Although lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation through the Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4/MD-2 receptor complex activates host defense against Gram-negative bacterial pathogens, how species-specific differences in LPS recognition impact host defense remains undefined. Herein, we establish how temperature dependent shifts in the lipid A of Yersinia pestis LPS that differentially impact recognition by...

S u m m a r y : A young red Tinta Roriz wine was stored for three months at different temperatures (12, 22, 32, 42 °C) under anaerobic conditions and after adjusting the SOZ to 0, 50, 100 mg/1 . Changes in wine phenolic composition, especially the procyanidins and anthocyanins were measured using HPLC reverse phase . Dimeric (B1, B2, B3, B4), galloylated dimeric (B1-3-O-gallate, B2-3 O-gallate,...

When variably fatty acylated N-terminal amino acid sequences were appended to a green fluorescent reporter protein (GFP), chimeric GFPs were localized to different membranes in a fatty acylation-dependent manner. To explore the mechanism of localization, the properties of acceptor membranes and their interaction with acylated chimeric GFPs were analyzed in COS-7 cells. Myristoylated GFPs contai...

Ghrelin, known to stimulate adipogenesis, displays an endogenous secretory rhythmicity closely related to meal patterns. Therefore, a chronic imposed feeding schedule might induce modified ghrelin levels and consequently adiposity. Growing Wistar rats were schedule-fed by imposing a particular fixed feeding schedule of 3 meals/day without caloric restriction compared with total daily control in...

BACKGROUND Appetite reduction is a major cause of cachexia in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). This study tested the correlation of appetite and circulating levels of acylated ghrelin in patients with AECOPD. METHODS Thirty-six patients with AECOPD and 23 healthy adults were enrolled in this study. Circulating total ghrelin, acylated ghrelin, and obestati...

BACKGROUND Meningococci produce a penta-acylated instead of hexa-acylated lipid A when their lpxL1 gene is inactivated. Meningococcal strains with such lipid A endotoxin variants have been found previously in adult meningitis patients, where they caused less blood coagulopathy because of decreased TLR4 activation. METHODS A cohort of 448 isolates from patients with invasive meningococcal dise...

GAP-43 (neuromodulin) is a protein kinase C substrate that is abundant in developing and regenerating neurons. Thioester-linked palmitoylation at two cysteines near the GAP-43 N terminus has been implicated in directing membrane binding. Here, we use mass spectrometry to examine the stoichiometry of palmitoylation and the molecular identity of the fatty acid(s) attached to GAP-43 in vivo. GAP-4...

BACKGROUND/AIMS The gastric peptide ghrelin, an endogenous ligand for growth-hormone secretagogue receptor, has two major molecular forms: acylated ghrelin and desacyl ghrelin. Acylated ghrelin induces a positive energy balance, while desacyl ghrelin has been reported to be devoid of any endocrine activities. The authors examined the effects of desacyl ghrelin on energy balance. METHODS The a...

Particulate enzyme preparations from tobacco seedlings (Nicotiana tabacum L.) were used in the synthesis of steryl glycoside. The data obtained by measuring cholesterol-4-(14)C incorporation generally agree with results obtained with UDP-glucose-(14)C. The in vitro reaction was linear for the first 10 minutes and had a pH optimum of 7.0 to 7.4. Addition of ATP activated while UDP-glucose inhibi...

Chromatin structure and gene expression are dynamically regulated by posttranslational modifications of histones. Recent advance in mass spectrometry has identified novel types of lysine acylations, such as butyrylation and malonylation, whose functions and regulations are likely different from those of acetylation. Sirtuins, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent histone deacetylas...