UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-dolichyl-phosphate N-acetylglucosaminephosphotransferase is indispensable for oogenesis, oocyte-to-embryo transition, and larval development of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

N-linked glycosylation of proteins is the most common post-translational modification of proteins. The enzyme UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-dolichyl-phosphate N-acetylglucosaminephosphotransferase (DPAGT1) catalyses the first step of N-glycosylation, and DPAGT1 knockout is embryonic lethal in mice. In this study, we identified the sole orthologue (algn-7) of the human DPAGT1 in the nematode C. elegans. The gene activity was disrupted by RNAi and deletion mutagenesis, which resulted in larval lethality, defects in oogenesis and oocyte-to-embryo transition. Endomitotic oocytes, abnormal fusion of pronuclei, abnormal AB cell rotation, disruption of permeation barriers of eggs, and abnormal expression of chitin and chitin synthase in oocytes and eggs were the typical phenotypes observed. The results indicate that N-glycosylation is indispensable for these processes. We further screened an N-glycosylated protein database of C. elegans, and identified 456 germline-expressed genes coding N-glycosylated proteins. By examining RNAi phenotypes, we identified five germline-expressed genes showing similar phenotypes to the algn-7 (RNAi) animals. They were ribo-1, stt-3, ptc-1, ptc-2, and vha-19. We identified known congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) genes (ribo-1 and stt-3) and a recently found CDG gene (vha-19). The results show that phenotype analyses using the nematode could be a powerful tool to detect new CDG candidate genes and their associated gene networks.

Regulation of TG accumulation and lipid droplet morphology by the novel TLDP1 in Aurantiochytrium limacinum F26-b.

Thraustochytrids are marine single-cell protists that produce large amounts of PUFAs, such as DHA. They accumulate PUFAs in lipid droplets (LDs), mainly as constituent(s) of triacylglycerol (TG). We identified a novel protein in the LD fraction of Aurantiochytrium limacinum F26-b using 2D-difference gel electrophoresis. The protein clustered with orthologs of thraustochytrids; however, the cluster was evolutionally different from known PAT family proteins or plant LD protein; thus, we named it thraustochytrid-specific LD protein 1 (TLDP1). TLDP1 surrounded LDs when expressed as a GFP-tagged form. Disruption of the tldp1 gene decreased the content of TG and number of LDs per cell; however, irregular and unusually large LDs were generated in tldp1-deficient mutants. Although the level of TG synthesis was unchanged by the disruption of tldp1, the level of TG degradation was higher in tldp1-deficient mutants than in the WT. These phenotypic abnormalities in tldp1-deficient mutants were restored by the expression of tldp1 These results indicate that TLDP1 is a thraustochytrid-specific LD protein and regulates the TG accumulation and LD morphology in A. limacinum F26-b.

Chondroitin 4-O-Sulfotransferase Is Indispensable for Sulfation of Chondroitin and Plays an Important Role in Maintaining Normal Life Span and Oxidative Stress Responses in Nematodes.

Chondroitin sulfate (CS)/chondroitin (Chn) chains are indispensable for embryonic cell division and cytokinesis in the early developmental stages in Caenorhabditis elegans and mice, whereas heparan sulfate (HS) is essential for axon guidance during nervous system development. These data indicate that the fundamental functions of CS and HS are conserved from worms to mammals and that the function of CS/Chn differs from that of HS. Although previous studies have shown that C. elegans produces HS and non-sulfated Chn, whether the organism produces CS remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that C. elegans produces a small amount of 4-O-sulfated Chn and report the identification of C41C4.1, an orthologue of the human chondroitin 4-O-sulfotransferase gene. Loss of C41C4.1 in C. elegans resulted in a decline in 4-O-sulfation of CS and an increase in the number of sulfated units in HS. C41C4.1 deletion mutants exhibited reduced survival rates after synchronization with sodium hypochlorite. Collectively, these results show for the first time that CS glycans are present in C. elegans and that the Chn 4-O-sulfotransferase responsible for the sulfation plays an important role in protecting nematodes from oxidative stress.

