In silico characterization of the INO80 subfamily of SWI2/SNF2 chromatin remodeling proteins

Proteins belonging to SNF2 family of DNA dependent ATPases are important members of the chromatin remodeling complexes that are implicated in epigenetic control of gene expression. The yeast Ino80, the catalytic ATPase subunit of the INO80 complex, is the most recently described member of the SNF2 family. Outside the conserved ATPase domain, it has very little similarity with other well-characterized SNF2 proteins hence it is believed to represent a new subfamily. We have identified new members of this subfamily in different organisms and have detected characteristic features of this subfamily. Using various data mining tools we have identified a new, previously undetected domain in all members of this subfamily. This domain designated DBINO is characteristic of the INO80 subfamily and is predicted to have DNA-binding function. The presence of this domain in all the INO80 subfamily proteins from different organisms suggests its conserved function in evolution.     

中国中三叠世龙蝎蛉新科的发现(昆虫纲,长翅目)

记述龙蝎蛉新科Drakonochoristidae fam. nov.和1新亚科及其2新属、种和1个老亚科。2新属种的化石标本采自中国陕西铜川中三叠统铜川组下段上部的灰绿色泥岩和页岩。新科性质及其分类位置在文中进行讨论。新科的建立填补这个类群在中国的空白,同时对于小蝎蛉科Nannochoristidae和二叠蝎蛉科Permochoristidae的演化关系的研究有一定的意义。这些新属、种系陕西昆虫群(陕西生物群的一个类别)铜川昆虫组合的新成员。铜川组的时代相当于欧洲拉丁尼期(Ladinian Stage)。     

New taxa in Psoroptinae. Hypothesis on the origin of the group (Acarina, Sarcoptiformes, Psoroptidae)]

The author describes three new species and one new genus in the family Psoroptidae, subfamily Psoroptinae. A key is given to all the known genera of this subfamily. The fact that amongst the 16 species known from Africa South of the Sahara, 9 are endemic incites the author to believe that this group has a Centro-african origin.     

Loxocaudinae: A new subfamily in the ostracod family loxoconchidae

A new Ostracoda subfamily, Loxocaudinae subfam. nov., separated from the subfamily Loxoconchinae of the family Loxoconchidae with five genera (Loxocauda Schornikov, 1969, Glacioloxoconcha Hartmann, 1990, Phlyctocythere Keij, 1958, Pseudoloxoconcha Müller, 1894 and Sarmatina Stancheva, 1984) is described in the paper. The new subfamily differs from Loxoconchinae Sars, 1926 s. str. by the presence of a compact eye, the absence of an eye tubercle, an originally adont hinge with a tendency to formation of an anterior tooth on the left valve and a posterior one on the right valve, a pronounced caudal process and reduction of fossa-mural sculpture. The volume of the genera that are included in the subfamily is determined. A review of 55 various species and forms mentioned in the literature in open nomenclature, whose taxonomic position has not been determined yet is presented. A total of 45 species close to Loxocauda are attributed to the new subfamily, but proper morphological investigations are necessary for their classification. Ten species that were referred earlier to the genera included in Loxocaudinae are excluded from this subfamily. Issues of functional morphology of Loxocaudinae shells and morphological evolution of their sculpture are considered.     

人X染色体含有一个黑色素瘤抗原基因亚家族

肿瘤相关基因的研究是肿瘤基因形成学说的核心内容。肿瘤相关基因家族的研究则是其中的重点和难点,从4－6月孕龄人胎肝cDNA文库中克隆到一个黑色素瘤抗原基因亚家族,称为MAGE－D亚家族,其成员包括3个直系同源体（人MAGE－D1、大鼠SNERG－1和小鼠DLXIN－1）和2个旁系同源体（人MAGE－D和人KIAA1114）。该家族的3个人类成员均定位于染色体Xp11.21-p11.23,同时具有独特的基因组结构。分子进化树分析表明,该家族与已知MAGE－A、－B和－C3个亚家族之间具有明显的进化上分歧。该亚家族的发现为研究肿瘤相关基因新功能提供了重要线索。     

