筛选代表小鼠植入前胚胎紧密化相关基因的EST

分别收集181及241枚昆明白小鼠8细胞早期胚胎及8细胞紧密化胚胎,采用SMART PCR方法直接合成胚胎双链cDNA.进而运用抑制消减杂交技术(SSH)对8细胞早期胚胎及8细胞紧密化胚胎的基因表达进行研究,并将所获得的差异表达产物按片段大小分段分离纯化后克隆入pUCm-T载体中,经PCR鉴定后挑选阳性克隆进行测序,筛选出27个代表8细胞早期胚胎和紧密化8细胞胚胎差别表达基因的cDNA片段;经与GenBank中收录的序列进行同源性匹配分析,证实其中17个eDNA片段为新的EST,提交GenBank后被接受并给予了新序列编号.这1 7个片段均可能为与紧密化密切相关的新基因的表达片段,为今后进一步克隆新的紧密化相关基因的全长cDNA及后续新基因的结构和功能研究打下基础.通过采用不同长度大小片段分别克隆的方法,可获得较长片段的EST,避免差异表达大片段的丢失.     

筛选代表小鼠植入前胚胎紧密化相关基因的EST

分别收集181及241枚昆明白小鼠8细胞早期胚胎及8细胞紧密化胚胎,采用SMART PCR方法直接合成胚胎双链cDNA。进而运用抑制消减杂交技术（SSH）对8细胞早期胚胎及8细胞紧密化胚胎的基因表达进行研究,并将所获得的差异表达产物按片段大小分段分离纯化后克隆入pUCm-T载体中,经PCR鉴定后挑选阳性克隆进行测序,筛选出27个代表8细胞早期胚胎和紧密化8细胞胚胎差别表达基因的cDNA片段;经与GenBank中收录的序列进行同源性匹配分析,证实其中17个cDNA片段为新的EST,提交GeneBank后被接受并给予了新序列编号。这17个片段均可能为与紧密化密切相关的新基因的表达片段,为进一步克隆新的紧密化相关基因的全长cDNA及后续新基因的结构和功能研究打下基础。通过采用不同长度大小片段分别克隆的方法,可获得较长片段的EST,避免差异表达大片段的丢失。Abstract: A total of 181 8-cell embryos and 241 8-cell compacted embryos were collected respectively from Kunmingbai mouse and their cDNA was synthesized directly using SMART PCR. Genes, which expressed differently between early 8-cell embryos and 8-cell compacted embryos, were investigated using the method of suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH). Then PCR production was cloned into pUCm-T vector respectively according to the size after isolated and purified. Twenty-seven ESTs (expressed sequence tags ) of genes expressed differently between early 8-cell embryos and 8-cell compacted embryos have been isolated and cloned. seventeen of those were novel ESTs after being confirmed by blaster matching in GenBank for homology analysis. And they were banked into GenBank with accession numbers. All 17 ESTs might be for novel genes related to compaction in compacted embryos. And longer ESTs may be obtained by cloning according to the size.     

小鼠植入前胚胎紧密化相关基因Crg1的克隆

从已获得的运用抑制消减杂交技术(Suppression Subtractive Hybridization,SSH)分离、克隆和筛选代表8-细胞早期胚胎和紧密化8-细胞胚胎差别表达基因的ESTs片段(GenBank登录号：BQ740263、BQ740251)入手,经比较二者的同源性发现这两个EST末端反向互补,拼接成一个cDNA片段,经分析此序列包含一个完整的阅读框,提交给GenBank,登录号为AY134859。根据此序列设计引物从小鼠8-细胞紧密化胚胎cDNA中经PCR扩增出目的片段,克隆入pUCm—T载体后测序而获得全长cDNA,为小鼠植入前胚胎紧密化相关基因Crg1,分析比较证明Crg1基因与AY134859基本吻合。Crg1基因的cDNA全长为810bp,只有一个外显子,编码由150个氨基酸组成,分子量理论值为17．67kD的蛋白质。与最新的小鼠基因组工作草图进行电子杂交,该基因被定位在小鼠的14号染色体上。RT—PCR实验证明在小鼠植入前各个时期的胚胎、小鼠胚胎干细胞中均有表达,在小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞中没有表达。半定量RT—PCR实验证明Crg1基因在紧密化胚胎中表达较8—细胞胚胎高。采用Northern—blot手段分析Crg1基因在成年小鼠的8种组织中的表达情况,结果表明该基因只在小鼠卵巢中有微弱的表达,转录本大小为1．2kh,而在成年小鼠的脑、心脏、肾、睾丸、肝脏、肺、脾等中没有表达。研究表明,Crg1基因可能与小鼠胚胎紧密化及保持细胞的全能性相关。     

