Molecular characterization of major histocompatibility complex class I genes from the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)

The major histocompatibility complex class I genes play crucial roles in the adaptive immune system of vertebrates against intracellular pathogens. To date, no class I genes from the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) has been reported, even none from species of Ursidae. In this study, we successfully identified three class I genes from a giant panda bacterial artificial chromosome library and designated them as Aime-128, 152, and 1906, respectively. Pairwise sequence alignments revealed that (1) the Aime-1906 always possessed the lowest identities (52–86%) in different regions compared with the Aime-128 and 152 and (2) the Aime-128 also varied from the Aime-152 in the regions of 5′ untranslated region (UTR), 3′ UTR, and exon1, whose similarities were 83%, 87%, and 91%, respectively. Comparison of structure characteristics indicated that the Aime-128 possessed all conserved amino acids important to the function of antigen presentation while the Aime-152 and 1906 presented two and five mutated residues. Analysis of phylogenetic trees demonstrated that the Aime-128, 152, and 1906 were clustered into three different branches with 99% or 100% bootstrap values. As a result, these three kinds of evidence supported that the Aime-1906, 152, and 128 should be derived from different loci. Furthermore, in view of a prestop codon in the exon 7 and patterns of amino acid replacement within alleles, the Aime-1906 gene is predicted to be a nonclassical locus, which is most closely related to dog leukocyte antigen 79 in the phylogenetic tree constructed with various mammalian class I loci. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

‘红叶樱花'的组织培养和快速繁殖

1植物名称‘红叶樱花’（Prunus serrulata Lindl‘Royal Burgundy’）。 2材料类别嫩茎段。     

Overexpression of acid protease of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharomycopsis fibuligera</Emphasis> in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Yarrowia lipolytica</Emphasis> and characterization of the recombinant acid protease for skimmed milk clotting

The gene encoding an acid protease natively produced by Saccharomycopsis fibuligera was cloned and overexpressed in Yarrowia lipolytica and the resultant recombinant acid protease was purified and characterized. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated as 94.8 kDa by gel filtration chromatography. The optimal pH and temperature of the purified acid protease were 3.5 and 33°C, respectively, and the enzyme was very stable over a pH range of 1.0 ∼ 3.0. The recombinant acid protease was activated by Zn²⁺, but was inhibited by Hg²⁺, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, and Mg²⁺, EDTA, EGTA, iodoacetic acid, and pepstatin. The purified recombinant acid protease from the positive transformant 71 had high milk clotting activity, suggesting that it may be used as a rennet substitute in the cheese industry.     

The Prognostic Value of p16 Hypermethylation in Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Background

The prognostic value of p16 promoter hypermethylation in cancers has been evaluated for several years while the results remain controversial. We thus performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies assessing the impact of p16 methylation on overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) to clarify this issue.

Methods

We searched Pubmed, Embase and ISI web of knowledge to identify studies on the prognostic impact of p16 hypermethylation in cancers. A total of 6589 patients from 45 eligible studies were included in the analysis. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated to estimate the effect using random-effects model.

Results

The analysis indicated that p16 hypermethylation had significant association with poor OS of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (HR 1.74, 95% CI: 1.36–2.22) and colorectal cancer (CRC) (HR 1.80; 95% CI 1.27–2.55). Moreover, the significant correlation was present between p16 hypermethylation and DFS of NSCLC (HR 2.04, 95% CI: 1.19–3.50) and head and neck cancer (HR 2.24, 95% CI: 1.35–3.73). Additionally, in the analysis of the studies following REMARK guidelines more rigorously, p16 hypermethylation had unfavorable impact on OS of NSCLC (HR 1.79, 95% CI: 1.35–2.39) and CRC (HR 1.96, 1.16–3.34), and on DFS of NSCLC (HR 2.12, 95% CI: 1.21–3.72) and head and neck cancer (HR 2.24, 95% CI: 1.35–3.73).

Conclusions

p16 hypermethylation might be a predictive factor of poor prognosis in some surgically treated cancers, particularly in NSCLC.     

Rho小G蛋白介导的细胞周期调控

Rho小G蛋白作为一个信号分子家族具有多样化的功能, 可以调节细胞骨架重排 、细胞迁移、细胞极性、基因表达、细胞周期调控等. Rho小G蛋白家族对细胞周期 调控的研究主要集中在其对于有丝分裂期细胞的调节作用,包括调节有丝分裂期前 期细胞趋圆化、后期染色体排列及收缩环的收缩作用.近期的研究显示,Rho小G蛋白及其效应分子对于细胞周期G1、S、G2期的调控主要是通过影响细胞周期的正调控因子细胞周期蛋白D1 (cyclin D1) 和负调控因子细胞周期蛋白依赖型激酶相互作用蛋白1及细胞周期蛋白依赖型激酶抑制蛋白27 (p21cip1/p27kip1) 进行的.本文总结了Rho小G蛋白及其效应分子在细胞周期调控,尤其是对G1/S期调控的研究进展,并简要阐述了Rho小G蛋白介导的细胞周期调控异常与癌症发生的关系.     

