Distribution of the molossinus allele of Sry, the testis-determining gene, in wild mice

When the Y chromosome of the laboratory inbred mouse strain C57BL/6 (B6) is replaced by the Y of certain strains of Mus musculus domesticus, testis determination fails and all XY fetuses develop either as hermaphrodites or XY females (XY sex reversal). This suggests the presence of at least two alleles of Sry, the male-determining gene on the Y:M. m. domesticus and B6. The B6 Y chromosome is derived from the Japanese house mouse, M. m. molossinus and therefore carries a molossinus Sry allele. As a first step to determine how the molossinus Sry allele evolved, its distribution pattern was determined in wild mice. The cumulative data of 96 M. musculus samples obtained from 58 geographical locations in Europe, North Africa, and Asia show the molossinus Sry allele is restricted to Japan and the neighboring Asian mainland and confirm that Japanese M. m. molossinus mice were derived in part from a race of M. m. musculus from Korea or Manchuria. Sry polymorphisms, as illustrated by the molossinus Sry allele, can serve as molecular markers for studies on the evolution of wild M. musculus populations and can help determine the role sex determination plays in speciation.      

Chromatin,gene silencing and HIV latency

One of the cellular defenses against virus infection is the silencing of viral gene expression. There is evidence that at least two gene-silencing mechanisms are used against the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV). Paradoxically, this cellular defense mechanism contributes to viral latency and persistence, and we review here the relationship of viral latency to gene-silencing mechanisms.     

Focus: A Multifaceted Battle Against Cancer: Basal Cell Carcinoma: Pathogenesis,Epidemiology, Clinical Features,Diagnosis, Histopathology,and Management

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common malignancy. Exposure to sunlight is the most important risk factor. Most, if not all, cases of BCC demonstrate overactive Hedgehog signaling. A variety of treatment modalities exist and are selected based on recurrence risk, importance of tissue preservation, patient preference, and extent of disease. The pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis, histopathology, and management of BCC will be discussed in this review.     

中国树鼩下丘脑视上核和室旁核内加压素能和催产素能神经元的形态计量学分析

采用免疫组织化学ＰＡＰ／ＤＡＮ－镍加强技术和形态计量法研究了中国树鼩下丘脑加压素（ＶＰ）能和催产素（ＯＴ）能视上核主部（ＳＯＮｐ）、视上核交叉后部（ＳＯＮｒ）和室旁核（ＰＶＮ）的平均矢轴长度,ＳＯＮｐ,ＳＯＮｒ和ＰＶＮ内ＶＰ能和ＯＴ能神经元胞体截面积的平均值;ＳＯＮｐ,ＳＯＮｒ和ＰＶＮ的ＶＰ能和ＯＴ能神经元总数;各校团的各个系列节段内ＶＰ能和ＯＴ能神经元的比较计数。发现,ＳＯＮｐ前１／３部分ＯＴ能神经元明显多于ＶＰ能的,而后２／３部分则相反;ＳＯＮｒ前２／３部分ＶＰ能神经元明显多于ＯＴ能的,而后１／３部分两者差别不明显;ＰＶＮ前２／３部分ＯＴ能神经元明显多于ＶＰ能的,而后１／３部分则相反。本文就中国树下丘脑ＳＯＮ和ＰＶＮ内ＶＰ能和ＯＴ能神经元的形态计量学资料与大鼠的进行了比较。     

The RAD23 Family Provides an Essential Connection between the 26S Proteasome and Ubiquitylated Proteins in Arabidopsis

The ubiquitin (Ub)/26S proteasome system (UPS) directs the turnover of numerous regulatory proteins, thereby exerting control over many aspects of plant growth, development, and survival. The UPS is directed in part by a group of Ub-like/Ub-associated (UBL/UBA) proteins that help shuttle ubiquitylated proteins to the 26S proteasome for breakdown. Here, we describe the collection of UBL/UBA proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana, including four isoforms that comprise the RADIATION SENSITIVE23 (RAD23) family. The nuclear-enriched RAD23 proteins bind Ub conjugates, especially those linked internally through Lys-48, via their UBA domains, and associate with the 26S proteasome Ub receptor RPN10 via their N-terminal UBL domains. Whereas homozygous mutants individually affecting the four RAD23 genes are without phenotypic consequences (rad23a, rad23c, and rad23d) or induce mild phyllotaxy and sterility defects (rad23b), higher-order mutant combinations generate severely dwarfed plants, with the quadruple mutant displaying reproductive lethality. Both the synergistic effects of a rad23b-1 rpn10-1 combination and the response of rad23b plants to mitomycin C suggest that RAD23b regulates cell division. Taken together, RAD23 proteins appear to play an essential role in the cell cycle, morphology, and fertility of plants through their delivery of UPS substrates to the 26S proteasome.     

