Generation of cerebellar neuron precursors from embryonic stem cells

Here, we report in vitro generation of Math1+ cerebellar granule cell precursors and Purkinje cells from ES cells by using soluble patterning signals. When neural progenitors induced from ES cells in a serum-free suspension culture are subsequently treated with BMP4 and Wnt3a, a significant proportion of these neural cells become Math1+. The induced Math1+ cells are mitotically active and express markers characteristic of granule cell precursors (Pax6, Zic1, and Zipro1). After purification by FACS and coculture with postnatal cerebellar neurons, ES cell-derived Math1+ cells exhibit typical features of neurons of the external granule cell layer, including extensive motility and a T-shaped morphology. Interestingly, differentiation of L7+/Calbindin-D28K+ neurons (characteristic of Purkinje cells) is induced under similar culture conditions but exhibits a higher degree of enhancement by Fgf8 rather than by Wnt3a. This is the first report of in vitro recapitulation of early differentiation of cerebellar neurons by using the ES cell system.     

Regional and segmental flexibility of antibodies in interaction with antigens of different size

The interaction of antibodies (Abs) with protein antigens (Ags) of different size, such as hen egg white lysozyme, ovalbumin, and bovine serum albumin, was examined using analytical ultracentrifugation, electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and surface plasmon resonance in order to estimate regional and segmental Ab flexibility. When both Abs and Ags were free in solution, sedimentation equilibrium and surface plasmon resonance analyses showed the formation of an Ag(2)Ab(1) complexes regardless of Ag size, suggesting that the Fab arms were able to move to avoid interference between Ags bound to Ab combining sites. The Ag(2)Ab(1) complex, as well as the Ag(1)Ab(1) complex, was observed by MS. However, when Abs were immobilized on the surface of a sensor chip through the Fc region, the stoichiometry of the Ag-Ab complex was dependent on the Ag size; Ag(2)Ab(1) forming with hen egg white lysozyme and Ag(1)Ab(1) with ovalbumin and bovine serum albumin. These results indicated that immobilization of the Fc region reduces the dynamic range of the Fab arms and results in interference from the first Ag bound to either combining site, which in turn prevents the binding of the second Ag to the other combining site. Our results allow us to propose that the Fab arms of B-cell receptors whose Fc regions are immobilized on cell surface have a reduced dynamic range.     

Systematic screen for genes involved in the regulation of oxidative stress in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Oxygen is essential for animals, but high concentrations of oxygen are toxic to them probably because of an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS). Many genes are involved in the regulation of ROS, but they largely remain to be identified. To identify these genes, we employed the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism, and systematically screened for genes that, when down-regulated by RNAi, lead to an increased sensitivity to ROS. We examined approximately 2400 genes on linkage group I and found that knock-down of 9 genes which participate in various cellular functions led to an increased sensitivity to ROS. This finding suggests an implication of a variety of cellular processes in the regulation of oxidative stress.     

Biochemical Studies during the Development of the Chick Embryo

The presence and the change of deoxyribosidic compounds in the acid extract of the embryo with the incubation were examined with an aid of the organism, L. leichmannii. The main deoxyribosidic compounds in the extract prepared from the 18 th day embryo were identified as uracil, cytosine and thymine deoxyribosides and deoxyribotides of cytosine and thymine from the behaviour on paper chromatographic and paper electrophoretic separation. A small amount of purine deoxyribosyl compound which was assumed as hypoxanthine deoxyriboside was detected, and the content of which per 1 g of fresh embryo changed with the lapse of the incubated day; especially, the content was minimum at the period from the 10 th to 15 th day incubation. At this period, the total growth promoting compounds contained 50% of deoxyribotide though deoxyribosides was lower than that of the other days. This period is the most significant stage of the embryo growth and the most active time of synthesis of DNA through the embryo growth.     

Anti-peptide antibodies for examining the conformation, molecular assembly and localization of an intracellular protein, ribosomal protein S6, in vivo

Ribosomal protein S6 (rpS6) is known to relate to cell proliferation. Our recent proteome analysis of human metaphase chromosomes revealed the enrichment of rpS6 during mitosis. Here, structure, localization and molecular assembly in vitro and in vivo of a human rpS6, were examined using antibodies (Abs) prepared by immunizing rabbits with synthetic peptides. Five peptides, Ser6-Asp20 (S6-1), Ile52-Gly66 (S6-2), Asp103-Gly117 (S6-3), Asn146-Lys160 (S6-4) and Arg178-Ile192 (S6-5) were chosen as epitopes of human rpS6. These peptides except for S6-3 induced strong Ab production, and with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, anti-S6-2, anti-S6-4 and anti-S6-5, showed high reactivity to recombinant rpS6 (r-rpS6), while anti-S6-1 did not, suggesting that S6-2, S6-4 and S6-5 were exposed on the r-rpS6 surface, while S6-1 was less exposed or possessed a different conformation. The immunostaining of HeLa cells as well as isolated chromosomes suggested that rpS6 occurs in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) but less possible on chromosomes since no Abs showed localization of rpS6 to chromosomes. In addition, the immunostaining suggested that only S6-4 is exposed on the protein surface, while S6-2 and S6-5 are buried by the interaction with other macromolecules in HeLa cells. Present our result shows new possibility of antibodies as tools for structure-oriented cell biology.     

The Arabidopsis SDG4 contributes to the regulation of pollen tube growth by methylation of histone H3 lysines 4 and 36 in mature pollen

Plant SET domain proteins are known to be involved in the epigenetic control of gene expression during plant development. Here, we report that the Arabidopsis SET domain protein, SDG4, contributes to the epigenetic regulation of pollen tube growth, thus affecting fertilization. Using an SDG4-GFP fusion construct, the chromosomal localization of SDG4 was established in tobacco BY-2 cells. In Arabidopsis, sdg4 knockout showed reproductive defects. Tissue-specific expression analyses indicated that SDG4 is the major ASH1-related gene expressed in the pollen. Immunological analyses demonstrated that SDG4 was involved in the methylation of histone H3 in the inflorescence and pollen grains. The significant reduction in the amount of methylated histone H3 K4 and K36 in sdg4 pollen vegetative nuclei resulted in suppression of pollen tube growth. Our results indicate that SDG4 is capable of modulating the expression of genes that function in the growth of pollen tube by methylation of specific lysine residues of the histone H3 in the vegetative nuclei.