StructureSelector: A web‐based software to select and visualize the optimal number of clusters using multiple methods

Inferences of population genetic structure are of great importance to the fields of ecology and evolutionary biology. The program structure has been widely used to infer population genetic structure. However, previous studies demonstrated that uneven sampling often leads to wrong inferences on hierarchical structure. The most widely used ΔK method tends to identify the uppermost hierarchy of population structure. Recently, four alternative statistics (medmedk , medmeak , maxmedk and maxmeak ) were proposed, which appear to be more accurate than the previously used methods for both even and uneven sampling data. However, the lack of easy‐to‐use software limits the use of these appealing new estimators. Here, we developed a web‐based user‐friendly software structureselector to calculate the four appealing alternative statistics together with the commonly used Ln Pr(X|K) and ΔK statistics. structureselector accepts the result files of structure , admixture or faststructure as input files. It reports the “best” K for each estimator, and the results are available as HTML or tab separated tables. The program can also generate graphical representations for specific K, which can be easily downloaded from the server. The software is freely available at http://lmme.qdio.ac.cn/StructureSelector/ .     

碱性成纤维细胞生长因子在苜蓿中的表达

为了降低bFGF(basic fibroblast growth factor)的生产成本,结合植物生物反应器的优点,就bFGF在转基因苜蓿中的表达进行了探索.将bFGF插入植物表达载体pBⅡ21中,获得了含有bFGF基因的植物表达pBIcbFGF,再将pBIcbFGF利用冻融法转到农杆菌中.利用农杆菌介导法将基因转化保定苜蓿,转基因苜蓿在TM-1培养基+20 mg/L卡那霉素(Kan)+200 mg/L特美汀(Tim)中诱导分化,在生根培养基中生根,获得再生植株.再生植株通过PCR检测、RT-PCR及Western blot证实外源基因已经在苜蓿中成功表达.获得含有目的蛋白的阳性植株.为苜蓿作为植物生物反应器生产bFGF奠定了理论及技术基础.     

Isolation of a novel 38 residue-hypothalamic polypeptide which stimulates adenylate cyclase in pituitary cells

A novel neuropeptide which stimulates adenylate cyclase in rat anterior pituitary cell cultures was isolated from ovine hypothalamic tissues. Its amino acid sequence was revealed as: His-Ser-Asp-Gly-Ile-Phe-Thr-Asp-Ser-Tyr-Ser-Arg-Tyr-Arg-Lys-Gln- Met-Ala- Val-Lys-Lys-Tyr-Leu-Ala-Ala-Val-Leu-Gly-Lys-Arg-Tyr-Lys-Gln-Arg-Val-Lys-Asn-Lys - NH2. The N-terminal sequence shows 68% homology with vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) but its adenylate cyclase stimulating activity was at least 1000 times greater than that of VIP. It increased release of growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL), corticotropin (ACTH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) from superfused rat pituitary cells at as small a dose as 10(-10)M (GH, PRL, ACTH) or 10(-9)M (LH). Whether these hypophysiotropic effects are the primary actions of the peptide or what physiological action in the pituitary is linked with the stimulation of adenylate cyclase by this peptide remains to be determined.     

Leaf traits of natural populations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Adiantum reniforme</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">sinensis</Emphasis>, endemic to the Three Gorges region in China

Leaf mass per unit area (LMA), carbon and nitrogen contents, leaf construction cost, and photosynthetic capacity (P _max) of Adiantum reniforme var. sinensis, an endangered fern endemic to the Three Gorges region in southwest China, were compared in five populations differing in habitat such as soil moisture and irradiance. The low soil moisture and high irradiance habitat population exhibited significantly higher LMA, area-based leaf construction (CC_A), and carbon content (C_A), but lower leaf nitrogen content per unit dry mass (N_M) than the other habitat populations. The high soil moisture and low irradiance habitat populations had the lowest CC_A, but their cost/benefic ratios of CCA/P _max were similar to the medium soil moisture and irradiance habitat population due to their lower leaf P _max. Hence A. reniforme var. sinensis prefers partially shaded, moist but well-drained, slope habitats. Due to human activities, however, its main habitats now are cliffs or steeply sloped bare rocks with poor and thin soil. The relatively high energy requirements and low photosynthetic capacity in these habitats could limit the capability of the species in extending population or interspecific competition and hence increase its endangerment.     

