A conserved cysteine motif is critical for rice ceramide kinase activity and function

Background

Ceramide kinase (CERK) is a key regulator of cell survival in dicotyledonous plants and animals. Much less is known about the roles of CERK and ceramides in mediating cellular processes in monocot plants. Here, we report the characterization of a ceramide kinase, OsCERK, from rice (Oryza sativa spp. Japonica cv. Nipponbare) and investigate the effects of ceramides on rice cell viability.

Principal Findings

OsCERK can complement the Arabidopsis CERK mutant acd5. Recombinant OsCERK has ceramide kinase activity with Michaelis-Menten kinetics and optimal activity at 7.0 pH and 40°C. Mg²⁺ activates OsCERK in a concentration-dependent manner. Importantly, a CXXXCXXC motif, conserved in all ceramide kinases and important for the activity of the human enzyme, is critical for OsCERK enzyme activity and in planta function. In a rice protoplast system, inhibition of CERK leads to cell death and the ratio of added ceramide and ceramide-1-phosphate, CERK''s substrate and product, respectively, influences cell survival. Ceramide-induced rice cell death has apoptotic features and is an active process that requires both de novo protein synthesis and phosphorylation, respectively. Finally, mitochondria membrane potential loss previously associated with ceramide-induced cell death in Arabidopsis was also found in rice, but it occurred with different timing.

Conclusions

OsCERK is a bona fide ceramide kinase with a functionally and evolutionarily conserved Cys-rich motif that plays an important role in modulating cell fate in plants. The vital function of the conserved motif in both human and rice CERKs suggests that the biochemical mechanism of CERKs is similar in animals and plants. Furthermore, ceramides induce cell death with similar features in monocot and dicot plants.     

Rational Structure Optimized Hybrid Nanogenerator for Highly Efficient Water Wave Energy Harvesting

Water wave energy is a promising renewable energy source that may alleviate the rising concerns over current resource depletion, but it is rarely exploited due to the lack of efficient energy harvesting technologies. In this work, a hybrid system with a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and an electromagnetic generator (EMG) based on an optimized inner topological structure is reported to effectively harvest water wave energy. The TENG with etched polytetrafluoroethylene films and Cu electrodes utilizing the contact‐freestanding mode is designed into a cubic structure, in which the EMG is well hybridized. An integration of TENG and EMG achieves mutual compensation of their own merits, enabling the hybrid system to deliver satisfactory output over a broad range of operation frequency. The output performance of TENG with varied inner topological structures is experimentally and theoretically compared, and a concept is proposed to further clarify the energy conversion efficiency, which should be considered in designing energy harvesting devices. The influences of oscillation frequency, amplitude, and dielectric materials on the output performance of the hybrid system are comprehensively studied on different platforms. Furthermore, the optimum operation frequency ranges for TENG and EMG are concluded. The proposed hybrid nanogenerator renders an effective approach toward large‐scale blue energy harvesting over a broad frequency range.     

长期培肥黑土微生物量磷动态变化及影响因素

长期采用两种不同量有机肥(M2、M4)、化肥(NPK)方式培肥黑土,研究微生物量P在作物生长季动态变化．结果表明。施用有机肥微生物量P显著高于施用化肥(NPK)和不施肥(CK),微生物量P分别为M48．75～47．68mg·kg^-1,M2 3．02～37．16mg·kg^-1,NPK1．59～10．62mg·kg^-1,CK0．76～6．74mg·kg^-1之间,波动性较大．M4、M2处理微生物量P最大值出现在抽雄吐丝期,NPK、CK处理最大值出现在大喇叭口期;施肥数量和种类不同所引起的黑土微生物量P的差异并未因季节变化及玉米生育时期影响而明显改变．微生物量P的动态变化与绝大多数黑土生物、理化特性指标的动态变化没有显著的相关性;微生物量P与黑土生物、理化特性(除全钾外),植物氮、磷、钾含量有极显著的正相关关系,与黑土含水量呈显著正相关关系．     

Factors Influencing Tree Phenology in Taï National Park,Côte d'Ivoire1

Entrained phenology patterns of tropical trees are expected to be sensitive to short‐term fluctuations in typical rainfall and temperature. We examined 47 mo of data on the flowering, fruiting, and new leaf phenology for 797 trees from 38 species in the Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire. We determined the timing of the phenology cycles in relation to seasonal rainfall, temperature, and solar radiation. Regression analysis was used to examine how variations in rainfall and temperature influenced deviations in the peaks and troughs of phenology cycles. We also investigated whether populations that fruit during periods of community‐wide fruit scarcity were those populations with relatively long‐ or short‐fruiting duration. Flower, fruit, and leaf‐flushing phenophases all exhibited 12‐mo cycles. The broad peak in flowering began with the northward zenithal passing in April and ended with the southward zenithal passing in September. Fruiting peaks occurred in the long dry season, and leaf flushing peaked in the long dry season but continued into the wet season. Deviations from phenology cycles were largely attributable to short‐term fluctuations in rainfall and/or temperature. Fruiting durations of species were related to the mean diameter at breast height. Species with long‐ and short‐fruiting durations contributed equally to fruit abundance during periods of community‐wide fruit scarcity.     

