Enzyme stabilization and thermotolerance function of the intrinsically disordered LEA2 proteins from date palm.

In date palm, the LEA2 genes are of abundance with sixty-two members that are nearly all ubiquitous. However, their functions and interactions with potential target molecules are largely unexplored. In this study, five date palm LEA2 genes, PdLEA2.2, PdLEA2.3, PdLEA2.4, PdLEA2.6, and PdLEA2.7 were cloned, sequenced, and three of them, PdLEA2.2, PdLEA2.3, and PdLEA2.4 were functionally characterized for their effects on the thermostability of two distinct enzymes, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and ß-glucosidase (bglG) in vitro. Overall, PdLEA2.3 and PdLEA2.4 were moderately hydrophilic, PdLEA2.7 was slightly hydrophobic, and PdLEA2.2 and PdLEA2.6 were neither. Sequence and structure prediction indicated the presence of a stretch of hydrophobic residues near the N-terminus that could potentially form a transmembrane helix in PdLEA2.2, PdLEA2.4, PdLEA2.6 and PdLEA2.7. In addition to the transmembrane helix, secondary and tertiary structures prediction showed the presence of a disordered region followed by a stacked ß-sheet region in all the PdLEA2 proteins. Moreover, three purified recombinant PdLEA2 proteins were produced in vitro, and their presence in the LDH enzymatic reaction enhanced the activity and reduced the aggregate formation of LDH under the heat stress. In the bglG enzymatic assays, PdLEA2 proteins further displayed their capacity to preserve and stabilize the bglG enzymatic activity.

Life-threatening haematochezia in a man with two gastrointestinal stromal tumours.

A man in his 30s was brought by ambulance to the emergency department with a complaint of frank bright red rectal bleeding and dizziness. His blood pressure was 60/18 mm Hg. He was resuscitated with intravenous normal saline and an emergency blood transfusion. Following a negative emergency oesophagogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy, an angiographic CT of the abdomen revealed a large tumour in the ileum. After failing to stabilise him with multiple blood transfusions, he had an emergent laparotomy and surgical resection of the tumour, which was confirmed by histocytology as gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST). He made full recovery and was discharged home after 10 days. We discussed the challenges of managing significant lower gastrointestinal bleeding and reviewed the current management of GIST.