Dissolved methane oxidation and competition for oxygen in down-flow hanging sponge reactor for post-treatment of anaerobic wastewater treatment

Post-treatment of anaerobic wastewater was undertaken to biologically oxidize dissolved methane, with the aim of preventing methane emission. The performance of dissolved methane oxidation and competition for oxygen among methane, ammonium, organic matter, and sulfide oxidizing bacteria were investigated using a lab-scale closed-type down-flow hanging sponge (DHS) reactor. Under the oxygen abundant condition of a hydraulic retention time of 2h and volumetric air supply rate of 12.95m(3)-airm(-3)day(-1), greater than 90% oxidation of dissolved methane, ammonium, sulfide, and organic matter was achieved. With reduction in the air supply rate, ammonium oxidation first ceased, after which methane oxidation deteriorated. Sulfide oxidation was disrupted in the final step, indicating that COD and sulfide oxidation occurred prior to methane oxidation. A microbial community analysis revealed that peculiar methanotrophic communities dominating the Methylocaldum species were formed in the DHS reactor operation.     

Six-year monitoring of pine ectomycorrhizal biomass under a temperate monsoon climate indicates significant annual fluctuations in relation to climatic factors

Ectomycorrhizas (EM) are among the most active components of forest soil biomass because they represent the dominant soil carbon efflux from forests. However, temporal patterns of EM biomass in relation to climatic factors and host tree growth remain unclear. We sampled EM and fine roots of pine each month for 6 years (May 2003 to June 2009) in a 40–50-year-old Pinus densiflora forest in Japan. Tree ring width of host pines in the plot was measured to assess the chronological sequence of annual tree growth. EM biomass was not stable during the 6 years of monitoring and seasonal patterns were indistinct. Multiple correlation analyses revealed that the autumn precipitation in the previous year was the most determinative factor of EM biomass in the current year, with a negative correlation. In contrast, tree ring width generally showed a stable annual growth pattern throughout the monitoring period. Clarification of such a carbon allocation pattern is important in understanding forest carbon dynamics under a temperate monsoon climate.     

Design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationships of spirolactones bearing 2-ureidobenzothiophene as acetyl-CoA carboxylases inhibitors

The co-crystal structure of the human acetyl-coenzyme A 2 (ACC2) carboxyl transferase domain and the reported compound CP-640186 (1b) suggested that two carbonyl groups are essential for potent ACC2 inhibition. By focusing on enhancing the interactions between the two carbonyl groups and the amino acid residues Gly(2162) and Glu(2230), we used ligand- and structure-based drug design to discover spirolactones bearing a 2-ureidobenzothiophene moiety.     

Design and synthesis of 3-pyridylacetamide derivatives as dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-4) inhibitors targeting a bidentate interaction with Arg125

We have previously discovered nicotinic acid derivative 1 as a structurally novel dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-4) inhibitor. In this study, we obtained the X-ray co-crystal structure between nicotinic acid derivative 1 and DPP-4. From these X-ray co-crystallography results, to achieve more potent inhibitory activity, we targeted Arg125 as a potential amino acid residue because it was located near the pyridine core, and some known DPP-4 inhibitors were reported to interact with this residue. We hypothesized that the guanidino group of Arg125 could interact with two hydrogen-bond acceptors in a bidentate manner. Therefore, we designed a series of 3-pyridylacetamide derivatives possessing an additional hydrogen-bond acceptor that could have the desired bidentate interaction with Arg125. We discovered the dihydrochloride of 1-{[5-(aminomethyl)-2-methyl-4-(4-methylphenyl)-6-(2-methylpropyl)pyridin-3-yl]acetyl}-l-prolinamide (13j) to be a potent and selective DPP-4 inhibitor that could interact with the guanidino group of Arg125 in a unique bidentate manner.     

ABCG2 is a high-capacity urate transporter and its genetic impairment increases serum uric acid levels in humans

The ATP-binding cassette, subfamily G, member 2 (ABCG2/BCRP) gene encodes a well-known transporter, which exports various substrates including nucleotide analogs such as 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT). ABCG2 is also located in a gout-susceptibility locus (MIM 138900) on chromosome 4q, and has recently been identified by genome-wide association studies to relate to serum uric acid (SUA) and gout. Becuase urate is structurally similar to nucleotide analogs, we hypothesized that ABCG2 might be a urate exporter. To demonstrate our hypothesis, transport assays were performed with membrane vesicles prepared from ABCG2-overexpressing cells. Transport of estrone-3-sulfate (ES), a typical substrate of ABCG2, is inhibited by urate as well as AZT and ES. ATP-dependent transport of urate was then detected in ABCG2-expressing vesicles but not in control vesicles. Kinetic analysis revealed that ABCG2 is a high-capacity urate transporter that maintained its function even under high-urate concentration. The calculated parameters of ABCG2-mediated transport of urate were a Km of 8.24 ± 1.44 mM and a Vmax of 6.96 ± 0.89 nmol/min per mg of protein. Moreover, the quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis performed in 739 Japanese individuals revealed that a dysfunctional variant of ABCG2 increased SUA as the number of minor alleles of the variant increased (p = 6.60 × 10(-5)). Because ABCG2 is expressed on the apical membrane in several tissues, including kidney, intestine, and liver, these findings indicate that ABCG2, a high-capacity urate exporter, has a physiological role of urate homeostasis in the human body through both renal and extrarenal urate excretion.     

Difference of pine ectomycorrhizal biomass in relation to forest conditions

In this study, two plots in a secondary and another two in planted Pinus densiflora stands were exposed to different forest treatments, and the ectomycorrhizal (EM) biomass and its ergosterol content was measured for a year. The unmanaged plot in the secondary stand had greater EM biomass than those in any other plots. Whereas understory cutting had less effect on EM biomass, litter and humus removal decreased pine EM biomass and its ergosterol content, suggesting that such forest treatment alters EM biomass and its structure.     

