Pathogen elicitor-induced changes in the maize extracellular matrix proteome

The extracellular matrix is a vital compartment in plants with a prominent role in defence against pathogen attack. Using a maize cell suspension culture system and pathogen elicitors, responses to pathogen attack that are localised to the extracellular matrix were examined by a proteomic approach. Elicitor treatment of cell cultures induced a rapid change in the phosphorylation status of extracellular peroxidases, the apparent disappearance of a putative extracellular beta-N-acetylglucosamonidase, and accumulation of a secreted putative xylanase inhibitor protein. Onset of the defence response was attended by an accumulation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and a fragment of a putative heat shock protein. Several distinct spots of both proteins, which preferentially accumulated in cell wall protein fractions, were identified. These three novel observations, viz. (i) secretion of a new class of putative enzyme inhibitor, (ii) the apparent recruitment of classical cytosolic proteins into the cell wall and (ii) the change in phosphorylation status of extracellular matrix proteins, suggest that the extracellular matrix plays a complex role in defence. We discuss the role of the extracellular matrix in signal modulation during pathogen-induced defence responses.     

Studies of the cation complexing ability of crowns Part I. Synthesis, characterization and crystal structure of diazacrowns and their barium complexes

A number of N,N′-bis(4-substituted phenyl)-1,7-diaza-12-crown-4 and N,N′-bis(4-substituted phenyl)-1, 10-diaza-18-crown-6 (where the substituents are OCH₃, CH₃, H, Cl, respectively) have been prepared by cyclization reaction of a ditosylate with the appropriately substituted diol. These new macrocyclic ligands have been characterized by means of elemental analysis, IR, ¹H NMR and MS spectra. The crystal structures of N,N′-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,10-diaza-18-crown-6 (21) and its complex with barium thiocyanate Ba(SCN)₂ (22) have been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystallographic data are as follows: 21: C₂₄H₃₂Cl₂N₂O₄, orthorhombic, P2₁2₁2₁, A=4.852(1), B=11.989(2), C=41.231(8) Å, V=2398.7(8) ų, Z=4; 22: C₂₆H₃₂Cl₂N₄O₄S₂Ba, monoclinic, P2₁/c, A=8.801(2), B=11.653(9), C=15.756(6) Å, ß=105.96(3)°, V=1553.7(14) ų, Z=2. In the complex, the Ba atom is eight-coordinate (O(1), O(2), O(1)′, O(2)′, N(1), N(1)′, N(21), N(21)′) to form a distorted D_6h geometry with the Ba atom at the center of crystallographic symmetry.     

血小板、红细胞生成素双功能融合蛋白的构建

为探索TPO- EPO融合蛋白在肿瘤化疗中作为辅助治疗药物 ,同时纠正红细胞贫血和血小板减少症的可能性 ,首先通过PCR分别扩增了TPON -端 1 5 3肽和EPO成熟肽的编码cDNA ,并构建成功TPO -EPO融合基因 .融合基因在COS- 7细胞和CHO细胞中的表达产物能够维持TPO依赖株Ba/F3 mpl细胞和EPO依赖株Bet -2细胞的生长 ,能够在半固体培养体系中刺激巨核系集落和红系集落的形成 ,表明它同时具有TPO和EPO的生物活性 .初步体内实验表明 ,含有融合蛋白的培养上清可以使小鼠血小板数目升高 40 % ,对红细胞的作用有待进一步确定 .以上结果初步表明融合蛋白构建成功 ,为进一步探讨融合蛋白的体内活性和应用前景打下了基础 .     

