亚洲三种冠齿兽类的齿冠形成时间及其对选取现生类似种的参考意义(英文)

选取了亚洲常见的三种冠齿兽类Asiocoryphodon conicus Xu,1976,Heterocoryphodon fl erowi(Chow,1957)和Eudinoceras mongoliensis Osborn,1924,对其臼齿材料进行组织学切片研究,以讨论多尖牙齿齿冠形成模式和估算它们的齿冠形成时间。结果显示,A.conicus,H.fl erowi和E.mongoliensis上第三臼齿齿冠的形成时间分别为2.99±0.1,3.63±0.11和3.68±0.22 yr,三种冠齿兽类的生活史均符合慢生长、长生命型模式。综合考虑体型的影响,相较其他大型植食性动物,H.fl erowi的生活史更适合与现生河马(Hippopotamus amphibius)进行类比,E.mongoliensis的生活史更适合与白犀(Ceratotherium simum)进行类比,而A.conicus的生活史则稍快稍短于现生河马。这些现生类似种的种内变化数据可为冠齿兽类的部分分类学问题提供参考。     

内蒙古二连盆地努和廷勃尔和剖面阿山头组底部鼠齿类一新属(英文)

努和廷勃尔和剖面位于内蒙古二连市西南40 km的呼和勃尔和地区,依据沉积间断可以将50 m厚的地层分为脑木根组和阿山头组,地层时代从中古新世到中始新世。在阿山头组下部层位中发现大量的啮齿类化石,其中一类原始的鼠齿类在此被命名为一个新的属种:Erlianomys combinatusgen. et sp. nov. (综合二连鼠)。其主要牙齿特征为:齿冠低,主尖较为发育,连接各尖的脊简单、细弱。有P4, m1有前压痕也表明有一个小的p4或者dp4。M1和M2大小相当。臼齿前齿带(下前齿带)明显,与原尖(下原尖)之间没有连接或连接很弱。M1和M2原尖后臂、后脊和次尖前臂在中尖处相交。m1的下前尖很弱或缺失,下原尖与下后尖之间连接很弱,基本为孤立的两个尖;m2 -3下次小尖明显,下次脊短,有时直接与下次小尖相连;下外脊低矮、不发育。上、下臼齿都没有中脊或很弱。新属种的发现,为进一步认识古近纪啮齿类的起源和演化提供了新的证据。Erlianomys与北美的Elymys和亚洲的Aksyiromys,Primisminthus,Allosminthus,Palasiomys都有很多相似的特征,预示着它们可能有共同的祖先。在牙齿形态上,Erlianomys比中始新世的其他鼠齿类更为原始,可表明其产出层位即阿山头组下部的时代要早于中始新世,可能属于早始新世;其形态更接近亚洲的Aksyiromys,Primisminthus和Allosminthus,而与北美的Ely-mys相差较大。因此推测鼠齿类的共同祖先可能与Erlianomys更为相似,早始新世时在亚洲起源,向其他大陆的迁移扩散不会晚于早始新世晚期。     

记山东泗水真恐角兽属一新种

本文所记述的冠齿兽类化石采集于山东泅水盆地站新世地层中。其个体巨大,前日齿原尖呈孤立锥形并紧靠前尖,原尖和前尘近等高;臼齿脊形化程度高,中附尖近孤立锥形,原尖和后尖更靠近舌面。据此特征将它归入真恐角兽属,并建立一新种──泗水真恐角兽（Eudinmocerassishuiensissp.vov.）。本文将该种与冠齿兽科其它相近属种进行了比较,初步探讨了该科动物演化的可能趋势,并对黄庄动物群时代及与地层有关的问题进行了讨论。     

辽宁下白垩统沙海组和阜新组真三尖齿兽类戈壁尖齿兽科新材料（英文）

真三尖齿兽类是了解亚洲白垩纪哺乳动物群演化和转变的重要成员之一。到目前为止沙海组和阜新组(下白垩统上部)已经发现了两种戈壁尖齿兽科以及两种三尖齿兽科的真三尖齿兽类。描述了这些地层产出的真三尖齿兽类的其他材料,包括一新属新种——常氏阜新尖齿兽(Fuxinoconodon changi gen. et sp. nov.)和一枚左下臼齿(鉴定为?Gobiconodontidae gen. et sp. indet.)。这种新的真三尖齿兽类被归入戈壁尖齿兽科(Gobiconodontidae),其特征为:第一下门齿大、门齿和前臼齿的数目变少、臼齿b尖和c尖较大而独立,以及臼齿具有分别属于Gobiconodon第一代或第二代臼齿上独有特征的组合。新材料与同一地区相同层位已经报道的4种真三尖齿兽类表明,虽然科级和属级的多样性似乎已经减少,但亚洲早白垩世晚期仍存在比较多样的真三尖齿兽类。     

