The molecular mechanisms underlying the initiation and maintenance of the embryonic pathway in plants are largely unknown. To obtain more insight into these processes, we used subtractive hybridization to identify genes that are upregulated during the in vitro induction of embryo development from immature pollen grains of Brassica napus (microspore embryogenesis). One of the genes identified, B...

The present study was undertaken to define the mechanisms governing the regulation of the novel renal brush-border membrane (BBM) Na-phosphate (Pi) cotransporter designated type IIc (Npt2c). To address this issue, the renal expression of Npt2c was compared in two hypophosphatemic mouse models with impaired renal BBM Na-Pi cotransport. In mice homozygous for the disrupted Npt2a gene (Npt2-/-), B...

We consider the Benjamin-Bona-Mahony (BBM) equation on the one dimensional torus T = R/(2πZ). We prove a Unique Continuation Property (UCP) for small data in H(T) with nonnegative zero means. Next we extend the UCP to certain BBM-like equations, including the equal width wave equation and the KdV-BBM equation. Applications to the stabilization of the above equations are given. In particular, we...

Dietary potassium (K) deficiency is accompanied by phosphaturia and decreased renal brush border membrane (BBM) vesicle sodium (Na)-dependent phosphate (P(i)) transport activity. Our laboratory previously showed that K deficiency in rats leads to increased abundance in the proximal tubule BBM of the apical Na-P(i) cotransporter NaPi-IIa, but that the activity, diffusion, and clustering of NaPi-...

In previous studies we demonstrated that the biologically active vitamin D metabolite 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 11,25(OH)2D] increased the calmodulin (CaM) content of chick duodenal brush border membranes (BBM) without increasing the total cellular CaM content. Therefore, we evaluated the binding of CaM to discrete proteins in the BBM and determined whether 1,25(OH)2D could influence such binding...

Somatic embryogenesis is an example of induced cellular totipotency, where embryos develop from vegetative cells rather than from gamete fusion. Somatic embryogenesis can be induced in vitro by exposing explants to growth regulators and/or stress treatments. The BABY BOOM (BBM) and LEAFY COTYLEDON1 (LEC1) and LEC2 transcription factors are key regulators of plant cell totipotency, as ectopic ov...

The effect of chronic cold stress on the composition and function of rat intestinal brush border membrane (BBM) was studied. Various lipid fractions from intestinal BBM viz. cholesterol (p < 0.01), phospholipids (p < 0.01), triglycerides (p < 0.05) and gangliosides (p < 0.05) were significantly reduced in cold stressed animals, as compared to controls. Analysis of membrane saccharide content re...

BACKGROUND Surgical stress can lead to translocation of bacteria from the intestine into the systemic circulation. The intestinal brush border membrane (BBM) plays an important role in defense against such invasion by luminal bacteria and endotoxin. Our earlier work has shown the development of oxidative stress in the intestine after surgical stress and since the BBM is sensitive to free radica...

H9N2 influenza A viruses have become endemic in different types of terrestrial poultry and wild birds in Asia, and are occasionally transmitted to humans and pigs. To evaluate the role of black-billed magpies (Pica pica) in the evolution of influenza A virus, we conducted two epidemic surveys on avian influenza viruses in wild black-billed magpies in Guangxi, China in 2005 and characterized thr...

The role of the renal apical brush-border membrane (BBM) endocytic receptors cubilin and megalin in the onset of albuminuria in rats exposed to a single dose of total body irradiation (TBI) has been investigated. Albuminuria was evident as immunoblot (IB) analysis of the urine samples from TBI rats revealed excretion of large amounts of albumin. IB analysis of the BBM proteins did not reveal an...