Displaying publications 81 - 100 of 928 in total

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  1. Fulltext Homozygous deletion of six olfactory receptor genes in a subset of individuals with Beta-thalassemia
    Van Ziffle J, Yang W, Chehab FF
    PLoS One, 2011;6(2):e17327.
    PMID: 21390308 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0017327
    Progress in the functional studies of human olfactory receptors has been largely hampered by the lack of a reliable experimental model system. Although transgenic approaches in mice could characterize the function of individual olfactory receptors, the presence of over 300 functional genes in the human genome becomes a daunting task. Thus, the characterization of individuals with a genetic susceptibility to altered olfaction coupled with the absence of particular olfactory receptor genes will allow phenotype/genotype correlations and vindicate the function of specific olfactory receptors with their cognate ligands. We characterized a 118 kb β-globin deletion and found that its 3' end breakpoint extends to the neighboring olfactory receptor region downstream of the β-globin gene cluster. This deletion encompasses six contiguous olfactory receptor genes (OR51V1, OR52Z1, OR51A1P, OR52A1, OR52A5, and OR52A4) all of which are expressed in the brain. Topology analysis of the encoded proteins from these olfactory receptor genes revealed that OR52Z1, OR52A1, OR52A5, and OR52A4 are predicted to be functional receptors as they display integral characteristics of G-proteins coupled receptors. Individuals homozygous for the 118 kb β-globin deletion are afflicted with β-thalassemia due to a homozygous deletion of the β-globin gene and have no alleles for the above mentioned olfactory receptors genes. This is the first example of a homozygous deletion of olfactory receptor genes in human. Although altered olfaction remains to be ascertained in these individuals, such a study can be carried out in β-thalassemia patients from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines where this mutation is common. Furthermore, OR52A1 contains a γ-globin enhancer, which was previously shown to confer continuous expression of the fetal γ-globin genes. Thus, the hypothesis that β-thalassemia individuals, who are homozygous for the 118 kb deletion, may also have an exacerbation of their anemia due to the deletion of two copies of the γ-globin enhancer element is worthy of consideration.
    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
  2. Nucleotide sequencing, cloning, and expression of Capra hircus Heme Oxygenase-1 in caprine islets to promote insulin secretion in vitro
    Vakhshiteh F, Allaudin ZN, Lila MA, Abbasiliasi S, Ajdari Z
    Mol Biotechnol, 2015 Jan;57(1):75-83.
    PMID: 25218408 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-014-9803-8
    Transplantation of islets of Langerhans that have been isolated from whole pancreas is an attractive alternative for the reversal of Type 1 diabetes. However, in vitro culture of isolated pancreatic islets has been reported to cause a decrease in glucose response over time. Hence, the improvement in islet culture conditions is an important goal in islet transplantation. Heme Oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a stress protein that has been described as an inducible protein with the capacity of preventing apoptosis and cytoprotection via radical scavenging. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess the influence of endogenous HO-1 gene transfer on insulin secretion of caprine islets. The full-length cDNA sequence of Capra hircus HO-1 was determined using specific designed primers and rapid amplification of cDNA ends of pancreatic tissue. The HO-1 cDNA was then cloned into the prokaryotic expression vectors and transfected into caprine islets using lipid carriers. Efficiency of lipid carriers to transfect caprine islets was determined by flow cytometry. Insulin secretion assay was carried out by ovine insulin ELISA. The finding demonstrated that endogenous HO-1 gene transfer could improve caprine islet function in in vitro culture. Consequently, strategies using HO-1 gene transfer to islets might lead to better outcome in islet transplantation.
    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
  3. Variants of Coconut cadang-cadang viroid isolated from an African oil palm (Elaies guineensis Jacq.) in Malaysia
    Vadamalai G, Hanold D, Rezaian MA, Randles JW
    Arch Virol, 2006 Jul;151(7):1447-56.
