Identification of MADS genes from a brown alga,Sargassum fulvellum

The conserved region of numerous MADS genes in gulfweed (Sargassum fulvellum) was cloned by PCR with degenerate primers. Analysis of seventy individual clones resulted in the identification of nineteen types of nucleotide sequences. There sequences encode portions of the MADS domain in four distinctive groups. Six clones belong to the AGAMOUS subfamily, ten to AGL2, and two to AGL12. The remaining one clone is distinctive and appears to be diverged from an ancestor of the AGL2 and AP1 groups. There were no A or B class MADS genes. These results suggest that, as found in land plants, MADS genes also play major roles in controlling the development of algae.     

Functional role of CAAT box element of the nopaline synthase (nos) promoter

The nopaline synthase (nos) promoter is active in a wide range of plant tissues and regulated by various environmental stimuli. It was previously found that the CAAT box region is important for nos promoter activity. In the present study, the location of the CAAT box element was determined by site specific mutation analysis. Point mutations within the conserved CAAT box element significantly reduced the promoter response in transgenic tobacco plants and calli to wounding, H₂O₂, methyl jasmonate, and 2,4-D, but not to salicylic acid. However, mutations immediately upstream from the CAAT box did not affect these responses. These results suggest that the CAAT box element is important in responding to certain stimuli.     

白细胞介素-2和狂犬病毒N蛋白基因重组与表达

研究白细胞介素－２ 与狂犬病毒Ｎ蛋白基因工程产物的免疫活性。采用生物工程技术,结果显示经基因扩增分别获得４００ｂｐ 和１４００ｂｐ 的ＩＬ－２ 和狂犬病毒Ｎ蛋白基因片段,构建了表达载体ＰＬＹ－４ＩＮ,于工程菌中转化后。得到５６ＫＤ重组蛋白产物,该产物具有ＩＬ－２活性,可诱导小鼠抵抗狂犬病毒攻击。     

Familial aggregation of VO(2max) response to exercise training: results from the HERITAGE Family Study.

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that individual differences in the response of maximal O(2) uptake (VO(2max)) to a standardized training program are characterized by familial aggregation. A total of 481 sedentary adult Caucasians from 98 two-generation families was exercise trained for 20 wk and was tested for VO(2max) on a cycle ergometer twice before and twice after the training program. The mean increase in VO(2max) reached approximately 400 ml/min, but there was considerable heterogeneity in responsiveness, with some individuals experiencing little or no gain, whereas others gained >1.0 l/min. An ANOVA revealed that there was 2.5 times more variance between families than within families in the VO(2max) response variance. With the use of a model-fitting procedure, the most parsimonious models yielded a maximal heritability estimate of 47% for the VO(2max) response, which was adjusted for age and sex with a maternal transmission of 28% in one of the models. We conclude that the trainability of VO(2max) is highly familial and includes a significant genetic component.     

Expression of the Escherichia coli Catabolic Threonine Dehydratase in Corynebacterium glutamicum and Its Effect on Isoleucine Production

The catabolic or biodegradative threonine dehydratase (E.C. 4.2.1.16) of Escherichia coli is an isoleucine feedback-resistant enzyme that catalyzes the degradation of threonine to α-ketobutyrate, the first reaction of the isoleucine pathway. We cloned and expressed this enzyme in Corynebacterium glutamicum. We found that while the native threonine dehydratase of C. glutamicum was totally inhibited by 15 mM isoleucine, the heterologous catabolic threonine dehydratase expressed in the same strain was much less sensitive to isoleucine; i.e., it retained 60% of its original activity even in the presence of 200 mM isoleucine. To determine whether expressing the catabolic threonine dehydratase (encoded by the tdcB gene) provided any benefit for isoleucine production compared to the native enzyme (encoded by the ilvA gene), fermentations were performed with the wild-type strain, an ilvA-overexpressing strain, and a tdcB-expressing strain. By expressing the heterologous catabolic threonine dehydratase in C. glutamicum, we were able to increase the production of isoleucine 50-fold, whereas overexpression of the native threonine dehydratase resulted in only a fourfold increase in isoleucine production. Carbon balance data showed that when just one enzyme, the catabolic threonine dehydratase, was overexpressed, 70% of the carbon available for the lysine pathway was redirected into the isoleucine pathway.     

