The synaptic protein SNAP-25 is an important component of the neurotransmitter release machinery, although its precise function is still unknown. Genetic analysis of other synaptic proteins has yielded valuable information on their role in synaptic transmission. In this study, we performed a mutagenesis screen to identify new SNAP-25 alleles that fail to complement our previously isolated reces...

BACKGROUND Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a genetically complex disease where the response to different treatments varies greatly between different patients. This is the case with the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) blocking agents, where 20-40% of patients have been described as non-responders. No predictive markers exist as yet for the prognosis of response. OBJECTIVE To analyse whether polymorp...

Although many components of the genetic pathways that provide positional information during embryogenesis have been identified, it remains unclear how these signals are integrated to specify discrete tissue territories. Here, we investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of one of the hindbrain segments, rhombomere (r) 3, specified by the expression of the gene krox20. Dissec...

Mononuclear leukocytes are able to destroy tumor cells under a variety of circumstances. In few such instances is the biochemical basis of cytotoxicity understood. Recently, we demonstra ted that activated macrophages, s t imulated by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), 1 secreted substantial amounts o f hydrogen peroxide (1). The release o f this oxidant from macrophages correlated with the extra...

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are routinely cultured on fibroblast feeder layers or in fibroblast-conditioned medium (CM). Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) have previously been shown to induce hESC differentiation, in apparent contrast to mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells, in which BMP4 synergizes with leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) to maintain self-renewal. Here we demonstrate that hESC...

We present BVRI CCD surface photometry for the central(6.35 × 6.35) regions of the dwarf elliptical galaxies NGC 185 and NGC 205 in the Local Group. Surface brightness profiles of NGC 185 (R < 225) and NGC 205 (R < 186) show excess components in the central regions. The colors of NGC 185 get bluer inward at R < 25, while they remain constant at R ≥ 25. The colors of NGC 205 get bluer inward at ...

Small populations of self-incompatible plants may be expected to be threatened by the limitation of compatible mating partners (i.e., S-Allee effect). However, few empirical studies have explicitly tested the hypothesis of mate limitation in small populations of self-incompatible plants. To do so, we studied wild pear (Pyrus pyraster), which possesses a gametophytic self-incompatibility system....

world apricot (prunus armeniaca l.)  production is increasing steadily due to breeding of new high yielding cultivars in different countries. more recently, breeding programs have been modified according to consumers’ demands and also improvement in resistance to diseases (sharka, monilinia etc.), frost damages, and determination of self-(in) compatibility. in this study, fourteen apricot breed...