Rhizosphere priming effect increases the temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter decomposition

The temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition has been a crucial topic in global change research, yet remains highly uncertain. One of the contributing factors to this uncertainty is the lack of understanding about the role of rhizosphere priming effect (RPE) in shaping the temperature sensitivity. Using a novel continuous ¹³C‐labeling method, we investigated the temperature sensitivity of RPE and its impact on the temperature sensitivity of SOM decomposition. We observed an overall positive RPE. The SOM decomposition rates in the planted treatments increased 17–163% above the unplanted treatments in three growth chamber experiments including two plant species, two growth stages, and two warming methods. More importantly, warming by 5 °C increased RPE up to threefold, hence, the overall temperature sensitivity of SOM decomposition was consistently enhanced (Q₁₀ values increased 0.3–0.9) by the presence of active rhizosphere. In addition, the proportional contribution of SOM decomposition to total soil respiration was increased by soil warming, implying a higher temperature sensitivity of SOM decomposition than that of autotrophic respiration. Our results, for the first time, clearly demonstrated that root–soil interactions play a crucial role in shaping the temperature sensitivity of SOM decomposition. Caution is required for interpretation of any previously determined temperature sensitivity of SOM decomposition that omitted rhizosphere effects using either soil incubation or field root‐exclusion. More attention should be paid to RPE in future experimental and modeling studies of SOM decomposition.     

Replication pauses of the wild-type and mutant mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma: a simulation study

The activity of polymerase γ is complicated, involving both correct and incorrect DNA polymerization events, exonuclease activity, and the disassociation of the polymerase:DNA complex. Pausing of pol-γ might increase the chance of deletion and depletion of mitochondrial DNA. We have developed a stochastic simulation of pol-γ that models its activities on the level of individual nucleotides for the replication of mtDNA. This method gives us insights into the pausing of two pol-γ variants: the A467T substitution that causes PEO and Alpers syndrome, and the exonuclease deficient pol-γ (exo(-)) in premature aging mouse models. To measure the pausing, we analyzed simulation results for the longest time for the polymerase to move forward one nucleotide along the DNA strand. Our model of the exo(-) polymerase had extremely long pauses, with a 30 to 300-fold increase in the time required for the longest single forward step compared to the wild-type, while the naturally occurring A467T variant showed at most a doubling in the length of the pauses compared to the wild-type. We identified the cause of these differences in the polymerase pausing time to be the number of disassociations occurring in each forward step of the polymerase.     

酪氨酸对大鼠离体Leydig细胞睾酮和cAMP生成的影响

本实验采用胶原酶消化,Ficoll 密度梯度离心,制备大鼠睾丸 Leydig 细胞悬浮液进行体外培养(每管内含有10~6 细胞),以研究酪氨酸对 Leydig 细胞睾酮和cAMP 生成的影响。实验结果表明,hCG(100mIU)能明显地促进Leydig 细胞睾酮和 cAMP的生成。睾酮从对照组的3.08±0.58ng(X±SD,下同)增加到41.61±1.52ng,cAMP 含量从19.62±2.56pmol增加到153.24±5.92pmol。若将酪氨酸(60μg)与hCG同时加入到细胞培养液中,则睾酮和cAMP 含量分别下降到 19.22±.0.52ng(P<0.01)和92.63±6.02pmol(P<0.05)。但是,酪氨酸羟化酶抑制剂(α-甲基酪氨酸)对酪氨酸抗hCG致睾酮生成作用无阻断效应,而酪氨酸对外源cAMP(2.5mM)诱导的睾酮生成,则有明显的抑制作用,睾酮含量从27.56±1.53ng降至 19.50±0.47ng(P<0.01)。以上实验结果表明,酪氨酸抗hCG致睾酮生成的作用机理与cAMP有关。     

