Transcriptional factors (TFs) and many of their target genes are involved in gene regulation at the level of transcription. To decipher gene regulatory networks (GRNs) we require a comprehensive and accurate knowledge of transcriptional regulatory elements. TRED () was designed as a resource for gene regulation and function studies. It collects mammalian cis- and trans-regulatory elements together with experimental evidence. All the regulatory elements were mapped on to the assembled genomes. In this new release, we included a total of 36 TF families involved in cancer. Accordingly, the number of target promoters and genes for TF families has increased dramatically. There are 11 660 target genes (7479 in human, 2691 in mouse and 1490 in rat) and 14 908 target promoters (10 225 in human, 2985 in mouse and 1698 in rat). Additionally, we constructed GRNs for each TF family by connecting the TF–target gene pairs. Such interaction data between TFs and their target genes will assist detailed functional studies and help to obtain a panoramic view of the GRNs for cancer research.

MicroRNAs are noncoding RNAs that act as master regulators to modulate various biological processes by posttranscriptionally repressing their target genes. Repression of their target mRNA(s) can modulate signaling cascades and subsequent cellular events. Recently, a role for miR172 in soybean (Glycine max) nodulation has been described; however, the molecular mechanism through which miR172 acts to regulate nodulation has yet to be explored. Here, we demonstrate that soybean miR172c modulates both rhizobium infection and nodule organogenesis. miR172c was induced in soybean roots inoculated with either compatible Bradyrhizobium japonicum or lipooligosaccharide Nod factor and was highly upregulated during nodule development. Reduced activity and overexpression of miR172c caused dramatic changes in nodule initiation and nodule number. We show that soybean miR172c regulates nodule formation by repressing its target gene, Nodule Number Control1, which encodes a protein that directly targets the promoter of the early nodulin gene, ENOD40. Interestingly, transcriptional levels of miR172c were regulated by both Nod Factor Receptor1α/5α-mediated activation and by autoregulation of nodulation-mediated inhibition. Thus, we established a direct link between miR172c and the Nod factor signaling pathway in addition to adding a new layer to the precise nodulation regulation mechanism of soybean.

Purpose -To contribute to an understanding of the complementary nature of entrepreneurship and innovation through an empirical study of various organisations; and to develop an integrative framework of the interaction between entrepreneurship and innovation. Design/methodology/approach -The study takes a qualitative approach in exploring the synergies between entrepreneurship and innovation and in analysing the factors that foster an interaction between the two. Case studies of six entrepreneurial and innovative organisations and in-depth interviews with senior managers were conducted to complement a comprehensive literature review of entrepreneurship and innovation. Findings -The study has found that: entrepreneurship and innovation are positively related to each other and interact to help an organisation to flourish; entrepreneurship and innovation are complementary, and a combination of the two is vital to organisational success and sustainability in today's dynamic and changing environment; entrepreneurship and innovation are not confined to the initial stages of a new venture; rather, they are dynamic and holistic processes in entrepreneurial and innovative organisations; and organisational culture and management style are crucial factors affecting the development of entrepreneurial and innovation behaviour in organisations. Originality/value -Entrepreneurship and innovation should be regarded as ongoing, everyday practice in organisations, and this paper has contributed to the development of such an attitude.This empirical study contributes to an understanding of the existing theories and practices of entrepreneurship and innovation in organisations.

In order to understand gene regulation, accurate and comprehensive knowledge of transcriptional regulatory elements is essential. Here, we report our efforts in building a mammalian Transcriptional Regulatory Element Database (TRED) with associated data analysis functions. It collects cis- and trans-regulatory elements and is dedicated to easy data access and analysis for both single-gene-based and genome-scale studies. Distinguishing features of TRED include: (i) relatively complete genome-wide promoter annotation for human, mouse and rat; (ii) availability of gene transcriptional regulation information including transcription factor binding sites and experimental evidence; (iii) data accuracy is ensured by hand curation; (iv) efficient user interface for easy and flexible data retrieval; and (v) implementation of on-the-fly sequence analysis tools. TRED can provide good training datasets for further genome-wide cis-regulatory element prediction and annotation, assist detailed functional studies and facilitate the decipher of gene regulatory networks (http://rulai.cshl.edu/TRED).

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The coauthors wish to acknowledge the contribution of the entire X-Culture team: Without the hard work the 141 instructors and thousands of students do every day, the X-Culture Project in general and this study in particular would not be possible. We also would like to acknowledge the support of our many corporate partners, including Gramedia, Lidaris, Innospark, and Caja de Burgos, whose involvement makes the project more meaningful and educational for our students.

The optimization of plant architecture in order to breed high-yielding soya bean cultivars is a goal of researchers. Tall plants bearing many long branches are desired, but only modest success in reaching these goals has been achieved. MicroRNA156 (miR156)-SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE (SPL) gene modules play pivotal roles in controlling shoot architecture and other traits in crops like rice and wheat. However, the effects of miR156-SPL modules on soya bean architecture and yield, and the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects, remain largely unknown. In this study, we achieved substantial improvements in soya bean architecture and yield by overexpressing GmmiR156b. Transgenic plants produced significantly increased numbers of long branches, nodes and pods, and they exhibited an increased 100-seed weight, resulting in a 46%-63% increase in yield per plant. Intriguingly, GmmiR156b overexpression had no significant impact on plant height in a growth room or under field conditions; however, it increased stem thickness significantly. Our data indicate that GmmiR156b modulates these traits mainly via the direct cleavage of SPL transcripts. Moreover, we found that GmSPL9d is expressed in the shoot apical meristem and axillary meristems (AMs) of soya bean, and that GmSPL9d may regulate axillary bud formation and branching by physically interacting with the homeobox gene WUSCHEL (WUS), a central regulator of AM formation. Together, our results identify GmmiR156b as a promising target for the improvement of soya bean plant architecture and yields, and they reveal a new and conserved regulatory cascade involving miR156-SPL-WUS that will help researchers decipher the genetic basis of plant architecture.

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