肽基精氨酸脱亚胺酶4(PADI4)对RA的影响

类风湿关节炎(RA)是一种病因和发病机制尚不清楚的自身免疫疾病,一般认为是由多种遗传因素和环境因素共同作用的结果。遗传因素中以组织相容性白细胞抗原HLA最为重要,另外作为非HLA的肽基精氨酸脱亚胺酶4(PADI4)也参与了RA的发病。PADI4是一种翻译后修饰酶,可在钙离子存在的情况下将精氨酸残基转化为瓜氨酸残基,瓜氨酸化后的蛋白质往往改变其分子构象,从而导致其生化活性亦发生改变。在不用种族的人群中,PADI4基因多态性与RA的易感性不尽相同。PADI4在RA患者血清中含量明显升高,在机体内产生自身抗PADI4抗体,并且PADI4瓜氨酸化多种蛋白质引起机体自身的免疫反应参与RA的发生与发展。近些年来的其他研究表明PAID4也参与了肿瘤、溃疡性结肠炎、多发性硬化症的发病。尽管针对PADI4的研究已经取得了很多重大进展,但是仍然存在很多悬而未决的问题等待科研工作者进一步的研究和证实。     

牙鲆CA/GT微卫星标记的筛选

采用生物素选择杂交法与放射性同位素杂交法相结合的技术,成功地从牙鲆(Paralichthys olivaceus)基因组中分离出含有CA/GT重复类型的微卫星序列。通过两轮淘选,共获得526个阳性菌落。测序其中的119个菌落,结果获得133个含有微卫星座位的序列。除了两个复合型微卫星外(1.5%),完美型63个(47.37%),非完美型68个(51.13%)。设计并合成22对微卫星引物,对8个人工雌核发育家系的亲本进行遗传背景分析。PCR结果表明,4对引物无扩增带或者扩增带不是目的条带,1对引物表现为单态,其余17对引物均呈多态性,平均每个座位产生5.2个复等位基因,杂合度为0.375～0.846,多态信息含量为0.305～0.823。结果表明,所筛选的大部分微卫星标记能够用于牙鲆群体遗传学研究。     

SURROGACY: DONOR CONCEPTION REGULATION IN JAPAN

As of 2008, surrogacy is legal and openly practised in various places; Japan, however, has no regulations or laws regarding surrogacy. This paper reports the situation of surrogacy in Japan and in five other regions (the USA, the UK, Taiwan, Korea and France) to clarify the pros and cons of prohibiting surrogacy, along with the problems and issues relating to surrogacy compensation. Not only in a country such as France that completely prohibits surrogacy within the country, but also in a country such as the UK that allows non‐commercial surrogacy, infertile couples travel overseas for the purpose of surrogacy. In addition, some couples might seek underground surrogacy if the government prohibits surrogacy. If an intended parent couple and a surrogate make an agreement among themselves and then a problem occurs, they cannot ask for support from professionals or bring a case to court, as can be observed in South Korea and Taiwan. We also conclude that there is little difference between commercial surrogacy and non‐commercial surrogacy in the absence of a clear definition of ‘reasonable expenses.’ In the UK, the law does not allow surrogates to receive compensation. However, in reality, there may be little difference between the amounts paid to surrogates for profit in the US and those paid to surrogates for reasonable expenses in the UK. We conclude that the issue of surrogacy demands further discussion in Japan.     

Molecular evolution of a long wavelength-sensitive opsin in mimetic Heliconius butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

This study examines the pattern of opsin nucleotide and amino acid substitution among mimetic species 'rings' of Heliconius butterflies that are characterized by divergent wing colour patterns. A long wavelength opsin gene, OPS1 , was sequenced from each of seven species of Heliconius and one species of Dryas (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). A parsimony analysis of OPS1 nucleotide and amino acid sequences resulted in a phylogeny that was consistent with that presented by Brower & Egan in 1997, which was based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I and II as well as nuclear wingless genes. Nodes in the OPS1 phylogeny were well supported by bootstrap analysis and decay indices. An analysis of specific sites within the gene indicates that the accumulation of amino acid substitutions has occurred independently of the morphological diversification of Heliconius wing colour patterns. Amino acid substitutions were examined with respect to their location within the opsin protein and their possible interactions with the chromophore and the G-protein. Of the 15 amino acid substitutions identified among the eight species, one nonconservative replacement (A226Q) was identified in a position that may be involved in binding with the G-protein.     

Nest Site Selection by Western Gray Squirrels at Their Northern Range Terminus

ABSTRACT The western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus) in Washington, USA, is limited to 3 disjunct areas and is a state threatened species. Information is lacking for the North Cascades population, which is the northernmost population for the species. Squirrels in this population exist without oaks (Quercus spp.) that provide forage and cavities for maternal nests elsewhere in their range. During May 2003 to August 2005, we studied selection of nest sites and nest trees by 18 radiocollared squirrels in Okanogan County, Washington. Without oak cavities, females reared their young in dreys. General nest-tree characteristics were similar to characteristics of western gray squirrel nest trees in Southeastern Cascades: relatively tall ponderosa pines (Pinus ponderosa) ≥ 40 cm diameter at breast height. Results from conditional logistic models determined that the odds of a squirrel selecting a tree for nesting increased with greater diameter at breast height and with infection by dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium spp.). Nest sites with high selection probability by squirrels had greater basal area and number of tree species than available unselected sites. Retention of forest patches that include a mix of conifer species or conifer and deciduous trees and moderate to high basal area could promote nesting opportunities, connectivity for arboreal travel, as well as abundance and diversity of hypogeous fungi. Experiments to test the efficacy of retaining untreated patches of varying size (including trees infected with mistletoe) on nesting by western gray squirrels within stands managed for fire suppression and forest health would provide important information about the effects of forest fuel management on arboreal wildlife.     

微流控芯片对乳腺癌细胞MDA-MB-231的捕获及再培养研究

目的:利用实验室构建的微流控芯片对乳腺癌细胞(MDA-MB-231)进行捕获,提高捕获率并保证细胞活性,实现再培养。抗肿瘤药物阿霉素处理正常培养和再培养的细胞,分析细胞内的基因表达变化。方法:对微流控芯片进行基底修饰,利用MUC1抗原与抗体特异性结合捕获肿瘤细胞,优化捕获条件提高捕获率。对微流控芯片捕获的细胞进行分离、收集和再培养。用1μmol/L阿霉素对正常培养和再培养的细胞分别孵育24h,然后提取RNA并逆转录合成c DNA。选择乳腺癌细胞中高表达及与肿瘤转移相关的基因FN1、ITGA6和LAMB3设计引物,以c DNA为模板分别进行RT-PCR扩增,对琼脂糖凝胶电泳结果进行灰度分析。结果:经MUC1抗体修饰的微流控芯片能有效地捕获肿瘤细胞,捕获率达80%±3%,释放率约98%,细胞释放后存活率高实现再培养。阿霉素对正常培养和再培养的乳腺癌细胞中FN1、ITGA6和LAMB3的基因表达均有抑制作用。结论:MUC1抗体修饰的微流控芯片能有效捕获乳腺癌细胞并实现再培养,捕获前后细胞内基因表达无显著差异,均能产生药物敏感性。