Dimerization of HIV-1 protease occurs through two steps relating to the mechanism of protease dimerization inhibition by darunavir.

Dimerization of HIV-1 protease (PR) subunits is an essential process for PR's acquisition of proteolytic activity, which plays a critical role in the maturation of HIV-1. Recombinant wild-type PR (PR(WT)) proved to dimerize, as examined with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry; however, two active site interface PR mutants (PR(T26A) and PR(R87K)) remained monomeric. On the other hand, two termini interface PR mutants (PR(1-C95A) and PR(97/99)) took both monomeric and dimeric forms. Differential scanning fluorimetry indicated that PR(1-C95A) and PR(97/99) dimers were substantially less stable than PR(WT) dimers. These data indicate that intermolecular interactions of two monomers occur first at the active site interface, generating unstable or transient dimers, and interactions at the termini interface subsequently occur, generating stable dimers. Darunavir (DRV), an HIV-1 protease inhibitor, inhibits not only proteolytic activity but also PR dimerization. DRV bound to protease monomers in a one-to-one molar ratio, inhibiting the first step of PR dimerization, whereas conventional protease inhibitors (such as saquinavir) that inhibit enzymatic activity but not dimerization failed to bind to monomers. DRV also bound to mutant PRs containing the transframe region-added PR (TFR-PR(D25N) and TFR-PR(D25N-7AA)), whereas saquinavir did not bind to TFR-PR(D25N) or TFR-PR(D25N-7AA). Notably, DRV failed to bind to mutant PR containing four amino acid substitutions (V32I, L33F, I54M, and I84V) that confer resistance to DRV on HIV-1. To our knowledge, the present report represents the first demonstration of the two-step PR dimerization dynamics and the mechanism of dimerization inhibition by DRV, which should help design further, more potent novel PIs.

Tools and databases of the KOMICS web portal for preprocessing, mining, and dissemination of metabolomics data.

A metabolome--the collection of comprehensive quantitative data on metabolites in an organism--has been increasingly utilized for applications such as data-intensive systems biology, disease diagnostics, biomarker discovery, and assessment of food quality. A considerable number of tools and databases have been developed to date for the analysis of data generated by various combinations of chromatography and mass spectrometry. We report here a web portal named KOMICS (The Kazusa Metabolomics Portal), where the tools and databases that we developed are available for free to academic users. KOMICS includes the tools and databases for preprocessing, mining, visualization, and publication of metabolomics data. Improvements in the annotation of unknown metabolites and dissemination of comprehensive metabolomic data are the primary aims behind the development of this portal. For this purpose, PowerGet and FragmentAlign include a manual curation function for the results of metabolite feature alignments. A metadata-specific wiki-based database, Metabolonote, functions as a hub of web resources related to the submitters' work. This feature is expected to increase citation of the submitters' work, thereby promoting data publication. As an example of the practical use of KOMICS, a workflow for a study on Jatropha curcas is presented. The tools and databases available at KOMICS should contribute to enhanced production, interpretation, and utilization of metabolomic Big Data.

Integrated analysis of the effects of cold and dehydration on rice metabolites, phytohormones, and gene transcripts.

Correlations between gene expression and metabolite/phytohormone levels under abiotic stress conditions have been reported for Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). However, little is known about these correlations in rice (Oryza sativa 'Nipponbare'), despite its importance as a model monocot. We performed an integrated analysis to clarify the relationships among cold- and dehydration-responsive metabolites, phytohormones, and gene transcription in rice. An integrated analysis of metabolites and gene expression indicated that several genes encoding enzymes involved in starch degradation, sucrose metabolism, and the glyoxylate cycle are up-regulated in rice plants exposed to cold or dehydration and that these changes are correlated with the accumulation of glucose (Glc), fructose, and sucrose. In particular, high expression levels of genes encoding isocitrate lyase and malate synthase in the glyoxylate cycle correlate with increased Glc levels in rice, but not in Arabidopsis, under dehydration conditions, indicating that the regulation of the glyoxylate cycle may be involved in Glc accumulation under dehydration conditions in rice but not Arabidopsis. An integrated analysis of phytohormones and gene transcripts revealed an inverse relationship between abscisic acid (ABA) signaling and cytokinin (CK) signaling under cold and dehydration stresses; these stresses increase ABA signaling and decrease CK signaling. High levels of Oryza sativa 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase transcripts correlate with ABA accumulation, and low levels of Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 735A transcripts correlate with decreased levels of a CK precursor in rice. This reduced expression of CYP735As occurs in rice but not Arabidopsis. Therefore, transcriptional regulation of CYP735As might be involved in regulating CK levels under cold and dehydration conditions in rice but not Arabidopsis.

The choline oxidase gene codA confers salt tolerance to transgenic Eucalyptus globulus in a semi-confined condition.

