唇形科苣叶鼠尾草的新分布及适生分布区预测

在野外调查的基础上,报道了苣叶鼠尾草在贵州和广西的省级新分布.基于苣叶鼠尾草16个分布数据和11个环境因子参数,运用最大熵(MaxEnt)模型对其适生分布区进行预测,并通过受试者工作特征(receiver operat-ing characteristic,ROC)曲线对模型精度进行验证.结果表明:(1)ROC曲线下面...     

Cyclin G2 is degraded through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway and mediates the antiproliferative effect of activin receptor-like kinase 7

We have previously reported that Nodal, a member of the TGF-β superfamily, acts through activin receptor-like kinase 7 (ALK7) to inhibit ovarian cancer cell proliferation. To determine the mechanism underlying their effects, a cell cycle gene array was performed and cyclin G2 mRNA was found to be strongly up-regulated by Nodal and ALK7. To study the function and regulation of cyclin G2 in ovarian cancer cells, expression constructs were generated. We found that cyclin G2 protein level decreased rapidly after transfection, and this decrease was prevented by 26S proteasome inhibitors. Immunoprecipitation and pull-down studies showed that ubiquitin, Skp1, and Skp2 formed complexes with cyclin G2. Knockdown of Skp2 by siRNA increased, whereas overexpression of Skp2 decreased cyclin G2 levels. Nodal and ALK7 decreased the expression of Skp1 and Skp2 and increased cyclin G2 levels. Overexpression of cyclin G2 inhibited cell proliferation whereas cyclin G2-siRNA reduced the antiproliferative effect of Nodal and ALK7. Taken together, these findings provide strong evidence that cyclin G2 is degraded by the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway and that Skp2 plays a role in regulating cyclin G2 levels. Furthermore, our results also demonstrate that the antiproliferative effect of Nodal/ALK7 on ovarian cancer cells is in part mediated by cyclin G2.     

果茶人工群落的生态效应及经济效益评价

果茶人工群落的生态效应及经济效益评价魏国雄（贵州省茶叶研究所，潭５６４１００）ＥｓｔｉｍａｔｉｏｎｏｆＥｃｏｌｏｇｉｃａｌＥｆｆｅｃｔａｎｄＥｃｏｎｏｍｉｃＢｅｎｅｆｉｔｏｆＡｒｔｉｆｉｃｉａｌＴｅａ－ＦｒｕｉｔＣｏｍｍｕｎｉｔｙ．￥ＷｅｉＧｕｏｘｉ...     

平茬措施对柠条生理特征及土壤水分的影响

通过对比试验,研究了平茬措施对柠条的净光合速率、蒸腾速率、水分利用效率、枝水势,以及土壤水分含量的影响。结果表明:(1)平茬措施对柠条生理特征的影响因其生长发育阶段而异。其中,在花期(6月份),平茬柠条日平均净光合速率较对照(未平茬柠条)降低14.72%,日平均蒸腾速率提高27.31%,水分利用效率较对照低33.33%;随着柠条的生长发育(7月、8月、9月),平茬柠条日平均净光合速率逐渐升高最终高于对照,日平均蒸腾速率的差距也不断缩小;相应的其水分利用效率增加较快(对照柠条、平茬柠条增幅分别达108.3%、222.5%),至自然生长末期(9月),平茬柠条较对照高出4.76%。(2)平茬柠条枝水势的日变化和月变化均高于对照。(3)在整个生长季,平茬柠条地的平均土壤含水量在50—240 cm范围内均明显高于对照,且平茬措施显著降低了0—300 cm剖面各层土壤水分变异情况。(4)相关分析显示,平茬措施对柠条生理特征及土壤水分有重要影响。可见,采取平茬措施的第1年,平茬措施对柠条同时产生消极的生理影响和积极的土壤水分效应。弄清平茬措施的更新复壮机理,需要开展更多的深入研究工作。     

Epidermal Micromorphology and Mesophyll Structure of Populus euphratica Heteromorphic Leaves at Different Development Stages

