Hymenidium pilosum (Apiaceae) is a synonym of H. apiolens based on morphology and molecular data

Hymenidium apiolens and H. pilosum have been recorded to co-occur in the Himalayas, and it was found difficult to distinguish between them in the field. In this study, we reconstructed the phylogeny and estimated the genetic distance between individuals of H. apiolens, H. pilosum and related species based on nuclear ITS sequences, and rpl16 and rps16 introns, to determine the relationship between H. apiolens and H. pilosum. The analyses suggest that H. apiolens and H. pilosum are nested together, and that the ratio of genetic distance between them is smaller than that between individuals of Chamaesium spatuliferum, Hansenia forbesii or Ligusticum acuminatum. Furthermore, we found similar morphological characteristics of bracteoles, rays, petals and mericarps in H. apiolens and H. pilosum. Consequently, both molecular and morphological evidence supports that Hymenidium pilosum is a synonym of H. apiolens.     

Reaction rate enhancement by surface diffusion of adsorbates.

Ligands can be captured by a surface target through either direct bulk diffusion or surface diffusion following reversible adsorption to the surface. We have solved a steady state boundary value problem for a perfect sink disk target in the surface, taking into account bulk and surface diffusion coefficients D and Ds and adsorption/desorption kinetic rate constants ka and kd at non-target regions. Solutions have been successfully found by numerical computation. The results show that the rate of capture from the surface depends non-linearly on Ds, D, ka, kd and geometrical dimensions. In particular, we demonstrate that not only is the non-target region equilibrium constant Keq (= ka/kd) important in determining the rate of capture from the surface, but so are the kinetic rate constants ka and kd separately. In all cases, the surface adsorption/diffusion combination enhances the total rate of capture. The results should be useful for predicting reaction rates of biological membrane bound receptor clusters and substrate-immobilized enzymes.     

Regulation of Focal Adhesion Dynamics and Cell Motility by the EB2 and Hax1 Protein Complex

Cell migration is a fundamental cellular process requiring integrated activities of the cytoskeleton, membrane, and cell/extracellular matrix adhesions. Many cytoskeletal activities rely on microtubule filaments. It has been speculated that microtubules can serve as tracks to deliver proteins essential for focal adhesion turnover. Three microtubule end-binding proteins (EB1, EB2, and EB3) in mammalian cells can track the plus ends of growing microtubules. EB1 and EB3 together can regulate microtubule dynamics by promoting microtubule growth and suppressing catastrophe, whereas, in contrast, EB2 does not play a direct role in microtubule dynamic instability, and little is known about the cellular function of EB2. By quantitative proteomics, we identified mammalian HCLS1-associated protein X-1 (HAX1) as an EB2-specific interacting protein. Knockdown of HAX1 and EB2 in skin epidermal cells stabilizes focal adhesions and impairs epidermal migration in vitro and in vivo. Our results further demonstrate that cell motility and focal adhesion turnover require interaction between Hax1 and EB2. Together, our findings provide new insights for this critical cellular process, suggesting that EB2 association with Hax1 plays a significant role in focal adhesion turnover and epidermal migration.     

CDKA orthologue isolation and its expression during cambial activity in hybrid walnut (Juglans nigra×Juglans regia)

Trees - Improved wood production is a major aim for walnut forests and especially for hybrid walnut (Juglans nigra×Juglans regia). This paper presents the first report describing the structure...     

Transcriptome changes in adaptive evolution of xylose-fermenting industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains with δ-integration of different xylA genes

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology - It is of utmost importance to construct industrial xylose-fermenting Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains for lignocellulosic bioethanol production. In this...     

Leguminous plants significantly increase soil nitrogen cycling across global climates and ecosystem types

Leguminous plants are an important component of terrestrial ecosystems and significantly increase soil nitrogen (N) cycling and availability, which affects productivity in most ecosystems. Clarifying whether the effects of legumes on N cycling vary with contrasting ecosystem types and climatic regions is crucial for understanding and predicting ecosystem processes, but these effects are currently unknown. By conducting a global meta-analysis, we revealed that legumes increased the soil net N mineralization rate (R_min) by 67%, which was greater than the recently reported increase associated with N deposition (25%). This effect was similar for tropical (53%) and temperate regions (81%) but was significantly greater in grasslands (151%) and forests (74%) than in croplands (−3%) and was greater in in situ incubation (101%) or short-term experiments (112%) than in laboratory incubation (55%) or long-term experiments (37%). Legumes significantly influenced the dependence of R_min on N fertilization and experimental factors. The R_min was significantly increased by N fertilization in the nonlegume soils, but not in the legume soils. In addition, the effects of mean annual temperature, soil nutrients and experimental duration on R_min were smaller in the legume soils than in the nonlegume soils. Collectively, our results highlighted the significant positive effects of legumes on soil N cycling, and indicated that the effects of legumes should be elucidated when addressing the response of soils to plants.     

Synthesis and luminescence properties of 2‐(benzylcarbamoyl)phenyl derivatives and their europium complexes

Six novel 2‐(benzylcarbamoyl)phenyl derivatives were synthesized and characterized by ¹H‐NMR, mass spectrometry, infrared spectra and elemental analysis. Their europium complexes were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, EDTA titrimetric analysis, IR and UV spectra as well as molar conductivity measurements. The luminescence properties of these complexes were investigated and results show that 2‐(benzylcarbamoyl)phenyl derivatives possess high selectivity and good coordination with the europium ion. Complex Eu‐2‐(benzylcarbamoyl)phenyl‐2‐phenylacetate showed green luminescence that was emitted by the ligand of 2‐(benzylcarbamoyl)phenyl‐2‐phenylacetate, while other complexes showed the characteristic red luminescence of europium ion and also possessed high luminescence intensity. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ex vivo detection of calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate in rat blood serum

The total calcium (tCa) in blood serum comprises free Ca²⁺ ions (fCa), protein-bound calcium (prCa), and complexed calcium by small anions (cCa). The cCa fraction, in addition to fCa, has been indicated to have some physiological activity. However, there is little evidence for the structure of its constituents. Here we report an ex vivo detection of the cCa constituents by synchrotron X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy. We collected the data directly on rat blood serum and, by making use of the reference samples, derived a spectrum that exhibits the features of cCa constituents. Among the features are those of the complexes of calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate. The detected complexes in the cCa fraction are mainly Ca(η²-HPO₄)(H₂O)₄ and Ca(η¹-HCO₃)(H₂O)₅⁺, in which HPO₄^2? and HCO₃^? serve as bidentate and unidentate ligands, respectively. The remained H₂O molecules on the coordination sphere of Ca²⁺ enable these complexes to behave partially like aquated Ca²⁺ ions in protein-binding. Besides, as the dominant part of prCa, albumin-bound calcium (albCa) exhibits a spectrum that closely resembles that of fCa, indicating weak interactions between the protein carboxyl groups and calcium. The weak-bound cCa and albCa, along with fCa and the relevant anions, compose a local chemical system that could play a role in maintaining the calcium level in blood.     

Homologous illegitimate random integration of foreign DNA into the X chromosome of a transgenic mouse line

Background  

It is not clear how foreign DNA molecules insert into the host genome. Recently, we have produced transgenic mice to investigate the role of the fad2 gene in the conversion of oleic acid to linoleic acid. Here we describe an integration mechanism of fad2 transgene by homologous illegitimate random integration.