Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gerardo Gamba
Summary: Xenopus laevis oocytes play a crucial role in discovering and studying the molecular mechanisms of proteins, particularly integral membrane proteins. They are not only useful for cloning, but also for functional characterization experiments.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michelle Leemans, Petra Spirhanzlova, Stephan Couderq, Sebastien Le Mevel, Alexis Grimaldi, Evelyne Duvernois-Berthet, Barbara Demeneix, Jean-Baptiste Fini
Summary: Thyroid hormones (TH) are crucial for brain development, but endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the environment can potentially interfere with TH signaling and impact neurodevelopment and behavior. This study investigated the effects of an amniotic mixture containing commonly found EDCs on brain development and TH signaling using Xenopus laevis tadpoles. The results showed that while there were similarities in TH-dependent genes between thyroxine (T-4) and the amniotic mixture, they also had distinct gene signatures. T-4-treated tadpoles showed increased brain cell proliferation, whereas the amniotic mixture had no effect. Additionally, both T-4 and mixture exposure resulted in decreased tadpole motility. These findings highlight the importance of examining the effects of chemical mixtures for better risk assessment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Developmental Biology
Momoko Deguchi, Taro Fukazawa, Takeo Kubo
Summary: Xenopus laevis tadpoles can regenerate whole tails after amputation. The previously uncharacterized genes rfem.L and rfem.S were identified as essential for tail regeneration under Il11 signaling in a subset of leukocytes with a macrophage-like gene expression profile.
Article
Cell Biology
Lei Li, Ying Xu, Jihong Zheng, Zhe Kuang, Cong Zhang, Na Li, Gufa Lin, Chao Zhang
Summary: The study revealed a specific regulatory pattern of the melanocortin system in Xenopus laevis, where MRAP2 proteins directly interact with MC4R proteins on the cell surface in a functional antiparallel dimeric topology.
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Minami Ezawa, Fumika Kouno, Hideo Kubo, Tetsushi Sakuma, Takashi Yamamoto, Tsutomu Kinoshita
Summary: In Xenopus development, Pou5f3.3 plays a crucial role in establishing and maintaining hematopoietic progenitor cells, contributing to the regulation of peripheral blood cell homeostasis. Transplantation experiments demonstrate the migration of Pou5f3.3-positive cells from the hematopoietic dorsal-lateral plate to the liver and bone through the bloodstream, highlighting its significance in hematopoiesis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexander A. Tokmakov, Ken-Ichi Sato
Summary: This study found that intracellular ROS levels increase in aged frog oocytes and eggs, and that targeted inhibition of NADPH oxidase with apocynin significantly reduces ROS levels, maintaining normal cell function.
Article
Cell Biology
Corbin R. Azucenas, T. Alex Ruwe, John P. Bonamer, Bo Qiao, Tomas Ganz, Mika Jormakka, Elizabeta Nemeth, Bryan Mackenzie
Summary: Fpn is a protein expressed in the plasma membrane of macrophages, enterocytes, and hepatocytes, which mediates the transfer of cellular iron into the blood plasma. Research has shown that human Fpn does not transport manganese, but mouse Fpn may be involved in manganese metabolism. Comparative analysis of mouse and human Fpn revealed that they share identical properties in terms of substrate profile, calcium dependence, optimal pH, and hepcidin sensitivity.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-CELL PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shouhong Wang, Yun-Bo Shi
Summary: Tissue regeneration is crucial for biomedical developments, but many human organs cannot regenerate. Research shows that there is a significant difference in tail regeneration between Xenopus laevis and the closely related species Xenopus tropicalis, with Xenopus laevis experiencing a refractory period while Xenopus tropicalis does not. Further studies in Xenopus tropicalis may provide insights into the genetic basis of this evolutionary divergence and how tissue regenerative capacity is controlled, with implications for human regenerative medicine.
