Changes in lactate dehydrogenase activity in chicken tissues in hyperthyreosis in ontogenesis

The lactate dehydrogenase activity in reactions of lactate oxidation and synthesis was studied in subfractions of the chicken brain, heart and liver at the embryonal, early postembryonal and adult stages of development after thyroxine administration. It has been shown that during embryogenesis thyroxine predominantly enhanced the rate of lactate oxidation in the mitochondrial tissues. A marked increase in the lactate synthesis was found in cytoplasm of the adult chicken tissues. Specificity of enzyme activity alterations was detected in the chicken brain during ontogenesis after thyroxine administration.     

Scurvy in capybaras bred in captivity in Argentine

In order to determine if the absence of vitamin C in the diet of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) causes scurvy, a group of seven young individuals were fed food pellets without ascorbic acid, while another group of eight individuals received the same food with 1 g of ascorbic acid per animal per day. Animals in the first group developed signs of scurvy-like gingivitis, breaking of the incisors and death of one animal. Clinical signs appeared between 25 and 104 days from the beginning of the trial in all individuals. Growth rates of individuals deprived of vitamin C was considerably less than those observed in the control group. Deficiency of ascorbic acid had a severe effect on reproduction of another population of captive capybaras. We found that the decrease in ascorbic acid content in the diet affected pregnancy, especially during the first stages. The results obtained suggest that it is necessary to supply a suitable quantity of vitamin C in the diet of this species in captivity.     

2016年中国植物科学若干领域重要研究进展

2016年中国植物科学持续稳步发展, 表现在中国植物科学家在国际主流高影响力学术期刊发表文章的数量稳中有升, 中国植物科学领域的期刊逆风出行, 进入研究性期刊世界前三甲行列。中国科学家在植物学诸多领域取得了丰硕的成果。水稻(Oryza sativa)产量性状杂种优势的分子遗传机制解析入选2016年中国科学十大进展; 植物受精过程中雌雄配子体信号识别机制的研究和独脚金内酯的受体感知机制入选2016年生命科学十大进展。我国植物科学, 特别是以水稻为代表的作物研究在国际学术界已占有一席之地。例如, 在水稻组学(如基因组和转录组等)资源和技术平台的建立、重测序的开发及功能基因的克隆和调控网络的解析方面取得了系列重要成果(如揭示了独脚金内酯信号转导的“去抑制化激活”机制、从分子水平上阐释了水稻籼粳杂种不育和广亲和性基因S5的作用机理及发现了控制水稻耐冷的基因组位点), 已经引领世界水稻乃至作物科学研究。该文对2016年中国本土植物科学若干领域取得的重要研究进展进行了概括性评述, 旨在全面追踪当前中国植物科学领域的发展前沿和研究热点, 与读者共享我国科学家所取得的杰出成就。     

2018年中国植物科学若干领域重要研究进展

2018年中国植物科学继续呈现快速发展的态势, 我国科学家在国际植物科学主流学术刊物发表论文数量大幅增加, 取得了多项具有重要影响的成果。调控植物生长-代谢平衡实现可持续农业发展入选2018年度中国科学十大进展; 中国被子植物区系进化历史研究入选2018年度中国生命科学十大进展。以水稻为代表的农作物和果蔬等经济作物研究在国际上已呈现出明显的优势, 若干领域已从“追赶”状态跨越到“领跑”地位。该文对2018年中国科学家在植物科学若干领域取得的重要研究成果进行了概括性评述, 旨在全面追踪和报道当前中国植物科学领域的发展前沿和热点, 展示中国科学家所取得的杰出成就。     

SSTR5 ablation in islet results in alterations in glucose homeostasis in mice

Somatostatin (SST) peptide is a potent inhibitor of insulin secretion and its effect is mediated via somatostatin receptor 5 (SSTR5) in the endocrine pancreas. To investigate the consequences of gene ablation of SSTR5 in the mouse pancreas, we have generated a mouse model in which the SSTR5 gene was specifically knocked down in the pancreatic beta cells (betaSSTR5Kd) using the Cre-lox system. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that SSTR5 gene expression was absent in beta cells at three months of age. At the time of gene ablation, betaSSTR5Kd mice demonstrated glucose intolerance with lack of insulin response and significantly reduced serum insulin levels. Insulin tolerance test demonstrated a significant increase of insulin clearance in vivo at the same age. In vitro studies demonstrated an absence of response to SST-28 stimulation in the betaSSTR5Kd mouse islet, which was associated with a significantly reduced SST expression level in betaSSTR5Kd mice pancreata. In addition, betaSSTR5Kd mice had significantly reduced serum glucose levels and increased serum insulin levels at 12 months of age. Glucose tolerance test at an older age also indicated a persistently higher insulin level in betaSSTR5Kd mice. Further studies of betaSSTR5Kd mice had revealed elevated serum C-peptide levels at both 3 and 12 months of age, suggesting that these mice are capable of producing and releasing insulin to the periphery. These results support the hypothesis that SSTR5 plays a pivotal role in the regulation of insulin secretion in the mouse pancreas.     

