基因倍增和脊椎动物起源

有机体基因复制导致基因复杂性增加及其和脊椎动物起源的关系已经成为进化生物学研究的热点。20世纪70年代由Ohno提出后经Holland等修正的原始脊索动物经两轮基因组复制产生脊椎动物的假设目前已被广泛接受。脊椎动物起源和进化过程中发生过两轮基因组复制的主要证据有三点：（1）据估计脊椎动物基因组内编码基因数目大约相当于果蝇、海鞘等无脊椎动物的4倍;原口动物如果蝇和后口动物如头索动物文昌鱼的基因组大都只有单拷贝的基因,而脊椎动物的基因组则通常有4个同属于一个家族的基因。（2）无脊椎动物如节肢动物、海胆和头索动物文昌鱼都只有一个Hox基因簇,而脊椎动物除鱼类外,有7个具有Hox基因簇,其余都具有4个Hox基因簇。（3）基因作图证明,不但在鱼类和哺乳动物染色体广大片段上基因顺序相似,而且有证据显示哺乳动物基因组不同染色体之间存在相似性。据认为第一次基因倍增发生在脊椎动物与头索动物分开之后,第二次基因倍增发生在有颌类脊椎动物和无颌类脊椎动物分开以后。但是,基因是逐个发生倍增,还是通过基因组内某些DNA片段抑或整个基因组的加倍而实现的,目前还颇有争议。     

Hox基因及其进化机制的研究进展

Hox基因是生物体内一类重要的发育调控基因家族.Hox基因高度保守,通常成簇存在,编码一类转录因子,在个体胚胎发育中起着重要的调控作用.近期研究表明,基因复制、基因序列变异及选择压力对Hox基因簇的产生和进化有重要作用,同时调节元件和协同进化对Hox基因的进化也有重要影响.     

基于全基因组的龟鳖目Hox基因序列特征及进化分析

为对Hox基因在龟鳖目物种中进行系统地序列比较分析和进化研究，文章对目前具有染色体水平的龟鳖目基因组进行了Hox基因的鉴定,序列特征、进化和转录组分析。研究结果表明龟鳖物种的Hox基因簇是高度保守的。非重复序列的缺失导致鳖科HoxB9—HoxB13基因间区相对龟科短了10 kb。大量Hox基因编码区发生了鳖科或龟科特异的序列替换、插入和缺失。胸部骨骼发育相关的Hox基因在鳖科祖先发生了快速进化和受到正选择。Hox基因的表达具有组织、时期特异性,主要在胚胎时期的顶端外胚层嵴、背甲嵴和性腺表达。研究为龟鳖目Hox基因不同胚胎时期的多组学及表达调控分析提供了靶标,也为进一步厘清龟鳖物种演化创新提供了参考。     

ZFX基因同源序列在黄鳝基因组中的检出及其染色体定位

以大熊猫锌指蛋白基因Zfx为探针 ,在黄鳝基因组DNA中检测到一条长约 9 5kb的杂交带。依据哺乳类和爬行类动物锌指蛋白基因 (ZFX/Zfc)编码第 7～ 13个锌指结构的DNA序列保守性设计引物 ,在黄鳝基因组DNA中仅扩增到一条 5 12bp的DNA片段。将此片段克隆至载体 pBS中 ,从雌性、雄性个体中分别挑选 4个含有插入片段的白色克隆进行测序。测序结果表明 ,这些克隆中插入片段的核苷酸序列一致。该DNA片段在核苷酸水平上与人类ZFX和ZFY分别具有 88%和 87%同源性 ,但其与美洲鳄鱼Zfc的同源性可达 90 % ,而在氨基酸水平上则分别存在 95 9%、95 9%和 93 5 %的同源性 (170个氨基酸 )。该基因命名为黄鳝锌指蛋白基因Zfa ,并运用FISH将其定位于黄鳝 1号染色体 ,距离着丝粒的相对位置为 6 0 1± 0 38。通过进一步研究证明 ,黄鳝 1号染色体上存在有真兽类哺乳动物X染色质同源的保守片段 ,该保守片段有可能就是哺乳动物X染色体起源和进化的原始物质基础之一。应用哺乳动物X染色体连锁的其他基因在鱼类开展染色体比较定位研究 ,将有望促进脊椎动物性染色体进化的深入研究     