    PMID: 16470341
    Variants of Coconut cadang-cadang viroid have been identified in a plantation oil palm growing in Malaysia. Three size classes are described, comprising 297, 293, and 270 nt. Compared with the 296-nt form of coconut cadang-cadang viroid (CCCVd), all variants substituted C31 --> U in the pathogenicity domain and A175 --> C in the right-hand terminus. Other mutations and deletions accounted for the different sizes. These are the first sequences reported for variants of Coconut cadang-cadang viroid in a species other than coconut palm, and this is the first evidence that variants closely related to CCCVd occur outside the Philippines.
    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
  4. Population structure of the Southeast Asian river catfish Mystus nemurus
    Usmani S, Tan SG, Siraj SS, Yusoff K
    Anim. Genet., 2003 Dec;34(6):462-4.
    PMID: 14687079
    A total of 143 microsatellites were isolated from Mystus nemurus using a 5' anchored polymerase chain reaction technique or the random amplified hybridization microsatellite method, the first set of microsatellite markers developed for the Southeast Asian river catfish. Twenty polymorphic microsatellite loci were used as markers for population characterization of M. nemurus from six different geographical locations in Malaysia (Perak, Kedah, Johor, UPM, Sarawak and Terengganu). The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 11 with 6.3 as the average number of alleles per locus. Characterization of the populations showed relatively high levels of genetic variation compared with previous studies using allozyme markers. The highest genetic similarity was found between Perak and Kedah, while the highest genetic distance was found between Terengganu and Kedah. The majority of clustering was in accordance with geographical locations and the histories of the populations. Microsatellite analysis indicated that the Sarawak population might be genetically closer to the Peninsular Malaysian populations than has been previously shown by other molecular marker studies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
  5. Acanthocheilonema delicata n. sp. (Nematoda: Filarioidea) from Japanese badgers (Meles anakuma): description, molecular identification, and Wolbachia screening
    Uni S, Bain O, Suzuki K, Agatsuma T, Harada M, Motokawa M, et al.
    Parasitol Int, 2013 Feb;62(1):14-23.
    PMID: 22926421 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2012.08.004
    Acanthocheilonema delicata n. sp. (Filarioidea: Onchocercidae: Onchocercinae) is described based on adult filarioids and microfilariae obtained from subcutaneous connective tissues and skin, respectively, of Japanese badgers (Meles anakuma) in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. No endemic species of the genus had been found in Japan. Recently, some filarioids (e.g., Acanthocheilonema reconditum, Dirofilaria spp., and Onchocerca spp.) have come to light as causative agents of zoonosis worldwide. The new species was readily distinguished from its congeners by morphologic characteristics such as body length, body width, esophagus length, spicule length, and the length of microfilariae. Based on the molecular data of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene, A. delicata n. sp. was included in the clade of the genus Acanthocheilonema but differed from two other congeneric species available for study, A. viteae and A. reconditum. Acanthocheilonema delicata n. sp. did not harbor Wolbachia. It is likely that the fauna of filarioids from mammals on the Japanese islands is characterized by a high level of endemicity.
    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
  6. Identification of a molecular marker for the Y chromosome of Brugia malayi
    Underwood AP, Bianco AE
    Mol Biochem Parasitol, 1999 Mar 15;99(1):1-10.