安徽潜山中古新世一种似裂齿类的哺乳动物

记述了在安徽省潜山盆地中古新世地层中发现的一种似裂齿目的哺乳动物———潜山简齿兽 (Simplodonqianshanensisgen.etsp .nov .)。新属与以往发现的裂齿兽类不同在于上颊齿相对窄长 ,单面高冠现象不显 ,无小尖 ,齿脊不发育。     

内蒙古二连盆地早始新世脑木根组上部的奇蹄类(英文)

描述了内蒙古二连盆地脑木根组上部(早始新世伯姆巴期)两种奇蹄类:脊齿貘类的二连明镇貘(新属新种)Minchenoletes erlianensisgen.et sp.nov.和蹄齿犀类的Pataecops parvus。二连明镇貘区别于其他脊齿貘类的特点是:个体小,颊齿齿冠低,齿脊相对不发育,牙齿较横宽(长宽比小),M3相对较长。两种化石分别将脊齿貘科和犀超科的化石记录提前到最早始新世。最新的地层资料表明,明镇貘仅发现于脑木根组上部,相当于伯姆巴期的地层中;施氏貘(Schlosseria)和脊齿貘(Lophialetes)则分别发现于阿山头组和伊尔丁曼哈组。因此,这些化石在生物地层对比和早期奇蹄类演化研究中具有重要价值。依据二连地区的新资料和中亚考察团的野外记录,我们认为蒙古的Pataecops parvus标本可能来自比Kholobolchi动物群大多数种类更低的层位,可能相当于伯姆巴期。     

山东昌乐早始新世五图组伪齿兽类(哺乳纲,踝节目)一新属

记述了在山东早始新世地层中发现的一种仿齿兽类──亚洲脊兽（新属、新种）（Lophocionasiaticusgen．etsp．nov．），肯定了伪齿兽类在亚洲的存在。新种在牙齿形态上与北美的Ectocion接近，但脊齿化程度较高，表现在上自齿上有初始的后脊，从次尖向不同方向伸出三条清晰的棱脊。这些特征使新属容易与其他已知伪齿兽类相区别。     

云南广南古近纪紧齿犀类新材料

记述了云南广南盆地古近纪砚山组紧齿犀科(Eggysodontidae)一新属种:杨氏广南犀Guangnanodon youngi gen.et sp.nov.,标本为一破损的带p3-m3的左下颌骨。新属种的特征为下前臼齿的臼齿化程度低,p3-p4的下内脊弱,向内收缩呈尖叶状,p4和m2的下次脊略偏向内侧倾斜,m3的下跟座与m2的相近,接近V形,p4-m3外齿带在下原尖和下次尖基部消失。这些特征表明广南犀明显比晚始新世的Proeggysodon进步,而比渐新世的其他紧齿犀类原始,其时代很可能为晚始新世最晚期。新标本的发现结合以前报道过的哺乳动物化石材料表明,广南盆地砚山组包含了中始新世晚期至晚始新世晚期的沉积。     