研究: 暗示性动作诱发的空间注意转移

暗示性动作是指个体在观看静止躯体图片时知觉到动作信息.本研究采用无预测性和反向预测性的中央线索提示范式,考察了暗示性动作和无动作线索诱发的观察者空间注意转移及两类线索诱发注意转移的方式.实验1和2采用无预测性范式,发现暗示性的扔动作能够诱发观察者的空间注意转移(实验1),且这种注意转移并不是单侧目标突现所导致的(实验2).实验3采用反向预测范式,发现暗示性动作诱发空间注意转移可能是以一种自主控制的方式进行的.此外,实验还发现仅仅观察他人的躯干朝向(站立)不足以诱发观察者注意转移.本研究进一步丰富了"注意朝向检测器"假说,暗示性动作作为一种整体性躯体线索,可能和其他局部生物线索所诱发的注意效应机制存在差异.     

贵州瑶族3支系Y-DNA及线粒体DNA序列多态性分析

采用PCR－RFLP技术,通过观察由12个单核苷酸多态位点(SNPs)组成的Y染色体单倍型及由9个多态位点组成的线粒体DNA单倍型在贵州瑶族中的分布,分析贵州瑶族父系及母系遗传结构,探讨其起源及迁徙。结果显示,97份男性样本分别属于H7、H8、H9、H11 4种Y-DNA单倍型,苗瑶语系特异Y-DNA单倍型H7的平均频率为92.4%;通过对线粒体DNA基因分型,得到8种单倍型,可归入B4、B5、D4、D5和N*单倍型类群中,CoⅡ/tRNA^Lys区域间的9bp缺失平均频率为58.2%。结果提示贵州瑶族父系遗传结构单一,具有典型的苗瑶族群特征,又存在与其他族群的融合。母系遗传结构相对复杂,9 bp缺失是贵州瑶族的母系遗传结构特征。      

贵州布依族、仡佬族、仫佬族、毛南族、壮族Y-SNP的初步研究

为分析贵州布依族、仡佬族、仫佬族、毛南族、壮族父系遗传结构, 探讨其起源及迁徒。通过聚合酶链式反应-限制性内切酶长度多态性(PCR-RFLP)方法检测贵州境内5个民族10个SNP位点构成的Y染色体单倍型, 并以省内苗族为对照分析其父系遗传结构。结果显示5个民族集中于Y-SNP中H8单倍型, 苗族样本集中于Y-SNP中的H8、H11与H12单倍型。说明贵州省布依族、仡佬族、仫佬族、毛南族、壮族5个民族之间有密切联系, 且与国内其他地域有较大的遗传差异, 是一个相对独立的群体。     

麝鼠肠道纤维素分解菌的分离鉴定及其酶学特性分析

本研究旨在从麝鼠(Ondatra zibethicus)肠道中分离出高效分解纤维素的菌株,为开发纤维素分解菌微生物制剂提供菌种资源。本研究利用以羧甲基纤维素钠(CMC-Na)为单一碳源的培养基,从麝鼠盲肠内分离出--株高效分解纤维素的菌株WJ-3,并对该菌株进行形态鉴定、生理生化鉴定和16S.rDNA分子鉴定。对菌株WJ-3所产羧甲基纤维素酶(CMCase)进行酶学特性实验,分析此纤维素酶的最佳反应pH和最佳反应温度,以及此纤维素酶对不同温度和不同酸碱度的耐受性。结果表明,菌株WJ-3属于空气芽孢杆菌(Bacillus aerius),并将其命名为Bacillus aerius WJ-3。菌株WJ-3所产羧甲基纤维素酶在pH 4.0~6.0的范围内反应时,酶活性随pH值升高而增加,其最佳反应pH为6.0,且此纤维素酶在pH4.0~8.0范围内保存30min后均能保持80%以上的相对酶活性:菌株WJ-3所产羧甲基纤维素酶在温度30~50 ℃范围内反应时,随温度上升酶活性逐渐增加,在50 ℃时酶活性最高,之后随温度的升高酶活性逐渐下降,且纤维素酶在此温度范围内保存30 min后均能保持较高的酶活性。综上所述,菌株Bacillus aerius WJ-3所产羧甲基纤维素酶的酶活性较高,并且此纤维素酶的耐酸碱性及热稳定性良好,是具有一定利用价值的菌种资源。     

