N-terminal deletion of Swi3 created by the deletion of a dubious ORF YJL175W mitigates protein burden effect in S. cerevisiae

Extreme overproduction of gratuitous proteins can overload cellular protein production resources, leading to growth defects, a phenomenon known as the protein burden/cost effect. Genetic screening in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has isolated several dubious ORFs whose deletions mitigated the protein burden effect, but individual characterization thereof has yet to be delineated. We found that deletion of the YJL175W ORF yielded an N-terminal deletion of Swi3, a subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, and partial loss of function of Swi3. The deletion mutant showed a reduction in transcription of genes encoding highly expressed, secreted proteins and an overall reduction in translation. Mutations in the chromatin remodeling complex could thus mitigate the protein burden effect, likely by reallocating residual cellular resources used to overproduce proteins. This cellular state might also be related to cancer cells, as they frequently harbor mutations in the SWI/SNF complex

Diode Laser Detection of Greenhouse Gases in the Near-Infrared Region by Wavelength Modulation Spectroscopy: Pressure Dependence of the Detection Sensitivity

We have investigated the pressure dependence of the detection sensitivity of CO2, N2O and CH4 using wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS) with distributed feed-back diode lasers in the near infrared region. The spectral line shapes and the background noise of the second harmonics (2f) detection of the WMS were analyzed theoretically. We determined the optimum pressure conditions in the detection of CO2, N2O and CH4, by taking into consideration the background noise in the WMS. At the optimum total pressure for the detection of CO2, N2O and CH4, the limits of detection in the present system were determined

Protection of Fatty Liver by the Intake of Fermented Soybean Paste, Miso, and Its Pre-Fermented Mixture

Soybeans and fermented soy-derived foodstuffs contain many functional components and demonstrate various beneficial effects. In this report, we demonstrate the anti-fatty liver effect of miso, a traditional fermented product made from soybeans and rice molded in Aspergillus oryzae and forming a common part of the Japanese diet. After acclimation for 2 weeks, male and female C57BL/6J mice were fed with a normal diet (ND), a high-fat diet (HFD), a HFD containing 5% miso (HFD+M), or a HFD containing 5% pre-fermented miso (HFD+PFM) for 20 weeks. Although mice in the HFD group developed typical fatty liver, the consumption of miso or PFM significantly ameliorated the progression of fatty liver in female mice. The liver weight and the average nonalcoholic fatty liver disease activity score (NAS) were significantly reduced in the HFD+M and HFD+PFM groups. In addition, leptin and resistin levels in the serum were decreased in the HFD+M and HFD+PFM groups. The progression of fatty liver was also prevented by the consumption of miso or PFM in male mice, although there were no decreases in NAS. Therefore, miso appears to be a potential food to prevent lifestyle-related diseases such as metabolic syndrome

A Double-Blind Controlled Study to Evaluate the Effects of Yogurt Enriched with <i>Lactococcus lactis</i> 11/19-B1 and <i>Bifidobacterium lactis</i> on Serum Low-Density Lipoprotein Level and Antigen-Specific Interferon-γ Releasing Ability

In order to clarify the effects of the Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis) 11/19-B1 strain, a double-blind controlled study of yogurt fermented with the strain was carried out. For the study, two kinds of yogurt, the control and test yogurt, were prepared; the control yogurt was fermented with Streptococcus thermophiles, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies bulgaricus, and Lactobacillus acidophilus, and the test yogurt was enriched with L. lactis 11/19-B1 and Bifidobacterium lactis (B. lactis) BB-12 strains. Seventy-six volunteers who had not received treatment with pharmaceuticals were randomly divided into two groups with each group ingesting 80 g of either the test or control yogurt every day for 8 weeks. Before and after yogurt intake, fasting blood was taken and blood sugar, blood lipids, and anti-cytomegalovirus cellular immunity were estimated. In the test yogurt group, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was significantly decreased (159.1 &#177; 25.7 to 149.3 &#177; 24.4; p = 0.02), but this effect was not observed in the control yogurt group. When the test yogurt group was divided into two groups based on LDL levels of over or under 120 mg/dL, this effect was only observed in the high LDL group. No LDL-lowering effect of B. lactis BB-12 strain was previously reported; therefore, the hypocholesterolemic effects observed in this study are thought to be caused by the L. lactis 11/19-B1 strain alone or its combination with the B. lactis BB-12 strain

Computational Study of the Rate Coefficients for the Reactions of NO₂ with CH₃NHNH, CH₃NNH₂, and CH₂NHNH₂

The reactions of NO₂ with <i>cis</i>-/<i>trans</i>-CH₃NHNH, CH₃NNH₂ and CH₂NHNH₂ have been studied theoretically by quantum chemical calculations and steady-state unimolecular master equation analysis based on RRKM theory. The barrier heights for the roaming transition states between nitro (RNO₂) and nitrite (RONO) isomerization reactions and those for the concerted HONO and HNO₂ elimination reactions from RNO₂ and RONO, affect the pressure dependences of the product-specific rate coefficients. At ambient temperature and pressure, the dominant product of the reactions of NO₂ with <i>cis</i>-/<i>trans</i>-CH₃NHNH and CH₂NHNH₂ would be expected to be HONO with <i>trans</i>-CH₃NNH and CH₂NNH₂, respectively, whereas it is CH₃N­(NH₂)­NO₂ for CH₃NNH₂ + NO₂. The product-specific rate coefficients for the titled and related reactions on the same potential energy surfaces were proposed for kinetics modeling

N-terminal deletion of Swi3 created by the deletion of a dubious ORF YJL175W mitigates protein burden effect in S. cerevisiae

Extreme overproduction of gratuitous proteins can overload cellular protein production resources, leading to growth defects, a phenomenon known as the protein burden/cost effect. Genetic screening in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has isolated several dubious ORFs whose deletions mitigated the protein burden effect, but individual characterization thereof has yet to be delineated. We found that deletion of the YJL175W ORF yielded an N-terminal deletion of Swi3, a subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, and partial loss of function of Swi3. The deletion mutant showed a reduction in transcription of genes encoding highly expressed, secreted proteins and an overall reduction in translation. Mutations in the chromatin remodeling complex could thus mitigate the protein burden effect, likely by reallocating residual cellular resources used to overproduce proteins. This cellular state might also be related to cancer cells, as they frequently harbor mutations in the SWI/SNF complex