A New Method for Flat Embedding in Glycol Methacrylate

Glycol methacrylate (GMA) is a useful polymer for embedding tissue because of its stability, hydrophilic properties, and resistance to many solvents (Feder a d O'Brien 1968, Bennett et a/. 1976). Undue solvent extraction is also avoided as GMA contains water, making complete dehydration unnecessary (Cole and Sykes 1974). This property shows some evidence that GMA embedded sections may be useful in energy dispersive analysis by X-ray for some elements (DeNee et al. 1977). GMA also does not exclude water soluble dye molecules and has thus become a useful medium for histochemical studies (Bennett et al. 1976).     

NCL1, a novel gene for a non-essential nuclear protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The nucleolar protein Nop2p is an essential gene product that is required for pre-rRNA processing and ribosome biogenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Hong, B. et al., 1997, Mol. Cell. Biol., 17, 378–388). A search for proteins similar to Nop2p identified a novel yeast gene product that also shares significant homology with the human proliferation associated nucleolar protein p120. The gene encoding this 78 kDa protein was termed NCL1 (for nuclear protein 1; corresponding to YBL024w). Ncl1p and Nop2p contain an evolutionarily conserved motif that has been termed the ‘NOL1/NOP2/fmu family signature' (NOL1 encodes p120). Epitope tagged Ncl1p was found to be localized to the nucleus, including the nucleolus, and was concentrated at the nuclear periphery. NCL1 is not essential. Strains containing a disruption of NCL1, or strains overexpressing NCL1, grow essentially identically to wildtype NCL1 strains on a number of different media and at different temperatures. Disruption of NCL1 does not affect steady-state levels of large and small ribosome subunits, monoribosomes, and polyribosomes. However, disruption of NCL1 leads to increased sensitivity to the antibiotic paromomycin.     

Spatial regulation of SpMTA metallothionein gene expression in sea urchin embryos by a regulatory cassette in intron 1

The SpMTA metallothionein (MT) gene of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus is restricted in its expression to the aboral ectoderm in gastrulae and pluteus larvae. The proximal 1.6 kb of the 5′-flanking region together with the 1.12-kb first intron of the SpMTA gene are sufficient for its correct cell-type specific expression in transgenic embryos. This restricted spatial expression is largely eliminated by deletion of an interior 405-bp region in the intron. Within this region is a 295-bp, genomically repetitive, transposon-like segment (Nemer et al., 1993), containing several sequence motifs highly homologous to posited regulatory elements in the promoters of other genes (Thiebaud et al., 1990). The P3A and P5 sites in this apparent regulatory cassette were shown through competition to bind with relatively high affinities the same nuclear factors, bound by their counterpart sites in the CyIIIa actin promoter.     

Expression pattern of mouse sFRP-1 and mWnt-8 gene during heart morphogenesis

The Wnt genes encode a large family of secreted proteins that play a key role in embryonic development and tissue differentiation in many species (Rijsewijk et al., 1987 and Nusse and Varmus, 1992). Genetic and biochemical studies have suggested that the frizzled proteins are cell surface receptors for Wnts (Vinson et al., 1989, Chan et al., 1992, Bhanot et al., 1996 and Wang et al., 1996). In parallel, a number of secreted frizzled-like proteins with a conserved N-terminal frizzled motif have been identified (Finch et al., 1997, Melkonyan et al., 1997 and Rattner et al., 1997). One of these proteins, FrzA, the bovine counterpart of the murine sFRP-1 (93% identity) is involved in vascular cell growth control, binds Wg in vitro and antagonizes Xwnt-8 and hWnt-2 signaling in Xenopus embryos (Xu et al., 1998 and Duplàa et al., 1999). In this study, we report that sFRP-1 is expressed in the heart and in the visceral yolk sac during mouse development, and that sFRP-1 and mWnt-8 display overlapping expression patterns during heart morphogenesis. From 8.5 to 12.5 d.p.c., sFRP-1 is expressed in cardiomyocytes together with mWnt-8 but neither in the pericardium nor in the endocardium; at 17.5 d.p.c., they are no longer present in the heart. In mouse adult tissues, while sFRP-1 is highly detected in the aortic endothelium and media and in cardiomyocytes, mWnt-8 is not detected in these areas. Immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrates that FrzA binds to mWnt-8 in cell culture experiments.     

