Sambunigrin and cyanogenic variability in populations of Sambucus canadensis L. (Caprifoliaceae)

The presence or absence of cyanogenic glycosides was determined for individuals from nine populations of Sambucus canadensis L. (elderberry) of east-central Illinois. In most of the populations tested, all or most of the individuals did not produce these compounds, in one, all were cyanogenic, whereas in another population this trait was highly variable. Addition of the enzyme emulsin to negative tests did not result in any further release of cyanide. The glycoside responsible is (S)-sambunigrin.     

The use of basis functions in modelling joint articular surfaces: application to the knee joint

This article introduces a new method to represent bone surface geometry for simulations of joint contact. The method uses the inner product of two basis functions to provide a mathematical representation of the joint surfaces. This method guarantees a continuous transition in the direction of the surface normals, an important property for computation of joint contact. Our formulation handles experimental data that are not evenly distributed, a common characteristic of digitized data of musculoskeletal morphologies. The method makes it possible to represent highly curved surfaces, which are encountered in many anatomical structures. The accuracy of this method is demonstrated by modeling the human knee joint. The mean relative percentage error in the representation of the patellar track surface was 0.25% (range 0-1.56%) which corresponded to an absolute error of 0.17mm (range 0-0.16mm).     

The synthesis of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) by cultured, symbiotic dinoflagellates

We tested the hypothesis that there is a relation between phylotypes (phylogenetic types, as determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and partial sequence analysis of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (SSUrDNA)) and the synthesis of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) by symbiotic dinoflagellates under the influence of ultraviolet radiation (UV-B/A) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). We exposed 27 isolates of symbiotic dinoflagellates simultaneously to UV-B/A and PAR, and subsequently determined the MAAs present in cell extracts and in the media. The algae used included 24 isolates of Symbiodinium spp. originating from jellyfishes, sea anemones, zoanthids, scleractinians, octocorals, and bivalves, and three others in the genera Gymnodinium, Gloeodinium and Amphidinium from a jellyfish, an hydrocoral and a flatworm, respectively. In this study, all of the phylotype A Symbiodinium spp. synthesized up to three identified MAAs. None of the 11 cultured phylotypes B and C Symbiodinium spp. synthesized MAAs. The three non-Symbiodinium symbionts also synthesized up to three MAAs. The results support a conclusion that phylotype A Symbiodinium spp. have a high predilection for the synthesis of MAAs, while phylotypes B and C do not. Synthesis of MAAs by symbiotic dinoflagellates in culture does not appear to relate directly to depths or to the UV exposure regimes from which the consortia were collected.     

CC to TT mutation in the mitochondrial DNA of normal skin: relationship to ultraviolet light exposure

We have previously reported that ultraviolet (UV)-specific (CC to TT) mutations in p53 gene can be detected in normal skin. This, however, cannot be used as a cumulative marker of UV exposure, since cells with the p53 mutation acquire a clonal growth advantage. Moreover, a large skin biopsy is necessary for each assay. In order to circumvent these problems, we have measured mitochondrial (Mt) DNA mutations; there are more than 1000 copies of the Mt genome per cell, and Mt genes are not directly involved in cell growth. We have established a sensitive allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (AS-PCR) assay capable of detecting one CC to TT mutation in Mt DNA among 10(7) wild-type genes using a mismatch allele-specific primer. With this assay, we found no mutation-positive samples from internal non-exposed tissue (stomach, colon, and blood) (0/50). In contrast, 17 out of 111 skin samples were positive: the mutation frequency in positive samples was around 10(7)-10(-6) (10-100 copies of mutant in 10(8) wild-type Mt DNA). In normal skin tissue, the prevalence of positive samples was higher in those from exposed sites (13/51) than in those from less-exposed sites (1/26) (p<0.05). However, a quantitative correlation between sunlight exposure and the accumulation of mutations was not found. We conclude that the UV exposure-associated CC to TT mutation in Mt DNA can be detected in normal skin, but that further studies are required to develop this as a quantitative marker for UV exposure.     

四川自贡化石木研究

研究了发现于四川省自贡市距著名的大山铺恐龙化石坑０．５～３ｋｍ处的几株化石木。它们的地质时代与大山铺恐龙动物群相同,地层层位大致相当,属于中侏罗世的下沙溪庙组和新田沟组。根据解剖结构特征,确定它们属于原始的松柏类植物———南洋杉型木属中的一个新种,命名为自贡南洋杉型木新种（ＡｒａｕｃａｒｉｏｘｙｌｏｎｚｉｇｏｎｇｅｎｓｉｓＤｕａｎｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．）。化石木的发现对探讨恐龙的生活环境有重要的意义。     

白细胞介素及其受体研究进展

已被发现和命名的白介素有19种,其相应的受体大多也已被克隆及鉴定。白介素及其受体的结构特征决定了其信号转导和功能效应的共性和特性。许多白介素及可溶性受体在临床疾病的治疗中可能起重要作用,同时这也带动了对白介素及其受体的基因工程研究。随着基因组计划的日趋完成和一些新的分子生物学技术方法的建立,对白介素及其受体的研究在许多方面都面临着新的机遇和挑战。     

cAPK催化亚基的C端融合表达,纯化及其NMT底物活性作用

将小鼠ｃＡＭＰ依赖蛋白激酶催化亚基α（ｍＣα）基因从３＇端截去９６ｂｐ后与Ｈｉｓ－ｔａｇ融合,构建Ｃ端融合Ｈｉｓ６的表达质粒ｐＺＰｍＣα４Ｈ。该质粒在大肠杆菌ＢＬ２１（ＤＥ３）中得到了高效表达,目的蛋白ｍＣα４Ｈ的表达量与ｍＣα相近。该蛋白在３７℃表达时主要以包含体形式存在,而２２℃表达时则大部分可溶。利用固定化金属离子（Ｎｉ＾２＋）配体亲和层析,分别从破菌上清涂和包含体中纯化ｍＣα４Ｈ,结果表明