分子生态学研究进展

介绍了这个新学科的基本内容,其特征是ＤＮＡ标记的应用。结合我国最近几年动植物自然种群的分子研究,介绍国际分子生态学各个领域的进展：①分子生态学的技术;②分子种群生物学;③分子环境遗传学;④分子适应。实验结果显示：只要方法灵敏,ＤＮＡ具有最高水平的多样性。即使是原先认为遗传变异很少的大熊猫和野生大豆,使用灵敏的方法,也能证实生物个体遗传组成的唯一性。种群内ＤＮＡ的高度多态性,不同景观生态类型种群之间低水平遗传分化,说明自然种群绝大多数多态ＤＮＡ位点是中性、近中性突变。至今没有发现盐渍条件下植物个体耐盐性水平与多态ＤＮＡ有相关性,更证实这一点。发现少数多态ＤＮＡ位点与形态分化有关或呈明显的地理梯度,暗示其适应意义。自然种群这两种生态学功能不同的多态ＤＮＡ的存在,说明有必要重新讨论遗传多样性研究和保存中的取样策略。分子遗传研究也指导生态系统和物种的保育。文章最后从分子生物学的方法论和已经阐明的生态过程的众多分子信息提出分子生态学的新思路。建议分解生态系统,找出一个或少数物种和环境构成生态系统的基本功能单位,研究所涉及的基因及基因对基因的相互作用。进一步提议首先分析最简单的生态系统里发生的专一过程的分子细节。     

Emerging biological materials through molecular self-assembly

Understanding of new materials at the molecular level has become increasingly critical for a new generation of nanomaterials for nanotechnology, namely, the design, synthesis and fabrication of nanodevices at the molecular scale. New technology through molecular self-assembly as a fabrication tool will become tremendously important in the coming decades. Basic engineering principles for microfabrication can be learned by understanding the molecular self-assembly phenomena. Self-assembly phenomenon is ubiquitous in nature. The key elements in molecular self-assembly are chemical complementarity and structural compatibility through noncovalent interactions. We have defined the path to understand these principles. Numerous self-assembling systems have been developed ranging from models to the study of protein folding and protein conformational diseases, to molecular electronics, surface engineering, and nanotechnology. Several distinctive types of self-assembling peptide systems have been developed. Type I, "molecular Lego" forms a hydrogel scaffold for tissue engineering; Type II, "molecular switch" as a molecular actuator; Type III, "molecular hook" and "molecular velcro" for surface engineering; Type IV, peptide nanotubes and nanovesicles, or "molecular capsule" for protein and gene deliveries and Type V, "molecular cavity" for biomineralization. These self-assembling peptide systems are simple, versatile and easy to produce. These self-assembly systems represent a significant advance in the molecular engineering for diverse technological innovations.     

Atrial natriuretic factor: atrial conversion of high to low molecular weight forms

The atrial natriuretic factor elutes by gel filtration in high and low molecular weight fractions. Extraction and elution of rat atria in 1.0 M acetic acid yielded a predominance of the high molecular weight form(s); whereas when these procedures were carried out in 0.1 M acetic acid, there was a predominance of the low molecular weight forms. When partially purified high molecular weight natriuretic activity was eluted in 0.1 M acetic acid, the high molecular weight form(s) remained intact. When partially purified high molecular weight natriuretic activity was mixed with crude atrial extract in 0.1 M acetic acid, there was an apparent conversion to the low molecular weight forms. Extraction of rat atria in boiling 0.1 M acetic acid blocked this conversion. It is concluded that rat atria contain a heat labile factor that converts high molecular weight natriuretic activity to the low molecular weight forms.     

Molecular distribution of zinc in biliary and pancreatic secretions

Rat bile and pancreatic fluid were examined for the presence of low molecular weight zinc complexes. Fluids were collected separately by cannulation, and zinc distribution in collected samples was analyzed by gel filtration on Sephadex G-50. Most of the zinc in bile was associated with low molecular weight zinc complexes; only a small amount of zinc was present in the high molecular weight fraction. In contrast, pancreatic secretions did not contain low molecular weight zinc complexes, but there were considerable amounts of zinc bound to high molecular weight compounds. The addition of zinc to bile resulted in an increased amount of zinc in the low molecular weight fraction, while the addition of zinc to pancreatic fluid resulted primarily in an increase in zinc bound to the high molecular weight components. Like pancreatic fluid, homogenates of pancreatic tissue had no low molecular weight zinc complex. In rats whose bile and pancreatic fluid were removed and not returned into the intestine, the amount of zinc bound to low molecular weight complexes in intestinal homogenates was reduced. This alteration of the molecular distribution of zinc in intestinal homogenates by removal of bile and pancreatic fluid suggests the potential importance of low molecular weight zinc complexes for zinc homeostasis.     