Role for dopamine in malonate-induced damage in vivo in striatum and in vitro in mesencephalic cultures

Defects in mitochondrial energy metabolism have been implicated in the pathology of several neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, the reactive metabolites generated from the metabolism and oxidation of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) are thought to contribute to the damage to neurons of the basal ganglia. We have previously demonstrated that infusions of the metabolic inhibitor malonate into the striata of mice or rats produce degeneration of DA nerve terminals. In the present studies, we demonstrate that an intrastriatal infusion of malonate induces a substantial increase in DA efflux in awake, behaving mice as measured by in vivo microdialysis. Furthermore, pretreatment of mice with tetrabenazine (TBZ) or the TBZ analogue Ro 4-1284 (Ro-4), compounds that reversibly inhibit the vesicular storage of DA, attenuates the malonate-induced DA efflux as well as the damage to DA nerve terminals. Consistent with these findings, the damage to both DA and GABA neurons in mesencephalic cultures by malonate exposure was attenuated by pretreatment with TBZ or Ro-4. Treatment with these compounds did not affect the formation of free radicals or the inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation resulting from malonate exposure alone. Our data suggest that DA plays an important role in the neurotoxicity produced by malonate. These findings provide direct evidence that inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase causes an increase in extracellular DA levels and indicate that bioenergetic defects may contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic neurodegenerative diseases through a mechanism involving DA.     

2018年中国植物科学若干领域重要研究进展

2018年中国植物科学继续呈现快速发展的态势, 我国科学家在国际植物科学主流学术刊物发表论文数量大幅增加, 取得了多项具有重要影响的成果。调控植物生长-代谢平衡实现可持续农业发展入选2018年度中国科学十大进展; 中国被子植物区系进化历史研究入选2018年度中国生命科学十大进展。以水稻为代表的农作物和果蔬等经济作物研究在国际上已呈现出明显的优势, 若干领域已从“追赶”状态跨越到“领跑”地位。该文对2018年中国科学家在植物科学若干领域取得的重要研究成果进行了概括性评述, 旨在全面追踪和报道当前中国植物科学领域的发展前沿和热点, 展示中国科学家所取得的杰出成就。     

2017年中国植物科学若干领域重要研究进展

2017年中国植物科学继续保持高速发展态势, 重大成果频出, 具体表现在中国植物学家在国际顶级学术期刊发表的文章数量平稳上升。中国植物科学领域的研究工作者成果精彩纷呈, 如新型广谱抗病机制的发现、水稻广谱抗病遗传基础及机制和疫霉菌诱发病害成灾机制研究等。2017年中国生命科学领域十大进展评选中, 有两项植物科学领域的研究成果入选。水稻生物学、进化与基因组学和激素生物学等领域学科发展突出。另外, 值得一提的是, 长期从事高等植物与代谢途径调控分子网络研究和水稻品种设计育种的李家洋院士的研究成果“水稻高产优质性状形成的分子机理及品种设计”荣获2017年国家自然科学一等奖。这一具有重大国际影响的开创性贡献标志着中国植物科学在该领域的国际科学前沿居于引领和卓越地位。该文对2017年中国本土科学家在植物科学若干领域取得的重要研究成果进行了系统梳理, 旨在全面追踪和报道当前中国植物科学领域发展的最新前沿动态, 与广大读者共同分享我国科学家所取得的辉煌成就。     

我国葫芦科植物离体培养研究进展

葫芦科植物包括多种瓜类蔬菜,对其进行离体培养研究具有重要的理论和实践意义。综述了国内在葫芦科植物器官培养、体细胞胚胎发生、花药培养、原生质体培养和体细胞杂交及离体遗传转化等方面取得的研究进展,并对葫芦科植物离体培养、遗传转化与育种的前景作了展望。