Leaf epidermal micromorphology and mesophyll structure during the development of Populus euphratica heteromorphic leaves, including linear, lanceolate, ovate, dentate ovate, dentate rhombic, dentate broad-ovate and dentate fan-shaped leaves, were studied by using electron and light microscopy. During development of heteromorphic leaves, epidermal appendages (wax crystals and trichomes) and special cells (mucilage cells and crystal idioblasts) increased in all leaf types while chloroplast ultrastructure and stomatal characters show maximum photosynthetic activity in dentate ovate and rhombic leaves. Also, functional analysis by subordinate function values shows that the maximum adaptability to adverse stress was exhibited in the broad type of mature leaves. The 12 heteromorphic leaf types are classified into three major groups by hierarchical cluster analysis: young, developing and mature leaves. Mature leaves can effectively obtain the highest stress resistance by combining the protection of xerophytic anatomy from drought stress, regulation of water uptake in micro-environment by mucilage and crystal idioblasts, and assistant defense of transpiration reduction through leaf epidermal appendages, which improves photosynthetic activity under arid desert conditions. Our data confirms that the main leaf function is differentiated during the developing process of heteromorphic leaves.     

Role of prostaglandin E2 receptors in migration of murine and human breast cancer cells

Aberrant upregulation of COX-2 enzyme resulting in accumulation of PGE2 in a cancer cell environment is a marker for progression of many cancers, including breast cancer. Four subtypes of cell surface receptors (EP1, EP2, EP3, and EP4), which are coupled with different G-proteins, mediate PGE2 actions. Since migration is an essential step in invasion and metastasis, in the present study we defined the expression of EP receptors and their roles in migratory function of breast cancer cells of murine (C3L5) and human (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) origin. Highly metastatic C3L5 and MDA-MB-231 cells, found to be highly migratory in a Transwell migration assay, were shown to accumulate much higher levels of PGE2 in culture media in comparison with nonmetastatic and poorly migrating MCF-7 cells; the levels of PGF2alpha and 6-keto-PGF1alpha were low in all cases. The elevated PGE2 production by metastatic cancer cells was due to COX-2 activity since dual COX-1/2 inhibitor indomethacin and selective COX-2 inhibitor NS-398 equally suppressed both basal and inducible (by IFN-gamma/LPS or Ca2+-ionophores) PGE2 accumulation. RT-PCR analysis revealed that murine C3L5 cells expressed mRNA of EP1, EP3, and EP4 but not EP2 receptors. On the other hand, human MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells expressed all the above receptors. High levels of expression of functional EP4 receptors coupled with Gs-protein was confirmed in C3L5 cells by biochemical assay showing a dose-dependent increase of intracellular cAMP synthesis in response to PGE2. EP receptor antagonists SC-19220, AH-6809, and AH-23848B, having highest affinity for EP1, EP1/EP2/DP, and EP4 receptors, respectively, variably inhibited migration of metastatic breast cancer cells. An autocrine PGE2-mediated migratory activity of these cells appeared to be associated predominantly with EP4 receptor-mediated signaling pathway, which uses cAMP as a second messenger. This conclusion is based on several observations: (1) selective EP4 antagonist AH-23848B effectively inhibited migration of both C3L5 and MDA-MB-231 cells in a dose-dependent manner; (2) exogenous PGE2 and EP4 agonist PGE1 alcohol increased migration of C3L5 cells; (3) forskolin, a potent activator of adenylate cyclase, as well as membrane-permeable analogues of cAMP (8-bromo-cAMP, dibutyryl-cAMP) stimulated migration of C3L5 cells; and (4) Rp-cAMPS, a selective protein kinase A inhibitor, reduced migration of C3L5 cells. Migration of poorly migratory MCF-7 cells remained unaffected with either PGE2 or EP4 antagonist. These findings are relevant for designing therapeutic strategies against breast cancer metastasis.     

NF45 overexpression is associated with poor prognosis and enhanced cell proliferation of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry - NF45, also referred to as nuclear factor of activated T cells, has been reported to promote the progression of multiple cancer types. However, the expression...     

Genetically altering the expression of neutral trehalase gene affects conidiospore thermotolerance of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium acridum

Background  

The entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium acridum has been used as an important biocontrol agent instead of insecticides for controlling crop pests throughout the world. However, its virulence varies with environmental factors, especially temperature. Neutral trehalase (Ntl) hydrolyzes trehalose, which plays a role in environmental stress response in many organisms, including M. acridum. Demonstration of a relationship between Ntl and thermotolerance or virulence may offer a new strategy for enhancing conidiospore thermotolerance of entomopathogenic fungi through genetic engineering.