水稻雄性不育突变体ms102的鉴定和基因定位

水稻(Oryza sativa)隐性核雄性不育突变体是第三代杂交水稻技术的核心。为了挖掘优质雄性不育突变体, 该研究通过筛选优质籼稻黄华占(HHZ)的甲基磺酸乙酯(EMS)诱变突变体库, 获得1个雄性不育突变体ms102 (male sterility mutant 102)。该突变体营养生长正常, 但花药不开裂, 花粉败育。细胞学分析表明, 突变体花药绒毡层不能正常降解, 导致小孢子发育异常; 遗传分析表明, 该突变体的不育表型由1个已报道编码酰基转移酶的DPW2基因突变造成。研究获得了1个隐性核雄性不育突变体, 进一步证实了DPW2基因在水稻花药发育中的功能。     

Rapid Identification of Chromosomal Abnormalities in Human Neoplasia

Recent advances in banding techniques have led to the belief that certain chromosomal defects are consistently associated with specific types of human neoplasia. Based on the GTG technique, it has been suggested that the malignant cells of most neoplasias show chromosomal abnormalities (Yunis et al. 1983). From this recent publication of Yunis it appears that the majority of bands involved in carcinogenesis are G-negative, i.e., do not stain by the GTG technique, and it is therefore difficult to localize the breakpoints. In some of our recent publications we emphasized the importance of the RFA technique (Verma and Lubs 1975), which stains Giemsa-negative bands darkly, thus providing precise identification of chromosomal abnormalities (Verma and Dosik 1976). However, this technique cannot be applied until the slides have aged for at least 7 days. Therefore, we are reporting an alternative procedure using BrdU which provides “reverse” banding immediately when the slides are stained with acridness orange and examined with a fluorescence microscope.     

Insect nervous system [H]saxitoxin binding sites: characterization and target size

Saxitoxin (STX) has proved useful in the isolation and characterization of vertebrate and invertebrate voltage-operated sodium channels. Membrane extracts from the nervous system of the cockroach Periplaneta americana contain a saturable component of specific [³H]STX binding. Scatchard analysis yields a K_D of 0.84 nM, similar to that (3.0 nM) determined in electrophysiological studies on axons in the same tissue (Sattelle et al., 1979). The maximum number of binding sites, B_max (8.25 pmol/mg protein), was higher than previously observed. The specific binding component was blocked by STX and tetrodotoxin (TTX), but not by scorpion (Leiurus quinquestriatus) venom, aconitine, veratridine, sea anemone toxin and deltamethrin, which act at different sites on the channel molecule. Unlabelled STX samples prepared from different sources (Mytilus, Saxidomus and Gonyaulax) were all effective as inhibitors of [³H]STX binding. Radiation inactivation was employed to determine the molecular target size of the [³H]STX binding molecule in membranes prepared from the cockroach nervous system. By this means M_r = 171,400 ± 25,000 was estimated for the insect sodium channel.     

simBio: a Java package for the development of detailed cell models

Quantitative dynamic computer models, which integrate a variety of molecular functions into a cell model, provide a powerful tool to create and test working hypotheses. We have developed a new modeling tool, the simBio package (freely available from http://www.sim-bio.org/), which can be used for constructing cell models, such as cardiac cells (the Kyoto model from Matsuoka et al., 2003, 2004a, b, the LRd model from Faber and Rudy, 2000, and the Noble 98 model from Noble et al., 1998), epithelial cells (Strieter et al., 1990) and pancreatic β cells (Magnus and Keizer, 1998). The simBio package is written in Java, uses XML and can solve ordinary differential equations. In an attempt to mimic biological functional structures, a cell model is, in simBio, composed of independent functional modules called Reactors, such as ion channels and the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and dynamic variables called Nodes, such as ion concentrations. The interactions between Reactors and Nodes are described by the graph theory and the resulting graph represents a blueprint of an intricate cellular system. Reactors are prepared in a hierarchical order, in analogy to the biological classification. Each Reactor can be composed or improved independently, and can easily be reused for different models. This way of building models, through the combination of various modules, is enabled through the use of object-oriented programming concepts. Thus, simBio is a straightforward system for the creation of a variety of cell models on a common database of functional modules.     

