Recent approach to Buchia biostratigraphy from the Tethyan Himalaya area, China

Recent collections from six sections in Lanongla area, Tethyan Himalaya allow the establishment of four buchia assemblages. In ascending order, they are Buchia-Buchia spitiensis, Buchia masquensis-Buchia rugasa, Buchia blanfordiana, Buchia piochii and Buchia subokensis assemblages. These Buchia assemblages first demonstrate that not only the Upper Jurassic strata but also the highest Buchia assemblage-Buchia subokensis, which appeared in Lower Cretaceous strata all over the world are present in Lanongla area. This first records the highest Buchia assemblage in Lanongla area. __________ Translated from Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Pekinensis, 2005, 41 (4) [译自: 北京大学学报( 自然科学版), 2005,41(4)]     

Smad7-induced beta-catenin degradation alters epidermal appendage development

To assess whether Smad signaling affects skin development, we generated transgenic mice in which a Smad antagonist, Smad7, was induced in keratinocytes, including epidermal stem cells. Smad7 transgene induction perturbed hair follicle morphogenesis and differentiation, but accelerated sebaceous gland morphogenesis. Further analysis revealed that independent of its role in anti-Smad signaling, Smad7 bound beta-catenin and induced beta-catenin degradation by recruiting an E3 ligase, Smurf2, to the Smad7/beta-catenin complex. Consequently, Wnt/beta-catenin signaling was suppressed in Smad7 transgenic hair follicles. Coexpression of the Smurf2 and Smad7 transgenes exacerbated Smad7-induced abnormalities in hair follicles and sebaceous glands. Conversely, when endogenous Smad7 was knocked down, keratinocytes exhibited increased beta-catenin protein and enhanced Wnt signaling. Our data reveal a mechanism for Smad7 in antagonizing Wnt/beta-catenin signaling, thereby shifting the skin differentiation program from forming hair follicles to sebaceous glands.     

LncRNA H19: A novel oncogene in multiple cancers

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a series of non-coding RNAs that lack open reading frameworks. Accumulating evidence suggests important roles for lncRNAs in various diseases, including cancers. Recently, lncRNA H19 (H19) became a research focus due to its ectopic expression in human malignant tumors, where it functioned as an oncogene. Subsequently, H19 was confirmed to be involved in tumorigenesis and malignant progression in many tumors and had been implicated in promoting cell growth, invasion, migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, metastasis, and apoptosis. H19 also sequesters some microRNAs, facilitating a multilayer molecular regulatory mechanism. In this review, we summarize the abnormal overexpression of H19 in human cancers, which suggests wide prospects for further research into the diagnosis and treatment of cancers.     

Combination Treatment with Resveratrol and Sulforaphane Induces Apoptosis in Human U251 Glioma Cells

Resveratrol is a naturally occurring polyphenolic compound highly enriched in grapes, peanuts, red wine, and a variety of food sources. Sulforaphane belongs to the family of isothiocyanates and is highly enriched in cruciferous vegetables. Our previous study showed that resveratrol, when used at high concentrations, inhibited cell proliferation, caused the cell cycle arrest and induced apoptotic cell death in glioma cells. In the current study, we tested the effect of combination treatment with resveratrol and sulforaphane, when both were used at low concentrations, on cell proliferation, migration and death in human U251 glioma cells. Our study shows that combination treatment with resveratrol and sulforaphane inhibits cell proliferation and migration, reduces cell viability, induces lactate dehydrogenase release, decreases pro-survival Akt phosphorylation and increases caspase-3 activation. The use of combination of bioactive food components, such as resveratrol and sulforaphane, may be a viable approach for the treatment of glioma.     

苦马豆和披针叶黄华种子硬实特性与活力关系

将苦马豆和披针叶黄华种子在恒温25℃下吸胀,每24 h取出吸胀种子,16 d后未吸胀的种子为硬实种子（H）,硬实种子用硫酸处理后恒温吸胀24 h,与非硬实种子进行发芽试验和各项活力指标测定。结果显示每日内吸胀的种子数量随时间推移以一定比列下降,苦马豆非硬实种子第3天后吸胀率下降到1%,第13～16天突然上升后又下降到1%,披针叶黄华非硬实种子第3天后下降到1%,第9、10天突然上升后又下降到1%。两种豆类都显示出硬实种子发芽率、发芽指数、活力指数、脱氢酶活性、呼吸速率和超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性均高于非硬实种子,而电导率、浸出液可溶性糖和丙二醛（MDA）含量低于非硬实种子,缓慢吸胀的硬实种子活力指标高于快速吸胀的硬实种子,这表明硬实种子活力高于非硬实种子,硬实种子吸胀过程中存在吸胀损伤。而在非硬实种子中,根据以上活力指标判断,晚吸胀的种子比早吸胀的种子活力高。     

Significance of consensus CYC-binding sites found in the promoters of both ChCYC and ChRAD genes in Chirita heterotricha (Gesneriaceae)

