Alkylbenzoquinone involved in development of cellular slime molds.

The structure of the prespore-cell-promoting factor from Dictyostelium discoideum was determined to be 2-hydroxy-5-methyl-6-pentylbenzoquinone. The synthetic compound has prespore-cell-promoting activity similar to the natural one, with half-maximal induction at a concentration as low as 40 pM. It was also found that the factor induces aggregation in an aggregation-deficient mutant of a related species, Polysphodilium violaceum.

[Current state of susceptibility test in Japan].

Susceptibility test is important, because it is the significance of definitive therapy, infection control and prevention. In fact, drug resistant bacteria are found in susceptibility test, screening test and confirmed test are needed. Recently, in Japan many laboratories are using criteria of CLSI standard.

Conflicts targeting epigenetic systems and their resolution by cell death: novel concepts for methyl-specific and other restriction systems.

Epigenetic modification of genomic DNA by methylation is important for defining the epigenome and the transcriptome in eukaryotes as well as in prokaryotes. In prokaryotes, the DNA methyltransferase genes often vary, are mobile, and are paired with the gene for a restriction enzyme. Decrease in a certain epigenetic methylation may lead to chromosome cleavage by the partner restriction enzyme, leading to eventual cell death.

Cell death upon epigenetic genome methylation: a novel function of methyl-specific deoxyribonucleases.

Background: Alteration in epigenetic methylation can affect gene expression and other processes. In Prokaryota, DNA methyltransferase genes frequently move between genomes and present a potential threat. A methyl-specific deoxyribonuclease, McrBC, of Escherichia coli cuts invading methylated DNAs.