A skin microRNA promotes differentiation by repressing 'stemness'

In stratified epithelial tissues, homeostasis relies on the self-renewing capacity of stem cells located within the innermost basal layer. As basal cells become suprabasal, they lose proliferative potential and embark on a terminal differentiation programme. Here, we show that microRNA-203 is induced in the skin concomitantly with stratification and differentiation. By altering miR-203's spatiotemporal expression in vivo, we show that miR-203 promotes epidermal differentiation by restricting proliferative potential and inducing cell-cycle exit. We identify p63 as one of the conserved targets of miR-203 across vertebrates. Notably, p63 is an essential regulator of stem-cell maintenance in stratified epithelial tissues. We show that miR-203 directly represses the expression of p63: it fails to switch off suprabasally when either Dicer1 or miR-203 is absent and it becomes repressed basally when miR-203 is prematurely expressed. Our findings suggest that miR-203 defines a molecular boundary between proliferative basal progenitors and terminally differentiating suprabasal cells, ensuring proper identity of neighbouring layers.     

HP1-beta mobilization promotes chromatin changes that initiate the DNA damage response

Minutes after DNA damage, the variant histone H2AX is phosphorylated by protein kinases of the phosphoinositide kinase family, including ATM, ATR or DNA-PK. Phosphorylated (gamma)-H2AX-which recruits molecules that sense or signal the presence of DNA breaks, activating the response that leads to repair-is the earliest known marker of chromosomal DNA breakage. Here we identify a dynamic change in chromatin that promotes H2AX phosphorylation in mammalian cells. DNA breaks swiftly mobilize heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1)-beta (also called CBX1), a chromatin factor bound to histone H3 methylated on lysine 9 (H3K9me). Local changes in histone-tail modifications are not apparent. Instead, phosphorylation of HP1-beta on amino acid Thr 51 accompanies mobilization, releasing HP1-beta from chromatin by disrupting hydrogen bonds that fold its chromodomain around H3K9me. Inhibition of casein kinase 2 (CK2), an enzyme implicated in DNA damage sensing and repair, suppresses Thr 51 phosphorylation and HP1-beta mobilization in living cells. CK2 inhibition, or a constitutively chromatin-bound HP1-beta mutant, diminishes H2AX phosphorylation. Our findings reveal an unrecognized signalling cascade that helps to initiate the DNA damage response, altering chromatin by modifying a histone-code mediator protein, HP1, but not the code itself.     

木犀草素抑制3T3-L1前脂肪细胞的分化

为研究木犀草素在3T3-L1前脂肪细胞成脂分化过程中的作用,文章探讨木犀草素抑制脂质沉积的作用机制,选取3T3-L1前脂肪细胞作为研究对象,在其分化过程中添加木犀草素,利用噻唑蓝(MTT)实验研究木犀草素对3T3-L1增殖的作用;利用油红O染色确定其对3T3-L1前脂肪细胞脂肪化的影响;利用定量聚合酶链式反应(polymerase chain reaction,PCR)检测木犀草素对3T3-L1脂肪化相关基因的表达影响。结果表明,20μmol/L的木犀草素可以降低3T3-L1细胞的脂肪化,减少脂质聚集,并且降低了3T3-L1细胞中脂肪化相关基因Pparγ、C/EBPα、Ap2和Fas等基因的表达。     

Phospho-dephospho-control by insulin is mimicked by a phospho-oligosaccharide in adipocytes

The mechanism of insulin action is only partly understood. At one end of the signalling chain, the structure of the insulin receptor is known in detail, and at the other end, insulin controls cellular metabolism by regulating the phosphorylation of serine and threonine residues in key target enzymes. The molecular events linking the occupied receptor to changes in target enzyme phosphorylation have remained obscure. Recently, insulin was shown to promote the hydrolysis of a phosphatidylinositol glycan with release of its polar head-group. The head group was reported to activate a high-affinity cyclic AMP-phosphodiesterase and pyruvate dehydrogenase, to inhibit catecholamine-stimulated lipolysis, and also to inhibit phospholipid methyltransferase and adenylate cyclase. We report here that in intact adipocytes this head-group faithfully copies the insulin-directed effects on the phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of target proteins of the hormone.     

