Transcription-Independent Heritability of Induced Histone Modifications in the Mouse Preimplantation Embryo

Enzyme-catalyzed, post-translational modifications of core histones have been implicated in the complex changes in gene expression that drive early mammalian development. However, until recently the small number of cells available from the preimplantation embryo itself has prevented quantitative analysis of histone modifications at key regulator genes. The possible involvement of histone modifications in the embryo's response to extracellular signals, or as determinants of cell fate or lineage progression, remains unclear. Here we describe the use of a recently-developed chromatin immunoprecipitation technique (CChIP) to assay histone modification levels at key regulator genes (Pou5f1, Nanog, Cdx2, Hoxb1, Hoxb9) as mouse embryos progress from 8-cell to blastocyst in culture. Only by the blastocyst stage, when the embryonic (Inner Cell Mass) and extra-embryonic (Trophoblast) lineages are compared, do we see the expected association between histone modifications previously linked to active and silent chromatin, and transcriptional state. To explore responses to an environmental signal, we exposed embryos to the histone deacetylase inhibitor, anti-epileptic and known teratogen valproic acid (VPA), during progression from 8-cell to morula stage. Such treatment increased H4 acetylation and H3 lysine 4 methylation at the promoters of Hoxb1 and Hoxb9, but not the promoters of Pou5f1, Nanog,Cdx2 or the housekeeping gene Gapdh. Despite the absence of detectable Hoxb transcription, these VPA-induced changes were heritable, following removal of the inhibitor, at least until the blastocyst stage. The selective hyperacetylation of Hoxb promoters in response to a histone deacetylase inhibitor, suggests that Hox genes have a higher turnover of histone acetates than other genes in the preimplantation embryo. To explain the heritability, through mitosis, of VPA-induced changes in histone modification at Hoxb promoters, we describe how an epigenetic feed-forward loop, based on cross-talk between H3 acetylation and H3K4 methylation, might generate a persistently increased steady-state level of histone acetylation in response to a transient signal

Water Chemisorption and Reconstruction of the MgO Surface

The observed reactivity of MgO with water is in apparent conflict with theoretical calculations which show that molecular dissociation does not occur on a perfect (001) surface. We have performed ab-initio total energy calculations which show that a chemisorption reaction involving a reconstruction to form a (111) hydroxyl surface is strongly preferred with Delta E = -90.2kJ/mol. We conclude that protonation stabilizes the otherwise unstable (111) surface and that this, not the bare (001), is the most stable surface of MgO under ambient conditions.Comment: RevTeX, 4 pages, 1 Encapsulated Postscript Figur

High‐Frequency Dissolved Organic Carbon and Nitrate Measurements Reveal Differences in Storm Hysteresis and Loading in Relation to Land Cover and Seasonality

Storm events dominate riverine loads of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrate and are expected to increase in frequency and intensity in many regions due to climate change. We deployed three high‐frequency (15 min) in situ absorbance spectrophotometers to monitor DOC and nitrate concentration for 126 storms in three watersheds with agricultural, urban, and forested land use/land cover. We examined intrastorm hysteresis and the influences of seasonality, storm size, and dominant land use/land cover on storm DOC and nitrate loads. DOC hysteresis was generally anticlockwise at all sites, indicating distal and plentiful sources for all three streams despite varied DOC character and sources. Nitrate hysteresis was generally clockwise for urban and forested sites, but anticlockwise for the agricultural site, indicating an exhaustible, proximal source of nitrate in the urban and forested sites, and more distal and plentiful sources of nitrate in the agricultural site. The agricultural site had significantly higher storm nitrate yield per water yield and higher storm DOC yield per water yield than the urban or forested sites. Seasonal effects were important for storm nitrate yield in all three watersheds and farm management practices likely caused complex interactions with seasonality at the agricultural site. Hysteresis indices did not improve predictions of storm nitrate yields at any site. We discuss key lessons from using high‐frequency in situ optical sensors

