Childhood adversities and risk of posttraumatic stress disorder and major depression following a motor vehicle collision in adulthood.

AIMS: Childhood adversities (CAs) predict heightened risks of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive episode (MDE) among people exposed to adult traumatic events. Identifying which CAs put individuals at greatest risk for these adverse posttraumatic neuropsychiatric sequelae (APNS) is important for targeting prevention interventions. METHODS: Data came from n = 999 patients ages 18-75 presenting to 29 U.S. emergency departments after a motor vehicle collision (MVC) and followed for 3 months, the amount of time traditionally used to define chronic PTSD, in the Advancing Understanding of Recovery After Trauma (AURORA) study. Six CA types were self-reported at baseline: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect and bullying. Both dichotomous measures of ever experiencing each CA type and numeric measures of exposure frequency were included in the analysis. Risk ratios (RRs) of these CA measures as well as complex interactions among these measures were examined as predictors of APNS 3 months post-MVC. APNS was defined as meeting self-reported criteria for either PTSD based on the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 and/or MDE based on the PROMIS Depression Short-Form 8b. We controlled for pre-MVC lifetime histories of PTSD and MDE. We also examined mediating effects through peritraumatic symptoms assessed in the emergency department and PTSD and MDE assessed in 2-week and 8-week follow-up surveys. Analyses were carried out with robust Poisson regression models. RESULTS: Most participants (90.9%) reported at least rarely having experienced some CA. Ever experiencing each CA other than emotional neglect was univariably associated with 3-month APNS (RRs = 1.31-1.60). Each CA frequency was also univariably associated with 3-month APNS (RRs = 1.65-2.45). In multivariable models, joint associations of CAs with 3-month APNS were additive, with frequency of emotional abuse (RR = 2.03; 95% CI = 1.43-2.87) and bullying (RR = 1.44; 95% CI = 0.99-2.10) being the strongest predictors. Control variable analyses found that these associations were largely explained by pre-MVC histories of PTSD and MDE. CONCLUSIONS: Although individuals who experience frequent emotional abuse and bullying in childhood have a heightened risk of experiencing APNS after an adult MVC, these associations are largely mediated by prior histories of PTSD and MDE.

Prior differences in previous trauma exposure primarily drive the observed racial/ethnic differences in posttrauma depression and anxiety following a recent trauma.

BACKGROUND: Racial and ethnic groups in the USA differ in the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Recent research however has not observed consistent racial/ethnic differences in posttraumatic stress in the early aftermath of trauma, suggesting that such differences in chronic PTSD rates may be related to differences in recovery over time. METHODS: As part of the multisite, longitudinal AURORA study, we investigated racial/ethnic differences in PTSD and related outcomes within 3 months after trauma. Participants (n = 930) were recruited from emergency departments across the USA and provided periodic (2 weeks, 8 weeks, and 3 months after trauma) self-report assessments of PTSD, depression, dissociation, anxiety, and resilience. Linear models were completed to investigate racial/ethnic differences in posttraumatic dysfunction with subsequent follow-up models assessing potential effects of prior life stressors. RESULTS: Racial/ethnic groups did not differ in symptoms over time; however, Black participants showed reduced posttraumatic depression and anxiety symptoms overall compared to Hispanic participants and White participants. Racial/ethnic differences were not attenuated after accounting for differences in sociodemographic factors. However, racial/ethnic differences in depression and anxiety were no longer significant after accounting for greater prior trauma exposure and childhood emotional abuse in White participants. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings suggest prior differences in previous trauma exposure partially mediate the observed racial/ethnic differences in posttraumatic depression and anxiety symptoms following a recent trauma. Our findings further demonstrate that racial/ethnic groups show similar rates of symptom recovery over time. Future work utilizing longer time-scale data is needed to elucidate potential racial/ethnic differences in long-term symptom trajectories.

