Complex I–complex II ratio strongly differs in various organs of Arabidopsis thaliana

In most studies, amounts of protein complexes of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system in different organs or tissues are quantified on the basis of isolated mitochondrial fractions. However, yield of mitochondrial isolations might differ with respect to tissue type due to varying efficiencies of cell disruption during organelle isolation procedures or due to tissue-specific properties of organelles. Here we report an immunological investigation on the ratio of the OXPHOS complexes in different tissues of Arabidopsis thaliana which is based on total protein fractions isolated from five Arabidopsis organs (leaves, stems, flowers, roots and seeds) and from callus. Antibodies were generated against one surface exposed subunit of each of the five OXPHOS complexes and used for systematic immunoblotting experiments. Amounts of all complexes are highest in flowers (likewise with respect to organ fresh weight or total protein content of the flower fraction). Relative amounts of protein complexes in all other fractions were determined with respect to their amounts in flowers. Our investigation reveals high relative amounts of complex I in green organs (leaves and stems) but much lower amounts in non-green organs (roots, callus tissue). In contrast, complex II only is represented by low relative amounts in green organs but by significantly higher amounts in non-green organs, especially in seeds. In fact, the complex I-complex II ratio differs by factor 37 between callus and leaf, indicating drastic differences in electron entry into the respiratory chain in these two fractions. Variation in amounts concerning complexes III, IV and V was less pronounced in different Arabidopsis tissues (quantification of complex V in leaves was not meaningful due to a cross-reaction of the antibody with the chloroplast form of this enzyme). Analyses were complemented by in gel activity measurements for the protein complexes of the OXPHOS system and comparative 2D blue native/SDS PAGE analyses using isolated mitochondria. We suggest that complex I has an especially important role in the context of photosynthesis which might be due to its indirect involvement in photorespiration and its numerous enzymatic side activities in plants.     

S/MAR与基因表达

在真核生物的细胞核内,基因组是通过ＤＮＡ的核骨架附着（ＳＡＲ）或称核基质附着区（ＭＡＲ）（简记为Ｓ／ＭＡＲ）锚定在核骨架网状系统上的．Ｓ／ＭＡＲ既有一定的特征,又有多样性,研究认为它参与了ＤＮＡ复制调控和转录调控等多种核内生化过程,通过重组,在目的基因一侧或两侧带上Ｓ／ＭＡＲ后作基因转染或基因动植物,发现整合后的基因表达有时可增强几倍,甚至上万倍和／或显示位置独立效应,有些研究还报道,Ｓ／ＭＡＲ能     

Cucurbitacin E and I target the JAK/STAT pathway and induce apoptosis in Sézary cells

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas and leukemias (CTCLs) are a heterogeneous group of extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. These are characterized by an accumulation of malignant CD4⁺ T-lymphocytes in the skin, lymph nodes, and peripheral blood. Novel treatment options are needed for patients who progress to advanced stage disease. Cucurbitacin I has previously shown promising results in Sézary syndrome (Sz). A plethora of cucurbitacins, however, have not yet been tested in CTCL. Herein, we investigated the effect of cucurbitacin E and I in two CTCL cell lines. We show that both cucurbitacins decrease viability and cause apoptosis in these cell lines, although HuT-78 was more affected than SeAx (IC₅₀ of 17.38 versus 22.01 μM for cucurbitacin E and 13.36 versus 24.47 μM for cucurbitacin I). Moreover, both cucurbitacins decrease viability of primary cells of a Sz patient (56.46% for cucurbitacin E and 59.07% for cucurbitacin I). Furthermore, while JAK2 inhibition leads to decreased viability in SeAx cells (IC₅₀ of 9.98 and 29.15 μM for AZD1480 and ruxolitinib respectively), both JAK1 and JAK3 do not. This suggests that JAK2 has a preferential role in promoting survival. Western blotting in SeAx cells revealed that both cucurbitacins inhibit STAT3 activation (P < 0.0001), while only cucurbitacin I inhibits STAT5 activation (P = 0.05). This suggests that STAT3 plays a preferential role in the mechanism of action of these cucurbitacins. Nevertheless, a role of STAT5 and JAK2 cannot be excluded and should be explored further. This knowledge could contribute to the development of effective therapies for CTCL and other malignancies involving dysfunction of the JAK/STAT pathway.     

