FRA1 mediates the activation of keratinocytes: Implications for the development of psoriatic plaques.

In this study we investigated the role of FRA1, a transcription factor from the AP-1 family, in the regulation of keratinocyte characteristics important for the development of psoriatic plaques. FRA1 is characterized by elevated expression in the skin of psoriasis patients, thus leading us to predict it to be one of the major regulators of keratinocyte phenotype during the development of psoriatic lesions. Pathway analysis of RNAseq data allowed us to identify FRA1-mediated signaling cascades leading to the manifestation of the most prominent skin characteristics of the disease: the development of inflammation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, activation of metalloproteases, and keratinocyte proliferation and migration.

Integrated computational approach to the analysis of RNA-seq data reveals new transcriptional regulators of psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a common inflammatory skin disease with complex etiology and chronic progression. To provide novel insights into the regulatory molecular mechanisms of the disease, we performed RNA sequencing analysis of 14 pairs of skin samples collected from patients with psoriasis. Subsequent pathway analysis and extraction of the transcriptional regulators governing psoriasis-associated pathways was executed using a combination of the MetaCore Interactome enrichment tool and the cisExpress algorithm, followed by comparison to a set of previously described psoriasis response elements.

Characterization of three Arabidopsis thaliana immunophilin genes involved in the plant defense response against Pseudomonas syringae.

Plant immunophilins are a broadly conserved family of proteins, which carry out a variety of cellular functions. In this study, we investigated three immunophilin genes involved in the Arabidopsis thaliana response to Pseudomonas syringae infection: a cytoplasmic localized AtCYP19, a cytoplasmic and nuclear localized AtCYP57, and one nucleus directed FKBP known as AtFKBP65. Arabidopsis knock-out mutations in these immunophilins result in an increased susceptibility to P.

Integrated network analysis of transcriptomic and proteomic data in psoriasis.

Background: Psoriasis is complex inflammatory skin pathology of autoimmune origin. Several cell types are perturbed in this pathology, and underlying signaling events are complex and still poorly understood.

Results: In order to gain insight into molecular machinery underlying the disease, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of proteomics and transcriptomics of psoriatic lesions from independent studies.

Bacterial thermostable beta-glucanases as a tool for plant functional genomics.

A new strategy for creating experimental models for functional genomics has been proposed. It is based on the expression in transgenic plants of genes from thermophilic bacteria encoding functional analogues of plant proteins with high specific activity and thermal stability. We have validated this strategy by comparing physiological, biochemical and molecular properties of control tobacco plants and transgenic plants expressing genes of beta-glucanases with different substrate specificity.