葡萄BRX基因家族生物信息学分析

BRX基因家族是一类植物特有的转录因子家族,在拟南芥中参与调节根细胞的增殖与伸长。利用生物信息学方法对葡萄基因组中存在的BRX基因家族进行了电子克隆,并对其进行了基因组的定位、蛋白质的结构、理化性质、二级结构及亚细胞定位的预测与分析,并对其与其它植物进化的亲缘关系进行了研究。基因组定位结果发现:葡萄基因组中6个BRX基因集中分布在3条染色体上,其中Vv BRX1和Vv BRX2分布在第2条染色体上,Vv BRX3和Vv BRX4分布在第9条染色体上,Vv BRX5和Vv BRX6分布在第11条染色体上;编码蛋白的氨基酸数目为360~560个,Vv BRX5的相对分子量(61 884.4)和理论等电点(9.38)均最大,而Vv BRX1的相对分子量(40 239.1)和理论等电点(6.23)均最小。研究显示,不同成员间氨基酸数目、氨基酸序列间存在一定的差异,但都为疏水性蛋白;α-螺旋和无规则卷曲为6个BRX氨基酸序列的主要组成部分;均不存在跨膜域及信号肽。基因结构分析表明,6个BRX基因都含有外显子和内含子结构。亚细胞定位分析表明:6个Vv BRX基因均定位于细胞核。系统进化分析结果表明,Vv BRX1、Vv BRX2基因与胡杨的亲缘关系最近,相似性达96%;Vv BRX3、Vv BRX4与蓖麻、麻疯树、柑橘、可可、大豆聚为一类,说明其进化关系较近;Vv BRX5与其它Vv BRX基因明显分开;Vv BRX6基因与莲的亲缘关系最近。试验结果为葡萄BRX基因家族的克隆和功能分析奠定了一定的研究基础。     

水稻snoRNA47基因簇的初步鉴定

通过生物信息学分析 ,在水稻染色体中发现一个新的C/D框snoRNA基因簇。此基因簇含有 3个C/D框snoRNA基因 ,它们都具有典型的C框和D框保守元件 ;末端能形成茎环结构 ;含有一段相同的 1 2nt“引导”序列 ,此序列能与水稻 1 8SrRNA中第 6 2 1位到 6 32位的序列互补配对。通过实验证明 ,这 3种snoRNA的确存在于水稻细胞核内 ,并确定出它们各自 5′端的位置。进一步对此snoRNA基因簇的表达进行研究发现 ,此基因簇中的 3个snoRNA基因共同转录成为一个多顺反子的前体。将这 3种新发现的水稻snoRNA分别命名为OSsnR4 7.1 ,OSsnR4 7.2和OSsnR4 7.3。编码它们的基因已被GenBank收录 ,其登录号分别为 :AF4 5 35 0 4 ,AF4 5 35 0 3和AF4 5 35 0 2     

马麝生理生化正常值的测定

对甘肃兴隆山国家级自然保护区人工养麝场的马麝 3项临床指标、6项血液生理指标和 1 3项血清生化指标进行了测定。结果表明 ,成麝体温为 ( 39 94± 0 87)℃ ,呼吸 ( 1 2 4 67± 1 7 2 9)次 min ,心率( 1 2 4 67± 1 7 2 9)次 min;红细胞 ( 2 0 1 9± 4 95 )× 1 0 12 L ,白细胞计数 ( 1 2 4 76± 5 4 96)× 1 0 9 L ,PCV 0 5 78±0 0 3;血糖 ( 8 2 64± 2 0 5 6)mmol L ,K( 4 4 85± 0 2 4 3)mmol L ,Na ( 1 38 2± 1 6 64)mmol L ,Ca ( 2 75 8± 0 31 )mmol L ,总蛋白 ( 74 70 5± 8 1 5 9)g L ,白蛋白 ( 5 2 77± 2 2 32 )g L ,球蛋白 ( 2 1 4 8± 7 2 76)g L等。     

