Cloning of a novel murine gene Sfmbt, Scm-related gene containing four mbt domains, structurally belonging to the Polycomb group of genes

We cloned six cDNAs by screening cDNA libraries of cypris larvae from barnacles, Balanus amphitrite, and studied their expression by Northern blot analysis. All of them are expressed in the cypris larvae at the settlement stage, but not in the earlier nauplii larvae nor in later adult barnacles. Therefore, we designated them as barnacle cypris larva-specific genes (bcs); bcs-1, bcs-2, bcs-3, bcs-4, bcs-5 and bcs-6. During the process of larval attachment and metamorphosis, the amounts of bcs-1 and bcs-2 mRNAs decreased, whereas the bcs-3, bcs-4, bcs-5 and bcs-6 mRNAs increased. A homology search showed that all cDNAs encode novel peptides containing characteristic amino acid sequences. This study strongly suggests that these bcs gene products are involved in the cypris larval attachment and metamorphosis of barnacles.     

鲤稚鱼耳石锶标记效果

对鲤稚鱼开展了不同浸泡浓度和不同标记时间梯度的SrCl₂·6H₂O暴露标记试验,以确认其耳石Sr标记的可行性及基本条件.首先,基于4个浓度(0、4、8、12 mg·L^-1)水平的SrCl₂·6H₂O溶液,浸泡标记2 d来筛选基本浸泡标记浓度.然后,在SrCl₂·6H₂O为8 mg·L^-1浓度下,基于5个浸泡时间(1、2、3、4、5 d)来筛选基本浸泡标记时间.电子探针分布分析结果显示:对照组(0 mg·L^-1)耳石Sr/Ca比值低且稳定,标记组均出现了高Sr/Ca比值区.对照组耳石剖面为均一的低Sr蓝色图谱,而标记组耳石上均有高Sr红色标记环带,且标记成功率为100%.试验期间,标记组和对照组的死亡率、平均全长和平均体质量无显著差异,表明Sr标记对供试鱼无不良影响.由于耳石上清晰、完整的高Sr红色标记环带出现在标记浓度为8 mg·L^-1及以上,标记时间为2 d及以上,故建议分别选择8 mg·L^-1和2 d为基本浸泡标记浓度和基本浸泡标记时间.本研究证实耳石Sr标记技术对鲤稚鱼具有很好的可行性.     

Early larval development and metamorphosis in the summer flounder: changes in per cent whole-body water content and effects of altered thyroid status

At the end of premetamorphosis, summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus larvae had 84·1% whole-body water content (WBW), which decreased to the lowest levels (8·5%) at the start of metamorphic climax (MC). During mid- and late MC, %WBW was slightly higher (82·1%) then returned to the lowest levels at the juvenile stage. In fish treated with thyroxine (T₄-Na salt, 100 ng ml⁻¹) beginning at premetamophosis, %WBW never differed from controls of the same age throughout metamorphosis, despite an earlier start of metamorphic climax and transitional settling behaviour. This suggests that thyroid hormones do not mediate the drop in %WBW which accompanies natural metamorphosis. Thiourea (TU, 30 μg ml⁻¹) treatment of fish over the same period induced a developmental stasis in early MC which was accompanied by initially higher %WBW than controls at 33 days post-hatch, followed by a progressive decrease to abnormally low %WBW by 42 and 45 days post-hatch. Since concurrent treatment with TU+T₄ rescued the fish from both the TU-induced developmental stasis and abnormally low %WBW, these findings suggest that thyroid hormones, or thyroid hormone-mediated developmental progression, are necessary for regulating %WBW.     

Expression profiles of two novel lipoxygenase genes in Populus deltoides

In the present study, we cloned two lipoxygenase genes, PdLOX1 and PdLOX2 (GenBank accession no. DQ131178, DQ131179), from Populus deltoides cv. ‘Lux’ (I-69/55). A prokaryotic expression analysis of PdLOX1 and PdLOX2 revealed that the encoded exogenous proteins were identical to the predicted molecular weights and possessed the expected lipoxygenase activities. Chromatogram analysis indicated that the two lipoxygenase mainly possess 13-LOX activity. Phylogenetic analysis of the derived amino acid sequences of known lipoxygenases revealed that PdLOX1 and PdLOX2 were members of the type 2 13-LOX family of genes. This class of lipoxygenases is known to be involved in biotic and abiotic stress. Using real-time RT-PCR, we evaluated PdLOX1 and PdLOX2 expression following exposure to a Poplar fungal pathogen (Marssonina brunnea f. sp. Multigermtubi), mechanical injury, methyl jasmonate (MeJA), or salicylic acid (SA). We report that both PdLOX1 and PdLOX2 expression levels were increased following exposure to M. brunnea f. sp. Multigermtubi, with the pathogen exerting a relatively stronger influence on PdLOX1 expression. Furthermore, expression levels of the two genes were also up-regulated by mechanical damage and exposure to MeJA. In contrast, both PdLOX1 and PdLOX2 expression was down-regulated by SA treatment. We propose that the two novel lipoxygenases may play an important role in Poplar resistance to biotic and abiotic stress.     

