Structural insights into RISC assembly facilitated by dsRNA-binding domains of human RNA helicase A (DHX9)

Intensive research interest has focused on small RNA-processing machinery and the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), key cellular machines in RNAi pathways. However, the structural mechanism regarding RISC assembly, the primary step linking small RNA processing and RNA-mediated gene silencing, is largely unknown. Human RNA helicase A (DHX9) was reported to function as an RISC-loading factor, and such function is mediated mainly by its dsRNA-binding domains (dsRBDs). Here, we report the crystal structures of human RNA helicase A (RHA) dsRBD1 and dsRBD2 domains in complex with dsRNAs, respectively. Structural analysis not only reveals higher siRNA duplex-binding affinity displayed by dsRBD1, but also identifies a crystallographic dsRBD1 pair of physiological significance in cooperatively recognizing dsRNAs. Structural observations are further validated by isothermal titration calorimetric (ITC) assay. Moreover, co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) assay coupled with mutagenesis demonstrated that both dsRBDs are required for RISC association, and such association is mediated by dsRNA. Hence, our structural and functional efforts have revealed a potential working model for siRNA recognition by RHA tandem dsRBDs, and together they provide direct structural insights into RISC assembly facilitated by RHA.     

围产期克罗米酚处理改变雄性小鼠性取向

由于体内激素水平的变化,围产期和青春期是决定动物大脑发育的关键和敏感时期,而大脑发育是成年动物性取向行为的生物基础。该研究根据这一假说,对实验动物分别于围产期给予药物处理或于青春期予以阉割,并观察其个体成年后的性取向行为。结果显示,围产期克罗米酚(clomiphene citrate)处理9 d(分娩前3天到生育后6天)和14 d(分娩前7天到生育后7天)组,雄性后代的同性取向和雌性化行为明显增多,而正常生长状态下的21日龄雄性后代经阉割后,其性取向无明显改变。即围产期抑制雌激素,可导致雄性小鼠大脑雌性化,产生同性取向,且围产期雌激素对动物雄性化的影响较青春期更为明显。     

树鼩解剖数据的测定与分析

解剖数据是实验动物主要的生物学特性指标。该文对实验室驯养树鼩(7～9月龄)的体尺、骨骼、乳头、肠道及脏器重量与系数等解剖学数据进行了测定与分析。31项解剖数据测量结果显示雌、雄个体间体高、右耳宽、回肠及结肠差异显著(P<0.05),体斜长、胸深、躯干长、左右两前肢长、右后肢长、左右两侧耳长、左耳宽、龙骨长、左右两侧胫长、十二指肠及空肠长等差异极显著(P<0.01)。以体长为因变量,尾长、躯干长、左前肢长、右前肢长、左后肢长及右后肢长等为自变量作逐步回归分析,回归方程为:体长=13.90+尾长×0.16。37项脏器及系数测定结果:雌雄间比较,体重、心、肺、脾、左肾、右肾、膀胱、左海马、右海马、左颌下腺、左甲状腺、右甲状腺重量差异极显著(P<0.01)。小肠、右颌下腺、左肾上腺之间差异显著(P<0.05);心、肺、胃、膀胱、小肠、大肠、脑、右海马、左肾上腺系数雌雄间差异极显著(P<0.01)。右肾、左海马、左颌下腺、右肾上腺、左右两侧甲状腺系数之间达到了显著性水平(P<0.05)。以动物体重为因变量,以主要脏器指标:心脏、肺、肝、脾、左肾、右肾、脑为自变量,作逐步回归分析,回归方程为:体重=62.73+左肾×79.213+心脏×24.09。实验室驯养树鼩不同性别对体尺、脏器及系数、肠道等解剖数据有一定影响,为树鼩实验动物化及人类疾病动物模型研究提供基础数据。     