ENU诱导获得一种短尾小鼠及其突变基因的初步定位

用一种化学诱变剂ENU(乙酰基亚硝基脲 )腹腔注射 3 0只 8～ 1 0周龄C5 7BL 6J(简称B6)雄鼠 (G0代 ) ,6周后与同品系正常母鼠配种繁殖后代 (G1代 )小鼠 3 5 1只。对其后代进行筛选获得一种可遗传的显性短尾突变小鼠。为了定位该突变基因 ,运用平均分布于B6和DBA 2 (简称D2 )小鼠常染色体而在这两者间又有差异的 3 9个微卫星对突变小鼠的 (D2×B6)F1代短尾突变小鼠回交D2得到的有短尾表型的[(B6×D2 )F1×D2 ]F2 代小鼠进行基因组扫描。反向运用经典的位置候选基因法 ,将短尾突变基因定位于 1 7号染色体 ,与D1 7Mit3 3的LOD值为 9 0 8。选用该染色体上与短尾表型相关基因Brachyury (T)最近的微卫星D1 7Mit1 43引物扩增 ,在 1 0 9只F2 代短尾小鼠中未发生一例交换 ,表明Brachyury基因是本例短尾突变强有力的候选基因。     

砀山酥梨4CL基因家族的全基因组鉴定与分析

4-香豆酸：辅酶A连接酶(4CL)基因是植物调控木质素代谢、参与类黄酮和其他次生代谢产物合成的关键基因之一,而木质素的合成及聚合在细胞壁沉积导致部分薄壁细胞次生壁加厚形成石细胞。为更好了解砀山酥梨中4CL基因的种类和数量,本文利用砀山酥梨基因组的氨基酸和cDNA数据库对4CL基因家族进行筛选,分析了砀山酥梨基因组中4CL基因的种类、进化关系、物理定位、以及基因结构和保守基序。结果显示在砀山酥梨基因组中发现并初步确定了29个4CL基因,通过基因的定位分析发现除了4、8、11、12号染色体上没有4CL基因之外,其他染色体上都存在4CL基因;并且在9、17号染色体上还存在着基因簇。通过基因结构和进化树之间的比较,进一步确定了基因结构和进化之间的相互联系。研究结果为砀山酥梨4CL基因功能的深入分析奠定了基础。     

四爪陆龟血细胞形态学参数的初步研究

对四爪陆龟的血细胞进行了显微观察 ,并对红细胞和白细胞及其细胞核的大小和面积、血红蛋白含量以及红细胞渗透脆性等参数进行测量。结果表明 :( 1 )四爪陆龟红细胞含量平均值为 62 ( 5 2～ 83 )万个 mm3 血液 ;( 2 )红细胞的平均长度为 ( 1 6 70± 1 2 5 ) μm ,范围 1 5 60～ 1 7 5 2 μm ;( 3 )红细胞宽度为 ( 9 5 3± 0 92 ) μm ,范围 7 2 0～ 1 0 8μm ;( 4 )红细胞核长度为 ( 5 5 9± 0 5 9) μm ,范围 4 80～ 6 48μm ;( 5 )红细胞核宽度为 ( 3 65± 0 5 6) μm ,范围 2 64～ 4 5 6μm ;( 6)血红蛋白含量为 ( 7 3 0± 0 66)g 1 0 0ml血液 ( 6 5 0～8 5 0 ) ;( 7)红细胞渗透脆性 ,开始溶血浓度为 0 2 4%NaCl溶液 ,完全溶血浓度为 0 1 6%NaCl溶液 ;( 8)红细胞平均大小 (长径×短径 )为 ( 1 6 70× 9 5 3 ) μm2 ;( 9)白细胞平均值 0 5 6( 0 42～ 0 70 )万 mm3 ,其中嗜中性粒细胞大小为 ( 1 2 0 8± 1 86) μm ,嗜酸性粒细胞大小为 ( 9 2 5± 2 3 ) μm ,嗜碱性粒细胞大小为 ( 8 75±0 2 3 ) μm ,单核细胞大小为 ( 1 1 40± 1 0 6) μm ,淋巴细胞大小为 ( 7 5 0± 2 1 ) μm ,凝血细胞大小为 ( 4 2 0±1 40 ) μm。     

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.