A cluster-randomized trial to reduce major perinatal morbidity among women with one prior cesarean delivery in Québec (PRISMA trial): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Rates of cesarean delivery are continuously increasing in industrialized countries, with repeated cesarean accounting for about a third of all cesareans. Women who have undergone a first cesarean are facing a difficult choice for their next pregnancy, i.e.: (1) to plan for a second cesarean delivery, associated with higher risk of maternal complications than vaginal delivery; or (b) to have a trial of labor (TOL) with the aim to achieve a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) and to accept a significant, but rare, risk of uterine rupture and its related maternal and neonatal complications. The objective of this trial is to assess whether a multifaceted intervention would reduce the rate of major perinatal morbidity among women with one prior cesarean. METHODS/DESIGN: The study is a stratified, non-blinded, cluster-randomized, parallel-group trial of a multifaceted intervention. Hospitals in Quebec are the units of randomization and women are the units of analysis. As depicted in Figure 1, the study includes a 1-year pre-intervention period (baseline), a 5-month implementation period, and a 2-year intervention period. At the end of the baseline period, 20 hospitals will be allocated to the intervention group and 20 to the control group, using a randomization stratified by level of care. Medical records will be used to collect data before and during the intervention period. Primary outcome is the rate of a composite of major perinatal morbidities measured during the intervention period. Secondary outcomes include major and minor maternal morbidity; minor perinatal morbidity; and TOL and VBAC rate. The effect of the intervention will be assessed using the multivariable generalized-estimating-equations extension of logistic regression. The evaluation will include subgroup analyses for preterm and term birth, and a cost-effectiveness analysis. DISCUSSION: The intervention is designed to facilitate: (1) women's decision-making process, using a decision analysis tool (DAT), (2) an estimate of uterine rupture risk during TOL using ultrasound evaluation of low-uterine segment thickness, (3) an estimate of chance of TOL success, using a validated prediction tool, and (4) the implementation of best practices for intrapartum management. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials, ID: ISRCTN15346559 . Registered on 20 August 2015.

Effect of inhibiting the lactogenic signal at calving on milk production and metabolic and immune perturbations in dairy cows.

During the periparturient period, the abrupt increase in energy demand for milk production often induces metabolic and immunological disturbances in dairy cows. Our previous work has shown that reducing milk output by milking once a day or incompletely in the first few days of lactation reduces these disturbances. The aim of this study was to reduce metabolic and immunological disturbances by limiting milk production during the first week of lactation by inhibiting the lactogenic signal driven by prolactin. Twenty-two fresh cows received 8 i.m. injections of the prolactin-release inhibitor quinagolide (QUIN; 2 mg) or water as a control (CTL). The first injection was given just after calving, and the subsequent 7 injections were given every 12 h. Milk production was measured until d 28 after calving. Blood samples were taken from d 1 (calving) to d 5 and then on d 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28 to measure concentrations of urea, phosphorus, calcium, glucose, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), ß-hydroxybutyrate, and prolactin. Other blood samples were taken on d 2, 5, 10, and 28 to analyze oxidative burst, phagocytosis, and the effect of the serum on the lymphoproliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from donor cows. Blood prolactin concentration was lower from d 2 to 5 but higher from d 10 to 28 in the QUIN cows than in the CTL cows. Milk production was lower from d 2 to 6 in the QUIN cows than in the CTL cows (24.3 ± 6.4 and 34.8 ± 4.1 kg/d on average, respectively). We observed no residual effect of quinagolide on milk production after d 6. During the first week of lactation, blood glucose and calcium concentrations were higher and ß-hydroxybutyrate concentration was lower in the QUIN cows than in the CTL cows. Blood NEFA, urea, and phosphorus concentrations were not affected by the treatment. At d 2 and 5, the phagocytosis ability of polymorphonuclear leukocytes was not affected by treatment; however, quinagolide injection enhanced the proportion of cells that entered oxidative burst, The mitogen-induced proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells was greater when they were incubated with serum harvested from the CTL cows and was negatively correlated with the NEFA concentration in the serum. Reducing the prolactin peak at calving was effective in reducing milk production during the first week of lactation without compromising the dairy cow's overall productivity. Slowing the increase in milk production allowed a more gradual transition from pregnancy to lactation and led to a reduction in metabolic stress and an improvement in some immune system aspects during this period.

