Mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome variation provides evidence for a recent common ancestry between Native Americans and Indigenous Altaians

The Altai region of southern Siberia has played a critical role in the peopling of northern Asia as an entry point into Siberia and a possible homeland for ancestral Native Americans. It has an old and rich history because humans have inhabited this area since the Paleolithic. Today, the Altai region is home to numerous Turkic-speaking ethnic groups, which have been divided into northern and southern clusters based on linguistic, cultural, and anthropological traits. To untangle Altaian genetic histories, we analyzed mtDNA and Y chromosome variation in northern and southern Altaian populations. All mtDNAs were assayed by PCR-RFLP analysis and control region sequencing, and the nonrecombining portion of the Y chromosome was scored for more than 100 biallelic markers and 17 Y-STRs. Based on these data, we noted differences in the origin and population history of Altaian ethnic groups, with northern Altaians appearing more like Yeniseian, Ugric, and Samoyedic speakers to the north, and southern Altaians having greater affinities to other Turkic speaking populations of southern Siberia and Central Asia. Moreover, high-resolution analysis of Y chromosome haplogroup Q has allowed us to reshape the phylogeny of this branch, making connections between populations of the New World and Old World more apparent and demonstrating that southern Altaians and Native Americans share a recent common ancestor. These results greatly enhance our understanding of the peopling of Siberia and the Americas.     

HBXIP upregulates CD46, CD55 and CD59 through ERK1/2/NF-κB signaling to protect breast cancer cells from complement attack

Hepatitis B X-interacting protein (HBXIP) is able to enhance migration of breast cancer cells. However, the role of HBXIP in regulation of complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) in breast cancer is not understood. Here, we report that HBXIP contributes to protecting breast cancer cells from CDC by upregulating membrane-bound complement regulatory protein (mCRPs), including CD46, CD55 and CD59. We found that HBXIP upregulated mCRPs through activating p-ERK1/2/NF-κB. Interestingly, the knockdown of CD59 was able to block the HBXIP-enhanced breast tumor growth in animal. Thus, we conclude that HBXIP upregulates CD46, CD55 and CD59 through p-ERK1/2/NF-κB signaling to protect breast cancer from CDC.     

Statistical metamodeling for revealing synergistic antimicrobial interactions

Many bacterial pathogens are becoming drug resistant faster than we can develop new antimicrobials. To address this threat in public health, a metamodel antimicrobial cocktail optimization (MACO) scheme is demonstrated for rapid screening of potent antibiotic cocktails using uropathogenic clinical isolates as model systems. With the MACO scheme, only 18 parallel trials were required to determine a potent antimicrobial cocktail out of hundreds of possible combinations. In particular, trimethoprim and gentamicin were identified to work synergistically for inhibiting the bacterial growth. Sensitivity analysis indicated gentamicin functions as a synergist for trimethoprim, and reduces its minimum inhibitory concentration for 40-fold. Validation study also confirmed that the trimethoprim-gentamicin synergistic cocktail effectively inhibited the growths of multiple strains of uropathogenic clinical isolates. With its effectiveness and simplicity, the MACO scheme possesses the potential to serve as a generic platform for identifying synergistic antimicrobial cocktails toward management of bacterial infection in the future.     

厚竹高生长过程中竹秆淀粉粒的变化规律

为揭示厚竹(Phyllostachys edulis ‘Pachyloen’)快速高生长的物质基础,进一步探究厚竹快速高生长的物质代谢机理。该研究采用常规石蜡切片结合光学显微技术,研究厚竹高生长过程中竹秆淀粉粒的时空动态变化规律。结果表明：(1)淀粉粒随着竹秆的高生长逐渐减少,且同一节间的不同部位淀粉粒的含量存在差异;在轴向上,同一节间从上至下淀粉粒含量升高,节间基部的淀粉粒最多,且节部的淀粉粒含量始终高于节间;高生长停止后,在节部的长、短细胞中仍有淀粉粒分布。(2)在径向上,从外至内,淀粉粒逐渐减少,且维管束周围淀粉粒明显多于其他部位。(3)节隔缺失的异常节间和节部的淀粉粒含量较正常的多,且节间各部位淀粉粒含量相似。研究发现,淀粉粒的时空动态变化与厚竹高生长过程中节间细胞的发育规律一致,节部可能主要通过控制物质运输来调控竹子的高生长。     

斗竹的开花生物学特性研究

通过野外观测及光学解剖,观察了斗竹(Oligostachyum spongiosum)开花林相、开花动态、花器官构造、结实情况,以及花后林相更新等生物学特性,采用光学显微技术结合石蜡制片,对斗竹的大、小孢子的发生及雌、雄配子体的发育过程进行研究。结果表明：(1)斗竹为一次性整体开花竹类,花期为4月下旬～5月下旬,花期约持续45 d,成花量大。(2)花序为圆锥状混合花序,每花序由4枚小穗构成;小穗细长,每枚小穗由5～17枚小花组成;小花为颖花,顶部小花不发育,外稃、内稃各1枚;浆片3枚,卵圆形;雄蕊4～6枚(多为6),每枚花药具有4个花粉囊,花药壁发育为基本型,绒毡层为腺质型,小孢子四分体为左右对称型,成熟花粉粒为2 细胞型,球形,表面纹饰颗粒状,具单个萌发孔,花粉发育过程中部分花药出现异常收缩及空腔的败育花粉粒;雌蕊1枚,柱头3叉,羽毛状,子房1室,胚珠倒生,厚珠心,胚囊为蓼型,成熟胚囊结构及发育过程均正常;雌雄同熟,异花授粉,果实为颖果。(3)斗竹花后全林死亡,结实率低,自然条件下结实率为8.1%。研究结果为研究竹子系统分类、开花机制,开展杂交育种及竹林更新复壮工作等提供基础性资料。     

生态系统服务多样性与景观多功能性——从科学理念到综合评估

生态系统和景观是构成地球表层系统的基本功能单元。从对人类生存和发展支撑作用以及人类对环境合理利用和保护的角度,逐渐形成了生态系统服务和多功能景观的科学概念,相关的理论和应用研究也很快成为学术热点。但是从国内外主要进展上看,生态系统服务和景观多功能性的定量化研究都还比较薄弱。生态系统与景观具有等级关联性,前者是构成后者的基本要素,生态系统服务和景观功能具有同源性。因此,将生态系统服务与景观多功能性研究紧密结合既有现实基础又能够深化彼此研究的定量化水平,并进一步提出了生态系统服务与景观多功能性综合定量研究的整体性框架。从当前国内外研究文献看,该框架具有可行性,可以作为进一步深化生态系统服务和景观多功能性研究的现实途径。     

Low temperature alkali pretreatment for improving enzymatic digestibility of sweet sorghum bagasse for ethanol production

A low temperature alkali pretreatment method was proposed for improving the enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency of lignocellulosic biomass for ethanol production. The effects of the pretreatment on the composition, structure and enzymatic digestibility of sweet sorghum bagasse were investigated. The mechanisms involved in the digestibility improvement were discussed with regard to the major factors contributing to the biomass recalcitrance. The pretreatment caused slight glucan loss but significantly reduced the lignin and xylan contents of the bagasse. Changes in cellulose crystal structure occurred under certain treatment conditions. The pretreated bagasse exhibited greatly improved enzymatic digestibility, with 24-h glucan saccharification yield reaching as high as 98% using commercially available cellulase and β-glucosidase. The digestibility improvement was largely attributed to the disruption of the lignin-carbohydrate matrix. The bagasse from a brown midrib (BMR) mutant was more susceptible to the pretreatment than a non-BMR variety tested, and consequently gave higher efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis.