Determination of Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Fractions in Asparagine, Aspartic Acid, Threonine and Methionine

The nomenclature for compounds that are modified with isotopes is growing every day. Compounds can be modified with isotopes either individually, in a functional group or groups, or completely with all atomic centers of the element. This diversity of isotope-modified compounds increases the range of researches that can be studied using them. Compounds modified with isotopes of carbon-13 or nitrogen-15 can be converted into carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and molecular nitrogen. Currently, only the average value of carbon-13 or nitrogen-15 isotopes can be determined. However, by directly determining the atomic share of these isotopes in organic compounds modified with isotopes, information about the isotopic centers of the element can be obtained. The atomic fraction of an element is defined as a single carbon or nitrogen isotope-modified center or centers, or all centers that are isotope-modified with that element at the same time. Carbon-13 or nitrogen-15 isotopes’ atomic fraction can be determined molecularly or with fragment ions of different elemental content, or both. This makes the method self-verifying, increasing the accuracy and reliability of the results obtained. Amino acids, such as asparagine, aspartic acid, methionine, and threonine, are essential for the human body. This proposed method of isotopic analysis will increase the possibilities for scientific research using these compounds.

Current concepts in ameloblastoma-targeted therapies in B-raf proto-oncogene serine/threonine kinase V600E mutation: Systematic review

BACKGROUND Ameloblastomas are common benign epithelial odontogenic neoplasms that present an aggressive and unpredictable behavior that may modify treatment strategies.Different signaling pathways that participate in the progression of these tumors have been identified.B-raf proto-oncogene serine/threonine kinase(BRAF)is a protein involved in the behavior of ameloblastomas,and it is related to many cell mechanisms.BRAF gene mutations have been identified in ameloblastomas,of which the BRAF V600E(valine substituted by glutamic acid at amino acid 600)mutation has been the most common and can be present concomitantly with other mutations that may be involved in its behavior.Targeted therapies have been used as an alternative in the case of resistance or contraindications to conventional treatments.AIM To document the presence of BRAF V600E and additional mutations,their behavior,and targeted therapies in these tumors.METHODS An electronic literature search was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines in PubMed/MEDLINE,Cochrane,EMBASE,and SpringerLink using the terms“ameloblastomas”,“BRAF V600E”,“additional mutations”,and“targeted therapies”.Ameloblastomas were classified according to WHO guidelines.Inclusion criteria were articles in English,published not more than 10 years ago,and studies with laboratory works related to BRAF V600E.Articles were evaluated by two independent reviewers and retrieved for full-text evaluation.The EBLIP Critical Appraisal Checklist was used to evaluate the quality of the eligible studies.Descriptive statistical analysis was performed.RESULTS Two independent reviewers,with a substantial concordance indicated by a kappa coefficient of k=0.76,evaluated a total of 19 articles that were included in this study.The analysis registered 521 conventional ameloblastomas(AM),81 unicystic ameloblastomas(UA),13 ameloblastic carcinomas(AC),three metastatic ameloblastomas(MA),and six peripheral ameloblastomas(PA),of which the histopathological type,anatomic location,laboratory tests,expression of BRAF mutation,and additional mutations were registered.The BRAF V600E mutation was found in 297 AM(57%),63 UA(77.7%),3 AC(23%),1 MA(50%),and 5 PA(83.3%).Follicular type predominated with a total of 116 cases(40%),followed by plexiform type with 63 cases(22.1%).Furthermore,both types presented additional mutations,in which alterations in JAK3 P132T,SMARCB1,PIK3CA,CTNNB1,SMO,and BRAF G606E genes were found.Four case reports were found with targeted therapy to BRAF V600E.CONCLUSION The identification of BRAF V600E and additional mutations as an aid in targeted therapies has been a breakthrough in alternative treatments of ameloblastomas where surgical treatments are contraindicated.

