Impact of abscisic acid in overcoming the problem of albinism in horse chestnut androgenic embryos

Horse chestnut (Aesculus hyppocastanum L., Hyppocastanacea) is a relict species with a slow and complex reproductive cycle considered to have horticultural and medical importance. The cycle maybe circumvented via in vitro androgenesis. Androgenesis of horse chestnut was induced in microspores and anther culture on MS media. Some of the horse chestnut androgenic embryos were albinos. Addition of abscisic acid in media (in concentrations of 0.01, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 mg l^?1) with horse chestnut androgenic embryos has circumvented the reproduction cycle barriers. The best results were achieved on medium with the lowest abscisic acid concentration (0.01 mg l^?1) in microspore culture. The microspore culture proved to be a better model system for embryo production and albino embryo reduction than anther culture. Flow cytometry analysis after maturation treatments induced by ABA showed that 88 % of green embryos originating from microspore culture were haploid. However, 50 % of green embryos from anther culture were haploid. The remaining analyzed androgenic embryos, from both types of cultures were diploid.     

Process of Making Three-dimensional Microstructures using Vaporization of a Sacrificial Component

Vascular structures in natural systems are able to provide high mass transport through high surface areas and optimized structure. Few synthetic material fabrication techniques are able to mimic the complexity of these structures while maintaining scalability. The Vaporization of a Sacrificial Component (VaSC) process is able to do so. This process uses sacrificial fibers as a template to form hollow, cylindrical microchannels embedded within a matrix. Tin (II) oxalate (SnOx) is embedded within poly(lactic) acid (PLA) fibers which facilitates the use of this process. The SnOx catalyzes the depolymerization of the PLA fibers at lower temperatures. The lactic acid monomers are gaseous at these temperatures and can be removed from the embedded matrix at temperatures that do not damage the matrix. Here we show a method for aligning these fibers using micromachined plates and a tensioning device to create complex patterns of three-dimensionally arrayed microchannels. The process allows the exploration of virtually any arrangement of fiber topologies and structures.     

转基因红花中角质细胞生长因子KGF-1的表达

通过构建重组表达质粒载体p139035S-KGF1和根癌农杆菌介导在红花(Carthamus tinctorius)中表达角质细胞生长因子(KGF-1)。从侵染到诱导生根共需要14周, 转化率达0.1%。红花子叶在潮霉素筛选培养基上培养4–5周后便可获得丛生芽, 再生芽移入含潮霉素的伸长生根培养基, 培养4–8周可诱导生根。通过PCR、Southern blot、RT-PCR及Western blot检测证明目的基因KGF-1已经整合到红花细胞的染色体中, 实现了KGF-1外源蛋白在红花中的成功表达, 为开发KGF-1蛋白新的生产途径奠定了基础。     

Polymorphism of human red cell glyoxalase I in six ethnic groups of China

Summary A total of 1242 individuals from six Chinese ethnic groups were studied with respect to the glyoxalase I polymorphism using agarose gel electrophoresis. The GLO1^*1 gene frequency and the number of subjects tested in each population are as follows: Uygur 0.2466 (219), Hui 0.1621 (219), Dong 0.1866 (201), Bai 0.1921 (203), Tujia 0.1075 (200), and Maio 0.1600 (200). The differences in the GLO1 gene frequencies between some of these populations are significant.     

Versican G3 promotes mouse mammary tumor cell growth, migration, and metastasis by influencing EGF receptor signaling

