Search

Physiological response and transcriptome changes were observed to investigate the effects on the growth, metabolism and genetic changes of Pinus densiflora grown for a long time in an environment with an elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration. Pine trees were grown at ambient (400 ppm) and elevated (560 ppm and 720 ppm) CO2 concentrations for 10 years in open-top chambers. The content of nonstructural carbohydrates was significantly increased in elevated CO2. It was notable that the contents of chlorophylls significantly decreased at an elevated CO2. The activities of antioxidants were significantly increased at an elevated CO2 concentration of 720 ppm. We analyzed the differences in the transcriptomes of Pinus densiflora at ambient and elevated CO2 concentrations and elucidated the functions of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). RNA-Seq analysis identified 2415 and 4462 DEGs between an ambient and elevated CO2 concentrations of 560 ppm and 720 ppm, respectively. Genes related to glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and starch/sucrose metabolism were unchanged or decreased at an elevated CO2 concentration of 560 ppm and tended to increase at an elevated CO2 concentration of 720 ppm. It was confirmed that the expression levels of genes related to photosynthesis and antioxidants were increased at an elevated CO2 concentration of 720 ppm.

Physiological response and transcriptome changes were observed to investigate the effects on the growth, metabolism and genetic changes of

Plants produce two phosphorylated enzymes: pyrophosphate-dependent fructose-6-phosphate phosphotransferase (PFP) and ATP-dependent phosphofructokinase (PFK). However, the characterization of phosphofructokinase (PFK) family members and their functions remains unexplored in Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides). This study comprehensively analyzed 17 phosphofructokinase genes in the P. deltoides genome, including their gene structure, conserved domains, evolutionary relationships, and expression patterns. Genome-wide analysis of the poplar genome identified 11 genes belonging to PdPFK and 6 genes belonging to PdPFP. Phylogenetic, gene structure, and motif analyses revealed two main categories of PFK genes: PFK with eleven genes and PFP with six genes. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis demonstrated that all 17 phosphofructokinase genes were induced in various tissues and developmental stages of P. deltoides. PFPs were strongly expressed throughout P. deltoides’ growth and development, notably in the roots, according to the transcript analysis. This genome-wide analysis provides insights into PFK and PFP genes and establishes a foundation for future investigations into the role of genes in P. deltoids.

Water deficit is a critical factor obstructing the growth and survival of plant. Therefore, researchers have been trying to develop drought-resistant varieties. To find indicators of drought stress-tolerance of cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa), we analyzed the response of cypress seedlings from six provenances of Korea (Jeju, Suwon, Seoul, Seongnam, Yong-in, and Osan) to drought stress. Additionally, the genetic diversity of C. obtusa from the six provenances were determined using microsatellite markers. We confirmed that populations from Suwon and Seongnam were relatively separated from other populations through genetic distance and cluster analysis. We examined their physiologic and metabolic responses after drought treatment for five weeks. Almost all of the cypress seedlings showed a reduced shoot growth rate under drought treatment compared to controls. In addition, temperature of drought treated cypress seedling leaves was 1.2-2℃ higher than that of the controls. Almost all of the drought stress-treated cypress showed increased carbon metabolite contents and pigments. In particular, the cypress seedlings from Osan showed the highest increase in all of the measured metabolites. Therefore, it is suggested that the seedlings from Osan are susceptible to drought stress. Conversely, the seedlings from Jeju, Suwon, and Yong-in showed a lower sensitivity to drought treatment. These results indicate that the cypress trees from the six provenances have a different response to drought stress. In addition, it is confirmed that previously identified indicators of drought stress, especially those that measure total soluble sugar, carotenoid, and H2O2, can be used in the selection of drought resistance cypress. These findings may useful in studies concerned with the metabolic and physiological responses of young cypress to drought.

