Expression pattern of CYC-like genes relating to a dorsalized actinomorphic flower in Tengia (Gesneriaceae)

Tengia has been called a "natural peloria" in the family Gesneriaceae because it exhibits an almost perfect actinomorphic flower from whorl one to whorl three. It would be especially interesting to know whether or how CYC-like gene activities are related to this type of perfect actinomorphic flower. To address this, we have isolated four CYC-like TCP genes and carried out an investigation on their expression patterns in Tengia. TsCYC1C and TsCYC1D have similar expression patterns with strong signals being detected in all five petals and stamens, whereas TsCYC2A and TsCYC2B are only transiently expressed in the very early floral meristem. Our results suggest that the expansion of the expressions of TsCYC1C and TsCYC1D from the dorsal to the ventral petals is likely responsible for the evolutionary formation of the fully dorsalized actinomorphic corolla, that is, an expanded functional domain of CYC-like gene dorsal identity in Tengia corolla. However, the expressions of TsCYC1C and TsCYC1D are not correlated with stamen abortion; therefore, TsCYC genes do not functionally repress the stamen development in Tengia flowers. This is probably due to changed cis-activities that result in the cell cycle-related genes uncoupling from the TsCYC regulatory pathway in Tengia.     

乳源活性肽对抗猪瘟病毒抗体IgG、IgA和IgM水平的影响

不同剂量乳源活性肽与2头份猪瘟活疫苗同时分点肌肉注射仔猪,每周一次耳静脉采血,间接ELISA法检测抗猪瘟病毒抗体IgG、IgA和IgM水平.发现乳源活性肽能够明显提高抗猪瘟病毒抗体水平.当乳源活性肽为15 g/L时,与对照组相比,IgG抗体水平在注射后28 d时提高了21.0%,IgA和IgM抗体水平在注射后14 d时分别提高了13.8%和7.8%.实验组腹泻率、发病率和死亡率明显比对照组低,同时发现乳源活性肽具有促进生长的作用.     

一个离散单种群动力系统的超临界Flip分支和Hoph分支(英文)

文中考虑一个非线性的具有年龄阶段结构的单种群离散模型,致力于揭示该系统的动力学行为,说明了系统在分支阈值附近会出现超临界Flip分支和Hoph分支.与一些文献不同的是文中用数学工具给出证明过程而不是用数值模拟的结果说明.     

兔慢性肾功能衰竭模型的建立与评价

目的建立兔慢性肾功能衰竭模型,为干细胞移植治疗和相关研究奠定基础。方法普通级大耳白兔随机分为正常对照组和单侧输尿管结扎（unilateral ureteral obstruction,UUO）组。UUO组于输尿管结扎后2、4、6、8周进行血生化肾功能指标检测,并取肾组织观察肾脏病理学改变,通过SPECT动态观察肾小球滤过率的变化,采用免疫组织化学方法观察肾组织转化生长因子-β1（TGF-β1）的表达情况。结果①UUO组术后第2周,出现明显的血肌酐升高,尿素氮术后第8周开始升高（P〈0.01）。②UUO组术后第4周,肾脏组织出现了早期间质纤维化的病理改变,术后第8周肾小球开始出现硬化,间质纤维化明显,皮质明显变薄。术后第12周,肾小球硬化比例增加,肾小管玻璃样变性,间质纤维化进一步加重（P〈0.05）。③SPECT动态观察肾小球滤过率,UUO组第4周GFR值比正常对照组降低,到第8周时,GFR值进一步下降,结扎侧肾脏功能降低甚至丧失。④免疫组织化学染色显示,TGF-β1在术后第4、8、12周均明显增强,并且各时间点表达均有显著差异（P〈0.05）。结论单侧输尿管结扎法成功制作比较稳定的慢性肾功能不全模型,UUO后第8周符合肾脏间质纤维化模型标准。     

肥大细胞释放生物活性介质促进TNCB致敏淋巴细胞分泌IL-17

氯化苦咪酸(TNCB)是诱导接触性超敏反应(CHS)实验模型的常用试剂,IL-17参与CHS的致病过程。利用TNCB致敏C57BL/6小鼠,4d后无菌分离淋巴结细胞。同时制备并体外活化同源小鼠成熟骨髓来源的肥大细胞(BMMC),成熟的BMMC具有肥大细胞特异性表型(FcεRI+/c-kit+),活化后可分泌TNF-α和IL-6等生物活性介质。在抗原提呈细胞存在下,活化的BMMC与淋巴结细胞体外共同培养72h,结果显示,与未致敏淋巴细胞共同培养组相比,BMMC与TNCB致敏淋巴细胞的共同培养上清中IL-17分泌水平显著增高(P0.01)。由此提示,活化的肥大细胞通过释放生物活性介质,促进TNCB致敏淋巴细胞IL-17的分泌。     

RNA干扰的研究进展及应用

RNA干扰(RNAi)是生物体的一种在进化上保持高度保守的,能抵御外源基因或外来病毒侵犯的重要防御机制,是一种序列特异性的转录后基因沉默现象。它由双链RNA引发,广泛存在于动、植物等各种生物体内。我们简要综述了RNAi发生的机制、特点、哺乳动物与RNAi现象,以及RNAi的应用等。     

Characterization of Androgen Receptor Structure and Nucleocytoplasmic Shuttling of the Rice Field Eel