皮层蛋白介导斑马鱼(Danio rerio)原肠化细胞运动

在胚胎发育过程中, 细胞运动对指导原肠期胚胎细胞的时空定位并决定其发育命运具有核心作用, 然而活体状态下原肠化过程中细胞运动的调控机制目前并不清楚. 微丝结合蛋白皮层蛋白(cortactin)是微丝核化过程的重要调控分子, 它通过激活微丝相关蛋白2/3复合物(Arp2/3 complex)促进微丝在细胞前导缘区域迅速组装, 从而直接作用于细胞运动. 为阐明斑马鱼(Danio rerio)原肠化细胞运动的分子调控机制, 本研究首先检测了皮层蛋白在斑马鱼胚胎发育过程的表达水平. Western blotting分析证明皮层蛋白在斑马鱼原肠期胚胎中大量表达; 整装胚胎抗体染色结果表明在斑马鱼原肠化过程中, 皮层蛋白主要分布于胚胎背侧胚盾区域的细胞中, 在发生活跃运动的上皮层细胞和下皮层细胞中含量较高;在亚细胞水平, 皮层蛋白和Arp2/3复合物共同定位于运动的皮层区域, 并在细胞连接处也有大量分布. 此外, 研究还发现皮层蛋白在发育中的中枢神经系统中表达量较高. 本研究结果首次表明皮层蛋白和Arp2/3复合物介导的微丝聚合参予了斑马鱼原肠化细胞运动, 并在中枢神经系统发育中扮演重要角色.     

蛋白激酶Cα在小鼠孤雌及四倍体胚胎早期发育过程中的分布和作用

为了观察蛋白激酶Cα(protein kinase Cα,PKCα在昆明白小鼠受精卵、孤雌激活和四倍体胚胎早期发育阶段的亚细胞定位和致密化进程中的表达变化,本实验利用免疫荧光化学染色与激光共聚焦显微镜观察相结合的方法,对受精卵、孤雌激活和四倍体胚胎早期发育阶段PKCα的表达进行了定位观察,并利用Western blot对三组胚胎致密化进程中PKCα的表达进行定量分析.结果显示,PKCα在上述三组胚胎发育的2-细胞期至囊胚期均有表达,虽然不同胚胎PKCα的分布在同一发育阶段存在差异,却表现出在各胚胎期主要分布于卵裂球核染色质内,以及在胚胎致密化开始,PKCα在卵裂球连接处发生重新分布的共同特点.此外,三组胚胎PKCα在致密化进程中的表达呈升高趋势,即致密化后的表达高于敛密化前.结果表明,PKCct对胚胎致密化的调节具有重要作用,其在8-细胞/4-细胞期的重新分布是胚胎进入桑椹胚期的必然事件,是胚胎致密化的前提,同时伴随蛋白表达增多.此外,PKCα在囊胚期发生了植入前的第二次重新分布.PKCα在三组胚胎各发育阶段表达情况各不相同,它对小鼠胚胎发育的影响体现在整个早期发育阶段.PKCα在小鼠受精卵早期发育阶段的两次重新分布可能与在致密化开始时启动的细胞黏附事件存在某种必然联系.     