细菌视紫红质 E204Q 和 I119T/T121S/A126T突变体的构建及其功能研究

应用定点突变的方法获得了细菌视紫红质 (bacteriorhodopsin , BR) 的单突变体 BR_E204Q和三突变体 BR_{I119T/T121S/A126T}. 通过功能研究发现, BR 蛋白的单突变体 BR_E204Q的 M 态寿命为 7.10 ms ,三突变体 BR_{I119T/T121S/A126T}的 M 态寿命为 8.23 ms ,均较野生型 BR 蛋白 (6.23ms) 有所延长,三突变体表现得更为显著,其 M 态延长时间可超出野生型的 32％. 同时单突变体 BR_E204Q和三突变体 BR_{I119T/T121S/A126T}的质子泵功能也均有改变,都比野生型 BR 蛋白有所下降,其中三突变体 BR_{I119T/T121S/A126T}下降得更为明显.     

基于 RS 和 G I S 的崇明县生态系统健康评价

崇明地区近 20 年来, 城市化进程加快, 人为活动对生态系统干扰越来越显著, 势必会影响到该地区生态系统健康状况。但至今还没有一个专门针对整个崇明地区生态系统健康进行的研究, 根据 1989 年、 2001 年、 2008 年崇明地区遥感图像及统计数据 , 建立“压力 -状态-响应”生态系统健康评价模型, 并以崇明县各乡镇行政区划为评价单元,进行生态系统健康的综合评价, 以此反映崇明县近 20 年来生态系统健康状况的时空变化情况, 为崇明地区制定可持续发展决策提供理论依据。研究结果表明 : (1)崇明地区生态系统健康状况在 1989 年至 2001 年间有较明显下降, 评价等级变差的区域占总面积的 18.93%, 而从 2001 年至 2008 年, 则基本保持稳定。生态系统健康状况下降的原因主要是城市化、耕地开发和滩涂围垦。后期由于崇明县一系列生态环境保护措施的实施, 使健康状况保持稳定 ; (2)崇明北部及东部 , 生态系统健康状况较好, 评价等级保持在二级 (较好), 中南部状况较差 , 有较大面积的四级单元(较差 ), 其原因在于较大的建筑用地面积和大量散布在区域内的居民点导致景观的破碎化。     

16S/18S/ITS扩增子高通量测序引物的生物信息学评估和改进

【背景】在过去的十几年里,基于核糖体RNA基因的扩增子测序技术被广泛用于各种生态系统中微生物群落的多样性检测。扩增子测序的使用极大地促进了土壤、水体、空气等环境中微生物生态的相关研究。【目的】随着高通量测序技术的不断发展和参考数据库的不断更新,针对不同的环境样本的引物选择和改进仍然需要更深入的校验。【方法】本文收集了目前在微生物群落研究中被广泛采用的标记基因扩增通用引物,包括16S rRNA基因扩增常用的8对通用引物和2对古菌引物、9对真菌转录间隔区(internal transcribed spacer,ITS)基因扩增引物,以及18S rRNA基因扩增的4对真核微生物通用引物和1对真菌特异性引物。这些引物中包括了地球微生物组计划(Earth Microbiome Project,EMP)推荐的2对16S rRNA基因扩增引物、1对ITS1基因扩增引物和1对18S rRNA基因扩增引物。采用最近更新的标准数据库对这些引物进行了覆盖度和特异性评价。【结果】EMP推荐的引物依然具有较高的覆盖度,而其他引物在覆盖度及对特定环境或类群的特异性上也各有特点。此外,最近有研究对这些通用引物进行了一些改进,而我们也发现,一个碱基的变化都可能会导致评价结果或扩增产物发生明显变化,简并碱基的引入既可以覆盖更多的物种,但同时也会在一定程度上降低关注物种的特异性。【结论】研究结果为微生态研究中标记基因的引物选择提供了一个广泛的指导,但在关注具体科学问题时,引物的选择仍需数据指导与实验尝试。     

Classification and prognostic value of serum copper/zinc ratio in hodgkin’s disease