Direct C2-Functionalization of Indoles Triggered by the Generation of Iminium Species from Indole and Sulfonium Salt.

An indole core bearing a functional group on the C2 position is often found as a key structure in biologically active natural products and pharmaceuticals. Here, we report direct C2-functionalization of indoles triggered by the formation of an iminium species generated from indole and a sulfonium reagent. The reaction proceeded under very mild conditions to give the corresponding C2-substituted indole derivatives in good to high yields.

RNAi screening of human glycogene orthologs in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the construction of the C. elegans glycogene database.

In this study, we selected 181 nematode glycogenes that are orthologous to human glycogenes and examined their RNAi phenotypes. The results are deposited in the Caenorhabditis elegans Glycogene Database (CGGDB) at AIST, Tsukuba, Japan. The most prominent RNAi phenotypes observed are disruptions of cell cycle progression in germline mitosis/meiosis and in early embryonic cell mitosis. Along with the previously reported roles of chondroitin proteoglycans, glycosphingolipids and GPI-anchored proteins in cell cycle progression, we show for the first time that the inhibition of the functions of N-glycan synthesis genes (cytoplasmic alg genes) resulted in abnormal germline formation, ER stress and small body size phenotypes. The results provide additional information on the roles of glycoconjugates in the cell cycle progression mechanisms of germline and embryonic cells.

Identification of leptospiral 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase released in the urine of infected hamsters.

BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is a global zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira. The non-specific clinical signs and symptoms of leptospirosis lead to its misdiagnosis. To date, there is still no reliable rapid test kit that can accurately diagnose leptospirosis at bedside or in field. In this research, with the ultimate goal of formulating a rapid and accurate diagnostic tool for leptospirosis, we aimed to identify leptospiral proteins excreted in urine of infected hamsters, which are thought to mimic Weil's disease. RESULTS: Hamsters were subcutaneously infected with leptospires, and the general attributes of urine as well as the proteins excreted in it were examined. Some leptospiral proteins were found to be excreted in the urine from the early phase of infection. The most important finding of this study was the detection of the lipid-metabolizing enzyme, 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (HADH), before the onset of illness, when leptospires were not yet detected in the urine of infected hamsters. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report on the detection of leptospiral HADH in the host urine, which may be a possible candidate leptospiral antigen that can be used in the early diagnosis of human and animal leptospirosis.

Two Golgi-resident 3'-Phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate transporters play distinct roles in heparan sulfate modifications and embryonic and larval development in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Synthesis of extracellular sulfated molecules requires active 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS). For sulfation to occur, PAPS must pass through the Golgi membrane, which is facilitated by Golgi-resident PAPS transporters. Caenorhabditis elegans PAPS transporters are encoded by two genes, pst-1 and pst-2. Using the yeast heterologous expression system, we characterized PST-1 and PST-2 as PAPS transporters. We created deletion mutants to study the importance of PAPS transporter activity. The pst-1 deletion mutant exhibited defects in cuticle formation, post-embryonic seam cell development, vulval morphogenesis, cell migration, and embryogenesis. The pst-2 mutant exhibited a wild-type phenotype. The defects observed in the pst-1 mutant could be rescued by transgenic expression of pst-1 and hPAPST1 but not pst-2 or hPAPST2. Moreover, the phenotype of a pst-1;pst-2 double mutant were similar to those of the pst-1 single mutant, except that larval cuticle formation was more severely defected. Disaccharide analysis revealed that heparan sulfate from these mutants was undersulfated. Gene expression reporter analysis revealed that these PAPS transporters exhibited different tissue distributions and subcellular localizations. These data suggest that pst-1 and pst-2 play different physiological roles in heparan sulfate modification and development.

Ceramide glucosyltransferase of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is involved in oocyte formation and in early embryonic cell division.

