A unified model explaining the offsets of overlapping and near-overlapping prokaryotic genes

Overlapping genes are a common phenomenon. Among sequenced prokaryotes, more than 29% of all annotated genes overlap at least 1 of their 2 flanking genes. We present a unified model for the creation and repair of overlaps among adjacent genes where the 3' ends either overlap or nearly overlap. Our model, derived from a comprehensive analysis of complete prokaryotic genomes in GenBank, explains the nonuniform distribution of the lengths of such overlap regions far more simply than previously proposed models. Specifically, we explain the distribution of overlap lengths based on random extensions of genes to the next occurring downstream stop codon. Our model also provides an explanation for a newly observed (here) pattern in the distribution of the separation distances of closely spaced nonoverlapping genes. We provide evidence that the newly described biased distribution of separation distances is driven by the same phenomenon that creates the uneven distribution of overlap lengths. This suggests a dynamic picture of continual overlap creation and elimination.     

Differential targeting of androgen and glucocorticoid receptors induces ER stress and apoptosis in prostate cancer cells

Androgen (AR) and glucocorticoid (GR) receptor signaling play opposing roles in prostate tumorigenesis: in prostate, AR acts as an oncogene, and GR is a tumor suppressor. Recently, we found that non-steroidal phyto-chemical Compound A (CpdA) is AR/GR modulator acting as anti-inflammatory anti-androgen. CpdA inhibits AR and prevents GR transactivation while enhancing GR transrepression. GR and AR are controlled by proteasomal degradation. We found that prolonged exposure of LNCaP, LNCaP-GR, DU145 and PC3 prostate carcinoma (PCa) cells to proteasome inhibitor Bortezomib (BZ) caused AR degradation and GR accumulation. BZ enhanced CpdA ability to inhibit AR and to augment GR transrepression. We also found that CpdA+BZ differentially regulated GR/AR to cooperatively suppress PCa cell growth and survival and to induce endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). Importantly, CpdA+BZ differentially regulated GR-responsive genes. CpdA+BZ blocked activation of glucocorticoid-responsive pro-survival genes, including SGK1, but activated BZ-induced ERS-related genes BIP/HSPA5 and CHOP /GADD153. Using ChIP, we showed that SGK1, BIP/HSPA5 and CHOP regulation was due to effects of CpdA and CpdA+BZ on GR loading on their promoters. We also found that AR and GR are abundant in advanced PCa from patients treated by androgen ablation and/or chemotherapy: 56% of carcinomas from treated patients expressed both receptors, and the other 27% expressed either GR or AR. Overall, our data validate the concept of dual AR/GR targeting in prostate cancer (PC) and suggest that BZ combination with dual-target steroid receptor modulator CpdA has high potential for PC therapy.     

Differential targeting of androgen and glucocorticoid receptors induces ER stress and apoptosis in prostate cancer cells: A novel therapeutic modality

Androgen (AR) and glucocorticoid (GR) receptor signaling play opposing roles in prostate tumorigenesis: in prostate, AR acts as an oncogene, and GR is a tumor suppressor. Recently, we found that non-steroidal phyto-chemical compound A (CpdA) is AR/GR modulator acting as anti-inflammatory anti-androgen. CpdA inhibits AR and prevents GR transactivation while enhancing GR transrepression. GR and AR are controlled by proteasomal degradation. We found that prolonged exposure of LNCaP, LNCaP-GR, DU145 and PC3 prostate carcinoma (PCa) cells to proteasome inhibitor Bortezomib (BZ) caused AR degradation and GR accumulation. BZ enhanced CpdA ability to inhibit AR and to augment GR transrepression. We also found that CpdA+BZ differentially regulated GR/AR to cooperatively suppress PCa cell growth and survival and to induce endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). Importantly, CpdA+BZ differentially regulated GR-responsive genes. CpdA+BZ blocked activation of glucocorticoid-responsive pro-survival genes, including SGK1, but activated BZ-induced ERS-related genes BIP/HSPA5 and CHOP/GADD153. Using ChIP, we showed that SGK1, BIP/HSPA5 and CHOP regulation was due to effects of CpdA and CpdA+BZ on GR loading on their promoters. We also found that AR and GR are abundant in advanced PCa from patients treated by androgen ablation and/or chemotherapy: 56% of carcinomas from treated patients expressed both receptors, and the other 27% expressed either GR or AR. Overall, our data validate the concept of dual AR/GR targeting in prostate cancer (PC) and suggest that BZ combination with dual-target steroid receptor modulator CpdA has high potential for PC therapy.Key words: prostate cancer, proteasome inhibitor, non-steroidal modulator, apoptosis, ER stress     

生长素信号转导途径与植物胁迫反应相互作用的证据(英)

生长素影响植物多种生理过程 ,有报道显示生长素可能影响植物对逆境胁迫的反应。我们利用cDNA阵列技术鉴定拟南芥 (Arabidopsisthaliana (L .)Heynh .)的生长素应答基因 ,发现多个胁迫应答基因受生长素抑制 ,包括ArabidopsishomologofMEKkinase1(ATMEKK1) ,RelA/SpoThomolog 3(At_RSH3) ,Catalase 1(Cat1)和Ferritin 1(Fer1) ,说明生长素可调节胁迫应答基因的表达。此外 ,我们还证明吲哚乙酸 (IAA)合成途径中的腈水解酶基因nitrilase 1(NIT1)和nitrilase 2 (NIT2 )受盐胁迫诱导 ,提示在逆境条件下IAA的合成可能随之增加。我们利用生长素不敏感突变体研究生长素与逆境反应相互作用的信号转导 ,发现胁迫应答基因在野生型和生长素不敏感突变体auxinresistant2 (axr2 )中可被盐胁迫诱导 ,而在auxinresistant1_3(axr1_3)中则不被诱导 ,说明生长素与逆境胁迫反应的相互作用可能发生在泛素途径。