Nuclear genes that promote splicing of group I introns in the chloroplast 23S rRNA and psbA genes in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Defence against pathogens in Arabidopsis is orchestrated by at least three signalling molecules: salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene (ET). The hrl1 (hypersensitive response-like lesions 1) mutant of Arabidopsis is characterized by spontaneous necrotic lesions, accumulation of reactive oxygen species, constitutive expression of SA- and ET/JA-responsive defence genes, and enhanced resistance to virulent bacterial and oomycete pathogens. Epistasis analyses of hrl1 with npr1, etr1, coi1 and SA-depleted nahG plants revealed novel interactions between SA and ET/JA signalling pathways in regulating defence gene expression and cell death. RNA gel-blot analysis of RNA isolated separately from the lesion+ and the lesion- leaves of double mutants of hrl1 revealed different signalling requirements for the expression of defence genes in these tissues. Expression of the ET/JA-responsive PDF1.2 gene was markedly reduced in hrl1 npr1 and in SA-depleted hrl1 nahG plants. In hrl1 nahG plants, expression of PDF1.2 was regulated by benzathiadiazole in a concentration-dependent manner: induced at low concentration and suppressed at high concentration. The hrl1 etr1 plants lacked systemic PR-1 expression, and exhibited compromised resistance to virulent Pseudomonas syringae and Peronospora parasitica. Inhibiting JA responses in hrl1 coi1 plants lead to exaggerated cell death and severe stunting of plants. Finally, the hrl1 mutation lead to elevated expression of AtrbohD, which encodes a major subunit of the NADPH oxidase complex. Our results indicate that defence gene expression and resistance against pathogens in hrl1 is regulated synergistically by SA and ET/JA defence pathways.     

NMR imaging of high-amylose starch tablets. 2. Effect of tablet size

Carbohydrate polymers are widely used for pharmaceutical applications such as the controlled release of drugs. The swelling and water mobility in high-amylose starch tablets are important parameters to be determined for these applications. They have been studied at different time intervals by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI) after the immersion of the samples in water. These tablets have a hydrophilic matrix, which swells anisotropically and forms a hydrogel in water. NMRI shows clearly the anisotropy of the water penetration and the swelling along the radial and axial dimensions of the tablets. Empirical relationships are established to describe the kinetics of water penetration and swelling of the tablets. Results show that water uptake and tablet swelling strongly depend on the size of the tablets. Gravimetric measurements of water uptake were also performed in comparison with the NMRI results.     

Stable isotope dilution high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry method for endogenous 2- and 4-hydroxyestrones in human urine

A sensitive, precise and accurate stable isotope dilution high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry method has been developed for measuring endogenous 2- and 4-hydroxyestrones, the main catechol estrogens in human urine. Compared to the published methods using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, this approach simplifies sample preparation and increases the throughput of analysis. The unique part of our method is the use of a simple and rapid derivatization step that forms a hydrazone at the C-17 carbonyl group of catechol estrogens. This derivatization step has greatly enhanced method sensitivity as well as HPLC separability of 2- and 4-hydroxyestrones. Standard curves were linear over a 100-fold calibration range with correlation coefficients for the linear regression curves typically greater than 0.996. The lower limit of quantitation for each catechol estrogen is 1 ng per 10-ml urine sample, with an accuracy of 97-99% and overall precision, including the hydrolysis, extraction and derivatization steps, of 1-3% for samples prepared concurrently and 2-11% for samples prepared in several batches. This method is adequate for measuring the low endogenous levels of catechol estrogens in urine from postmenopausal women.     

