液肥濃度と無機養分がキクの黄斑発生に及ぼす影響

　Yellow-leaf-spot, a physiological abnormality occurring in leaves of several chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum ×morifolium) cultivars harvested from September to October, is a very serious problem in Japan, of which causes have not been well established. Water stress, high temperature, high irradiation or nutrient stresses are possible physiological factors which may lead to yellow-leaf-spot. In the present study, effects of nutrient levels and mineral composition on the occurrence of yellow-leaf-spot were investigated. ‘Seikou-no-makoto’ and ‘Seikou-no-masaru’ plants were grown in 5 nutrient solutions (N 0, 60, 120, 180, 240 ppm based on Enshi-shoho). In ‘Seikou-no-masaru’ no yellow-leaf-spot occurred. However, in ‘Seikou-no-makoto’, the nodal position with spotted leaves and rate of yellow-leaf-spot increased as nutrient levels increased. ‘Seikou-no-makoto’ plants were supplied with 6 different nutrient solutions containing 3 times N, P, K, Ca, Mg or Fe in 1/3 concentration of Enshi-shoho solution for 3 or 14 days. The nodal position with spotted leaves and rate of yellow-leaf-spot was not affected by mineral composition. The nodal position with spotted leaves and rate of yellow-leaf-spot increased with increasing days of application. Both cultivare were supplied with 7 different nutrient solutions with lacked N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe or only microelement (no mineral) in 1/2 Enshi-shoho solution for 10 days. In ‘Seikou-no-masaru’, no yellow-leaf-spot occurred. It occurred only in ‘Seikou-nomakoto’. yellow-leaf-spot occurred in control, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe deficiency and no mineral, but only slightly in all cases. These results suggest that the occurrence of yellow-leaf-spot was dependent on genotype, and that excessive or deficiency specific elemental mineral stress had no significant effect.９月から10月収穫の作型のキク（Chrysanthemum×morifolium）の葉身で発生する黄斑は水ストレス，高温，強日射，養分ストレスが発生要因として考えられている．本実験では無機養分の濃度，バランスが黄斑の発生に及ぼす影響を調査した．'精興の誠'を５種類の濃度の液肥（園試処方Ｎ０，60，120，180，240，300 ppm）で栽培した場合，液肥濃度が高くなるにつれ，黄斑が発生する範囲，程度共に増大する傾向が見られた．'精興の誠'と'精興の勝'に園試処方１/３濃度を基準とし，Ｎ，Ｐ，Ｋ，Ca，Mg，Fe それぞれを基準の３倍になるように作成した液肥を３または14日間与えた場合，'精興の勝'では黄斑発生は見られなかった．'精興の誠'では黄斑発生は見られたが，発生範囲，発生度ともに処理の影響は見られなかった．また，それぞれの無機養分を欠如させた液肥を作成し10日間与えた場合も黄斑発生に影響は見られなかった．これらの結果から，黄斑発生には遺伝的要因が関与しており，特定の無機養分の過不足により引き起こされるものではないと考えられた

Wernicke's Encephalopathy in a Patient with Peptic Ulcer Disease

We report a 74-year-old man with Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) whose only prior illness was peptic ulcer disease. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy demonstrated gastric ulcer scars accompanied by marked deformity, without pathologic evidence of malignancy. WE due to peptic ulcer disease in previous reports was substantially associated with thiamine deficiency due to recurrent vomiting or surgical procedures. In our case, however, there was no history of vomiting or gastrointestinal surgery. Besides, we thoroughly ruled out other known clinical settings related to WE. There is the possibility that peptic ulcer disease itself provoked thiamine deficiency due to malabsorption

Direct Supply Chain from Forest to House Builder: A Japanese Business Model

AbstractWe developed a direct supply chain from a forest to a house builder for environment-friendly wooden long-life housing based on the “progressive market-in” method. This business model successfully incorporates the external environmental value of the house into its market price.In this paper, we discuss the direct supply chain business model and its environmental effect in Japan, using a micro approach (for individual economic bodies) and a macro approach for the country

Abnormal social behavior, hyperactivity, impaired remote spatial memory, and increased D1-mediated dopaminergic signaling in neuronal nitric oxide synthase knockout mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is involved in the regulation of a diverse population of intracellular messenger systems in the brain. In humans, abnormal NOS/nitric oxide metabolism is suggested to contribute to the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of some neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Mice with targeted disruption of the nNOS gene exhibit abnormal behaviors. Here, we subjected nNOS knockout (KO) mice to a battery of behavioral tests to further investigate the role of nNOS in neuropsychiatric functions. We also examined the role of nNOS in dopamine/DARPP-32 signaling in striatal slices from nNOS KO mice and the effects of the administration of a dopamine D1 receptor agonist on behavior in nNOS KO mice.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>nNOS KO mice showed hyperlocomotor activity in a novel environment, increased social interaction in their home cage, decreased depression-related behavior, and impaired spatial memory retention. In striatal slices from nNOS KO mice, the effects of a dopamine D1 receptor agonist, SKF81297, on the phosphorylation of DARPP-32 and AMPA receptor subunit GluR1 at protein kinase A sites were enhanced. Consistent with the biochemical results, intraperitoneal injection of a low dose of SKF81297 significantly decreased prepulse inhibition in nNOS KO mice, but not in wild-type mice.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings indicate that nNOS KO upregulates dopamine D1 receptor signaling, and induces abnormal social behavior, hyperactivity and impaired remote spatial memory. nNOS KO mice may serve as a unique animal model of psychiatric disorders.</p

