涡度相关观测的能量闭合状况及其对农田蒸散测定的影响

涡度相关法被认为是测定农田蒸散量的标准方法。然而,能量不闭合现象在涡度相关测量中普遍存在。分析能量不闭合对涡度相关观测的影响,对于提高涡度相关观测精度具有重要意义。以蒸渗仪法为参照,探讨涡度相关观测的能量闭合状况对农田蒸散测定的影响,在导致涡度相关观测能量不闭合的诸多因素中,寻找对蒸散测定有影响的因素。结果表明:涡度相关观测的白天能量平衡比率(EBR)呈秋冬高、春夏低的变化特征,麦季日均EBR范围在0.26—2.84之间,平均1.15;玉米季日均EBR范围在0.19—2.59之间,平均0.78。无论麦季或玉米季,涡度相关法测定的平均蒸散量(ETec)均明显低于蒸渗仪法观测值(ETL),但两者显著相关(P<0.01),并有相似的季节变化。平均蒸散比(ETec/ETL)麦季约为0.61,玉米季约为0.50。在冬小麦田和夏玉米田,ETec/ETL均与EBR显著相关(P<0.01)。麦田种植密度大,下垫面较均匀,蒸散比与EBR成正比(P<0.01),且不受叶面积指数(LAI)大小影响;反之,玉米田种植密度小,只有当LAI>1,下垫面变得较均匀后,蒸散比与EBR的关系才变得显著(P<0.01)。风速小时ETec/ETL与EBR显著相关,风速增加时二者相关性减弱。尤其在玉米田,当摩擦风速(u*)大于0.3 m/s时,ETec/ETL与EBR的相关性不再显著。风速小时,大气湍流微弱,湍流的涡旋较大。在有限的观测时段(0.5h)内,涡度相关仪的传感器难以捕捉足够的湍涡能量,所测湍流能量偏低,导致能量不闭合。以上结果为应用能量平衡比率校正农田蒸散提供了可能途径。     

PSMD: An extensive database for pan‐species microsatellite investigation and marker development

Microsatellites are widely distributed throughout nearly all genomes which have been extensively exploited as powerful genetic markers for diverse applications due to their high polymorphisms. Their length variations are involved in gene regulation and implicated in numerous genetic diseases even in cancers. Although much effort has been devoted in microsatellite database construction, the existing microsatellite databases still had some drawbacks, such as limited number of species, unfriendly export format, missing marker development, lack of compound microsatellites and absence of gene annotation, which seriously restricted researchers to perform downstream analysis. In order to overcome the above limitations, we developed PSMD (Pan‐Species Microsatellite Database, http://big.cdu.edu.cn/psmd/ ) as a web‐based database to facilitate researchers to easily identify microsatellites, exploit reliable molecular markers and compare microsatellite distribution pattern on genome‐wide scale. In current release, PSMD comprises 678,106,741 perfect microsatellites and 43,848,943 compound microsatellites from 18,408 organisms, which covered almost all species with available genomic data. In addition to interactive browse interface, PSMD also offers a flexible filter function for users to quickly gain desired microsatellites from large data sets. PSMD allows users to export GFF3 formatted file and CSV formatted statistical file for downstream analysis. We also implemented an online tool for analysing occurrence of microsatellites with user‐defined parameters. Furthermore, Primer3 was embedded to help users to design high‐quality primers with customizable settings. To our knowledge, PSMD is the most extensive resource which is likely to be adopted by scientists engaged in biological, medical, environmental and agricultural research.     

An isoform of GTPase regulator DOCK4 localizes to the stereocilia in the inner ear and binds to harmonin (USH1C)