Effect of reducing milk production using a prolactin-release inhibitor or a glucocorticoid on metabolism and immune functions in cows subjected to acute nutritional stress.

When cows are unable to consume enough feed to support milk production, they often fall into severe negative energy balance. This leads to a weakened immune system and increases their susceptibility to infectious diseases. Reducing the milk production of cows subjected to acute nutritional stress decreases their energy deficit. The aim of this study was to compare the effects on metabolism and immune function of reducing milk production using quinagolide (a prolactin-release inhibitor) or dexamethasone in feed-restricted cows. A total of 23 cows in early/mid-lactation were fed for 5 d at 55.9% of their previous dry matter intake to subject them to acute nutritional stress. After 1 d of feed restriction and for 4 d afterward (d 2 to 5), cows received twice-daily i.m. injections of water (control group; n=8), 2mg of quinagolide (QN group; n=7), or water after a first injection of 20mg of dexamethasone (DEX group; n=8). Feed restriction decreased milk production, but the decrease was greater in the QN and DEX cows than in the control cows on d 2 and 3. As expected, feed restriction reduced the energy balance, but the reduction was lower in the QN cows than in the control cows. Feed restriction decreased plasma glucose concentration and increased plasma nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) and ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentrations. The QN cows had higher glucose concentration and lower BHB concentration than the control cows. The NEFA concentration was also lower in the QN cows than in the control cows on d 2. Dexamethasone injection induced transient hyperglycemia concomitant with a reduction in milk lactose concentration; it also decreased BHB concentration and decreased NEFA initially but increased it later. Feed restriction and quinagolide injections did not affect the blood concentration or activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), whereas dexamethasone injection increased PMN blood concentration but decreased the proportion of PMN capable of inducing oxidative burst. Incubation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in serum harvested on d 2 of the restriction period reduced their ability to react to mitogen-induced proliferation, and injection of quinagolide or dexamethasone could not alleviate this effect. This experiment shows that prolactin-release inhibition could be an alternative to dexamethasone for reducing milk production and energy deficit in cows under acute nutritional stress, without disturbing immune function.

Effects of probiotics Pediococcus acidilactici strain MA18/5M and Saccharomyces cerevisiae subsp. boulardii strain SB-CNCM I-1079 on fecal and intestinal microbiota of nursing and weanling piglets.

In this study, the influence of (PA) and subsp. (SCB) on fecal and intestinal microbiota of piglets during lactation and after weaning was monitored. Forty sows and their litters were used and allocated to the following dietary treatments: 1) PA, 2) SCB, 3) a mixture of the 2 probiotics (PA+SCB), 4) antibiotics (ATB), and 5) control (CTRL). Four weeks before parturition, probiotic-treated sows started receiving a daily probiotic dose of at least 2.5 × 10 cfu mixed in 500 g of feed until the end of lactation. The other groups were fed a diet without probiotics and ATB. Two days after birth, piglets received, daily, 1 × 10 cfu of the same probiotics as their mother. At weaning (d 21), these piglets were fed a basal diet enriched with the same probiotics whereas piglets from untreated litters were fed the basal diet with or without ATB. Two piglets per litter were randomly chosen to evaluate the influence of treatments on fecal microbial composition (d 10 and 28) and on ileum and colon microbiota at d 37. The microbiota was characterized by culture on selective media and by 16S rRNA gene diversity assessment using the terminal RFLP technique and clone library analysis to evaluate diversity index and phylum affiliation. Terminal RFLP profiles were also analyzed to determine differences in microbial composition between animals receiving different treatments and to identify diet-specific terminal restriction fragments (TRF) using pairwise multiresponse permutation procedures (MRPP) and indicator species analysis. Before weaning, administration of probiotics to sows and piglets had minor effect on fecal microbiota of piglets. Most modulatory effects of probiotics on ileum and colon microbiota were observed on d 37. Results revealed that PA or ATB treatments reduced ileal microbiota diversity compared with the CTRL ( < 0.05) and promoted the establishment of Firmicutes whereas SCB consumption positively influenced the establishment of the Porphyromonadaceae and Ruminococcaceae bacterial families in the colon. Moreover, pairwise MRPP analysis indicated that ileum bacterial communities of pigs treated with PA or ATB differed from those of CTRL pigs ( < 0.05). In conclusion, PA and SCB supplements, respectively, influenced, in a strain-dependent manner, the ileum and colon microbiota of weaned piglets. Results also suggest that PA and SCB have the potential as feed additives to modulate bacterial populations associated with gut health.

