Polymorphisms of 5,10-methylenetetralydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), fruit and vegetable intake, and the risk of stomach cancer

Stomach cancer is a serious public health problem in China. 5,10-Methylenetetralydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) may be involved in both DNA methylation and DNA synthesis. Folate deficiency is associated with cancer risk that may be modulated by a genetic variation in the MTHFR gene in folate metabolism. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the association between polymorphisms of the MTHFR gene and the risk of stomach cancer. This study also explored the modification effects of fruit and vegetable intake (one of the main constituents is folate) on the risk of this disease. A population-based case-control study was conducted in Taixing, China, consisting of 206 newly diagnosed cases with primary stomach cancer and 415 healthy population controls. Polymorphisms of MTHFR C677T and A1298C were assayed by polymerase chain reaction-restricted fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) techniques. The data were analysed using the logistic regression model. No obvious association between the MTHFR A1298C polymorphism and the risk of stomach cancer was observed in this study. The frequencies of 677 C/C, C/T, and T/T were 34.5, 50.9, and 14.6%, respectively, in controls. The frequency of the MTHFR 677 wild homozygotic genotype was 25.8% in cases, which was lower than that in controls (34.5%). The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for the MTHFR 677 any T genotype was 2.05 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.26-3.34) when compared with the C/C genotype. In the low fruit and vegetable intake group an increasing trend was observed with the T allele exposure, p=0.0056. The adjusted ORs were 1.68 (95% CI = 0.86-3.29) for the C/T genotype and 3.58 (95% CI = 1.46-8.75) for the T/T genotype, respectively. The MTHFR 677 any T genotype was associated with an increased risk of primary stomach cancer among the Chinese population. Folate deficiency might modify the MTHFR gene polymorphism and influence the risk of stomach cancer.     

果蝇原生殖细胞特化的分子机制

原生殖细胞在许多有性生殖动物的胚胎发育早期就已特化出来,并进一步分化为生殖细胞以产生新的子代。动物原生殖细胞的特化主要有生殖质决定和诱导两种模式,果蝇原生殖细胞的特化模式属于前者。研究表明,果蝇原生殖细胞特化过程中生殖质组装的关键基因是osk,其调控下游基因转录产物的定位和翻译,如vas和tud。此外,基因转录沉默是原生殖细胞特化过程的一个重要特征,其与生殖质中的成分如基因nos、gcl、pgc的表达产物密切相关。现对果蝇原生殖细胞特化分子机制进行综述。     

乐至黑山羊PRLR基因外显子10多态性与产羔数的关系研究

设计2对特异性引物对乐至黑山羊PRLR基因第10外显子进行了PCR-SSCP检测,并研究该基因与产子性能的相关性。结果表明,P1引物扩增片段不存在多态性;P2引物扩增片段存在多态性,表现为AA,AB,AD和CD 4种基因型,测序结果表明,4种基因型都在该片段第89、94、146和157位存在C→T、A→C、C→G、G→C的突变;此外AA型还在61位发生C→T的突变;AD型还在175位发生A→G的突变;CD型还在24位发生T→C的突变,96位发生C→T的突变,通过统计分析发现AD型平均产羔数优于其他3种基因型,并且与AB型差异达到显著水平(P<0.05)。因此认为PRLR基因对于乐至黑山羊产子性能有一定的影响。     

Chemical and biological approaches synergize to ameliorate protein-folding diseases

Loss-of-function diseases are often caused by a mutation in a protein traversing the secretory pathway that compromises the normal balance between protein folding, trafficking, and degradation. We demonstrate that the innate cellular protein homeostasis, or proteostasis, capacity can be enhanced to fold mutated enzymes that would otherwise misfold and be degraded, using small molecule proteostasis regulators. Two proteostasis regulators are reported that alter the composition of the proteostasis network in the endoplasmic reticulum through the unfolded protein response, increasing the mutant folded protein concentration that can engage the trafficking machinery, restoring function to two nonhomologous mutant enzymes associated with distinct lysosomal storage diseases. Coapplication of a pharmacologic chaperone and a proteostasis regulator exhibits synergy because of the former's ability to further increase the concentration of trafficking-competent mutant folded enzymes. It may be possible to ameliorate loss-of-function diseases by using proteostasis regulators alone or in combination with a pharmacologic chaperone.     