    PMID: 10215019
    Random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) was used to analyse genomic DNA from virgin females and males of Brugia malayi, with a view to identifying sex-specific differences predicted by an XX/XY system of chromosomal sex determination. A product of 2338 bp, amplified with the arbitrary primer 5' GTTGCGATCC 3', was obtained exclusively from males. Primers based on the sequence of this product amplified a DNA fragment of the expected size from each of two independent isolates of B. malayi (from Malaysia and Indonesia) by PCR. No reaction product was obtained from the closely related species Brugia pahangi. In a genetic cross between B. malayi males and B. pahangi females, F1 hybrid microfilariae were PCR-positive, indicating that the locus is paternally-inherited. Southern blotting demonstrated that the target sequence resides in the high molecular weight fraction of genomic DNA, confirming that it is of chromosomal, rather than mitochondrial, origin. Sequencing of the locus revealed significant similarity with members of a family of reverse transcriptase-like genes in Caenorhabditis elegans. In-frame stops indicate that the gene is non-functional, but multiple bands of hybridisation in Southern blots suggest that the RT sequence may be the relic of a transposable element. Multiple repeats of the dinucleotide AT occurred in another region of the sequence. These varied in number between the two isolates of B. malayi in the manner of a microsatellite, surprisingly the first to be described from the B. malayi genome. Because of its association with the Y chromosome, we have given the locus the acronym TOY (Tag On Y). Identification of this chromosome-specific marker confirms the XX/XY heterogametic karyotype in B. malayi and opens the way to elucidation of the role of Y in sex determination.
    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
  7. Fulltext QuaBingo: A Prediction System for Protein Quaternary Structure Attributes Using Block Composition
    Tung CH, Chen CW, Guo RC, Ng HF, Chu YW
    Biomed Res Int, 2016;2016:9480276.
    PMID: 27610389 DOI: 10.1155/2016/9480276
    Background. Quaternary structures of proteins are closely relevant to gene regulation, signal transduction, and many other biological functions of proteins. In the current study, a new method based on protein-conserved motif composition in block format for feature extraction is proposed, which is termed block composition. Results. The protein quaternary assembly states prediction system which combines blocks with functional domain composition, called QuaBingo, is constructed by three layers of classifiers that can categorize quaternary structural attributes of monomer, homooligomer, and heterooligomer. The building of the first layer classifier uses support vector machines (SVM) based on blocks and functional domains of proteins, and the second layer SVM was utilized to process the outputs of the first layer. Finally, the result is determined by the Random Forest of the third layer. We compared the effectiveness of the combination of block composition, functional domain composition, and pseudoamino acid composition of the model. In the 11 kinds of functional protein families, QuaBingo is 23% of Matthews Correlation Coefficient (MCC) higher than the existing prediction system. The results also revealed the biological characterization of the top five block compositions. Conclusions. QuaBingo provides better predictive ability for predicting the quaternary structural attributes of proteins.
    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
  8. Fulltext Detection of east/central/south African genotype of chikungunya virus in Myanmar, 2010
    Tun MM, Thant KZ, Inoue S, Nabeshima T, Aoki K, Kyaw AK, et al.
    Emerg Infect Dis, 2014 Aug;20(8):1378-81.
    PMID: 25062511 DOI: 10.3201/eid2008.131431
    In 2010, chikungunya virus of the East Central South African genotype was isolated from 4 children in Myanmyar who had dengue-like symptoms. Phylogenetic analysis of the E1 gene revealed that the isolates were closely related to isolates from China, Thailand, and Malaysia that harbor the A226V mutation in this gene.
    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
  9. Molecular variation of Spiranthes sinensis (Orchidaceae) in Japan, with special reference to systematic treatment of seasonally differentiated groups and a dwarf form, f. gracilis, from Yakushima Island
    Tsukaya H
    J Plant Res, 2005 Feb;118(1):13-8.
    PMID: 15654504
    Molecular variations of Spiranthes sinensis Ames var. australis (R.Br.) H. Hara et Kitam. ex Kitam. in Japan were examined to evaluate the validity of the seasonally differentiated groups and a dwarf form of the species, which is endemic to Yakushima Island, Japan. Sequence differences in the plastid trnL-F locus clearly distinguished Japanese S. sinensis var. australis from S. sinensis var. sinensis collected from Ryukyu. In contrast, the trnL-F sequence of S. sinensis var. australis from Sabah, Malaysia, clearly differed from that of Japanese S. sinensis var. australis, suggesting genetic heterogeneity of Spiranthes sinensis var. australis in Asia. Moreover, a molecular analysis based on the sequences of nuclear ITS1 regions indicated that there are two major groups of S. sinensis var. australis in Japan, with a geographic distribution boundary on Kyushu Island. However, the trnL-F and ITS1 sequences did not support the genetic differentiation of the seasonally differentiated groups or the dwarf form from the other Japanese individuals. Based on these molecular data, the systematic treatment of physiological and morphological variations in the Japanese population of S. sinensis. var. australis is discussed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
  10. Genetic study of Japanese encephalitis viruses isolated in Malaysia
    Tsuchie H, Oda K, Vythilingam I, Thayan R, Vijayamalar B, Sinniah M, et al.
