DNA excision repair and DNA damage-induced apoptosis are linked to Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation but have different requirements for p53

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is a DNA binding zinc finger protein that catalyzes the transfer of ADP-ribose residues from NAD(+) to itself and different chromatin constituents, forming branched ADP-ribose polymers. The enzymatic activity of PARP is induced upon DNA damage and the PARP protein is cleaved during apoptosis, which suggested a role of PARP in DNA repair and DNA damage-induced cell death. We have generated transgenic mice that lack PARP activity in thymocytes owing to the targeted expression of a dominant negative form of PARP. In the presence of single-strand DNA breaks, the absence of PARP activity correlated with a strongly increased rate of apoptosis compared to cells with intact PARP activity. We found that blockage of PARP activity leads to a drastic increase of p53 expression and activity after DNA damage and correlates with an accelerated onset of Bax expression. DNA repair is almost completely blocked in PARP-deficient thymocytes regardless of p53 status. We found the same increased susceptibility to apoptosis in PARP null mice, a similar inhibition of DNA repair kinetics, and the same upregulation of p53 in response to DNA damage. Thus, based on two different experimental in vivo models, we identify a direct, p53-independent, functional connection between poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation and the DNA excision repair machinery. Furthermore, we propose a p53-dependent link between PARP activity and DNA damage-induced cell death.     

陆地棉枯萎病抗性基因的等位性测定及连锁分析

1995-1996年,对我国育成的有代表性的5个抗病品种进行抗枯萎病基因的等位性测定。结果表明:在所选用的5个抗病品种中至少存在两个不同的抗病基因(暂定名为Fwl和Fw2)。连锁分析显示:Fwl与T586的8个标志性状间、Fw2与T582、T586的13个标志性状间无连锁关系。 Abstract:Allelism in vestigation of genes resistante to Fusarium wilt in cotton suggested that there were 2 genes(assigned symbols Fw1 and Fw2)in 5 cultivars used.No linkage was found between Fw1 and the marker genes in T586 and between Fw2 and those marker genes in T582 and T586.     

Absence of mutation in miR-34a gene in a Chinese longevity population

DEAR EDITOR:Centenarians are a typical longevity model characterized by delayed onset of morbidity in age-related diseases such as cancer,cardiovascular disease,dementia,and stroke(Andersen et al,2012).Though there may be a number of underlying mechanisms behind this longevity,curiously it seems that the survival advantage persists in their offspring(Terry et al,2003),suggesting a potentially important role for genetic factors.Previous studies suggested that the heritability of human longevity may be~25%(Herskind et al,1996;Mcgue et al,1993),whicih is consistent with other studies on model     

Research of the Holiday kind: Tabulating Ingestion of Mocha Solution (TIMS): a longitudinal prospective cohort study

The annual "Roll Up the Rim to Win" contest at Tim Hortons restaurants provides customers the opportunity to win prizes. This study investigated win ratios, prize types and patterns of coffee consumption.     

Genetic and environmental sources of covariance among internal reproductive traits in the yellow dung fly

Substantial inter- and intraspecific variation is found in reproductive traits, but the evolutionary implications of this variation remain unclear. One hypothesis is that natural selection favours female reproductive morphology that allows females to control mating and fertilization and that diverse male reproductive traits arise as counter adaptations to subvert this control. Such co-evolution predicts the establishment of genetic correlations between male and female reproductive traits that closely interact during mating. Therefore, we measured phenotypic and genetic correlations between male and female reproductive tract characteristics in the yellow dung fly, Scathophaga stercoraria (Diptera: Scathophagidae), using a nested half-sib breeding experiment. We found significant heritabilities for the size of most reproductive tract traits investigated in both females (spermathecae and their ducts, accessory glands and their ducts) and males (testis size but not sperm length). Within the sexes, phenotypic and genetic correlations were mostly nil or positive, suggesting functional integration of or condition-dependent investment in internal reproductive traits. Negative intrasexual genetic correlations, potentially suggestive of resource allocation trade-offs, were not evident. Intersexual genetic correlations were mostly positive, reflecting expected allometries between male and female morphologies. Most interestingly, testis size correlated positively with female accessory gland size and duct length, potentially indicative of a co-evolutionary arms race. We discuss these and alternative explanations for these patterns of genetic covariance.     

Twist及Akt2在甲状腺乳头状癌中的表达及意义

目的探讨Twist、Akt2在甲状腺乳头状癌中的表达和相互关系。方法应用免疫组化方法,对60例甲状腺乳头状癌、10例结节性甲状腺肿进行Twist、Akt2表达的研究。结果甲状腺乳头状癌Twist及Akt2阳性表达率分别为81.67%(49/60)及60.00%(36/60),结节性甲状腺肿Twist及Akt2阳性表达率分别为0.00%(0/10)及10.00%(1/10),前者与后者相比差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);Twist及Akt2在甲状腺乳头状癌中的表达水平与病人的年龄及原发肿瘤分期无关,但与有无淋巴结转移相关(P<0.05),且Akt2的表达在T3,4期肿瘤及T1,2期肿瘤相比也具有显著性(P<0.05);Twist及Akt2的表达呈正相关(r=0.492,P=0.000)。结论在大多数甲状腺乳头状癌的上皮细胞中都存在Twist及Akt2的过表达,其淋巴结转移的发生与Twist及Akt2过表达或功能的不正常可能有密切的关系;Twist与Akt2的表达呈正相关。