Relationships between larval nutritional experience, larval growth rates, juvenile growth rates, and juvenile feeding rates in the prosobranch gastropod Crepidula fornicata

Planktonic larvae experiencing short periods of starvation or reduced food supply often grow and develop more slowly, have poor survival, fail to metamorphose, metamorphose at smaller sizes, or grow slowly as juveniles. In this study, we examined the impact of short periods of food limitation at various stages of larval development on larval and juvenile growth in Crepidula fornicata. In addition, we considered whether juveniles that were stressed as larvae grew poorly because of reduced rates of food collection due to impaired gill function. For 5 experiments, larvae were either starved for several days beginning within 12 h of hatching or were starved for the same number of days following 1 or more days of feeding at full ration (cells of the naked flagellate Isochrysis galbana, clone T-ISO, at 18×10⁴ cells ml⁻¹). In one experiment, larvae were transferred for 2 or 4 days to seawater with extremely low phytoplankton concentration (1×10⁴ cells ml⁻¹). In all experiments, larvae were returned to full ration following treatment. Control larvae were fed full ration from hatching to metamorphosis. When larvae reached shell lengths of about 900 μm they were induced to metamorphose and then reared individually at full ration in glass bowls, with phytoplankton suspension replenished daily. Larval and juvenile growth rates were determined by measuring changes in shell length (longest dimension) over time. Juvenile feeding rates were determined by monitoring changes in phytoplankton concentration over 2–3 h at the end of the growth rate determinations. In general, larval growth rates for the first 2 days after the resumption of feeding were inversely proportional to the length of time that larvae were starved. However, larval growth rates ultimately recovered to control levels in most treatments. Starving the larvae caused a significant reduction in initial juvenile growth rates (first 3–4 days post-metamorphosis) in most experiments even when larval growth rates had recovered to control levels prior to metamorphosis. Juvenile growth rates were not significantly reduced when larvae were subjected to reduced food availability (1×10⁴ cells ml⁻¹), even for treatments in which larval growth rates were compromised. Mean weight-specific filtration rates for juveniles were significantly reduced (p<0.05) following larval feeding experience in only one or possibly 2 of the 4 experiments conducted. Our data suggest that although larvae of C. fornicata may fully recover from early nutritional stress, the resulting juveniles may exhibit poor initial growth due to impaired gill function, reduced digestive capability, or reduced assimilation efficiency.     

Arabidopsis Trithorax histone methyltransferases are redundant in regulating development and DNA methylation

Although the Trithorax histone methyltransferases ATX1–5 are known to regulate development and stress responses by catalyzing histone H3K4 methylation in Arabidopsis thaliana, it is unknown whether and how these histone methyltransferases affect DNA methylation. Here, we found that the redundant ATX1–5 proteins are not only required for plant development and viability but also for the regulation of DNA methylation. The expression and H3K4me3 levels of both RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) genes (NRPE1, DCL3, IDN2, and IDP2) and active DNA demethylation genes (ROS1, DML2, and DML3) were downregulated in the atx1/2/4/5 mutant. Consistent with the facts that the active DNA demethylation pathway mediates DNA demethylationmainly at CG and CHG sites, and that the RdDM pathway mediates DNA methylation mainly at CHH sites, whole-genome DNA methylation analyses showed that hyper-CG and CHG DMRs in atx1/2/4/5 significantly overlapped with those in the DNA demethylation pathway mutant ros1 dml2 dml3 (rdd), and that hypo-CHH DMRs in atx1/2/4/5 significantly overlapped with those in the RdDM mutant nrpe1, suggesting that the ATX paralogues function redundantly to regulate DNA methylation by promoting H3K4me3 levels and expression levels of both RdDM genes and active DNA demethylation genes. Given that the ATX proteins function as catalytic subunits of COMPASS histone methyltransferase complexes, we also demonstrated that the COMPASS complex components function as a whole to regulate DNA methylation. This study reveals a previously uncharacterized mechanism underlying the regulation of DNA methylation.     