Induction of insulin-like growth factor 2 expression in a mesenchymal cell line co-cultured with an ameloblast cell line

Various growth factors have been implicated in the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation during tooth development. It has been unclear if insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) participate in the epithelium–mesenchyme interactions of tooth development. We previously produced three-dimensional sandwich co-culture systems (SW) containing a collagen membrane that induce the differentiation of epithelial cells. In the present study, we used the SW system to analyze the expression of IGFs and IGFRs. We demonstrate that IGF2 expression in mesenchymal cells was increased by SW. IGF1R transduces a signal; however, IGF2R does not transduce a signal. Recombinant IGF2 induces IGF1R and IGF2R expression in epithelial cells. IGF1R expression is increased by SW; however, IGF2R expression did not increase by SW. Thus, IGF2 signaling works effectively in SW. These results suggest that IGF signaling acts through the collagen membrane on the interaction between the epithelium and mesenchyme. In SW, other cytokines may be suppressed to induce IGF2R induction. Our results suggest that IGF2 may play a role in tooth differentiation.     

pH-Dependent structural changes at Ca(2+)-binding sites of coagulation factor IX-binding protein

Coagulation factor IX-binding protein, isolated from Trimeresurus flavoviridis (IX-bp), is a C-type lectin-like protein. It is an anticoagulant consisting of homologous subunits, A and B. Each subunit has a Ca(2+)-binding site with a unique affinity (K(d) values of 14muM and 130muM at pH 7.5). These binding characteristics are pH-dependent and, under acidic conditions, the Ca(2+) binding of the low-affinity site was reduced considerably. In order to identify which site has high affinity and to investigate the pH-dependent Ca(2+) release mechanism, we have determined the crystal structures of IX-bp at pH 6.5 and pH 4.6 (apo form), and compared the Ca(2+)-binding sites with each other and with those of the solved structures under alkaline conditions; pH 7.8 and pH 8.0 (complexed form). At pH 6.5, Glu43 in the Ca(2+)-binding site of subunit A displayed two conformations. One (minor) is that in the alkaline state, and the other (major) is that at pH 4.6. However, the corresponding Gln43 residue of subunit B is in only a single conformation, which is almost identical with that in the alkaline state. At pH 4.6, Glu43 of subunit A adopts a conformation similar to that of the major conformer observed at pH 6.5, while Gln43 of subunit B assumes a new conformation, and both Ca(2+) positions are occupied by water molecules. These results showed that Glu43 of subunit A is much more sensitive to protonation than Gln43 of subunit B, and the conformational change of Glu43 occurs around pH6.5, which may correspond to the step of Ca(2+) release.     

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP)-like immunoreactivity in the brain of a teleost, Uranoscopus japonicus: immunohistochemical relationship between PACAP and adenohypophysial hormones

The neuropeptide pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) could play a role in stimulating pituitary hormone release in fish brain. In this study, we used immunochemical techniques to examine the histological and quantitative distribution of PACAP in the central nervous system (CNS) of a teleost, the stargazer, Uranoscopus japonicus. In addition, high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analysis was performed to characterize the form of PACAP present, while the relationship between PACAP and adenohypophysial hormones was also determined immunohistochemically. PACAP-like immunoreactive (LI) neuronal cell bodies and fibers were found not only in the hypothalamo-pituitary region but also in the midbrain and hindbrain regions. PACAP-LI fibers were identified in the neurohypophysis in close proximity to pituitary cells containing immunoreactive hormones such as somatolactin, the N-terminal peptide of proopiomelanocortin, and N-acetyl endorphin. The concentration of immunoreactive PACAP in whole brain tissue was approximately 300 pmol/g wet weight. The average concentrations of immunoreactive PACAP in regions of the telencephalon, diencephalon, tectum, cerebellum, and rhombencephalon were 217.53, 510.26, 83.30, 148.64, and 364.62 pmol/g, respectively. In reverse-phase HPLC experiments, the predominant form of immunoreactive PACAP eluted closely with synthetic stargazer PACAP38, while PACAP27-like immunoreactivity was negligible. These results suggest that PACAP38 is the predominant PACAP form in the stargazer CNS, and that PACAP acts not only as a hypophysiotropic factor for adenohypophysial hormone release but also as a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator in the CNS.     

Dual DNA recognition codes of a short peptide derived from the basic leucine zipper protein EmBP1

Sequence-specific DNA binding of short peptide dimers derived from a plant basic leucine zipper protein EmBP1 was studied. A homodimer of the EmBP1 basic region peptide recognized a palindromic DNA sequence, and a heterodimer of EmBP1 and GCN4 basic region peptides targets a non-palindromic DNA sequence when a beta-cyclodextrin/adamantane complex is utilized as a dimerization domain. A homodimer of the EmBP1 basic region peptide binds the native EmBP1 binding 5'-GCCACGTGGC-3' and the native GCN4 binding 5'-ATGACGTCAT-3' sequences with almost equal affinity in the alpha-helical conformation, indicating that the basic region of EmBP1 by itself has a dual recognition codes for the DNA sequences. The GCN4 basic region peptide binds 5'-ATGAC-3' in the alpha-helical conformation, but it neither shows affinity nor helix formation with 5'-GCCAC-3'. Because native EmBP1 forms 100 times more stable complex with 5'-GCCACGTGGC-3' over 5'-ATGACGTCAT-3', our results suggest that the sequence-selectivity of native EmBP1 is dictated by the structure of leucine zipper dimerization domain including the hinge region spanning between the basic region and the leucine zipper.