Differential response of methionine metabolism in two grain legumes, soybean and azuki bean, expressing a mutated form of Arabidopsis cystathionine γ-synthase.

Methionine (Met) is a sulfur-containing amino acid that is essential in mammals and whose low abundance limits the nutritional value of grain legumes. Cystathionine γ-synthase (CGS) catalyzes the first committed step of Met biosynthesis, and the stability of its mRNA is autoregulated by the cytosolic concentration of S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM), a direct metabolite of Met. The mto1-1 mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana harbors a mutation in the AtCGS1 gene that renders the mRNA resistant to SAM-dependent degradation and therefore results in the accumulation of free Met to high levels in young leaves. To manipulate Met biosynthesis in soybean and azuki bean, we introduced the AtCGS1 mto1-1 gene into the two grain legumes under the control of a seed-specific glycinin gene promoter. Transgenic seeds of both species accumulated soluble Met to levels at least twice those apparent in control seeds. However, the increase in free Met did not result in an increase in total Met content of the transgenic seeds. In transgenic azuki bean seeds, the amount of cystathionine, the direct product of CGS, was markedly increased whereas the total content of Met was significantly decreased compared with control seeds. Similar changes were not detected in soybean. Our data suggest that the regulation of Met biosynthesis differs between soybean and azuki bean, and that the expression of AtCGS1 mto1-1 differentially affects the metabolic stability of sulfur amino acids and their metabolites in the two grain legumes.

The Sg-1 glycosyltransferase locus regulates structural diversity of triterpenoid saponins of soybean.

Triterpene saponins are a diverse group of biologically functional products in plants. Saponins usually are glycosylated, which gives rise to a wide diversity of structures and functions. In the group A saponins of soybean (Glycine max), differences in the terminal sugar species located on the C-22 sugar chain of an aglycone core, soyasapogenol A, were observed to be under genetic control. Further genetic analyses and mapping revealed that the structural diversity of glycosylation was determined by multiple alleles of a single locus, Sg-1, and led to identification of a UDP-sugar-dependent glycosyltransferase gene (Glyma07g38460). Although their sequences are highly similar and both glycosylate the nonacetylated saponin A0-αg, the Sg-1(a) allele encodes the xylosyltransferase UGT73F4, whereas Sg-1(b) encodes the glucosyltransferase UGT73F2. Homology models and site-directed mutagenesis analyses showed that Ser-138 in Sg-1(a) and Gly-138 in Sg-1(b) proteins are crucial residues for their respective sugar donor specificities. Transgenic complementation tests followed by recombinant enzyme assays in vitro demonstrated that sg-1(0) is a loss-of-function allele of Sg-1. Considering that the terminal sugar species in the group A saponins are responsible for the strong bitterness and astringent aftertastes of soybean seeds, our findings herein provide useful tools to improve commercial properties of soybean products.

Development and application of a whole-genome simple sequence repeat panel for high-throughput genotyping in soybean.

Among commonly applied molecular markers, simple sequence repeats (SSRs, or microsatellites) possess advantages such as a high level of polymorphism and codominant pattern of inheritance at individual loci. To facilitate systematic and rapid genetic mapping in soybean, we designed a genotyping panel comprised 304 SSR markers selected for allelic diversity and chromosomal location so as to provide wide coverage. Most primer pairs for the markers in the panel were redesigned to yield amplicons of 80-600 bp in multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fluorescence-based sequencer analysis, and they were labelled with one of four different fluorescent dyes. Multiplex PCR with sets of six to eight primer pairs per reaction generated allelic data for 283 of the 304 SSR loci in three different mapping populations, with the loci mapping to the same positions as previously determined. Four SSRs on each chromosome were analysed for allelic diversity in 87 diverse soybean germplasms with four-plex PCR. These 80 loci showed an average allele number and polymorphic information content value of 14.8 and 0.78, respectively. The high level of polymorphism, ease of analysis, and high accuracy of the SSR genotyping panel should render it widely applicable to soybean genetics and breeding.

