毛蚶与青蚶精子超微结构及其所反映的蚶科进化关系

应用透射电镜技术,比较研究了毛蚶与青蚶精子的超微结构。毛蚶精子顶体为圆锥形,约为核长的1／2;精核无核前窝,具核后窝;中段横切面常见5个(偶见4个)线粒体环绕于中心粒周围;精子末段由轴丝及包绕轴丝的质膜组成,轴丝为典型的“9 2”结构。青蚶精子顶体轴向纵切面呈伞状,覆盖于细胞核前端,约为核长的1／3;精核具核前窝和核后窝;中段横切面常见有5个(偶见6个)线粒体环绕于中心粒周围;末段结构同毛蚶。顶体的形态、核前窝和核后窝的有无、中段线粒体的数量等是探索蚶科动物种间进化关系的线索。     

平疣桑椹石磺精子结构观察

通过电光学显微镜和透射电子显微镜观察了平疣桑椹石磺精子的形态及其超微结构。平疣桑椹石磺成熟精子属于进化型,由头部、中段和末段组成。头部由顶体和精核构成,顶体长约0.7μm,呈细奶嘴状,内含物分布均匀,电子密度稍低于细胞核。顶体基部与精核前端紧密相连,无间隙。精核长约3.8μm,宽约1.0μm,核质高度浓缩,电子密度高,无核泡,纵切似辣椒状,核后端内凹形成核后窝。中段加长,结构复杂,线粒体演化成线粒体鞘,螺旋状包绕轴丝。精子末段由轴丝及包绕轴丝的质膜组成,轴丝为典型的“9＋2”结构。比较了平疣桑椹石磺精子与相关腹足类精子结构的异同,进一步证实了腹足纲贝类精子结构之间的区别主要在于顶体有无及形态,精核的长短与外形、中段线粒体的数目及其排列方式等。     

台湾东风螺精子发生和精子形态的超微结构研究

透射电镜研究结果表明,台湾东风螺(Babylonia formosae~**)精子形成过程中经历了一系列重大的形态变化,主要有核逐步拉长、染色质浓缩、顶体形成、线粒体逐渐发达与融合以及中心粒演变为轴丝等过程。其中精细胞分化可分为6个时期。成熟精子的外形呈发丝状,由头部和尾鞭两大部分组成,头部包括顶体复合体和核,尾鞭可分为中段、主段和末段。精子的形态及功能与软体动物的系统发育有密切关系。本文还就台湾东风螺精子形成过程和形态与其它前鳃类作了比较。     

家鸽睾丸精子超微结构的观察

家鸽(Columbadomestica)精子分为头部、颈部及尾部。尾部又区分为中段、主段及末段。头部呈圆柱形,主要被精细胞核占据,核的前面包绕顶体,后端连接颈部。颈部有两个中心粒,与头部相邻接的是与精子纵轴垂直的近侧中心粒,远侧中心粒形成基底体向后发出尾部的轴丝。轴丝的结构为9+2型。中段在轴丝之外有线粒体鞘包绕,最外面为质膜。主段和末段无线粒体鞘,轴丝之外直接被以质膜。     

北方山溪鲵精子发生不同阶段的显微与超微结构

用光镜和电镜观察了北方山溪鲵(Batrachuperus tibetanus)精子发生过程中各种类型生精细胞的显微与超微结构变化。结果显示,北方山溪鲵在4~8月时处于精子发生期,精子形成在7~8月。成熟精子的结构具有小鲵科精子的一些共同特征,如顶体前端呈三叶草状,尾部由轴纤维、波动膜、轴丝及轴丝旁纤维构成,轴纤维粗大呈圆柱形,尾部无线粒体等。比较分析认为,在两栖类的系统发育中,轴纤维、波动膜和轴丝旁纤维的消失为近裔性状。     

香螺精子发生及精子超微结构

本文采用透射电镜技术对香螺(NpatunedecumingiCrosse)精子发生过程进行了观察。结果表明,精原细胞胞质中含有大量的线粒体;初、次级精母细胞的细胞核和大量的线粒体呈极性分布;精子细胞分化过程中,细胞核形态、核内物质以及线粒体的形态发生显著变化;细胞核的核质由不均匀颗粒状浓缩成纤丝状,再浓缩成细线形,最后呈致密均匀状态,细胞核由近圆形伸长为粗线形,具有核后窝;在细胞核后端有8个膨大的线粒体,由卵圆形变为螺旋形,弯曲盘绕在轴丝外部,形成精子的中段;根据细胞核和线粒体的变化特点,将精子形成分为早、中、后三个时期。香螺典型性精子属于进化型,头部呈线形,中段加长,糖原颗粒包围轴丝构成主段。在精子发生过程中,细胞质内没有发达的高尔基复合体和前顶体池,没有观察到香螺精子的顶体。在成熟个体的精巢内,同时存在不具有受精能力的畸变精子。     

