Genetic markers on BTA14 predictive for residual feed intake in beef steers and their effects on carcass and meat quality traits

With the high cost of feed for animal production, genetic selection for animals that metabolize feed more efficiently could result in substantial cost savings for cattle producers. The purpose of this study was to identify DNA markers predictive for differences among cattle for traits associated with feed efficiency. Crossbred steers were fed a high‐corn diet for 140 days and average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), and residual feed intake (RFI) phenotypes were obtained. A region on chromosome 14 was previously associated with RFI in this population of animals. To develop markers with the highest utility for predicting an animal's genetic potential for RFI, we genotyped additional markers within this chromosomal region. These polymorphisms were genotyped on the same animals (n = 1066) and tested for association with ADFI, ADG and RFI. Six markers within this region were associated with RFI (P ≤ 0.05). After conservative correction for multiple testing, one marker at 25.09 Mb remained significant (P = 0.02) and is responsible for 3.6% of the RFI phenotypic variation in this population of animals. Several of these markers were also significant for ADG, although none were significant after correction. Marker alleles with positive effects on ADG corresponded to lower RFI, suggesting an effect increasing growth without increasing feed intake. All markers were also assessed for their effects on meat quality and carcass traits. All of the markers associated with RFI were associated with adjusted fat thickness (AFT, P ≤ 0.009) and three were also associated with hot carcass weight (HCW, P ≤ 0.003). Marker alleles associated with lower RFI were also associated with reduced AFT, and if they were associated for HCW, the effect was an increase in weight. These markers may be useful as prediction tools for animals that utilize feed more efficiently; however, validation with additional populations of cattle is required.     

经胸前壁入路内镜甲状腺手术与传统甲状腺手术的 对照研究

目的:通过临床非随机性对照研究,比较经胸前壁入路内镜甲状腺手术与传统甲状腺手术在手术时间、术中出血量、术后引流量、术后疼痛、功能恢复、术后住院时间、住院费用及美容效果上的不同,探讨经胸前壁入路内镜甲状腺手术的可行性及临床效果。方法:回顾性分析86例甲状腺手术,其中46例患者采用经胸前壁入路内镜甲状腺手术的患者为内镜组,40例行传统甲状腺手术为传统组。结果:两组患者均顺利完成手术,术后恢复良好,均未发生术后大出血、喉返神经、喉上神经及甲状旁腺损伤等并发症。两组患者的术后住院时间及术后引流量无显著差异。与传统组比较,内镜组手术时间明显延长(P<0.05),术中出血量明显减少(P<0.05),术后疼痛明显降低(P<0.05),功能恢复即术后自行下床洗漱时间明显缩短(P<0.05),住院费用显著增加(P<0.05),手术美容效果满意度明显提高(P<0.05)。结论:相对传统甲状腺手术,经胸前壁入路内镜甲状腺手术具有切口小、出血量少、术后疼痛轻、功能恢复快、美容满意度高等优点,是治疗甲状腺疾病安全、有效的手术方法。     

Molecular crowding inhibits intramolecular breathing motions in proteins

In aqueous solution some proteins undergo large-scale movements of secondary structures, subunits or domains, referred to as protein “breathing”, that define a native-state ensemble of structures. These fluctuations are sensitive to the nature and concentration of solutes and other proteins and are thereby expected to be different in the crowded interior of a cell than in dilute solution. Here we use a combination of wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and computational modeling to derive a quantitative measure of the spatial scale of conformational fluctuations in a protein solution. Concentration-dependent changes in the observed scattering intensities are consistent with a model of structural fluctuations in which secondary structures undergo rigid-body motions relative to one another. This motion increases with decreasing protein concentration or increasing temperature. Analysis of a set of five structurally and functionally diverse proteins reveals a diversity of kinetic behaviors. Proteins with multiple disulfide bonds exhibit little or no increase in breathing in dilute solutions. The spatial extent of structural fluctuations appears highly dependent on both protein structure and concentration and is universally suppressed at very high protein concentrations.     

The solution structure of the adhesion protein Bd37 from Babesia divergens reveals structural homology with eukaryotic proteins involved in membrane trafficking

Babesia divergens is the Apicomplexa agent of the bovine babesiosis in Europe: this infection leads to growth and lactation decrease, so that economical losses due to this parasite are sufficient to require the development of a vaccine. The major surface antigen of B. divergens has been described as a 37 kDa protein glycosyl phosphatidyl inositol (GPI)-anchored at the surface of the merozoite. The immuno-prophylactic potential of Bd37 has been demonstrated, and we present here the high-resolution solution structure of the 27 kDa structured core of Bd37 (Δ-Bd37) using NMR spectroscopy. A model for the whole protein has been obtained using additional small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) data. The knowledge of the 3D structure of Bd37 allowed the precise epitope mapping of antibodies on its surface. Interestingly, the geometry of Δ-Bd37 reveals an intriguing similarity with the exocyst subunit Exo84p C-terminal region, an eukaryotic protein that has a direct implication in vesicle trafficking. This strongly suggests that Apicomplexa have developed in parallel molecular machines similar in structure and function to the ones used for endo- and exocytosis in eukaryotic cells.     