Ceramide glucosyltransferase (Ugcg) [uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glucose:N-acylsphingosine D-glucosyltransferase or UDP-glucose ceramide glucosyltransferase (GlcT): EC 2.4.1.80] catalyzes formation of glucosylceramide (GlcCer) from ceramide and UDP-glucose. There is only one Ugcg gene in the mouse genome, which is essential in embryogenesis and brain development. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has three Ugcg genes (cgt-1, cgt-2 and cgt-3), and double RNAi of the cgt-1 and cgt-3 genes results in lethality at the L1 larval stage. In this study, we isolated knockout worms for the three genes and characterized the gene functions. Each gene product showed active enzymatic activity when expressed in GM95 cells deficient in glycosphingolipids (GSLs). When each gene function was disrupted, the brood size of the animal markedly decreased, and abnormal oocytes and multinucleated embryos were formed. The CGT-3 protein had the highest Ugcg activity, and knockout of its gene resulted in the severest phenotype. When cgt-3 RNAi was performed on rrf-1 worms lacking somatic RNAi machinery but with intact germline RNAi machinery, a number of abnormal oocytes and multinucleated eggs were observed, although the somatic phenotype, i.e., L1 lethal effects of cgt-1/cgt-3 RNAi, was completely suppressed. Cell surface expression of GSLs and sphingomyelin, which are important components of membrane domains, was affected in the RNAi-treated embryos. In the embryos, an abnormality in cytokinesis was also observed. From these results, we concluded that the Ugcg gene is indispensable in the germline and that an ample supply of GlcCer is needed for oocytes and fertilized eggs to maintain normal membranes and to proceed through the normal cell cycle.

A Caenorhabditis elegans glycolipid-binding galectin functions in host defense against bacterial infection.

Galectins are a family of beta-galactoside-binding proteins that are widely found among animal species and that regulate diverse biological phenomena. To study the biological function of glycolipid-binding galectins, we purified recombinant Caenorhabditis elegans galectins (LEC-1-11) and studied their binding to C. elegans glycolipids. We found that LEC-8 binds to glycolipids in C. elegans through carbohydrate recognition. It has been reported that Cry5B-producing Bacillus thuringiensis strains can infect C. elegans and that the C. elegans Cry5B receptor molecules are glycolipids. We found that Cry5B and LEC-8 bound to C. elegans glycolipid-coated plates in a dose-dependent manner and that Cry5B binding to glycolipids was inhibited by the addition of LEC-8. LEC-8 is usually expressed strongly in the pharyngeal-intestinal valve and intestinal-rectal valve and is expressed weakly in intestine. However, when C. elegans were fed Escherichia coli expressing Cry5B, intestinal LEC-8::EGFP protein levels increased markedly. In contrast, LEC-8::EGFP expression triggered by Cry5B was reduced in toxin-resistant C. elegans mutants, which had mutations in genes involved in biosynthesis of glycolipids. Moreover, the LEC-8-deficient mutant was more susceptible to Cry5B than wild-type worms. These results suggest that the glycolipid-binding lectin LEC-8 contributes to host defense against bacterial infection by competitive binding to target glycolipid molecules.

The ortholog of human solute carrier family 35 member B1 (UDP-galactose transporter-related protein 1) is involved in maintenance of ER homeostasis and essential for larval development in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Although the solute carrier 35B1 (SLC35B1) is evolutionarily conserved, its functions in metazoans remain unknown. To elucidate its function, we examined developmental roles of an SLC35B1 family gene (HUT-1: homolog of UDP-Gal transporter) in Caenorhabditis elegans. We isolated a deletion mutant of the gene and characterized phenotypes of the mutant and hut-1 RNAi-treated worms. GFP-HUT-1 reporter analysis was performed to examine gene expression patterns. We also tested whether several nucleotide sugar transporters can compensate for hut-1 deficiency. The hut-1 deletion mutant and RNAi worms showed larval growth defect and lethality with disrupted intestinal morphology. Inactivation of hut-1 induced chronic endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and hut-1 showed genetic interactions with the atf-6, pek-1, and ire-1 genes involved in unfolded protein response signaling. ER ultrastructure and ER marker distribution in hut-1-deficient animals showed that HUT-1 is required for maintenance of ER structure. Reporter analysis revealed that HUT-1 is an ER protein ubiquitously expressed in tissues, including the intestine. Lethality and the ER stress phenotype of the mutant were rescued with the human hut-1 ortholog UGTrel1. These results indicate important roles for hut-1 in development and maintenance of ER homeostasis in C. elegans.