53BP1 promotes non-homologous end joining of telomeres by increasing chromatin mobility

Double-strand breaks activate the ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase, which promotes the accumulation of DNA damage factors in the chromatin surrounding the break. The functional significance of the resulting DNA damage foci is poorly understood. Here we show that 53BP1 (also known as TRP53BP1), a component of DNA damage foci, changes the dynamic behaviour of chromatin to promote DNA repair. We used conditional deletion of the shelterin component TRF2 (also known as TERF2) from mouse cells (TRF2(fl/-)) to deprotect telomeres, which, like double-strand breaks, activate the ATM kinase, accumulate 53BP1 and are processed by non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). Deletion of TRF2 from 53BP1-deficient cells established that NHEJ of dysfunctional telomeres is strongly dependent on the binding of 53BP1 to damaged chromosome ends. To address the mechanism by which 53BP1 promotes NHEJ, we used time-lapse microscopy to measure telomere dynamics before and after their deprotection. Imaging showed that deprotected telomeres are more mobile and sample larger territories within the nucleus. This change in chromatin dynamics was dependent on 53BP1 and ATM but did not require a functional NHEJ pathway. We propose that the binding of 53BP1 near DNA breaks changes the dynamic behaviour of the local chromatin, thereby facilitating NHEJ repair reactions that involve distant sites, including joining of dysfunctional telomeres and AID (also known as AICDA)-induced breaks in immunoglobulin class-switch recombination.     

Insulin stimulation of glucose uptake can be mediated by diacylglycerol in adipocytes

An early effect of insulin in adipocytes is to stimulate glucose uptake. The increased uptake appears to be due to mobilization of glucose transporters from an intracellular location to the plasma membrane and to enhanced intrinsic activity of the transporters. Little is known about the insulin-generated signals causing these changes. Phorbol esters have been shown to mimic the insulin effect, but phosphorylation of the transporter does not seem to be involved. A phospho-oligosaccharide was recently shown to mimic the effects of insulin on protein phosphorylation, suggesting that it could be a mediator for some intracellular metabolic effects of the hormone, but it did not affect glucose uptake. A diacyglycerol is produced in the plasma membrane in conjunction with the generation of the phospho-oligosaccharide. Here I show that added 1,2-diacylglycerols potently increase glucose transporter-mediated uptake of glucose in rat adipocytes, but without activation of protein kinase C.     

人翻译延伸因子eEF1A1促进肺癌细胞H1299对紫杉醇和阿霉素药物耐受的研究

在已知人翻译延伸因子eEF1A的多功能性和与细胞存活相关的基础上,本文进一步研究eEF1A的变体蛋白eEF1A1对癌细胞耐药性的影响.eEF1A1基因的蛋白质编码区经过克隆,并瞬时转染了人肺癌细胞H1299,在确定eEF1A1蛋白的胞内表达后,采用MTT法测定高表达eEF1A1的H1299细胞对抗癌药物紫杉醇和阿霉素的耐受.相对于对照细胞,eEF1A1的高表达可显著提高H1299细胞对阿霉素和紫杉醇的耐受性.通过耐药性测试揭示出eEF1A可能参与肿瘤发生的潜在功能.     

Myofibrillogenesis regulator-1 promotes cell adhesion and migration in human hepatoma cells

Myofibrillogenesis regulator-1 (MR-1) is a gene overexpressed usually in many human cancers. However, the effects of MR-1 on cell proliferation, adhesion, migration and genome-wide gene regulation are still unclear. In this study, a human hepatoma cell line that highly overexpresses MR-1, BEL-7402/MR-1 cells was established. While the high expression of MR-1 did not promote cell proliferation, it significantly increased cell spreading, adhesion and migration compared with control cells. A total of 147 genes were regulated by MR-1 expression, 46 genes were down-regulated and 101 genes were up-regulated by MR-1 overexpression. Many of these genes were related to cell adhesion, cytoskeletal regulation, MAPK signaling, and cell cycle related pathways. Western blot analysis further confirmed the regulation of pathways associated with migration by MR-1. These results suggest that MR-1 is involved in the regulation of cancer cell adhesion, migration and related gene expression.     

Expression of aquaporin-1 in SMMC-7221 liver carcinoma cells promotes cell migration

Aquaporins (AQPs) are membrane water channels that play pivotal roles in physiological and pathophysi- ological processes in diverse mammalian organs[1―3]. Recent studies indicated a novel role of AQPs in cell migration. Mice lacking AQP1, the endothelia…     

1/3焦煤和肥煤参与配煤炼焦的比较

对1/3焦煤和肥煤进行煤质分析,并对其单种煤的成焦光学组织、焦炭强度及参与配煤后对焦炭性能的影响进行比较。结果表明,当肥煤的胶质体质量一般或较差时,在配合煤中的作用与优质1/3焦煤相当,生产中两种煤可进行互换,但应针对调节焦炭冷、热性能的不同需要确定不同的配比。     

