Introduction and scientific justification of data transportability for confined field testing for the ERA of GM plants.

The concept of Data Transportability (DT) of Confined Field Testing (CFT) to support the Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) of Genetically Modified (GM) plants was first introduced in the literature by Garcia-Alonso et al., in 2014. Since then, DT has been discussed in many countries and regions as a concept to prevent duplication of regulatory studies without compromising quality of the ERA.

Evaluation of the genotoxicity of tamoxifen in the liver and kidney of F344 gpt delta transgenic rat in 3-week and 13-week repeated dose studies.

Transgenic rat gene mutation assays can be used to assess genotoxicity of chemicals in target organs for carcinogenicity. Mutations in transgenes are genetically neutral and accumulate during a treatment period; thus, the assays are suitable for assessment of the genotoxicity risk of chemicals using a repeated-dose treatment paradigm. However, few such studies have been conducted.

Genome-wide association study of SSRI/SNRI-induced sexual dysfunction in a Japanese cohort with major depression.

Sexual dysfunction is a major side effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). We conducted a genome-wide association study to identify the genetic factors contributing to the risk of SSRI/SNRI-induced sexual dysfunction by testing 186 320 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers in a cohort of 201 Japanese major depression patients including 36 with sexual dysfunction induced by SSRI (paroxetine or fluvoxamine) or SNRI (milnacipran). The Cochran-Armitage trend test showed that 11 SNPs, tightly clustered in a distinct region on chromosome 14q21.

Evaluation of the use of the tobacco PR-1a promoter to monitor defense gene expression by the luciferase bioluminescence reporter system.

Because of their marked responsiveness to induction signals, genes encoding pathogenesis-related proteins are used as markers to monitor defense gene expression in plants. To develop a non-invasive bioluminescence reporter assay system, we tested acidic PR-1 gene promoters from tobacco and Arabidopsis. These two promoters share common regulatory elements and are believed to show similar responsiveness to various stimuli but the results of transient expression assays by microprojectile bombardment of various plant cells and npr1 mutant Arabidopsis suggest that the tobacco PR-1a promoter is superior to its Arabidopsis counterpart in terms of responsiveness to salicylic acid treatment.

Neuronal expression, cytosolic localization, and developmental regulation of the organic solute carrier partner 1 in the mouse brain.

Organic solute carrier partner 1 (OSCP1) is a mammalian, transporter-related protein that is able to facilitate the uptake of structurally diverse organic compounds into the cell when expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. This protein has been implicated in testicular handling of organic solutes because its mRNA expression is almost exclusive in the testis. However, in this study, we demonstrated significant expression of OSCP1 protein in mouse brain, the level of which was rather higher than that in the testis, although the corresponding mRNA expression was one-tenth of the testicular level.

Solution structures of the trihelix DNA-binding domains of the wild-type and a phosphomimetic mutant of Arabidopsis GT-1: mechanism for an increase in DNA-binding affinity through phosphorylation.

GT-1 is a plant transcription factor that binds to one of the cis-acting elements, BoxII, which resides within the upstream promoter region of light-responsive genes. GT-1 was assumed to act as a molecular switch modulated through Ca(2+)-dependent phosphorylation/dephosphorylation in response to light signals. It was shown previously that the phosphorylation of threonine 133 in the DNA-binding domain (DBD) of GT-1 results in enhancement of the BoxII-binding activity.

Intratesticular localization of the organic solute carrier protein, OSCP1, in spermatogenic cells in mice.

Organic solute carrier protein 1 (OSCP1) is a recently described human gene that facilitates the transport of various organic solutes into the cell, when expressed in frog eggs. In this study, we cloned a mouse ortholog of OSCP1 encoding 379 amino acid protein, with 94% homology to the human counterpart. The mouse OSCP1 mRNA was predominantly expressed in the testis, in which it was attributed to the spermatogenic cells, except the spermatogonia.

Interactions with RNA/DNA of proteins involved in the regulation of transcription, translation and telomere elongation.

Interactions with DNA and RNA of three different proteins involved in the regulation of (1) transcription, (2) translation, and (3) telomere elongation were examined by NMR. In the first case, the combination of structural determination, dynamical analysis on the basis of relaxation data and identification of interactive surface for wild and phosphorylation-mimicking mutant proteins has given the insight on the increase of DNA-binding affinity through phosphorylation of the protein. In the second case, the arrangement of two tandem domains interacting with RNA has been determined with residual dipolar couplings and paramagnetic relaxation enhancement, which has given the idea on how the two tandem domains recognize the target RNA.