蓝光和蛋白酶体抑制剂MG132处理对蛹虫草Cmfrq、Cmwc-1和Cmwc-2转录水平的影响

生物钟的节律振荡器主要成分之间的关系构成了转录-翻译负反馈环,并以此调控生物体的生理生化反应和生长发育等.以不同时间的蓝光照射和蛋白酶体抑制剂MG132处理蛹虫草菌丝体,通过实时荧光PCR分析其中节律振荡器主要成分的3个基因Cmfrq、Cmwc-1和Cmwc-2转录水平变化,以期确定3个基因在蛹虫草中的相互关系和变化规...     

胡杨WINDs基因克隆及功能初步分析*

目的: WIND(WOUND INDUCED DEDIFFERENTIATION),是属于ERF/AP2 (ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR/ APETALA 2)家族的一种重要转录因子,该类基因最早被发现在拟南芥中可以与乙烯响应元件GCC-BOX和脱水响应元件DRE结合,响应干旱信号和调节乙烯水平。最近的研究发现WIND基因在植物伤口信号回应、愈伤组织形成及不定芽的产生过程中也发挥了关键作用。已有的研究阐述了WIND基因在拟南芥中控制愈伤组织形成及不定芽再生的机制,但其在木本植物中的功能尚不明确,将探究WIND基因在胡杨中与伤口信号响应及不定芽再生相关的功能,同时为在分子水平上解决胡杨再生问题提供理论依据。方法: 采用基因克隆、qRT-PCR、转基因表型分析等方法研究WIND基因在胡杨外植体伤口响应和再生不定芽过程中的作用。结果: 克隆胡杨WIND家族中的基因PeWIND1和PeWIND2,发现其编码区序列长度分别为1 050 bp和1 032 bp,编码349个和343个氨基酸,亚细胞定位均在细胞核中。组织特异性分析显示PeWIND1和PeWIND2在胡杨根、茎、叶、愈伤组织中均有表达,且在愈伤组织中表达量最高。时间表达特异性显示,在经伤口刺激后的24 h内,PeWIND1和PeWIND2基因均呈现先升高后降低的表达趋势,且均在伤口刺激后1 h达到表达量峰值。转基因植株表型统计发现,过表达PeWIND1和PeWIND2基因后转基因植株不定芽再生能力增强。结论: 在胡杨叶片有伤口刺激后,PeWIND1和PeWIND2响应伤口信号,表达量先升高后降低,PeWIND1和PeWIND2能够促进杨树茎段再生不定芽。     

Recombinant flounder growth hormone from Escherichia coli: overexpression, efficient recovery, and growth-promoting effect on juvenile flounder by oral administration

An efficient production method for recombinant flounder growth hormone (r-fGH) from Escherichia coli was developed and the biological activity of purified r-fGH was examined using juvenile flounder. The use of bicistronic construction in the expression plasmid resulted in the production of over 40% of the E. coli cellular protein as r-fGH. The r-fGH was recovered from cell lysates following inclusion body washing, solubilization and refolding in sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) solution, and removal of contaminated proteins with secondary butanol treatment. The SDS content in purified r-fGH solution was adjusted to appropriate levels by diafiltration. More than 47% of the r-fGH was recovered from the E. coli cell lysates and the purity of recovered r-fGH was 98%. The oral administration of purified r-fGH to juvenile flounder, once a week for 4 weeks at a dosage of 40 μg r-fGH g⁻¹ fish body weight, resulted in significant increases both in weight and length. These results of overexpression, simple purification with high recovery yield and purity, and good growth-promoting activity of the r-fGH suggest that the production scheme described in this study is useful for the potential application of r-fGH in fish farming.     

