武汉东湖浮游植物各种成份分析与沉淀物中浮游植物活体碳、氮、磷的测定

本实验调查了武汉东湖浮游植物水华的各种成份以及水柱沉淀物内叶绿素α含量,根据碳与叶绿素α关系,给定了一回归方程,并计算出沉淀物中藻类活体相应的碳、氮、磷含量。从平均数值看,武汉东湖浮游植物水华的C,N,P含量分别为39.30,7.98及0.94(％);其干湿比为0.20,碳、氮比为5.10,碳、磷比为46.54,碳与叶绿素α之比则为133.32。 1983年东湖水柱沉淀物中浮游植物活体叶绿素α下沉量平均每天每平方米为43.8675微克(Ⅰ站)及35.5881微克(Ⅱ站)。利用东湖浮游植物水华各种成份含量及其各种比率计算出的东湖水柱沉淀物中浮游植物活体碳、氮、磷量,按顺序每天每平方米分别为2.53,0.50,0.05毫克(Ⅰ站)及2.09,0.41,0.04毫克(Ⅱ站)。     

miR-145通过靶向吞噬和细胞活力蛋白1抑制乳腺癌细胞侵袭

吞噬和细胞活力蛋白1（engulfment and cell motility protein 1,ELMO1）可以促进多种癌细胞的侵袭和转移,但ELMO1的表达是否受miRNA的调控鲜有研究。本研究旨在探讨miR-145与ELMO1表达的相关性,以及miR-145通过结合ELMO1的mRNA对乳腺癌侵袭的影响。通过TargetScan (http://www.targetscan.org/)靶基因预测软件预测与ELMO1的3′UTR结合的miR-145。荧光素酶结果证实两者互补结合。Transwell侵袭结果显示,miR-145组和siELMO1+miR-145组MDA-231乳腺癌细胞穿膜数较对照组分别降低40%（P＜0.05）和79%（P＜0.05）。siELMO1+miR-145组和siELMO1组细胞穿膜数则无显著差异（P>0.05）。结果提示,miR-145通过与ELMO1的mRNA结合抑制细胞侵袭。qRT-PCR显示,低侵袭的MCF-7乳腺癌细胞miR-145的表达量较高侵袭的MDA-435细胞高80%（P＜0.05）,较MDA-231乳腺癌细胞高75%（P＜0.05）,即miR-145与癌细胞侵袭能力呈负相关。Western印迹结果表明,miR-145组ELMO1表达量低于阴性对照组,miR-145 抑制组ELMO1表达量高于抑制剂NC组（P＜0.05）,证明miR-145抑制ELMO1的表达。qRT-PCR显示,过表达miR-145后ELMO1 mRNA含量与对照组无显著差异（P>0.05）。结果提示,miR-145对ELMO1的调控作用通过抑制其翻译实现。F-肌动蛋白聚合实验表明,miR-145组和阴性对照组于20 s和60 s时F-肌动蛋白聚合结果存在明显区别（P＜0.05）。Western 印迹结果表明,miR-145组活化的Rac1表达量较阴性对照组降低60%（P<0.05）,抑制剂NC组活化的Rac1较miR-145 抑制组降低55%（P<0.05）;miR-145组磷酸化的整合素β1较对照组于15 min时降低42%（P<0.05）,于30 min时降低31%（P<0.05）。由此得出的miR-145过表达显著促进乳腺癌细胞F-肌动蛋白聚合、Rac1活化和整合素β1磷酸化结论。综上所述,miR-145通过靶向ELMO1的 mRNA抑制ELMO1翻译,从而抑制乳腺癌的侵袭。     