泥河湾盆地新发现的梅氏犀及裴氏板齿犀化石

在河北省阳原县大黑沟中更新世和岑家湾附近石沟早更新世地层中分别发现了犀牛的下颌骨和股骨化石。其下颌联合部窄长、无下门齿、牙齿釉质层平滑而无褶皱、牙齿表面无垩质充填,股骨较披毛犀的长,故将其归入梅氏犀(Stephanorhinus kirchbergensis)。泥河湾盆地的化石是我国早期梅氏犀化石中材料最可靠,地点层位最明确的记录。山神庙咀和大黑沟出土的板齿犀牙齿及前脚骨化石,是泥河湾盆地发现的最好材料,尤其是大黑沟出土的板齿犀牙齿化石,是迄今在泥河湾盆地首次发现的完整材料;依据冠面结构和测量数据,该批材料可归入裴氏板齿犀(Elasmotherium peii);裴氏板齿犀特征鲜明,是有效名称,我国早更新世的板齿犀均应归入该种。我国第四纪的板齿犀与高加索板齿犀之间存在显著差异,表现在釉质层厚度较大但褶皱不够强烈、下颊齿的下后尖发育、颊齿冠面的前后径多数大于颊舌径、M3比M2小、M3后附尖欠发育,后脊与外脊已完全融合、上颊齿的齿脊更厚。此外,我国的板齿犀与西伯利亚板齿犀也有差异,后者的牙齿齿冠更高、无齿根、釉质层薄且褶皱强烈、上颊齿无后窝。最新地层研究表明,我国含板齿犀属的地层时代不晚于早更新世,且集中出现于下更新统。在晚新生代期间,犀牛在泥河湾盆地十分常见,先后出现过如下属种:大唇犀(Chilotherium sp.)(上新世)、裴氏板齿犀(Elasmotherium peii)(早更新世)、泥河湾披毛犀(Coelodonta nihowanensis)(早更新世)、梅氏犀Stephanorhinus kirchbergensis(早-中更新世)和真披毛犀(Coelodonta antiquitatis)(中-晚更新世)。     

新疆东北部晚侏罗世一新的柱齿兽

描述了哺乳纲柱齿兽目柱齿兽科(Docodontidae,Docodonta,Mammalia)一新属种——孙氏尖钝齿兽(Acuodulodon sunae gen.et sp.nov.)。标本产于新疆东北部准噶尔盆地五彩湾地区上侏罗统牛津阶石树沟组上部(159～161 Ma),为一不完整左下颌骨及齿列。新属下臼齿具柱齿兽类典型特征:齿尖b位于齿尖a前方;齿尖c位于齿尖a后舌侧;齿尖a前舌侧发育有齿尖g。不同于其他柱齿兽,新属下臼齿无齿尖e和齿脊b-e。齿尖g和齿脊b-g很快被磨蚀掉而齿尖a和c却能保持尖锐状态,表明该动物的臼齿在生活中具备并保持切割和碾压双重功能。基于下臼齿性状特征的系统发育分析表明,柱齿兽目作为一单系类群具有显著的鉴定特征。其中尖钝齿兽和Itatodon+(Simpsonodon,Castorocauda+(Tegotherium+Sibirotherium))形成一单系子类群;但tegotheriids各分子未形成独立于柱齿兽科的单系类群。尖钝齿兽的下颌齿骨亦为典型的柱齿兽类型。齿骨内侧下部近腹缘有浅的齿后骨槽和宽大的内侧脊,但两者未延伸到下颌关节髁的基柄部。这表明尖钝齿兽的齿后骨与齿骨的连接比摩根齿兽类更为松散,其中耳在进化上更接近真正意义上的哺乳动物中耳。     

浙江天台盆地晚白垩世恐龙蛋新类型(英文)

浙江天台盆地上白垩统赖家组和赤城山组是我国最重要的恐龙蛋化石产出地层之一。近年来,我们对天台盆地陆相红层中的恐龙蛋化石层位进行了详细厘定,对恐龙蛋类型进行了系统描述,并对前人报道的一些属种进行了分类订正。研究显示,天台恐龙蛋化石群基本上可分为7蛋科、12蛋属和15蛋种,代表了我国晚白垩世早期的恐龙蛋化石组合。本文简要报道了主要产自天台盆地赤城山组的双塘似蜂窝蛋(新蛋属、新修订种)、木鱼山半蜂窝蛋(新蛋属、新蛋种)、国清寺副蜂窝蛋(新修订种)、天台棱柱形蛋(新修订种)和张头槽马赛克蛋(新蛋属、新修订种)等3新蛋属、5新蛋种和修订种的主要鉴定特征,并建立一新蛋科——似蜂窝蛋科。     

安徽嘉山晚古新世哺乳动物群

记述了在安徽省嘉山县土金山晚中新世地层中发现的 7种哺乳动物化石 ,其中包括两个新种———翟氏肉齿兽 ?(Sarcodon ?zhaiisp .nov.)和原始皖柱兽 (Wanostylopspromissussp .nov.)。这是目前为止有关嘉山土金山动物群最为全面的一次报道。动物群的性质表明含化石的土金山组的时代为晚古新世 ,很可能相当于格沙头期或稍早。     

