Taxonomy of five species of cyrtophorids (Protozoa: Ciliophora) including consideration of the phylogeny of two new genera

Cyrtophorids are a specialized group of ciliated protozoa with multitudinous morphotypes. In the present work, the morphology and infraciliature of two new and three rarely known species, including two new genera of cyrtophorid ciliates, Heterohartmannula fangi gen. et sp. nov. , Aporthotrochilia pulex (Deroux, 1976) gen. et comb. nov. , Trochilia alveolata sp. nov. , Trochochilodon flavus Deroux, 1976, and Hypocoma acinetarum Collin, 1907, are described. Heterohartmannula gen. nov. is mainly characterized by a combination of features: two circumoral kineties obliquely arranged, podite not surrounded by somatic kineties, and no distinct gap between left and right ciliary field. Aporthotrochilia gen. nov. is diagnosed mainly by: podite present, oral ciliature reduced to two fragments, several kinety fragments positioned on the right posterior of frontoventral kineties and several terminal fragments. Phylogenetic analyses based on the small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene sequences support the establishment of two new genera and indicate that Heterohartmannula is most closely related to Hartmannula, and Aporthotrochilia is basal to the Cyrtophoria‐Chonotrichia clade. Trochilia alveolata sp. nov. differs from its congeners mainly by having a conspicuous alveolar layer. In addition, detailed live and infraciliature data of Hypocoma acinetarum and Trochochilodon flavus are supplied. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 164 , 1–17.     

Quantitative trait loci analysis of individual and total isoflavone contents in soybean seeds

Soybean isoflavones play diverse roles in human health, including cancers, osteoporosis, heart disease, menopausal symptoms and pabulums. The objective of this study was to identify the quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with the isoflavones daidzein (DC), genistein (GeC), glycitein (GlC) and total isoflavone contents (TIC) in soybean seeds. A population of 184 F_21:0 recombinant inbred lines derived from a ‘Xiaoheidou’ בGR8836’ cross was planted in pot and field conditions to evaluate soybean isoflavones. Twenty-one QTL were detected by composite interval mapping. Several QTL were associated with the traits for DC, GeC, GlC and TIC only. QDGeGlTIC4_1 and QDGlTIC12_1 are reported first in this study and were associated with the DC, GeC, GlC and TIC traits simultaneously. The QTL identified have potential value for marker-assisted selection to develop soybean varieties with desirable isoflavone content.     

Antisense EGFR sequence enhances apoptosis in a human hepatoma cell line BEL—7404

Effects of antisense epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) sequence on apoptotic cell death were examined in a human hepatoma cell line BEL-7404 cells.In the cells of JX-1,a sub clone of BEL-7404 stably transfected with antisense EGFR vector (Cell Research,3:75,1993),an enhanced rate(9.5%) of spontaneous apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry,whereas the rates of spontaneous apoptosis in JX-0 cells,a sub-clone of BEL-7404 transfected by control vector,and the parent BEL-7404 transfected by control vector,and the parent BEL-7404 transfected by control vector,and the parent BEL-7404 cells were almost equal and about 1.7%.Serum-starvation for 72h increased the rate of apoptosis of JX-lcells up to 33.7%,while JX-0 and BEL-7404 cells,under the same condition,produced less than 5% of apoptotic cells.Observation with electron microscope demonstrated that condensation and fragmentation of chromatin and formation of apoptotic bodies often occurred in JX-1 cells,especially during serumstarvation.These results,combined with the data of DNA fragmentation Elisa test,suggested that antisense EGFR sequence enhances apoptosis in the human hepatoma cells.Comparison of intracellular Ca^2 level and the responsiveness of JX-1 cells to the induced action of EGF and tharpsigargin (TG) treatment with that of control JX-0 cells indicated that antisense egfr might interrupt the EGF/EGFR sigaling pathway resulting in the decreass of intracellular Ca^2 pool content as well as the responsiveness of these cells to the extracellular signals.These findings suggest that antisense EGFR either directly or indirectly regulates Ca^2 storage in endoplasmic reticulum,thereby enhances apoptosis in the human hepatoma cells.     

家兔膈神经元的电活动类型及其在膈神经呼气相电活动中的作用

家兔40只,乌拉坦静脉麻醉,三碘季铵酚制动,人工通气,切断双侧颈迷走神经干,引导左侧膈神经干和右侧膈神经单纤维的传出电活动。在保持动物正常PaCO_2和PaO_2的条件下,所观察的144个膈神经单位,按其电活动与呼吸周期的关系,可分为三类:第一类(U_Ⅰ,占44％),仅在吸气相放电;第二类(U_Ⅱ,41％),放电自吸气相持续到呼气相前期;第三类(U_Ⅲ,15％),在整个呼吸周期中连续放电。逐步加大给动物的人工通气量,在PaCO_2逐渐降低的过程中,96％的U_Ⅰ和58％的U_Ⅱ的放电频率逐渐降低,但始终保持时相性放电的特性,直至放电停止,对具有这些特性的单位称为时相性单位。其余4％的U_Ⅰ和42％的U_Ⅱ,在低PaCO_2下逐渐转为紧张性放电,将这些单位和全部U_Ⅲ称为紧张性单位。我们以前报道的家兔膈神经干的呼气相电活动,是紧张性单位活动的表现。在放电特性方面,本文报告的家兔膈神经元群中的时相性单位和紧张性单位,与Hilaire和St.John报告的猫膈神经元群中的晚募集单位和早募集单位,有类似之处,但不尽相同。     

