Immunological characterization of a 36 kDa Fe deficiency specific peptide in barley roots

In a previous paper we reported that an acidic 36 kDa peptide is the most strongly induced peptide among several peptides induced by Fe deficiency in barley roots. In this paper, polyclonal antibodies were raised against the 36 kDa peptide. This peptide appeared in the roots of all the graminaceous species tested (barley, rye, wheat, oat, maize, sorghum and rice) in response to Fe deficiency. More of the peptide was found in the roots of graminaceous species which secrete higher amounts of mugineic acids (MAs) under Fe deficient nutrition status. Induction of the 36 kDa peptide was first observed on the third day of Fe deficiency, rising to a maximum value on the seventh day. The trend has a positive correlation with secretion of MAs during Fe deficiency. Further, resupply of Fe resulted in a decrease in peptide production on the second day, reaching a control level on the seventh day. The rate of decrease in peptide production was observed to be slower than that of MA secretion. Other nutrient stresses such as B excess, B deficiency, Cu excess, Cu deficiency, Mn excess, Mn deficiency, Zn excess and Zn deficiency induced far less of the peptide. The specific expression of the 36 kDa peptide in roots of graminaceous species under Fe deficiency suggested the positive association of the peptide with a specific Fe deficiency tolerance mechanism in graminaceous plants.     

Age- and Sex-Dependency of Laser Speckle Flowgraphy Measurements of Optic Nerve Vessel Microcirculation

Purpose

To investigate the relationship between various characteristics of a normal population and laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) measurements of mean blur rate (MBR) in the optic nerve head (ONH).

Methods

A total of 189 eyes of 189 normal subjects (93 male, 96 female, mean age 45 ± 14 years old, age range: 20–72) without any history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia or diabetes were enrolled. ONH microcirculation was measured with LSFG and overall MBR (MA), vessel-area MBR (MV), and tissue-area MBR (MT) were derived from these measurements. The statistical association of these measurements with characteristics such as sex, age, intraocular pressure (IOP) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) was then determined.

Results

There was a trend towards decreased IOP and MV and increased SBP with age (P = 0.002, P = 0.035, and P = 0.006, respectively). Furthermore, IOP, MV and SBP were correlated with age (r = -0.23, P = 0.011; r = -0.24, P < 0.001; and r = 0.30, P < 0.001, respectively). Separate multiple regression analyses of independent contributing factors revealed that sex and IOP contributed to MA (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively), sex, IOP, and age contributed to MV (P < 0.001, P = 0.003, and P = 0.024, respectively), while only IOP contributed to MT (P = 0.003).

Conclusion

In a normal population, MBR was affected by IOP in both the large vessel and capillary areas of the ONH, but not by SBP. MV was also affected by age and sex, while MT was stable independent of age or sex.     

Mammalian ER stress sensor IRE1β specifically down-regulates the synthesis of secretory pathway proteins

Accumulation of unfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) causes ER stress. The ER stress sensor inositol requiring enzyme-1beta (IRE1β), which is specifically expressed in intestinal epithelial cells, is thought to be involved in translational repression. However, its mechanism of action is not fully understood. Using a reporter that can evaluate and distinguish between translation efficiency in the cytosol and on the ER membrane, we show here that IRE1β represses translation on the ER membrane but not in the cytosol, and that this selective repression depends on the RNase activity of IRE1β.     

Short-term foraging patterns of individual cornetfish, Fistularia commersonii, based on stomach content analysis

Stomach contents of 75 specimens of the cornetfish Fistularia commersonii, collected in shallow water off Kuchinoerabu-jima Island, southern Japan were analyzed. Many fish contained multiple prey. The prey were mostly fish, grouped into two types, pelagic and reef fishes. The size of prey increased as the size of F. commersonii increased. All the small individuals (<50 cm SL) had fed on only small reef fish. However, most of the large individuals (>50 cm SL) had fed on either prey type. Both pelagic and reef fishes usually occurred simultaneously in shallow water, suggesting that most of the large cornetfish may selectively hunt either type of prey. Received: February 27, 2001 / Revised: September 11, 2001 / Accepted: October 10, 2001     

DDK phosphorylates checkpoint clamp component Rad9 and promotes its release from damaged chromatin