ADP核糖基化因子的结构及其功能机制

ADP核糖基化因子(ADP-ribosylation factor,ARF)是Ras基因超家族的成员,它们是大小约20kDa的鸟嘌呤核苷酸结合蛋白。ARF最初发现作为霍乱毒素ADP-核糖转移酶的辅助因子共同作用于G蛋白α亚基,促使其ADP-核糖基化。近来人们发现ARF还参与囊泡运输、调节磷脂酶D的活性,在细胞内物质运输和信号转导过程中具有更加重要的生理功能。现就ARF的发现、分类、结构和功能、表达以及生理功能作一综述。     

4D和4R对小麦三种同工酶合成的影响

利用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳对小麦品种天选15号、天选15号—4D缺体,黑麦品种德国白粒及利用“缺体回交法”培育的小麦(4D)一黑麦(4R)异代换系幼苗的过氧化物酶同工酶、细胞色素氧化酶同工酶及酯酶同工酶进行了研究,结果表明4D染色体对小麦的一种过氧化物酶同工酶和一种细胞色素氧化酶同工酶量的合成具有控制作用,在小麦4D缺体的遗传背景下,黑麦4R染色体能够补偿由于4D缺失引起的这两种同工酶合成降低的效应。4D对小麦幼苗期酯酶同工酶的合成没有明显的作用,4R在小麦4D缺体遗传背景下对酯酶同工酶的合成也没有明显的影响     

RBM46 is essential for gametogenesis and functions in post-transcriptional roles affecting meiotic cohesin subunits

RBM46 is a germ cell-specific RNA-binding protein required for gametogenesis, but the targets and molecular functions of RBM46 remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that RBM46 binds at specific motifs in the 3ʹUTRs of mRNAs encoding multiple meiotic cohesin subunits and show that RBM46 is required for normal synaptonemal complex formation during meiosis initiation. Using a recently reported, high-resolution technique known as LACE-seq and working with low-input cells, we profiled the targets of RBM46 at single-nucleotide resolution in leptotene and zygotene stage gametes. We found that RBM46 preferentially binds target mRNAs containing GCCUAU/GUUCGA motifs in their 3ʹUTRs regions. In Rbm46 knockout mice, the RBM46-target cohesin subunits displayed unaltered mRNA levels but had reduced translation, resulting in the failed assembly of axial elements, synapsis disruption, and meiotic arrest. Our study thus provides mechanistic insights into the molecular functions of RBM46 in gametogenesis and illustrates the power of LACE-seq for investigations of RNA-binding protein functions when working with low-abundance input materials.     

Hemin with Peroxidase Activity Can Inhibit the Oxidative Damage Induced by Ultraviolet A

Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), a highly reactive substance that contains oxygen, induced by ultraviolet A (UVA) cause oxidative damage to skin. We confirmed that hemin can catalyze the reaction of tyrosine (Tyr) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Catalysis was found to effectively reduce or eliminate oxidative damage to cells induced by H₂O₂ or UVA. The scavenging effects of hemin for other free-radical ROS were also evaluated through pyrogallol autoxidation, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH·)-scavenging assays, and phenanthroline–Fe²⁺ assays. The results show that a mixture of hemin and tyrosine exhibits strong scavenging activities for H₂O₂, superoxide anion (O₂⁻·), DPPH·, and the hydroxyl radical (·OH). Furthermore, the inhibition of oxidative damage to human skin keratinocyte (HaCaT) cells induced by H₂O₂ or UVA was evaluated. The results show that catalysis can significantly reduce the ratio of cell apoptosis and death and inhibit the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), as well as accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA). Furthermore, the resistance to apoptosis was found to be enhanced. These results show that the mixture of hemin and tyrosine has a significantly protective effect against oxidative damage to HaCaT cells caused by UVA, suggesting it as a protective agent for combating UVA damage.