纳米金在分子影像学中的应用进展

分子影像学的出现将传统的以解剖结构为成像基础的医学影像学带入到以图像阐释细胞/分子结构和功能以及病理改变的新时代。伴随着"后基因组"时代的到来以及"个体化医疗"的兴起,分子影像学对医学领域带来了里程碑式的革命并日益发挥重要作用。在分子影像领域,寻找最佳的分子影像探针/对比剂以及成像方法,以获取更多的细胞或者分子的功能及病理改变的信息日益成为热门的研究领域。纳米金籍其自身的优点在分子影像学的发展中展示出日益广阔的前景。本文就分子影像学的相关技术及纳米金在分子影像学中的应用进展作一简要综述。     

纳米金在分子影像学中的应用进展

分子影像学的出现将传统的以解剖结构为成像基础的医学影像学带入到以图像阐释细胞／分子结构和功能以及病理改变的新时代。伴随着“后基因组”时代的到来以及“个体化医疗”的兴起,分子影像学对医学领域带来了里程碑式的革命并日益发挥重要作用。在分子影像领域,寻找最佳的分子影像探针／对比剂以及成像方法,以获取更多的细胞或者分子的功能及病理改变的信息日益成为热门的研究领域。纳米金籍其自身的优点在分子影像学的发展中展示出日益广阔的前景。本文就分子影像学的相关技术及纳米金在分子影像学中的应用进展作一简要综述。     

作物基因聚合分子育种

基因聚合分子育种与常规育种技术相结合已成为今后作物育种的主流方向。基因聚合分子育种主要包括遗传转化基因聚合分子育种和分子标记筛选基因聚合分子育种。本文简要综述了近年来作物基因聚合分子育种的研究进展,分析了遗传转化基因聚合分子育种以及分子标记基因聚合分子育种技术的研究方法及基因聚合分子育种存在的问题。     

肉类工业微生物诱变及应用研究进展

随着分子生物学、细胞生物学及分子遗传学等学科的迅猛发展,对微生物诱变分子机理的研究也日益完善。从微生物诱变分子机理出发,着重介绍了DNA损伤分子机理、基因突变分子机理和诱变剂的种类及遗传效应,同时,列举了诱变菌在肉类工业中的应用。     

Rapid assessment of drug resistance of cancer cells to gefitinib and carboplatin using optical imaging

The overall goal of this study was to evaluate optical molecular imaging approaches to determine the drug response of chemotherapy and molecular targeted agents in drug sensitive and drug resistant cell lines. The optical molecular imaging approaches selected in this study were based on changes in intracellular uptake and retention of choline and glucose molecules. The breast cancer cell lines were treated with a molecular targeted anti-EGFR therapy. The bladder cancer cell lines were treated with a conventional chemotherapy approach. Sensitivity of optical molecular imaging approach was also compared with conventional cell viability and cell growth inhibition assays. Results demonstrate that optical molecular imaging of changes in intracellular uptake of metabolites was effective in detecting drug susceptibility for both molecular targeted therapy in breast cancer cells and chemotherapy in bladder cancer cells. Between the selected metabolites for optical molecular imaging, changes in glucose metabolic activity showed higher sensitivity in discrimination between the drug sensitive and drug resistant cell lines. The results demonstrated that optical molecular imaging approaches more significantly sensitive as compared to the conventional cell viability and growth assays. Overall, the results demonstrate potential of optical molecular imaging of metabolic activity to improve sensitivity of in-vitro drug response assays.     

蛋白质分子表面高质量网格构建技术的研究进展

分子表面即分子边界,在一定程度上蕴含了分子的生物化学属性信息,对分子表面进行分析将有助于理解分子对接、识别和相互作用等问题。由于蛋白质分子表面的构造相对复杂,尤其是分子表面的网格化,因此寻求高效的算法构建高质量的蛋白质分子表面网格对生成光滑的分子表面、分子可视化及分子模拟都有着重要的意义。本文主要根据现有定义的蛋白质分子表面,针对近年来几种高质量分子表面网格构建的新技术进行了阐述,同时介绍了几款蛋白质分子表面可视化软件,并对它们的性能进行了简单的分析。     

Understanding Neutral Genomic Molecular Clocks

The molecular clock hypothesis is a central concept in molecular evolution and has inspired much research into why evolutionary rates vary between and within genomes. In the age of modern comparative genomics, understanding the neutral genomic molecular clock occupies a critical place. It has been demonstrated that molecular clocks run differently between closely related species, and generation time is an important determinant of lineage specific molecular clocks. Moreover, it has been repeatedly shown that regional molecular clocks vary even within a genome, which should be taken into account when measuring evolutionary constraint of specific genomic regions. With the availability of a large amount of genomic sequence data, new insights into the patterns and causes of variation in molecular clocks are emerging. In particular, factors such as nucleotide composition, molecular origins of mutations, weak selection and recombination rates are important determinants of neutral genomic molecular clocks.     

