Matrin 3 and HIV Rev Regulation of mRNA

The nuclear matrix protein, MATR3, is a newly-described Rev cofactor whose mechanism of action is only starting to be revealed

Matrin3: connecting gene expression with the nuclear matrix.

As indicated by its name, Matrin3 was discovered as a component of the nuclear matrix, an insoluble fibrogranular network that structurally organizes the nucleus. Matrin3 possesses both DNA- and RNA-binding domains and, consistent with this, has been shown to function at a number of stages in the life cycle of messenger RNAs. These numerous activities indicate that Matrin3, and indeed the nuclear matrix, do not just provide a structural framework for nuclear activities but also play direct functional roles in these activities. Here, we review the structure, functions, and molecular interactions of Matrin3 and of Matrin3-related proteins, and the pathologies that can arise upon mutation of Matrin3. WIREs RNA 2016, 7:303-315. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1336 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.We thank Clare Gooding and Dipen Rajgor for critical comments on the manuscript. Work in the CWJS lab on Matrin3 is funded by a grant from the Wellcome Trust (092900). JA was funded by a Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds studentship.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wiley via http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/wrna.133

Matrin 3 is a co-factor for HIV-1 Rev in regulating post-transcriptional viral gene expression

Post-transcriptional regulation of HIV-1 gene expression is mediated by interactions between viral transcripts and viral/cellular proteins. For HIV-1, post-transcriptional nuclear control allows for the export of intron-containing RNAs which are normally retained in the nucleus. Specific signals on the viral RNAs, such as instability sequences (INS) and Rev responsive element (RRE), are binding sites for viral and cellular factors that serve to regulate RNA-export. The HIV-1 encoded viral Rev protein binds to the RRE found on unspliced and incompletely spliced viral RNAs. Binding by Rev directs the export of these RNAs from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. Previously, Rev co-factors have been found to include cellular factors such as CRM1, DDX3, PIMT and others. In this work, the nuclear matrix protein Matrin 3 is shown to bind Rev/RRE-containing viral RNA. This binding interaction stabilizes unspliced and partially spliced HIV-1 transcripts leading to increased cytoplasmic expression of these viral RNAs

Progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is associated with silica/silicate inhalation

現在発症原因が不明な肺疾患の特発性肺線維症（IPF）は、シリカやケイ酸塩との関連が疑われている。しかし、一般的なSEM/EDS分析ではケイ素に対する感度が不十分なため、肺葉組織内のケイ素濃度とIPF発症との相関は不明であった。そこで本研究では、SEM/EDSの100倍の感度を有する大気マイクロPIXE分析のX線エネルギースペクトルからケイ素-硫黄比を定量するプログラムを開発し、IPF組織切片とコントロール組織切片の分析に適用したところ、ケイ素-硫黄比の増加が努力肺活量低下等の肺機能悪化と相関があることが明らかとなった

Finite Difference Method-Based Critical Ground Motion and Robustness Evaluation for Long-Period Building Structures Under Uncertainty in Fault Rupture

It is known that, while the stochastic Green's function method is suitable for generating ground motions with short periods, the three-dimensional finite difference method (FDM) is appropriate for ground motions with rather long periods. In the previous research, the stochastic Green's function method was used for finding the critical earthquake ground motion for variable fault rupture slip (slip distribution and rupture front). However, it cannot be used for ground with irregularities and for wave component with rather long periods. In responding to this request, the FDM is used in this paper for finding the critical ground motion for structures with rather long natural period. Since the FDM is time-consuming, it seems unfavorable to use it in a simple sensitivity algorithm where an independent response sensitivity is calculated for many design parameters. To overcome this difficulty, the bi-cubic spline interpolation of uncertain parameter distributions (seismic moment distribution in this paper) and the response surface method for predicting the response surface from some sampling points are used effectively in this paper. The uncertainty parameter is the fault rupture slip distribution described in terms of seismic moments. It is found that the critical ground motion for structures with rather long natural period can be found effectively by the proposed method