Eco‐efficiency Based on Social Performance and its Relationship with Financial Performance

As corporate responsibility for environmental management has gained attention, eco‐efficiency has become recognized as an important concept for improving the social performance of the business sector as well as that of the public sector. Improving eco‐efficiency is widely accepted not only as a means of increasing economic value, but also as a means of reducing environmental effects. However, managing for eco‐efficiency should take into consideration the differences among industries, because the impact of eco‐efficiency on financial and social performance varies among industries. To explore this variation, we conducted a cross‐industry analysis of eco‐efficiency based on social performance using data envelopment analysis (DEA). DEA measures relative efficiency and is a useful tool for taking into account the relative importance of industry‐specific characteristics. Using DEA, eco‐efficiency scores were derived based on the ratio of two factors of social performance: (1) value‐added inducing and production‐inducing economic spillover effects and (2) the amount of greenhouse gases emitted and energy used. Then, we identified the relationships between our eco‐efficiency score and financial performance, which is a measure of the firm's stability. The case study is based on 272 firms in 16 industries in South Korea. Results show that firms in product manufacturing and service‐intensive industries tend to have higher eco‐efficiency scores than those in raw material or chemical‐intensive industries. In addition, most of the industries reveal no relationship between traditional financial performance metrics and eco‐efficiency scores. A handful of industries had significant relationships with one or more financial performance metrics; in some cases, these relationships were negative, whereas in others they were positive. Surprisingly, almost all industries have no significant relationships between eco‐efficiency and financial performance. This result implies that government support for policies that reward firms that attempt to be eco‐efficient are needed, or that other nonfinancial metrics that influence eco‐efficiency, such as employment and brand reputation, should be considered. This article is expected to support policy makers as they formulate industry‐specific environmental strategies.     

Functional genomic approaches using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system

Since the completion of the genome project of the nematode C. elegans in 1998, functional genomic approaches have been applied to elucidate the gene and protein networks in this model organism. The recent completion of the whole genome of C. briggsae, a close sister species of C. elegans, now makes it possible to employ the comparative genomic approaches for identifying regulatory mechanisms that are conserved in these species and to make more precise annotation of the predicted genes. RNA interference (RNAi) screenings in C. elegans have been performed to screen the whole genome for the genes whose mutations give rise to specific phenotypes of interest. RNAi screens can also be used to identify genes that act genetically together with a gene of interest. Microarray experiments have been very useful in identifying genes that exhibit co-regulated expression profiles in given genetic or environmental conditions. Proteomic approaches also can be applied to the nematode, just as in other species whose genomes are known. With all these functional genomic tools, genetics will still remain an important tool for gene function studies in the post genome era. New breakthroughs in C. elegans biology, such as establishing a feasible gene knockout method, immortalized cell lines, or identifying viruses that can be used as vectors for introducing exogenous gene constructs into the worms, will augment the usage of this small organism for genome-wide biology.     

Comparison of responses elicited by immunization with a Legionella species common lipoprotein delivered as naked DNA or recombinant protein

To evaluate the peptidoglycan-associated lipoprotein (PAL) antigen of Legionella pneumophila as a vaccine candidate, mice were immunized intramuscularly with pcDNA3-PAL and intraperitoneally with recombinant PAL (t-rPAL), which were compared for their ability to induce PAL-specific immune responses. The t-rPAL protein induced PAL-specific IgG antibody production significantly more than did pcDNA3-PAL. The IgG2a and IgG1 production was predominant after pcDNA3-PAL and t-rPAL administration, respectively. In particular, pcDNA3-PAL induced much higher PAL-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses than did t-rPAL. Furthermore, in vivo, CD19+ B-cell populations were dramatically increased by t-rPAL vaccination, suggesting a B-cell immunomodulatory activity of the lipoprotein. The PAL antigen was also conserved among Legionella species, as determined by PCR and immunoblot analyses. These results support a potential use of the t-rPAL protein and in particular DNA vaccines against Legionella infections.     

