Vibrational spectroscopy of bacteriorhodopsin mutants. Evidence for the interaction of aspartic acid 212 with tyrosine 185 and possible role in the proton pump mechanism

The role of Asp-212 in the proton pumping mechanism of bacteriorhodopsin (bR) has been studied by a combination of site-directed mutagenesis and Fourier transform infrared difference spectroscopy. Difference spectra were recorded at low temperature for the bR----K and bR----M photoreactions of the mutants Asp-212----Glu, Asp-212----Asn, and Asp-212----Ala. Despite an increased proportion of the 13-cis form of bR (normally associated with dark adaptation), all of the mutants exhibited a light-adapted form containing as a principal component the normal all-trans retinal chromophore. The absence of a shift in the retinal C = C stretching frequency in these mutants indicates that Asp-212 is not a major determinant of the visible absorption wavelength maximum in light-adapted bR. It is unlikely that Asp-212 is the acceptor group for the Schiff base proton since both the Asp-212----Glu and Asp-212----Ala mutants formed an M intermediate. All of the Asp-212 mutants were missing a Fourier transform infrared difference band that had been assigned previously to protonation changes of Tyr-185. These results are discussed in terms of a model in which Tyr-185 and Asp-212 form a polarizable hydrogen bond and are positioned near the C13-Schiff base portion of the chromophore. These 2 residues may be involved in stabilizing the relative orientation of the F and G helices and isomerizing the retinal in a regioselective manner about the C13 = C14 double bond.     

Ontogenetic trait variation and metacommunity effects influence species relative abundances during tree community assembly

Predicting species abundance is one of the most fundamental pursuits of ecology. Combining the information encoded in functional traits and metacommunities provides a new perspective to predict the abundance of species in communities. We applied a community assembly via trait selection model to predict quadrat-scale species abundances using functional trait variation on ontogenetic stages and metacommunity information for over 490 plant species in a subtropical forest and a lowland tropical forest in Yunnan, China. The relative importance of trait-based selection, mass effects, and stochasticity in shaping local species abundances is evaluated using different null models. We found both mass effects and trait selection contribute to local abundance patterns. Trait selection was detectable at all studied spatial scales (0.04–1 ha), with its strength stronger at larger scales and in the subtropical forest. In contrast, the importance of stochasticity decreased with spatial scale. A significant mass effect of the metacommunity was observed at small spatial scales. Our results indicate that tree community assembly is primarily driven by ontogenetic traits and metacommunity effects. Our findings also demonstrate that including ontogenetic trait variation into predictive frameworks allows ecologists to infer ecological mechanisms operating in community assembly at the individual level.     

CD36 aggravates podocyte injury by activating NLRP3 inflammasome and inhibiting autophagy in lupus nephritis

A major cause of proteinuria in lupus nephritis (LN) is podocyte injury, and determining potential therapeutic targets to prevent podocyte injury is important from a clinical perspective in the treatment of LN. CD36 is involved in podocyte injury in several glomerulopathies and was reported to be a vital candidate gene in LN. Here, we determined the role of CD36 in the podocyte injury of LN and the underlying mechanisms. We observed that CD36 and NLRP3 (NLR family pyrin domain containing 3) were upregulated in the podocytes of lupus nephritis patients and MRL/lpr mice with renal impairment. In vitro, CD36, NLRP3 inflammasome, and autophagy were elevated accompanied with increased podocyte injury stimulated by IgG extracted from lupus nephritis patients compared that from healthy donors. Knocking out CD36 with the CRISPR/cas9 system decreased the NLRP3 inflammasome levels, increased the autophagy levels and alleviated podocyte injury. By enhancing autophagy, NLRP3 inflammasome was decreased and podocyte injury was alleviated. These results demonstrated that, in lupus nephritis, CD36 promoted podocyte injury by activating NLRP3 inflammasome and inhibiting autophagy by enhancing which could decrease NLRP3 inflammasome and alleviate podocyte injury.Subject terms: Mechanisms of disease, Inflammasome, Lupus nephritis, Autophagy     

中国县域碳汇时空格局及影响因素

以全国1300个县级行政单位作为研究对象,利用全国县域尺度土地利用数据和社会经济数据,核算了1990—2015年间中国县域碳汇总量,并结合标准差椭圆、空间自相关、冷热点分析和地理加权回归分析方法,探析中国县域碳汇的时空分异特征及影响因素,旨在为优化国土空间开发格局,实施差异化减排路径及推动生态文明建设提供参考。研究表明:(1)时空变化上,1990—2015年中国碳汇总量呈波动下降趋势,由13307.79×10⁴t下降至13198.27×10⁴t;林地为主要碳汇类型,其余碳汇类型比例结构基本不变;在空间分布上,中国县域碳汇呈现"西部>东北>南部>中部"的"西高东低"格局。(2)在空间分异和聚集上,碳汇空间分布中心向西南移动,分布范围呈收缩态势,西南地区对整体碳汇空间格局影响作用加强;1990—2015年中国县域碳汇总量的冷热点集聚程度呈现波动稳定特征,空间集聚程度呈现高值与低值聚集,高-低区域零星分布的特征。(3)从影响因素分析来看,2015年经济发展、产业结构、土地利用程度对碳汇产生影响并存在空间异质性。建议通过合理规划县域...     

