Genome-Wide Association Studies in an Isolated Founder Population from the Pacific Island of Kosrae

It has been argued that the limited genetic diversity and reduced allelic heterogeneity observed in isolated founder populations facilitates discovery of loci contributing to both Mendelian and complex disease. A strong founder effect, severe isolation, and substantial inbreeding have dramatically reduced genetic diversity in natives from the island of Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia, who exhibit a high prevalence of obesity and other metabolic disorders. We hypothesized that genetic drift and possibly natural selection on Kosrae might have increased the frequency of previously rare genetic variants with relatively large effects, making these alleles readily detectable in genome-wide association analysis. However, mapping in large, inbred cohorts introduces analytic challenges, as extensive relatedness between subjects violates the assumptions of independence upon which traditional association test statistics are based. We performed genome-wide association analysis for 15 quantitative traits in 2,906 members of the Kosrae population, using novel approaches to manage the extreme relatedness in the sample. As positive controls, we observe association to known loci for plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, and C-reactive protein and to a compelling candidate loci for thyroid stimulating hormone and fasting plasma glucose. We show that our study is well powered to detect common alleles explaining ≥5% phenotypic variance. However, no such large effects were observed with genome-wide significance, arguing that even in such a severely inbred population, common alleles typically have modest effects. Finally, we show that a majority of common variants discovered in Caucasians have indistinguishable effect sizes on Kosrae, despite the major differences in population genetics and environment.     

Quorum Sensing System Used as a Tool in Metabolic Engineering

Quorum sensing (QS) is a ubiquitous cell–cell communication mechanism in microbes that coordinates population‐level cell behaviors, such as biofilm production, virulence, swarming motility, and bacterial persistence. Efforts to engineer QS systems to take part in metabolic network regulation represent a promising strategy for synthetic biology and pathway engineering. Recently, design, construction, and implementation of QS circuits for programmed control of bacterial phenotypes and metabolic pathways have gained much attention, but have not been reviewed recently. In this article, the architectural organizations and genetic contributions of the naturally occurring QS components to understand the mechanisms are summarized. Then, the most recent progress in application of QS toolkits to develop synthetic networks for novel cell behaviors creation and metabolic pathway engineering is highlighted. The current challenges in large‐scale application of these QS circuits in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering fields are discussed and future perspectives for further engineering efforts are provided.     

Tat-MANF融合蛋白的制备及生物活性研究

目的：构建用于表达具有Tat序列的新型神经营养因子MANF（mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor）融合蛋白（Tat-MANF）的重组质粒;利用原核细胞表达系统表达该重组蛋白,并检测其生物学活性。方法：以MANF cDNA为模板,利用PCR技术在上下游分别添加TAT序列和His标签及合适的限制性酶切位点,构建TAT-MANF融合基因。插入表达载体Pet22b⁺后,转化大肠杆菌BL21进行表达和纯化,用SDS-PAGE及Western印迹鉴定表达的重组蛋白。为了验证Tat-MANF的生物学活性,用30μmol/L浓度的6-羟多巴胺（6-OHDA）对神经母胶质瘤细胞（SH-SY5Y）进行毒性诱导,同时加入2μg/ml的TAT-MANF及对照MANF蛋白,24h后用流式细胞仪检测细胞的凋亡率。用脑微血管内皮细胞（B-endo3）体外模拟血脑屏障,与FITC标记的Tat-MANF共孵育4h,荧光显微镜下观察。结果：成功构建TAT-MANF融合基因,表达产物与目的蛋白大小相符,能与MANF抗体发生结合反应。重组蛋白可减少由6-OHDA导致的SH-SY5Y细胞凋亡,Tat-MANF-FITC与B-end3细胞共孵育4h后,可见细胞内明显荧光。结论：获得的重组蛋白Tat-MANF具有神经细胞保护作用及跨膜功能,为进一步开展帕金森症的体内治疗研究奠定了物质基础。     