Structural Basis for Receptor-Mediated Selective Autophagy of Aminopeptidase I Aggregates

SummarySelective autophagy mediates the degradation of various cargoes, including protein aggregates and organelles, thereby contributing to cellular homeostasis. Cargo receptors ensure selectivity by tethering specific cargo to lipidated Atg8 at the isolation membrane. However, little is known about the structural requirements underlying receptor-mediated cargo recognition. Here, we report structural, biochemical, and cell biological analysis of the major selective cargo protein in budding yeast, aminopeptidase I (Ape1), and its complex with the receptor Atg19. The Ape1 propeptide has a trimeric coiled-coil structure, which tethers dodecameric Ape1 bodies together to form large aggregates. Atg19 disassembles the propeptide trimer and forms a 2:1 heterotrimer, which not only blankets the Ape1 aggregates but also regulates their size. These receptor activities may promote elongation of the isolation membrane along the aggregate surface, enabling sequestration of the cargo with high specificity

Phosphorylation of the RSRSP stretch is critical for splicing regulation by RNA-Binding Motif Protein 20 (RBM20) through nuclear localization

RBM20 is a major regulator of heart-specific alternative pre-mRNA splicing of TTN encoding a giant sarcomeric protein titin. Mutation in RBM20 is linked to autosomal-dominant familial dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), yet most of the RBM20 missense mutations in familial and sporadic cases were mapped to an RSRSP stretch in an arginine/serine-rich region of which function remains unknown. In the present study, we identified an R634W missense mutation within the stretch and a G1031X nonsense mutation in cohorts of DCM patients. We demonstrate that the two serine residues in the RSRSP stretch are constitutively phosphorylated and mutations in the stretch disturb nuclear localization of RBM20. Rbm20 S637A knock-in mouse mimicking an S635A mutation reported in a familial case showed a remarkable effect on titin isoform expression like in a patient carrying the mutation. These results revealed the function of the RSRSP stretch as a critical part of a nuclear localization signal and offer the Rbm20 S637A mouse as a good model for in vivo study

The whole blood transcriptional regulation landscape in 465 COVID-19 infected samples from Japan COVID-19 Task Force

「コロナ制圧タスクフォース」COVID-19患者由来の血液細胞における遺伝子発現の網羅的解析 --重症度に応じた遺伝子発現の変化には、ヒトゲノム配列の個人差が影響する--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-08-23.Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a recently-emerged infectious disease that has caused millions of deaths, where comprehensive understanding of disease mechanisms is still unestablished. In particular, studies of gene expression dynamics and regulation landscape in COVID-19 infected individuals are limited. Here, we report on a thorough analysis of whole blood RNA-seq data from 465 genotyped samples from the Japan COVID-19 Task Force, including 359 severe and 106 non-severe COVID-19 cases. We discover 1169 putative causal expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) including 34 possible colocalizations with biobank fine-mapping results of hematopoietic traits in a Japanese population, 1549 putative causal splice QTLs (sQTLs; e.g. two independent sQTLs at TOR1AIP1), as well as biologically interpretable trans-eQTL examples (e.g., REST and STING1), all fine-mapped at single variant resolution. We perform differential gene expression analysis to elucidate 198 genes with increased expression in severe COVID-19 cases and enriched for innate immune-related functions. Finally, we evaluate the limited but non-zero effect of COVID-19 phenotype on eQTL discovery, and highlight the presence of COVID-19 severity-interaction eQTLs (ieQTLs; e.g., CLEC4C and MYBL2). Our study provides a comprehensive catalog of whole blood regulatory variants in Japanese, as well as a reference for transcriptional landscapes in response to COVID-19 infection

