三个家猪品种和rob易位群染色体分带多态性的比较

对家猪不同品种及家系间的染色体组型、C-带、Ag-NORs多态性进行的研究表明：杜洛克猪、约克夏猪、长白猪体细胞染色体数2n=38,核型2n=10sm+12m+4st+12t, 而13/17易位纯合子猪（36, rob. 13/17）的体细胞染色体数2n=36,核型2n=10sm+12m+6st+8t; 13/17易位杂合子猪（37,rob. 13/17）的体细胞染色体数目为 2n＝37,核型为2n=10sm+12m+5st+10t。5种家猪的C-带在13～18号染色体上存在大、中、小三种类型, 且呈多态性分布。杜洛克猪、约克夏猪、长白猪、13/17易位纯合子猪、13/17易位杂合子猪的Ag-NORs均数分别为2.05、2.06、2.00、1.99、1.98,说明Ag－NORs在品种、个体及细胞间具有多态性。 Abstract:The present experiment is carried out to make comparative stdy on polymorphism of chromosome Karyotypes, C-band ?and Ag-NORs of different breeds and strains in domestic Pigs. The results showed that the chromosome number of somatic cell in Duroc, Yorkshire and Landrace Pig Was 38 and the karyotype was 2n=10sm+12m+4st+12t. But in heterozygous Rob 13/17(37, rob. 13/17) Pig, the chromosome number of somatic cell was 37 andthe karyotype was 2n=10sm+12m+5st+10t, while in homozygousRob 13/17(36, rob. 13/17) Pig, the somatic cell chromosome number was 36 and the karyotype was 2n=10sm+12m+6st+8t. It was also showed that there were three C-band types in size on chromosome No. 13-18 showing polymorphism in three breeds and two strains of domestic Pigs. The average of Ag-NORs in Duroc, yorkshire,Landrace, homozygous Rob. 13/17 and heterozygous Rob. 13/17 Pig was 2.05, 2.06, 2.00, 1.99 and 1.98, respectively. It is suggested that Ag-NORs have polymorphism among strains, which can be used as a genetic index to analyse relationships among domestic animals with high reliability.     

人类指掌皮肤嵴纹与智力发育的相关性研究

本工作对120例遗传型智残者和60例非遗传型智残者的指、掌皮肤嵴纹数进行分析,并分别与相同例数的对照组同类资料进行比较,找出与智力发育相关的指端、指间区、指基部皮纹参数,据此将遗传型智残组按智商值的不同分为6个组,将不同智商组对应的各区嵴纹数进行分析处理。结果表明,指端皮肤嵴纹数与智商呈正相关,相关系数r＝0.8319,各指间区和指基部嵴纹数与智商值呈负相关,相关系数r＝-0.7392。 Abstract　Digital and palmar of 120 cases of hereditary mental deficiency and 60 cases of non-hereditary mental deficiency were analysed, and compared with the control group using the same cases and identical data, and then skin vein parameter interrelated with intelligence development for digital end, interdigital area, digital root were found. In the light of this we divided the hereditary mental deficiency group into 6 accorcding to IQ value, and analysed statistically every area ridge count corresponding to different IQ group. The result showed that ridge count of digital end was positively correlated with IQ value correlative coefficientr=0.8319; Whereas ridge count of interdigital area and digital root were negatively correlated with IQ value correlative cofficientr=0.7392.     

Comparative analysis of the pig BAC sequence involved in the regulation of myostatin gene

Myostatin (GDF-8, MSTN) is a member of trans- forming growth factors (TGF-β) superfamily, which was first described by McPherron et al. in 1997[1]. Myostatin appears to act as a negative regulator of muscle development and controls not only fibre size but also fibre number[2,3]. Mutations in the third exon of the myostatin gene have been shown to cause dou- ble muscling in cattle[4]. By knocking out the gene of myostatin in mice, they were able to show that the transgenic mice developed …     

Phylogeography of the southern skua complex-rapid colonization of the southern hemisphere during a glacial period and reticulate evolution

Whilst we have now a good understanding how past glaciation influenced species at the northern hemisphere, our knowledge of patterns and modes of speciation is far more limited for the southern hemisphere. We provide mtDNA based data on the phylogeography of a circumpolar distributed southern hemisphere seabird group-the southern skua complex (Catharacta spp.). Diversification of southern skuas dates between 210,000 yBP and 150,000 yBP and coincides with a glacial spanning 230,000-140,000 yBP. Skuas most likely first inhabited the Antarctic continent, in the course of global cooling and increasing glaciation spread to the sub-antarctic islands and Tristan da Cunha and finally colonized Patagonia and the Falkland Islands at the glacial maximum. Despite significant differences between taxa most populations still exchange genes with neighboring populations of other taxa and speciation is incomplete.     

