Role of FGFs in skeletal muscle and limb development

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are a family of nine proteins that bind to three distinct types of cell surface molecules: (i) FGF receptor tyrosine kinases (FGFR-1 through FGFR-4); (ii) a cysteine-rich FGF receptor (CFR); and (iii) heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). Signaling by FGFs requires participation of at least two of these receptors: the FGFRs and HSPGs form a signaling complex. The length and sulfation pattern of the heparan sulfate chain determines both the activity of the signaling complex and, in part, the ligand specificity for FGFR-1. Thus, the heparan sulfate proteoglycans are likely to play an essential role in signaling. We have recently identified a role for FGF in limb bud development in vivo. In the chick limb bud, ectopic expression of the 18 kDa form of FGF-2 or FGF-2 fused to an artificial signal peptide at its amino terminus causes skeletal duplications. These data, and the observations that FGF-2 is localized to the subjacent mesoderm and the apical ectodermal ridge in the early developing limb, suggest that FGF-2 plays an important role in limb outgrowth. We propose that FGF-2 is an apical ectodermal ridgederived factor that participates in limb outgrowth and patterning. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

The influence of sampling method on the classification of wetland macroinvertebrate communities

Macroinvertebrate communities sampled by a corer, plankton net and sweep net from five wetlands on the Swan Coastal Plain were compared. The composition of the fauna collected in sweeps and tows was generally similar and differed from that collected in the cores. Cores caught fewer species than tows and sweeps at all wetlands and did not capture fast swimming hemipterans or less abundant taxa. The highest species richness was recorded in sweep samples in four out of the five wetlands. Classification (TWIN-SPAN) and ordination (SSH) of the samples collected in sweeps and tows gave good separation of the wetlands, whereas classification of core samples did not. Coring appeared to be the least suitable sampling method for describing the major components of the macroinvertebrate communities of these wetlands. Plankton tows were useful if the time available for sorting was limited as these samples were free of sediments and generally gave similar results to those obtained with sweeps. Sweeps appeared to be the most useful method for a large classification study as they collected more species and resulted in the best discrimination amongst wetlands.     

Nonenzymatic Glycosylation of Lepidopteran-Active Bacillus thuringiensis Protein Crystals

We used high-pH anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection to quantify the monosaccharides covalently attached to Bacillus thuringiensis HD-1 (Dipel) crystals. The crystals contained 0.54% sugars, including, in decreasing order of prevalence, glucose, fucose, arabinose/rhamnose, galactose, galactosamine, glucosamine, xylose, and mannose. Three lines of evidence indicated that these sugars arose from nonenzymatic glycosylation: (i) the sugars could not be removed by N- or O-glycanases; (ii) the sugars attached were influenced both by the medium in which the bacteria had been grown and by the time at which the crystals were harvested; and (iii) the chemical identity and stoichiometry of the sugars detected did not fit any known glycoprotein models. Thus, the sugars detected were the product of fermentation conditions rather than bacterial genetics. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of crystal chemistry, fermentation technology, and the efficacy of B. thuringiensis as a microbial insecticide.     

Neutron structure factors of in-vivo deuterated amorphous protein C-phycocyanin

Neutron powder diffraction measurements of fully deuterated protein C-phycocyanin have been made at three temperatures, 295, 200, and 77 K, using dry and partially hydrated samples. The average coherent structure factors and the corresponding radial distribution functions d(r) are determined. The changes in d(r) functions observed in hydrated samples depend strongly on the level of hydration and most of these changes are due to water-protein interactions. At 0.365 gram D₂O per gram of protein, the water crystallized into hexagonal ice at 200 K and below, but at 0.175 gram D₂O per gram of protein, no crystallization of water was observed. At the higher hydration a peak appears in the radial distribution function which indicates that the average distance of the water molecule in the first hydration shell from the amino acid residues is 3.5 Å.     

A population model for the alkali fly at Mono Lake: depth distribution and changing habitat availability

The densities of alkali fly larvae and pupae were measured in relation to depth and substrate type at six locations around Mono Lake. Samples representing a mixture of different bottom features were taken to a depth of 10 m (33 ft) using SCUBA. This is at or near the depth limit of fly larvae and pupae. The biomass of larvae and pupae on hard substrate were maximum and approximately equal at depths of 0.5 m and 1 m, substantially lower at intermediate depths of 3 m and 5 m, and over an order of magnitude further reduced at 10 m. Densities of flies on hard or rocky substrates (mainly calcareous tufa deposits), were significantly greater than those found on soft substrates such as mud or sand, at all but the greatest depth surveyed.Bathymetric maps of the areas of hard and soft substrate occurring at different lake depths were used to estimate the fly population size over the whole lake, based on the density distribution of larvae and pupae with depth on different substrates. The mapped areas of soft and hard substrates were also calculated for different lake levels, and applying the same procedure, a population model comparing the abundance of flies at different lake levels was developed. This habitat-based population model predicts that the abundance of the alkali fly is maximized at 6380 ft (1945 m) lake surface elevation. Most of the tufa substrate submerged at this lake level will become exposed and unavailable as habitat as the lake declines to 6370 ft (1942 m). In late 1991, the lake level was just over 6374 ft (1943 + m).     

嗜盐耐盐微生物抗盐胁迫相关离子转运蛋白研究进展

离子转运蛋白在维持细胞内pH稳态、离子动态平衡等方面发挥着重要作用。钠离子转运体和钾离子转运体在嗜盐耐盐微生物中广泛存在,其"保钾排钠"机制是微生物抗盐胁迫的两大策略之一。近年来,嗜盐耐盐微生物中许多新型钠、钾离子转运体被陆续发现,如RDD蛋白、UPF0118蛋白、DUF蛋白和KimA蛋白等;Fe³⁺、Mg²⁺等其他金属离子的转运蛋白也被证实可通过影响微生物胞内相容性溶质的合成起到渗透调节的作用。本文综述了嗜盐耐盐微生物中抗盐胁迫相关的各类离子转运蛋白,分析其分子结构和工作机理,并对这些蛋白在农业方面的应用进行了展望。继续发现新的离子转运蛋白,探究抗盐胁迫相关离子转运蛋白的结构和机理,解析各转运系统的协同作用及分子调控机制,将进一步加深对嗜盐耐盐微生物抗盐胁迫调控的认识,并为盐碱地农作物的改良等提供新的思路。     

柬埔寨白蝶兰，中国兰科一新记录种

报道中国兰科白蝶兰属一新记录种——柬埔寨白蝶兰Pecteilis cambodiana (Gagnep.) Aver.,描述其特征并提供了彩色图片。凭证标本保存于福建农林大学林学院树木标本室(FJFC)。     

Understanding the links between snoring,OSA and aortic root pathologies in Marfan syndrome

Sleep and Biological Rhythms -     

厌氧氨氧化菌驱动脱氮途径的研究进展

厌氧氨氧化菌(anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, AnAOB)的代谢多样性,使得该菌群能够在海洋、湿地和陆地等不同的自然生态系统中广泛分布,甚至在一些极热和极寒环境中也检测到了该菌群的存在。本文回顾并总结了厌氧氨氧化菌在不同生态系统中的发现、分布及脱氮贡献等方面的研究,分析了厌氧氨氧化菌分布的主要环境影响因素。该综述将帮助我们更好地理解全球氮循环中厌氧氨氧化菌的实际角色和功能,并基于厌氧氨氧化(anaerobicammoniaoxidation,anammox)过程,探究能与其进行协作的新型生物脱氮工艺,以期为这些工艺的研发和推广提供生态学基础和新的思考,从而实现脱氮工艺的技术变革。