Galectin-3 stabilizes heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein Q to maintain proliferation of human colon cancer cells

Comparative analysis of proteomes using 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-resistant human colon cancer cell line revealed that decreased galectin-3 expression was significantly associated with retarded proliferation. However, in the presence of 5-FU proliferation rate of cells with suppressed galectin-3 expression did not differ from that of cells with normal galectin-3 expression, even galectin-3 suppression augmented apoptosis. Mechanism by which galectin-3 regulates cancer cell proliferation has been identified in immunoprecipitates of the anti-galectin-3 antibody. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein Q (hnRNP Q) was identified as a protein interacting with galectin-3. Interestingly, while galectin-3 protein was not affected by the hnRNP Q level, its suppression was accompanied by a decrease in hnRNP Q expression. The present study demonstrates that galectin-3 stabilizes hnRNP Q via complex formation, and reduction in the hnRNP Q level leads to slow proliferation and less susceptibility to 5-FU. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. B.C.Yoo; S-H.Hong; These two authors contributed equally to this work. Received 10 September 2008; received after revision 19 October 2008; accepted 07 November 2008     

Redefinition of Nipponbathynella based on the four new species from East Asia (Crustacea: Bathynellacea: Parabathynellidae)

Four new species of the parabathynellid genus Nipponbathynella Schminke, 1973 are described from South Korea (Nipponbathynella leesookyungae sp. nov., Nipponbathynella donggangensis sp. nov. and Nipponbathynella wanjuensis sp. nov.) and Japan (Nipponbathynella shigaensis sp. nov.), raising the number of known species to seven. Nipponbathynella leesookyungae is characterized by the convex ventral surface of the labrum and the rich ornamentation (with three spinules and two teeth) of the exopod of male thoracopod VIII; N. donggangensis by the distal spine on the distal maxillular segment with many dentils; N. wanjuensis by the endopod of the male thoracopod VIII with one seta (instead of two) and the serrated endopodal spur of the uropod; and N. shigaensis by the basipod of thoracopods II–VII carrying strong hairs on their outer margin. The three new and one known (Nipponbathynella pectina) South Korean species share a bur-like inner lobe of the male thoracopod VIII, suggesting their close relationship. Based on the one-segmented exopod on thoracopod I and two-segmented exopod on the thoracopods II–VII, the bell-shaped male thoracopod VIII and the uropod with sympod carrying a large distal spine in addition to several proximal spines of smaller size, with endopod drawn into a spur and with exopod carrying a seta, a close phylogenetic relationship between Nipponbathynella and Arisubathynella Park and Eun, 2012 is proposed.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9650379F-C249-473C-AAA4-B3D638B96322     

The human pseudoautosomal GM-CSF receptor alpha subunit gene is autosomal in mouse.

The gene encoding the granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor receptor alpha subunit (CSF2RA) has previously been mapped to the pseudoautosomal region of the human sex chromosomes. In contrast, we report that the murine locus, Csf2ra, maps to an autosome in the laboratory mouse. By in situ hybridization and genetic mapping, Csf2ra maps at telomeric band D2 of mouse chromosome 19. This first instance of a pseudoautosomal locus in human being autosomal in mouse, indicates incomplete conservation between the human and mouse X chromosomes and suggests that the genetic content of the pseudoautosomal region may differ between species of eutherian mammals due to chromosomal rearrangements.     

Positive regulation of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 by dual-specificity phosphatase 13A

Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1), a member of the MAP kinase kinase kinase, is activated by several death stimuli and is tightly regulated by several mechanisms such as interactions with regulatory proteins and post-translational modifications. Here, we report that dual-specificity phosphatase 13A (DUSP13A) functions as a novel regulator of ASK1. DUSP13A interacts with the N-terminal domain of ASK1 and induces ASK1-mediated apoptosis through the activation of caspase-3. DUSP13A enhances ASK1 kinase activity and thus its downstream factors. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) analyses show that knock-down of DUSP13A in human neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells reduces ASK1 kinase activity. The phosphatase activity of DUSP13A is not required for the regulation of ASK1. This regulatory action of DSUP13 on ASK1 activity involves competition with Akt1, a negative regulator of ASK1, for binding to ASK1. Taken together, this study provides novel insights into the role of DUSP13A in the precise regulation of ASK1.     

Heat stress response of male germ cells

The vast majority of mammalian testes are located outside the body cavity for proper thermoregulation. Heat has an adverse effect on mammalian spermatogenesis and eventually leads to sub- or infertility. Recent studies have provided insights into the molecular response of male germ cells to high temperatures. Here, we review the effects of heat on male germ cells and discuss the mechanisms underlying germ cell loss and impairment. We also discuss the role of translational control in male germ cells as a potential protective mechanism against heat-induced germ cell apoptosis.     

Molecular phylogenetic status of Siberian roe deer （Capreolus pygargus） based on mitochondrial cytochrome b from Jeju Island in Korea

In order to elucidate the genetic diversity and taxonomic status of Siberian roe deer （Capreolus pygar- gus） from the Korean peninsula, partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene were analyzed. We col- lected 57 roe deer samples from Mainland and Jeju Island between July 2004 and June 2009. A total of 50 sequences （1,070 bp） were obtained, and seven haplotypes were defined. Five haplotypes were found from Mainland, and two were discovered from Jeju Island. The genetic diver- sity was lower in the Jeju Island population than in the Mainland population. In addition, both the consensus neighbor-joining tree and maximum parsimony tree showed an identical topology between the Mainland and Jeju Island clades. Based on the results, two subspecies of the Korean roe deer were confirmed. Siberian roe deer in Jeju Island showed a distinct difference in the cytochrome b gene compared with other Siberian roe deer, being aunique native species inhabiting only Jeju Island in Korea. Because Siberian roe deer in Jeju Island can be classified at subspecies level, the new subspecies in Jeju was named Capreolus pygargus jejuensis in this study. For this new subspecies, reasonable conservation and management effort is needed in the future.     

A non-spherical core in the explosion of supernova SN 2004dj

An important and perhaps critical clue to the mechanism driving the explosion of massive stars as supernovae is provided by the accumulating evidence for asymmetry in the explosion. Indirect evidence comes from high pulsar velocities, associations of supernovae with long-soft gamma-ray bursts, and asymmetries in late-time emission-line profiles. Spectropolarimetry provides a direct probe of young supernova geometry, with higher polarization generally indicating a greater departure from spherical symmetry. Large polarizations have been measured for 'stripped-envelope' (that is, type Ic; ref. 7) supernovae, which confirms their non-spherical morphology; but the explosions of massive stars with intact hydrogen envelopes (type II-P supernovae) have shown only weak polarizations at the early times observed. Here we report multi-epoch spectropolarimetry of a classic type II-P supernova that reveals the abrupt appearance of significant polarization when the inner core is first exposed in the thinning ejecta (approximately 90 days after explosion). We infer a departure from spherical symmetry of at least 30 per cent for the inner ejecta. Combined with earlier results, this suggests that a strongly non-spherical explosion may be a generic feature of core-collapse supernovae of all types, where the asphericity in type II-P supernovae is cloaked at early times by the massive, opaque, hydrogen envelope.