NO调控下丘脑钙激活钾通道的机制研究

目的 :研究NO对下丘脑神经元钙激活钾通道 (KCa)的作用及其机制。方法 :采用膜片钳技术内面向外式及细胞贴附式。结果 :NO可直接或通过升高cGMP来提高KCa通道的开放概率 (Po) ,这种增强作用是因为通道开放时间延长及开放频率增加。结论 :下丘脑神经元中NO可通过不同机制激活KCa。     

白细胞介素-2对心脏节律的作用及其机制的研究

目的：探讨白细胞介素－2（1L－2）对心脏节律作用及其可能机制。方法：采用体外培养乳鼠心肌细胞模型和离体人鼠灌流心脏模型,观察培养的心肌细胞搏动频率和离体心脏心率及节律。结果：①2.5-200u/ml的IL－2呈浓度依赖性地降低心肌细胞的搏动频率。②50u/ml的IL-2明显增加离体心脏心率和室性早搏个数。③propranolol预处理可取消50u/mlIL-2的离体心脏作用。④热失活IL－2对培养的心肌细胞搏动频率和离体心脏心率和心律都无显著作用。结论：IL－2可直接制培养心肌自律性,其对离体心脏的正性变时和致心律失常作用可能由内源性作茶酚胺介导。     

皮质酮对高钾诱导PC12细胞内钙升高的非基因组调节作用

目的：分析皮质酮快速抑制高钾诱导PC12细胞内钙升高的机制。方法：使用荧光影像系统,实时检测细胞内钙变化。结果：①在预处理PC12细胞5min后,皮质酮可呈量－效关系抑制高钾诱导的PC12细胞内钙升高。②牛血清白蛋白耦联的皮质酮（B－BSA）可模拟皮质酮快速抑制高钾诱导PC12细胞内钙升高的作用,并呈现量－效关系。③糖皮质激素的细胞内受体拮抗剂RU38486对皮质酮快速抑制效应无明显拮抗作用。④蛋白合成抑制剂放线菌酮预处理细胞3h后,皮质酮对高钾诱导PC12内钙升高仍有较强抑制作用。结论：①皮质酮的作用点位于细胞膜上。②皮质酮的快速作用不直接依赖细胞内蛋白合成和不依赖细胞内糖皮质激素受体。③皮质酮对高钾诱导PC12内钙升高的快速抑制作用属非基因组作用。     

Photosynthetic characteristics and tolerance to photo-oxidation of transgenic rice expressing C4 photosynthesis enzymes

The photosynthetic characteristics of four transgenic rice lines over-expressing rice NADP-malic enzyme (ME), and maize phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PC), pyruvate,orthophosphate dikinase (PK), and PC+PK (CK) were investigated using outdoor-grown plants. Relative to untransformed wild-type (WT) rice, PC transgenic rice exhibited high PC activity (25-fold increase) and enhanced activity of carbonic anhydrase (more than two-fold increase), while the activity of ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) and its kinetic property were not significantly altered. The PC transgenic plants also showed a higher light intensity for saturation of photosynthesis, higher photosynthetic CO₂ uptake rate and carboxylation efficiency, and slightly reduced CO₂ compensation point. In addition, chlorophyll a fluorescence analysis indicates that PC transgenic plants are more tolerant to photo-oxidative stress, due to a higher capacity to quench excess light energy via photochemical and non-photochemical means. Furthermore, PC and CK transgenic rice produced 22–24% more grains than WT plants. Taken together, these results suggest that expression of maize C₄ photosynthesis enzymes in rice, a C₃ plant, can improve its photosynthetic capacity with enhanced tolerance to photo-oxidation. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Magnetic anisotropy of the radula of chiton Acanthochiton rubrolinestus LISCHKE

The magnetic anisotropy of the whole radula, the major lateral radula teeth, and magnetic material in the major lateral radula teeth of the chiton Acanthochiton rubrolinestus LISCHKE have been studied by a magnetic torque meter and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. The length and width axes of the teeth are the easily magnetized axes, while the thickness axis is difficult to magnetize. The width and thickness axes of the radula are the easily magnetized axes, and the length axis is difficult to magnetize. The measurement results of the whole radula and the major lateral radula teeth agree well with each other. The magnetic anisotropy of the magnetic material is given as well as a possible distribution of the magnetic material in the major lateral radula teeth.