c-Myc and Sp1 contribute to proviral latency by recruiting histone deacetylase 1 to the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 promoter

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors such as valproic acid (VPA) induce the expression of quiescent proviral human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and may deplete proviral infection in vivo. To uncover novel molecular mechanisms that maintain HIV latency, we sought cellular mRNAs whose expression was diminished in resting CD4(+) T cells of HIV-1-infected patients exposed to VPA. c-Myc was prominent among genes markedly downregulated upon exposure to VPA. c-Myc expression repressed HIV-1 expression in chronically infected cell lines. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays revealed that c-Myc and HDAC1 are coordinately resident at the HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter and absent from the promoter after VPA treatment in concert with histone acetylation, RNA polymerase II recruitment, and LTR expression. Sequential ChIP assays demonstrated that c-Myc, Sp1, and HDAC1 coexist in the same DNA-protein complex at the HIV promoter. Short hairpin RNA inhibition of c-Myc reduces both c-Myc and HDAC1 occupancy, blocks c-Myc repression of Tat activation, and increases LTR expression. These results expand the understanding of mechanisms that recruit HDAC and maintain the latency of HIV-1, suggesting novel therapeutic approaches against latent proviral HIV infection.     

Effect of lesion of nucleus robustus archistriatalis on call in bramble finch ( Fringilla montifringilla )

The lesion of nucleus robustus archistriatalis (RA) has no effect on normal short calls in the bramble finch, but affects significantly the temporal and acoustic features of learned long calls. It causes the principal frequency of basic sound in monotone long calls to increase 500 cents, and to lose two upper partials. The lesion of RA not only results in the increased sound length of loud-sound and shortened coda of variable-tone long calls by 13.4%–22.1% and 21.2%–24.2% on average, respectively, but also makes the frequency rising coefficient (FRC) of even order partial tone in loud-sound drop 18.5%–25.8% on an average, and the step-up rate decrease 22.7% –24.0% on an average with the increase of frequencies. These results show that the control of temporal and frequency features of learned calls by RA matches to each other. Moreover, the lesion of bilateral RA can confuse the vocal pattern, and the produced long call has the character of both the mono- and variable-tone long calls. The prelude shows rising frequency, and the loud sound is monotone sound.     

An Experimental Study on the Revegetation of Colliery Spoils of Bold Moss Tip,St. Helens,England

Three spoils from Bold Moss Tip, St. Helens, and one from Neston, England were collected for experiment to find the problems and solutions to reclaim the coal-mine lands of Bold Moss Tip, from seeds and tillers of Agrostis stolonifera, A. capillaris and Hocus lanatus. Low pH (3.0 to 6.8), deficient in nutrient, especially N (0. 24 to 0. 28 ppm), P(0. 016 to 6.1 ppm). and excess of Mg(>1000ppm), Na(84 to 325ppm), and Fe (>20 000ppm)were found in the spoils of Bold Moss Tip, which was supposed to be the most difficult problems of restoration. Tillers of A. stolonifera and A. capillaris could not be planted directly to the bare spoils of Bold Moss Tip, but those of vegetated spoils (Site 2 and Site 3) could support the growth of tillers. The pH value was found to be the key factor to control seed germinations of the three species, below pH 3, there were no germination. A. stolonifera and A. capillaris germinated with the highest rates (97% and 96%) at pH 5 and pH7(p<0. 01)respectively. The application of lime stone could increase spoil pH significantly (p<0. 001), from 2.2 to 7. 3, when 40 t·ha-1 lime stone was added. Lime stone had the best effect to the four spoils. Lime stone +NP significantly increased the yield of dry matters of Site 2 (p<0. 001); The highest yield, 735.6 g · m-1, was gained from the treatment of spoils of Neston with lime stone + N; Lime could also increase the yield of Site 1 from 0 to 125. l g·m-1(p<0. 05). Gypsum had some effect to spoils of Site 2 and Neston, compared with the bland treatment, but did no influence to the spoils of Site 1. Washing had minimum effect toward the spoils of Site 2, and showed no effect to Site 1 and Neston; Throughout the 8-weed% experiment there was little change in the pH of Site 1, even though the spoils were washed everyday. Fertilisers alone had no effect to the bare spoils of Bold Moss Tip, and Neston, but they could enhance the growth of seedling of Site 2, however together with lime stone, the role of fertilisers were significant (p<0. 001). Both nitrogen and phosphorus were essential to the spoils of Bold Moss Tip . Without top-soils, the bare of Bold Moss Tip can be revegetated only by application of lime stone, but better effect coult be obtained by addition of nitrogen and phosphorus. The rates of 20 to 60 t·ha-1, 75 kg N ha-1 and 50 kg P ha-1 of lime stone, nitrogen, phosphorus respectively, are suggested for application.     

A meta-analysis of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, and interleukin-10 in preeclampsia

Inflammation may play a major role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia (PE). In this meta-analysis, we determined whether maternal polymorphisms and serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were associated with PE. All studies investigating the associations between PE and maternal polymorphisms of TNF-α-308G/A, IL-6-174G/C, and IL-10-1082A/G or serum concentrations of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 were reviewed. We found that neither maternal TNF-α-308G/A (p=0.86, odds ratio [OR]=0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.76-1.25), IL-6 174G/C (p=0.14, OR=1.23, 95% CI, 0.93-1.61), nor IL-10-1082A/G (p=0.72, OR=1.07, 95% CI, 0.75-1.52) were associated with PE. On the other hand, maternal TNF-α (p<0.00001, weighted mean difference [WMD]=19.63 pg/ml, 95% CI, 18.54-20.72 pg/ml), IL-6 (p<0.00001, WMD=6.58 pg/ml, 95% CI, 5.49-7.67 pg/ml), and IL-10 (p=0.0005, WMD=19.30 pg/ml, 95% CI, 8.42-30.17 pg/ml) concentrations were significantly higher in PE patients versus controls. Our findings strengthen the clinical evidence that PE is accompanied by exaggerated inflammatory responses, but do not support TNF-α-308G/A, IL-6-174G/C, and IL-10-1082A/G as candidate susceptibility loci in PE.     

