An essential step of kinetochore formation controlled by the SNARE protein Snap29

The kinetochore is an essential structure that mediates accurate chromosome segregation in mitosis and meiosis. While many of the kinetochore components have been identified, the mechanisms of kinetochore assembly remain elusive. Here, we identify a novel role for Snap29, an unconventional SNARE, in promoting kinetochore assembly during mitosis in Drosophila and human cells. Snap29 localizes to the outer kinetochore and prevents chromosome mis‐segregation and the formation of cells with fragmented nuclei. Snap29 promotes accurate chromosome segregation by mediating the recruitment of Knl1 at the kinetochore and ensuring stable microtubule attachments. Correct Knl1 localization to kinetochore requires human or Drosophila Snap29, and is prevented by a Snap29 point mutant that blocks Snap29 release from SNARE fusion complexes. Such mutant causes ectopic Knl1 recruitment to trafficking compartments. We propose that part of the outer kinetochore is functionally similar to membrane fusion interfaces.     

A graph-based approach to defend agro-ecological systems against water vole outbreaks

The cyclic spread of montane water vole populations in the grasslands of the Jura plateaus causes severe economic, ecological, and public-health problems. Since this phenomenon cannot be managed by massive use of the anticoagulant rodenticide bromadiolone, the challenge is to limit it by reducing regional-level connectivity through landscaping and agro-environmental interventions such as planting hedgerows, ploughing, and cultivating cereals. We used landscape graphs – a spatial modelling approach based on graph theory – to represent the grassland network and identify key areas for intervention. Several strategies were compared in terms of their capacity to fulfil operational requirements by interchanging patches and meta-patches as nodes of the graph, and least-cost distances and resistance distances to weight links. The combination of meta-patches and resistance distances provides a relevant basis on which to design concrete action to decrease regional-level connectivity of grasslands. The results also indicate that the usual removal method applied to the links of the graph would benefit from data on the statistical distribution of cost values along the shortest paths. More broadly, this suggests the modelling approach should be better matched the actual field interventions if the connectivity analysis is to be operational.     

Feasibility of using combined EMG and kinematic signals for prosthesis control: A simulation study using a virtual reality environment

Transhumeral amputation has a significant effect on a person’s independence and quality of life. Myoelectric prostheses have the potential to restore upper limb function, however their use is currently limited due to lack of intuitive and natural control of multiple degrees of freedom. The goal of this study was to evaluate a novel transhumeral prosthesis controller that uses a combination of kinematic and electromyographic (EMG) signals recorded from the person’s proximal humerus. Specifically, we trained a time-delayed artificial neural network to predict elbow flexion/extension and forearm pronation/supination from six proximal EMG signals, and humeral angular velocity and linear acceleration. We evaluated this scheme with ten able-bodied subjects offline, as well as in a target-reaching task presented in an immersive virtual reality environment. The offline training had a target of 4° for flexion/extension and 8° for pronation/supination, which it easily exceeded (2.7° and 5.5° respectively). During online testing, all subjects completed the target-reaching task with path efficiency of 78% and minimal overshoot (1.5%). Thus, combining kinematic and muscle activity signals from the proximal humerus can provide adequate prosthesis control, and testing in a virtual reality environment can provide meaningful data on controller performance.     

Green pathways: Metabolic network analysis of plant systems

Metabolic engineering of plants with enhanced crop yield and value-added compositional traits is particularly challenging as they probably exhibit the highest metabolic network complexity of all living organisms. Therefore, approaches of plant metabolic network analysis, which can provide systems-level understanding of plant physiology, appear valuable as guidance for plant metabolic engineers. Strongly supported by the sequencing of plant genomes, a number of different experimental and computational methods have emerged in recent years to study plant systems at various levels: from heterotrophic cell cultures to autotrophic entire plants. The present review presents a state-of-the-art toolbox for plant metabolic network analysis. Among the described approaches are different in silico modeling techniques, including flux balance analysis, elementary flux mode analysis and kinetic flux profiling, as well as different variants of experiments with plant systems which use radioactive and stable isotopes to determine in vivo plant metabolic fluxes. The fundamental principles of these techniques, the required data input and the obtained flux information are enriched by technical advices, specific to plants. In addition, pioneering and high-impacting findings of plant metabolic network analysis highlight the potential of the field.     