瘤背石磺的精子结构

用光学显微镜和透射电子显微镜技术研究了瘤背石磺精子的结构特点,分析了其生理生态适应性以及在肺螺亚纲系统演化中的意义。瘤背石磺的精子由头部、中段和末段组成。头部由奶嘴形的顶体和长圆筒状的细胞核构成。顶体包括顶体囊和顶体构架体两部分;两者的内含物都分布均匀,电子密度稍低于细胞核;顶体基部平整,与核前端之间有一空隙,内含物电子密度极低。细胞核由电子密度高的均匀颗粒物质组成,并出现核泡;核的后端有一"杯形"的凹陷,称为核后窝。中段结构复杂,主要包括一对位于核后窝内的中心粒、轴丝、质膜、线粒体及由线粒体衍生的糖原质螺旋体、基质层和类晶体层等。末段由"9 2"结构的轴丝及外包的质膜组成,无糖原质螺旋体和其它线粒体衍生物。比较瘤背石磺精子与肺螺亚纲其它物种的精子结构,我们认为该物种的精子属于"进化型",是一类在进化地位中比基眼目高等的动物。     

蓝尾石龙子精子的超微结构

蓝尾石龙子(Eumeces elegans)附睾以2．5％戊二醛和1％锇酸双重固定,按常规制作超薄切片,用H-600透射电镜研究观察精子的超微结构。精子由头部和尾组成,头部由顶体复合体和核组成,尾由颈段、中段、主段和末段组成。头部的顶体囊前部扁平,分为皮质和髓质,顶体下锥由类结晶状的顶体下物质组成,穿孔器顶端尖,、穿孔器基板塞子状,细胞核延长,核内小管缺,核伸展部前端具一电子透明区,核肩圆,核陷窝锥形。颈段具片层结构,近端中心粒和远端中心粒的长轴呈直角,9束外周致密纤维与远端中心粒相应的9束三联微管相联,向后与轴丝相应的9束双联微管相联,中央纤维与2个中央单微管相联。中段短,含有线状嵴的柱状线粒体,由连续的规则小卵状或小梯形致密体组成线粒体间的环状结构,纤维鞘伸入中段,终环紧贴于细胞膜的内表面。线粒体与环状结构的模式为：rs1／mi1,rs2／mi2,rs3／mi3,rs4／mi4,横切面上每圈线粒体数目为10个。主段前面部分具薄的细胞质颗粒区。纤维3和8至主段前端消失。轴丝复合体呈“9 2”型。蓝尾石龙子精子超微结构与已描述的石龙子科种类比较发现,与蜓蜥群和胎生群的石龙子相似;但没有发现石龙子科精子的独征。     

埃及尼罗鲶鱼精子形成及精子超微结构(英文)

用透射电镜观察了埃及尼罗鲶鱼(Chrysichthys auratus)精子形成及精子超微结构。精子形成过程除了具有鱼类精子形成的共同特征外,还具有一些特点由于细胞核没有转动,中心粒复合体和鞭毛的起始部分位于细胞核的后端,并与核垂直;精子细胞变态过程中未产生袖套腔;基板未跨越基体的基部;基足将基体固定于细胞核;中段和鞭毛的基部具大量囊泡。成熟精子头部呈长锥状,没有顶体;中段长并含大量囊泡,向后延伸并包围鞭毛的基部;鞭毛细长,无侧鳍;线粒体位于核的后端附近,并包围轴丝;轴丝具典型的“9 2”模式。总之,埃及尼罗鲶鱼的精子形成有别于硬骨鱼类的常见的精子形成类型——I型和II型,可以称为III型。     

半滑舌鳎精子发生和精子形成的超微结构

用电子显微镜对半滑舌鳎(Cynoglossus semilaevis)精子发生的过程及精子的超微结构进行了观察。半滑舌鳎精巢属于小叶型,精小叶由各期生精细胞和支持细胞构成。半滑舌鳎的精子发生经历了初级精原细胞、次级精原细胞、初级精母细胞、次级精母细胞和精子细胞,再经过精子形成过程发育成为精子。初级精母细胞成熟分裂的前期Ⅰ,同源染色体经历了联会复合体形成和解聚的变化。在精子形成的过程中,精细胞大致经历了核质浓缩、线粒体迁移及鞭毛的发生等过程。核质浓缩时,精细胞核内位于植入窝周围的染色质首先由细颗粒状浓缩成粗大颗粒状,然后细胞核其他部位的染色质也逐渐浓缩成粗大颗粒状。这些已浓缩成粗大颗粒状的染色质再进一步浓缩为电子密度高的均匀状物质。随着核质的浓缩,核外膜与核内膜之间的间隙增大形成核膜间隙,核内一些没有参与染色质浓缩的物质通过出芽形成囊泡,先排入核膜间隙,然后再外排到细胞质中。核浓缩过程中细胞核的体积和表面积都大大缩小;鞭毛的形成与细胞核的浓缩是同步进行的,当一对中心粒移近细胞核时,核膜凹陷形成植入窝,其周围染色质浓缩的同时,远端中心粒(基体)逐渐向后产生轴丝。成熟精子无顶体,头细长,主要为核占据,核凹窝发达,线粒体4-5个环绕在鞭毛基部形成袖套,尾细长,具侧鳍,尾部轴丝为"9 2"结构。     

