RNAi Reveals Phase-Specific Global Regulators of Human Somatic Cell Reprogramming.

Incomplete knowledge of the mechanisms at work continues to hamper efforts to maximize reprogramming efficiency. Here, we present a systematic genome-wide RNAi screen to determine the global regulators during the early stages of human reprogramming. Our screen identifies functional repressors and effectors that act to impede or promote the reprogramming process. Repressors and effectors form close interacting networks in pathways, including RNA processing, G protein signaling, protein ubiquitination, and chromatin modification. Combinatorial knockdown of five repressors (SMAD3, ZMYM2, SFRS11, SAE1, and ESET) synergistically resulted in ∼85% TRA-1-60-positive cells. Removal of the novel splicing factor SFRS11 during reprogramming is accompanied by rapid acquisition of pluripotency-specific spliced forms. Mechanistically, SFRS11 regulates exon skipping and mutually exclusive splicing of transcripts in genes involved in cell differentiation, mRNA splicing, and chromatin modification. Our study provides insights into the reprogramming process, which comprises comprehensive and multi-layered transcriptional, splicing, and epigenetic machineries.

Systematic identification of factors for provirus silencing in embryonic stem cells.

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) repress the expression of exogenous proviruses and endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). Here, we systematically dissected the cellular factors involved in provirus repression in embryonic carcinomas (ECs) and ESCs by a genome-wide siRNA screen. Histone chaperones (Chaf1a/b), sumoylation factors (Sumo2/Ube2i/Sae1/Uba2/Senp6), and chromatin modifiers (Trim28/Eset/Atf7ip) are key determinants that establish provirus silencing. RNA-seq analysis uncovered the roles of Chaf1a/b and sumoylation modifiers in the repression of ERVs. ChIP-seq analysis demonstrates direct recruitment of Chaf1a and Sumo2 to ERVs. Chaf1a reinforces transcriptional repression via its interaction with members of the NuRD complex (Kdm1a, Hdac1/2) and Eset, while Sumo2 orchestrates the provirus repressive function of the canonical Zfp809/Trim28/Eset machinery by sumoylation of Trim28. Our study reports a genome-wide atlas of functional nodes that mediate proviral silencing in ESCs and illuminates the comprehensive, interconnected, and multi-layered genetic and epigenetic mechanisms by which ESCs repress retroviruses within the genome.

Highly enantioselective addition of 1,3-diynes to aldehydes catalyzed by a zinc-amino alcohol complex.

Asymmetric catalysis: A highly enantioselective and efficient procedure for the amino alcohol-zinc-catalyzed addition of 1,3-diynes to various aromatic, α,ß-unsaturated, and aliphatic aldehydes has been developed. The present catalytic system was successfully applied in the concise synthesis of natural products such as (S)-strongylodiols A and B (see scheme).

Catalytic asymmetric tandem transformations triggered by conjugate additions.

The development of efficient methods to access complex molecules with multistereogenic centers has been a substantial challenge in both academic research and industrial applications. One approach to this challenge is catalytic asymmetric tandem transformations, which allow a rapid increase in molecular complexity from readily available starting materials to produce enantiopure compounds. In recent years, considerable efforts have been directed towards the development of asymmetric tandem transformations. This Minireview highlights recent developments and the applications of metal-catalyzed and organocatalytic asymmetric tandem transformations triggered by conjugate additions.

Liquid-phase synthesis of chiral tartrate ligand library for enantioselective sharpless epoxidation of allylic alcohols.

This paper reports a successful development of a group of efficient soluble polymer-supported chiral tartrate ligands by liquid-phase synthesis for Sharpless epoxidation of a variety of allylic alcohols through ligand diversity. The influence of substituent in chiral tartrate ligands on the enantioselectivities of the reaction was disclosed. Moderate chemical yields and good enantiomeric excesses were obtained by using soluble polymer-supported tartrate ester in the epoxidation of allylic alcohols with Ti(O-i-Pr)(4)/tert-butyl hydroperoxide.

[Preparation of cellulose-based chiral stationary phase and enantioseparation of ethoxyfen-ethyl by high performance liquid chromatography].

Cellulose-tris (3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) was prepared after a reported method, and was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Then it was coated onto an amino-propylated mesopore spherical silica gel. The final product was used as the chiral stationary phase of high performance liquid chromatography for the enantioseparation of a novel herbicide ethoxyfen-ethyl. The enantioseparation of ethoxyfen-ethyl on this stationary phase has been achieved for the first time. Mixtures of hexane and isopropanol were used as mobile phases. The effects of isopropanol concentration in the mobile phase on the retention and resolution were investigated. With the decrease of the content of isopropanol in mobile phase, the resolution factors increased. When the isopropanol concentration decreased to one percent, the resolution factor was 3.95. The structural features of the solutes that influence chiral separation are also discussed.

[Synthesis of a new cyclodextrin derivative and its application as CGC chiral stationary phase in determination of enantiomeric excess].

A new cyclodextrin (CD) derivative, 2,6-di-O-benzyl-3-O-valeryl-beta-CD, was synthesized and characterized by 1H NMR and IR. Using the beta-CD derivative as chiral stationary phase of capillary gas chromatography, one chiral column was prepared. On this column, the enantiomeric excesses (e.e.) of 1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl) ethanol obtained by asymmetric catalytic hydrogenation of 2,4-dichloroacetophone and trans-3-propyloxiranemethanol synthesized by Sharpless epoxidation of trans-2-hexenol were determined and the catalytic reactions were evaluated. The results are satisfactory.