The trajectory of a stiff rod in a curved potential energy trough

The equilibrium trajectory of the axis of a rod subject to an externally imposed curved potential energy trough tends to conform to the shape of the curved trough, but also tends to be straight because of elastic resistance to bending. The actual path of the axis is a balance between the two extremes. We consider a potential energy trough centered along a circular arc of radiusR. For a rod of small length compared toR, we show that the axis at equilibrium forms an arc of a circle of radius greater thanR. The value of the radius of the axial path depends on the relative values of the Hooke’s Law bending constant for the rod and the depth and width of the trough. Motivation for the calculation is provided by nucleosomal DNA, which conforms to the surface of a roughtly cylindrical histone core at physiological ionic strength, but is observed to unwind into a partially extended conformation at very low ionic strength. We suggest that the rigidity to bending of short DNA segments becomes sufficiently great at low ionic strength to overcome attractive interactions with the histone surface. Alternately, of course, if during the cell cycle mutually attractive forces between DNA and histone core are weakened at constant ionic strength, the same type of unfolding would be expected to occur as the strength of the DNA-histone contacts drops below the level required to overcome elastic resistance to bending of the DNA rod.     

Zinc is a constituent of bovine heart cytochrome c oxidase preparations

Cytochrome c oxidase preparations from bovine heart muscle contain 1 zinc per 2 irons. Metal contents of nine preparations determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) show that Cu, Fe and Zn are the only metals present in significant amounts with average Cu/Fe, Fe/Zn, and Cu/Zn atom ratios of 1.3, 2.1 and 2.8, respectively. Removal of adventitious copper results in a Cu:Fe:Zn stoichiometry of 2:2:1. The zinc is tightly bound. Dialysis against a solution of 1,10-phenanthroline at pH 7.4 or an acidic buffer (pH 4.4) does not remove Zn. Dialysis against 0.8 M KCN at pH 10 causes partial loss of both Cu and Zn. This is the first evidence for the presence of Zn in a cytochrome c oxidase.     

Torsional motion of eosin-labeled F-actin as detected in the time-resolved anisotropy decay of the probe in the sub-millisecond time range

The internal motion of F-actin in the time range from 10(-6) to 10(-3) second has been explored by measuring the transient absorption anisotropy of eosin-labeled F-actin using laser flash photolysis. The transient absorption anisotropy of eosin-F-actin at 20 degrees C has a component that decays in the submicrosecond time scale to an anisotropy of about 0.3. This anisotropy then decays with a relaxation time of about 450 microseconds to a residual anisotropy of about 0.1 after 2 ms. When the concentration of eosin-F-actin was varied in the range from 7 to 28 microM, the transient absorption anisotropy curves obtained were almost indistinguishable from each other. These results show that the anisotropy decay arises from internal motion of eosin-F-actin. Analysis of the transient absorption anisotropy curves indicates that the internal motion detected by the decay in anisotropy is primarily a twisting of actin protomers in the F-actin helix; bending of the actin filament makes a minor contribution only to the measured decay. The torsional rigidity calculated from the transient absorption anisotropy is 0.2 X 10(-17) dyn cm2 at 20 degrees C, which is about an order of magnitude smaller than the flexural rigidity determined from previous studies. Thus, we conclude that F-actin is more flexible in twisting than in bending. The calculated root-mean-square fluctuation of the torsional angle between adjacent actin protomers in the actin helix is about 4 degrees at 20 degrees C. We also found that the torsional rigidity is approximately constant in the temperature range from 5 to approximately 35 degrees C, and that the binding of phalloidin does not appreciably affect the torsional motion of F-actin.     

Population genetics theory of concerted evolution and its application to the immunoglobulin V gene tree

Summary The previous simple model for treating concerted evolution of multigene families has been revised to be compatible with various new observations on the immunoglobulin variable region family and other families. In the previous model, gene conversion and unequal crossing-over were considered, and it was assumed that genes are randomly arranged on the chromosome; neither subdivision nor correlation of gene identity and chromosomal distance were considered. Although this model satisfactorily explains the observed amino acid diversity within and between species, it fails to predict the very ancient branching of the mouse immunoglobulin heavy chain V-gene family. By incorporating subdivided structure and genetic correlation with chromosomal distance into the simple model, the data of divergence may be satisfactorily explained, as well as the rate of nucleotide substitution and the amino acid diversity. The rate at which a V-gene is duplicated or deleted by conversion or by unequal crossing-over is estimated by the new model to be on the order of 10^–6 per year. The model may be applicable to other multigene families, such as those coding for silkmoth chorion or mammalian kallikrein.Contribution no. 1560 from the National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, 411 Japan     

