Acoustic signal dominance in the multimodal communication of a nocturnal mammal

Multimodal communication in animals is common, and is particularly well studied in signals that include both visual and auditory components. Multimodal signals that combine acoustic and olfactory components are less well known. Multimodal communication plays a crucial role in agonistic interactions in many mammals, but relatively little is known about this type of communication in nocturnal mammals. Here, we used male Great Himalayan leaf-nosed bats Hipposideros armiger to investigate multimodal signal function in acoustic and olfactory aggressive displays. We monitored the physiological responses (heart rate [HR]) when H. armiger was presented with 1 of 3 stimuli: territorial calls, forehead gland odors, and bimodal signals (calls + odors). Results showed that H. armiger rapidly increased their HR when exposed to any of the 3 stimuli. However, the duration of elevated HR and magnitude of change in HR increased significantly more when acoustic stimuli were presented alone compared with the presentation of olfactory stimuli alone. In contrast, the duration of elevated HR and magnitude of change in HR were significantly higher with bimodal stimuli than with olfactory stimuli alone, but no significant differences were found between the HR response to acoustic and bimodal stimuli. Our previous work showed that acoustic and chemical signals provided different types of information; here we describe experiments investigating the responses to those signals. These results suggest that olfactory and acoustic signals are non-redundant signal components, and that the acoustic component is the dominant modality in male H. armiger, at least as it related to HR. This study provides the first evidence that acoustic signals dominate over olfactory signals during agonistic interactions in a nocturnal mammal.     

烷化剂NTG诱变虾青素产生菌红法夫酵母的研究

虾青素是一种很有效的生物抗氧化剂和某些生物的天然着色剂,应用前景广阔。红法夫酵母是 生产虾青素的一个来源,优点颇多。天然菌株虾青素产量较少,缺少实用价值。实验采用烷化剂ＮＴＧ 诱变红法夫酵母,筛选出类胡萝卜素产量高的诱变株。用薄层层析对红法夫酵母产生的色素及其皂 化产物进行分析,并对各个成分的扫描光谱进行了比较。认为红法夫酵母产生的类胡萝卜素成分主 要是虾青素及虾青素二酯,还有一部分β－胡萝卜素。同时,还对虾青素产生的时相和ＢＨＴ对虾青素 光分解的保护作用进行了初步研究。     

A comparison of the central gastrointestinal antitransit effects of morphine and bombesin in the mouse

The gastrointestinal motor effects of centrally-given morphine and bombesin were compared in mice. Both compounds produced a dose-related decrease in the propulsion of a marker along the gut when given by the intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) or intrathecal (i.th.) routes. Co-administration of the same compound by both routes was found to produce a marked increase in potency for morphine, but only a slight increase in potency for bombesin. Isobolographic analysis of the gut effects of these compounds revealed a multiplicative brain-spinal cord interaction for morphine, but an additive interaction for bombesin. These results are consistent with the interpretation that morphine can act at either the level of the brain or the spinal cord, activating independent pathways which ultimately converge to alter gut propulsion. In contrast, spinal bombesin requires communication to supraspinal sites in order for its gut effects to occur, suggesting activation of a common outflow pathway from the central nervous system.     

A low copy number cosmid

A low copy number cosmid was constructed by subcloning the pair of cos sites and the kanamycin resistance gene of pcos2EMBL into pGB2. The resulting cosmid, pPR691, has the pSC101 replicon and specifies resistance to kanamycin, spectinomycin, and streptomycin. pPR691 also carries restriction sites suitable for cloning partial Sau3A digests using the strategy of Bates and Swift (P. F. Bates and R. A. Swift, 1983, Gene 26, 137-146). A library of Salmonella typhimurium chromosomal DNA was made using this cosmid and the rfb gene cluster (map position 42) was isolated from this library.     

蜘蛛杀虫肽基因的合成及其在植物中表达质粒的构建

近年来用生物制剂防治害虫,虽然可以避免环境污染,但效果往往不稳定,而用基因工程方法,将抗虫基因导入植物的基因组中,让植物自身产生抗虫物质,将是一种理想的途径［１,２］。抗虫的植物基因工程主要是利用苏云金杆菌的内毒素蛋白,转化此基因的烟草和番茄显示了对虫的抗性［３—６］。澳大利亚Ｄｅａｋｉｎ大学从一种蜘蛛毒液中分离纯化到一种只有３７个氨基酸的小肽,体外实验发现其能杀死多种对农业生产有害的昆虫,但对哺乳动物没有毒害作用［７］。我们根据此肽的氨基酸序列,采用植物偏爱的密码子,人工合成并克隆了此肽的基因…     