Solution structure of a cyanobacterial phytochrome GAF domain in the red-light-absorbing ground state

The unique photochromic absorption behavior of phytochromes (Phys) depends on numerous reversible interactions between the bilin chromophore and the associated polypeptide. To help define these dynamic interactions, we determined by NMR spectroscopy the first solution structure of the chromophore-binding cGMP phosphodiesterase/adenylcyclase/FhlA (GAF) domain from a cyanobacterial Phy assembled with phycocyanobilin (PCB). The three-dimensional NMR structure of Synechococcus OS-B′ cyanobacterial Phy 1 in the red-light-absorbing state of Phy (Pr) revealed that PCB is bound to Cys138 of the GAF domain via the A-ring ethylidene side chain and is buried within the GAF domain in a ZZZsyn,syn,anti configuration. The D ring of the chromophore sits within a hydrophobic pocket and is tilted by approximately 80° relative to the B/C rings by contacts with Lys52 and His169. The solution structure revealed remarkable flexibility for PCB and several adjacent amino acids, indicating that the Pr chromophore has more freedom in the binding pocket than anticipated. The propionic acid side chains of rings B and C and Arg101 and Arg133 nearby are especially mobile and can assume several distinct and energetically favorable conformations. Mutagenic studies on these arginines, which are conserved within the Phy superfamily, revealed that they have opposing roles, with Arg101 and Arg133 helping stabilize and destabilize the far-red-light-absorbing state of Phy (Pfr), respectively. Given the fact that the Synechococcus OS-B′ GAF domain can, by itself, complete the Pr → Pfr photocycle, it should now be possible to determine the solution structure of the Pfr chromophore and surrounding pocket using this Pr structure as a framework.     

Mutations in the hydrophobic core of ubiquitin differentially affect its recognition by receptor proteins

Ubiquitin (Ub) is one of the most highly conserved signaling proteins in eukaryotes. In carrying out its myriad functions, Ub conjugated to substrate proteins interacts with dozens of receptor proteins that link the Ub signal to various biological outcomes. Here we report mutations in conserved residues of Ub's hydrophobic core that have surprisingly potent and specific effects on molecular recognition. Mutant Ubs bind tightly to the Ub-associated domain of the receptor proteins Rad23 and hHR23A but fail to bind the Ub-interacting motif present in the receptors Rpn10 and S5a. Moreover, chains assembled on target substrates with mutant Ubs are unable to support substrate degradation by the proteasome in vitro or sustain viability of yeast cells. The mutations have relatively little effect on Ub's overall structure but reduce its rigidity and cause a slight displacement of the C-terminal β-sheet, thereby compromising association with Ub-interacting motif but not with Ub-associated domains. These studies emphasize an unexpected role for Ub's core in molecular recognition and suggest that the diversity of protein-protein interactions in which Ub engages placed enormous constraints on its evolvability.     

Structure of the myristylated human immunodeficiency virus type 2 matrix protein and the role of phosphatidylinositol-(4,5)-bisphosphate in membrane targeting

During the late phase of retroviral replication, newly synthesized Gag proteins are targeted to the plasma membrane (PM), where they assemble and bud to form immature virus particles. Membrane targeting by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Gag is mediated by the PM marker molecule phosphatidylinositol-(4,5)-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P₂], which is capable of binding to the matrix (MA) domain of Gag in an extended lipid conformation and of triggering myristate exposure. Here, we show that, as observed previously for HIV-1 MA, the myristyl group of HIV-2 MA is partially sequestered within a narrow hydrophobic tunnel formed by side chains of helices 1, 2, 3, and 5. However, the myristate of HIV-2 MA is more tightly sequestered than that of the HIV-1 protein and does not exhibit concentration-dependent exposure. Soluble PI(4,5)P₂ analogs containing truncated acyl chains bind HIV-2 MA and induce minor long-range structural changes but do not trigger myristate exposure. Despite these differences, the site of HIV-2 assembly in vivo can be manipulated by enzymes that regulate PI(4,5)P₂ localization. Our findings indicate that HIV-1 and HIV-2 are both targeted to the PM for assembly via a PI(4,5)P₂-dependent mechanism, despite differences in the sensitivity of the MA myristyl switch, and suggest a potential mechanism that may contribute to the poor replication kinetics of HIV-2.     

应用分子生物学方法检测宫颈液基细胞残液中HPV16／18感染的对比研究

对比免疫蛋白印迹及斑点杂交检测人乳头瘤病毒HPV16/18的检出率,以期找到子宫颈癌早期筛查的最佳方法。采用免疫蛋白印迹与斑点杂交分别对173份宫颈液基细胞进行HPV16/18检测。150例经宫颈液基细胞学镜下筛查为宫颈上皮内病变及宫颈癌的患者,其中免疫蛋白印迹对低度病变检出率为47.6%(30/63),对高度病变检出率为57.9%(33/57),对浸润癌的检出率为86.7%(26/30),其中鳞癌为85%(17/20),腺癌为90%(9/10),采用斑点杂交对低度病变检出率为28.6%(18/63),对高度病变检出率为42.1%(24/57),浸润癌的检出率为80%(24/30),其中鳞癌为75%(15/20),腺癌为90%(9/10)。采用免疫蛋白印迹对23例正常对照的细胞HPV检出率为13.1%(3/23),斑点杂交的检出率为8.7%(2/23)。各级宫颈病变中HPV16/18的检出率均较对照组差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。免疫蛋白印迹检测HPV16/18比斑点杂交的检出率要高,为发现HPV一过性携带者,达到早期诊断的目的。     

余氯对水生生物的影响

氯是滨河、滨海企业冷却水常用的防治污损生物的处理剂。总结近年来国内外氯在企业冷却水中的应用、氯对浮游植物、浮游动物、贝类、鱼类等影响的研究成果,为制定冷却水余氯排放标准和水产养殖的合理布局提供了参考,针对我国大量滨海电厂即将建立的现状,分析了余氯研究在中国海域研究的不足,提出了氯对我国海洋生物影响不同层面的研究方向。认为氯对生物种群的毒性,氯对生物群落组成、结构和生态演替的影响,以及减轻或避免余氯污染的对策是需要进一步解决的科学问题。