季风常绿阔叶林不同恢复阶段群落优势物种的空间分布格局

运用相邻格子法及聚集度指标测定法,在植被调查的基础上,对云南普洱不同恢复阶段(恢复15a、30a和老龄林)季风常绿阔叶林的刺栲(Castanopsis hystrix)、短刺栲(Castanopsis echidnocarpa)和红木荷(Schima wallichii)3个优势物种进行种群空间分布格局研究,以阐明种群分布格局与生境条件、种群年龄结构的动态关系,揭示种群发育过程中空间动态与生物学机理。结果发现:在所有恢复阶段内,刺栲、短刺栲、红木荷均为聚集分布。在不同尺度下,刺栲在原始林中10m×10m尺度下为均匀分布,而在恢复15年中20m×20m尺度为随机分布;红木荷在10m×20m尺度下为均匀分布,在其它所有恢复阶段和尺度下3个物种均为聚集分布。研究结果表明,不同恢复阶段和不同尺度下刺栲、短刺栲和红木荷3个优势物种绝大多数为聚集分布,说明聚集分布为3个优势种的基本属性。     

乳酸菌微进化的研究进展

摘要:乳酸菌是食品工业中重要的微生物,乳酸菌微进化研究有助于深入解析其生物学功能与机制。随着分子生物学的发展,多位点序列分型(Multi-locus Sequence Typing,MLST)及基因组重测序(Whole-genome resequencing)等技术手段应运而生,使得从分子水平上阐述乳酸菌的系统发育和种群进化关系成为可能。MLST已被广泛用于乳酸菌遗传多样性和种群结构等微进化研究中,近期,测序成本的锐减使全基因组测序技术在乳酸菌微进化研究中的优势日益突显。本文对乳酸菌微进化的理论基础、研究方法和意义进行了阐述,并介绍了全基因组测序技术在乳酸菌微进化方面的应用,旨在为乳酸菌微进化分析研究提供新思路。     

Improving Phenotypic Prediction by Combining Genetic and Epigenetic Associations

We tested whether DNA-methylation profiles account for inter-individual variation in body mass index (BMI) and height and whether they predict these phenotypes over and above genetic factors. Genetic predictors were derived from published summary results from the largest genome-wide association studies on BMI (n ∼ 350,000) and height (n ∼ 250,000) to date. We derived methylation predictors by estimating probe-trait effects in discovery samples and tested them in external samples. Methylation profiles associated with BMI in older individuals from the Lothian Birth Cohorts (LBCs, n = 1,366) explained 4.9% of the variation in BMI in Dutch adults from the LifeLines DEEP study (n = 750) but did not account for any BMI variation in adolescents from the Brisbane Systems Genetic Study (BSGS, n = 403). Methylation profiles based on the Dutch sample explained 4.9% and 3.6% of the variation in BMI in the LBCs and BSGS, respectively. Methylation profiles predicted BMI independently of genetic profiles in an additive manner: 7%, 8%, and 14% of variance of BMI in the LBCs were explained by the methylation predictor, the genetic predictor, and a model containing both, respectively. The corresponding percentages for LifeLines DEEP were 5%, 9%, and 13%, respectively, suggesting that the methylation profiles represent environmental effects. The differential effects of the BMI methylation profiles by age support previous observations of age modulation of genetic contributions. In contrast, methylation profiles accounted for almost no variation in height, consistent with a mainly genetic contribution to inter-individual variation. The BMI results suggest that combining genetic and epigenetic information might have greater utility for complex-trait prediction.     

Full-thickness cartilage defects are repaired via a microfracture technique and intraarticular injection of the small-molecule compound kartogenin

IntroductionMicrofracture does not properly repair full-thickness cartilage defects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of intraarticular injection of the small-molecule compound kartogenin (KGN) on the restoration of a full-thickness cartilage defect treated with microfracture in a rabbit model.MethodsFull-thickness cartilage defects (3.5 mm in diameter and 3 mm in depth) were created in the patellar groove of the right femurs of 24 female New Zealand White rabbits. The rabbits were divided into two groups (12 in each group) based on postsurgery treatment differences, as follows: microfracture plus weekly intraarticular injection of KGN (group 1) and microfracture plus dimethyl sulfoxide (group 2). Six rabbits from each group were illed at 4 and 12 weeks after surgery, and their knees were harvested. The outcome was assessed both macroscopically, by using the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) macroscopic evaluation system, and histologically, by using the modified O’Driscoll histologic scoring system. Immunohistochemistry for type II and I collagen was also conducted.ResultsAt 4 weeks, group 1 showed better defect filling and a greater number of chondrocyte-like cells compared with group 2. At 12 weeks, group 1 showed statistically significantly higher ICRS scores and modified O’Driscoll scores compared with group 2. More hyaline cartilage-like tissue was found in the defects of group 1 at 12 weeks.ConclusionsIntraarticular injection of KGN enhances the quality of full-thickness cartilage defects repair after microfracture, with better defect filling and increased hyaline-like cartilage formation.     