地塞米松与硫酸镁对大鼠小肠缺血再灌注损伤的作用及机制

目的研究地塞米松和硫酸镁对大鼠小肠缺血再灌注（I/R）损伤的保护作用,并初步探讨其机制。方法制作小肠I/R模型,实验分为假手术阴性对照组、I/R组、硫酸镁治疗组、地塞米松治疗组、地塞米松和硫酸镁联合治疗组,比较五组血浆二胺氧化酶（DAO）、丙二醛（MDA）的含量,同时比较小肠的病理切片观察治疗效果。结果①I/R组小肠组织病理变化明显,血浆DAO、MDA比假手术阴性对照组显著升高;②硫酸镁治疗组和地塞米松治疗组小肠病理变化减轻,血浆DAO、MDA比I/R组显著降低,且两组无显著差别;③硫酸镁和地塞米松合用组的血浆MDA比I/R组显著升高,但是小肠病理变化和I/R组相比无明显区别,血浆DAO也和I/R组无明显差别。结论硫酸镁,地塞米松分别对大鼠小肠缺血再灌注有保护作用而二者合用却无明显的保护作用。     

塔克拉玛干沙漠南缘三种防护林植物根系构型及其生态适应策略

采用全根挖掘法挖取塔克拉玛干沙漠南缘3种主要防护林植物种——多枝柽柳(Tamarix ramosissima)、梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron)和新疆杨(Populus albavar. pyramidalis)成年植株根系, 测定并分析了根系构型及其拓扑结构。结果表明: 1)多枝柽柳和梭梭的根系趋向于鱼尾状分支结构, 新疆杨根系为叉状分支结构, 根系分支结构的差异使其资源获取能力和对环境的适应能力有所差异; 2)三种植物最小的根系平均连接长度为33.67 cm, 多枝柽柳和梭梭的根系连接长度大于新疆杨, 增加连接长度对植物在资源贫瘠的沙质土壤环境的生存有利; 3)新疆杨的根系分支率显著高于多枝柽柳和梭梭, 但其对干旱的适应性不如多枝柽柳和梭梭。4)三种植物根系分支均遵循Leonardo da Vinci法则, 且不受根系直径的约束。三种防护林植物在水、养资源获取与土壤空间拓展方面具有差异性, 表明在相似的极端干旱环境中3种植物采取了不同的生态适应策略。     

遥感数据支持下不同地表覆盖的区域蒸散

将地表能量平衡系统(SEBS)扩展成遥感日蒸散估算模型,利用MODIS遥感数据估算了黄淮海地区的区域蒸散,并在地理信息系统的支持下分析了不同地表覆盖下的区域蒸散统计分布特征.在缺乏各地表覆盖类型相应蒸散量实测值进行对比的情况下,以2001年4月17日估算的日蒸散量为例,通过各地表覆盖类型日蒸散量间的相互对比分析表明,SEBS估算的区域日蒸散量具有一定的合理性.分析结果表明：在黄淮海地区,荒地具有最低的蒸散量;森林、灌木、草地等地表覆盖类型具有中等的蒸散量;而水体、湿地以及耕地具有较高的蒸散量.可能由于包含绿地和水面,城镇用地的蒸散量也较高.土壤含水量的空间差异性导致森林、灌木、草地和耕地等地表覆盖类型的蒸散量具有明显的空间差异性.耕地蒸散量的空间差异性可以为制定合理、高效的农田灌溉计划提供指示作用.SEBS遥感日蒸散模型的局限性在于有可能低估水体和湿地等地表覆盖类型的蒸散量.     