    Jpn. J. Med. Sci. Biol., 1994 Apr;47(2):101-7.
    PMID: 7853748
    Two hundred and forty nucleotides from the pre-M gene region of 10 Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus strains isolated in Malaysia in 1992 were sequenced and compared with the other JE virus strains from different geographic areas in Asia. Our JE virus strains belong to the largest genotypic group that includes strains isolated in temperate regions such as Japan, China, and Taiwan. Our Malaysian JE virus strains differed in 32 nucleotides (13.3%) from WTP/70/22 strain isolated from Malaysia in 1970, which belonged to another distinct genotypic group.
    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
  11. HIV-1 variants in South and South-East Asia
    Tsuchie H, Saraswathy TS, Sinniah M, Vijayamalar B, Maniar JK, Monzon OT, et al.
    Int J STD AIDS, 1995 Mar-Apr;6(2):117-20.
    PMID: 7779924 DOI: 10.1177/095646249500600211
    HIV spread in South and South-East Asia is most alarming, and genetic variability of HIV-1 is an important consideration in vaccine development. In this study, we examined the third variable (V3) region of env gene of HIV-1 variants prevalent in Thailand, Malaysia, India, and the Philippines. By phylogenetic tree analyses, an HIV-1 variant from an injecting drug user (IDU) in Thailand belonged to subtype B, and HIV-1 variants from 2 IDUs in Malaysia were classified into 2 subtypes, B and E. One HIV-1 variant from a male homosexual in the Philippines belonged to subtype B. Out of 8 HIV-1 variants from sexually transmitted disease patients in India, 7 belonged to subtype C, and one to subtype A. Although the total number of individuals examined in this study was limited, 4 HIV-1 subtypes were found in South and South-East Asia and large international movements of HIV-1-infected individuals in this region could induce global dissemination of these HIV-1 variants.
    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
  12. Genotypes of Japanese encephalitis virus isolated in three states in Malaysia
    Tsuchie H, Oda K, Vythilingam I, Thayan R, Vijayamalar B, Sinniah M, et al.
    Am J Trop Med Hyg, 1997 Feb;56(2):153-8.
    PMID: 9080873
    Two hundred forty nucleotides from the pre-membrane gene region of 12 Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) strains isolated from three different regions of Malaysia from 1993 to 1994 were sequenced and compared with each other and with the JEV strains from different geographic areas in Asia. These 12 Malaysian isolates were classified into two genotypes. The four JEV strains isolated from Sarawak in 1994 and the four JEV strains isolated from Sepang, Selangor in 1993 were classified into one genotype that included earlier isolated strains from Malaysia (JE-827 from Sarawak in 1968 and WTP/70/22 from Kuala Lumpur in 1970). The four JEV strains from Ipoh, Perak in 1994 were classified into another genotype that included JEV strains isolated from northern Thailand and Cambodia. In an earlier report, 10 JEV strains from Sabak Bernam, Selangor in 1992 were classified into the largest genotype that included strains isolated in temperate regions such as Japan, China, and Taiwan. The data indicate that at least three genotypes of JEV have been circulating in Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
  13. Differential expression and geographic variation of the venom phospholipases A2 of Calloselasma rhodostoma and Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus
    Tsai IH, Chen YH, Wang YM, Liau MY, Lu PJ
    Arch Biochem Biophys, 2001 Mar 15;387(2):257-64.
