Insights into circular RNAs: Biogenesis,function and their regulatory roles in cardiovascular disease

As a distinctive member of the noncoding RNA family, circular RNAs (circRNAs) are generated from single-stranded, covalently closed structures and are ubiquitous in mammalian cells and tissues. Due to its atypical circular architecture, it was conventionally deemed insignificant dark matter for a prolonged duration. Nevertheless, studies conducted over the last decade have demonstrated that this abundant, structurally stable and tissue-specific RNA has been increasingly relevant in diverse diseases, including cancer, neurological disorders, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Therefore, regulatory pathways controlled by circRNAs are widely involved in the occurrence and pathological processes of CVDs through their function as miRNA sponges, protein sponges and protein scaffolds. To better understand the role of circRNAs and their complex regulatory networks in CVDs, we summarize current knowledge of their biogenesis and function and the latest research on circRNAs in CVDs, with the hope of paving the way for the identification of promising biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for CVDs.     

Four New C19-Diterpenoid Alkaloids from Aconitum nagarum Stapf

Four new aconitine-type C₁₉-diterpenoid alkaloids, were isolated from the roots of Aconitum nagarum Stapf which were named as nagarutines A–D ( 1–4 ), together with eleven known compounds ( 5–15 ). The structures of the compounds were identified by IR, HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectra. All compounds were tested for the inhibitory effect on LPS induced NO production in RAW 264.7 macrophages, compound 7 showed moderate anti-inflammatory activity effect and Inhibition rate is about 44.50%.     

Frankia菌种保藏

对用4种方法保藏的Frankia菌,进行了培养物存活、形态及其固氮活性的检测.发现在无氮液体培养基中保藏6年的Frankia.菌丝断裂,孢囊不完整.同期经有氮液体保藏的Frankia菌孢囊较完整.冷冻干燥保藏3.5年和砂管保藏8年,孢囊和菌丝均较完整.上述方法保藏的菌种,经活化后均能生长,且具有典型的Frankia菌形态特征和固氮活性.4种方法比较,无氮液体保藏法的菌体细胞生长速度快,固氮活性强,有侵染结瘤能力.     

大麦G－带变动性以及与染色粒的一致性分析

以大麦为材料,进行了Ｇ－带带纹变动性分析以及Ｇ－带与减数分裂粗线期染色粒的比较。有丝分裂早中期至中期两个不同时期Ｇ－带带纹总数减少３６％,染色体组的绝对长度缩短２５％,带数减少的幅度大于染色体长度缩短的幅度。染色体组中每条染色体之间带纹减少的比例不尽相同,变幅在０．２９－０．５０之间。不同染色体绝对长度减少的幅度在０．２７－３．７０μ之间。从早中期至中期,每单位染色体绝对长度带数具相对减少的趋势。选择第６染色体进行的比较显示,减数分裂的染色粒与有丝分裂的Ｇ－带带纹之间具有很好的对应关系,Ｇ－带带纹和染色粒间的数目、位置和着色程度上都具一致性。对Ｇ－带性质和植物中Ｇ－带的应用等问题进行了讨论。     

Characterization of a 46 kda insect chitinase from transgenic tobacco

A 46 kDa Manduca sexta (tobacco hornworm) chitinase was isolated from leaves of transgenic tobacco plants containing a recombinant insect chitinase cDNA, characterized, and tested for insecticidal activity. The enzyme was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation, Q-Sepharose anion-exchange chromatography and mono-S cation-exchange chromatography. Although the gene for the chitinase encoded the 85 kDa full-length chitinase as previously reported by Kramer et al. [Insect Biochem. Molec. Biol. 23, 691–701 (1993)], the enzyme is produced in tobacco as a 46 kDa protein that is approximately four-fold less active than the 85 kDa chitinase. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the 46 kDa chitinase is identical to that of the 85 kDa chitinase. The former enzyme is not glycosylated, whereas the latter contains approximately 25% carbohydrate. The pH and temperature optima of the 46 kDa chitinaseare similar to those of the 85 kDa chitinase. The former enzyme is more basic than the latter. The 46 kDa chitinase likely consists of the N-terminal catalytic domain of the 85 kDa chitinase and lacks the C-terminal domain that contains several potential sites for glycosylation. The 46 kDa chitinase is expressed in a number of plant organs, including leaves, flowers, stems and roots. Enzyme levels are higher in leaves and flowers than in stems and roots, and leaves from the middle portion of the plant have more chitinase than leaves from the top and bottom portions. Little or no enzyme is secreted outside of the plant cells because it remains in the intracellular space, even though its transit sequence is processed. When fed at a 2% dietary level, the 46 kDa chitinase caused 100% larval mortality of the merchant grain beetle, Oryzaephilis mercator. The results of this study support the hypothesis that insect chitinase is a biopesticidal protein for insect pests feeding on insect chitinase gene-containing transgenic plants.     