高浓度Cd,Pb污染水域中的微生物生态

用选择性培养基和滤纸片法研究了Cd、Pb污染水域中的微生物生态分布、对Cd、Pb的抗性及富集力。结果表明,污水中微生物量的变化与Cd、Pb浓度不相关。抗性微生物生物量受环境温度影响较大。微生物对Cd、Pb的抗性是霉菌>酵母和细菌,Pb>Cd。霉菌最高抗Cd、Pb浓度可达2×10~4mg·L~(-1)。酵母和细菌最高抗Cd浓度为5000mg·L~(-1)、Pb浓度为1×10~4mg·L~(-1),抗性微生物对Cd、Pb的富集力与其抗性及Cd、Pb的毒性密切相关。含Cd、Pb污水中的优势菌有欧文氏菌、产碱杆菌、节细菌、假丝酵母、曲霉和枝孢霉。     

昆虫杆状病毒表达系统表达人载脂蛋白A-Ⅰ

载脂蛋白apoA-Ⅰ是高密度脂蛋白中最主要的蛋白,在胆固醇代谢及动脉粥样硬化等疾病的发生和控制中有重要作用。为了建立大量生产和制备该蛋白的方法,昆虫杆状病毒表达系统被用来高效表达了两种形式的人apoA-Ⅰ。不带有信号肽序列的proapoA-Ⅰ蛋白表达后主要在细胞内,但在感染的晚期也有相当量的重组蛋白进入细胞培养液中。用蛇磷脂酶A2抑制因子α亚基信号肽序列引导表达的apoA-Ⅰ蛋白在感染早期可以被分泌到培养液中。在此基础上,通过Phenyl Sepharose疏水柱层析,从感染细胞的培养液中初步分离纯化了成熟的apoA-Ⅰ蛋白。这一结果为apoA-Ⅰ的进一步研究和应用奠定了基础。     

MiR‐616‐3p modulates cell proliferation and migration through targeting tissue factor pathway inhibitor 2 in preeclampsia

Objectives

Despite improvements in diagnosis and treatment, preeclampsia (PE) continues to pose a significant risk of maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality if not addressed promptly. An increasing number of studies have suggested that tissue factor pathway inhibitor 2 (TFPI2) acts as a suppressor gene, possibly inhibiting multiple serine proteases affecting cell proliferation and migration. It plays an essential role in the occurrence and development of PE, but the pathogenesis remains unclear.

Materials and methods

In our research, we performed western blotting, immunohistochemistry and qPCR assays to investigate TFPI2 and miR‐616‐3p expression in preeclamptic placental tissues. Cell assays were performed in HTR‐8/SVneo and JEG3 cell lines. Cell proliferation and migration events were investigated by MTT, EdU and transwell assays. In conjunction with bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assays were performed to elucidate the mechanism by which miR‐616‐3p binds to TFPI2 mRNA.

Results

We established that TFPI2 protein levels were significantly upregulated in PE placental tissues. In addition, we found that miR‐616‐3p binds specifically to the 3′‐UTR region of TFPI2 mRNA. Furthermore, miR‐616‐3p knockdown or TFPI2 overexpression substantially impaired cell growth and migration, whereas miR‐616‐3p upregulation or TFPI2 knockdown stimulated cell proliferation and migration. This miR‐616‐3p / TFPI2 axis was also found to affect the epithelial‐mesenchymal transition process in PE.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrated that TFPI2 plays a vital role in the progression of PE and might provide a prospective therapeutic strategy to mitigate the severity of the disorder.

     

错配修复基因与涎腺肿瘤的关系

错配修复(mismatch repair,MMR)是DNA复制后的一种修复机制,对维持基因组稳定起重要作用.错配修复基因功能缺陷是继癌基因激活、抑癌基因失活之后又一肿瘤的发生、发展机制,错配修复基因的异常表达与全身多种肿瘤相关.涎腺肿瘤为口腔颌面部常见肿瘤之一,具有与其他系统肿瘤相似的组织学类型,多来源于肌上皮.近年来,有关涎腺肿瘤与错配修复基因的关系正逐步成为研究热点,本文就错配修复基因的组成、作用机制以及与涎腺肿瘤发生、发展的关系作一综述.     

HIV-1 glycoprotein 41 ectodomain induces activation of the CD74 protein-mediated extracellular signal-regulated kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway to enhance viral infection

Besides mediating the viral entry process, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) envelope protein gp41 can bind to many host cell components and regulate cell functions. Using a yeast two-hybrid system, we screened a human bone marrow cDNA library and identified a novel gp41-binding protein, CD74 (the MHC class II-associated invariant chain). Here, we report possible biological effects mediated by interaction between gp41 and CD74. We found that HIV-1 gp41 could bind directly to host CD74 in HIV-1-infected cells, and the peptide 6358 derived from gp41 loop region (aa 597-611) could effectively block the gp41-CD74 interaction. As a result of this binding, recombinant soluble gp41 and gp41 peptide 6358 activated the CD74-mediated ERK/MAPK pathway and significantly enhanced HIV-1 infection in vitro. Conversely, the enhancing effect could be suppressed by the recombinant CD74 extracellular domain. These results reveal a novel mechanism underlying gp41 mediation of HIV-1 infection and replication.