Arabidopsis membrane steroid binding protein 1 is involved in inhibition of cell elongation

A putative Membrane Steroid Binding Protein (designated MSBP1) was identified and functionally characterized as a negative regulator of cell elongation in Arabidopsis thaliana. The MSBP1 gene encodes a 220-amino acid protein that can bind to progesterone, 5-dihydrotestosterone, 24-epi-brassinolide (24-eBL), and stigmasterol with different affinities in vitro. Transgenic plants overexpressing MSBP1 showed short hypocotyl phenotype and increased steroid binding capacity in membrane fractions, whereas antisense MSBP1 transgenic plants showed long hypocotyl phenotypes and reduced steroid binding capacity, indicating that MSBP1 negatively regulates hypocotyl elongation. The reduced cell elongation of MSBP1-overexpressing plants was correlated with altered expression of genes involved in cell elongation, such as expansins and extensins, indicating that enhanced MSBP1 affected a regulatory pathway for cell elongation. Suppression or overexpression of MSBP1 resulted in enhanced or reduced sensitivities, respectively, to exogenous progesterone and 24-eBL, suggesting a negative role of MSBP1 in steroid signaling. Expression of MSBP1 in hypocotyls is suppressed by darkness and activated by light, suggesting that MSBP1, as a negative regulator of cell elongation, plays a role in plant photomorphogenesis. This study demonstrates the functional roles of a steroid binding protein in growth regulation in higher plants.     

EMBRYONIC FACTOR 1 encodes an AMP deaminase and is essential for the zygote to embryo transition in Arabidopsis

Fusion of the egg and the sperm cells in plants produces a zygote that develops into an embryo. Screening of ethyl methanesulfonate-mutagenized populations of Arabidopsis led to the identification of EMBRYONIC FACTOR 1 (FAC1), a locus that gives a zygote-lethal phenotype when mutated. The FAC1 gene was identified by positional cloning and confirmed by a genetic complementation test against a T-DNA insertion allele. It encodes an AMP deaminase (AMPD) that is known in human and yeast to convert AMP to IMP to maintain the energy potential. Expression of FAC1 in a yeast AMPD mutant after removal of its N-terminal putative transmembrane domain complemented the mutant phenotype, suggesting a functional conservancy but a structural divergence through evolution. Although a low level of FAC1 expression was observed in all organs tested, using a reporter construct we observed a significantly increased FAC1 expression in the zygote, early embryo and endosperm. Furthermore, during somatic embryogenesis, a high level of FAC1 expression was observed in developing embryos including putative embryogenic cells. FAC1, therefore, represents one of the earliest expressed genes known in plants. It may act through AMP depletion to provide sufficient energy for the zygote to proceed through development.     

Highly specific expression of luciferase gene in lungs of naïve nude mice directed by prostate-specific antigen promoter

PSA promoter has been demonstrated the utility for tissue-specific toxic gene therapy in prostate cancer models. Characterization of foreign gene overexpression in normal animals elicited by PSA promoter should help evaluate therapy safety. Here we constructed an adenovirus vector (AdPSA-Luc), containing firefly luciferase gene under the control of the 5837 bp long prostate-specific antigen promoter. A charge coupled device video camera was used to non-invasively image expression of firefly luciferase in nude mice on days 3, 7, 11 after injection of 2 x 10(9)PFU of AdPSA-Luc virus via tail vein. The result showed highly specific expression of the luciferase gene in lungs of mice from day 7. The finding indicates the potential limitations of the suicide gene therapy of prostate cancer based on selectivity of PSA promoter. By contrary, it has encouraging implications for further development of vectors via PSA promoter to enable gene therapy for pulmonary diseases.     

TGF-beta1 induces alveolar epithelial to mesenchymal transition in vitro

The aim of this study was to investigate whether transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) could induce alveolar epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro. Alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) from SD rats were isolated by elastase cell dispersion and IgG panning. Expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) was assayed using Western blotting and immunostaining analysis. Morphological changes, the markers of epithelial cell (E-cadherin), and stress fiber by actin reorganization were detected by an indirect immunostaining. The contents of collagen I were determined by spectrophotometry. The levels of endogenous TGF-beta1 were measured with ELISA. Incubation of AECs with TGF-beta1 (0.1 approximately 10 ng/mL) induced abundant expression of alpha-SMA protein, and alpha-SMA expression in AECs reached a plateau when TGF-beta1 was > 3 ng/mL. Furthermore, we found that TGF-beta1 (3 ng/mL) exposure of AECs induced an authentic EMT characterized by abundant expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin, transformation of myofibroblastic morphology, increased formation of stress fiber by actin reorganization, and loss of epithelial marker E-cadherin. Meanwhile, significant increase in the levels of collagen I from 32.0 +/- 6.6 mg/g in control to 98 +/- 10.8 mg/g in TGF-beta1-treated group was found over a 72 h incubation period. Moreover, following stimulated by TGF-beta1 (3 ng/mL), a marked and time-dependent increase in endogenous TGF-beta1 released from AECs was observed. At time points 72 h, TGF-beta1 release mounted to 3451 pg/ml, which was much enough to induce EMT in vitro. These results demonstrated that AECs, under stimulation of TGF-beta1, underwent a conversion process into myofibroblasts in vitro.     