Effects of binuclear copper(Ⅱ)threonine complex on blood glucose, lipids and protection of the hearts and kidneys in diabetic mice

Aim To study the effects of binuclear copper （Ⅱ） threonine complex （Cu2 （Thr）4） as analogue of superoxide dismutase （SOD） on blood glucose, blood lipids and vessels of hearts and kidneys in diabetic mice. Methods Diabetic mouse model was established by intraperitioneal injection of alloxan. Low, middle, and high doses of Cu2（Thr）4 at 0.002%, 0.02% and 0.1% were given respectively to diabetic mice following lavage. The fasting blood glucose was determined after the diabetic mice were given Cu2 （Thr）4 for 0, 30, and 45 d. The diabetic mice were killed on the 45th day. Then glycosylated hemoglobin （HbAlc） and blood lipids were assayed, and pathologic changes in hearts and kidneys stained with HE were observed. Results Compared with the control group in which the diabetic mice were given distilled water, the value of blood glucose reduced significantly in middle dose group （P 〈 0.01 ）, followed by that in low dose group （P 〈 0.05）. TC level reduced markedly and HDL level increased significantly in all three treatment groups （P 〈 0.05）. Especially in middle dose group, cardiac muscle fibers were neatly arranged, nucleus and cytoplasm well distributed, glomeruli showing normal structure, cells well distributed and staining being normal. Conclusion Cu2 （Thr）4 reduces blood glucose, regulates blood lipids, and play protective action on the vessels of hearts and kidneys in diabetic mice. The effects of it in middle dose were better than those of other doses.

serine/threonine蛋白激酶功能研究进展

蛋白激酶(protein kinase)具有将ATP的γ-磷酸基转移到蛋白质底物特定的氨基酸残基上的潜在催化能力,从而使蛋白质磷酸化。根据底物上氨基酸的特异性,蛋白激酶可以细分为丝/苏氨酸激酶和酪氨酸激酶。在DNA复制和有丝分裂过程中蛋白激酶起调节作用。同时,蛋白激酶在转录过程也起到重要作用,如在转录因子核转位过程的作用、调节转录因子与DNA结合能力、调节转录因子的激活活性。蛋白激酶的磷酸化作用与肿瘤发生关系密切,其可以促使基因表达的改变等一系列细胞的应答发生,最终导致癌症的发生和发展。

Effect of dietary fiber and threonine content on intestinal barrier function in pigs challenged with either systemic E.coli lipopolysaccharide or enteric Salmonella Typhimurium

Background:The independent and interactive effects of dietary fiber(DF)and threonine(Thr)were investigated in growing pigs challenged with either systemic E.coli lipopolysaccharide(LPS)or enteric Salmonella Typhimurium(ST)to characterise their effect on intestinal barrier function.Results:In experiment 1,intestinal barrier function was assessed via oral lactulose and mannitol(L:M)gavage and fecal mucin analysis in pigs challenged with E.coli LPS and fed low fiber(LF)or high fiber(HF)diets with graded dietary Thr.Urinary lactulose recovery and L:M ratio increased(P<0.05)during the LPS inoculation period in LF fed pigs but not in HF fed pigs.Fecal mucin output was increased(P<0.05)in pigs fed HF compared to LF fed pigs.In experiment 2,RT-qPCR,ileal morphology,digesta volatile fatty acid(VFA)content,and fecal mucin output were measured in Salmonella Typhimurium challenged pigs,fed LF or HF diets with standard or supplemented dietary Thr.Salmonella inoculation increased(P<0.05)fecal mucin output compared to the unchallenged period.Supplemental Thr increased fecal mucin output in the HF-fed pigs(Fib×Thr;P<0.05).Feeding HF increased(P<0.05)VFA concentration in cecum and colon.No effect of either Thr or fiber on expression of gene markers was observed except a tendency(P=0.06)for increased MUC2 expression with the HF diet.Feeding HF increased goblet cell numbers(P<0.05).Conclusion:Dietary fiber appears to improve barrier function through increased mucin production capacity(i.e.,goblet cell numbers,MUC2 gene expression)and secretion(i.e.,fecal mucin output).The lack of effect of dietary Thr in Salmonella-challenged pigs provides further evidence that mucin secretion in the gut is conserved and,therefore,Thr may be limiting for growth under conditions of increased mucin production.

