甘蔗细平象的研究

甘蔗细平象Trockorhopalus humeralis Chevrolat是云南甘蔗上的一种毁灭性地下害虫,以幼虫和成虫在地下蔗头内为害,为害期8-10个月。据1989年调查,受害蔗每亩损失500-3000kg,严重的无收。此虫1年发生1代,以成虫在蔗头内越冬,有喜湿性,不能飞翔,主要通过沟河流水传播。在河川坝地,沙壤土中虫口较多;宿根年限越长的甘蔗受害越重。建议蔗稻轮作;缩短甘蔗宿根年限;早春翻挖有虫蔗蔸烧毁;结合新植蔗下种,宿根蔗松蔸培土施用甲基异柳磷或铁灭克等颗粒杀虫剂进行防治。     

高必需氨基酸转基因马铃薯的研究

８０年代以来,马铃薯遗传转化系统日趋成熟,转基因工程植株已被广泛应用于基础科学研究［１］。作为食物蛋白和能量主要来源的马铃薯,提高其蛋白质含量及质量的遗传工程研究正受到人们的普遍关注［２］。Ｙａｎｇ等［２］将旨在改善氨基酸平衡的ＣＡＴ－ＨＥＡＡＥ（氯酶素乙酰转移酶－高含量人体必需氨基酸）融合基因导入马铃薯,获得了Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎｂｌｏｔ、Ｎｏｒｔｈｅｒｎｂｌｏｔ、Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎｂｌｏｔ的证据,但尚缺少氨基酸分析的资料。玉米醇溶蛋白（ｚｅｉｎ）［３］是一个富含甲硫氨酸的贮存蛋白,它和人工合成的ＨＥ…     

Ginkgolide B production in cultured cells derived from Ginkgo biloba L. leaves

Callus cultures and cell suspension cultures derived from Ginkgo biloba L. leaves produced ginkgolidc B. In cell suspension cultures, the production reached a maximum by the 13th day of subculture and followed by a sharp decrease. The medium of Murashige and Skoog induced the highest ginkgolide B content in cultures while the medium of Schenk and Hildebrandt promoted cell growth. For the maximal production of ginkgolide B, cells were cultured in Murashige and Skoog medium modified to contain 1.0 mg/l of -naphthaleneacetic acid, 0.1 mg/1 of kinetin, 30 g/1 sucrose and 1.25 mM potassium phosphate with a molar ratio of ammonium to nitrate ions of 1 3.Abbreviations B5 Gamborg et al (1968) medium - GKB Ginkgolide B - MS Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium - NAA -naphthaleneacetic aicd - SH Schenk and Hildebrandt (1972) medium     

Mutational analysis of the att DNA-binding domain of phage Mu transposase.

The transposase (A protein) of phage Mu encodes binding to two families of DNA sites, att sites located at the Mu ends and enhancer sites located internally. Separate subdomains in the N-terminal domain I of Mu A protein are known to be involved in recognition of the att and enhancer sites. We have delineated an approximately 135 aa region within domain I beta gamma that specifies binding to Mu att sites. This peptide was overexpressed and its properties compared with that of the larger domain I beta gamma as well as the intact Mu A protein. Extensive mutagenesis of residues around a putative helix-turn-helix DNA-binding motif within the I beta domain identified several mutants defective in DNA transposition in vivo. Of these, Mu A(K157Q) was completely defective in att DNA-binding. Mu A(F131S) and Mu A(R146N) had a lower affinity for att DNA and low levels of transposition in vitro. Our results indicate that residues in the gamma region are required for activity and that residues outside the beta gamma region must also influence discrimination between the multiple att sites.     

Structure-function analysis of the DNA binding domain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ABF1.

To localize the DNA binding domain of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ars binding factor 1 (ABF1), a multifunctional DNA binding protein, plasmid constructs carrying point mutations and internal deletions in the ABF1 gene were generated and expressed in Escherichia coli. Normal and mutant ABF1 proteins were purified by affinity chromatography and their DNA binding activities were analyzed. The substitution of His61, Cys66 and His67 respectively, located in the zinc finger motif in the N-terminal region (amino acids 40-91), eliminated the DNA binding activity of ABF1 protein. Point mutations in the middle region of ABF1, specifically at Leu353, Leu399, Tyr403, Gly404, Phe410 and Lys434, also eliminated or reduced DNA binding activity. However, the DNA binding activity of point mutants of Ser307, Ser496 and Glu649 was the same as that of wild-type ABF1 protein and deletion mutants of amino acids 200-265, between the zinc finger region and the middle region (residues 323-496) retained DNA binding activity. As a result, we confirmed that the DNA binding domain of ABF1 appears to be bipartite and another DNA binding motif, other than the zinc finger motif, is situated between amino acid residues 323 and 496.     