DOCK2 is involved in the host genetics and biology of severe COVID-19

「コロナ制圧タスクフォース」COVID-19疾患感受性遺伝子DOCK2の重症化機序を解明 --アジア最大のバイオレポジトリーでCOVID-19の治療標的を発見--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-08-10.Identifying the host genetic factors underlying severe COVID-19 is an emerging challenge. Here we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving 2, 393 cases of COVID-19 in a cohort of Japanese individuals collected during the initial waves of the pandemic, with 3, 289 unaffected controls. We identified a variant on chromosome 5 at 5q35 (rs60200309-A), close to the dedicator of cytokinesis 2 gene (DOCK2), which was associated with severe COVID-19 in patients less than 65 years of age. This risk allele was prevalent in East Asian individuals but rare in Europeans, highlighting the value of genome-wide association studies in non-European populations. RNA-sequencing analysis of 473 bulk peripheral blood samples identified decreased expression of DOCK2 associated with the risk allele in these younger patients. DOCK2 expression was suppressed in patients with severe cases of COVID-19. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis (n = 61 individuals) identified cell-type-specific downregulation of DOCK2 and a COVID-19-specific decreasing effect of the risk allele on DOCK2 expression in non-classical monocytes. Immunohistochemistry of lung specimens from patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia showed suppressed DOCK2 expression. Moreover, inhibition of DOCK2 function with CPYPP increased the severity of pneumonia in a Syrian hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, characterized by weight loss, lung oedema, enhanced viral loads, impaired macrophage recruitment and dysregulated type I interferon responses. We conclude that DOCK2 has an important role in the host immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of severe COVID-19, and could be further explored as a potential biomarker and/or therapeutic target

Mitotic phosphorylation of the ULK complex regulates cell cycle progression.

Autophagy is an intracellular degradation pathway targeting organelles and macromolecules, thereby regulating various cellular functions. Phosphorylation is a key posttranscriptional protein modification implicated in the regulation of biological function including autophagy. Under asynchronous conditions, autophagy activity is predominantly suppressed by mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase, but whether autophagy-related genes (ATG) proteins are phosphorylated differentially throughout the sequential phases of the cell cycle remains unclear. In this issue, Li and colleagues report that cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) phosphorylates the ULK complex during mitosis. This phosphorylation induces autophagy and, surprisingly, is shown to drive cell cycle progression. This work reveals a yet-unappreciated role for autophagy in cell cycle progression and enhances our understanding of the specific phase-dependent autophagy regulation during cellular growth and proliferation

液肥濃度と無機養分がキクの黄斑発生に及ぼす影響

　Yellow-leaf-spot, a physiological abnormality occurring in leaves of several chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum ×morifolium) cultivars harvested from September to October, is a very serious problem in Japan, of which causes have not been well established. Water stress, high temperature, high irradiation or nutrient stresses are possible physiological factors which may lead to yellow-leaf-spot. In the present study, effects of nutrient levels and mineral composition on the occurrence of yellow-leaf-spot were investigated. ‘Seikou-no-makoto’ and ‘Seikou-no-masaru’ plants were grown in 5 nutrient solutions (N 0, 60, 120, 180, 240 ppm based on Enshi-shoho). In ‘Seikou-no-masaru’ no yellow-leaf-spot occurred. However, in ‘Seikou-no-makoto’, the nodal position with spotted leaves and rate of yellow-leaf-spot increased as nutrient levels increased. ‘Seikou-no-makoto’ plants were supplied with 6 different nutrient solutions containing 3 times N, P, K, Ca, Mg or Fe in 1/3 concentration of Enshi-shoho solution for 3 or 14 days. The nodal position with spotted leaves and rate of yellow-leaf-spot was not affected by mineral composition. The nodal position with spotted leaves and rate of yellow-leaf-spot increased with increasing days of application. Both cultivare were supplied with 7 different nutrient solutions with lacked N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe or only microelement (no mineral) in 1/2 Enshi-shoho solution for 10 days. In ‘Seikou-no-masaru’, no yellow-leaf-spot occurred. It occurred only in ‘Seikou-nomakoto’. yellow-leaf-spot occurred in control, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe deficiency and no mineral, but only slightly in all cases. These results suggest that the occurrence of yellow-leaf-spot was dependent on genotype, and that excessive or deficiency specific elemental mineral stress had no significant effect.９月から10月収穫の作型のキク（Chrysanthemum×morifolium）の葉身で発生する黄斑は水ストレス，高温，強日射，養分ストレスが発生要因として考えられている．本実験では無機養分の濃度，バランスが黄斑の発生に及ぼす影響を調査した．'精興の誠'を５種類の濃度の液肥（園試処方Ｎ０，60，120，180，240，300 ppm）で栽培した場合，液肥濃度が高くなるにつれ，黄斑が発生する範囲，程度共に増大する傾向が見られた．'精興の誠'と'精興の勝'に園試処方１/３濃度を基準とし，Ｎ，Ｐ，Ｋ，Ca，Mg，Fe それぞれを基準の３倍になるように作成した液肥を３または14日間与えた場合，'精興の勝'では黄斑発生は見られなかった．'精興の誠'では黄斑発生は見られたが，発生範囲，発生度ともに処理の影響は見られなかった．また，それぞれの無機養分を欠如させた液肥を作成し10日間与えた場合も黄斑発生に影響は見られなかった．これらの結果から，黄斑発生には遺伝的要因が関与しており，特定の無機養分の過不足により引き起こされるものではないと考えられた