Increased versican expression in breast tumors is predictive of relapse and has negative impact on survival rates. The C-terminal G3 domain of versican influences local and systemic tumor invasiveness in pre-clinical murine models. However, the mechanism(s) by which G3 influences breast tumor growth and metastasis is not well characterized. Here we evaluated the expression of versican in mouse mammary tumor cell lines observing that 4T1 cells expressed highest levels while 66c14 cells expressed low levels. We exogenously expressed a G3 construct in 66c14 cells and analyzed its effects on cell proliferation, migration, cell cycle progression, and EGFR signaling. Experiments in a syngeneic orthotopic animal model demonstrated that G3 promoted tumor growth and systemic metastasis in vivo. Activation of pERK correlated with high levels of G3 expression. In vitro, G3 enhanced breast cancer cell proliferation and migration by up-regulating EGFR signaling, and enhanced cell motility through chemotactic mechanisms to bone stromal cells, which was prevented by inhibitor AG 1478. G3 expressing cells demonstrated increased CDK2 and GSK-3β (S9P) expression, which were related to cell growth. The activity of G3 on mouse mammary tumor cell growth, migration and its effect on spontaneous metastasis to bone in an orthotopic model was modulated by up-regulating the EGFR-mediated signaling pathway. Taken together, EGFR-signaling appears to be an important pathway in versican G3-mediated breast cancer tumor invasiveness and metastasis.     

Formation of soil organic carbon pool is regulated by the structure of dissolved organic matter and microbial carbon pump efficacy: A decadal study comparing different carbon management strategies

To achieve long-term increases in soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, it is essential to understand the effects of carbon management strategies on SOC formation pathways, particularly through changes in microbial necromass carbon (MNC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Using a 14-year field study, we demonstrate that both biochar and maize straw lifted the SOC ceiling, but through different pathways. Biochar, while raising SOC and DOC content, decreased substrate degradability by increasing carbon aromaticity. This resulted in suppressed microbial abundance and enzyme activity, which lowered soil respiration, weakened in vivo turnover and ex vivo modification for MNC production (i.e., low microbial carbon pump “efficacy”), and led to lower efficiency in decomposing MNC, ultimately resulting in the net accumulation of SOC and MNC. In contrast, straw incorporation increased the content and decreased the aromaticity of SOC and DOC. The enhanced SOC degradability and soil nutrient content, such as total nitrogen and total phosphorous, stimulated the microbial population and activity, thereby boosting soil respiration and enhancing microbial carbon pump “efficacy” for MNC production. The total C added to biochar and straw plots were estimated as 27.3–54.5 and 41.4 Mg C ha⁻¹, respectively. Our results demonstrated that biochar was more efficient in lifting the SOC stock via exogenous stable carbon input and MNC stabilization, although the latter showed low “efficacy”. Meanwhile, straw incorporation significantly promoted net MNC accumulation but also stimulated SOC mineralization, resulting in a smaller increase in SOC content (by 50%) compared to biochar (by 53%–102%). The results address the decadal-scale effects of biochar and straw application on the formation of the stable organic carbon pool in soil, and understanding the causal mechanisms can allow field practices to maximize SOC content.     

Effects of Cortisol and Dexamethasone on Insulin Signalling Pathways in Skeletal Muscle of the Ovine Fetus during Late Gestation

Before birth, glucocorticoids retard growth, although the extent to which this is mediated by changes in insulin signalling pathways in the skeletal muscle of the fetus is unknown. The current study determined the effects of endogenous and synthetic glucocorticoid exposure on insulin signalling proteins in skeletal muscle of fetal sheep during late gestation. Experimental manipulation of fetal plasma glucocorticoid concentration was achieved by fetal cortisol infusion and maternal dexamethasone treatment. Cortisol infusion significantly increased muscle protein levels of Akt2 and phosphorylated Akt at Ser473, and decreased protein levels of phosphorylated forms of mTOR at Ser2448 and S6K at Thr389. Muscle GLUT4 protein expression was significantly higher in fetuses whose mothers were treated with dexamethasone compared to those treated with saline. There were no significant effects of glucocorticoid exposure on muscle protein abundance of IR-β, IGF-1R, PKCζ, Akt1, calpastatin or muscle glycogen content. The present study demonstrated that components of the insulin signalling pathway in skeletal muscle of the ovine fetus are influenced differentially by naturally occurring and synthetic glucocorticoids. These findings may provide a mechanism by which elevated concentrations of endogenous glucocorticoids retard fetal growth.