A real-time phenotyping framework using machine learning for plant stress severity rating in soybean.

Background: Phenotyping is a critical component of plant research. Accurate and precise trait collection, when integrated with genetic tools, can greatly accelerate the rate of genetic gain in crop improvement. However, efficient and automatic phenotyping of traits across large populations is a challenge; which is further exacerbated by the necessity of sampling multiple environments and growing replicated trials.

An IL-4/IL-13 dual antagonist reduces lung inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness, and IgE production in mice.

IL-4 and IL-13 comprise promising targets for therapeutic interventions in asthma and other Th2-associated diseases, but agents targeting either IL-4 or IL-13 alone have shown limited efficacy in human clinical studies. Because these cytokines may involve redundant function, dual targeting holds promise for achieving greater efficacy. We describe a bifunctional therapeutic targeting IL-4 and IL-13, developed by a combination of specific binding domains.

Differential role of tyrosine phosphorylation in adhesion-induced transcription, mRNA stability, and cytoskeletal organization in human monocytes.

Monocyte adhesion resulted in rapid tyrosine phosphorylation and subsequent cytokine mRNA induction. The objective of this study was to determine the role of specific tyrosine phosphorylation events, particularly those involving members of the MAP kinase family, in regulating adhesion-induced cytokine expression. Using nuclear run-on analyses, we demonstrated that on adhesion, monocytes rapidly transcriptionally activated numerous cytokine mRNAs, coincident with the activation of the transcription factors NF-KB and AP-1.

Adhesion-dependent regulation of an A+U-rich element-binding activity associated with AUF1.

Monocyte adherence results in the rapid transcriptional activation and mRNA stabilization of numerous mediators of inflammation and tissue repair. While the enhancer and promoter elements associated with transcriptional activation have been studied, mechanisms linking adhesion, mRNA stabilization, and translation are unknown. GROalpha and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) mRNAs are highly labile in nonadhered monocytes but stabilize rapidly after adherence.

Taxol-dependent transcriptional activation of IL-8 expression in a subset of human ovarian cancer.

Taxol is important in the treatment of both primary and drug-resistant ovarian cancer. Although Taxol is known to stabilize microtubules and block cell mitosis, the effectiveness of this drug exceeds that of other antimitotic agents, suggesting it may have an additional mode of action. Stimulated by murine macrophage studies indicating cytokine induction by Taxol, we have investigated proinflammatory cytokine expression in a series of cell lines and recent explants of human ovarian cancer.

The intracellular IL-1 receptor antagonist alters IL-1-inducible gene expression without blocking exogenous signaling by IL-1 beta.

The epithelium-associated tissue distribution of the intracellular IL-1R antagonist (icIL-1Ra) suggests that it functions as a novel regulatory molecule for IL-1 in somatic tissues. We examined the role of the icIL-1Ra in IL-1 beta-induced responses in human ovarian cancer cells because ovarian surface epithelium expresses transcripts for the icIL-1Ra, and the majority of ovarian cancers arise from these cells. Several human ovarian and cervical cancer cell lines spontaneously express the icIL-1Ra.

Role of transcriptional activation of I kappa B alpha in mediation of immunosuppression by glucocorticoids.

Glucocorticoids are potent immunosuppressive drugs, but their mechanism is poorly understood. Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B), a regulator of immune system and inflammation genes, may be a target for glucocorticoid-mediated immunosuppression. The activation of NF-kappa B involves the targeted degradation of its cytoplasmic inhibitor, I kappa B alpha, and the translocation of NF-kappa B to the nucleus.

Transcription-independent turnover of I kappa B alpha during monocyte adherence: implications for a translational component regulating I kappa B alpha/MAD-3 mRNA levels.

We identified I kappa B alpha/MAD-3 as an immediate-early gene in human monocytes that is expressed in response to a variety of signals, including adhesion, lipopolysaccharide, and phorbol myristate acetate. Within 5 min of monocyte adhesion, the level of the I kappa B alpha protein is markedly diminished but is rapidly replaced in a cycloheximide-sensitive manner within 20 min. Accompanying the rapid turnover of the I kappa B alpha protein is simultaneous translocation of NF-kappa B-related transcription factors to nuclei of adhered monocytes.

Promoter opening (melting) and transcription initiation by RNA polymerase I requires neither nucleotide beta,gamma hydrolysis nor protein phosphorylation.

With some bacterial RNA polymerases and in eukaryotic RNA polymerase II, DNA melting during initiation requires the coupling of energy derived from beta,gamma hydrolysis of ATP. A detailed analysis of this possible requirement for eukaryotic RNA polymerase I reveals no such requirement. However, in some cases, beta,gamma non-hydrolyzable derivatives (beta,gamma imido or methylene) of nucleotide substrates have been found to significantly inhibit transcription initiation because of their inefficient use as the first nucleotide of the transcript.

An exonuclease requiring an intact helical stem for specificity produces the 3' end of Acanthamoeba castellanii 5 S RNA.

A nuclear extract from Acanthamoeba castellanii which contains all of the components necessary for specific transcription of a 5 S RNA gene was separated into fractions required for specific transcription initiation and an additional fraction needed in the reconstituted system to produce the 3' end characteristic of mature 5 S RNA. The latter fraction contained a novel processing activity characterized by an exonuclease specific for highly structured RNAs, including 5 S RNA. An intact helical stem formed between the 5' and 3' ends of the 5 S RNA precursor determines the 3' nucleotide.

Initiation and regulation mechanisms of ribosomal RNA transcription in the eukaryote Acanthamoeba castellanii.

Acanthamoeba rRNA transcription involves the binding of a transcription initiation factor (TIF) to the core promoter of rDNA to form the preinitiation complex. This complex is formed in the absence of RNA polymerase I, and persists for multiple rounds of initiation. Polymerase I next binds to form the initiation complex.

A discrete region centered 22 base pairs upstream of the initiation site modulates transcription of Drosophila tRNAAsn genes.

We have studied the mechanism by which 5'-flanking sequences modulate the in vitro transcription of eucaryotic tRNA genes. Using deletion and linker substitution mutagenesis, we have found that the 5'-flanking sequences responsible for the different in vitro transcription levels of three Drosophila tRNA5Asn genes are contained within a discrete region centered 22 nucleotides upstream from the transcription initiation site. In conjunction with the A-box intragenic control region, this upstream transcription-modulatory region functions in the selection mechanism for the site of transcription initiation.

The 5'-flanking sequences of Drosophila melanogaster tRNA5Asn genes differentially arrest RNA polymerase III.

Three tRNA5Asn genes have been subcloned from a tRNA gene cluster isolated from the cytogenetic locus 42A of Drosophila melanogaster. The three tRNAAsn genes, contained on plasmids pAsn6, pAsn7, and pAsn8, have identical mature tRNA coding regions but have different 5'- and 3'-flanking sequences. In vitro transcription in Drosophila Schneider S3 cell-free extracts showed the tRNAAsn genes had different transcription efficiencies.