Growth,digestive and absorptive capacity and antioxidant status in intestine and hepatopancreas of sub-adult grass carp Ctenopharyngodonidella fed graded levels of dietary threonine

Background： This study was carried out to investigate effects of threonine levels on growth, digestive and absorptive capacity and antioxidant status in intestine and hepatopancreas of sub-adult grass carp （ Ctenopharyngodonidella）. Results： Weight gain, specific growth rate, feed intake and feed efficiency were significantly improved by dietary threonine （P 〈 0.05）. Intestinal activities of trypsin, chymotrypsin, alpha-amylase, lipase, alkaline phosphatase, y-glutamyl transpeptidase and creatine kinase took the similar trends. Contents of malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl in intestine and hepatopancreas were significantly decreased by dietary optimal threonine supplementation （P 〈 0.05）. Anti-superoxide anion capacity, anti-hydroxyl radical capacity, glutathione content and activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione-S-transferase in intestine and hepatopancreas were enhanced by dietary threonine （P 〈 0.05）. Conclusions： Dietary threonine could improve growth, enhance digestive and absorptive capacity and antioxidant status in intestine and hepatopancreas of sub-adult grass carp. The dietary threonine requirement of sub-adult grass carp （441.9-1,013.4 g） based on weight gain was 11.6 g/kg diet or 41.5 g/kg of dietary protein by quadratic regression analysis.

Novel serine/threonine kinase 11 gene mutations in PeutzJeghers syndrome patients and endoscopic management

AIM:To explore mutations in serine/threonine kinase 11(STK11) gene in Peutz-Jeghers syndrome(PJS) with gastrointestinal(GI) hamartomatous polyps.METHODS:Six Japanese PJS patients in 3 families were enrolled in this study.Each of the cases had hamartomatous polyposis in the gastrointestinal tract,including the small intestine,along with mucocutaneous hyperpigmentation.Narrow-band imaging(NBI)-magnification endoscopy was employed to detect microvascular and microsurface irregularities in the GI lesions.NBI magnification findings could be classified into three groups(type A,type B,or type C).Endoscopic polypectomy was performed using double-balloon enteroscopy or colonoscopy.Genomic DNA was extracted from a whole blood sample from each subject.All of the coding exons of STK11 gene,its boundary regions,and the promoter region containing the polymorphic regions were amplified by polymerase chain reaction,and direct sequencing was performed to assess the germline mutations.RESULTS:NBI-magnification endoscopic observation could detect the abnormalities in microvessels and microsurface structures of GI polyps.Overall,we found 5 cases of type A and one case without the examination for the gastric polyps,while there were 4 cases of type B and 2 case of type A for the colorectal polyps.Seventy-nine small-bowel and 115 colorectal polyps over 27 sessions for each were resected endoscopically without significant complications.The only delayed complication included the occurrence of bleeding in a case,and this was successfully managed with hemoclips.Resected polyps contained no malignant components.Based on mutation analysis,all 3 cases in Family I exhibited the +658C>T nonsense mutation in exon 5,which resulted in the production of a truncated protein(Q220X).In Family II,a case had-252C>A and-193C>A in the promoter region.In Family III,a case was found to have the +1062C>G(F342L) mutation in exon 8.CONCLUSION:We found two novel mutations of STK11 in association with PJS.Endoscopic polypectomy of GI polyps in PJS patients appears to be useful to prevent emergency laparotomies and reduce the cancer risk.

Knockdown of Microtubule Associated Serine/threonine Kinase Like Expression Inhibits Gastric Cancer Cell Growth and Induces Apoptosis by Activation of ERK1/2 and Inactivation of NF-κB Signaling

