Evolution of cell systems and plant life forms

The distribution of photosynthates in the body of vascular plants is examined by the methods of electron and confocal fluorescent microscopy in lifetime dynamics and using fixed preparations. It is shown that system relations of cells are provided by the “trophic tract,” i.e., endoplasmic membrane meshwork, which is induced by photosynthesis and moves along plasmodesmata from photosynthetic cells to meristematic cells consuming photosynthates. The structure and functions of the trophic tract are controlled by the actomyosin contractile apparatus of the cytoskeleton. Climatic cooling and aridization in the Neogene caused the loss of plasticity of the actomyosin complex, elimination of plasmodesmata, and fragmentation of the trophic tract, which were accompanied by partial transition of plants to the distribution of photosynthates through the apoplast. This caused the appearance in the Miocene of perennial and annual herbs, with the trophic tract composed of particular domains without plasmodesmal connections. In contrast to the continuous endoplasmic trophic tract of trees, the apoplastic tract of herbs is inefficient, since transdomain transport of sugar along the apoplast is connected with high energy consumption. However, it is free from the influence of cold temperatures and deficiency in water or mineral supply. The cost for phylogenetic adaptogenesis of vascular plants to the Neogene climatic cooling and aridization is a fourfold increase in genome size. The morphofunctional consequences are reduction of cell systems and life forms in connection with the energy problems induced by fragmentation of the trophic tract.     

干细胞因子和受体在神经系统中的表达及其生物学效应

干细胞因子（stem cell factor,SCF)是一种多功能细胞因子,其受体由原癌基因c-kit编码,称为c-kit受体（c-kitR)。SCF－c-kitR不论在胚胎发育期还是成年期的神经系统,均有广泛的表达。体内外大量研究提示：SCF/c0kitR信号系统在神经系统生长、分化过程中具有多种生物学效应,表现对神经嵴4细胞体外分化的影响,对神经胶质细胞（小胶质细胞、星形胶质细胞和少突胶质细胞）的调控作用,并与神经内分泌功能相关。     

LKB1及其生物学功能

LKB1基因是一种保守的抑癌基因,其编码产物LKB1即丝氨酸-苏氨酸激酶11(serine/threonine kinase,STK11)。LKB1与细胞极性调节、男性精子形成、肿瘤及细胞代谢等方面有关。本文阐述了近年来LKB1的最新研究进展。     

骨形态发生蛋白在神经系统中的表达和功能研究进展

近年来,骨形态发生蛋白（bone morphogenetic proteins,BMPs）在神经系统中的功能越来越受到人们的关注,现已发现,不同亚型的BMPs在神经系统中的不同区域呈持续性表达,一系列体外和体内动物实验证明BMPs不仅在神经系统发育过程中发挥重要作用,并且在成熟神经系统受到损伤时具有神经保护和神经再生功能,其确切机制有待通过实验进一步阐明。     

Ganglioside GM3 and its biological functions

Metabolism, topology, and possible mechanisms for regulation of the ganglioside GM3 content in the cell are reviewed. Under consideration are biological functions of GM3, such as involvement in cell differentiation, proliferation, oncogenesis, and apoptosis.     

酶法制备壳寡糖及其生物学功能

用正交试验方法考察温度、酶浓度、pH对蜗牛酶降解壳聚糖的影响,筛选蜗牛酶降解壳聚糖的最佳反应条件,采用SDS-PAGE方法分析降解产物,制备具有生物学功能的壳寡糖。用不同浓度的壳寡糖处理人肝癌HepG2细胞,观察细胞形态学变化,MTT法检测壳寡糖对其增殖的影响,琼脂糖凝胶电泳检测DNA变化,流式细胞术检测凋亡率(AR)。结果表明:蜗牛酶降解壳聚糖的产物主要是聚合度为4以上的寡糖,更多的接近壳六糖。最佳反应条件为pH 4.0、温度40℃、酶和底物质量比为4∶50;壳寡糖质量浓度在2~4 mg/mL时,对HepG2细胞增殖有抑制效应,细胞经壳寡糖处理48 h后,开始空泡化,DNA出现明显的凋亡条带,AR明显高于对照组。在最佳反应条件下蜗牛酶能较好地降解壳聚糖,制备的壳寡糖在一定浓度范围内能通过诱导HepG2细胞发生凋亡而抑制其增殖,其作用呈浓度依赖性。     

