Signalling from hindbrain boundaries regulates neuronal clustering that patterns neurogenesis

During central nervous system development, neural progenitors are patterned to form discrete neurogenic and non-neurogenic zones. In the zebrafish hindbrain, neurogenesis is organised by Fgf20a emanating from neurons located at each segment centre that inhibits neuronal differentiation in adjacent progenitors. Here, we have identified a molecular mechanism that clusters fgf20a-expressing neurons in segment centres and uncovered a requirement for this positioning in the regulation of neurogenesis. Disruption of hindbrain boundary cell formation alters the organisation of fgf20a-expressing neurons, consistent with a role of chemorepulsion from boundaries. The semaphorins Sema3fb and Sema3gb, which are expressed by boundary cells, and their receptor Nrp2a are required for clustering of fgf20a-expressing neurons at segment centres. The dispersal of fgf20a-expressing neurons that occurs following the disruption of boundaries or of Sema3fb/Sema3gb signalling leads to reduced FGF target gene expression in progenitors and an increased number of differentiating neurons. Sema3 signalling from boundaries thus links hindbrain segmentation to the positioning of fgf20a-expressing neurons that regulates neurogenesis.     

Characterization of ppGalNAc-T18, a member of the vertebrate-specific Y subfamily of UDP-N-acetyl-α-D-galactosamine:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferases

The first step of mucin-type O-glycosylation is catalyzed by members of the UDP-GalNAc:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (ppGalNAc-T; EC 2.4.1.41) family. Each member of this family has unique substrate specificity and expression profiles. In this report, we describe a new subfamily of ppGalNAc-Ts, designated the Y subfamily. The Y subfamily consists of four members, ppGalNAc-T8, -T9, -T17 and -T18, in which the conserved YDX(5)WGGENXE sequence in the Gal/GalNAc-T motif of ppGalNAc-Ts is mutated to LDX(5)YGGENXE. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Y subfamily members only exist in vertebrates. All four Y subfamily members lack in vitro GalNAc-transferase activity toward classical substrates possibly because of the UDP-GalNAc-binding pocket mutants. However, ppGalNAc-T18, the newly identified defining member, was localized in the endoplasmic reticulum rather than the Golgi apparatus in lung carcinoma cells. The knockdown of ppGalNAc-T18 altered cell morphology, proliferation potential and changed cell O-glycosylation. ppGalNAc-T18 can also modulate the in vitro GalNAc-transferase activity of ppGalNAc-T2 and -T10, suggesting that it may be a chaperone-like protein. These findings suggest that the new Y subfamily of ppGalNAc-Ts plays an important role in protein glycosylation; characterizing their functions will provide new insight into the role of ppGalNAc-Ts.     

Flavonol glycosides with lipid accumulation inhibitory activity from Sedum sarmentosum

Three new flavonol glycosides, sarmenosides V–VII (1–3), were isolated from the whole plant of Sedum sarmentosum (Crassulaseae). The structures of 1–3 were determined on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Among the flavonoid constituents from S. sarmentosum, 1 and 3 were found to show oleic acid–albumin-induced lipid accumulation inhibitory activity.     

A novel function of Noc2 in agonist-induced intracellular Ca2+ increase during zymogen-granule exocytosis in pancreatic acinar cells

Noc2, a putative Rab effector, contributes to secretory-granule exocytosis in neuroendocrine and exocrine cells. Here, using two-photon excitation live-cell imaging, we investigated its role in Ca(2+)-dependent zymogen granule (ZG) exocytosis in pancreatic acinar cells from wild-type (WT) and Noc2-knockout (KO) mice. Imaging of a KO acinar cell revealed an expanded granular area, indicating ZG accumulation. In our spatiotemporal analysis of the ZG exocytosis induced by agonist (cholecystokinin or acetylcholine) stimulation, the location and rate of progress of ZG exocytosis did not differ significantly between the two strains. ZG exocytosis from KO acinar cells was seldom observed at physiological concentrations of agonists, but was normal (vs. WT) at high concentrations. Flash photolysis of a caged calcium compound confirmed the integrity of the fusion step of ZG exocytosis in KO acinar cells. The decreased ZG exocytosis present at physiological concentrations of agonists raised the possibility of impaired elicitation of calcium spikes. When calcium spikes were evoked in KO acinar cells by a high agonist concentration: (a) they always started at the apical portion and traveled to the basal portion, and (b) calcium oscillations over the 10 μM level were observed, as in WT acinar cells. At physiological concentrations of agonists, however, sufficient calcium spikes were not observed, suggesting an impaired [Ca(2+)](i)-increase mechanism in KO acinar cells. We propose that in pancreatic acinar cells, Noc2 is not indispensable for the membrane fusion of ZG per se, but instead performs a novel function favoring agonist-induced physiological [Ca(2+)](i) increases.     