Microtubule-associated serine/threonine kinase(MASTL)functions to regulate chromosome condensation and mitotic progression.Therefore,aberrant MASTL expression is commonly implicated in various human cancers.This study analyzed MASTL expression in gastric cancer vs.adjacent normal tissue for elucidating the association with clinicopathological data from patients.This work was then extended to investigate the effects of MASTL knockdown on tumor cells in vitro.The level of MASTL expression in gastric cancer tissue was assessed from the UALCAN,GEPIA,and Oncomine online databases.Lentivirus carrying MASTL or negative control shRNA was infected into gastric cancer cells.RT-qPCR,Western blotting,cell viability,cell counting,flow cytometric apoptosis and cell cycle,and colony formation assays were performed.MASTL was upregulated in gastric cancer tissue compared to the adjacent normal tissue,and the MASTL expression was associated with advanced tumor stage,Helicobacter pylori infection and histological subtypes.On the other hand,knockdown of MASTL expression significantly reduced tumor cell viability and proliferation,and arrested cell cycle at G2/M stage but promoted tumor cells to undergo apoptosis.At protein level,knockdown of MASTL expression enhanced levels of cleaved PARP1,cleaved caspase-3,Bax and p-ERK1/2 expression,but downregulated expression levels of BCL-2 and p-NF-κB-p65 protein in AGS and MGC-803 cells.MASTL overexpression in gastric cancer tissue may be associated with gastric cancer development and progression,whereas knockdown of MASTL expression reduces tumor cell proliferation and induces apoptosis.Further study will evaluate MASTL as a potential target of gastric cancer therapeutic strategy.

Pigs receiving daily tailored diets using precision-feeding techniques have different threonine requirements than pigs fed in conventional phase-feeding systems

Background: There is large variation in amino acids requirements among pigs,hence feeding pigs individually with daily tailored diets or in groups with a single feed may require different levels of nutrients.Thus,the response to different threonine levels(70%,85%,100%,115%,and 130% of the ideal threonine:lysine protein ratio of 0.65) was studied in growing pigs raised in a conventional group phase-feeding(GPF) system or fed individually using individual precision-feeding(IPF) techniques.In a 21-day trial,110 barrows(25 ± 0.80 kg body weight) were housed in the same room and fed using electronic feeders.Five pigs per treatment were slaughtered at the end of the trial.Results: Threonine intake increased linearly for the IPF and GPF pigs(P < 0.05).Lysine intake was similar across the treatments.Average daily gain,gain:feed ratio,and protein deposition were affected linearly by threonine level(P < 0.05)in both feeding systems.Protein deposition in the GPF pigs was maximized at 150 g/d and a 0.65 threonine:lysine ratio,whereas protein deposition increased linearly in the IPF pigs.Plasma Met and serine levels were 11 and 7% higher,respectively,in the IPF pigs than in the GPF pigs(P < 0.05).Dietary threonine increased(P < 0.05)threonine concentration in the longissimus dorsi in a quadratic manner in the IPF pigs,whereas there was no effect in the GPF pigs.Longissimus dorsi collagen decreased as dietary threonine increased in the IPF and GPF pigs(P < 0.10).Carcass muscle crude protein was 2% higher in the GPF pigs than in the IPF pigs(P < 0.05).Conclusions: Individual pigs are able to modulate growth and the composition of growth according to threonine intake.The average amino acid ratio value that is currently used for GPF cannot be used for IPF.

Dietary threonine deficiency affects expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism in adipose tissues of Pekin ducks in a genotype-dependent manner

Dietary threonine(Thr) deficiency increases hepatic triglyceride content and reduces sebum and abdominal fat percentages in lean type(LT), but not in fatty type(FT) Pekin ducks. However, the molecular changes regarding the role of Thr in lipid metabolism in LT and FT ducks induced by Thr deficiency remains unknown. This study compared differential expression gene profiles related to lipid metabolism in FT and LT Pekin ducks affected by Thr deficiency. We performed transcriptomic profiling and scanned the gene expression in the liver, sebum, and abdominal fat of Pekin ducks fed either Thr-deficient or Thr-adequate diet for 21 days from 14 to 35 days of age. There were 187, 52, and 50 differentially expressed genes(DEGs) identified in the liver, sebum, and abdominal fat of LT ducks affected by Thr deficiency, of which 12, 9, and 5 genes were involved in lipid metabolism, respectively. Thr deficiency altered the expression of 27, 6, and 3 genes in FT ducks’ liver, sebum, and abdominal fat, respectively. None of the DEGs had a relationship with lipid metabolism in FT ducks. KEGG analysis showed that the DEGs in the LT ducks’ livers were enriched in lipid metabolism pathways(linolenic acid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and arachidonic acid metabolism) and amino acid metabolism pathways(biosynthesis of amino acids, phenylalanine metabolism, β-alanine metabolism, and glycine, serine and threonine metabolisms). The DEGs in the sebum and abdominal fat of LT ducks were not enriched in lipid and amino acid metabolic pathways. Additionally, DEGs involved in lipid metabolism were found to be upregulated by Thr deficiency in LT ducks, such as malic enzyme 3(ME3), acyl-Co A synthetase short-chain family member 2(ACSS2) in liver, and lipase member M(LIPM) in sebum. In summary, dietary Thr deficiency regulated the gene expression involved in lipid metabolism in the liver, sebum, and abdominal fat of Pekin ducks in a genotype-dependent manner.

