Regulating TKT activity inhibits proliferation of human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells.

Among pediatric blood cancers, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common hematologic malignancy. Within ALL, T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) accounts for 10 to 15% of all pediatric cases, and ~25% of adult cases. For T-ALL, its recurrence and relapse after treatment remain problematic.

The Upstream 1350~1250 Nucleotide Sequences of the Human Gene Contain Critical -Elements Responsible for Upregulating Its Transcription during ER Stress.

encodes an endoribonuclease that overcomes the inhibitory upstream open reading frame (uORF)-trap at 5'-untranslated region (UTR) of the transcript, allowing the downstream coding sequence of be translated during endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. However, transcriptional control of remains enigmatic. To address this, we cloned an upstream 2.

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure in Captive Populations of Formosan Sambar Deer ().

Formosan sambar deer () are of great economic significance in Taiwan, resulting in a substantial increase in deer farming to meet the high demand for velvet antlers. Inbreeding depression and reduced genetic variability can lead to the deterioration of captive populations. In this study, 239 Formosan sambar deer were genotyped using 13 microsatellites to analyze their genetic diversity and population genetic structure.

Extracellular Pgk1 interacts neural membrane protein enolase-2 to improve the neurite outgrowth of motor neurons.

Understanding the molecular interaction between ligand and receptor is important for providing the basis for the development of regenerative drugs. Although it has been reported that extracellular phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (Pgk1) can promote the neurite outgrowth of motoneurons, the Pgk1-interacting neural receptor remains unknown. Here we show that neural membranous Enolase-2 exhibits strong affinity with recombinant Pgk1-Flag, which is also evidently demonstrated by immunoelectron microscopy.

Promotes Neuronal Regeneration after Spinal Cord Injury of Zebrafish Embryos.

After spinal cord injury (SCI) in mammals, neuronal regeneration is limited; in contrast, such regeneration occurs quickly in zebrafish. Member A of the acidic nuclear phosphoprotein 32 () family is involved in neuronal development, but its function is controversial, and its involvement in zebrafish SCI remains unknown. To determine the role of zebrafish in the neuronal regeneration of SCI embryos, we microinjected mRNA into embryos from zebrafish transgenic line prior to SCI.

Direct-Maternal Genetic Parameters for Litter Size and Body Weight of Piglets of a New Black Breed for the Taiwan Black Hog Market.

The objective of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters of litter size and piglet weight from farrowing to weaning in KHAPS Black sows. The genetic parameters investigated were the direct (h), maternal (h), realized (h), and total (h) heritability, as well as correlations (r, r, and r) within and between traits. The analyses were performed using single- and three-trait animal models with and without maternal genetic effects.

Cerebroventricular Injection of Pgk1 Attenuates MPTP-Induced Neuronal Toxicity in Dopaminergic Cells in Zebrafish Brain in a Glycolysis-Independent Manner.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. While extracellular Pgk1 (ePgk1) is reported to promote neurite outgrowth, it remains unclear if it can affect the survival of dopaminergic cells. To address this, we employed cerebroventricular microinjection (CVMI) to deliver Pgk1 into the brain of larvae and adult zebrafish treated with methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) as a PD-like model.

High antimicrobial activity of lactoferricin-expressing Bacillus subtilis strains.

The lactoferricin expressed in Bacillus subtilis is relatively low in yield, making it hard to apply in industrial settings. We constructed a six tandem repeat of lactoferricin cDNA driven by promoter PtrnQ. After transformation, two transformants P245 and P263 possessing a stable inheritance of plasmid and high expression of lactoferricin were selected.

Zebrafish, an In Vivo Platform to Screen Drugs and Proteins for Biomedical Use.

The nearly simultaneous convergence of human genetics and advanced molecular technologies has led to an improved understanding of human diseases. At the same time, the demand for drug screening and gene function identification has also increased, albeit time- and labor-intensive. However, bridging the gap between in vitro evidence from cell lines and in vivo evidence, the lower vertebrate zebrafish possesses many advantages over higher vertebrates, such as low maintenance, high fecundity, light-induced spawning, transparent embryos, short generation interval, rapid embryonic development, fully sequenced genome, and some phenotypes similar to human diseases.

