林下层植物在退化马尾松林恢复初期养分循环中的作用

以鼎湖山退化马尾松 (Pinusmassoniana)林恢复过程中林下层植物凋落物、分解和养分动态为对象 ,研究了林下层植物在退化马尾松林恢复初期养分循环中的作用。结果表明 ,林下层年凋落物量除在第 5年有所下降外均随时间逐年上升 ,但其增加速率随年份不同而异 ,总平均年增长速率为 3 8%。第 4年凋落物量为 0 .2 0 t· hm- 2 · a- 1,第 1 1年为 1 .1 7t·hm- 2·a- 1。凋落物养分元素平均浓度为 (% ) :N0 .95 ,P0 .0 4,K0 .5 7,Ca0 .1 3和 Mg0 .0 8,基本上以夏季和秋季最高冬春交替月份最低。第 1 1年凋落物各元素养分归还量为 (kg· hm- 2·a- 1) :N1 1 .1 0 ,P0 .47,K6.65 ,Ca1 .48和 Mg 0 .91。凋落物在分解过程中失重率呈直线模型变化 ,第 1年的分解速率为 3 1 % ,至试验结束时凋落物的残存量占起始量的 66%。在凋落物分解过程中 ,N和 P浓度随时间逐渐上升 ,但 N增加的速度较 P快 ,其余元素浓度均下降 ,但 K下降的速度最快。在凋落物分解过程中 ,N是唯一表现残留量呈先上升然后下降变化的元素。P的残留量变化与凋落物的失重率变化几乎一致。各元素在分解试验结束时残留量占起始量的百分比分别为 :N 90 % ,P 67% ,K 9% ,Ca 3 0 %和Mg 1 4%。可见 ,林下层凋落物在退化马尾松林恢复初期碳及其它营养元素循     

毛白杨乙酰-乙酰载体蛋白硫脂酶基因(PtFATB)的克隆与表达分析

植物脂肪酸合成的主要部位是叶绿体,叶绿体向外运输脂肪酸的种类和数量受到乙酰-乙酰载体蛋白硫脂酶(FATB)控制。FATB基因在植物生长过程起着非常关键的作用。本研究以毛白杨为材料,将生物信息学知识和分子生物学手段相结合,首先利用现有的杨树基因组EST序列库资源,通过同源序列搜索,经过多次拼接合并获得了理论的杨树脂肪酸去饱和酶基因PtFATB序列全长,利用RT-PCR手段成功克隆得到了毛白杨FATB基因全长编码序列cDNA,该cDNA全长1,450bp,包括起始密码子ATG和144bp的5′末端非编码区,终止密码子TGA和40bp的3′末端非编码区,开放阅读框编码421个氨基酸。通过RT-PCR半定量研究了PtFATB在叶片组织中的表达量最高,茎、根中的表达量依次降低。在低温、干旱、NaCl、ABA四种条件下诱导生长24h,只有在低温的条件下发现PtFATB表达量略微降低,其他几种情况未有变化,该结果表明PtFATB呈组成型表达。上述结果为植物脂肪酸的基因工程提供了基础。     

Alterations in the phosphodiesterase type 5 pathway and oxidative stress correlate with erectile function in spontaneously hypertensive rats

To explore how alterations in the phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) signalling pathway and oxidative stress correlate with changes in the expression of relaxation and contraction molecules and erectile dysfunction (ED) in the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle (CCSM) of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). In this study, SHR and Wistar‐Kyoto (WKY) rats were used. Erectile function was determined by apomorphine test and electrical stimulation (ES) of cavernous nerve. Masson''s trichrome staining and confocal microscopy were performed. Nitric oxide synthase (NOS), PDE5, phosphorylated‐PDE5 and α1‐adrenergic receptor (α1AR) were determined by RT‐PCR and Western blotting while oxidative stress in CC was determined by colorimetric analysis. SHR exhibited obvious ED. CC of SHR showed less SM but more collagen fibres. The expression of NOS isoforms in SHR was significantly decreased while all α1AR isoforms were increased. In addition, PDE5 and phosphorylated‐PDE5 were down‐regulated and its activity attenuated in the hypertensive rats. Meanwhile, the SHR group suffered oxidative stress, which may be modulated by endoplasmic reticulum stress and NADPH oxidase up‐regulation. Dysregulation of NOS and α1AR, histological changes and oxidative stress in CC may be associated with the pathophysiology of hypertension‐induced ED. In addition, PDE5 down‐regulation may lead to the decreased efficacy of PDE5 inhibitors in some hypertensive ED patients and treatment of oxidative stress could be used as a new therapeutic target for this type of ED.     