Multielemental characterization of airborne particulate matter collected in Bucharest and Tokushima by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry.

Airborne particulate matter (PM) collected in Bucharest (Romania) and Tokushima (Japan) was comprehensively characterized through multielemental analysis by ICP-MS to the PM samples. Prior to an elemental characterization of the sample, a multielemental determination method composed of acid digestion (HClO(4)/HNO(3)/HF or H(2)O(2)/HNO(3)/HF) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry/inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-MS/ICP-AES) was established to analyze a certified reference material of vehicle exhaust matter (NIES No. 8) for verifying the method. As the results, 39 elements in the certified reference material could be determined. They were a good agreement with the certified and reference values for HClO(4)/HNO(3)/HF acid digestion. Chalcophile elements, such as cadmium, antimony, and lead in Bucharest showed higher enrichment factors than those in Tokushima.

Manipulation of amino acid composition in soybean seeds by the combination of deregulated tryptophan biosynthesis and storage protein deficiency.

The ability of genetic manipulation to yield greatly increased concentrations of free amino acids (FAAs) in seeds of soybean was evaluated by introduction of a feedback-insensitive mutant enzyme of tryptophan (Trp) biosynthesis into two transformation-competent breeding lines deficient in major seed storage proteins. The storage protein-deficient lines exhibited increased accumulation of certain other seed proteins as well as of FAAs including arginine (Arg) and asparagine in mature seeds. Introduction of the gene for a feedback-insensitive mutant of an alpha subunit of rice anthranilate synthase (OASA1D) into the two high-FAA breeding lines by particle bombardment resulted in a >10-fold increase in the level of free Trp in mature seeds compared with that in nontransgenic seeds. The amount of free Trp in these transgenic seeds was similar to that in OASA1D transgenic seeds of the wild-type cultivar Jack. The composition of total amino acids in seeds of the high-FAA breeding lines remained largely unaffected by the expression of OASA1D with the exception of an increase in the total Trp content. Our results therefore indicate that the extra nitrogen resource originating from storage protein deficiency was used exclusively for the synthesis of inherent alternative nitrogen reservoirs such as free Arg and not for deregulated Trp biosynthesis conferred by OASA1D. The intrinsic null mutations responsible for storage protein deficiency and the OASA1D transgene affecting Trp content were thus successfully combined and showed additive effects on the amino acid composition of soybean seeds.

Design, synthesis, and SAR of cis-1,2-diaminocyclohexane derivatives as potent factor Xa inhibitors. Part II: exploration of 6-6 fused rings as alternative S1 moieties.

A series of cis-1,2-diaminocyclohexane derivatives possessing a 6-6 fused ring for the S1 moiety were synthesized as novel factor Xa (fXa) inhibitors. The synthesis, structure-activity relationship (SAR), and physicochemical properties are reported herein, together with the discovery of compound 45c, which has potent anti-fXa activity, good physicochemical properties and pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles, including a reduced negative food effect.

High-density integrated linkage map based on SSR markers in soybean.

A well-saturated molecular linkage map is a prerequisite for modern plant breeding. Several genetic maps have been developed for soybean with various types of molecular markers. Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) are single-locus markers with high allelic variation and are widely applicable to different genotypes. We have now mapped 1810 SSR or sequence-tagged site markers in one or more of three recombinant inbred populations of soybean (the US cultivar 'Jack' x the Japanese cultivar 'Fukuyutaka', the Chinese cultivar 'Peking' x the Japanese cultivar 'Akita', and the Japanese cultivar 'Misuzudaizu' x the Chinese breeding line 'Moshidou Gong 503') and have aligned these markers with the 20 consensus linkage groups (LGs). The total length of the integrated linkage map was 2442.9 cM, and the average number of molecular markers was 90.5 (range of 70-114) for the 20 LGs. We examined allelic diversity for 1238 of the SSR markers among 23 soybean cultivars or lines and a wild accession. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 7, with an average of 2.8. Our high-density linkage map should facilitate ongoing and future genomic research such as analysis of quantitative trait loci and positional cloning in addition to marker-assisted selection in soybean breeding.