密闭培养条件下小鼠早期胚胎Igf2/H19印迹调控区甲基化状态分析

胚胎密闭培养是空间胚胎发育研究的基本条件.本文主要研究密闭培养条件对小鼠早期胚胎发育过程中印迹基因Igf2/H19的印迹调控区(ICR)甲基化水平的影响.应用亚硫酸氢盐测序法(BSP)分析小鼠2-细胞胚胎在密闭条件下分别培养24h、48h和72h后,相对应的发育阶段胚胎Igf2/H19的ICR甲基化水平,以常规体外培养和体内发育的各阶段胚胎为对照.结果显示,密闭培养条件下,小鼠8-细胞胚胎、桑葚胚和囊胚的Igf2/H19的ICR甲基化水平都低于常规体外培养的结果,且更明显低于体内发育的结果;同时发现,小鼠8-细胞胚胎密闭培养时,Igf2/H19的ICR甲基化水平最低.由此可见,密闭培养会引起小鼠植入前各发育阶段胚胎Igf2/H19的ICR甲基化水平降低,并证明Igf2/H19的ICR甲基化水平可以作为监测哺乳动物早期胚胎发育状况的分子指标.     

前蛋白转换酶Furin和PC7在小鼠母胎界面的动态表达及其在胚胎粘附和扩展中的作用

通过免疫组化、免疫荧光和小鼠胚胎-子宫内膜上皮细胞共培养体系,研究了前蛋白转换酶Proprotein Convertases (PCs)家族中的Furin和PC7在小鼠妊娠早期子宫和胚胎中的表达及对胚胎植入的影响.结果显示:Furin和PC7在妊娠D1-D4小鼠子宫的腺上皮和D5-D7小鼠子宫的蜕膜、腺上皮高表达;PC7在植入前胚胎的2-细胞和4-细胞期表达很低,8-细胞期表达开始增加,囊胚期滋养外胚层有显著的高表达.Furin的抑制剂Dec-RVKR-CMK可显著抑制共培养体系中胚胎的粘附和扩展.以上结果表明,Furin在植入期胚胎的粘附和扩展中发挥重要作用.此外,Furin和PC7可能参与子宫内膜蜕膜化和早期胚胎发育.     

山羊早期胚胎发育的超微结构研究

本实验以促卵泡刺激素(FSH)进行超排处理所得的胚胎为材料,首次对山羊附植前胚胎发育过程中的超微结构变化进行了系统的研究。结果表明:(1)在桑椹期以前,胚胎中大都为带帽线粒体,从此期开始这种线粒体明显减少;从四细胞期开始,出现基质浅具横嵴的线粒体,且以后各期逐步增多。具横嵴的线粒体可能由带帽线粒体的帽状泡消失后转变而来。(2)核仁从四细胞期开始网状化,以后网状化程度逐步增强,颗粒部明显增加。(3)间隙连结最早形成于4细胞期,紧密连结和桥粒分别从8细胞期开始出现。     

胚胎干细胞体外分化心肌细胞的研究

胚胎干细胞是从动物胚胎内细胞团分离的具有全能性的细胞.研究证明分离的小鼠胚胎干细胞在体外可以分化成心肌细胞,这一发现为小鼠胚胎干细胞向各种特化心脏细胞(动脉样细胞、血管样细胞、窦样细胞、心室样细胞、蒲肯野氏样细胞)分化提供了依据,使基因功能的研究在体外成为可能.1998年末人类ES细胞的成功培养奠定了心脏细胞的再生性治疗的战略基础.主要综述了目前ES细胞体外分化心肌细胞的进程,讨论了此进程对心脏基因研究的促进作用.     