The driving forces for the regulation of cell morphology are the Rho family GTPases that coordinate the assembly of the actin cytoskeleton. This dynamic feature is a result of tight coupling between the cytoskeleton and signal transduction and is facilitated by actin-binding proteins (ABPs). Mutations in the actin bundling and PDZ domain-containing protein harmonin are the causes of Usher syndrome type 1C (USH1C), a syndrome of congenital deafness and progressive blindness, as well as certain forms of non-syndromic deafness. Here, we have used the yeast two-hybrid assay to isolate molecular partners of harmonin and identified DOCK4, an unconventional guanine exchange factor for the Rho family of guanosine triphosphatases (Rho GEF GTPases), as a protein interacting with harmonin. Detailed molecular analysis revealed that a novel DOCK4 isoform (DOCK4-Ex49) is expressed in the brain, eye and inner ear tissues. We have further provided evidence that the DOCK4-Ex49 binds to nucleotide free Rac as effectively as DOCK2 and DOCK4 and it is a potent Rac activator. By immunostaining using a peptide antibody specific to DOCK4-Ex49, we showed its localization in the inner ear within the hair bundles along the stereocilia (SC). Together, our data indicate a possible Rac-DOCK4-ABP harmonin-activated signaling pathway in regulating actin cytoskeleton organization in stereocilia.     

The cell agglutination agent, phytohemagglutinin-L, improves the efficiency of somatic nuclear transfer cloning in cattle (Bos taurus)

One of the several factors that contribute to the low efficiency of mammalian somatic cloning is poor fusion between the small somatic donor cell and the large recipient oocyte. This study was designed to test phytohemagglutinin (PHA) agglutination activity on fusion rate, and subsequent developmental potential of cloned bovine embryos. The toxicity of PHA was established by examining its effects on the development of parthenogenetic bovine oocytes treated with different doses (Experiment 1), and for different durations (Experiment 2). The effective dose and duration of PHA treatment (150 microg/mL, 20 min incubation) was selected and used to compare membrane fusion efficiency and embryo development following somatic cell nuclear transfer (Experiment 3). Cloning with somatic donor fibroblasts versus cumulus cells was also compared, both with and without PHA treatment (150 microg/mL, 20 min). Fusion rate of nuclear donor fibroblasts, after phytohemagglutinin treatment, was increased from 33 to 61% (P < 0.05), and from 59 to 88% (P < 0.05) with cumulus cell nuclear donors. The nuclear transfer (NT) efficiency per oocyte used was improved following PHA treatment, for both fibroblast (13% versus 22%) as well as cumulus cells (17% versus 34%; P < 0.05). The cloned embryos, both with and without PHA treatment, were subjected to vitrification and embryo transfer testing, and resulted in similar survival (approximately 90% hatching) and pregnancy rates (17-25%). Three calves were born following vitrification and embryo transfer of these embryos; two from the PHA-treated group, and one from non-PHA control group. We concluded that PHA treatment significantly improved the fusion efficiency of somatic NT in cattle, and therefore, increased the development of cloned blastocysts. Furthermore, within a determined range of dose and duration, PHA had no detrimental effect on embryo survival post-vitrification, nor on pregnancy or calving rates following embryo transfer.     

Clonality analysis of archival cervical smears. Correlation of monoclonality with grade and clinical behavior of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

OBJECTIVE: To establish a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based clonality assay for archival cervical smears and examine its value in the detection of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and prediction of its clinical behavior. STUDY DESIGN: Dyskaryotic cells were microdissected from archival cervical smears of 33 cases and subjected to PCR-based clonality analysis of the androgen receptor gene. High-risk HPV subtypes were screened by PCR. RESULTS: Monoclonal patterns were found in 9/9 CIN 3 and 15/21 CIN 2, while polyclonal patterns were observed in the remaining 6 CIN 2 and 3/3 CIN 1. All patients with monoclonal CIN lesions, including 15 CIN 2, showed recurrence of the disease despite treatment. The original CIN 2 and recurrent CIN lesion in each of the 6 examined cases showed the same monoclonal pattern, suggesting a clonal link. In contrast, the patients with polyclonal CIN 1 or 2 became negative and remained disease free. High-risk HPV subtypes were found in all monoclonal CIN lesions, including 9 CIN 3 and 15 CIN 2, and in 4/6 polyclonal CIN 2 but not in CIN 1 lesions. CONCLUSION: Clonality analysis of cervical smears is potentially valuable in the identification of true neoplastic cells and prediction of clinical behavior of CIN 2 lesions.     