Homocysteine metabolism, growth performance, and immune responses in suckling and weanling piglets.

Homocysteine (Hcy), an intermediary sulfur AA, is recognized as a powerful prooxidant with deleterious effects on physiological and immune functions. In piglets, there is an acute 10-fold increase of plasma concentrations of homocysteine (pHcy) during the first 2 wk of life. This project aimed to maximize pHcy variations within physiological ranges using typical supplies of folates and vitamin B12 (B12) to sows and piglets. Growth, immune response, and Hcy metabolism of piglets were studied until piglets reached 56 d of age. Third-parity sows were randomly assigned to a 2 × 2 split-plot design with 2 dietary treatments during gestation and lactation, S(-) (1 mg/kg folates and 20 µg/kg B12, n = 15) and S(+) (10-fold S(-) levels, n = 16), and 2 treatments to piglets within each half litter, intramuscular injections (150 µg) of B12 (P(+)) at d 1 and 21 (weaning) and saline (P(-)). Within each litter of 12 piglets, 3 P(+) and 3 P(-) piglets were studied for growth and Hcy metabolism, and the others were studied for immune responses. During lactation, plasma B12 decreased and was transiently greater in S(+) vs. S(-) piglets on d 1 and P(+) vs. P(-) piglets on d 7 (sow treatment × age and piglet treatment × age; P < 0.05). From 14 to 21 d of age, pHcy was 33% lower in S(+)P(+) vs. S(-)P(-) piglets (sow treatment × piglet treatment interaction; P < 0.05). At 56 d of age, hepatic B12 was greater and pHcy was lower for P(+) vs. P(-) piglets (P < 0.05). No treatment effect was observed on growth except for a lower postweaning G:F in S(+)P(-) piglets than in others (sow treatment × piglet treatment interaction; P < 0.05). Positive correlations were observed between pHcy and growth (r > 0.29, P < 0.05) before and after weaning. Antibody responses to ovalbumin and serum tumor necrosis factor-α were not affected by treatments, but postweaning serum IL-8 peaked earlier in S(-)P(-) vs. S(+)P(+) piglets (piglet treatment × age; sow treatment × piglet treatment interaction, P < 0.05). Proliferation of lymphocytes in response to the mitogen concanavalin A tended to be lower in culture media supplemented with sera from S(-) vs. S(+) piglets (P = 0.081) and P(-) vs. P(+) piglets (P = 0.098), and the reduction of response was more marked (P < 0.05) with high (>21 µM) compared to medium (17 to 21 µM) or low (<17 µM) pHcy. In conclusion, the present vitamin supplements to sows and/or piglets produced variations of pHcy that were not apparently harmful for growth performance of piglets. The greater pHcy, particularly prevalent in S(-) and/or P(-) piglets, had negative effects on some indicators of immune responses, suggesting that these young animals may be immunologically more fragile.

