RETRACTED ARTICLE: Circ-NUP214 Promotes Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Tumorigenesis by Regulating HK2 Expression Through miR-15a-5p

Biochemical Genetics -     

长白山北坡森林土壤汞的含量和形态分布

分别于2009年4月和9月对长白山北坡的土壤样品进行了采集,研究北方森林地区不同海拔土壤样品中的总汞和甲基汞的分布情况.长白山土壤THg和MeHg含量分别为0.08～0.73 mg·kg-1和0.05～0.56 μg·kg-1,库存量分别为97 kg·km-2和128 g·km-2,高于吉林省背景值,MeHg的最高含量...     

Protoplast culture and plant regeneration ofPinellia ternata

A study was undertaken to develop a protoplast regeneration system for pinellia. A yield of 19 29 x 10⁵ protoplasts/g F. W. could be obtained from cell suspension cultures incubated in a digestion enzyme solution with 2% cellulase Onzuka R-10, 10% pectinase (Sigma), 0.01% pectolyase Y23. K8P and modified MS media were used to culture protoplasts in: a) liquid, b) liquid-solid double layer, or c) agarose embedded protoplast culture. The former two were conducive to colony formation from protoplast-derived cells. The frequency of cell division was about 8% after 3 days in culture. Gradually adding fresh medium of lower osmotic pressure into the medium for protoplast culture favored cell division. Calli (1–2 mm in diameter) formed after 30–40 days in culture. The calli transferred onto medium supplemented with KT (0.5 mg 1^–1) and NAA (0.2 mg 1)^–1) could regenerate plants after 40–50 days. Of 47 plantlets transplanted into plots, 29 flowered and were fertile.Abbreviations 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - NAA -naphthaleneacetic acid - KT kinetin - CH casein hydrolysate     

Marine biofilm bacteria evade eukaryotic predation by targeted chemical defense

Many plants and animals are defended from predation or herbivory by inhibitory secondary metabolites, which in the marine environment are very common among sessile organisms. Among bacteria, where there is the greatest metabolic potential, little is known about chemical defenses against bacterivorous consumers. An emerging hypothesis is that sessile bacterial communities organized as biofilms serve as bacterial refuge from predation. By testing growth and survival of two common bacterivorous nanoflagellates, we find evidence that chemically mediated resistance against protozoan predators is common among biofilm populations in a diverse set of marine bacteria. Using bioassay-guided chemical and genetic analysis, we identified one of the most effective antiprotozoal compounds as violacein, an alkaloid that we demonstrate is produced predominately within biofilm cells. Nanomolar concentrations of violacein inhibit protozoan feeding by inducing a conserved eukaryotic cell death program. Such biofilm-specific chemical defenses could contribute to the successful persistence of biofilm bacteria in various environments and provide the ecological and evolutionary context for a number of eukaryote-targeting bacterial metabolites.     

辣椒雄性不育系SDH4基因的表达特性分析

为了探究线粒体电子传递复合体Ⅱ的关键酶基因(SDH4)与辣椒细胞质雄性不育的关系,该试验通过GenBank报道的辣椒线粒体基因组序列,特异引物扩增SDH4基因,并通过分析SDH4基因的时空表达及转录本编辑位点,以期找到辣椒细胞质雄性不育系9704A和保持系9704B的差异。结果表明:(1)从辣椒细胞质雄性不育系9704A和保持系9704B中获得的目的基因编码区片段长度一致,全长均为378bp,编码125个氨基酸残基。(2)辣椒保持系不同组织中SDH4基因表达存在差异,种子中表达最高,茎中表达最低。(3)在不同材料花蕾发育的同一时期,SDH4基因表达也不一致,在花粉母细胞减数分裂时期,不育系SDH4基因表达量明显低于保持系;而在造孢细胞增殖期、小孢子单核期和小孢子成熟期的表达量均高于保持系。(4)不育材料中SDH4基因在29位点出现RNA编辑,导致氨基酸由丝氨酸变为亮氨酸,增强了蛋白结构的疏水性能。研究认为,辣椒细胞质雄性不育系9704A和保持系9704B中SDH4基因的表达差异可能引起植物的能量代谢供应出现异常,从而导致雄性不育的产生。     