MEKK3稳定表达细胞株的建立及其对A549细胞增殖的影响

目的 构建人MEKK3基因编码区序列（cDNA）的真核表达载体、建立其稳定表达细胞株并观察其对肺腺癌细胞增殖的影响.方法 从A549细胞中提取总RNA,应用RT-PCR扩增MEKK3 cDNA的全长序列后克隆入pcDNA3.1/hygro（＋）质粒中,构建成MEKK3基因的真核表达载体,然后转染入人肺腺癌A549细胞中,潮霉素筛选稳定转染克隆,通过MTT实验,研究转染MEKK3基因前后细胞增殖的变化.结果 重组载体经酶切鉴定和测序证实目的 基因正确无误,Western印迹检测结果显示MEKK3基因在A549细胞中具有良好的表达;荧光实时定量PCR结果表明MEKK3基因在其稳定转染的A549细胞克隆中表达上调,与空载体稳定转染及未转染细胞比较,差异具有统计学意义（P＜0.05）;MTT结果显示MEKK3表达上调的稳定克隆组,A549细胞的增殖活性显著增强（A570=0.876 1±0.074 5）,明显高于空载体稳定转染组（A570=0.582 8±0.070 3）及未转染亲代细胞组（A570=0.584 9±0.035 2）,差异具有统计学意义（P＜0.01）,而后两者之间差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）.结论 MEKK3表达上调可导致肺腺癌细胞的增殖增强.     

pBV220/hIL-4优化表达及其包涵体复性研究

旨在对人白细胞介素-4(hIL-4)上、下游序列进行优化设计,提高在原核系统中的表达量,并对表达的包涵体进行复性研究提高复性率.利用BioSun的RNA二级结构预测模块辅助设计hIL-4起始密码子(AuG)上、下游的序列,使局部二级结构的自由能满足高表达要求;根据pBV220栽体和原核系统的特点优化引物序列提高hIL-4原核表达量.优化hIL-4包涵体复性条件和方法,提高复性率和生物活性.结果显示,成功构建了pBV220/hIL-4高效表达栽体,原核表达的重组人IL-4占细茵总蛋白的35%以上,明显高于优化前表达量;经过复性研究hIL-4包涵体复性率可达到15%以上,生物活性鉴定发现,纯化的hhIL-4蛋白的比活等同或高于国外同类产品.影响原核表达的条件较多,对表达序列的优化设计可以大大提高蛋白的表达量.针对人IL-4基因序列的优化设计提高了人IL-4基因的表达,复性方法的改良提高了复性率和生物活性.     

桃PGIP基因及其启动子的克隆与分析

桃流胶病是一种严重危害桃树的真菌性病害,为研究PGIP基因在桃抗流胶病及抗其它真菌性病害中的作用,本研究以桃抗流胶病品种‘南京白沙'叶片为材料,对其PGIP基因及启动子序列进行克隆与分析.克隆测序获得了‘南京白沙'桃PGIP基因cDNA序列(GenBank登录号:HQ453972)和PGIP基因组DNA序列以及起始密码子上游453 bp的启动子序列(GenBank登录号:HQ453974),并将该PGIP基因命名为PpPGIP2.‘南京白沙'桃PpPGIP2序列分析显示,该DNA序列具有完整的阅读框,无内含子,与GenBank中登录的李属PGIP基因序列同源性在93%～98%之间,与测序完成的桃全基因组中该基因的序列同源性为96%;PpPGIP2编码的氨基酸序列分析显示,该氨基酸序列含有2个典型的亮氨酸重复序列,信号肽为第1～第24个氨基酸残基;PGIP基因的序列聚类图显示,除了科、属、种间的同源性差异外,桃的种内PGIP基因同源性也有较大差异;PpPGIP2启动子序列分析发现3个抗病相关元件,分别为:GT1CONSENSUS、SEBFCONSSTPR10A和WBOXATNPR1,另外还有与激素调控、胁迫有关的调控元件.本研究对‘南京白沙'桃PGIP基因和启动子的克隆与分析,将为进一步研究桃PGIP基因的表达调控及其功能分析提供参考.