“The Good into the Pot, the Bad into the Crop!”—A New Technology to Free Stem Cells from Feeder Cells

A variety of embryonic and adult stem cell lines require an intial co-culturing with feeder cells for non-differentiated growth, self renewal and maintenance of pluripotency. However for many downstream ES cell applications the feeder cells have to be considered contaminations that might interfere not just with the analysis of experimental data but also with clinical application and tissue engineering approaches. Here we introduce a novel technique that allows for the selection of pure feeder-freed stem cells, following stem cell proliferation on feeder cell layers. Complete and reproducible separation of feeder and embryonic stem cells was accomplished by adaptation of an automated cell selection system that resulted in the aspiration of distinct cell colonies or fraction of colonies according to predefined physical parameters. Analyzing neuronal differentiation we demonstrated feeder-freed stem cells to exhibit differentiation potentials comparable to embryonic stem cells differentiated under standard conditions. However, embryoid body growth as well as differentiation of stem cells into cardiomyocytes was significantly enhanced in feeder-freed cells, indicating a feeder cell dependent modulation of lineage differentiation during early embryoid body development. These findings underline the necessity to separate stem and feeder cells before the initiation of in vitro differentiation. The complete separation of stem and feeder cells by this new technology results in pure stem cell populations for translational approaches. Furthermore, a more detailed analysis of the effect of feeder cells on stem cell differentiation is now possible, that might facilitate the identification and development of new optimized human or genetically modified feeder cell lines

Reconstitution and subunit geometry of human condensin complexes

Vertebrate cells possess two different condensin complexes, known as condensin I and condensin II, that play a fundamental role in chromosome assembly and segregation during mitosis. Each complex contains a pair of structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) ATPases, a kleisin subunit and two HEAT-repeat subunits. Here we use recombinant human condensin subunits to determine their geometry within each complex. We show that both condensin I and condensin II have a pseudo-symmetrical structure, in which the N-terminal half of kleisin links the first HEAT subunit to SMC2, whereas its C-terminal half links the second HEAT subunit to SMC4. No direct interactions are detectable between the SMC dimer and the HEAT subunits, indicating that the kleisin subunit acts as the linchpin in holocomplex assembly. ATP has little, if any, effects on the assembly and integrity of condensin. Cleavage pattern of SMC2 by limited proteolysis is changed upon its binding to ATP or DNA. Our results shed new light on the architecture and dynamics of this highly elaborate machinery designed for chromosome assembly

Association of condensin with chromosomes depends on DNA binding by its HEAT-repeat subunits

Condensin complexes have central roles in the three-dimensional organization of chromosomes during cell divisions, but how they interact with chromatin to promote chromosome segregation is largely unknown. Previous work has suggested that condensin, in addition to encircling chromatin fibers topologically within the ring-shaped structure formed by its SMC and kleisin subunits, contacts DNA directly. Here we describe the discovery of a binding domain for double-stranded DNA formed by the two HEAT-repeat subunits of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae condensin complex. From detailed mapping data of the interfaces between the HEAT-repeat and kleisin subunits, we generated condensin complexes that lack one of the HEAT-repeat subunits and consequently fail to associate with chromosomes in yeast and human cells. The finding that DNA binding by condensin's HEAT-repeat subunits stimulates the SMC ATPase activity suggests a multistep mechanism for the loading of condensin onto chromosomes

Youth sport programs : an avenue to foster positive youth development

Concern about the growth in adolescent problem behaviours (e.g. delinquency, drug use) has led to increased interest in positive youth development, and a surge in funding for 'after school programs.' We evaluate the potential of youth sport programs to foster positive development, while decreasing the risk of problem behaviours. Literature on the positive and negative outcomes of youth sport is presented. We propose that youth sport programs actively work to assure positive outcomes through developmentally appropriate designs and supportive child-adult (parent/coach) relationships. We also highlight the importance of sport programs built on developmental assets (Benson, 1997) and appropriate setting features (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2002) in bringing about the five 'C's of positive development (competence, confidence, character, connections, and compassion/caring: Lerner et al., 2000). An applied sport-programming model, which highlights the important roles of policy-makers, sport organizations, coaches and parents in fostering positive youth development is presented as a starting point for further applied and theoretical research