羊草种群生物量生殖分配的初步研究

对羊草种群生物量生殖分配的研究表明,在生殖生长过程中,种群用于根茎和营养生长的生物量生殖分配占有绝对优势比例,而用于有性生殖的生物量生殖分配比例较小,在10%以下。在羊草种群构件生物量生殖分配中,根茎和营养枝的叶占有较大比例(20%～40%),而用于有性繁殖体种子生产的比例很小,在1.5%以下。对有性繁殖的小比例投资是导致羊草种群有性繁殖体种子产量低的重要原因.     

Linkage, expression, and distribution of the pyrethroid resistance gene in the horn fly (Diptera: Muscidae)

A sex-linked gene for pyrethroid resistance in the horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.), showed complete linkage to the male-determining gene in a laboratory colony that had been inbred for 10 generations. Within susceptible, heterozygous, and resistant populations, the level of resistance that was expressed was greater for females than for males. The increase in level of resistance conferred by the gene was similar for females and males. Preliminary synergism and allelism tests supported our supposition that the same gene was responsible for resistance in California, Florida, and Texas populations.     

用生物传感器方法测定正常小鼠肝脏中miR-21活性

目的:建立生物传感器检测小鼠肝脏中microRNA (miRNA)活性的方法,测定miR-21在正常小鼠肝脏中的活性。方法:首先,分子克隆方法构建检测miRNA活性的通用型质粒传感器Dsensor。将各种miRNA的互补序列插入Dsensor中构建成相应miRNA活性检测传感器。用水动力法将检测miR-21的Dsensor注射至正常小鼠体内,以miR-122 Dsensor为阳性对照,miR-206 Dsensor为阴性对照,以不插入任何miRNA互补序列的Dsensor为空白对照。不同时间点尾静脉采血测定Gluc表达,处死小鼠测定肝脏中Fluc表达,比较计算得出miRNA活性。最后,用QRT-PCR法测定小鼠肝脏组织中miR-21、miR-122和miR-206表达水平。结果:用RIF(Relative inhibiting fold)值表示miRNA活性,miR-21、miR-122和miR-206活性分别为80.03±21.25,29.90±5.90和0.92±0.29,表明小鼠正常肝脏中miR-21的负调控活性明显高于miR-122。然而,QRT-PCR法测定结果显示,miR-21的表达水平明显低于miR-122,而miR-206几乎没有表达。从miR-21与miR-122的活性与表达水平比较发现,miR-21的表达水平并没有真实反映其活性。结论:成功建立了一种小鼠肝脏中miRNA活性检测方法;首次发现小鼠正常肝脏中miR-21活性水平比miR-122更高,而表达水平却明显低于miR-122。提示miR-21对于维持肝脏的正常生理功能的重要作用,值得进一步研究其调控的靶基因和机理。     

Evidence for the existence of distinct transporters for the polyamines putrescine and spermidine in B16 melanoma cells

The uptake of intracellular putrescine and spermidine was examined in B16 melanoma cells. It was found that difluoromethylornithine preferentially induced putrescine transport (28-fold) compared to that for spermidine (3.5-fold). Putrescine uptake was partially Na+ dependent, whereas spermidine uptake was not. Inhibition studies with the two polyamines showed that putrescine was a poor competitive inhibitor of spermidine uptake, exhibiting a Ki of 69-75 microM, whereas the estimated Km for putrescine uptake was only 5.36 microM. By contrast, spermidine inhibition of putrescine transport produced a non-linear Eadie-Scatchard plot suggesting that putrescine was taken up by a spermidine-sensitive and a spermidine-insensitive process. The estimated spermidine Ki for inhibition of the spermidine-sensitive process was 0.125 microM. Using a series of polypyridinium quaternary salts to inhibit transport, no correlation between inhibition of putrescine uptake and inhibition of spermidine uptake was seen. Finally, the photoaffinity label, 1,12-di(N5-azido-2-nitrobenzoyl)spermine selectively inactivated the putrescine transporter(s) without affecting spermidine uptake. From these observations, it was concluded that multiple polyamine transporters are present on B16 melanoma cells and that separate, distinct transporter(s) account for the uptake of putrescine and spermidine in this cell-line following induction with difluoromethylornithine. The present of different transporters for the two polyamines indicates that expression of uptake activity for putrescine and spermidine may be under separate cellular control.     

