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Dinh N, Bonnefoy N. Schizosaccharomyces pombe as a fundamental model for research on mitochondrial gene expression: Progress, achievements and outlooks. IUBMB Life 2024; 76:397-419. [PMID: 38117001 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Schizosaccharomyces pombe (fission yeast) is an attractive model for mitochondrial research. The organism resembles human cells in terms of mitochondrial inheritance, mitochondrial transport, sugar metabolism, mitogenome structure and dependence of viability on the mitogenome (the petite-negative phenotype). Transcriptions of these genomes produce only a few polycistronic transcripts, which then undergo processing as per the tRNA punctuation model. In general, the machinery for mitochondrial gene expression is structurally and functionally conserved between fission yeast and humans. Furthermore, molecular research on S. pombe is supported by a considerable number of experimental techniques and database resources. Owing to these advantages, fission yeast has significantly contributed to biomedical and fundamental research. Here, we review the current state of knowledge regarding S. pombe mitochondrial gene expression, and emphasise the pertinence of fission yeast as both a model and tool, especially for studies on mitochondrial translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nhu Dinh
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
| | - Nathalie Bonnefoy
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
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2
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Liu J, Li Y, Chen J, Wang Y, Zou M, Su R, Huang Y. The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe Mtf2 is required for mitochondrial cox1 gene expression. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2018; 164:400-409. [PMID: 29458562 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondrial gene expression is essential for adenosine triphosphate synthesis via oxidative phosphorylation, which is the universal energy currency of cells. Here, we report the identification and characterization of a homologue of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Mtf2 (also called Nam1) in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The Δmtf2 mutant with the intron-containing mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) exhibited impaired growth on a rich medium containing the non-fermentable carbon source glycerol, suggesting that mtf2 is involved in mitochondrial function. mtf2 deletion in a mitochondrial intron-containing background resulted in a barely detectable level of the cox1 mRNA and a reduction in the level of the cob1 mRNA, and severely impaired cox1 translation. In contrast, mtf2 deletion in a mitochondrial intron-less background did not affect the levels of cox1 and cob1 mRNAs. However, Cox1 synthesis could not be restored to the control level in the Δmtf2 mutant with intron-less mtDNA. Our results suggest that unlike its counterpart in S. cerevisiae which plays a general role in synthesis of mtDNA-encoded proteins, S. pombe Mtf2 primarily functions in cox1 translation and the effect of mtf2 deletion on splicing of introns in mtDNA is likely due to a deficiency in the synthesis of intron-encoded maturases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyu Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Yan Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Jie Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Yirong Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Mengting Zou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Ruyue Su
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Ying Huang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, PR China
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Wang Y, Yan J, Zhang Q, Ma X, Zhang J, Su M, Wang X, Huang Y. The Schizosaccharomyces pombe PPR protein Ppr10 associates with a novel protein Mpa1 and acts as a mitochondrial translational activator. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:3323-3340. [PMID: 28334955 PMCID: PMC5389468 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Accepted: 02/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins characterized by tandem repeats of a degenerate 35-amino-acid motif function in all aspects of organellar RNA metabolism, many of which are essential for organellar gene expression. In this study, we report the characterization of a fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe PPR protein, Ppr10 and a novel Ppr10-associated protein, designated Mpa1. The ppr10 deletion mutant exhibits growth defects in respiratory media, and is dramatically impaired for viability during the late-stationary phase. Deletion of ppr10 affects the accumulation of specific mitochondrial mRNAs. Furthermore, deletion of ppr10 severely impairs mitochondrial