Kyoto University

About: Kyoto University is a education organization based out in Kyoto, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Catalysis & Population. The organization has 85837 authors who have published 217215 publications receiving 6526826 citations. The organization is also known as: Kyōto University & Kyōto daigaku.

Genetic analysis of quantitative traits in the Japanese population links cell types to complex human diseases

Abstract: Clinical measurements can be viewed as useful intermediate phenotypes to promote understanding of complex human diseases. To acquire comprehensive insights into the underlying genetics, here we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 58 quantitative traits in 162,255 Japanese individuals. Overall, we identified 1,407 trait-associated loci (P < 5.0 × 10−8), 679 of which were novel. By incorporating 32 additional GWAS results for complex diseases and traits in Japanese individuals, we further highlighted pleiotropy, genetic correlations, and cell-type specificity across quantitative traits and diseases, which substantially expands the current understanding of the associated genetics and biology. This study identified both shared polygenic effects and cell-type specificity, represented by the genetic links among clinical measurements, complex diseases, and relevant cell types. Our findings demonstrate that even without prior biological knowledge of cross-phenotype relationships, genetics corresponding to clinical measurements successfully recapture those measurements’ relevance to diseases, and thus can contribute to the elucidation of unknown etiology and pathogenesis. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 58 traits using data from the Biobank Japan Project identifies 1,407 loci, 679 of which are novel. Comparison with disease GWASs and analysis of genetic correlations and cell-type enrichment show that these clinical measurements are relevant to human disease.

Critical function of Prdm14 for the establishment of the germ cell lineage in mice.

Abstract: Mitinori Saitou and colleagues report that Prdm14, which encodes a transcription factor expressed exclusively in the germ cell lineage, is essential for re-acquisition of pluripotency and epigenetic reprogramming of primordial germ cells. Specification of germ cell fate is fundamental in development and heredity. Recent evidence indicates that in mice, specification of primordial germ cells (PGCs), the common source of both oocytes and spermatozoa, occurs through the integration of three key events: repression of the somatic program1, reacquisition of potential pluripotency2,3 and ensuing genome-wide epigenetic reprogramming4,5. Here we provide genetic evidence that Prdm14, a PR domain–containing transcriptional regulator with exclusive expression in the germ cell lineage and pluripotent cell lines, is critical in two of these events, the reacquisition of potential pluripotency and successful epigenetic reprogramming. In Prdm14 mutants, the failure of these two events manifests even in the presence of Prdm1 (also known as Blimp1), a key transcriptional regulator for PGC specification6,7. Our combined evidence demonstrates that Prdm14 defines a previously unknown genetic pathway, initiating independently from Prdm1, for ensuring the launching of the mammalian germ cell lineage.

First-Principles Study of Ion Diffusion in Perovskite Solar Cell Sensitizers

Abstract: Hysteresis in current–voltage curves has been an important issue for conversion efficiency evaluation and development of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In this study, we explored the ion diffusion effects in tetragonal CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPbI3) and trigonal (NH2)2CHPbI3 (FAPbI3) by first-principles calculations. The calculated activation energies of the anionic and cationic vacancy migrations clearly show that I– anions in both MAPbI3 and FAPbI3 can easily diffuse with low barriers of ca. 0.45 eV, comparable to that observed in ion-conducting materials. More interestingly, typical MA+ cations and larger FA+ cations both have rather low barriers as well, indicating that the cation molecules can migrate in the perovskite sensitizers when a bias voltage is applied. These results can explain the ion displacement scenario recently proposed by experiments. With the dilute diffusion theory, we discuss that smaller vacancy concentrations (higher crystallinity) and replacement of MA+ with larger cation molecules will be...

An unambiguous nomenclature for xyloglucan‐derived oligosaccharides

Abstract: A revised system of abbreviated names is proposed for xyloglucan-derived oligosaccharides. Each (1→4)-linked β-D-glucosyl residue (and the reducing terminal n-glucose moiety) of the backbone is given a one-letter code according to its substituents. The name of the oligosaccharide consists of these code letters listed in sequence from non-reducing to reducing terminus of the backbone