Affinity Purification of the Arabidopsis 26 S Proteasome Reveals a Diverse Array of Plant Proteolytic Complexes

Selective proteolysis in plants is largely mediated by the ubiquitin (Ub)/proteasome system in which substrates, marked by the covalent attachment of Ub, are degraded by the 26 S proteasome. The 26 S proteasome is composed of two subparticles, the 20 S core protease (CP) that compartmentalizes the protease active sites and the 19 S regulatory particle that recognizes and translocates appropriate substrates into the CP lumen for breakdown. Here, we describe an affinity method to rapidly purify epitope-tagged 26 S proteasomes intact from Arabidopsis thaliana. In-depth mass spectrometric analyses of preparations generated from young seedlings confirmed that the 2.5-MDa CP-regulatory particle complex is actually a heterogeneous set of particles assembled with paralogous pairs for most subunits. A number of these subunits are modified post-translationally by proteolytic processing, acetylation, and/or ubiquitylation. Several proteasome-associated proteins were also identified that likely assist in complex assembly and regulation. In addition, we detected a particle consisting of the CP capped by the single subunit PA200 activator that may be involved in Ub-independent protein breakdown. Taken together, it appears that a diverse and highly dynamic population of proteasomes is assembled in plants, which may expand the target specificity and functions of intracellular proteolysis.     

土壤低剂量芘污染对蚯蚓若干生化指标的影响

通过人工污染土壤的方法,设计芘的暴露浓度为0、60、120、240、480、960μg.kg-1.暴露实验进行1、3、7和14d后,分别检测蚯蚓内脏中细胞色素P450含量、谷胱甘肽转移酶(GST)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性和丙二醛(MDA)含量.结果表明,在供试浓度范围内,蚯蚓内脏中各生化指标对污染物暴露指示的敏感性存在差异:其中P450含量、GST和SOD活性最为敏感;POD和CAT活性次之;而MDA含量未对低剂量的芘暴露起到明显的指示作用.研究同时发现,低剂量污染物暴露的时间效应要强于剂量效应的影响.因而,在进行生态毒性诊断时,采用多指标和多时段的检测对增强指示的灵敏性和有效性尤为重要.     

中国树鼩下丘脑视上核和室旁核内加压素和催产素能神经元的比较分布

应用PAP-PAAP双重免疫组化染色程序在同一切片上进行两种肽能物质的定位,观察了中国树鼩下丘脑视上核和室旁核内VP能和OT能神经元的比较解剖学分布,发现:视上核被视束分成主部和交叉后部。在视上核主部,其头侧部几乎仅含OT能神经元胞体,中间部VP能胞体出现并逐渐增多,尾侧部VP能胞体数目明显超过OT能胞体。在明显含有两种胞体的中间部和尾侧部,OT能胞体多位于背内侧,VP能胞体多位于腹外侧;在视上核交叉后部,其头侧部以VP能胞体为主,且多位于背外侧,OT能胞体多位于腹内侧。中间部OT能胞体多位于内侧,VP能胞体多位于外侧。尾侧部OT能胞体多位于背、腹两侧,VP能胞体则多位于中间;在室旁核,其头侧部几乎全由OT能胞体构成。中间部,VP能胞体出现并逐渐增多,OT和VP能胞体分别主要位于内、外侧。尾侧部两种神经元胞体较明显地分为内、外两群,内侧群主要为OT能胞体,外侧群几乎全为VP能胞体,该群的头侧半又可分为背腹两个亚群,至尾侧半,此二亚群渐合并。本文讨论了OT和VP能神经元在中国树鼩和大鼠视上核和室旁核内的比较分布。     

BioGraph: unsupervised biomedical knowledge discovery via automated hypothesis generation

We present BioGraph, a data integration and data mining platform for the exploration and discovery of biomedical information. The platform offers prioritizations of putative disease genes, supported by functional hypotheses. We show that BioGraph can retrospectively confirm recently discovered disease genes and identify potential susceptibility genes, outperforming existing technologies, without requiring prior domain knowledge. Additionally, BioGraph allows for generic biomedical applications beyond gene discovery. BioGraph is accessible at .