Transcriptional integration of paternal and maternal factors in the Arabidopsis zygote

In many plants, the asymmetric division of the zygote sets up the apical-basal axis of the embryo. Unlike animals, plant zygotes are transcriptionally active, implying that plants have evolved specific mechanisms to control transcriptional activation of patterning genes in the zygote. In Arabidopsis, two pathways have been found to regulate zygote asymmetry: YODA (YDA) mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, which is potentiated by sperm-delivered mRNA of the SHORT SUSPENSOR (SSP) membrane protein, and up-regulation of the patterning gene WOX8 by the WRKY2 transcription factor. How SSP/YDA signaling is transduced into the nucleus and how these pathways are integrated have remained elusive. Here we show that paternal SSP/YDA signaling directly phosphorylates WRKY2, which in turn leads to the up-regulation of WOX8 transcription in the zygote. We further discovered the transcription factors HOMEODOMAIN GLABROUS11/12 (HDG11/12) as maternal regulators of zygote asymmetry that also directly regulate WOX8 transcription. Our results reveal a framework of how maternal and paternal factors are integrated in the zygote to regulate embryo patterning

Effects of gender and body weight on fibroblast growth factor 23 responsiveness to estimated dietary phosphorus

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is a molecule involved in regulating phosphorus homeostasis. Although some studies indicated an association between serum FGF23 levels and sex, the association has not been fully investigated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether sex could influence FGF23 responsiveness to dietary phosphorus intake in healthy individuals. Thirty two healthy subjects between 21 and 28 years were recruited for this study. Subjects performed 24-hour urine collection and blood samples were collected. We estimated phosphorus intake (UC-P) from the urine collection (UC), and evaluated any association between UC-P and serum FGF23 levels. Subsequently, we compared serum FGF23 levels between males and females. Positive correlation was observed between UC-P and serum FGF23 levels. Serum FGF23 levels were significantly higher in males than in females. Serum FGF23 levels/UC-P was significantly higher in females than in males. There was no significant difference in serum FGF23 levels/UC-P/BW between the male and female groups. Our results indicate that there was no gender difference between FGF23 responsiveness to phosphorus intake per body weight

Rapid Elimination of the Persistent Synergid through a Cell Fusion Mechanism

SummaryIn flowering plants, fertilization-dependent degeneration of the persistent synergid cell ensures one-on-one pairings of male and female gametes. Here, we report that the fusion of the persistent synergid cell and the endosperm selectively inactivates the persistent synergid cell in Arabidopsis thaliana. The synergid-endosperm fusion causes rapid dilution of pre-secreted pollen tube attractant in the persistent synergid cell and selective disorganization of the synergid nucleus during the endosperm proliferation, preventing attractions of excess number of pollen tubes (polytubey). The synergid-endosperm fusion is induced by fertilization of the central cell, while the egg cell fertilization predominantly activates ethylene signaling, an inducer of the synergid nuclear disorganization. Therefore, two female gametes (the egg and the central cell) control independent pathways yet coordinately accomplish the elimination of the persistent synergid cell by double fertilization

Clinical outcome of patients with recurrent or refractory localized Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors: A retrospective report from the Japan Ewing Sarcoma Study Group

[Background] Patients with Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT) who experience relapse or progression have a poor prognosis. [Aim] This study aimed to identify the prognostic and therapeutic factors affecting overall survival (OS) of patients with recurrent or refractory localized ESFT. [Methods and results] Thirty-eight patients with localized ESFT who experienced first relapse or progression between 2000 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. The 5-year OS rate of the entire cohort was 48.3% (95% confidence interval, 29.9%-64.5%). Multivariate analysis of OS identified time to relapse or progression, but not stem cell transplantation (SCT), as the sole independent risk factor (hazard ratio, 35.8; P = .002). Among 31 patients who received salvage chemotherapy before local treatment, 21 received chemotherapy regimens that are not conventionally used for newly diagnosed ESFT. The objective response rate to first-line salvage chemotherapy was 55.2% in the 29 evaluable patients. Time to relapse or progression was significantly associated with response to first-line salvage chemotherapy (P = .006). [Conclusions] The present study fails to demonstrate significant clinical benefit of SCT for recurrent or refractory localized ESFT. Recently established chemotherapy regimens may increase the survival rate of patients with recurrent or refractory localized ESFT while attenuating the beneficial effect of SCT

