The CCAAT-box transcription factor, NF-Y complex, mediates the specification of the IL1 neurons in C. elegans.

Neuronal differentiation is highly coordinated through a cascade of gene expression, mediated via interactions between transacting transcription factors and cis-regulatory elements of their target genes. However, the mechanisms of transcriptional regulation that determine neuronal cell-fate are not fully understood. Here, we show that the nuclear transcription factor Y (NF-Y) subunit, NFYA-1, is necessary and sufficient to express the flp-3 neuropeptide gene in the IL1 neurons of C. elegans. flp-3 expression is decreased in dorsal and lateral, but not ventral IL1s of nfya-1 mutants. The expression of another terminally differentiated gene, eat-4 vesicular glutamate transporter, is abolished, whereas the unc-8 DEG/ENaC gene and pan-neuronal genes are expressed normally in IL1s of nfya-1 mutants. nfya-1 is expressed in and acts in IL1s to regulate flp-3 and eat-4 expression. Ectopic expression of NFYA-1 drives the expression of flp-3 gene in other cell-types. Promoter analysis of IL1-expressed genes results in the identification of several cisregulatory motifs which are necessary for IL1 expression, including a putative CCAAT-box located in the flp-3 promoter that NFYA-1 directly interacts with. NFYA-1 and NFYA-2, together with NFYB-1 and NFYC-1, exhibit partly or fully redundant roles in the regulation of flp-3 or unc-8 expression, respectively. Taken together, our data indicate that the NF-Y complex regulates neuronal subtype-specification via regulating a set of terminal-differentiation genes. [BMB Reports 2023; 56(3): 153-159].

Antioxidant Contents and Antioxidant Activities of White and Colored Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.).

This study was performed to evaluate and compare the antioxidant substance content and antioxidant activities of white (Superior) and colored (Hongyoung, Jayoung, Jasim, Seohong, and Jaseo) potatoes. The potatoes were extracted with 80% ethanol and were evaluated for the total polyphenol, flavonoid, and anthocyanin contents and for 1,1-diphenyl- 2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)/2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radical scavenging activity, reducing power, and ferrous metal ion chelating effect. The total polyphenol, flavonoid, and anthocyanin contents of Hongyoung and Jayoung were higher than white and other colored potatoes. All colored potato extracts, except for Jaseo and Seohong, showed higher ABTS radical scavenging activities than the general white potato extract. Hongyoung and Jayoung had the highest ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activities. Optical density values for the reducing power of Jayoung and Jaseo at concentration of 2 mg/mL were 0.148 and 0.090, respectively. All colored potato extracts had lower ferrous metal ion chelating effect than the white potato. A significant (P<0.05) positive correlation was observed between total polyphenol content and total flavonoid content (r=0.919), anthocyanin content (r=0.992), and ABTS radical scavenging activity (r=0.897). Based on these results, this research may be useful in developing the Hongyoung and Jayoung cultivars with high antioxidant activities.

Comparison of alveolar ridge preservation methods using three-dimensional micro-computed tomographic analysis and two-dimensional histometric evaluation.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the efficacy of alveolar ridge preservation methods with and without primary wound closure and the relationship between histometric and micro-computed tomographic (CT) data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Porcine hydroxyapatite with polytetrafluoroethylene membrane was implanted into a canine extraction socket. The density of the total mineralized tissue, remaining hydroxyapatite, and new bone was analyzed by histometry and micro-CT. The statistical association between these methods was evaluated. RESULTS: Histometry and micro-CT showed that the group which underwent alveolar preservation without primary wound closure had significantly higher new bone density than the group with primary wound closure (P<0.05). However, there was no significant association between the data from histometry and micro-CT analysis. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that alveolar ridge preservation without primary wound closure enhanced new bone formation more effectively than that with primary wound closure. Further investigation is needed with respect to the comparison of histometry and micro-CT analysis.