Vacuolar iron stores gated by NRAMP3 and NRAMP4 are the primary source of iron in germinating seeds

During seed germination, iron (Fe) stored in vacuoles is exported by the redundant NRAMP3 and NRAMP4 transporter proteins. A double nramp3 nramp4 mutant is unable to mobilize Fe stores and does not develop in the absence of external Fe. We used RNA sequencing to compare gene expression in nramp3 nramp4 and wild type during germination and early seedling development. Even though sufficient Fe was supplied, the Fe-responsive transcription factors bHLH38, 39, 100, and 101 and their downstream targets FRO2 and IRT1 mediating Fe uptake were strongly upregulated in the nramp3 nramp4 mutant. Activation of the Fe deficiency response was confirmed by increased ferric chelate reductase activity in the mutant. At early stages, genes important for chloroplast redox control (FSD1 and SAPX), Fe homeostasis (FER1 and SUFB), and chlorophyll metabolism (HEMA1 and NYC1) were downregulated, indicating limited Fe availability in plastids. In contrast, expression of FRO3, encoding a ferric reductase involved in Fe import into the mitochondria, was maintained, and Fe-dependent enzymes in the mitochondria were unaffected in nramp3 nramp4. Together, these data show that a failure to mobilize Fe stores during germination triggered Fe deficiency responses and strongly affected plastids, but not mitochondria

Mechanism of the induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress by the anti-cancer agent, di-2-pyridylketone 4,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Dp44mT): activation of PERK/eIF2α, IRE1α, ATF6 and calmodulin kinase

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) plays a major role in the synthesis, maturation and folding of proteins and is a critical calcium (Ca2+) reservoir. Cellular stresses lead to an overwhelming accumulation of misfolded proteins in the ER, leading to ER stress and the activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). In the stressful tumor microenvironment, the UPR maintains ER homeostasis and enables tumor survival. Thus, a novel strategy for cancer therapeutics is to overcome chronically activated ER stress by triggering pro-apoptotic pathways of the UPR. Considering this, the mechanisms by which the novel anti-cancer agent, Dp44mT, can target the ER stress response pathways were investigated in multiple cell-types. Our results demonstrate that the cytotoxic chelator, Dp44mT, which forms redox-active metal complexes, significantly: (1) increased ER stress-associated pro-apoptotic signaling molecules (i.e., p-eIF2α, ATF4, CHOP); (2) increased IRE1α phosphorylation (p-IRE1α) and XBP1 mRNA splicing; (3) reduced expression of ER stress-associated cell survival signaling molecules (e.g., XBP1s and p58IPK); (4) increased cleavage of the transcription factor, ATF6, which enhances expression of its downstream targets (i.e., CHOP and BiP); and (5) increased phosphorylation of CaMKII that induces apoptosis. In contrast to Dp44mT, the iron chelator, DFO, which forms redox-inactive iron complexes, did not affect BiP, p-IRE1α, XBP1 or p58IPK levels. This study highlights the ability of a novel cancer therapeutic (i.e., Dp44mT) to target the pro-apoptotic functions of the UPR via cellular metal sequestration and redox stress. Assessment of ER stress-mediated apoptosis is fundamental to the understanding of the pharmacology of chelation for cancer treatment

The Arabidopsis ABSCISIC ACID-INSENSITIVE2 (ABI2) and ABI1 genes encode homologous protein phosphatases 2C involved in abscisic acid signal transduction.

Abscisic acid (ABA) mediates seed maturation and adaptive responses to environmental stress. In Arabidopsis, the ABA-INSENSITIVE1 (ABI1) protein phosphatase 2C is required for proper ABA responsiveness both in seeds and in vegetative tissues. To determine whether the lack of recessive alleles at the corresponding locus could be explained by the existence of redundant genes, we initiated a search for ABI1 homologs. One such homolog turned out to be the ABI2 locus, whose abi2-1 mutation was previously known to decrease ABA sensitivity. Whereas abi1-1 is (semi)dominant, abi2-1 has been described as recessive and maternally controlled at the germination stage. Unexpectedly, the sequence of the abi2-1 mutation showed that it converts Gly-168 to Asp, which is precisely the same amino acid substitution found in abi1-1 and at the coincidental position within the ABI1 phosphatase domain (Gly-180 to Asp). In vitro assays and functional complementation studies in yeast confirmed that the ABI2 protein is an active protein phosphatase 2C and that the abi2-1 mutation reduced phosphatase activity as well as affinity to Mg2+. Although a number of differences between the two mutants in adaptive responses to stress have been reported, quantitative comparisons of other major phenotypes showed that the effects of both abi1-1 and abi2-1 on these processes are nearly indistinguishable. Thus, the homologous ABI1 and ABI2 phosphatases appear to assume partially redundant functions in ABA signaling, which may provide a mechanism to maintain informational homeostasis

Mechanisms of T cell organotropism

F.M.M.-B. is supported by the British Heart Foundation, the Medical Research Council of the UK and the Gates Foundation

Epigenetics and developmental programming of welfare and production traits in farm animals