    PMID: 11370849
    To investigate the geographic variations in venoms of two medically important pitvipers, we have purified and characterized the phospholipases A2 (PLA2s) from the pooled venoms of Calloselasma rhodostoma from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam, as well as the individual venom of Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus collected from both North and South Taiwan. Enzymatic and pharmacological activities of the purified PLA2s were also investigated. The complete amino acid sequences of the purified PLA2s were determined by sequencing the corresponding cDNAs from the venom gland and shown to be consistent with their molecular weight data and the N-terminal sequences. All the geographic venom samples of C. rhodostoma contain a major noncatalytic basic PLA2-homolog and two or three acidic PLA2s in different proportions. These acidic PLA2s contain Glu6-substitutions and show distinct inhibiting specificities toward the platelets from human and rabbit. We also found that the T. mucrosquamatus venoms from North Taiwan but not those from South Taiwan contain an Arg6-PLA2 designated as TmPL-III. Its amino acid sequence is reported for the first time. This enzyme is structurally almost identical to the low- or nonexpressed Arg6-PLA2 from C. rhodostoma venom gland, and thus appears to be a regressing venom component in both of the Asian pitvipers.
    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
  14. Tropical soil bacterial communities in Malaysia: pH dominates in the equatorial tropics too
    Tripathi BM, Kim M, Singh D, Lee-Cruz L, Lai-Hoe A, Ainuddin AN, et al.
    Microb Ecol, 2012 Aug;64(2):474-84.
    PMID: 22395784 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-012-0028-8
    The dominant factors controlling soil bacterial community variation within the tropics are poorly known. We sampled soils across a range of land use types--primary (unlogged) and logged forests and crop and pasture lands in Malaysia. PCR-amplified soil DNA for the bacterial 16S rRNA gene targeting the V1-V3 region was pyrosequenced using the 454 Roche machine. We found that land use in itself has a weak but significant effect on the bacterial community composition. However, bacterial community composition and diversity was strongly correlated with soil properties, especially soil pH, total carbon, and C/N ratio. Soil pH was the best predictor of bacterial community composition and diversity across the various land use types, with the highest diversity close to neutral pH values. In addition, variation in phylogenetic structure of dominant lineages (Alphaproteobacteria, Beta/Gammaproteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria) is also significantly correlated with soil pH. Together, these results confirm the importance of soil pH in structuring soil bacterial communities in Southeast Asia. Our results also suggest that unlike the general diversity pattern found for larger organisms, primary tropical forest is no richer in operational taxonomic units of soil bacteria than logged forest, and agricultural land (crop and pasture) is actually richer than primary forest, partly due to selection of more fertile soils that have higher pH for agriculture and the effects of soil liming raising pH.
    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
  15. HLA-DR2 haplotypic diversity in populations of South-East Asia, northern China, Melanesia and Australian aborigines using PCR-RFLP for DRB1, DRB5, DQA1 and DQB1. A novel DRB1 allele: DRB1*16022
    Trejaut J, Bhatia K, Greville WD, Hu KR, Duraisamy G, Nuchprayoon C, et al.
    Eur. J. Immunogenet., 1996 Dec;23(6):437-49.
