Genes "waiting" for recruitment by the adaptive immune system: the insights from amphioxus

In seeking evidence of the existence of adaptive immune system (AIS) in ancient chordate, cDNA clones of six libraries from a protochordate, the Chinese amphioxus, were sequenced. Although the key molecules such as TCR, MHC, Ig, and RAG in AIS have not been identified from our database, we demonstrated in this study the extensive molecular evidence for the presence of genes homologous to many genes that are involved in AIS directly or indirectly, including some of which may represent the putative precursors of vertebrate AIS-related genes. The comparative analyses of these genes in different model organisms revealed the different fates of these genes during evolution. Their gene expression pattern suggested that the primitive digestive system is the pivotal place of the origin and evolution of the AIS. Our studies support the general statement that AIS appears after the jawless/jawed vertebrate split. However our study further reveals the fact that AIS is in its twilight in amphioxus and the evolution of the molecules in amphioxus are waiting for recruitment by the emergence of AIS.     

小麦叶肉细胞原生质体中微管骨架的排列格局与[Ca2+]cyt的关系

以小麦叶肉细胞原生质体为材料,通过免疫荧光标记和Ca~(2 )荧光染料的装载并结合药物学试验,借助激光共聚焦扫描显微镜观察,探讨微管骨架和Ca~(2 )之间的内在联系。试验结果表明,[Ca~(2 )]_(cyt)的升高能够诱发微管骨架的解聚;而微管骨架的解聚也会促使胞外Ca~(2 )内流,进而造成[Ca~(2 )]_(cyt)的升高。     

Dot-blot hybridization and RT-PCR detection of extra small virus (XSV) associated with white tail disease of prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

The availability of specific and reliable detection methods is essential for monitoring the health status of farmed species, particularly for viral diseases. Extra small virus (XSV), a virus-like particle, is associated with Macrobrachium rosenbergii Noda virus (MrNV) in white tail disease (WTD) of M. rosenbergii. We developed 2 genome-based detection methods for the identification of XSV, namely dot-blot hybridization and a single-step RT-PCR. Detection limits were established and are ca. 2.5 pg and 5 fg of viral RNA for dot-blot hybridization and RT-PCR, respectively. Application of the methods to field samples indicated that some animals positively diagnosed with MrNV did not contain XSV, at least within the detection limit of the methodology. This raises the question of the actual role of XSV and its interactions with MrNV in WTD of M. rosenbergii.     

YY1抑制效应的破坏可促进人乳头瘤病毒16型癌基因的转录

人乳头瘤病毒１６型（ＨＰＶ１６）癌基因的表达受病毒早期启动子Ｐ９７的控制。位于ＬＣＲ上ＹＹ１蛋白结合位点的破坏可明显提高Ｐ９７的活性。为了观测ＹＹ１位点破坏在全基因组范围内对病毒ｅ６／ｅ７基因转录的影响,将构建的带有ＬＣＲ特异性突变的重组ＨＰＶ１６全基因组ＤＮＡ和ＨＰＶ１６野毒株ＤＮＡ转染至培养细胞,同时组建ＨＰＶ１６Ｅ６反向序列ＲＮＡ体外转录质粒。ＲＮａｓｅ保护试验证实,突变ＨＰＶ１６ＤＮＡ在短     

Osmotic Shock Inhibits Insulin Signaling by Maintaining Akt/Protein Kinase B in an Inactive Dephosphorylated State