Threonine and tyrosine kinase may serve as a prognostic biomarker for gallbladder cancer

AIM To detect the expression of threonine and tyrosine kinase(TTK) in gallbladder cancer(GBC) specimens and analyze the associations between TTK expression and clinicopathological parameters and clinical prognosis.METHODS A total of 68 patients with GBC who underwent surgical resection were enrolled in this study. The expression of TTK in GBC tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. The assessment of TTKexpression was conducted using the H-scoring system. H-score was calculated by the multiplication of the overall staining intensity with the percentage of positive cells. The expression of TTK in the cytoplasm and nucleus was scored separately to achieve respective H-s c o r e v a l u e s. T h e c o r r e l a t i o n s b e t w e e n T T K expression and clinicopathological parameters and clinical prognosis were analyzed using Chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression.RESULTS In both the nucleus and cytoplasm, the expression of TTK in tumor tissues was significantly lower than that in normal tissues(P < 0.001 and P = 0.026, respectively). Using the median H-score as the cutoff value, it was discovered that, GBC patients with higher levels of TTK expression in the nucleus, but not the cytoplasm, had favorable overall survival(P < 0.001), and it was still statistically meaningful in Cox regression analysis. Further investigation indicated that there were close negative correlations between TTK expression and tumor differentiation(P = 0.041), CA 19-9 levels(P = 0.016), T stage(P < 0.001), nodal involvement(P < 0.001), distant metastasis(P = 0.024) and TNM stage(P < 0.001). CONCLUSION The expression of TTK in GBC is lower than that in normal tissues. Higher levels of TTK expression in GBC are concomitant with longer overall survival. TTK is a favorable prognostic biomarker for patients with GBC.

Methionine and Threonine Requirements of Dutch Rabbits Fed under a Cecotrophy Prevention Program

It is suggested that the difference in body size between domestic-type rabbits and small pet-type rabbits results in different nutrient requirements. The nutritional requirements of pet rabbits have been assessed, although such assessments require evaluation throughout the rabbit life span. The present study was conducted under a cecotrophy prevention program with young and adult rabbits. Six male Dutch rabbits were housed individually in a dormitory-type cage, and they were randomly fed graded levels of dietary methionine and threonine, at ratios of 4:0, 3:1, 2:2, 1:3, and 0:4 mixed with two types of feed, 4:0 and 0:4. Four days after switching diets and 4 hrs after starting morning feeding, approximately one milliliter of blood was collected from the vein of the ear. Free amino acid concentrations in the plasma were determined with a high-speed amino acid analyzer. Plasma concentrations of methionine and threonine compared to dietary methionine and threonine levels are shown in young rabbits. The plasma concentration of methionine remained constant at a low level and then increased linearly. The intersection was estimated as 0.16 g/d. In the same manner, the intersection of the plasma threonine value was estimated as 0.27 g/d. These values were calculated as 0.27% and 0.47% of the diets, respectively. In the case of adult rabbits, the baseline was not obtained for dietary methionine and threonine levels. The methionine requirement was estimated as 0.11 g/d. The threonine requirement was estimated as 0.22 g/d. These values were calculated as 0.15% and 0.30% of the diets, respectively. In comparison with young and adult rabbits, both methionine and threonine showed a low baseline level in young rabbits, while their variations in plasma levels of adult rabbits were not determined. The requirement of both amino acids in young rabbits is higher than that in adult rabbits. The dietary values of both amino acids in young rabbits were also higher than those in adult rabbits. Small pet-type adult rabbits required lower amino acid levels than domestic-type rabbits.

