Sachihiro Matsunaga

Clearing techniques eliminate factors that interfere with microscopic observation, including light scattering and absorption by pigments and cytoplasmic components. The techniques allow fluorescence-based detailed analyses of materials and characterization of the three-dimensional structure of organs. We describe a simple and rapid clearing and imaging method, termed 'TOMEI' (Transparent plant Organ MEthod for Imaging), which enables microscopic observation of intact plant organs. This method in

Cohesion is essential for the identification of sister chromatids and for the biorientation of chromosomes until their segregation. Here, we have demonstrated that an RNA-binding motif protein encoded on the X chromosome (RBMX) plays an essential role in chromosome morphogenesis through its association with chromatin, but not with RNA. Depletion of RBMX by RNA interference (RNAi) causes the loss of cohesin from the centromeric regions before anaphase, resulting in premature chromatid separation

Y chromosomes carry genes with functions in male reproduction and often have few other loci. Their evolution and the causes of genetic degeneration are of great interest. In addition to genetic degeneration, the acquisition of autosomal genes may be important in Y chromosome evolution. We here report that the dioecious plant Silene latifolia harbors a complete MADS box gene, SlAP3Y, duplicated onto the Y chromosome. This gene has no X-linked homologs but only an autosomal paralog, SlAP3A, and se

Abstract: Sex chromosomes have been reported in several dioecious plants. The most general system of sex determination with sex chromosomes is the XY system, in which males are the heterogametic sex and females are homogametic. Genetic systems in sex determination are divided into two classes including an X chromosome counting system and an active Y chromosome system. Dioecious plants have unisexual flowers, which have stamens or pistils. The development of unisexual flowers is caused by the sup

The dioecious campion Melandrium album (Silene latifolia) has sex chromosomes, and male and female plants form different unisexual flowers. The very youngest buds have both sex organs but the development of either a gynoecium in the male bud or stamens in the female bud is arrested as the bud matures. To examine the molecular mechanism of male-specific differentiation, a cDNA library from male buds was differentially screened with cDNA from male and female buds. Four male reproductive organspeci

Nonvolatile logic-in-memory architecture, where nonvolatile memory elements are distributed over a logic-circuit plane, is expected to realize both ultra-low-power and reduced interconnection delay. This paper presents novel nonvolatile logic circuits based on logic-in-memory architecture using magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) in combination with MOS transistors. Since the MTJ with a spin-injection write capability is only one device that has all the following superior features as large resistan

Silene latifolia has heteromorphic sex chromosomes, the X and Y chromosomes. The Y chromosome, which is thought to carry the male determining gene, was isolated by UV laser microdissection and amplified by degenerate oligonucleotide-primed PCR. In situ chromosome suppression of the amplified Y chromosome DNA in the presence of female genomic DNA as a competitor showed that the microdissected Y chromosome DNA did not specifically hybridize to the Y chromosome, but hybridized to all chromosomes. T

The nuclear lamina plays an important role in the regulation of chromatin organization and gene positioning in animals. CROWDED NUCLEI (CRWN) is a strong candidate for the plant nuclear lamina protein in Arabidopsis thaliana but its biological function was largely unknown. Here, we show that CRWNs localize at the nuclear lamina and build the meshwork structure. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and RNA-seq analyses revealed that CRWNs regulate chromatin distribution and gene expression. More th