基于不同网络构建方法的生境网络优化研究——以苏锡常地区白鹭为例

生境网络在支持物种长期存活中具有重要意义,由于受人类社会经济频繁活动的影响,迫切需要优化。选取城市化快速发展的苏锡常地区为研究区域,以湿地代表性鸟类白鹭为目标物种,利用2000、2010年土地利用/覆被数据,采用两种不同的网络构建方法,识别出恢复或新建生境节点或斑块,以及基于网络连接度并兼顾了集合覆盖问题遴选出重要新增生境节点,得到生境网络优化方案。结果表明:(1)恢复型生境节点对应的生境斑块面积在10—50 hm~2之间,以乔木林地为主;新建型生境节点对应的生境斑块是乔木林地和湖泊水库与河流兼而有之,均满足白鹭生境地类要求;优化的生境网络连接度较高、整体结构状况最好,兼顾了资源有限性下经济效益和生态效益最大化,与历史观测点实际情况较为吻合,可作为优化方案。(2)相同的生境斑块格局受生境格局时空变化、生态过程模拟方法及网络优化评判标准的影响,在采用不同网络构建方法时,会得到不同的网络结构及网络优化结果。采用时空格局变化与不同生态过程模拟相结合的网络优化方法,有助于分析格局-生态过程及网络结构变化情况,其思路为网络优化方法进一步深入研究提供了借鉴。     

A neural network prediction of environmental determinants of Anopheles sinensis knockdown resistance mutation to pyrethroids in China

Selection pressure caused by long‐term intensive use of insecticides is the key driving force in resistance development. Additional parameters such as environmental conditions may affect both the mosquito response to insecticides and the selection of resistance mechanisms. In this context, we analyzed the environmental determinants of kdr prevalence in Anopheles sinensis across China. We collected kdr frequency from 48 sites across central and southern China, together with key environmental factors including long‐term climatic data, topographic features, main crops, and land cover types. Trend surface analysis found that the distribution of kdr frequency can be partitioned into three regions, namely central China (kdr frequency >80%), western China (kdr frequency varies from 0% to 60%), and southern China (kdr frequency <10%). Seven predictor variables were selected based on a radial basis function neural network model. A multilayer perceptron (MLP) network model revealed that the number of crops in a year was the most important predictor for the kdr mutation rate. Topography, long‐term mean climate and land cover all contributed to the kdr mutation rate. The observed mean kdr frequency was 53.0% and the MLP network model‐predicted mean was 52.6%, a 0.1% relative error. Predicted kdr frequencies closely matched the observed values. The model explained 92% of the total variance in kdr frequency. The results indicated that kdr was associated with the intensity of pesticide usage. Crop cultivation information, together with environmental factors, may well predict the spatial heterogeneity of kdr mutations in An. sinensis in China.     

一个蚁巢中束梗孢类昆虫病原真菌的多型现象Ⅰ

在一个猛蚁Ponera sp.蚁巢的罹病兵蚁上,采集和分离到枝多头霉Polycephalomyces ramosus XCH-ant-8、XCH-ant-L3和XCH-ant-706。枝多头霉P.Ramosus XCH-ant-8及XCH-ant-L3具类刺束梗孢Akanthomyces-like共无性型;P.Ramosus XCH-ant-706则具有类顶头孢Acremonium-like共无性型。3个枝多头霉标本具有明显共无性型(synanamorph)的多型现象。在蚁巢采集的标本中发现1个新的隐存种猛蚁多头霉Polycephalomyces ponerae。此新种兼具类刺束梗孢Akanthomyces-like和类顶头孢Acremonium-like两个类型的共无性型。此外,在采集的标本中还分离到一种层束梗孢Hymenostilbe sp.XCH-ant-03和一种拟多头束霉T ilachlidium sp.XCH-ant-710。基于r DNA ITS序列分子系统发育树和拆分网络(splits network)分析研究,支持基于形态学特征鉴定猛蚁多头霉P.ponerae作为多头霉属中的一新成员,同时也支持蚁巢中枝多头霉P.ramosus形态学上的差异是共无性型多型现象。     

球束梗孢属一新种

描述了采自湖北省神农架的球束梗孢属一新种,神农架球束梗孢Gibellula shennongjiaensis,该菌分生孢子梗表面粗糙,瓶梗为棒状,5.4–10.8×1.1–2.2μm。分生孢子为圆柱形或纺锤形,透明,表面光滑,3.2–6.5×1.1–1.6μm。具糙梗孢式共无性型的产孢结构,其分生孢子梗由不规则的菌丝组成,产孢细胞不规则形状,分生孢子无色,光滑,线形,12.1–15.2×1.4–2.1μm。模式标本保存在贵州大学菌种保藏中心(GZAC-SNJ2012,主模式)。