DNA methylation is an important epigenetic modification, that is involved in the regulation of gene expression and cell differentiation, and plays an important regulatory role in flower development in higher plants. There are two types of florets on the capitulum in the genus Chrysanthemum, the flower symmetry factor CYCLOIDEA (CYC) 2-like genes may be important candidate genes for determining the identity of the two types of florets. In this study, the diploid plant Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium was used as the research material, and qRT-PCR and bisulfite sequencing polymerase chain reaction (BSP) were used to identify the expression and DNA methylation pattern of CYC2-like genes in the two types of florets. Gene expression analysis showed that the six ClCYC2-like genes were significantly different in the two types of florets, and the expression levels of ClCYC2c, ClCYC2d, ClCYC2e and ClCYC2f in the ray florets were significantly higher than those in the disc florets. For the DNA methylation analysis of the three genes ClCYC2c, ClCYC2d, and ClCYC2e, it was found that the DNA methylation levels of these three genes were negative correlated with their expression levels, and the ways in which the three genes were regulated by the DNA methylation were different. It is speculated that the different DNA methylation of ClCYC2-like genes in the two types of florets may affect the differentiation and development of the two types of florets. This study provides new clues about epigenetics for the analysis of capitulum formation in Asteraceae.
FANCJ/BRIP1 encodes a helicase that has been implicated in the maintenance of genomic stability. Here, to better understand
FANCJ function in DNA damage responses, we have examined the regulation of its cellular localization. FANCJ nuclear foci assemble
spontaneously during S phase and are induced by various stresses. FANCJ foci colocalize with the replication fork following
treatment with hydroxyurea, but not spontaneously. Using FANCJ mutants, we find that FANCJ helicase activity and the capacity
to bind BRCA1 are both involved in FANCJ recruitment. Given similarities to the recruitment of another Fanconi anemia protein,
FANCD2, we tested for colocalization of FANCJ and FANCD2. Importantly, these proteins show substantial colocalization, and
FANCJ promotes the assembly of FANCD2 nuclear foci. This process is linked to the proper localization of FANCJ itself since
both FANCJ and FANCD2 nuclear foci are compromised by FANCJ mutants that abrogate its helicase activity or interaction with
BRCA1. Our results suggest that FANCJ is recruited in response to replication stress and that FANCJ/BRIP1 may serve to link
FANCD2 to BRCA1. 相似文献
The alternative pathway is a cyanide-resistant and non-phosphorylatory electron transport pathway in mitochondria of higher
plants. Alternative oxidase (AOX) is the terminal oxidase of this pathway. Our present study investigated the effect of exogenous
salicylic acid (SA) on alternative pathway in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seedlings under low temperature stress. Results showed that during the process of low temperature stress, the alternative
pathway capacity was enhanced as AOX expression increased in SA pretreated seedlings. Compared with seedlings without SA pretreatment,
slower decrease of relative water content and lower levels of electrolyte leakage, H2O2 and malonyldialdehyde content were detected in SA pretreated seedlings. These results indicated that SA could alleviate the
injury caused by low temperature on cucumber seedlings. Since the special protective functions of alternative pathway and
AOX in plants, we suggested that the alternative pathway was related to SA-mediated plant resistance to environmental stresses
such as low temperature. 相似文献
Ditches grown with nature reed (Phragmites communis Trin) and wild rice (Zizania latifolia Turcz) were selected to study the removal capacity of agricultural non-point source pollutants so as to find a way to alleviate
eutrophication in Lake Taihu. Ditches sediment from depths below 40 cm can accumulate organic matter and total nitrogen (TN).
TN is correlated positively to organic matter in reed populated sediment and wild rice populated sediment. This suggests that
the main composition of TN is organic nitrogen derived from plant decomposition. A significant negative relationship between
TN and pH was found in reed and wild rice sediments. Seasonal harvest of helophyte vegetation is an effective method to remove
N and P from wetlands. Organic matter and TN concentrations in water and sediments (0–20 cm) in areas where reeds were removed
are lower than non-harvested areas (control). Reeds and wild rice have high uptake ability of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus
(P). However, the low economic value of these plants will not stimulate voluntary harvest of farmers. Zizania caduciflora Turez Hand-mazt is a kind of vegetable widely cultivated in ditches around the lake. It can also absorb N and P effectively.
Thus, large scale cultivation of Z. caduciflora to replace nature plants may improve water quality. 相似文献
Ligustrum lucidum Ait. has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 1000 years because of its anti-tumor, antimutagenic, antidiabetic, and hepatoprotective properties. The aim of this study was to determine whether oleanolic acid (OA) is the principal active compound of L. lucidum responsible for its antidiabetic properties, and to examine its effect on the expression of thyroid hormones and insulin secretion, thus revealing the mechanism by which L. lucidum modulates insulin levels in diabetes. When rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes were treated with OA (100 and 200 mg/kg body mass per day, for 40 days), the changes in blood glucose levels and in oral glucose tolerance tests showed that hypoglycemia was more pronounced in OA-treated groups than in the diabetic control rats, and that the levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoportein cholesterol in OA-treated rats were lower than those in the diabetic control rats, whose high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased. OA-treated rats also gained weight, and exhibited increased serum insulin levels. In contrast, OA treatment did not effect the levels of thyroid hormone or TSH in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. These results indicate that OA has hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects. OA treatment might stimulate insulin release, and consequently, results in the modulation of glucose levels and regulation of lipid metabolism. 相似文献
Choline oxidase catalyzes the oxidation of choline to glycine betaine, a compatible solute that accumulates in pathogenic bacteria and plants so they can withstand osmotic and temperature stresses. The crystal structure of choline oxidase was determined and refined to a resolution of 1.86 A with data collected at 100 K using synchrotron X-ray radiation. The structure reveals a covalent linkage between His99 Nepsilon2 and FAD C8M atoms, and a 123 A3 solvent-excluded cavity adjacent to the re face of the flavin. A hypothetical model for choline docked into the cavity suggests that several aromatic residues and Glu312 may orient the cationic substrate for efficient catalysis. The role of the negative charge on Glu312 was investigated by engineering variant enzymes in which Glu312 was replaced with alanine, glutamine, or aspartate. The Glu312Ala enzyme was inactive. The Glu312Gln enzyme exhibited a Kd value for choline at least 500 times larger than that of the wild-type enzyme. The Glu312Asp enzyme had a kcat/KO2 value similar to that of the wild-type enzyme but kcat and kcat/Km values that were 230 and 35 times lower, respectively, than in the wild-type enzyme. These data are consistent with the spatial location of the negative charge on residue 312 being important for the oxidation of the alcohol substrate. Solvent viscosity and substrate kinetic isotope effects suggest the presence of an internal equilibrium in the Glu312Asp enzyme prior to the hydride transfer reaction. Altogether, the crystallographic and mechanistic data suggest that Glu312 is important for binding and positioning of the substrate in the active site of choline oxidase. 相似文献
To clarify the phylogenetic relationships and species status of Pneumocystis, the 5.8S rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacers (ITS, 1 and 2) of Pneumocystis rRNA derived from rat, gerbil and human were amplified, cloned and sequenced. The genetic distance matrix of six Pneumocystis species compared with other fungi like Taphrina and Saccharomyces indicated that the Pneumocystis genus contained multiple species including Pneumocystis from gerbil. The phylogenetic tree also showed that Pneumocystis from human and monkey formed one group and four rodent Pneumocystis formed another group. Among the four members, Pneumocystis wakefieldiae was most closely related to Pneumocystis murina and Pneumocystis carinii, and was least related to gerbil Pneumocystis. 相似文献