Hybridization between diploid Centaurea pseudophrygia and tetraploid C. jacea (Asteraceae): the role of mixed pollination,unreduced gametes,and mentor effects

We studied hybridization between the diploid Centaurea pseudophrygia and the tetraploid C. jacea by performing crossing experiments and screening natural populations using flow cytometry. The experiments confirm that the studied species exhibit strong reproductive isolation. Interspecific hybrids were formed at a low frequency, including triploids (originating from reduced gametes) and tetraploids (involving unreduced gametes of the diploids). In contrast, hybrids were almost absent among seeds and adult plants of natural mixed populations and among the offspring from experimental pollinations with a mixture of pollen of both ploidy levels. We found that mixed pollination is an important mechanism for preventing hybridization between plants of different ploidy levels and sustaining the reproduction of the tetraploids. A mentor effect (induced selfing in the presence of pollen of different ploidy levels) was observed in both diploids and tetraploids, reinforcing the reproductive isolation between cytotypes. Higher ploidy levels (pentaploid, hexaploid) involving unreduced gametes of the tetraploid species were identified. Notably, pentaploids were discovered for the first time in Centaurea sect. Jacea. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 104 , 93–106.     

Two new species of Urothoe (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Gammaridea) from the East Johor Islands Archipelago, Malaysia

Two new species of urothoid amphipods from Pulau Sibu and Pulau Tinggi, Johor are described and illustrated. The specimens of Urothoe sibuensis new species were collected by vertical haul plankton net and is distinctively different from other existing Urothoe species by these combination of special characters; similar gnathopods 1-2 with short and stout propodus expanded into poorly defined palms; large eyes and epimeron 3 smooth. Urothoe tinggiensis new species as collected using an airlift suction sampler at seagrass area is characterized by its different gnathopodal configuration with setose dactylus of 5th pereopod; eyes minute; carpus is wider than merus in the 5th pereopod; subquadrate coxa 4; merus and carpus of pereopods 6-7 are linear.     

Surprising negative association between IgG1 allotype disparity and anti-adalimumab formation: a cohort study

Introduction

The human monoclonal antibody adalimumab is known to induce an anti-globulin response in some adalimumab-treated patients. Antibodies against adalimumab (AAA) are associated with non-response to treatment. Immunoglobulins, such as adalimumab, carry allotypes which represent slight differences in the amino acid sequences of the constant chains of an IgG molecule. Immunoglobulins with particular IgG (Gm) allotypes are racially distributed and could be immunogenic for individuals who do not express these allotypes. Therefore, we investigated whether a mismatch in IgG allotypes between adalimumab and IgG in adalimumab-treated patients is associated with the development of AAA.

Methods

This cohort study consisted of 250 adalimumab-treated rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. IgG allotypes were determined for adalimumab and for all patients. Anti-idiotype antibodies against adalimumab were measured with a regular radio immunoassay (RIA), and a newly developed bridging enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure anti-allotype antibodies against adalimumab. The association between AAA and the G1m3 and the G1m17 allotypes was determined. For differences between groups we used the independent or paired samples t-test, Mann-Whitney test or Chi square/Fisher's exact test as appropriate. To investigate the influence of confounders on the presence or absence of AAA a multiple logistic regression-analysis was used.

Results

Adalimumab carries the G1m17 allotype. No anti-allotype antibodies against adalimumab were detected. Thirty-nine out of 249 patients had anti-idiotype antibodies against adalimumab (16%). IgG allotypes of RA patients were associated with the frequency of AAA: patients homozygous for G1m17 had the highest frequency of AAA (41%), patients homozygous for G1m3 the lowest frequency (10%), and heterozygous patients' AAA frequency was 14% (P = 0.0001).

Conclusions

An allotype mismatch between adalimumab and IgG in adalimumab-treated patients did not lead to a higher frequency of AAA. On the contrary, patients who carried the same IgG allotype as present on the adalimumab IgG molecule, had the highest frequency of anti-adalimumab antibodies compared to patients whose IgG allotype differed from adalimumab. This suggests that the allotype of adalimumab may not be highly immunogenic. Furthermore, patients carrying the G1m17-allotype might be more prone to antibody responses.     

