PIASy-mediated Tip60 sumoylation regulates p53-induced autophagy

Posttranslational modifications of p53 integrate diverse stress signals and regulate its activity, but their combinatorial contribution to overall p53 function is not clear. We investigated the roles of lysine (K) acetylation and sumoylation on p53 and their relation to apoptosis and autophagy. Here we describe the collaborative role of the SUMO E3 ligase PIASy and the lysine acetyltransferase Tip60 in p53-mediated autophagy. PIASy binding to p53 and PIASy-activated Tip60 lead to K386 sumoylation and K120 acetylation of p53, respectively. Even though these two modifications are not dependent on each other, together they act as a “binary death signal” to promote cytoplasmic accumulation of p53 and execution of PUMA-independent autophagy. PIASy-induced Tip60 sumoylation augments p53 K120 acetylation and apoptosis. In addition to p14^ARF inactivation, impairment in this intricate signaling may explain why p53 mutations are not found in nearly 50% of malignancies.     

转录因子Ets-1与β1,3 N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖基转移酶基因启动子结合活性分析

β1,3-N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖转移酶-2,-8（β3GnT-2, β3GnT-8）共同参与多聚N-乙酰氨基乳糖(［Galβ1→4GlcNAcβ1→3］n)的合成,从而使得细胞表面的相应糖链结 构延长进而影响细胞的恶性转化.已有研究表明,在全反式维甲酸诱导人白血病细胞株 HL-60分化过程中β3GnT-2,-8的表达上调,但其分子机制不明.本文旨在探讨ATRA诱导 HL-60分化过程中,转录因子Ets-1对β3GnT-2,-8表达调控的分子机制.采用10-6 mol/L ATRA 诱导人白血病细胞株HL-60向粒系分化,RT-PCR检测到细胞中Ets-1的表达 明显增加;进一步采用染色质免疫沉淀（ChIP）结合电泳迁移率变动实验（EMSA）检测 证实,有活化的Ets-1结合至β3GnT-2/-8基因调控区. 以上结果表明,转录因子Ets-1对 人白血病细胞株HL-60分化过程中β3GnT-2,-8基因有表达调控作用.     

^60Co-γ辐照油茶种子对其幼苗生长的影响

本试验探讨3个油茶品种（‘岑软2号’、‘岑软3号’、‘岑软11号’）种子经不同剂量（1000、2000、3000rad）^60Co-γ辐照后,测量其一年半生幼苗的苗高及地径生长情况。结果表明：1000rad辐射剂量对‘岑软3号’的苗高生长起促进作用;1000rad和2000rad辐射剂量对‘岑软2号’的地径生长有促进作用,1000、3000rad辐射剂量对‘岑软11号’的地径生长起抑制作用。     

Effect of gamma radiation on mutant induction of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fagopyrum dibotrys</Emphasis> Hara

Agronomic traits, photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange, and chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence parameters of red stem buckwheat (Fagopyrum dibotrys Hara) mutants induced by γ-radiation were compared with green control at seedling stage. Plant height, number of first-class branches, and rhizome biomass were inhibited significantly (p<0.01). Chl a, Chl b, and Chl a+b contents decreased with elevated dose of γ-rays, while increasing carotenoid content indicated that buckwheat was capable of adjusting to the radiation damage. Decrease in net photosynthetic rate was the result of both stomatal and non-stomatal limitations. Fluorescence parameters, such as F₀, F_m, F_v/F_m, F_v/F₀, Φ_PS2, electron transport rate, and photochemical quenching declined significantly (p<0.01) as compared with control due to photoinhibition, while non-photochemical quenching increased to enhance thermal dissipation. Lower parameters implied that leaf tissue was damaged significantly by high dose of γ-radiation and therefore leaf senescence was accelerated.     

An essential oil and its major constituent isointermedeol induce apoptosis by increased expression of mitochondrial cytochrome c and apical death receptors in human leukaemia HL-60 cells

An essential oil from a lemon grass variety of Cymbopogon flexuosus (CFO) and its major chemical constituent sesquiterpene isointermedeol (ISO) were investigated for their ability to induce apoptosis in human leukaemia HL-60 cells because dysregulation of apoptosis is the hallmark of cancer cells. CFO and ISO inhibited cell proliferation with 48 h IC50 of approximately 30 and 20 microg/ml, respectively. Both induced concentration dependent strong and early apoptosis as measured by various end-points, e.g. annexinV binding, DNA laddering, apoptotic bodies formation and an increase in hypo diploid sub-G0 DNA content during the early 6h period of study. This could be because of early surge in ROS formation with concurrent loss of mitochondrial membrane potential observed. Both CFO and ISO activated apical death receptors TNFR1, DR4 and caspase-8 activity. Simultaneously, both increased the expression of mitochondrial cytochrome c protein with its concomitant release to cytosol leading to caspase-9 activation, suggesting thereby the involvement of both the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis. Further, Bax translocation, and decrease in nuclear NF-kappaB expression predict multi-target effects of the essential oil and ISO while both appeared to follow similar signaling apoptosis pathways. The easy and abundant availability of the oil combined with its suggested mechanism of cytotoxicity make CFO highly useful in the development of anti-cancer therapeutics.     

Stochastic models for phylogenetic trees on higher-order taxa

Simple stochastic models for phylogenetic trees on species have been well studied. But much paleontology data concerns time series or trees on higher-order taxa, and any broad picture of relationships between extant groups requires use of higher-order taxa. A coherent model for trees on (say) genera should involve both a species-level model and a model for the classification scheme by which species are assigned to genera. We present a general framework for such models, and describe three alternate classification schemes. Combining with the species-level model of Aldous and Popovic (Adv Appl Probab 37:1094–1115, 2005), one gets models for higher-order trees, and we initiate analytic study of such models. In particular we derive formulas for the lifetime of genera, for the distribution of number of species per genus, and for the offspring structure of the tree on genera. David Aldous’s research was supported by NSF Grant DMS-0704159.