Potency of CR 1409, a new proglumide analog, on cholecystokinin-mediated behaviors and receptor binding

Behavioral and receptor binding techniques were employed to evaluate the potency of CR 1409, a new analog of proglumide, as a cholecystokinin antagonist. CR 1409, at doses of 1 mg/kg i.p. in mice, effectively blocked the inhibition of feeding and exploratory behaviors induced by cholecystokinin. In rats, CR 1409 alone, at doses of 1 and 10 mg/kg, did not affect feeding or exploratory behaviors, but at 25 mg/kg alone, CR 1409 reduced food intake and exploratory behaviors, suggesting a mixed agonist-antagonist profile. On these several behavorial parameters, CR 1409 antagonized peripherally administered cholecystokinin with 10–1000 times greater potency than that reported for proglumide (Crawley et al., J. Pharmac. Exp. Ther. 236, 320–330, 1986). In binding to pancreatic cholecystokinin membranes, CR 1409 was more than 100,000-times more potent than that reported for proglumide (Rovati, Scand. J. Gastroenterol. 11, 113–118, 1976). CR 1409 inhabited binding of 125-I-cholecystokinin octapeptide in mouse parcreatic and brain membranes with IC₅₀ values of 13.7 nM and 2.6 μM, respectively, demonstrating its selectivity for peripheral-type CCK receptors.     

Acetyl Sudan Black: A Nonexistent Reagent?

Acetyl Sudan black (AcSB) has been recommended as a readily prepared reagent which “appears to give less background staining and just as intense lipid staining as the untreated dye,” i.e. as nonacetylated Sudan black B (Lillie and Fullmer 1976).     

Two non-reactive ternary complexes of estrogenic 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase: crystallization and preliminary structural analysis.

Human estrogenic 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD1, EC1.1.1.62) is an important enzyme that catalyses the last step of active estrogen formation. 17β-HSD1 plays a key role in the proliferation of breast cancer cells. The three-dimensional structures of this enzyme and of the enzyme-estradiol complex have been solved (Zhu et al., 1993, J. Mol. Biol. 234:242; Ghosh et al., 1995, Structure 3:503; Azzi et al., 1996, Nature Struct. Biol. 3:665). The determination of the non-reactive ternary complex structure, which could mimic the transition state, constitutes a further critical step toward the rational design of inhibitors for this enzyme (Ghosh et al. 1995, Structure 3:503; Penning, 1996, Endocrine-Related Cancer, 3:41).

To further study the transition state, two non-reactive ternary complexes, 17β-HSD1–EM519-NADP⁺ and 17β-HSD1–EM553-NADP⁺ were crystallized using combined methods of soaking and co-crystallization. Although they belong to the same C2 space group, they have different unit cells, with a=155.59 Å, b=42.82 Å, c=121.15 Å, β=128.5° for 17β-HSD1–EM519-NADP⁺, and a=124.01 Å, b=45.16 Å, c=61.40 Å, β=99.2° for 17β-HSD1–EM553-NADP⁺, respectively. Our preliminary results revealed that the inhibitors interact differently with the enzyme than do the natural substrates.     

