Transgenic hybrid aspen overexpressing the Atwbc19 gene encoding an ATP-binding cassette transporter confers resistance to four aminoglycoside antibiotics

Antibiotic-resistance genes of bacterial origin are invaluable markers for plant genetic engineering. However, these genes are feared to pose possible risk to human health by horizontal gene transfer from transgenic plants to bacteria, potentially resulting in antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacteria; this is a considerable regulatory concern in some countries. The Atwbc19 gene, encoding an Arabidopsis thaliana ATP-binding cassette transporter, has been reported to confer resistance to kanamycin specifically as an alternative to bacterial antibiotic-resistance genes. In this report, we transformed hybrid aspen (Populus canescens × P. grandidentata) with the Atwbc19 gene. Unlike Atwbc19-transgenic tobacco that was only resistant to kanamycin, the transgenic Populus plants also showed resistance to three other aminoglycoside antibiotics (neomycin, geneticin, and paromomycin) at comparable levels to plants containing a CaMV35S-nptII cassette. Although it is unknown why the transgenic Populus with the Atwbc19 gene is resistant to all aminoglycoside antibiotics tested, the broad utility of the Atwbc19 gene as a reporter gene is confirmed here in a second dicot species. Because the Atwbc19 gene is plant-ubiquitous, it might serve as an alternative selectable marker to current bacterial antibiotic-resistance marker genes and alleviate the potential risk for horizontal transfer of bacterial-resistance genes in transgenic plants.     

巨噬源性泡沫细胞形成过程中的机理研究及其进展

巨噬源性泡沫细胞的形成是动脉粥样病变的关键环节,清道夫受体与胆固醇代谢相关受体在此过程中发挥极其重要的作用。下面就泡沫细胞形成过程中的关键因素及机理做如下综述,并探讨通过调节这些潜在因素和机理,开发靶向药物治疗方法,有效抑制动脉粥样硬化的发生发展。     

Mineral‐hosted biofilm communities in the continental deep subsurface,Deep Mine Microbial Observatory,SD, USA

Deep subsurface biofilms are estimated to host the majority of prokaryotic life on Earth, yet fundamental aspects of their ecology remain unknown. An inherent difficulty in studying subsurface biofilms is that of sample acquisition. While samples from marine and terrestrial deep subsurface fluids have revealed abundant and diverse microbial life, limited work has described the corresponding biofilms on rock fracture and pore space surfaces. The recently established Deep Mine Microbial Observatory (DeMMO) is a long‐term monitoring network at which we can explore the ecological role of biofilms in fluid‐filled fractures to depths of 1.5 km. We carried out in situ cultivation experiments with single minerals representative of DeMMO host rock to explore the ecological drivers of biodiversity and biomass in biofilm communities in the continental subsurface. Coupling cell densities to thermodynamic models of putative metabolic reactions with minerals suggests a metabolic relationship between biofilms and the minerals they colonize. Our findings indicate that minerals can significantly enhance biofilm cell densities and promote selective colonization by taxa putatively capable of extracellular electron transfer. In turn, minerals can drive significant differences in biodiversity between fluid and biofilm communities. Given our findings at DeMMO, we suggest that host rock mineralogy is an important ecological driver in deep continental biospheres.     

桔梗多糖的提取与纯化

中药桔梗饮片经水浸提、乙醇分步沉淀,获得乙醇终浓度60%和80%的两个粗多糖组分,分别命名为PPS60和PPS80。经Molish反应、Fehling试剂反应呈阳性,碘-碘化钾反应呈阴性,说明PPS60和PPS80中均含有多糖和还原糖,但不含有淀粉。运用苯酚-硫酸法测得PPS60和PPS80的总糖含量分别为82.25%和84.17%;3,5-二硝基水杨酸（DNS）法测得还原糖含量分别为6.21%和8.05%。PPS60和PPS80经过Sevage法除蛋白、透析、浓缩和Sephrose 6B凝胶柱层析获得两个单一组分。这些结果为进一步研究桔梗多糖奠定了基础。     

The COBRA gene family in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Populus</Emphasis> and gene expression in vegetative organs and in response to hormones and environmental stresses

COBRA proteins have been shown to be involved in both cell wall expansion and/or cellulose deposition. In this paper, we analyzed all 18 COBRA genes (PtCOBRA) from the completely sequenced Populus trichocarpa genome. The 14-member PtCOBRA subfamily I proteins have high similarities to the Arabidopsis (At) COB subfamily, and members with full length sequences were predicted to possess significant potentials for a GPI-anchor site. The 4-member PtCOBRA subfamily II proteins are 45% longer than subfamily I proteins and lack ω-attachment sites at the C terminus, and are more similar to AtCOBL7 subfamily. The expression of the Populus COBRA family genes were regulated in a tissue-specific manner, and were shown to also respond differentially to inductions of hormones and environmental stimuli which affect plant cell expansion. The high levels of expressions, particularly in shoot tip and young root organs, suggests that at least some Populus COBRA genes are likely involved in regulating cell expansion.