protein synthesis, suggesting that Ppr10 plays a general role in mitochondrial protein synthesis. Ppr10 interacts with Mpa1 in vivo and in vitro and the two proteins colocalize in the mitochondrial matrix. The ppr10 and mpa1 deletion mutants exhibit very similar phenotypes. One of Mpa1's functions is to maintain the normal protein level of Ppr10 protein by protecting it from degradation by the mitochondrial matrix protease Lon1. Our findings suggest that Ppr10 functions as a general mitochondrial translational activator, likely through interaction with mitochondrial mRNAs and mitochondrial translation initiation factor Mti2, and that Ppr10 requires Mpa1 association for stability and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yirong Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jianhua Yan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Qingzhen Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xuting Ma
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Minghui Su
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xiaojun Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Ying Huang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
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Ianiri G, Idnurm A. Essential gene discovery in the basidiomycete Cryptococcus neoformans for antifungal drug target prioritization. mBio 2015; 6:e02334-14. [PMID: 25827419 PMCID: PMC4453551 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02334-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2014] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Fungal diseases represent a major burden to health care globally. As with other pathogenic microbes, there is a limited number of agents suitable for use in treating fungal diseases, and resistance to these agents can develop rapidly. Cryptococcus neoformans is a basidiomycete fungus that causes cryptococcosis worldwide in both immunocompromised and healthy individuals. As a basidiomycete, it diverged from other common pathogenic or model ascomycete fungi more than 500 million years ago. Here, we report C. neoformans genes that are essential for viability as identified through forward and reverse genetic approaches, using an engineered diploid strain and genetic segregation after meiosis. The forward genetic approach generated random insertional mutants in the diploid strain, the induction of meiosis and sporulation, and selection for haploid cells with counterselection of the insertion event. More than 2,500 mutants were analyzed, and transfer DNA (T-DNA) insertions in several genes required for viability were identified. The genes include those encoding the thioredoxin reductase (Trr1), a ribosome assembly factor (Rsa4), an mRNA-capping component (Cet1), and others. For targeted gene replacement, the C. neoformans homologs of 35 genes required for viability in ascomycete fungi were disrupted, meiosis and sporulation were induced, and haploid progeny were evaluated for their ability to grow on selective media. Twenty-one (60%) were found to be required for viability in C. neoformans. These genes are involved in mitochondrial translation, ergosterol biosynthesis, and RNA-related functions. The heterozygous diploid mutants were evaluated for haploinsufficiency on a number of perturbing agents and drugs, revealing phenotypes due to the loss of one copy of an essential gene in C. neoformans. This study expands the knowledge of the essential genes in fungi using a basidiomycete as a model organism. Genes that have no mammalian homologs and are essential in both Cryptococcus and ascomycete human pathogens would be ideal for the development of antifungal drugs with broad-spectrum activity. IMPORTANCE Fungal infections are very common in humans but may be neglected due to misdiagnosis and inattention. Cryptococcus neoformans is a yeast that infects mainly immunocompromised people, causing high mortality rates in developing countries. The fungus infects the lungs, crosses the blood-brain barrier, and invades the cerebrospinal fluid, causing fatal meningitis. C. neoformans infections are treated with amphotericin B, flucytosine, and azoles, all developed decades ago. However, problems with antifungal agents highlight the urgent need for more-effective drugs to treat C. neoformans and other invasive fungal infections. These issues include the negative side effects of amphotericin B, the spontaneous resistance of C. neoformans to azoles, and the inefficacy of the echinocandin antifungals. In this study, we report the identification of C. neoformans essential genes as targets for the development of novel antifungals. Because of the level of evolutionary divergence between C. neoformans and the ascomycetes, a subset of these genes is likely essential in all fungi. Genes identified in this study represent an excellent starting point for the future development of new antifungals by pharmaceutical companies.
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Jung SJ, Seo Y, Lee KC, Lee D, Roe JH. Essential function of Aco2, a fusion protein of aconitase and mitochondrial ribosomal protein bL21, in mitochondrial translation in fission yeast. FEBS Lett 2015; 589:822-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2015.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2014] [Revised: 02/11/2015] [Accepted: 02/11/2015] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Wang Y, Wang Y, Marcus S, Busenlehner LS. The role of frataxin in fission yeast iron metabolism: implications for Friedreich's ataxia. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2014; 1840:3022-33. [PMID: 24997422 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2014.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2014] [Revised: 06/25/2014] [Accepted: 06/26/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neurodegenerative disease Friedreich's ataxia is the result of frataxin deficiency. Frataxin is a mitochondrial protein involved in iron-sulfur cluster (Fe-S) cofactor biogenesis, but its functional role in this pathway is debated. This is due to the interconnectivity of iron metabolic and oxidative stress response pathways that make distinguishing primary effects of frataxin deficiency challenging. Since Fe-S cluster assembly is conserved, frataxin overexpression phenotypes in a simple eukaryotic organism will provide additional insight into frataxin function. METHODS The Schizosaccharomyces pombe frataxin homologue (fxn1) was overexpressed from a plasmid under a thiamine repressible promoter. The S. pombe transformants were characterized at several expression strengths for cellular growth, mitochondrial organization, iron levels, oxidative stress, and activities of Fe-S cluster containing enzymes. RESULTS Observed phenotypes were dependent on the amount of Fxn1 overexpression. High Fxn1 overexpression severely inhibited S. pombe growth, impaired mitochondrial membrane integrity and cellular respiration, and led to Fxn1 aggregation. Cellular iron accumulation was observed at moderate Fxn1 overexpression but was most pronounced at high levels of Fxn1. All levels of Fxn1 overexpression up-regulated oxidative stress defense and mitochondrial Fe-S cluster containing enzyme activities. CONCLUSIONS Despite the presence of oxidative stress and accumulated iron, activation of Fe-S cluster enzymes was common to all levels of Fxn1 overexpression; therefore, Fxn1 may regulate the efficiency of Fe-S cluster biogenesis in S. pombe. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE We provide evidence that suggests that dysregulated Fe-S cluster biogenesis is a primary effect of both frataxin overexpression and deficiency as in Friedreich's ataxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wang
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - Yiwei Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - S Marcus
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA.
| | - L S Busenlehner
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA.
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Hayles J, Wood V, Jeffery L, Hoe KL, Kim DU, Park HO, Salas-Pino S, Heichinger C, Nurse P. A genome-wide resource of cell cycle and cell shape genes of fission yeast. Open Biol 2013; 3:130053. [PMID: 23697806 PMCID: PMC3866870 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.130053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2013] [Accepted: 04/30/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
To identify near complete sets of genes required for the cell cycle and cell shape, we have visually screened a genome-wide gene deletion library of 4843 fission yeast deletion mutants (95.7% of total protein encoding genes) for their effects on these processes. A total of 513 genes have been identified as being required for cell cycle progression, 276 of which have not been previously described as cell cycle genes. Deletions of a further 333 genes lead to specific alterations in cell shape and another 524 genes result in generally misshapen cells. Here, we provide the first eukaryotic resource of gene deletions, which describes a near genome-wide set of genes required for the cell cycle and cell shape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Hayles
- Cell Cycle Laboratory, Cancer Research UK,
London Research Institute, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields,
London WC2A 3LY, UK
| | - Valerie Wood
- Cell Cycle Laboratory, Cancer Research UK,
London Research Institute, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields,
London WC2A 3LY, UK
- Cambridge Systems Biology Centre and Department of
Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis
Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Linda Jeffery
- Cell Cycle Laboratory, Cancer Research UK,
London Research Institute, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields,
London WC2A 3LY, UK
| | - Kwang-Lae Hoe
- Department of New Drug Discovery and
Development, Chungnam National University, Yusong,
Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Dong-Uk Kim
- Aging Research Center, Korea
Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yusong,
Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Han-Oh Park
- Bioneer Corporation, Daedeok,
Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Silvia Salas-Pino
- Laboratory of Yeast Cell Biology and Genetics,
Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY
10021-6399, USA
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del
Desarrollo, CSIC/Junta de Andalucia/Universidad Pablo de
Olavide, Carretera de Utrera, km 141013 Sevilla,
Spain
| | - Christian Heichinger
- Laboratory of Yeast Cell Biology and Genetics,
Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY
10021-6399, USA
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Institute of Plant
Biology, University of Zürich,
Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Paul Nurse
- Cell Cycle Laboratory, Cancer Research UK,
London Research Institute, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields,
London WC2A 3LY, UK
- Laboratory of Yeast Cell Biology and Genetics,
Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY
10021-6399, USA
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Chiu WC, Chang CP, Wen WL, Wang SW, Wang CC. Schizosaccharomyces pombe possesses two paralogous valyl-tRNA synthetase genes of mitochondrial origin. Mol Biol Evol 2010; 27:1415-24. [PMID: 20106903 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msq025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies showed that VAS1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes both cytosolic and mitochondrial forms of valyl-tRNA synthetase (ValRS) through alternative initiation of translation. We show herein that except for Schizosaccharomyces pombe, all yeast species studied contained a single ValRS gene encoding both forms, and all of the mature protein forms deduced from those genes possessed an N-terminal appended domain (Ad) that was absent from their bacterial relatives. In contrast, S. pombe contained two distinct nuclear ValRS genes, one encoding the mitochondrial form and the other its cytosolic counterpart. Although the cytosolic form closely resembles other yeast ValRS sequences (approximately 60% identity), the mitochondrial form exhibits significant divergence from others (approximately 35% identity). Both genes are active and essential for the survival of the yeast. Most conspicuously, the mitochondrial form lacks the characteristic Ad. A phylogenetic analysis further suggested that both forms of S. pombe ValRS are of mitochondrial origin, and the mitochondrial form is ancestral to the cytoplasmic form.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Chih Chiu
- Department of Life Science, National Central University, Jung-li, Taiwan
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Das M, Chiron S, Verde F. Microtubule-dependent spatial organization of mitochondria in fission yeast. Methods Cell Biol 2010; 97:203-21. [PMID: 20719273 DOI: 10.1016/s0091-679x(10)97012-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The microtubule cytoskeleton has an important role in the control of mitochondrial distribution in higher eukaryotes. In humans, defects in axonal mitochondrial transport are linked to neurodegenerative diseases. This chapter highlights fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe as a powerful genetic model system for the study of microtubule-dependent mitochondrial movement, dynamics and inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maitreyi Das
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (R-189), University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida 33101, USA
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Chen JQ, Cammarata PR, Baines CP, Yager JD. Regulation of mitochondrial respiratory chain biogenesis by estrogens/estrogen receptors and physiological, pathological and pharmacological implications. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2009; 1793:1540-70. [PMID: 19559056 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2009.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 189] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2009] [Revised: 06/16/2009] [Accepted: 06/17/2009] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
There has been increasing evidence pointing to the mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) as a novel and important target for the actions of 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) and estrogen receptors (ER) in a number of cell types and tissues that have high demands for mitochondrial energy metabolism. This novel E(2)-mediated mitochondrial pathway involves the cooperation of both nuclear and mitochondrial ERalpha and ERbeta and their co-activators on the coordinate regulation of both nuclear DNA- and mitochondrial DNA-encoded genes for MRC proteins. In this paper, we have: 1) comprehensively reviewed studies that reveal a novel role of estrogens and ERs in the regulation of MRC biogenesis; 2) discussed their physiological, pathological and pharmacological implications in the control of cell proliferation and apoptosis in relation to estrogen-mediated carcinogenesis, anti-cancer drug resistance in human breast cancer cells, neuroprotection for Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease in brain, cardiovascular protection in human heart and their beneficial effects in lens physiology related to cataract in the eye; and 3) pointed out new research directions to address the key questions in this important and newly emerging area. We also suggest a novel conceptual approach that will contribute to innovative regimens for the prevention or treatment of a wide variety of medical complications based on E(2)/ER-mediated MRC biogenesis pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Qiang Chen
- Breast Cancer Research Laboratory, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA.
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Current awareness on yeast. Yeast 2006. [DOI: 10.1002/yea.1617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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