    PMID: 8971541
    The polymorphism of the human leucocyte antigen HLA-DR2 and the heterogeneity of HLA-DR2 class II-related haplotypes (HLA-DRB1-DRB5-DQA1-DQB1) were investigated in four populations of east and south-east Asia (SEA) and five Melanesian populations using TaqI restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis, and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification-based techniques PCR-RFLP and sequence-specific oligonucleotide (SSO) typing. The haplotype DRB1*1502-DRB5*0101-DQA1*0102-DQB1*0601 was common in Malaysians, Javanese, Thursday Islanders, Madang, Goroka and the Australian Aborigines, while DRB1*16021-DRB5*0101-DQA1*0102-DQB1*0502 was common in the Thai and Thursday Islanders. DRB1*1501-DRB5*0101-DQA1*0102-DQB1*0602 was present at a high frequency in Northern Chinese, Goroka, Watut and Australian Aborigines. The study describes four rare or unusual haplotypes: HLA-DRB1*1501-DRB5*0101-DQA1*0101-DQB1*0601, DRB1*1502-DRB5*0101-DQA1*0101-DQB1*0502, DRB1*1502-DRB5*0102-DQA1* 0102-DQB1*0502 and DRB1*1501-DRB5*0101-DQA1*0101/2-DQB1*0503; the latter two were confirmed by segregation in two Javanese families. A new DR2 allele, initially detected by PCR-RFLP and confirmed by DNA sequencing as DRB1*16022 (previously designated DRB1*16Madang), was seen in a Madang individual. A new HLA-DR2 TaqI RFLP subtype, locally designated as DR15U, is also described. This RFLP subtype segregated in a Javanese family and correlated with a typically SEA haplotype, DRB1*1502-DRB5*0102-DQA1*0101-DQB1*0501. The allele HLA-DR16Thai, determined by TaqI DRB RFLP, was found by PCR-RFLP and SSO typing to correlate with a unique SEA haplotype, HLA-DRB1*16021-DRB5*0101-DQA1*0102-DQB1*0502, and was observed in the Thai, Malaysian, Thursday Islander, Javanese and Northern Chinese populations.
    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
  16. Nucleotide sequence of precore region of hepatitis B virus DNA in HBsAg-positive carriers in Malaysia
    Ton SH, Iskandar K, Noriah R, Thanaletchimy N
    Scand. J. Infect. Dis., 1996;28(6):543-8.
    PMID: 9060053
    As most published studies on precore mutants have been carried out on isolates from patients with liver diseases, and it is unclear whether HBsAg carriers with viraemia in the absence of HBeAg are also generally infected by such mutants, it was decided to sequence the precore region in some HBV-DNA isolated from HBsAg-positive carriers. Precore sequences of HBV-DNA from 43 HBsAg carriers in Malaysia were studied. Three HBV subtypes were identified according to the nucleotide sequence of the precore region. Most of the carriers were found to be infected by the subtype adr. Mutations were detected in the precore regions. The most common conserved mutation was a silent mutation involving conversion from T to C (CCT to CCC) at position 1858 at codon 15 (proline). It was found that 4/43 (9.3%) had a mutation at the penultimate codon where TGG was changed to TAG. All 4 isolates with the TAG mutation had nt T at position 1858. Of the 4 carriers who were infected by these mutant viruses, 2 were coinfected with the wild type, 1 was infected only by a variant with the mutation at position 1896, while another was infected by a variant with mutations at positions 1896 and 1899. Three of the 4 were anti-HBe positive while 1 was HBeAg positive. Alanine aminotransaminase activities in all 4 carriers were normal. This study therefore demonstrated that variants with stop codons at the penultimate codon could be found in asymptomatic carriers in Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
  17. Infectiousness of HBsAg carriers in Malaysia
    Ton SH, Yeoh KS, Lim WC, Noriah R, Cheong SK, Thanaletchimy N
    J Trop Med Hyg, 1995 Aug;98(4):277-80.
    PMID: 7636926
    HBV-DNA were analysed in 330 HBsAg-positive carriers in Malaysia by dot-blot hybridization and polymerase chain reaction. Seventy-three (22.12%) were positive for the virus. Of these, 65 (89%) were males and 8 (11%) were females. Statistically, there was no significant difference (P = 0.13). No significant decline in HBV-DNA with age in the Malay and Chinese males was observed (P = 0.2). Prevalence of HBV-DNA was higher in the Chinese carriers than in the Malay carriers for most age groups in both sexes. Sixty-one HBV-DNA-positive carriers were also positive for HBeAg. However, three individuals were positive only for anti-HBe, one was positive for both HBeAg and anti-HBe, and eight were negative for both HBeAg and anti-HBe. Fifty-seven were positive for HBeAg but negative for HBV-DNA. No relation was observed between raised alanine aminotransaminase and aspartate aminotransaminase levels and the presence of HBV-DNA (P = 0.4).
