Age‐related memory vulnerability to interfering stimuli is caused by gradual loss of MAPK‐dependent protection in Drosophila

Age‐related memory impairment (AMI) is a common phenomenon across species. Vulnerability to interfering stimuli has been proposed to be an important cause of AMI. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this vulnerability‐related AMI remain unknown. Here we show that learning‐activated MAPK signals are gradually lost with age, leading to vulnerability‐related AMI in Drosophila. Young flies (2‐ or 3‐day‐old) exhibited a significant increase in phosphorylated MAPK levels within 15 min after learning, whereas aged flies (25‐day‐old) did not. Compared to 3‐day‐old flies, significant 1 h memory impairments were observed in 15‐, 20‐, and 30‐day‐old flies, but not in 10‐day‐old flies. However, with post‐learning interfering stimuli such as cooling or electric stimuli, 10‐day‐old flies had worse memory performance at 1 h than 3‐day‐old flies, showing a premature AMI phenomenon. Increasing learning‐activated MAPK signals through acute transgene expression in mushroom body (MB) neurons restored physiological trace of 1 h memory in a pair of MB output neurons in aged flies. Decreasing such signals in young flies mimicked the impairment of 1 h memory trace in aged flies. Restoring learning‐activated MAPK signals in MB neurons in aged flies significantly suppressed AMI even with interfering stimuli. Thus, our data suggest that age‐related loss of learning‐activated neuronal MAPK signals causes memory vulnerability to interfering stimuli, thereby leading to AMI.     

番茄复三螺旋基因响应外源激素和非生物胁迫的研究

复三螺旋(double trihelix)基因在植物形态建成和植株抗逆性方面发挥关键作用。该研究以番茄自交品种AC⁺⁺为试验材料,运用生物信息学方法与qRT PCR技术对5个复三螺旋成员(SlGTL1~SlGTL5)在番茄体内不同器官的表达模式、以及基因对激素与非生物胁迫的响应进行表达分析,以探讨番茄复三螺旋基因的功能。结果表明：(1)生物信息学分析显示,番茄中含有5个复三螺旋基因(SlGTL1~SlGTL5);进化树分析表明,番茄复三螺旋基因具有物种特异性。(2)qRT PCR分析显示,番茄SlGTL3基因在根和茎中特异表达,其他4个基因均在果实中较高表达,表明不同番茄复三螺旋基因的表达具有组织特异性。(3)激素诱导表达结果显示,SlGTL1只响应ABA(1种)激素,而SlGTL5基因可响应4种激素,且速度较快。(4)非生物胁迫诱导证实,SlGTL3、SlGTL5基因可响应盐胁迫,SlGTL3~SlGTL5基因可响应极端温度,SlGTL3和SlGTL4基因可响应机械损伤;SlGTL1、SlGTL4和SlGTL5可响应脱水胁迫。研究认为,SlGTL3的功能可能与植株形态建成和非生物胁迫有关,其他4个基因的功能可能与果实的发育有关;推测SlGTL1可能与ABA信号途径有关,SlGTL5快速响应多种激素,可能位于信息传递的节点,其功能可能与信号传递有关。     

冀鲁豫花生育成品种的遗传多样性分析

以冀鲁豫三省不同地域的41个花生育成品种为材料,利用SSR分子标记结合田间表型鉴定、聚类分析等方法对其遗传多样性进行了研究。结果表明,21对SSR引物对41个花生育成品种进行了扫描,共检测到52个等位变异,每个位点2～4个,平均2.5个,Shannon信息指数变幅为0.21～1.40,平均为0.73,聚类分析显示在阈值为5.54可将供试品种分为3大类群7个亚类。不同品种9个农艺性状变异系数在13.16%～186.49%之间,基于农艺性状的聚类分析结果显示在阈值为5.48时可以将供试品种分为6大类群11个亚类,各大类群间品种的农艺性状表现各具特点。     

amiRNA分子设计及其离体合成策略

详细介绍了基于WMD3 (Web MicroRNA Designer 3) 软件平台的amiRNA (artificial microRNA)分子自动设计方法及其离体合成策略。应用网络在线设计时,只需输入目的基因靶序列相关信息后便可获得候选amiRNA。根据选定的最佳amiRNA,可得到四条含有amiRNA以及载体中miRNA 两侧序列的寡聚核苷酸序列。重叠延伸PCR合成策略可以以这四条序列以及根据质粒模板设计的A、B两段序列作为引物,扩增出目标amiRNA。同样尿嘧啶切除的策略也可合成amiRNA,但这些引物序列需做适当调整变动。此外,本文还介绍了基于特异引物退火的amiRNA合成策略,该策略可保证amiRNA分子能够一步PCR合成,合成后的amiRNA表达盒可通过合适的限制性位点被克隆至目的载体中的相应位点。可以预见,这种amiRNA分子设计的科学性与合成策略的精确性将会使amiRNAi技术在生物基因功能分析中发挥更加重要的作用,对生命科学研究产生深远的影响。     

Vitamin A Supplementation in Early Life Enhances the Intestinal Immune Response of Rats with Gestational Vitamin A Deficiency by Increasing the Number of Immune Cells

Vitamin A is a critical micronutrient for regulating immunity in many organisms. Our previous study demonstrated that gestational or early-life vitamin A deficiency decreases the number of immune cells in offspring. The present study aims to test whether vitamin A supplementation can restore lymphocyte pools in vitamin A-deficient rats and thereby improve the function of their intestinal mucosa; furthermore, the study aimed to identify the best time frame for vitamin A supplementation. Vitamin A-deficient pregnant rats or their offspring were administered a low-dose of vitamin A daily for 7 days starting on gestational day 14 or postnatal day 1, day 14 or day 28. Serum retinol concentrations increased significantly in all four groups that received vitamin A supplementation, as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The intestinal levels of secretory immunoglobulin A and polymeric immunoglobulin receptor increased significantly with lipopolysaccharide challenge in the rats that received vitamin A supplementation starting on postnatal day 1. The rats in this group had higher numbers of CD8⁺ intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes, CD11_C ⁺ dendritic cells in the Peyer''s patches and CD4⁺CD25⁺ T cells in the spleen compared with the vitamin A-deficient rats; flow cytometric analysis also demonstrated that vitamin A supplementation decreased the number of B cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes. Additionally, vitamin A supplementation during late gestation increased the numbers of CD8⁺ intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes and decreased the numbers of B lymphocytes in the mesenteric lymph nodes. However, no significant differences in lymphocyte levels were found between the rats in the other two vitamin A supplement groups and the vitamin A-deficient group. In conclusion, the best recovery of a subset of lymphocytes in the offspring of gestational vitamin A-deficient rats and the greatest improvement in the intestinal mucosal immune response are achieved when vitamin A supplementation occurs during the early postnatal period.     

人修饰型降钙素和鼠酰胺化酶基因在昆虫细胞中的偶联表达

人降钙素 (hCT)是 32氨基酸的多肽激素 ,C-端为α脯氨酰胺结构 ,具有调节体内钙、磷代谢等许多重要生理功能。用重组昆虫杆状病毒表达系统 ,偶联表达合成的人修饰型降钙素 (hmCT)基因与GST融合基因和大鼠酰胺化酶 (PAM)基因 ,再用抗hmCT或抗PAM抗体 ,既检测到由昆虫细胞表达的GSThmCT产物也检测到PAM产物。经GSH 琼脂糖凝胶亲和层析 ,分离纯化GSThmCT融合蛋白。这种蛋白修饰酶与底物在真核细胞偶联表达也将适用于其他生物活性肽的体外表达     

福建东山岛海岸带潺槁树种群生命表分析

为揭示海岸带天然植被中潺槁树种群生命过程,对东山岛海岸带风积沙地潺槁树林进行调查和数据统计,通过编制种群生命表,绘制存活曲线、死亡率曲线、亏损度曲线、死亡密度函数曲线、积累死亡函数曲线和危险率函数曲线,分析了其种群的年龄结构。结果表明,该种群的年龄结构呈反J分布型、属于增长型种群。其存活曲线介于Deevey-Ⅱ型和Deevey-Ⅲ型之间,呈现2个死亡高峰。4个生存函数值(生存率、积累死亡率、死亡密度、危险率)均说明该种群具有前期增长、后期稳定的特点。潺槁树是南亚热带季风常绿阔叶林优势种之一,对土壤、光的适应性强且生长迅速的一种优良前顶极种。研究结果对海岸带天然植被的恢复和重建提供了早期研究基础。     

白细胞介素-6在酒精性肝病中的作用

酒精性肝病(alcoholic liver disease,ALD)是由于长期过量饮酒导致肝的内部组织发生炎症损伤的慢性肝病.乙醇及其衍生物在代谢过程中直接或间接诱导引起的肝炎症反应可能是ALD发病的重要机制.然而,该过程内在的细胞分子机制尚不明确.最新研究发现,白细胞介素-6(interleukin-6,IL-6)对...