Structural Basis for Dimerization and Catalysis of a Novel Esterase from the GTSAG Motif Subfamily of the Bacterial Hormone-sensitive Lipase Family

Hormone-sensitive lipases (HSLs) are widely distributed in microorganisms, plants, and animals. Microbial HSLs are classified into two subfamilies, an unnamed new subfamily and the GDSAG motif subfamily. Due to the lack of structural information, the detailed catalytic mechanism of the new subfamily is not yet clarified. Based on sequence analysis, we propose to name the new subfamily as the GTSAG motif subfamily. We identified a novel HSL esterase E25, a member of the GTSAG motif subfamily, by functional metagenomic screening, and resolved its structure at 2.05 Å. E25 is mesophilic (optimum temperature at 50 °C), salt-tolerant, slightly alkaline (optimum pH at 8.5) for its activity, and capable of hydrolyzing short chain monoesters (C2–C10). E25 tends to form dimers both in the crystal and in solution. An E25 monomer contains an N-terminal CAP domain, and a classical α/β hydrolase-fold domain. Residues Ser¹⁸⁶, Asp²⁸², and His³¹² comprise the catalytic triad. Structural and mutational analyses indicated that E25 adopts a dimerization pattern distinct from other HSLs. E25 dimer is mainly stabilized by an N-terminal loop intersection from the CAP domains and hydrogen bonds and salt bridges involving seven highly conserved hydrophilic residues from the catalytic domains. Further analysis indicated that E25 also has some catalytic profiles different from other HSLs. Dimerization is essential for E25 to exert its catalytic activity by keeping the accurate orientation of the catalytic Asp²⁸² within the catalytic triad. Our results reveal the structural basis for dimerization and catalysis of an esterase from the GTSAG motif subfamily of the HSL family.     

Catoptinae subfam. n., a new subfamily of carpenter-moths (Lepidoptera,Cossidae)

The new subfamily of Cossidae; Catoptinae Yakovlev, subfam. n., well distinguished from other representatives of the family, is described. The new subfamily includes two genera: Catopta Staudinger, 1899 (type genus) and Chiangmaiana Kemal et Koçak, 2006. A catalogue of the subfamily is presented. One new synonym Catopta hyrcanus (Christoph, 1888) = Catopta brandti Bryk, 1947, syn. n., is established. The new subfamily has the following distinguishing features: short valvae; reduced processes of transtilla; vesica with numerous cornuti; pearshaped bursa copulatrix; and very short ductus bursae.     

广东滩涂经济鱼类寄生吸虫──Ⅲ、单孔科、单脏科和八睾科吸虫的研究(复殖目)

本文对广东滩涂经济鱼类寄生复殖吸虫中的单孔科ＨａｐｌｏｐｏｒｉｄａｅＮｉｃｏｌｌ,１９１４,单胜科ＨａｐｌｏｓｐｌａｎｃｈｎｉｄａｅＰｏｃｈｅ,１９２６和八睾科ＯｃｔｏｔｅｓｔｉｄａｅＹａｍａｇｕｔｉ,１９７１吸虫进行研究,其中长尾亚科Ｅｌｏｎａｉｎｕｒｉｎａｅ和鲻长尾吸虫Ｅｌｏｎｇｉｎｕｒｕｓｍｕｕｇｉｌｕｓ分别作为单孔科的新亚科和新属新种;雄囊新单脏吸虫Ｎｅｏｈａｐｌｏｓｐｌａｎｃｈｎｕｓｃｉｒｒｕｓａｃｉ作为单脏科的新属新种;天竺鲷八睾吸虫Ｏｃｔｏｔｅｓｔｉｓａｐｏｇｏｎｉ作为八睾科、八睾吸虫属Ｏｃｔｏｔｅｓｔｉｓ（Ｗａｎｇ,１９６３）Ｙａｍａｇｕｔｉ,１９５１的新种。     

Turgecaecum longifauces gen. et sp. n. (Digenea: Cryptogonimidae) from Suwanee bass, Micropterus notius Bailey and Hubbs, and emendation of the subfamily Caecincolinae Yamaguti 1958.

