A novel ferritin subunit involved in shell formation from the pearl oyster (Pinctada fucata)

Iron is one of the most important minor elements in the shell of bivalves. This study was designed to investigate the involvement of ferritin, the principal protein for iron storage, in shell formation. A novel ferritin cDNA from the pearl oyster (Pinctada fucata) was isolated and characterized. The ferritin cDNA encodes a 206 amino acid polypeptide, which shares high similarity with snail soma ferritin and the H-chains of mammalian ferritins. Oyster ferritin mRNA shows the highest level of expression in the mantle, the organ for shell formation. In situ hybridization analysis revealed that oyster ferritin mRNA is expressed at the highest level at the mantle fold, a region essential for metal accumulation and contributes to metal incorporation into the shell. Taken together, these results suggest that ferritin is involved in shell formation by iron storage. The identification and characterization of oyster ferritin also helps to further understand the structural and functional properties of molluscan ferritins.     

The potentiation role of hepatopoietin on activator protein-1 is dependent on its sulfhydryl oxidase activity

Hepatopoietin (HPO) is a novel hepatotrophic growth factor that stimulates hepatocyte proliferation by two pathways. In the first, intracellular HPO specifically modulates the activator protein-1 (AP-1) pathway through JAB1 (Jun activation domain-binding protein 1), whereas in the second, extracellular HPO triggers the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway by binding its specific receptor on the cell surface. In this report we demonstrate that HPO is a flavin-linked sulfhydryl oxidase, and the invariant CXXC (Cys-Xaa-Xaa-Cys) motif in HPO is essential for the enzyme activity of HPO but not for its dimerization nor for its binding ability with JAB1. Two intramolecular disulfides were identified in HPO by mass spectrometry, one of which is formed by the redox CXXC cysteine residues. HPO site-directed mutants (Cys/Ser) at active sites, which lost sulfhydryl oxidase activity, could not increase c-Jun phosphorylation and failed to potentiate JAB1-mediated AP-1 activation. However, the mutants still have mitogenic stimulation and mitogen-activated protein kinase activation effects on HepG2 cells. Thus, it can be concluded that the potentiation role of HPO on AP-1 is dependent on its sulfhydryl oxidase activity.     

化学灭鼠对长江流域农区鼠类群落结构的影响

长江流域农业生态系统内,农田的主要害鼠为褐家鼠、黑线姬鼠、黄胸鼠、小家鼠、东方田鼠等,各地的鼠种组成有所不同,优势鼠种也因地而异。农房区的害鼠主要有褐家鼠、小家鼠、黄胸鼠3种,优势鼠种各地亦有区别。但经化学灭鼠后的残留鼠种却有一共同的特点：灭鼠活动对褐家鼠种群的打击最大,灭后褐家鼠种群密度下降幅度最大;相对而言,小型鼠黑线姬鼠（农田区）与小家鼠（农舍区）及栖息在房屋上层的黄胸鼠,常成为灭鼠活动后的主要残留鼠种。化学灭鼠后鼠类群落结构比灭前都要发生较大的变化,这种差别中维持3a左右,但经过3-4a左右的恢复后,灭鼠区的鼠类群落组成与相似环境内自然演变区的已达基本一致。可见,化学灭鼠活动可以在短时间内对害鼠群落结构造成重大的影响,从长期看,害鼠群落的演变有着自身的规律,灭鼠后一定时期,鼠类群落结构将恢复到环境所决定的水平,灭鼠区的长期演替结构仍与相似环境内未灭鼠区的一样。     

表达流感病毒神经氨酸酶基因的重组腺病毒的构建

通过RT-PCR方法扩增流感病毒神经氨酸酶基因,将其克隆到腺病毒穿梭载体pTrackCMV,此重组质粒与腺病毒DNA共转化大肠杆菌BJ5183,通过细菌内同源重组获得重组腺病毒DNA,将其转染293细胞获得重组腺病毒.经PCR证实目的基因已整合至腺病毒基因组中,western blot检测到神经氨酸酶的表达.重组病毒经滴鼻和灌胃两种途径免疫小鼠,结果表明2次免疫后滴鼻组和灌胃组均产生明显的免疫应答反应,滴鼻组的免疫效果优于灌胃组.     

