Oswaldo Cruz Foundation

About: Oswaldo Cruz Foundation is a facility organization based out in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Trypanosoma cruzi. The organization has 18673 authors who have published 36752 publications receiving 802378 citations. The organization is also known as: Fundação Oswaldo Cruz & FIOCRUZ.

Highly purified glycosylphosphatidylinositols from Trypanosoma cruzi are potent proinflammatory agents.

Abstract: Intracellular protozoan parasites are potent stimulators of cell‐mediated immunity. The induction of macrophage proinflammatory cytokines by Trypanosoma cruzi is considered to be important in controlling the infection and the outcome of Chagas9 disease. Here we show that the potent tumour necrosis factor‐α‐, interleukin‐12‐ and nitric oxide‐inducing activities of T.cruzi trypomastigote mucins were recovered quantitatively in a highly purified and characterized glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor fraction of this material. The bioactive trypomastigote GPI fraction was compared with a relatively inactive GPI fraction prepared from T.cruzi epimastigote mucins. The trypomastigote GPI structures were found to contain additional galactose residues and unsaturated, instead of saturated, fatty acids in the sn ‐2 position of the alkylacylglycerolipid component. The latter feature is essential for the extreme potency of the trypomastigote GPI fraction, which is at least as active as bacterial endotoxin and Mycoplasma lipopeptide and, therefore, one of the most potent microbial proinflammatory agents known.

Medical Sequencing of Candidate Genes for Nonsyndromic Cleft Lip and Palate

Abstract: Nonsyndromic or isolated cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) occurs in wide geographic distribution with an average birth prevalence of 1/700. We used direct sequencing as an approach to study candidate genes for CL/P. We report here the results of sequencing on 20 candidate genes for clefts in 184 cases with CL/P selected with an emphasis on severity and positive family history. Genes were selected based on expression patterns, animal models, and/or role in known human clefting syndromes. For seven genes with identified coding mutations that are potentially etiologic, we performed linkage disequilibrium studies as well in 501 family triads (affected child/mother/father). The recently reported MSX1 P147Q mutation was also studied in an additional 1,098 cleft cases. Selected missense mutations were screened in 1,064 controls from unrelated individuals on the Centre d'Etude du Polymorphisme Humain (CEPH) diversity cell line panel. Our aggregate data suggest that point mutations in these candidate genes are likely to contribute to 6% of isolated clefts, particularly those with more severe phenotypes (bilateral cleft of the lip with cleft palate). Additional cases, possibly due to microdeletions or isodisomy, were also detected and may contribute to clefts as well. Sequence analysis alone suggests that point mutations in FOXE1, GLI2, JAG2, LHX8, MSX1, MSX2, SATB2, SKI, SPRY2, and TBX10 may be rare causes of isolated cleft lip with or without cleft palate, and the linkage disequilibrium data support a larger, as yet unspecified, role for variants in or near MSX2, JAG2, and SKI. This study also illustrates the need to test large numbers of controls to distinguish rare polymorphic variants and prioritize functional studies for rare point mutations.

Contribution of midgut bacteria to blood digestion and egg production in aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae) (L.).

Abstract: Background: The insect gut harbors a variety of microorganisms that probably exceed the number of cells in insects themselves These microorganisms can live and multiply in the insect, contributing to digestion, nutrition, and development of their host Recent studies have shown that midgut bacteria appear to strengthen the mosquito’s immune system and indirectly enhance protection from invading pathogens Nevertheless, the physiological significance of these bacteria for mosquitoes has not been established to date In this study, oral administration of antibiotics was employed in order to examine the contribution of gut bacteria to blood digestion and fecundity in Aedes aegypti Results: The antibiotics carbenicillin, tetracycline, spectinomycin, gentamycin and kanamycin, were individually offered to female mosquitoes Treatment of female mosquitoes with antibiotics affected the lysis of red blood cells (RBCs), retarded the digestion of blood proteins and reduced egg production In addition, antibiotics did not affect the survival of mosquitoes Mosquito fertility was restored in the second gonotrophic cycle after suspension of the antibiotic treatment, showing that the negative effects of antibiotics in blood digestion and egg production in the first gonotrophic cycle were reversible Conclusions: The reduction of bacteria affected RBC lysis, subsequently retarded protein digestion, deprived mosquito from essential nutrients and, finally, oocyte maturation was affected, resulting in the production of fewer viable eggs These results indicate that Ae aegypti and its midgut bacteria work in synergism to digest a blood meal Our findings open new possibilities to investigate Ae aegypti-associated bacteria as targets for mosquito control strategies Background Insects host many microorganisms that colonize and grow inside their tissues, mainly in the digestive system These microbes are involved in various physiological functions, including food digestion, nutrition, nitrogen fixation and reproduction Particularly, the role of midgut-associated bacteria in digestion of food has been demonstrated in several insect species [1] These indigenous bacteria are essential sources of carbohydrases improving digestion efficiency of plant- derived polymers such as lignin, hemicellulose and cellulose, xylan

Ancestral genomes, sex, and the population structure of Trypanosoma cruzi.

Abstract: Acquisition of detailed knowledge of the structure and evolution of Trypanosoma cruzi populations is essential for control of Chagas disease. We profiled 75 strains of the parasite with five nuclear microsatellite loci, 24Sα RNA genes, and sequence polymorphisms in the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit II gene. We also used sequences available in GenBank for the mitochondrial genes cytochrome B and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1. A multidimensional scaling plot (MDS) based in microsatellite data divided the parasites into four clusters corresponding to T. cruzi I (MDS-cluster A), T. cruzi II (MDS-cluster C), a third group of T. cruzi strains (MDS-cluster B), and hybrid strains (MDS-cluster BH). The first two clusters matched respectively mitochondrial clades A and C, while the other two belonged to mitochondrial clade B. The 24Sα rDNA and microsatellite profiling data were combined into multilocus genotypes that were analyzed by the haplotype reconstruction program PHASE. We identified 141 haplotypes that were clearly distributed into three haplogroups (X, Y, and Z). All strains belonging to T. cruzi I (MDS-cluster A) were Z/Z, the T. cruzi II strains (MDS-cluster C) were Y/Y, and those belonging to MDS-cluster B (unclassified T. cruzi) had X/X haplogroup genotypes. The strains grouped in the MDS-cluster BH were X/Y, confirming their hybrid character. Based on these results we propose the following minimal scenario for T. cruzi evolution. In a distant past there were at a minimum three ancestral lineages that we may call, respectively, T. cruzi I, T. cruzi II, and T. cruzi III. At least two hybridization events involving T. cruzi II and T. cruzi III produced evolutionarily viable progeny. In both events, the mitochondrial recipient (as identified by the mitochondrial clade of the hybrid strains) was T. cruzi II and the mitochondrial donor was T. cruzi III.

Taxonomy of the order Bunyavirales : update 2019

Abstract: In February 2019, following the annual taxon ratification vote, the order Bunyavirales was amended by creation of two new families, four new subfamilies, 11 new genera and 77 new species, merging of two species, and deletion of one species. This article presents the updated taxonomy of the order Bunyavirales now accepted by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV).