Coordinated Regulation of the Genes Participating in Starch Biosynthesis by the Rice Floury-2 Locus

The recessive floury-2 (flo-2) locus of rice (Oryza sativa L.), which is located on chromosome 4, causes a strong reduction in expression of the gene encoding an isoform of branching enzyme RBE1 in immature seeds 10 d after flowering. Mapping of the RBE1 gene demonstrated the localization on rice chromosome 6, suggesting that the wild-type Floury-2 (Flo-2) gene regulates RBE1 gene expression in trans. However, reduced expression of the genes encoding some other starch-synthesizing enzymes, including another isoform of branching enzyme RBE3 and granule-bound starch synthase, was also found in the flo-2 seeds. In spite of the low level of RBE1 gene expression in the immature seeds of the flo-2 mutants, the RBE1 gene was equally expressed in the leaves of the wild type and flo-2 mutants. Thus, these results imply that the Flo-2 gene may co-regulate expression of some of the genes participating in starch synthesis possibly in a developing seed-specific manner.     

Frequent overexpression of CADM1/IGSF4 in lung adenocarcinoma

We reported comprehensive screening for antigens (Ags) overexpressed on various carcinomas via isolation of human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that may be therapeutic in a previous paper (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 105, 7287-7292, 2008). Twenty-one distinct Ags highly expressed on several carcinomas were identified and 356 mAbs with unique sequences turned out to bind to one of the 21 Ags. Among them CADM1/IGSF4 which had been originally referred to as tumor suppressor lung cancer 1 (TSLC1) was included. Therefore we examined the expression of CADM1 in lung cancers in this study. Eight different anti CADM1 mAbs were used for immunohistochemical analysis of 29 fresh lung cancer specimens. Staining patterns were categorized to six groups based on the extent of positive staining and the localization of stained portions. While overexpression of CADM1 was observed on the cell surface of adenocarcinomas at a high frequency, around 60%, positive stainings were rarely observed on that of other lung carcinomas including squamous cell carcinomas. Moreover, some clones among the eight mAbs gave different staining patterns from those by the other clones against the same fresh specimen, suggesting presence of variant forms of CADM1 differentiated by mAbs.     

Role of the Nuclease Activities Encoded by Herpes Simplex Virus 1 UL12 in Viral Replication and Neurovirulence

Enzyme-dead mutations in the herpes simplex virus 1 UL12 gene that abolished its endo- and exonuclease activities only slightly reduced viral replication in cell cultures. However, the UL12 null mutation significantly reduced viral replication, suggesting that a UL12 function(s) unrelated to its nuclease activities played a major role in viral replication. In contrast, the enzyme-dead mutations significantly reduced viral neurovirulence in mice, suggesting that UL12 nuclease activities were critical for viral pathogenesis in vivo.     

Amelioration of pneumonia with Streptococcus pneumoniae infection by inoculation with a vaccine against highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in a non-human primate mixed infection model

Background  Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) infection has a high mortality rate in humans. Secondary bacterial pneumonia with HPAIV infection has not been reported in human patients, whereas seasonal influenza viruses sometimes enhance bacterial pneumonia, resulting in substantial morbidity and mortality. Therefore, if HPAIV infection were accompanied by bacterial infection, an increase in mortality would be expected. We examined whether a vaccine against HPAIV prevents severe morbidity caused by mixed infection with HPAIV and bacteria.
Methods  H7N7 subtype of HPAIV and Streptococcus pneumoniae were inoculated into cynomolgus macaques with or without vaccination of inactivated whole virus particles .
Results  Vaccination against H7N7 HPAIV decreased morbidity caused by HPAIV and pneumonia caused by S. pneumoniae . Bacterial replication in lungs was decreased by vaccination against HPAIV, although the reduction in bacterial colonies was not significant.
Conclusions  Vaccination against HPAIV reduces pneumonia caused by bacterial superinfection and may improve prognosis of HPAIV-infected patients.     