维持胚胎干细胞生物学特性的分子调控机制

胚胎干(embryonic stem,ES)细胞来源于植入前的胚胎.在体外培养条件下,可保持分化成机体各种类型细胞的能力,即全能性.因此,胚胎干细胞被广泛用作研究胚胎发生、发育的细胞模型,也是目前开展细胞移植性治疗研究的重要来源.揭示维持ES细胞自我更新和全能性的分子调控机制,是ES细胞基础研究和临床治疗基础研究的重要领域.目前研究发现,不同的信号通路、转录因子及其通过激活ES细胞特异性表达谱对维持ES细胞多能性、自我更新发挥关键作用。     

Grassland cutting regimes affect soil properties, and consequently vegetation composition and belowground plant traits

Background and aims

Machine mowing, mimicking the traditional hand mowing, is often used as a successful management tool to maintain grassland biodiversity, but few studies have investigated the long-term effects of traditional versus mechanical mowing of plant communities. Machine mowing as opposed to hand mowing causes soil compaction and reduction of soil aeration. In response, we expected strong effects on below-ground plant traits: root aerenchyma formation and superficial root growth, and no specific effects on aboveground traits. Effects were expected to be more pronounced in soils vulnerable to compaction.

Methods

We evaluated the changes in above- and belowground plant traits in a long-term (38-year) experiment with annual hand-mowing and machine-mowing management regimes on two different soil types: a coarse structured sandy soil and a finer structured sandy-organic soil

Results

Only on the organic soil, long-term machine mowing leads to lower soil aeration (more compacted soil) and a marked change in the belowground trait distribution of the plant community. Here we find a higher cover of superficially rooting species and marginally significant lower cover of species without morphological adaptations to soil hypoxia, but no effect on species with a high capacity of forming aerenchyma.

Conclusion

Mowing with heavy machines on soils vulnerable to compaction affect the vegetation according to changes in soil physical conditions. This is reflected in a shift towards communities with greater proportion of superficially rooting species. Our results illustrate the sensitivity of grasslands to slight changes in the management regime.     

Can tissue surface tension drive somite formation?

The prevailing model of somitogenesis supposes that the presomitic mesoderm is segmented into somites by a clock and wavefront mechanism. During segmentation, mesenchymal cells undergo compaction, followed by a detachment of the presumptive somite from the rest of the presomitic mesoderm and the subsequent morphological changes leading to rounded somites. We investigate the possibility that minimization of tissue surface tension drives the somite sculpting processes. Given the time in which somite formation occurs and the high bulk viscosities of tissues, we find that only small changes in shape and form of tissue typically occur through cell movement driven by tissue surface tension. This is particularly true for somitogenesis in the zebrafish. Hence it is unlikely that such processes are the sole and major driving force behind somite formation. We propose a simple chemotactic mechanism that together with heightened adhesion can account for the morphological changes in the time allotted for somite formation.     

Multiple restraints to the unfolding of spermidine nucleoids from Escherichia coli

Bacterial DNA is largely localized in compact bodies known as nucleoids. The structure of the bacterial nucleoid and the forces that maintain its DNA in a highly compact yet accessible form are largely unknown. In the present study, we used urea to cause controlled unfolding of spermidine nucleoids isolated from Escherichia coli to determine factors that are involved in nucleoid compaction. Isolated nucleoids unfolded at approximately 3.2 M urea. Addition of pancreatic RNase reduced the urea concentration for unfolding to approximately 1.8 M urea, indicating a role of RNA in nucleoid compaction. The transitions at approximately 3.2 and approximately 1.8 M urea reflected a RNase-sensitive and a RNase-resistant restraint to unfolding, respectively. Removal of the RNase-sensitive restraint allowed us to test for roles of proteins and supercoiling in nucleoid compaction and structure. The remaining (RNase-resistant) restraints were removed by low NaCl concentrations as well as by urea. To determine if stability would be altered by treatments that caused morphological changes in the nucleoids, transitions were also measured on nucleoids from cells exposed to chloramphenicol; the RNase-sensitive restraint in such nucleoids was stabilized to much higher urea concentrations than that in nucleoids from untreated cells, whereas the RNase-resistant transition appeared unchanged.     

