Maternal Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Coactivates Transcription through NF-κB Binding Sites during Xenopus Axis Formation

Maternal Wnt/β-Catenin signaling establishes a program of dorsal-specific gene expression required for axial patterning in Xenopus. We previously reported that a subset of dorsally expressed genes depends not only on Wnt/β-Catenin stimulation, but also on a MyD88-dependent Toll-like receptor/IL1-receptor (TLR/IL1-R) signaling pathway. Here we show that these two signal transduction cascades converge in the nucleus to coactivate gene transcription in blastulae through a direct interaction between β-Catenin and NF-κB proteins. A transdominant inhibitor of NF-κB, ΔNIκBα, phenocopies loss of MyD88 protein function, implicating Rel/NF-κB proteins as selective activators of dorsal-specific gene expression. Sensitive axis formation assays in the embryo demonstrate that dorsalization by Wnt/β-Catenin requires NF-κB protein activity, and vice versa. Xenopus nodal-related 3 (Xnr3) is one of the genes with dual β-Catenin/NF-κB input, and a proximal NF-κB consensus site contributes to the regional activity of its promoter. We demonstrate in vitro binding of Xenopus β-Catenin to several XRel proteins. This interaction is observed in vivo upon Wnt-stimulation. Finally, we show that a synthetic luciferase reporter gene responds to both endogenous and exogenous β-Catenin levels in an NF-κB motif dependent manner. These results suggest that β-Catenin acts as a transcriptional co-activator of NF-κB-dependent transcription in frog primary embryonic cells

Report to the President for year ended June 30, 2017, MIT Portugal Program

This report contains the following sections: Program Highlights; Innovation and Entrepreneurship; MISTI Portugal Program; Events and Outreach; Visitors; Building Global Innovators; Measuring Program Impact; Global Visibility and Recognition; Potential Future Progra

Non-targeted analysis strategy for the identification of phenolic compounds in complex technical lignin samples

Lignin is the second most abundant biopolymer in nature and a promising renewable resource for aromatic chemicals. For the understanding of different lignin isolation and conversion processes, the identification of phenolic compounds is of importance. However, due to the vast number of possible chemical transformations, the prediction of produced phenolic structures is challenging, and a non-targeted analysis method is therefore needed. In this study, we present a non-targeted analysis method for the identification of phenolic compounds using ultra-high-performance supercritical fluid chromatography/high-resolution multiple stage tandem mass spectrometry combined with a Kendrick mass defect-based classification model. The method was applied to a Lignoboost Kraft lignin (LKL), a sodium Lignosulphonate lignin (SLS) and a depolymerised Kraft lignin (DKL) sample. In total, 260 tentative phenolic compounds were identified in the LKL sample, 50 in the SLS sample and 77 in the DKL sample

An organic architecture for traffic light controllers

Efficient control of traffic networks is a complex but important task. A successful network management vitally depends on the abilities of the traffic light controllers to adapt to changing traffic situations. In this paper a control architecture for traffic nodes is presented that is inspired by the principles of Organic Computing. It allows a node to quickly adapt to changing traffic situations and enables it to autonomously learn new control strategies if necessary

Conserved Spätzle/Toll signaling in dorsoventral patterning of Xenopus embryos

The Spätzle/Toll signaling pathway controls ventral axis formation in Drosophila by generating a gradient of nuclear Dorsal protein. Dorsal controls the downstream regulators dpp and sog, whose patterning functions are conserved between insects and vertebrates. Although there is no experimental evidence that the upstream events are conserved as well, we set out to ask if a vertebrate embryo can respond to maternal components of the fly Dorsal pathway. Here we demonstrate a dorsalizing activity for the heterologous Easter, Spätzle and Toll proteins in UV-ventralized Xenopus embryos, which is inhibited by a co-injected dominant Cactus variant. We conclude that the Dorsal signaling pathway is a component of the conserved dorsoventral (d/v) patterning system in bilateria