颈髓损伤后线粒体系列酶活性变化与线粒体功能的关系

为了探讨颈髓损伤后颈髓线粒体系列酶活性变化与线粒体功能的关系,采用Ａｌｅｎ法造成猫颈髓损伤,观察颈髓损伤后线粒体Ｃａ２＋,Ｍｇ２＋－ＡＴＰ酶、Ｎａ＋,Ｋ＋－ＡＴＰ酶、超氧化物歧化酶（ＳＯＤ）活性及线粒体呼吸功能的变化。结果显示：颈髓损伤后２ｈ至７２ｈ,Ｃａ２＋,Ｍｇ２＋－ＡＴＰ酶、Ｎａ＋,Ｋ＋－ＡＴＰ酶活性、ＳＯＤ活性明显降低,而线粒体呼吸控制率（ＲＣＲ）、磷氧比值（Ｐ／Ｏ）、氧化磷酸化效率（ＯＰＲ）也明显下降。表明颈髓损伤后Ｃａ２＋,Ｍｇ２＋－ＡＴＰ酶、Ｎａ＋,Ｋ＋－ＡＴＰ酶、ＳＯＤ活性与线粒体功能密切相关,提示颈髓线粒体的病理生理改变在颈髓损伤后继发性损害过程中起重要作用。     

Analysis of variable sites between two complete South China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis) mitochondrial genomes

In order to investigate the mitochondrial genome of Panthera tigris amoyensis, two South China tigers (P25 and P27) were analyzed following 15 cymt-specific primer sets. The entire mtDNA sequence was found to be 16,957 bp and 17,001 bp long for P25 and P27 respectively, and this difference in length between P25 and P27 occurred in the number of tandem repeats in the RS-3 segment of the control region. The structural characteristics of complete P. t. amoyensis mitochondrial genomes were also highly similar to those of P. uncia. Additionally, the rate of point mutation was only 0.3% and a total of 59 variable sites between P25 and P27 were found. Out of the 59 variable sites, 6 were located in 6 different tRNA genes, 6 in the 2 rRNA genes, 7 in non-coding regions (one located between tRNA-Asn and tRNA-Tyr and six in the D-loop), and 40 in 10 protein-coding genes. COI held the largest amount of variable sites (9 sites) and Cytb contained the highest variable rate (0.7%) in the complete sequences. Moreover, out of the 40 variable sites located in 10 protein-coding genes, 12 sites were nonsynonymous.     

Phospholipase A2-like activity of human bocavirus VP1 unique region

Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a new parvovirus first discovered in 2005, which is associated with acute respiratory infection. Analysis of sequence homology has revealed that a putative phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) motif exists in the VP1 unique region of HBoV. However, little is known about whether the VP1 unique region of HBoV has PLA₂ enzymatic activity and how these critical residues contribute to its PLA₂ activity. To address these issues, the VP1 unique region protein and four of its mutants, were expressed in Eschericha coli. The purified VP1 unique protein (VP1U) showed a typical Ca²⁺-dependent secreted PLA₂-like (sPLA₂) activity, which was inhibited by sPLA₂-specific inhibitors in a time-dependent manner. Mutation of one of the amino acids (21Pro, 41His, 42Asp or 63Asp) in VP1U almost eliminated the sPLA₂ activity of HBoV VP1U. These data indicate that VP1U of HBoV has sPLA₂-like enzymatic activity, and these residues are crucial for its sPLA₂-like activity. Potentially, VP1U may be a target for the development of anti-viral drugs for HBoV.     

