miR-429 functions as a tumor suppressor by targeting FSCN1 in gastric cancer cells.

It has been previously reported that the deregulation of microRNAs in gastric cancer (GC) was correlated with the progression and prognosis. miR-429, a member of the miR-200 family, was previously shown to play an important role in human carcinomas. Our study shows that miR-429 is significantly downregulated in GC tissues compared with matched nontumor tissues.

BH3-in-groove dimerization initiates and helix 9 dimerization expands Bax pore assembly in membranes.

Pro-apoptotic Bax induces mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) by forming oligomers through a largely undefined process. Using site-specific disulfide crosslinking, compartment-specific chemical labeling, and mutational analysis, we found that activated integral membrane Bax proteins form a BH3-in-groove dimer interface on the MOM surface similar to that observed in crystals. However, after the α5 helix was released into the MOM, the remaining interface with α2, α3, and α4 helices was rearranged.

Auxilin facilitates membrane traffic in the early secretory pathway.

Coat protein complexes contain an inner shell that sorts cargo and an outer shell that helps deform the membrane to give the vesicle its shape. There are three major types of coated vesicles in the cell: COPII, COPI, and clathrin. The COPII coat complex facilitates vesicle budding from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), while the COPI coat complex performs an analogous function in the Golgi.

Ypt1/Rab1 regulates Hrr25/CK1δ kinase activity in ER-Golgi traffic and macroautophagy.

ER-derived COPII-coated vesicles are conventionally targeted to the Golgi. However, during cell stress these vesicles also become a membrane source for autophagosomes, distinct organelles that target cellular components for degradation. How the itinerary of COPII vesicles is coordinated on these pathways remains unknown.

Patrinia scabiosaefolia inhibits the proliferation of colorectal cancer in vitro and in vivo via G1/S cell cycle arrest.

Patrinia scabiosaefolia (PS) has long been used as an important component in traditional Chinese medicine formulas to treat gastrointestinal malignancies including colorectal cancer (CRC). We recently reported that PS can inhibit CRC growth through induction of apoptosis and inhibition of tumor angiogenesis. To further elucidate the mode of action of PS, in the present study, we used a CRC mouse xenograft model and a human CRC cell line HT-29 to evaluate the effect of the ethanol extract of PS (EEPS) on cancer cell proliferation and investigated the underlying molecular mechanisms.

After embedding in membranes antiapoptotic Bcl-XL protein binds both Bcl-2 homology region 3 and helix 1 of proapoptotic Bax protein to inhibit apoptotic mitochondrial permeabilization.

Bcl-XL binds to Bax, inhibiting Bax oligomerization required for mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) during apoptosis. How Bcl-XL binds to Bax in the membrane is not known. Here, we investigated the structural organization of Bcl-XL·Bax complexes formed in the MOM, including the binding interface and membrane topology, using site-specific cross-linking, compartment-specific labeling, and computational modeling.

Oncolytic virus as a cancer stem cell killer: progress and challenges.

Oncolytic viruses (OVs), which were discovered more than one century ago, have been used in multiple clinical trials for cancer therapy. OVs specifically target cancer cells when sparing normal cells by exploiting biochemical differences between normal and tumor cells. Hence oncolytic virotherapy is more specific at targeting cancer cells compared with conventional anti-cancer therapy.

Bcl-2 and Bax interact via the BH1-3 groove-BH3 motif interface and a novel interface involving the BH4 motif.

The interaction of Bcl-2 family proteins at the mitochondrial outer membrane controls membrane permeability and thereby the apoptotic program. The anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 binds to the pro-apoptotic protein Bax to prevent Bax homo-oligomerization required for membrane permeabilization. Here, we used site-specific photocross-linking to map the surfaces of Bax and Bcl-2 that interact in the hetero-complex formed in a Triton X-100 micelle as a membrane surrogate.

Bax forms an oligomer via separate, yet interdependent, surfaces.

Interactions of Bcl-2 family proteins regulate permeability of the mitochondrial outer membrane and apoptosis. In particular, Bax forms an oligomer that permeabilizes the membrane. To map the interface of the Bax oligomer we used Triton X-100 as a membrane surrogate and performed site-specific photocross-linking.

Oligomerization of membrane-bound Bcl-2 is involved in its pore formation induced by tBid.

Both pro-apoptotic Bax and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 are structurally homologous to the pore-forming domain of bacterial toxins. Bax proteins oligomerize in the mitochondrial outer membranes forming pores that release cytochrome c from the mitochondrial intermembrane space. Bcl-2 proteins also form pores that, however, are much smaller than the Bax pore.

Molecular dissection of developmental behavior of tiller number and plant height and their relationship in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Plant height and tiller number are two important characters related to yield in rice (Oriza sativa L.). Zhenshan97 x Minghui63 recombinant inbred lines were employed to dissect the genetic basis of development of plant height and tiller number using conditional and unconditional composite interval mapping approaches.