DNA水平上的植物系统学研究方法

本文简要总结了近年来在ＤＮＡ水平上的植物系统学研究方法,着重介绍了限制性长度多态性分析,ＰＣＲ技术在植物系统学上的应用等这一领域最新的进展,并对分子数据的分析方法及系统树的构建进行了详细讨论。     

磷脂DMPC Langmuir－Blodgett膜晶格结构的原子力显微镜研究

用原子力显微镜（ＡＦＭ）研究了磷脂ＤＭＰＣ三层Ｌａｎｇｍｕｉｒ－Ｂｌｏｄｇｅｔｔ（ＬＢ）膜的分子排列结构,结果表明：在磷脂ＬＢ膜的两相（液体压缩相Ｌｉｑｕｉｄ－ｃｏｎｄｅｎｓｅｄｐｈａｓｅ和液体扩张相Ｌｉｑｕｉｄ－ｅｘｐａｎｄｅｄｐｈａｓｅ）共存时,液体压缩相中的磷脂分子排列紧密,取向一致,分子间作用力较大,因而能够得到分子图像。而液体扩张相中的磷脂分子排列松散,取向混乱。分子间的作用力较弱,难于得到分子图像。在液体压缩相中磷脂分子以单斜晶格结构排列,分子间隔为０．７２ｎｍ．分子高度为２．１ｎｍ。这一结果和ＤＭＰＣ的单晶结构进行了比较。     

N-(2-吡啶基)-N'-苯基脲对几种作物种子根、芽生长影响的回归分析

N-（2-吡啶基）-N'-苯基脲（2PU）,属苯基脲衍生物,具有细胞分裂素活性,有关其合成和应用的研究未见报道。作者合成了2PU并进行了生物效应试验研究。结果表明,2PU对作物种子萌发时胚根、胚芽的生长具有明显的促进作用,其根、芽生长与2PU浓度之间的关系符合Y=a＋bX＋eX2＋的数学模型。2PU对小麦根芽和赤豆根芽生长最佳浓度分别是0.001～0.0lppm、0.005～0.05ppm,对黄豆根生长以0.001～0.06ppm最佳。     

角结膜缘上皮良、恶性病变细胞核DNA原位图像定量分析

应用真彩色医学图像分析技术,对５１例角结膜缘上皮良、恶性病变（其中上皮增生１９例,不典型增生６例,原位癌１４例,鳞状细胞癌１２例）进行了ＤＮＡ原位定量分析研究．结果显示：原位癌和鳞状细胞癌ＤＮＡ含量明显增加,多为高倍异倍体细胞,ＤＮＡ直方圆明显右移,峰值主要位于＞５Ｃ处,≥５Ｃ细胞分别占７８．８９％和７８．３１％;上度增生病变ＤＮＡ含量较低,多为低倍整倍体细胞,ＤＮＡ直方图峰值位于２Ｃ～４Ｃ处,２Ｃ～４Ｃ细胞占８８．５９％;上皮不典型增生病变ＤＮＡ含量介于良性病变和癌之间,ＤＮＡ直方图逐渐右移,２Ｃ～４Ｃ细胞占５８．６２％,≥５Ｃ细胞占４１．３８％。以上数据经统计学处理各组间有显著性差异。表明ＤＮＡ倍性程度与肿瘤的增殖程度呈正相关,高倍异倍体细胞随肿瘤恶性程度的增高而增多。作者认为ＤＮＡ原位图像定量分析可为角结膜缘上皮良、恶性病变的诊断、分级及早期发现癌变趋势提供一个可靠的参考指标。     

大鼠胼胝体内神经肽Y免疫反应阳性纤维的发育

本实验用免疫组织化学ＡＢＣ法研究了大鼠胼胝体内神经肽Ｙ免疫反应阳性（ＮＰＹ－ＩＲ）纤维的生后发育。结果发现,许多ＮＰＹ－ＩＲ纤维在大鼠出生时便存在于胼胝体内。ＮＰＹ－ＩＲ胼胝体纤维的密度在生后１周内继续逐渐增高,在第２周内达到最高峰。之后,ＮＰＹ－ＩＲ胼胝体纤维的密度逐渐下降,至第３周末时接近成年时的水平,即仅有少量ＮＰＹ－ＩＲ纤维存在于胼胝体内。这些结果提示在大鼠早期生后发育过程中许多ＮＰＹ－ＩＲ胼胝体纤维是暂时性的,其作用可能与大脑皮质的机能发育有关。