Using as a Host Cell to Express an Antimicrobial Peptide from the Marine Chordate .

molecule against microbes-A24 (CiMAM) isolated from the marine chordate is an antimicrobial peptide. To generate CiMAM-expressing transgenic , we constructed a plasmid expressing recombinant CiMAM (rCiMAM) and introduced it into Transgenic strains C117 and C166 were selected since they were able to highly and stably express rCiMAM. We studied the bactericidal activity of pepsin-digested extracts from rCiMAM-expressing strains against freshwater and euryhaline pathogens that commonly occur in aquaculture ponds and found no difference from that of lactoferricin-expressing strains.

Poly(U)-specific endoribonuclease ENDOU promotes translation of human CHOP mRNA by releasing uORF element-mediated inhibition.

Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) are known to negatively affect translation of the downstream ORF. The regulatory proteins involved in relieving this inhibition are however poorly characterized. In response to cellular stress, eIF2α phosphorylation leads to an inhibition of global protein synthesis, while translation of specific factors such as CHOP is induced.

Effect of Mutated Overexpression on IDS Enzyme Activity and Developmental Phenotypes in Zebrafish Embryos: A Valuable Index for Assessing Critical Point-Mutations Associated with Mucopolysaccharidosis Type II Occurrence in Humans.

Mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II) is an X-linked disorder resulting from a deficiency in iduronate 2-sulfatase (IDS), which is reported to be caused by gene mutations in the iduronate 2-sulfatase (IDS) gene. Many IDS mutation sites have not yet had their causal relationship with MPS II characterized. We employed a gain-of-function strategy whereby we microinjected different mutated zebrafish (z-) mRNAs corresponded to human gene into zebrafish embryos, and then measured their total IDS enzymatic activity and observed the occurrence of defective phenotypes during embryonic development.

Oral administration of transgenic biosafe microorganism containing antimicrobial peptide enhances the survival of tilapia fry infected bacterial pathogen.

To develop an alternative to conventional antibiotics used in the aquaculture and livestock industries, we employed Bacillus subtilis, considered a biosafe microorganism, to express the degradable antimicrobial peptide lactoferricin. An expression plasmid pP43-6LFBII-GFP, in which reporter GFP cDNA was fused downstream of lactoferricin cDNA driven by an endogenous constitutive P43 promoter was electroporated into B. subtilis, followed by regeneration and cultivation.

Garcimultiflorone K inhibits angiogenesis through Akt/eNOS- and mTOR-dependent pathways in human endothelial progenitor cells.

Background Garcimultiflorone K is a novel polyprenylated polycyclic acylphloroglucinol isolated from the stems of Garcinia multiflora that exhibits promising anti-angiogenic activity in human endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). Purpose This study sought to determine the underlying anti-angiogenic mechanisms and pharmacological properties of garcimultiflorone K. Methods We examined the anti-angiogenic effects of garcimultiflorone K and its mechanisms of action using in vitro EPC models and in vivo zebrafish embryos.

Extracellular Pgk1 enhances neurite outgrowth of motoneurons through Nogo66/NgR-independent targeting of NogoA.

NogoA inhibits neurite outgrowth of motoneurons (NOM) through interaction with its receptors, Nogo66/NgR. Inhibition of Nogo receptors rescues NOM, but not to the extent exhibited by -knockout mice, suggesting the presence of other pathways. We found that NogoA-overexpressing muscle cells reduced phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (Pgk1) secretion, resulting in inhibiting NOM.

Crystal structure of the blue fluorescent protein with a Leu-Leu-Gly tri-peptide chromophore derived from the purple chromoprotein of Stichodactyla haddoni.

Chromoproteins are a good source of engineered biological tools. We previously reported the development of a blue fluorescent protein, termed shBFP, which was derived from a purple chromoprotein shCP found in the sea anemone Stichodacyla haddoni. shBFP contains a Leu-Leu-Gly tri-peptide chromophore, and shows maximum excitation and emission wavelengths at 401 nm and 458 nm, along with a high quantum yield.