Excess Levels of ILysine and Threonine in Low Protein, Wheat-based Diets on Serum Amino Acid Concentrations and Performance of Growing Pigs

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the growth response and serum concentrations （SC） of amino acids （AA） in pigs fed wheat-based diets with either deficient, adequate or excess Lys and Thr. Previously, the standardized ileal digestibilities of AA in a basal diet were determined with five ileal cannulated pigs in a digestion trial. In experiment 1, 21 pigs （12.5±0.91 kg） were used to evaluate the effect of adding 0%, 0.69%, and 1.38% free L-Lys. The best growth response was obtained with 0.69% added L-Lys, equivalent to 1.05% total in the diet. The SC of Arg, Thr, and Val were lower （P 〈 0.05） in pigs fed the Lys adequate diet, compared to the deficient, but no further change occurred with excess Lys （P 〉 0.10）. Lys SC increased with each increment in the dietary Lys content （P 〈 0.05）. In experiment 2, 20 pigs （14.3 ± 1.57 kg） were used, and the addition of 0%, 0.14%, 0.28%, and 0.42% crystalline Thr, to the 0.69% L-Lys-supplemented basal diet, was evaluated. The best response was obtained with added 0.28% L-Thr, （0.66% total Thr）, but excess Thr reduced feed intake and growth rate. Moderate and excess levels of Yhr increased the SC of Thr, but excess reduced those of Va[ and Lys. These data show that excess Thr, but not Lys, affect the performance of growing pigs. Also, these data indicate that Val may become limiting in low protein diets with excess Lys or Thr.

Threonine 532 phosphorylation in CIC-3 is required for angiotensin II-induced Cl- current and migration in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells

Aim Angiotensin II （AngII） induces vascular smooth muscle cell （VSMC） migration and growth, which is responsible for vascular remodeling during some cardiovascular diseases. It has been demonstrated to activate a C1 current, but the underlying mechanism is not clear. Methods Whole-cell patch clamp, co-immunoprecipitation （co-IP）, site-specific mutagenesis, angiotensinII-infusion hypertensive mice model were used. Results In VSMCs, AngII could induce a C1C-3-dependent C1- current that was abolished in C1C-3 null mice. The activation mechanism of this AngII-induced C1- current was ascribed to the interaction between C1C-3 and Rho-kinase 2 （ROCIL2）, as re- vealed by N-terminal or C-terminal truncation of C1C-3, ROCIC2 siRNA and Co-IP experiments. Then we searched for and identified the phosphorylation site of C1C-3 at threonine 532 is critical for AngII-induced C1- current and VSMC migration through ROCK. The C1C-3 T532D mutant （mutation of threonine 532 to aspartate）, mimicking the phos- phorylation state of C1C-3, significantly potentiated AngII-induced C1- current and VSMC migration; while C1C-3 T532A （mutation of threonine 532 to alanine） had the opposite effects. Furthermore, we found a remarkably de- creased AngII-induced VSMC migration in C1C-3 null mice that is insensitive to Y27632, an inhibitor of ROCIL2. In addition, AngII-induced cerebrovascular remodeling was ameliorated in C1C-3 null mice, possibly by ROCIL2 path- way. Conclusions C1C-3 protein phosphorylation at threonine 532 by ROCIL2 is required for AngII-induced C1- cur- rent and VSMC migration that are involved in AngII-induced hypertensive vascular remodeling.

The Thermodynamic Property of Rare Earth Complexes with L-Threonine

In this paper the stability constants and thermodynamic parameters for complexes of rare earth elements with L-threonine have been measured systematically by potentiometry and calorimetry at 25℃ and ionic strength of 0.15 mol/L(NaCl).The thermodynamic values for protonation of the anion of L-threonine have been obtained.The dependence of stability,enthalpy and entropy change of the complex upon atomic number of cation is investigated,and the coordination of L-threonine to rare earth is also discussed in detail.