Directional Ca2+ effect on stimulation of secretion of common mucins and unique sulphate-rich components from chicken trachea in vitro

High submucosal Ca2+ (3.6-18 mM) significantly increased the secretion of a common high molecular weight fibrillar mucin (approx. Mr is greater than 2.10(6)) and also elicited the secretion of an additional low molecular weight component (approx. Mr 325,000). Low luminal Ca2+ (0.018 mM) also significantly increased the secretion of a common high molecular weight gelatinous mucin (approx. Mr is greater than 2.10(6)) and elicited the secretion of an additional low molecular weight component (approx. Mr 46,200). The additional low molecular weight components were more heavily sulphated (6.7 and 4.2%) than common high molecular weight mucins (2.1 and 1%). The low molecular weight components and high molecular weight mucins were secreted as aggregates which could be dissociated by EGTA. The low molecular weight components and high molecular weight mucins were different in the number of their glycoprotein constituents and in the ion-exchange chromatographic profiles and the carbohydrate and ester sulphate residue content of their acidic glycoproteins.     

Body mass‐corrected molecular rate for bird mitochondrial DNA

Mitochondrial DNA remains one of the most widely used molecular markers to reconstruct the phylogeny and phylogeography of closely related birds. It has been proposed that bird mitochondrial genomes evolve at a constant rate of ~0.01 substitution per site per million years, that is that they evolve according to a strict molecular clock. This molecular clock is often used in studies of bird mitochondrial phylogeny and molecular dating. However, rates of mitochondrial genome evolution vary among bird species and correlate with life history traits such as body mass and generation time. These correlations could cause systematic biases in molecular dating studies that assume a strict molecular clock. In this study, we overcome this issue by estimating corrected molecular rates for birds. Using complete or nearly complete mitochondrial genomes of 475 species, we show that there are strong relationships between body mass and substitution rates across birds. We use this information to build models that use bird species’ body mass to estimate their substitution rates across a wide range of common mitochondrial markers. We demonstrate the use of these corrected molecular rates on two recently published data sets. In one case, we obtained molecular dates that are twice as old as the estimates obtained using the strict molecular clock. We hope that this method to estimate molecular rates will increase the accuracy of future molecular dating studies in birds.     

Yeast RNA partition accompanying adsorption in salt/PEG two-phase system

Summary Partitioning of yeast total RNA in a salt/PEG two-phase system, i.e., a potassium phosphate/PEG system and a ammonium sulfate/PEG system, was characterized with regard to the dependence on the molecular weights of PEG and RNA. The shift in RNA partitioning was investigated for a PEG molecular weight range from 300 to 20000. RNA was partitioned mainly to the top phase in the system with PEG of a molecular weight up to 1000, mainly at the interface or almost equally to both phases in the system with PEG of a molecular weight 1000–2000, and mainly to the bottom phase in the system with PEG of more than 2000 in a molecular weight . The effect of PEG molecular weight on partitioning of low molecular weight RNA, less than 5.8S molecule, was qualitatively similar to that of high molecular weight RNA, more than 17S molecule. However, partitioning of high molecular weight RNA was more one-sided than that of low molecular weight RNA. In the system with PEG1000–2000, remarkable adsorption of high molecular weight RNA at the interface was investigated; more than 90% of the high molecular weight RNA added was concentrated. Adsorption of RNA at the interface was quantitatively demonstrated as a novel example of adsorption of a soluble macromolecule in an aqueous two-phase system.     