岷江百合类萌发素蛋白基因LrGLP2的克隆及表达特性分析

类萌发素蛋白是植物中普遍存在的一类可溶性糖蛋白,在植物抗逆胁迫中起着重要作用。依据岷江百合编码GLP的EST序列设计引物,采用快速扩增cDNA末端技术,从岷江百合犯ilium regale Wilson）克隆得到一个新的GLＰt基因的全长eDNA序列,命名为LrGLP2。LrGLP2全长cDNA为921bp,含有654bp的开放阅读框,49bp5’非编码区以及218bp3’UTR,编码217个氨基酸的蛋白质。LrGLP2编码蛋白质与已知植物GLPs家族成员间的同源性和聚类分析表明LrGLP2与来源于水稻（Oryza sativa）、节节麦似egilopstauschii）、葡萄（Vitis vinifera）中的GLPs具有较高的相似性。qRT-PCR分析显示,LrGLP2在岷江百合正常生长发育的根中有一定量的表达,而在茎和叶中几乎检测不到表达量。水杨酸、茉莉酸以及H202处理均不同程度抑制LrGLP2的转录水平,但乙烯处理能明显诱导LrGLP2的表达。此外,岷江百合接种尖孢镰刀菌（Fusari—umoxysporumfsp．tiliO后,LrGLP2在接种后2h表达迅速上调,12h表达量急剧上升,至24h表达量达到最大值,之后表达量下降,可见￡rGLP2参与岷江百合对尖孢镰刀菌的防卫反应。     

S100 protein-immunoreactive trigeminal neurons innervating the rat molar tooth pulp

S100-immunoreactivity (ir) was examined in tooth pulp primary neurons of the rat. An immunofluorescence method demonstrated that the molar tooth pulp contained S100-immunoreactive (ir) nerve fibers. In the root pulp, pulp horn and roof of the pulp chamber, S100-ir smooth and varicose fibers ramified and formed subodontoblastic nerve plexuses. All the fibers became varicose at the base of the odontoblastic layer and extended to the odontoblastic layer. Some varicose endings could be traced into the dentin. The trigeminal neurons retrogradely labeled with fluorogold (FG) from the first and second maxillary molar tooth pulps exhibited S100- and parvalbumin-ir. Approximately 60% and 24% of the labeled cells were ir for S100 and parvalbumin, respectively. Virtually all parvalbumin-ir FG-labeled cells showed S100-ir, while 40% of S100-ir ones coexpressed parvalbumin-ir. An immunoelectron microscopic method revealed that all myelinated axons and half of the unmyelinated axons in the root pulp contained S100-ir. In the odontoblastic layer, predentin and dentin, S100-ir neurites lost the Schwann cell ensheathment and made close contact with cell bodies and processes of odontoblasts. The odontoblastic layer also contained parvalbumin-ir neurites. These neurites were devoid of the Schwann cell ensheathment and in close apposition to cell bodies and processes of odontoblasts. S100-ir pulpal axons seemed to be insensitive to repeated neonatal capsaicin treatment. This study suggests that S100-ir tooth pulp primary neurons are mostly myelinated and that S100-ir unmyelinated axons in the root pulp are preterminal segments of myelinated stem axons.     

暗腹雪鸡与海兰褐鸡血液生理生化指标的比较

为了解暗腹雪鸡（Tetraogallus himalayensis）正常血液生理生化特性,本文对暗腹雪鸡21项血液生理生化指标进行了测定,并与海兰褐鸡（Gallus gallus domesticus var. Hyline）进行了比较。测定结果,暗腹雪鸡的红细胞纵径及横纵径乘积、平均红细胞容积及平均红细胞血红蛋白含量极显著大于海兰褐鸡（P<0.01）;暗腹雪鸡天冬氨酸氨基转移酶和胆固醇含量均极显著高于海兰褐鸡（P<0.01）。其他各项血液生理生化指标两禽种间之间差异不显著。实验结果表明,暗腹雪鸡血液生理生化指标与家养蛋鸡之间有一定差异,暗腹雪鸡对高原低氧环境有较强的适应性可能与其红细胞体积较大、平均红细胞容积及平均红细胞血红蛋白含量较高有一定关系。     

喀斯特季节性雨林蚬木种群的增长模型

蚬木是喀斯特季节性雨林的优势种和特征种,研究蚬木种群的增长过程将为深入理解喀斯特季节性雨林动态提供基础。根据一个15hm2固定样地的调查数据,采用logistic模型及其4种改进模型对蚬木种群的增长过程进行了拟合,用残差平方和、决定系数和AIC准则对拟合的模型进行评价。结果表明:李新运模型和刘金福模型的拟合效果较好,但综合考虑模型的拟合效果和模型的简洁性,logistic模型和S形增长过程模型为较优模型。用logistic模型对蚬木种群的增长过程进行深入分析发现,种群增长最快的时期为50a左右,而在150a后,种群逐渐进入增长饱和期。种群目前接近增长饱和期,所以应加强保护,以维持蚬木群落的稳定发展。