应用RGS双荧光替代性报告载体提高CRISPR/Cas9对猪BMP15基因的打靶效率

我国是家猪养殖和消费大国,提高母猪的繁殖力对于促进我国生猪产业的发展具有重要的作用。排卵率和产仔数是影响家畜繁殖力的关键因素,其中BMP15 (bone morphogenetic protein 15)基因已被鉴定是控制绵羊排卵数和多胎性状的一个主效基因,然而目前在家猪BMP15基因中尚未发现类似绵羊多胎品系的天然突变。基于高等哺乳动物基因功能的保守性和CRISPR/Cas9(clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9)等基因组编辑技术对动物基因组定点修饰的高效性,应用CRISPR/Cas9技术对家猪BMP15基因进行精确的遗传修饰,使家猪获得类似多胎绵羊的天然突变,对于研究该基因对家猪繁殖力的影响以及培育高繁殖力家猪新品系具有重要的意义。本研究通过CRISPR/Cas9对长白猪胎儿成纤维(porcine embryonic fibroblasts, PEF)细胞中BMP15基因进行打靶,T7E1分析显示打靶效率仅有5%。随后通过共转染RGS双荧光替代性报告载体(RFP-GFP surrogate reporter),并应用流式细胞术分选出双荧光细胞,富集到基因组被CRISPR/Cas9修饰的细胞,使基因打靶效率提高至18%。本研究结果表明,应用RGS双荧光替代性报告载体可以有效提高CRISPR/Cas9在PEF细胞中对BMP15基因的打靶效率,为今后通过体细胞核移植技术培育BMP15基因编辑猪进行了有效的探索。     

Fluorescence of Plastic Embedded Tissue Sections After Curcumin Staining

The natural dye, curcumin (C.I. 75300) from turmeric, is obtained from the roots of Curcuma longa (Lillie 1977). Curcumin has scarcely been applied for histological work, and its fluorescence seems to have been overlooked. During the course of studies on fluorescent aluminum complexes (Del Castillo et al. 1987) we realized that this dye induces a green fluorescence of chromatin (Stockert et al. 1989). In this note we describe the fluorescence reaction of curcumin on semithin sections of olastic embedded tissues.     

Changes in nuclear proteins of astrocytes as a result of acute ammonia or ethanol exposure

We have used an in vitro system to monitor the effects of high levels of ammonia and ethanol on glial cells. Nuclei were isolated and the protein profiles examined by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Acute exposure of rat astrocyte cell cultures to ammonia or ethanol resulted in changes in cellular morphology and the level of some nuclear proteins. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels remained constant under both treatments. Several nuclear proteins were increased specifically. Only one protein was visually detected which was unique to treatment with ammonia or ethanol. This protein (p2a) appeared only in the presence of ammonia. There were no changes in previously observed astrocyte-associated proteins (Silverman et al. Neurochem Int. 12, 513–518, 1988). Two proteins appeared de novo upon either treatment with either ammonia or ethanol. These latter proteins had a molecular weight and pI profile similar to the major class of nuclear stress proteins (hsp70). However, results from immunoblot experiments clearly demonstrated that hsp70 was not induced in astroycte cultures following exposure to ammonia or ethanol.     

中国甘肃省狭义丝盖伞属二新种

依据形态学和分子系统学研究结果,描述了产自中国甘肃省的狭义丝盖伞属2个新种,即拟黄囊丝盖伞Inocybe muricellatoides和甘肃丝盖伞I. gansuensis。对新种的ITS、LSU和rpb2片段进行了测序和分析,并提供了详细描述、线条图、生态照片及与相似种的区别。拟黄囊丝盖伞以菌盖翘起的鳞片、菌柄纤维状、孢子光滑和厚壁的侧生囊状体为主要识别特征。甘肃丝盖伞具有粗壮的子实体、较大的孢子和厚壁侧生囊状体。基于LSU和rpb2联合数据的分子系统发育分析显示这两个新种隶属于狭义丝盖伞属且分别占据独特的分支。     

Improved Stability of A Purified Glycol Methacrylate Preparation: Comments

The technical note from Bernier et al. (1984) presents additional observations on our procedure for purifying glycol methacrylate (GMA), a hydrophylic resin (Chappard et al. 1982). It is becoming increasingly popular and widely used as an embedding medium for light microscopic studies. GMA is prepared by esterification of methacrylic acid (MA), but about 1% of free unreacted MA remains in the monomer. MA can copolymerize with GMA and it also binds strongly to thiazin and other basic dyes (Tipett and O'Brien 1975) so as an undesirable impurity it must be removed.