We have previously reported that insulin and osmotic shock stimulate an increase in glucose transport activity and translocation of the insulin-responsive glucose transporter isoform GLUT4 to the plasma membrane through distinct pathways in 3T3L1 adipocytes (D. Chen, J. S. Elmendorf, A. L. Olson, X. Li, H. S. Earp, and J. E. Pessin, J. Biol. Chem. 272:27401-27410, 1997). In investigations of the relationships between these two signaling pathways, we have now observed that these two stimuli are not additive, and, in fact, osmotic shock pretreatment was found to completely prevent any further insulin stimulation of glucose transport activity and GLUT4 protein translocation. In addition, osmotic shock inhibited the insulin stimulation of lipogenesis and glycogen synthesis. This inhibition of insulin-stimulated downstream signaling occurred without any significant effect on insulin receptor autophosphorylation or tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1). Furthermore, there was no effect on either the insulin-stimulated association of the p85 type I phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase regulatory subunit with IRS1 or phosphotyrosine antibody-immunoprecipitated PI 3-kinase activity. In contrast, osmotic shock pretreatment markedly inhibited the insulin stimulation of protein kinase B (PKB) and p70S6 kinase activities. In addition, the dephosphorylation of PKB was prevented by pretreatment with the phosphatase inhibitors okadaic acid and calyculin A. These data support a model in which osmotic shock-induced insulin resistance of downstream biological responses results from an inhibition of insulin-stimulated PKB activation.     

An ordered EST catalogue and gene expression profiles of cassava (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Manihot esculenta</Emphasis>) at key growth stages

A cDNA library was constructed from the root tissues of cassava variety Huanan 124 at the root bulking stage. A total of 9,600 cDNA clones from the library were sequenced with single-pass from the 5′-terminus to establish a catalogue of expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Assembly of the resulting EST sequences resulted in 2,878 putative unigenes. Blastn analysis showed that 62.6% of the unigenes matched with known cassava ESTs and the rest had no ‘hits’ against the cassava database in the integrative PlantGDB database. Blastx analysis showed that 1,715 (59.59%) of the unigenes matched with one or more GenBank protein entries and 1,163 (40.41%) had no ‘hits’. A cDNA microarray with 2,878 unigenes was developed and used to analyze gene expression profiling of Huanan 124 at key growth stages including seedling, formation of root system, root bulking, and starch maturity. Array data analysis revealed that (1) the higher ratio of up-regulated ribosome-related genes was accompanied by a high ratio of up-regulated ubiquitin, proteasome-related and protease genes in cassava roots; (2) starch formation and degradation simultaneously occur at the early stages of root development but starch degradation is declined partially due to decrease in UDP-glucose dehydrogenase activity with root maturity; (3) starch may also be synthesized in situ in roots; (4) starch synthesis, translocation, and accumulation are also associated probably with signaling pathways that parallel Wnt, LAM, TCS and ErbB signaling pathways in animals; (5) constitutive expression of stress-responsive genes may be due to the adaptation of cassava to harsh environments during long-term evolution.     

Degradation of proteinaceous substrates by xylotrophic basidiomycetes

The ability of various xylotrophs to produce extracellular proteolytic enzymes has been studied, with emphasis on medium-related factors regulating their secretion. Direct measurement of proteolytic activity in the culture liquid and postelectrophoresis determination of protease activity in polyacrylamide gel copolymerized with gelatin demonstrated that the secreted enzymes are quantitatively and qualitatively diverse. Activity levels of extracellular proteolytic enzymes strongly depend on pH and contents of protein and carbohydrate in the medium. All secreted proteases notably differed in molecular weight (of 51 kDa or higher and in excess of 95 kDa) and belonged mostly to two classes of proteolytic enzymes (serine proteases and metalloproteinases).     

Genetic diversity of phenazine- and pyoluteorin-producing pseudomonads isolated from green pepper rhizosphere

The genetic diversity among indigenous phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA)-producing and pyoluteorin (Plt)-producing isolates of pseudomonads screened from green pepper rhizosphere was exploited in this study. A total of 48 bacterium isolates producing one or both of these antibiotics were screened from green pepper rhizosphere in diverse regions in China. Among these isolates, 45 could produce PCA, 3 could produce both PCA and Plt, and none could produce Plt only. Based on the restriction patterns of partial 16S and 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer (ITS) PCR fragments generated by enzyme HaeIII or HinfI, these isolates fell into 19 or 17 distinct groups respectively, indicating that there was a significant diversity among them. Polygenetic analysis of the partial 16S rDNA and 16S-23S ITS sequence from the representative in each group in the context of similar sequence from previously described bacterial species indicated that most isolates were closely related to the species of Pseudomonas fluorescens, P. putida, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Some of these representatives of these isolates, then, are likely to be novel strains or species in these two genera. The GenBank accession numbers for DNA sequences of the partial 16S rDNA with ITS region in each isolate determined in this study were: GP30 DQ003219; GP127 DQ003220; GP83 DQ003221; GP42, DQ003222; GP59 DQ003223; GP50 DQ003224; GP36 DQ003225; GP110 DQ003226; GP26 DQ003227; GP37 DQ003228; GP60 DQ003229; GP31 DQ003230; GP57 DQ003231; GP75 DQ003232; GP115 DQ003233; GP65 DQ003234; GP32 DQ003235; GP76 DQ003236; GP78 DQ003237.     