莳萝蒿适应盐渍环境的Na~+区域化方式和生理特征

莳萝蒿是广泛分布在我国北方的一种特殊类型的菊科盐生植物,阐明莳萝蒿特殊的耐盐机制和生理特征有助于丰富植物抗盐性研究的内容。用0、100、200、300、400 mmol/L Na Cl处理莳萝蒿7 d后,比较莳萝蒿盐处理植株与对照植株在生长和生理方面的差异,并详细分析了Na+在莳萝蒿体内的积累水平和区域化方式。结果显示:莳萝蒿虽然能够耐受400 mmol/L Na Cl,但盐处理显著抑制了莳萝蒿的生长,整株鲜重随着盐处理浓度的升高逐渐减小。在水分生理方面,随着盐处理浓度的升高,莳萝蒿叶片细胞的渗透调节能力逐渐增强,其叶片肉质化程度却呈逐渐降低的趋势。分析盐处理对光合作用的影响发现,盐处理后莳萝蒿叶片光合速率与气孔导度显著下降,而其PSⅡ光化学活性并未受到抑制,叶绿素含量甚至逐渐增大,说明盐处理后莳萝蒿叶片光合速率的降低主要是由于气孔因素造成的,而不是由于光合结构被破坏。莳萝蒿体内的Na+含量随着盐处理浓度的升高显著增加,400 mmol/L Na Cl条件下叶、茎、根中的Na+含量分别高达321.4、242.1和182.3μmol/g鲜重;莳萝蒿体内的Na+70%以上积累在叶片内,而叶片内98%左右的Na+积累在叶片原生质体中,叶片原生质体中的Na+平均浓度是质外体1.2—1.8倍,推测其叶片细胞内存在着有效的Na+区域化机制。盐处理后莳萝蒿叶片液泡膜V-H+-ATPase的质子泵活性比对照增加了30%—50%,液泡膜Na+/H+逆向转运活性则增加至对照的4—7倍,进一步证实莳萝蒿叶片具有较强的液泡Na+区域化能力。随着盐处理浓度的升高,Na+在叶片中的分布比例相对减少,V-H+-ATPase的质子泵活性和Na+/H+逆向转运活性增幅也减缓。这种Na+区域化能力使莳萝蒿获得了较强的耐盐性,有效保护了其光系统,降低了细胞汁液渗透势。但是盐处理后这种耐盐方式并不能阻止莳萝蒿叶片肉质化程度和光合活性下降,莳萝蒿生长仍然受盐抑制,说明Na+区域化是莳萝蒿适应盐渍环境的必要条件而非充分条件。     

不同银杏内酯对黑曲霉线粒体结构及功能的影响

真菌感染作为威胁人类健康的传染性疾病之一,是普遍的全球性问题。本研究通过在黑曲霉的孢子悬浮液中添加不同浓度的银杏内酯,收集黑曲霉菌丝体,评估黑曲霉线粒体的结构和功能,考察不同银杏内酯B和C对黑曲霉的抗真菌效果。透射电子显微镜扫描发现经银杏内酯B处理后的黑曲霉线粒体表现出明显的空泡化,基质结构被破坏;线粒体三羧酸循环中关键酶琥珀酸脱氢酶和苹果酸脱氢酶活性下降,线粒体膜电位降低,丙二醛和活性氧水平显著升高。研究结果初步揭示了银杏内酯以剂量依赖的方式损坏线粒体膜的完整性,破坏线粒体结构,进一步损害线粒体功能;银杏内酯B的抗黑曲霉效果要显著高于银杏内酯C。     

不同苹果砧穗组合的生长及光合特性

以‘垂丝海棠’（Malus halliana）和‘平邑甜茶’（Malus hupehensis）为基砧,分别嫁接品种‘烟富6号’和‘长富2号’接穗,测定4种砧穗组合的嫁接亲和性、接穗生长量、光合与荧光参数及叶绿素含量（SPAD）,并用主成分分析法综合评价砧穗组合的优劣,探讨不同苹果砧穗组合嫁接苗的生长及光合特性,为西北盐碱地选择适宜的苹果砧木提供理论依据。结果表明：（1）4种砧穗组合中‘垂丝海棠/烟富6号’的上下口粗度比最接近1,嫁接亲和性最好。（2）整个生长期内,以‘垂丝海棠’为基砧的2个组合嫁接苗的生长量、净光合速率（P_n）、最大荧光（F_m）、PSⅡ最大光能转化率（F_v/F_m）均显著大于‘平邑甜茶’为基砧的组合,但其胞间CO₂浓度（C_i）及初始荧光（F₀）显著低于‘平邑甜茶’为基砧的组合;光化学猝灭系数（qP）在4种砧穗组合中无显著差异。（3）在8月份光照强度较高时,‘垂丝海棠/烟富6号’ 嫁接苗的气孔导度（G_s）高于其他砧穗组合;以‘垂丝海棠’为基砧的2个组合嫁接苗叶片的蒸腾速率（T_r）和相对叶绿素含量（SPAD）显著高于‘平邑甜茶’ 基砧组合。（4）根据主成分分析对各项指标进行综合评价,按照4个砧穗组合的综合得分由高到低依次为：‘垂丝海棠/烟富6号’、‘垂丝海棠/长富2号’、‘平邑甜茶/长富2号’、‘平邑甜茶/烟富6号’。研究发现,基砧‘垂丝海棠’的适应性优于‘平邑甜茶’,且‘垂丝海棠/烟富6号’砧穗组合的嫁接亲和性高,长势强,光合能力优,为甘肃中部地区适宜的砧穗组合。     