In situ monitoring of the crystalline state of active pharmaceutical ingredients during high-shear wet granulation using a low-frequency Raman probe.

Optimization of manufacturing processes based on scientific evidence is important in the quality control of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and drug products, particularly when crystal forms change during production, which could affect subsequent drug performance. In this study, we verified crystalline states using various crystal faces and excipients during high-shear wet granulation based on non-contact low-frequency (LF) Raman probe monitoring. Four model drugs [indomethacin (IND), acetaminophen (APAP), theophylline (TP), and caffeine (CAF) polymorphs and cocrystals] were mixed with microcrystalline cellulose and hydroxypropyl cellulose with the addition of water over time. The LF Raman probe showed comparatively high sensitivity in monitoring 5-20% APAP and IND in a wet mass. Notably, as observed from the characteristic LF Raman peak shifts, form I TP and CAF and their cocrystals were more susceptible to transformation to the monohydrate form than form II. This method was also shown to be applicable in monitoring a commercial formulation of eight excipients and revealed crystalline transformations after 15 min of mixing. Therefore, probe-type LF Raman spectroscopy can be successfully employed to distinguish and monitor the crystalline state of APIs in real time during high-shear wet granulation, in which there is a risk of crystal transformation.

Analysis of GPI-anchored proteins involved in germline stem cell proliferation in the Caenorhabditis elegans germline stem cell niche.

Stem cells divide and undergo self-renewal depending on the signals received from the stem cell niche. This phenomenon is indispensable to maintain tissues and organs in individuals. However, not all the molecular factors and mechanisms of self-renewal are known. In our previous study, we reported that glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins (GPI-APs) synthesized in the distal tip cells (DTCs; the stem cell niche) are essential for germline stem cell proliferation in Caenorhabditis elegans. Here, we characterized the GPI-APs required for proliferation. We selected and verified the candidate GPI-APs synthesized in DTCs by RNA interference screening and found that F57F4.3 (GFI-1), F57F4.4 and F54E2.1 are necessary for germline proliferation. These proteins are likely involved in the same pathway for proliferation and activated by the transcription factor PQM-1. We further provided evidence suggesting that these GPI-APs act through fatty acid remodelling of the GPI anchor, which is essential for association with lipid rafts. These findings demonstrated that GPI-APs, particularly F57F4.3/4 and F54E2.1, synthesized in the germline stem cell niche are located in lipid rafts and involved in promoting germline stem cell proliferation in C. elegans. The findings may thus shed light on the mechanisms by which GPI-APs regulate stem cell self-renewal.

Recent advances in the structural biology of chondroitin sulfate and dermatan sulfate.

Recent glycobiology studies have suggested fundamental biological functions for chondroitin, chondroitin sulfate and dermatan sulfate, which are widely distributed as glycosaminoglycan sidechains of proteoglycans in the extracellular matrix and at cell surfaces. They have been implicated in the signaling functions of various heparin-binding growth factors and chemokines, and play critical roles in the development of the central nervous system. They also function as receptors for various pathogens. These functions are closely associated with the sulfation patterns of the glycosaminoglycan chains. Surprisingly, nonsulfated chondroitin is indispensable in the morphogenesis and cell division of Caenorhabditis elegans, as revealed by RNA interference experiments of the recently cloned chondroitin synthase gene and by the analysis of mutants of squashed vulva genes.

Attacking mechanism of hydroxyl radical to DNA base-pair: density functional study in vacuum and in water.

