The defense-related STH-2 gene product of potato shows race-specific accumulation after inoculation with low concentrations of Phytophthora infestans zoospores

The defense-related STH-2 gene is rapidly activated following infection or elicitor treatment of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers. However, its physiological or biochemical function is unknown. To study the STH-2 gene product and its accumulation during the defense response, we raised antibodies to a β-galactosidase-STH-2 fusion protein in Escherichia coli. The antiserum specifically recognized a protein of the predicted 17-kDa size in extracts of elicited tuber disks when analyzed by Western blot. In control extracts this band was not detected. The accumulation of STH-2 protein in response to incompatible and compatible zoospores of Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary depended on the inoculum density applied. Whereas a low concentration of spores induced accumulation of STH-2 protein faster in the incompatible than the compatible interaction, this difference in timing was less pronounced at higher inoculum densities. Inoculation with a high concentration of compatible spores also resulted in the disappearance of STH-2 protein late during the infection. In both control and induced tuber tissue the antibody strongly reacted with an unknown protein of 18 kDa. This protein was present constitutively in tubers, but in leaves its accumulation was stimulated by inoculation with P. infestans.     

Growth and functional activities of neonatal and adult rat hepatocytes cultured on fibronectin coated substratum in serum-free medium

Summary Hepatocytes isolated from neonatal (NN) and adult (AD) rats were seeded on fibronectin coated substratum and cultured in arginine-free medium supplemented with various combinations of insulin, dexamethasone, triiodothyronine (T₃), albumin, and transferrin, in presence or absence of fibronectin depleted serum (FDS). The main finding is that in response to certain hormone mixtures, both NN and AD hepatocytes can be stimulated to proliferate, as revealed by an increase in cell number, a [³H]thymidine incorporation into nuclei, and extractable DNA as well as the appearance of mitotic figures. Moreover, this proliferative activity is associated with changes in hepatocyte ploidy. However, the proliferative response of NN hepatocytes to hormone action is much different from that of AD hepatocytes, and the addition of FDS amplifies this activity in NN but inhibits it in AD hepatocyte cultures. Measurements of tyrosine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase activities indicate a good preservation of NN and AD hepatocyte functional integrity under certain culture conditions. A good maintenance of albumin production in NN and AD hepatocyte cultures requires the presence of dexamethasone, whereas theα-fetoprotein production in NN hepatocyte cultures is reduced quite rapidly under most conditions. Noα-fetoprotein is detectable in AD hepatocyte cultures. Part of this work was presented at the 31st Annual Meeting of the Tissue Culture Association, St. Louis, MO, June 1980.     

The deubiquitinase OTUB1 fosters papillary thyroid carcinoma growth through EYA1 stabilization

Deubiquitinating enzyme OTU domain-containing ubiquitin aldehyde-binding proteins 1 (OTUB1) has been shown to have an essential role in multiple carcinomas. However, the function of OTUB1 in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and the underlying mechanisms regulating PTC cells proliferation remain poorly understood. In this study, OTUB1 was significantly upregulated in papillary thyroid carcinoma tissues and cells. Through in vitro and in vivo experiments, knockdown of OTUB1 suppressed PTC cells growth whereas OTUB1 overexpression enhanced the proliferation ability of PTC cells. Moreover, the eyes absent homologue 1 (EYA1) was recognized as a potential target of OTUB1 through mass spectrometry analysis, and we further verified that EYA1 protein level was positively correlated with OTUB1 expression in PTC cells and clinical samples. Mechanistically, OTUB1 could interact with EYA1 directly and deubiquitinate EYA1 to stabilize it. At last, EYA1 was found to play an essential role in OTUB1-derived PTC cells growth. Overall, our investigation reveals that OTUB1 is a previously unrecognized oncogenic factor in PTC cells proliferation and suggests that OTUB1 might be a novel therapeutic target in PTC.     

|ω|滤波器对光声成像的影响

光声成像结合了组织纯光学成像和组织纯声学成像的优点,是一种很有潜力的无损伤的医学成像技术。本文研究了四种不同的｜ω｜滤波器,即RL滤波器,SL滤波器,改进的SL滤波器和Kwoh-Reed滤波器,利用滤波反投影算法分析了它们对光声图像重建质量的影响,由仿真和实验结果表明,Kwoh-Reed滤波器对强噪音有着很好的抑制作用,能明显的提高图像的对比度。实验所用的光源为YAG激光器,波长为532nm,重复频率为30Hz,脉宽为7ns,探测器为针状的PVDF膜水听器,接收面积的直径为1mm。     

Characterizing dopaminergic neuron vulnerability using genome-wide analysis

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is primarily characterized by the loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the brain. However, little is known about why DA neurons are selectively vulnerable to PD. To identify genes that are associated with DA neuron loss, we screened through 201 wild-caught populations of Drosophila melanogaster as part of the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel. Here, we identify the top-associated genes containing single-nucleotide polymorphisms that render DA neurons vulnerable. These genes were further analyzed by using mutant analysis and tissue-specific knockdown for functional validation. We found that this loss of DA neurons caused progressive locomotor dysfunction in mutants and gene knockdown analysis. The identification of genes associated with the progressive loss of DA neurons should help to uncover factors that render these neurons vulnerable in PD, and possibly develop strategies to make these neurons more resilient.     

