The apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-like 3G (APOBEC3G or A3G) and its fellow cytidine deaminase family members are potent restrictive factors for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and many other retroviruses. A3G interacts with a vast spectrum of RNAbinding proteins and is located in processing bodies and stress granules. However, its cellular function remains to be further clarified. Using a luciferase reporter gene and green fluorescent protein reporter gene, we demonstrate that A3G and other APOBEC family members can counteract the inhibition of protein synthesis by various microRNAs (miRNAs) such as mir-10b, mir-16, mir-25, and let-7a. A3G could also enhance the expression level of miRNA-targeted mRNA. Further, A3G facilitated the association of microRNA-targeted mRNA with polysomes rather than with processing bodies. Intriguingly, experiments with a C288A/C291A A3G mutant indicated that this function of A3G is separable from its cytidine deaminase activity. Our findings suggest that the major cellular function of A3G, in addition to inhibiting the mobility of retrotransposons and replication of endogenous retroviruses, is most likely to prevent the decay of miRNA-targeted mRNA in processing bodies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs)2 are 20 -22-nt regulatory RNAs that participate in the regulation of various biological functions in numerous eukaryotic lineages, including plants, insects, vertebrate, and mammals (1-3). More than 474 miRNAs have been identified in humans so far, and ϳ30% of the genes in the human genome are predicted to be subject to miRNA regulation (4). The expression of many miRNAs is usually specific to a tissue or developmental stage, and the miRNA expression pattern is altered during the development of many diseases (3). Mature miRNAs are generated from RNA polymerase II-transcribed primary miRNAs that are processed sequentially by the nucleases Drosha and Dicer. Although miRNA can guide mRNA cleavage, the basic function of miRNA is to mediate inhibition of protein translation (1, 5-8) through miRNA-induced silencing complexes (miRISCs). The guiding strand of miRNA in a miRISC interacts with a complementary sequence in the 3Ј-untranslated region (3Ј-UTR) of its target mRNA by partial sequence complementarities, resulting in translational inhibition (1). A 7-nucleotide "seed" sequence (at positions 2-8 from the 5Ј-end) in miRNAs seems to be essential for this action (4). The composition of the miRISC is similar to that of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), which is responsible for mRNA cleavage guided by small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) (1, 3, 7). Nevertheless, some differences exist between miRISCs and siRNA RISCs. For example, the major Argonaute protein in siRNA RISC is Ago-2, whereas all four of the Ago proteins (Ago1-4) are found in miRISC (3,8). Further, the siRNA RISC may be associated with various RNA-binding proteins such as fragile-X mental retardation protein (FMRP), TAR RNA-binding protein (TRBP), and the human homolog of the Drosophila helicase Arm...

The recent characterization of multiple fibrillin genes raises the question of whether each of the fibrillin proteins is a component of elastic fiber microfibrils and whether their expression during development of elastic tissues is consistent with a function associated with elastogenesis. To address these possibilities, the expression of fibrillin-1 and fibrillin-2 was compared with expression of MAGP and tropoelastin in two elastogenic tissues that undergo different developmental programs. For both fibrillins, the greatest increase in expression occurred during the last half of fetal development when elastin production is highest. In fetal bovine nuchal ligament, mRNA levels for fibrillin-1 and fibrillin-2 increased approximately threefold during this period, whereas tropoelastin increased 20-fold. Although the relative increase in expression of both fibrillins was equivalent, the basal level of fibrillin-1 expression was greater than fibrillin-2. In developing bovine aorta, fibrillin mRNA levels again paralleled tropoelastin expression although, compared to ligament, elastin synthesis began at an earlier fetal age in this tissue. Furthermore, the relative increase in aortic fibrillin-2 expression was greater than that for fibrillin-1 and the ratio of fibrillin-2 to fibrillin-1 was higher than in the ligament. In contrast to the fibrillins, MAGP expression in nuchal ligament and aorta remained at a constant high level throughout the fetal period. Indirect immunofluorescent staining and immunoelectron microscopy localized both fibrillins as well as MAGP to elastic fiber microfibrils in these developing tissues. The coordinate upregulation of fibrillin-1 and fibrillin-2 expression with the onset of tropoelastin production is consistent with a role in elastic fiber assembly. Our findings also suggest temporal and tissue-specific regulation for the fibrillins during development.

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Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus is an opportunistic pathogen. It has caused a very large economic loss in the swine industry of China and has become a threat to human health. We announce the complete genome sequence of S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus strain ATCC 35246, which provides opportunities to understand its pathogenesis mechanism and genetic basis.

Molecules contributing to microbial cytoadhesion are important virulence factors. In Mycoplasma bovis, a minimal bacterium but an important cattle pathogen, binding to host cells is emerging as a complex process involving a broad range of surface-exposed structures. Here, a new cytoadhesin of M. bovis was identified by producing a collection of individual knock-out mutants and evaluating their binding to embryonic bovine lung cells. The cytoadhesive-properties of this surface-exposed protein, which is encoded by Mbov_0503 in strain HB0801, were demonstrated at both the mycoplasma cell and protein levels using confocal microscopy and ELISA. Although Mbov_0503 disruption was only associated in M. bovis with a partial reduction of its binding capacity, this moderate effect was sufficient to affect M. bovis interaction with the host-cell tight junctions, and to reduce the translocation of this mycoplasma across epithelial cell monolayers. Besides demonstrating the capacity of M. bovis to disrupt tight junctions, these results identified novel properties associated with cytoadhesin that might contribute to virulence and host colonization. These findings provide new insights into the complex interplay taking place between wall-less mycoplasmas and the host-cell surface.