河西走廊天然固沙植被区地表甲虫多样性及其对沙漠化的指示作用

干旱、半干旱区沙漠化强烈影响动植物分布及多样性,地表甲虫是荒漠中主要的动物类群,它们对沙漠化引起的植被和土壤环境变化响应十分敏感。鉴于此,以河西走廊中部张掖绿洲外围的天然固沙植被区作为研究区,依据沙漠化发育程度选择流动沙丘（ASD）、丘间低地（IL）、半固定（SFSD）和固定沙丘（FSD）4种生境,调查了地表甲虫群落组成及影响甲虫分布的植被和土壤环境。研究发现,4种生境地表甲虫群落组成明显不同并存在季节变异,5月ASD与IL、SFSD和FSD生境地表甲虫群落的相异性大于8月。5月和8月SFSD生境地表甲虫活动密度均显著高于其他生境,8月FSD生境地表甲虫多样性指数显著高于其他生境。不同大小甲虫对沙漠化的响应模式不同,大中型甲虫对沙漠化的响应较小型甲虫敏感,这在5月表现尤为明显。地表甲虫与环境因子的RDA分析结果表明,12个植被和土壤环境因子解释了49.8%的地表甲虫群落变异,其中植被环境解释了甲虫群落变异的16.3%,土壤环境解释了甲虫群落变异的4.2%,植被和土壤环境相互作用解释了甲虫群落变异的29.3%。pRDA分析结果表明,草本物种丰富度、灌木盖度、土壤有机碳含量和粗砂含量是影响地表甲虫分布的主要环境因子,它们解释了43.7%的地表甲虫群落变异。Pearson相关分析表明,草本物种丰富度与地表甲虫活动密度呈显著正相关,而与地表甲虫均匀度呈显著负相关;灌木盖度与地表甲虫多样性呈显著正相关;地表甲虫物种丰富度与灌木盖度和草本物种丰富度均呈显著正相关。此外,研究还发现戈壁琵甲、克氏扁漠甲、中华砚甲和甘肃齿足象可以用于指示FSD生境,东鳖甲属昆虫可以用于指数SFSD生境,谢氏宽漠王可以用于指示IL及ASD生境。     

用酵母双杂交系统筛选影响apo-AI和SR-BI相互作用的苦豆子活性成分

本文通过将苦豆子总提取物及其分离得到的10个组分加入含有AH109菌株(携带大鼠apo-AI及其受体SR-BI全基因)的培养基中,利用报告基因半乳糖苷酶活力有无变化来寻找能够促进大鼠载脂蛋白apo-AI及其受体SR-BI相互作用的激动剂.经测试,我们观察到苦豆子总提取物(K-1),在上述系统中能显著增强这两种蛋白的相互作用.继续用硅胶柱层析方法从k-1中分出10个组分后,利用酵母双杂交系统再次筛选,发现有五个组分能增强两种蛋白的相互作用,(与空白对照组相比其中有两个组分有极显著差异)另外三个组分显著地抑制上述两种蛋白的相互作用,剩下的两个组分则没有差异.该实验还提示该酵母双杂交系统可能成为一种跟踪具有调脂功能的先导化合物的有效方法.     

Impact of RNA–Protein Interaction Modes on Translation Control: The Versatile Multidomain Protein Gemin5

The fate of cellular RNAs is largely dependent on their structural conformation, which determines the assembly of ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes. Consequently, RNA‐binding proteins (RBPs) play a pivotal role in the lifespan of RNAs. The advent of highly sensitive in cellulo approaches for studying RNPs reveals the presence of unprecedented RNA‐binding domains (RBDs). Likewise, the diversity of the RNA targets associated with a given RBP increases the code of RNA–protein interactions. Increasing evidence highlights the biological relevance of RNA conformation for recognition by specific RBPs and how this mutual interaction affects translation control. In particular, noncanonical RBDs present in proteins such as Gemin5, Roquin‐1, Staufen, and eIF3 eventually determine translation of selective targets. Collectively, recent studies on RBPs interacting with RNA in a structure‐dependent manner unveil new pathways for gene expression regulation, reinforcing the pivotal role of RNP complexes in genome decoding.     

研究报告：CRBGP通过抑制FAK-AKT通路和白介素-6的分泌抑制胶质瘤U251细胞的活性

目的电压门控钠通道(voltage-gated sodium channels,VGSCs)表达于胶质瘤U251细胞,并影响U251细胞的增殖、侵袭和凋亡。富含半胱氨酸的颊腺蛋白(cysteine-rich buccal gland protein,CRBGP)是一种从日本七鳃鳗颊腺中分离出来的VGSCs阻断剂。本文旨在探究CRBGP是否因具有VGSCs阻断功能从而能够抑制U251细胞的活性。方法首先采用MTT法检测了CRBGP对U251细胞增殖的作用,并分别利用莱特-吉姆萨、FITC-phalloidin和Hoechst 33258染色法观察CRBGP处理后U251细胞的形态、细胞骨架和细胞核。细胞外基质蛋白如IV型胶原蛋白、纤连蛋白和层黏连蛋白用于检测CRBGP对U251细胞黏附的影响。此外,本文采用transwell法检测CRBGP处理后U251细胞的迁移和侵袭能力,并通过Western blot方法探讨CRBGP诱导U251细胞凋亡并抑制其运动的内在机理。最后,通过酶联免疫吸附测定法检测CRBGP对U251细胞的抑炎效果。结果 CRBGP通过线粒体依赖途径诱导U251细胞凋亡,...     

蒙药材刺柏叶中槲皮苷的含量测定

本实验建立了蒙药材刺柏叶中槲皮苷的HPLC含量测定方法.色谱条件为:Diamonsil C18(4.6 mm ×250 mm,5μm)和Shim-Pack C18(4.6 mm× 250 mm,5μm),流动相:甲醇-0.01 mol/L磷酸二氢钾溶液-冰醋酸(40∶ 60∶ 1.5),检测波长:254 nm,流速:1.0 mL/min,柱温:30℃.槲皮苷进样量在40.2 ng ～603.0 ng范围内线性关系良好(r =0.9998),其平均加样回收率为100.45％,RSD为0.69％(n=6).本方法简便易行,结果准确,重复性好,可用于刺柏叶中槲皮苷的含量测定.