峡东地区早寒武世水井沱组古盘虫类三叶虫的再研究

对峡东和邻近地区早寒武世古盘虫类三叶虫的再研究,支持将Emeidiscus Li,1980;Mianxrindiscus S．Zhang et Zhu in Zhang et al,1980;Mianxiandiscus(Liangshandiscus)S．Zhang in Zhang et al．,1980;Hupeidiscus Chang in Lu et al．,1974;Guizhoudiscus S．Zhang in Zhang et al．,1980;Shizhudiscus S．Zhang et Zhu in Zhang et al．,1980等属作为Tsunyidiscus Chang,1966的同义名的意见。并对前人所建立的有关属的种,进行了重新研究和整理,作了大量的归并和修订。就目前所知道,峡东地区早寒武世水井沱组的古盘虫类三叶虫仅有Tsunyidiscus Chang,1966和Sinodiscus Chang in Lu et al,1974两属。Hupeidiscus经修订归入Tsunyidiscus Chang,1966后,原Hebediscus orientalis Chang,1953(即原Hupeidiscus的模式种)一种的种名与Tsunyidiscus orientalis(Walcott,1905)重名,故将前者重新命名为Tsunyidiscus pertenus nom．nov．。文中还记述了湖北宜昌、秭归等地的早寒武世古盘虫类三叶虫2属3种,包括Tsunyidiscus yanjiazhaiensis S．Zhang,Zhou et Yuan in Yin and Li,1978;Tsunyidisacutus(Sun,1983);Sinodiscus changyangensis S．Zhang in Zhou et al．,1977。     

Targeting of proteins into the peroxisomal matrix

Summary During the last few years much has been learned regarding signals that target proteins into peroxisomes. The emphasis in the near future will undoubtedly shift towards the elucidation of the mechanism of import. The use of mammalian and yeast cells deficient in peroxisome assembly and/or import (Zoeller & Raetz, 1986; Erdmann et al., 1989; Cregg et al., 1990; Morand et al., 1990; Tsukamoto, Yokota & Fujiki, 1990) should provide a handle on the genes (Erdmann et al., 1991; Tsukamoto et al., 1991) involved in these processes. This will have to be coupled with further development of in vitro systems which will permit the dissection of the steps in the translocation of proteins into peroxisomes. Though some progress has been made in the development of such assays (Imanaka et al., 1987; Small et al., 1987, 1988; Miyazawa et al., 1989), the fragility of peroxisomes and the absence of biochemical hallmarks of import (such as protein modifications or proteolytic processing) have hindered progress. Since peroxisomes exist in the form of a reticulum in mammalian cells (Gorgas, 1984), all peroxisome purification schemes (from mammalian cells at least) must undoubtedly rupture the peroxisomes, which then reseal to form vesicular structures. Additionally, the reliance on the latency of catalase alone as a major criterion for the integrity of peroxisomes ignores the fact that many other matrix proteins leak out of peroxisomes at vastly different rates during purification of the organelles (Thompson & Krisans, 1990). In view of these problems, the development of peroxisomal transport assays with semi-intact cells would also constitute an important advance. It is very likely that in the next few years we will witness some major advances in our understanding of the mechanism by which proteins enter this organelle.I would like to thank all the members of my lab and my collaborators, past and present, whose hard work provided the material for this review. This work has been supported by grants from the March of Dimes Foundation (#1081) and the NIH (DK41737).     

柴达木盆地新近纪犀科化石新材料

近年来在青海柴达木盆地中新世地层内新发现的犀科化石 ,经研究有 3属 3种 ,即Ac erorhinustsaidamensis,Hispanotheriummatritense和Dicerorhinusringstromi,其中后两个种是在这一地区的初次报道。新材料虽较破碎 ,但其发现扩大了H .matritense和D .ringstromi的地理分布范围。更重要的是 ,柴达木动物群原来被确定为晚中新世早期 ,其主要依据是安琪马动物群的残余分子与三趾马动物群共生 ,而此次的发现证明这一地区确实有含H .matritense的中中新世动物群存在。D .ringstromi的发现还证明柴达木盆地有相当于保德动物群时代的晚中新世晚期沉积。     