Background to the discovery of troponin and Setsuro Ebashi's contribution to our knowledge of the mechanism of relaxation in striated muscle

The discovery of the actomyosin system provided for the first time a model system that enabled the study of the role of the muscle protein components in the contraction and relaxation cycle to be undertaken. It soon became apparent that ATP was essential for both processes but progress really began when it became clear that components both in the myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic fractions were involved in relaxation. After it was apparent that a trace of calcium was required for the activation of the MgATPase of the myofibrils it was shown that an active calcium pump was located in the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The report by Ebashi in 1963 that a new myofibrillar protein, troponin, was the target for calcium opened up the investigation of the calcium control of the MgATPase. Troponin was shown to be a complex of troponin C, I and T, each protein being under individual genetic control and existing in isoforms specific for the muscle type. The unique forms of troponin I and T in cardiac muscle make them the biomarkers of choice for cardiac injury.     

Callus Culture and Gentiopicroside Formation in Gentiana manshurica Kitag.

Suitable medium for callus growth and gentiopicroside formation of Gentiana manshurica Kitag. was studied employing orthogonal design and monofactorial experiment. The results showed that combination of NAA 1 mg/L +KT 0.5 mg/L was best for callus growth, while NAA lmg/L, is the suitable phytohormone for gentiopicroside formation. B5 medium was suitable for callus growth while MS medium was suitable for gentiopicroside formation. The experiment of orthogonal design indicates that NH4+/NO3-, K+, Ca2+ and sucrose were the factors significantly affecting fresh weight, dry weight and gentiopicroside content of callus. However, the level of some factors for callus growth was different from that for gentiopicroside formation. In 18 different media, No. 7 was best for callus growth and No.10 medium was best for gentiopicroside formation.     

Presence of Two Benzodiazepine Binding Sites in the Rat Hippocampus

Abstract: Characteristics of receptor binding of diazepam and flunitrazepam in three brain areas were compared. It was found that in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum the number of sites was similar for both ligands and that the affinity of diazepam was four times lower than the affinity of flunitrazepam. In contrast, when binding in the hippocampus was analyzed (assuming the presence of homogenous binding sites), it was found that the number of binding sites was higher and that the affinity was 17 times lower for diazepam than for flunitrazepam. This difference is due to the presence of two diazepam binding sites in this brain area, as demonstrated by a Scatchard analysis.     

岷江上游森林景观边界效应

应用地理信息系统和遥感技术对岷江上游森林景观在景观尺度上的边界效应进行了分析.结果表明:人工形成的林-农边界较清晰、其植被过渡明显,林地边缘的生物量低于林地内部,影响域为60m,农田边缘的生物量高于农田内部,边界效应范围为60～90m;自然形成的林-草边界过渡缓和,林地边缘的生物量低于林地内部,而草地边缘的生物量高于草地内部,边界效应对林地的影响范围为60m、对草地的影响范围为45～75m;林-灌边界的边界效应类似林-草边界,对林地影响域为60m,对灌木林地的影响域在45～75m之间.     

链霉菌A048产几丁质酶最佳发酵工艺研究

将链霉菌A048在完全培养基中培养至对数生长末期,离心洗涤收集菌丝体,然后接种入发酵产酶培养基中,进行二步发酵工艺牛产几丁质酶,几丁质酶活力比一步发酵工艺提高1．1倍,发酵周期共54h,比一步发酵工艺缩短66h;把菌丝体与几丁质粉共固定化,接入发酵产酶培养基中培养36h,几丁质酶活力比一步发酵工艺提高1．8倍,发酵周期缩短54h;在二步发酵工岂中另添加0．4％纤维素,几丁质酶活力可提高4倍,比一步发酵工艺提高10倍,酶活力达18．52U／mL。采用几丁质和纤维索双因子诱导二步发酵工艺可能是链霉菌A048生产几丁质酶的最佳工艺。     

Analysis of regulation of phoB expression using a phoB-cat fusion.

The phoB gene, which encodes a positive control factor for a number of phosphate-regulated genes in Escherichia coli, was cloned into multicopy plasmid pBR322. A phoB-cat fusion that expressed chloramphenicol transacetylase from the phoB promoter was constructed. Studies of the expression of the phoB-cat fusion showed that the pattern of regulation of the phoB gene was similar to that of the phoA gene, the structural gene for alkaline phosphatase. The phoB gene was derepressed under conditions of phosphate starvation, was constitutively expressed in a phoR background, and required the phoM gene product for expression in a phoR strain. Finally, a functional phoB product was required for its own synthesis. Our results indicate either that phoA gene expression responds directly to the concentration of the phoB gene product in cells or that the phoA and phoB controlling elements are quite similar.     

Seasonal population dynamics of ticks, and their influence on infection transmission: a semi-discrete approach

A semi-discrete model for tick population dynamics is presented, whereby tick feeding is assumed to occur only during summers of each year. Conditions for existence, uniqueness, and stability of a positive equilibrium were found; the system was then studied numerically using parameter estimates calibrated for the tick Ixodes ricinus in Trentino, Italy, and the sensitivity to parameters was examined. This model was then extended to consider tick-transmitted infection of one species of hosts, while other hosts are incompetent to the infection. Assuming, for simplicity, that the infection is not affecting the total number of either hosts or ticks, a threshold condition for infection persistence was obtained. The dependence of the equilibrium infection prevalence on parameters was studied numerically; in particular, we considered how infection prevalence depends on host densities. This analysis reveals that a dilution effect occurs both for competent and for incompetent hosts. This means that, besides a lower threshold for host densities for infection to persists, there also exists an upper threshold: if host densities were higher than the upper threshold, the infection would go to extinction. Numerically, it was found that the upper threshold was not much higher than observed densities for realistic parameter values.     

Random mntagenesis of the gene for bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase

Random mutagenesis of the gene for bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase was used to identify functionally essential amino acid residues of the enzyme. A two-plasmid system was developed that permits the straightforward isolation of T7 RNA polymerase mutants that had lost almost all catalytic activity. It was shown that substitutions of Thr and Ala for Pro at the position 563, Ser for Tyr571, Pro for Thr636, Asp for Tyr639 and of Cys for Phe646 resulted in inactivation of the enzyme. It is noteworthy that all these mutations are limited to two short regions that are highly conservative in sequences of monomeric RNA polymerases.     

Interactions of thiophosphatidic acid with enzymes which metabolize phosphatidic acid. Inhibition of phosphatidic acid phosphatase and utilization by CDP-diacylglycerol synthase

Thiophosphatidic acid (1,2-diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorothioate; thioPA) was chemically synthesized from egg phosphatidylcholine-derived 1,2-diacylglycerol and PSCl3 and tested for its effects on enzymes which utilize phosphatidic acid (PA) in phospholipid biosynthesis. The compound was not a substrate for rat liver cytosolic PA phosphatase and strongly inhibited this enzyme activity. ThioPA was also a potent inhibitor of purified membrane-associated PA phosphatase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a competitive manner and exhibited an apparent Ki = 60 microM. In contrast, purified CDPdiacylglycerol synthase (PA:CTP cytidylyltransferase) from this organism was able to convert thioPA to CDP-diacylglycerol. The apparent Vmax for thioPA was 7-fold lower than that for PA, whereas the apparent Km for thioPA (70 microM) was 4-fold lower than that for PA. Calculation of the specificity constant (Vmax/Km) demonstrated that PA was the preferred substrate. These properties of thioPA indicate that this substance may prove useful in studies of phospholipid metabolism and function.     

茉莉茎段遗传转化体系初步研究

以双瓣茉莉(Jasminum sambac)一年生茎段为外植体,探索茉莉花遗传转化体系。结果显示,预培养7 d后进行农杆菌侵染,然后置于含卡那霉素(Kan) 80～100 mg·L-1的筛选培养基上培养可获得成活率较高的抗性茎段。GFP转化预培养7 d的茉莉茎段再培养3 d及30 d后,以及转化预培养20 d茉莉茎段愈伤再培养14 d后愈伤组织中均能检测到GFP荧光。说明利用该转化系统进行茉莉遗传转化是可行的。     

Composition of culture medium is more important than co-culture with hepatic non-parenchymal cells in albumin production activity of primary rat hepatocytes,and the effect was enhanced by hepatocytes spheroid culture in collagen gel

Co-culture of primary rat hepatocytes with hepatic non-parenchymal cells or sinusoidal endothelial cells for albumin production activity as an index of liver-specific function was studied. The co-cultures were effective for the expression and maintenance of albumin production activity. However, the co-culture effect was not observed when we used a suitable culture medium, which had already been reported to be sufficient for albumin production activity. Albumin production of dispersed cells in collagen gel culture was higher than that of spheroid culture. In addition, albumin production of spheroids in collagen gel culture was higher than that of spheroid culture and dispersed cell collagen gel culture with a suitable culture medium. We found that culture medium composition was more important than co-culture for expression and maintenance of albumin production. Furthermore, we found that cell–cell interaction was effective for the expression of albumin production, but heterotypic cell–cell interaction was not necessary.     

猪瘟病毒抗体纳米荧光检测试纸条方法建立及性能评价

基于镧系元素Eu微球标记技术建立了一种猪瘟病毒抗体检测的免疫层析方法。通过对反应体系中包被浓度、复溶浓度以及反应时间等因素进行优化,确定最适的反应条件,建立检测方法,然后通过从敏感性、特异性、重复性、临床评价等方面对其进行性能评价。对反应体系进行优化,最终确定包被浓度为0.1 mg/mL,复溶浓度为6倍稀释,检测时间为15 min。通过对试纸条的性能评价可以得出,猪瘟病毒抗体荧光检测试纸条的敏感性为猪瘟阳性血清国家参考品倍比稀释至1∶128倍仍可以检测到;对常见的猪繁殖与呼吸综合征、猪I型疱疹病毒、猪口蹄疫、猪圆环病毒2型、猪流行性腹泻、牛病毒性腹泻病毒、羊边界病毒等抗体阳性血清无交叉反应;批内和批内变异系数均小于10%;经临床评价,与商品化的猪瘟病毒抗体ELISA检测试剂盒相比阳性符合率为90%,阴性符合率为100%,总符合率为97.7%;与荧光抗体中和试验(FVNT)的阴性符合率为100%,阳性符合率为93%,总符合率为98.5%。综合评定认为本研究建立的猪瘟病毒抗体纳米荧光检测方法,符合各项性能参数,可以快速、经济、方便地对猪个体及群体进行猪瘟病毒抗体检测评估,可广泛应用于猪场管理中。     

Single-turnover analysis of mutant human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease

Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (AP endo) is a key enzyme in the repair of oxidatively damaged DNA. Using single-turnover conditions, we recently described substrate binding parameters for wild type human AP endo. In this study, we utilized four enzyme mutants, D283A, D308A, D283A/D308A, and H309N, and assayed them under steady state and single-turnover conditions. The turnover number of the single aspartate mutants was decreased 10-30-fold in comparison to that of the wild type. The decrease in the turnover number was accompanied by a 17- and 50-fold decrease in the forward rate constant (kon) for substrate binding by D308A and D283A, respectively. The dissociation rate constant for substrate (koff) was unchanged for the D308A mutant but was 10 times faster for the D283A mutant than for the wild type. The apparent Km values for both of the single aspartate mutants were about equal to their respective KD values. To account for the kinetic behavior of the D308A mutant, it was necessary to insert a conformational change into the kinetic scheme. In contrast to the single aspartate mutants, the turnover number for the double mutant was 500-fold lower than that of the wild type, its apparent Km was 2.5-fold higher, and binding to substrate was weak. Mutation of His309 caused the greatest decrease in activity, resulting in a turnover number that was more than 30000-fold lower than that of the wild type and an apparent Km that was 13-fold higher, supporting the notion that His309 is intimately involved in catalysis. Molecular dynamics simulation techniques suggested that conversion of either aspartate to alanine resulted in major shifts in the spatial localization of key amino acids. Despite the fact that the two aspartates flank His309, the movement they engendered was distinct, consistent with the differences in catalytic behavior. We suggest that the conformation of the active site is largely maintained by the two aspartates, which enable efficient binding and cleavage of abasic site-containing DNA.     

