Smad3 activates the Sox9-dependent transcription on chromatin

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β has an essential role for the Sry-type high-mobility-group box (Sox)-regulated chondrogenesis. Chondrogenic differentiation is also controlled by chromatin-mediated transcription. We have previously reported that TGF-β-regulated Smad3 induces chondrogenesis through the activation of Sox9-dependent transcription. However, the cross-talk between TGF-β signal and Sox9 on chromatin-mediated transcription has not been elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the activity of Smad3, Sox9, and coactivator p300 using an in vitro chromatin assembly model. Luciferase reporter assays revealed that Smad3 stimulated the Sox9-mediated transcription in a TGF-β-dependent manner. Recombinant Sox9 associated with phosphorylated Smad3/4 and recognized the enhancer region of type II collagen gene. In vitro transcription and S1 nuclease assays showed that Smad3 and p300 cooperatively activated the Sox9-dependent transcription on chromatin template. The combination treatment of phosphorylated Smad3, Sox9, and p300 were necessary for the activation of chromatin-mediated transcription. These findings suggest that TGF-β signal Smad3 plays a key role for chromatin remodeling to induce chondrogenesis via its association with Sox9

Coincidence analysis to search for inspiraling compact binaries using TAMA300 and LISM data

Japanese laser interferometric gravitational wave detectors, TAMA300 and LISM, performed a coincident observation during 2001. We perform a coincidence analysis to search for inspiraling compact binaries. The length of data used for the coincidence analysis is 275 hours when both TAMA300 and LISM detectors are operated simultaneously. TAMA300 and LISM data are analyzed by matched filtering, and candidates for gravitational wave events are obtained. If there is a true gravitational wave signal, it should appear in both data of detectors with consistent waveforms characterized by masses of stars, amplitude of the signal, the coalescence time and so on. We introduce a set of coincidence conditions of the parameters, and search for coincident events. This procedure reduces the number of fake events considerably, by a factor $\sim 10^{-4}$ compared with the number of fake events in single detector analysis. We find that the number of events after imposing the coincidence conditions is consistent with the number of accidental coincidences produced purely by noise. We thus find no evidence of gravitational wave signals. We obtain an upper limit of 0.046 /hours (CL $= 90$) to the Galactic event rate within 1kpc from the Earth. The method used in this paper can be applied straightforwardly to the case of coincidence observations with more than two detectors with arbitrary arm directions.Comment: 28 pages, 17 figures, Replaced with the version to be published in Physical Review

Results of the search for inspiraling compact star binaries from TAMA300's observation in 2000-2004

We analyze the data of TAMA300 detector to search for gravitational waves from inspiraling compact star binaries with masses of the component stars in the range 1-3Msolar. In this analysis, 2705 hours of data, taken during the years 2000-2004, are used for the event search. We combine the results of different observation runs, and obtained a single upper limit on the rate of the coalescence of compact binaries in our Galaxy of 20 per year at a 90% confidence level. In this upper limit, the effect of various systematic errors such like the uncertainty of the background estimation and the calibration of the detector's sensitivity are included.Comment: 8 pages, 4 Postscript figures, uses revtex4.sty The author list was correcte

Scleraxis and E47 cooperatively regulate the Sox9-dependent transcription

During musculoskeletal development, Sry-type HMG box 9 (Sox9) has a crucial role in mesenchymal condensation and chondrogenesis. On the other hand, a tissue-specific basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor Scleraxis (Scx) regulates the differentiation of tendon and ligament progenitors. Whereas these two transcription factors cooperatively participate in the determination of cellular lineages, the precise interaction between Sox9 and Scx remains unclear. We have previously demonstrated that the Sox9-dependent transcription is synergistically activated by several Sox9-associating molecules, such as p300 and Smad3, on chromatin. In this study, we investigated the function of Scx in the Sox9-dependent transcription. The expression of α1(II) collagen (Col2a1) gene was stimulated by an appropriate transduction of Sox9 and Scx. Scx and its partner E47, which dimerizes with other bHLH proteins, cooperatively enhanced the Sox9-dependent transcription in luciferase reporter assays. Coactivator p300 synergistically increased the activity of Sox9-regulated reporter gene, which contains promoter and enhancer regions of Col2a1, in the presence of Scx and E47. Immunoprecipitation analyses revealed that Scx and E47 formed a transcriptional complex with Sox9 and p300. Scx/E47 heterodimer also associated with a conserved E-box sequence (CAGGTG) in the Col2a1 promoter on chromatin. These findings suggest that Scx and E47 might modulate the primary chondrogenesis by associating with the Sox9-related transcriptional complex, and by binding to the conserved E-box on Col2a1 promoter