小鼠着丝粒DNA探针对流式仪分选微核的染色体组成的初步研究

本文报道用作者建立的流式细胞仪红细胞微核自动检测技术,将染色体断裂剂丝裂霉素C(MMC)和非整倍体毒剂秋水仙碱(COM)诱导的大量微核分选在载玻片上,然后使用小鼠着丝粒γ-卫星DNA探针(约为234bp),对分选微核进行荧光原位杂交(FISH),以显示微核(MN)内着丝粒的情况,进而判定M N是由整条染色体还是由染色体断片组成。结果MN内着丝粒荧光阳性比例为COM50.1%,MMC 22.3%。两者相差显著,藉此方法可以准确有效地将两类毒剂区分开。 Abstract:Basis on auther’s new automatic flow cytometric technique for micronuclei,a lot micronuclei induced by clastogen Mitomycin C and aneugen colcemid were collected on slides using sorting function of flow cytometry,them the centromere Gamma satellite DNA probes of mouse (about 234bp) was used to do in situ hybridization for micronuclei,furthermore,the kinetochores of micronuclei can be showed,and the micronuclei which consist of the whole chromosomes or the chromosome fragments,can also be indicated.The results showed that 50.1% MN induced by COM and 22.3% MN induced by MMC had the positive fluorescent singles.There are significant difference between them,this means it is possible to distinglish clastogens and aneugens exactly and effectively with this method.     

Inhibition of mitochondrial complex I improves glucose metabolism independently of AMPK activation

Accumulating evidences showed metformin and berberine, well‐known glucose‐lowering agents, were able to inhibit mitochondrial electron transport chain at complex I. In this study, we aimed to explore the antihyperglycaemic effect of complex I inhibition. Rotenone, amobarbital and gene silence of NDUFA13 were used to inhibit complex I. Intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test and insulin tolerance test were performed in db/db mice. Lactate release and glucose consumption were measured to investigate glucose metabolism in HepG2 hepatocytes and C2C12 myotubes. Glucose output was measured in primary hepatocytes. Compound C and adenoviruses expressing dominant negative AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) α1/2 were exploited to inactivate AMPK pathway. Cellular NAD⁺/NADH ratio was assayed to evaluate energy transforming and redox state. Rotenone ameliorated hyperglycaemia and insulin resistance in db/db mice. It induced glucose consumption and glycolysis and reduced hepatic glucose output. Rotenone also activated AMPK. Furthermore, it remained effective with AMPK inactivation. The enhanced glycolysis and repressed gluconeogenesis correlated with a reduction in cellular NAD⁺/NADH ratio, which resulted from complex I suppression. Amobarbital, another representative complex I inhibitor, stimulated glucose consumption and decreased hepatic glucose output in vitro, too. Similar changes were observed while expression of NDUFA13, a subunit of complex I, was knocked down with gene silencing. These findings reveal mitochondrial complex I emerges as a key drug target for diabetes treatment. Inhibition of complex I improves glucose homoeostasis via non‐AMPK pathway, which may relate to the suppression of the cellular NAD⁺/NADH ratio.     

肺纤维化初期肺动脉高压大鼠肺动脉反应性的变化

目的：观察肺纤维化初期肺动脉高压大鼠肺动脉血管反应性的变化。方法：66只雄性SD大鼠,随机分为博莱霉素（BLM）组和手术对照（Sham）组。BLM组为气管内一次性滴注BLM（5 mg/kg）;Sham组为气管内滴注等容量的生理盐水（NS）。应用离体血管张力检测技术测定大鼠肺动脉血管反应性变化;用HE显示肺动脉壁病理形态学变化;Masson染色检测肺纤维化程度;右心漂浮导管技术测定大鼠平均肺动脉压。结果：①BLM组大鼠的肺动脉血管（保留内皮和去内皮）对苯肾上腺素（PE）的收缩反应均弱于Sham组（P均〈0.05）。②BLM组大鼠肺动脉血管（保留内皮）对氯化乙酰胆碱（Ach）的舒张反应明显弱于Sham组（P〈0.01）。③Sham组有内皮的肺动脉血管对L-NAME和PE联合作用的收缩反应明显强于PE单独作用（P〈0.01）,而BLM组有内皮肺动脉血管对L-NAME和PE联合作用的收缩反应与对PE单独作用比,其差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。④BLM组肺动脉内皮细胞脱落。⑤BLM组大鼠肺组织呈现纤维增生初期的病理特征,且大鼠的平均肺动脉压明显高于Sham组（P〈0.05）。结论：肺纤维化形成初期肺动脉高压大鼠肺动脉血管反应性出现异常。