Biology subjects

Kashima, Y.

Publications and source records attributed to Kashima, Y..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2019

Evolutionary stories told by one protein family: ERM phylogeny in metazoans

Ezrin, radixin, moesin, and merlin are the cytoskeletal proteins which functions are specific to metazoans. They participate in cell cortex rearrangements, including cell-cell contact formation, and play important role in cancer progression. Here we perform a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the proteins spanning 87 species. The results describe a possible mechanism of the protein family origin in the root of Metazoa, paralogs diversification in vertebrates and acquisition of novel functions, including tumor suppression. In addition, a merlin paralog, present in most of vertebrates, but lost in mammals, has been described. We also highlight the set of amino acid variations within the conserved motifs as the candidates for determining physiological differences between the ERM paralogs.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2019

Long read sequencing reveals a novel class of structural aberrations in cancers: identification and characterization of cancerous local amplifications

Here we report identification of a new class of local structural aberrations in lung cancers. The whole-genome sequencing of cell lines using a long read sequencer, PromethION, demonstrated that typical cancerous mutations, such as point mutations, large deletions and gene fusions can be detected also on this platform. Unexpectedly, we revealed unique structural aberrations consisting of complex combinations of local duplications, inversions and micro deletions. We further analyzed and found that these mutations also occur in vivo, even in key cancer-related genes. These mutations may elucidate the molecular etiology of patients for whom causative cancerous events and therapeutic strategies remain elusive.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2018

The economy and environmental attitudes: Does a good economy make citizens care more about the environment?

The relationship between economic conditions and environmental attitudes has been hotly debated in academic and public discourse. Some contend that economic prosperity strengthens environmental attitudes, while others argue that no such relationship exists. We shed light on the economy-environmental importance relationship by incorporating both nonlinear effects and public perceptions of the economy. Two countries with comparable economic performance and cultural heritage, Australia and Canada, are investigated. Using opinion survey data in a time-series analysis over a 20-year period, we find that GDP per capita has a nonlinear relationship with environmental attitudes in both countries, and the inclusion of perceptions of the economy significantly improves the prediction of environmental attitudes. In both Australia and Canada, a U-shaped relationship is observed; initial improvements in economic conditions tend to worsen environmental attitudes, but past a certain threshold, further economic improvements result in increased environmental concern. Perceptions of the economy too showed analogous trends. In both countries, positive perceptions of the economy were associated with strong environmental attitudes; at least in Canada, negative perceptions of the economy were also positively associated with environmental attitudes. The nonlinear effects of the economy as well as perceptions of the economy helps shed light on the current inconclusive literature on the relationship between the economy and citizens pro-environmental support. This is an important consideration given the critical importance to the future sustainability of the natural environment.

scientific communication and education↗