    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
  18. Fulltext Theoretical investigation on structural, functional and epitope of a 12 kDa excretory-secretory protein from Toxoplasma gondii
    Tommy YB, Lim TS, Noordin R, Saadatnia G, Choong YS
    BMC Struct Biol, 2012 Nov 27;12:30.
    PMID: 23181504 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6807-12-30
    BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular coccidian parasite that causes toxoplasmosis. It was estimated that more than one third of the world population is infected by T. gondii, and the disease is critical in fetuses and immunosuppressed patients. Thus, early detection is crucial for disease diagnosis and therapy. However, the current available toxoplasmosis diagnostic tests vary in their accuracy and the better ones are costly.

    RESULTS: An earlier published work discovered a highly antigenic 12 kDa excretory-secretory (ES) protein of T. gondii which may potentially be used for the development of an antigen detection test for toxoplasmosis. However, the three-dimensional structure of the protein is unknown. Since epitope identification is important prior to designing of a specific antibody for an antigen-detection based diagnostic test, the structural elucidation of this protein is essential. In this study, we constructed a three dimensional model of the 12 kDa ES protein. The built structure possesses a thioredoxin backbone which consists of four α-helices flanking five β-strands at the center. Three potential epitopes (6-8 residues) which can be combined into one "single" epitope have been identified from the built structure as the most potential antibody binding site.

    CONCLUSION: Together with specific antibody design, this work could contribute towards future development of an antigen detection test for toxoplasmosis.

    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
  19. Identification and characterization of human serum alpha2-HS glycoprotein as a jacalin-bound protein
    To WY, Leung JC, Lai KN
    Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1995 May 18;1249(1):58-64.
    PMID: 7766684
    We recently adopted immobilized jacalin as an affinity adsorbent to purify human serum IgA for laboratory study. In the course of our investigation, we detected a serum protein that co-eluted with IgA from jacalin-agarose affinity column. It constituted in significant quantity (24.0 +/- 0.9%, n = 30) of total jacalin-bound protein (JBP) and the yield was equivalent to 0.4 +/- 0.1 mg per ml serum. The molecular mass of this protein was 55 kDa with electromobility in the alpha 2 region as demonstrated by SDS-PAGE and immunoelectrophoresis. N-terminal microsequencing of this 55 kDa protein revealed that it is human alpha 2-HS glycoprotein (alpha 2HSG). The molecular interaction of alpha 2HSG with jacalin was characterized by competitive ELISA: human serum IgA, human colostrum secretory IgA (sIgA), and monosaccharides including D-galactose and melibiose exhibited strong inhibitory effect on its binding to jacalin. Accordingly, we propose that human alpha 2HSG binds in a similar manner as that of the bovine fetuin to jacalin. In addition, alpha 2HSG displays similar binding property to jacalin from different geographic area (India and Malaysia) and from different laboratory preparations (Sigma, Pierce and 'homemade' jacalin).
    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
  20. Fulltext Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers for an important tropical tree, Aquilaria malaccensis (Thymelaeaceae)
    Tnah LH, Lee CT, Lee SL, Ng KK, Ng CH, Nurul-Farhanah Z, et al.
    Am J Bot, 2012 Nov;99(11):e431-3.
    PMID: 23108468 DOI: 10.3732/ajb.1200165
    Aggressive collections and trade activities in recent decades have resulted in heavy pressure on the natural stands of Aquilaria malaccensis and concerns over its long-term survival potential. To aid DNA profiling and assessment of its genetic diversity, microsatellite markers were developed for the species.
    Matched MeSH terms: Molecular Sequence Data
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