CELL AND BIOSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Toxicology
Sally A. Mayasich, Joseph J. Korte, Jeffrey S. Denny, Phillip C. Hartig, Jennifer H. Olker, Philip DeGoey, Joseph O'Flanagan, Sigmund J. Degitz, Michael W. Hornung
Summary: Deiodinase enzymes play a critical role in controlling activation or inactivation of thyroid hormones during vertebrate development. Screening of chemicals against human and Xenopus laevis deiodinase enzymes revealed potential specific inhibitors, with human assay results showing predictive value for amphibian activity. This study paves the way for future research on cross-species sensitivity to chemicals using recombinant non-mammalian proteins.
TOXICOLOGY IN VITRO
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Amber J. S. Moore, Lareb S. N. Dean, Aiken N. K. Yam, Renata de Lima, Leonardo F. Fraceto, Teresa D. Tetley
Summary: Nanoencapsulation of ATZ in PCL enhances its herbicidal activity and reduces its persistence in the environment. Experiments on human lung alveolar type 1 epithelial cells show that NC-ATZ causes more cell necrosis and inflammation compared to ATZ or PCL nanocapsule alone. The nanoparticles interact with the cytoplasm and undergo recycling within 24 hours.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Meng Li, Meile Lv, Tingting Liu, Gaoyi Du, Qangwei Wang
Summary: In this study, exposure to cis-BF at environmentally relevant concentrations resulted in lipid metabolic disorder and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in Xenopus laevis, providing new insights into the potential long-term hazards of pyrethroids.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hui Jiao, Tingting Yuan, Xiaohuan Wang, Xia Zhou, Renyue Ming, Honghao Cui, Deyu Hu, Ping Lu
Summary: This study assessed the toxic effects of acetamiprid on Xenopus laevis and found that it had detrimental effects on the liver, causing oxidative stress and histological damage. Metabolomic analysis revealed disrupted metabolic pathways, indicating the hepatotoxic effects of acetamiprid on X. laevis at a molecular level. These findings are crucial for evaluating the aquatic risks of neonicotinoids.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Saki Umezawa, Miho Miyakawa, Takashi Yamaura, Hideo Kubo, Tsutomu Kinoshita
Summary: While mammalian hearts lose regenerative capacity after birth, hearts of zebrafish, amphibians, and reptiles maintain a regenerative ability throughout life. Islet1-positive cells in Xenopus laevis exhibit high proliferative ability post-metamorphosis, potentially serving as a cellular resource for vascularization and cardiogenesis.
HISTOCHEMISTRY AND CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yang Xu, Ji Hyun Jang, Myung Chan Gye
Summary: The developmental toxicity of 4-octylphenol (OP) as an estrogenic endocrine disruptor was confirmed in frog embryos, leading to inhibition of head cartilage development and melanocyte generation. OP-induced dysplasia may be attributed to deregulation of neural crest cells in embryos.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vishnu V. Krishnamurthy, Hyojeong Hwang, Jia Fu, Jing Yang, Kai Zhang
Summary: Optogenetics utilizes light-inducible protein-protein interactions to control signaling activity with precision, offering attractive spatial and temporal resolution for studying embryonic development. In a comparative study, a cytoplasm-to-membrane translocation-based optogenetic system outperformed membrane-anchored dimerization systems in activating receptor tyrosine kinase signaling in live Xenopus embryos. This engineering strategy may have broad applicability to other signaling pathways involving membrane-bound receptors, as demonstrated by triggering Wnt activity through optogenetic activation of LRP6.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Reito Watanabe, Yasuhiro Hirano, Masatoshi Hara, Yasushi Hiraoka, Tatsuo Fukagawa
Summary: The kinetochore, essential for chromosome segregation during mitosis, is assembled through dynamic processes involving numerous kinetochore proteins. The study used fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) analysis to reveal the dynamics of kinetochore assembly. Results showed that CENP-C is mobile during interphase but immobile during mitosis, while CENP-T and CENP-H are immobile during both interphase and mitosis. The mobility of Dsn1, a component of the Mis12 complex, depended on CENP-C mobility during mitosis.