Impact of a long photoperiod during lactation on immune status of piglets.

The effects of a long photoperiod treatment around parturition and throughout lactation on immune status of piglets were studied. Sows were assigned to 2 light regimens: i) standard short photoperiod (SP, n = 17), 8 h of daily light from d 112 of gestation until d 23 of lactation; and ii) long photoperiod (LP, n = 17), 23 h of daily light from d 112 of gestation to d 4 of lactation and 16 h thereafter. In front of the crates, under the side heat lamps and behind the sow, light intensities were 59 ± 5, 109 ± 6, and 44 ± 6 lx, respectively. On d 15 of lactation and at weaning (d 23), 2 piglets of similar BW per litter were selected and immunized intramuscularly with ovalbumin (OVA). Blood samples (5 mL serum and 10 mL whole blood) were taken at d 15 and d 23 of lactation, and at d 30, 37, and 44 of age after weaning to evaluate the antibody response to OVA and measure phagocytosis, lymphocyte proliferative response, and different circulating blood lymphocyte populations of piglets. Results showed that phagocytosis was increased in piglets submitted to LP (P < 0.05). A treatment × time interaction (P < 0.001) indicated that SP piglets developed a better IgG response to OVA than LP piglets. The percentage of B lymphocytes was also increased (P = 0.02) in SP piglets compared with piglets exposed to LP during lactation; the lymphocyte response to OVA tended to be enhanced (P = 0.07) over time in SP piglets. Different subpopulations of CD8+ lymphocytes were markedly increased in SP piglets at 23 d of age compared with piglets exposed to LP (treatment × time: P < 0.05). These results suggest that exposure of piglets to LP during lactation seems to reduce the capacity of piglets to develop a strong immune response to novel antigens. This may have important consequences on the ability of piglets to resist an infection after weaning.

The identification and mapping of candidate genes and QTL involved in the fatty acid desaturation pathway in Brassica napus.

We constructed a linkage map for the population QDH, which was derived from a cross between an oilseed rape cultivar and a resynthesised Brassica napus. The linkage map included ten markers linked to loci orthologous to those encoding fatty acid biosynthesis genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. The QDH population contains a high level of allelic variation, particularly in the C genome. We conducted quantitative trait locus (QTL) analyses, using field data obtained over 3 years, for the fatty acid composition of seed oil. The population segregates for the two major loci controlling erucic acid content, on linkage groups A8 and C3, which quantitatively affect the content of other fatty acids and is a problem generally encountered when crossing "wild" germplasm with cultivated "double low" oilseed rape cultivars. We assessed three methods for QTL analysis, interval mapping, multiple QTL mapping and single marker regression analysis of the subset of lines with low erucic acid. We found the third of these methods to be most appropriate for our main purpose, which was the study of the genetic control of the desaturation of 18-carbon fatty acids. This method enabled us to decouple the effect of the segregation of the erucic acid-controlling loci and identify 34 QTL for fatty acid content of seed oil, 14 in the A genome and 20 in the C genome. The QTL indicate the presence of 13 loci with novel alleles inherited from the progenitors of the resynthesised B. napus that might be useful for modulating the content or extent of desaturation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, only one of which coincides with the anticipated position of a candidate gene, an orthologue of FAD2.

Storage and recall of weak coherent optical pulses with an efficiency of 25%.

We demonstrate experimentally an efficient coherent rephasing scheme for the storage and recall of weak coherent light pulses in an inhomogeneously broadened optical transition in a Pr(3+):YSO crystal at 2.1 K. Precise optical pumping using a frequency stable (≈1 kHz linewidth) laser is employed to create a highly controllable atomic frequency comb structure. We report single photon level storage and retrieval efficiencies of 25%, based on coherent photon-echo-type reemission in the forward direction. The high efficiency is mainly a product of our highly controllable and precise ensemble-shaping technique. The coherence property of the quantum memory is proved through interference between a super-Gaussian pulse and the emitted echo.