The effect of training on the lateral musculature of O-group roach, Rutilus rutilus (L.), and their fatigue in subsequent exercise tests

First year roach from a Stillwater habitat were maintained in an'artificial stream for periods of up to 40 days and samples of the lateral musculature were subjected to histological examination. It was found that there was a highly significant increase in the percentage of red muscle present in the hindermost regions of the fish confined for 30 days or more in the stream. In subsequent exercise tests, it was shown that the FV₅₀ was higher for fish conditioned for 40 days, but it was considered unlikely that this increase in swimming ability was as a direct result of changes in muscle composition.     

The effect of bovine serum albumin on partial reactions of palmitoyl-CoA chain elongation by rat liver microsomes.

In the absence of albumin, v/s curves for both condensation and overall chain elongation demonstrated that the specific activity for overall chain elongation was 3.7 times that of condensation. When the molar ratio of palmitoyl-CoA to albumin was greater than 2 : 1, the specific activity of chain elongation exceeded that of condensation. At these low albumin concentrations, in the absence of NADPH, the beta-ketostearoyl-coA was converted back to palmitate. This cleavage reaction is inhibited by albumin in a concentration-dependent manner. When the palmitoyl-CoA to albumin molar ratio was less than 2 : 1, the specific activity for condensation exceeded that for overall chain elongation and some beta-ketostearate was shown to accumulate under chain elongation conditions. The specific activity for dehydration of beta-hydroxystearoyl-CoA was maximal when the acyl-CoA to albumin molar ratio was between 10 : 1 and 4 : 1 but the rate of this reaction was not markedly influenced by variations in albumin concentration. The specific activity for the NADPH-dependent reduction of 2-trans-octa-decenoyl-CoA was 18 nmol . min(-1) . mg(-1) in the absence of albumin and increased to a maximum of 112 when the substrate to albumin molar ratio was 2 : 1. At higher albumin concentrations the reductase reaction was inhibited. Conversely, the specific activity for the reverse dehydrase was maximal at low albumin concentrations and the rate of this reaction declined as the albumin concentration increased. Our results demonstrate that albumin not only alleviates a substrate induced inhibition but also regulates the metabolic fate of 2-trans-octadecenoyl-CoA and in this regard may possibly substitute for acyl-CoA binding proteins.     

A sensitive method for the detection of beta-galactosidase in transfected mammalian cells.

A sensitive method has been developed for the detection of E. coli beta-galactosidase in transfected HeLa cells. The chromogenic substrate, CPRG (chlorophenol red-beta-D-galactopyranoside), was compared with ONPG (o-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside) by kinetic analysis with purified beta-galactosidase. The Km for CPRG was 1.35 mM and the Vmax was 21.4, whereas the Km for ONPG was 2.42 and the Vmax was 41.1. CPRG at 8.0 mM (6-fold Km) gave 86% of the Vmax and was used as the standard concentration for quantitation of enzyme levels. The Vmax for CPRG was half that for ONPG, and chlorophenol red has an extinction coefficient that is 21-fold higher than o-nitrophenol; these factors make CPRG about 10-fold greater in sensitivity for the quantitation of enzyme levels. The use of Nonidet P-40 to lyse the cells and the use of CPRG as substrate permitted the rapid detection of low levels of enzyme production from transfected human cells that could not be detected using ONPG.