Cells were allowed to differentiate to the chemotaxis competent stage as described previously [32], [33].
Cells were developed to the chemotaxis competent stage (5 6 h) and plated onto glass coverslips at ∼3500/mm2.
Cells were developed to the chemotaxis competent stage (5 6 h) and plated onto Lab-TekII glass-bottomed chambers (Nalge Nunc International, Naperville, IL).
To verify that cells were developed to the chemotaxis competent stage, Western blot analysis was performed using antibodies against the early developmental markers, cAMP receptor 1 (cand) and the adenylyl cyclase (ACA) expressed during aggregation.
At the transition from the precompetent to the competent stage, a total of 491 genes were upregulated at least four-fold while 804 were downregulated.
Ubiquitin thiolesterase genes, which protect proteins from proteasome degradation, are also downregulated in the competent stage, suggesting that protein turnover may be an important mechanism regulating this transition.
Transcripts for these genes are expressed in all stages of A. queenslandica, with an increase in the expression level of cryptochromes, luciferase, and luciferin binding protein in the competent stage (Additional file 4).
In this study, using Dreyfus and Dreyfus' stages of skill acquisition [ 8], which range from novice to advanced beginner to competence to proficiency to expertise, we aimed to assist students in moving from the novice stage to the competent stage in skills acquisition for 3 clinical skills of history taking and physical examination.
Only recently, epigenetic studies in tomato have suggested that epigenome modifications are important for the control of fruit ripening, and that they may work in concert with ethylene and fruit-specific transcription factors for the transition of fruit to the ripening competent stage [ 26].
