Segregation of LIPG, CETP, and GALNT2 Mutations in Caucasian Families with Extremely High HDL Cholesterol

To date, few mutations are described to underlie highly-elevated HDLc levels in families. Here we sequenced the coding regions and adjacent sequence of the LIPG, CETP, and GALNT2 genes in 171 unrelated Dutch Caucasian probands with HDLc≥90th percentile and analyzed segregation of mutations with lipid phenotypes in family members. In these probands, mutations were most frequent in LIPG (12.9%) followed by GALNT2 (2.3%) and CETP (0.6%). A total of 6 of 10 mutations in these three genes were novel (60.0%), and mutations segregated with elevated HDLc in families. Interestingly, the LIPG mutations N396S and R476W, which usually result in elevated HDLc, were unexpectedly found in 6 probands with low HDLc (i.e., ≤10th percentile). However, 5 of these probands also carried mutations in ABCA1, LCAT, or LPL. Finally, no CETP and GALNT2 mutations were found in 136 unrelated probands with low HDLc. Taken together, we show that rare coding and splicing mutations in LIPG, CETP, and GALNT2 are enriched in persons with hyperalphalipoproteinemia and segregate with elevated HDLc in families. Moreover, LIPG mutations do not overcome low HDLc in individuals with ABCA1 and possibly LCAT and LPL mutations, indicating that LIPG affects HDLc levels downstream of these proteins.     

地黄炮制过程氨基酸组分分析

利用氨基酸自动分析仪分别测定加工前后地黄中的总氨基酸和游离氨基酸质量分数。分析、比较炮制前后地黄的氨基酸成分变化。炮制前后地黄的氨基酸种类及含量有明显变化,多数氨基酸的含量在炮制后明显下降甚至消失。结论:炮制前后的地黄中氨基酸质量分数差别明显,其中碱性氨基酸质量分数的差别尤其显著,该差异可能是由于炮制过程中发生美拉德反应造成的。     

Back to basics: an evaluation of NaOH and alternative rapid DNA extraction protocols for DNA barcoding,genotyping, and disease diagnostics from fungal and oomycete samples

The ubiquity, high diversity and often‐cryptic manifestations of fungi and oomycetes frequently necessitate molecular tools for detecting and identifying them in the environment. In applications including DNA barcoding, pathogen detection from plant samples, and genotyping for population genetics and epidemiology, rapid and dependable DNA extraction methods scalable from one to hundreds of samples are desirable. We evaluated several rapid extraction methods (NaOH, Rapid one‐step extraction (ROSE), Chelex 100, proteinase K) for their ability to obtain DNA of quantity and quality suitable for the following applications: PCR amplification of the multicopy barcoding locus ITS1/5.8S/ITS2 from various fungal cultures and sporocarps; single‐copy microsatellite amplification from cultures of the phytopathogenic oomycete Phytophthora ramorum; probe‐based P. ramorum detection from leaves. Several methods were effective for most of the applications, with NaOH extraction favored in terms of success rate, cost, speed and simplicity. Frozen dilutions of ROSE and NaOH extracts maintained PCR viability for over 32 months. DNA from rapid extractions performed poorly compared to CTAB/phenol‐chloroform extracts for TaqMan diagnostics from tanoak leaves, suggesting that incomplete removal of PCR inhibitors is an issue for sensitive diagnostic procedures, especially from plants with recalcitrant leaf chemistry. NaOH extracts exhibited lower yield and size than CTAB/phenol‐chloroform extracts; however, NaOH extraction facilitated obtaining clean sequence data from sporocarps contaminated by other fungi, perhaps due to dilution resulting from low DNA yield. We conclude that conventional extractions are often unnecessary for routine DNA sequencing or genotyping of fungi and oomycetes, and recommend simpler strategies where source materials and intended applications warrant such use.     

福建三明不同更新方式的米槠林物种多样性研究

本文从α多样性尺度总结三种不同更新方式的米槠林群落的物种多样性状况。结果表明,不同更新方式的米槠林群落中,物种丰富度、多样性指数和均匀度表现为天然更新> 人促更新> 人工造林。天然更新和人促更新米槠林是在皆伐迹上未经炼山发育起来的群落,而人工造林米槠林是从火烧迹地上发育的。天然更新米槠林处于演替的中级阶段,未达到顶级群落;而人促更新和人工造林米槠林则处于衰退阶段。     

Differential Detergent Stability of the Major Light-Harvesting Complex II in Thylakoids Isolated from Monocotyledonous and Dicotyledonous Plants

A survey of isolated thylakoids from 11 different higher plant species (Spinacia oleracea L., Pisum sativum L., Vicia faba L., Brassica napus L., Vigna sinensis L., Vinca minor L., Secale cereale L., Triticum aestivum L., Triticosecale Wittn., Hordeum vulgare L., Zea mays L.) indicated that the ratio of the oligomeric:monomeric form of the light-harvesting complex II was twofold higher for the dicots (3.16 ± 0.35) than the monocots (1.64 ± 0.25) examined under identical separation procedures. Under conditions specifically designed to stabilize the oligomeric form in vitro, we show that the oligomeric form of dicot light-harvesting complex II is twice as stable to solubilization in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) than that observed for monocots. This decreased stability of monocot light-harvesting complex II is associated with a twofold increase in the trienoic fatty acid level of thylakoid phosphatidylglycerol but with no significant changes in the trienoic fatty acid levels in the major galactolipids. In addition, SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and western blot analyses with monoclonal antibodies indicated that monocots exhibited greater heterogeneity in the polypeptide complements associated with subfractions of light-harvesting complex II than the dicots examined. The data indicate that the oligomeric form of the light-harvesting complex II is not the result of a simple oligomerization of a common monomeric unit. We suggest that the difference in stability of the oligomeric form of light-harvesting complex II in isolated thylakoids of monocots and dicots is probably due to a differential accessibility to SDS. The differential SDS accessibility may be due to differences in thylakoid protein-protein and/or protein-lipid interactions.     

基于生态系统管理理论的海域集约利用评价——以河北沿海地级市为例

基于生态系统管理理论,从海洋投入强度、海洋利用强度、海洋经济效益及海洋生态环境质量层面,构建海域集约利用评价的指标体系,运用模糊决策分析理论计算各指标权重,得到河北省沿海地级市2005—2014年的海域集约利用综合指数,并利用聚类分析法及协调度指数对河北省海域集约利用的区域差异特征进行了分析。研究结果表明:2005—2014年河北省海域集约利用综合水平不断提高,除海洋生态环境质量准则层指数呈下降趋势外,海洋投入强度、海洋利用强度、海洋经济效益3个层面指数均呈上升趋势,其中持续增加趋势最明显的是海洋经济效益准则层;河北省沿海三市海域集约利用综合指数及各准则层指数的时序变化特征基本一致,但各区域之间仍体现着不同的变化特点,沧州市海域集约利用程度较高,唐山市海域集约利用经历了由低到高的过程,秦皇岛市海域集约利用的状况整体处于一般水平;河北省及沿海三市海域集约利用总体保持了较高的协调度,但各地区不同时段的变化特征有所不同。     

Clostridium carboxidivorans Strain P7T Recombinant Formate Dehydrogenase Catalyzes Reduction of CO2 to Formate

Recombinant formate dehydrogenase from the acetogen Clostridium carboxidivorans strain P7^T, expressed in Escherichia coli, shows particular activity towards NADH-dependent carbon dioxide reduction to formate due to the relative binding affinities of the substrates and products. The enzyme retains activity over 2 days at 4°C under oxic conditions.