PURPOSE To investigate the expression and regulation of the short form of caspase-12, caspase-12S, in human retinal pigment epithelial (hRPE) cells. METHODS hRPE cells were stimulated by the proinflammatory agents IL-1beta (2 ng/mL) and TNF-alpha (20 ng/mL); LPS (1000 ng/mL); coculture with monocytes; the immunomodulating agent cyclosporine (Cys; 30 ng/mL); the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-1...

The nucleotide sequence has been determined of a 2.2 kb segment of kinetoplast DNA, which encodes the major mitochondrial transcripts (12S and 9S) of Trypanosoma brucei. The sequence shows that the 12S RNA is a large subunit rRNA, although sufficiently unusual for resistance to chloramphenicol to be predicted. The 9S RNA has little homology with other rRNAs, but a possible secondary structure i...

Lice are ectoparasitic insects hosted by birds and mammals. Mitochondrial 12S rRNA sequences obtained from lice show considerable length variation and are very difficult to align. We show that the louse 12S rRNA domain III secondary structure displays considerable variation compared to other insects, in both the shape and number of stems and loops. Phylogenetic trees constructed from tree edit ...

Molecular clocks based on sequence change in mitochondrial (mt) DNA have been useful for placing molecular phylogenies in their historical context, thereby enhancing evolutionary insight. Nonetheless, despite their importance to phylogeographers, the methodology is controversial. Here we report on two mitochondrial clocks for the butterfly genus Danaus based on sequences from the cytochrome c o...

Mitochondrial 12S rRNA has proven to be a useful molecular marker for better conservation and management of the endangered species. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene has proven to be a reliable and efficient tool for the identification of different Indian deer species of family cervidae. In the present study, mitocho...