CFTR: Domains, Structure, and Function

Mutations in the gene encoding the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) cause cystic fibrosis (CF) (Collins, 1992). Over 500 naturally occurring mutations have been identified in CF gene which are located in all of the domains of the protein (Kerem et al., 1990; Mercier et al., 1993; Ghanem et al., 1994; Fanen et al., 1992; Ferec et al., 1992; Cutting et al., 1990). Early studies by several investigators characterized CFTR as a chloride channel (Anderson et al.; 1991b,c; Bear et al., 1991). The complex secondary structure of the protein suggested that CFTR might possess other functions in addition to being a chloride channel. Studies have established that the CFTR functions not only as a chloride channel but is indeed a regulator of sodium channels (Stutts et al., 1995), outwardly rectifying chloride channels (ORCC) (Gray et al., 1989; Garber et al., 1992; Egan et al., 1992; Hwang et al., 1989; Schwiebert et al., 1995) and also the transport of ATP (Schwiebert et al., 1995; Reisin et al., 1994). This mini-review deals with the studies which elucidate the functions of the various domains of CFTR, namely the transmembrane domains, TMD1 and TMD2, the two cytoplasmic nucleotide binding domains, NBD1 and NBD2, and the regulatory, R, domain.     

狗鱼(Esox,Teleostei)化石在中国的首次发现

记述了山东龙口黄县洼里煤矿早始新世黄县组二段油页岩中的鱼化石。该鱼身体狭长,背鳍位置靠后;额骨侧面有长形的、狗鱼所特有的副筛骨;额骨甚长;顶骨相对来说甚短;口裂较长;齿骨、前上颌骨及颚部许多骨片均生有扁而尖的牙齿,但上颌骨口缘光滑;外翼骨甚粗壮;鳃盖骨略呈长方形;前鳃盖骨较直,中部略收缩,上、下枝夹角大(约为１３０°);匙骨纵枝短而水平枝长大。困此属于狗鱼科中惟一的狗鱼属是毫无疑问的。根据其头长与体长之比、额骨及顶骨的形状和比例以及背鳍条数目与狗鱼属其他种的不同,我们将它订为一个新种——龙口狗鱼。黄县的化石是狗鱼渐新世以前在北美以外地区的首次发现,也是狗鱼化石在亚洲的首次发现。黄县位于北纬３７°７′,远较现生狗鱼在亚洲分布的地区(４３°和４６°以北)靠南。而始新世全球气候偏暖,巨南北温差较小,始新世狗鱼或较现生种类更适应较温暖的气候。早始新世狗鱼在中国的发现为当时跨太平洋鱼类区系的存在提供了进一步的证据。     

Immune plexins and semaphorins: old proteins,new immune functions

Plexins and semaphorins are a large family of proteins that are involved in cell movement and response. The importance of plexins and semaphorins has been emphasized by their discovery in many organ systems including the nervous (Nkyimbeng-Takwi and Chapoval, 2011; McCormick and Leipzig, 2012; Yaron and Sprinzak, 2012), epithelial (Miao et al., 1999; Fujii et al., 2002), and immune systems (Takamatsu and Kumanogoh, 2012) as well as diverse cell processes including angiogenesis (Serini et al., 2009; Sakurai et al., 2012), embryogenesis (Perala et al., 2012), and cancer (Potiron et al., 2009; Micucci et al., 2010). Plexins and semaphorins are transmembrane proteins that share a conserved extracellular semaphorin domain (Hota and Buck, 2012). The plexins and semaphorins are divided into four and eight subfamilies respectively based on their structural homology. Semaphorins are relatively small proteins containing the extracellular semaphorin domain and short intracellular tails. Plexins contain the semaphorin domain and long intracellular tails (Hota and Buck, 2012). The majority of plexin and semaphorin research has focused on the nervous system, particularly the developing nervous system, where these proteins are found to mediate many common neuronal cell processes including cell movement, cytoskeletal rearrangement, and signal transduction (Choi et al., 2008; Takamatsu et al., 2010). Their roles in the immune system are the focus of this review.     

Cellular Redistribution of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases LAR and PTPσ by Inducible Proteolytic Processing

Most receptor-like protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) display a high degree of homology with cell adhesion molecules in their extracellular domains. We studied the functional significance of processing for the receptor-like PTPases LAR and PTPσ. PTPσ biosynthesis and intracellular processing resembled that of the related PTPase LAR and was expressed on the cell surface as a two-subunit complex. Both LAR and PTPσ underwent further proteolytical processing upon treatment of cells with either calcium ionophore A23187 or phorbol ester TPA. Induction of LAR processing by TPA in 293 cells did require overexpression of PKCα. Induced proteolysis resulted in shedding of the extracellular domains of both PTPases. This was in agreement with the identification of a specific PTPσ cleavage site between amino acids Pro₈₂₁ and Ile₈₂₂. Confocal microscopy studies identified adherens junctions and desmosomes as the preferential subcellular localization for both PTPases matching that of plakoglobin. Consistent with this observation, we found direct association of plakoglobin and β-catenin with the intracellular domain of LAR in vitro. Taken together, these data suggested an involvement of LAR and PTPσ in the regulation of cell contacts in concert with cell adhesion molecules of the cadherin/catenin family. After processing and shedding of the extracellular domain, the catalytically active intracellular portions of both PTPases were internalized and redistributed away from the sites of cell–cell contact, suggesting a mechanism that regulates the activity and target specificity of these PTPases. Calcium withdrawal, which led to cell contact disruption, also resulted in internalization but was not associated with prior proteolytic cleavage and shedding of the extracellular domain. We conclude that the subcellular localization of LAR and PTPσ is regulated by at least two independent mechanisms, one of which requires the presence of their extracellular domains and one of which involves the presence of intact cell–cell contacts. A key element in the regulation of cell–cell and cell– matrix contacts is the tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins that are localized in focal adhesions and at intercellular junctions (for reviews see Kemler, 1993; Clark and Brugge, 1995). While much is known about the protein tyrosine kinases involved in the phosphorylation of cell adhesion components, very little information exists about the identity of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases),¹ which are responsible for the dephosphorylation and thereby regulation of these structural complexes. Probable candidates are those receptor-like PTPases that contain cell adhesion molecule-like extracellular domains and could therefore regulate their intrinsic phosphatase activity in response to cell contact. Recent reports suggest that some PTPases do, in fact, possess properties that resemble those of classical cell adhesion molecules (for review see Brady-Kalnay and Tonks, 1995). A direct involvement in cell–cell contact has so far been demonstrated for PTPμ (Brady-Kalnay et al., 1993; Gebbink et al., 1993) and PTPκ (Sap et al., 1994), for which a homophilic interaction between their extracellular domains was found. The localization of PTPμ (Brady-Kalnay et al., 1995; Gebbink et al., 1995), PTPκ (Fuchs et al., 1996), and PCP-2 (Wang et al., 1996) was restricted to sites of cell–cell contact and surface expression of PTPμ (Gebbink et al., 1995), and PTPκ (Fuchs et al., 1996) was increased in a cell density-dependent manner. Moreover, a direct association of PTPκ (Fuchs et al., 1996) and PTPμ (Brady-Kalnay et al., 1995) with members of the cadherin/catenin family suggests that proteins of the cell adhesion complex represent physiological substrates for these PTPases. A possible regulatory function in cell–matrix adhesion has been proposed for LAR, another receptor-like PTPase, which associated with focal cell–substratum adhesions via the newly identified LAR interacting protein 1, LIP-1 (Serra-Pages et al., 1995).PTPμ (Gebbink et al., 1991), PTPκ (Jiang et al., 1993; Fuchs et al., 1996), PTPδ (Krueger et al., 1990; Mizuno et al., 1993, Pulido et al., 1995a), PCP-2 (Wang et al., 1996), and LAR (Streuli et al., 1988, Pot et al., 1991) are members of the so-called type II receptor-like PTPases. The extracellular domains of these PTPases contain a variable number of Ig-like and fibronectin type III-like (FNIII) domains (for review see Charbonneau and Tonks, 1992). With the exception of PCP-2 (Wang et al., 1996), these PTPases also share characteristics in their biosynthesis. They all underwent proteolytic processing by a furin-like endoprotease and were expressed at the cell surface in two subunits which were not covalently linked (Streuli et al., 1992; Yu et al., 1992; Jiang et al., 1993; Brady-Kalnay and Tonks, 1994; Gebbink et al., 1995; Pulido et al., 1995a; Fuchs et al., 1996). It was shown for LAR that the E subunit, which contains the cell adhesion molecule-like extracellular domain, was shed from the cell surface when cells were grown to a high density (Streuli et al., 1992). This shedding of the E subunit of LAR was the result of an additional proteolytic processing step that could also be induced by treatment of the cells with the phorbol ester TPA (Serra-Pages et al., 1995). An accumulation of E subunits in the supernatant of cells was also observed for PTPμ (Gebbink et al., 1995) and PTPδ (Pulido et al., 1995a), and this suggests a common mechanism in the regulation of type II PTPases. However, the effect of proteolytic processing on either the catalytic activity, the substrate specificity, or the cellular localization of these PTPases has not yet been determined. We report here that PTPσ, a recently identified new member of the family of receptor-like type II PTPases (Pan et al., 1993; Walton et al., 1993; Yan et al., 1993; Ogata et al., 1994; Zhang et al., 1994), underwent biosynthesis and proteolytic processing in a manner that resembled that of the most closely related PTPase LAR. Moreover, further proteolytic processing of PTPσ as well as of LAR could be induced by treatment of the cells with TPA or the calcium ionophore A23187. Transient expression studies indicated that TPA-induced processing of LAR, but not PTPσ, was dependent on the coexpression of PKCα. Inducible processing of both PTPases took place in the extracellular segment of the P subunit in a juxtamembrane position and led to the shedding of the E subunit. Both LAR and PTPσ were predominantly localized in regions of cell–cell contact and accumulated in dot-like structures that could be identified as adherens junctions and desmosomes by colocalization with plakoglobin (Cowin et al., 1986). Moreover, plakoglobin and β-catenin, another component of E-cadherin–containing cell adhesion complexes in adherens junctions, associated directly with the intracellular domain of LAR in vitro. The inducible shedding of the E subunit of LAR and PTPσ was followed by a redistribution of the PTPases within the cell membrane and by an internalization of the cleaved P subunits. It therefore represents a mechanism through which the phosphatase activity of these PTPases could be regulated in response to cell–cell contact. The cell adhesion molecule-like character of LAR and PTPσ was further supported by the fact that the internalization of LAR and PTPσ occurred independently of the proteolytic processing if cells were grown in calcium-depleted growth medium. The analogies in specific localization as well as internalization behavior of PTPσ and LAR, with molecules of the cadherin/catenin family, strongly suggest a direct involvement of PTPσ and LAR in the formation or maintenance of intercellular contacts.     