甜菊醇糖苷生物合成关键基因的导入和鉴定分析

甜叶菊（Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni）生产的甜菊醇糖苷因具有高甜度、低热能、不参与人体内代谢兼具保健功能等特点,被誉为最有发展前途的新糖源。从甜叶菊叶片克隆了甜菊醇糖苷生物合成途径中的关键基因SrUGT85C2、SrUGT91D2m和SrUGT76G1,构建植物基因过量表达载体,以单独或组合的形式将这些基因导入到甜叶菊中,获得转基因植株。与野生型对照植株相比,单独导入SrUGT85C2的转基因植株中甜菊醇单糖苷含量提高,总糖苷、莱包迪苷A含量及占比没有明显变化;单独导入SrUGT91D2m的转基因植株中甜菊醇单糖苷含量显著降低,而甜菊醇双糖苷含量显著增加;单独导入SrUGT76G1的转基因植株中,总糖苷含量显著提高,莱包迪苷A含量达到10%以上,比对照提高了2倍,而甜菊糖苷含量减少了一半。3个基因组合同时导入的转基因甜叶菊植株与单独导入SrUGT76G1的转基因甜叶菊植株类似,其总糖苷、莱包迪苷A含量及其占比均显著提高。这些结果为以后通过分子生物学技术来调控甜菊醇糖苷生物合成关键基因的表达,培育莱包迪苷A含量高的高品质甜叶菊新品系提供了理论依据和技术方法。     

Impaired expression of the mPer2 circadian clock gene in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of aging mice

The expression of circadian clock genes was investigated in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of young adult and old laboratory mice. Samples were taken at two time points, which corresponded to the expected maximum (circadian time 7 [CT7]) or minimum (CT21) of mPer mRNA expression. Whereas the young mice had a stable and well-synchronized circadian activity/rest cycle, the rhythms of old animals were less stable and were phase advanced. The expression of mPer1 mRNA and mPer2 mRNA was rhythmic in both groups, with peak values at CT7. The levels of mClock and mCry1 mRNA were not different depending on the time of day and did not vary with age. In contrast, an age-dependent difference was found in the case of mPer2 (but not mPer1) mRNA expression, with the maximum at CT7 significantly lower in old mice. The decreased expression of mPer2 may be relevant for the observed differences in the overt activity rhythm of aged mice. (Chronobiology International, 18(3), 559-565, 2001)     

Genomic organization of four β-1,4-endoglucanase genes in plant-parasitic cyst nematodes and its evolutionary implications

The genomic organization of genes encoding β-1,4-endoglucanases (cellulases) from the plant-parasitic cyst nematodes Heterodera glycines and Globodera rostochiensis (HG-eng1, Hg-eng2, GR-eng1, and GR-eng2) was investigated. HG-eng1 and GR-eng1 both contained eight introns and structural domains of 2151 and 2492 bp, respectively. HG-eng2 and GR-eng2 both contained seven introns and structural domains of 2324 and 2388 bp, respectively. No significant similarity in intron sequence or size was observed between HG-eng1 and HG-eng2, whereas the opposite was true between GR-eng1 and GR-eng2. Intron positions among all four cyst nematode cellulase genes were conserved identically in relation to the predicted amino acid sequence. HG-eng1, GR-eng1, and GR-eng2 had several introns demarcated by 5′-GC…AG-3′ in the splice sites, and all four nematode cellulase genes had the polyadenylation and cleavage signal sequence 5′-GAUAAA-3′—both rare occurences in eukaryotic genes. The 5′- flanking regions of each nematode cellulase gene, however, had signature sequences typical of eukaryotic promoter regions, including a TATA box, bHLH-type binding sites, and putative silencer, repressor, and enhancer elements. Database searches and subsequent phylogenetic comparison of the catalytic domain of the nematode cellulases placed the nematode genes in one group, with Family 5, subfamily 2, glycosyl hydrolases from Scotobacteria and Bacilliaceae as the most homologous groups. The overall amino acid sequence identity among the four nematode cellulases was from 71 to 83%, and the amino acid sequence identity to bacterial Family 5 cellulases ranged from 33 to 44%. The eukaryotic organization of the four cyst nematode cellulases suggests that they share a common ancestor, and their strong homology to prokaryotic glycosyl hydrolases may be indicative of an ancient horizontal gene transfer.     

Cadherin-17 is required to maintain pronephric duct integrity during zebrafish development

The characterization of DNA puff BhC4-1 expression was extended and its response to 20-hydroxyecdysone investigated in Bradysia hygida and in transgenic Drosophila carrying the BhC4-1 gene. In both organisms the activation of BhC4-1 in salivary glands occurs at the end of the larval stage coinciding with the peak in ecdysone titers which induces metamorphosis. Injections of 20-hydroxyecdysone into mid-fourth instar larvae of B. hygida show that the induction of BhC4-1 expression, as well as amplification and puff C4 expansion, are late events induced by the hormone. This late response of BhC4-1 expression was also observed in transgenic salivary glands cultivated in the presence of 20-hydroxyecdysone. In vitro studies using transgenic Drosophila indicate that both repressor and activator factors regulate the timing of BhC4-1 expression in salivary glands.