赖氨酸特异性组蛋白去甲基化酶1作用机制及其生物学功能的研究进展

与其他化学修饰,如乙酰化、磷酸化、泛素化等相似,组蛋白赖氨酸甲基化是一个可以逆转的组蛋白修饰,是一个动态调节的过程。赖氨酸特异性组蛋白去甲基化酶1（lysine specific demethylase 1,LSD1）是一个黄素腺嘌呤二核苷酸（flavin adenine dinulcleotide,FAD）依赖性胺氧化酶,它能够特异性脱去H3K4和H3K9位点上的单甲基化和二甲基化的甲基基团。LSD1参与调控核受体介导的基因转录,并分别维持染色质的活性和非活性状态,被誉为细胞深处的基因＂开关＂。LSD1的功能失衡可引发多种重要生命现象的改变。主要综述LSD1的结构、作用机制及其在肿瘤发生、胚胎发育、体细胞重编程的调控、细胞分裂和造血等过程中生物学功能的研究新进展。     

冷诱导RNA结合蛋白的生物学功能研究进展

冷诱导RNA结合蛋白(cold inducible RNA-binding protein, CIRP)是在哺乳动物细胞中发现的首种冷应激或冷休克蛋白,伴随冷应激过程过量表达.研究证明,CIRP无论是在核酸结构上,还是在氨基酸结构上都是高度保守的,具有较高的同源性,其细胞定位和生理功能可能具有组织特异性;CIRP不仅具有介导冷诱导的细胞生长抑制作用,而且可能参与人和动物渗透应激、紫外线照射应激、缺氧应激、生殖、神经发育与调节、胚胎发育、肿瘤发生,以及动物冬眠等多种生理过程.因此,深入开展CIRP的功能性研究和应用性研究具有重要的基础研究价值和临床医学应用前景.     

No death without life: vital functions of apoptotic effectors

As a result of the genetic experiments performed in Caenorhabditis elegans, it has been tacitly assumed that the core proteins of the 'apoptotic machinery' (CED-3, -4, -9 and EGL-1) would be solely involved in cell death regulation/execution and would not exert any functions outside of the cell death realm. However, multiple studies indicate that the mammalian orthologs of these C. elegans proteins (i.e. caspases, Apaf-1 and multidomain proteins of the Bcl-2 family) participate in cell death-unrelated processes. Similarly, loss-of-function mutations of ced-4 compromise the mitotic arrest of DNA-damaged germline cells from adult nematodes, even in a context in which the apoptotic machinery is inoperative (for instance due to mutations of egl-1 or ced-3). Moreover, EGL-1 is required for the activation of autophagy in starved nematodes. Finally, the depletion of caspase-independent death effectors, such as apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and endonuclease G, provokes cell death-independent consequences, both in mammals and in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). These results corroborate the conjecture that any kind of protein that has previously been specifically implicated in apoptosis might have a phylogenetically conserved apoptosis-unrelated function, most likely as part of an adaptive response to cellular stress.     

类胡萝卜素的生物合成途径及生物学功能研究进展

类胡萝卜素具有重要的生物学功能,一直是研究的热点。综述近十年来对植物类胡萝卜素的生物合成途径,并对其生物学功能参与光系统的组装、非光化学猝灭、基因表达、抗氧化性和维持膜的稳定性等五个方面的研究进展作一介绍。     

N-acylation of phosphatidylethanolamine and its biological functions in mammals

N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine (NAPE) and N-acylplasmenylethanolamine (pNAPE) are widely found phospholipids, and they are precursors for N-acylethanolamines, a group of compounds that has a variety of biological effects and encompasses the endocannabinoid anandamide. NAPE and pNAPE are synthesized by the transfer of an acyl chain from a donor phospholipid, to the amine in phosphatidylethanolamine or plasmenylethanolamine. NAPE has been reported to stabilize model membranes during brain ischemia, and to modulate food intake in rodents, thus having bioactive effects besides its precursor role. This paper reviews the metabolism, occurrence and assay of NAPE and pNAPE, and discusses the putative biological functions in mammals of these phospholipids. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Phospholipids and Phospholipid Metabolism.     

Ubiquitous expression and imprinting of Snrpn in the mouse

Snrpn is known to be abundantly expressed in rodent brain and heart, and in two separate studies with neonatal mouse brain it has been shown to be maternally imprinted, that is, the maternal allele is normally repressed. We now provide evidence on the expression profile and imprinting status of Snrpn throughout development. Using RT-PCR, we have established that Snrpn is further expressed at low levels in lung, liver, spleen, kidney, skeletal muscle, and gonads. Moreover, using mice with only maternal copies of Snrpn (maternal duplication for the chromosome region involved and parthenogenotes), we have shown that the gene is imprinted in all of these tissues and, generally, from the time the gene is first expressed at 7.5 days gestation. In contrast to the findings made with the imprinted genes, Igf2, Ins1, and Ins2, there is no evidence of tissue-specific imprinting in the embryo with Snrpn. Nor, as found with Igf2 and Igf2r, is there evidence of a window of biallelic expression between the germ line imprint and the time of gene repression. The absence of Snrpn expression in early embryos contrasts with the findings in ES cells.