Conditional Overexpression of rtn4al in Muscle of Adult Zebrafish Displays Defects Similar to Human Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

The protein level of muscle-specific human NogoA is abnormally upregulated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) mice and patients. On the other hand, while the presence of miR-206 in muscle cells delays onset and death in ALS, the relationship between these two phenomena remains unclear. Mammalian NogoA protein, also known as Reticulon 4a (Rtn4a), plays an important role in inhibiting the outgrowth of motor neurons.

Short fish-origin DNA elements served as flanking sequences in a knockdown cloning vector enabling the generation of a functional siRNA molecule in mammalian cells and fish embryos.

Improving the quality of a siRNA-knockdown cloning vector requires simpler, shorter, and more effective flanking sequences. In this study, we designed such flanking sequences based on those found in zebrafish pre-miR3906, namely, internal element (IE) 1 and IE2. We engineered a vegf-shRNA fragment flanked by an 80-bp IE1/IE2 and then inserted into the 3' UTR of GFP reporter cDNA driven by a cytomegalovirus promoter to obtain a plasmid containing gfp-IE-vegf-shRNA-polA.

Correction: The New Face of the Old Molecules: Crustin Pm4 and Transglutaminase Type I Serving as RNPs Down-Regulate Astakine-Mediated Hematopoiesis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

modulates an Rtn4a/Cxcr4a/Thbs3a axis in newly forming somites to maintain and stabilize the somite boundary formation of zebrafish embryos.

Although () is known to regulate proliferation and differentiation of muscle fibroblasts, the role of in early-stage somite development is still unknown. During somitogenesis of zebrafish embryos, () is specifically repressed by The somite boundary was defective, and actin filaments were crossing over the boundary in either -knockdown or -overexpressed embryos. In these treated embryos, C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4a () was reduced, while thrombospondin 3a () was increased.

Blue fluorescent protein derived from the mutated purple chromoprotein isolated from the sea anemone Stichodactyla haddoni.

Chromoproteins, especially far-red fluorescent proteins with long stokes shift, are good sources for engineering biological research tools. However, chromoproteins have not been used for developing fluorescent proteins with short emission wavelength. Therefore, we herein report the development of a blue fluorescent protein, termed shBFP, which is derived from a purple chromoprotein isolated from the sea anemone Stichodacyla haddoni (shCP) after shCP was simultaneously mutated on E63L and Y64L.

Ras-Related Nuclear Protein is required for late developmental stages of retinal cells in zebrafish eyes.

Ras-related nuclear protein (Ran) is involved in cell division by regulating nucleocytoplasmic transport and modulating the assembly of tubulin. However, its function in embryonic development is unclear. We used zebrafish to study the roles of Ran in eye development.

Zebrafish and Medaka: new model organisms for modern biomedical research.

Although they are primitive vertebrates, zebrafish (Danio rerio) and medaka (Oryzias latipes) have surpassed other animals as the most used model organisms based on their many advantages. Studies on gene expression patterns, regulatory cis-elements identification, and gene functions can be facilitated by using zebrafish embryos via a number of techniques, including transgenesis, in vivo transient assay, overexpression by injection of mRNAs, knockdown by injection of morpholino oligonucleotides, knockout and gene editing by CRISPR/Cas9 system and mutagenesis. In addition, transgenic lines of model fish harboring a tissue-specific reporter have become a powerful tool for the study of biological sciences, since it is possible to visualize the dynamic expression of a specific gene in the transparent embryos.

Effect of Free-range Rearing on Meat Composition, Physical Properties and Sensory Evaluation in Taiwan Game Hens.

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of an outdoor-grazed raising model on meat composition, physical properties and sensory attributes of Taiwan game hens. Six hundred 1-d old female chicks were raised on a floor for 8 weeks. On day 57, 600 healthy birds, with similar body weight, were selected and randomly assigned to three treatment groups (cage, floor-pen and free-range).