Sperm from sneaker male squids exhibit chemotactic swarming to CO2.

Behavioral traits of sperm are adapted to the reproductive strategy that each species employs. In polyandrous species, spermatozoa often form motile clusters, which might be advantageous for competing with sperm from other males. Despite this presumed advantage for reproductive success, little is known about how sperm form such functional assemblies. Previously, we reported that males of the coastal squid Loligo bleekeri produce two morphologically different euspermatozoa that are linked to distinctly different mating behaviors. Consort and sneaker males use two distinct insemination sites, one inside and one outside the female's body, respectively. Here, we show that sperm release a self-attracting molecule that causes only sneaker sperm to swarm. We identified CO2 as the sperm chemoattractant and membrane-bound flagellar carbonic anhydrase as its sensor. Downstream signaling results from the generation of extracellular H(+), intracellular acidosis, and recovery from acidosis. These signaling events elicit Ca(2+)-dependent turning behavior, resulting in chemotactic swarming. These results illuminate the bifurcating evolution of sperm underlying the distinct fertilization strategies of this species.

The macroscopic structure of RADA16 peptide hydrogel stimulates monocyte/macrophage differentiation in HL60 cells via cholesterol synthesis.

Cells can sense physical properties of surrounding 3-dimensional (3D) culture substrata; however, the physiological influences of such sensing are not fully understood. Here, we studied the physiological characteristics and activities of the macroscopic structure of a routinely used 3D culture substrata, the RADA16 self-assembling peptide scaffold. We found that RADA16 exhibited three distinct assembly patterns depending on its concentration, and one of these assemblies, formed with 0.01% (w/v) RADA16, was capable of inducing differentiation of human myelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells into monocytes/macrophages. This activity was largely reduced by destroying the 3D structure of the assembly, suggesting that the assembly intrinsically retained the ability to induce HL-60 differentiation. When cultured in the RADA16 scaffold, HL-60 cells accumulated intracellular cholesterol about 10 times more than normally cultured cells. Both the RADA16 culture and cholesterol loading brought about similar gene expression profiles. These results showed that HL-60 cells can sense the physical properties of the RADA16 scaffold through a mechanism that may involve intracellular pathways of cholesterol synthesis and/or transport.

Why small males have big sperm: dimorphic squid sperm linked to alternative mating behaviours.

BACKGROUND: Sperm cells are the target of strong sexual selection that may drive changes in sperm structure and function to maximize fertilisation success. Sperm evolution is regarded to be one of the major consequences of sperm competition in polyandrous species, however it can also be driven by adaptation to the environmental conditions at the site of fertilization. Strong stabilizing selection limits intra-specific variation, and therefore polymorphism, among fertile sperm (eusperm). Here we analyzed reproductive morphology differences among males employing characteristic alternative mating behaviours, and so potentially different conditions of sperm competition and fertilization environment, in the squid Loligo bleekeri. RESULTS: Large consort males transfer smaller (average total length = 73 µm) sperm to a female's internal sperm storage location, inside the oviduct; whereas small sneaker males transfer larger (99 µm) sperm to an external location around the seminal receptacle near the mouth. No significant difference in swimming speed was observed between consort and sneaker sperm. Furthermore, sperm precedence in the seminal receptacle was not biased toward longer sperm, suggesting no evidence for large sperm being favoured in competition for space in the sperm storage organ among sneaker males. CONCLUSIONS: Here we report the first case, in the squid Loligo bleekeri, where distinctly dimorphic eusperm are produced by different sized males that employ alternative mating behaviours. Our results found no evidence that the distinct sperm dimorphism was driven by between- and within-tactic sperm competition. We propose that presence of alternative fertilization environments with distinct characteristics (i.e. internal or external), whether or not in combination with the effects of sperm competition, can drive the disruptive evolution of sperm size.

Antinociceptive effect of cyclic phosphatidic acid and its derivative on animal models of acute and chronic pain.