Observation results by the TAMA300 detector on gravitational wave bursts from stellar-core collapses

We present data-analysis schemes and results of observations with the TAMA300 gravitational-wave detector, targeting burst signals from stellar-core collapse events. In analyses for burst gravitational waves, the detection and fake-reduction schemes are different from well-investigated ones for a chirp-wave analysis, because precise waveform templates are not available. We used an excess-power filter for the extraction of gravitational-wave candidates, and developed two methods for the reduction of fake events caused by non-stationary noises of the detector. These analysis schemes were applied to real data from the TAMA300 interferometric gravitational wave detector. As a result, fake events were reduced by a factor of about 1000 in the best cases. The resultant event candidates were interpreted from an astronomical viewpoint. We set an upper limit of 2.2x10^3 events/sec on the burst gravitational-wave event rate in our Galaxy with a confidence level of 90%. This work sets a milestone and prospects on the search for burst gravitational waves, by establishing an analysis scheme for the observation data from an interferometric gravitational wave detector

Stable Operation of a 300-m Laser Interferometer with Sufficient Sensitivity to Detect Gravitational-Wave Events within our Galaxy

TAMA300, an interferometric gravitational-wave detector with 300-m baseline length, has been developed and operated with sufficient sensitivity to detect gravitational-wave events within our galaxy and sufficient stability for observations; the interferometer was operated for over 10 hours stably and continuously. With a strain-equivalent noise level of $h\sim 5 \times 10^{-21} /\sqrt{\rm Hz}$, a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 30 is expected for gravitational waves generated by a coalescence of 1.4 $M_\odot$-1.4 $M_\odot$ binary neutron stars at 10 kpc distance. %In addition, almost all noise sources which limit the sensitivity and which %disturb the stable operation have been identified. We evaluated the stability of the detector sensitivity with a 2-week data-taking run, collecting 160 hours of data to be analyzed in the search for gravitational waves.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

A highly stereoselective construction of 1,2-trans-β-glycosidic linkages capitalizing on 2-azido-2-deoxy-D-glycosyl diphenyl phosphates as glycosyl donors

The scope of TMSOTf-promoted glycosidation of 2-azido-2-deoxyglycopyranosyl diphenyl phosphates is investigated. The 3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-protected glucosyl and galactosyl donors and the 4,6-O-benzylidene-protected galactosyl donor each react with a range of acceptor alcohols in the presence of a stoichiometric amount of TMSOTf in propionitrile at -78 °C to afford 1,2-trans-β-linked disaccharides in high yields with α:β ratios ranging from 9:91 to 1:>99, regardless of the anomeric composition of the donor used. The use of propionitrile as a solvent at -78 °C has proven to be among the best choice for the highest levels of β-selectivity reported to date for this type of glycosidation. A plausible reaction mechanism, which features a large equilibrium preference for α-glycosyl-nitrilium ions over β-nitrilium ions, is proposed based on byproducts formed through their intermediacy and accounts for the observed excellent β-selectivities

A stereocontrolled construction of 2-azido-2-deoxy-1,2-cis-α-galactosidic linkages utilizing 2-azido-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxygalactopyranosyl diphenyl phosphates: stereoselective synthesis of mucin core 5 and core 7 structures

TMSOTf-promoted glycosidation of 2-azido-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxygalactosyl diphenyl phosphates with fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc)-protected serine and threonine derivatives in THF/Et2O (1:1) gave glycosyl amino acids in high yields and with excellent levels of α-selectivity (α/β=94:6-95:5). The synthetic utility of the present glycosidation method was demonstrated by a stereoselective synthesis of mucin-type glycopeptide core 5 and core 7 building blocks, which are suitable for Fmoc-based solid-phase synthesis of O-glycopeptides

Direct and stereoselective synthesis of β-D-mannosides using 4,6-O-benzylidene-protected mannosyl diethyl phosphite as a donor

A direct and practical method for the construction of β-mannosidic linkages is described. While β-selectivities in the TMSOTf-promoted glycosidation of 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-D-mannosyl diethyl phosphite are found to be highly dependent on the reactivity of acceptor alcohols, 2,3-di-O-benzyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-D-mannosyl diethyl phosphite reacts with a wide range of acceptor alcohols in the presence of TMSOTf in CH2Cl2 at –45 °C to give β-mannosides in high yields with good to high β-selectivities

Small RNA viruses associated with diarrhoea

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN026607 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo