various components of the milk production chain (soil, forage, grass silage, maize silage, dry hay, and raw milk). PCR amplification with Clostridium cluster I-specific 16S rRNA gene primers followed by DGGE separation yielded a total of 47 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), which varied greatly with respect to frequency of occurrence. Some OTUs were found only in forage, and forage profiles differed according to farm location (southern or northern Québec). More clostridial contamination was found in maize silage than in grass silage. Milk represented a potential environment for certain OTUs. No OTU was milk specific, indicating that OTUs originated from other environments. Most (83%) of the OTUs detected in raw milk were also found in grass or maize silage. Milk DGGE profiles differed according to farm and sampling year and fit into two distinct categories. One milk profile category was characterized by the presence of a few dominant OTUs, the presence of which appeared to be more related to farm management than to feed contamination. OTUs were more varied in the second profile category. The identities of certain OTUs frequently found in milk were resolved by cloning and sequencing. Clostridium disporicum was identified as an important member of clostridial populations transmitted to milk. Clostridium tyrobutyricum was consistently found in milk and was widespread in the other farm environments examined.