Two novel protein-tyrosine kinases, each with a second phosphotransferase-related catalytic domain, define a new class of protein kinase.

The protein-tyrosine kinases (PTKs) are a burgeoning family of proteins, each of which bears a conserved domain of 250 to 300 amino acids capable of phosphorylating substrate proteins on tyrosine residues. We recently exploited the existence of two highly conserved sequence elements within the catalytic domain to generate PTK-specific degenerate oligonucleotide primers (A. F. Wilks, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:1603-1607, 1989). By application of the polymerase chain reaction, portions of the catalytic domains of several novel PTKs were amplified. We describe here the primary sequence of one of these new PTKs, JAK1 (from Janus kinase), a member of a new class of PTK characterized by the presence of a second phosphotransferase-related domain immediately N terminal to the PTK domain. The second phosphotransferase domain bears all the hallmarks of a protein kinase, although its structure differs significantly from that of the PTK and threonine/serine kinase family members. A second member of this family (JAK2) has been partially characterized and exhibits a similar array of kinase-related domains. JAK1 is a large, widely expressed membrane-associated phosphoprotein of approximately 130,000 Da. The PTK activity of JAK1 has been located in the C-terminal PTK-like domain. The role of the second kinaselike domain is unknown.     

水分梯度下胡杨荒漠河岸林种内竞争及空间格局变化特征

为查明塔里木河下游不同水分梯度下胡杨种内竞争以及空间分布格局的变化规律,在塔里木河下游阿拉干断面选取3条样带,每条样带内依照水分梯度布设3个样方,采用Hegyi单木竞争模型与点格局等分析方法,探究了水分梯度下胡杨林种内竞争及空间格局变化特征。结果表明：1)塔里木河下游胡杨的最适竞争范围为10m; 2)胡杨竞争指数与胸径服从幂函数关系(P<0.001),胡杨竞争指数随对象木胸径的增加而逐渐减小,当对象木胸径达到20cm以上时,其竞争指数逐渐稳定,且维持在较低水平;3)随水分梯度的降低,胡杨林分竞争指数呈下降趋势;4)在塔里木河下游,胡杨空间格局主要为聚集分布,随空间尺度的增加,胡杨逐渐趋向于随机分布;5)随水分梯度的降低,胡杨空间格局由聚集分布逐渐转变为随机分布。水分是决定极端干旱区荒漠植被空间分布与结构的主要因子;在胡杨林分管理中,应充分考虑胡杨的种内竞争、空间格局及其与水分梯度之间关系,为塔里木河下游胡杨林的保护与更新提供科学依据。     

Studies on the Assembly Characteristics of Large Subunit Ribosomal Proteins in S. cerevisae

During the assembly process of ribosomal subunits, their structural components, the ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) and the ribosomal proteins (r-proteins) have to join together in a highly dynamic and defined manner to enable the efficient formation of functional ribosomes. In this work, the assembly of large ribosomal subunit (LSU) r-proteins from the eukaryote S. cerevisiae was systematically investigated. Groups of LSU r-proteins with specific assembly characteristics were detected by comparing the protein composition of affinity purified early, middle, late or mature LSU (precursor) particles by semi-quantitative mass spectrometry. The impact of yeast LSU r-proteins rpL25, rpL2, rpL43, and rpL21 on the composition of intermediate to late nuclear LSU precursors was analyzed in more detail. Effects of these proteins on the assembly states of other r-proteins and on the transient LSU precursor association of several ribosome biogenesis factors, including Nog2, Rsa4 and Nop53, are discussed.     

Implementing Extended Producer Responsibility Legislation

The goal of this article is to contribute to the understanding of how the multiple, and sometimes conflicting, stakeholder perspectives and prevailing conditions (economic, geographic, etc.) in the implementation locality shape extended producer responsibility (EPR) “on the ground.” We provide an in‐depth examination of the implementation dimension of EPR in a specific case study by examining concrete activities at the operational front of the collection and recycling system, and probing the varying stakeholder preferences that have driven a specific system to its status quo. To this end, we conduct a detailed case study of the Washington State EPR implementation for electronic waste. We provide an overview of various stakeholder perspectives and their implications for the attainment of EPR policy objectives in practice. These findings shed light on the intrinsic complexity of EPR implementation. We conclude with recommendations on how to achieve effective and efficient EPR implementation, including improving design incentives, incorporating reuse and refurbishing, expanding product scope, managing downstream material flows, and promoting operational efficiency via fair cost allocation design.     