油蒿资源利用效率在生长季的相对变化及对环境因子的响应

为了探明西北半干旱区典型沙生植物油蒿(Artemisia ordosica)叶水平资源利用效率的相对变化及对环境因子的响应机制, 该研究于2018年5-10月, 使用LI-6400XT便携式光合仪测定了毛乌素沙地油蒿叶片的净光合速率(P_n)、蒸腾速率(E)、叶表面光合有效辐射(PAR_l)、叶表面温度(T_l)、叶表面相对湿度(RH_l), 在实验室计算叶片单位面积氮含量(N_area), 分析了叶片氮利用效率(NUE)、水分利用效率(WUE)、光利用效率(LUE)与环境因子之间的关系及NUE、WUE、LUE之间的相对变化。研究结果表明, 在充足且稳定光强下油蒿的P_n主要受温度的影响, NUE、WUE与VPD_l、T_l之间具有显著负相关关系, NUE、WUE与LUE间为正相关关系, NUE、WUE和LUE最大值分别发生在5、7和9月, 分别为9.43 μmol CO₂·g^-1·s^-1、3.86 mmol·mol^-1、0.04 mol·mol^-1, 资源利用效率的变化主要受P_n的影响。温度通过影响植物N分配来改变P_n, 进而影响着资源利用效率, WUE与LUE显著正相关, 对构建荒漠区生态系统能量交换过程模型有重要意义。     

蚜虫诱导的植物免疫反应

在植物与昆虫长期的互作过程中,植物建立起一系列精密而又复杂的防御机制以应对昆虫取食为害,并且能够识别不同取食类型昆虫的效应因子作出不同的防御应答。最近研究揭示了许多植物与蚜虫之间相互抗争的分子机制,这不仅包括植物激素介导的诱导防御途径、植物先天免疫系统和基于gene-for-gene的R抗性识别和作用机制,而且还包括蚜虫在取食过程中分泌的唾液成分,它有助于蚜虫取食韧皮部组织,抑制植物病原相关分子模式激活的免疫反应(Pathogen-associated molecular patterns triggered immunity,PTI)防御,以及被植物核苷酸结合位点区-亮氨酸重复序列区(NBS-LRR)膜受体识别激活效应因子免疫反应(ETI)防御等方面。本文综述了蚜虫诱导的植物防御途径、蚜虫诱导的植物免疫反应、蚜虫效应因子的鉴定与功能分析三方面的最近研究进展,提出了未来发展的研究方向。这些基于病原微生物提出的"zig-zag"模型为进一步理解植物先天免疫、诱导防御系统和蚜虫唾液腺组分的互作提供新理论支撑,为揭示了植物与蚜虫抗性互作的分子机制及有效安全地防治害虫提供了新思路。     

蚜虫诱导的植物免疫反应

在植物与昆虫长期的互作过程中,植物建立起一系列精密而又复杂的防御机制以应对昆虫取食为害,并且能够识别不同取食类型昆虫的效应因子作出不同的防御应答。最近研究揭示了许多植物与蚜虫之间相互抗争的分子机制,这不仅包括植物激素介导的诱导防御途径、植物先天免疫系统和基于gene-for-gene的R抗性识别和作用机制,而且还包括蚜虫在取食过程中分泌的唾液成分,它有助于蚜虫取食韧皮部组织,抑制植物病原相关分子模式激活的免疫反应(Pathogen-associated molecular patterns triggered immunity,PTI)防御,以及被植物核苷酸结合位点区-亮氨酸重复序列区(NBS-LRR)膜受体识别激活效应因子免疫反应(ETI)防御等方面。本文综述了蚜虫诱导的植物防御途径、蚜虫诱导的植物免疫反应、蚜虫效应因子的鉴定与功能分析三方面的最近研究进展,提出了未来发展的研究方向。这些基于病原微生物提出的"zig-zag"模型为进一步理解植物先天免疫、诱导防御系统和蚜虫唾液腺组分的互作提供新理论支撑,为揭示了植物与蚜虫抗性互作的分子机制及有效安全地防治害虫提供了新思路。     

Immunoreactivity and neutralization study of Chinese Bungarus multicinctus antivenin and lab-prepared anti-bungarotoxin antisera towards purified bungarotoxins and snake venoms

Bungarus multicinctus is the most venomous snake distributed in China and neighboring countries of Myanmar, Laos, north Vietnam and Thailand. The high mortality rate of B. multicinctus envenomation is attributed to the lethal components of α-, β-, γ- and κ- bungarotoxins contained in the venom. Although anti-B. multicinctus sera were produced in Shanghai, Taiwan and Vietnam, the most widely clinic used product was term as B. multicinctus antivenin and manufactured by Shanghai Serum Bio-technology Co. Ltd. In the present investigation, high purity α-, β- and γ-bungarotoxins were separately isolated from B. multicinctus crude venom. Rabbit anti- α-, β- and γ-bungarotoxin antisera were prepared by common methods, respectively. LD₅₀ values of α-, β- and γ-bungarotoxins were systematically determined via three administration pathways (intraperitoneal, intramuscular and intravenous injections) in Kunming mice. LD₅₀ values of β-bungarotoxin were closely related with injection routines but those of both α- and γ-bungarotoxins were not dependent on the injection routines. Commercial B. multicinctus antivenin showed strong immunoreaction with high molecular weight fractions of the B. multicinctus but weakly recognized low molecular weight fractions like α- and γ-bungarotoxins. Although B. multicinctus antivenin showed immunoreaction with high molecular weight fractions of Bungarus fasciatus, Naja atra, Ophiophagus hannah venoms but the antivenin only demonstrated animal protection efficacy against O. hannah venom. These results indicated that the high molecular weight fractions of the O. hannah played an important role in venom lethality but those of B. fasciatus and N. atra did not have such a role.     

大气CO_2浓度升高对植物-植食性昆虫的作用机制

大气二氧化碳浓度升高及其伴随的全球变暖引起国内外科学家的极大关注。CO2浓度升高主要通过改变植物的初级和次级代谢产物,影响以之为食的昆虫。本文结合作者近年来的研究成果,着重于以CO2浓度升高为作用因子,以植物和植食性昆虫的相互关系为对象,比较了咀嚼式口器昆虫与刺吸式口器昆虫对大气CO2浓度升高的响应特征,分析了不同取食类型昆虫-植物对大气CO2浓度升高的响应机制。