Accessory Proteins of the Nitrogenase Assembly, NifW, NifX/NafY, and NifZ, Are Essential for Diazotrophic Growth in the Nonheterocystous Cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya boryana

Since nitrogenase is extremely vulnerable to oxygen, aerobic or micro-aerobic nitrogen-fixing organisms need to create anaerobic microenvironments in the cells for diazotrophic growth, which would be one of the major barriers to express active nitrogenase in plants in efforts to create nitrogen-fixing plants. Numerous cyanobacteria are able to fix nitrogen with nitrogenase by coping with the endogenous oxygen production by photosynthesis. Understanding of the molecular mechanisms enabling to the coexistence of nitrogen fixation and photosynthesis in nonheterocystous cyanobacteria could offer valuable insights for the transfer of nitrogen fixation capacity into plants. We previously identified the cnfR gene encoding the master regulator for the nitrogen fixation (nif) gene cluster in the genome of a nonheterocystous cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya boryana, in addition to initial characterization of the nif gene cluster. Here we isolated nine mutants, in which the nif and nif-related genes were individually knocked out in L. boryana to investigate the individual functions of (1) accessory proteins (NifW, NifX/NafY, and NifZ) in the biosynthesis of nitrogenase metallocenters, (2) serine acetyltransferase (NifP) in cysteine supply for iron-sulfur clusters, (3) pyruvate formate lyase in anaerobic metabolism, and (4) NifT and HesAB proteins. ΔnifW, ΔnifXnafY, and ΔnifZ exhibited the most severe phenotype characterized by low nitrogenase activity (<10%) and loss of diazotrophic growth ability. The phenotypes of ΔnifX, ΔnafY, and ΔnifXnafY suggested that the functions of the homologous proteins NifX and NafY partially overlap. ΔnifP exhibited significantly slower diazotrophic growth than the wild type, with lower nitrogenase activity (22%). The other four mutants (ΔpflB, ΔnifT, ΔhesA, and ΔhesB) grew diazotrophically similar to the wild type. Western blot analysis revealed a high correlation between nitrogenase activity and NifD contents, suggesting that NifD is more susceptible to proteolytic degradation than NifK in L. boryana. The phenotype of the mutants lacking the accessory proteins was more severe than that observed in heterotrophic bacteria such as Azotobacter vinelandii, which suggests that the functions of NifW, NifX/NafY, and NifZ are critical for diazotrophic growth of oxygenic photosynthetic cells. L. boryana provides a promising model for studying the molecular mechanisms that produce active nitrogenase, to facilitate the creation of nitrogen-fixing plants

A Multicenter, Open-label, Clinical Trial to Assess the Effectiveness and Safety of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Using Reduced-intensity Conditioning in Relapsed/refractory Anaplastic Large-cell Lymphoma in Children

No standard treatment for relapsed or refractory anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) has been established. This study is a multicenter, open-label trial to examine the effectiveness and safety of transplantation with reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) for patients under 20 years old with relapsed or refractory ALCL. We defined RIC as the administration of fludarabine (30 mg/m2/day) for five days plus melphalan (70 mg/m2/day) for two days and total body irradiation at 4 Gy, followed by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Clinical Outcome of Patients with Pelvic and Retroperitoneal Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcoma : A Retrospective Multicenter Study in Japan

This study aimed to retrospectively analyze the clinical outcomes of patients with pelvic and retroperitoneal bone and soft tissue sarcoma (BSTS). Overall, 187 patients with BSTS in the pelvis and retroperitoneal region treated at 19 specialized sarcoma centers in Japan were included. The prognostic factors related to overall survival (OS), local control (LC), and progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated. The 3-year OS and LC rates in the 187 patients were 71.7% and 79.1%, respectively. The 3-year PFS in 166 patients without any distant metastases at the time of primary tumor diagnosis was 48.6%. Osteosarcoma showed significantly worse OS and PFS than other sarcomas of the pelvis and retroperitoneum. In the univariate analyses, larger primary tumor size, soft tissue tumor, distant metastasis at the time of primary tumor diagnosis, P2 location, chemotherapy, and osteosarcoma were poor prognostic factors correlated with OS. Larger primary tumor size, higher age, soft tissue tumor, chemotherapy, and osteosarcoma were poor prognostic factors correlated with PFS in patients without any metastasis at the initial presentation. Larger primary tumor size was the only poor prognostic factor correlation with LC. This study has clarified the epidemiology and prognosis of patients with pelvic and retroperitoneal BSTS in Japan

