In vertebrates, each vertebra along the anteroposterior axis has a characteristic structure. It has recently been shown that several transcription factors and cell signaling molecules expressed in the primitive streak ectoderm and/or the tailbud play essential roles in establishing the correct anteroposterior specification of vertebrae during mouse development. Here, we report that Wnt-3a mutan...

In this study, [2-(2-morpholin-4-ylethoxy)ethoxy] group substituted zinc(ii), manganese(iii) and copper(ii) phthalocyanines 2-4 and their water soluble derivatives 2a, 3a and 4a were synthesized and the interactions of compounds 2a, 3a and 4a with CT-DNA and supercoiled pBR322 plasmid DNA were investigated. The results of binding experiments showed that these compounds were able to interact wit...

Vaccine development for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) has mainly focused on the spike (S) protein. However, the variation of the S gene between viruses may affect the efficacy of a vaccine, particularly for cross-protection against SARS-like CoV (SL-CoV). Recently, a more conserved group-specific open reading frame (ORF), the 3a gene, was found in both SARS-CoV and SL...

Rat Y' bile acid binders (33 kD) have been previously recognized as cytosolic bile acid binding proteins (Sugiyama, Y., T. Yamada, and N. Kaplowitz, 1983, J. Biol. Chem., 258:3602-3607). We have now determined that these Y' binders are 3a-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (3a-HSD), bile acid-metabolizing enzymes. 3aHSD activity copurified with lithocholic acid-binding activity after sequential gel ...

This article presents a complete and detailed study of synthesis, structural characterization, and possible applications of a new family of azanaphthoquinones as antimicrobial agents. A series of (alkoxy)phenylamino-chloro-2-methylquinoline-5,8-dione derivatives (3a-j, 3a', 3e') was prepared by regioselective nucleophilic substitution of 6,7-dichloro-2-methylquinoline-5,8-dione (1) with (alkoxy...

Cytoplasmic actins are abundant, ubiquitous proteins in nucleated cells. However, actin expression is regulated in a tissue- and development-specific manner. We identified a novel cytoplasmic-γ-actin (Actg1) transcript that includes a previously unidentified exon (3a). Inclusion of this exon introduces an in-frame termination codon. We hypothesized this alternatively-spliced transcript down-reg...

Two genes that hybridize to the cDNA for alcoholinducible cytochrome P-450 form 3a (P-450ALC 1 have been isolated from a rabbit genomic library and characterized by restriction mapping, hybridization, and partial sequence analysis. The genes show extensive sequence similarity as judged by hybridization at high stringency to the coding region of P-450 3a cDNA. However , only gene 1 hybridizes un...

Secreted semaphorins are a large group of extracellular proteins involved in a variety of processes during development, including neuronal migration and axon guidance. We screened a peptoid combinatorial library to search for semaphorin 3A inhibitors, and identified a peptoid (SICHI: semaphorin Induced chemorepulsion inhibitor) that blocks semaphorin 3A-chemorepulsion and growth-cone collapse i...

Whether progesterone (P ) and its metabolite, 5a-pregnan-3a-ol-20-one (3a,5a-THP) have anti-seizure effects through actions in the 4 pontine reticular formation (PRF) was investigated. Concentrations of P and 3a,5a-THP in the PRF were greater in proestrous and 4 hormone-primed rats, that are typically more resistant to seizure-induction, than diestrous and males rats. Ovx, Long-Evans rats with ...