Interactome of vertebrate GAF/ThPOK reveals its diverse functions in gene regulation and DNA repair

GAGA associated factor (GAF) is a sequence-specific DNA binding transcription factor that is evolutionarilyconserved from flies to humans. Emerging evidence shows a context-dependent function of vertebrate GAF(vGAF, a.k.a. ThPOK) in multiple processes like gene activation, repression, and enhancer-blocking. Wehypothesize that context-dependent interaction of vGAF with a diverse set of proteins forms the basis for themultifunctional nature of vGAF. To this end, we deciphered the protein–protein interactome of vGAF andshow that vGAF interacts with chromatin remodelers, RNA metabolic machinery, transcriptional activators/repressors, and components of DNA repair machinery. We further validated the biological significance of ourprotein–protein interaction data with functional studies and established a novel role of vGAF in DNA repairand cell-survival after UV-induced DNA damage. One of the major risk factors for skin cutaneous melanoma isprolonged exposure of UV and subsequent DNA damage. vGAF is highly expressed in normal skin tissue.Interestingly, our analysis of high-throughput RNA-sequencing data shows that vGAF is heavily downregulated across all major stages of skin cutaneous melanoma suggesting its potential as a diagnostic biomarker.Taken together, our study provides a plausible explanation for the diverse gene regulatory functions of vGAFand unravels its novel role in DNA repair.

Effects of Enneagram Program for Self-esteem, Interpersonal Relationships, and GAF in Psychiatric Patients / 정신간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop an enneagram program and to investigate the effects of the enneagram program on self-esteem, interpersonal relationship and GAF(Global assessment of Functioning Scale) in psychiatric patients. METHODS: A nonequivalent control group pre-post test design was used. Participants were 46 psychiatric patients. Participants were assigned to the experimental group(n=21) or control group(n=25). The experimental group participated in the enneagram program for 12 hours through eight sessions. The control group(n=25) received a routine nursing activity program. RESULTS: The experimental group that participated in the enneagram program showed higher scores for self-esteem(t=3.73, p=.001), interpersonal relationship(t=2.63, p=.012) and GAF(t=2.43, p=.019) compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that an enneagram program for psychiatric patients is effective in improving self-esteem, interpersonal relationship and overall functioning skills. Therefore, it is suggested that an active use of this enneagram program as a nursing intervention for psychiatric patients would be beneficial.

Effect of ATP and 2-oxoglutarate on the in vitro interaction between the NifA GAF domain and the GlnB protein of Azospirillum brasilense

Azospirillum brasilense is a diazotroph that associates with important agricultural crops and thus has potential to be a nitrogen biofertilizer. The A. brasilense transcription regulator NifA, which seems to be constitutively expressed, activates the transcription of nitrogen fixation genes. It has been suggested that the nitrogen status-signaling protein GlnB regulates NifA activity by direct interaction with the NifA N-terminal GAF domain, preventing the inhibitory effect of this domain under conditions of nitrogen fixation. In the present study, we show that an N-terminal truncated form of NifA no longer required GlnB for activity and lost regulation by ammonium. On the other hand, in trans co-expression of the N-terminal GAF domain inhibited the N-truncated protein in response to fixed nitrogen levels. We also used pull-down assays to show in vitro interaction between the purified N-terminal GAF domain of NifA and the GlnB protein. The results showed that A. brasilense GlnB interacts directly with the NifA N-terminal domain and this interaction is dependent on the presence of ATP and 2-oxoglutarate.

The Clinical Characteristics and Intelligence in the Adjustment of Schizophrenic Patients / 신경정신의학

We investigated the clinical characteristics and intelligence in the adjustment of schizophrenic patients. One hundred thirty-nine schizophrenic patients were selected among the schizophrenic patients admitted to the department of neuropsychiatry, Wonkwang University, school of medicine, from January 1, 1993 to November 30, 1996. The selected schizophrenic patients were divided into two groups, the one with over 60 of past year highest global assessment of functioning(PHF)(superior group) and the other with less than 60 of PHF(inferior group). Both groups were compared in clinical characteristics and Korean-Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale(K-WAIS) results at admission. The results were as follows : 1) The superior group showed significantly longer duration of education(11.9+/-2.9, 9.9+/-3.7, p<.01), shorter duration of illness(49.6+/-57.9, 93.9+/-70.3, p<.01), less admissions(1.9+/-1.3, 2.8+/-2.1, p<.01), less negative symptoms(3.2+/-1.4, 3.8+/-1.3, p<.01) than the inferior group. 2) The superior group showed significantly higher scores on verbal intelligence quotient (VIQ ; 90.5+/-14.5, 82.4+/-17.4, p<.01), performance intelligence quotient(PIQ ; 81.4+/-13.5, 73.2+/-14.2, p<.01), full scale intelligence quotient(FSIQ ; 86.2+/-13.3, 78.0+/-14.9, P<.01), the subtests of vocabulary(9.2+/-3.0, 7.6+/-3.6, p<.01), comprehension(9.2+/-3.1, 7.5+/-3.4, p<.01), similarity(8.6+/-2.6, 7.4+/-3.3, p<.05), digit symbol(8.3+/-1.8, 7.3+/-2.5, p<.01), object assembly(7.6+/-2.5, 6.6+/-2.3, p<.05), block design(7.9+/-2.6, 6.8+/-2.0, p<.05), and picture completion(7.9+/-2.2, 7.0+/-2.1, p<.05) than the inferior group. Finally, the patients with better adjustment showed higher education level, shorter duration of illness, less numbers of admission, less negative symptoms, and higher scores on VIQ, PIQ, FSIQ, and subtests of vocabulary, comprehension, similarity, digit symbol, object assembly, block design, picture completion. It seems that the superior group had better at the more complex function in the verbal intelligence and the ability of space in the performance intelligence than the inferior group.