Mating structure and male production in Vespa analis and Vespa simillima (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

We estimated queen mating frequency, genetic relatedness between workers and worker reproduction in the hornets Vespa analis and Vespa simillima using microsatellite DNA genotyping. The 20 V. analis colonies studied each contained a queen inseminated by a single male. Of the 15 V. simillima colonies studied, nine had a queen inseminated by a single male, four had a queen inseminated by two males, and two had a queen inseminated by three males. The estimated effective number of matings was 1.33 ± 0.74 (mean ± SD), with 75–85% of the offspring of the six multiply mated queens sired by single males. The values for genetic relatedness between the workers of V. analis and V. simillima were 0.739 ± 0.004 and 0.698 ± 0.013 (mean ± SD), respectively. We conclude that V. analis and V. simillima colonies are genetically monogynous and monandrous. When high relatedness between the workers occurs within colonies, kin selection theory predicts a potential conflict between queens and workers over male production. To determine whether males were derived from queens or workers, males from V. analis and V. simillima colonies were genotyped at four microsatellite loci and the level of ovary activation in workers was determined. None of the 787 V. analis workers and only 15 of 3520 V. simillima workers had developed ovaries. Furthermore, the genotyping identified no worker‐produced males in any colony. The presence of reproductive workers correlated positively with the number of workers within the colony. These results suggest that eusocial colonies with an annual life cycle tend to break down socially when they become large and are close to dying.     

Sphingosine 1-phosphate transactivates c-Met as well as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in human gastric cancer cells

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are transactivated by the stimulation of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), a ligand of GPCR, is known as a tumor-promoting lipid, but its signaling pathways are not fully understood. We here demonstrated that S1P induces rapid and transient tyrosine phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and c-Met in gastric cancer cells, both of which have been proposed as prognostic markers of gastric cancers. The pathway of S1P-induced c-Met transactivation is Gi-independent and matrix metalloproteinase-independent, which differs from that of EGFR transactivation. Our results indicate that S1P acts upstream of various RTKs and thus may act as a potent stimulator of gastric cancer.     

Suppression of 3-deoxyglucosone and heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor mRNA expression by an aldose reductase inhibitor in rat vascular smooth muscle cells

Reactive carbonyl compounds and oxidative stress have been recently shown to up-regulate the expression of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF), a potent mitogen for vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) produced by SMC themselves. Because the polyol pathway has been reported to influence the formation of carbonyl compounds and the oxidative stress in various cells, we conducted this study to investigate whether the polyol pathway affects HB-EGF expression along with the generation of carbonyl compounds and the oxidative stress in SMCs. We found that, compared with those cultured with 5.5mM glucose, SMCs cultured with 40 mM glucose showed the accelerated thymidine incorporation, elevated levels of intracellular sorbitol, 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG), advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) along with the enhanced expression of HB-EGF mRNA. An aldose reductase inhibitor (ARI), SNK-860, significantly inhibited all of these abnormalities, while aminoguanidine suppressed 3-DG levels and HB-EGF mRNA expression independent of sorbitol levels. The results suggest that the polyol pathway may play a substantial role in SMC hyperplasia under hyperglycemic condition in part by affecting HB-EGF mRNA expression via the production of carbonyl compounds and oxidative stress.     

Two distinct methods analyzing chromatin structure using centrifugation and antibodies to modified histone H3: both provide similar chromatin states of the Rit1/Bcl11b gene

Chromatin state of a 2-Mb region harboring Rit1/Bcl11b on mouse chromosome 12 was examined using two distinct methods. One is ChIP assay examining the degree of enrichment with histone H3 methylated at lysine 9 (H3-mLys9) in chromatin and the other is H/E (heterochromatin/euchromatin) assay that measures a chromatin condensation state by using centrifugation. The ChIP assay showed that a 50-kb interval covering the gene and an upstream region constituted chromatin enriched with unmethylated H3-mLys9 in cells expressing Rit1 compared to cells not expressing Rit1. In contrast, regions other than the 50-kb interval did not show much difference in the enrichment between the two different types of cells. On the other hand, H/E assay of two expressing and two non-expressing tissues provided compatible fractionation patterns, suggesting that the chromatin condensation state detected by H/E assay is correlated with the chromatin state controlled by histone H3 tail modification linked to gene expression. These results indicate that the centrifugation-based H/E assay should provide a new approach to the regulation of chromatin structure with respect to its condensation state, complementing ChIP assays.     

Hydrolytic polyketide shortening by ayg1p, a novel enzyme involved in fungal melanin biosynthesis

