KLF1 directly activates expression of the novel fetal globin repressor in erythroid cells.

Genes encoding the human β-like hemoglobin proteins undergo a developmental switch from fetal to adult expression around the time of birth. β-hemoglobinopathies, such as sickle-cell disease and β-thalassemia, result from mutations affecting the adult gene. The only treatment options currently available carry significant adverse effects.

Iron modulation of erythropoiesis is associated with Scribble-mediated control of the erythropoietin receptor.

Iron-restricted human anemias are associated with the acquisition of marrow resistance to the hematopoietic cytokine erythropoietin (Epo). Regulation of Epo responsiveness by iron availability serves as the basis for intravenous iron therapy in anemias of chronic disease. Epo engagement of its receptor normally promotes survival, proliferation, and differentiation of erythroid progenitors.

Locus coeruleus input to hippocampal CA3 drives single-trial learning of a novel context.

The memory for a new episode is formed immediately upon experience and can last up to a lifetime. It has been shown that the hippocampal network plays a fundamental role in the rapid acquisition of a memory of a one-time experience, in which the novelty component of the experience promotes the prompt formation of the memory. However, it remains unclear which neural circuits convey the novelty signal to the hippocampus for the single-trial learning.

Contribution of neuraminidase 3 to the differentiation of induced regulatory T cells.

Neuraminidase family enzymes that hydrolyze the terminal sialic acid linkage in biomolecules are involved in various immune responses. We previously showed that Th1 and Th2 cells differentially express several neuraminidases. Herein, the expression of neuraminidases in induced regulatory T (iTreg) cells was investigated in comparison with that in other T-cell subsets.

Identification of quantitative trait loci associated with the susceptibility of mouse spermatozoa to cryopreservation.

Although it is known that the susceptibility of mouse spermatozoa to freezing-thawing varies greatly with genetic background, the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In this study, to map genetic regions responsible for the susceptibility of spermatozoa to freezing-thawing, we performed in vitro fertilization using spermatozoa from recombinant inbred mice derived from the C57BL/6J and DBA/2J strains, whose spermatozoa showed distinct fertilization abilities after freezing. Genome-wide interval mapping identified two suggestive quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with fertilization on chromosomes 1 and 11.

A long noncoding RNA from the HBS1L-MYB intergenic region on chr6q23 regulates human fetal hemoglobin expression.

The HBS1L-MYB intergenic region (chr6q23) regulates erythroid cell proliferation, maturation, and fetal hemoglobin (HbF) expression. An enhancer element within this locus, highlighted by a 3-bp deletion polymorphism (rs66650371), is known to interact with the promoter of the neighboring gene, MYB, to increase its expression, thereby regulating HbF production. RNA polymerase II binding and a 50-bp transcript from this enhancer region reported in ENCODE datasets suggested the presence of a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA).

Comparison of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Communities in Soil Samples with and without Tomato Bacterial Wilt Collected from Different Fields.

Biocontrol agents (BCA) effectively suppress soil-borne disease symptoms using natural antagonistic prokaryotes or eukaryotes. The main issue associated with the application of BCA is that disease reduction effects are unstable under different field conditions. In order to identify potentially effective BCA among several fields, we compared prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities in soil with and without tomato bacterial wilt from three different fields, each of which had the same field management and similar soil characteristics.

T-Helper Type 2 Cells Direct Antigen-Induced Eosinophilic Skin Inflammation in Mice.

Eosinophilic inflammation in combination with immunoglobulin E (IgE) production is a characteristic feature of atopic dermatitis. Although activated T-helper type (Th) 2 cells play critical roles in the local accumulation and activation of eosinophils, whether they induce eosinophilic skin inflammation, independent of the IgE-mediated pathway has been unclear. To address the functional role of T cells in allergic skin diseases, we herein transferred Th1/Th2-differentiated or naive DO11.

CHD1 Controls Cell Lineage Specification Through Zygotic Genome Activation.

In mammals, the processes spanning from fertilization to the generation of a new organism are very complex and are controlled by multiple genes. Life begins with the encounter of eggs and spermatozoa, in which gene expression is inactive prior to fertilization. After several cell divisions, cells arise that are specialized in implantation, a developmental process unique to mammals.

Draft Genome Sequence of Strain JCM 16806 Isolated from Soil Polluted by Crude Oil in China.

Here, we report the draft genome sequence of strain JCM 16806, which was isolated from an oil field. It is composed of 3,310,272 bp and contains 3,160 protein-coding genes, 8 5S rRNAs, 3 16S rRNAs, and 69 tRNAs.

iPSC-Based Compound Screening and In Vitro Trials Identify a Synergistic Anti-amyloid β Combination for Alzheimer's Disease.

In the process of drug development, in vitro studies do not always adequately predict human-specific drug responsiveness in clinical trials. Here, we applied the advantage of human iPSC-derived neurons, which offer human-specific drug responsiveness, to screen and evaluate therapeutic candidates for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Using AD patient neurons with nearly 100% purity from iPSCs, we established a robust and reproducible assay for amyloid β peptide (Aβ), a pathogenic molecule in AD, and screened a pharmaceutical compound library.

Maternal prolactin during late pregnancy is important in generating nurturing behavior in the offspring.

Although maternal nurturing behavior is extremely important for the preservation of a species, our knowledge of the biological underpinnings of these behaviors is insufficient. Here we show that the degree of a mother's nurturing behavior is regulated by factors present during her own fetal development. We found that Cin85-deficient () mother mice had reduced pituitary hormone prolactin (PRL) secretion as a result of excessive dopamine signaling in the brain.