CHROMOSOME RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yuya Hirai, Keizo Tomonaga, Masayuki Horie
Summary: This study characterized the inclusion bodies (IBs) of the mononegavirus BoDV-1 in terms of liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), revealing that the phosphoprotein (P) alone can induce LLPS and co-expression of nucleoprotein (N) and P is required for IB-like structure formation in cells. Additionally, BoDV-1 P binds to RNA, but excess RNA can dissolve the liquid droplets formed by N and P in vitro.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2021)
Article
Biology
Tokuko Haraguchi, Takako Koujin, Tomoko Shindo, Sukriye Bilir, Hiroko Osakada, Kohei Nishimura, Yasuhiro Hirano, Haruhiko Asakawa, Chie Mori, Shouhei Kobayashi, Yasushi Okada, Yuji Chikashige, Tatsuo Fukagawa, Shinsuke Shibata, Yasushi Hiraoka
Summary: This study elucidates the mechanism through which transfected DNA enters the nucleus for gene expression, and suggests that transfected DNA is incorporated into the nucleus during nuclear envelope reformation at telophase.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Hiroya Yamazaki, Masatoshi Takagi, Hidetaka Kosako, Tatsuya Hirano, Shige H. Yoshimura
Summary: Protein phosphorylation regulates the behavior of Ki-67 protein during the cell cycle and its impact on organelle morphology. Mitotic hyperphosphorylation of Ki-67 induces liquid-liquid phase separation and chromosome periphery formation, while reducing phosphorylation suppresses phase separation and leads to nucleolar dissolution.
NATURE CELL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maximilian W. G. Schneider, Bryan A. Gibson, Shotaro Otsuka, Maximilian F. D. Spicer, Mina Petrovic, Claudia Blaukopf, Christoph C. H. Langer, Paul Batty, Thejaswi Nagaraju, Lynda K. Doolittle, Michael K. Rosen, Daniel W. Gerlich
Summary: Histone deacetylation at the onset of mitosis induces a chromatin-intrinsic phase transition that endows chromosomes with the physical characteristics necessary for their precise movement during cell division.
Article
Cell Biology
Haruhiko Asakawa, Yasuhiro Hirano, Tomoko Shindo, Tokuko Haraguchi, Yasushi Hiraoka
Summary: This study reveals the regulated interaction between Ish1 and Les1, two nuclear envelope proteins in fission yeast. They are localized within the nuclear envelope lumen and show distinguishable localization during the end of mitosis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lucia Martin Caballero, Matias Capella, Ramon Ramos Barrales, Nikolay Dobrev, Thomas van Emden, Yasuhiro Hirano, Vishnu N. Suma Sreechakram, Sabine Fischer-Burkart, Yasuha Kinugasa, Alicia Nevers, Mathieu Rougemaille, Irmgard Sinning, Tamas Fischer, Yasushi Hiraoka, Sigurd Braun
Summary: This study reveals that the nuclear membrane protein Lem2 interacts with the MTREC complex to promote recruitment and degradation of ncRNAs and meiotic transcripts at the nuclear periphery in Schizosaccharomycespombe.
NATURE STRUCTURAL & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Haruka Hiraoka, Jiewen Wang, Tadashi Nakano, Yasuhiro Hirano, Shinichi Yamazaki, Yasushi Hiraoka, Tokuko Haraguchi
Summary: Cell migration is crucial in the development of multicellular organisms, and Dictyostelium discoideum is a useful model organism for studying this process. This study reveals that cells with high ATP levels can move against the bulk flow, suggesting a mechanism by which ATP levels determine cell fate during differentiation.
