A Novel Algorithm for Identification of Activated Cryptic 5′ Splice Sites

Abstract

The resonances of the protonated carbons of [d(TAGCGCTA)]₂ have been assigned by the two-dimensional proton-detected double-quantum heteronuclear correlation experiment ([¹H-^l3C]-DQCOSY). ¹³C-coupled and ^l3C-decoupled versions of the experiment were used. The assignment method is discussed in detail. The deoxyribose cross peaks segregate into five well-resolved regions, and the base cross peaks have distinct features that are helpful for assignments. The cross peaks from the ¹H-¹³C pairs at the Cyd5, Ado2 and ThdCH₃ base positions fall in separate regions of the spectrum from each other; they also are resolved from the closely spaced Ado8, Guo8, Cyd6 and Thd6. Additional parameters for distinction of the base signals are their differing J-coupling values and long-range coupling patterns.     

Cross-sectional Area-corrected Compression Modulus of Food Gel

The linearity of the stress-strain relationship for food gel is limited to a very narrow range of the strain (usually less than 0.1 as a Cauchy measure). The reason is thought due to the change in cross-sectional area of the gel upon deformation. In this report, the cross-sectional area was approximately corrected of the compressed gel on the assumption that the gel expanded uniformly without changing its volume upon compression. In cases when the initial Young’s modulus was calculated from the thus-corrected area for some food gels, the linearity was increased for a wider range of strain.     

A strategy for high cell density culture of heterotrophic microalgae with inhibitory substrates

Substrate inhibition is one of the major problems preventing high cell densities of microalgae in heterotrophic culture, so the possibility of overcoming the problem by various culture techniques was examined. It was found that perfusion culture may be the most appropriate technique for high cell densities in heterotrophic culture using inhibitory substrates. An experimental example in which a hollow fibre cell recycle system (HFCRS) was employed to achieve high cell densities of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii on acetate under heterotrophic conditions of growth was demonstrated. The cell density in the HFCRS was much higher than that reported in the literature for this species.     

Genome‐wide detection of CNVs associated with beak deformity in chickens using high‐density 600K SNP arrays

Beak deformity (crossed beaks) is found in several indigenous chicken breeds including Beijing‐You studied here. Birds with deformed beaks have reduced feed intake and poor production performance. Recently, copy number variation (CNV) has been examined in many species and is recognized as a source of genetic variation, especially for disease phenotypes. In this study, to unravel the genetic mechanisms underlying beak deformity, we performed genome‐wide CNV detection using Affymetrix chicken high‐density 600K data on 48 deformed‐beak and 48 normal birds using penncnv . As a result, two and eight CNV regions (CNVRs) covering 0.32 and 2.45 Mb respectively on autosomes were identified in deformed‐beak and normal birds respectively. Further RT‐qPCR studies validated nine of the 10 CNVRs. The ratios of six CNVRs were significantly different between deformed‐beak and normal birds (P < 0.01). Within these six regions, three and 21 known genes were identified in deformed‐beak and normal birds respectively. Bioinformatics analysis showed that these genes were enriched in six GO terms and one KEGG pathway. Five candidate genes in the CNVRs were further validated using RT‐qPCR. The expression of LRIG2 (leucine rich repeats and immunoglobulin like domains 2) was lower in birds with deformed beaks (P < 0.01). Therefore, the LRIG2 gene could be considered a key factor in view of its known functions and its potential roles in beak deformity. Overall, our results will be helpful for future investigations of the genomic structural variations underlying beak deformity in chickens.     

The Neural Basis of Responsibility Attribution in Decision-Making

Social responsibility links personal behavior with societal expectations and plays a key role in affecting an agent’s emotional state following a decision. However, the neural basis of responsibility attribution remains unclear. In two previous event-related brain potential (ERP) studies we found that personal responsibility modulated outcome evaluation in gambling tasks. Here we conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study to identify particular brain regions that mediate responsibility attribution. In a context involving team cooperation, participants completed a task with their teammates and on each trial received feedback about team success and individual success sequentially. We found that brain activity differed between conditions involving team success vs. team failure. Further, different brain regions were associated with reinforcement of behavior by social praise vs. monetary reward. Specifically, right temporoparietal junction (RTPJ) was associated with social pride whereas dorsal striatum and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) were related to reinforcement of behaviors leading to personal gain. The present study provides evidence that the RTPJ is an important region for determining whether self-generated behaviors are deserving of praise in a social context.     

Prediction of the three-dimensional structure of the rap-1A protein from its homology to theras-gene-encoded p21 protein

rap-1A, an anti-oncogene-encoded protein, is aras-p21-like protein whose sequence is over 80% homologous to p21 and which interacts with the same intracellular target proteins and is activated by the same mechanisms as p21, e.g., by binding GTP in place of GDP. Both interact with effector proteins in the same region, involving residues 32–47. However, activated rap-1A blocks the mitogenic signal transducing effects of p21. Optimal sequence alignment of p21 and rap-1A shows two insertions of rap-1A atras positions 120 and 138. We have constructed the three-dimensional structure of rap-1A bound to GTP by using the energy-minimized three-dimensional structure ofras-p21 as the basis for the modeling using a stepwise procedure in which identical and homologous amino acid residues in rap-1A are assumed to adopt the same conformation as the corresponding residues in p21. Side-chain conformations for homologous and nonhomologous residues are generated in conformations that are as close as possible to those of the corresponding side chains in p21. The entire structure has been subjected to a nested series of energy minimizations. The final predicted structure has an overall backbone deviation of 0.7 å from that ofras-p21. The effector binding domains from residues 32–47 are identical in both proteins (except for different side chains of different residues at position 45). A major difference occurs in the insertion region at residue 120. This region is in the middle of another effector loop of the p21 protein involving residues 115–126. Differences in sequence and structure in this region may contribute to the differences in cellular functions of these two proteins.     

Oat leaf base: tissue with an efficient regeneration capacity

Summary An efficient short term regeneration system using seedling derived oat (Avena sativa) leaf tissue has been developed. Callus derived from the leaf base showed a higher response of plant regeneration than callus initiated from mesocotyls and more mature parts of the leaves. A correlation between the nuclear DNA content of the donor material, as analysed with flow cytometry, and its ability to form callus was observed. Somatic embryogenesis was histologically recognised from callus derived from tissue close to the apical meristem. Plant regeneration media with various concentrations of auxin were tested. Callus from three different cultivars had a similar regeneration potential with an optimal regeneration frequency of 60%. About 2 months after inoculation regenerated plantlets could be moved to a greenhouse for cultivation.Abbreviations 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - DAPI 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole - IAA indole-3-acetic acid - KT kinetin - MS Murashige and Skoog's medium - NAA naphthalene acetic acid