Chimpanzee thumb muscle cross sections, moment arms and potential torques, and comparisons with humans.

This study investigates the morphological basis of differences between humans and chimpanzees in the kinematical and dynamical parameters of the musculature of the thumb. It is partly intended to test an hypothesis that human thumb muscles can exert significantly greater torques, due to larger muscle cross-sectional areas or to longer tendon moment arms or to both. We focus on the estimation of the potentials of thumb muscles to exert torques about joint axes in a sample of eight chimpanzee cadaver hands. The potential torque of a muscle is estimated by taking the product of a muscle's physiological cross-sectional area (an estimator of force) with its dynamical moment arm (derived from the slope of tendon excursion versus joint angular displacement, obtained during passive movements of cadaver thumb joints). Comparison of our results with similar data obtained for humans at the same Mayo Clinic laboratory shows significant differences between humans and chimpanzees in potential torque of most thumb muscles, those of humans generally exhibiting larger values. The primary reason for the larger torques in humans is that their average moment arms are significantly longer, permitting greater torque for a given muscle size. An additional finding is that chimpanzees and humans differ in the direction of secondary thumb metacarpal movements elicited by contraction of some muscles, as shown by differences in moment arm signs for a given movement in the same muscle. The differences appear to be related to differences in the musculo-skeletal structures of the trapeziometacarpal joint.     

Study on Tissue Cultures of Legume Plants

Plant regenerations were achieved from tissue cultures of 31 species of 15 genus of legume plants on A and B media. Various factors including medium composition (major elements, minor element:s, organic components and phytohormones), seed germination rate, illumination and temperature conditions were tested for their effects on callus differentiation in tissue cultures. Combinations of major elements of A or B medium, minor elements and organic components of B5 medium, illumination of 1500–2500 lx, and temperature of 18–27℃ were found suitable for callus differentiation of most legume plants. The calli induced from freshly collected seeds had higher differentiation capacity than from seeds sored for three years. Four types(a,b,c and d) of callus were morphologically distinguished during the differentiation in legume plant tissue cultures. Generally, calli from plants of the same genus belonged to the same type.     

Cell Wall Regenration During Early Development of Mesophyll Protoplasts of Astragalus melilotoides var. tenuis

The techniques of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron microscopy (EM) cytochemical visualization of polysaccharide, cell wall flourescence labelling of cell wall and inhibition of wall formation by coumarin treatment were used to explore the cell wall regeneration and its chemical characteristics in mesophyll protoplasts of Astragalus melilotoides var. tenuis. The results showed that after 24 h in culture a number of protruding vesicles, as well as a small amount of fibrillar component were formed on the surface of protoplasts. On day 3, the amount of fibrils increased significantly. On day 5, regenerated primary wall composed of fibrils and granules were observed, in which polysacchaides were detected as result of the periodic acid-silver methenamine reaction. In addition, after 36 h in culture, the protoplasts tended to coalesce, flourescence staining and coumarin treatment demonstrated that the protoplast adhesion was the result of cell wall formation. Based on these data, problems such as the structure of regenerated wall and its chemical nature, etc. were discussed.     

Changes and Regulation of Stress Ethylene Production and Polyamine Content in Spring Wheat Leaves Exposed to O3

Spring wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L. ) at 4-leaf stage were fumigated with 03 (0. 796± 0.04 mg/m3) in open-top chambes. The changes and regulation of stress ethylene production and polyamine metabolism in leaves were emphatically investigated. The results revealed that the stress ethylene production in leaves exposed to 03 increased at first and declined afterwards; and could be inhibited by COC12. During the initial stage of 03 stress, the activity of arginine decarboxylase (ADC) increased, but with the augment of leaf injury caused by 03, the ADC activity was correspondingly retarded. After leaves were sprayed with p-chloromercuri benzoie acid (PCMB), the ADC activity was inhibited and putamine content was reduced. However the Spd and Spm content rose slightly. After leaves were sprayed with CoC12, the ADC activity was not significantly altered, whereas the content of Spd and Spm accumulated greatly. Moreover, the high concentration of Spd and Spm maintained for a long time so as the leaf injury from 03 stress became less serious. These results indicate that the potyamine content can be accumulated by inhibiting stress ethylene production. The high concentration of Spd and Spm plays a major role in protection against 03 injury. Change of polyamine content in leaves is an adaptive regulatory mechanism against 03 stress.