Wheat germ agglutinin induces compaction- and cavitation-like events in two-cell mouse embryos

The lectin wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) has been observed to induce morphological events similar to compaction and cavitation in 2-cell mouse embryos. In vitro exposure of embryos to WGA results in increased apposition between blastomeres and the subsequent formation of a large intercellular cavity. As is the case for cavitation normally associated with blastocyst formation, WGA-induced cavitation can be inhibited by ouabain, suggesting a requirement for ATPase activity. However, WGA-induced effects are not inhibited by cytoskeletal disruptive agents or inhibitors of a variety of synthetic and metabolic functions. WGA may induce the observed effects by triggering the premature onset of developmental events normally involved in the processes of compaction and cavitation or, perhaps, by inducing morphologically similar changes as a result of the crosslinking of cell surface lectin-binding molecules and regional inhibition of ATPase function.     

Theoretical and applied aspects of epigenetic reprogramming in mammalian development

Epigenetic reprogramming implies changes in germ and somatic cells of an embryo, which are the consequences of gene activity regulation by means of DNA methylation, histone modification, and altered chromatin compaction. This suggests that epigenetic changes in mammalian cell nucleus occur during gametogenesis and toti-potent zygote formation. Epigenetic changes proceed during morphological and inductive interactions between cleaving blastomeres and subsequent interactions between the inner cell contents and trophoectoderm, as well as when the germinal layers (blastophyllums) and their derivatives appear, i.e., during the embryonic histogenesis. Some authors assume that in vitro fertilization and consequent human zygote cultivation lead to defects of genomic imprinting. This leads to abnormal embryonic and fetal development and increased incidence of hereditary diseases-Beckwith-Wiederman or Angelman syndromes. The present review, critically considers the facts on which the above hypothesis is based.     

Theoretical and applied aspects of epigenetic reprogramming in mammalian development

Epigenetic reprogramming implies changes in germ and somatic cells of an embryo, which are the consequences of gene activity regulation by means of DNA methylation, histone modification, and altered chromatin compaction. This suggests that epigenetic changes in mammalian cell nucleus occur during gametogenesis and totipotent zygote formation. Epigenetic changes proceed during morphological and inductive interactions between cleaving blastomeres and subsequent interactions between the inner cell contents and trophoectoderm, as well as when the germinal layers (blastophyllums) and their derivatives appear, i.e., during the embryonic histogenesis [1]. Some authors [2–4] assume that in vitro fertilization and consequent human zygote cultivation lead to defects of genomic imprinting [2–4]. This leads to abnormal embryonic and fetal development and increased incidence of hereditary diseases—Beckwith-Wiederman or Angelman syndromes. The present review, critically considers the facts on which the above hypothesis is based.     

Interspecific differences in root architecture among maize and triticale genotypes grown under drought,waterlogging and soil compaction