Recently, the influence of radiation on human body has been recognized as a serious problem. In particular, highly reactive hydroxyl radicals *OH produced by the radiation react with DNA, resulting in a great damage on its structure and electronic properties. It is thus important to investigate the reaction mechanism of *OH to DNA for elucidating the initial damage in DNA induced by the radiation. In the present study, we search for transition states (TS) of the reaction between G-C/A-T base-pair and [Formula: see text] in vacuum and in water, by the density functional theory (DFT) calculations. At first, we obtain the stable structures for the dehydrogenated G-C and A-T, in which the hydrogen atom of NH2 group of G or A base is abstracted by [Formula: see text]. From the structures of the dehydrogenated as well as the natural base-pairs, the TS between these structures is searched for and the activation free energy (AFE) is estimated for the reaction. In vacuum, AFEs for the G-C and A-T are almost the same each other, while the stabilization energy by the reaction for G-C is about 4.9 kcal/mol larger than that for A-T, indicating that the population of the dehydrogenated G-C is remarkably larger than that of the dehydrogenated A-T in vacuum. On the other hand, in water approximated by the continuum solvation model, the AFE for A-T is 2.6 kcal/mol smaller than that for G-C, indicating that the reaction dehydrogenated by [Formula: see text] occurs more frequently for the solvated A-T base-pair than G-C.

Can Once Neuronally Differentiated Cells of Neural Retina Be Lentoidogenic in Cell Culture?*: (neural retina/transdifferentiation/lens differentiation/merocyanine).

Cells dissociated from neural retina of 3.5-day-old chick embryos transdifferentiated extensively into lens cells under the conditions of a cell culture for 3 to 4 weeks. In early satges of cell culture by about 10 days, cultures consisted of small round cells often with cytoplasmic processes(N-cells) and flattened epithelial cells (E-cells). Only N-cells were stained with a fluorescent dye Merocyanine 540. When cells harvested from early cultures were separated into two fractions by centrifugation in Percoll gradient, the specific activity of choline acetyltransferase was much higher in the fraction consisting mainly of N-cells than in other fraction mainly of E-cells. Continuous daily observations as well as cinematographic observations of living cultures indicate that lentoid bodies were often formed in the locations where clusters of N-cells had been found in early stages of culturing. The possibility of transdifferentiation of N-cell clusters into lentoid bodies is discussed.

COMPARISON OF NEURONAL AND LENS PHENOTYPE EXPRESSION IN THE TRANSDIFFERENTIATING CULTURES OF NUERAL RETINA WITH DIFFERENT CULTURE MEDIA.

The effects of three different culture media (Eagle's MEM, F-12 and L-15) on the transdifferentiation of 8-day chick embryonic neural retina into lens cells, were examined with respect to the expression of two phenotypes. One type referred to neuronal specificity (as represented by the level of cholineacetyl-transferase, CAT, activity) and the other to lens specificity (as represented by content of α-and δ-crystallin). In 7-day cell cultures before the visible differentiation of lentoid bodies, CAT activity was detected in all media. But, its level was about 9 times higher in cultures with L-15 than in those with MEM and 3 times higher than in F-12. In 26-day cultures, CAT activity was practically undetectable. The production of α-and δ-crystallin was detected in cultures at 26 days. There were quantitative differences in the crystallin content with different media, and it was highest in cultures with L-15. The results indicate that conditions most favourable to the maintenance of the neuronal specificity in cell cultures of neural retina, can also support the most extensive transdifferentiation. The possibility of direct transdifferentiation of once neuronally specified cells into lens cells in cultures with L-15 has been suggested to explain the present results.

A Novel Monoclonal Antibody disrupting Cell Type Specific Substratum Adhesion of Frog (Xenopus laevis) Epithelial Cells and Endothelial Cells: (frog, Xenopus laevis/cell substratum adhesion/cell adhesion/endothelial cells).