Escobar syndrome is a prenatal myasthenia caused by disruption of the acetylcholine receptor fetal gamma subunit

Escobar syndrome is a form of arthrogryposis multiplex congenita and features joint contractures, pterygia, and respiratory distress. Similar findings occur in newborns exposed to nicotinergic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies from myasthenic mothers. We performed linkage studies in families with Escobar syndrome and identified eight mutations within the gamma -subunit gene (CHRNG) of the AChR. Our functional studies show that gamma -subunit mutations prevent the correct localization of the fetal AChR in human embryonic kidney-cell membranes and that the expression pattern in prenatal mice corresponds to the human clinical phenotype. AChRs have five subunits. Two alpha, one beta, and one delta subunit are always present. By switching gamma to epsilon subunits in late fetal development, fetal AChRs are gradually replaced by adult AChRs. Fetal and adult AChRs are essential for neuromuscular signal transduction. In addition, the fetal AChRs seem to be the guide for the primary encounter of axon and muscle. Because of this important function in organogenesis, human mutations in the gamma subunit were thought to be lethal, as they are in gamma -knockout mice. In contrast, many mutations in other subunits have been found to be viable but cause postnatally persisting or beginning myasthenic syndromes. We conclude that Escobar syndrome is an inherited fetal myasthenic disease that also affects neuromuscular organogenesis. Because gamma expression is restricted to early development, patients have no myasthenic symptoms later in life. This is the major difference from mutations in the other AChR subunits and the striking parallel to the symptoms found in neonates with arthrogryposis when maternal AChR auto-antibodies crossed the placenta and caused the transient inactivation of the AChR pathway.     

Time dependent influence of etonogestrel on the caspase-3 immunoreactivity and apoptotic indexes of rat uterus and ovaries

Apoptosis is necessary for the balance between cell proliferation and loss. Thirty-six Wistar-Albino rats were subjected to investigate apoptotic effect of widely used implantable progestins on ovarian and uterine tissues. Rats were divided into 6 groups. In the first five groups, we applied etonogestrel (IMP) subcutaneous implants (n = 30). The rats in groups were sacrificed sequentially every 10 days after application. The rats in the last group (n = 6) were accepted as controls. Apoptotic index (AI) values and Caspase-3 immunoreactivities of ovaries and uterus were recorded. In IMP groups, AI and Hscore values in stroma and glandular epithelium of uterus, granulosa and teca-lutein cells of the ovary increased with the longer progesterone exposure. Increase in AI and Hscore values were more prominent after 30 days of exposure for teca-lutein cells of ovary. Progestins increased apoptosis in ovaries and uterus by the longer exposure. Apoptosis increased in ovaries by chronic progesterone exposure. The apoptotic effect of progestin on endometrium is clear but long-term systemic application may lead to alterations in ovarian physiology. We evaluated time dependent apoptotic effect of etonogestrel on reproductive physiology and discussed progestins effect from another point of view in this study.     

塔里木河下游胡杨林胸径结构及林木分布特征

采用“面”上宏观调查与“点”上典型研究相结合,集中对塔里木河下游阿拉干断面100hm^2的胡杨（Populus euphratica）林木分布与胸径结构进行了调查。结果发现,在距河道0—20m的范围内,胸径为0—4cm的幼龄胡杨占最多,达到13．24％。以后随着离河道距离的增加,幼龄胡杨所占比例逐渐减小。胸径分布范围简单,胸径为16—36cm的林木株数在胡杨林中所占的比例最多。另外,随着离河道距离的增加,胸径在48cm以上的过熟林和衰老林的比例逐渐增多。距河道0—200m的范围内,胡杨分布占整个胡杨林的80％以上。其中以疏失度为0—50％的长势较好的胡杨为主。在200—400m的范围内,疏失度为50％-75％的长势较差的过熟林和衰老林的比例开始增多。距河道400m以上,胡杨密度开始急剧下降,胡杨株数所占的比例几乎下降到5％以下。     

沙棘PEPCK基因的克隆及表达研究

以沙棘为研究对象,通过RACE、基因克隆和定量PCR技术,克隆并分析沙棘磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸羧激酶基因(PEPCK)的序列信息,以及进化树构建和氨基酸的二级结构分析,比较NaCl胁迫后PEPCK基因的表达变化,为揭示PEPCK基因在沙棘抗性方面的功能研究奠定基础。结果显示:(1)成功克隆了沙棘PEPCK基因,该基因开放阅读框(ORF)为2 001bp,编码666个氨基酸。(2)序列分析表明,沙棘PEPCK与蓖麻、黄顶菊、核桃等序列一致性高达85%以上;进化上沙棘PEPCK基因与蓖麻和狭叶羽扇豆较近,与烟草、拟南芥进化关系较远。(3)在300mmol·L~(-1) NaCl盐胁迫下,沙棘PEPCK基因表达在胁迫组中显著上升,胁迫后7d时为未处理的2.5倍,15d时达到未处理的3.2倍。研究表明,沙棘PEPCK基因在沙棘适应外源盐胁迫的过程中可能发挥了重要作用。     

短毛柽柳不同部位中总黄酮含量及稳定性研究

目的：比较短毛柽柳中不同部位总黄酮的含量差异,研究黄酮化合物保存的条件,方法：采用超声波乙醇浸提法,在正交优先的最佳条件（料液比为1∶15,超声处理时间为40min,乙醇浓度为45%,超声温度50℃,提取3次）下提取不同部位总黄酮,并测定不同条件下其吸光度的变化。结果：柽柳花、叶、茎中总黄酮得率分别为24.585mg/g、25.623mg/g、41.726mg/g,柽柳中提取的黄酮溶液在光照、高温、高浓度蔗糖溶液和Na＋存在条件下不稳定;pH 4~7条件下较稳定;氧化剂对其稳定性的影响不大。结论：柽柳茎中总黄酮含量明显高于其他两个部位。柽柳黄酮保存时应避免接触碳水化合物和盐离子,在避光、常温、中性条件下保存。