Review of Dental Impression Materials

Major advances in impression materials and their application have occurred during the last decade, with greater emphasis being placed on rubber impression materials than on dental compound, zinc oxide-eugenol, and agar and alginate. Of particular interest has been the effect of disinfection solutions on the qualities of impressions and the biocompatibility of impression materials. The principal advance in hydrocolloids has been the introduction of the agar/alginate impression technique, which has simplified the procedure and improved the quality of gypsum dies compared with those prepared in alginate impressions. The tear strength of some alginates has been improved, and some have been formulated so that the powder is dustless, thus reducing the health hazard as a result of patient inhalation of dust during the dispensing process. Polyether and silicone impression materials have been modified so that the working time, viscosity, and flexibility of the polyethers have been improved and, with the introduction of addition silicones, their accuracy has become exceptional. Although the early addition silicones liberated hydrogen after setting, thus delaying the pouring of models and dies, most addition silicones have been improved so that no hydrogen is released and dies can be poured immediately. The introduction of automatic mixing systems for addition silicones has simplified their manipulation, has reduced the number of voids in impressions, and has reduced the amount of material wasted. The incorporation of surfactants into addition silicones has made them hydrophilic, with wetting properties similar to those of polyethers, and has made pouring bubble-free gypsum dies easier. This review is confined to published and unpublished information of the past decade. It will also suggest trends that should be anticipated in the near future based on this information. The review will not present information developed before 1975, which is available in several textbooks on dental materials by Craig (1985a), Phillips (1982), and Williams and Cunningham (1979).Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66604/2/10.1177_08959374880020012001.pd

Photoinduced transformation of waste-derived soluble bio-based substances

[EN] Waste-derived, soluble bin-based substances (SBO), are effective low-cost photosensitizers that could find application in pollutant photodegradation. For this reason, it is important to understand if and to what extent irradiation could modify their properties. The exposure of SBO to simulated sunlight induced important spectral and structural modifications. Both the whole material and its acid-soluble fraction were characterized, highlighting several properties in common with humic and fulvic substances, including absorption spectra, specific absorbance and fluorescence behavior. The latter was described with a three-component model using PARAFAC analysis. Irradiation induced SBO photobleaching, but the absorbance of the acid-soluble fraction increased with irradiation. This finding suggests a progressive photochemical solubilization of SBO, which is confirmed by the increase of the carboxylic groups. In addition to absorbance, the fluorescence of whole SBO was also decreased by irradiation, thereby suggesting that both chromophores and fluorophores were photodegraded. The increasingly hydrophilic character given to SBO by irradiation also accounted for the photoinduced decrease of the surfactant properties of the material. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.This work was funded by the 7thFP IRSES-2010-269128-EnvironBos Marie Curie Action and by Ministero delle Politiche Agricole e Forestali (Agrienergia project). The authors are grateful to the following private and/or public Italian institutions: (a) Acea Pinerolese Spa in Pinerolo (TO) for supplying the SBO sourcing materials; (b) Studio Chiono ed Associati in Rivarolo Canavese (TO) for making available pilot equipment and services for the production of the SBO.Avetta, P.; Berto, S.; Bianco Prevot, A.; Minella, M.; Montoneri, E.; Persico, D.; Vione, D.... (2015). Photoinduced transformation of waste-derived soluble bio-based substances. Chemical Engineering Journal. 274:247-255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2015.03.126S24725527

Genes Are Often Sheltered from the Global Histone Hyperacetylation Induced by HDAC Inhibitors

Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) are increasingly used as therapeutic agents, but the mechanisms by which they alter cell behaviour remain unclear. Here we use microarray expression analysis to show that only a small proportion of genes (∼9%) have altered transcript levels after treating HL60 cells with different HDACi (valproic acid, Trichostatin A, suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid). Different gene populations respond to each inhibitor, with as many genes down- as up-regulated. Surprisingly, HDACi rarely induced increased histone acetylation at gene promoters, with most genes examined showing minimal change, irrespective of whether genes were up- or down-regulated. Many genes seem to be sheltered from the global histone hyperacetyation induced by HDACi

Dosage Compensation in the Mouse Balances Up-Regulation and Silencing of X-Linked Genes

Dosage compensation in mammals involves silencing of one X chromosome in XX females and requires expression, in cis, of Xist RNA. The X to be inactivated is randomly chosen in cells of the inner cell mass (ICM) at the blastocyst stage of development. Embryonic stem (ES) cells derived from the ICM of female mice have two active X chromosomes, one of which is inactivated as the cells differentiate in culture, providing a powerful model system to study the dynamics of X inactivation. Using microarrays to assay expression of X-linked genes in undifferentiated female and male mouse ES cells, we detect global up-regulation of expression (1.4- to 1.6-fold) from the active X chromosomes, relative to autosomes. We show a similar up-regulation in ICM from male blastocysts grown in culture. In male ES cells, up-regulation reaches 2-fold after 2–3 weeks of differentiation, thereby balancing expression between the single X and the diploid autosomes. We show that silencing of X-linked genes in female ES cells occurs on a gene-by-gene basis throughout differentiation, with some genes inactivating early, others late, and some escaping altogether. Surprisingly, by allele-specific analysis in hybrid ES cells, we also identified a subgroup of genes that are silenced in undifferentiated cells. We propose that X-linked genes are silenced in female ES cells by spreading of Xist RNA through the X chromosome territory as the cells differentiate, with silencing times for individual genes dependent on their proximity to the Xist locus