香鳞毛蕨 1 脱氧 D 木酮糖 5 磷酸合酶基因的克隆及表达分析

1 脱氧 D 木酮糖 5 磷酸合酶(DXS)是甲基 D 赤藓醇 4 磷酸(MEP)途径中控制影响植物萜类化合物合成的第一个限速酶。该研究对香鳞毛蕨(Dryopteris fragrans)DfDXS基因进行序列特征及生物信息学分析,并通过qRT PCR技术分析其在外源激素、干旱、盐胁迫、高温及低温处理下的表达模式,旨在探究DfDXS基因在香鳞毛蕨萜类生物合成及抗逆机制中的作用,为进一步解析香鳞毛蕨抗逆分子机制奠定基础。结果显示：(1) DfDXS1基因全长2 139 bp,编码712个氨基酸,而DfDXS2全长2 160 bp,编码719个氨基酸;结构域分析显示,其具有典型的转酮醇酶保守域,包含焦磷酸硫胺素结合位点和转酮醇酶结构域;DfDXS氨基酸序列与江南卷柏(Selaginella moellendorffii)和银杏(Ginkgo biloba)的DXS等关系较近。(2)水杨酸(SA)处理下,DfDXS基因的相对表达量先升高后降低;脱落酸(ABA)抑制DfDXS的表达;DfDXS1/2在茉莉酸甲酯(MeJA)处理下相对表达水平均显著高于对照;乙烯利(Eth)抑制DfDXS的表达,但DfDXS1处理3 h时表达水平显著高于对照。(3)聚乙二醇(PEG)、高温和低温均诱导DfDXS1上调表达。研究推测,香鳞毛蕨DXS基因在萜类物质合成与逆境胁迫机制中发挥着重要的作用。     

实验恒河猴糖尿病动物模型建立及视网膜并发症的研究

[目的]糖尿病是由于多种因素和遗传因素导致体内胰岛素相对或绝对分泌不足,而引起的代谢性内分泌疾病,它以血糖、尿糖升高为特点,起病隐蔽,通过并发症使人致残致死,是继心血管、癌症之后的第三大致死性疾病,很可能成为21世纪人类的“第一杀手”(1,2)。本文采用人工诱导的方法,建立恒河猴糖尿病动物模型,研究糖尿病疾病的发展和及其并发症的发生、发展规律和防治措施,同时对于治疗糖尿病新药的安全性评价和药物疗效的观察具有广阔的运用前景。[方法]选用成熟的、健康的、雄性恒河猴9只,随机分成三个组,其中高剂量组(60mg/kg)1只,中剂量组(45m…     

New Sivapithecus postcranial specimens from the Siwaliks of Pakistan

Several new postcranial elements of Sivapithecus from the Siwaliks of Pakistan are described. These include a distal femur from the U-level of the Dhok Pathan Formation, a navicular from the Chinji Formation, and seven manual and pedal phalanges from the Nagri Formation. The functional morphology of these elements adds new detail to the reconstruction ofSivapithecus positional behavior. Femoral cross-sectional geometry indicates that the shaft was adapted to support mediolaterally directed loading. Femoral condylar asymmetry and a broad but shallow trochlea are distinctly ape-like, revealing capabilities for both rotation and withstanding eccentric loading in the knee. The navicular is characterized by features relating to a broad mid-tarsus and broad distal articulations for the cuneiforms. It also lacks a navicular tubercle as in Pongo. These features suggest that the foot was capable of a powerful grip on large supports, with an inversion/supination capability that would permit foot placement in a variety of positions. The morphology of the new phalanges, including evidence for a relatively large pollex, similarly suggests powerful grasping, consistent with prior evidence from the hallux and tarsus. The functional features of the new specimens permit refinement of previous interpretations of Sivapithecus positional capabilities. They suggest a locomotor repertoire dominated by pronograde activities and also such antipronograde activities as vertical climbing and clambering, but not by antipronograde suspensory activities as practiced by extant apes.     

Length variations in the COII-tRNA(Lys) intergenic region of mitochondrial DNA in Indonesian populations.

The prevalence of a 9-base-pair (bp) deletion between the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase II (MTCOX*2) and lysine tRNA (MTTK) genes (region V) has been used to estimate the genetic relationships among Asian and Pacific populations. Many East Asian and Pacific Island populations have been examined previously, but the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) diversity of the intervening Indonesian archipelago has not previously been systematically examined. The 17,500 islands of Indonesia currently contain nearly 213 million people and extensive cultural, linguistic, and, presumably, genetic diversity. This study of 1091 individuals representing 15 ethnic groups is the most extensive mtDNA survey to date of the Indonesian archipelago. Six distinct length polymorphisms in region V were observed within these 15 populations. The 9-bp deletion was found in every population examined at frequencies comparable to those of previously examined East Asian populations and substantially lower than those in most Pacific Island populations. Despite the inclusion of Austronesian-speaking populations and a Papuan-speaking population, there was no statistically significant heterogeneity in the frequency of the 9-bp deletion among the 15 populations (p = 0.09). These data indicate that substantial gene flow occurred among the populations at some time in the past. Our observations of no significant correlations between genetic and geographic distances (r = -0.04, p = 0.53) coupled with the extensive cultural and linguistic differences currently within the archipelago suggest that little gene flow among neighboring populations has occurred recently.     

