一种基于Z-Curve映射下DNA序列信噪比的快速算法研究

DNA序列信号频谱3-周期特性被认为是用来区分编码区和非编码区的一个重要特征.针对信噪比计算量大的问题,给出基于Z-Curve映射下快速计算信噪比的方法,该方法有效避开计算离散傅立叶变换(DFT),从序列本身直接得到信噪比.实验结果表明,快速算法计算效率是DFT方法的百倍之上,极大减小基因的信噪比计算时间.     

浙江省生境质量时空演变与生态红线评估

生境质量是反映生物多样性状况与局地生态功能的重要指标,在高质量发展背景下研究区域生境质量的时空演变具有重要意义。以浙江省为研究区,基于InVEST模型、热点分析及地理探测器模型探究生境质量的时空演变与影响因素,并利用生境质量结果对浙江省生态红线开展了定量评估。结果表明:(1)2000-2015年,浙江省生境质量均值呈减速下降趋势,空间上形成了西北、西南、中东高和东北、中部低的分布格局;生境退化度呈现"中心-外围"的圈层辐射结构。(2)热点分析显示,生境质量与生境退化度在乡镇尺度上集聚特征相似、冷热点空间分布趋势相反。(3)地理探测分析发现,地形(高程、坡度)是影响浙江省生境质量的主要因素,植被因素(NPP、NDVI)的贡献度随时间推移逐渐增大;浙江省生境质量空间分异受到自然因子与社会经济因子的协同作用。(4)浙江省生态红线的生境质量整体较高且稳定,不同红线类型的生境质量存在差异;高生境质量区与生态红线的错位区域主要分布在浙西南、西北部山区,而北部、中部以及东部相对较少。基于此,对生态红线调整、区域生态功能区划提出对应的策略,以期提升浙江省生态空间管控。     

The Stress Hormone Corticosterone Increases Synaptic ��-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid (AMPA) Receptors via Serum- and Glucocorticoid-inducible Kinase (SGK) Regulation of the GDI-Rab4 Complex

Corticosterone, the major stress hormone, plays an important role in regulating neuronal functions of the limbic system, although the cellular targets and molecular mechanisms of corticosteroid signaling are largely unknown. Here we show that a short treatment of corticosterone significantly increases α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR)-mediated synaptic transmission and AMPAR membrane trafficking in pyramidal neurons of prefrontal cortex, a key region involved in cognition and emotion. This enhancing effect of corticosterone is through a mechanism dependent on Rab4, the small GTPase-controlling receptor recycling between early endosome and plasma membrane. Guanosine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor (GDI), which regulates the cycle of Rab proteins between membrane and cytosol, forms an increased complex with Rab4 after corticosterone treatment. Corticosterone also triggers an increased GDI phosphorylation at Ser-213 by the serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase (SGK). Moreover, AMPAR synaptic currents and surface expression and their regulation by corticosterone are altered by mutating Ser-213 on GDI. These results suggest that corticosterone, via SGK phosphorylation of GDI at Ser-213, increases the formation of GDI-Rab4 complex, facilitating the functional cycle of Rab4 and Rab4-mediated recycling of AMPARs to the synaptic membrane. It provides a potential mechanism underlying the role of corticosteroid stress hormone in up-regulating excitatory synaptic efficacy in cortical neurons.     

Protein structure and the spandrels of San Marco: insulin's receptor-binding surface is buttressed by an invariant leucine essential for its stability.

Insulin provides a model of induced fit in macromolecular recognition: the hormone's conserved core is proposed to contribute to a novel receptor-binding surface. The core's evolutionary invariance, unusual among globular proteins, presumably reflects intertwined constraints of structure and function. To probe the architectural basis of such invariance, we have investigated hydrophobic substitutions of a key internal side chain (Leu(A16)). Although the variants exhibit perturbed structure and stability, moderate receptor-binding activities are retained. These observations suggest that the A16 side chain provides an essential structural buttress but unlike neighboring core side chains, does not itself contact the receptor. Among invertebrate insulin-like proteins, Leu(A16) and other putative core residues are not conserved, suggesting that the vertebrate packing scheme is not a general requirement of an insulin-like fold. We propose that conservation of Leu(A16) among vertebrate insulins and insulin-like growth factors is a side consequence of induced fit: alternative packing schemes are disallowed by lack of surrounding covariation within the hormone's hidden receptor-binding surface. An analogy is suggested between Leu(A16) and the spandrels of San Marco, tapering triangular spaces at the intersection of the dome's arches. This celebrated metaphor of Gould and Lewontin emphasizes the role of interlocking constraints in the evolution of biological structures.     

MARCH5 restores endothelial cell function against ischaemic/hypoxia injury via Akt/eNOS pathway

MARCH5 is a critical regulator of mitochondrial dynamics, apoptosis and mitophagy. However, its role in cardiovascular system remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the role of MARCH5 in endothelial cell (ECs) injury and the involvement of the Akt/eNOS signalling pathway in this process. Rat models of myocardial infarction (MI) and human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (HCMECs) exposed to hypoxia (1% O₂) were used in this study. MARCH5 expression was significantly reduced in ECs of MI hearts and ECs exposed to hypoxia. Hypoxia inhibited the proliferation, migration and tube formation of ECs, and these effects were aggravated by knockdown of MARCH5 but antagonized by overexpressed MARCH5. Overexpression of MARCH5 increased nitric oxide (NO) content, p-eNOS and p-Akt, while MARCH5 knockdown exerted the opposite effects. The protective effects mediated by MARCH5 overexpression on ECs could be inhibited by eNOS inhibitor L-NAME and Akt inhibitor LY294002. In conclusion, these results indicated that MARCH5 acts as a protective factor in ischaemia/hypoxia-induced ECs injury partially through Akt/eNOS pathway.     

PQBP1 promotes translational elongation and regulates hippocampal mGluR-LTD by suppressing eEF2 phosphorylation

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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。     

江西官山自然保护区瘿椒树群落特征及保护策略

对江西官山自然保护区的典型瘿椒树(Tapiscia sinensis)群落进行调查。结果表明：(1)群落共有维管植物54科78属104种；(2)群落中植物区系组成以北温带分布为主，泛热带分布次之，属于典型的中亚热带山地群落；(3)对立木层进行重要值分析显示，钩锥(Castanopsis tibetana)、瘿椒树、紫楠(Phoebe sheareri)和拟赤杨(Alniphyllum fortunei)是群落优势种；(4)径级与高度级分析显示，瘿椒树种群处于衰退阶段，但占据了顶层空间，具有竞争优势，整体状态稳定；(5) Raunkiaer频度关系为A＞B＞D＞C＞E，符合亚热带山地常绿阔叶林的分布规律；(6) α多样性分析显示，群落Simpson多样性指数0.88，Shannon-Wiener多样性指数3.65，Pielou均匀度0.73。本文调查的官山瘿椒树群落是官山地区少数的几个瘿椒树群落之一，群落多样性较高，具有重要的科研价值和实用价值，但瘿椒树种群整体处于衰退型，未来宜采用就地或迁地方式开展保护。