Testis Specific Serine/Threonine Protein Kinase 4(TSSK4) Leads to Cell Apoptosis Relying on Its Kinase Activity

Testis specific serine/threonine protein kinase 4（TSSK4） belongs to the TSSK family, and its members play an important role in spermatogenesis and/or spermiogenesis. Mouse TSSK4 has been reported to be expressed exclusively in the testis and can maintain its kinase activity through autophosphorylation at Thr-197. However, its biological function remains poorly understood. Here we found that GFP-TSSK4-overexpressed He La cells showed apoptotic bodies, indicating TSSK4 can lead to apoptosis in vitro. Furthermore, TSSK4 induced apoptosis in different cell lines including He La, Cos-7 and H1299 tested by flow cytometry but not its kinase-dead mutant TSSK4-K54 M. TSSK4 knockout mice showed increased testes weight and decreased apoptotic spermatogonia and spermatocytes at 21 st day after birth tested by TUNEL technology. So TSSK4 was able to induce cell apoptosis in vitro depending on its kinase activity, which leads to abnormal testes weight and apoptosis, shedding light on its function in the process of spermatogenesis and/or spermiogenesis.

Increasing concentrations of dietary threonine,tryptophan,and glycine improve growth performance and intestinal health with decreasing stress responses in broiler chickens raised under multiple stress conditions

The current study aimed to compare the effects of increasing concentrations of dietary threonine(Thr),tryptophan(Trp),and glycine(Gly)on growth performance,stress biomarkers,and intestinal function in broiler chickens under multiple stress conditions.Five hundred sixty broiler chickens at 21 d old were randomly allotted to 5 treatments with 8 replicates.Birds in a positive control(PC)treatment were raised under low stock density(16.9 birds/m^(2) per cage)with recommended environmental conditions,whereas birds in 4 treatments were subjected to multiple stress conditions:a cyclic heat stress of 30±0.3℃ for 10 h and 23±0.2℃ for 14 h per day with high stock density(25.3 birds/m^(2) per cage).A basal diet was assigned to both PC and negative control(NC)treatments.Three additional diets were individually formulated to contain double concentrations of digestible Thr,Trp,or Gly+Ser compared with their concentrations in the basal diet.The experiment lasted for 14 d.Results showed that NC treatment had less growth performance(P<0.001),jejunal goblet cell counts(P=0.018),and trans-epithelial electrical resistance(TEER;P<0.001),but greater(P=0.026)feather corticosterone(CORT)concentrations than PC treatment.Thr treatment showed the least(P<0.001)feed conversion ratio(FCR)among treatments under multiple stress conditions.Thr,Trp,and Gly treatments had less(P=0.026)feather CORT concentrations,but had greater(P<0.001)TEER than NC treatment.In conclusion,increasing concentrations of dietary Thr,Trp,or Gly improve the growth performance and intestinal health in broiler chickens with decreasing stress response under multiple stress conditions.

In situ synthesized homochiral dysprosium-oxo clusters with threonine Schiff bases

Chiral high-nuclearity lanthanide(4f)clusters have shown fantastic properties in various fields.However,their synthesis is still of great challenge.Herein,we report two pairs of enantiomers of highnuclearity Dy-oxo clusters synthesized through in situ strategy.They are[Dy18(^(R/S)Hftp)4(^(R/S)H_(2)btp)4(μ2-OH)_(8)(μ3-OH)20(μ6-O)(NO_(3))_(4)(μ-H_(2)O)_(8)]·[solvents](1R and 1S)and[Dy9(^(R/S)Hftp)2(^(R/S)H_(2)btp)_(2)(OAc)_(6)(μ3-OH)_(10)(H_(2)O)_(6)](OAc)·[solvents](2R and 2S),where^(R/S)Hftp2−and^(R/S)H_(2)btp^(3−)represent in situ formed 2-formyl-6-[N-(threonine)iminomethyl]-4-methylphenol and 2,6-bis[N-(threonine)iminomethyl]-4-methylphenol anions,respectively.These in situ formed clusters were endowed with not only homochirality via introducing^(R/S)Hftp2−and^(R/S)H_(2)btp^(3−)ligands,but also rich oxo-bridges by controlling the hydrolysis of Dy^(III)ions.Different anions from DyIII salts further induced structural variation between two sets of clusters.1R and 1S feature an unprecedent four-blade propeller shaped{Dy18}core,whose centered octahedral{Dy6}unit are surrounded by four triangular{Dy3}units.Strikingly,they represent the second largest chiral 4f cluster species so far.2R and 2S display a sandglass-like{Dy9}skeleton that consist of two square pyramid{Dy5}units sharing a Dy^(III)vertex.Magnetic investigation revealed possible antiferromagnetic interactions between the Dy^(III)centers in these clusters.

