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Unravelling the multiple effects of lactic acid stress on Lactobacillus plantarum by transcription profiling

Pieterse, B. (author), Leer, R.J. (author), Schuren, F.H.J. (author), van der Werf, M.J. (author), TNO Kwaliteit van Leven (author)

The organic acid lactate is the predominant fermentation product of Lactobacillus plantarum. The undissociated form of this organic acid is a strong growth inhibitor for the organism. Different theories have been postulated to explain the inhibitory effects of lactic acid: (i) toxicity arising from the dissipation of the membrane potential, (ii)...

article 2005

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Expression of agsA, one of five 1,3-α-d-glucan synthase-encoding genes in Aspergillus niger, is induced in response to cell wall stress

Damveld, R.A. (author), van Kuyk, P.A. (author), Arentshorst, M. (author), Klis, F.M. (author), van den Hondel, C.A.M.J.J. (author), Ram, A.F.J. (author), TNO Kwaliteit van Leven TNO Voeding (author)

1,3-α-d-Glucan is an important component of the cell wall of filamentous fungi. We have identified a family of five 1,3-α-d-glucan synthase-encoding genes in Aspergillus niger. The agsA gene was sequenced and the predicted protein sequence indicated that the overall domain structure of 1,3-α-d-glucan synthases is conserved in fungi. Using RT-PCR...

article 2005

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Metabolomics in human nutrition: opportunities and challenges

TNO Kwaliteit van Leven TNO Voeding (author), Gibney, M.J. (author), Walsh, M. (author), Brennan, L. (author), Roche, H.M. (author), German, B. (author), van Ommen, B. (author)

Metabolomics has been widely adopted in pharmacology and toxicology but is relatively new in human nutrition. The ultimate goal, to understand the effects of exogenous compounds on human metabolic regulation, is similar in all 3 fields. However, the application of metabolomics to nutritional research will be met with unique challenges. Little is...

article 2005

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The RETINOBLASTOMA-RELATED gene regulates stem cell maintenance in Arabidopsis roots

TNO Kwaliteit van Leven (author), Wildwater, M. (author), Campilho, A. (author), Perez-Perez, J.M. (author), Heidstra, R. (author), Blilou, I. (author), Korthout, H. (author), Chatterjee, J. (author), Mariconti, L. (author), Gruissem, W. (author), Scheres, B. (author)

The maintenance of stem cells in defined locations is crucial for all multicellular organisms. Although intrinsic factors and signals for stem cell fate have been identified in several species, it has remained unclear how these connect to the ability to reenter the cell cycle that is one of the defining properties of stem cells. We show that...

article 2005

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The cell wall stress response in Aspergillus niger involves increased expression of the glutamine: Fructose-6-phosphate amidotransferase-encoding gene (gfaA) and increased deposition of chitin in the cell wall

Ram, A.F.J. (author), Arentshorst, M. (author), Damveld, R.A. (author), van Kuyk, P.A. (author), Klis, F.M. (author), van den Hondel, C.A.M.J.J. (author), TNO Voeding (author)

Perturbation of cell wall synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, either by mutations in cell wall synthesis-related genes or by adding compounds that interfere with normal cell wall assembly, triggers a compensatory response to ensure cell wall integrity. This response includes an increase in chitin levels in the cell wall. Here it is shown that...

article 2004

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A combination of proteomics, principal component analysis and transcriptomics is a powerful tool for the identification of biomarkers for macrophage maturation in the U937 cell line

Verhoeckx, K.C.M. (author), Bijlsma, S. (author), de Groene, E.M. (author), Witkamp, R.F. (author), van der Greef, J. (author), Rodenburg, R.J.T. (author), TNO Voeding (author)

The monocyte-like human histiocytic lymphoma cell line U937 can be induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) to undergo differentiation into a macrophage-like phenotype. We have used two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), oligonucleotide microarrays and principal component analysis (PCA) to characterize the U937 cell line as a model...

article 2004

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Phenotype characterisation using integrated gene transcript, protein and metabolite profiling

Orešič, M. (author), Clish, C.B. (author), Davidov, E.J. (author), Verheij, E. (author), Vogels, J. (author), Havekes, L.M. (author), Neumann, E. (author), Adourian, A. (author), Naylor, S. (author), van der Greef, J. (author), Plasterer, T. (author), TNO Preventie en Gezondheid (author)

Multifactorial diseases present a significant challenge for functional genomics. Owing to their multiple compartmental effects and complex biomolecular activities, such diseases cannot be adequately characterised by changes in single components, nor can pathophysiological changes be understood by observing gene transcripts alone. Instead, a...

article 2004

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The Aspergillus nidulans amdS gene as a marker for the identification of multicopy T-DNA integration events in Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Aspergillus awamori

Michielse, C.B. (author), Ram, A.F.J. (author), van den Hondel, C.A.M.J.J. (author), TNO Voeding (author)

The Aspergillus nidulans amdS selection marker was used for the identification of multicopy T-DNA insertions in Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Asp. awamori. The selection of transformants on agar plates containing acetamide as sole nitrogen source and hygromycin resulted in a six-fold decrease in the transformation frequency, compared...

article 2004

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Do aberrant crypt foci have predictive value for the occurrence of colorectal tumours? Potential of gene expression profiling in tumours

Wijnands, M.V.W. (author), van Erk, M.J. (author), Doornbos, R.P. (author), Krul, C.A.M. (author), Woutersen, R.A. (author)

The effects of different dietary compounds on the formation of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and colorectal tumours and on the expression of a selection of genes were studied in rats. Azoxymethane-treated male F344 rats were fed either a control diet or a diet containing 10% wheat bran (WB), 0.2% curcumin (CUR), 4% rutin (RUT) or 0.04% benzyl...

article 2004

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Bromobenzene-induced hepatotoxicity at the transcriptome level

Heijne, W.H.M. (author), Slitt, A.L. (author), van Bladeren, P.J. (author), Groten, J.P. (author), Klaassen, C.D. (author), Stierum, R.H. (author), van Ommen, B. (author), TNO Voeding Centraal Instituut voor Voedingsonderzoek TNO (author)

Rats were exposed to three levels of bromobenzene, sampled at 6, 24, and 48 h, and liver gene expression profiles were determined to identify dose and time-related changes. Expression of many genes changed transiently, and dependent on the dose. Few changes were identified after 6 h, but many genes were differentially expressed after 24 h, while...

article 2004

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Endoplasmic reticulum stress leads to the selective transcriptional downregulation of the glucoamylase gene in Aspergillus niger

Al-Sheikh, H. (author), Watson, A.J. (author), Lacey, G.A. (author), Punt, P.J. (author), MacKenzie, D.A. (author), Jeenes, D.J. (author), Pakula, T. (author), Penttilä, M. (author), Alcocer, M.J.C. (author), Archer, D.B. (author), TNO Voeding (author)

We describe a new endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated stress response in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger. The inhibition of protein folding within the ER leads to cellular responses known collectively as the unfolded protein response (UPR) and we show that the selective transcriptional downregulation of the gene encoding glucoamylase,...

article 2004

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Global Suppression of IL-6-induced Acute Phase Response Gene Expression after Chronic in Vivo Treatment with the Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor-alpha Activator Fenofibrate

TNO Preventie en Gezondheid (author), Gervois, P. (author), Kleemann, R. (author), Pilon, A. (author), Percevault, F. (author), Koenig, W. (author), Staels, B. (author), Kooistra, T. (author)

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha), which is highly expressed in liver, plays key roles in lipid metabolism and inflammation. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is the principal inducer of acute phase response (APR) gene expression. In the present study, we demonstrate that chronic treatment with the PPARalpha agonist fenofibrate...

article 2004

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TR3 orphan receptor is expressed in vascular endothelial cells and mediates cell cycle arrest

Arkenbout, E.K. (author), van Bragt, M. (author), Eldering, E. (author), van Bree, C. (author), Grimbergen, J.M. (author), Quax, P.H.A. (author), Pannekoek, H. (author), de Vries, C.J.M. (author), Gaubius Instituut TNO (author)

Objective - Endothelial cells play a pivotal role in vascular homeostasis. In this study, we investigated the function of the nerve growth factor-induced protein-B (NGFI-B) subfamily of nuclear receptors comprising the TR3 orphan receptor (TR3), mitogen-induced nuclear orphan receptor (MINOR), and nuclear orphan receptor of T cells (NOT) in...

article 2003

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The role of the Aspergillus niger furin-type protease gene in processing of fungal proproteins and fusion proteins: Evidence for alternative processing of recombinant (fusion-) proteins

Punt, P.J. (author), Drint-Kuijvenhoven, A. (author), Lokman, B.C. (author), Spencer, J.A. (author), Jeenes, D. (author), Archer, D.A. (author), van den Hondel, C.A.M.J.J. (author)

We have characterized growth and protein processing characteristics of Aspergillus niger strains carrying a disrupted allele of the previously cloned and characterized kexB gene [Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66 (2000) 363] encoding a furin-type endoprotease. Deletion of the single-copy gene confirms it to be non-essential but disruptant strains...