Identification of SNP markers for common CNV regions and association analysis of risk of subarachnoid aneurysmal hemorrhage in Japanese population

Copy number variation (CNV) is emerging as a new tool for understanding human genomic variation, but its relationship with human disease is not yet fully understood. The data for a total of 317,503 genotypes were collected for a genome-wide association study of subarachnoid aneurismal hemorrhage (SAH) in a Japanese population (cases and controls, n = 497) using Illumina HumanHap300 BeadChip^®. To identify multi-allelic CNV markers, we visually inspected all genotype clusters of 317,503 SNP markers covering the whole genome using Illumina’s BeadStudio 3.0^® software. As a result, we identified 597 multi-allelic CNV markers for common (copy loss frequency > 0.05) CNV regions in a Japanese population (n = 497). The identified CNV markers shared the following characteristics: enrichment of Hardy–Weinberg disequilibria, Mendelian inconsistency among families, and high missing genotype rate. All annotated information for those markers is summarized in our database (http://www.snp-genetics.com/user/srch.htm). In addition, we performed case-control association analyses of identified multi-allelic CNV markers with the risk of subarachnoid aneurysmal hemorrhage. One SNP marker (rs1242541) within a CNV region neighboring the Sel-1 suppressor of lin-12-like protein (SEL1L) was significantly associated with a risk of SAH (P = 0.0006). We also validated the CNV around rs1242541 using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Information and methods used in this study would be helpful for accurate genotyping of SNPs on CNV regions, which could be used for association analysis of SNP markers within CNV regions.     

SUMO-specific protease SUSP4 positively regulates p53 by promoting Mdm2 self-ubiquitination

The p53 tumour suppressor has a key role in the control of cell growth and differentiation, and in the maintenance of genome integrity. p53 is kept labile under normal conditions, but in response to stresses, such as DNA damage, it accumulates in the nucleus for induction of cell-cycle arrest, DNA repair or apoptosis. Mdm2 is an ubiquitin ligase that promotes p53 ubiquitination and degradation. Mdm2 is also self-ubiquitinated and degraded. Here, we identified a novel cascade for the increase in p53 level in response to DNA damage. A new SUMO-specific protease, SUSP4, removed SUMO-1 from Mdm2 and this desumoylation led to promotion of Mdm2 self-ubiquitination, resulting in p53 stabilization. Moreover, SUSP4 competed with p53 for binding to Mdm2, also resulting in p53 stabilization. Overexpression of SUSP4 inhibited cell growth, whereas knockdown of susp4 by RNA interference (RNAi) promoted of cell growth. UV damage induced SUSP4 expression, leading to an increase in p53 levels in parallel with a decrease in Mdm2 levels. These findings establish a new mechanism for the elevation of cellular p53 levels in response to UV damage.     

SUMOylation negatively regulates the stability of CHFR tumor suppressor

CHFR ubiquitin ligase acts as a checkpoint upon DNA damage and its functional inactivation is one of key characteristics of tumor development and metastasis. Despite the crucial role in maintaining genome integrity and cell cycle progression, little is known how CHFR stability is regulated. Here, we showed that CHFR is covalently modified by SUMO-1 at lysine 663 and subsequently destabilized by ubiquitin–proteasome system. While CHFR^K663R substitution mutation does not alter its subcellular localization, SUMOylation-defective CHFR^K663R-stable cells exhibit substantial growth suppression due to the increased stability of CHFR^K663R. Moreover, protein level of CHFR, not CHFR^K663R, is rapidly declined under SUMOylation-promoting conditions, and SENP2 deSUMOylating enzyme reverses its SUMO-modification. Collectively, we demonstrated that CHFR stability is regulated by SUMOylation-dependent proteasomal degradation. Therefore, our study underscores the importance of CHFR SUMOylation as a new regulatory mechanism of CHFR and highlights the emerging role of SUMOylation in modulating protein stability.     

Escherichia coli alpha-ketoglutarate permease is a constitutively expressed proton symporter.