When inappropriate DNA structures arise, they are sensed by DNA structure-dependent checkpoint pathways and subsequently repaired. Recruitment of checkpoint proteins to such structures precedes recruitment of proteins involved in DNA metabolism. Thus, checkpoints can regulate DNA metabolism. We show that fission yeast Rad9, a 9-1-1 heterotrimeric checkpoint-clamp component, is phosphorylated by Hsk1(Cdc7), the Schizosaccharomyces pombe?Dbf4-dependent kinase (DDK) homolog, in response to replication-induced DNA damage. Phosphorylation of Rad9 disrupts its interaction with replication protein A (RPA) and is dependent on 9-1-1 chromatin loading, the Rad9-associated protein Rad4/Cut5(TopBP1), and prior phosphorylation by Rad3(ATR). rad9 mutants defective in DDK phosphorylation show wild-type checkpoint responses but abnormal DNA repair protein foci and decreased viability after replication stress. We propose that Rad9 phosphorylation by DDK releases Rad9 from DNA damage sites to facilitate DNA repair.     

cDNA cloning and differential gene expression of three catalases in pumpkin

Three cDNA clones (cat1, cat2, cat3) for catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) were isolated from a cDNA library of pumpkin (Cucurbita sp.) cotyledons. In northern blotting using the cDNA-specific probe, the cat1 mRNA levels were high in seeds and early seedlings of pumpkin. The expression pattern of cat1 was similar to that of malate synthase, a characteristic enzyme of glyoxysomes. These data suggest that cat1 might encode a catalase associated with glyoxysomal functions. Furthermore, immunocytochemical analysis using cat1-specific anti-peptide antibody directly showed that cat1 encoding catalase is located in glyoxysomes. The cat2 mRNA was present at high levels in green cotyledons, mature leaf, stem and green hypocotyl of light-grown pumpkin plant, and correlated with chlorophyll content in the tissues. The tissue-specific expression of cat2 had a strong resemblance to that of glycolate oxidase, a characteristic enzyme of leaf peroxisomes. During germination of pumpkin seeds, cat2 mRNA levels increased in response to light, although the increase in cat2 mRNA by light was less than that of glycolate oxidase. cat3 mRNA was abundant in green cotyledons, etiolated cotyledons, green hypocotyl and root, but not in young leaf. cat3 mRNA expression was not dependent on light, but was constitutive in mature tissues. Interestingly, cat1 mRNA levels increased during senescence of pumpkin cotyledons, whereas cat2 and cat3 mRNAs disappeared during senescence, suggesting that cat1 encoding catalase may be involved in the senescence process. Thus, in pumpkin, three catalase genes are differentially regulated and may exhibit different functions.     

Enhancement of nucleoside phosphorylation activity in an acid phosphatase

Escherichia blattae non-specific acid phosphatase (EB-NSAP) possesses a pyrophosphate-nucleoside phosphotransferase activity, which is C-5'-position selective. Current mutational and structural data were used to generate a mutant EB-NSAP for a potential industrial application as an effective and economical protein catalyst in synthesizing nucleotides from nucleosides. First, Gly74 and Ile153 were replaced by Asp and Thr, respectively, since the corresponding replacements in the homologous enzyme from Morganella morganii reduced the K(m) value for inosine and thus increased the productivity of 5'-IMP. We determined the crystal structure of G74D/I153T, which has a reduced K(m) value for inosine, as expected. The tertiary structure of G74D/I153T was virtually identical to that of the wild-type. In addition, neither of the introduced side chains of Asp74 and Thr153 is directly involved in the interaction with inosine in a hypothetical binding mode of inosine to EB-NSAP, although both residues are situated near a potential inosine-binding site. These findings suggested that a slight structural change caused by an amino acid replacement around the potential inosine-binding site could significantly reduce the K(m) value. Prompted by this hypothesis, we designed several mutations and introduced them to G74D/I153T, to decrease the K(m) value further. This strategy produced a S72F/G74D/I153T mutant with a 5.4-fold lower K(m) value and a 2.7-fold higher V(max) value as compared to the wild-type EB-NSAP.     

Association of meteorological and day-of-the-week factors with emergency hospital admissions in Fukuoka, Japan

We carried out a statistical study of the influence of meteorological and day-of-the-week factors on the intrinsic emergency patients transported to hospitals by ambulance. Multiple piecewise linear regression analysis was performed on data from 6,081 emergency admissions for 1 year between April 1997 and March 1998 in Fukuoka, Japan. The response variable was the daily number of emergency patients admitted with three types of disease: cerebrovascular, respiratory and digestive diseases. The results showed that the number of emergency patients admitted daily with cerebrovascular disease was significantly associated with temperature on the day of admission and whether the day was Sunday. As it became colder than 12 degrees C, emergency admissions of patients with cerebrovascular disease increased drastically, reaching a plateau at 4 degrees C. On the 3rd and 7th days after the temperature fell below 10 degrees C, the daily admission of patients with respiratory disease significantly increased. We also observed a weak association between emergency admissions of patients suffering from digestive disease and rising barometric pressure on the day of admission.