The serum copper and zinc levels were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry in 135 Hodgkin's disease (HD) patients and in 100 healthy controls. These values were used to explore the application value of the serum copper/zinc ratio in the histologic classification and prognosis in this illness. The resuls show that serum copper and the copper/zinc ratio were higher and the serum zinc level was lower in the HD patients when compared to the healthy individuals (p < 0.01, 0.001, and 0.01, respectively). The serum copper and copper/zinc ratio were significantly higher in the lymphocyte-depleted type of HD than in the patients with the mixed-cellular type of HD. These values were also higher and the serum zinc was lower in the patients with mixed-cellular HD when compared to the nodular-sclerosis and the lymphocyte-predominant types of the disease (p < 0.01 and 0.001, respectively). It was also shown that as the disease progresses, the serum copper level and copper/zinc ratio rises with the concomitant decrease of the corresponding serum zinc level. These trends are reversed in cases where the disease is in remission. Both the serum copper level and the copper/zinc ratio were strongly correlated to histopathological changes, clinical stage, and prognosis of Hodgkin's disease.     

基于 G I S 的粤西坡耕地区小流域水土流失研究

基于 TM 遥感影像和 GIS 技术, 以粤西地区大方小流域为研究样区, 采用通用土壤流失方程(USLE)研究大方小流域内水土流失现状, 分析小流域内坡耕地土壤侵蚀的空间分布规律。研究结果表明 , 流域内水土流失空间分布不均匀, 流域内坡度较大的坡耕地及陡坡开荒区水土流失现象较为严重。影响流域土壤侵蚀分布的关键因子是地形和土地利用因子, 流域内坡耕地尤其是陡坡荒地开发等人工活动干扰, 是造成流域内局部水土流失严重的主要原因。提出流域内坡耕地水土流失治理对策, 为坡耕地区小流域水土流失治理提供参考。     

Ulna/height ratio as clinical parameter separating EXT1 from EXT2 families?

Multiple osteochondromas (MO) is an autosomal-dominant inherited disorder. The two genes responsible (EXT1 and EXT2) have been identified. We investigated 12 MO families for phenotype details and the genetic basis by cosegregation and mutation analysis (seven novel pathogenic mutations [five frameshift, one splice site, and one gross deletion] and one novel missense polymorphism). We found EXT1 to be responsible in seven families (19 affected members) and EXT2 in four families (17 affected members). One family remains undetermined. We found a tendency to a more severe phenotype in EXT1 families. As a novel finding, we could identify a single parameter (ulna/height ratio) that separates EXT1 family from EXT2 family in our series.     

Is Canada's sex ratio in decline?

In this issue (see pages 37 to 41) Dr. Bruce B. Allan and associates report a small but statistically significant decrease--of about 0.2%--in the proportion of male live births in Canada over the period 1970-90. In this editorial, factors that have been reported in the literature to influence sex ratio are examined within a Canadian context. The authors suggest that although the reasons for the apparent decline in the sex ratio in Canada are unclear, the increasing use of ovulation induction may be a contributing factor. Data from the Nova Scotia Atlee Perinatal Database are discussed with a view to explaining the trend observed in Atlantic Canada, but no obvious explanation emerges. The authors argue that when the period of observation is extended no overall change in the sex ratio is apparent. This would suggest a tendency toward stabilization rather than decline.     

反义前S/S基因转移表达抗乙型肝炎病毒的研究

为了观察反义基因转录表达抗乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)的作用,将HBV ayw前S/S基因(preS/S)片段反向插入逆转录病毒载体质粒,构建preS/S反义基因重组体,经转染PA317细胞后,获得重组逆转录病毒颗粒.用重组病毒转导2.2.15细胞后,第3天即可见细胞培养上清HBV表面抗原(HBsAg)和e抗原(HBeAg)表达量减少,到转导后第5天,细胞培养上清中的HBsAg和HBeAg表达量降到最低水平,HBsAg抑制率为71%,HBeAg抑制率为27%,抑制作用至少可持续到转导后第11天.空载及正向插入基因的重组逆转录病毒转导对2.2.15细胞内HBV抗原表达无抑制作用.     