Myogenesis defect due to Toca-1 knockdown can be suppressed by expression of N-WASP

Skeletal muscle formation is a multistep process involving proliferation, differentiation, alignment and fusion of myoblasts to form myotubes which fuse with additional myoblast to form myofibers. Toca-1 (Transducer of Cdc42-dependent actin assembly), is an adaptor protein which activates N-WASP in conjunction with Cdc42 to facilitate membrane invagination, endocytosis and actin cytoskeleton remodeling. Expression of Toca-1 in mouse primary myoblasts and C2C12 myoblasts was up-regulated on day 1 of differentiation and subsequently down-regulated during differentiation. Knocking down Toca-1 expression in C2C12 cells (Toca-1^KD cells) resulted in a significant decrease in myotube formation and expression of shRNA-resistant Toca-1 in Toca-1^KD cells rescued the myogenic defect, suggesting that the knockdown was specific and Toca-1 is essential for myotube formation. Toca-1^KD cells exhibited elongated spindle-like morphology, expressed myogenic markers (MyoD and MyHC) and localized N-Cadherin at cell periphery similar to control cells suggesting that Toca-1 is not essential for morphological changes or expression of proteins critical for differentiation. Toca-1^KD cells displayed prominent actin fibers suggesting a defect in actin cytoskeleton turnover necessary for cell–cell fusion. Toca-1^KD cells migrated faster than control cells and had a reduced number of vinculin patches similar to N-WASP^KO MEF cells. Transfection of N-WASP-expressing plasmid into Toca-1^KD cells restored myotube formation of Toca-1^KD cells. Thus, our results suggest that Toca-1^KD cells have defects in formation of myotubes probably due to reduced activity of actin cytoskeleton regulators such as N-WASP. This is the first study to identify and characterize the role of Toca-1 in myogenesis.     

大穗和中华结缕草的群落特征及种内分异研究

大穗结缕草为盐生植物,主要生长在沿海潮沟两侧的滨海盐土地带上,其区系组成绝大多数种类属于盐生植物,为海滩原生植物群落。中华结缕草为耐盐的优良草坪植物,其野生群落主要分布在沿海2~40m的滨海阶地上。其生态幅较宽,土壤pH在7.2~9.2之间。中华结缕草群落为单优群落,盖度多在60%~90%。中华结缕草种内存在十分丰富的变异,采用模糊聚类的方法将17份草样划分为6类,各类间差异很大。主分量分析表明有性繁殖器官如果穗高度和营养器官特征如叶长和匍匐茎扩展速度是研究中华结缕草种内分异的重要指标。这2种植物可作为沿海城市建植草坪的优良植物。     

球囊菌胁迫中华蜜蜂幼虫肠道过程中病原的转录组学研究

【目的】本研究利用RNA-seq技术对球囊菌胁迫的中华蜜蜂(中蜂)幼虫肠道进行深度测序,经趋势分析得到差异表达基因(DEGs)的显著表达模式,进而对胁迫过程中的球囊菌进行转录组学分析。【方法】利用Illumina HiSeq 2500平台对球囊菌胁迫的中蜂幼虫肠道进行深度测序,并利用相关软件进行了深入分析。最后,通过RT-qPCR对RNA-seq数据进行了验证。【结果】本研究共得到球囊菌的41133932条高质量clean reads。22865个DEGs共聚类为8个基因表达模式,其中,16769个DEGs聚类为2个显著上调趋势与2个显著下调趋势。GO富集分析结果显示,显著上调与显著下调趋势中的DEGs分别富集于40与37个GO term,基因富集数最多的为细胞进程(2486 unigenes)。KEGG代谢通路(pathway)富集分析结果显示,显著上调与显著下调趋势中的DEGs分别富集于119和112个pathway,基因富集数最多的分别是氨基酸生物合成(127 unigenes)与核糖体(98 unigenes)。进一步分析表明球囊菌在胁迫中蜂幼虫肠道的过程中通过提高物质合成促进其增殖,而宿主通过抑制球囊菌的蛋白合成抵御病原入侵。富集在MAPK信号通路的11个DEGs的表达水平随着胁迫时间的延长而逐渐下降,推测中蜂幼虫通过抑制该通路而阻遏球囊菌增殖。【结论】本研究不仅为揭示白垩病过程中的球囊菌-中蜂幼虫互作提供了重要信息,也为阐明不同抗性蜂种的球囊菌抗性差异奠定了基础。     