A dual-color marker system for in vivo visualization of cell cycle progression in Arabidopsis

動画は環境により再生できない場合あり mac OS High Sierra バージョン 10.13.1 動作確認済Visualization of the spatiotemporal pattern of cell division is crucial to understand how multicellular organisms develop and how they modify their growth in response to varying environmental conditions. The mitotic cell cycle consists of four phases: S (DNA replication), M (mitosis and cytokinesis), and the intervening G1 and G2 phases; however, only G2/M‐specific markers are currently available in plants, making it difficult to measure cell cycle duration and to analyze changes in cell cycle progression in living tissues. Here, we developed another cell cycle marker that labels S‐phase cells by manipulating Arabidopsis CDT1a, which functions in DNA replication origin licensing. Truncations of the CDT1a coding sequence revealed that its carboxy‐terminal region is responsible for proteasome‐mediated degradation at late G2 or in early mitosis. We therefore expressed this region as a red fluorescent protein fusion protein under the S‐specific promoter of a histone 3.1‐type gene, HISTONE THREE RELATED2 (HTR2), to generate an S/G2 marker. Combining this marker with the G2/M‐specific CYCB1‐GFP marker enabled us to visualize both S to G2 and G2 to M cell cycle stages, and thus yielded an essential tool for time‐lapse imaging of cell cycle progression. The resultant dual‐color marker system, Cell Cycle Tracking in Plant Cells (Cytrap), also allowed us to identify root cells in the last mitotic cell cycle before they entered the endocycle. Our results demonstrate that Cytrap is a powerful tool for in vivo monitoring of the plant cell cycle, and thus for deepening our understanding of cell cycle regulation in particular cell types during organ development

ATM‐mediated phosphorylation of SOG1 is essential for the DNA damage response in Arabidopsis

Arabidopsis SOG1 (suppressor of gamma response 1) is a plant‐specific transcription factor that governs the DNA damage response. Here we report that SOG1 is phosphorylated in response to DNA damage, and that this phosphorylation is mediated by the sensor kinase ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM). We show that SOG1 phosphorylation is crucial for the response to DNA damage, including transcriptional induction of downstream genes, transient arrest of cell division and programmed cell death. Although the amino‐acid sequences of SOG1 and the mammalian tumour suppressor p53 show no similarity, this study demonstrates that ATM‐mediated phosphorylation of a transcription factor has a pivotal role in the DNA damage response in both plants and mammals

Describing Long-Term Electricity Demand Scenarios in the Telecommunications Industry: A Case Study of Japan

Due to the rapid expansion of information and communication technology (ICT) usage, the telecommunications industry is faced with a challenge to promote green ICT toward achieving a low-carbon society. One critical obstacle in planning long-term strategies for green ICT is the uncertainty of various external factors, such as consumers’ lifestyle and technological advancement. To tackle this issue, this paper employs a scenario planning method to analyze electricity consumption in the telecommunications industry, where both changes in various external factors and energy-saving measures are assumed. We propose a model to estimate future electricity consumption of the telecommunications industry using a statistical approach. In a case study, we describe four scenarios that differ in the diffusion of ICT and the technological advancement of ICT equipment in order to analyze the electricity consumption in Japan’s telecommunications industry to 2030. The results reveal that the electricity consumption in 2030 becomes 0.7–1.6-times larger than the 2012 level (10.7 TWh/year). It is also shown that the most effective measures to reduce the electricity consumption include improving the energy efficiency of IP (Internet Protocol) communication equipment and mobile communication equipment