-
[
Carbohydr Res,
2016]
This review discusses the advances in metabolic oligosaccharide engineering (MOE) from 2010 to 2016 with a focus on the structure, preparation, and reactivity of its chemical probes. A brief historical overview of MOE is followed by a comprehensive overview of the chemical probes currently available in the MOE molecular toolbox and the bioconjugation techniques they enable. The final part of the review focusses on the synthesis of a selection of probes and finishes with an outlook on recent and potential upcoming advances in the field of MOE.
-
[
Genetics,
1996]
I fell in love with Caenorhabditis elegans in the summer of '72. Our relationship was cemented four years later, 20 years ago now, by the publication of a paper in Genetics on C. elegans chromosome rearrangements (Herman et al. 1976). My pleasant assignment here is to describe the beginning of that work and to relate it to current worm cytogenetics and chromosome mechanics.
-
[
Science,
1995]
Programmed cell death (PCD), or apoptosis, is a conserved terminal differentiation program that multicellular organisms have evolved to get rid of cells that are not needed, that are in the way, or that are potentially dangerous. PCD can be equated with cell suicide in the sense that the dying cell plays an active role in promoting its own demise and removal from the organism.
-
[
Trends Genet,
1999]
The genome sequence of the free-living nematode Caenorhabiditis elegans is nearly complete, with resolution of the final difficult regions expected over the next few months. This will represent the first genome of a multicellular organism to be sequenced to completion. The genome is approximately 97 Mb in total, and encodes more than 19 099 proteins, considerably more than expected before sequencing began. The sequencing project - a collaboration between the Genome Sequencing Center in St Louis and the Sanger Centre in Hinxton - has lasted eight years, with the majority of the sequence generated in the past four years. Analysis of the genome sequence is just beginning and represents an effort that will undoubtedly last more than another decade. However, some interesting findings are already apparent, indicating that the scope of the project, the approach taken, and the usefulness of having the genetic blueprint for this small organism have been well worth the effort.
-
[
Nat Rev Genet,
2001]
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is well known to practising biologists as a model organism. Early work with C. elegans is best understood as part of a descriptive tradition in biological practice. Although the resources that have been generated by the C. elegans community have been revolutionary, they were produced by traditional methods and approaches. Here, I review the choice and use of the worm as an experimental organism for genetics and neurobiology that began in the 1960s.
-
[
Cell,
2002]
In 1963, Sydney Brenner, one of the founders of molecular biology, had reached an intellectual impasse. He felt that there were few advances left in that field that would have the significance of the discovery of mRNA and the elucidation of the genetic code, both of which he had participated in, and in any case with so many Americans joining in, the chemical details of replication and so forth would all be worked out soon. Brenner thought large thoughts, and the questions that were left seemed too
-
[
Ecol Dis,
1983]
Medical records concerning filarial diseases in Ceylon date from the account of Davy[1], though there are hints as to the more obvious manifestations in the old chronicles of the country, too. A first survey was conducted in 1912/1913 concentrating on urban areas, followed by a second survey in the 1930s with emphasis on the rural parts. The results displayed a remarkable distribution pattern: Wuchereria bancrofti, the so-called "urban type", concentrated in Galle and Matara towns, whereas Brugia malayi, the "rural type", widespread along the southwest coast from Matara to Negombo, plus isolated pockets in the northwest, central north, east and south. The survey of the 1930s lead to the supposition that the occurrence of B. malayi must have something to do with the distribution of certain water plants, a suspicion later on confirmed in that Pistia stratiotes in particular--but other water plants as well--are essential for the survival of the vector (Taeniorhynchus (Mansonia) uniformis) during its early (submersed) stages of development. A determined effort to remove the water plants from tanks etc. reduced the rural type with encouraging results. At the same time, a combination of factors, in particular the war-time sojourn of masses of troops from Africa, already infected by filarial diseases, in the southwestern coastal areas triggered off an unexpected spread of the urban type out of its early "bridge-heads" in Galle and Matara towns to invade the southwest coastal areas, and, later on, supported by increased population mobility, to advance further inland too. At present, there is no remedy within sight to give some hope to come to grips with this problem as the vector, Culex pipiens fatigans, is ubiquitous and finds suitable breeding grounds practically everywhere. Research into the history of filarial diseases in Ceylon points as far as B. malayi is concerned, to an invasion by a Malayan army under the Kalinga kings during the days of close relations between Ceylon and southeast Asia, i.e. during the 12th and 13th centuries, and as far as W. bancrofti is concerned, a Chinese army, invading the southern coast in the early 15th century, is made responsible. Filarial diseases in Ceylon present a particular interesting case of geomedical research; but inspite of encouraging results in fighting the rural type, i.e. B. malayi, the urban type, W. bancrofti, seems to remain a problem of public health in the island for the forseeable future.
-
[
Genetics,
1989]
Just over 21 years ago, in October of 1967, Sydney Brenner soaked a culture of hermaphroditic nematodes of the species Caenorhabditis elegans in a solution of ethyl methane sulfonate. A week later, examining their F2 descendants, he noticed a short, "dumpy" animal among the long, thin wild-type worms. The dumpy animal was picked to a separate culture plate and allowed to produce self-progeny, which were also dumpy: it was a true-breeding mutant. The new strain was given the name E1. Crosses with the parental wild-type strain showed that the mutant phenotype was due to a single autosomal recessive mutation - in modern nomenclature, allele
e1 of the gene
dpy-1.
-
[
Clin Med,
2003]
The recent award of a Nobel Prize to Sydney Brenner crowns an astonishingly distinguished scientific career. He must have come very close to winning it several times in the past. A colleague described him as 'a visionary who sees further into the future than anyone'. This is borne out by his decision - made 40 years ago - to study a one-millimetre long worm in detail to define the, biochemical and genetic control of its development and differentiation. The impact of these studies has been so profound, with a significant bearing on human physiology and disease, that over 400 laboratories worldwide have now adopted the worm as a research tool. In this article, a brief outline is given of his work on the worm and of some of the highlights of his brilliant career.
-
[
Trends Parasitol,
2001]
The absence of animal models in which to reproduce successfully the complete life cycle of Onchocerca volvulus has hindered progress towards unravelling the processes involved in the regulation of parasite abundance in the vertebrate host. Mathematical frameworks have been developed to explore the consequences of such processes in determining parasite population dynamics and the effect on these of control interventions. Post-control predictions are strongly influenced by the assumptions concerning the reproductive life span of the adult female worm (the longest-lived parasite stage) and the distribution of its survival times, and this notion is important to all frameworks. Here, we review the development of models concerning onchocerciasis and discuss the various approaches that have been used, presenting a deterministic framework with parameter values estimated from the Mexican onchocerciasis control programme. This model is used to evaluate interventions combining the removal of adult worms (nodulectomy) and the microfilaricidal and possibly sterilizing effect of ivermectin.