Neutrophil apoptosis mediated by nicotinic acid receptors (GPR109A)

G protein-coupled receptor (GPR)109A (HM74A) is a G(i) protein-coupled receptor, which is activated by nicotinic acid (NA), a lipid-lowering drug. Here, we demonstrate that mature human neutrophils, but not eosinophils, express functional GPR109A receptors. The induction of the GPR109A gene appears to occur late in the terminal differentiation process of neutrophils, since a mixed population of immature bone marrow neutrophils did not demonstrate evidence for its expression. NA accelerated apoptosis in cultured neutrophils in a concentration-dependent manner, as assessed by phosphatidylserine redistribution, caspase-3 activation, and DNA fragmentation assays. The pro-apoptotic effect of NA was abolished by pertussis toxin, which was used to block G(i) proteins, suggesting a receptor-mediated mechanism. Activation of GPR109A by NA resulted in decreased levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), most likely due to G(i)-mediated inhibition of adenylyl cyclase activity. NA-induced apoptosis was reversed by the addition of cell-permeable cAMP, pointing to the possibility that reduced cAMP levels promote apoptosis in neutrophils. Distal mechanism involved in this process may include the post-translational modification of members of the Bcl-2 family, such as dephosphorylation of pro-apoptotic Bad and antiapoptotic Mcl-1 proteins. Taken together, following maturation in the bone marrow, neutrophils express functional GPR109A receptors, which might be involved in the regulation of neutrophil numbers. Moreover, this study identified a new cellular target of NA and future drugs activating GPR109A receptors, the mature neutrophil.     

Isoaspartate-containing amyloid precursor protein-derived peptides alter efficacy and specificity of potential beta-secretases

Neuritic plaques of Alzheimer patients are composed of multiple protein components. Among them, the amyloid beta-peptides (Abeta) 1-40/42 and further N- and C-terminally modified fragments of Abeta are highly abundant. Most prominent are the isoaspartate (isoAsp)-Abeta peptides and pyroglutamyl (pGlu)-Abeta. While pGlu-Abeta can only be formed from an N-terminal glutamate by glutaminyl cyclase, spontaneous isoAsp-isomerization cannot occur at an N-terminal aspartate of peptides. This means that isoAsp-Abeta formation must precede proteolysis of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). Abeta generation from APP by beta- and gamma-secretases initiates the amyloid peptide aggregation and deposition process. Two aspartate proteases have been identified as secretases: BACE-1 (beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme) and the intramembrane gamma-secretase multiprotein complex. However, recent evidence supports more than one beta-secretase initiating this cascade. Formation of Abeta1-40/42 was predominantly studied by expression of mutated human APP sequences in cell culture and transgenic animals, generating Abeta fragments that did not contain such multiple posttranslational modifications as in Alzheimer's disease. This prompted us to investigate the catalytic turnover of Asp- or isoAsp-containing APP-derived peptide sequences by BACE-1 and cathepsin B, another potential beta-secretase. While cathepsin B is more effective than BACE-1 in processing the Asp-containing peptide derivatives, only cathepsin B can cleave the isoAsp-containing peptides, which occurs with high catalytic efficiency.     

Alternative pathways for production of beta-amyloid peptides of Alzheimer's disease

This highlight article describes three Alzheimer's disease (AD) studies presented at the 5th General Meeting of the International Proteolysis Society that address enzymatic mechanisms for producing neurotoxic beta-amyloid (Abeta) peptides. One group described the poor kinetics of BACE 1 for cleaving the wild-type (WT) beta-secretase site of APP found in most AD patients. They showed that cathepsin D displays BACE 1-like specificity and cathepsin D is 280-fold more abundant in human brain than BACE 1. Nevertheless, as BACE 1 and cathepsin D show poor activity towards the WT beta-secretase site, they suggested continuing the search for additional beta-secretase(s). The second group reported cathepsin B as an alternative beta-secretase possessing excellent kinetic efficiency and specificity for the WT beta-secretase site. Significantly, inhibitors of cathepsin B improved memory, with reduced amyloid plaques and decreased Abeta(40/42) in brains of AD animal models expressing amyloid precursor protein containing the WT beta-secretase site. The third group addressed isoaspartate and pyroglutamate (pGlu) posttranslational modifications of Abeta. Results showed that cathepsin B, but not BACE 1, efficiently cleaves the WT beta-secretase isoaspartate site. Furthermore, cyclization of N-terminal Glu by glutaminyl cyclase generates highly amyloidogenic pGluAbeta(3-40/42). These presentations suggest cathepsin B and glutaminyl cyclase as potential new AD therapeutic targets.     

Shiga toxin glycosphingolipid receptors in microvascular and macrovascular endothelial cells: differential association with membrane lipid raft microdomains

Vascular damage caused by Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli is largely mediated by Stxs, which in particular, injure microvascular endothelial cells in the kidneys and brain. The majority of Stxs preferentially bind to the glycosphingolipid (GSL) globotriaosylceramide (Gb3Cer) and, to a lesser extent, to globotetraosylceramide (Gb4Cer). As clustering of receptor GSLs in lipid rafts is a functional requirement for Stxs, we analyzed the distribution of Gb3Cer and Gb4Cer to membrane microdomains of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) and macrovascular EA.hy 926 endothelial cells by means of anti-Gb3Cer and anti-Gb4Cer antibodies. TLC immunostaining coupled with infrared matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (IR-MALDI) mass spectrometry revealed structural details of various lipoforms of Stx receptors and demonstrated their major distribution in detergent-resistant membranes (DRMs) compared with nonDRM fractions of HBMECs and EA.hy 926 cells. A significant preferential partition of different receptor lipoforms carrying C24:0/C24:1 or C16:0 fatty acid and sphingosine to DRMs was not detected in either cell type. Methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD)-mediated cholesterol depletion resulted in only partial destruction of lipid rafts, accompanied by minor loss of GSLs in HBMECs. In contrast, almost entire disintegration of lipid rafts accompanied by roughly complete loss of GSLs was detected in EA.hy 926 cells after removal of cholesterol, indicating more stable microdomains in HBMECs. Our findings provide first evidence for differently stable microdomains in human endothelial cells from different vascular beds and should serve as the basis for further exploring the functional role of lipid raft-associated Stx receptors in different cell types.