We aimed to investigate the relationship between intraoperative mean arterial pressure (MAP) and acute kidney injury (AKI) occurrence after robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP), as well as the relationship between MAP and the maximal increase in serum creatinine (SCr) levels. We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of 750 patients who underwent RALP. The average real variability (ARV)-MAP, standard deviation (SD)-MAP, time-weighted average (TWA)-MAP, area under threshold (AUT)-65 mmHg, and area above threshold (AAT)-120 mmHg were calculated using MAPs collected within a 10-s interval. Eighteen (2.4%) patients developed postoperative AKI. None of the five MAP parameters could predict postoperative AKI, with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values for ARV-MAP, SD-MAP, TWA-MAP, AUT-65 mmHg, and AAT-120 mmHg being 0.561 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.424–0.697), 0.561 (95% CI, 0.417–0.704), 0.584 (95% CI, 0.458–0.709), 0.590 (95% CI, 0.462–0.718), and 0.626 (95% CI, 0.499–0.753), respectively. ARV-MAP (per 15-mmHg/min increase) and TWA-MAP (per 30-mmHg increase) were positively correlated with delta-SCr levels (β = 0.21, P = 0.010 and β = 0.14, P = 0.002; respectively). However, the resulting increases did not cause AKI. Therefore, intraoperative MAP changes may not be a determining factor for AKI after RALP.

Objective To systematically translate the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) into a Korean version of the FMA (K-FMA).Methods We translated the original FMA into the Korean version with three translators and a translation committee, which included physiatrists, physical therapists, and occupational therapists. Based on a test-retest method, each of 31 patients with stroke was assessed by two evaluators twice, once on recruitment, and again after a week. Analysis of intra- and inter-rater reliabilities was performed using the intra-class correlation coefficient, whereas validity was analysed using Pearson correlation test along with the Motricity Index (MI), Motor Assessment Scale (MAS), and Berg Balance Scale (BBS).Results The intra- and inter-rater reliabilities were significant for the total score, and good to excellent reliability was noted in all domains except for the joint range of motion of the lower extremity domain of the K-FMA. The MI and MAS scores were significantly correlated with all domains, all with p

Objective To identify the prevalence and characteristics of neuropathic pain (NP) in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and to investigate associations between NP and demographic or disease-related variables.Methods We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients with SCI whose pain was classified according to the International Spinal Cord Injury Pain classifications at a single hospital. Multiple statistical analyses were employed. Patients aged

We report a 29-year-old female with a one-month history of non-healing multiple erythematous to violaceous plaques with crusts over both legs and feet. Tender, scarring ulcers with surrounding erythema were present. The clinical manifestation, together with histopathologic findings of fibrinoid plugs within vascular lumens and walls, as well as red blood cell extravasation, led to diagnosis of livedoid vasculopathy. The patient experienced recurrent painful violaceous plaques with ulcerations during the two years of treatment with oral pentoxifylline 400 mg three times daily. The cutaneous lesions and symptoms dramatically improved after the treatment regimen changed to oral sulodexide (250 lipasemic units) three times daily. Sulodexide, a highly purified mixture of glycosaminoglycans including dermatan sulfate and low-molecular weight heparin, could be an effective therapy for recalcitrant livedoid vasculopathy. Herein, we report a case of livedoid vasculopathy treated with sulodexide, which has not previously been reported.

It is difficult to accurately simulate the cornering performance of a vehicle using a simplified vehicle model; therefore, a proper evaluation process should be conducted from an experimental perspective. In addition, there are several possible combinations of subparts in suspension modules, such as springs, dampers, stabilizers, or other parts, and the characteristic identification of each part may require significant costs and time. In this study, the cornering performance of a vehicle system was experimentally evaluated using several combinations of subparts in the suspension module as well as candidate tire cases. All characteristic parameters used in the two indices were previously identified as separate steps, and vehicle tests were performed according to all the required test scenarios for cornering performance. The evaluation of the cornering performance of a vehicle was proposed using the suspension characteristic cornering performance (SCCP) index and suspension and tire characteristic cornering performance based-on-tests (STCT) index, respectively, using measured data from a vehicle test. The STCT index is revised from the SCCP index by considering the tires’ effects, and the optimal selection of the suspension and tires can be obtained from the proposed indices. The feasibility of the proposed STCT index was verified by evaluating the cornering performance from all the prepared test results.

Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) showed an increased risk of fractures in previous studies and a high prevalence of osteoporosis is reportedly a potential contributor. We conducted a nationwide database study on the risk of fractures and the impact of osteoporosis on patients with PD compared to controls.Using a nationwide database in South Korea, we identified incident patients with PD in 2004-2006 and selected four age- and sex-matched controls. We checked the occurrence rates of overall and hip fractures and plotted Kaplan-Meier curves and a Cox proportional hazards model to determine risk. We also conducted stratified analyses according to the presence or absence of osteoporosis.We identified 9126 patients with PD and 35,601 controls. Patients with PD had a greater probability of fractures throughout the study period in Kaplan-Meier curves, and an increased risk of overall (aHR 1.35, 95% CI 1.297-1.405) and hip (aHR 1.814, 95% CI 1.66-1.983) fractures in a Cox proportional hazards model. In the stratified analysis, the increased risk of overall fracture (aHR 1.333, 95% CI 1.273-1.396 and aHR 1.412, 95% CI 1.301-1.532, respectively) and hip fracture (aHR 1.773, 95% CI 1.604-1.96 and aHR 2.008, 95% CI 1.657-2.434, respectively) due to PD was similar between patients with and without osteoporosis.Patients with PD, with or without osteoporosis, are more likely to experience fractures, especially hip fractures. There seems to be no interaction between PD and osteoporosis in regard to the occurrence of fractures, and therefore no effect modification by osteoporosis.

Global climate change is heavily affected by an increase in CO2. As one of several efforts to cope with this, research on poplar, a representative, fast growing, and model organism in plants, is actively underway. The effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 on the metabolism, growth, and transcriptome of poplar were investigated to predict productivity in an environment where CO2 concentrations are increasing. Poplar trees were grown at ambient (400 ppm) or elevated CO2 concentrations (1.4× ambient, 560 ppm, and 1.8× ambient, 720 ppm) for 16 weeks in open-top chambers (OTCs). We analyzed the differences in the transcriptomes of Populusalba × Populus glandulosa clone “Clivus” and Populus euramericana clone “I-476” using high-throughput sequencing techniques and elucidated the functions of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using various functional annotation methods. About 272,355 contigs and 207,063 unigenes were obtained from transcriptome assembly with the Trinity assembly package. Common DEGs were identified which were consistently regulated in both the elevated CO2 concentrations. In Clivus 29, common DEGs were found, and most of these correspond to cell wall proteins, especially hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins (HRGP), or related to fatty acid metabolism. Concomitantly, in I-476, 25 were identified, and they were related to heat shock protein (HSP) chaperone family, photosynthesis, nitrogen metabolism, and carbon metabolism. In addition, carbohydrate contents, including starch and total soluble sugar, were significantly increased in response to elevated CO2. These data should be useful for future gene discovery, molecular studies, and tree improvement strategies for the upcoming increased-CO2 environments.

Background We previously proposed a novel virtual reality-based method to assess human field of perception (FOP) and field of regard (FOR), termed the FOPR test. This study assessed the diagnostic validity of the FOPR test for hemispatial neglect (HSN). Methods We included 19 stroke patients with a lesion in the right hemisphere and with HSN (HSN+SS), 22 stroke patients with a lesion in the right hemisphere and without HSN (HSN−SS), and 22 healthy controls aged 19–65 years. The success rate (SR) and response time (RT) in the FOPR test for both FOP and FOR were assessed (FOP-SR, FOR-SR, FOP-RT, and FOR-RT, respectively). Using a Bland–Altman plot, agreements between the FOPR test and conventional tests were confirmed, and the FOPR test accuracy was verified using the support vector machine (SVM). Measured values were analysed using ANOVA and Kruskall–Wallis tests for group comparison. Results The Bland–Altman plot showed good agreement between FOPR test and conventional tests; individuals within 95% agreement limits were within the range of 94.8–100.0%. The SVM classification accuracy, using FOP and FOR variables from the left hemispace, ranged from 83.3 to 100.0% in a binary classification (HSN vs non-HSN). The FOPR test demonstrated differences in SR and RT for both FOP and FOR across the groups. Conclusion The FOPR test was valid for the HSN diagnosis and provided quantitative and intuitive information regarding visuospatial function. Furthermore, it might enhance our understanding of visuospatial function including HSN by applying the time relative component and concepts of perception and exploration, FOP and FOR. Trial registration: NCT03463122. Registered 13 March 2018, retrospectively registered.

Additional file 1:Table 1. The performance of SVM accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity for binary-classifier (HSN vs non-HSN).

