Imp associates with squid and Hrp48 and contributes to localized expression of gurken in the oocyte

Localization and translational control of Drosophila melanogaster gurken and oskar mRNAs rely on the hnRNP proteins Squid and Hrp48, which are complexed with one another in the ovary. Imp, the Drosophila homolog of proteins acting in localization of mRNAs in other species, is also associated with Squid and Hrp48. Notably, Imp is concentrated at sites of gurken and oskar mRNA localization in the oocyte, and alteration of gurken localization also alters Imp distribution. Imp binds gurken mRNA with high affinity in vitro; thus, the colocalization with gurken mRNA in vivo is likely to be the result of direct binding. Imp mutants support apparently normal regulation of gurken and oskar mRNAs. However, loss of Imp activity partially suppresses a gurken misexpression phenotype, indicating that Imp does act in control of gurken expression but has a largely redundant role that is only revealed when normal gurken expression is perturbed. Overexpression of Imp disrupts localization of gurken mRNA as well as localization and translational regulation of oskar mRNA. The opposing effects of reduced and elevated Imp activity on gurken mRNA expression indicate a role in gurken mRNA regulation.     

表达犬细小病毒VP2蛋白重组犬2型腺病毒的构建及鉴定

对CAV-2的E3区的Ssp I片段进行缺失构建了E3区缺失载体pVAXΔE3,然后将CPV VP2表达盒连接到pVAXΔE3的E3区缺失处,构建了CPV VP2表达盒的转移载体pΔECPV-VP2,用SalI NruI分别对pPoly2-CAV2和pΔECPV-VP2进行双酶切,分别进行琼脂糖凝胶电泳回收目的片段,将含CPV VP2表达盒的SalI NruI片段定向克隆入pPoly2-CAV-2载体,获得了含CPV VP2表达盒重组CAV-2基因组的质粒pCAV-2/CPV-VP2。用AscI ClaI对pCAV-2/CPV-VP2进行双酶切,释放CAV-2/CPV-VP2重组基因组,将CAV-2/CPV-VP2基因组与去除SalI NruI片段的CAV-2基因组的两个片段混合,利用脂质体介导共转染DK细胞,出现病变,获得重组病毒CAV-2/CPV。并且,从形态学、基因组水平、目的基因的转录及重组病毒的生长特征等方面进行了鉴定。结果证明,CAV-2/CPV具有典型的CAV-2形态特征,CAV-2/CPV在繁殖的过程中没有对CPV VP2表达盒片段进行缺失或重排,并且能够转录CPV VP2的mRNA。CAV-2/CPV的繁殖速度比野生型CAV-2的繁殖速度慢。     

喜旱莲子草茎叶解剖结构从原产地到入侵地的变异式样

长期以来人们一直认为,外来种入侵及其危害是由于一个物种从原产地到入侵地其环境因子改变(如天敌压力的减弱等)而导致的。近年来,越来越多的研究者开始认识到,生物入侵过程实际上是一个现代人类活动影响下的物种的快速进化过程,生物入侵的进化遗传学已成为入侵生物学研究中最活跃的分支之一。作者比较了来自原产地(阿根廷)和入侵地(中国和美国)的喜旱莲子草(Alternantheraphiloxeroides)的11个种群在茎、叶解剖结构方面的变异式样,发现所研究的19个性状在原产地(阿根廷)和入侵地(中国和美国)的变异情况明显不同:在原产地种群中,共有9个性状指标存在显著差异,遗传率在49–89%之间,这9个性状是气孔密度、气孔指数、茎直径、髓腔直径、维管柱直径、皮层厚度、维管柱面积比、髓腔面积比和叶形指数;而在入侵地种群间,19个性状指标均无明显差异。这表明喜旱莲子草从原产地到入侵地其遗传多样性降低;入侵地喜旱莲子草种群间的形态变异主要为表型可塑性。根据19个形态指标对喜旱莲子草11个种群进行主成分分析和聚类,结果显示:所有入侵地种群和原产地的Ar1种群(SantaFé,59°49′W,29°16′S)聚为一类,原产地的Ar4(Tandil,59°03′W,37°11′S)单独聚为一类,原产地的其他4个种群聚为一类。表明Ar1种群可能与入侵中国的喜旱莲子草在基因型上更为接近。这一结果为进一步揭示喜旱莲子草入侵机理(如杂交适应性)和在原产地寻求对应天敌的生物防治工作提供了基础数据。     

应用计算机软件辅助重组hbFGF 基因的筛选

目的：尝试通过计算机的辅助筛选基因重组组合,期望能减少人工筛选的工作量并得到高表达的蛋白。方法：从影响表达的两个因素即翻译起始区陬的二级结构自由能和翻译起始区的密码子偏好性问题研究入手,对部分核苷酸进行了突变,利用RNA二级结构预测软件DNASISv2．5对hbFGF的陬区起始密码子开始前35个核苷酸进行了分析,筛选出预期表达量高的组合并在实验中加以验证。结果：从32种突变方式中筛选出10条自由能绝对值最低的序列做引物,克隆至表达载体上,得到了两株高表达菌株。结论：利用计算机辅助设计可以优化和筛选实验结果,提高工作效率,降低具体实验的工作量。     