Pax3/7BP is a Pax7- and Pax3-binding protein that regulates the proliferation of muscle precursor cells by an epigenetic mechanism

In mouse skeletal muscles, Pax7 uniquely marks muscle satellite cells and plays some important yet unknown functions at the perinatal stage. To elucidate its in vivo functions, we initiated a yeast two-hybrid screening to look for Pax7-interacting proteins and identified a previously uncharacterized Pax7- and Pax3-binding protein (Pax3/7BP). Pax3/7BP is a ubiquitously expressed nuclear protein, enriched in Pax7+ muscle precursor cells (MPCs), and serves as an indispensable adaptor for Pax7 to recruit the histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methyltransferase (HMT) complex by bridging Pax7 and Wdr5. Knockdown of Pax3/7BP abolished the Pax3/7-associated H3K4 HMT activity and inhibited the proliferation of Pax7+ MPCs from young mice both in culture and in vivo. Id3 and Cdc20 were direct target genes of Pax7 and Pax3/7BP involved in the proliferation of Pax7+ MPCs. Collectively, our work establishes Pax3/7BP as an essential adaptor linking Pax3/7 with the H3K4 HMT to regulate the proliferation of MPCs.     

Identification of a stable quantitative trait locus for percentage grains with white chalkiness in rice (Oryza sativa)

High chalkiness is a major problem in many rice-producing areas of the world, especially in hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.) in China. We previously showed a major quantitative trait locus for the percentage of grains with white chalkiness (QTLqPGWC-8) in the interval G1149-R727 on chromosome 8 using a chromosome segment substitution line (CSSL). Here, we selected the line-CSSL50 harboring the QTLqPGWC-8 allele from the CSSLs derived from a cross between Asominori (as a recurrent parent) and IR24 (as a donor parent), which had higher percentage chalkiness, markedly different from that of Asominori. There were also significant differences in starch granules, appearance of amylose content (AAC) and milling qualities between Asominori and CSSL50, but not in grain size or thousand grain weight (TGW). The BC(4) F(2) and BC(4) F(3) populations from a cross between CSSL50 and Asominori were used for fine mapping of qPGWC-8. We narrowed down the location of this QTL to a 142 kb region between Indel markers 8G-7 and 8G-9. QTLqPGWC-8 accounted for 50.9% of the difference in PGWC between the parents. The markers tightly linked to qPGWC-8 should facilitate cloning of the gene underlying this QTL and will be of value for marker-assisted selection in breeding rice varieties with better grain quality.     

Molecular characterization and expression analysis of a complement component 3 in the sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus)

The complement system has been discovered in invertebrates and vertebrates, and plays a crucial role in the innate defense against common pathogens. As a central component in the complement system, complement component 3 (C3) is an intermediary between innate and adaptive immune system. In this study, a new isoform of C3 in the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus, termed AjC3-2 was identified. Its open reading frame (ORF) is 5085?bp and encodes for 1695 amino acids with a putative signal peptide of 20 amino acid residues. The mature protein molecular weight of AjC3-2 was 187.72?kDa. It has a conserved thioester site and a linker R(689)RRR(692) where AjC3-2 is splitted into β and α chain during posttranslational modification. The expression patterns of two distinct sea cucumber C3 genes, AjC3-2 and AjC3, were similar. During the different development stages from unfertilized egg to juvenile of the sea cucumber, the highest expression levels of AjC3-2 and AjC3 genes were both found in late auricularia. In the adult, the highest expression of these two genes was observed in the coelomocytes and followed by the body wall. AjC3-2 and AjC3 genes expression increased significantly at 6?h after the LPS challenge. These results indicated that these two C3 genes play a pivotal role in immune responses to the bacterial infection in sea cucumber.     

ApoA-II maintains HDL levels in part by inhibition of hepatic lipase. Studies In apoA-II and hepatic lipase double knockout mice.

High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels are inversely related to the risk of developing coronary heart disease. Apolipoprotein (apo) A-II is the second most abundant HDL apolipoprotein and apoA-II knockout mice show a 70% reduction in HDL cholesterol levels. There is also evidence, using human apoA-II transgenic mice, that apoA-II can prevent hepatic lipase-mediated HDL triglyceride hydrolysis and reduction in HDL size. These observations suggest the hypothesis that apoA-II maintains HDL levels, at least in part, by inhibiting hepatic lipase. To evaluate this, apoA-II knockout mice were crossbred with hepatic lipase knockout mice. Compared to apoA-II-deficient mice, in double knockout mice there were increased HDL cholesterol levels (57% in males and 60% in females), increased HDL size, and decreased HDL cholesteryl ester fractional catabolic rate. In vitro incubation studies of plasma from apoA-II knockout mice, which contains largely apoA-I HDL particles, showed active lipolysis of HDL triglyceride, whereas similar studies of plasma from apoA-I knockout mice, which contains largely apoA-II particles, did not. In summary, these results strongly suggest that apoA-II is a physiological inhibitor of hepatic lipase and that this is at least part of the mechanism whereby apoA-II maintains HDL cholesterol levels.