Abstract:
We prepared a transgene comprising human HB-EGF precursor cDNA, as a diphtheria toxin receptor gene, at the downstream of an insulin promoter, and introduced this transgene into a mouse fertilized egg, to produce a transgenic mouse of the present invention. In this mouse, human HB-EGF precursors are expressed specifically in islet beta cells, and by injection of diphtheria toxin, islet beta cells are selectively destroyed, resulting in that the mouse shows diabetes two or three days after the injection. This mouse can be utilized in screening and development of new medicines and therapy protocols for diabetes.
Abstract:
An object of the present invention is to provide a transformed plant which has high photosynthesis activity, and has promoted growth and productivity as compared with a wild strain, and has no fear of diffusion of an introduced gene by pollens, by expressing a trait of a specified gene by chloroplast technology in a higher plant. According to the present invention, there is provided a transformed plant using a gene recombinant vector having an expression cassette for enhancing photosynthesis activity, containing a DNA fragment comprising a gene encoding a protein having fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase sedoheptulose-1,7-bisphosphatase activities between a nucleotide sequence complementary to the chloroplast gene rbcL and the chloroplast gene aacD.
Abstract:
An isolated expression enhancer active in a plant, portion of a plant or plant cell, the expression enhancer is provided. The isolated expression enhancer may be selected from the group consisting of nbEPI42 (SEQ ID NO:1); nbSNS46 (SEQ ID NO:2); nbCSY65 (SEQ ID NO:3); nbHEL40 (SEQ ID NO:4); and nbSEP44 (SEQ ID NO:5). Methods for using the isolated expression enhancer are also provided.
Abstract:
An image generating apparatus for generating an output image based on an input panorama image, includes a parameter input unit inputting an output range parameter and a correction parameter, the output range parameter designating an output range in the panorama image, the correction parameter designating a correction part to be corrected in the output image; and an image correction unit correcting the correction part designated by the correction parameter in the output image. Further, the image correction unit calculates a similarity between the correction part and peripheral pixels and corrects the correction part based on the similarity and the peripheral pixels, and the output image is generated from the output range of the panorama image and is the panorama image corrected by the correction.
Abstract:
A method of modifying a target region in a host DNA using a donor DNA: wherein the donor DNA having regions homologous to a 5'-side region outside of the target region in the host DNA, a 3'-side region outside of the target region in the host DNA and a first homologous recombination region inside of the target region in the host DNA, respectively, in this order, and further having a first selectable marker gene, an expression-inducing promoter and a second selectable marker gene expressed under the control of the expression-inducing promoter between the region homologous to the 3'-side region and the region homologous to the first homologous recombination region; which method has the steps of: a first step of performing homologous recombination between the donor DNA and the host DNA at the regions of the 5'-side region and the first homologous recombination region, to conduct selection of a host integrated with the donor DNA based on expression of the first selectable marker gene; and a second step of performing homologous recombination, within the host DNA integrated with the donor DNA by the first step, between two regions of the 3'-side region derived from the host DNA and the 3'-side region derived from the donor DNA, to conduct selection of a host whose target region is modified based on expression of the second selectable marker gene under an expression-inducing condition for the expression-inducing promoter: and a selectable marker cassette for use in the method.
Abstract:
Four genes, A622, NBBl, PMT, and QPT, can be influenced for increasing nicotinic alkaloid levels in Nicotiana plants, as well as for synthesizing nicotinic alkaloids in non-nicotine producing plants and cells. In particular, overexpressing one or more of A622, NBBl, PMT, and QPT may be used to increase nicotine and nicotinic alkaloid levels in tobacco plants. Non-nicotine producing cells can be engineered to produce nicotine and related compounds by overexpressing A622 and NBBl.
Abstract:
A novel molecule Shootin1 was identified, whose expression changes before and after formation of polarity in nerve cells. Shootin1 is localized in the growth cone of the axon tip, which is crucial for axon formation and elongation. Shootin1 is expressed specifically in the brain and its expression significantly increases during periods when axon formation is active in individuals. Shootin1 was found to be present at high concentrations in the growth cone of axon tips, and when expressed exogenously in cultured nerve cells, Shootin1 induced formation of a plurality of axons. Because Shootin1 has such axon formation inducing function, it is possible to induce and accelerate axon formation and elongation in nerve cells, by positively controlling the expression or activity of Shootin1 or its splicing variants.
Abstract:
An operation assist apparatus (1) according an embodiment of the invention includes: an assist controller (34, 22) that assists a driver of a vehicle in operating the vehicle before a stop point; and a watching action detector (20, 16) that detects a watching action of the driver for watching the stop point. The assist controller (34, 22) changes an assist manner in which to assist the vehicle operation by the driver in accordance with whether the watching action is detected by the watching action detector (20, 16) during deceleration of the vehicle. Thus configured, the operation assist apparatus can accurately determine whether the driver will stop the vehicle at the stop point and thus can perform the vehicle operation assist appropriately.
Abstract:
An object of present invention is to provide a transformation method which can effectively express a useful protein such as a medical protein in a composite plant chloroplast without producing a harmful secondary metabolite. A vector having a promoter of RNA operon derived from a composite plant chloroplast genome and a terminator of a psbA gene between a ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit gene and an acetyl CoA carboxylase subunit gene, and having a nucleotide sequence encoding an expression protein between the promoter and the terminator is introduced into a chloroplast of a composite plant.