Mitochondrial cytochrome b of the Lyakhov mammoth (Proboscidea,Mammalia): new data and phylogenetic analyses of Elephantidae

The phylogenetic relationships between recent Elephantidae (Proboscidea, Mammalia), that is to say extant elephants (Asian and African) and extinct woolly mammoth, have remained unclear to date. The prevailing morphological scheme (mammoth grouped with Asian elephant) is either supported or questioned by the molecular results. Recently, the monophyly of woolly mammoths on mitochondrial grounds has been demonstrated (Thomas, et al., 2000), but it conflicts with previous studies (Barriel et al., 1999; Derenko et al., 1997). Here, we report the partial sequencing of two mitochondrial genes: 128 bp of 12S rDNA and 561 bp of cytochrome b for the Lyakhov mammoth, a 49,000-year-old Siberian individual. We use the most comprehensive sample of mammoth (11 sequences) to determine whether the sequences achieved by former studies were congruent or not. The monophyly of a major subset of mammoths sequences (including ours) is recovered. Such a result is assumed to be a good criterion for ascertaining the origin of ancient DNA. Our sequence is incongruent with that of Yang et al. (1996), though obtained for the same individual. As far as the latter sequence is concerned, a contamination by non-identified exogenous DNA is suspected. The robustness and reliability of the sister group relation between Mammuthus primigenius and Loxodonta africana are examined: down-weighting saturated substitutions has no impact on the topology; analyzing data partitions proves that the support of this clade can be assigned to the most conservative phylogenetic signal; insufficient taxonomic and/or characters sampling contributed to former discordant conclusions. We therefore assume the monophyly of "real mammoth sequences" and the (Mammuthus, Loxodonta) clade.