中国大陆的一种植物新记录

1985年,我在参加由安徽省芜湖市科委、卫生局和九华山管理处联合组织的九华山植物资源调查中,采到一种兰科毛兰属植物,经鉴定系葡萄毛兰Eria reptans(Fr. et Sav.)Makino。本种只记载分布于日本和我国台湾岛,而在中国大陆是地理分布新记录。同时,毛兰属也是安徽省地理分布新记录的属。     

Relationship between chloroplast structure and O2 evolution rate of leaf discs in plants from different biotopes in South Finland

Abstract The chloroplast ultrastructure, especially the thylakoid organization, the polypeptide composition of the thylakoid membranes and photosynthetic O₂ evolution rate, chlorophyll (Chl) content and Chi a/b ratio were studied in leaves of nine plants growing in contrasting biotopes in the wild in South Finland. All the measurements were made at the beginning of the period of main growth on leaves approaching full expansion, when the CO₂-saturated O₂ evolution rate (measured at 20°C and 1500 μmol photons m^?2s^?1) was at a maximum, ranging from 19.2 to 6.9 μmol O₂ cm^?2 h^?1. Among the species, the Chi a/b ratio varied between 3.75 and 2.71. In the mesophyll chloroplasts, the ratio of the total length of appressed to non-appressed thylakoid membranes varied between 1.07 and 1.79, the number of partitions per granum varied between 2.8 and 12.0 and the grana area between 21 and 42% of the chloroplast area. There was a significant relationship between the rate of O₂ evolution of the leaf discs and the thylakoid organization in the mesophyll chloroplasts. The higher the O₂ evolution rate, the lower was the ratio of the total length of appressed to non-appressed thylakoid membranes and also the lower the grana area. Although the relationship of the photosynthetic rate with the Chi content and the Chi a/b ratio of the leaves was not as clear, a significant negative correlation existed between the Chi a/b ratio and the ratio of appressed to non-appressed thylakoid membranes, indicating lateral heterogeneity in the distribution of different Chl- protein complexes.     

Isolation of a brain peptide identical to the intestinal PHI (peptide HI)

The isolation of a brain peptide identical to the intestinal peptide PHI (peptide HI) is described. The peptide was isolated from porcine brain extract using a chemical assay method based on its C-terminal isoleucine amide structure. The complete amino acid sequence of the peptide was found to be: His-Ala-Asp-Gly-Val-Phe-Thr-Ser-Asp-Phe-Ser-Arg-Leu-Leu-Gly-Gln-Leu-Ser-Ala- Lys-Lys-Tyr-Leu-Glu-Ser-Leu-Ile-NH2. This sequence is identical to the intestinal peptide thus demonstrating PHI to be a brain-gut peptide. The role of PHI in the central nervous system as a neurotransmitter or neuromodulator is discussed.     

Inhibition of epidermal metabolism and DNA-binding of benzo[a]pyrene by ellagic acid

Ellagic acid, a common plant phenol, was shown to be a potent inhibitor of epidermal microsomal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity in vitro, and of benzo[a]pyrene (BP)-binding to both calf thymus DNA in vitro and to epidermal DNA in vivo. The in vitro addition of ellagic acid (0.25-2.0 microM) resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of AHH activity in epidermal microsomes prepared from control or carcinogen-treated animals. The I50 of ellagic acid for epidermal AHH was 1.0 microM making it the most potent inhibitor of epidermal AHH yet identified. In vitro addition of ellagic acid to microsomal suspensions prepared from control or coal tar-treated animals resulted in 90% inhibition of BP-binding to calf thymus DNA. Application of ellagic acid to the skin (0.5-10.0 mumol/10 gm body wt) caused a dose-dependent inhibition of BP-binding to epidermal DNA. Our results suggest that phenolic compounds such as ellagic acid may prove useful in modulating the risk of cutaneous cancer from environmental chemicals.