Isolation and characterization of eight compound microsatellite markers in a mangrove tree Kandelia candel (L.) Druce

Kandelia candel is an important mangrove tree species of family Rhizophoraceae. Here we isolated eight codominant compound microsatellite simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci from K. candel. Our isolated loci provided compound SSR markers with polymorphism of three to 11 alleles per locus. The expected and observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.230 to 0.887 and from 0.083 to 1.00, respectively. These markers would be the useful tools for analysing questions concerning population genetic structure and mating system of K. candel.     

Microsatellite markers for Sachalin fir (Abies sachalinensis Masters)

We developed eight polymorphic microsatellite markers from the Sachalin fir (Abies sachalinensis Masters). The number of alleles per locus ranged from eight to 31, with an average of 21.4. The observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.656 to 0.937 and from 0.710 to 0.945, respectively. These markers will be available for population genetic studies and parentage analysis.     

Identification of up-regulated genes in human uterine leiomyoma by suppression subtractive hybridization

In searching for differentially expressed genes in human uterine leiomyomas (ULs), suppression sub-tractive hybridization was used to construct an UL up-regulated library, which turned out to represent 88genes. After two rounds of screening by reverse Northern analysis, twenty genes were proved to be up-regulated, including seventeen known genes and three genes with unknown function. All these genes werefirstly associated with UL. Three genes with notable difference were selected for Northern confirmationOur results proved the authenticity of the twenty genes. One gene named Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) showedup-regulation in 4/6 of the patients and investigation of tissue distribution indicated that it had obviousexpression in prostate, testis, liver, heart and skeletal muscle.     

Spectrophotometric determination of reaction stoichiometry and equilibrium constants of metallochromic indicators: III. Antipyrylazo III complexing with Ca2+ and acetylcholine receptor protein

Stoichiometries, equilibrium constants and optical extinction coefficients of calcium-antipyrylazo III (An) complexing are determined with the analytical method described in article I of this series. Spcctrophotometric Ca titrations of An at the wavelengths 595 and 710 nm indicate overall dissociation equilibrium constants for the complexes CaAn, CaAn₂ and Ca₂An to be 4.5 × 10^?4 M, 1.1 × 10^?8 M² and 1.5× 10^?6 M², respectively, extrapolated to zero ionic strength. Ca titrations of solutions containing An plus acetylcholine receptor protein give clear evidence that An binds to the protein to a large extent in the presence of Ca²⁺; furthermore, addition of acetylcholine results in release of protein-bound Ca and An. This is the first reported indication that antipyrylazo III binds to biological material and questions the usefulness of this dye as a Ca indicator in biological systems.     

科尔沁沙地典型固沙人工林地土壤水分时空特征及其对环境因子的响应

土壤水分时空动态特征对于干旱地区人工林的可持续经营与管理起着至关重要的作用。以位于科尔沁沙地南缘的樟子松和柠条固沙人工林为对象，于2018年11月-2019年11月连续观测了林地0-200 cm土壤剖面的含水量、温度及微气象因子，系统分析了土壤水分的时空变化特征及其对环境因子的响应。研究期内，两种林地土壤水分的季节变化可分为冻结期、补充期、消耗期和稳定期；依据土壤剖面的水分特征可分为易变层、活跃层和稳定层，但两种林地的分层深度有一定差异。在生长季内（5-10月），土壤含水量对大气降雨的响应随着土层深度的增加而减弱；降雨对樟子松人工林0-20 cm层土壤水分的影响极显著（P<0.01），对柠条人工林0-10 cm层的影响极显著（P<0.01）、20-60 cm层显著（P<0.05）。在土壤冻融周期内（2018年11月-2019年4月），两种林地的土壤均表现为"单向冻结"和"双向融化"的特点；土壤温度是影响冻融期内土壤含水量的关键因素，两者呈极显著的指数函数关系；樟子松和柠条人工林土壤的最大冻结深度分别为170 cm和190 cm，前者10 cm土层解冻时间要比后者晚11 d，可能与乔木树冠的遮阴作用有关。潜在蒸散与柠条林0-60 cm层、樟子松林0-20 cm和200 cm层的土壤水分呈极显著相关（P<0.01），而与樟子松林60 cm和160 cm层呈显著相关（P<0.05），这与树木蒸腾和土壤蒸发等综合作用有关。研究表明，由于两种人工林的树种组成、树冠大小、郁闭程度和根系分布等结构特征不同会导致林地土壤水分时空特征的异质性及其对环境因素响应的差异。     

Dysregulated zinc and sphingosine-1-phosphate signaling in pulmonary hypertension: Potential effects by targeting of bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 2 in pulmonary microvessels

Recently identified molecular targets in pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) include sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and zinc transporter ZIP12 signaling. This study sought to determine linkages between these pathways, and with BMPR2 signaling. Lung tissues from a rat model of monocrotaline-induced PAH and therapeutic treatment with bone marrow–derived endothelial-like progenitor cells transduced to overexpress BMPR2 were studied. Multifluorescence quantitative confocal microscopy (MQCM) was applied for analysis of protein expression and localization of markers of vascular remodeling (αSMA and BMPR2), parameters of zinc homeostasis (zinc transporter SLC39A/ZIP family members 1, 10, 12 and 14; and metallothionein MT3) and S1P extracellular signaling (SPHK1, SPNS2, S1P receptor isoforms 1, 2, 3, 5) in 20–200 µm pulmonary microvessels. ZIP12 expression in whole lung tissue lysates was assessed by western blot. Spearman nonparametric correlations between MQCM readouts and hemodynamic parameters, Fulton index (FI), and right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) were measured. In line with PAH status, pulmonary microvessels in monocrotaline-treated animals demonstrated significant (p < .05, n = 6 per group) upregulation of αSMA (twofold) and downregulation of BMPR2 (20%). Upregulated ZIP12 (92%), MT3 (57.7%), S1PR2 (54.8%), and S1PR3 (30.3%) were also observed. Significant positive and negative correlations were demonstrated between parameters of zinc homeostasis (ZIP12, MT3), S1P signaling (S1PRs, SPNS2), and vascular remodeling (αSMA, FI, RVSP). MQCM and western blot analysis showed that monocrotaline-induced ZIP12 upregulation could be partially negated by BMPR2-targeted therapy. Our results indicate that altered zinc transport/storage and S1P signaling in the monocrotaline-induced PAH rat model are linked to each other, and could be alleviated by BMPR2-targeted therapy.     

Development of microsatellite markers for the crown‐of‐thorns starfish Acanthaster planci

We isolated nine polymorphic microsatellites from the crown‐of‐thorns starfish, Acanthaster planci. These loci provide one class of highly variable genetic marker as the number of alleles ranged from three to 12 and the observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.130 to 0.783 and from 0.163 to 0.862, respectively. We consider that these loci are potentially useful for detailing the genetic structure and gene flow among A. planci populations.