鼎湖山厚壳桂群落演替过程的组成和结构动态

森林群落的演替是以群落结构的变化为表现特征的。本项研究系统地研究鼎湖山森林群落的不同演替阶段的代表性群落在群落演替过程中的群落结构动态。本文以永久样地１２年的前后调查为基础,并比较１９５５年的调查结果,研究了鼎湖山地带性植被季风常绿阔叶林厚壳桂群落在演替过程中的结构动态。结果表明该群落在演替过程中,其种类结构没有大的变化,但优势种群的个体数量有一定的变化。阳生性的类群更趋于衰亡,中生性类群更趋壮大。在群落的组成结构上,其物种多样性指数较为稳定,而生态优势度指数略微下降和群落均匀度指标略微增加,反映了该群落作为接近地带性气候顶极类型的相对稳定的特征。     

南亚热带森林演替过程中小气候的改变及对气候变化的响应

区域水热格局变化和系统演替深刻影响森林内部小气候,不同演替阶段森林内部水热环境对气候变化的响应和反馈作用有待进一步认识和评估。以南亚热带地区的3种不同演替阶段代表性森林生态系统统(人工恢复的马尾松针叶林(Pinus massoniana coniferous forest,PF)、马尾松针阔叶混交林(mixed Pinus massoniana/broad-leaved forest,MF)和季风常绿阔叶林(monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest,MEBF))为研究对象,通过分析其林内小气候林型间差异以及时间序列上的动态变化,探讨森林系统内部水热环境的改变机理。结果表明:演替驱动下,随着PF→MF→MEBF的正向发展,林内温度条件如气温、土壤温度逐渐降低,林内相对湿度、土壤层及凋落物含水量等水分状况逐步升高。不同林型在"雨热同期"的南亚热带地区其"降温效应"有差,演替初期的PF干、湿季"降温效应"分别为7.9%和3.6%,中期MF分别为11.6%和6.4%,顶级群落MEBF干、湿季"降温效应"可达15.7%和10.5%。总体上,随演替"降温增湿"效应越来越显著,且"降温"表现为干季更明显,而"增湿"表现为湿季明显。此外,演替驱动下后期森林对高温及土壤温度的调节作用更为突出。时间序列上,区域降水趋于"极端化"的格局影响下,森林生态系统的水分固持能力下降。主要表现为:自1984年以来,3种林型0—50cm土壤含水量均呈显著降低的趋势(P0.001),且湿季土壤含水量下降速率高于干季,林型间在全年及湿季均为MFMEBFPF,干季为MEBFMFPF。虽然研究期间3种林型林内气温、土壤温度无明显趋势性变化,但顶级群落MEBF林内相对湿度(P=0.021)、凋落物自然状态下含水量(P=0.003)在年际尺度上均呈现显著下降的趋势。与土壤含水量干、湿季下降速率的格局一致,二者也均为湿季大于干季。研究认为,成熟森林可能在当前南亚热带区域气候变化及水热格局改变背景影响下更为敏感和脆弱。     

