Low protein

About: Low protein is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 8139 publications have been published within this topic receiving 213225 citations.

Dense Bicoid hubs accentuate binding along the morphogen gradient.

Abstract: Morphogen gradients direct the spatial patterning of developing embryos; however, the mechanisms by which these gradients are interpreted remain elusive. Here we used lattice light-sheet microscopy to perform in vivo single-molecule imaging in early Drosophila melanogaster embryos of the transcription factor Bicoid that forms a gradient and initiates patterning along the anteroposterior axis. In contrast to canonical models, we observed that Bicoid binds to DNA with a rapid off rate throughout the embryo such that its average occupancy at target loci is on-rate-dependent. We further observed Bicoid forming transient "hubs" of locally high density that facilitate binding as factor levels drop, including in the posterior, where we observed Bicoid binding despite vanishingly low protein levels. We propose that localized modulation of transcription factor on rates via clustering provides a general mechanism to facilitate binding to low-affinity targets and that this may be a prevalent feature of other developmental transcription factors.

Tailored Poly(2-oxazoline) Polymer Brushes to Control Protein Adsorption and Cell Adhesion

Abstract: POx bottle-brush brushes (BBBs) are synthesized by SIPGP of 2-isopropenyl-2-oxazoline and consecutive LCROP of 2-oxazolines on 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane-modified silicon substrates. The side chain hydrophilicity and polarity are varied. The impact of the chemical composition and architecture of the BBB upon protein (fibronectin) adsorption and endothelial cell adhesion are investigated and prove extremely low protein adsorption and cell adhesion on BBBs with hydrophilic side chains such as poly(2methyl-2-oxazoline) and poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline). The influence of the POx side chain terminal function upon adsorption and adhesion is minor but the side chain length has a significant effect on bioadsorption.

Social and dietary factors in the sexual maturation of female mice

Abstract: At 21 days of age, 144 female albino mice were individually isolated and reared on either 8% 16% or 24% protein diets. Within each protein level, mice were exposed to the presence of an adult male, or to male odour, or were reared in isolation. Each female was examined daily for vaginal opening and signs of first oestrus. Body weight and food consumption measures confirmed that body growth was equal in each cell of the design and that mice on low protein diets were not compensating for a low protein diet by consuming more food. The results showed that, although both dietary protein and the presence of males (or their odour) were significant factors in regulating sexual maturation, social factors contributed 47\m=.\3%and dietary protein levels 4\m=.\8%of the total variance. Accelerated sexual development was not accompanied by accelerated body growth. Thus, the hypothesis that puberty occurs at a critical body weight was not supported by these data. That social stimulation was more effective than protein intake may have relevance to the phenomenon of accelerated sexual maturation in human females.