Canonical Wnt/β-catenin activity and differential epigenetic marks direct sexually dimorphic regulation of and in developing mouse gonads.

Members of the Iroquois B (IrxB) homeodomain cluster genes, specifically and , are crucial for heart, limb and bone development. Recently, we reported their importance for oocyte and follicle survival within the developing ovary. and expression begins after sex determination in the ovary but remains absent in the fetal testis.

Regulation of Latent Membrane Protein 1 Signaling through Interaction with Cytoskeletal Proteins.

Unlabelled: Latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) induces constitutive signaling in EBV-infected cells to ensure the survival of the latently infected cells. LMP1 is localized to lipid raft domains to induce signaling. In the present study, a genome-wide screen based on bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) was performed to identify LMP1-binding proteins.

Identification of transmembrane protein 134 as a novel LMP1-binding protein by using bimolecular fluorescence complementation and an enhanced retroviral mutagen.

Latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) of Epstein-Barr virus induces constitutive signaling in infected cells. LMP1 signaling requires oligomerization of LMP1 via its transmembrane domain, localization to lipid rafts in the membrane, and association of the LMP1 cytoplasmic domain to adaptor proteins, such as the tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factors (TRAFs). Protein complementation is a novel technique to examine protein-protein interaction through the assembly of functional fluorescent proteins or enzymes from inactive fragments.

Guanine exchange factor Vav2: a novel potential target for the development of drugs effective in the prevention of papillomavirus infection and disease.

The bovine papillomavirus capsid protein L2 has no homology to known cellular proteins. We identified the interaction of bovine papillomavirus type 1 L2 with the guanine exchange factor Vav2. We determined that the interaction of L2 with Vav2 was mediated by the N-terminus of L2 and independent of the N-terminus of Vav2.

Bovine papillomavirus type 1: from clathrin to caveolin.

Viruses may infect cells through clathrin-dependent, caveolin-dependent, or clathrin- and caveolin-independent endocytosis. Bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV1) entry into cells has been shown to occur by clathrin-dependent endocytosis, a pathway that involves the formation of clathrin-coated pits and fusion to early endosomes. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the closely related JC virus can enter cells in clathrin-coated vesicles and subsequently traffic to caveolae, the organelle where vesicles of the caveolin-dependent pathway deliver their cargo.

Sexually dimorphic regulation of inhibin beta B in establishing gonadal vasculature in mice.

Sexually dimorphic differentiation of gonads is accomplished through balanced interactions between positive and negative regulators. One of the earliest features of gonadal differentiation is the divergent patterning of the vasculature. A male-specific coelomic vessel develops on the anterior to posterior of the XY gonad, whereas this vessel is absent in XX gonads.