The performance of tree species is influenced by environmental factors and growth stages. To evaluate the practical performance of transgenic tree species, it is insufficient to grow small, young trees under controlled conditions, such as in a growth chamber. Three transgenic Eucalyptus globulus lines, carrying the choline oxidase gene, were investigated for their salt tolerance and expression of the transgene at the young plantlet stage in a special netted-house. To clarify the characteristics at the young as well during the later stages, salt tolerance and the properties of the transgenic lines at large juvenile and adult stages were evaluated in the special netted-house. All transgenic lines showed high glycinebetaine content, particularly in young leaves. Trees of the transgenic line 107-1 showed low damage because of salinity stress based on the results from the chlorophyll analysis and malondialdehyde content, and they survived the high-salt-shock treatment at the large juvenile and adult stages. Only this line showed salt tolerance at all stages in the special netted-house. In this evaluation in the special netted-house, the tolerant line among young plantlets might perform better at all stages. Since evaluation in these special netted-house mimics field evaluation, line 107-1 is a potential tolerant line.

Novel plant immune-priming compounds identified via high-throughput chemical screening target salicylic acid glucosyltransferases in Arabidopsis.

Plant activators are compounds, such as analogs of the defense hormone salicylic acid (SA), that protect plants from pathogens by activating the plant immune system. Although some plant activators have been widely used in agriculture, the molecular mechanisms of immune induction are largely unknown. Using a newly established high-throughput screening procedure that screens for compounds that specifically potentiate pathogen-activated cell death in Arabidopsis thaliana cultured suspension cells, we identified five compounds that prime the immune response. These compounds enhanced disease resistance against pathogenic Pseudomonas bacteria in Arabidopsis plants. Pretreatments increased the accumulation of endogenous SA, but reduced its metabolite, SA-O-ß-d-glucoside. Inducing compounds inhibited two SA glucosyltransferases (SAGTs) in vitro. Double knockout plants that lack both SAGTs consistently exhibited enhanced disease resistance. Our results demonstrate that manipulation of the active free SA pool via SA-inactivating enzymes can be a useful strategy for fortifying plant disease resistance and may identify useful crop protectants.

High-throughput cryopreservation of plant cell cultures for functional genomics.

Suspension-cultured cell lines from plant species are useful for genetic engineering. However, maintenance of these lines is laborious, involves routine subculturing and hampers wider use of transgenic lines, especially when many lines are required for a high-throughput functional genomics application. Cryopreservation of these lines may reduce the need for subculturing. Here, we established a simple protocol for cryopreservation of cell lines from five commonly used plant species, Arabidopsis thaliana, Daucus carota, Lotus japonicus, Nicotiana tabacum and Oryza sativa. The LSP solution (2 M glycerol, 0.4 M sucrose and 86.9 mM proline) protected cells from damage during freezing and was only mildly toxic to cells kept at room temperature for at least 2 h. More than 100 samples were processed for freezing simultaneously. Initially, we determined the conditions for cryopreservation using a programmable freezer; we then developed a modified simple protocol that did not require a programmable freezer. In the simple protocol, a thick expanded polystyrene (EPS) container containing the vials with the cell-LSP solution mixtures was kept at -30 °C for 6 h to cool the cells slowly (pre-freezing); samples from the EPS containers were then plunged into liquid nitrogen before long-term storage. Transgenic Arabidopsis cells were subjected to cryopreservation, thawed and then re-grown in culture; transcriptome and metabolome analyses indicated that there was no significant difference in gene expression or metabolism between cryopreserved cells and control cells. The simplicity of the protocol will accelerate the pace of research in functional plant genomics.

Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Eucalyptus globulus using explants with shoot apex with introduction of bacterial choline oxidase gene to enhance salt tolerance.

Eucalyptus globulus is one of the most economically important plantation hardwoods for paper making. However, its low transformation frequency has prevented genetic engineering of this species with useful genes. We found the hypocotyl section with a shoot apex has the highest regeneration ability among another hypocotyl sections, and have developed an efficient Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method using these materials. We then introduced a salt tolerance gene, namely a bacterial choline oxidase gene (codA) with a GUS reporter gene, into E. globulus. The highest frequency of transgenic shoot regeneration from hypocotyls with shoot apex was 7.4% and the average frequency in four experiments was 4.0%, 12-fold higher than that from hypocotyls without shoot apex. Using about 10,000 explants, over 250 regenerated buds were confirmed as transformants by GUS analysis. Southern blot analysis of 100 elongated shoots confirmed successful generation of stable transformants. Accumulation of glycinebetaine was investigated in 44 selected transgenic lines, which showed 1- to 12-fold higher glycinebetaine levels than non-transgenic controls. Rooting of 16 transgenic lines was successful using a photoautotrophic method under enrichment with 1,000 ppm CO(2). The transgenic whole plantlets were transplanted into potting soil and grown normally in a growth room. They showed salt tolerance to 300 mM NaCl. The points of our system are using explants with shoot apex as materials, inhibiting the elongation of the apex on the selection medium, and regenerating transgenic buds from the side opposite to the apex. This approach may also solve transformation problems in other important plants.

