Methanol production by reversed methylotrophy constructed in .

We constructed a reversed methylotrophic pathway that produces methanol, a promising feedstock for production of useful compounds, from fructose 6-phosphate (F6P), which can be supplied by catabolism of biomass-derived sugars including glucose, by a synthetic biology approach. Using as an expression host, we heterologously expressed genes encoding methanol utilization enzymes from methylotrophic bacteria, i.e.

A Pichia pastoris single-cell biosensor for detection of enzymatically produced methanol.

We conducted single-cell analyses of the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris to develop a biosensor for the detection of methanol produced by heterologous enzymes. In this biosensor, methanol and its subsequent metabolism induce expression of a gene encoding a fluorescent protein that was placed under the control of a methanol-inducible promoter. Using quantitative analyses of fluorescence microscopy images, a methanol-inducible promoter and a host strain were selected, and preculture and assay conditions were optimized to improve the methanol detection limit.

Aberrant gene expression and sexually incompatible genomic imprinting in oocytes derived from XY mouse embryonic stem cells in vitro.

Mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) have the potential to differentiate into germ cells (GCs) in vivo and in vitro. Interestingly, XY ESCs can give rise to both male and female GCs in culture, irrespective of the genetic sex. Recent studies showed that ESC-derived primordial GCs contributed to functional gametogenesis in vivo; however, in vitro differentiation techniques have never succeeded in generating mature oocytes from ESCs due to cryptogenic growth arrest during the preantral follicle stages of development.

Functional mechanisms and roles of adaptor proteins in abl-regulated cytoskeletal actin dynamics.

Abl is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase and plays an essential role in the modeling and remodeling of F-actin by transducing extracellular signals. Abl and its paralog, Arg, are unique among the tyrosine kinase family in that they contain an unusual extended C-terminal half consisting of multiple functional domains. This structural characteristic may underlie the role of Abl as a mediator of upstream signals to downstream signaling machineries involved in actin dynamics.

Siglec-15 protein regulates formation of functional osteoclasts in concert with DNAX-activating protein of 12 kDa (DAP12).

Osteoclasts are multinucleated giant cells that reside in osseous tissues and resorb bone. Signaling mediated by receptor activator of nuclear factor (NF)-κB (RANK) and its ligand leads to the nuclear factor of activated T cells 2/c1 (NFAT2 or NFATc1) expression, a critical step in the formation of functional osteoclasts. In addition, adaptor proteins harboring immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs, such as DNAX-activating protein of 12 kDa (DAP12), play essential roles.