2017～2019年度 関西大学研究拠点形成支援経費研究成果報告書

目次・研究成果の概要・2-1　工藤 宏人・宮前 翼・上田 正人・村山 憲弘・林 順一 "ノーリア骨格をテンプレートとした空孔内に水酸基を有する架橋化合物の合成とそれらの金属イオン包接性能" ネットワークポリマー論文集 vol.41, No.2, 65 - 71 (2020).・2-2　Mitsuaki Matsuoka, Kaho Yokoyama, Kohei Okura, Norihiro Murayama, Masato Ueda, Makio Naito " Synthesis of Geopolymers from Mechanically Activated Coal Fly Ash and Improvement of Their Mechanical Properties" Minerals 9, 791- 801 (2019).・2-3　Daisuke Shimoyama, Ryo Sekiya, Hiroto Kudo, Takeharu Haino, "Feet-to-Feet Connected Trisresorcinarenes" Organic Letters 22, 352 - 356 (2019).・2-4　Masato Ueda, Masahiko Ikeda, Shigeo Mori, Kenji Doi, Hisashi Kitagaki, Shuntaro Terauchi "Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Porous Titanium with Sub-Millimetre Structural Units" Materials Transactions Vol.60, No.9, 1792 - 1798 (2019).・2-5　五十井 浩平・白杉 文香・松岡 光昭・林 順一・村山 憲弘 "種々のMg-Fe系複合酸化物を用いた希薄水溶液中のホウ素およびヒ素の除去" 環境資源工学 66, 29 - 35 (2019).・2-6　Toru Maruyama, Mitsuyoshi Tamaki, Keisuke Nakamura, Gou Nakamura "EFFECT OF MOLTEN METAL TEMPERATURE ON MOLD FILLING IN EVAPORATIVE PATTERN CASTING" International Journal of Metalcasting 13, 611–617 (2019).・2-7　Ryuta Saito, Toru Maruyama, Toshiki Nakamura, Hitoshi Yanagitani, Takahiro Sakai, Kouji Nakamoto "Influence of Tellurium Addition to Spheroidal Graphite Cast Iron on the Number of Graphite Particles" International Journal of Metalcasting Vol.13, 3, 571-577 (2018).・2-8　Masato Ueda, Rika Yamaguchi, Chika Fujita, Masahiko Ikeda "Control of Cell Adhesion on Titanium Dioxide by Light Irradiation" Materials Science Forum Vol.941, 2507 - 2512 (2018).・2-9　Hiroto Kudo, Mari Fukunaga, Kohei Shiotsuki, Hiroya Takeda, Hiroki Yamamoto, Takahiro Kozawa, Takeo Watanabe "Synthesis of hyperbranched polyacetals containing C-(4-t-butylbenz)calix[4]resorcinarene: Resist properties for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography" Reactive and Functional Polymers 131, 361 - 367 (2018).・2-10　大隈 修・前 一廣・林 順一 "直接液化による豪州ビクトリア褐炭の高度利用 : 改新BCLプロセスによる化学原料の生産" Journal of the Japan Institute of Energy 98, 17 - 26 (2019).・2-11　Issei Suzuki, Ayako Kakinuma, Masato Ueda, Takahisa Omata "Flux growth of β-NaGaO₂ single crystals" Journal of Crystal Growth 504, 26 -30 (2018).・2-12　上田 正人、坂本 貴則、池田 勝彦 "電気抵抗率の精密測定による純チタンの組織評価" 環境資源工学 65, 74 -76 (2018).・2-13　Satoshi Imasaka, Hiroyasu Ishii, Jun\u27ichi Hayashi, Sadao Araki, Hideki Yamamoto "Synthesis of CHA-type titanosilicate zeolites using titanium oxide as Ti source and evaluation of their physicochemical properties" Microporous and Mesoporous Materials 273, 243-248 (2019).・2-14　Hiroto Kudo, Shizuya Ohori, Hiroya Takeda, Hiroki Ogawa, Takeo Watanbe, Hiroki Yamamoto, Takahiro Kozawa "Synthesis and Property of Tannic Acid Derivatives and Their Application for Extreme Ultraviolet Laser Lithography System" Journal of Photopolymer Science and Technology Vol.31, 221 - 225 (2018).・2-15　Hiroto Kudo, Tsubasa Miyamae, Kouta Kitagawa, Kohei Isoi, Norihiro Murayama, Jun\u27ichi Hayashi " Synthesis and Metal-Complexation Ability of Cross-Linking Materials Containing Noria-Templated Cavities with Pendant Carboxylic Acid Groups" Chemistry Select 3, 2223 - 2228 (2018).・2-16　上田 正人、池田 勝彦、土井 研児、 森 重雄、北垣 壽、寺内 俊太郎、関 あずさ "骨部分置換用ポーラスチタン : ポリグリコール酸 : 炭酸カルシウム複合体の開発" 高分子論文集 Vol.75, No.1, 69 - 74 (2018).・2-17　Alexandru C Sonoc, Jacob Jeswiet, Norihiro Murayama, Junji Shibata "A study of the application of Donnan dialysis to the recycling of lithium ion batteries" Hydrometallurgy 175, 133 - 143 (2018).2-3は、著作権の関係により非公開としております。2-8は、著作権の関係により非公開としております。2-9は、著作権の関係により非公開としております。2-10は、著作権の関係により非公開としております。2-11は、著作権の関係により非公開としております。2-16は、著作権の関係により非公開としております

