Human Mre11/human Rad50/Nbs1 and DNA ligase IIIalpha/XRCC1 protein complexes act together in an alternative nonhomologous end joining pathway

Recent studies have implicated a poorly defined alternative pathway of nonhomologous end joining (alt-NHEJ) in the generation of large deletions and chromosomal translocations that are frequently observed in cancer cells. Here, we describe an interaction between two factors, hMre11/hRad50/Nbs1 (MRN) and DNA ligase IIIα/XRCC1, that have been linked with alt-NHEJ. Expression of DNA ligase IIIα and the association between MRN and DNA ligase IIIα/XRCC1 are altered in cell lines defective in the major NHEJ pathway. Most notably, DNA damage induced the association of these factors in DNA ligase IV-deficient cells. MRN interacts with DNA ligase IIIα/XRCC1, stimulating intermolecular ligation, and together these proteins join incompatible DNA ends in a reaction that mimics alt-NHEJ. Thus, our results provide novel mechanistic insights into the alt-NHEJ pathway that not only contributes to genome instability in cancer cells but may also be a therapeutic target.     

MDC1 maintains genomic stability by participating in the amplification of ATM-dependent DNA damage signals

MDC1 functions in checkpoint activation and DNA repair following DNA damage. To address the physiological role of MDC1, we disrupted the MDC1 gene in mice. MDC1-/- mice recapitulated many phenotypes of H2AX-/- mice, including growth retardation, male infertility, immune defects, chromosome instability, DNA repair defects, and radiation sensitivity. At the molecular level, H2AX, MDC1, and ATM form a positive feedback loop, with MDC1 directly mediating the interaction between H2AX and ATM. MDC1 binds phosphorylated H2AX through its BRCT domain and ATM through its FHA domain. Through these interactions, MDC1 accumulates activated ATM flanking the sites of DNA damage, facilitating further ATM-dependent phosphorylation of H2AX and the amplification of DNA damage signals. In the absence of MDC1, many downstream ATM signaling events are defective. These results suggest that MDC1, as a signal amplifier of the ATM pathway, is vital in controlling proper DNA damage response and maintaining genomic stability.     

Sensitive Detection of Gene Expression in Mycobacteria under Replicating and Non-Replicating Conditions Using Optimized Far-Red Reporters

Fluorescent reporter proteins have proven useful for imaging techniques in many organisms. We constructed optimized expression systems for several fluorescent proteins from the far-red region of the spectrum and analyzed their utility in several mycobacterial species. Plasmids expressing variants of the Discosoma Red fluorescent protein (DsRed) from the Mycobacterium bovis hsp60 promoter were unstable; in contrast expression from the Mycobacterium smegmatis rpsA promoter was stable. In Mycobacterium tuberculosis expression of several of the far-red reporters was readily visualised by eye and three reporters (mCherry, tdTomato, and Turbo-635) fluoresced at a high intensity. Strains expressing mCherry showed no fitness defects in vitro or in macrophages. Treatment of cells with antibiotics demonstrated that mCherry could also be used as a reporter for cell death, since fluorescence decreased in the presence of a bactericidal compound, but remained stable in the presence of a bacteriostatic compound. mCherry was functional under hypoxic conditions; using mCherry we demonstrated that the P_mtbB is expressed early in hypoxia and progressively down-regulated. mCherry and other far-red fluorescent proteins will have multiple uses in investigating the biology of mycobacteria, particularly under non-replicating, or low cell density conditions, as well as providing a novel means of detecting cell death rapidly.     

2,3-Diaminopyridine as a platform for designing structurally unique nonpeptide bradykinin B1 receptor antagonists

A novel class of 2,3-diaminopyridine bradykinin B1 receptor antagonists is disclosed. Structure-activity relationship studies (SARs) that led to compounds with significantly improved potency and pharmacokinetic properties relative to the lead compound are described.     

Bedraggled, a putative transporter, influences the tissue polarity complex during the R3/R4 fate decision in the Drosophila eye

The tissue polarity pathway is required for the establishment of epithelial polarity in a variety of vertebrate and invertebrate organs. Core tissue polarity proteins act in a dynamically regulated complex to direct the polarization of the Drosophila eye. We report the identification and characterization of bedraggled (bdg), a novel gene that regulates one output of the tissue polarity pathway--the establishment of the R3/R4 photoreceptor fates. bdg encodes a novel, putative transporter protein and interacts genetically with all of the core polarity genes to influence the specification of the R3 and R4 cell fates. Finally, bdg is required for both viability and the initial stages of imaginal disc development.     

Design and optimisation of orally active TLR7 agonists for the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection

The synthesis and structure-activity relationships of a series of novel interferon inducers are described. Pharmacokinetic studies and efficacy assessment of a series of 8-oxo-3-deazapurine analogues led to the identification of compound 33, a potent and selective agonist of the TLR7 receptor with an excellent in vivo efficacy profile in a mouse model.     

Loss of Rab27 function results in abnormal lung epithelium structure in mice

Rab27 small GTPases regulate secretion and movement of lysosome-related organelles such as T cell cytolytic granules and platelet-dense granules. Previous studies indicated that Rab27a and Rab27b are expressed in the murine lung suggesting that they regulate secretory processes in the lung. Consistent with those studies, we found that Rab27a and Rab27b are expressed in cell types that contain secretory granules: alveolar epithelial type II (AEII) and Clara cells. We then used Rab27a/Rab27b double knockout (DKO) mice to examine the functional consequence of loss of Rab27 proteins in the murine lung. Light and electron microscopy revealed a number of morphological changes in lungs from DKO mice when compared with those in control animals. In aged DKO mice we observed atrophy of the bronchiolar and alveolar epithelium with reduction of cells numbers, thinning of the bronchiolar epithelium and alveolar walls, and enlargement of alveolar airspaces. In these samples we also observed increased numbers of activated foamy alveolar macrophages and granulocyte containing infiltrates together with reduction in the numbers of Clara cells and AEII cells compared with control. At the ultrastructural level we observed accumulation of cytoplasmic membranes and vesicles in Clara cells. Meanwhile, AEII cells in DKO accumulated large mature lamellar bodies and lacked immature/precursor lamellar bodies. We hypothesize that the morphological changes observed at the ultrastructural level in DKO samples result from secretory defects in AEII and Clara cells and that over time these defects lead to atrophy of the epithelium.     

Transduction of the mammary epithelium with adenovirus vectors in vivo

Because the mammary parenchyma is accessible from the exterior of an animal through the mammary duct, adenovirus transduction holds promise for the short-term delivery of genes to the mammary epithelium for both research and therapeutic purposes. To optimize the procedure and evaluate its efficacy, an adenovirus vector (human adenovirus type 5) encoding a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter and deleted of E1 and E3 was injected intraductally into the mouse mammary gland. We evaluated induction of inflammation (by intraductal injection of [(14)C]sucrose and histological examination), efficiency of transduction, and maintenance of normal function in transduced cells. We found that transduction of the total epithelium in the proximal portion of the third mammary gland varied from 7% to 25% at a dose of 2 x 10(6) PFU of adenovirus injected into day 17 pregnant mice. Transduction was maintained for at least 7 days with minimal inflammatory response; however, significant mastitis was observed 12 days after transduction. Adenovirus transduction could also be used in the virgin animal with little mastitis 3 days after transduction. Transduced mammary epithelial cells maintained normal morphology and function. Our results demonstrate that intraductal injection of adenovirus vectors provides a versatile and noninvasive method of investigating genes of interest in mouse mammary epithelial cells.     

Sequential and compartmentalized action of Rabs,SNAREs, and MAL in the apical delivery of fusiform vesicles in urothelial umbrella cells

Uroplakins (UPs) are major differentiation products of urothelial umbrella cells and play important roles in forming the permeability barrier and in the expansion/stabilization of the apical membrane. Further, UPIa serves as a uropathogenic Escherichia coli receptor. Although it is understood that UPs are delivered to the apical membrane via fusiform vesicles (FVs), the mechanisms that regulate this exocytic pathway remain poorly understood. Immunomicroscopy of normal and mutant mouse urothelia show that the UP-delivering FVs contained Rab8/11 and Rab27b/Slac2-a, which mediate apical transport along actin filaments. Subsequently a Rab27b/Slp2-a complex mediated FV–membrane anchorage before SNARE-mediated and MAL-facilitated apical fusion. We also show that keratin 20 (K20), which forms a chicken-wire network ∼200 nm below the apical membrane and has hole sizes allowing FV passage, defines a subapical compartment containing FVs primed and strategically located for fusion. Finally, we show that Rab8/11 and Rab27b function in the same pathway, Rab27b knockout leads to uroplakin and Slp2-a destabilization, and Rab27b works upstream from MAL. These data support a unifying model in which UP cargoes are targeted for apical insertion via sequential interactions with Rabs and their effectors, SNAREs and MAL, and in which K20 plays a key role in regulating vesicular trafficking.     

Improved pregnancy and birth rates with routine application of nonsurgical embryo transfer

Nonsurgical embryo transfer (NSET) of blastocysts to pseudopregnant female recipients provides many benefits over surgical implantation with less distress for the mice, no anesthesia or analgesia required and a considerable reduction in implantation time per mouse. Although a disposable device to perform NSET is on the market since 2009, it is not generally used in transgenic facilities, most likely because surgical implantation is efficient and inexpensive. Here, we report that with several refinements to the original protocol, the NSET method becomes very attractive and outperforms the traditional surgical transfer on basis of pregnancy rate, birth rate and implantation-related discomfort. Furthermore, repeated use of the same NSET device on several recipient females reduces the costs to a reasonable level. The data presented covers all embryo transfers over the last 5 years at the transgenic facility of the Netherlands Cancer Institute, of which the last 2 years were performed exclusively with NSET.