Peptidyl-arginine deiminase 2 (PAD2) enzyme converts arginine amino acid residues in histone proteins into citrulline groups and promotes tumor cell proliferation in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, report researchers from Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan. Administration of PAD inhibitors reduced PRUNE1 expression and suppressed tumor cell proliferation in both pancreatic cancer cell lines and mouse models. The study thus lays the foundation for future anticancer therapies targeting PAD2 enzymatic activity.

Kyoto, Japan -- The Japanese mud shrimp, Upogebia major, constructs burrows that can reach two meters deep into the sandy shores of East Asia and Eastern Russia. The size and Y-shape of these double entrance burrows make them appealing to other small dwelling species, resulting in a symbiotic relationship that effectively makes them roommates.

Recently, a collaborative team of researchers from Kyoto University and Kochi University confirmed that the Japanese mud shrimp has a new roommate: Betaeus levifrons, a rare species of alpheid shrimp that until now has only been found in the Russian Far East.

When surveying burrows of the Japanese mud shrimp along the Pacific coast of Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost main island, the researchers collected five specimens of B levifrons, all of which were found in U major burrows. This suggests that B levifrons is an obligate symbiont of U major, meaning it depends on U major for shelter.

Kyoto, Japan -- Periodical cicadas have one of the strangest life cycles in the animal kingdom. The 17-year cicadas spend 99.5% of their lives underground in an undeveloped nymph state, which is the longest strictly regulated juvenile period among insects.

Then in the spring of their 17th year, they simultaneously emerge and the males scream above ground for their four to six week-long adult life. Exactly how these insects are able to control when they mature and emerge has remained a mystery.

The long life cycle of periodical cicadas makes rearing nymphs for study extremely difficult. Recently, however, a collaborative team of researchers from both Japan and the United States, including a team from Kyoto University, was motivated to tackle this conundrum.

Zebrafish midline tissues coordinate their growth during embryonic development using a leader-follower strategy described by formation control, as reported by researchers from Japan and the USA. The notochord leads elongation, while adjacent tissues grow and migrate with it in response to fibroblast growth factor gradients, cadherin-2-mediated cell adhesion, and mechanosensory Yap signaling. The researchers could replicate this behavior using a mathematical model, revealing a control theory-based principle for harmonized tissue development in embryos.

Researchers at The University of Osaka have developed a novel technique to enhance the performance and reliability of silicon carbide (SiC) metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices, a key component in power electronics. This breakthrough utilizes a unique two-step annealing process involving diluted hydrogen, to eliminate unnecessary impurities and significantly improve device reliability.