Evolution of genome size inAllium (Alliaceae)

The 4C DNA amounts of 86 species fromAllium subgg.Allium, Rhizirideum, Bromatorrhiza, Melanocrommyum, Caloscordum andAmerallium show a 8.35-fold difference ranging from 35.60 pg (A. ledebourianum, 2n = 16) to 297.13 pg (A. validum 2n = 56). At diploid level the difference is 3.57-fold betweenA. ledebourianum (35.60 pg) andA. ursinum (127.14 pg). This shows that a significant loss and/or gain of DNA has occurred during evolution. On average subgg.Rhizirideum andAllium have less DNA amount than subgg.Melanocrommyum andAmerallium. The distribution of nuclear DNA amounts does not show discontinuous pattern and regular groups. The evolution of genome size has been discussed in relation to polyploidy and genomes, heterochromatin, adaptive changes in morphological characteristics, phenology and ecological factors, and infrageneric classification.     

Premature chromosome condensation. II. The nature of chromosome gaps produced by alkylating agents and ultraviolet light

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were treated with ultraviolet radiation or the alkylating agents, nitrogen mustard or trenimon, and chromosome damage to G2 phase cells were scored by the premature chromosome condensation (PCC) method or the metotic chromosome method. Treatment with these agents produced gaps but not chromatid breaks or exchanges. After UV treatment, the gap frequency observed in G2-PCC was higher than in the mitotic chromosomes, while the reverse trend was observed after treatment with nitrogen mustard or trenimon. These results suggest that two types of chromosome gaps exist, both of which are observable in mitotic chromosomes while only one type is observable in PCC due to differences in the stages of condensation between PCC and mitotic chromosomes.     

Signaling Cascades Governing Cdc42-Mediated Chondrogenic Differentiation and Mensenchymal Condensation

Endochondral ossification consists of successive steps of chondrocyte differentiation, including mesenchymal condensation, differentiation of chondrocytes, and hypertrophy followed by mineralization and ossification. Loss-of-function studies have revealed that abnormal growth plate cartilage of the Cdc42 mutant contributes to the defects in endochondral bone formation. Here, we have investigated the roles of Cdc42 in osteogenesis and signaling cascades governing Cdc42-mediated chondrogenic differentiation. Though deletion of Cdc42 in limb mesenchymal progenitors led to severe defects in endochondral ossification, either ablation of Cdc42 in limb preosteoblasts or knockdown of Cdc42 in vitro had no obvious effects on bone formation and osteoblast differentiation. However, in Cdc42 mutant limb buds, loss of Cdc42 in mesenchymal progenitors led to marked inactivation of p38 and Smad1/5, and in micromass cultures, Cdc42 lay on the upstream of p38 to activate Smad1/5 in bone morphogenetic protein-2-induced mesenchymal condensation. Finally, Cdc42 also lay on the upstream of protein kinase B to transactivate Sox9 and subsequently induced the expression of chondrocyte differential marker in transforming growth factor-β1-induced chondrogenesis. Taken together, by using biochemical and genetic approaches, we have demonstrated that Cdc42 is involved not in osteogenesis but in chondrogenesis in which the BMP2/Cdc42/Pak/p38/Smad signaling module promotes mesenchymal condensation and the TGF-β/Cdc42/Pak/Akt/Sox9 signaling module facilitates chondrogenic differentiation.     

Histone H1 variants as sperm-specific nuclear proteins of Rana catesbeiana,and their role in maintaining a unique condensed state of sperm chromatin

Amino acid analyses of nuclear basic proteins of an anuran amphibian, Rana catesbeiana, revealed that they are comprised of a full set of core histones and three types of lysine-rich, sperm-specific proteins. On the basis of their amino-acid compositions and partial amino-acid sequences of their trypsin-resistant cores, the sperm-specific proteins could be defined as members of the histone H1 family. Both micrococcal nuclease digestion and electron microscopy indicated that sperm chromatin consists of nucleosomal and fibrillar DNA structures which are irregularly interspersed with each other. When sperm nuclei were incubated with nucleoplasmin, nuclei decondensed to some extent, and the sperm-specific H1s were removed, but not completely. The residual sperm-specific histone H1 variants were also found in reconstituted male pronuclear chromatin, comprising regularly spaced nucleosomes. We conclude that sperm-specific histone H1 variants are essential for chromatin condensation in the sperm nuclei, but that their complete removal is not necessary for the remodeling into somatic chromatin that takes place after fertilization. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 47:181–190, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

非核糖体肽合成酶缩合结构域基因片段克隆

从大连渤海海域筛选出1株放线菌L1,结合形态观察、生理生化实验和16S rDNA分子鉴定,确定L1属于链霉菌属球孢链霉菌(Streptomyces globisporus)。根据GenBank发布的非核糖体肽合成酶(NRPS)序列设计引物,从放线菌L1的基因组DNA中扩增获得NRPS基因片段。测序结果及比对分析表明该片段属于NRPS缩合结构域部分序列。三维建模显示其结构呈V型,包含缩合结构域核心序列,与数据库已知结构相一致,可以推断该克隆片段为NRPS缩合结构域基因片段,为后续深入研究缩合结构域特异性与相关NRPS功能提供基础。     

Topologically associating domains and chromatin loops depend on cohesin and are regulated by CTCF,WAPL, and PDS5 proteins

