Potential and pitfalls of trying to extend symbiotic interactions of nitrogen-fixing organisms to presently non-nodulated plants,such as rice

It has been a long-standing goal in the field of biological nitrogen fixation to extend nitrogen-fixing symbioses to presently non-nodulated cereal plants, such as rice. A number of researchers have recently described the induction of nodule-like structures on the roots of cereals primarily by rhizobia, in either the presence or absence of plant cell-wall-degrading enzymes or plant hormones. We briefly review this research and discuss the potential problems associated with the introduction of nitrogen-fixing microbes in novel physiological environments, such as rice roots. The results of experiments carried out in China on the induction of nodule-like structures on rice roots by rhizobia are highlighted. In addition, we present preliminary results of a series of experiments designed to repeat and evaluate these results using a variety of microscopic techniques and molecular genetic approaches.     

Ribosomal proteins ofThermomyces lanuginosus — characterisation by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and differential disassembly

One- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis were employed to characterise the proteins derived from the ribosomes of the thermophilic fungusThermomyces lanuginosus. Approximately 32 (29 basic and 3 acidic) and 45 (43 basic and 2 acidic) protein spots were resolved fromTh. lanuginosus small and large ribosomal subunits, respectively. The molecular weight of the small subunit proteins ranged from 9,800–36,000 Da with a number average molecular weight of 20,300 Da. The molecular weight range for the large subunit proteins was 12,000–48,500 Da with a number average molecular weight of 25,900 Da. Most proteins appeared to be present in unimolar amounts. These data are comparable with but not identical to those from other eukaryotic ribosomes. The sensitivities of the ribosomal proteins to increasing concentrations of NH₄Cl were also evaluated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Most ribosomal proteins were gradually released over a wide range of salt concentrations but some were preferentially enriched in one or two salt conditions.     

Characterization of the oriC region of Mycobacterium smegmatis.

A 3.5-kb DNA fragment containing the dnaA region of Mycobacterium smegmatis has been hypothesized to be the chromosomal origin of replication or oriC (M. Rajagopalan et al., J. Bacteriol. 177:6527-6535, 1995). This region included the rpmH gene, the dnaA gene, and a major portion of the dnaN gene as well as the rpmH-dnaA and dnaA-dnaN intergenic regions. Deletion analyses of this region revealed that a 531-bp DNA fragment from the dnaA-dnaN intergenic region was sufficient to exhibit oriC activity, while a 495-bp fragment from the same region failed to exhibit oriC activity. The oriC activities of plasmids containing the 531-bp sequence was less than the activities of those containing the entire dnaA region, suggesting that the regions flanking the 531-bp sequence stimulated oriC activity. The 531-bp region contained several putative nine-nucleotide DnaA-protein recognition sequences [TT(G/C)TCCACA] and a single 11-nucleotide AT-rich cluster. Replacement of adenine with guanine at position 9 in five of the putative DnaA boxes decreased oriC activity. Mutations at other positions in two of the DnaA boxes also decreased oriC activity. Deletion of the 11-nucleotide AT-rich cluster completely abolished oriC activity. These data indicate that the designated DnaA boxes and the AT-rich cluster of the M. smegmatis dnaA-dnaN intergenic region are essential for oriC activity. We suggest that M. smegmatis oriC replication could involve interactions of the DnaA protein with the putative DnaA boxes as well as with the AT-rich cluster.     

长萼木通属——木通科一新属

缺瓣牛姆瓜Holboellia apetala Q．Xia,J．Z.Suen et Z．X．Peng在一系列特征上与牛姆瓜属Holboellia植物不同,不应隶属于该属,而代表了一个未被描述过的新属—长萼木通属。新属在茎、叶、果实和花的大部分特征上与木通属Akebia相似,但花萼特征又与野木瓜属Stauntonia接近,其系统位置介于这两个属之间,并偏于前者。     

Site-specific cleavage of chromosomes in vitro through Cre-lox recombination.