Combined effect of salinomycin and feeding on whole body glucose kinetics in sheep fed a high-concentrate diet

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of salinomycin (SL) and feeding on whole body glucose kinetics in sheep fed a high-concentrate diet (25% orchardgrass hay and 75% commercial concentrate). Four adult sheep were fed the diet with or without 20 mg$\cdot$kg$^{-1}$ diet of SL once daily for each 3 wk. The rates of glucose entry and utilization were determined before and during 3 h after feeding using a [ $^{13}$C$_{6}$] glucose dilution approach. Ruminal characteristics and concentrations of blood volatile fatty acids (VFA) and plasma glucose and insulin were also measured. Metabolizable energy intake was unaffected ($P = 0$.22) with SL. Salinomycin decreased ($P = 0$.06) the ratio of acetate to propionate in rumen fluid. Salinomycin increased ($P = 0$.01) both rates of entry and utilization of glucose, but did not affect ($P > 0$.10) concentrations of blood VFA or plasma glucose or insulin. Feeding caused gradual increases in concentrations of blood acetate ($P < 0$.01) and propionate ($P = 0$.01), a transient increase in plasma insulin concentration ($P = 0.05$), a transient decrease in plasma glucose concentration ($P < 0$.01), and persistent increases in both rates of glucose entry ($P < 0$.01) and utilization ($P < 0$.01). No SL $\times$ feeding interaction was observed ($P > 0$.10) on any measurements. We conclude that SL and feeding would have an additive effect on both rates of glucose entry and utilization without modifications with SL to feeding responses of peripheral concentrations of blood VFA, plasma glucose and insulin

Isothiourea-mediated one-pot synthesis of functionalized pyridines

This work was supported by the Royal Society, Syngenta/EPSRC, The Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland and ERC.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe