TRAP assists membrane protein topogenesis at the mammalian ER membrane

Membrane protein insertion and topogenesis generally occur at the Sec61 translocon in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. During this process, membrane spanning segments may adopt two distinct orientations with either their N- or C-terminus translocated into the ER lumen. While different topogenic determinants in membrane proteins, such as flanking charges, polypeptide folding, and hydrophobicity, have been identified, it is not well understood how the translocon and/or associated components decode them. Here we present evidence that the translocon-associated protein (TRAP) complex is involved in membrane protein topogenesis in vivo. Small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated silencing of the TRAP complex in HeLa cells enhanced the topology effect of mutating the flanking charges of a signal-anchor, but not of increasing signal hydrophobicity. The results suggest a role of the TRAP complex in moderating the ‘positive-inside’ rule.     

Notch-signalling is required for head regeneration and tentacle patterning in Hydra

Local self-activation and long ranging inhibition provide a mechanism for setting up organising regions as signalling centres for the development of structures in the surrounding tissue. The adult hydra hypostome functions as head organiser. After hydra head removal it is newly formed and complete heads can be regenerated. The molecular components of this organising region involve Wnt-signalling and β-catenin. However, it is not known how correct patterning of hypostome and tentacles are achieved in the hydra head and whether other signals in addition to HyWnt3 are needed for re-establishing the new organiser after head removal. Here we show that Notch-signalling is required for re-establishing the organiser during regeneration and that this is due to its role in restricting tentacle activation. Blocking Notch-signalling leads to the formation of irregular head structures characterised by excess tentacle tissue and aberrant expression of genes that mark the tentacle boundaries. This indicates a role for Notch-signalling in defining the tentacle pattern in the hydra head. Moreover, lateral inhibition by HvNotch and its target HyHes are required for head regeneration and without this the formation of the β-catenin/Wnt dependent head organiser is impaired. Work on prebilaterian model organisms has shown that the Wnt-pathway is important for setting up signalling centres for axial patterning in early multicellular animals. Our data suggest that the integration of Wnt-signalling with Notch-Delta activity was also involved in the evolution of defined body plans in animals.     

Genomic Pathology of SLE-Associated Copy-Number Variation at the FCGR2C/FCGR3B/FCGR2B Locus

Reduced FCGR3B copy number is associated with increased risk of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The five FCGR2/FCGR3 genes are arranged across two highly paralogous genomic segments on chromosome 1q23. Previous studies have suggested mechanisms for structural rearrangements at the FCGR2/FCGR3 locus and have proposed mechanisms whereby altered FCGR3B copy number predisposes to autoimmunity, but the high degree of sequence similarity between paralogous segments has prevented precise definition of the molecular events and their functional consequences. To pursue the genomic pathology associated with FCGR3B copy-number variation, we integrated sequencing data from fosmid and bacterial artificial chromosome clones and sequence-captured DNA from FCGR3B-deleted genomes to establish a detailed map of allelic and paralogous sequence variation across the FCGR2/FCGR3 locus. This analysis identified two highly paralogous 24.5 kb blocks within the FCGR2C/FCGR3B/FCGR2B locus that are devoid of nonpolymorphic paralogous sequence variations and that define the limits of the genomic regions in which nonallelic homologous recombination leads to FCGR2C/FCGR3B copy-number variation. Further, the data showed evidence of swapping of haplotype blocks between these highly paralogous blocks that most likely arose from sequential ancestral recombination events across the region. Functionally, we found by flow cytometry, immunoblotting and cDNA sequencing that individuals with FCGR3B-deleted alleles show ectopic presence of FcγRIIb on natural killer (NK) cells. We conclude that FCGR3B deletion juxtaposes the 5′-regulatory sequences of FCGR2C with the coding sequence of FCGR2B, creating a chimeric gene that results in an ectopic accumulation of FcγRIIb on NK cells and provides an explanation for SLE risk associated with reduced FCGR3B gene copy number.     

Pyrrole and furan oligoglycosides from the starfish Asterina batheri and their inhibitory effect on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells

Three new pyrrole oligoglycosides, astebatheriosides A–C (1–3), and a new furan oligoglycoside, astebatherioside D (4), were isolated from the starfish Asterina batheri by various chromatographic methods. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical methods. Compounds 2, 3, and 4 moderately inhibited IL-12 p40 production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) with IC₅₀ values of 36.4, 31.6, and 22.8 μM, respectively.     

N-Alkyldeoxynojirimycin derivatives with novel terminal tertiary amide substitution for treatment of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), Dengue,and Tacaribe virus infections

Novel N-alkyldeoxynojirimycins (NADNJs) with two hydrophobic groups attached to a nitrogen linker on the alkyl chain were designed. A novel NADNJ containing a terminal tertiary carboxamide moiety was discovered that was a potent inhibitor against BVDV. Further optimization resulted in a structurally more stable lead compound 24 with a submicromolar EC₅₀ against BVDV, Dengue, and Tacaribe; and low cytotoxicity.     

A novel metformin derivative,HL010183, inhibits proliferation and invasion of triple-negative breast cancer cells

Mounting evidence suggests that metformin (N,N-dimethylbiguanide), a widely prescribed drug for the treatment of type II diabetes, exerts an anti-tumor effect on several cancers including breast cancer. Breast cancer has been estimated as one of the most commonly diagnosed types of cancer among women. In particular, triple-negative breast cancers are associated with poor prognosis and metastatic growth. In the present study, we synthesized a novel metformin derivative 5 (HL010183) and metformin salts, 9a, 9b, and 9c (metformin gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) salt, metformin pregabalin salt and metformin gabapentin salt), which exerted more potent inhibitory effects on the proliferation and invasiveness of Hs578T triple-negative breast carcinoma cells than metformin. Importantly, 5 showed approximately 100-fold more potent effects compared to metformin. In a triple-negative breast cancer xenograft model, 5 showed a comparable degree of inhibitory effect on in vivo tumor growth at the 100 mg/kg dose to that of metformin at 500 mg/kg. Our results clearly demonstrate that 5 exerts a potent anti-tumor effect both in vitro and in vivo, paving the way for a strategy for treatment of triple-negative breast cancer.     

N′-Isopropylnornicotine in Burley Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)

Allyl sulfides such as diallyl sulfide (DAS), diallyl disulfide (DADS), and diallyl trisulfide (DATS), typical flavor components of Allium vegetables, have been shown to inhibit benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P)-induced carcinogenesis in animal models. As a possible mechanism of this inhibition, the effect of these volatile substances on cytochrome P450 (CYP)1 (CYP1A1, 1A2 and 1B1)-mediated bioactivation of B[a]P was investigated using a human hepatoma cell model (HepG2). DADS and DATS inhibited the B[a]P-induced ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity, a marker enzyme for CYP1, by 30-90% and 70-95% at 100-1,000 μM concentration, respectively. The cell viability, an indicator of the capacity to inhibit B[a]P bioactivation, was increased by treatments of 100-1,000 μM DADS and 10-100 μM DATS. Immunoblot results indicated that the B[a]P inducible CYP1A2 protein was suppressed by 100-1,000 μM of DADS and 10-100 μM of DATS, but CYP1A1 and 1B1 were not detectable in any microsomes. Analysis of B[a]P metabolites revealed that the level of 7,8-diol formed was significantly reduced in the DADS and DATS treated microsomes as compared to the control. The level of 9,10-diol and 4,5-diol formed was also lowered by the allyl sulfide treatments. These results suggest that the protective mechanism of allyl sulfides on B[a]P-induced carcinogenesis is possibly related with the modulation of CYP1-mediated bioactivation of B[a]P.     

italic> of the Whole nif Genes of Klebsiella oxytoca,a Nitrogen Fixer in the Rhizosphere of Rice

We cloned in E. coli the whole 17 nif genes (nifQ-J) of Klebsiella oxytoca NG13 using pBR322 as a vector, and constructed a recombinant plasmid, pNOW25 (nif⁺, Ap^r, 42.6 kb). A non nif DNA fragment was deleted from the plasmid with XhoI, and a smaller plasmid, pNOK31 (nif+, Ap^r, 31.1 kb), was reconstructed.

We constructed the restriction map of the cloned nif genes. The map was the same as that of the K. pneumoniae M5a1 nif genes as to the EcoRI, HindIII, BamHI and XhoI sites, but differed considerably in the PstI, SalI and BglII sites.

E. coli KO60 containing pNOW25 or pNOK31 can grow on a N-free medium. The acetylene reduction activities of KO60 (pNOW25) and KO60 (pNOK31) were 280 nmol and 390 nmol/48 hr per 7 ml of N-free liquid medium, whereas the activity of K. oxytoca NG13 was 3800 nmol. Thus, the expressed activity of the nif system of K. oxytoca is rather low in E. coli even if the nif genes are cloned on a multicopy plasmid.     

Growth Profile of Crown Gall Cells of Tobacco in Suspension Culture

In order to obtain a basic information of plant cell suspension culture as a step toward the development of large scale culture, culture conditions of crown gall cells (auxin non-requiring cells) were investigated. Addition of yeast extract to culture medium was significantly effective for the growth and cell dispersion.

In experiments on the ability of the cultured cells to utilize sugars as the carbon source, it was observed that galactose, added to the culture medium, markedly inhibited the cell growth.

Pasteurization of the medium containing fructose as carbon source made it brownish by Maillard reaction and the medium apparently restrained the cell growth. However, the fructose medium sterilized by filtration was excellent for the cell growth as well as sucrose or glucose medium. In a jar fermentor, even the glucose medium became brownish by heat sterilization and the brown colored medium restrained the cell growth. Under optimum conditions, the doubling time was 1.1 day in exponential phase and 2.0 g of cell (dry weight) per 100 ml culture was obtained as the maximum yield.