A Unique Protease Cleavage Site Predicted in the Spike Protein of the Novel Pneumonia Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Potentially Related to Viral Transmissibility

正Dear Editor,In December 2019, a novel human coronavirus caused an epidemic of severe pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019,COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China(Wu et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2020). So far, this virus has spread to all areas of China and even to other countries. The epidemic has caused 67,102 confirmed infections with 1526 fatal cases     

Curcuminoids as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase: A receptor based pharmacophore study with distance mapping of the active site

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric that interacts irreversibly forming an adduct with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme responsible for redox control of cell and defence against oxidative stress. Docking at both the active sites of TrxR was performed to compare the potency of three naturally occurring curcuminoids, namely curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Results show that active sites of TrxR occur at the junction of E and F chains. Volume and area of both cavities is predicted. It has been concluded by distance mapping of the most active conformations that Se atom of catalytic residue SeCYS498, is at a distance of 3.56 from C13 of demethoxy curcumin at the E chain active site, whereas C13 carbon atom forms adduct with Se atom of SeCys 498. We report that at least one methoxy group in curcuminoids is necessary for interation with catalytic residues of thioredoxin. Pharmacophore of both active sites of the TrxR receptor for curcumin and demethoxy curcumin molecules has been drawn and proposed for design and synthesis of most probable potent antiproliferative synthetic drugs.     

Comparative morphology of the carpel in the Liliaceae: Hewardieae, Petrosavieae, and Tricyrteae

The young pistils in the melanthioid tribes, Hewardieae, Petrosavieae and Tricyrteae, are uniformly tricarpellate and syncarpous. They lack raphide idioblasts. All are multiovulate, with bitegmic ovules. The Petrosavieae are marked by the presence of septal glands and incomplete syncarpy. Tepals and stamens adhere to the ovary in the Hewardieae and the Petrosavieae but not in the Tricyrteae. Two vascular bundles occur in the stamens of the Hewartlieae and Tricyrtis latifolia. Ventral bundles in the upper part of the ovary of the Hewardieae are continuous with compound septal bundles and placental bundles in the lower part. Putative ventral bundles occur in the alternate position in the Tricyrteae and putative placental bundles in the opposite. position in the Petrosavieae. The dichtomously branched stigma in each carpel of the Tricyrteae is supplied by a bifurcated dorsal bundle.     

Enterovirus 71 3C proteolytically processes the histone H3 N-terminal tail during infection

Highlights
1. The N-terminal tail of histone H3 is specifically cleaved during EV71 infection.
2. Viral protease 3C is identified as a protease responsible for proteolytically processing the N-terminal H3 tail.
3. Our finding reveals a new epigenetic regulatory mechanism for Enterovirus 71 in virus-host interactions.     

Detection of EBV and HHV6 in the Brain Tissue of Patients with Rasmussen’s Encephalitis

Rasmussen’s encephalitis (RE) is a rare pediatric neurological disorder, and the exact etiology is not clear. Viral infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of RE, but conflicting results have reported. In this study, we evaluated the expression of both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpes virus (HHV) 6 antigens in brain sections from 30 patients with RE and 16 control individuals by immunohistochemistry. In the RE group, EBV and HHV6 antigens were detected in 56.7% (17/30) and 50% (15/30) of individuals, respectively. In contrast, no detectable EBV and HHV6 antigen expression was found in brain tissues of the control group. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in 20.0% (6/30) of individuals. In particular, a 4-year-old boy had a typical clinical course, including a medical history of viral encephalitis, intractable epilepsy, and hemispheric atrophy. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in neurons and astrocytes in the brain tissue, accompanied by a high frequency of CD8⁺ T cells. Our results suggest that EBV and HHV6 infection and the activation of CD8⁺ T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of RE.     

Perinatal Vertical Transmission of Chikungunya Virus in Ruili,a Town on the Border between China and Myanmar

正Dear Editor,Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an arbovirus in the family of Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus, is transmitted by the A.aegyptii or A. albopictus mosquito, and causes disease in humans characterized by fever, rash, and arthralgia (Silva and Dermody 2017; Suhrbier 2019). It was first reported in 1953 in Tanzania, and caused only a few outbreaks and sporadic cases in Africa and Asia in last century. However, in the epidemic in 2004, CHIKV acquired mutations that conferred enhanced transmission by the A. albopictus mosquito(Schuffenecker et al. 2006). Since then, it has successively caused outbreaks in Africa, the Indian Ocean, South East Asia, the South America, and Europe (Zeller et al. 2016).     

Development of a Novel Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2

In conclusion, the novel visual RT-LAMP assay is a simple, rapid, and sensitive approach for detection of SARS-CoV-2, and it is ready for application in primary care and community hospitals or health care centers, and even patients' own houses in response to the current SARS-CoV-2 epidemic because the assay does not require sophisticated equipment and skilled personnel. Furthermore, it is also ready to be used in fields for screening samples from wild animals and environments to facilitate the identification of potential intermediate hosts that mediate the cross-species transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from bats to humans.