Replacement of nonmuscle myosin II-B with II-A rescues brain but not cardiac defects in mice

The purpose of these studies was to learn whether one isoform of nonmuscle myosin II, specifically nonmuscle myosin II-A, could functionally replace a second one, nonmuscle myosin II-B, in mice. To accomplish this, we used homologous recombination to ablate nonmuscle myosin heavy chain (NMHC) II-B by inserting cDNA encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP)-NMHC II-A into the first coding exon of the Myh10 gene, thereby placing GFP-NMHC II-A under control of the endogenous II-B promoter. Similar to B(-)/B(-) mice, most B(a*)/B(a*) mice died late in embryonic development with structural cardiac defects and impaired cytokinesis of the cardiac myocytes. However, unlike B(-)/B(-) mice, 15 B(a*)/B(a*) mice of 172 F2 generation mice survived embryonic lethality but developed a dilated cardiomyopathy as adults. Surprisingly none of the B(a*)/B(a*) mice showed evidence for hydrocephalus that is always found in B(-)/B(-) mice. Rescue of this defect was due to proper localization and function of GFP-NMHC II-A in place of NMHC II-B in a cell-cell adhesion complex in the cells lining the spinal canal. Restoration of the integrity and adhesion of these cells prevents protrusion of the underlying cells into the spinal canal where they block circulation of the cerebral spinal fluid. However, abnormal migration of facial and pontine neurons found in NMHC II-B mutant and ablated mice persisted in B(a*)/B(a*) mice. Thus, although NMHC II-A can substitute for NMHC II-B to maintain integrity of the spinal canal, NMHC II-B plays an isoform-specific role during cytokinesis in cardiac myocytes and in migration of the facial and pontine neurons.     

Effects of salinity and temperature stress on Ecophysiological characteristics of exotic cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora

Salintiy and temperature are two important ecological factors which affect the distribution and abundance of Spartina alerniflora Loisel. To find out how cordgrass adapts to the environmental conditions in the introduced range, we studied the dynamics of a series of important physiological components including superoxide dismutase (SOD), guaiacol peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), soluble sugar and free proline under different salinity and temperature stresses. The results showed that low NaCl concentration (lower than 100 mmol·L⁻¹) enhanced the growth of S. alterniflora. On the contrary, high NaCl concentration (higher than 100 mmol·L⁻¹) inhibited the growth of S. alterniflora. To a certain extent, S. alterniflora was able to be acclimated to the osmotic pressure created by external solution concentration by adjusting the activities of POD, SOD and CAT, and the contents of free proline and soluble sugar. S. alterniflora varied in its responses to environment in different parts of the plant under 5°C and 38°C temperature stress. Compared with roots, leaves accumulated more soluble sugar, and CAT activities in leaves were higher, whereas SOD and POD activities in leaves were much lower than those in roots.     

猪肌肉组织Col3a1基因表达的发育性变化及其对肌内胶原特性的影响

以30—90妇体重莱芜猪和40—100kg体重鲁莱黑猪共84头去势公猪为试验对象（每组6头）,采用相对定量RT-PCR方法,以β-actin作为内标,研究肌肉中编码Ⅲ型胶原的Col3al基因表达的发育性变化及其对肌肉中胶原蛋白含量和性质（溶解度）的影响。结果表明：研究的两个品种猪肌肉中Col3al基因表达的发育性变化基本一致,即随体重的增加,肌肉中Col3al mRNA表达呈逐渐增加趋势,但莱芜猪和鲁莱黑猪分别在70妇和80妇体重组表达量略有下降。总体上莱芜猪肌肉组织Col3al mRNA表达丰度显著高于鲁莱黑猪（P〈0．05）。相关分析表明,莱芜猪肌肉组织Col3al mRNA表达的发育性变化与总胶原和不溶性胶原含量呈极显著正相关（P〈0．01）,与胶原溶解度呈极显著负相关（P〈0．01）。鲁莱黑猪肌肉组织Col3al mRNA表达的发育性变化与不溶性胶原和胶原溶解度分别呈显著正相关和负相关妒〈0．05）。研究结果提示：猪肌肉组织中Col3al基因表达具有明显的体重发育和品种特征,其mRNA表达对于肌内胶原的含量和性质有重要影响。     

植物开花的组蛋白甲基化调控分子机理

开花是指植物从营养生长转变到生殖生长的生理过程, 是植物个体发育和后代繁衍的中心环节, 既受遗传基础决定,同时又受到温度和光周期等多种环境因素的调控。在拟南芥中, 已经分离了大量的与开花相关的基因, 从遗传学上已初步形成了一个开花调控的网络。组蛋白甲基化是植物发育过程的重要调节方式, 近年来关于其参与开花调控的研究有了重要进展。本文综述了具有代表性的组蛋白H3赖氨酸甲基化修饰参与调控植物开花发育的机制, 提出该研究领域的发展方向和前景。     

Chemical compounds and pharmacological effects of Rabdosia excisa

Many kinds of diterpenoids have been isolated from Rabdosia spp.Some of them have anti-microbial effects,counteract inflammation,and inhibit tumor progression activities.We conducted the present study in order to look for bioactive compounds in the medicinal plant Rabdosia excisa.In this study,five compounds were isolated from R.excisa;they were oridonin,isokamebakaurin,oleanolie acid,ursolic acid,and β-sitosterol.In order to identify the function of the extracts,the activity of antibiotics,antioxidation,and immunity test were carried out against these functions.Prospective results were observed in all of the tested items.     

An Irreversible and Kinetically Controlled Process: Thermal Induced Denaturation of <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">L</Emphasis>-2-Hydroxyisocaproate Dehydrogenase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus confusus</Emphasis>

The thermal denaturation of Lactobacillus confusus l-2-Hydroxyisocaproate Dehydrogenase (l-HicDH) has been studied by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The stability of this enzyme has been investigated at different pH conditions. The results of this study indicate that the thermal denaturation of this enzyme is irreversible and the T _m is dependent on the scan-rate, which suggests that the denaturation process of l-HicDH is kinetically determined. The heat capacity function of l-HicDH shows a single peak with the T _m values between 52.14°C and 55.89°C at pH 7.0 at different scan rates. These results indicate that the whole l-HicDH could unfold as a single cooperative unit, and intersubunit interactions of this homotetrameric enzyme must play a significant role in the stabilization of the whole enzyme. The rate constant of the unfolding is analyzed as a first order kinetic constant with the Arrhenius equation, and the activation energy has been calculated. The variation of the activation energy values obtained with different methods does not support the validity of the one-step irreversible model. The denaturation pathway was described by a three-state model, N → U → F, in which the dissociation of the tetramer takes place as an irreversible step before the irreversible unfolding of the monomers. The calorimetric enthalpy associated with the irreversible dissociation and the calorimetric enthalpy associated with the unfolding of the monomer were obtained from the best fitting procedure. Thermal unfolding of l-HicDH was also studied using Circular Dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Both methods yielded comparable values.     

Two new antibacterial sesquiterpenoids from Centipeda minima

Two new guaiane-type sesquiterpene lactones, compounds 1 and 2, along with three known guaianolide- or pseudoguaianolides, were isolated from Centipeda minima (whole plant). Their structures were identified by spectroscopic and mass-spectrometric analyses. The configuration at C5 of the guaiane framework of 1 was rationalized by quantum-mechanical calculations (Table 2). All compounds were found to be active against eight different microbial pathogens (Table 3), with MIC values in the range of 6.25-100 microg/ml.