Detection, purification and characterization of proteins are essential procedures in the field of biochemistry. Epitope tag systems are commonly used to characterize unknown proteins. The Deinococcus radiodurans bacterial phytochrome (DrBphP) protein has been used as an antigen to generate anti-DrBphP mouse monoclonal antibodies and to identify their specific epitopes. Among these antibodies, the 2B8 monoclonal antibody recognizes an epitope of 9 amino acids (RDPLPFFPP). The 2B8 epitope does not match the amino acid sequence for any known protein. On Western blot analysis, the 2B8 antibody showed strong and highly specific interactions with the 2B8 epitope. These results suggest that the 2B8 epitope-antibody is a useful epitope tag system for protein characterization. In addition, we generated a modified epitope (RDPLPAFPP) via point mutation in a previous study. This modified epitope showed significantly increased reactivity with the 2B8 antibody. In this study, we developed a protein purification system using the 2B8 epitope tag and antibody. 2B8 antibodies were bound to protein G-agarose beads as affinity ligands. Recombinant DrBphP proteins were then exposed to 2B8 antibody-bound protein G-agarose beads. Bound DrBphP proteins were then eluted by competition with the original or modified 2B8 epitope peptides. DrBphP proteins were successfully purified via an affinity chromatography system using a 2B8 original peptide and even better purified using the 2B8 modified peptide. These findings indicate that the 2B8 epitope tag system is a better tool for protein detection and purification.

Sang Jun Park,1,2 Kyung Bong Yoon,1,2 Dong Ah Shin,3 Kiwook Kim,1 Tae Lim Kim,1 Shin Hyung Kim1,2 1Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 2Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 3Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea Background: A caudal epidural steroid injection (CESI) is a commonly used method to improve symptoms of lumbosacral pain. We compared the achievement of successful epidurograms and patient-reported clinical outcomes following different needle-insertion depths during CESI.Methods: For the conventional method group, the needle was advanced into the sacral canal. For the alternative method group, the needle was positioned immediately after penetration of the sacrococcygeal ligament. Epidural filling patterns and vascular uptake during fluoroscopy were determined to verify successful epidural injection. Procedural pain scores were investigated immediately after the procedure. Pain scores and patient global impression of symptom change were evaluated at 1-month follow-up.Results: Assessments were completed by 127 patients (conventional method, n=64; alternative method, n=63). The incidence of intravascular injection was significantly lower in the alternative method group than in the conventional method group (3.2% vs 20.3%, P=0.005). Procedural pain during needle insertion was significantly lower in the alternative method group (3.7±1.3 vs 5.3±1.2, P

In plants, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is a main enzyme in the glycolytic pathway. It plays an essential role in glycerolipid metabolism and response to various stresses. To examine the function of PsGAPDH (Pleurotus sajor-caju GAPDH) in response to abiotic stress, we generated transgenic rice plants with single-copy/intergenic/homozygous overexpression PsGAPDH (PsGAPDH-OX) and investigated their responses to salinity stress. Seedling growth and germination rates of PsGAPDH-OX were significantly increased under salt stress conditions compared to those of the wild type. To elucidate the role of PsGAPDH-OX in salt stress tolerance of rice, an Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform was used to analyze transcriptome profiles of leaves under salt stress. Analysis results of sequencing data showed that 1124 transcripts were differentially expressed. Using the list of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), functional enrichment analyses of DEGs such as Gene Ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were performed. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that unigenes exhibiting differential expression were involved in starch and sucrose metabolism. Interestingly, trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) genes, of which expression was enhanced by abiotic stress, showed a significant difference in PsGAPDH-OX. Findings of this study suggest that PsGAPDH plays a role in the adaptation of rice plants to salt stress.

Solitary fibrous tumors (SFT) are uncommon mesenchymal tumors. SFT have several synonyms including localized fibrous tumor, benign mesothelioma, localized fibrous mesothelioma, and submesothelial fibroma. SFT usually occur in the pleura or other serosal surfaces, but SFT can also develop in extrapleural areas including the nasal cavity, orbit, retroperitoneum, and pelvis. Cutaneous SFT is extremely rare, and more likely to occur in the head and neck region. Histologically, this tumor can mimic a variety of benign and malignant tumors such as dermatofibroma, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, spindle cell lipoma or other mesenchymal tumors. Most cases of SFT show non-aggressive clinical courses, with low recurrence rates. Herein, we describe a case of primary cutaneous SFT which presented with huge mass on the back.

Viral warts are benign proliferations of the epithelium caused by human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. Diverse therapeutic options are available for viral warts, depending on extension and severity of the disease. We report a case of a 19-year-old man who presented with multiple viral warts on hands and feet for 5 years. He was treated at other clinics before visiting our hospital, but there was no improvement. We treated the lesions with a combination therapy of systemic acitretin and diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP) immunotherapy for 6 months. A significant improvement was observed during the 12th week of therapy. Herein, we report a case of recalcitrant viral warts showing complete regression when a combination therapy of oral acitretin and immunotherapy was administered.

Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) is involved in the final step of the phenylpropanod pathway, catalyzing the NADPH-dependent reduction of hydroxy-cinnamaldehydes into the corresponding alcohols. The rice genome contains twelve CAD and CAD-like genes, collectively called OsCADs. To elucidate the biochemical function of the OsCADs, OsCAD1, 2, 6, and 7, which are highly expressed in rice, were cloned from rice tissues. The cloned OsCADs were heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli as His-tag fusion proteins. The activity assay of the recombinant OsCADs showed that OsCAD2, 6, and 7 have CAD activity toward hydroxycinnamaldehydes, but OsCAD1 has no detectable catalytic activity. The kinetic parameters of the enzyme reactions demonstrated that OsCAD2 has the highest catalytic activity among the examined enzymes. This result agrees well with the finding that the Zn binding and NADPH binding motifs and the residues constituting the substrate binding pocket in bona fide plant CADs were fully conserved in OsCAD2. Although they have large variations in the residue for the substrate binding pocket, OsCAD6 and 7 catalyzed the reduction of hydroxycinnamaldehydes with a similar efficiency. Alignment of amino acid sequences showed that OsCAD1 lacks the GxxxxP motif for NADPH binding and has mismatches in residues important in the reduction process, which could be responsible for the loss of catalytic activity. OsCAD2 belongs to CAD Class I with bona fide CADs from other plant species and is constitutively expressed throughout the developmental stages of rice, with preferential expression in actively lignifying tissues such as the root, stem, and panicle, suggesting that it is mainly involved in developmental lignification in rice. The expression of OsCAD2 was also induced by biotic and abiotic stresses such as Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) infection and UV-irradiation, suggesting that it plays a role in the defense response of rice, in addition to a bona fide role in developmental lignification. OsCAD6 and 7 belong in CAD Class II. Their expression is relatively lower than that of OsCAD2 and is confined to certain tissues, such as the leaf sheath, stem, and panicle. The expression of OsCAD6 was stimulated by Xoo infection and UV-irradiation. Thus OsCAD6 appears to be an inducible OsCAD that is likely involved in the defense response of rice against biotic and abiotic stresses.

In Chan Baek,1 Kyungeun Park,1 Tae Lim Kim,1 Jehoon O,2 Hun-Mu Yang,2,* Shin Hyung Kim1,* 1Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 2Department of Anatomy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work. Purpose: The spread patterns between different injectate volumes have not yet been investigated in ultrasound-guided greater occipital nerve (GON) block at the C2 level. This cadaveric study was undertaken to compare the spread pattern and nerve involvements of different volumes of dye using this technique. Materials and methods: After randomization, ultrasound-guided GON blocks with 1 or 5mL dye solution were performed at the C2 level on the right or left side of five fresh cadavers. The suboccipital regions were dissected, and nerve involvement was investigated. Results: Ten injections were successfully completed. In all cases of 5 mL dye, we observed the deeply stained posterior neck muscles, including the suboccipital triangle space. The suboccipital and third occipital nerves, in addition to GONs, were consistently stained when 5-mL dye was used in all injections (100%). Although all GONs were successfully stained in the 1-mL dye cases, three of five injections (60%) concomitantly stained the third occipital nerves. Conclusion: The clinical efficacy of this technique using the 5-mL injectate seems unlikely to arise from the blockade of GON alone. Instead, its efficacy likely arises from the blockade of most nerves originating from the dorsal ramus of the upper cervical spinal nerve at the suboccipital area. Even using 1 mL of injectate may not guarantee blockade of the GON alone. Keywords: obliquus capitis inferior, third occipital nerve, suboccipital nerve, Cruveilhier plexus, suboccipital triangle region, headache