Map-based cloning of the gene associated with the soybean maturity locus E3.

Photosensitivity plays an essential role in the response of plants to their changing environments throughout their life cycle. In soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill], several associations between photosensitivity and maturity loci are known, but only limited information at the molecular level is available. The FT3 locus is one of the quantitative trait loci (QTL) for flowering time that corresponds to the maturity locus E3. To identify the gene responsible for this QTL, a map-based cloning strategy was undertaken. One phytochrome A gene (GmPhyA3) was considered a strong candidate for the FT3 locus. Allelism tests and gene sequence comparisons showed that alleles of Misuzudaizu (FT3/FT3; JP28856) and Harosoy (E3/E3; PI548573) were identical. The GmPhyA3 alleles of Moshidou Gong 503 (ft3/ft3; JP27603) and L62-667 (e3/e3; PI547716) showed weak or complete loss of function, respectively. High red/far-red (R/FR) long-day conditions enhanced the effects of the E3/FT3 alleles in various genetic backgrounds. Moreover, a mutant line harboring the nonfunctional GmPhyA3 flowered earlier than the original Bay (E3/E3; PI553043) under similar conditions. These results suggest that the variation in phytochrome A may contribute to the complex systems of soybean flowering response and geographic adaptation.

Analysis of children with Chlamydophila (Chlamydia) pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae respiratoryinfections by real-time PCR assay and serological tests.

We examined 73 children with respiratory infections for Chlamydophila (Chlamydia) pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae using real-time PCR assay and serological tests. C. pneumoniae and M. pneumoniae infections were found in 11 (15.1%) and 6 (8.2%) cases, respectively. The sensitivities and specificities of real-time PCR versus definite diagnosis of acute infection were 63.6% and 100% for C. pneumoniae, and 100% and 100% for M. pneumoniae, respectively. C. pneumoniae PCR-negative results appeared to be due to poor growth of the organism. The sensitivity and specificity of ImmunoCard tests were 33.3% and 82.1%, respectively, indicating that the efficacy of rapid diagnosis was disputable. The present results suggest that real-time PCR is suitable for rapid diagnosis as a first screening test to determine first-line antibacterial agents to be used against these infectious diseases.

Molecular cloning and characterization of two soybean protein disulfide isomerases as molecular chaperones for seed storage proteins.

Protein disulfide isomerase family proteins play important roles in the folding of nascent polypeptides and the formation of disulfide bonds in the endoplasmic reticulum. In this study, we cloned two similar protein disulfide isomerase family genes from soybean leaf (Glycine max L. Merrill. cv Jack). The cDNAs encode proteins of 525 and 551 amino acids, named GmPDIL-1 and GmPDIL-2, respectively. Recombinant versions of GmPDIL-1 and GmPDIL-2 expressed in Escherichia coli exhibited oxidative refolding activity for denatured RNaseA. Genomic sequences of both GmPDIL-1 and GmPDIL-2 were cloned and sequenced. The comparison of soybean genomic sequences with those of Arabidopsis, rice and wheat showed impressive conservation of exon-intron structure across plant species. The promoter sequences of GmPDIL-1 apparently contain a cis-acting regulatory element functionally linked to unfolded protein response. GmPDIL-1, but not GmPDIL-2, expression was induced under endoplasmic reticulum-stress conditions. GmPDIL-1 and GmPDIL-2 promoters contain some predicted regulatory motifs for seed-specific expression. Both proteins were ubiquitously expressed in soybean tissues, including cotyledon, and localized to the endoplasmic reticulum. Data from coimmunoprecipitation experiments suggested that GmPDIL-1 and GmPDIL-2 associate with proglycinin, a precursor of the seed storage protein glycinin, and the alpha'-subunit of beta-conglycinin, a seed storage protein found in cotyledon cells under conditions that disrupt the folding of glycinin or beta-conglycinin, suggesting that GmPDIL-1 and GmPDIL-2 are involved in the proper folding or quality control of such storage proteins as molecular chaperones.