Apple Sucrose Transporter SUT1 and Sorbitol Transporter SOT6 Interact with Cytochrome b5 to Regulate Their Affinity for Substrate Sugars

Sugar transporters are central machineries to mediate cross-membrane transport of sugars into the cells, and sugar availability may serve as a signal to regulate the sugar transporters. However, the mechanisms of sugar transport regulation by signal sugar availability remain unclear in plant and animal cells. Here, we report that a sucrose transporter, MdSUT1, and a sorbitol transporter, MdSOT6, both localized to plasma membrane, were identified from apple (Malus domestica) fruit. Using a combination of the split-ubiquitin yeast two-hybrid, immunocoprecipitation, and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays, the two distinct sugar transporters were shown to interact physically with an apple endoplasmic reticulum-anchored cytochrome b5 MdCYB5 in vitro and in vivo. In the yeast systems, the two different interaction complexes function to up-regulate the affinity of the sugar transporters, allowing cells to adapt to sugar starvation. An Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) homolog of MdCYB5, AtCYB5-A, also interacts with the two sugar transporters and functions similarly. The point mutations leucine-73 → proline in MdSUT1 and leucine-117 → proline in MdSOT6, disrupting the bimolecular interactions but without significantly affecting the transporter activities, abolish the stimulating effects of the sugar transporter-cytochrome b5 complex on the affinity of the sugar transporters. However, the yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) cytochrome b5 ScCYB5, an additional interacting partner of the two plant sugar transporters, has no function in the regulation of the sugar transporters, indicating that the observed biological functions in the yeast systems are specific to plant cytochrome b5s. These findings suggest a novel mechanism by which the plant cells tailor sugar uptake to the surrounding sugar availability.     

6个线粒体脑肌病伴高乳酸血症和卒中样发作综合征(MELAS)家系先证者线粒体基因全序列比较分析

线粒体脑肌病伴高乳酸血症和卒中样发作综合征(Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes, MELAS)是一种异质性很强的遗传代谢性疾病,而位于tRNA ^Leu(UUR)基因的A3243G突变是该疾病最常见的致病位点。文章对6个汉族MELAS家系的先证者进行了临床病理、分子遗传学特征分析,探讨了线粒体基因多态性对MELAS病人表型可能产生的影响。线粒体基因检测结果显示,4例先证者为A3243G阳性,其异质性比例介于29%~59%之间,临床症状的严重性和异质性程度大致呈正相关;2例MELAS/Leigh叠加综合征先证者为A3243G阴性,复发次数和严重程度重于其他4例先证者,其中1例先证者的血液和肌肉组织中发现ND5基因T13094C突变,该位点已报道与MELAS/Leigh叠加综合征、小脑共济失调相关。另外,线粒体基因全序列测序结果显示：除主要致病突变外,还存在多个与耳聋、癫痫、糖尿病、心肌病、Leigh综合征相关的线粒体基因多态位点,临床症状严重的患者其多态位点也更多。这表明MELAS综合征的复杂表型不仅受致病突变位点的直接影响,也可能受到其他与疾病相关的多态性位点的修饰作用。     

The Hippo–YAP pathway regulates the proliferation of alveolar epithelial progenitors after acute lung injury

Regeneration of pulmonary epithelial cells plays an important role in the recovery of acute lung injury (ALI), which is defined by pulmonary epithelial cell death. However, the mechanism of the regenerative capacity of alveolar epithelial cells is unknown. Using a lung injury mouse model induced by hemorrhagic shock and lipopolysaccharide, a protein mass spectrometry‐based high‐throughput screening and linage tracing technology to mark alveolar epithelial type 2 cells (AEC2s), we analyzed the mechanism of alveolar epithelial cells proliferation. We demonstrated that the expression of Hippo‐yes‐associated protein 1 (YAP1) key proteins were highly consistent with the regularity of the proliferation of alveolar epithelial type 2 cells after ALI. Furthermore, the results showed that YAP1+ cells in lung tissue after ALI were mainly Sftpc lineage‐labeled AEC2s. An in vitro proliferation assay of AEC2s demonstrated that AEC2 proliferation was significantly inhibited by both YAP1 small interfering RNA and Hippo inhibitor. These findings revealed that YAP functioned as a key regulator to promote AEC2s proliferation, with the Hippo signaling pathway playing a pivotal role in this process.