Structure and evolution of the mouse pregnancy-specific glycoprotein (Psg) gene locus

BACKGROUND: The pregnancy-specific glycoprotein (Psg) genes encode proteins of unknown function, and are members of the carcinoembryonic antigen (Cea) gene family, which is a member of the immunoglobulin gene (Ig) superfamily. In rodents and primates, but not in artiodactyls (even-toed ungulates / hoofed mammals), there have been independent expansions of the Psg gene family, with all members expressed exclusively in placental trophoblast cells. For the mouse Psg genes, we sought to determine the genomic organisation of the locus, the expression profiles of the various family members, and the evolution of exon structure, to attempt to reconstruct the evolutionary history of this locus, and to determine whether expansion of the gene family has been driven by selection for increased gene dosage, or diversification of function. RESULTS: We collated the mouse Psg gene sequences currently in the public genome and expressed-sequence tag (EST) databases and used systematic BLAST searches to generate complete sequences for all known mouse Psg genes. We identified a novel family member, Psg31, which is similar to Psg30 but, uniquely amongst mouse Psg genes, has a duplicated N1 domain. We also identified a novel splice variant of Psg16 (bCEA). We show that Psg24 and Psg30 / Psg31 have independently undergone expansion of N-domain number. By mapping BAC, YAC and cosmid clones we described two clusters of Psg genes, which we linked and oriented using fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH). Comparison of our Psg locus map with the public mouse genome database indicates good agreement in overall structure and further elucidates gene order. Expression levels of Psg genes in placentas of different developmental stages revealed dramatic differences in the developmental expression profile of individual family members. CONCLUSION: We have combined existing information, and provide new information concerning the evolution of mouse Psg exon organization, the mouse Psg genomic locus structure, and the expression patterns of individual Psg genes. This information will facilitate functional studies of this complex gene family

The behaviors of auroral hard X-ray observed with PPB#8 and PPB#10

第2回極域科学シンポジウム/第35回極域宙空圏シンポジウム 11月16日（水） 統計数理研究所 セミナー室

Predictions of Two Photon Absorption Profiles Using Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory Combined with SOS and CEO Formalisms

Two-photon absorption (2PA) and subsequent processes may be localized in space with a tightly focused laser beam. This property is used in a wide range of applications, including three dimensional data storage. We report theoretical studies of 5 conjugated chromophores experimentally shown to have large 2PA cross-sections. We use the Time Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) to describe the electronic structure. The third order coupled electronic oscillator formalism is applied to calculate frequency-dependent second order hyperpolarizability. Alternatively, the sum over states formalism using state-to-state transition dipoles provided by the a posteriori Tamm-Dancoff approximation is employed. It provides new venues for qualitative interpretation and rational design of 2PA chromophores. © 2009 Springer Berlin Heidelberg