Cell Boundary Confinement Sets the Size and Position of the E. coli Chromosome

1. Download : Download high-res image (209KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image

     

白菜PLD基因家族全基因组鉴定及对高温胁迫的响应

膜磷脂是产生胞内信号信使的重要来源,磷脂酶Ds(phospholipase D,PLDs)可以催化磷脂产生信号分子磷脂酸(phosphatidic acid, PA),从而响应不同胁迫信号。该研究利用生物信息学方法对白菜PLD基因家族的基因成员进行鉴定及结构域分析,并采用qRT PCR方法对不结球白菜的18个BrPLD基因的表达进行分析,以探讨不结球白菜的BrPLD基因家族对高温胁迫的响应机制。结果表明：(1)共鉴定到18个白菜PLD基因家族成员,其中有2个成员(BrPLD03和BrPLD09)的C2结构域被替换为PH/PX结构域,另有1个基因(BrPLD12)缺少了其N末端保守结构域,由信号肽代替。(2)根据编码蛋白结构域的不同,18个BrPLD基因分为3个亚类,分别为15个C2 BrPLD、2个PH/PX BrPLD和1个SP BrPLD;氨基酸理化性质分析发现,该基因家族编码蛋白多半为酸性蛋白;18个基因分布在除4号和7号之外的8条染色体,且呈现不均匀分布,并发现了BrPLDs蛋白Ca²⁺配位碱基的缺失。(3)qRT PCR检测发现,高温处理下不结球白菜的BrPLD基因的表达量发生明显变化,各基因在耐热和热敏品种中的表达具有差异。(4)对BrPLD基因家族不同功能顺式响应元件的预测发现,所有家族基因含有光应答有关的作用元件,9个基因含有与低温有关的顺式元件,10个基因含有调控干旱相关元件,18个基因均未预测到热胁迫相关顺式响应元件。     

Whether to have a second child or not? An integrative approach to women's reproductive decision-making in current China

The transition to low fertility worldwide has led to introduction of diverse frameworks across disciplines to understand its causes and consequences. Previous attempts to compare the relative importance of the key factors influencing women's fertility decision-making largely focused on a single rather than multiple steps of decision-making—an important problem if different factors are associated with different steps. Furthermore, insufficient attention has been paid explicitly to husband's and already-born children's influences, two potentially important factors. Here we introduce a framework covering three steps of reproductive decision-making—ideal family size, fertility desire and fertility intention—and test it using multi-level survey data collected from Chinese one-child mothers. Mother's attitudes towards having two children were paramount factors underlying her ideal family size, and husband's and the firstborn child's attitudes were critical to her desire to have a second child, which in turn played a decisive role in her intention to have a second child. Although husband's attitude was related to all steps, most factors were only relevant to one step; e.g., perceived child mortality and value for old-age security predicted ideal family size, admiration—a prerequisite for social learning—for two-child families predicted fertility desire, and physical/economic constraints primarily predicted fertility intention. Our study emphasizes multiple decision-makers in family reproduction; indicates the relative importance of fertility-influencing factors could vary with steps of decision-making; and has important implications for population policy in low-fertility societies.     

Diversity and host associations of dipteran insects exploiting fungal fruiting bodies in Hokuriku,central Japan

To clarify the diversity and host associations of dipteran insects exploiting fungal fruiting bodies, we collected fruiting bodies at 18 localities in Hokuriku region, central Japan, from 2012 to 2015 and examined them for the emergence of insects. In total, 14,107 dipteran individuals belonging to 20 families emerged from fungi of 8 orders, 25 families, 49 genera and 129 species. Approximately 79% of dipteran individuals belonged to three families, Phoridae, Muscidae and Drosophilidae. The faunal similarity at the family level was relatively high between central (warm‐temperate) and northern (cool‐temperate) areas of Japan. However, the species composition of Drosophilidae was much different between central and northern Japan. The difference in the species composition was discussed in relation to the climatic conditions and fungal flora. None of the species from Drosophilidae, Phoridae, Muscidae, Mycetophilidae, Lonchaeidae and Chloropidae were specialists (they exploited more than one species of fungi), but they showed differences their fungi preference. Adults of some families, especially Drosophilidae, were frequently collected from fruiting bodies, but those of other families were seldom collected, probably reflecting differences in adult feeding ecology.     

