Molecular cloning and functional expression of soybean allene oxide synthases

A plant allene oxide synthase (AOS) reacting with 13S-hydroperoxy-9Z,11E,15Z-octadecatrienoic acid (13-HPOT), a lipoxygenase product of alpha-linolenic acid, provides an allene oxide which functions as an intermediate for jasmonic acid (JA) synthesis, making AOS a key enzyme regulating the JA level in plants. Although AOSs in various plants have been investigated, there is only limited information about AOSs in soybean (Glycine max). In this study, we cloned and characterized two soybean AOSs, GmAOS1 and GmAOS2, sharing 95% homology in the predicted amino acid sequences. GmAOS1 and GmAOS2 were composed of 564 and 559 amino acids respectively, with predicted N-terminal chloroplast-targeting signal peptides. Both AOSs expressed in Escherichia coli were selective for 13S-hydroperoxides of alpha-linolenic and linoleic acids, suggesting the potential of GmAOS1 and GmAOS2 to contribute to JA synthesis. GmAOS1 and GmAOS2 were expressed in leaves, stems, and roots, suggesting broad distribution in a soybean plant.     

Functional similarities of a thermostable protein-disulfide oxidoreductase identified in the archaeon <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pyrococcus horikoshii</Emphasis> to bacterial DsbA enzymes

We have isolated and characterized a gene for a putative protein-disulfide oxidoreductase (phdsb) in the archaeon Pyrococcus horikoshii. The open reading frame of phdsb encodes a protein of 170 amino acids with an NH₂-terminal extension similar to the bacterial signal peptides. The putative mature region of PhDsb includes a sequence motif, Cys-Pro-His-Cys (CPHC), that is conserved in members of the bacterial DsbA family, but otherwise the archaeal and bacterial sequences do not show substantial similarity. A recombinant protein corresponding to the predicted mature form of PhDsb behaved as a monomer and manifested oxidoreductase activities in vitro similar to those of DsbA of Escherichia coli. The catalytic activity of PhDsb was thermostable and was shown by mutation analysis to depend on the NH₂-terminal cysteine residue of the CPHC motif. Thus, in spite of their low overall sequence similarities, DsbA-like proteins of archaea and bacteria appear to be highly similar in terms of function.     

Role of flavonoids in intestinal tight junction regulation

The gastrointestinal tract provides a physical barrier to the diffusion of foreign materials from the lumen into the circulatory system. Impairment of the intercellular tight junction (TJ) shield, which is the major determinant of intestinal barrier function, is associated with various diseases. Dietary flavonoids demonstrate various beneficial effects on our health; however, the information regarding their effects on TJ function is quite limited. To date, four flavonoids — epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), genistein, myricetin and quercetin — have been reported to exhibit promotive and protective effects on intestinal TJ barrier functions. Genistein, a major soybean isoflavone, protects TJ barrier function against oxidative stress, acetaldehyde, enteric bacteria and inflammatory cytokines. Genistein blocks the tyrosine phosphorylation of the TJ proteins induced by oxidative stress and acetaldehyde, which results in the disassembly of the proteins from the junctional complex. Quercetin, a flavonol, enhances intestinal TJ barrier function through the assembly and expression of TJ proteins. The change in phosphorylation status is responsible for the quercetin-mediated assembly of TJ proteins. TJ protein induction has an additional role in this effect. This review presents the recent advances in our understanding of the flavonoid-mediated promotive and protective effects on intestinal TJ barrier function with a particular focus on intracellular molecular mechanisms.     

A necrosis-inducing elicitor domain encoded by both symptomatic and asymptomatic Plantago asiatica mosaic virus isolates, whose expression is modulated by virus replication

Systemic necrosis is the most destructive symptom induced by plant pathogens. We previously identified amino acid 1154, in the polymerase domain (POL) of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of Plantago asiatica mosaic virus (PlAMV), which affects PlAMV-induced systemic necrosis in Nicotiana benthamiana. By point-mutation analysis, we show that amino acid 1,154 alone is not sufficient for induction of necrotic symptoms. However, PlAMV replicons that can express only RdRp, derived from a necrosis-inducing PlAMV isolate, retain their ability to induce necrosis, and transient expression of PlAMV-encoded proteins indicated that the necrosis-eliciting activity resides in RdRp. Moreover, inducible-overexpression analysis demonstrated that the necrosis was induced in an RdRp dose-dependent manner. In addition, during PlAMV infection, necrotic symptoms are associated with high levels of RdRp accumulation. Surprisingly, necrosis-eliciting activity resides in the helicase domain (HEL), not in the amino acid 1,154-containing POL, of RdRp, and this activity was observed even in HELs of PlAMV isolates of which infection does not cause necrosis. Moreover, HEL-induced necrosis had characteristics similar to those induced by PlAMV infection. Overall, our data suggest that necrotic symptoms induced by PlAMV infection depend on the accumulation of a non-isolate specific elicitor HEL (even from nonnecrosis isolates), whose expression is indirectly regulated by amino acid 1,154 that controls replication.     

A deletion in a cis element of Foxe3 causes cataracts and microphthalmia in rct mice

The Rinshoken cataract (rct) mutation, which causes congenital cataracts, is a recessive mutation found in SJL/J mice. All mutants present with opacity in the lens by 2?months of age. The rct locus was mapped to a 1.6-Mb region in Chr 4 that contains the Foxe3 gene. This gene is responsible for cataracts in humans and mice, and it plays a crucial role in the development of the lens. Furthermore, mutation of Foxe3 causes various ocular defects. We sequenced the genomic region of Foxe3, including the coding exons and UTRs; however, no mutations were discovered in these regions. Because there were no differences in Foxe3 sequences between the rct/rct and wild-type mice, we inferred that a mutation was located in the regulatory regions of the Foxe3 gene. To test this possibility, we sequenced a 5' noncoding region that is highly conserved among vertebrates and is predicted to be the major enhancer of Foxe3. This analysis revealed a deletion of 22-bp located approximately 3.2-kb upstream of the start codon of Foxe3 in rct mice. Moreover, we demonstrated by RT-PCR and in situ hybridization that the rct mutant has reduced expression of Foxe3 in the lens during development. We therefore suggest that cataracts in rct mice are caused by reduced Foxe3 expression in the lens and that this decreased expression is a result of a deletion in a cis-acting regulatory element.     

Identification of novel plasmin inhibitors possessing nitrile moiety as warhead

Lysine-nitrile derivatives having a trisubstituted benzene, which belongs to a new chemical class, were prepared and tested for inhibitory activities against plasmin and the highly homologous plasma kallikrein and urokinase. The use of the novel chemotype in the development of plasmin inhibitors has been demonstrated by derivatives of compound 9.     

Structure-activity relationship studies of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor agonists with N-cinnamyl-β-alanine moiety

Structure-activity relationship of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor agonist was examined. In terms of reducing the flexibility of molecule, hit compound 1 was modified to improve S1P₁ agonistic activity as well as selectivity over S1P₃ agonistic activity. Novel S1P agonists with cinnamyl scaffold or 1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine scaffold were identified.