Revisiting marine redox conditions during the Ediacaran Shuram carbon isotope excursion

The Neoproterozoic carbonate record contains multiple carbon isotope anomalies, which are the subject of intense debate. The largest of these anomalies, the Shuram excursion (SE), occurred in the mid-Ediacaran (~574–567 Ma). Accurately reconstructing marine redox landscape is a clear path toward making sense of the mechanism that drives this δ¹³C anomaly. Here, we report new uranium isotopic data from the shallow-marine carbonates of the Wonoka Formation, Flinders Ranges, South Australia, where the SE is well preserved. Our data indicate that the δ²³⁸U trend during the SE is highly reproducible across globally disparate sections from different depositional settings. Previously, it was proposed that the positive shift of δ²³⁸U values during the SE suggests an extensive, near-modern level of marine oxygenation. However, recent publications suggest that the fractionation of uranium isotopes in ferruginous and anoxic conditions is comparable, opening up the possibility of non-unique interpretations of the carbonate uranium isotopic record. Here, we build on this idea by investigating the SE in conjunction with additional geochemical proxies. Using a revised uranium isotope mass balance model and an inverse stochastic carbon cycle model, we reevaluate models for δ¹³C and δ²³⁸U trends during the SE. We suggest that global seawater δ²³⁸U values during the SE could be explained by an expansion of ferruginous conditions and do not require a near-modern level of oxygenation during the mid-Ediacaran.     

肌醇磷脂信号组分调节花粉发育和花粉管生长的研究进展

肌醇磷脂信号系统以肌醇磷脂代谢循环为基础, 由多种磷酸磷脂酰肌醇分子和多磷酸肌醇分子及催化代谢的磷脂酶、激酶组成。该信号系统参与调节动、植物细胞生长发育及应答环境刺激等多种生理过程。花粉发育和花粉管的生长是植物有性生殖的基础, 肌醇磷脂信号系统中多种组分参与其生理过程的调节。该文综述了植物肌醇磷脂信号系统中各组分的相互关系, 以及相关组分调节花粉发育和花粉管生长生理过程的研究进展。     

Determination of hippuric acid in human urine by ion chromatography with conductivity detection

A simple, rapid, precise and eco-friendly ion chromatography (IC) method for the determination of hippuric acid (HA) in human urine was proposed in this paper. The separation was carried out an anion exchange column with 2.0 mmol L^?1 Na₂CO₃ + 2.0 mmol L^?1 NaHCO₃ as mobile phase at the flow-rate 0.7 mL min^?1. A suppressed conductivity detector was used and the detection limit was 1.0 μg L^?1(S/N = 3) for hippuric acid. The analysis time for one run was 30 min under the optimized IC condition. The recovery of hippuric acid was 93.2–98.0% while the relative standard deviation (RSD) was 1.4–2.3% by seven measurements.     

MicroRNA In situ Hybridization for Formalin Fixed Kidney Tissues

In this article we describe a method for colorimetric detection of miRNA in the kidney through in situ hybridization with digoxigenin tagged microRNA probes. This protocol, originally developed by Kloosterman and colleagues for broad use with Exiqon miRNA probes¹, has been modified to overcome challenges inherent in miRNA analysis in kidney tissues. These include issues such as structure identification and hard to remove residual probe and antibody. Use of relatively thin, 5 mm thick, tissue sections allowed for clear visualization of kidney structures, while a strong probe signal was retained in cells. Additionally, probe concentration and incubation conditions were optimized to facilitate visualization of microRNA expression with low background and nonspecific signal. Here, the optimized protocol is described, covering the initial tissue collection and preparation through the mounting of slides at the end of the procedure. The basic components of this protocol can be altered for application to other tissues and cell culture models.     

植物膜联蛋白的结构及功能研究进展

膜联蛋白是一类同源的水溶性多功能蛋白,可以在依赖和不依赖Ca²⁺的环境下与内膜和质膜结合或形成跨膜结构,存在于部分原核生物以及全部的真核生物中,在大多数高等生物中以多基因家族形式存在。植物膜联蛋白在结构上通常只有第1和第4个重复单元是保守的;在功能上可以与细胞骨架结合,具有过氧化物酶活性、核酸水解酶活性和离子通道功能,参与响应盐、干旱、高低温、重金属、损伤等非生物胁迫以及真菌、病虫害等生物胁迫。膜联蛋白基因在植物体的大部分器官及整个生育期均有表达,并且表达量随着植株发育和内外环境的改变而变化,在植物的抗逆性反应中起重要作用。该文对近年来国内外有关植物膜联蛋白的结构和功能,尤其是其在植物逆境生理方面的相关研究进行综述,以期为植物膜联蛋白的深入研究和植物抗逆研究提供思路。     

Narrowing a region on rat chromosome 13 that protects against hypertension in Dahl SS-13BN congenic strains

Transfer of chromosome 13 from the Brown Norway (BN) rat onto the Dahl salt-sensitive (SS) genetic background attenuates the development of hypertension, but the genes involved remain to be identified. The purpose of the present study was to confirm by telemetry that a congenic strain [SS.BN-(D13Hmgc37-D13Got22)/Mcwi, line 5], carrying a 13.4-Mb segment of BN chromosome 13 from position 32.4 to 45.8 Mb, is protected from the development of hypertension and then to narrow the region of interest by creating and phenotyping 11 additional subcongenic strains. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) rose from 118 ± 1 to 186 ± 5 mmHg in SS rats fed a high-salt diet (8.0% NaCl) for 3 wk. Protein excretion increased from 56 ± 11 to 365 ± 37 mg/day. In contrast, MAP only increased to 152 ± 9 mmHg in the line 5 congenic strain. Six subcongenic strains carrying segments of BN chromosome 13 from 32.4 and 38.2 Mb and from 39.9 to 45.8 Mb were not protected from the development of hypertension. In contrast, MAP was reduced by ～30 mmHg in five strains, carrying a 1.9-Mb common segment of BN chromosome 13 from 38.5 to 40.4 Mb. Proteinuria was reduced by ～50% in these strains. Sequencing studies did not identify any nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms in the coding region of the genes in this region. RT-PCR studies indicated that 4 of the 13 genes in this region were differentially expressed in the kidney of two subcongenic strains that were partially protected from hypertension vs. those that were not. These results narrow the region of interest on chromosome 13 from 13.4 Mb (159 genes) to a 1.9-Mb segment containing only 13 genes, of which 4 are differentially expressed in strains partially protected from the development of hypertension.