西双版纳茅草山广西青梅群落学研究*

应用植物群落学的研究方法, 对西双版纳茅草山广西青梅群落进行了初步研究。该群落是以龙脑香科
的广西青梅和金缕梅科的细青皮为乔木上层优势树种, 群落分A 至E 层, 外貌以单叶、纸质、全缘、尾尖、
中叶为主的常绿大、中高位芽植物组成为特征, 层间木质藤本和附生植物丰富, 属热带季节雨林。该群落是
老挝热带季节雨林向北的伸延, 物种丰富, 动态结构稳定, 但分布面积狭小, 生态脆弱, 需重点保护     

水杨酸对盐胁迫下管花蒲公英的保护作用

以管花蒲公英为材料,研究盐分胁迫对其的生理影响及水杨酸对盐胁迫条件下的管花蒲公英的保护作用。结果表明：水杨酸能够降低盐胁迫条件下相对电导率,提高体内过氧化物酶等细胞保护性酶的活性;提高可溶性糖和可溶性蛋白的含量,提高管花蒲公英对盐胁迫的抗逆性。     

Comprehensive association analysis of nine candidate genes with serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels among healthy Caucasian subjects

Vitamin D deficiency is a common public health problem in the US. It is related to the high risk of rickets, osteoporosis and other diseases. Currently, serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration is the best indicator of vitamin D status, and determination of its deficiency or sufficiency. This level has high heritability (28–80%). However, genes contributing to the wide variation in serum 25(OH)D are generally unknown. In this study, we screened nine important genes in vitamin D metabolic pathways using 49 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers in a group of 156 unrelated healthy Caucasian subjects. Significant confounding factors that may affect serum 25(OH)D variations were used as covariates for the association analyses. An association test for quantitative trait was performed to evaluate the association between candidate genes and serum 25(OH)D levels. Permutation was conducted for correcting multiple testing problems. Evidence of association was observed at SNPs in the CYP2R1 (cytochrome P450, family 2, subfamily R, polypeptide 1) and the GC (vitamin D binding protein) gene. Next, we performed a replication study for six promising SNPs in the gene CYP2R1 and GC, using another group of 340 unrelated healthy Caucasian subjects. Association analyses were conducted in the replication cohort (n = 340) and the pooled cohort (n = 496). The CYP2R1 gene and the GC gene remain significant in the pooled cohort. The results suggest that the CYP2R1 and GC genes may contribute to the variation of serum 25(OH)D levels in healthy populations.     

桃小食心虫的发育起点温度和有效积温

在17～29℃、RH80%±7%和光周期L:D=15:9的条件下,测定了桃小食心虫Carposina sasakii Matsumura各虫态的发育历期,计算了桃小食心虫卵、幼虫、蛹和全世代的发育起点温度和有效积温。结果表明,各虫态的发育历期随着温度的升高而缩短,各虫态的发育速率与温度之间具有良好的线性关系。桃小食心虫卵、幼虫、结茧前期、蛹及生殖前期的发育起点温度分别为10.02、9.44、10.58、10.09和9.51℃,有效积温分别为87.3、238.6、10.7、156.9和31.6日·度,全世代的发育起点温度和有效积温分别为9.22℃和543.2日·度。     

西双版纳茅草山广西青梅群落学研究

应用植物群落学的研究方法,对西双版纳茅草山广西青梅群落进行了初步研究。该群落是以龙脑香科的广西青梅和金缕梅科的细青皮为乔木上层优势树种,群落分A至E层,外貌以单叶、纸质、全缘、尾尖、中叶为主的常绿大、中高位芽植物组成为特征,层间木质藤本和附生植物丰富,属热带季节雨林。该群落是老挝热带季节雨林向北的伸延,物种丰富,动态结构稳定,但分布面积狭小,生态脆弱,需重点保护。     

Lack of association between mannose-binding lectin gene polymorphisms and juvenile idiopathic arthritis in a Han population from the Hubei province of China

Many studies have reported that polymorphisms of the mannose-binding lectin (MBL) gene are associated with autoimmune disease. Here, we investigate the relationship between MBL gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in a Han-nationality population from the Hubei province of China. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to investigate polymorphisms of codons 54 and 57 in exon 1 of the MBL gene in 93 patients with JIA and 48 control children. Neither group showed codon 57 polymorphisms. There was no significant difference in the genotypic frequencies of codon 54 between patients with JIA and healthy controls (wild type, 71.0% versus 75.0%, respectively; heterozygous type, 25.8% versus 25.0%, respectively; and homozygous type, 3.2% versus 0.0%, respectively). In addition, no association was found between the subgroups of patients with JIA and control individuals. Our results provide no evidence for a relationship between MBL gene mutation and susceptibility to JIA.