Genetic differentiation between populations of swimming crab <Emphasis Type="Italic">Portunus trituberculatus</Emphasis> along the coastal waters of the East China Sea

Portunus trituberculatus is a commercially important species widely spread in the East China Sea. Intraspecific variation of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I (mtDNA COI) gene was investigated in 213 individuals from six localities (Changjiang Estuary, Shengsi Islands, Zhoushan Islands, Dongtou Islands, Dinghai Bay, and Quanzhou Bay) ranging from north (31°21′N) to south (24°55′N) coastal waters of the East China Sea. Overall, a total of 27 mtDNA haplotypes and 21 variable sites were detected in the 787 bp segment of COI gene. Analysis of mtDNA COI sequence data revealed that crabs from the six localities were characterized by moderately high haplotypic diversity (h = 0.787 ± 0.026), while sequence divergence values between haplotypes were relatively low (π = 0.00241 ± 0.00098). Each population was characterized by a single most frequent haplotype, shared among all six localities, and a small number of rare ones, typically present in only one or two individuals and representative of a specific population. However, neither the neighbor-joining tree nor the minimum spanning network (MSN) based on the haplotype data exhibited geographical patterns of the six populations. Mismatch distribution analysis of P. trituberculatus individuals sampled from the six localities suggested that sudden population expansion might have occurred in CJ and SS population that might be consistent with over-exploitation of the swimming crab. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) and F _ST statistics showed that significant genetic differentiation existed among the SS, ZS, DT, DH, and QZ populations, suggesting that gene flow might be reduced, even between the geographically close sites, despite the high potential of dispersal. The possible causes of the observed genetic heterogeneity among the P. trituberculatus populations and the potential applications of the mtDNA COI marker in the artificial breeding and fisheries management are discussed. Handling editor: C. Sturmbauer     

蛇毒类凝血酶鼠单克隆抗体的制备

采用杂交瘤技术,获得了４株稳定分泌抗蛇毒类凝血酶的单克隆抗体杂交瘤细胞株,均属ＩｇＧ１ｋ链,４株杂交瘤细胞培养上清液效价为 ４ × １０－１～４ × １０－２,腹水效价为 ４ × １０－１～３．２ ×１０－５。     

达乌尔黄鼠冷暴露、冬眠及激醒时的外周甲状腺激素水平变化

探讨了达乌尔黄鼠在冷暴露、冬眠及激醒时的外周甲状腺激素水平变化和激素代谢。达乌尔黄鼠在非冬眠季节 ( 7～ 8月 )冷暴露 ( 4℃± 2℃ ) 1天 ,导致血清T3和T4浓度迅速增加 ,T3/T4不变 ;经 4周冷驯化后 ,T3维持在高水平上 ,T4降低 ,T3/T4增加 ,外周组织中的T4脱碘酶活性升高。表明冬眠动物与非冬眠动物的甲状腺机能及其激素代谢的冷适应性调节一致。在冬眠季 ( 12～ 1月 )的冬眠和激醒过程中 ,外周组织的T4脱碘酶活性、血清T3和T4水平比常温达乌尔黄鼠的高 ,显著高于夏季的水平 ,T3/T4不变。表明达乌尔黄鼠甲状腺机能及其激素水平存在季节性变化。     

CXCR4 is a major chemokine receptor on glioma cells and mediates their survival

Chemokines were described originally in the context of providing migrational cues for leukocytes. They are now known to have broader activities, including those that favor tumor growth. We addressed whether and which chemokines may be important promoters of the growth of the incurable brain neoplasm, malignant gliomas. Analyses of 16 human glioma lines for the expression of chemokine receptors belonging to the CXCR and CCR series revealed low to negligible levels of all receptors, with the exception of CXCR4 that was expressed by 13 of 16 lines. All six resected human glioma specimens showed similarly high CXCR4 expression. The CXCR4 on glioma lines is a signaling receptor in that its agonist, stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1; CXCL12), produced rapid phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases. Furthermore, SDF-1 induced the phosphorylation of Akt (protein kinase B), a kinase associated with survival, and prevented the apoptosis of glioma cells when serum was withdrawn from the culture medium. SDF-1 also mediated glioma chemotaxis, in accordance with this better known role of chemokines. We conclude that glioma cells express a predominant chemokine receptor, CXCR4, and that this functions to regulate survival in part through activating pathways such as Akt.