Expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) defines the phenotype of activated (myofibroblastic) hepatic stellate cells. These cells, but not quiescent stellate cells, have a high level of alpha-SMA and c-Myb expression, as well as increased c-Myb-binding activities to the proximal alpha-SMA E box. Therefore, we analyzed the role of c-Myb in alpha-SMA transcription and stellate cell act...

To determine the effects of hammerhead ribozymes against hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA on viral protein translation, a luciferase reporter gene vector, pCMV/T7-NCRCdelta-luc, was constructed containing the 5'-noncoding region (5'-NCR) and part of the core region of HCV. Four ribozymes, Rz1-Rz4, were designed to cleave at nucleotide positions 136-160, 313-337, 496-520, and 373-388, respectively. E...

Auxin rapidly induces auxin/indoleacetic acid (Aux/IAA) transcription. The proteins encoded are short-lived nucleus-localized transcriptional regulators that share four conserved domains. In a transient assay measuring protein accumulation, an Aux/IAA 13-amino acid domain II consensus sequence was sufficient to target firefly luciferase (LUC) for low protein accumulation equivalent to that obse...

Bioluminescence reporter proteins have been widely used in the development of tools for monitoring biological events in living cells. Currently, some assays like flow cytometry analysis are available for studying DNA synthetic phase (S-phase) targeted anti-cancer drug activity in vitro; however, techniques for imaging of in vivo models remain limited. Cyclin A2 is known to promote S-phase entry...

Gene expression is a fundamental cellular process and expression dynamics are of great interest in life science. We succeeded in monitoring cellular gene expression in a duckweed plant, Lemna gibba, using bioluminescent reporters. Using particle bombardment, epidermal and mesophyll cells were transfected with the luciferase gene (luc+) under the control of a constitutive [Cauliflower mosaic vir...

It was recently proposed that UDP-galactose:ceramide galactosyltransferase (UGT8), enzyme responsible for synthesis of galactosylceramide (GalCer), is a significant index of tumor aggressiveness and a potential marker for the prognostic evaluation of lung metastases in breast cancer. To further reveal the role of UGT8 and GalCer in breast cancer progression, tumorigenicity and metastatic potent...

Proper plant growth and development strongly rely on the plant's ability to respond dynamically to signals and cues from the intra- and extracellular environment. Whereas many of these responses require specific changes at the level of gene expression, in recent years it has become increasingly clear that many plant responses are at least in part also controlled at the level of protein turnover...

Fluctuations in circulating estrogen and progesterone levels associated with the estrous cycle alter circadian rhythms of physiology and behavior in female rodents. Endogenously applied estrogen shortens the period of the locomotor activity rhythm in rodents. We recently found that estrogen implants affect Period (Per) gene expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN; central clock) and uter...