Molecular basis and PCR-DNA typing of the Fya/fyb blood group polymorphism

Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia tarda (SEDL) is an X-linked recessive disorder characterized in affected males by short stature resulting from a growth defect of the vertebral bodies. We have extended our earlier studies by analyzing 15 families with newly identified microsatellite DNA markers; analysis of recombination events with these markers indicates that the gene responsible for SEDL is located in Xp22 between DXS 16 and DXS 987 on an interval spanning approximately 2 Mb.     

Control of a one-link arm by burst signal generators

 The focus of this paper is the study of stability and point-to-point movement of a one-link arm. The sagittal arm has two musculotendon actuators, two neural oscillators that generate burst signals as motoneuron inputs, and spindles and Golgi tendon organs for extrinsic reflex feedbacks. It is shown that coactivation leads to intrinsic position and velocity feedback, and that the tendons introduce intrinsic force and rate of force feedback. In addition, the integrating effects of the tendons are studied when the actuator is constructed from a large number of identical fibers that are excited by alpha signals whose arrival times at the fiber are randomly distributed. Each of the musculotendon actuators receives two input signals – a burst signal analogous to alpha inputs and a conventional analogue signal that represents fusimotor input to the spindles. The process of combining burst signals and conventional analogue signals is studied. Simulation results show that the movement of the system with burst signals as inputs has overshoot and speed similar to the system with analogue signals. Received: 30 May 1994/Accepted in revised form: 13 January 1995     

Treating tumor-bearing mice with vitamin D3 diminishes tumor-induced myelopoiesis and associated immunosuppression,and reduces tumor metastasis and recurrence

Metastatic Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC-LN7) tumors that secrete granulocyte/macrophage-colonystimulating factor (GM-CSF) stimulate myelopoiesis and induce bone marrow-derived immunosuppressor cells that are homologous to granulocyte/macrophage progenitor cells. In vitro treatment of the LLC-LN7 cells with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ reduced tumor cell production of suppressor-inducing activity, although suppressor-inducing activity could be restored by reconstituting the tumor supernatants with recombinant GM-CSF. Treatment of mice having LLC-LN7 tumors with vitamin D₃ reduced tumor production of GM-CSF and the frequency of myeloid progenitor cells. This was associated with a reduction in immunosuppressor activity and an increase in T cell function. Vitamin D₃ treatment of mice having palpable tumors transiently retarded tumor growth, but caused a prominent reduction in tumor metastasis. Treating mice with vitamin D₃ after tumor excision resulted in a reduction in the tumor-induced myelopoietic stimulation and associated immunosuppressive activity, and enhanced T cell function. These mice had a markedly reduced incidence of tumor recurrence. The results of this study suggest that vitamin D₃ treatment of mice with GM-CSF-secreting tumors can interrupt the myelopoiesis-associated immunosuppressor cascade and, in turn, reduce tumor metastasis and recurrence.This study was supported in part by grants from the Medical Research Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs and by grants CA-45080 and CA-48080 from the National Institutes of Health     

Properties of acetylcholinesterase reconstituted in liposomes of a different charge

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) purified from mouse brain was reconstituted in liposomes of a different charge, and the properties of liposome-associated AChE were investigated. Relative to the K_m value (38.5 M) of AChE bound to a neutral liposome, the value of AChE reconstituted in a negatively-charged liposome decreased to 23.3 M, whereas that of AChE in a positively-charged liposome increased to 90.9 M. Additionally, AChE bound to a positively-charged liposome expressed a wider range of optimum pH than the enzyme in a negatively-charged liposome. In a stability study, it was found that soluble AChE was unstable at pH 5.5 and 7.4, while it was relatively stable at pH 10. Noteworthy, the immobilization of AChE to liposome enhanced the stability of soluble enzyme at acidic and neutral pH. Moreover, in the stabilization of the enzyme, a neutral liposome was more effective than charged liposomes, of which a positively-charged liposome was more effective than a negatively-charged liposome at acidic pH. Based on these results, it is proposed that while the K_m value and the pH dependence of AChE activity are affected by the charge of liposome, the stability of AChE is determined mainly by a hydrophobic binding to a phospholipid membrane.This work was supported in part by Agency for Defense Development.