本溪关门山国家森林公园游客行为特征

研究游客行为特征对于旅游资源的开发、管理以及旅游目的地的可持续发展具有重要的作用。以本溪关门山国家森林公园为研究对象,通过问卷调查的方法对游客的人口统计学特征、地域结构特征、一般行为特征、消费特征及感知特征进行了研究。结果表明:关门山国家森林公园的游客以较高学历的男性中青年为主;客源主要来自本省辽宁,并以沈阳、本溪和大连的游客为主,客源地理集中度指数为35.71;旅游的主要目的是观赏枫叶,出游时间大部分集中在每年"十一"黄金周期间,且半数以上为当日往返的短程游览者;游客偏好与家人一起出游的旅行方式,所选择的交通工具主要为自驾车和旅游专车;游客的消费结构不平衡,主要集中于景区门票和交通费,占总消费的56.7%;游客对景区的喜好度依次为龙门峡景区月台子景区小黄山景区夹砬子景区鸣翠谷景区。总的来说,游客满意度较高,有89.1%的游客愿意重游此地,游客最不满意的地方主要表现在景区卫生方面。基于调查研究结果,对关门山国家森林公园的开发建设和可持续发展提供了相关建议。     

人脐带和骨髓间充质干细胞体外分离培养及生物学特性比较

目的体外分离培养、扩增人脐带间充质干细胞(h UC-MSC)和人骨髓间充质干细胞(h BM-MSC),并对其生物学特性进行比较。方法采用组织块贴壁法从足月胎儿脐带分离、纯化和培养h UC-MSC,健康成人骨髓肝素抗凝后,采用密度梯度离心法分离、纯化和培养h BM-MSC;用倒置显微镜观察两种细胞的形态及细胞生长增殖情况,流式细胞仪分析检测第3代细胞表面标志的表达,Von?Kossa染色及油红O染色检测分化潜能。结果镜下两种细胞均为贴壁生长,形态为均一的成纤维细胞样,取相同数量的细胞传代接种后,h UC-MSC的增殖速率快于h BM-MSC,两种细胞具有均一的细胞表型,均表达CD29、CD44、CD105,不表达CD45、CD34、HLA-DR、HLA-G、CD80、CD86,两种细胞都有成骨、成脂分化潜能,但h UC-MSC的分化潜能更强。结论 h UC-MSC与h BM-MSC具有相似的生物学特性,且前者具有更强的增殖能力和分化潜能,h UC-MSC有望成为h BMMSC理想的替代来源。     

发光细菌JMU07的分离鉴定及其在生物毒性测定的初步研究

从乌贼表皮通过分离纯化得到一株发光细菌JMU07。该菌的菌落形态呈典型细菌菌落特征;显微镜下观察其为球杆状菌,革兰氏染色阴性。用荧光分光光度计测定其发光波长在420-650 nm之间,最大发光波长为477 nm。16S rDNA法测序,构建系统进化树,初步鉴定发光细菌JMU07为鳆发光杆菌(Photobacterium leiog-nathi)。生长发光曲线测定表明,发光细菌JMU07发光强度最高出现在对数中后期,相比明亮发光杆菌,JMU07具有发光强度高,持续发光时间长的特点。根据国标GB/T15441-1995研究HgCl2浓度与发光细菌JMU07发光强度抑制率的关系得到:HgCl2浓度与发光细菌JMU07发光强度抑制呈良好线性关系;JMU07 EC50为0.11 mg/L,略低于明亮发光杆菌的0.14 mg/L,表明JMU07对HgCl2的毒性更敏感。因此新分离得到的发光细菌JMU07有希望用于环境检测、食品卫生与安全等领域综合毒性的快速检测。     

粘虫棉铃虫对杀虫剂活性的相关性

研究了37种杀虫剂对粘虫、棉铃虫活性的相关性。结果表明,粘虫对杀虫剂的活性和棉铃虫是一致的,其直线回归式：Y＝164．36＋0．646X相关系数（R）为0．953。R值受棉铃虫对拟菊酯抗性的影响。     

Smad3 mediates TGF-beta1-induced collagen gel contraction by human lung fibroblasts

Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) is a key mediator in tissue repair and fibrosis. Using small interference RNA (siRNA), the role of Smad2 and Smad3 in TGF-beta stimulation of human lung fibroblast contraction of collagenous matrix and induction of alpha-SMA and the role of alpha-SMA in contraction were assessed. HFL-1 cells were transfected with Smad2, Smad3 or control-siRNA, and cultured in floating Type I collagen gels +/- -TGF-beta1. TGF-beta1 augmented gel contraction in Smad2-siRNA- and control-siRNA-treated cells, but had no effect in Smad3-siRNA-treated cells. Similarly, TGF-beta1 upregulated alpha-SMA in Smad2-siRNA- and control-siRNA-treated cells, but had no effect on Smad3-siRNA-treated cells. Alpha-SMA-siRNA-treated cells did not contact the collagen gels with or without TGF-beta1, suggesting alpha-SMA is required for gel contraction. Thus, Smad3 mediates TGF-beta1-induced contraction and alpha-SMA induction in human lung fibroblasts. Smad3, therefore, could be a target for blocking contraction of human fibrotic tissue induced by TGF-beta1.