Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome in Israel-Novel Findings from a New National Center.

Background: Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) is a rare autosomal-dominant disorder of the autonomic nervous system that results from mutations in the gene. A national CCHS center was founded in Israel in 2018. Unique new findings were observed.

Generation and characterization of iPSC lines (BGUi004-A, BGUi005-A) from two identical twins with polyalanine expansion in the paired-like homeobox 2B (PHOX2B) gene.

Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) is a rare life-threatening condition affecting the autonomic nervous system that usually presents shortly after birth as hypoventilation or central apnea during sleep. In the majority of cases, heterozygous polyalanine expansion mutations within the third exon of the paired-like homeobox 2B (PHOX2B) gene underlie CCHS. Here, we report the generation of two induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines from two identical twins with a heterozygous PHOX2B expansion mutation (+5 alanine residues).

The Tomato MIXTA-Like Transcription Factor Coordinates Fruit Epidermis Conical Cell Development and Cuticular Lipid Biosynthesis and Assembly.

The epidermis of aerial plant organs is the primary source of building blocks forming the outer surface cuticular layer. To examine the relationship between epidermal cell development and cuticle assembly in the context of fruit surface, we investigated the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) MIXTA-like gene. MIXTA/MIXTA-like proteins, initially described in snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) petals, are known regulators of epidermal cell differentiation.

The tomato SlSHINE3 transcription factor regulates fruit cuticle formation and epidermal patterning.

Fleshy tomato fruit typically lacks stomata; therefore, a proper cuticle is particularly vital for fruit development and interaction with the surroundings. Here, we characterized the tomato SlSHINE3 (SlSHN3) transcription factor to extend our limited knowledge regarding the regulation of cuticle formation in fleshy fruits. We created SlSHN3 overexpressing and silenced plants, and used them for detailed analysis of cuticular lipid compositions, phenotypic characterization, and the study on the mode of SlSHN3 action.

Tissue- and cell-type specific transcriptome profiling of expanding tomato fruit provides insights into metabolic and regulatory specialization and cuticle formation.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is the primary model for the study of fleshy fruits, and research in this species has elucidated many aspects of fruit physiology, development, and metabolism. However, most of these studies have involved homogenization of the fruit pericarp, with its many constituent cell types. Here, we describe the coupling of pyrosequencing technology with laser capture microdissection to characterize the transcriptomes of the five principal tissues of the pericarp from tomato fruits (outer and inner epidermal layers, collenchyma, parenchyma, and vascular tissues) at their maximal growth phase.