Study objectives The aim of our study was to investigate the risk of alopecia areata occurrence in patients with sleep disorders. Methods This study was a retrospective cohort study based on the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort database of patients with a sleep disorder, along with age- and sex-matched control subjects from 2003 to 2013. The hazard ratio (HR) of alopecia areata was compared between the patients with sleep disorders and control subjects adjusting comorbid diseases which could affect the incidence of alopecia areata. We also compared the prevalence of comorbid diseases in the patients with sleep disorders and control subjects. Results Among the 25,800 patients with sleep disorders and the 129,000 control subjects, patients with sleep disorders were at a significantly increased risk for alopecia areata when compared with control subjects (adjusted HR 1.651 [95% CI 1.382-1.974]), especially in younger age groups (0-24 and 25-44 years). In a multivariate logistic analysis, sleep disorders were not only associated with alopecia areata (OR 1.913 [95% CI 1.717-2.171]), but also with other comorbid diseases, including solid-organ cancers (OR 1.099 [95% CI 1.049-1.151]), Graves' disease (OR 1.717 [95% CI 1.562-1.886]), Hashimoto thyroiditis (OR 1.641 [95% CI 1.413-1.905]), vitiligo (OR 1.539 [95% CI 1.236-1.917]), and rheumatoid arthritis (OR 1.886 [95% CI 1.780-1.998]). Conclusions This study demonstrated that sleep disorder is an independent risk factor for alopecia areata, especially in individuals under the age of 45 years old.

Sugar is appreciated to function as a signaling molecule by controlling gene expression, thereby regulating various developmental processes in plants. We screened sucrose-insensitive (sin) mutants in Arabidopsis that showed normal germination and seedling development under high concentration (438 mM) of sucrose. Compared to wild-type and other sugar mutants, sin mutants seedlings exhibited resistance to high glucose, high salt, and paclobutrazol, inhibitor of gibberellin biosynthesis. We discuss the unique characteristics of these sin mutants in this report.

Estrogens act through interactions with estrogen receptors (ERs) to play diverse roles in various pathophysiological conditions. A number of synthetic selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), such as tamoxifen and raloxifene, have been developed and used to treat ER-related diseases, including breast cancer and osteoporosis. Here, we identified a novel compound, bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)methanone-O-isopentyl oxime, designated NJK14013, as an ER agonist. NJK14013 activated ER-dependent transcription in a concentration-dependent manner, while suppressing androgen receptor-dependent transcriptional activity. It induced the activation-related phosphorylation of ER and enhanced the transcription of growth regulation by estrogen in breast cancer 1 (GREB1), further supporting its ER-stimulating activity. NJK14013 exerted anti-proliferative effects on various cancer cell lines, including an ER-negative breast cancer cell line, suggesting that it is capable of suppressing the growth of cancer cells independent of its ER-modulating activity. In addition, NJK14013 treatment resulted in significant apoptotic death of MCF7 and Ishikawa cancer cells, but did not induce apoptosis in non-cancer human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that NJK14013 is a novel SERM that can activate ER-mediated transcription in MCF7 cells and suppress the proliferation of various cancer cells, including breast cancer cells and endometrial cancer cells. These results suggest that NJK14013 has potential as a novel SERM for anticancer or hormone-replacement therapy with reduced risk of carcinogenesis.

Bacteriophytochromes (BphP) are phytochrome-like light sensing proteins in bacteria, which use biliverdin as a chromophore. In order to study the biochemical properties of the DrBphP protein, five (2B8, 2C11, 3B2, 3D2, and 3H7) anti-DrBphP monoclonal antibodies were produced through the immunization of mice with purified full-length DrBphP and DrBphN (1–321 amino acid) proteins, and epitope mapping was then carried out. Among the five antibodies, 2B8 and 2C11 preferentially recognized the N-terminal region of BphP whereas 3B2, 3D2, and 3H7 showed preference for the C-terminal region. We performed further epitope mapping using recombinant truncated BphP proteins to narrow down their target sequences. The results demonstrated that each of the five monoclonal antibodies recognized different regions on the DrBphP protein. Additionally, epitopes of 2B8 and 3H7 antibodies were discovered to be shorter than 10 amino acids (2B8: RDPLPFFPP, 3H7: PGEIEEA). These two antibodies with such specific recognition epitopes could be especially valuable for developing new peptide tags for protein detection and purification.

Bacteriophytochromes are composed of N-terminal region for chromophore binding and C-terminal domain for transmission of a light signal. In this study, the possibility of using the chromophore-binding domain from a Deinococcus radiodurans bacteriophytochrome as a protein tag to enable a rapid and simple detection method for the production of recombinant proteins were evaluated.

A variety of flavones were expediently synthesized from readily accessible chromanones via a one-pot sequence involving Pd(II)-catalyzed dehydrogenation and oxidative boron-Heck coupling with arylboronic acid pinacol esters. In particular, the use of arylboronic acid pinacol esters was found to significantly improve the yield of the reaction.