研究报告: 一个白质消融性白质脑病家系新基因突变及临床表型研究

目的 探讨白质消融性脑病的临床及影像学特点。方法 回顾分析一例白质消融性白质脑病患儿家系的临床资料，并复习相关文献。结果 先证者1，女，4岁10个月，因步态异常起病。头颅磁共振成像（MRI）示白质异常，且弥漫对称。基因检测发现患儿EIF2B4基因存在2个错义突变，均位于外显子13，分别为C. 1544 T→A（p.Leu515Gln）和C. 1445 G→T （p.Arg 482Leu）杂合变异，国内外均未报道，为新发现的基因变异。结合国外临床诊断标准及基因分析结果确诊为白质消融性白质脑病。另一患儿为其同卵妹妹，与其发病时间、发病表现、头颅MRI及基因检测结果均大致相同，但随访1年发现先证者1退步更快。结论 发现2个新的EIF2B4基因错义突变，基因分析有助明确诊断白质消融性白质脑病。     

LiCl attenuates impaired learning and memory of APP/PS1 mice,which in mechanism involves α7 nAChRs and Wnt/β-catenin pathway

We examined the mechanism by which lithium chloride (LiCl) attenuates the impaired learning capability and memory function of dual-transgenic APP/PS1 mice. Six- or 12-month-old APP/PS1 and wild-type (WT) mice were randomized into four groups, namely WT, WT+Li (100 mg LiCl/kg body weight, gavage once daily), APP/PS1 and APP/PS1+Li. Primary rat hippocampal neurons were exposed to β-amyloid peptide oligomers (AβOs), LiCl and/or XAV939 (inhibitor of Wnt/β-catenin) or transfected with small interfering RNA against the β-catenin gene. In the cerebral zone of APP/PS1 mice, the level of Aβ was increased and those of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR), phosphor-GSK3β (ser9), β-catenin and cyclin D1 (protein and/or mRNA levels) reduced. Two-month treatment with LiCl at ages of 4 or 10 months weakened all of these effects. Similar expression variations were observed for these proteins in primary neurons exposed to AβOs, and these effects were attenuated by LiCl and aggravated by XAV939. Inhibition of β-catenin expression lowered the level of α7 nAChR protein in these cells. LiCl attenuates the impaired learning capability and memory function of APP/PS1 mice via a mechanism that might involve elevation of the level of α7 nAChR as a result of altered Wnt/β-catenin signalling.     

The GH18 family of chitinases: their domain architectures, functions and evolutions

The glycoside hydrolase 18 (GH18) family of chitinases is a multigene family that plays various roles, such as ecdysis, embryonic development, allergic inflammation and so on. Efforts are still needed to reveal their functional diversification in an evolutionary and systematic manner. We collected 85 GH18 genes from eukaryotic representatives. The domain architectures of GH18 proteins were analyzed and several conserved patterns were identified. It was observed that some (11 proteins) GH18 members in Ecdysozoa or fungi possess repeats of catalytic domains and/or chitin-binding domains (ChtBs). The domain repeats are likely to meet requirements for higher efficiency of chitin degradation in chitin-containing species. On the contrary, all vertebrate GH18 proteins contain no more than one catalytic domain or ChtB. The results from homologous analysis, domain architectures, exon arrangements and synteny loci supported two evolutionary paths for the GH18 family. One path experienced gene expansion and contraction several times during evolution, covering most of GH18 members except CHID1 (stabilin-1 interacting partner) and its homologs. Proteins in this path underwent frequent domain gain and loss, as well as domain recombination, that could achieve versatility in function. The other path is comparatively conserved. The CHID1 gene evolved without gene duplication except in Danio rerio. Domain architectures of CHID1 orthologs are all identical. The diverse phylogeny of the GH18 family in arthropod is also presented.