The CholecystokininB Receptor Is Coupled to Two Effector Pathways Through Pertussis Toxin-Sensitive and -Insensitive G Proteins

Previous binding studies have suggested the existence of two affinity states for type B cholecystokinin receptors (CCK(B)R), which could correspond to different coupling states of the receptor to G proteins. To test this hypothesis, we have further investigated signal transduction pathways coupled to rat CCK(B)R stably transfected in Chinese hamster ovary cells. We show that CCK(B)R are coupled to two distinct transduction pathways involving two different G proteins, a pertussis toxin-insensitive/phospholipase C pathway leading to the production of inositol phosphate and arachidonic acid, and a pertussis toxin-sensitive/phospholipase A2 pathway leading to the release of arachidonic acid. We further demonstrate that the relative degree of activation of each effector pathway by different specific CCK(B)R agonists is the same, and that a specific CCK(B)R antagonist, RB213, can differentially antagonize the two signal transduction pathways elicited by these agonists. Taken all together, these data could be explained by the recently proposed theory assuming that the receptor can exist in a three-state model in which two active conformations corresponding to the complex formed by the receptor with two different G proteins coexist. According to this model, agonists or antagonists could recognize preferentially either conformation of the activated receptor, leading to variable behavior in a system containing a single receptor type.     

Kinetics of CheY phosphorylation by small molecule phosphodonors.

The chemotaxis response regulator CheY can acquire phosphoryl groups either from its associated autophosphorylating protein kinase, CheA, or from small phosphodonor molecules such as acetyl phosphate. We report a stopped-flow kinetic analysis of CheY phosphorylation by acetyl phosphate. The results show that CheY has a very low affinity for this phosphodonor (K(s)&z.Gt;0.1 M), consistent with the conclusion that, whereas CheY provides catalytic functions for the phosphotransfer reaction, the CheA kinase may act simply to increase the effective phosphodonor concentration at the CheY active site.     

A Preliminary investigation on the Vegetational and Climatic Changes Since 11, 000 Years in Qinghai Lake An Analysis Based on Palynology in Core QH85-14C

Qinghai Lake is the largest inland saline lake in China. it is situated in the northeastern part of the Qinghai Xizang Plateau. This paper is based on the information of the sporo-pollen assemblages of 47 samples from the drill core and surface samples. The general treads of vegetational and climatic changes since 11,000 years B. P. may be subdivided in ascending order as follows: In the first stage which corresponds to zone Ⅰ of the sporo-pollen assemlage, the vegetation during the past of 11,000–10,000 years was represented by a temperate shrub, semi-shrub and steppe, consisting of Chenopodiaceae. Artemisia, Nitraria, Ephedra and Gramineae were predominant. At the same time, some subalpine conifers, Pinus, Picea and Betula, would grow by the side of rivers and lakes, the climate was warmer and wetter than that of the Late Pleistocene. Due to the rising temperature in this zone, the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary might be estimated at about 11,000 years B. P.. The vegetation of the first stage belonges to temperate steppe with a few trees: In the second stage (ZoneⅡ of pollen), the vegetation was characterized by a temperate forest steppe during this period of 10,000 to 8,000 years B. P. Forest area apparently increased and some broadleaf deciduous and need leaf evergretn trees, such as Quercus, Betula, Pinus and Picea, grew by lakes and on mountains. At this time, the climate was warmer and wetter than that of the first stage. In the third stage (Zone Ⅲ) between B,000 and 3,500 years B. P, The vegetation was composed of a temperate mixed broad-leaf deciduous and needle-leaf evtrgreen forest. The needle-leaf evergreen forest consisting of Picea, Pinus, Abies, Betula grew in temperate zone mountains. The climate was relatively warm and wet. The fouth stage (zone IV), the vegetation was dominated by shrub semishrub, dwarf semishrubs, steppe and semi-arbors. Some trees consisting of Betula, Picea, and Pinus decreased in number in the lake regions. Some subalpine cold temperature evergreen trees, such as Abies and picea disappeared from the lake region. This indicated that the climate was warmer and drier during the past 3500–1500 years B. P. than the third zone. In the fifth stage (pollen zone V), the vegetation comprised steppe and desert from 1500 years ago to the present time. Some arborealtrus such as Betula and Pinus were less increased about 500 years B. P. at this time the temperate and wet slightly, rose up. From the above analysis, it is clear that the Qinghai lake region has been confronted with the vegetational and climatic changes since ll,000 years B. P. Therefore, the palynoflora of the Qinghai lake has its significance in Geography and vegetational history.