A new trematode of the family Cryptogonimidae is described from Suwanee bass (Micropterus notius Bailey and Hubbs) from Florida. Turgecaecum longifauces gen. et sp. n. is characterized by having a long esophagus, precrural acetabula, short expanded ceca and vitellaria in the shoulder region. It is placed in the subfamily Caecincolinae and is compared with Caecincola Marshall and Gilbert 1905, the only other genus in the subfamily. Emendments to the subfamily are made.     

The Lepocreadiidae (Digenea) of fishes from the north-east Atlantic: Profundivermis intercalarius n. g., n. sp. from the marine fish Coryphaenoides (Nematonurus) armatus (Hector) (Macrouridae) from the Porcupine Abyssal Plain

A new genus and species, Profundivermis intercalarius, is described from the deep-sea fish Coryphaenoides (Nematonurus) armatus from 4,850 m deep on the Porcupine Abyssal Plain, NE Atlantic. The genus is characterized by an inter-testicular ovary and is the only member of the subfamily Lepidapedinae to show this feature. The relationships of the members of the subfamily are analysed phylogenetically. Members of the subfamily are often found in deep-sea gadiforms.     

The leucine-rich repeat as a protein recognition motif

Leucine-rich repeats (LRRs) are 20-29-residue sequence motifs present in a number of proteins with diverse functions. The primary function of these motifs appears to be to provide a versatile structural framework for the formation of protein-protein interactions. The past two years have seen an explosion of new structural information on proteins with LRRs. The new structures represent different LRR subfamilies and proteins with diverse functions, including GTPase-activating protein rna1p from the ribonuclease-inhibitor-like subfamily; spliceosomal protein U2A', Rab geranylgeranyltransferase, internalin B, dynein light chain 1 and nuclear export protein TAP from the SDS22-like subfamily; Skp2 from the cysteine-containing subfamily; and YopM from the bacterial subfamily. The new structural information has increased our understanding of the structural determinants of LRR proteins and our ability to model such proteins with unknown structures, and has shed new light on how these proteins participate in protein-protein interactions.     

EUCYCLOCERATIN AMMONITES FROM THE CALLOVIAN CHARI FORMATION, KUTCH, INDIA

Abstract:  The subfamily Eucycloceratinae Spath, 1928, belonging to the family Sphaeroceratidae, is an important Indo-Madagascan faunal element and is reported here from the Callovian of Kutch, India. Previously the subfamily was considered to consist of 14 morphospecies placed in four morphogenera. The present study is based on re-examination of the type material and more than 350 new specimens, collected with secure stratigraphical control, from sections in mainland Kutch. It reveals that the subfamily includes only two highly variable monospecific genera: Eucycloceras Spath, 1924 and Idiocycloceras Spath, 1928. Dimorphism in Eucycloceratinae, which was not previously recognized, is firmly established. Cladograms have been constructed, based on numerous morphological characters, which show relationships among different subfamilies of the Sphaeroceratidae and genera of the Macrocephalitinae and Eucycloceratinae. The palaeobiogeography and evolution of the Eucycloceratinae are discussed in the light of the new data.     

Definition of a second dimeric subfamily of human alpha satellite DNA

We describe a new human subfamily of alpha satellite DNA. The restriction endonuclease XbaI cleaves this subfamily into a collection of fragments which are heterogeneous with respect to size. We compared the sequences of 6 clones from four different XbaI size classes. Clones from a single size class were not necessarily more related than clones from different classes. Clones from different size classes were found to produce almost identical hybridization patterns with XbaI-digested human genomic DNA. All clones were found to share a common dimeric repeat organization, with dimers exhibiting about 84% sequence identities, indicating that the clones evolved from a common progenitor alphoid dimer. We show that this subfamily, and the EcoRI dimer subfamily originally described by Wu and Manuelidis, evolved from different progenitor alphoid dimers, and therefore represent distinct human alphoid subfamilies.     