Biological role of the two overlapping poly(A)-binding protein interacting motifs 2 (PAM2) of eukaryotic releasing factor eRF3 in mRNA decay

Eukaryotic releasing factor GSPT/eRF3 mediates translation termination-coupled mRNA decay via interaction with a cytosolic poly(A)-binding protein (PABPC1). A region of eRF3 containing two overlapping PAM2 (PABPC1-interacting motif 2) motifs is assumed to bind to the PABC domain of PABPC1, on the poly(A) tail of mRNA. PAM2 motifs are also found in the major deadenylases Caf1–Ccr4 and Pan2–Pan3, whose activities are enhanced upon PABPC1 binding to these motifs. Their deadenylase activities are regulated by eRF3, in which two overlapping PAM2 motifs competitively prevent interaction with PABPC1. However, it is unclear how these overlapping motifs recognize PABC and regulate deadenylase activity in a translation termination-coupled manner. We used a dominant-negative approach to demonstrate that the N-terminal PAM2 motif is critical for eRF3 binding to PABPC1 and that both motifs are required for function. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and NMR analyses revealed that the interaction is in equilibrium between the two PAM2–PABC complexes, where only one of the two overlapping PAM2 motifs is PABC-bound and the other is PABC-unbound and partially accessible to the other PABC. Based on these results, we proposed a biological role for the overlapping PAM2 motifs in the regulation of deadenylase accessibility to PABPC1 at the 3′ end of poly(A).     

Comparative Genomics of Community-Acquired ST59 Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Taiwan: Novel Mobile Resistance Structures with IS1216V

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with ST59/SCCmecV and Panton-Valentine leukocidin gene is a major community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) lineage in Taiwan and has been multidrug-resistant since its initial isolation. In this study, we studied the acquisition mechanism of multidrug resistance in an ST59 CA-MRSA strain (PM1) by comparative genomics. PM1’s non-β-lactam resistance was encoded by two unique genetic traits. One was a 21,832-bp composite mobile element structure (MES_PM1), which was flanked by direct repeats of enterococcal IS1216V and was inserted into the chromosomal sasK gene; the target sequence (att) was 8 bp long and was duplicated at both ends of MES_PM1. MES_PM1 consisted of two regions: the 5′-end side 12.4-kb region carrying Tn551 (with ermB) and Tn5405-like (with aph[3′]-IIIa and aadE), similar to an Enterococcus faecalis plasmid, and the 3′-end side 6,587-bp region (MES_cat) that carries cat and is flanked by inverted repeats of IS1216V. MES_cat possessed att duplication at both ends and additional two copies of IS1216V inside. MES_PM1 represents the first enterococcal IS1216V-mediated composite transposon emerged in MRSA. IS1216V-mediated deletion likely occurred in IS1216V-rich MES_PM1, resulting in distinct resistance patterns in PM1-derivative strains. Another structure was a 6,025-bp tet-carrying element (MES_tet) on a 25,961-bp novel mosaic penicillinase plasmid (pPM1); MES_tet was flanked by direct repeats of IS431, but with no target sequence repeats. Moreover, the PM1 genome was deficient in a copy of the restriction and modification genes (hsdM and hsdS), which might have contributed to the acquisition of enterococcal multidrug resistance.     

Suppression of α‐amylase genes improves quality of rice grain ripened under high temperature

High temperature impairs rice (Oryza sativa) grain filling by inhibiting the deposition of storage materials such as starch, resulting in mature grains with a chalky appearance, currently a major problem for rice farming in Asian countries. Such deterioration of grain quality is accompanied by the altered expression of starch metabolism‐related genes. Here we report the involvement of a starch‐hydrolyzing enzyme, α‐amylase, in high temperature‐triggered grain chalkiness. In developing seeds, high temperature induced the expression of α‐amylase genes, namely Amy1A, Amy1C, Amy3A, Amy3D and Amy3E, as well as α‐amylase activity, while it decreased an α‐amylase‐repressing plant hormone, ABA, suggesting starch to be degraded by α‐amylase in developing grains under elevated temperature. Furthermore, RNAi‐mediated suppression of α‐amylase genes in ripening seeds resulted in fewer chalky grains under high‐temperature conditions. As the extent of the decrease in chalky grains was highly correlated to decreases in the expression of Amy1A, Amy1C, Amy3A and Amy3B, these genes would be involved in the chalkiness through degradation of starch accumulating in the developing grains. The results show that activation of α‐amylase by high temperature is a crucial trigger for grain chalkiness and that its suppression is a potential strategy for ameliorating grain damage from global warming.     

Erythropoietin attenuates the sequels of ischaemic spinal cord injury with enhanced recruitment of CD34+ cells in mice

Erythropoietin has been shown to promote tissue regeneration after ischaemic injury in various organs. Here, we investigated whether Erythropoietin could ameliorate ischaemic spinal cord injury in the mouse and sought an underlying mechanism. Spinal cord ischaemia was developed by cross-clamping the descending thoracic aorta for 7 or 9 min. in mice. Erythropoietin (5000 IU/kg) or saline was administrated 30 min. before aortic cross-clamping. Neurological function was assessed using the paralysis score for 7 days after the operation. Spinal cords were histologically evaluated 2 and 7 days after the operation. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect CD34(+) cells and the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and vascular endothelial growth factor. Each mouse exhibited either mildly impaired function or complete paralysis at day 2. Erythropoietin-treated mice with complete paralysis demonstrated significant improvement of neurological function between day 2 and 7, compared to saline-treated mice with complete paralysis. Motor neurons in erythropoietin-treated mice were more preserved at day 7 than those in saline-treated mice with complete paralysis. CD34(+) cells in the lumbar spinal cord of erythropoietin-treated mice were more abundant at day 2 than those of saline-treated mice. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and vascular endothelial growth factor were markedly expressed in lumbar spinal cords in erythropoietin-treated mice at day 7. Erythropoietin demonstrated neuroprotective effects in the ischaemic spinal cord, improving neurological function and attenuating motor neuron loss. These effects may have been mediated by recruited CD34(+) cells, and enhanced expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and vascular endothelial growth factor.