超声分子成像：机遇与挑战

随着分子生物学、蛋白组学、基因组学、计算机工程学等学科的不断进步,交叉融合,分子成像逐渐登上历史的舞台,成为研究热点。而超声分子成像随之迅猛发展,近年来超声微泡制备技术的成熟和超声造影检查技术的不断进步,超声造影不再局限获取组织的血流灌注信息,而是逐渐成为特异性的超声分子成像。目前使用超声对比剂研究分子成像和靶向治疗仍处于初级阶段。但是,各种分子成像技术的不断革新和发展,超声分子成像面临着重大的挑战,而在挑战背后同样面临着难逢的机遇。超声医学和分子生物学的迅猛发展,超声分子成像必将成为诊断和治疗疾病的新的手段和方法。超声造影剂仍有许多未能解决的问题,像如何延长微泡的半衰期、如何增强微泡的敏感性和特异性,如何增强目的基因的表达,如何处理组织损伤和高频超声之间的关系等问题,但是如果能解决这些问题,超声造影在现代医学的诊断和治疗中将起到重要的作用。现将超声分子成像综述如下。     

Homology in classical and molecular biology

Hypotheses of homology are the basis of comparative morphology and comparative molecular biology. The kinds of homologous and nonhomologous relations in classical and molecular biology are explored through the three tests that may be applied to a hypothesis of homology: congruence, conjunction, and similarity. The same three tests apply in molecular comparisons and in morphology, and in each field they differentiate eight kinds of relation. These various relations are discussed and compared. The unit or standard of comparison differs in morphology and in molecular biology; in morphology it is the adult or life cycle, but with molecules it is the haploid genome. In morphology the congruence test is decisive in separating homology and nonhomology, whereas with molecular sequence data similarity is the decisive test. Consequences of this difference are that the boundary between homology and nonhomology is not the same in molecular biology as in morphology, that homology and synapomorphy can be equated in morphology but not in all molecular comparisons, and that there is no detected molecular equivalent of convergence. Since molecular homology may reflect either species phylogeny or gene phylogeny, there are more kinds of homologous relation between molecular sequences than in morphology. The terms paraxenology and plerology are proposed for two of these kinds--respectively, the consequence of multiple xenology and of gene conversion.     

Recent advances in structure, binding sites with ligands and pharmacological function of beta-adrenoceptors obtained by molecular biology and molecular modeling

The structure, binding sites interacting with ligands and the physiological functions of G-protein coupled beta-adrenoceptors (beta-ARs) are being elucidated by molecular biology and molecular modeling studies. The definition given amino acid sequences of beta-ARs in molecular biology and the analysis of three-dimensional and functional binding sites interacting with ligands by molecular modeling may be important for identifying other functional beta-ARs in various tissues and discovering new drugs. Thus, this review focuses on the interaction sites for receptor-ligand and roles of functional beta-ARs as studied by molecular biology and molecular modeling.     

分子标记方法在生态学中的应用潜力和局限

近几十年来,分子标记方法在生态学中得到了广泛的应用,并显示出重要的应用潜力,着重表现在:①目前分子标记方法主要应用在种群生态学中,在今后的研究中,它将在进化生态学,保护生态学,恢复生态学及生态系统生态学中显示出巨大的应用空间;②现有的一些分子标记方法还有更大的应用空间;③对同一研究问题,结合不同的分子标记方法可以取得更好的研究成果;④新的分子标记方法的产生,将有利于生态学的研究工作的深化和获得新的发展。同时,由于一些分子标记研究费用较高,获得的基础数据重复性较低,研究过程中涉及到一些放射性的安全性问题等都可能影响它在生态学领域的应用。因此,针对生态学不同的要求选择和优化分子标记手段是十分重要的。     

Multiple molecular forms of glia maturation factor.

Glia maturation factor from the pig brain can be detected in two molecular forms: the high molecular weight form which is 200 000 dalton in size and the low molecular weight form which is 40 000 dalton in size, as determined by Sephadex gel filtration. The former accounts for 85% of the total biological activity extracted at physiologic pH. The proportion of the low molecular weight form increases following freeze-thawing and ion-exchange chromatography. In addition to the morphological effects, both forms possess mitogenic activity but no esteropeptidase activity. Both forms show similar enzyme susceptibility, being inactivated by papain, ficin and pronase but resistant to subtilisin, thermolysin and trypsin. The high molecular weight form is more resistant to denaturation by low pH, heating and urea than the low molecular weight form. The high molecular weight factor has an isoelectric point of 4.27 whereas the low molecular weight factor has one of 5.04.     

SCoT分子标记在割手密遗传图谱构建中的应用

本研究以割手密GXS85-30×GXS87-16的杂交后代为材料,应用目标起始密码子多态性(SCoT)分子标记对杂交后代进行杂种鉴定,获得由157个单株组成的F1杂种群,同时对比SCoT、AFLP和SSR分子标记在割手密基因组多态性分析和获得分离标记的效果,证实SCoT在扩增DNA多态性上优于SSR分子标记,在获取分离标记上优于AFLP分子标记,验证了SCoT分子标记技术在割手密遗传分析中的应用效果,为割手密遗传分析和遗传图谱构建提供了一种新型高效的目的基因分子标记技术。