Metabolic pathways involved in cold acclimation identified by integrated analysis of metabolites and transcripts regulated by DREB1A and DREB2A.

DREB1A/CBF3 and DREB2A are transcription factors that specifically interact with a cis-acting dehydration-responsive element (DRE), which is involved in cold- and dehydration-responsive gene expression in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Overexpression of DREB1A improves stress tolerance to both freezing and dehydration in transgenic plants. In contrast, overexpression of an active form of DREB2A results in significant stress tolerance to dehydration but only slight tolerance to freezing in transgenic plants. The downstream gene products for DREB1A and DREB2A are reported to have similar putative functions, but downstream genes encoding enzymes for carbohydrate metabolism are very different between DREB1A and DREB2A. We demonstrate that under cold and dehydration conditions, the expression of many genes encoding starch-degrading enzymes, sucrose metabolism enzymes, and sugar alcohol synthases changes dynamically; consequently, many kinds of monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and sugar alcohols accumulate in Arabidopsis. We also show that DREB1A overexpression can cause almost the same changes in these metabolic processes and that these changes seem to improve freezing and dehydration stress tolerance in transgenic plants. In contrast, DREB2A overexpression did not increase the level of any of these metabolites in transgenic plants. Strong freezing stress tolerance of the transgenic plants overexpressing DREB1A may depend on accumulation of these metabolites.

Characterization of the ABA-regulated global responses to dehydration in Arabidopsis by metabolomics.

Drought is the major environmental threat to agricultural production and distribution worldwide. Adaptation by plants to dehydration stress is a complex biological process that involves global changes in gene expression and metabolite composition. Here, using one type of functional genomics analysis, metabolomics, we characterized the metabolic phenotypes of Arabidopsis wild-type and a knockout mutant of the NCED3 gene (nc3-2) under dehydration stress. NCED3 plays a role in the dehydration-inducible biosynthesis of abscisic acid (ABA), a phytohormone that is important in the dehydration-stress response in higher plants. Metabolite profiling performed using two types of mass spectrometry (MS) systems, gas chromatography/time-of-flight MS (GC/TOF-MS) and capillary electrophoresis MS (CE-MS), revealed that accumulation of amino acids depended on ABA production, but the level of the oligosaccharide raffinose was regulated by ABA independently under dehydration stress. Metabolic network analysis showed that global metabolite-metabolite correlations occurred in dehydration-increased amino acids in wild-type, and strong correlations with raffinose were reconstructed in nc3-2. An integrated metabolome and transcriptome analysis revealed ABA-dependent transcriptional regulation of the biosynthesis of the branched-chain amino acids, saccharopine, proline and polyamine. This metabolomics analysis revealed new molecular mechanisms of dynamic metabolic networks in response to dehydration stress.

FK506 aerosol locally inhibits antigen-induced airway inflammation in Guinea pigs.

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic airway inflammation is a common pathological feature of asthma. It has been shown that FK506 given systemically suppresses antigen-induced airway inflammation in animal models. However, it is unknown whether inhaled FK506 can suppress the airway allergic inflammation/immune response and whether it acts locally or systemically. METHODS: We tested the effects of oral FK506 and inhaled FK506 on antigen-induced airway inflammation in guinea pigs. The tissue and blood concentrations of FK506 given via both routes were compared. The effect of inhaled FK506 on the expression of cytokine mRNA in lung and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cells was also tested. RESULTS: Both routes of administration of FK506 suppressed the airway eosinophilia in egg albumin (EA)-sensitized and -challenged animals. The effect of three inhaled puffs was almost equal to that of 1 mg/kg administered by the oral route. Following inhalation of three puffs, FK506 concentration in blood (AUC(0-24 h)) was approximately 1/21 of that following oral FK506 (1 mg/kg). After EA challenge, mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-5, eotaxin and IL-1beta in BALF cells and IL-5 in the lung increased significantly. FK506 aerosol markedly inhibited IL-5 mRNA expression in the lung. In situ hybridization indicated that in the BALF IL-5 mRNA expression by lymphocyte-like cells was inhibited by FK506 aerosol. In addition, anti-IL-5 antibody injected intratracheally almost completely abolished eosinophilia in this model. CONCLUSION: Inhaled FK506 can suppress airway inflammation in guinea pigs, where the local action, presumably the inhibition of T-cell activation/function in the lung and airways, was primarily important.