CYCLOPS, a mediator of symbiotic intracellular accommodation.

The initiation of intracellular infection of legume roots by symbiotic rhizobia bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungi is preceded by the induction of calcium signatures in and around the nucleus of root epidermal cells. Although a calcium and calmodulin-dependent kinase (CCaMK) is a key mediator of symbiotic root responses, the decoding of the calcium signal and the molecular events downstream are only poorly understood. Here, we characterize Lotus japonicus cyclops mutants on which microbial infection was severely inhibited.

Activation of the enhancer of zeste homologue 2 gene by the human papillomavirus E7 oncoprotein.

The malignant phenotype of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive cancer cells is maintained by the activity of the viral E6 and E7 genes. Here, we identified the polycomb group gene enhancer of zeste homologue 2 (EZH2) as a novel downstream target for the viral oncogenes in HPV-transformed cells. EZH2 expression was activated by HPV16 E7 at the transcriptional level via E7-mediated release of E2F from pocket proteins.