Novel potent agonist [(pF)Phe4,Aib7,Aib11,Arg14,Lys15]N/OFQ-NH2 and antagonist [Nphe1,(pF)Phe4,Aib7,Aib11,Arg14,Lys15]N/OFQ-NH2 of nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor

Two novel ligands for the nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) receptor (NOP), [(pF)Phe4,Aib7, Aib11,Arg14,Lys15]N/OFQ-NH2 (peptide-1) and [Nphe1,(pF)Phe4,Aib7,Aib11,Arg14,Lys15]N/OFQ-NH2 (peptide-2), have been generated by combining different modifications of N/OFQ sequence. In the present study, we investigated the actions of two analogues and compared them with those of N/OFQ in four assays. Peptide-1 mimicked N/OFQ effects in mouse vas deferens and mouse colon and showed similar maximal effects but higher potency relative to N/OFQ. The effects of peptide-1 were sensitive to NOP receptor selective antagonist ([Nphe1]N/OFQ(1-13)-NH2) but not to naloxone in vitro. Peptide-1 (25 pmol, i.c.v.) mimicked the pronociceptive action of N/OFQ (2.5 nmol, i.c.v.) in mouse tail withdrawal assay, displaying higher potency and longer lasting effects. In anesthetized rats, peptide-1 (1 nmol/kg, i.v.) produced a marked decrease in mean arterial pressure, which was comparable to that evoked by i.v. N/OFQ (100 nmol/kg). Peptide-2 did not produce any effect per se but antagonized N/OFQ actions in mouse vas deferens and mouse colon assays. Peptide-2 is active in vivo where it prevented the pronociceptive effect induced by 2.5 nmol N/OFQ i.c.v. in the mouse tail withdrawal assay. Furthermore, peptide-2 at 5 nmol produced alone a robust and long lasting antinociceptive effect. Moreover, peptide-2 (10 and 40 nmol/kg i.v.) didn't produce any effect per se but antagonized hypotensive actions produced by i.v. administration of N/OFQ. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that [(pF)Phe4,Aib7,Aib11, Arg14,Lys15]N/OFQ-NH2 behaves as a highly potent NOP receptor agonist which produces long lasting effects in vivo and [Nphe1,(pF)Phe4,Aib7,Aib11,Arg14,Lys15]N/OFQ-NH2 acts as a pure and competitive antagonist of the NOP receptor.     

Rates of apparent photosynthesis,respiration and dry matter accumulation in maize canopies

The rates of canopy apparent photosynthesis (P_C) and canopy respiration (R_c) were studied during vegetation season in two erectophile and two planophile hybrids of maize (Zea mays L.) grown at two canopy densities [7.5 plants m^-2 (HD) and 4.5 plants m^-2 (LD)]. Large differences in P_C, R_c, R_C/P_C, leaf area index (LAI), dry matter accumulation and grain yield were found among hybrids and plant densities. Variations in P_C and R_C were associated mainly with changes in LAI. There was also found change in P_C per unit LAI with time. The average R_C/P_C was 28.9 % for all treatments throughout the vegetation season. P_C and R_C per unit dry matter were higher in LD than in HD and decreased throughout the measurement period. The HD stand had higher P_C and yield in hybrids with erectophile foliage, whereas LD stand had higher P_C after male tetrad and got higher yield in hybrids with planophile foliage. Only R_C in hybrids of the two foliage types was higher under HD than under LD throughout the vegetation period.