Currently, Kentucky's two native Trifolium species, T. sioloniferum and T. reflexum, are each known from only one locality. Historical records indicate that T. stoloniferum was widespread on moist, fertile soils in the Bluegrass Region, and that T. reflexum occurred on drier or less fertile soils in the fomer Big Barrens Region and the Shawnee Hills. Many old records are from areas with open woodland or grass land disturbed by Indians and buffalo (Bison), and recent records are mostly from roadsides or trails through woods. The decline of these species may be attributed to changes in disturbance and consumer patterns since settlement. In cultivation, T. stoloniferum is a vigorous perennial, easily propagated from stolons, but it requires moist, fertile soil, and is sensitive to competition and herbivory. Trifolium reflexum grows more slowly and is typically biennial. The chromosome number of T. solonife rum, reported here for the first time, is the same as other eastern North American species (2n — 16).

Background: The Y-box binding protein-1 (YB-1) exerts pleiotropic functions in gene transcription and in translation, e.g. of fibrosis-related genes. Recent in vitro findings point to opposite regulatory effects on fibrogenesis by YB-1 that depend on its subcellular localization. YB-1 might even accomplish opposite functions on gene transcription and mRNA translation of the same gene product, e.g. that of type I collagen (Col1A), a major constituent of the extracellular matrix (ECM) [1]. This led us to in vivo investigations that analyze the outcome of half-maximal YB-1 depletion in a model of liver fibrosis (bile duct ligation (BDL)) and compared the results to renal fibrosis, investigated by unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Additionally, the impact of BDL on kidney damage was assessed.

An individually darkened leaf model was used to study protein changes in the Arabidopsis mutant stay-green1 (sgr1) to partially mimic the process of leaf covering senescence that occurs naturally in the shaded rosettes of Arabidopsis plants. Utilizing this controlled and predictable induced senescence model has allowed the direct comparison of sgr1 with Col-0 during the developmental period preceding the retention of chlorophyll and light harvesting complex II (LHCII) in sgr1 and the induction of senescence in Col-0. Quantitative proteomic analysis of soluble leaf proteins from sgr1 and Col-0 before the initiation of senescence has revealed a range of differences in plastid soluble protein abundance in sgr1 when compared to Col-0. Changes were also observed in membrane located machinery for photosystem II (PSII), in Calvin cycle components, proteins involved in redox control of the stromal compartment and ammonia assimilation that differentiated sgr1 during the early stages of the senescence process. The changes in PSII abundance were accompanied with a lower capacity of photosynthetic CO(2) assimilation in sgr1 than Col-0 after return of plants to lighted conditions following 3 and 5 days of darkness. A light-harvesting chlorophyll-a/b binding protein (LHCB2) was retained during the later stages of senescence in sgr1 but this was accompanied by an enhanced loss of oxygen evolving complex (OEC) subunits from PSII, which was confirmed by Western blotting, and an enhanced stability of PSII repair proteins in sgr1, compared to Col-0. Together these data provide insights into the significant differences in the steady-state proteome in sgr1 and its response to senescence, showing this cosmetic stay-green mutant is in fact significantly different to wild-type plants both before and during leaf senescence.

A human line of spontaneously immortalized keratinocytes (SIK cells) has been derived from ostensibly normal epidermis and has proven useful in dissecting molecular changes associated with immortalization. The original cultures had a normal karyotype and a colony forming efficiency of approximately 3% through 10 passages. At passage 15, after which normal strains ordinarily senesce, these cells continued vigorous growth and gradually increased in colony forming efficiency, stabilizing at approximately 30% by passage 40. During the early stage of increasing colony forming efficiency, the cells acquired a single i(6p) chromosomal aberration and 5- to 10-fold increases in expression of the cell-cycle control proteins cyclin A, cyclin B, and p34cdc2. Additional chromosomal aberrations accumulated at later passages (i(8q) and +7), but the i(6p) and the increased expression of cell-cycle proteins were maintained, raising the possibility that these features were important for immortalization. Regulation of cell growth and differentiation in the cultures appeared minimally altered compared with normal keratinocytes as judged by their microscopic appearance and generation of abortive colonies, sensitivity to growth suppression by transforming growth factor-beta and tetradecanoylphorbol acetate, and dependence upon epidermal growth factor for progressive growth.

Recently, the need for more standardized operation procedures in experimental liver fibrosis research was suggested due to dramatic changes in European animal welfare rules. Here, we present a short series of standard operation procedures (SOPs) summarizing the most relevant and widely accepted experimental models for the induction of liver injury leading to liver fibrosis. The described procedures are based on the long-term experience of the Collaborative Research Centre 'Organ Fibrosis: From Mechanisms of Injury to Modulation of Disease' (http://www.sfbtrr57.rwth-aachen.de/), which is supported by the German Research Foundation (SFB/TRR57). These SOPs will help to improve standardization of fibrosis models and to increase the comparability of data between different laboratories with the aim of reducing animal experimentation according to the principle that was proposed in 1959 by Russell and Burch as an ethical framework for conducting scientific experiments with animals, namely the replacement, refinement and reduction (3R) principle. In the first section we focus on the carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) model in mice, which is the toxic model of liver fibrosis induction most commonly used worldwide.

Peroxisomes play key roles in energy metabolism, cell signaling, and plant development. A better understanding of these important functions will be achieved with a more complete definition of the peroxisome proteome. The isolation of peroxisomes and their separation from mitochondria and other major membrane systems have been significant challenges in the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) model system. In this study, we present new data on the Arabidopsis peroxisome proteome obtained using two new technical advances that have not previously been applied to studies of plant peroxisomes. First, we followed density gradient centrifugation with free-flow electrophoresis to improve the separation of peroxisomes from mitochondria. Second, we used quantitative proteomics to identify proteins enriched in the peroxisome fractions relative to mitochondrial fractions. We provide evidence for peroxisomal localization of 89 proteins, 36 of which have not previously been identified in other analyses of Arabidopsis peroxisomes. Chimeric green fluorescent protein constructs of 35 proteins have been used to confirm their localization in peroxisomes or to identify endoplasmic reticulum contaminants. The distribution of many of these peroxisomal proteins between soluble, membrane-associated, and integral membrane locations has also been determined. This core peroxisomal proteome from nonphotosynthetic cultured cells contains a proportion of proteins that cannot be predicted to be peroxisomal due to the lack of recognizable peroxisomal targeting sequence 1 (PTS1) or PTS2 signals. Proteins identified are likely to be components in peroxisome biogenesis, beta-oxidation for fatty acid degradation and hormone biosynthesis, photorespiration, and metabolite transport. A considerable number of the proteins found in peroxisomes have no known function, and potential roles of these proteins in peroxisomal metabolism are discussed. This is aided by a metabolic network analysis that reveals a tight integration of functions and highlights specific metabolite nodes that most probably represent entry and exit metabolites that could require transport across the peroxisomal membrane.