other lipid-based transfection reagents will also provide efficient siRNA transfection of the adipocytes in suspension. Paraplegin was originally discovered and named for its involvement in hereditary spastic paraplegias. These are heterogeneous syndromes most commonly manifested in progressive spasticity and weakness of the lower limbs. At present, around 40 genes have been recognized to contribute to HSP. HSP-related mutations in the SPG7 gene cause axonal degeneration. Nonsense loss-of-function mutations are prevalent, but disease-linked amino acid replacements in the AAAdomain have also been identified. Here, the crystal structure of the AAA-domain of human paraplegin is presented in complex with ADP. The overall fold and the nucleotide binding site are described. We outline the side chains that, by homology with FtsH, are implicated in hexamer formation, substrate binding, and chemomechanical coupling. Finally, we discuss the putative roles of disease-related residues. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is the most common adult leukemia in the Western world. It is a heterogeneous disease associated with a highly variable clinical course. A key feature of CLL is cytogenetic instability, with chromosomal abnormalities 917879-39-1 occurring in around 80 of cases. While the molecular aetiology of CLL remains largely undetermined, specific recurrent chromosomal aberrations have been well described and serve as independent prognostic indicators for disease progression and survival. Deletion of chromosome 13q is the most frequent chromosomal aberration in CLL, occurring in approximately 50 of patients. The deletion of chromosome band 13q14 has also been reported in a variety of other malignancies, demonstrating the importance of this 91757-46-9 manufacturer region in tumorigenesis. There has been wide speculation that the 13q14 region harbours tumour suppressor gene involved in the aetiology of these diseases. Various candidate tumour suppressor genes within the minimal deleted region at 13q14 have been investigated, yet studies have consistently failed to detect any pathogenic mutations. There remains, therefore, a need to identify alternative mechanisms that may influence the development of CLL. There is increasing evidence for the involvement of microRNAs in tumorigenesis. MicroRNAs are small, noncoding RNAs that mediate the expression of target genes through sequence-specific base pairing with target messenger RNA. Target gene expression is regulated by the degradation of the mRNA or more