BACKGROUND: Cyclic phosphatidic acid (cPA) is a structural analog of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), but possesses different biological functions, such as the inhibition of autotaxin (ATX), an LPA-synthesizing enzyme. As LPA is a signaling molecule involved in nociception in the peripheral and central systems, cPA is expected to possess analgesic activity. We characterized the effects of cPA and 2-carba-cPA (2ccPA), a chemically stable cPA analog, on acute and chronic pain. RESULTS: (1) The systemic injection of 2ccPA significantly inhibited somato-cardiac and somato-somatic C-reflexes but not the corresponding A-reflexes in anesthetized rats. (2) 2ccPA reduced sensitivity measured as the paw withdrawal response to electrical stimulation applied to the hind paws of mice through the C-fiber, but not Aδ or Aß. (3) In mice, pretreatment with 2ccPA dose-dependently inhibited the second phase of formalin-induced licking and biting responses. (4) In mice, pretreatment and repeated post-treatments with 2ccPA significantly attenuated thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia following partial ligation of the sciatic nerve. (5) In rats, repeated post-treatments with 2ccPA also significantly attenuated thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia following chronic sciatic nerve constriction. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that cPA and its stable analog 2ccPA inhibit chronic and acute inflammation-induced C-fiber stimulation, and that the central effects of 2ccPA following repeated treatments attenuate neuropathic pain.

Most fertilizing mouse spermatozoa begin their acrosome reaction before contact with the zona pellucida during in vitro fertilization.

To fuse with oocytes, spermatozoa of eutherian mammals must pass through extracellular coats, the cumulus cell layer, and the zona pellucida (ZP). It is generally believed that the acrosome reaction (AR) of spermatozoa, essential for zona penetration and fusion with oocytes, is triggered by sperm contact with the zona pellucida. Therefore, in most previous studies of sperm-oocyte interactions in the mouse, the cumulus has been removed before insemination to facilitate the examination of sperm-zona interactions. We used transgenic mouse spermatozoa, which enabled us to detect the onset of the acrosome reaction using fluorescence microscopy. We found that the spermatozoa that began the acrosome reaction before reaching the zona were able to penetrate the zona and fused with the oocyte's plasma membrane. In fact, most fertilizing spermatozoa underwent the acrosome reaction before reaching the zona pellucida of cumulus-enclosed oocytes, at least under the experimental conditions we used. The incidence of in vitro fertilization of cumulus-free oocytes was increased by coincubating oocytes with cumulus cells, suggesting an important role for cumulus cells and their matrix in natural fertilization.

Akt and PKC are involved not only in upregulation of telomerase activity but also in cell differentiation-related function via mTORC2 in leukemia cells.

We have shown previously that PI3K/Akt pathway is active after cell differentiation in HL60 cells. In the present study, we have investigated whether additional molecules, such as protein kinase C (PKC), are involved in the regulation, not only of telomerase, but also of leukemia cell differentiation. We show that PKC activates telomerase and is, itself, activated following VD3- or ATRA-induced differentiation of HL60 cells, as was observed for PI3K/Akt. To clarify the significance of PI3K/Akt and PKC pathway activation in leukemia cell differentiation, we examined the active proteins in either the downstream or upstream regulation of these pathways. In conjunction with the activation of Akt or PKC, mTOR and S6K were phosphorylated and the protein expression levels of Rictor were increased, compared with Raptor, following cell differentiation. Silencing by Rictor siRNA resulted in the attenuation of Akt phosphorylation on Ser473 and PKCα/ßII phosphorylation, as well as the inhibition of Rictor itself, suggesting that Rictor is an upstream regulator of both Akt and PKC. In addition, in cells induced to differentiate by ATRA or VD3, Nitroblue-tetrazolium (NBT) reduction and esterase activity, were blocked either by LY294002, a PI3K inhibitor, or by BIM, a PKC inhibitor, without affecting cell surface markers such as CD11b or CD14. Intriguingly, the silencing of Rictor by its siRNA also suppressed the reducing ability of NBT following VD3-induced cell differentiation. Taken together, our results show that Rictor associated with mTOR (mTORC2) regulates the activity of both Akt and PKC that are involved in cell functions such as NBT reduction and esterase activity induced by leukemia cell differentiation.

