We expanded the mechanistic capability of small RNAs by creating an entirely synthetic mode of regulation: small transcription activating RNAs (STARs). Using two strategies, we engineered synthetic STAR regulators to disrupt the formation of an intrinsic transcription terminator placed upstream of a gene in Escherichia coli. This resulted in a group of four highly orthogonal STARs that had up t...

Dynamic changes in steroidogenesis occur in ovarian granulosa cells during ovulation after the LH surge. The ovulatory LH surge induces rapid up-regulation of steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein and rapid down-regulation of aromatase (Cyp19a1) in granulosa cells undergoing luteinization during ovulation. These rapid changes in StAR and Cyp19a1 gene expression after the LH surge effici...

We have carried out a series of small scale collisional N-body calculations of single-mass star clusters to investigate the dependence of the lifetime of star clusters on their initial parameters. Our models move through an external galaxy potential with a logarithmic density profile and they are limited by a cut-off radius. In order to find scaling relations between the lifetime of star cluste...

Congenial lipoid adrenal hyperplasia (CLAH) is the most severe form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. It is characterized by impaired synthesis of all the adrenal steroids including mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, and sex steroids (1). Affected individuals are phenotypically female and have severe salt wasting. This disease is especially frequent in the Japanese population (1, 2). The cau...

Marine saponins are naturally glycosides compounds which possess important biomedical properties such as anti-cancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Nevertheless, no systematic studies on the anti-inflammatory potential of brittle star saponin and its underlying mechanisms have been reported. In this study, Ophiocoma erinaceus extracted saponin was investigated for its in vitro anti-inflamm...

STAR (signal transduction and activation of RNA) proteins are a family of RNA-binding proteins that regulate post-transcriptional gene regulation events at various levels, such as pre-mRNA alternative splicing, RNA export, translation and stability. Most of these proteins are regulated by signalling pathways through post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation and arginine methylat...

Congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia (CLAH) is the most severe form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia that caused by mutations in the steroidogenic acute regulatory protien (StAR). The mutations in StAR gene resulted in failure of the transport cholesterol into mitochondria for steroidogenesis in adrenal gland. Twin sisters (A, B) were born on 36 gestational week premature to nonrelated parent...

Congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia (CLAH) is the most severe form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia which is caused by mutations in the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR). The mutations in StAR gene resulted in failure of the transport cholesterol into mitochondria for steroidogenesis in the adrenal gland. Twin sisters (A, B) with normal 46, XX were born at 36+2 gestational week, ...