Bartoliella pritchardae n. g., n. sp. (Digenea: Opecoelidae) in Epinephelides armatus (Serranidae) from temperate marine waters of Western Australia

An opecoelid, Bartoliella pritchardae n. g., n. sp., is described from the intestine of Epinephelides armatus from Western Australia. The new genus has been assigned to the subfamily Opecoelininae Gibson & Bray, 1984, bringing the number of genera in the subfamily to two. Although the new genus is similar to Opecoelina Manter, 1934 morphologically, the pedunculate ventral sucker and complete absence of a cirrus-sac necessitate the erection of a new genus. A formal re-definition of the subfamily is given, based on the diagnoses of the genera Opecoelina and Bartoliella n. g.     

A new subfamily of the grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acridoidea: Gomphoceridae) from the Tibetan Plateau of China

Abstract This paper reports a new subfamily, a new genus and a new species, that is, Pacrinae subfam. nov., Pacris gen. nov and Pacris xizangensis sp. nov in Gomphoceridae. The new subfamily is allied to Orinhippinae of Gomphoceridae and it differs from the latter by wings and tympanum absent. The new genus is similar to Orinhippus Uvarov, 1921 but differs from the latter in: (i) foveolae absent; (ii) tegmina absent; (iii) tympanum absent; (iv) hind margin of pronotum with incised in the middle. Type specimens are deposited in the Museum of Hebei University, Baoding, China.     

Characterization of ppGalNAc-T18, a member of the vertebrate-specific Y subfamily of UDP-N-acetyl-α-D-galactosamine:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferases

The first step of mucin-type O-glycosylation is catalyzed by members of the UDP-GalNAc:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (ppGalNAc-T; EC 2.4.1.41) family. Each member of this family has unique substrate specificity and expression profiles. In this report, we describe a new subfamily of ppGalNAc-Ts, designated the Y subfamily. The Y subfamily consists of four members, ppGalNAc-T8, -T9, -T17 and -T18, in which the conserved YDX(5)WGGENXE sequence in the Gal/GalNAc-T motif of ppGalNAc-Ts is mutated to LDX(5)YGGENXE. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Y subfamily members only exist in vertebrates. All four Y subfamily members lack in vitro GalNAc-transferase activity toward classical substrates possibly because of the UDP-GalNAc-binding pocket mutants. However, ppGalNAc-T18, the newly identified defining member, was localized in the endoplasmic reticulum rather than the Golgi apparatus in lung carcinoma cells. The knockdown of ppGalNAc-T18 altered cell morphology, proliferation potential and changed cell O-glycosylation. ppGalNAc-T18 can also modulate the in vitro GalNAc-transferase activity of ppGalNAc-T2 and -T10, suggesting that it may be a chaperone-like protein. These findings suggest that the new Y subfamily of ppGalNAc-Ts plays an important role in protein glycosylation; characterizing their functions will provide new insight into the role of ppGalNAc-Ts.     

欧亚大陆裸蝗亚科的分类研究（直翅目: 蝗亚目: 蝗总科）

本文对欧亚大陆裸蝗亚科(Conophyminae)进行了系统的分类研究, 将其分为4个族, 其中包括3个新族, 即贝氏蝗族(Bienkoini tribe nov.)、庚蝗族（Genimenini tribe nov.）和普乐氏蝗族 （Plotnikovini tribe nov.）, 记述了一新属--原无翅蝗属Eozubovskya gen. nov., 并附已知4族25属的检索表。将该亚科中原有3个具翅的属（Khayyamia Kocak, 1981, Conophymacris Willemse, 1933 和Zagrosia Descamps, 1967）移出, 归入秃蝗亚科（Podisminae）。