QTL identification of grain protein concentration and its genetic correlation with starch concentration and grain weight using two populations in maize (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Zea mays</Emphasis> L.)

Protein is one of the three main storage chemical components in maize grains, and is negatively correlated with starch concentration (SC). Our objective was to analyse the influence of genetic backgrounds on QTL detection for protein concentration (PC) and to reveal the molecular genetic associations between PC and both SC and grain weight (GWP). Two hundred and eighty-four (Pop1) and 265 (Pop2) F_2:3 families were developed from two crosses between one high-oil maize inbred GY220 and two normal maize inbreds 8984 and 8622 respectively, and were genotyped with 185 and 173 pairs of SSR markers. PC, SC and GWP were evaluated under two environments. Composite interval mapping (CIM) and multiple interval mapping (MIM) methods were used to detect single-trait QTL for PC, and multiple-trait QTL for PC with both SC and GWP. No common QTL were shared between the two populations for their four and one PC QTL. Common QTL with opposite signs of effects for PC and SC/GWP were detected on three marker intervals at bins 6.07–6.08, 8.03 and 8.03–8.04. Multiple-traits QTL mapping showed that tightly-linked QTL, pleiotropic QTL and QTL having effects with opposite directions for PC and SC/GWP were all observed in Pop1, while all QTL reflected opposite effects in Pop2.     

基于生态供给-消耗平衡关系的中尼廊道地区生态承载力研究

中尼廊道地区作为南亚通道建设的关键环节,具有生态环境脆弱且对生态资源依赖性强的基本特征,中尼廊道建设占用生态空间,将增加生态系统对农牧业生产活动的承载压力;因此,开展中尼廊道生态承载力研究对青藏高原生态保护和南亚通道建设具有重要的实践价值和指导意义。本文基于生态供给与消耗平衡关系,通过计算农牧业生产对生态系统净初级生产力的消耗,评估中尼廊道地区的生态承载力,结果表明：（1）中尼廊道地区生态承载力处于富富有余状态,2015年有7个县域生态承载力处于临界超载或平衡有余状态;整体上生态系统尚有较大的生态空间来支撑中尼廊道建设,但建设可能給局部县域带来超载风险。（2）中尼廊道地区生态系统供给量处于稳定波动状态,畜牧业生态消耗在生态消耗中占主导地位（占比超80%）;得益于2005年起实施的草畜平衡政策,中尼廊道地区及其24个县域生态消耗量呈下降趋势,农牧业生产活动对生态系统造成的压力降低,生态承载状态向优发展;但地处粮食主产区、口岸区、城市化辐射区的7个县域,在本地及周边地区日益增长的对农牧业产品的生活需求驱动下生态消耗量处于增加态势。（3）若以实现生物多样性公约所倡导的50%生态资源得到保护为生态保护目标,目前中尼廊道农牧业生产模式产生的生态消耗将超出其可利用供给,区域可持续发展需要关注如何通过中尼廊道建设带动当地产业结构调整以缓解农牧业生产对生态系统的压力。     

铜川汉族人群38个Y-STR基因座多态性调查

Y染色体上的短串联重复序列（Y chromosome short tandem repeats, Y-STRs）在法医鉴定,尤其是混合斑中男性成分的检测分析和家系排查中具有重要作用。随着Y-STR试剂盒的不断推出和数据库的建立,国内外针对不同地区和群体的Y-STR多态性研究日益增多,而有关铜川汉族Y-STR研究鲜有报道。基于此,采用YfilerTM Platinum复合扩增试剂盒对陕西铜川汉族669名无关男性个体进行38个Y-STR基因座遗传多态性调查,并探索铜川地区汉族与其他群体之间的遗传关系。调查共检出657种单倍型,单倍型多样性和识别能力分别为0.999 937 345和0.982 1。38个Y-STR基因座共检出428个等位基因,基因多样性值在0.108 9（DYS645）~0.969 9（DYS385）。群体遗传分析中,多维尺度分析（multi-dimensional scaling, MDS）和系统发育树分析结果显示铜川汉族与其他地区的汉族群体遗传距离更近。综上,研究结果中38个Y-STR基因座在铜川汉族群体中具有较高的遗传多态性,适合铜川地区法庭科学应用。     

Enhanced sampling of molecular dynamics simulation of peptides and proteins by double coupling to thermal bath

Low sampling efficiency in conformational space is the well-known problem for conventional molecular dynamics. It greatly increases the difficulty for molecules to find the transition path to native state, and costs amount of CPU time. To accelerate the sampling, in this paper, we re-couple the critical degrees of freedom in the molecule to environment temperature, like dihedrals in generalized coordinates or nonhydrogen atoms in Cartesian coordinate. After applying to ALA dipeptide model, we find that this modified molecular dynamics greatly enhances the sampling behavior in the conformational space and provides more information about the state-to-state transition, while conventional molecular dynamics fails to do so. Moreover, from the results of 16 independent 100?ns simulations by the new method, it shows that trpzip2 has one-half chances to reach the naive state in all the trajectories, which is greatly higher than conventional molecular dynamics. Such an improvement would provide a potential way for searching the conformational space or predicting the most stable states of peptides and proteins.     