Article
Neurosciences
Bilal Khalil, Deepak Chhangani, Melissa C. Wren, Courtney L. Smith, Jannifer H. Lee, Xingli Li, Christian Puttinger, Chih-Wei Tsai, Gael Fortin, Dmytro Morderer, Junli Gao, Feilin Liu, Chun Kim Lim, Jingjiao Chen, Ching-Chieh Chou, Cara L. Croft, Amanda M. Gleixner, Christopher J. Donnelly, Todd E. Golde, Leonard Petrucelli, Bjorn Oskarsson, Dennis W. Dickson, Ke Zhang, James Shorter, Shige H. Yoshimura, Sami J. Barmada, Diego E. Rincon-Limas, Wilfried Rossoll
Summary: The study found that members of the nuclear import receptor protein family can reduce the formation of pathological TDP-43 aggregates. Using KPNB1 as a model, it was discovered that its activity depends on the prion-like C-terminal region of TDP-43, mediating co-aggregation with nucleoporins such as Nup62. KPNB1 acts as a molecular chaperone in these co-aggregates, reversing the aberrant phase transition of Nup62 and TDP-43.
MOLECULAR NEURODEGENERATION
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yuya Hirai, Masayuki Horie
Summary: Researchers have discovered that Nyamanini virus (NYMV), a tick-borne mononegavirus, forms inclusion bodies (IBs) in the nucleus of infected cells. They found that these IBs consist of condensates and puncta of various sizes and morphologies. Additionally, the expression of NYMV nucleoprotein (N) and phosphoprotein (P) alone can induce the formation of condensates and puncta in the nucleus, respectively.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yasuhiro Hirano, Yasuha Kinugasa, Yoshino Kubota, Chikashi Obuse, Tokuko Haraguchi, Yasushi Hiraoka
Summary: The nuclear envelope is a double-membrane structure that separates the nucleus from the cytoplasm and plays a critical role in cellular functions. In fission yeast, Lem2 and Bqt4 are important for maintaining the nuclear envelope structure. This study identified proteins that interact with Lem2 and Bqt4 and found that they interact with different lipid metabolic enzymes, suggesting their involvement in lipid synthesis regulation.
JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Yasuhiro Hirano, Yusuke Ohno, Yoshino Kubota, Tatsuo Fukagawa, Akio Kihara, Tokuko Haraguchi, Yasushi Hiraoka
Summary: Recent studies have revealed that enzymes catalyzing lipid synthesis play a role in maintaining the integrity of the nuclear envelope (NE), but the mechanism involved remains unclear. In this study, the ceramide synthase homolog, Tlc4, was found to suppress NE defects in cells lacking the NE proteins Lem2 and Bqt4. Tlc4, which possesses a conserved TRAM/LAG1/CLN8 domain, functions through its non-catalytic activity and localizes at the NE, endoplasmic reticulum, and cisand medial-Golgi cisternae. The Golgi localization of Tlc4 is closely linked to its activity of suppressing NE defects in the double-deletion mutant of Lem2 and Bqt4.
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biology
Arthur Forer, Shotaro Otsuka
Summary: During cell division, different types of anaphase bridges form between segregating chromosomes. This study provides evidence that visible structures connect separating telomeres in meiosis I of crane-fly primary spermatocytes using live imaging and electron tomography. These structures are likely to be the elastic tethers inferred from laser-cutting experiments.
LIFE SCIENCE ALLIANCE
(2023)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Masaki Watabe, Yasuhiro Hirano, Atsuko Iwane, Osamu Matoba, Koichi Takahashi
Summary: In this study, the transport of intensity equation (TIE) is modified with fractal models based on intracellular refractive index turbulence. TIE simulations are implemented over a broad range of fractal dimensions and wavelengths to study the relationship between intensity propagation and fractal dimensionality. Additionally, a spatial autocorrelation of phase derivatives is provided for the direct measurement and reconstruction of intracellular fractal profiles from optical and electron microscopy imaging.
PHYSICAL REVIEW RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jung Hyun Im, Ivana Duic, Shige H. Yoshimura, Koji Onomoto, Mitsutoshi Yoneyama, Hiroki Kato, Takashi Fujita
Summary: RIG-I is a viral sensor that can recognize short dsRNA and induce antiviral immune responses. It has been found that RIG-I binds to long dsRNA with slow kinetics and the dissociation of RIG-I from short dsRNA complex is ATP hydrolysis-dependent. This discovery helps to understand the role of RIG-I in efficient antiviral signaling.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)