TGF—β receptors in mouse ES—5 cells and their differentiated derivatives

By radioreceptor binding studies with iodinated TGF－β1,it has been shown that an undifferentiated ES-5 cell expresses approximately 3270 receptors with a dissociation constant Kd-130pM,but after the induction of differentiation by retinoic acid and dBcAMP,the receptor number of a differentiated RA-ES-5 cell was increased about 80% and the Kd was also increased to 370 pM.Furthermore,more direct evidence supporting the expression of TGF-β type I and type Ⅱ receptors in both ES-5 and RA-ES-5 cells has come from dot blot hybridization of cellular mRNA with cDNA probes for type I and type Ⅱ receptors.Meanwhile,mRNA expression level of types I and Ⅱ receptors in R-ES-5 cells were higher than that in ES-5 cells.Down-regulation of TGF-β receptors with a significant decrease in the rate of cell proliferation in both cells,was found by employing a pretreatment with neutralizing antibody to TGF-β1.The possible role of receptors for TGF-β in cell differentiation is discussed here.     

EGF receptor—mediated intracellular calcium increase in human hepatoma BEL—7404 cells

Epidermal growth factor(EGF) induced intracellular free calcium ([Ca^2 ]i) response was studied in fura-2- or fluo-3-loaded human hepatoma cells of BEL-7404 cell line.Single cell[Ca^2 ]i analysis and [Ca^2 ]i measurement in cell populations revealed that EGF triggered a rapid[Ca^2 ]i increase in the dose-dependent and time-dependent manner.Pretreatment of cells with an endoplasmic reticulum(ER) Ca^2 -ATPase inhibitor,thapsigargin(TG) at 100nM concentration for 20 min,completely abolished EGF-induced [Ca^2 ]i increase,and chelating extracellular calcium by excess EGTA partially inhibited the increase.Furthermore,the expression of antisense EGF receptor sequence in BEL-7404 cells suppressed the [Ca^2 ]i response to EGF.The results suggest that EGF receptor-mediated [Ca^2 ]i increase in the human hepatoma cells is essentially dependent on the Ca^2 storage in ER.     

中枢催产素在电针镇痛中的作用

本工作以钾离子透入法引起大鼠甩尾反应的电流强度(mA)为痛反应指标,观察了侧脑室注射催产素(OT)及抗催产素血清(AOTS)对大鼠痛阈和电针镇痛效应的影响。注射50 ngOT 后80min 内,大鼠痛阈比注药前增加20—38%。与注射生理盐水组的痛阈相比有非常明显的增高(p<0.01—0.001),侧脑室注射 OT 后电针期内,痛阈增加139—234%,与生理盐水电针组相比,有显著差异(P<0.05—0.01)。OT 的剂量在25—100ng 范围内,其增强电针镇痛效应有明显的剂量-效应关系。注射 AOTS 后,电针镇痛应明显低于注射正常兔血清(NRS)组(p<0.05—0.01)。上述结果表明,侧脑室注射 OT,既可提高痛阈又可明显地增强电针镇痛效应,而用 AOTS消除内源性 OT 的作用后,电针镇痛效应明显降低。这提示,中枢神经系统内的 OT 在电针镇痛过程中,发挥一定的作用     

The morphology of Yujiangolepis liujingensis (Placodermi,Arthrodira) from the Pragian of Guangxi (south China) and its phylogenetic significance

The morphology of the arthrodire placoderm Yujiangolepis liujingensis Wang, Pan & Wang, 1998, from the Lower Devonian of Guangxi is redescribed, and compared to that of the basal arthrodires Antarctaspis White, 1968 from Antarctica, Toombalepis Young & Goujet, 2003 and Wuttagoonaspis Ritchie, 1973 from Australia, and Yiminaspis Dupret, 2008 from south China. A very small plate of the skull roof at the junction of the nuchal, marginal, postorbital, and paranuchal plates is considered as the vestigial homologue of the anterior paranuchal plate in the Petalichthyida and Acanthothoraci. Yujiangolepis is attributed to the family ‘Antarctaspididae’ White, 1968, together with the genera Antarctaspis and Toombalepis. A computerized phylogenetic analysis resolved Yujiangolepis as the most basal arthrodire, and the family ‘Antarctaspididae’ appears paraphyletic, Yujiangolepis being possibly the most basal. The family Wuttagoonaspididae contains the genera Wuttagoonaspis and Yiminaspis, and remains monophyletic. A Chinese origin of the ‘Antarctaspididae’ is proposed, together with a southward dispersal into Gondwana during the Early Emsian.