Jun dimerization protein 2 controls hypoxia-induced replicative senescence via both the p16-pRb and Arf-p53 pathways.

The main regulators of replicative senescence in mice are p16 and Arf, inhibitors of cell cycle progression. Jun dimerization protein 2 (JDP2)-deficient mouse embryonic fibroblasts are resistant to replicative senescence through recruitment of the Polycomb repressive complexes 1 and 2 to the promoter of the gene that encodes p16 and inhibits the methylation of lysine 27 of the histone H3 locus. However, whether or not JDP2 is able to regulate the chromatin signaling of either p16-pRb or Arf-p53, or both, in response to oxidative stress remains elusive.

Inhibitory neuron-specific Cre-dependent red fluorescent labeling using VGAT BAC-based transgenic mouse lines with identified transgene integration sites.

Inhibitory neurons are crucial for shaping and regulating the dynamics of the entire network, and disturbances in these neurons contribute to brain disorders. Despite the recent progress in genetic labeling techniques, the heterogeneity of inhibitory neurons requires the development of highly characterized tools that allow accurate, convenient, and versatile visualization of inhibitory neurons in the mouse brain. Here, we report a novel genetic technique to visualize the vast majority and/or sparse subsets of inhibitory neurons in the mouse brain without using techniques that require advanced skills.

SCPortalen: human and mouse single-cell centric database.

Published single-cell datasets are rich resources for investigators who want to address questions not originally asked by the creators of the datasets. The single-cell datasets might be obtained by different protocols and diverse analysis strategies. The main challenge in utilizing such single-cell data is how we can make the various large-scale datasets to be comparable and reusable in a different context.

Induced pluripotent stem cells derived from a patient with familial idiopathic basal ganglia calcification (IBGC) caused by a mutation in SLC20A2 gene.

Idiopathic basal ganglia calcification (IBGC), also known as Fahr disease or primary familial brain calcifications (PFBC), is a rare neurodegenerative disorder characterized by calcium deposits in basal ganglia and other brain regions, causing neuropsychiatric and motor symptoms. We established human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from an IBGC patient. The established IBGC-iPSCs carried SLC20A2 c.

Establishment of DYT5 patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells with a GCH1 mutation.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected from a clinically diagnosed 20-year-old dystonia patient with a GCH1 mutation (DYT5). Episomal vectors were used to introduce reprogramming factors (OCT3/4, SOX2, KLF4, L-MYC, LIN28, and p53 carboxy-terminal dominant-negative fragment) to the PBMCs. The generated iPSCs expressed pluripotency markers, and were capable of differentiating into derivates of all three germ layers in vitro.

Induced pluripotent stem cells derived from an autosomal dominant lateral temporal epilepsy (ADLTE) patient carrying S473L mutation in leucine-rich glioma inactivated 1 (LGI1).

Autosomal dominant lateral temporal epilepsy (ADLTE) is an inherited epileptic syndrome, and it is associated with mutations of leucine-rich glioma inactivated 1 (LGI1) gene. The underlying mechanisms of ADLTE are still unknown, as human neurons are difficult to obtain as a research tool. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) allow the generation of patient-derived neuronal cells in a dish, and can be a promising tool to model ADLTE.

Clostridium pabulibutyricum sp. nov., a butyric-acid-producing organism isolated from high-moisture grass silage.

A Gram-stain-variable, strictly anaerobic, rod-shaped, catalase-negative and endospore-forming bacterial strain, designated MJC39, was isolated from grass silage preserved in Hokkaido, Japan. Growth occurred at 20-42 °C, pH 5.0-7.

A Trichosporonales genome tree based on 27 haploid and three evolutionarily conserved 'natural' hybrid genomes.

To construct a backbone tree consisting of basidiomycetous yeasts, draft genome sequences from 25 species of Trichosporonales (Tremellomycetes, Basidiomycota) were generated. In addition to the hybrid genomes of Trichosporon coremiiforme and Trichosporon ovoides that we described previously, we identified an interspecies hybrid genome in Cutaneotrichosporon mucoides (formerly Trichosporon mucoides). This hybrid genome had a gene retention rate of ~55%, and its closest haploid relative was Cutaneotrichosporon dermatis.

Different transferability of incompatibility (Inc) P-7 plasmid pCAR1 and IncP-1 plasmid pBP136 in stirring liquid conditions.

Self-transmissible plasmids are classified into two types based on their sex pili: short and rigid pili, and long and flexible pili. The transferability of two plasmids with different types of sex pili, pBP136 and pCAR1, was compared in stirring liquid conditions with different cell density. The most probable number method to count transconjugants could detect differences in the transfer frequency with higher resolution in comparison with the conventional CFU counting method.

Helminthosporic acid functions as an agonist for gibberellin receptor.

Helminthosporol was isolated from a fungus, Helminthosporium sativum, as a natural plant growth regulator in 1963. It showed gibberellin-like bioactivity that stimulated the growth of the second leaf sheath of rice. After studying the structure-activity relationship between the compound and some synthesized analogs, it was found that helminthosporic acid (H-acid) has higher gibberellin-like activity and chemical stability than helminthosporol.

Differential Contribution of Adhesion Molecules to Th1 and Th2 Cell-Mediated Lung and Bowel Inflammation.

CD4 T cells play a critical role in the development of allergic inflammation in several target organs. Various adhesion molecules are involved in the local recruitment of T cells and other inflammatory cells. We investigated the differential contribution of adhesion molecules to T helper 1 (Th1) and Th2 cell-mediated allergic lung and bowel inflammation by employing their neutralizing antibodies.