Tail morphogenesis in the ascidian, Ciona intestinalis, requires cooperation between notochord and muscle

We present evidence that notochord and muscle differentiation are crucial for morphogenesis of the ascidian tail. We developed a novel approach for embryological manipulation of the developing larval tissues using a simple method to introduce DNA into Ciona intestinalis and the several available tissue-specific promoters. With such promoters, we misexpressed the Xenopus homeobox gene bix in notochord or muscle of Ciona embryos as a means of interfering with development of these tissues. Ciona embryos expressing bix in the notochord from the 64-cell stage develop into larvae with very short tails, in which the notochord precursors fail to intercalate and differentiate. Larvae with mosaic expression of bix have intermediate phenotypes, in which a partial notochord is formed by the precursor cells that did not receive the transgene while the precursors that express the transgene cluster together and fail to undergo any of the cell-shape changes associated with notochord differentiation. Muscle cells adjacent to differentiated notochord cells are properly patterned, while those next to the notochord precursor cells transformed by bix exhibit various patterning defects. In these embryos, the neural tube extends in the tail to form a nerve cord, while the endodermal strand fails to enter the tail region. Similarly, expression of bix in muscle progenitors impairs differentiation of muscle cells, and as a result, notochord cells fail to undergo normal extension movements. Hence, these larvae have a shorter tail, due to a block in the elongation of the notochord. Taken together, these observations suggest that tail formation in ascidian larvae requires not only signaling from notochord to muscle cells, but also a "retrograde" signal from muscle cells to notochord.     

蔗茅EfMYB1基因的克隆与表达分析

为了充分利用蔗茅(Erianthus fulvus)野生资源,挖掘其优良的抗性基因,丰富转基因甘蔗育种候选基因库,该研究结合蔗茅转录组数据,以蔗茅99 1无性系为试验材料,利用RT PCR技术克隆蔗茅MYB基因,并对其进行生物信息学分析及胁迫表达分析,以解析蔗茅的耐寒机理,为转基因甘蔗育种奠定理论基础。结果表明：(1)成功克隆得到一个蔗茅MYB基因,命名为EfMYB1基因(登录号ON586646)。(2)生物信息学分析表明,EfMYB1基因全长1 000 bp,ORF为759 bp,编码251个氨基酸;编码蛋白具有一个保守的SANT结构域,无跨膜结构和信号肽,有多个磷酸化位点;二级结构与三级结构主要以α螺旋和无规则卷曲为主;与南荻相似性最高,遗传距离最近。(3)qRT PCR分析结果发现,EfMYB1基因在蔗茅根和叶组织中的相对表达量随低温胁迫时间的持续而逐渐显著上调,并于胁迫72 h时达到最大值,而在茎中的表达则几乎没有变化;茉莉酸甲酯胁迫下,EfMYB1基因的相对表达量呈先升高后降低的趋势,且在处理6 h时达到最高值;脱落酸胁迫下EfMYB1基因的表达水平较0 h时极显著降低。研究认为,EfMYB1基因属于低温胁迫响应基因,可能参与蔗茅低温胁迫下的应答反应。     

松材线虫galectin-1基因的克隆、原核表达和表达模式分析

【目的】galectin-1是凝集素的一种,广泛存在于各种生物体内,在生长发育、免疫调节方面起重要作用。本研究克隆和表达了松材线虫的galectin-1蛋白,并分析了各个龄期的表达量。【方法】设计引物,扩增松材线虫的galectin-1基因,使用双酶切的方法连接p ET-28a载体和目的基因,转化到大肠杆菌DH5α感受态细胞,筛选阳性克隆;在不同温度下,用不同浓度的异丙基-β-D-硫代半乳糖苷(IPTG)诱导表达,Western blot检验蛋白表达情况;采用RT-PCR技术检验松材线虫各个龄期galectin-1基因的表达情况。【结果】由SMART和Predict Protein软件分析可知,该蛋白有2个结构域,并且主要由无规卷曲和β折叠构成;生物学信息分析显示,松材线虫的galectin-1与小卷蛾斯氏线虫的相似性更高;与日本血吸虫相比,线虫能很好地聚集在一个分支上。Western blot检测纯化蛋白大小与查询所得蛋白分子质量一致。RT-q PCR结果显示,以繁殖型2龄松材线虫(L_2)为对照,galectin-1基因在繁殖型3龄(L_3)、繁殖型4龄(L_4)、扩散型3龄(L_(Ⅲ))和扩散型4龄(L_(Ⅳ))松材线虫中的表达量高,尤其是在LⅢ中的表达量最高;雌雄成虫没有显著性差异。【结论】松材线虫的galectin-1基因在p ET-28a原核表达系统中呈可溶性表达,在不同龄期的表达量有差异。本研究为进一步研究松材线虫的galectin-1基因奠定了基础,为松材线虫的防治提供了新的方向。     