Localization of a long-chain acyl-CoA hydrolase in spermatogenic cells in mice.

Brain acyl-CoA hydrolase (BACH) hydrolyzes long-chain acyl-CoAs to free fatty acids and CoA-SH. BACH is highly distributed in brain and is localized in neurons, but not glial cells. This suggests that BACH plays a specific role in neurons.

Transient assay system for the analysis of PR-1a gene promoter in tobacco BY-2 cells.

In order to develop a rapid and versatile assay system suitable for the analysis of regulated expression of tobacco pathogenesis-related protein 1a (PR-1a) gene, we investigated the use of the transient gene expression system in tobacco BY-2 cells by microprojectile bombardment. Using dual luciferase assay as a reporter gene expression detection system, we observed significant induction of PR-1a promoter activity by salicylic acid (SA) treatment. On the other hand, treatment with 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HBA) resulted in no detectable increase in luciferase activity.

Comparative assessment of prurifloxacin, sparfloxacin, gatifloxacin and levofloxacin in the rabbit model of proarrhythmia.

The administration of certain quinolone antibiotics has been associated with a prolongation of the QT interval on electrocardiogram, and in rare cases ventricular arrhythmias such as torsades de pointes. In this in vivo study using a rabbit arrhythmia model, we assessed the proarrhythmic effects and changes in the QT interval elicited by the administration of NM394 (UFX), an active metabolite of the new quinolone antibiotic prulifloxacin, and three representative quinolones, sparfloxacin (SPFX), gatifloxacin (GFLX) and levofloxacin (LVFX). Chloralose-anesthetized rabbits were co-administered a continuous infusion of methoxamine (15 microg/kg/min) together with NaOH (vehicle, 0.

Assessment of utility of meiosis-associated promoters of lily for induction of germinal ds transposition in transgenic rice.

In order to suppress the somatic excision of the Ds element and increase the independent transposition events of the Ac/Ds transposon tagging system in rice, we employed promoters of two meiosis-specific genes of lily, LIM10 and LIM18. The LIM10 promoter directed GUS expression specifically in anthers, with the LIM18 promoter doing the same in the anthers and somatic tissue. Both promoters induced independent germinal transposition with the frequency of approximately 1%.

Isolation and characterization of a novel GRAS gene that regulates meiosis-associated gene expression.

GRAS protein is a family of plant-specific proteins that plays a role in various developmental processes. Here we report a novel GRAS protein from lily, designated LlSCL (Lilium longiflorum Scarecrow-like), dominantly expressed at the premeiotic phase within anthers. The LlSCL protein has two highly basic regions, and transient expression analyses of dissected GFP-LlSCL fusion proteins showed that both basic regions are important for the nuclear localization.

Dmc1 fluorescent foci in prophase I nuclei of diploid, triploid and hybrid lilies.

We examined the distribution of meiotic epitopes for the Dmc1 protein of lilies in a normal diploid, a triploid, and in a diploid species-hybrid. The triploid has an extra chromosome set; all three sets align, but only two of the three axes intimately pair at a given location. Our findings with the triploid support the idea that retention of the foci until the pachytene stage requires a successful homology check and synaptonemal complex (SC) initiation; the number of foci in the triploid diminishes by approximately 30% from early zygotene to pachytene, and the triploid pachytene values are similar to the pachytene values of the diploid.

Immunohistochemical localization of acyl-CoA hydrolase/thioesterase multigene family members to rat epithelia.

Acyl-CoA hydrolases cleave acyl-CoA thioesters to free fatty acids and coenzyme A. The potency of these enzymes may serve to modulate cellular levels of acyl-CoAs to affect various cellular functions, including lipid metabolism. In this study, we investigated the tissue distribution of this multigene family of enzymes, focusing on cytosolic (CTE-I) and mitochondrial acyl-CoA thioesterases (MTE-I) in adult rats, using an anti-CTE-I antibody which recognizes both the isoforms.

Characterization of mouse homolog of brain acyl-CoA hydrolase: molecular cloning and neuronal localization.

Acyl-CoA hydrolase could provide a mechanism via its potency to modulate cellular concentrations of acyl-CoAs for the regulation of various cellular events including fatty acid metabolism and gene expression. However, only limited evidence of this is available. To better understand the physiological role of this enzyme, we characterized a mouse brain acyl-CoA hydrolase, mBACH.