Although the faunal elements of Far East Asian Mesozoic terrestrial biota have attracted much attention in recent years, their palaeoecology remains poorly known. In particular, features of the palaeoclimate are highly controversial. To address this point we used the Mesozoic fossil wood Xenoxylon , a genus recognized as an indicator of wet temperate biotopes and which is common in the area during the Carnian–Maastrichtian interval. We re-appraised bibliographic data and gathered new data for Xenoxylon in the Mesozoic of Far East Asia. This demonstrated that previous taxonomic approaches to the genus have been so far idiosyncratic. We examined the anatomical diversity of morphogenus Xenoxylon in Far East Asia and compared it to that of samples from Europe. This indicates that in an area centred on north-eastern China, Xenoxylon reached a level of anatomical diversity unmatched elsewhere in the world. We hypothesize that this diversity witnesses the persistence of palaeoecological conditions particularly suitable for Xenoxylon and that a wet temperate climate prevailed over most of the area throughout the Carnian–Maastrichtian interval. It is in this setting that the famous Jehol Biota probably evolved. 相似文献
Diporphyrin systems based on tetraphenylporphyrin derivatives bridged with dipeptide or tripeptide spacers containing Gly
and Phe residues were synthesized, and their physicochemical properties were studied.
This article is dedicated to the 25th Anniversary of the journal Bioorganicheskaya Khimiya 相似文献
We have summarized and analyzed all available nuclear DNA sequence
polymorphism studies for three species of Drosophila, D. melanogaster (24
loci), D. simulans (12 loci), and D. pseudoobscura (5 loci). Our major
findings are: (1) The average nucleotide heterozygosity ranges from about
0.4% to 2% depending upon species and function of the region, i.e., coding
or noncoding. (2) Compared to D. simulans and D. pseudoobscura (which are
about equally variable), D. melanogaster displays a low degree of DNA
polymorphism. (3) Noncoding introns and 3' and 5' flanking DNA shows less
polymorphism than silent sites within coding DNA. (4) X-linked genes are
less variable than autosomal genes. (5) Transition (Ts) and transversion
(Tv) polymorphisms are about equally frequent in non-coding DNA and at
fourfold degenerate sites in coding DNA while Ts polymorphisms outnumber Tv
polymorphisms by about 2:1 in total coding DNA. The increased Ts
polymorphism in coding regions is likely due to the structure of the
genetic code: silent changes are more often Ts's than are replacement
substitutions. (6) The proportion of replacement polymorphisms is
significantly higher in D. melanogaster than in D. simulans. (7) The level
of variation in coding DNA and the adjacent noncoding DNA is significantly
correlated indicating regional effects, most notably recombination. (8)
Surprisingly, the level of polymorphism at silent coding sites in D.
melanogaster is positively correlated with degree of codon usage bias. (9)
Three proposed tests of the neutral theory of DNA polymorphisms have been
performed on the data: Tajima's test, the HKA test, and the
McDonald-Kreitman test. About half of the loci fail to conform to the
expectations of neutral theory by one of the tests. We conclude that many
variables are affecting levels of DNA polymorphism in Drosophila, from
properties of nucleotides to population history and, perhaps, mating
structure. No simple, all encompassing explanation satisfactorily accounts
for the data.
相似文献
Drosophila melanogaster belongs to a closely related group of eight species
collectively known as the melanogaster subgroup; all are native to
sub-Saharan Africa and islands off the east coast of Africa. The
phylogenetic relationships of most species in this subgroup have been well
documented; however, the three most closely related species, D. simulans,
D. sechellia, and D. mauritiana, have remained problematic from a
phylogenetic standpoint as no data set has unambiguously resolved them. We
present new DNA sequence data on the nullo and Serendipity-alpha genes and
combine them with all available nuclear DNA sequence data; the total data
encompass 12 genes and the ITS of rDNA. A methodological problem arose
because nine of the genes had information on intraspecific polymorphisms in
at least one species. We explored the effect of inclusion/exclusion of
polymorphic sites and found that it had very little effect on phylogenetic
inferences, due largely to the fact that 82% of polymorphisms are
autapomorphies (unique to one species). We have also reanalyzed our
previous DNA-DNA hybridization data with a bootstrap procedure. The
combined sequence data set and the DNA-DNA hybridization data strongly
support the sister status of the two island species, D. sechellia and D.
mauritiana. This at least partially resolves what had been a paradox of
parallel evolution in these two species.
相似文献
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. Infections of the respiratory tract are a hallmark in CF. The host immune responses in CF are not adequate to eradicate pathogens, such as P. aeruginosa. Dendritic cells (DC) are crucial in initiation and regulation of immune responses. Changes in DC function could contribute to abnormal immune responses on multiple levels. The role of DC in CF lung disease remains unknown.
Methods
This study investigated the expression of CFTR gene in bone marrow-derived DC. We compared the differentiation and maturation profile of DC from CF and wild type (WT) mice. We analyzed the gene expression levels in DC from naive CF and WT mice or following P. aeruginosa infection.
Results
CFTR is expressed in DC with lower level compared to lung tissue. DC from CF mice showed a delayed in the early phase of differentiation. Gene expression analysis in DC generated from naive CF and WT mice revealed decreased expression of Caveolin-1 (Cav1), a membrane lipid raft protein, in the CF DC compared to WT DC. Consistently, protein and activity levels of the sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP), a negative regulator of Cav1 expression, were increased in CF DC. Following exposure to P. aeruginosa, expression of 3β-hydroxysterol-Δ7 reductase (Dhcr7) and stearoyl-CoA desaturase 2 (Scd2), two enzymes involved in the lipid metabolism that are also regulated by SREBP, was less decreased in the CF DC compared to WT DC.
Conclusion
These results suggest that CFTR dysfunction in DC affects factors involved in membrane structure and lipid-metabolism, which may contribute to the abnormal inflammatory and immune response characteristic of CF. 相似文献
Antibiotics are widely used in medicine, veterinary medicine, and the food industry. However, the active use of antibacterial drugs leads to environmental pollution. In this regard, there is a great need for monitoring and determining antibiotics in various environments such as drinking water, food, drinks, waste water from pharmaceutical factories, etc. A number of methods, including those based on biosensors, have been developed to determine antibiotics. Biosensor methods of analysis are widely used and are an integral part of environmental monitoring. Electrochemical, optical, acoustic, microbial biosensors, immuno- and aptasensors, as well as sensors based on molecularly imprinted polymers are in the most demand for the analysis of antibiotics. This article provides a brief overview of biosensor methods and approaches for the determination of antibiotics. The most promising biosensor systems for determining antibacterial drugs were analyzed.