谈谈DNA的碱基配对

在高中“生物”课讲脱氧核糖核酸(DNA)的分子结构,介绍碱基互补配对原则时,学生常会向老师提出:为什么腺嘌呤(A)一定与胸腺嘧啶(T)配对,鸟嘌呤(G)一定与胞嘧啶(C)配对。从如下几方面解释可较圆满地回答这个问题: 1.每种生物双链DNA的四种碱基都是腺嘌呤(A)的百分比等于胸腺嘧啶(T)的百分比;鸟嘌呤(G)的百分比等于胞嘧啶(C)的百分比。     

自贡地区的剑龙化石

剑龙,是庞大的恐龙种群中最为奇特的一类,生活在约一亿多万年前的侏罗纪和白垩纪早期。剑龙是整个恐龙类最早绝灭的一支,其化石虽在世界不少地方都有发现,但大多保存欠佳,时代偏晚。在亚洲,剑龙化石的发现主要集中在我国的四川和新疆两地,尤以四川发现最丰富,而素有“恐龙窝”之称的四川自贡,更是得天独厚。据初步统计,在自贡地区迄今已发现有至少两个层位以上,10余个个体及保存有5至6个完整程度不同的头骨的各类剑龙化石材料。     

Three-dimensional structure of the regular surface glycoprotein layer of Halobacterium volcanii from the Dead Sea

A three-dimensional reconstruction from electron micrographs of negatively stained cell envelopes of Halobacterium volcanii has revealed the structure of the surface glycoprotein to a resolution of 2 nm. The glycoprotein is arranged on a p6 lattice with a lattice constant of 16.8 nm. It forms 4.5 nm high, dome-shaped, morphological complexes with a narrow pore at the apex opening into a `funnel' towards the cell membrane. The polarity of the structure was derived from freeze-etching experiments and `edge' views. Six radial protrusions emanate from each morphological complex and join around the 3-fold axis to provide lateral connectivity. Using the primary structure of the surface glycoprotein of the closely related species Halobacterium halobium (Lechner and Sumper, 1987) and the cell envelope profile from a previous X-ray analysis of the same species (Blaurock et al., 1976) we have integrated our reconstruction into a model of halobacterial cell envelope.     

Gut fungi

Herbivores consume large quantities of cellulose and other plant cell wall (fibre) carbohydrates yet generally lack the enzymes to digest them. This has led to the evolution of specialized portions of the gut, such as the rumen and caecum, which contain large populations of digestive anaerobic microorganisms. Diverse bacteria and protists from this environment have been studied for over a hundred years but it is only recently that a significant population of highly specialized flagellate fungi have been identified. These fungi are important in fibre digestion. Their diversity, properties, activities, phylogeny and possible economic significance are the subjects of this review.     

l-Glutamate-Dependent Medium Alkalinization by Asparagus Mesophyll Cells : Cotransport or Metabolism?

Mechanically isolated Asparagus sprengeri Regel mesophyll cells cause alkalinization of the suspension medium on the addition of l-glutamate or its analog l-methionine-d,l-sulfoximine. Using a radiolabeled pH probe, it was found that both compounds caused internal acidification whereas l-aspartate did not. Fusicoccin stimulated H⁺ efflux from the cells by 111% and the uptake of l-[U-¹⁴C]glutamate by 55%. Manometric experiments demonstrated that, unlike l-methionine-d,l-sulfoximine, l-glutamate stimulated CO₂ evolution from nonilluminated cells. Simultaneous measurements of medium alkalinization and ¹⁴CO₂ evolution upon the addition of labeled l-glutamate showed that alkalinization was immediate and reached a maximum value after 45 minutes whereas ¹⁴CO₂ evolution exhibited a lag before its appearance and continued in a linear manner for at least 100 minutes. Rates of alkalinization and uptake of l-[U-¹⁴C]glutamate were higher in the light while rates of ¹⁴CO₂ evolution were higher in the dark. The major labeled product of glutamate decarboxylation, γ-aminobutyric acid, was found in the cells and the suspension medium. Its addition to the cell suspension did not result in medium alkalinization and evidence indicates that it is lost from the cell to the medium. The data suggest that the origin of medium alkalinization is co-transport not metabolism, and that the loss of labeled CO₂ and γ-aminobutyric acid from the cell result in an overestimation of the stoichiometry of the H⁺/l-glutamate uptake process.     

Chromoplast-Specific Proteins in Capsicum annuum

Chromoplasts are a common differentiation state of plastids in which the photosynthetic apparatus is absent and carotenoids accumulate to high levels. As a first step toward the isolation of chromoplast-specific genes, we have examined plastids of the bell pepper, Capsicum annuum L., for the presence of chromoplast-specific proteins. Intact chromoplasts were isolated from mature fruits of C. annuum var Emerald Giant, Golden Cal Wonder, and DNAP VS-12 by differential centrifugation followed by isopycnic sedimentation in gradients of silica sols. The plastids were then fractionated into soluble and membrane components and the proteins analyzed by one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis using isoelectric focusing, sodium dodecyl sulfate, and sodium dodecyl sulfate-urea gels. Two polypeptides with M_r of 35,000 and 58,000 accumulate to high levels in membrane fractions of chromoplasts of var Emerald Giant. These polypeptides are either not detectable or barely detectable in chloroplasts from immature fruits. Both polypeptides have been purified to near homogeneity. Yellow chromoplasts from var Golden Cal Wonder and red chromoplasts from var DNAP VS-12 contained the 35-kilodalton polypeptide, but not the 58-kilodalton species.     

微粒子虫属二新种(微孢子门:微粒子科)

1982年我们从广西、贵州等地稻纵卷叶螟体内曾检出微孢子虫孢子,近年对这种微孢子虫进行了研究,发现是一种新的微粒子虫。我国玉米螟微粒子虫曾被认为是Nosemapyraustae(Paillot,1928)Wieser(问锦曾,1965),但近年作者等观察我国几个省区孢子样本的超微构造,并和美国N. pyrausta(Paillot)直接作了形态学与病理学比较,发现它也是微粒子虫属一新种。本文将这两新种作一记述。新种模式玻片标本保存在北京,中国农业科学院植物保护研究所。     

黄杉属一新种和梣属一新亚种

乔木,高达12米,胸径30厘米;树皮深灰色,下部不规则片状开裂;一年生枝淡黄色(干时红褐色),主枝无毛或有疏毛,侧枝有褐色密毛,老枝灰色,无毛,叶条形,螺旋状着生,在枝下部排成二列,长1.5—2.5厘米,宽约2毫米,先端微凹,上面深绿色,下面有两条白色气孔带。球果圆锥状卵形,基部宽,上部较窄,长4.5—8.0厘米,径4—5厘米;中部种鳞肾形或横椭圆状肾形,长2厘米,宽3.2厘米,鳞背露出部分密生褐色短毛;苞鳞露出部分向后反伸,中裂窄三角形,长2—3毫米,侧裂三角状,先端凸尖,长1—2毫米.种子三角状卵圆形,长9毫米,上面密生褐色短毛,种翅较种子长。花期5月,球果10—11月成熟。