The exostosin glycosyltransferase 1/STAT3 axis is a driver of breast cancer aggressiveness.

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program is crucial for transforming carcinoma cells into a partially mesenchymal state, enhancing their chemoresistance, migration, and metastasis. This shift in cell state is tightly regulated by cellular mechanisms that are not yet fully characterized. One intriguing EMT aspect is the rewiring of the proteoglycan landscape, particularly the induction of heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) biosynthesis.

GENI: A web server to identify gene set enrichments in tumor samples.

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and analogous projects have yielded invaluable tumor-associated genomic data. Despite several web-based platforms designed to enhance accessibility, certain analyses require prior bioinformatic expertise. To address this need, we developed Gene ENrichment Identifier (GENI, https://www.

Depletion of Fumarate Hydratase, an Essential TCA Cycle Enzyme, Drives Proliferation in a Two-Step Model.

Fumarate hydratase (FH) is an evolutionary conserved TCA cycle enzyme that reversibly catalyzes the hydration of fumarate to L-malate and has a moonlight function in the DNA damage response (DDR). Interestingly, FH has a contradictory cellular function, as it is pro-survival through its role in the TCA cycle, yet its loss can drive tumorigenesis. Here, we found that in both non-cancerous (HEK-293T) and cancerous cell lines (HepG2), the cell response to FH loss is separated into two distinct time frames based on cell proliferation and DNA damage repair.

Overexpression of UBA5 in Cells Mimics the Phenotype of Cells Lacking UBA5.

Ufmylation is a posttranslational modification in which the modifier UFM1 is attached to target proteins. This conjugation requires the concerted work of three enzymes named UBA5, UFC1, and UFL1. Initially, UBA5 activates UFM1 in a process that ends with UFM1 attached to UBA5's active site Cys.

DPYSL2 interacts with JAK1 to mediate breast cancer cell migration.

The intricate neuronal wiring during development requires cytoskeletal reorganization orchestrated by signaling cues. Because cytoskeletal remodeling is a hallmark of cell migration, we investigated whether metastatic cancer cells exploit axon guidance proteins to migrate. Indeed, in breast cancer patients, we found a significant correlation between mesenchymal markers and the expression of dihydropyrimidinase-like 2 (DPYSL2), a regulator of cytoskeletal dynamics in growing axons.

Monitoring Breast Cancer Growth and Metastatic Colony Formation in Mice using Bioluminescence.

Breast cancer is a frequent heterogeneous malignancy and the second leading cause of mortality in women, mainly due to distant organ metastasis. Several animal models have been generated, including the widely used orthotopic mouse models, where cancer cells are injected into the mammary fat pad. However, these models cannot help monitor tumor growth kinetics and metastatic colonization.

Large-Scale Differential Gene Expression Transcriptomic Analysis Identifies a Metabolic Signature Shared by All Cancer Cells.

Cancer-dependent metabolic rewiring is often manifested by selective expression of enzymes essential for the transformed cells' viability. However, the metabolic variations between normal and transformed cells are not fully characterized, and therefore, a systematic analysis will result in the identification of unknown cellular mechanisms crucial for tumorigenesis. Here, we applied differential gene expression transcriptome analysis to examine the changes in metabolic gene profiles between a wide range of normal tissues and cancer samples.

Development of an efficient method for screening microorganisms by using symbiotic association between Nasutitermes takasagoensis and intestinal microorganisms.

Screening method of microorganisms that utilized the symbiotic association between insect (Nasutitermes takasagoensis: Nt) and intestinal microorganisms was developed. The existence of desired microorganisms that grew by degrading difficult-to-degrade materials in the gut was detected using survivability of Nt as an indicator. The desired microorganisms were isolated from the survived Nt.

Development of novel method for screening microorganisms using symbiotic association between insect (Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki) and intestinal microorganisms.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to isolate novel useful microorganisms from the natural environment using conventional screening methods based on pure culture techniques. A novel method for screening microorganisms in symbiotic association with insects was developed. This method involves the following two steps.