Modulation of synaptic plasticity by brain estrogen in the hippocampus

The hippocampus is a center for learning and memory as well as a target of Alzheimer's disease in aged humans. Synaptic modulation by estrogen is essential to understand the molecular mechanisms of estrogen replacement therapy. Because the local synthesis of estrogen occurs in the hippocampus of both sexes, in addition to the estrogen supply from the gonads, its functions are attracting much attention.     

Contribution of a Salt Bridge Triad to the Thermostability of a Highly Alkaline Protease from an Alkaliphilic Bacillus Strain*

Summary Crystallographic analysis of the highly alkaline M-protease from an alkaliphilic Bacillus strain shows the occurrence of a unique salt bridge triad Arg19–Glu271–Arg275 (in subtilisin BPN′ numbering), which is not found in less alkaline true subtilisins BPN′ and Carlsberg from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Bacillus licheniformis, respectively. Because the corresponding residues are all Gln residue in the subtilisin BPN′, Gln residue was engineered into the position(s) 19, 271 and/or 275 in M-protease by site-directed mutagenesis. Disruptions of the salt bridge caused the reduction of the thermostability of the mutant proteins at alkaline pH with the following decreasing order of thermal inactivation rate; the wild-type > Arg275 → Gln > Glu271 → Gln > Arg19 → Gln/Glu271 → Gln/Arg275 → Gln > Arg19 → Gln. This result provides the evidence that the salt bridge triad contributes to the thermostability and structural rigidity of the highly alkaline M-protease.     

Feeding scallop shell powder induces the expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) in white adipose tissue of rats

Previously we found that the organic components in scallop shell promote lipolysis in differentiated 3T3-L1 and C3H10T1/2 adipocyte cells, and that incorporating scallop shell powder into the diet of rats reduced the amount of white adipose tissue. In this study, we used RT-PCR to investigate the effect of ingesting scallop shell powder on the gene expression profile of uncoupling proteins (UCPs) regulating energy metabolism in rats.Feeding of scallop shell powder increased mRNA levels of UCP1 and UCP2 in white adipose tissue. By contrast, scallop shell powder had no effect on the expression of UCP1 in brown adipose tissue, although the expression level of UCP2 mRNA decreased significantly. These results suggest that feeding scallop shell powder increases gene expression of UCP1 that may regulate energy metabolism in white adipose tissue, resulting in the observed reduction in weight of white adipose tissue.     

Ancient Mitochondrial DNA Reveals the Origin of Sus scrofa from Rebun Island, Japan

The Kabukai A site (5 to 8C A.D.) of the Okhotsk cultural area is on Rebun Island, a small island near the coast, north–northwest of Hokkaido, Japan. Specimens of Sus scrofa, called the Sakhalin pig, were discovered in five cultural layers at the Kabukai A site. Ancient DNA was extracted from the remains of 42 Sakhalin pig bones. Thirty-nine nucleotide sequences of the 574-bp mitochondrial DNA control region, estimated to have originated from at least 21 individuals, were amplified and analyzed phylogenetically. Nine distinct haplotypes (A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, C1, C2, D1, and D2) from this site were classified into four haplotype groups (A, B, C, and D) by parsimonious network analysis. Phylogenetic analysis of 9 ancient and 55 modern haplotypes indicated that the population of Sakhalin pigs at the Kabukai A site belonged to two distinct clusters; haplotype groups A and B formed a cluster comprised only of themselves, and haplotype groups C and D belonged to the cluster of one of the two genetic groups of Japanese wild boars uniquely distributed in the western part of Japan, including one northeast Mongolian wild boar. Analysis of the haplotype distribution among three archaeological sites and their historical transitions among the five layers reflecting the cultural periods at the Kabukai A site suggests that the Sakhalin pig populations were introduced from Sakhalin island and the Amur River basin in the northeastern Eurasian continent together with some cultural influences. Received: 18 April 2000 / Accepted: 24 November 2000