Proteomic and phosphoproteomic analysis reveal threonine deficiency increases hepatic lipid deposition in Pekin ducks via reducing STAT phosphorylation

Dietary threonine(Thr)deficiency enhances triglyceride(TG)deposition in the liver of Pekin ducks,which injures hepatic function and impairs growth performance.However,the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear.In the present study,we investigated the effects of dietary Thr deficiency on the expressions of proteins and phosphoproteins in liver of Pekin ducks,to identify the underlying molecular changes.A total of 300 one-day-old ducklings were divided into 3 groups with 10 replicates of 10 birds.All ducks were fed corn-wheat-peanut meal diets containing 0.46%,0.71%,and 0.96%Thr,respectively,from 1 to 21 days of age.Growth performance,serum parameters,hepatic TG content,and expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism of Pekin ducks were determined.A Thr deficiency group(Thr-D,0.46%Thr)and a Thr sufficiency group(Thr-S,0.71%Thr)were selected for subsequent proteomic and phosphoproteomic analysis.The results showed that Thr-D reduced the growth performance(P<0.001),and increased the plasma concentrations of cholesterol,high-density lipoprotein cholesterol,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,and hepatic TG(P<0.05).Thr-D increased gene expression related to fatty acid and TG synthesis(P<0.05).A total of 176 proteins and 259 phosphosites(containing 198 phosphoproteins)were observed to be differentially expressed as a result of Thr-D.The upregulated proteins were enriched in the pathway related to amino acid metabolism,peroxisome.The down-regulated proteins were enriched in linolenic and arachidonic acid metabolism,and the Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription(JAK-STAT)signaling pathway.The upregulated phos-phoproteins were enriched in the pathways related to fatty acid biosynthesis,fructose and mannose metabolism,and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis.Thr-D reduced the phosphorylation of STAT1 at S729 and STAT3 at S728,and expression of STAT5B.In contrast,Thr-D increased non-receptor tyrosine-protein kinase(TYK2)expression and STAT1 phosphorylation at S649.Taken together,dietary Thr-D increased hepatic TG accumulation by upregulating the expression of genes and proteins,and phosphoproteins related to fatty acid and triglyceride synthesis.Furthermore,these processes might be regulated by the JAK-STAT signaling pathway,especially the phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT3.

Improvement of the activity and thermostability of l‑threonine aldolase from Pseudomonas putida via tailoring of the active sites lining the binding pocket

l-threonine aldolases catalyze the conversion of glycine and aldehydes to synthesizeβ-hydroxy-α-amino acids with unsatisfactory enzyme activity.Here,we expressed the l-threonine aldolase from Pseudomonas putida KT2440(l-PpTA)in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)and improved the activity and thermostability by protein engineering.Five amino acid residues(Ser10,His89,Asp93,Arg177,and Arg321)located in the substrate-binding pocket were selected and for mutation.Eight mutants(D93A,D93G,D93M,D93F,D93S,D93Q,D93Y and D93H)with increased enzyme activity were identified and their k_(cat)/K_(M)values showed about 1-7-fold higher than wild-type.Among all the variants,D93H showed the highest catalytic efficiency with 2925 and 4515 s^(−1)mM^(−1)of k_(cat)/K_(M)values toward l-threonine and l-allo-threonine,respectively.In addition,circular dichroism spectrum exhibited that the melting temperature of D93H(54.2℃)was 5℃higher than wild-type(49.2℃).Molecular dynamics simulations illustrated that the D93H variant shortens the distance between the imidazole group of H93 and the hydroxyl group of substrate,which facilitated the proton extraction and promote the enzymatic reaction.This work affords a candidate for the synthesis ofβ-hydroxy-α-amino acids with improved catalytic efficiency and thermostability and provides structural insights into the l-TA family by protein engineering.