股骨头负重区松质骨的压缩力学特性

本文对19具新鲜青年(30左右)尸体股骨负重区的松质骨进行了压缩测试,测算并提供了一组松质骨弹性模量,极限应力,应变,屈服载荷及能量吸收值。试验表明松质骨力学性能主要缓解外力冲击加压。     

Mesangial cells of lupus-prone mice are sensitive to chemokine production

Infectious antigens may be triggers for the exacerbation of systemic lupus erythematosus. The underlying mechanism causing acceleration and exacerbation of lupus nephritis (LN) is largely unknown. Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is capable of inducing an accelerated model of LN in NZB/W mice, featuring diffuse proliferation of glomerular resident cells. We hypothesized that mesangial cells (MCs) from LN subjects are more responsive to LPS than normal subjects. Cultured primary NZB/W and DBA/W (nonautoimmune disease-prone strain with MHC class II molecules identical to those of NZB/W) MCs were used. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and osteopontin (OPN) expressions either in the baseline (normal culture) condition or in the presence of LPS were evaluated by real-time PCR, ELISA, or western blot analysis. NF-κB was detected by ELISA, electrophoresis mobility-shift assay, and immunofluorescence. First, either in the baseline condition or in the presence of LPS, NZB/W MCs produced significantly higher levels of MCP-1 and OPN than the DBA/W MC controls. Second, NZB/W MCs expressed significantly higher levels of Toll-like receptor 4, myeloid differentiation factor 88, and NF-κB than the DBA/W MC controls, both receiving exactly the same LPS treatment. In conclusion, NZB/W MCs are significantly more sensitive than their normal control DBA/W MCs in producing both MCP-1 and OPN. With LPS treatment, the significantly elevated levels of both chemokines produced by NZB/W MCs are more likely due to a significantly greater activation of the Toll-like receptor 4-myeloid differentiation factor 88-associated NF-κB pathway. The observed abnormal molecular events provide an intrarenal pathogenic pathway involved in an accelerated type of LN, which is potentially infection triggered.     

Apelin activates L-arginine/nitric oxide synthase/nitric oxide pathway in rat aortas

Apelin was recently found to be an inotropic polypeptide in isolated rat hearts, and intravenous injection of apelin can induce a transient decrease in blood pressure. To illustrate the mechanism of apelin-induced vasodilation, we observed the in vitro effects of apelin on the L-arginine (L-Arg)/nitric oxide (NO) pathway in the incubated, isolated rat aorta. Apelin stimulated vascular NO(2)(-) product and NOS activation in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Compared with no apelin treatment, incubation with apelin (10(-9), 10(-8), and 10(-7)mol/L) increased NO(2)(-) product by 33%, 46%, and 69% (all p<0.01), respectively, and Ca(2+)-dependent constitutive NOS (cNOS) activity by 200%, 460%, and 550% (all p<0.01), respectively. However, Ca(2+)-independent NOS (iNOS) activity was not significantly altered (p>0.05). Apelin incubation (10(-9), 10(-8), and 10(-7)mol/L) increased L-Arg uptake by 130%, 180%, and 240% (all p<0.01), respectively. The mRNA level of cationic amino acid transporters, CAT-1 and CAT-2B, in rat aortic tissues treated with 10(-7)mol/L apelin was increased by 110% and 128%, respectively (both p<0.01). Incubation with 10(-7)mol/L apelin elevated eNOS mRNA and protein levels, by 53% (p<0.05) and 319% (p<0.01), respectively. Collectively, these results demonstrate that apelin directly activated the vascular L-Arg/NOS/NO pathway, which could be one of the important mechanisms of apelin-regulated vascular function.