Sample preparation project for the subcellular proteome of mouse liver

Organelle proteome has become one of the most important fields of proteomics, and the subcellular fractionation with high purity and yield has always been a challenge for cell biologists and also for the Human Liver Proteome Project (HLPP). The liver of a C57BL/6J mouse was chosen as the model to find the optimum method for subcellular preparation. The method we selected could obtain the multiple fractions including plasma membrane, mitochondria, nucleus, ER, and cytosol from a single homogenate. With the same procedure, it is for the first time that the preparation method of frozen homogenized livers was compared with that of the fresh livers and frozen livers. We systematically evaluated the purity, efficiency, and integrity by protein yield, immunoblotting, and transmission electron microscopy. Taken together, the method of multiple fractions from a single tissue is effective enough for subcellular fractionation of mouse liver. We give a selective sample preparation method for frozen homogenized livers, for rare clinical samples, which cannot easily be used for subcellular separation immediately. But the frozen livers are not recommended for organelles isolation. This result is especially useful for sample preparation of human liver for subcellular fractionation of HLPP.     

Endoplasmic reticulum stress response is involved in the pathogenesis of stress induced gastric lesions in rats

Stress gastric ulcer is a serious complication, but the mechanism involved is not fully clarified. It is well known that mucosal cell apoptosis plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of gastric ulceration. Recent studies have shown that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is an important pathway leading to cellular apoptosis. To investigate the role of ER stress in the pathogenesis of stress gastric ulcer, we studied the alteration in the expression of ER stress markers GRP78 (glucose-regulated protein 78) and caspase-12 (an ER stress-specific proapoptotic molecule) and their relations with gastric mucosal apoptosis during development of stress gastric lesions in the water-immersion and restraint stress (WRS) model in rats. Rats developed severe gastric lesions after 6 h of WRS. Typical apoptosis was observed at the edge cells of WRS induced gastric lesions. Western blot analysis showed that GRP78 and activated caspase-12 were over-expressed in the gastric tissues of WRS rats. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that increased GRP78 and caspase-12 were distributed only under the lesions. In addition, dithiothreitol and tunicamycin (ER stress inducers), which increased the expression of GRP78 and activated caspase-12, caused gastric mucosal injury and mucosal cell apoptosis in vitro. These findings suggest that ER stress might be involved in the development of stress gastric ulcer through an apoptotic mechanism.     

Abscisic acid stimulates a calcium-dependent protein kinase in grape berry

It has been demonstrated that calcium plays a central role in mediating abscisic acid (ABA) signaling, but many of the Ca2+-binding sensory proteins as the components of the ABA-signaling pathway remain to be elucidated. Here we identified, characterized, and purified a 58-kD ABA-stimulated calcium-dependent protein kinase from the mesocarp of grape berries (Vitis vinifera x Vitis labrusca), designated ACPK1 (for ABA-stimulated calcium-dependent protein kinase1). ABA stimulates ACPK1 in a dose-dependent manner, and the ACPK1 expression and enzyme activities alter accordantly with the endogenous ABA concentrations during fruit development. The ABA-induced ACPK1 stimulation appears to be transient with a rapid effect in 15 min but also with a slow and steady state of induction after 60 min. ABA acts on ACPK1 indirectly and dependently on in vivo state of the tissues. Two inactive ABA isomers, (-)-2-cis, 4-trans-ABA and 2-trans, 4-trans-(+/-)-ABA, are ineffective for inducing ACPK1 stimulation, revealing that the ABA-induced effect is stereo specific to physiological active (+)-2-cis, 4-trans-ABA. The other phytohormones such as auxin indoleacetic acid, gibberellic acid, synthetic cytokinin N-benzyl-6-aminopurine, and brassinolide are also ineffective in this ACPK1 stimulation. Based on sequencing of the two-dimensional electrophoresis-purified ACPK1, we cloned the ACPK1 gene. The ACPK1 is expressed specifically in grape berry covering a fleshy portion and seeds, and in a developmental stage-dependent manner. We further showed that ACPK1 is localized in both plasma membranes and chloroplasts/plastids and positively regulates plasma membrane H+-ATPase in vitro, suggesting that ACPK1 may be involved in the ABA-signaling pathway.     

杨梅苷脂质体的制备研究

目的：制备杨梅苷脂质体。方法：采用逆相蒸发法制备杨梅苷脂质体。用冷冻离心法分离脂质体和游离药物,用高效液相色谱法测定药物含量并计算包封率。采用激光粒度仪测定平均粒径。结果：杨梅苷脂质体制备的最佳处方和工艺为：卵磷脂：杨梅6：1,卵磷脂：胆固醇2：1,有机相：水相4：1,磷酸盐缓冲溶液的pH值为6.86,浓度为0.005 mol.L-1;超声时间为5分钟。结论：最佳条件下制备的杨梅苷脂质体包封率较高,粒径分布好,质量稳定。