A recessive mutation leading to vertebral ankylosis in zebrafish is associated with amino acid alterations in the homologue of the human membrane-associated guanylate kinase DLG3.

We describe the characterization of the zebrafish homologue of the human gene DLG3. The zebrafish dlg3 gene encodes a membrane-associated guanylate kinase containing a single PDZ domain. This gene was cloned using a gene-trap construct inserted in the gene's first intron. The insertion co-segregates with a viable mutation called humpback (hmp), which leads to formation of ankylotic vertebrae in adult fishes. Insertion and mutation have both been mapped to chromosome 12, in a segment which is syntenic with region p12 to q12 of human chromosome 17. The hmp mutant phenotype, however, appears to be due to two point mutations in the guanylate kinase domain rather than to the transgene insertion itself. The results of this study are discussed in the light of the possible function of the guanylate kinase domain.     

A Putative Calcium-Permeable Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channel, CNGC18, Regulates Polarized Pollen Tube Growth

A tip-focused Ca^2＋ gradient is tightly coupled to polarized pollen tube growth, and tip-localized influxes of extracellular Ca^2＋ are required for this process. However the molecular identity and regulation of the potential Ca^2＋ channels remains elusive. The present study has implicated CNGC18 （cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 18） in polarized pollen tube growth, because its overexpression induced wider and shorter pollen tubes. Moreover, CNGC18 overexpression induced depolarization of pollen tube growth was suppressed by lower extracellular calcium （[Ca^2＋]ex）. CNGC18-yellow fluorescence protein （YFP） was preferentially localized to the apparent post-Golgi vesicles and the plasma membrane （PM） in the apex of pollen tubes. The PM localization was affected by tip-localized ROP1 signaling. Expression of wild type ROP1 or an active form of ROP1 enhanced CNGC18-YFP localization to the apical region of the PM, whereas expression of RopGAP1 （a ROP1 deactivator） blocked the PM localization. These results support a role for PM-Iocalized CNGC18 in the regulation of polarized pollen tube growth through its potential function in the modulation of calcium influxes.     

Path analysis of natural selection on plant chemistry: the xylem resin of ponderosa pine

We analyzed the pattern of correlations among fitness components, herbivory, and resin characteristics in a natural all-aged stand of ponderosa pine, to infer the strength and mechanism of natural selection on plant chemistry. Male and female cone production were monitored yearly for 15 years, and levels of herbivory for 9 years in 165 trees. Resin flow rate and monoterpene composition were determined for these same trees. Multiple regression of fitness components on resin characteristics showed significant associations consistent with directional selection for increased resin flow rates and increased proportions of α- and β-pinene, myrcene and terpinolene. However, negative correlations among monoterpene fractions of the resin constrained the overall selection. Selective herbivory by aphids approached statistical significance and monoterpenes showed some (non-significant) effect as deterrents against deer browse. Resin characteristics were not correlated with attack by cone insects or porcupines. However, the association between resin characteristics and fitness is significantly different from that predicted by the path coefficients involving herbivores. Therefore the hypothesis that these herbivores mediate selection on the resin is not supported by the observed pattern of correlations among resin characteristics, herbivory, growth and fecundity. In this population, most of the association between resin characteristics and fitness appears to be mediated by some other factor independent of attack by herbivore species present. Received: 18 March 1996/Accepted: 18 July 1996     

Characterization of a Kinesin-Related Gene ATSV, within the Tuberous Sclerosis Locus (TSC1) Candidate Region on Chromosome 9Q34

In the search for candidate genes for the tuberous sclerosis (TSC1) disease locus on chromosome 9q34, we have isolated an overlapping series of 22 plasmid and phage cDNA clones covering nearly 7 kb and with an open reading frame of 5070 bp encoding a protein of 1690 amino acids. The putative protein product is a member of the kinesin superfamily and is homologous to the mouse KIF1A and theCaenorhabditas elegansunc-104 genes. Both KIF1A and unc-104 function in the anterograde axonal transport of synaptic vesicles. The human homolog is therefore termed H-ATSV (axonal transporter of synaptic vesicles, HGMW-approved nomenclature ATSV) Screening of DNA from 107 tuberous sclerosis patients and 80 unaffected individuals with H-ATSV cDNA probes by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis/Southern blotting following digestion by rare-cutting methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes showed variant banding patterns in three patients with tuberous sclerosis. However, further analysis indicated that these variant fragments represent a rare polymorphism probably associated with methylation of clustered restriction sites. There is no evidence to support H-ATSV as a candidate gene for TSC1.     

紫外激光消融过程的等效模型研究

本文引用等效模型,对激光消融过程进行了推导与计算,和实验结果比较表明,所得公式与实验结果能较好相符,可用于描述紫外激光消融过程。     

RT－cDNA克隆－PCR法获取犬瘟热病毒融合蛋白基因（F）

纯化鸡胚成纤维细胞培养的犬瘟热病毒（ＣａｎｉｎｅＤｉｓｔｅｍｐｅｒＶｉｒｕｓ,ＣＤＶ）,获得病毒基因组ＲＮＡ后,反转录合成双链病毒Ｆ基因ｃＤＮＡ。将此双链ｃＤＮＡ平端插入ＰＵＣ１９质粒ＳａｍⅠ位点构建重组质粒,进行ｃＤＮＡ克隆。以重组克隆质粒为模板ＰＣＲ扩增,获得ＣＤＶ全长Ｆ基因。将此Ｆ基因插入表达载体ＰＢＶ２２０,在大肠杆菌中表达,通过对表达产物的最终鉴定,可确认所获片段为ＣＤＶ全长Ｆ基因．     

高效液相层析法纯化人胎盘谷胱甘肽硫转移酶

足月分娩的新鲜胎盘组织制成匀浆后,经高速离心、超速离心,谷胱甘肽(GSH)Sepharose 6B亲合层析,Amicon pM-10膜超过滤及高效液相层析,最终经SDS-PAGE鉴定,结果呈现单一亚基区带,其亚基分子量为25000。 根据我们现有高效液相设备条件,用ODS柱代替RadulovicL等报道的特异阴离子柱,用磷酸盐洗脱液代替含谷胱甘肽、二硫苏糖醇及氯化钾的梯度洗脱液,从人胎盘组织成功地制备了谷胱甘肽硫转移酶(GST)纯酶,全过程在15min内完成,保留时间及主峰面积的重复性均较理想,7次实验结果的变异系数为0.2％,最终纯化578.9倍。本研究为各种形式GST的纯化制备提供了一个新的、重复性好、分辨率高及回收理想的简易方法。