We isolated a mouse monoclonal antibody (FAD-II) that disrupts cell-substratum adhesion of amphibian (Xenopus laevis) epithelial cells and endothelial cells. The effect of the antibody was cell-type specific, and the antibody had no effect on fibroblastic cells while fibronectin peptide blocked cell-substratum adhesion of all the cell types examined. In developing frog embryos, the epitopes recognized by the antibody were detected in pronephrotic ducts and in other tissue cells of embryos (from stage 33/34 afterwards). In adult tissues, the antibody mainly recognized antigens in extracelluar matrices. The antigens recognized by the antibody seems to be novel glycoepitopes in frog cells.

Effect of D23N mutation on the dimer conformation of amyloid ß-proteins: ab initio molecular simulations in water.

The molecular pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is deeply involved in aggregations of amyloid ß-proteins (Aß) in a diseased brain. The recent experimental studies indicated that the mutation of Asp23 by Asn (D23N) within the coding sequence of Aß increases the risk for the pathogeny of cerebral amyloid angiopathy and early-onset familial ADs. Fibrils of the D23N mutated Aßs can form both parallel and antiparallel structures, and the parallel one is considered to be associated with the pathogeny. However, the structure and the aggregation mechanism of the mutated Aß fibrils are not elucidated at atomic and electronic levels. We here investigated solvated structures of the two types of Aß dimers, each of which is composed of the wild-type or the D23N mutated Aß, using classical molecular mechanics and ab initio fragment molecular orbital (FMO) methods, in order to reveal the effect of the D23N mutation on the structure of Aß dimer as well as the specific interactions between the Aß monomers. The results elucidate that the effect of the D23N mutation is significant for the parallel structure of Aß dimer and that the solvating water molecules around the Aß dimer have significant contribution to the stability of Aß dimer.

The acetyl-CoA transporter family SLC33.

The acetyl-CoA (Ac-CoA) transporter, ACATN is a multiple (11 or 12) transmembrane protein in the endoplasmic reticulum. Ac-CoA is transported into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum/Golgi apparatus, where it serves as the substrate of acetyltransferases that modify a variety of molecules including the sialic acid residues of gangliosides and lysine residues of membrane proteins. The ACATN gene, assigned as SLC33A1, was cloned from human melanoma cells and encodes the ACATN/ACATN1 (Acetyl-CoA Transporter 1) protein. Although homologs of this family of proteins have been identified in lower organisms such as Escherichia coli, Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans, only one member of this SLC33A1 family has been identified. Although acetylated gangliosides are synthesized in the luminal Golgi membrane and show a highly tissue-specific distribution, ACATN1 is enriched in the ER membrane and is ubiquitously expressed. Phylogenetically, the SLC33A1 gene is highly conserved, suggesting that it is particularly significant. In fact, ACATN1 is essential for motor neuron viability. SLC33A1 is associated with neurodegenerative disorders such as sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Spastic Paraplegia 42, in the Chinese population.

GPI-anchor synthesis is indispensable for the germline development of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchor attachment is one of the most common posttranslational protein modifications. Using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, we determined that GPI-anchored proteins are present in germline cells and distal tip cells, which are essential for the maintenance of the germline stem cell niche. We identified 24 C. elegans genes involved in GPI-anchor synthesis. Inhibition of various steps of GPI-anchor synthesis by RNA interference or gene knockout resulted in abnormal development of oocytes and early embryos, and both lethal and sterile phenotypes were observed. The piga-1 gene (orthologue of human PIGA) codes for the catalytic subunit of the phosphatidylinositol N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase complex, which catalyzes the first step of GPI-anchor synthesis. We isolated piga-1-knockout worms and found that GPI-anchor synthesis is indispensable for the maintenance of mitotic germline cell number. The knockout worms displayed 100% lethality, with decreased mitotic germline cells and abnormal eggshell formation. Using cell-specific rescue of the null allele, we showed that expression of piga-1 in somatic gonads and/or in germline is sufficient for normal embryonic development and the maintenance of the germline mitotic cells. These results clearly demonstrate that GPI-anchor synthesis is indispensable for germline formation and for normal development of oocytes and eggs.