-Methylated Isoflavones Induce Genes of and Pratensein Promotes Nodulation in Chickpea.

Legume plants form symbiotic relationships with rhizobia, which allow plants to utilize atmospheric nitrogen as a nutrient. This symbiosis is initiated by secretion of specific signaling metabolites from the roots, which induce the expression of genes in rhizobia. These metabolites are called gene inducers (NGIs), and various flavonoids have been found to act as NGIs.

Circadian rhythm mechanism in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and its relation to the olfactory system.

Animals need sleep, and the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the center of the circadian rhythm, plays an important role in determining the timing of sleep. The main input to the suprachiasmatic nucleus is the retinohypothalamic tract, with additional inputs from the intergeniculate leaflet pathway, the serotonergic afferent from the raphe, and other hypothalamic regions. Within the suprachiasmatic nucleus, two of the major subtypes are vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-positive neurons and arginine-vasopressin (AVP)-positive neurons.

In vivo recording of the circadian calcium rhythm in Prokineticin 2 neurons of the suprachiasmatic nucleus.

Prokineticin 2 (Prok2) is a small protein expressed in a subpopulation of neurons in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the primary circadian pacemaker in mammals. Prok2 has been implicated as a candidate output molecule from the SCN to control multiple circadian rhythms. Genetic manipulation specific to Prok2-producing neurons would be a powerful approach to understanding their function.

In vivo recording of suprachiasmatic nucleus dynamics reveals a dominant role of arginine vasopressin neurons in circadian pacesetting.

The central circadian clock of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is a network consisting of various types of neurons and glial cells. Individual cells have the autonomous molecular machinery of a cellular clock, but their intrinsic periods vary considerably. Here, we show that arginine vasopressin (AVP) neurons set the ensemble period of the SCN network in vivo to control the circadian behavior rhythm.

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchoring is required for the proper transport and extensive glycosylation of a classical arabinogalactan protein precursor in tobacco BY-2 cells.

Many precursors of plant arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) contain a C-terminal glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchoring signal. Using NtAGP1, a classical tobacco AGP, as a model, and green fluorescent protein (GFP) and sweet potato sporamin (SPO) as tags, we analyzed the localization and modification of AGP and its mutant without GPI-anchoring signal (AGPΔC) in tobacco BY-2 cells. The NtAGP1 fusion proteins migrated as large smear on SDS-polyacrylamide gel, and these proteins also localized preferentially to the plasma membrane.