IL-10-deficient B10.Q mice develop more severe collagen-induced arthritis, but are protected from arthritis induced with anti-type II collagen antibodies.

IL-10 is a pleiotropic cytokine with stimulatory and inhibitory properties, and is thought to have a protective role in rheumatoid arthritis and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). In this study, we investigated how IL-10 deficiency affects CIA and anti-collagen type II (CII) Ab-transferred arthritis in C57BL/10.Q (B10.Q) mice. The B10.Q.IL-10(-/-) mice had an 8-cM 129/Ola fragment around the IL-10 gene. The mice were treated with antibiotics, appeared healthy, and had no colitis. T cells from IL-10(-/-) mice expressed similar levels of IFN-gamma, IL-2, and IL-4 after mitogen stimulation; however, macrophages showed a reduced TNF-alpha production compared with IL-10(+/-) littermates. IL-10(-/-) mice had an increased incidence, and a more severe CIA disease than the IL-10(+/-) littermates. To study the role of IL-10 in T cell tolerance, IL-10(-/-) were crossed into mice carrying the immunodominant epitope, CII(256-270), in cartilage (MMC) or in skin (TSC). Both IL-10(-/-) and IL-10(+/-) MMC and TSC mice were completely tolerized against CIA, indicating that lack of IL-10 in this context did not break tolerance. To investigate whether IL-10 was important in the effector phase of CIA, arthritis was induced with anti-CII Abs. Surprisingly, IL-10(-/-) were less susceptible to Ab-transferred arthritis, as only 30% showed signs of disease compared with 90% of the littermates. Therefore, IL-10 seemed to have a protective role in CIA, but seemed to exacerbate the arthritogenicity of anti-CII Abs. These data emphasize the importance of studying IL-10 in a defined genetic context in vivo, to understand its role in a complex disease like arthritis.     

Recognition of N-acetylchitooligosaccharide elicitor by rice protoplasts

The response by rice protoplasts to N-acetylchitooligosaccharide elicitor was examined by monitoring the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the expression of the two early-responsive genes, EL2 and EL3. Freshly prepared rice protoplasts produced a high level of ROS in the absence of the elicitor, and did not show further increase of the ROS generation in response to N-acetylchitooligosaccharide elicitor. By incubating protoplasts for 1 d, the background level decreased and the induction of ROS production and the induction of mRNAs for the two genes were observed. The structural requirements of N-acetylchitooligosaccharides for elicitor-activity, as well as the effects of inhibitors of protein kinase (K-252a), protein phosphatase (calyculin A) and protein synthesis (cycloheximide) on the ROS production and gene expression were very similar to those observed in suspension-cultured rice cells, indicating that rice protoplasts retain the machinery for the recognition of, and initial signaling from, N-acetylchitooligosaccharide elicitor.     

Evolutionary Assembly of the Milkweed Fauna: Cytochrome Oxidase I and the Age of TetraopesBeetles

The insects that feed on the related plant families Apocynaceae and Asclepiadaceae (here collectively termed “milkweeds”) comprise a “component community” of highly specialized, distinctive lineages of species that frequently sequester toxic cardiac glycosides from their host plants for defense against predators and are thus often aposematic, advertising their consequent unpalatability. Such sets of specialized lineages provide opportunities for comparative studies of the rate of adaptation, diversification, and habitat-related effects on molecular evolution. The cerambycid genus Tetraopes is the most diverse of the new world milkweed herbivores and the species are generally host specific, being restricted to single, different species of Asclepias, more often so than most other milkweed insects. Previous work revealed correspondence between the phylogeny of these beetles and that of their hosts. The present study provides analyses of near-complete DNA sequences for Tetraopes and relatives that are used to establish a molecular clock and temporal framework for Tetraopes evolution with their milkweed hosts.     

孑遗植物水杉的遗传多样性研究

采用随机扩增多态DNA(RAPD)方法对孑遗植物水杉 (Metasequoiaglyptostroboides)的 8个居群 (包括 6个孑遗居群和 2个人工栽培居群 )的 48个个体进行了遗传多样性研究。用 16个随机引物共扩增出清晰谱带 5 7条。孑遗居群平均多态位点百分率为 38.6 %。各居群多态位点百分率差异显著 ( 10 .5 3%～ 33 .33 % ) :湖北利川的小河和桂花 2个居群较高 ,分别是 33 .33%和 31.5 8% ;湖南龙山洛塔居群较低 ,为 10 .5 3 %。人工栽培居群中 ,美国密西根州和湖北武汉 2个居群的多态位点百分率也较低 ,仅分别为 10 .5 3 %和 8.77%。用POPGENE 1.31版软件进行数据处理后结果如下 :孑遗居群的平均Nei’s基因多样性为 0 .130 5 ,Shannon’s遗传多样性信息指数为 0 .192 1,水杉孑遗居群遗传距离与地理距离的相关系数r =0 .2 346 6 (P =73 .2 7% ) ,基因分化系数Gst=0 .10 82 ,表明居群间有一定分化。用UPGMA方法聚类可知 ,2个人工居群与湖北利川居群优先聚类。鉴于目前水杉孑遗居群生境人为破坏严重、遗传多样性较低和原生母树分布分散 ,建议在湖北利川小河和桂花野生水杉最适生境建立水杉遗传多样性保护点 ,将现有的 2 5 0多株原生母树分别采种育苗定植于保护点 ,以达到最大限度地保存现有水杉遗传多样性的目的。