Using deep sequencing (deepCAGE), the FANTOM4 study measured the genome-wide dynamics of transcription-start-site usage in the human monocytic cell line THP-1 throughout a time course of growth arrest and differentiation. Modeling the expression dynamics in terms of predicted cis-regulatory sites, we identified the key transcription regulators, their time-dependent activities and target genes. Systematic siRNA knockdown of 52 transcription factors confirmed the roles of individual factors in the regulatory network. Our results indicate that cellular states are constrained by complex networks involving both positive and negative regulatory interactions among substantial numbers of transcription factors and that no single transcription factor is both necessary and sufficient to drive the differentiation process.

SummaryPreviously we produced the whole extracellular region of metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 1 (mGluR1) in a soluble form. The soluble receptor retained a ligand affinity comparable with that of the full-length membrane-bound receptor and formed a disulfidelinked dimer. Here, we have identified a cysteine residue responsible for the intermolecular disulfide bond and determined domain organization of the extracellular region of mGluR1. A mutant, C140A, was a monomer under nonreduced conditions by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, however, C140A was eluted at the position similar to that of mGluR113, the by guest on

No abstract

Muscular dystrophy is a disease characterized by progressive muscle weakness and degeneration. There are currently no available treatments for most muscular diseases, such as muscular dystrophy. Moreover, current therapeutics are focused on improving the quality of life of patients by relieving the symptoms or stress caused by the disease. Although the causative genes for many muscular diseases have been identified, the mechanisms underlying their pathogenesis remain unclear. Patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have become a powerful tool for understanding the pathogenesis of intractable diseases, as well as for phenotype screening, which can serve as the basis for developing new drugs. However, it is necessary to develop an efficient and reproducible myogenic differentiation system. Previously, we reported a tetracycline-inducible MyoD overexpression model of myogenic differentiation using human iPSCs (hiPSCs). However, this model has certain disadvantages that limit its use in various applications, such as a drug screening. In this study, we developed an efficient and reproducible myogenic differentiation system by further modifying our previous protocol. The new protocol achieves efficient differentiation of feeder-free hiPSCs to myogenic cells via small-scale culture in six-well microplates to large-scale culture in 384-well microplates for high-throughput applications.

A cDNA encoding a proline (Pro) transporter (ProT) was isolated and characterized from a cDNA library prepared from 14-d-old seedlings of Oryza sativa cv. Akibare. The deduced amino acid sequence of the rice ProT protein (OsProT) had 68.8% homology to the ProT protein 1 from Arabidopsis thaliana and 59.6% homology to that from Lycopersicon esculentum. Northern blot analysis revealed that the gene for OsProT (OsProT) was expressed in all organs examined, comparatively strongly in leaf sheath and stem. Salt treatment did not induce expression of OsProT but strongly induced expression of the gene for delta1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS), a key enzyme in Pro biosynthesis. Southern blot analysis revealed that OsProT has a gene family. OsProT specifically transported L-Pro in a transport assay using Xenopus laevis oocytes.