measuring-constipation-in-a-drosophila-model-of-parkinson-s-disease

Measuring Constipation in a <em>Drosophila</em> Model of Parkinson's Disease

Non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) are common, difficult to treat, and significantly impair quality of life. One prevalent non-motor symptom ...

University of Pittsburgh

We have developed a telomere-based episome by large-scale amplification in Escherichia coli cells. This episome consists of a PAC vector in which a 6 Kb sequence, containing an array of telomeric repeats spaced by a synthetic sequence, is tandemly repeated by large-scale multimerization in E. coli. After transfection in human HT1080 cells, the construct, called clone 106, was able to persist in episomal form or integrated into some endogenous chromosomes. Integrations occurred exclusively at the telomeres. Episomes were still present in HT1080 cells after more than 100 days in the absence of selection. Integrations of clone 106 into the telomeric regions were retained only under selective conditions, and when the selection was removed the construct was progressively eliminated from the chromosome. The long-term maintenance of clone 106 into human cells as an episome and its ability to integrate transiently into the telomeres of the host chromosomes suggest that this PAC-based episome is potentially a good candidate vector for gene therapy applications.

Generation of a telomere-based episomal vector.

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for  autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field.

Ming Shen

Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases,
Department of Neurology,
Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurology

University of Pittsburgh

Measuring Constipation in a Drosophila Model of Parkinson's Disease

Ming Shen

Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases,Department of Neurology,Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurology

University of Pittsburgh

Measuring Constipation in a Drosophila Model of Parkinson's Disease

Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases,
Department of Neurology,
Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurology