This study demonstrates the feasibility of free-standing conductive polymer nanosheets (referred to hereafter as "conductive nanosheets") as bioelectrodes for plant leaves. The conductive nanosheet exhibited ultra-conformability and physical adhesion to unevenly structured surfaces, such as the veins of a plant leaf, without the use of chemical glue, owing to the ultra-thin and light structure (300 nm thick, 150 mu g). The conductive nanosheet coupled with a Bluetooth system enabled wireless biopotential measurement of plant leaves (Angelica keiskei Koidzumi) up to approximately 1500 h, while conventional bioelectrodes such as pre-gel electrodes caused discoloration during the measurement, owing to the acrylic glue utilized for adhesion. We also discovered that the biopotential pattern was altered under periodic light-emitting diode (LED) irradiation. Such minimally invasive measurements using the conductive nanosheets can pave the way for a revolutionary method to analyze the bioactivity of plants in the application of agriculture and food science.

Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (RSTS) is a multisystem developmental disorder characterized by facial dysmorphisms, broad thumbs and halluces, growth retardation, and intellectual disability. In about 8% of RSTS cases, mutations are found in EP300. Previously, the EP300 mutation has been shown to cause the highly variable RSTS phenotype. Using exome sequencing, we identified a de novo EP300 frameshift mutation in a proband with coloboma, facial asymmetry and imperforate anus with minimal RSTS features. Previous molecular studies have demonstrated the importance of EP300 in oculogenesis, supporting the possibility that EP300 mutation may cause ocular coloboma. Since a wide phenotypic spectrum is well known in EP300-associated RSTS cases, the atypical phenotype identified in our proband may be an example of rare manifestations of RSTS.

Sister chromatid cohesion is mediated by cohesin and is essential for accurate chromosome segregation. The cohesin subunits SMC1, SMC3, and Rad21 form a tripartite ring within which sister chromatids are thought to be entrapped. This event requires the acetylation of SMC3 and the association of sororin with cohesin by the acetyltransferases Esco1 and Esco2 in humans, but the functional mechanisms of these acetyltransferases remain elusive. Here, we showed that Esco1 requires Pds5, a cohesin regulatory subunit bound to Rad21, to form cohesion via SMC3 acetylation and the stabilization of the chromatin association of sororin, whereas Esco2 function was not affected by Pds5 depletion. Consistent with the functional link between Esco1 and Pds5, Pds5 interacted exclusively with Esco1, and this interaction was dependent on a unique and conserved Esco1 domain. Crucially, this interaction was essential for SMC3 acetylation and sister chromatid cohesion. Esco1 localized to cohesin localization sites on chromosomes throughout interphase in a manner that required the Esco1-Pds5 interaction, and it could acetylate SMC3 before and after DNA replication. These results indicate that Esco1 acetylates SMC3 via a mechanism different from that of Esco2. We propose that, by interacting with a unique domain of Esco1, Pds5 recruits Esco1 to chromatin-bound cohesin complexes to form cohesion. Furthermore, Esco1 acetylates SMC3 independently of DNA replication.

The cyclin B-dependent protein kinase Cdk1 is a master regulator of mitosis and phosphorylates numerous proteins on the minimal consensus motif Ser/Thr-Pro (S/T-P). At least in several proteins, however, not well-defined motifs lacking a Pro in the + 1 position, referred herein to as non-S/T-P motifs, have been shown to be phosphorylated by Cdk1. Here we show that non-S/T-P motifs in fact form consensus sequences for Cdk1 and probably play roles in mitotic regulation of physiologically important proteins. First, we show, by in vitro kinase assays, that previously identified non-S/T-P motifs all harbour one or more C-terminal Arg/Lys residues essential for their phosphorylation by Cdk1. Second, using Arg/Lys-scanning oriented peptide libraries, we demonstrate that Cdk1 phosphorylates a minimal sequence S/T-X-X-R/K and more favorable sequences (P)-X-S/T-X-[ R/K](2-5) as its non-S/T-P consensus motifs. Third, on the basis of these results, we find that highly conserved linkers (typically, T-G-E-K-P) of C2H2 zinc finger proteins and a nuclear localization signal-containing sequence (matching P-X-S-X-[R/K](5)) of the cytokinesis regulator Ect2 are inhibitorily phosphorylated by Cdk1, well accounting for the known mitotic regulation and function of the respective proteins. We suggest that non-S/T-P Cdk1 consensus motifs identified here may function to regulate many other proteins during mitosis.