Activation of Nrf2/Keap1 signaling and autophagy induction against oxidative stress in heart in iron deficiency

We investigated the effects of dietary iron deficiency on the redox system in the heart. Dietary iron deficiency increased heart weight and accumulation of carbonylated proteins. However, expression levels of heme oxygenase-1 and LC3-II, an antioxidant enzyme and an autophagic marker, respectively, in iron-deficient mice were upregulated compared to the control group, resulting in a surrogate phenomenon against oxidative stress.     

Nation-wide litter fall data from 21 forests of the Monitoring Sites 1000 Project in Japan

This data paper reports litter fall data collected in a network of 21 forest sites in Japan. This is the largest litter fall data set freely available in Japan to date. The network is a part of the Monitoring Sites 1000 Project launched by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan. It covers subarctic to subtropical climate zones and the four major forest types in Japan. Twenty-three permanent plots in which usually 25 litter traps were installed were established in old-growth or secondary natural forests. Litter falls were collected monthly from 2004, and sorted into leaves, branches, reproductive structures and miscellaneous. The data provide seasonal patterns and inter-annual dynamics of litter falls, and their geographical patterns, and offer good opportunities for meta-analyses and comparative studies among forests.     

High-resolution crystal structure of Arthrobacter aurescens chondroitin AC lyase: an enzyme-substrate complex defines the catalytic mechanism

Chondroitin lyases (EC 4.2.2.4 and EC 4.2.2.5) are glycosaminoglycan-degrading enzymes that act as eliminases. Chondroitin lyase AC from Arthrobacter aurescens (ArthroAC) is known to act on chondroitin 4-sulfate and chondroitin 6-sulfate but not on dermatan sulfate. Like other chondroitin AC lyases, it is capable of cleaving hyaluronan. We have determined the three-dimensional crystal structure of ArthroAC in its native form as well as in complex with its substrates (chondroitin 4-sulfate tetrasaccharide, CS(tetra) and hyaluronan tetrasaccharide) at resolution varying from 1.25 A to 1.9A. The primary sequence of ArthroAC has not been previously determined but it was possible to determine the amino acid sequence of this enzyme from the high-resolution electron density maps and to confirm it by mass spectrometry. The enzyme-substrate complexes were obtained by soaking the substrate into the crystals for varying lengths of time (30 seconds to ten hours) and flash-cooling the crystals. The electron density map for crystals soaked in the substrate for as short as 30 seconds showed the substrate clearly and indicated that the ring of central glucuronic acid assumes a distorted boat conformation. This structure strongly supports the lytic mechanism where Tyr242 acts as a general base that abstracts the proton from the C5 position of glucuronic acid while Asn183 and His233 neutralize the charge on the glucuronate acidic group. Comparison of this structure with that of chondroitinase AC from Flavobacterium heparinum (FlavoAC) provides an explanation for the exolytic and endolytic mode of action of ArthroAC and FlavoAC, respectively.     

New highly active taxoids from 9 beta-dihydrobaccatin-9,10-acetals. Part 5

To improve the metabolic stability of 3, which exhibited both in vitro antitumor activity and in vivo efficacy by both iv and po administration, we designed and synthesized new taxane analogues. Most of the synthetic compounds maintained excellent antitumor activity and were scarcely metabolized by human liver microsomes. And some compounds exhibited potent antitumor effects against B16 melanoma BL6 in vivo by both iv and po administration similarly to 3.     

Regulated Expression of a Gene-Fusion Product Derived from the Gene for Phytochrome I from Pisum sativum and the uidA Gene from E. coli in Transgenic Petunia hybrida

The 5'-upstream region (2.4 kb) of the gene for phytochromeI from Pisum sativum (phyl) was fused to the uidA gene fromEscherichia coli that encodes ß-glucuronidase (GUS).The resulting PHY-GUS fusion was introduced into Petunia hybridaand was used as a reporter of the expression of the phyI genewhich was recognized by GUS activity. The PHY-GUS fusion wasexpressed at a relatively high level when transgenic plantswere grown in the dark, while leaves and stems of light-grownplants showed background activity. Flowers of light-grown plantswere shown to have significant levels of GUS activity but rootsdid not have such activity. When light-grown transgenic plantswere transferred to the dark, they expressed the activity atlevels that corresponded to those of dark-grown plants. Lighttreatment prior to growth in darkness revealed red/far-red reversibilityof recovery of the activity. Thus, the 2.4-kb fragment fromthe 5' region of the phyI gene carries the information necessaryfor the light-repressible autoregulation. (Received March 30, 1991; Accepted May 20, 1991)