Molly Violet - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Molly Violet

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 1999

This paper introduces a new type of system to simulate conditions in the large intestine. This sy... more This paper introduces a new type of system to simulate conditions in the large intestine. This system combines removal of metabolites and water with peristaltic mixing to obtain and handle physiological concentrations of microorganisms, dry matter and microbial metabolites. The system has been designed to be complementary to the dynamic multi-compartmental system that simulates conditions in the stomach and small intestine described by Minekus et al. [Minekus M, Marteau P, Havenaar R, Huis in't Veld JHJ (1995) ATLA 23:197–209]. High densities of microorganisms, comparable to those found in the colon in vivo, were achieved by absorption of water and dialysis of metabolites through hollow-fibre membranes inside the reactor compartments. The dense chyme was mixed and transported by peristaltic movements. The potential of the system as a tool to study fermentation was demonstrated in experiments with pectin, fructo-oligosaccharide, lactulose and lactitol as substrates. Parameters such as total acid production and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) patterns were determined with time to characterize the fermentation. The stability of the microflora in the system was tested after inoculation with fresh fecal samples and after inoculation with a microflora that was main-tained in a fermenter. Both approaches resulted in total anaerobic bacterial counts higher than 1010 colony-forming units/ml with physiological levels of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Enterobacteriaceae and Clostridium. The dry matter content was approximately 10%, while the total SCFA concentration was maintained at physiological concentrations with similar molar ratios for acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid as measured in vivo.

Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 2009

Molecular Cancer, 2010

Background Although the incidence of melanoma in the U.S. is rising faster than any other cancer,... more Background Although the incidence of melanoma in the U.S. is rising faster than any other cancer, the FDA-approved chemotherapies lack efficacy for advanced disease, which results in poor overall survival. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), autotaxin (ATX), the enzyme that produces LPA, and the LPA receptors represent an emerging group of therapeutic targets in cancer, although it is not known which of these is most effective. Results Herein we demonstrate that thio-ccPA 18:1, a stabilized phosphonothionate analogue of carba cyclic phosphatidic acid, ATX inhibitor and LPA1/3 receptor antagonist, induced a marked reduction in the viability of B16F10 metastatic melanoma cells compared with PBS-treated control by 80-100%. Exogenous LPA 18:1 or D-sn-1-O-oleoyl-2-O-methylglyceryl-3-phosphothioate did not reverse the effect of thio-ccPA 18:1. The reduction in viability mediated by thio-ccPA 18:1 was also observed in A375 and MeWo melanoma cell lines, suggesting that the effects are generalizable. Interestingly, siRNA to LPA3 (siLPA3) but not other LPA receptors recapitulated the effects of thio-ccPA 18:1 on viability, suggesting that inhibition of the LPA3 receptor is an important dualistic function of the compound. In addition, siLPA3 reduced proliferation, plasma membrane integrity and altered morphology of A375 cells. Another experimental compound designed to antagonize the LPA1/3 receptors significantly reduced viability in MeWo cells, which predominantly express the LPA3 receptor. Conclusions Thus the ability of thio-ccPA 18:1 to inhibit the LPA3 receptor and ATX are key to its molecular mechanism, particularly in melanoma cells that predominantly express the LPA3 receptor. These observations necessitate further exploration and exploitation of these targets in melanoma.

BMC Evolutionary Biology, 2010

Journal of Molecular Evolution, 2011

Female preference for male orange coloration in the genus Poecilia suggests a role for duplicated... more Female preference for male orange coloration in the genus Poecilia suggests a role for duplicated long wavelength-sensitive (LWS) opsin genes in facilitating behaviors related to mate choice in these species. Previous work has shown that LWS gene duplication in this genus has resulted in expansion of long wavelength visual capacity as determined by microspectrophotometry (MSP). However, the relationship between LWS genomic repertoires and expression of LWS retinal cone classes within a given species is unclear. Our previous study in the related species, Xiphophorus helleri, was the first characterization of the complete LWS opsin genomic repertoire in conjunction with MSP expression data in the family Poeciliidae, and revealed the presence of four LWS loci and two distinct LWS cone classes. In this study we characterized the genomic organization of LWS opsin genes by BAC clone sequencing, and described the full range of cone cell types in the retina of the colorful Cumaná guppy, Poecilia reticulata. In contrast to X. helleri, MSP data from the Cumaná guppy revealed three LWS cone classes. Comparisons of LWS genomic organization described here for Cumaná to that of X. helleri indicate that gene divergence and not duplication was responsible for the evolution of a novel LWS haplotype in the Cumaná guppy. This lineage-specific divergence is likely responsible for a third additional retinal cone class not present in X. helleri, and may have facilitated the strong sexual selection driven by female preference for orange color patterns associated with the genus Poecilia.