Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and natural killer cells secrete granzymes to kill infected or transformed cells. The mannose 6-phosphate receptor (Mpr) 300 on target cells has been reported to function as receptor for secreted granzyme B. Using lymphoblasts and mouse embryonal fibroblast lines from Mpr300 and Mpr46 knockout mice, we show here that both receptors are not essential for CTL-induced...

1 Department of Animal Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1737, Funako, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0034, Japan, 2 Gene Research Center, Gunma University, 3-39-22, Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan, 3 Division of Human Genetics, Department of Integrated Genetics, National Institute of Genetics, 1,111, Yata, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan, and 4 Department of BioScience, Tokyo Univ...

Here, we demonstrate that the BMP receptor Wishful Thinking (Wit) is required for synapse stabilization. In the absence of BMP signaling, synapse disassembly and retraction ensue. Remarkably, downstream Smad-mediated signaling cannot fully account for the stabilizing activity of the BMP receptor. We identify LIM Kinase1 (DLIMK1)-dependent signaling as a second, parallel pathway that confers the...

Signal peptides direct mature peptides to their appropriate cellular location, after which they are cleaved off. Very many random alternatives can serve the same function. Of all coding sequences, therefore, signal peptides might come closest to being neutrally evolving. Here we consider this issue by examining the molecular evolution of 76 mouse-rat orthologues, each with defined signal peptid...

Studies of structure-activity relationships and molecular mechanisms of action are fundamental to our understanding of the harmful effects of chemicals on the environment and their more direct effects on human health. It is important to identify factors that determine toxicological effects of foreign chemicals in biological systems and to assess our knowledge about chemical mechanisms of toxici...

Mice with uniparental partial or complete disomies for any one of 11 identified chromosomes show abnormal phenotypes. The abnormalities, or imprinting effects, can be attributable to an incorrect dosage of maternal or paternal copies of imprinted gene(s) located within the regions involved. Here we show that combinations of partial disomies may result in interactions between imprinting effects ...

Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for the most severe form of malaria disease in humans, causing more than 1 million deaths each year. As an obligate intracellular parasite, P. falciparum's ability to invade erythrocytes is essential for its survival within the human host. P. falciparum invades erythrocytes using multiple host receptor-parasite ligand interactions known as invasion pathways....

The effect of brefeldin A (BFA) on the trafficking of the mannose 6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor II receptor within the endocytic route was analyzed. Treatment with BFA induced a redistribution of the receptor to the cell surface and increased both the binding and internalization of ligands 2-4-fold. The effect of BFA was dose- and time-dependent and reversible. Determinations of transp...

class Closure { abstract Object apply(Object arg); Object apply2(Object arg1, Object arg2) { return ((Closure)(apply(arg1))).apply(arg2); } } abstract class Closure2 extends Closure { Object apply(Object arg) { return new PartialApplication(this, arg); } abstract Object apply2(Object arg1, Object arg2); } class PartialApplication extends Closure { Closure2 fn; Object arg1;