We have sequenced a 1.1-Mb region of human chromosome 22q containing the dosage-sensitive gene(s) responsible for cat eye syndrome (CES) as well as the 450-kb homologous region on mouse chromosome 6. Fourteen putative genes were identified within or adjacent to the human CES critical region (CESCR), including three known genes (IL-17R,ATP6E, and BID) and nine novel genes, based on EST identity. Two putative genes (CECR3 and CECR9) were identified, in the absence of EST hits, by comparing segments of human and mouse genomic sequence around two solitary amplified exons, thus showing the utility of comparative genomic sequence analysis in identifying transcripts. Of the 14 genes, 10 were confirmed to be present in the mouse genomic sequence in the same order and orientation as in human. Absent from the mouse region of conserved synteny areCECR1, a promising CES candidate gene from the center of the contig, neighboring CECR4, and CECR7 andCECR8, which are located in the gene-poor proximal 400 kb of the contig. This latter proximal region, located ∼1 Mb from the centromere, shows abundant duplicated gene fragments typical of pericentromeric DNA. The margin of this region also delineates the boundary of conserved synteny between the CESCR and mouse chromosome 6. Because the proximal CESCR appears abundant in duplicated segments and, therefore, is likely to be gene poor, we consider the putative genes identified in the distal CESCR to represent the majority of candidate genes for involvement in CES.
Motor axons make synaptic connections with specific muscles, and this specificity unfolds during development as motoneuron growth cones make specific pathway choices and ultimately recognize and synapse on their specific muscle targets. The Drosophila clueless mutation was identified previously in a genetic screen for mutations that disrupt motoneuron guidance and connectivity. We show here that clueless is allelic to abrupt. The abrupt gene is required for the embryonic formation of specific synaptic connections between a subset of motoneurons and a subset of muscles. Mutations in abrupt also reveal its role in establishing and maintaining muscle attachments, adult sensory cell formation, and morphogenesis of adult appendages. The abrupt gene encodes a zinc finger protein with a conserved BTB domain. abrupt is expressed in muscle nuclei but not motoneurons, suggesting that abrupt controls the muscle expression of molecules required for correct motoneuron targeting, as well as molecules required for correct muscle attachments.
Ferroptosis is a new type of programmed cell death characterized by intracellular iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation that leads to oxidative stress and cell death. The metabolism of iron, lipids, and amino acids and multiple signalling pathways precisely regulate the process of ferroptosis. Emerging evidence has demonstrated that ferroptosis participates in the occurrence and progression of various pathological conditions and diseases, such as infections, neurodegeneration, tissue ischaemia-reperfusion injury and immune diseases. Recent studies have also indicated that ferroptosis plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary infection and asthma. Herein, we summarize the latest knowledge on the regulatory mechanism of ferroptosis and its association with iron, lipid and amino acid metabolism as well as several signalling pathways. Furthermore, we review the contribution of ferroptosis to the pathogenesis of lung diseases and discuss ferroptosis as a novel therapeutic target for various lung diseases.
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