新型冠状病毒感染与复制的进展

冠状病毒是一类具有囊膜包裹的线性单股正链RNA病毒,在自然界广泛存在,可引起不同程度的呼吸性传染病。新型冠状病毒是一种新发突发病毒,对各类人群均易感。截止目前,该病已经在世界范围内广泛流行,对公共卫生安全构成极大的威胁。文中从冠状病毒及新型冠状病毒的基因组特征、关键蛋白、对宿主的感染和复制的角度加以综述,旨在为获得病毒侵染宿主细胞致病机制的探究提供理论依据,也为特异的抗病毒药物的研发提供基础支持。     

绵羊粒细胞集落刺激因子原核表达与提纯及用于颗粒细胞培养的效果

文中旨在研究粒细胞集落刺激因子(Granule cell stimulating factor,GCSF)对绵羊颗粒细胞体外培养过程中细胞增殖和凋亡的影响,明确GCSF对绵羊颗粒细胞生存的调节作用,为今后该蛋白用于羊繁育方面的研究奠定基础。原核克隆表达纯化羊GCSF蛋白,纯化的蛋白用M-NSF60细胞检测生物学活性,将纯化的GCSF添加到颗粒细胞培养基中作为试验组,以培养基中未添加GCSF的细胞为对照,利用Alarmarblue检测细胞增殖情况,流式细胞仪检测细胞周期和凋亡的变化。结果表明,羊GCSF可以原核表达并纯化,并且具有生物学活性。在24 h和48 h时,在0.06–600 ng/mL的范围内随着加入GCSF的终浓度增加,细胞活力升高。试验组颗粒细胞体外培养24 h后,与阴性对照相比,细胞周期的分布显著改变,S期细胞比例显著减少(P<0.05),G2/M期细胞比例显著增多(P<0.05)。试验组凋亡率和对照组相比,48 h检测时凋亡率显著降低(P<0.05)。综上表明,GCSF在体外培养的绵羊颗粒细胞中,可调控绵羊颗粒细胞周期,促进细胞增殖,抑制细胞凋亡。     

贵州六盘水发现东阳江麝鼩

在贵州省六盘水市杨梅乡慕尼克村,利用陷阱法捕捉到3号麝鼩属(Crocidura)标本。本次采集标本的体形较小,头体长(49.0 ± 0.8)mm,尾长[(41.8 ± 4.2)mm]略短于头体长(尾长/头体长为85%)。背毛呈浅灰褐色,腹毛颜色浅于背毛,呈灰色。尾部双色,背侧黑褐色,腹侧淡于背侧。前足背部白色,后足则为淡灰色。尾近乎裸露,尾基约1/3着生稀疏白色长毛。颅全长(15.92 ± 0.55)mm,脑颅高(4.75 ± 0.18)mm。上门齿1枚,有一长而大的前尖和一小而矮的后尖。上单尖齿3枚,第1单尖齿最大,第2单尖齿略大于第3单尖齿,1枚第四前臼齿(P4),3枚臼齿。上述特征与东阳江麝鼩(C. dongyangjiangensis)模式标本的描述和鉴定特征基本一致,因此将3号采集标本鉴定为东阳江麝鼩。基于Cyt b基因进行分子系统发育分析,采集标本与麝鼩属物种中的东阳江麝鼩遗传距离最近,在0.004 ~ 0.027之间。系统发生树显示,3号标本与东阳江麝鼩构成一个单系进化分支,进一步证实本次采集的3号标本是东阳江麝鼩,为贵州省分布新记录种。     

中国国家森林公园碳储量及固碳速率的时空动态

森林生态系统在调节气候变化和维持碳平衡中具有重要作用.国家森林公园是森林保护的主要载体,探明其碳储量和固碳速率的变化对于森林生态系统的固碳能力评估和可持续经营管理具有重要意义.本研究采用生态系统过程模型CEVSA2模型,模拟了1982-2017年中国881处国家森林公园的碳密度、碳储量和固碳速率的空间分布特征.结果 表...