A novel plant protein disulfide isomerase family homologous to animal P5 - molecular cloning and characterization as a functional protein for folding of soybean seed-storage proteins.

The protein disulfide isomerase is known to play important roles in the folding of nascent polypeptides and in the formation of disulfide bonds in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In this study, we cloned a gene of a novel protein disulfide isomerase family from soybean leaf (Glycine max L. Merrill. cv Jack) mRNA. The cDNA encodes a protein called GmPDIM. It is composed of 438 amino acids, and its sequence and domain structure are similar to that of animal P5. Recombinant GmPDIM expressed in Escherichia coli displayed an oxidative refolding activity on denatured RNase A. The genomic sequence of GmPDIM was also cloned and sequenced. Comparison of the soybean sequence with sequences from Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa showed significant conservation of the exon/intron structure. Consensus sequences within the promoters of the GmPDIM genes contained a cis-acting regulatory element for the unfolded protein response, and other regulatory motifs required for seed-specific expression. We observed that expression of GmPDIM was upregulated under ER-stress conditions, and was expressed ubiquitously in soybean tissues such as the cotyledon. It localized to the lumen of the ER. Data from co-immunoprecipitation experiments suggested that GmPDIM associated non-covalently with proglycinin, a precursor of the seed-storage protein glycinin. In addition, GmPDIM associated with the alpha' subunit of beta-conglycinin, a seed-storage protein in the presence of tunicamycin. These results suggest that GmPDIM may play a role in the folding of storage proteins and functions not only as a thiol-oxidoredactase, but also as molecular chaperone.

Design, synthesis, and biological activity of piperidine diamine derivatives as factor Xa inhibitor.

Previously, we identified cyclohexane diamine derivative 1 as orally bioavailable factor Xa inhibitor. We have investigated two racemic cis-piperidine diamine derivatives 2 and 3 based on 1. Compounds 2a-e showed higher fXa inhibitory activity, anticoagulant activity, and aqueous solubility than 3a-e having same substituent. Compounds 2a, 2c, 2e, and 2g-m having sp2 nitrogen, especially amide and urea derivatives, showed potent anticoagulant activity. Compounds 2h and 2k showed high oral activities in rats.

Design, synthesis, and biological activity of novel factor Xa inhibitors: improving metabolic stability by S1 and S4 ligand modification.

Serine protease factor xa (fXa) inhibitor 1 showed good ex vivo anti-fXa activity upon oral administration in rats. However, it has been revealed that 1 had low metabolic stability against human liver microsomes. To improve the metabolic stability, we attempted to modify the S1 and S4 ligands of 1. These modifications resulted in compound 34b, which exhibited selective anti-fXa activity and excellent anti-coagulation activity.

Increase in immunoglobulin G3-secreting cells in intractable Graves' disease.

Isotype switching of immunoglobulin (Ig)-secreting cells is regulated by a set of cytokines. In the present study, we studied the relation between the number of peripheral blood mononuclear cells spontaneously secreting IgG, IgM, IgA, and their subclasses and the disease severities in autoimmune thyroid diseases. Ig-secreting cells were measured by enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay in 99 euthyroid patients with Graves' disease (GD) or Hashimoto's disease (HD) and 13 normal subjects. The number of IgG3-secreting cells was significantly higher in patients with intractable GD who had been undergoing treatment with antithyroid drugs for more than 5 years but who did not go into remission than in patients with GD in remission. This number correlated significantly with the serum level of thyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb) in all patients with GD. These data suggest that the number of IgG3-secreting cells whose isotype switching is stimulated by interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-4 may be related to the disease severity of GD and to the level of TRAb after long-term treatment with antithyroid drugs.