Spatial and temporal localization of FGF receptors in Xenopus laevis

Summary Mesoderm formation is a result of cell-cell interactions between the vegetal and animal hemisphere and is thought to be mediated by inducing peptide growth factors including members of the FGF and TGF superfamilies. Our immunochemical study analyses the distribution of FGF receptors coded by the human flg gene during embryogenesis of Xenopus laevis. Immunostaining was detected in the dorsal and ventral ectoderm and also in the marginal zone of early cleavage, blastula and gastrula stages. Signals were very strong in the mid and late blastula (stage 8 and 9) and declined slightly in the early gastrula (stage 10). A dramatic decrease was observed up to the late gastrula (stage 11⁺). In stage 13 embryos, immunostaining was only found in cells around the blastopore. Isolated ectoderm cultured in vitro showed a similar temporal expression and decrease of the signal as the normal embryos. These results indicate that receptor expression is independent of the interaction of the animal cells with the vegetal part of the embryo. Of interest is the fact that the signal cannot only be found at or near the cell surface but also within the cell. This suggests the presence of an intracellular isoform of the receptor resulting from the endogenous expression of splice variants and the internalization of transmembrane receptor. Taken together our results suggest that the loss of competence (for bFGF around stage 10) is not directly correlated with the presence of receptors. The possible roles of heparan sulphate glucosaminoglycans (low affinity receptors) and control mechanisms in the intracellular signalling pathway downstream of the receptor level should be taken into consideration.     

湖北宜昌震旦系-寒武系界线地层Micrhystridium regulare化石的发现及其地层意义

该文记述了国际前寒武系-寒武系界线层型候选剖面所在地,湖北宜昌震旦系-寒武系界线地层中发现的小刺球藻类化石Micrhystridium regulare,regulare,讨论了它们的产出层位及其归属,并对小刺球藻类化石在时间上、空间上的分布作了简要的归纳,最后提出了小刺球藻类化石在震旦系-寒武系界线地层的划分和大区域地层对比中重要的潜在作用。     

用2DNMR鉴定倍半萜多元酯的结构

利用2DNMR结合其他波谱方法从苦皮藤种子油中鉴定了2个新倍半萜多元酯,它们分别是1α-苯甲酰氧-8β-烟酰氧-9α、11β-2乙酰氧-β-二氢沉香呋喃,1β-苯甲酰氧-2α、8β、9α、11β-4乙酰氧-β-二氢沉香呋喃,命名为苦皮藤酯2和3。     

影响根瘤菌竞争结瘤的生态学因素分析

根瘤菌的发现并确证其共生固氮作用已逾100年,根瘤菌剂的制备和应用也已超过半个世纪,实践效果有目共睹。如美国对豌豆根瘤菌、三叶草根瘤菌和大豆根瘤菌的应用以及澳大利亚对三叶草根瘤菌的应用都取得显著成绩。我国在豆科作物和豆科绿肥上应用根瘤菌接种措施已有30余年历史,采用筛选的优良菌     

高原低氧对机体无氧代谢阈值的影响

为了探讨高原低氧对机体无氧代谢阈值(AT)的影响,本研究采用Wasserman无创性方法,分别测定了11名新兵在平原(四川淮口,海拔500m)和经空运进驻高原 (西藏错那,海拔4370m)后的第3、5、7和14天的AT。结果表明:新兵进驻高原后AT由平原的813.6±147.4kg·m/min降低到395.5±194.5 kg·m/min(P<0.01);高原低氧引起AT的降低幅度与受试者平原AT的高低呈正相关(r=0.933,P<0.01);进驻高原后第3、5、7天AT维持在较低水平,随后呈上升趋势。但移居高原1年战士的AT仍低于平原水平(P<0.05)。提示,高原低氧能够显著地降低机体的AT,并且AT越高的个体进驻高原后受低氧环境的影响程度越大。     

石灰菌代谢产物的化学研究(Ⅰ)

从石灰菌(Lactarius hysginus Fr.)提取物的中性部分,分离得到六个化合物,经物理常数和光谱分析,鉴定为麦角甾醇(A)、硬脂酸甲脂(B)、N-苯基-2-萘胺(C)、24E-麦角甾7,22-二烯-6-酮一3β,5α-二醇(D)、庚酰胺(E)、24E-麦角甾-7.22-二烯-3β,5α,6β-三醇(F),其中化合物D作为天然产物尚未见文献报道。     

Purification and characterization of antifreeze proteins from larvae of the beetle Dendroides canadensis

Summary Four antifreeze proteins (AFPs) were purified from larvae of the beetle Dendroides canadensis. The AFPs are similar in amino acid compositions, having high contents of hydrophilic amino acids (45–55 mol%) and cysteine (16 mol% Cys). Approximately half of the Cys residues form disulfide bridges, and both the disulfide bridges and free sulfhydryls are essential for activity. The N-terminals of the AFPs are blocked. The pH optimum of the AFPs is 7.8, but major loss of activity occurred only at very high pH (12.0). The detergents SDS and Triton X-100 did not inactivate the AFPs. Circular dichroism spectra indicate the presence of both and secondary structures in the AFPs, in addition to a large random structure component.Abbreviations AFP antifreeze protein - CD circular dichroism - DTT dithiothreitol - HPLC high pressure liquid chromatography - PAGE polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - PAS periodic acid Schiff - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate - TFA trifluoroacetic acid     

Activation of antifreeze proteins from larvae of the beetle Dendroides canadensis

Summary Purified antifreeze proteins (AFPs) from the larvae of the beetle Dendroides canadensis do not produce the high levels of antifreeze activity seen in the hemolymph of overwintering larvae, even when the purified AFPs are assayed at very high concentrations. However, addition of certain proteins or agar (at concentrations sufficiently low that the gel state does not result) to the Dendroides AFP resulted in a 2–3-fold increase in activity. A 70-kDa protein with AFP-activating capabilities was purified from Dendroides larvae. Addition of this endogenous activator protein to a 4 mg·ml^-1 solution of AFP increased the activity of the AFPs to values comparable to those of the hemolymph of overwintering larvae. Data derived from a modified immunoblot technique demonstrate that the activators bind to the AFP, or vice versa. Formation of this association must allow the AFP to block ice crystal growth by binding to the surface of potential seed crystals in the normal fashion. However, because the AFP-activator complex is much larger than the AFP alone, the complex probably blocks a greater surface area of the crystal and is thus a more efficient antifreeze.Abbreviations AFP antifreeze protein - BSA bovine serum albumine - DEAE diethylaminoethyl - Ig immunoglubolin - LPIN lipoprotein ice nucleator - PIN protein ice nucleator - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate - PAGE polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - TH thermal hysteresis