Electroluminescence microspectroscopy of silicon nanocrystals obtained by Si(+) ion implantation in SiO(2).

Room-temperature electroluminescence (EL) has been measured at both macroscopic and microscopic levels from metal-oxide-semiconductor devices containing silicon nanocrystals (Si-nc) embedded in silicon dioxide (SiO(2)) obtained by high-temperature annealing (1050 and 1100 °C) after Si(+) ion implantation. It is found that spatially integrated (macroscopic) EL is dominated by a near-infrared band centered where the photoluminescence (PL) band of Si-nc (from 700 to 1000 nm) is located. However, on a microscopic scale, EL emission is inhomogeneous, the sample surface exhibiting many visible spots of micron-order diameter. EL spectra from a microscopic surface of ∼1 µm(2)(µEL) on visible spots have revealed dominant contributions between ∼550 and ∼650 nm, attributed to oxide defects. These spectral features rapidly decrease with distance from a bright spot, while lower-intensity near-infrared contributions (750-950 nm) remain unaffected up to relatively large distances before eventually becoming extinct. The macroscopic EL measurements can be explained as a superposition of the µEL and PL spectra. A luminescent mechanism is proposed in which charge carriers mostly tunnel through high-defect-density channels in the oxide, yielding bright visible spots, while Si-nc in these channels and their surroundings contribute to the luminescence by hosting electron-hole recombinations (EL) and/or exhibiting PL due to optical excitation from the nearby visible EL spot.

Plant protein families and their relationships to food allergy.

The analysis of plant proteins has a long and distinguished history, with work dating back over 250 years. Much of the work has focused on seed proteins, which are important in animal nutrition and food processing. Early studies classified plant proteins into groups based on solubility ('Osborne fractions') or protein function. More recently, families have been defined based on stuctural and evolutionary relationships. One of the most widespread groups of plant proteins is the prolaminin superfamily, which comprises cereal seed storage proteins, a range of low-molecular-mass sulphur-rich proteins (many of which are located in seeds) and some cell wall glycoproteins. This superfamily includes several major types of plant allergen: non-specific lipid transfer proteins, cereal seed inhibitors of alpha-amylase and/or trypsin, and 2 S albumin storage proteins of dicotyledonous seeds.

Mutagenesis and heterologous expression in yeast of a plant Delta6-fatty acid desaturase.

Membrane-bound microsomal fatty acid desaturases are known to have three conserved histidine boxes, comprising a total of up to eight histidine residues. Recently, a number of deviations from this consensus have been reported, with the substitution of a glutamine for the first histidine residue of the third histidine box being present in the so called 'front end' desaturases. These enzymes are also characterized by the presence of a cytochrome b5 domain at the protein N-terminus. Site-directed mutagenesis has been used to probe the functional importance of a number of amino acid residues which comprise the third histidine box of a 'front end' desaturase, the borage Delta6-fatty acid desaturase. This showed that the variant glutamine in the third histidine box is essential for enzyme activity and that histidine is not able to substitute for this residue.

In vivo targeting of a sunflower oil body protein in yeast secretory (sec) mutants.

A sunflower oleosin was expressed in yeast to study the in vivo insertion of the protein into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and subsequent transfer to lipid bodies. The oleosin cDNA was expressed in a range of yeast secretory (sec) mutants to determine the precise targeting pathway of the oleosin to the ER. Subcellular fractionation experiments indicated that the signal recognition particle (SRP) is required for oleosin targeting to the ER and hence subsequent deposition on the lipid bodies in vivo. The expression of oleosin in a range of sec61 mutant alleles confirmed the role of the SEC61 translocon in insertion of oleosin into the ER membrane, as well as indicating an unusual substrate/translocon interaction for one particular allele (sec61-3). Mistargeting of the oleosin due to impaired SRP function resulted in enhanced proteolysis of the plant protein in the transformed yeast, as determined by pulse-chase analysis. These data therefore provide the first in vivo evidence for the SRP-dependent targeting of the oleosin to the ER, and the subsequent requirement for a functional SEC61 translocon to mediate the correct insertion of the protein into the membrane.