Androgen receptor (AR) plays a critical role in prostate cancer and male sexual differentiation. We have identified AR from a primitive vertebrate with a sex reversal characteristic, the rice field eel. AR of this species (eAR) is distinct from human AR, especially in the ligand binding domain (LBD), and its expression in gonads shows an increasing tendency during gonadal transformation from ovary via ovotestis to testis. eAR has a restricted androgen-dependent transactivation function after a nuclear translocation upon dihydrotestosterone exposure. A functional nuclear localization signal was further identified in the DNA binding domain and hinge region. Although nuclear export is CRM1-independent, eAR has a novel nuclear export signal, which is negatively charged, indicating that a nuclear export pathway may be mediated by electrostatic interaction. Further, our studies have identified critical sequences for ligand binding in the C terminus. A structure of three α-helices in the LBD has been conserved from eels to humans during vertebrate evolution, despite a distinct amino acid sequence. Mutation analysis confirmed that the LBD is essential for dihydrotestosterone-induced nuclear import of eAR and following transactivation function in the nucleus. In addition, eAR interacts with both Sox9a1 and Sox9a2, and their interaction regulates transactivation of eAR. Our data suggest that the primitive species conserves and especially acquires key novel domains, the nuclear export signal and LBD, for the eAR function in spite of a rapid sequence evolution.     

Relationship Among H-FABP Gene Polymorphism, Intramuscular Fat Content, and Adipocyte Lipid Droplet Content in Main Pig Breeds with Different Genotypes in Western China

H-FABP (Heart fatty acid-binding protein), a member of FABP family, plays an essential role in long-chain fatty acid uptake and metabolic homeostasis. Its role in pig intramuscular fat content remains poorly understood, especially in local pig breeds in western China. In this study, the genetic variations of 5′-upstream region and the second intron in porcine H-FABP gene were investigated by PCR-RFLP in 256 pigs including Duroc, Large White, Landrace, Neijiang, Rongchang, Bamei pig, Hanjiang Black, Hanzhong White, and the wild ones. The effect of H-FABP gene on the IMF content was analyzed by the least square method. Lipid droplet morphology and content in adipocytes cultured from pigs with different H-FABP genotypes, were studied by oil red O staining and a triglyceride assay kit. Results showed a Hinf I -RFLP in these eight pig breeds and wild pigs, among which Large white, Bamei pig, Hanjiang Black, Hanzhong White, and wild pigs presented with low polymorphism while the other breeds had intermediate polymorphism. There was no Hae III or Msp I -RFLPs in the four Chinese local pig breeds tested, but Duroc, Landrace, Large White, Hanzhong White and wild pig had polymorphism. Landrace, Large White and wild pigs had low levels of Hae III-and Msp I -RFLP, whereas others had intermediate polymorphism. H-FABP genotypes significantly affected the IMF content (P<0.05). The IMF content ordered by H-FABP genotypes were HH>Hh>hh, DD<Dd<dd, and AA<Aa<aa. The genetic effect values were 3.89, 3.42, 3.17, 2.27, 2.49, 2.91, 2.28, 2.70, and 2.95, respectively. Fat deposition in adipocytes was stronger in the HH, dd and aa genotypes than in others. The results suggest that porcine meat quality may be improved by increasing the frequency of genotype aa-dd-HH in pig breeds.     

Improvement in growth and toxin production of Alexandrium tamarense by two-step culture method

The growth and toxin content of the dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense ATHK was markedly affected by culture methods. In early growth phase at lower cell density static or mild agitation methods were beneficial to growth, but continuous agitation or aeration, to some extent, had an adverse effect on cell growth. Static culture in 2 L Erlenmeyer flasks had the highest growth rate (0.38 d⁻¹) but smaller cell size compared with other culture conditions. Cells grown under aerated conditions possessed low nitrogen and phosphorus cell yields, namely high N and P cell-quota. At day 18, cells grown in continuous agitated and 1 h aerated culture entered the late stationary phase and their cellular toxin contents were higher (0.67 and 0.54 pg cell⁻¹) compared with cells grown by other culture methods (0.27–0.49 pg cell⁻¹). The highest cell density and cellular toxin content were 17190 cells mL⁻¹ and 1.26 pg cell⁻¹ respectively in an airlift photobioreactor with two-step culture. The results indicate that A. tamarense could be grown successfully in airlift photobioreactor by a two-step culture method, which involved cultivating the cells statically for 4 days and then aerating the medium. This provides an efficient way to enhance cell and toxin yield of A. tamarense.     

Response of growth and fatty acid compositions of Nannochloropsis sp. to environmental factors under elevated CO2 concentration

Nannochloropsis sp. was grown with different levels of nitrate, phosphate, salinity and temperature with CO₂ at 2,800 μl l⁻¹. Increased levels of NaNO₃ and KH₂PO₄ raised protein and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) contents but decreased carbohydrate, total lipid and total fatty acids (TFA) contents. Nannochloropsis sp. grew well at salinities from 22 to 49 g l⁻¹, and lowering salinity enhanced TFA and PUFAs contents. TFA contents increased with the increasing temperature but PUFAs contents decreased. The highest eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5ω3) content based on the dry mass was above 3% under low N (150 μM NaNO₃) or high N (3000 μM NaNO₃) condition. Excessive nitrate, low salinity and temperature are thus favorable factors for improving EPA yields in Nannochloropsis sp.