海南快生根瘤菌I66的部分16S rRNA序列测定

与豆科植物共生固氮的根瘤菌目前有4个属、10个种.包括Rhizobium(6个种),Sinorhizobium(2个种),Azorhizobium(1个种)和Bradyrhizobium(1个种).其中多数是近年来采用现代分类技术分析后建立的,而且新的类群还在不断被发现.在以前的根瘤菌数值分类及DNA-DNA杂交研究中,我们确定了海南慢生型根瘤菌属于大豆慢生根瘤菌种(B.japonicum).而海南快生型根瘤菌的分类地位则较为分散.其中一些菌株属于已知各根瘤菌种,另有4株银合欢根瘤菌和13株来自不同寄主的菌株分别构成具有独立的分类地位的两个菌群(第2群和第4群)(待发表).为了进一步明确它们的分类地位,我们依据国际系统细菌学委员会根瘤菌分委员会的建议,利用Young等建立的聚合酶链反应(PCR)及测序技术,对第4群的代表菌株166的部分16SrRNA基因片段进行了扩增和测序.     

The distribution of BrKα/RbKα peak intensity ratio in human whole blood samples

A preliminary study was conducted to compare the BrKα/RbKα peak intensity ratio in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and healthy subjects (controls) in Isreal. Blood samples were obtained from 61 CRC patients and 124 controls. The controls represent a normal population from different areas in Israel. Three hundred microliters of wet whole blood samples were analyzed by the EDXRF method. A weighted mean of 2.45±0.38 Br/Rb ratio was obtained for CRC patients, as compared with 3.28±0.40 Br/Rb ratio for controls. The mean value for controls represents only 112 subjects, since 12 individuals of the control group suffered from some other diseases and therefore were not included for the mean value calculation in this group. The results indicate that the Br/Rb ratio in CRC patients is significantly lower (p<0.05) than in controls. No significant difference was found in Br/Rb ratio correlated to age and sex. It was not possible to draw final conclusion concerning the relationship between the Br/Rb ratio and the malignancy stage, since there was a relatively small number of cases in each stage under investigation.     

Exercise training changes IL-10/TNF-α ratio in the skeletal muscle of post-MI rats

Heart failure (HF) is associated with changes in the skeletal muscle (SM) which might be a consequence of the unbalanced local expression of pro- (TNF-α) and anti- (IL-10) inflammatory cytokines, leading to inflammation-induced myopathy, and SM wasting. This local effect of HF on SM may, on the other hand, contribute to systemic inflammation, as this tissue actively secretes cytokines. Since increasing evidence points out to an anti-inflammatory effect of exercise training, the goal of the present study was to investigate its effect in rats with HF after post-myocardial infarction (MI), with special regard to the expression of TNF-α and IL-10 in the soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL), muscles with different fiber composition. Wistar rats underwent left thoracotomy with ligation of the left coronary artery, and were randomly assigned to either a sedentary (Sham-operated and MI sedentary) or trained (Sham-operated and MI trained) group. Animals in the trained groups ran on a treadmill (0% grade at 13–20 m/min) for 60 min/day, 5 days/week, for 8–10 weeks. The training protocol was able to reverse the changes induced by MI, decreasing TNF-α protein (26%, P < 0.05) and mRNA (58%, P < 0.05) levels in the soleus, when compared with the sedentary MI group. Training also increased soleus IL-10 expression (2.6-fold, P < 0.001) in post-MI HF rats. As a consequence, the IL-10/TNF-α ratio was increased. This “anti-inflammatory effect” was more pronounced in the soleus than in the EDL, suggesting a fiber composition dependent response.     

植物泛素/26S蛋白酶体途径研究进展

泛素/26S蛋白酶体途径是最重要的,有高度选择性的蛋白质降解途径,由泛素激活酶、泛素结合酶、泛素蛋白连接酶和26S蛋白酶体组成,参与调控植物生长发育的多个方面。泛素蛋白酶体途径参与植物体内的众多生理过程,如植物激素信号,光形态建成、自交不亲和反应和细胞周期等。本文就泛素/26S蛋白酶体途径以及在植物生长发育中的作用的研究近况做一综述。