Kinetic, structural and molecular docking studies on the inhibition of tyrosinase induced by arabinose

Tyrosinase plays a central role in biological pigment formation, and hence knowledge of tyrosinase catalytic mechanisms and regulation may have medical, cosmetic, and agricultural applications. We found in this study that arabinose significantly inhibited tyrosinase, and this was accompanied by conformational changes in enzyme structure. Kinetic analysis showed that arabinose-mediated inactivation followed first-order kinetics, and single and multiple classes of rate constants were measured. Arabinose displayed a mixed-type inhibitory mechanism with K(i)=0.22±0.07 mM. Measurements of intrinsic and ANS-binding fluorescence showed that arabinose induced tyrosinase to unfold and expose inner hydrophobic regions. We simulated the docking between tyrosinase and arabinose (binding energies were -26.28 kcal/mol for Dock6.3 and -2.02 kcal/mol for AutoDock4.2) and results suggested that arabinose interacts mostly with His61, Asn260, and Met280. The present strategy of predicting tyrosinase inhibition by simulation of docking by hydroxyl groups may prove useful in screening for potential tyrosinase inhibitors, as shown here for arabinose.     

Mechanism of folate deficiency-induced apoptosis in mouse embryonic stem cells: Cell cycle arrest/apoptosis in G1/G0 mediated by microRNA-302a and tumor suppressor gene Lats2

Deficiencies in maternal diet, such as inadequate intake of folate, can inhibit normal development and lead to developmental defects. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) may play a role in mediating the effects of folate deficiency in the growing mammalian embryo, although conclusive evidences to support that possibility are not yet available. The goal of the present study was to investigate whether and how folate deprivation alters the properties of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) in culture. For this purpose, mESCs were cultured in folate-deficient or complete culture medium. The results show that folate-deficient mESCs have a significantly higher rate of apoptosis, accumulate in G0/G1 and fail to proliferate. Expression profiling revealed several miRs and many mRNAs are differently expressed in folate-deficient cells. RT-PCR data confirmed differential expressions of 12 miRNAs in folate-deficient cells. Furthermore, bioinformatics analyses and in vitro studies suggested that miR-302a plays a critical role in mediating the effects of folate on cell proliferation and cell cycle-specific apoptosis by targeting Lats2 gene. Together, these results suggest that the effects of folate deficiency on mammalian development may be mediated by miRNAs that regulate proliferation and/or cell cycle progression in ESCs.     

Chemical synthesis,microbial transformation and biological evaluation of tetrahydroprotoberberines as dopamine D1/D2 receptor ligands

Dopamine D1/D2 receptors are important targets for drug discovery in the treatment of central nervous system diseases. To discover new and potential D1/D2 ligands, 17 derivatives of tetrahydroprotoberberine (THPB) with various substituents were prepared by chemical synthesis or microbial transformation using Streptomyces griseus ATCC 13273. Their functional activities on D1 and D2 receptors were determined by cAMP assay and calcium flux assay. Seven compounds showed high activity on D1/D2 receptor with low IC₅₀ values less than 1?µM. Especially, top compound 5 showed strong antagonistic activity on both D1 and D2 receptor with an IC₅₀ of 0.391 and 0.0757?µM, respectively. Five compounds displayed selective antagonistic activity on D1 and D2 receptor. The SAR studies revealed that (1) the hydroxyl group at C-9 position plays an important role in keeping a good activity and small or fewer substituents on ring D of THPBs may also stimulate their effects, (2) the absence of substituents at C-9 position tends to be more selective for D2 receptor, and (3) hydroxyl substitution at C-2 position and the substitution at C-9 position may facilitate the conversion of D1 receptor from antagonist to agonist. Molecular docking simulations found that Asp 103/Asp 114, Ser 107/Cys 118, and Trp 285/ Trp 386 of D1/ D2 receptors are the key residues, which have strong interactions with the active D1/D2 compounds and may influence their functional profiles.