Heterologous reconstitution in yeast of the polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthetic pathway.

A Caenorhabditis elegans ORF encoding the presumptive condensing enzyme activity of a fatty acid elongase has been characterized functionally by heterologous expression in yeast. This ORF (F56H11. 4) shows low similarity to Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes involved in fatty acid elongation. The substrate specificity of the C. elegans enzyme indicated a preference for Delta(6)-desaturated C18 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Coexpression of this activity with fatty acid desaturases required for the synthesis of C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids resulted in the accumulation of arachidonic acid from linoleic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid from alpha-linolenic acid. These results demonstrate the reconstitution of the n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthetic pathways. The C. elegans ORF is likely to interact with endogenous components of a yeast elongation system, with the heterologous nematode condensing enzyme F56H11.4 causing a redirection of enzymatic activity toward polyunsaturated C18 fatty acid substrates.

The targeting and accumulation of ectopically expressed oleosin in non-seed tissues of Arabidopsis thaliana.

Full-length and N-terminal deletions of a sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) oleosin protein were expressed ectopically in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. Immunological detection of the sunflower protein revealed that it accumulated in a range of non-oil-storing tissues, including leaves, roots and petals. This accumulation was shown to result from deposition in the microsomal membrane fraction. Expression in oil-storing tissues (such as seeds) of oleosin N-terminal deletions revealed impaired transfer from the endoplasmic reticulum to the oil body. In non-oil-storing tissues, accumulation in the microsomal membrane fraction was progressively reduced by N-terminal deletion. These data confirm the role of the endomembrane system in the targeting of the oleosin and its intimate relationship with oil-body biogenesis.

Mutagenesis of the borage Delta(6) fatty acid desaturase.

The consensus sequence of the third histidine box of a range of Delta(5), Delta(6), Delta(8) and sphingolipid desaturases differs from that of the membrane-bound non-fusion Delta(12) and Delta(15) desaturases in the presence of glutamine instead of histidine. We have used site-directed mutagenesis to determine the importance of glutamine and other residues of the third histidine box and created a chimaeric enzyme to determine the ability of the Cyt b(5) fusion domain from the plant sphingolipid desaturase to substitute for the endogenous domain of the Delta(6) desaturase.

Production of C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) by pathway engineering: identification of a PUFA elongase component from Caenorhabditis elegans.

Using a combination of database-mining and functional characterization, we have identified a component of the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) elongase. Co-expression of this elongating activity with fatty acid desaturases has allowed us to heterologously reconstitute the PUFA biosynthetic pathway. Both these enzymes (desaturases and elongase components) have undergone gene-duplication events which provide a paradigm for the diverged nature of PUFA biosynthetic activities.

Secondary structure of oleosins in oil bodies isolated from seeds of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.).

Oil bodies were isolated from mature seeds of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.). Oil body preparations containing only oleosin proteins could be obtained from safflower seeds by salt-washing followed by centrifugation on discontinuous sucrose density gradients. However, it was necessary to treat sunflower oil bodies with urea to obtain preparations of similar purity. Incubation of the oil bodies with proteinases gave two fragments with molecular masses of 6 and 8 kDa which were protected from digestion. These fragments represented the hydrophobic domain of the oleosins, as determined by N-terminal sequencing. Intact and proteinase-treated oil bodies of both species were analysed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, as dry films and in aqueous medium, the spectra being compared with those obtained for pure oil samples in order to identify the bands resulting from the oleosin proteins and protected peptides. This investigation showed that the hydrophobic domain of the oleosins in intact oil bodies is predominantly alpha-helical in structure and that the conformation was not greatly affected by washing the oil bodies with urea during preparation.