高粱LEA基因家族的鉴定及表达分析

有研究表明,干旱、低温和盐等环境胁迫能够诱导LEA基因的表达。为了探索LEA基因家族在高粱响应外界刺激过程中起到的作用,本研究通过生物信息学的方法对LEA基因家族在高粱全基因组水平进行鉴定和分析,于高粱全基因组中共鉴定出35个基因家族成员,不均匀地分布于高粱8条染色体上,结合系统进化树和保守结构域分析结果,将高粱LEA基因家族成员分为7组。亲水性分析和结构无序性预测表明高粱LEA蛋白绝大多数为亲水性且结构无序。基因结构分析显示了各分组基因结构上的保守性。高粱LEA基因的启动子分析发现了一些与激素和非生物胁迫响应相关的顺式作用元件。对激素和干旱胁迫下高粱LEA基因的表达分析发现外界胁迫能够诱导部分高粱LEA基因的表达。     

赭曲霉G蛋白偶联受体的鉴定及生物信息学分析

【目的】预测并分析赭曲霉(Aspergillus ochraceus)中存在的G蛋白偶联受体(G-protein- coupled receptors,GPCRs)的结构特征和理化性质,探究赭曲霉GPCR超家族蛋白的结构及所接收配体的聚类情况以及与其他同源蛋白的进化关系,为深入开展赭曲霉中GPCRs的定位、功能研究提供理论基础,也有望从G蛋白信号途径角度抑制赭曲霉毒素的产生,进一步控制粮食的真菌毒素污染。【方法】基于已经报道的曲霉属典型GPCRs序列,在赭曲霉全基因组中进行BLASTp比对以获取候选GPCRs蛋白。通过SMART及多种软件进行保守结构域,特别是跨膜结构的分析,进一步分析候选序列的理化性质、信号肽、二级结构及亚细胞定位等特征。最后,利用MEGA构建赭曲霉中GPCRs与同源蛋白的系统发育树进行遗传关系的比较。【结果】明确赭曲霉存在 15个具有典型7次跨膜结构的GPCRs蛋白,不存在信号肽及转运肽,均含有较高比例的α螺旋结构,15个蛋白质中有7个定位在细胞膜。赭曲霉中的GPCRs与黄曲霉等曲霉属中相应的同源序列具有较近的亲缘关系。【结论】本研究首次对赭曲霉的GPCR超蛋白家族进行了预测,分析其结构及理化性质,探讨了其与同源蛋白的聚类情况,为深入开展赭曲霉GPCRs的功能研究提供理论基础。     

重组细菌多药外排泵AcrAB-TolC的转运功能和动态组装

【背景】多药外排泵多以膜蛋白复合体形式存在,是导致细菌耐药性的重要原因。外排泵的转运功能和组装过程对于细菌耐药性和药物研发具有重要意义。【目的】以多药外排泵耐药结节细胞分化家族(resistance-nodulation-division family, RND)的重要成员AcrAB-TolC复合体为对象,研究其转运活性和体外组装特性。【方法】基于大肠杆菌AcrAB-TolC复合体基因序列,分别构建含有acrA、acrB、tolC基因的重组质粒,表达和纯化复合体各亚基,利用荧光光谱、等温滴定量热法(isothermal titration calorimetry,ITC)等技术分析复合体及亚基的转运功能、亚基与底物的相互作用,以及亚基间的相互作用和动态装配。【结果】实现了AcrAB-TolC复合体各组分的表达和纯化(纯度>98%),证实表达有各组分的活细胞提高了对于溴化乙锭(ethidium bromide,EB)的转运活性,并发现群体感应效应信号分子N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL)能够抑制AcrB、TolC对于EB的转运活性。ITC结果进一步证实了C6-HSL与AcrB、TolC的相互作用。ITC结果还显示AcrA分别与AcrB、TolC之间存在明显的相互作用,而AcrB与TolC之间无明显的相互作用。在体外装配实验中观测到AcrAB-TolC亚基的单分子荧光强度随时间增加,证实了复合体亚基在膜上的动态组装过程。【结论】实现了AcrAB-TolC外排泵及亚基的表达和纯化,证实了AcrAB-TolC对底物的转运活性及与底物的相互作用,观察到AcrAB-TolC的动态组装过程。以上结果为研究多药外排泵导致的细菌耐药性及抗菌策略具有重要意义。     

Improved genome assembly of Chinese shrimp (Fenneropenaeus chinensis) suggests adaptation to the environment during evolution and domestication

A high-quality reference genome is necessary to determine the molecular mechanisms underlying important biological phenomena; therefore, in the present study, a chromosome-level genome assembly of the Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis was performed. Muscle of a male shrimp was sequenced using PacBio platform, and assembled by Hi-C technology. The assembled F. chinensis genome was 1.47 Gb with contig N50 of 472.84 Kb, including 57.73% repetitive sequences, and was anchored to 43 pseudochromosomes, with scaffold N50 of 36.87 Mb. In total, 25,026 protein-coding genes were predicted. The genome size of F. chinensis showed significant contraction in comparison with that of other penaeid species, which is likely related to migration observed in this species. However, the F. chinensis genome included several expanded gene families related to cellular processes and metabolic processes, and the contracted gene families were associated with virus infection process. The findings signify the adaptation of F. chinensis to the selection pressure of migration and cold environment. Furthermore, the selection signature analysis identified genes associated with metabolism, phototransduction, and nervous system in cultured shrimps when compared with wild population, indicating targeted, artificial selection of growth, vision, and behavior during domestication. The construction of the genome of F. chinensis provided valuable information for the further genetic mechanism analysis of important biological processes, and will facilitate the research of genetic changes during evolution.