MOV10 as a novel telomerase-associated protein.

A novel telomerase-associated protein was isolated from porcine testis. The 115-kDa protein, purified with telomerase activity, was molecular cloned using human cDNA library, and identified as MOV10. The expression levels of both MOV10 mRNA and MOV10 protein in cancer cells were 2-3 times higher than that of the normal cells, and MOV10 mRNA was highly expressed in human testis and ovary. The anti-MOV10 antibody precipitated the telomerase activity from cancer cell extracts, and inhibited the telomerase activity in vitro. Sf9-expressed MOV10 protein bound to G-rich strand of both single- and double-stranded telomere-sequenced DNA, but not to single C-rich strand. ChIP assay showed the binding of MOV10 to telomere region in vivo. These data suggest that MOV10 is involved in the progression of telomerase-catalyzing reaction via the interaction of telomerase protein and telomere DNA.

STAT3 and PKC differentially regulate telomerase activity during megakaryocytic differentiation of K562 cells.

Telomerase is active in immature somatic cells, but not in differentiated cells. However, the regulation during cell differentiation is not well understood. In this study, a human chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line (K562) was induced to differentiate into megakaryocytes by TPA, and erythroid by STI571. A human acute myeloblastic leukemia cell line (HL60) was also induced to differentiate into monocytes by TPA and VD3, and granulocyte by ATRA. TPA induced transient increase of telomerase activity (mainly nuclear fraction) during megakaryocytic differentiation, while the expression of hTERT decreased gradually throughout the same period. Pretreatment with PKC inhibitors inhibited the megakaryocytic differentiation, transient increase of telomerase activity, while recombinant PKC increased telomerase activity. ChIP assay resulted STAT3 and STAT5 dissociated from the hTERT promoter, indicating that STAT3 and STAT5 are one of the transcriptional regulators. These results suggest that telomerase activity is regulated by two mechanisms during megakaryocytic differentiation.

Modulation of the venation pattern of cotyledons of transgenic tobacco for the tumorigenic 6b gene of Agrobacterium tumefaciens AKE10.

Neoplastic plant-tissue formation, termed crown gall disease, is induced on infection with Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The tumorous tissues develop an extensive vascular system, with a venation pattern distinct from that of native host plants. We report here that the plant-tumorigenic 6b gene of the A. tumefaciens strain AKE10 is capable of inducing extensive vein formation in transgenic tobacco seedlings with distinct pattern formation. Unlike the wild-type cotyledons, transgenic cotyledons had wavy and striate veins depending on the extent of severity of leaf morphology. Graph analysis of the transgenic cotyledonous vein patterns revealed an increase in the number of branch points of veins, end-points of veins, and areas surrounded by the veins. Histological analysis showed abnormal tissue growth on the abaxial side of the cotyledon blades and continual formation of adventitious veins. These adventitiously formed veins included inverted dorso-ventrality and formation of a radial axis.

Reduction of polar auxin transport in tobacco by the tumorigenic Agrobacterium tumefaciens AK-6b gene.

The plant-tumorigenic 6b (AK-6b) gene of Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain AKE10 induces morphological alterations to tobacco plants, Nicotiana tabacum. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes, we generated transgenic tobacco harboring the AK-6b gene under the control of a dexamethazone-inducible promoter. Upon induction, transgenic tobacco seedlings exhibited distinct classes of aberrant morphologies, most notably adventitious outgrowths and stunted epicotyls. Histological analysis revealed massive proliferation and altered venation in the newly established outgrowths. Prominent vascular development suggested that auxin metabolism or signaling had been altered. Indeed, basipetal auxin transport in the hypocotyls of the transgenic seedlings was reduced by 50-80%, whereas intracellular auxin contents were only slightly reduced. Analysis of cell extracts by HPLC revealed a large accumulation of phenolic compounds, including the flavonoid kaempferol-3-rutinoside, in transgenic plants compared with wild-type seedlings. As some naturally occurring flavonoids have been shown to affect auxin transport, we suggest that the AK-6b gene expression impairs auxin transport via modulation of phenylpropanoid metabolism, and ultimately results in the observed morphological alterations.

