Characterization of wheat Bell1-type homeobox genes in floral organs of alloplasmic lines with Aegilops crassa cytoplasm

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Alloplasmic wheat lines with <it>Aegilops crassa </it>cytoplasm often show homeotic conversion of stamens into pistils under long-day conditions. In the pistillody-exhibiting florets, an ectopic ovule is formed within the transformed stamens, and female sterility is also observed because of abnormal integument development.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this study, four wheat <it>Bell1</it>-like homeobox (<it>BLH</it>) genes were isolated and named <it>WBLH1 </it>to <it>WBLH4</it>. <it>WBLH1</it>/<it>WBLH3</it>/<it>WBLH4 </it>expression was observed in the basal boundary region of the ovary in both normal pistils and transformed stamens. <it>WBLH2 </it>was also strongly expressed in integuments not only of normal ovules in pistils but also of the ectopic ovules in transformed stamens, and the <it>WBLH2 </it>expression pattern in the sterile pistils seemed to be identical to that in normal ovules of fertile pistils. In addition, WBLH1 and WBLH3 showed interactions with the three wheat KNOX proteins through the BEL domain. WBLH2, however, formed a complex with wheat KNOTTED1 and ROUGH SHEATH1 orthologs through SKY and BEL domains, but not with a wheat LIGULELESS4 ortholog.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Expression of the four <it>WBLH </it>genes is evident in reproductive organs including pistils and transformed stamens and is independent from female sterility in alloplasmic wheat lines with <it>Ae. crassa </it>cytoplasm. KNOX-BLH interaction was conserved among various plant species, indicating the significance of KNOX-BLH complex formation in wheat developmental processes. The functional features of <it>WBLH2 </it>are likely to be distinct from other <it>BLH </it>gene functions in wheat development.</p

Discovery of High-Confidence Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms from Large-Scale De Novo Analysis of Leaf Transcripts of Aegilops tauschii, A Wild Wheat Progenitor

Construction of high-resolution genetic maps is important for genetic and genomic research, as well as for molecular breeding. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the,predominant class of genetic variation and can be used as molecular markers. Aegilops tauschii, the D-genome donor of common wheat, is considered a valuable genetic resource for wheat improvement. Our previous study implied that Ae. tauschii accessions can be genealogically divided into two major lineages. In this study, the transcriptome of two Ae. tauschii accessions from each lineage, lineage 1 (L1) and 2 (L2), was sequenced, yielding 9435 SNPs and 739 insertion/deletion polymorphisms (indels) after de novo assembly of the reads. Based on 36 contig sequences, 31 SNPs and six indels were validated on 20 diverse Ae. tauschii accessions. Because almost all of the SNP markers were polymorphic between L1 and L2, and the D-genome donor of common wheat is presumed to belong to L2, these markers are available for D-genome typing in crosses between common wheat varieties and L1-derived synthetic wheat. Due to the conserved synteny between wheat and barley chromosomes, the high-density expressed sequence tag barley map and the hypothetical gene order in barley can be applied to develop markers on target chromosomal regions in wheat

Visual Evoked Potential (VEP) in Manic Depressive Illness (MDI)

The differences between MDI patients and healthy subjects in Visual Evoked Potential (VEP) were studied with 45 MDI subjects (22 males and 23 females) and 60 healthy subjects (30 males and 30 females). VEPs were recorded through the two derivations (2 ch : O1→A1+2, 5 ch : O1→Cz), averaging 100 responses, with 1024 msec of analysis time. Individual VEPs were subjected to the component analysis, and to the statistical assessment. The following results were obtained. 1. The peak latencies of MDI patients were significantly longer in short latency components (mainly P 3, N 3), and interpeak amplitudes significantly larger in short and middle latency components than healthy subjects, but little significant differences in long latency components. These results suggest that MDI patients had some dysfunction in the optic pathway after lateral geniculate body up to the primary visual cortex. 2. Furthermore, between VEPs recorded in manic and depressive states, there were no significant differences in the peak latencies and the interpeak amplitudes. There were little significant differences in VEP between the patients treated regularly with lithium carbonate or carbamazepine and not, and between who had the clinical history more than 2 years and not. 3. These results indicate the single pathophysiological basis underlaying manic-depressive patients, regardless of the contrasting clinical figure between the manic and depressive state

躁うつ病患者の体性感覚誘発電位

The differences between MDI (Manic-Depressive-Illness) patients and healthy subjects in Somatosensory Evoked Potential (SEP) were studied with 45 MDI subjects (22 males and 23 females) and 60 healthy subjects (30 males and 30 females). SEP were recorded through the two deviations (1 stCH : C3→F3 and 4 thCH : C3→A1+2), together with EEG. The following results were obtained. 1. As compared to healthy subjects, the peak latencies (N 2~N 3) were significantly longer, and interpeak amplitudes were significantly larger in the middle-latency components in MDI, in both sexes. Furthermore, the latencies of short-latency components were significantly longer, but there were no significant differences in long latency components in female MDI. These results suggest that MDI has some dysfunction in the neural pathway from brain stem to the primary somatosensory cortex. 2. As for the differences between SEP recorded in manic and depressive states, there were no significant difference in the peak latencies and interpeak amplitudes. Furthermore, there were little significant differences in SEP, between the patients treated regularly with lithium carbonate or carbamazepine, or not, and between who had the clinical history more than 2 years or not. 3. These results are thought to support the comprehensive classical concept of MDI by the electrophysiological point of view, and to reflect the pathophysiological condition in manic-depressive illness