Structure of multinucleated smooth muscle cells of the ascidian Halocynthia roretzi

Summary Cells isolated from ascidian smooth muscle were about 1.5–2 mm in length. Each contained 20–40 nucle in proportion to cell length. The cytoplasm was characterized by the presence of an enormous quantity of glycogen particles, tubular elements of sarcoplasmic reticulum coupled to the cell membrane, and conspicuous contractile elements. Thick and thin filaments had diameters of about 14–16 nm and 6–7 nm, respectively. The population density of the thick filaments was much higher (mean 270/m² filament area) than in vertebrate smooth muscles. The ratio of thick to thin filaments was about 16. All the thick filaments were surrounded by a single row of 5–9 thin filaments forming a rosette, and cross-bridges with periodicities of 14.5 and 29 nm were found between them. The contractile apparatus consisted of numerous myofibrils which were arranged nearly along the cell axis and were separated from each other by a network of 10-nm filaments. The myofibrils further consisted of many irregularly arranged sarcomerelike structures, each of which was comprised of a small group of thick and thin filaments with attached dense bodies.     

牛流行热病毒G1抗原表位基因在大肠杆菌中的表达、纯化及抗原性鉴定

从包含牛流行热病毒G蛋白基因的质粒pMD-G中克隆G1抗原表位区基因,与表达载体pGEX-4T-1连接,成功构建重组质粒pGEX-G₁。重组质粒转化BL21（DE3）,以IPTG进行诱导,并确定了最佳表达条件的IPTG浓度为0.1mmol/L、反应温度为16℃、诱导时间为18h。可溶性表达的目的蛋白经Glutathione Sepharose TM^4B介质纯化,纯度达80%;以包涵体形式存在的重组蛋白以2%的脱氧胆酸钠洗涤、0.5%的N-十二烷基肌氨酸钠溶解、透析复性、Glutathione Sepharose TM^4B纯化后,纯度达85%以上。Western blot试验表明纯化的目的蛋白有良好的反应原性。经间接ELISA检测,测得牛流行热病毒12份阳性血清的OD490值平均为1.813±0.231,12份阴性血清的OD490值平均为0.359±0.032,差异极显著（P<0.01）。将重组蛋白作为抗原免疫兔子,试验兔均产生了高滴度的抗体,证实该蛋白有免疫原性。将目的蛋白作为包被抗原,测得8份狂犬病病毒阳性血清的OD490值平均为0.324±0.031,与所测12份阴性血清的OD490值接近,说明不存在交叉反应。以上结果均证实纯化后的重组蛋白有良好的生物学活性和特异性,可作为包被抗原,开发ELISA试剂盒。     

A long region upstream of the IME1 gene regulates meiosis in yeast

Summary Meiosis and sporulation in yeast are subject to two types of regulation. The first depends on environmental conditions. The second depends on a genetic pathway which involves the control of the positive regulatory gene IME1 by RME1, which is in turn controlled by the MAT locus. The presence of IME1 on a multicopy plasmid enables cells to undergo meiosis regardless of their genotype at MAT or RME1. We show here that a multicopy plasmid carrying IME1 also enables meiosis, regardless of the environment. Therefore, both kinds of regulation appear to act through IME1. Furthermore, the behavior of multicopy plasmids carrying various segments from the IME1 region suggests that the region upstream of IME1 contains both positive and negative regulatory sites. Control of IME1 by the environment and by the MAT pathway both act through negative regulatory sites.