Environmental stresses (soil compaction, drought, waterlogging) cause changes in plants’ root system structure, also affecting the growth of above-ground parts. The aim of this study was to estimate phenotypic variation among maize and triticale genotypes in root penetration ability through petrolatum-wax-layer (RPA). Also, the effect of shortage or excess of soil water on dry matter of shoots and roots and morphological changes in root system structure in sensitive and resistant maize and triticale genotypes grown in low or high soil compaction level was evaluated. To estimate RPA index, the petrolatum-wax-layer method (PWL) was used. The strength of three petrolatum-wax concentrations 60, 50 and 40 % was 0.52, 1.07 and 1.58 MPa, respectively. High coefficients of variation (CV) were observed in 0.52 and 1.07 MPa and for maize were 19.2 and 21.7 %, and for triticale, 12.5 and 18.3 %, respectively. The data indicate that the use of PWL technique is an effective screening method, and makes it possible to divide the genotypes into resistant and sensitive groups. The second part of this study investigated a multistress effect of soil compaction combined with drought or waterlogging on root and shoot growth and morphological changes in root system structure of maize and triticale genotypes differing in susceptibility to environmental stresses. Seedlings were grown for 4 weeks in root-boxes under conditions of low (LSC 1.1 g cm^?3) or severe (SSC 1.6 g cm^?3) soil compaction. Drought or waterlogging stresses were applied for 2 weeks from 14th to 28th day. In comparison to LSC treatment, in SSC treatment the decrease in dry matter of shoots and roots was greater for sensitive genotypes of maize and triticale (Ancora, CHD-147). Soil drought or waterlogging caused greater decrease of dry matter of shoots and roots in seedlings grown in SSC in comparison to LSC. The root penetration index (RPI) was estimated as a ratio of root dry matter in 15–40 cm root-box layer to total root dry matter. On the basis of RPI it was possible to group the genotypes according to their ability to distribute roots in soil profile. In comparison to LSC, SSC exerted a strong influence on the length of seminal and seminal adventitious roots, as well as the number and length of L- and S-type lateral roots developed on seminal and nodal roots. In both species the restriction effect of soil compaction on number and length of roots was more severe in sensitive (Ankora, CHD-147) than in resistant (Tina, CHD-247) genotypes. The restriction in roots propagation was greater in triticale than in maize. Exposure to drought or waterlogging in the case of genotypes grown in LSC and SSC treatments caused a decrease in number and length of particular components of root system structure. In both species the decrease of root number and length in plants grown under waterlogging was greater than under drought. The observed changes in root system were greater in sensitive (Ankora, CHD147) than in resistant (Tina, CHD-247) genotypes. Statistically significant correlations were found between RPA and RPI and also between these indexes and soil compaction, drought and waterlogging susceptibility indexes. This indicates that genotypes resistant to soil compaction were resistant to drought or waterlogging and also that genotypes resistant to drought were resistant to waterlogging.     

乌龟胚胎发育的研究

根据乌龟胚胎发育过程中形态特征和内部结构的变化,将其胚胎发育从卵产出到幼龟孵出划分为28期。分别描述了各期的主要特征。并就乌龟发育分期的标准,原肠胚的形成,羊膜尾褶和后羊膜管,早期胚胎的自身运动等问题进行了讨论。     

The preservation of ostracod shells in the siliceous chalk of the Danish-Polish Furrow (Baltic Sea)

Summary The number, morphological details and structure of ostracod shells washed from chalk by mechanical disaggregation differ from those in siliceous chalk treated by hydrofluoric acid (HF, conc.). The shells studied are from erratic material (Ger. “Schollen”, “Geschiebe”) of young Quaternary deposits from Nossentin near Malchow/Mecklenburg, NE Germany; Wicko (Vietzig) near Miedzyzdroje (Misdroy), Isle of Wolin/Baltic Sea, NW Poland (Upper Turonian) and from outcropping chalk (Lower Maastrichtian) of the Island of Rügen/Baltic Sea, NE Germany as well as erratic boulders (Upper Maastrichtian), NE Germany. The differences in the number of shells and their state of preservation are primarily caused by biotic and nonbiotic influences after death, e.g. loss of organic substance and shell deformation by low pressure. Greater destruction of the shell and its sculpture is caused by pressure (sedimentary compaction), recrystallization, sparitization and accretine crystallization of the shell calcite during diagenesis. The silification process or origin of flint in chalk is caused by weakly acidic environmental conditions (pH<5) before sedimentary compaction. It is indicated by dispersed pyrite and by well-preserved siliceous radiolarian skeletons. Finely-foliated opal-CT crystals start growing between the crystallites of the ostracod shell, later on forming lepispheres. Silification is early diagenetic, as verified by the well-preserved shell sculpture and structure and the undisturbed bioturbate structure in siliceous nodules.