PKCβ1 regulates meiotic cell cycle in mouse oocyte

PKCβI, a member of the classical protein kinase C family, plays key roles in regulating cell cycle transition. Here, we report the expression, localization and functions of PKCβI in mouse oocyte meiotic maturation. PKCβI and p-PKCβI (phosphor-PKCβI) were expressed from germinal vesicle (GV) stage to metaphase II (MII) stage. Confocal microscopy revealed that PKCβI was localized in the GV and evenly distributed in the cytoplasm after GV breakdown (GVBD), and it was concentrated at the midbody at telophase in meiotic oocytes. While, p-PKCβI was concentrated at the spindle poles at the metaphase stages and associated with midbody at telophase. Depletion of PKCβI by specific siRNA injection resulted in defective spindles, accompanied with spindle assembly checkpoint activation, metaphase I arrest and failure of first polar body (PB1) extrusion. Live cell imaging analysis also revealed that knockdown of PKCβI resulted in abnormal spindles, misaligned chromosomes, and meiotic arrest of oocytes arrest at the Pro-MI/MI stage. PKCβI depletion did not affect the G2/M transition, but its overexpression delayed the G2/M transition through regulating Cyclin B1 level and Cdc2 activity. Our findings reveal that PKCβI is a critical regulator of meiotic cell cycle progression in oocytes.

Abbreviations: PKC, protein kinase C; COC, cumulus-oocyte complexes; GV, germinal vesicle; GVBD, germinal vesicle breakdown; Pro-MI, first pro-metaphase; MI, first metaphase; Tel I, telophase I; MII, second metaphase; PB1, first polar body; SAC, spindle assembly checkpoint     

高梁抗蚜研究进展

高粱(Sorghum bicolour)是世界上最重要的粮食、饲料、酿造和能源作物之一,也是C4植物研究的模式植物.蚜虫是农业生产上的重要害虫,几乎危害所有的栽培作物.危害高粱的蚜虫主要包括高粱蚜(Melanaphis sacchan)、麦二叉蚜(Schizaphis graminum)和玉米蚜(Rhopalosiphum maidis).高粱的抗蚜资源尚不丰富且缺乏深入系统的研究.目前研究较多的是麦二叉蚜的抗性遗传方面,已定位20个抗性QTLs,单一QTL对抗性差异贡献率最高可达80.3％,对高粱蚜和玉米蚜的研究尚需进一步加强.高粱的理化特性与其抗蚜性能相关,故可与育种实践相结合.高粱和蚜虫(Acyrthosiphon pisum)的全基因组测序工作已经完成,这将有助于蚜虫-植物间的相互作用关系及植物对蚜虫的抗性机制研究.目前已克隆到2个抗蚜基因,且多个抗蚜基因(位点)已被定位在染色体上.该文重点综述了上述研究成果并对高粱抗蚜的研究前景进行了展望.     

GTPase Activity of MxB Contributes to Its Nuclear Location,Interaction with Nucleoporins and Anti-HIV-1 Activity

The human myxovirus resistance 2(Mx2/Mx B) protein, a member of interferon(IFN)-inducible dynamin-like large GTPases, restricts a number of virus infections. Inhibition of these viruses occurs at poorly-defined steps after viral entry and has a common requirement for Mx B oligomerization. However, the GTPase activity is essential for the anti-viral effects of Mx B against herpesviruses and HBV but not HIV-1. To understand the role of Mx B GTPase activity, including GTP binding and GTP hydrolysis, in restriction of HIV-1 infection, we genetically separated these two functions and evaluated their contributions to restriction. We found that both the GTP binding and hydrolysis function of Mx B involved in the restriction of HIV-1 replication. The GTPase activity of Mx B contributed to its nuclear location, interaction with nucleoporins(NUPs) and HIV-1 capsids. Furthermore, Mx B disrupted the association between NUPs and HIV-1 cores dependently upon its GTPase activity. The function of GTPase activity was therefore multi-faceted, led to fundamentally distinct mechanisms employed by wild-type Mx B and GTPase activity defective Mx B mutations to restrict HIV-1 replication.