1-磷酸鞘氨醇受体1促进心肌梗死后单核/巨噬细胞在梗死心肌组织中浸润和聚集

目的探讨心肌梗死后S1PR1对单核/巨噬细胞功能的影响及作用机制。方法构建急性心肌梗死模型;实验分为实验组(S1PR1激动剂SEW2871处理组)、阴性对照组(DMSO处理组),各组小鼠分别在药物处理后0、5、28 d三个时间点进行对比研究;流式细胞术检测心肌组织、肝脏、肾脏及外周血等组织中单核/巨噬细胞的数量;荧光显微镜下观察心肌组织单核/巨噬细胞荧光表达情况;构建小鼠pCMV.DR8和pMD2.G慢病毒载体并感染小鼠RAW264.7巨噬细胞,筛选最适感染复数(MOI);实验分为S1PR1基因沉默组、过表达组、U0126(ERK信号通路阻断剂)处理组及空白对照组;采用Transwell小室分析细胞迁移情况;通过RAW264.7与HUVECSs共培养检测细胞粘附功能。结果 (1)实验组小鼠心肌组织中单核/巨噬细胞数量明显多于对照组(P 0.05);(2)体外试验显示,SEW2871促进RAW264.7巨噬细胞的粘附和迁移,S1PR1基因敲减后,上述作用明显降低;(3) U0126预处理后,SEW2871的促进细胞粘附和迁移作用显著减弱。结论 S1PR1通过ERK信号通路促进单核/巨噬细胞的粘附和迁移作用。     

APC(Cdc20) promotes exit from mitosis by destroying the anaphase inhibitor Pds1 and cyclin Clb5

Ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis due to the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) is essential for separation of sister chromatids, requiring degradation of the anaphase inhibitor Pds1, and for exit from mitosis, requiring inactivation of cyclin B Cdk1 kinases. Exit from mitosis in yeast involves accumulation of the cyclin kinase inhibitor Sic1 as well as cyclin proteolysis mediated by APC/C bound by the activating subunit Cdh1/Hct1 (APC(Cdh1)). Both processes require the Cdc14 phosphatase, whose release from the nucleolus during anaphase causes dephosphorylation and thereby activation of Cdh1 and accumulation of another protein, Sic1 (refs 4-7). We do not know what determines the release of Cdc14 and enables it to promote Cdk1 inactivation, but it is known to be dependent on APC/C bound by Cdc20 (APC(Cdc20)) (ref. 4). Here we show that APC(Cdc20) allows activation of Cdc14 and promotes exit from mitosis by mediating proteolysis of Pds1 and the S phase cyclin Clb5 in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Degradation of Pds1 is necessary for release of Cdc14 from the nucleolus, whereas degradation of Clb5 is crucial if Cdc14 is to overwhelm Cdk1 and activate its foes (Cdh1 and Sic1). Remarkably, cells lacking both Pds1 and Clb5 can proliferate in the complete absence of Cdc20.     

白腐菌对焦化废水中吲哚的降解及其机理

选用白腐菌BP降解吲哚,研究了白腐菌在不同培养基中对两种浓度吲哚的降解过程和机理,以及吲哚的降解与白腐菌漆酶酶活、生物量、培养基pH值的关系.结果显示不同培养基中白腐菌可去除99%以上的吲哚;吲哚去除率与白腐菌漆酶活率具有较好的相关性,白腐菌漆酶活率达到最高时,可去除97%以上的吲哚;高浓度吲哚会抑制白腐菌的生长,同时也激发了白腐菌漆酶的产生,秸秆滤出液能促进白腐菌的生长和漆酶活力的增长;白腐菌BP最适pH值为6~7,pH值在5~8之间对吲哚都具有较强的降解能力;在HPLC谱图3~6 min之间出现的新物质可能有氧化吲哚和靛红.     

Overexpression of OsRAA1 promotes flowering and hypocotyls elongation in Arabidopsis

Previously, OsRAA1, an AtFPF1 homologue gene, was found to play an important role in modulating rice root development. In the current study, OsRAA1 was overexpressed in Arabidopsis, and the transgenic plants showed early flowering and elongated hypocotyl phenotypes as compared with the wild-type under white-light conditions. The hypocotyls of transgenic lines were twice as long as those of wild-type plants under red-light conditions but were indistinguishable from those of the wild-type under blue and far-red light and darkness. In addition, the phenotypes of AtFPF1 transgenic lines were similar to those of OsRAA1 transgenic lines. These results suggested that OsRAAI/AtFPF1 protein is involved in regulating flowering time and plays an important role in the inhibition of hypocotyl elongation under continuous red light. The functions were preserved during the evolution.