Overview and recommendations for regionalized life cycle impact assessment

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment - Regionalized life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) has rapidly developed in the past decade, though its widespread application, robustness, and...     

FRS2α is essential for the fibroblast growth factor to regulate the mTOR pathway and autophagy in mouse embryonic fibroblasts

Although the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling axis plays important roles in cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation, the molecular mechanism underlying how the FGF elicits these diverse regulatory signals is not well understood. By using the Frs2α null mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) in conjunction with inhibitors to multiple signaling pathways, here we report that the FGF signaling axis activates mTOR via the FGF receptor substrate 2α (FRS2α)-mediated PI3K/Akt pathway, and suppresses autophagy activity in MEFs. In addition, the PI3K/Akt pathway regulated mTOR is crucial for the FGF signaling axis to suppress autophagy in MEFs. Since autophagy has been proposed to play important roles in cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation, the findings suggest a novel mechanism for the FGF signaling axis to transmit regulatory signals to downstream effectors.     

R-Ras and Rac GTPase cross-talk regulates hematopoietic progenitor cell migration, homing, and mobilization

Adult hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) are maintained by highly coordinated signals in the bone marrow. The molecular mechanisms linking intracellular signaling network of HPCs with their microenvironment remain poorly defined. The Rho family GTPase Rac1/Rac2 has previously been implicated in cell functions involved in HPC maintenance, including adhesion, migration, homing, and mobilization. In the present studies we have identified R-Ras, a member of the Ras family, as a key signal mediator required for Rac1/Rac2 activation. We found that whereas Rac1 activity is up-regulated upon stem cell factor, integrin, or CXCL12 stimulation, R-Ras activity is inversely up-regulated. Expression of a constitutively active R-Ras mutant resulted in down-regulation of Rac1-activity whereas deletion of R-Ras led to an increase in Rac1/Rac2 activity and signaling. R-Ras(-/-) HPCs displayed a constitutively assembled cortical actin structure and showed increased directional migration. Rac1/Rac2 inhibition reversed the migration phenotype of R-Ras(-/-) HPCs, similar to that by expressing an R-Ras active mutant. Furthermore, R-Ras(-/-) mice showed enhanced responsiveness to G-CSF for HPC mobilization and exhibited decreased bone marrow homing. Transplantation experiments indicate that the R-Ras deficiency-induced HPC mobilization is a HPC intrinsic property. These results indicate that R-Ras is a critical regulator of Rac signaling required for HPC migration, homing, and mobilization.     

厚壁毛竹快速高生长期竹秆ATP酶超微细胞化学定位

采用电镜细胞化学技术对厚壁毛竹(Phyllostachys edulis ‘Pachyloen’)快速高生长期竹秆节间的伸长发育过程（包括：分生细胞期、伸长初期、快速伸长期和成熟期四个阶段）进行ATP酶超微细胞化学定位,以揭示竹秆节间快速伸长的细胞学基础。结果表明：分生细胞期,细胞质膜、核膜、细胞器膜系统上等均有很强的ATP酶活性。伸长初期,节间上部基本组织细胞质膜上ATP酶活性较强,且短细胞质膜上的ATP酶活性更强,节间基部各细胞均未观察到ATP酶活性。快速伸长期,节间基部基本组织ATP酶活性较节间上部高,细胞质膜、运输小泡膜、胞间隙及胞间连丝上均有ATP酶活性。成熟期,仅节间上部基本组织质膜上有较弱的ATP酶活性。ATP酶在节间伸长过程中主要参与新细胞壁物质的分泌和共质体运输,促进新细胞壁的形成,晶体和淀粉粒体外膜上ATP酶活性的存在表明其具有贮存物质的作用。节隔缺失节的节间基部未观察到ATP酶活性,节部韧皮结细胞ATP酶活性较高,节隔的缺失引起节部与节间与物质运输有关结构的变化,进而影响节间伸长生长。     

拟南芥PRRs基因在红光和蓝光信号转导中的作用初探

以拟南芥为材料,在红光和蓝光下对PRRs(pseudo-response regulators)突变体prr5p、rr7、prr9和toc1及其野生型的下胚轴表型进行比较观察,并采用实时定量PCR方法对突变体中光信号通路相关基因ZTL(zeitlupe)和CO(constans)的节律表达进行分析.结果表明:在红光下,prr5和toc1的下胚轴长度比野生型显著增长,在蓝光下,prr7p、rr9和toc1较野生型短,表明突变体降低了拟南芥对红光的敏感性,却增强了对蓝光的敏感性.红光和蓝光下,PRRs突变体中ZTL和CO的mRNA节律表达与野生型明显不同,其中红光下prr5和prr7、蓝光下prr5和toc1中的ZTLmRNA的表达显著下降且节律消失;红光下prr7和prr9以及蓝光下prr5突变体中的COmRNA表现基本无节律.因此推测,PRRs与ZTL的相互作用很可能在红光和蓝光信号转导途径中发挥作用,且PRRs基因极有可能参与了红光和蓝光对CO的调控.     

拟南芥花粉管与柱头互作的乙醇代谢耦合模型

依据拟南芥公开的代谢途径数据库,构建了基于酶与酶的拟南芥代谢网络模型。利用拟南芥花粉管与柱头互作过程中的转录组数据,挖掘出花粉管与柱头在互作过程中的特异表达基因,进一步将特异表达的酶基因匹配到已构建的拟南芥代谢网络中,根据网络拓扑模型中的节点(酶)之间的共表达关联性,最后给出了一个拟南芥花粉管与柱头互作的乙醇代谢耦合模型。     

2002-2016年华北平原植被生长状况及水文要素时空特征分析

基于MODIS增强型植被指数（EVI）资料,结合降水、GRACE重力卫星水储量（TWS）、地下水、土壤水等资料,分析华北平原植被2002-2016年间的生长状况及各水文要素时空分布特征。研究结果表明：（1）2002-2016年间华北平原植被呈好转趋势,降水、水储量、土壤水、地下水等水文要素值呈减少趋势。（2）黄淮平原区植被以农作物为主,植被覆盖度呈增加趋势,而降水、水储量、地下水、土壤水均呈减少趋势,超采地下水灌溉农作物是短期内保障粮食安全的重要措施。（3）燕山-太行山山麓平原区、冀鲁豫低洼平原区的城乡居民用地区域植被覆盖显著减少,而降水增多,水储量、土壤水、地下水减少,人类活动对植被和水文要素贡献量大。（4）山东丘陵农林区分布着林地和草地,这些区域生长季的植被指数呈减少趋势,与降水量减少呈正相关关系。在气候变化和人类活动影响的大背景下,探讨不同生态环境的植被生长特征,清楚植被对水文变化的响应机理,可以消除影响植被生长的不利因素,为制定合理用水制度提供理论依据。