The pathogenicity-associated regulators participating in the regulatory cascade for RaxSTAB and RaxX in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae.

The RaxX sulfopeptide, secreted via a type Ι secretion system, is crucial for activating XA21-mediated innate immunity in resistant rice lines bearing the XA21 receptor kinase. Certain pathogenicity-associated regulators that control the expression of the raxSTAB-raxX gene cluster have been functionally characterized, but the comprehensive regulatory cascade of RaxSTAB and RaxX in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) remains incompletely understood.

NFE2L2 variations reduce antioxidant response in patients with Parkinson disease.

Oxidative stress has been recognized as a risk factor of Parkinson's disease (PD) development. We hypothesized that decreased function of the nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NFE2L2)-antioxidant response element (ARE) pathway might predispose to Parkinsonism. A case-control study was performed between NFE2L2 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) and PD in a cohort of 765 unrelated patients with diagnosis of PD and 489 matched normal individuals.

Evidence for polymerase gamma, POLG1 variation in reduced mitochondrial DNA copy number in Parkinson's disease.

Background: It remains unclear whether the mtDNA content is related to the clinicopathological prognosis in Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods/results: We analyzed the copy number of mtDNA using quantitative real-time PCR in 414 cases with PD and 231 healthy subjects from mainland of China. The level of mtDNA was significantly decreased in PD patients' peripheral blood as compared to that of healthy controls (p < 0.

Association of mitochondrial DNA polymerase γ gene POLG1 polymorphisms with parkinsonism in Chinese populations.

Background: Mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma (POLG1) mutations were associated with levodopa-responsive Parkinsonism. POLG1 gene contains a number of common nonsynonymous SNPs and intronic regulatory SNPs which may have functional consequences. It is of great interest to discover polymorphisms variants associated with Parkinson's disease (PD), both in isolation and in combination with specific SNPs.

Four novel rare mutations of PLA2G6 in Chinese population with Parkinson's disease.

Background: Mutations in the phospholipase A2 Group 6 (PLA2G6) gene have been identified in autosomal recessive neurodegenerative diseases classified as infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy and neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation. Recently, PLA2G6 was also reported as the causative gene for early-onset PARK14-linked dystonia-parkinsonism.

Methods/results: To address whether PLA2G6 mutations are also an important cause of PD, we screened sequence variants of PLA2G6 in 250 PD patients and 550 controls in a Chinese Han populations.