The pentaketide 1,3,6,8-tetrahydroxynaphthalene (T4HN) is a key precursor of 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene-melanin, an important virulence factor in pathogenic fungi, where T4HN is believed to be the direct product of pentaketide synthases. We showed recently the involvement of a novel protein, Ayg1p, in the formation of T4HN from the heptaketide precursor YWA1 in Aspergillus fumigatus. To investigate the mechanism of its enzymatic function, Ayg1p was purified from an Aspergillus oryzae strain that overexpressed the ayg1 gene. The Ayg1p converted the naphthopyrone YWA1 to T4HN with a release of the acetoacetic acid. Although Ayg1p does not show significant homology with known enzymes, a serine protease-type hydrolytic motif is present in its sequence, and serine-specific inhibitors strongly inhibited the activity. To identify its catalytic residues, site-directed Ayg1p mutants were expressed in Escherichia coli, and their enzyme activities were examined. The single substitution mutations S257A, D352A, and H380A resulted in a complete loss of enzyme activity in Ayg1p. These results indicated that the catalytic triad Asp352-His380-Ser257 constituted the active-site of Ayg1p. From a Dixon plot analysis, 2-acetyl-1,3,6,8-tetrahydroxynaphthalene was found to be a strong mixed-type inhibitor, suggesting the involvement of an acyl-enzyme intermediate. These studies support the mechanism in which the Ser257 at the active site functions as a nucleophile to attack the YWA1 side-chain 1'-carbonyl and cleave the carbon-carbon bond between the naphthalene ring and the side chain. Acetoacetic acid is subsequently released from the Ser257-O-acetoacetylated Ayg1p by hydrolysis. An enzyme with activity similar to Ayg1p in melanin biosynthesis has not been reported in any other organism.     

Immunohistochemical and biochemical analyses of GD3, GT1b,and GQ1b gangliosides during neural differentiation of P19 EC cells

In an earlier study, we showed that expressions of GD3, GT1b, and GQ1b gangliosides in P19 embryonic carcinoma (EC) cells were enhanced during their neural differentiation induced by retinoic acid. We now further demonstrated that this increase of the b-series gangliosides is due to an increase in their corresponding synthases (sialyltransferase-II, -IV, and -V) in the Golgi. Of the three gangliosides studied, GQ1b appeared to be the best candidate for monitoring such differentiation process. We also used fluorescence-labeled monoclonal antibodies and confocal fluorescence microscopy to obtain direct visual information about the relationship of gangliosides and neural specific proteins in neuron development. Again, GQ1b is the most interesting as it localizes with synaptophysin and neural cell adhesion molecules (NCAMs) on synaptic boutons or dendritic spines in RA-induced neurons (R/N). This suggests that GQ1b could be used as a marker for synapse formation during construction of the neural network.     

Identification of a phosphothionate analogue of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) as a selective agonist of the LPA3 receptor

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a bioactive lysophospholipid mediator that acts through G protein-coupled receptors. Most cell lines in culture express one or more LPA receptors, making it difficult to assign a response to specific LPA receptors. Dissection of the signaling properties of LPA has been hampered by lack of LPA receptor subtype-specific agonists and antagonists. The present study characterizes an ester-linked thiophosphate derivative (1-oleoyl-2-O-methyl-rac-glycerophosphothionate, OMPT) of LPA. OMPT is a functional LPA analogue with potent mitogenic activity in fibroblasts. In contrast to LPA, OMPT does not couple to the pheromone response through the LPA(1) receptor in yeast cells. OMPT induces intracellular calcium increases efficiently in LPA(3) receptor-expressing Sf9 cells but poorly in LPA(2) receptor-expressing cells. Guanosine 5'-O-(3-[(35)S]thio)triphosphate binding assays in mammalian cells showed that LPA exhibits agonistic activity on all three LPA receptor subtypes, whereas OMPT has a potent agonistic effect only on the LPA(3) receptor. In transiently transfected HEK293 cells, OMPT stimulates mitogen-activated protein kinases through the LPA(3) but not the LPA(1) or LPA(2) receptors. Furthermore, OMPT-induced intracellular calcium mobilization in mammalian cells is efficiently inhibited by the LPA(1)/LPA(3) receptor-selective antagonist VPC12249. These results establish that OMPT is an LPA(3)-selective agonist. OMPT binding to the LPA(3) receptor in mammalian cells is sufficient to elicit multiple responses, including activation of G proteins, calcium mobilization, and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases. Thus OMPT offers a powerful probe for the dissection of LPA signaling events in complex mammalian systems.     

Distributions of gamma-aminobutyric acid immunoreactive and acetylcholinesterase-containing cells in the primary olfactory system in the terrestrial slug Limax marginatus

The tentacular ganglion, the primary olfactory system of terrestrial slugs, exhibits spontaneous oscillations with a spatial coherence. The digit-like extensions (digits) of the tentacular ganglion presumably house the cell bodies of the neurons underlying the oscillations. The present study was designed to identify the anatomical and physiological determinants of these oscillations with a special focus on whether the neurons located in the digits contribute to the coherent oscillations. We recorded field potentials from the spatially separated sites in the digits in the terrestrial slug Limax marginatus. We also simultaneously recorded tentacular nerve to monitor the coherent oscillations. The spatially separated regions in the digits oscillated at the same frequency as the tentacular nerve, indicating a single coherent activity. To study the neural networks underlying the coherent oscillations, we examined the distributions of acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-containing and gamma-aminobutyric acid immunoreactive (GABA-ir) neurons. AChE-containing and GABA-ir fibers were found to connect the neurons in a branch of the digits with those in other branches. We also used a vital staining technique with 1,1'-didodecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate to examine the projections of neurons in the digits. Large stained cells were detected in many branches of the digits after placing the dye on one of the cell masses located in right and left sides of the tentacular ganglion. They were detected in the cell masses and in many branches of the digits after placing the dye on a branch of the digits. Our results showed that the slug primary olfactory system has highly interconnected neural networks.