A Global Perspective on Drinking-Water and Sanitation Classification: An Evaluation of Census Content

Following the recent expiry of the United Nations’ 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), new international development agenda covering 2030 water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) targets have been proposed, which imply new demands on data sources for monitoring relevant progress. This study evaluates drinking-water and sanitation classification systems from national census questionnaire content, based upon the most recent international policy changes, to examine national population census’s ability to capture drinking-water and sanitation availability, safety, accessibility, and sustainability. In total, 247 censuses from 83 low income and lower-middle income countries were assessed using a scoring system, intended to assess harmonised water supply and sanitation classification systems for each census relative to the typology needed to monitor the proposed post-2015 indicators of WASH targets. The results signal a lack of international harmonisation and standardisation in census categorisation systems, especially concerning safety, accessibility, and sustainability of services in current census content. This suggests further refinements and harmonisation of future census content may be necessary to reflect ambitions for post-2015 monitoring.     

MicroRNA 32 promotes cell proliferation,migration, and suppresses apoptosis in colon cancer cells by targeting OTU domain containing 3

Colorectal cancer is considered as the fourth leading reason of cancer-linked deaths worldwide. However, our knowledge about its pathogenic mechanism remains inadequate. MicroRNA 32 (miR-32), a member of small noncoding RNAs, has been found vital roles in tumorigenesis. This study studied its functions and underlying mechanism in colorectal cancer. The experiment revealed the obvious upregulation of miR-32 in colorectal cancer tissues and six cancer cell lines, compared with normal tissues and cells. Moreover, miR-32 upregulation reduced cell apoptosis and promoted cell proliferation and migration, while its downregulation displayed opposite effects. Dual luciferase reporter assays proved that miR-32 bound to the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of OTU domain containing 3 (OTUD3), suggesting that miR-32 directly targeted OTUD3. Further experiments demonstrated that overexpression of miR-32 could reduce the expression level of OTUD3. Furthermore, OTUD3 silence promoted proliferation and motility and decreased apoptosis for HCT116 cells and restored partly miR-32-mediated cell proliferation, migration, and antiapoptosis for colon cancer. Therefore, our study indicated that miR-32 enhanced cell proliferation and motility abilities, and inhibited apoptosis by directly targeting OTUD3 in colon cancer cells, which implied that miR-32 was hopeful to be a biomarker or target used for diagnosis and therapy of colon cancer.     

Permeability of Plant Young Root Endodermis to Cu Ions and Cu-Citrate Complexes in Corn and Soybean

The non-selective apoplastic passage of Cu and Cu-citrate complexes into the root stele of monocotyledonous corn and dicotyledonous soybean was investigated using an inorganic-salt-precipitation technique. Either Cu ions or Cu-citrate complexes were drawn into root through the apoplast from the root growth medium, and K₄[Fe(CN)₆] was subsequently perfused through xylem vessels or the entire root cross section. Based on microscopic identification of the reddish-brown precipitates of copper ferrocyanide in the cell walls of the xylem of corn and soybean roots, Cu²⁺ passed through the endodermal barrier into the xylem of both species. When the solution containing 200 μM CuSO₄ and 400 μM sodium citrate (containing 199.98 μM Cu-citrate, 0.02 μM Cu²⁺) was drawn via differential pressure gradients into the root xylem while being perfused with K₄[Fe(CN)₆] through the entire root cross-section, reddish-brown precipitates were observed in the walls of the stele of soybean, but not corn root. However, when a CuSO₄ solution containing 0.02 or 0.2 μM free Cu²⁺ was used, no reddish-brown precipitates were detected in the stele of either of the two plants. Results indicated that endodermis was permeable to Cu-citrate complexes in primary roots of soybean, but not corn. The permeability of the endodermal barrier to the Cu-citrate complex may vary between dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous plants, which has considerable implications for chelant-enhanced phytoextraction.     

大豆初生根凯氏带对铜离子的通透性

采用在根内生成有色铜沉淀的方法研究大豆(Glycine max)初生根凯氏带对铜离子的通透性。用真空泵抽取浓度为200 μmol·L^–1 的CuSO₄溶液进入根中, 然后在重力作用下从根基部灌注400 μmol·L^–1的K₄[Fe(CN)₆]溶液, 两种物质在根内相遇即可产生棕色的Cu₂[Fe(CN)₆]沉淀, 根据沉淀的位置来确定铜离子所经过的途径。结果表明: Cu²⁺可以穿过内皮层凯氏带, 在木质部导管壁以及凯氏带至木质部之间的细胞壁处产生棕色沉淀, 侧根发生的部位也产生了大量的沉淀; 当抽取K₄[Fe(CN)₆]溶液后再灌注CuSO₄溶液, 发现Cu²⁺仍然可以穿过凯氏带, 并在凯氏带外侧以及外皮层细胞的细胞壁处产生棕色沉淀。研究结果证明凯氏带并不是一个可以完全阻止离子进出的完美屏障。