TASK DEFINITION: Given a context passage, generate a question from the passage such that its answer is shortest continous span from the passage.
PROBLEM: In melanoma, transition to the vertical growth phase is the critical step in conversion to a deadly malignant disease. Here, we offer the first evidence that an antioxidant enzyme has a key role in this transition. We found that the antioxidant enzyme peroxiredoxin-2 (Prx2) inversely correlated with the metastatic capacity of human melanoma cells. Silencing Prx2 expression stimulated proliferation and migration, whereas ectopic expression of Prx2 produced the opposite effect. Mechanistic investigations indicated that Prx2 negatively regulated Src/ERK activation status, which in turn fortified adherens junctions function by increasing E-cadherin expression and phospho-Y654-dependent retention of -catenin in the plasma membrane. In murine melanoma cells, Prx2 silencing enhanced lung metastasis in vivo. Interestingly, the natural compound gliotoxin, which is known to exert a Prx-like activity, inhibited proliferation and migration as well as lung metastasis of Prx2-deficient melanoma cells. Overall, our findings reveal that Prx2 is a key regulator of invasion and metastasis in melanoma, and also suggest a pharmacologic strategy to effectively decrease deadly malignant forms of this disease.

SOLUTION: What type of enzyme is peroxiredoxin 2 (PRDX2)?

PROBLEM: Sometimes cells need to obtain energy from sugar, but there is no oxygen present to complete cellular respiration. In this situation, cellular respiration can be anaerobic, occurring in the absence of oxygen. In this process, called fermentation, only the first step of respiration, glycolysis, occurs, producing two ATP; no additional ATP is produced. Therefore, the organism only obtains the two ATP molecules per glucose molecule from glycolysis. Compared to the 36-38 ATP produced under aerobic conditions, anaerobic respiration is not a very efficient process. Fermentation allows the first step of cellular respiration to continue and produce some ATP, even without oxygen. Yeast (single-celled eukaryotic organisms) perform alcoholic fermentation in the absence of oxygen. The products of alcoholic fermentation are ethyl alcohol (drinking alcohol) and carbon dioxide gas. This process is used to make common food and drinks. For example, alcoholic fermentation is used to bake bread. The carbon dioxide bubbles allow the bread to rise and become fluffy. Meanwhile, the alcohol evaporates. In wine making, the sugars of grapes are fermented to produce wine. The sugars are the starting materials for glycolysis. Animals and some bacteria and fungi carry out lactic acid fermentation. Lactic acid is a waste product of this process. Our muscles perform lactic acid fermentation during strenuous exercise, since oxygen cannot be delivered to the muscles quickly enough. The buildup of lactic acid is believed to make your muscles sore after exercise. Bacteria that produce lactic acid are used to make cheese and yogurt. The lactic acid causes the proteins in milk to thicken. Lactic acid also causes tooth decay, because bacteria use the sugars in your mouth for energy. Pictured below are some products of fermentation ( Figure 1.1). Products of fermentation include cheese (lactic acid fermentation) and wine (alco- holic fermentation). Behind every fart is an army of gut bacteria undergoing some crazy biochemistry. These bacteria break down the remains of digested food through fermentation, creating gas in the process. Learn what these bacteria have in common with beer brewing at [Link] . Click image to the left or use the URL below. URL:

SOLUTION: lactic acid fermentation is used to make which of the following products?

PROBLEM: The two major virulence factors of Bacillus anthracis are the tripartite toxin and the polyglutamate capsule, which are encoded by genes on the large plasmids, pXO1 and pXO2, respectively. The genes atxA, located on pXO1, and acpA, located on pXO2, encode positive trans-acting proteins that are involved in bicarbonate-mediated regulation of toxin and capsule production, respectively. A derivative strain cured of pXO1 produced less capsular substance than the parent strain harbouring both pXO1 and pXO2, and electroporation of the strain cured of pXO1 with a plasmid containing the cloned atxA gene resulted in an increased level of capsule production. An acpA-null mutant was complemented by not only acpA but also the atxA gene. The cap region, which is essential for encapsulation, contains three genes capB, capC, and capA, arranged in that order. The atxA gene stimulated capsule synthesis from the cloned cap region. Transcriptional analysis of cap by RNA slot-blot hybridization and primer-extension analysis revealed that atxA activated expression of cap in trans at the transcriptional level. These results indicate that cross-talk occurs, in which the pXO1-located gene, atxA, activates transcription of the cap region genes located on pXO2. We identified two major apparent transcriptional start sites, designated P1 and P2, located at positions 731 bp and 625 bp, respectively, upstream of the translation-initiation codon of capB. Transcription initiated from P1 and P2 was activated by both atxA and acpA, and activation appeared to be stimulated by bicarbonate. Deletion analysis of the upstream region of the cap promoter revealed that activation by both atxA and acpA required a DNA segment of 70 bp extending upstream of the P1 site. These results suggest that cross-talk by atxA to the genes encoding capsule synthesis is caused by the interaction of the atxA gene product with a regulatory sequence upstream of cap.

SOLUTION:
Which metabolite activates AtxA?