The concept that postnatal health and development can be influenced by events that occur in utero originated from epidemiological studies in humans supported by numerous mechanistic (including epigenetic) studies in a variety of model species. Referred to as the ‘developmental origins of health and disease’ or ‘DOHaD’ hypothesis, the primary focus of large-animal studies until quite recently had been biomedical. Attention has since turned towards traits of commercial importance in farm animals. Herein we review the evidence that prenatal risk factors, including suboptimal parental nutrition, gestational stress, exposure to environmental chemicals and advanced breeding technologies, can determine traits such as postnatal growth, feed efficiency, milk yield, carcass composition, animal welfare and reproductive potential. We consider the role of epigenetic and cytoplasmic mechanisms of inheritance, and discuss implications for livestock production and future research endeavours. We conclude that although the concept is proven for several traits, issues relating to effect size, and hence commercial importance, remain. Studies have also invariably been conducted under controlled experimental conditions, frequently assessing single risk factors, thereby limiting their translational value for livestock production. We propose concerted international research efforts that consider multiple, concurrent stressors to better represent effects of contemporary animal production systems

Potentiating the cellular targeting and anti-tumor activity of Dp44mT via binding to human serum albumin: two saturable mechanisms of Dp44mT uptake by cells

Di-2-pyridylketone 4,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Dp44mT) demonstrates potent anti-cancer activity. We previously demonstrated that 14C-Dp44mT enters and targets cells through a carrier/receptor-mediated uptake process. Despite structural similarity, 2-benzoylpyridine 4-ethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Bp4eT) and pyridoxal isonicotinoyl hydrazone (PIH) enter cells via passive diffusion. Considering albumin alters the uptake of many drugs, we examined the effect of human serum albumin (HSA) on the cellular uptake of Dp44mT, Bp4eT and PIH. Chelator-HSA binding studies demonstrated the following order of relative affinity: Bp4eT≈PIH>Dp44mT. Interestingly, HSA decreased Bp4eT and PIH uptake, potentially due to its high affinity for the ligands. In contrast, HSA markedly stimulated Dp44mT uptake by cells, with two saturable uptake mechanisms identified. The first mechanism saturated at 5-10 µM (B(max):1.20±0.04 × 10⁷ molecules/cell; K(d):33±3 µM) and was consistent with a previously identified Dp44mT receptor/carrier. The second mechanism was of lower affinity, but higher capacity (B(max):2.90±0.12 × 10⁷ molecules/cell; K(d):65±6 µM), becoming saturated at 100 µM and was only evident in the presence of HSA. This second saturable Dp44mT uptake process was inhibited by excess HSA and had characteristics suggesting it was mediated by a specific binding site. Significantly, the HSA-mediated increase in the targeting of Dp44mT to cancer cells potentiated apoptosis and could be important for enhancing efficacy.Angelica M. Merlot, Sumit Sahni, Darius J.R. Lane, Ashleigh M. Fordham, Namfon Pantarat, David E. Hibbs, Vera Richardson, Munikumar R. Doddareddy, Jennifer A. Ong, Michael L.H. Huang, Des R. Richardson and Danuta S. Kalinowsk

Mapping Drug Physico-Chemical Features to Pathway Activity Reveals Molecular Networks Linked to Toxicity Outcome

The identification of predictive biomarkers is at the core of modern toxicology. So far, a number of approaches have been proposed. These rely on statistical inference of toxicity response from either compound features (i.e., QSAR), in vitro cell based assays or molecular profiling of target tissues (i.e., expression profiling). Although these approaches have already shown the potential of predictive toxicology, we still do not have a systematic approach to model the interaction between chemical features, molecular networks and toxicity outcome. Here, we describe a computational strategy designed to address this important need. Its application to a model of renal tubular degeneration has revealed a link between physico-chemical features and signalling components controlling cell communication pathways, which in turn are differentially modulated in response to toxic chemicals. Overall, our findings are consistent with the existence of a general toxicity mechanism operating in synergy with more specific single-target based mode of actions (MOAs) and provide a general framework for the development of an integrative approach to predictive toxicology

New ABA-Hypersensitive Arabidopsis Mutants Are Affected in Loci Mediating Responses to Water Deficit and Dickeya dadantii Infection

On water deficit, abscisic acid (ABA) induces stomata closure to reduce water loss by transpiration. To identify Arabidopsis thaliana mutants which transpire less on drought, infrared thermal imaging of leaf temperature has been used to screen for suppressors of an ABA-deficient mutant (aba3-1) cold-leaf phenotype. Three novel mutants, called hot ABA-deficiency suppressor (has), have been identified with hot-leaf phenotypes in the absence of the aba3 mutation. The defective genes imparted no apparent modification to ABA production on water deficit, were inherited recessively and enhanced ABA responses indicating that the proteins encoded are negative regulators of ABA signalling. All three mutants showed ABA-hypersensitive stomata closure and inhibition of root elongation with little modification of growth and development in non-stressed conditions. The has2 mutant also exhibited increased germination inhibition by ABA, while ABA-inducible gene expression was not modified on dehydration, indicating the mutated gene affects early ABA-signalling responses that do not modify transcript levels. In contrast, weak ABA-hypersensitivity relative to mutant developmental phenotypes suggests that HAS3 regulates drought responses by both ABA-dependent and independent pathways. has1 mutant phenotypes were only apparent on stress or ABA treatments, and included reduced water loss on rapid dehydration. The HAS1 locus thus has the required characteristics for a targeted approach to improving resistance to water deficit. In contrast to has2, has1 exhibited only minor changes in susceptibility to Dickeya dadantii despite similar ABA-hypersensitivity, indicating that crosstalk between ABA responses to this pathogen and drought stress can occur through more than one point in the signalling pathway