Selectivity and specificity of substrate binding in methionyl-tRNA synthetase

The accuracy of in vivo incorporation of amino acids during protein biosynthesis is controlled to a significant extent by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRS). This paper describes the application of the HierDock computational method to study the molecular basis of amino acid binding to the Escherichia coli methionyl tRNA synthetase (MetRS). Starting with the protein structure from the MetRS cocrystal, the HierDock calculations predict the binding site of methionine in MetRS to a root mean square deviation in coordinates (CRMS) of 0.55 A for all the atoms, compared with the crystal structure. The MetRS conformation in the cocrystal structure shows good discrimination between cognate and the 19 noncognate amino acids. In addition, the calculated binding energies of a set of five methionine analogs show a good correlation (R(2) = 0.86) to the relative free energies of binding derived from the measured in vitro kinetic parameters, K(m) and k(cat). Starting with the crystal structure of MetRS without the methionine (apo-MetRS), the putative binding site of methionine was predicted. We demonstrate that even the apo-MetRS structure shows a preference for binding methionine compared with the 19 other natural amino acids. On comparing the calculated binding energies of the 20 natural amino acids for apo-MetRS with those for the cocrystal structure, we observe that the discrimination against the noncognate substrate increases dramatically in the second step of the physical binding process associated with the conformation change in the protein.     

Expression and nucleotide diversity of the poplar <Emphasis Type="Italic">COBL</Emphasis> gene

The COBRA gene encodes a putative glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-anchored protein that regulates cellulose deposition and oriented cell expansion in the plant cell wall. This study reports the identification of PtCOBL4, a first COBRA gene from the tree Populus tomentosa. The full-length cDNA of PtCOBL4 was isolated from a xylem cDNA library. The deduced protein sequence shares 72.7% identity with Arabidopsis AtCOBL4 protein involved in secondary cell wall deposition. Analysis of differential tissue expression by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) indicated that PtCOBL4 is expressed predominantly in the mature xylem zone. By using the sequenced whole genome and DNA microarray data of Populus, we demonstrated that COBRA is a multigene family of 11 members, each of which exhibit different tissue-specific expression patterns. To evaluate the functional consequences of nucleotide polymorphisms in the PtCOBL4 locus, the patterns of variation in a 2,002-bp region of the gene were surveyed in 40 unrelated individuals representative of almost the entire natural range of P. tomentosa. Sixty-one single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified at a frequency of one SNP per 32.8 bp of sequence, giving an estimated nucleotide diversity of π _T = 0.00800 and θ _w = 0.00716. Within coding regions, nonsynonymous diversity (π _nonsyn = 0.00285) was markedly lower than synonymous diversity (π _syn = 0.02128); the π _nonsyn/π _syn ratio was 0.13, significantly less than 1, indicating that the synonymous sites were subject to strong purifying selection. These results provide the necessary foundation for improving the quantity and quality of cellulose via genetic engineering or by candidate-gene-based association genetics in P. tomentosa.     

Silencing TRPM2 enhanced erastin- and RSL3-induced ferroptosis in gastric cancer cells through destabilizing HIF-1α and Nrf2 proteins

Cytotechnology - Ferroptosis is a regulated form of cell death driven by small molecules or conditions that induce lipid-based reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Cation channel transient...     

Crystal structure of human vacuolar protein sorting protein 29 reveals a phosphodiesterase/nuclease-like fold and two protein-protein interaction sites

Vacuolar protein sorting protein 29 (Vps29p), which is involved in retrograde trafficking from prevacuolar endosomes to the trans-Golgi network, performs its biological functions by participating in the formation of a "retromer complex." In human cells, this complex comprises four conserved proteins: hVps35p, hVps29p, hVps26p, and sorting nexin 1 protein (SNX1). Here, we report the crystal structure of hVps29p at 2.1 Angstroms resolution, the first three-dimensional structure of the retromer subunits. This novel structure adopts a four-layered alpha-beta-beta-alpha sandwich fold. hVps29p contains a metal-binding site that is very similar to the active sites of some proteins of the phosphodiesterase/nuclease protein family, indicating that hVps29p may carry out chemically similar functions. Structure and sequence conservation analysis suggests that hVps29p contains two protein-protein interaction sites. One site, which potentially serves as the interface between hVps29p and hVps35p, comprises 5 conserved hydrophobic and 8 hydrophilic residues. The other site is relatively more hydrophilic and may serve as a binding interface with hVps26p, SNX1, or other target proteins.