Mammalian genomes are spatially organized into compartments, topologically associating domains (TADs), and loops to facilitate gene regulation and other chromosomal functions. How compartments, TADs, and loops are generated is unknown. It has been proposed that cohesin forms TADs and loops by extruding chromatin loops until it encounters CTCF, but direct evidence for this hypothesis is missing. Here, we show that cohesin suppresses compartments but is required for TADs and loops, that CTCF defines their boundaries, and that the cohesin unloading factor WAPL and its PDS5 binding partners control the length of loops. In the absence of WAPL and PDS5 proteins, cohesin forms extended loops, presumably by passing CTCF sites, accumulates in axial chromosomal positions (vermicelli), and condenses chromosomes. Unexpectedly, PDS5 proteins are also required for boundary function. These results show that cohesin has an essential genome‐wide function in mediating long‐range chromatin interactions and support the hypothesis that cohesin creates these by loop extrusion, until it is delayed by CTCF in a manner dependent on PDS5 proteins, or until it is released from DNA by WAPL.     

大棚辣椒最佳钾肥用量及运筹

以台湾‘长香’辣椒Capsicum frutescens品种为材料,通过设置钾肥横向与纵向施肥的田间试验,探讨辣椒最佳钾肥用量及其运筹。结果表明,在设定氮、磷肥施用量分别为15.0、3.5 kg·667m-2的条件下,钾肥不同施用量对辣椒的株高、幅宽、茎粗的长势及果长、果粗、单果重等品质均有明显的影响,辣椒产量(y)与钾肥施用量(x)两者呈y = -2.2743x2 + 53.402x + 802.45的相关性(r2 = 0.973),钾肥最佳施用量为11.74 kg·667m-2;在同样条件下,钾肥施用量12.00 kg·667m-2,按基肥与追肥不同比例进行施用,辣椒株高、幅宽、茎粗的长势及果长、果粗、单果重等品质与产量均有所差异,其基肥∶追肥按2∶8的配比进行运筹施用,辣椒品质与产量均明显优于其他配比。     

谷氨酰胺和天冬酰胺对CHO细胞生长、代谢及抗体表达的影响

以离心换液的批培养为例,通过设计谷氨酰胺和天冬酰胺不同的添加方式来考察两者对CHO细胞生长,代谢及产物表达的影响。结果表明：基础培养基中谷氨酰胺和天冬酰胺不能简单地相互替换,缺失谷氨酰胺或天冬酰胺的基础培养基均不能支持dhfr-CHO细胞的正常生长和产物表达,仅谷氨酰胺和天冬酰胺的浓度同时达到4mmol/L,才能满足细胞生长所需。另外,代谢副产物氨的生成仅与谷氨酰胺和天冬酰胺的加和线性相关,与两者添加比例无关。但适当提高天冬酰胺与谷氨酰胺的比例可提高抗体表达水平,同时减少乳酸的生成。因此,为培养基开发与优化过程中谷氨酰胺和天冬酰胺的添加策略提供了依据,为建立高效的流加培养过程奠定了基础。     

Reaction equilibrium for lipase-catalyzed condensation in organic solvent systems

Lipase-catalyzed condensation in an organic solvent is useful for the syntheses of esters. To reasonably design and optimize the reaction conditions, knowledge of the reaction equilibrium is required. The interaction of water with other reactants and the quantitative predictions for adsorption of water by a desiccant are discussed. The solvent effects on the reaction equilibrium are also elucidated in mixtures of nitrile and tert-alcohol.     

Feulgen-DNA response and chromatin condensation in Malpighian tubules of Melipona rufiventris and Melipona quadrifasciata (Hymenoptera, Apoidea)

Melipona quadrifasciata and Melipona rufiventris are stingless bee species which present low and high heterochromatin content, respectively, on their mitotic chromosomes as assessed visually after a C-banding assay. However, these species do not show differences in the C-banding responses of their Malpighian tubule interphase nuclei. In the present study, the Feulgen-DNA response, which could inform on differences in DNA depurination due to differences in chromatin condensation, was compared in the cell nuclei of the Malpighian tubules of these species. It was hypothesized that differences in acid hydrolysis kinetics patterns, as assessed by Feulgen reaction and studied microspectrophotometrically, could discriminate M. quadrifasciata and M. rufiventris interphase nuclei not distinguishable with the C-banding method. Feulgen-DNA values corresponding to more than one ploidy class were found in both species; these values at the hydrolysis time corresponding to the maximal DNA depurination for each ploidy degree were higher in M. quadrifasciata, reflecting a higher DNA content in the Malpighian tubule cell nuclei of this species compared to those of M. rufiventris at the same larval instar. The maximal Feulgen-DNA values of M. quadrifasciata after short (50 min) and long (90 min) hydrolysis times were found to be closer to each other, while those of M. rufiventris occurred sharply at the long hydrolysis time, indicating that DNA depurination in M. quadrifasciata occurred faster. This result is probably related to the involvement of differences in chromatin condensation; it agrees with the idea that M. rufiventris contains more heterochromatin than M. quadrifasciata, which is supported by the analysis of results obtained with the image analysis parameter average absorption ratio. The depurination kinetics studied here with the Feulgen reaction were revealed to be more pertinent than the C-banding technique in establishing differences in levels of chromatin condensation for these cell nuclei.