躁うつ病患者の体性感覚誘発電位

The differences between MDI (Manic-Depressive-Illness) patients and healthy subjects in Somatosensory Evoked Potential (SEP) were studied with 45 MDI subjects (22 males and 23 females) and 60 healthy subjects (30 males and 30 females). SEP were recorded through the two deviations (1 stCH : C3→F3 and 4 thCH : C3→A1+2), together with EEG. The following results were obtained. 1. As compared to healthy subjects, the peak latencies (N 2~N 3) were significantly longer, and interpeak amplitudes were significantly larger in the middle-latency components in MDI, in both sexes. Furthermore, the latencies of short-latency components were significantly longer, but there were no significant differences in long latency components in female MDI. These results suggest that MDI has some dysfunction in the neural pathway from brain stem to the primary somatosensory cortex. 2. As for the differences between SEP recorded in manic and depressive states, there were no significant difference in the peak latencies and interpeak amplitudes. Furthermore, there were little significant differences in SEP, between the patients treated regularly with lithium carbonate or carbamazepine, or not, and between who had the clinical history more than 2 years or not. 3. These results are thought to support the comprehensive classical concept of MDI by the electrophysiological point of view, and to reflect the pathophysiological condition in manic-depressive illness

躁うつ病患者の聴覚性誘発電位

The differences between MDI patients and healthy subjects in Auditory Evoked Potential (AEP) were studied with 45 MDI subjects (22 males and 23 females) and 60 healthy subjects (30 males and 30 females). AEPs were recorded through the two deviations (3 rd CH : Cz→A1+2 and 6 th CH : Cz→T5), together with EEG. The following results were obtained. 1. Almost of the peak latencies of AEP components were longer in MDI subjects than those in healthy ones, both in males and females. The interpeak amplitude N2-P3 and P4-N4 in both derivations were significantly larger in male patients. The predominant amplitude N4-P5 and P5-N5 in both derivations significantly small in females. 2. Furthermore, there were little significant differences between AEP recorded in manic and depressive condition of the patients. 3. There were little significant differences in AEP between the patients treated regularly with lithium or carbamazepine and not, and between who had the clinical history more than 2 years and not. These results indicate some dysfunctions in reticular formation, thalamus, up to the primary and secondary auditory cortex in MDI. suggesting the single pathophysiological basis under laying manic-depressive illness

Clinical practice guidelines and real-life practice in hepatocellular carcinoma: A Japanese perspective

Striking advances in systemic therapy for unresectable advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have improved the average prognosis of patients with HCC. As a result, the guidelines for the treatment of HCC have changed significantly. However, various issues have emerged in clinical practice. First, there is no established biomarker that can predict response to systemic therapy. Second, there is no established treatment regimen after primary systemic therapy, including combined immunotherapy. Third, there is no established treatment regimen for intermediate-stage HCC. These points make the current guidelines ambiguous. In this review, we present the Japanese guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC based on the latest evidence; introduce various efforts mainly in Japanese real-life practice to update these guidelines; and present our perspectives on future guidelines

Structural dynamics of cereal mitochondrial genomes as revealed by complete nucleotide sequencing of the wheat mitochondrial genome

The application of a new gene-based strategy for sequencing the wheat mitochondrial genome shows its structure to be a 452 528 bp circular molecule, and provides nucleotide-level evidence of intra-molecular recombination. Single, reciprocal and double recombinant products, and the nucleotide sequences of the repeats that mediate their formation have been identified. The genome has 55 genes with exons, including 35 protein-coding, 3 rRNA and 17 tRNA genes. Nucleotide sequences of seven wheat genes have been determined here for the first time. Nine genes have an exon–intron structure. Gene amplification responsible for the production of multicopy mitochondrial genes, in general, is species-specific, suggesting the recent origin of these genes. About 16, 17, 15, 3.0 and 0.2% of wheat mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) may be of genic (including introns), open reading frame, repetitive sequence, chloroplast and retro-element origin, respectively. The gene order of the wheat mitochondrial gene map shows little synteny to the rice and maize maps, indicative that thorough gene shuffling occurred during speciation. Almost all unique mtDNA sequences of wheat, as compared with rice and maize mtDNAs, are redundant DNA. Features of the gene-based strategy are discussed, and a mechanistic model of mitochondrial gene amplification is proposed