article 2003

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Aspergillus oryzae in solid-state and submerged fermentations: Progress report on a multi-disciplinary project

te Biesebeke, R. (author), Ruijter, G. (author), Rahardjo, Y.S.P. (author), Hoogschagen, M.J. (author), Heerikhuisen, M. (author), Levin, A. (author), van Driel, K.G.A. (author), Schutyser, M.A.I. (author), Dijksterhuis, J. (author), Zhu, Y. (author), Weber, F.J. (author), de Vos, W.M. (author), van den Hondel, K.A.M.J.J. (author), Rinzema, A. (author), Punt, P.J. (author)

We report the progress of a multi-disciplinary research project on solid-state fermentation (SSF) of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae. The molecular and physiological aspects of the fungus in submerged fermentation (SmF) and SSF are compared and we observe a number of differences correlated with the different growth conditions. First,...

article 2002

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Broad expression of Toll-like receptors in the human central nervous system

Bsibsi, M. (author), Ravid, R. (author), Gveric, D. (author), van Noort, J.M. (author)

The family of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) plays a key role in controlling innate immune responses to a wide variety of pathogen-associated molecules. In this study we investigated expression of TLRs in vitro by purified human microglia, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, and in vivo by immunohistochemical examination of brain and spinal cord...

article 2002

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Moderate cholecalciferol supplementation depresses intestinal calcium absorption in growing dogs

Tryfonidou, M.A. (author), Stevenhagen, J.J. (author), van den Bemd, G.J.C.M. (author), Oosterlaken-Dijksterhuis, M.A. (author), Deluca, H.F. (author), Mol, J.A. (author), van den Brom, W.E. (author), van Leeuwen, J.P.T.M. (author), Hazewinkel, H.A.W. (author), Centraal Instituut voor Voedingsonderzoek TNO (author)

Hormonal regulation of calcium (Ca) absorption was investigated in a cholecalciferol (vitamin D3)supplemented group (hVitD) vs. a control group (cVitD) of growing Great Danes (100 vs. 12.5 μg vitamin D3/kg diet). Although Ca intakes did not differ, fractional Ca absorption was significantly lower in the hVitD group than in the cVitD group. There...

article 2002

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Expression of the xylulose 5-phosphate phosphoketolase gene, xpkA, from Lactobacillus pentosus MD363 is induced by sugars that are fermented via the phosphoketolase pathway and is repressed by glucose mediated by CcpA and the mannose phosphoenolpyruvate phosphotransferase system

TNO Voeding Centraal Instituut voor Voedingsonderzoek TNO (author), Posthuma, C.C. (author), Bader, R. (author), Engelmann, R. (author), Postma, P.W. (author), Hengstenberg, W. (author), Pouwels, P.H. (author)

Purification of xylulose 5-phosphate phosphoketolase (XpkA), the central enzyme of the phosphoketolase pathway (PKP) in lactic acid bacteria, and cloning and sequence analysis of the encoding gene, xpkA, from Lactobacillus pentosus MD363 are described, xpkA encodes a 788-amino-acid protein with a calculated mass of 88,705 Da. Expression of xpkA...

article 2002

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Synthesis, processing and export of cytoplasmic endo-ß-1,4-xylanase from barley aleurone during germination

Caspers, M.P.M. (author), Lok, F. (author), Sinjorgo, K.M.C. (author), van Zeijl, M. (author), Nielsen, K.A. (author), Cameron-Mills, V. (author), Centraal Instituut voor Voedingsonderzoek TNO (author)

We have identified the major endo-β-l,4-xylanase (XYN-1) in the aleurone of germinating barley grain, and show that it is expressed as a precursor of Mr 61 500 with both N- and C-terminal propeptides. XYN-1 is synthesized as an inactive enzyme in the cytoplasm, and only becomes active at a late stage of germination when the aleurone ceases to...

article 2001

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Regulation of expression of the Aspergillus niger benzoate para-hydroxylase cytochrome P450 system

van den Brink, J.M. (author), Punt, P.J. (author), van Gorcom, R.F.M. (author), van den Hondel, C.A.M.J.J. (author), Centraal Instituut voor Voedingsonderzoek TNO (author)

Cytochrome P450 enzyme systems are found throughout nature and are involved in many different, often complex, bioconversions. In the endoplasmic reticulum of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger a cytochrome P450 enzyme system is present that is capable of the para-hydroxylation of benzoate. The expression of the two genes encoding the...

article 2000