A variety of flavones were expediently synthesized from readily accessible chromanones via a one-pot sequence involving Pd(II)-catalyzed dehydrogenation and oxidative boron-Heck coupling with arylboronic acid pinacol esters. In particular, the use of arylboronic acid pinacol esters was found to significantly improve the yield of the reaction.

The ankyrin domain is one of the most common protein motifs in eukaryotic proteins. Repeated ankyrin domains are ubiquitous and their mediation of protein-protein interactions is involved in a number of physiological and developmental responses such as the cell cycle, signal transduction and cell differentiation. A novel putative phytochrome-interacting ankyrin repeat protein 2 (PIA2) containing three repeated ankyrin domains was identified in Arabidopsis. An in vitro pull-down and phosphorylation assay revealed that PIA2 is phosphorylated and interacts directly with oat phytochrome A. The N-terminal domain of PIA2 was specifically phosphorylated, whereas interactions between the domains of PIA2 and phytochrome A had no Pr/Pfr preference. PIA2 was ubiquitously expressed in most tissues and was localized in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm independent of treatment with light of specific wavelengths. Anthocyanin accumulation in seedlings grown under far-red light, a typical phenotype of wild-type plants, was reduced in a loss-of-function mutant of PIA2 (pia2), whereas anthocyanin accumulation was increased in an overexpressing plant (PIA2-OX). The gene expression of UDP-flavonoid-3'-glucosyl-transferase (UF3GT), a major enzyme in the anthocyanin biosynthesis processes, was decreased in pia2 knockout plants suggesting that decreased anthocyanin was because of the decreased expression of UF3GT. Our results suggest that PIA2 plays a role in the anthocyanin biosynthesis during seedling development as a novel phytochrome-interacting protein.

To analyze the surface properties of bacteriophytochrome (BphP), five (2B8, 2C11, 3B2, 3D2, 3H7) anti-BphP monoclonal antibodies were produced by using full-length of BphP of Deinococcus radiodurnas. 2B8 and 2C11 preferentially recognized the epitopes at N-terminal region of BphP, whereas 3B2, 3D2 and 3H7 showed preferential affinities to the epitopes of C-terminal region of BphP.

Rho-related GTPase of plants (ROP) plays an important role in plant growth and development as a signaling protein. Plant RopGEFs are recently identified ROP activator proteins in Arabidopsis. In this study, we cloned 14 RopGEFs in Arabidopsis and characterized their expression patterns in response to abiotic stresses. Fourteen RopGEF genes were categorized into three groups based on their amino acid homologies and molecular sizes. Most RopGEFs were expressed predominantly in flower but some RopGEFs displayed a tissue-specific expression pattern. RopGEF1, 4, 5, and 11 were expressed in all tissues including root and leaves whereas RopGEF7, 8, 9, and 13 were expressed only in flowers. The transcript levels of 14 RopGEFs were changed significantly depending upon abiotic stresses such as cold, heat, drought and salts. RopGEF5 transcription was up-regulated by salt and drought treatment but down-regulated by heat. RopGEF14 transcript level was also increased by salt but decreased by heat stress. The transcript levels of RopGEF1, 7, 9, and 12 were enhanced in response to heat stress but showed no changes in response to cold stresses. Drought stress activated Group 3 RopGEFs such as RopGEF5 and 7. Taken together, 14 RopGEFs are responding to the abiotic stresses individually or as a group.

Bacteriophytochromes are phytochrome-like light-sensing photoreceptors that use biliverdin as a chromophore. To study the biochemical properties of the Deinococcus radiodurans bacteriophytochrome (DrBphP) protein, two anti-DrBphP mouse monoclonal antibodies (2B8 and 3H7) were generated. Their specific epitopes were identified in our previous report. We present here fine epitope mapping of these two antibodies by using truncation and substitution of original epitope sequences in order to identify minimized epitope peptides. The previously reported original epitope sequences for 2B8 and 3H7 were truncated from both sides. Our analysis showed that the minimal peptide sequence lengths for 2B8 and 3H7 antibodies were nine amino acids (RDPLPFFPP) and six amino acids (PGEIEE), respectively. We further characterized these peptides in order to investigate their reactivity after single deletion and single substitution of the original peptides. We found that single-substituted 2B8 epitope (RDPLPAFPP) and dual-substituted 3H7 epitope (PGEIAD) showed significantly increased reactivity. These two antibodies with high reactivity for the short modified peptide sequences are valueble for developing new peptide tags for protein research.