芒果APl同源基因的克隆及其生物信息学分析

我们采用RT-PCR方法克隆了2个APl同源基因全长cDNA,分别命名为MAPl-1(GenBank accession No.FJ529206)和MAPl-2(GenBank accession No.FJ529207).MAPl-1编码247个氨基酸,开放阅读框长度为741 bp,蛋白质分子量为28.54kD,等电点为8.31;MAPl-2编码248个氨基酸,开放阅读框长度为744 bp,蛋白质分子量为28.78 kD,等电点为8.70.同源性分析表明,它们的核苷酸序列与其它木本植物APl同源基因的一致性为72%～81%.实验分析表明,MAPl-1和MAPl-2第1至第61个氨基酸含有一个MADS盒结构域,第88至第178个为K盒结构域;两个基因均定位于细胞核,且功能位点分布存在着不同,推测这两个基因在花器官发育过程中的功能存在差异.蛋白二级结构预测显示,MAPl-1蛋白有12个a-螺旋,4个β折叠区,14个β-转角;而MAPl-2蛋白有11个a-螺旋,5个β折叠区,15个β-转角:其大多数氨基酸具有亲水性.本研究有助于进一步了解芒果的开花分子机理及成花的生物学发育阶段.     

Cyanidin-3-glucoside, a natural product derived from blackberry, exhibits chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activity

Epidemiological data suggest that consumption of fruits and vegetables has been associated with a lower incidence of cancer. Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G), a compound found in blackberry and other food products, was shown to possess chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activity in the present study. In cultured JB6 cells, C3G was able to scavenge ultraviolet B-induced *OH and O2-* radicals. In vivo studies indicated that C3G treatment decreased the number of non-malignant and malignant skin tumors per mouse induced by 12-O-tetradecanolyphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-initiated mouse skin. Pretreatment of JB6 cells with C3G inhibited UVB- and TPA-induced transactivation of NF-kappaB and AP-1 and expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. These inhibitory effects appear to be mediated through the inhibition of MAPK activity. C3G also blocked TPA-induced neoplastic transformation in JB6 cells. In addition, C3G inhibited proliferation of a human lung carcinoma cell line, A549. Animal studies showed that C3G reduced the size of A549 tumor xenograft growth and significantly inhibited metastasis in nude mice. Mechanistic studies indicated that C3G inhibited migration and invasion of A549 tumor cells. These finding demonstrate for the first time that a purified compound of anthocyanin inhibits tumor promoter-induced carcinogenesis and tumor metastasis in vivo.     

A novel ferritin subunit involved in shell formation from the pearl oyster (Pinctada fucata)

Iron is one of the most important minor elements in the shell of bivalves. This study was designed to investigate the involvement of ferritin, the principal protein for iron storage, in shell formation. A novel ferritin cDNA from the pearl oyster (Pinctada fucata) was isolated and characterized. The ferritin cDNA encodes a 206 amino acid polypeptide, which shares high similarity with snail soma ferritin and the H-chains of mammalian ferritins. Oyster ferritin mRNA shows the highest level of expression in the mantle, the organ for shell formation. In situ hybridization analysis revealed that oyster ferritin mRNA is expressed at the highest level at the mantle fold, a region essential for metal accumulation and contributes to metal incorporation into the shell. Taken together, these results suggest that ferritin is involved in shell formation by iron storage. The identification and characterization of oyster ferritin also helps to further understand the structural and functional properties of molluscan ferritins.