CYC-like genes are widely conserved in controlling floral dorsoventral asymmetry (zygomorphy) through persistent expression in corresponding domains in core eudicots. To understand how CYC-like gene expression is maintained during flower development, we selected Chirita heterotricha as a material and isolated the promoter sequences of the ChCYCIC and ChCYCID genes, homologs of CYC, by inverse polymerase chain reaction. Further promoter analyses led to the identification of a putative cis-regulatory element in each promoter matching the consensus DNA binding site for Antirrhinum CYC protein: GGCCCCTC at-165 for ChCYC1C, and GGCCCCCC at-163 for ChCYCID. This indicates that both the ChCYCIC and ChCYC1D genes have probably evolved autoregulatory loops to sustain their expression in developing flowers. We also isolated the coding and promoter sequences of the ChRAD gene, a homolog of Antirrhinum RAD. Promoter analysis showed that the ChRAD gene promoter also contained a putative CYC-binding site (GGCCCAC at -134). Therefore, ChRAD is likely a direct target of the ChCYC1 genes, which is similar to Antirrhinum RAD. These results imply that the establishment of floral zygomorphy in Chirita may have been achieved by the evolution of an autoregulatory loop for CYC-like genes,which was probably accompanied by simultaneous co-option of the RAD-like gene into their regulatory network.     

中国洞穴甲壳动物多样性及其对洞穴环境的适应性

简要阐述了洞穴环境的研究现状以及洞穴动物的生态特征,初步探讨了中国洞穴甲壳动物的形成过程、多样性、地理分布以及对洞穴环境的适应性。截止到2008年10月,我国已记录的洞穴甲壳动物(主要指十足目虾类和端足目钩虾类)共有33种,分别隶属6科10属,主要分布在贵州省、广西省等喀斯特洞穴密集地区。洞穴甲壳动物由于长期生活在洞穴的黑暗带,食物匮乏,水温恒定,CO2浓度过高,且O2浓度相对较少的环境中,其在形态结构、消化系统、生理及行为等方面逐渐表现出与地表甲壳动物不同的适应性特征。如:眼缺失、体无色、触角和附肢显著增长、新陈代谢减慢、代谢率小,昼夜节律降低,不能调节体温,生活步调放慢,寿命长,发育周期长等。     

土壤干旱胁迫对黄栌叶片光合作用的影响

采用CIRAS-2型便携式光合作用系统,设置充足供水、轻度、中度和重度胁迫4种土壤水分处理,研究土壤干旱和强光胁迫对3年生黄栌苗木叶片光合作用的影响.结果表明:土壤干旱胁迫对黄栌叶片的光合性能参数影响显著,随着土壤水分胁迫的加剧,黄栌叶片的光合速率、蒸腾速率和光量子效率明显降低,光补偿点增高,水分利用效率在轻度水分胁迫(土壤相对含水量60%～65%)下最高;在强光(有效辐射强度1000～1800μmol.m-2.s-1)范围内,叶片光合速率和水分利用效率均较高,而对弱光的光能吸收和光量子效率较低,并随土壤水分胁迫加剧明显下降.     

名山河流域水稻土组分对微团聚体吸附-解吸锌的影响

通过模拟-培养试验和选择溶解法,研究了四川省名山河流域水稻土各土壤组分对原土和不同粒径微团聚体吸附解吸Zn2+能力的影响.结果表明:原土和不同粒径微团聚体对Zn2+的吸附与有机质、游离氧化铁、无定形氧化铁、阳离子交换量(CEC)含量极显著相关,原土去除各土壤组分前后对Zn2+的吸附均用Freundlich方程拟合最佳,对Zn2+的吸附能力大小顺序为:小于0.002mm0.25～2mm原土0.002～0.053mm0.053～0.25mm.与未去除土壤组分相比,去除土壤组分的原土和微团聚体对Zn2+的吸附量均有一定程度的减小,吸附量的减小以0.002mm粒径最高,0.25～0.053mm粒径最低,原土介于各微团聚体中间.去除有机质后,0.002mm、0.053～0.25mm和原土吸附Zn2+的减少量依次为39.56%±1.97%、26.68%±4.21%和36.39%±2.31%;去除游离氧化铁后,吸附Zn2+的减少量依次为30.41%±1.91%、20.14%±3.33%和28.73%±1.22%;去除无定形氧化铁后,吸附Zn2+的减少量依次为22.12%±1.27%、12.43%±2.11%和20.15%±2.62%.吸附减少量大小顺序为:去除有机质去除游离氧化铁去除无定形氧化铁,不同处理间差异极显著.去除各土壤组分后,原土和各粒径微团聚体对Zn2+的非专性吸附量显著上升,增加了Zn2+在土壤中的流动性;而专性吸附量降低,降低了原土和各粒径微团聚体对Zn2+的缓冲能力和固持能力.     

柴胡及体细胞杂种愈伤组织酯酶同工酶技术的优化

为解决柴胡及其体细胞杂种愈伤组织中次生代谢物多,同工酶粗提液粘稠、杂质多且呈混浊态,同工酶电泳谱带不清晰及易拖尾的问题,通过增加离心次数、调整酶粗提液上样体积等方法,得到了理想的酯酶同工酶电泳谱带。该法广泛适用于其它植物的同工酶聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳分析。