Crystal structure of stable protein CutA1 from psychrotrophic bacterium Shewanella sp. SIB1

The crystal structure of CutA1 from the psychrotrophic bacterium Shewanella sp. SIB1 in a trimeric form was determined at 2.7 Å resolution. This is the first crystal structure of a psychrotrophic CutA1

ポストコロナジダイ ニ オケル ヨコレンケイ キョウカガタ コクサイ コウリュウ カツドウ ノ テンカイ タヨウナ ブンカ ゲンゴケン カラ ノ リュウガクセイ リクルート ヲ ソクシン スル オオサカダイガク バーチャル ダイガク ツアー ノ ジッセン

新型コロナウイルス感染症拡大等により，全世界で海外留学を取り巻く環境が激変している．多種多様なオンラインイベント，膨大な情報やオンラインコミュニティを選択できる環境におかれている留学希望者及び大学の需要に合わせて，新たなプログラムの企画と開発が必要になっている．大阪大学は2020年春よりオンライン留学説明会を企画，実施し，また大学のブランディング活動を継続しつつ，バーチャル留学プログラムを設立することにより，バーチャルおよび対面での国際学生交流活動を企画，開催してきた．大阪大学は，新たに展開したこれらの活動と，留学生の応募と入試に関するサポート，就職指導と支援なども組入れ，留学生のオンラインリクルート体制を構築した．本稿では，大学の国際化促進フォーラムの幹事校として，大阪大学が主催した「多様な文化・言語圏からの留学生リクルート：バーチャル大学ツアーの実施」の企画背景，実践事例と今後の展開方向について紹介する．大阪大学はこれまでの経験を活かし，ポストコロナを見据えた留学生のリクルート戦略としてバーチャル大学ツアーを開催し，ニューノーマルにおけるオールジャパンでの留学生リクルートの促進を図り，協力体制の構築に貢献した．本稿の目的は，このプロジェクトの実施成果と課題を分析し，横連携強化型国際交流活動の更なる発展の可能性を展望することである．The global circumstances surrounding international student recruitment and study abroad programs have changed dramatically since the disruption of international exchange during the Covid-19 pandemic. With many online events, abundant flow of information, and online communities to choose from, there is a need to plan and develop new programs that meet the needs of prospective students and universities. Osaka University has built an online international student recruitment system through the planning and implementation of online study abroad information events, virtual study abroad programs, and international student exchange activities, as well as through the establishment of a support system for international student applications and admissions and career guidance and job-hunting support. This paper describes the planning backdrop, actual practices, and future directions of the “Virtual university tours: a new tool to recruit international students with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds” hosted by Osaka University as a secretariat of the Japan Forum for Internationalization of Universities. Leveraging its accumulated experience, Osaka University held a virtual university tour to recruit international students aiming for the post-Covid era. The activities promote all-Japan recruitment of international students in the new normal and contribute to the construction of a cooperative framework. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the results of the implementation of this project, analyze its challenges, and look at the possibilities for further development of international exchange activities that strengthen lateral cooperation.教育実践レポートPractice Report

Stabilization by Fusion to the C-terminus of Hyperthermophile Sulfolobus tokodaii RNase HI: A Possibility of Protein Stabilization Tag

RNase HI from the hyperthermophile Sulfolobus tokodaii (Sto-RNase HI) is stabilized by its C-terminal residues. In this work, the stabilization effect of the Sto-RNase HI C-terminal residues was investigated in detail by thermodynamic measurements of the stability of variants lacking the disulfide bond (C58/145A), or the six C-terminal residues (ΔC6) and by structural analysis of ΔC6. The results showed that the C-terminal does not affect overall structure and stabilization is caused by local interactions of the C-terminal, suggesting that the C-terminal residues could be used as a “stabilization tag.” The Sto-RNase HI C-terminal residues (-IGCIILT) were introduced as a tag on three proteins. Each chimeric protein was more stable than its wild-type protein. These results suggested the possibility of a simple stabilization technique using a stabilization tag such as Sto-RNase HI C-terminal residues

Ca2+ Regulates the Drosophila Stoned-A and Stoned-B Proteins Interaction with the C2B Domain of Synaptotagmin-1

The dicistronic Drosophila stoned gene is involved in exocytosis and/or endocytosis of synaptic vesicles. Mutations in either stonedA or stonedB cause a severe disruption of neurotransmission in fruit flies. Previous studies have shown that the coiled-coil domain of the Stoned-A and the µ-homology domain of the Stoned-B protein can interact with the C2B domain of Synaptotagmin-1. However, very little is known about the mechanism of interaction between the Stoned proteins and the C2B domain of Synaptotagmin-1. Here we report that these interactions are increased in the presence of Ca2+. The Ca2+-dependent interaction between the µ-homology domain of Stoned-B and C2B domain of Synaptotagmin-1 is affected by phospholipids. The C-terminal region of the C2B domain, including the tryptophan-containing motif, and the Ca2+ binding loop region that modulate the Ca2+-dependent oligomerization, regulates the binding of the Stoned-A and Stoned-B proteins to the C2B domain. Stoned-B, but not Stoned-A, interacts with the Ca2+-binding loop region of C2B domain. The results indicate that Ca2+-induced self-association of the C2B domain regulates the binding of both Stoned-A and Stoned-B proteins to Synaptotagmin-1. The Stoned proteins may regulate sustainable neurotransmission in vivo by binding to Ca2+-bound Synaptotagmin-1 associated synaptic vesicles

Crystal structure of the Fab region of a neutralizing antibody against granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor

An increased level of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor has a potential role in the development of autoimmune diseases, and the neutralization of its activity by monoclonal antibodies is a promising therapy for some diseases. Here, the crystal structure of the Fab region of EV1007, a fully human antibody expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells that was developed from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, is described. The structure closely resembles that of MB007, which is the Fab region of the same antibody expressed in Escherichia coli [Blech et al. (2012), Biochem. J. 447, 205–215], except at the hinge regions between the immunoglobulin domains and the H3 loop region. This paper presents evidence for the flexibility of the hinge and H3 loop regions of the antibody based on the comparison of two independently solved crystal structures.</jats:p