Genome-wide screening of the genes required for tolerance to vanillin, which is a potential inhibitor of bioethanol fermentation, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lignocellulosic materials are abundant and among the most important potential sources for bioethanol production. Although the pretreatment of lignocellulose is necessary for efficient saccharification and fermentation, numerous by-products, including furan derivatives, weak acids, and phenolic compounds, are generated in the pretreatment step. Many of these components inhibit the growth and fermentation of yeast. In particular, vanillin is one of the most effective inhibitors in lignocellulose hydrolysates because it inhibits fermentation at very low concentrations. To identify the genes required for tolerance to vanillin, we screened a set of diploid yeast deletion mutants, which are powerful tools for clarifying the function of particular genes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Seventy-six deletion mutants were identified as vanillin-sensitive mutants. The numerous deleted genes in the vanillin-sensitive mutants were classified under the functional categories for 'chromatin remodeling' and 'vesicle transport', suggesting that these functions are important for vanillin tolerance. The cross-sensitivity of the vanillin-sensitive mutants to furan derivatives, weak acids, and phenolic compounds was also examined. Genes for ergosterol biosynthesis were required for tolerance to all inhibitory compounds tested, suggesting that ergosterol is a key component of tolerance to various inhibitors.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our analysis predicts that vanillin tolerance in <it>Saccharomyces cerevisiae </it>is affected by various complicated processes that take place on both the molecular and the cellular level. In addition, the ergosterol biosynthetic process is important for achieving a tolerance to various inhibitors. Our findings provide a biotechnological basis for the molecular engineering as well as for screening of more robust yeast strains that may potentially be useful in bioethanol fermentation.</p

Bilateral Chronic Subdural Hematoma in the Posterior Fossa Treated with a Burr Hole Irrigation: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Chronic subdural hematoma (CSH) in the posterior fossa is extremely rare. The surgical strategy is still controversial. We report a case of bilateral CSH in the posterior fossa successfully treated with a single-burr hole surgery. A 74-year-old man under anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy developed headache and nausea during observation for an asymptomatic supratentorial CSH. Radiological examinations revealed appearance of bilateral CSH in the posterior fossa associated with hydrocephalus. Upon rapid deterioration of the patient’s consciousness, an urgent treatment was required. A burr hole was made near the transverse-sigmoid junction on the left side to access the hematoma. No ventricular drainage was placed as his consciousness improved during the decompression of the hematoma. Postoperative computed tomography showed that bilateral CSH and hydrocephalus had been successfully treated. In bilateral CSH in the posterior fossa, there may be a connection between each side. CSH in the posterior fossa, when urgent, can be treated under local anesthesia with a unilateral burr hole irrigation

mTORC1 signaling in primary central nervous system lymphoma.

BACKGROUND:Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex 1 (mTORC1) acts as a downstream effector of phosphatidyl-inositol-3 kinase, which is frequently hyperactivated in glioblastoma multiforme and links to cell signaling in cellular proliferation, differentiation, metabolism, and survival. Although many studies have suggested the importance of mTORC1 in tumorigenesis, its role remains unclear in brain tumors other than glioblastoma.METHODS:In the present study, we evaluated the activation of mTORC1 in 24 cases of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL).RESULTS:Immunohistochemical analysis showed overexpression of Rheb, which is immediately upstream of mTORC1, in 20 cases of PCNSL. Immunohistochemical analysis also showed overexpression of phospho-4E-BP1 (Thr37/46) and phospho-S6 (Ser235/236), which are increased after mTORC1 activation as mTORC1 downstream effectors in 17 and 21 cases, respectively.CONCLUSION:Our data suggest that abnormal activation of the mTORC1 signaling pathway may cause tumor growth in patients with PCNSL

Intradural Lipoma at the Craniocervical Junction Presenting with Progressing Hemiparesis: A Case Report

Intradural spinal lipomas are rare in an adult population. They are mostly asymptomatic and usually associated with spinal dysraphism in a pediatric population. We report a rare case of spinal lipoma without dysraphism and with progressing hemiparesis. A 60-year-old woman had incidental lipoma at the craniocervical junction observed for more than 5 years. Recently, she developed right-sided hemiparesis and sensory disturbance. Radiological studies revealed a large lipoma compressing the dorsal medulla and C1–C2 spinal cord. Standard midline suboccipital craniotomy and C1 laminectomy were performed, and the lipoma was removed subtotally. The lipoma showed severe adhesion to the dorsal medulla and C1 spinal cord; therefore, the excision was limited as internal debulking. Her neurological deficit subsided within 6 months after the decompressive surgery. Considering the benign nature of lipoma, internal decompression is a reasonable management for this lesion

PEPPI-MS: Polyacrylamide-Gel-Based Prefractionation for Analysis of Intact Proteoforms and Protein Complexes by Mass Spectrometry

Prefractionation of complex mixtures of proteins derived from biological samples is indispensable for proteome analysis via top-down mass spectrometry (MS). Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), which enables high-resolution protein separation based on molecular size, is a widely used technique in biochemical experiments and has the potential to be useful in sample fractionation for top-down MS analysis. However, the lack of a means to efficiently recover the separated proteins in-gel has always been a barrier to its use in sample prefractionation. In this study, we present a novel experimental workflow, called Passively Eluting Proteins from Polyacrylamide gels as Intact species for MS ("PEPPI-MS"), which allows top-down MS of PAGE-separated proteins. The optimization of Coomassie brilliant blue staining followed by the passive extraction step in the PEPPI-MS workflow enabled the efficient recovery of proteins, separated on commercial precast gels, from a wide range of molecular weight regions in under 10 min. Two-dimensional separation combining offline PEPPI-MS with online reversed-phase liquid chromatographic separation resulted in identification of over 1000 proteoforms recovered from the target region of the gel (≤50 kDa). Given the widespread availability and relatively low cost of traditional sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-PAGE equipment, the PEPPI-MS workflow will be a powerful prefractionation strategy for top-down proteomics

Subacute postoperative myofascial pain diagnosed and treated successfully by ultrasound: a case after laparoscopic hepatectomy

Abstract Background Myofascial pain syndrome is one of the causes of prolonged postoperative pain after abdominal surgery. However, diagnosis and treatment of myofascial pain syndrome, especially its myofascial trigger point (MTrP), have not been well established. Case presentation A 55-year-old man experienced severe subacute abdominal pain after laparoscopic hepatectomy despite aggressive postoperative pain management. He had a positive Carnett’s sign, indicating abdominal wall pain, 2 weeks after the surgery. Ultrasonography showed a hyperechoic spot surrounded by a hypoechoic area in the inner abdominal oblique muscle under the palpable spot that fulfills the criteria of MTrP. The echogenic MTrP disappeared after repetitive ultrasound-guided trigger point injections (USG TPIs) with pain relief. Conclusions Our present case indicates that diagnosing myofascial pain by visualizing the echogenic MTrPs in the abdominal muscles, and subsequent USG TPIs, might provide an accurate maneuver for diagnosis and treatment of subacute myofascial pain after abdominal surgery