Site-specific recombination systems are useful tools for chromosome engineering in vivo and site-specific DNA cleavage methods have applications in genome analysis and gene isolation. Here, we report a new method to fragment chromosomes in vitro using the Cre-lox site-specific recombination system. Two lox sites were targeted into the 5.7 Mb chromosomes I of Schizosaccharomyces pombe. In vitro recombination between chromosomal lox sites and exogenously provided lox oligonucleotides 'cleaved' the chromosome at the defined lox sequences. Site-specific cleavage of lox sites in the tobacco genome was also demonstrated. This recombination-based cleavage method provides a novel approach for structural and functional analyses of eukaryotic chromosomes as it allows direct isolation of chromosome regions that correspond to phenotypes revealed through Cre-lox mediated chromosome rearrangements in vivo. Moreover, recombination with end-labeled lox oligonucleotides would permit the specific end-labeling of chromosome segments to facilitate the long range mapping of chromosomes.     

Distribution of 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in rat brain and molecular cloning of multiple cDNAs encoding structurally related proteins in humans

3α-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in the brain is responsible for production of neuroactive tetrahydrosteroids that interact with the major inhibitory gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor complexes. Distribution of 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in different regions of the brain in rats was evaluated by activity assay and by Western immunoblotting using a monoclonal antibody against liver 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase as the probe. The olfactory bulb was found to contain the highest level of 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity, while moderate levels of the enzyme activity were found in other regions such as cerebellum, cerebral cortex, hypothalamus and pituitary. Some activity was found in the rest of the brain such as amygdala, brain stem, caudate putamen, cingulate cortex, hippocampus, midbrain, and thalamus. The protein levels of 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in different regions of the brain as detected by Western immunoblotting are comparable to those of the enzyme activity. We used the rat cDNA as the probe to screen a human liver λ gt11 cDNA library. A total of four different cDNAs were identified and sequenced. One of the cDNAs is identical to that of the human chlordecone reductase cDNA except that our clone contains a much longer 5′-coding sequence than previously reported. The other three cDNAs display high degrees of sequence homology to those of both rat 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and human chlordecone reductase. We are currently investigating the functional relationship between the enzymes encoded by these human cDNAs and 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.     

乙型脑炎病毒NS2A-C60A位点突变对其生物学特性影响研究*

目的:旨在探索Ⅰ型日本乙型脑炎病毒传代致弱后基因组突变NS2A-C60A对乙脑病毒生物学特性的影响。方法:首先通过对传代致弱及原始乙脑毒株基因组序列进行测序比对、结构预测分析并利用Western blotting(WB)确定了目标研究位点NS2A-C60A;然后使用反向遗传定点突变技术构建拯救了包含NS2A-C60A单点突变的病毒株;最后利用噬斑形态观察、生长曲线、双萤光素酶分析,WB以及炎性因子检测和动物实验研究了该单点突变对于乙脑病毒生物学特性的影响。结果:首次研究发现Ⅰ型乙脑病毒传代致弱会导致NS1'蛋白表达的显著下降以及可能的相关位点NS2A-C60A,并成功拯救获得了NS2A-C60A单点突变毒株rJEV-C60A,研究发现NS2A-C60A突变对乙脑病毒的生长特性及噬斑形成没有显著影响,但是能够显著降低乙脑病毒NS1'蛋白的表达,并且该位点突变能够轻微阻碍乙脑病毒对细胞炎性因子表达的抑制,动物实验结果显示NS2A-C60A点突变病毒与原毒株具有相似的神经毒力,说明该位点突变不是影响乙脑病毒毒力致弱的关键位点。结论:新发现的NS2A-C60A位点突变能够显著减少乙脑病毒NS1'蛋白的表达,但是对其增殖、诱导炎症及神经毒力等生物学特性没有显著影响。     

急性病毒性肝炎的发病率慢性肝炎患病率和肝病死亡率的研究

1984～1987年,在黑龙江、河北、河南、湖南、上海五个省市城乡10.08855人口中进行急性肝炎发病率、慢性肝炎患病率、与病毒性肝炎有关的肝病死亡率的研究。急性肝炎标化发病率为152.19/10万,主要发生在20～50岁组人群;因无甲肝暴发流行,除上海外各点季节发病率分布均衡。慢性肝炎标化患病率为158.25/10万(诊断标准为6个月前有明确急性肝炎病史,现有明显的临床症状或体征,肝功能异常,故实际慢肝患病率要高于此数字);与病毒性肝炎有关的肝病死亡(包括肝癌)标化率为22.65/10万,其中肝病为 13.14/10万。男性死亡率显著高于女性。