Escherichia coli kgtP which maps at 56.5 min codes for alpha-ketoglutarate permease (KgtP). This protein, expressed from the cloned gene using the T7 polymerase system and [35S]methionine labeling, fractionated with cell membranes. Right-side-out (RSO) membrane vesicles prepared from a kgtP negative mutant strain did not transport alpha-ketoglutarate, but RSO vesicles from the same strain expressing KgtP from a transforming plasmid transported alpha-ketoglutarate effectively as measured by uptake of the 14C-labeled substrate. E. coli JC7623 strain grown in M9 minimal medium with glucose, glycerol, or alpha-ketoglutarate as carbon source contained a 1.3-kilobase RNA which hybridized to nick-translated kgtP probe. In addition, strain MC1061 cultures grown under these same conditions were all capable of transporting alpha-ketoglutarate, demonstrating that KgtP is constitutively expressed. The Km and Vmax of KgtP assayed in strain MC1061 vesicles were 13-46 microM and 8 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively. Uncouplers that permeabilized the membrane to protons inhibited alpha-ketoglutarate transport into energized vesicles, and the addition of alpha-ketoglutarate to vesicle suspensions under non-energized conditions resulted in an increase in pH. These results indicate that KgtP is an alpha-ketoglutarate-proton symporter.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Deinococcus rubellus</Emphasis> sp. nov., bacteria isolated from the muscle of antarctic fish

Two new bacterial strains designated as Ant6^T and Ant18 were isolated from the muscle of a fish which had been caught in the Antarctic Ocean. Both strains are Gram-stain-positive, catalase positive, oxidase negative, aerobic, and coccoid bacteria. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences of strains Ant6^T and Ant18 revealed that the strains Ant6^T and Ant18 belong to the genus Deinococcus in the family Deinococcaceae in the class Deinococci. The highest degrees of sequence similarities of strains Ant6^T and Ant18 were found with Deinococcus alpinitundrae LMG 24283^T by 96.4% and 96.8%, respectively. Strain Ant6^T exhibited a high level of DNA- DNA hybridization values with strain Ant18 (82 ± 0.6%). Chemotaxonomic data revealed that the predominant fatty acids were C_{17: 0} cyclo, 16:0, and feature 3 (C_16:1ω6c/ω7c) for both strains. A complex polar lipid profile consisted of major amounts of unknown phosphoglycolipids (PGL) and unknown aminophospholipid (APL). Based on the phylogenetic, phenotypic, and chemotaxonomic data, strains Ant6^T (=KEMB 9004-169^T =JCM 31434^T) and Ant18 (=KEMB 9004-170) should be classified as a new species, for which the name Deinococcus rubellus sp. nov. is proposed.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Deinococcus seoulensis</Emphasis> sp. nov., a bacterium isolated from sediment at Han River in Seoul,Republic of Korea

Strain 16F1E^T was isolated from a 3-kGy-irradiated sediment sample collected at Han River in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Cells of this strain were observed to be Gram-positive, pililike structure, and short rod shape, and colonies were red in color. The strain showed the highest degree of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Deinococcus aquaticus PB314^T (98.8%), Deinococcus depolymerans TDMA-24^T (98.1%), Deinococcus caeni Ho-08^T (98.0%), and Deinococcus grandis DSM 3963^T (97.0%). 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis identified this strain as a member of the genus Deinococcus (Family: Deinococcaceae). The genomic DNA G+C content of strain 16F1ET was 66.9 mol%. The low levels of DNA-DNA hybridization (< 56.2%) with the species mentioned above identified strain 16F1E^T as a novel Deinococcus species. Its oxidase and catalase activities as well as the production of acid from glucose were positive. Growth of the strain was observed at 10–37°C (optimum: 20–30°C) and pH 4–10 (optimum: pH 7–8). The cells tolerated less than 5% NaCl and had low resistance to gamma radiation (D₁₀ < 4 kGy). Strain 16F1ET possessed the following chemotaxonomic characteristics: C_16:0, C_15:1ω6c, and C_16:1ω7c as the major fatty acids; phosphoglycolipid as the predominant polar lipid; and menaquinone-8 as the predominant respiratory isoprenoid quinone. Based on the polyphasic evidence, as well as the phylogenetic, genotypic, phenotypic, and chemotaxonomic characterization results, strain 16F1E^T (=KCTC 33793^T =JCM 31404^T) is proposed to represent the type strain of a novel species, Deinococcus seoulensis sp. nov.