A novel pyrazolone, 4,4-dichloro-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone, as a potent catalytic inhibitor of human telomerase.

A new derivative of 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone, 4,4-dichloro-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone, named TELIN, was chemically synthesized and identified as a potent inhibitor of human telomerase in the cell-free telomeric repeat amplification protocol. TELIN inhibited telomerase activity at submicromolar level with IC50 of approximately 0.3 microM. Kinetic studies revealed that TELIN does not bind to DNA but to telomerase protein, and the mode of inhibition by this substance was competitive-noncompetitive mixed-type with respect to the TS primer, whereas it was uncompetitive or noncompetitive-uncompetitive mixed-type with respect to the three deoxyribonucleosides. These results demonstrate that TELIN is a specific potent catalytic blocker of telomerase,and is considered to be a valuable substance for medical treatment of cancer and related diseases.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens AK-6b gene modulates phenolic compound metabolism in tobacco.

The 6b gene (AK-6b) of Agrobacterium tumefaciens AKE10 can substitute for the requirement of tobacco tissues for auxin and cytokinin to maintain callus growth in the culture medium. To identify compounds that might be involved in this process we analyzed phenolic metabolites in transgenic tobacco tissues expressing the AK-6b gene. On medium containing both cytokinin and auxin (SH medium), transgenic calli accumulated higher levels of chlorogenic acid, caffeoyl putrescine, rutin and kaempferol-3-rutinoside, than did wild-type tissues. In contrast, the levels of scopolin and its aglycone, scopoletin were lower in transgenic tissues. On hormone-free medium, these phenolic compounds showed neither significant levels nor an apparent relationship with AK-6b transcript levels, except for the negatively correlated levels of scopoletin and AK-6b transcripts. Apparently, the AK-6b gene acts, in SH medium, to redirect the synthesis of scopolin in tobacco tissues towards the preferential synthesis of caffeic acid derivatives and flavonoids.

Resistance of transgenic tobacco seedlings expressing the Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58-6b gene, to growth-inhibitory levels of cytokinin is associated with elevated IAA levels and activation of phenylpropanoid metabolism.

We previously reported that the Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58-6b gene confers resistance to growth-inhibitory levels of exogenously applied N(6)-benzyladenine (BA, cytokinin) in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) seedlings. Here, we found that intracellular levels of indoleacetic acid (IAA, auxin) increased in transgenics but declined in wild-type seedlings upon BA treatment. Since exogenously supplied 1-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), a stable synthetic auxin, counteracted the growth inhibition of wild-type seedlings by BA, we suggest that BA-induced growth inhibition in wild-type seedlings occurs, at least in part, as a result of intracellular IAA deficiency. Further HPLC analysis of cell extracts from BA-treated seedlings revealed that a fluorescent compound, later identified as the phenylpropanoid, scopolin, and the major phenolic compound, chlorogenic acid, accumulated earlier in transgenics than in wild-type seedlings. Gene transcripts encoding phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, cinnamate 4-hydroxylase, and 4-coumarate:CoA ligase, which are responsible for the early steps of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, accumulated earlier and to higher levels in transgenics than in wild-type seedlings as determined by Northern hybridization analysis, thus accounting for the early accumulation of scopolin and chlorogenic acid in transgenics. As some phenolic compounds, including chlorogenic acid and scopoletin (aglycon of scopolin) are suggested to inhibit IAA catabolism, we further propose that C58-6b gene expression protects IAA from degradation by inducing the early phenylpropanoid pathway.