• Screen Reader Access
  • A+ A A -
  • A A

2023

Zeb1 and Tle3 are key regulators of muscle differentiation

Our skeletal muscle is made up of large, elongated cells with multiple nuclei, known as myofibers. Myofibers arise by a process known as differentiation, where stem cells become specified to the muscle specific fate, fuse with each other and assemble the contractile protein machinery required for muscle contraction. One such crucial muscle contractile protein is myosin heavy chain-embryonic (MyHC-embryonic), encoded by the Myh3 gene. MyHC-embryonic is expressed during embryonic development and absent in adult life except during muscle regeneration associated with injury or disease.

A Myosin essential for skeletal muscle homeostasis

Myosins are proteins essential for fundamental cellular functions such as in cell division, transport and migration. A unique set of myosin proteins are expressed by our skeletal muscle, which form part of the contractile network helping movement and posture maintenance. One such myosin is myosin heavy chain-embryonic (MyHC-embryonic), encoded by the Myh3 gene, which is expressed during embryonic development and mostly absent in the adult muscle except during injury and associated regeneration.

Targeting pili-mediated bacterial attachment to control oral plaque development

Oral biofilm or dental plaque is a yellowish sticky layer that grows on the tooth surface. It is a complex microbial biofilm community with over 700 different microbes and a major cause of multiple infections, including infective endocarditis. Its growth begins when certain bacteria called primary colonizers attach to oral tissues and undergo coaggregation. Primary colonizers such as Streptococcus sanguinis utilize hair-like surface organelles known as pili or fimbria to initiate the attachment to the tooth surface and interact with other bacteria.