Gene expression in Eucalyptus branch wood with marked variation in cellulose microfibril orientation and lacking G-layers

In response to gravitational stresses, angiosperm trees form tension wood in the upper sides of branches and leaning stems in which cellulose content is higher, microfibrils are typically aligned closely with the fibre axis and the fibres often have a thick inner gelatinous cell wall layer (G-layer). Gene expression was studied in Eucalyptus nitens branches oriented at 45 degrees using microarrays containing 4900 xylem cDNAs, and wood fibre characteristics revealed by X-ray diffraction, chemical and histochemical methods. Xylem fibres in tension wood (upper branch) had a low microfibril angle, contained few fibres with G-layers and had higher cellulose and decreased Klason lignin compared with lower branch wood. Expression of two closely related fasciclin-like arabinogalactan proteins and a beta-tubulin was inversely correlated with microfibril angle in upper and lower xylem from branches. Structural and chemical modifications throughout the secondary cell walls of fibres sufficient to resist tension forces in branches can occur in the absence of G-layer enriched fibres and some important genes involved in responses to gravitational stress in eucalypt xylem are identified.     

以肠道外症状为首发表现的结肠癌47例临床分析

目的:分析以肠道外症状为首发表现的结肠癌临床特征,旨在提高结肠癌诊治水平.方法:收集我院1994年1月至2008年1月间以肠道外症状为首发表现的结肠癌47例,对其临床特点进行回顾性分析.结果:47例以肠道外症状为首发表现的结肠癌中位发病年龄为65岁;贫血症状多见,占78.7％(37/47),长期低热3例,肝转移瘤4例,肺转移瘤2例,皮肌炎1例;肿瘤多发生于右半结肠,占74.5％(35/47);病理类型:乳头状腺癌为主,占61.7％(29/47);Dukes分期:B期占44.7％(21/47),C期占42.6％(20/47);结肠镜是重要诊断方法,结肠镜与钡灌肠有互补优势;手术是主要治疗手段,综合治疗可延长患者生存期.结论:以肠道外症状为首发表现的结肠癌以贫血多见,病变多位于右半结肠,结肠镜是主要确诊方法,以手术为主的综合治疗可改善患者预后.     

小麦Kr基因在小麦与玉米或鸭茅状摩擦禾杂交中的失活

用３７个小麦（Ｔｒｉｔｉｃｕｍａｅｓｔｉｖｕｍ）品种（系）为母本,分别与黑麦（Ｓｅｃａｌｅｃｅｒｅａｌｅ）、球茎大麦（Ｈｏｒｄｅｕｍｂｕｌｂｏｓｕｍ）、玉米（Ｚｅａｍａｙｓ）和鸭茅状摩擦禾（Ｔｒｉｐｓａｃｕｍｄａｃｔｙｌｏｉｄｅｓ）杂交,比较其亲和性,小麦和玉米或鸭茅状摩擦禾杂交比小麦与黑麦或球茎大麦杂交的亲和性显著提高。携带着显性Ｋｒ１和Ｋｒ２基因的小麦品种Ｈｏｐｅ与黑麦杂交,不能形成胚,而与玉米及鸭茅状摩擦禾杂交时,成胚率分别达１６．００％和３２．５０％。表明控制小麦与黑麦及球茎大麦杂交亲和性的Ｋｒ基因系统在小麦与玉米及小麦与鸭茅状摩擦禾属间杂交中失活。讨论了还存在有其它控制小麦属间杂交亲和性的遗传调控系统的可能性。     

Characterization of a novel nm23 gene and its potential roles in gametogenesis in the prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man, 1879) (Crustacea: Decapoda)

Nm23 is a family of genes encoding the nucleoside diphosphate (NDP) kinase, which functions in a wide variety of biological processes, including growth, development, differentiation and tumor metastasis. In this study, a novel nm23 gene, designated as Mrnm23, was identified from the freshwater giant prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii. The full-length cDNA was 776 bp in length, encoding for a protein of 176 amino acids with one typical NDP kinase domain that harbored all the crucial residues for nucleotide binding and enzymatic activity. Like human novel nm23-H1B, the putative protein contained a unique 21-amino-acid NH₂-terminal extension as compared to human nm23 (nm23-H1) homologs. Further, 3 extra amino acid residues prolonged the COOH-terminus. The Mrnm23 was ubiquitously expressed in all tissues examined, including androgenic gland, gill, heart, liver, muscle, ovary, and testis. In situ hybridization to gonad sections indicated that the Mrnm23 mRNA was localized in the cytoplasm of cup-base of differentiating spermatids, in the spike of the umbrella-shaped spermatozoa and in the cytoplasm of the early previtellogenic oocytes, suggesting that the Mrnm23 has potential roles in spermiogenesis and early differentiation of oocyte.     

Protection by pyruvate against glutamate neurotoxicity is mediated by astrocytes through a glutathione-dependent mechanism

Pyruvate, an endogenous metabolite of glycolysis, is an anti-toxicity agent. Recent studies have suggested possible roles for pyruvate in protecting CNS neurons from excitotoxic and metabolic insults. Utilizing cultures derived from embryonic rat cortex, the studies presented in this paper indicate that an astroglia-mediated mechanism is involved in the neuroprotective effects of pyruvate against glutamate toxicity. Glutamate-induced toxicity could be reversed by pyruvate in a mixed culture of cortex cells. Importantly, in pure neuronal cultures from the same tissue, pyruvate failed to protect against glutamate toxicity. Addition of astroglia to the pure neuronal cultures restores the ability of pyruvate to protect neurons from glutamate-induced toxicity. Our results further suggest that pyruvate can induce glia to up-regulate the synthesis of glutathione (GSH), an antioxidant that protects cells from toxins such as free radicals. Taken together, our data suggest that astroglia in mixed cultures are essential for mediating the effects of pyruvate, revealing a novel mechanism by which pyruvate, an important intermediate of tricarboxylic acid cycle in the body, may act to protect neurons from damage during insults such as brain ischemia.     

新型湘云金鳙遗传多样性的RAPD及微卫星分析

湘云金鳙是本实验室经过近十年的工作选育出来的,该种鱼通体金红色,肉质鲜嫩,生长速度快,是一种很有价值的养殖鱼种和实验材料.随机选取12尾湘云金鳙(RBC)和12尾来自湘江流域的普通鳙鱼BC(作为对照)进行RAPD和微卫星分析.在优化RAPD检测条件基础上,从230个随机引物中筛选出来的45个扩增较好且多态性强的引物对这...     

贴壁培养细胞台盼蓝拒染试验的方法学探讨

本工作旨在探讨贴壁培养细胞台盼蓝拒染试验的方法,为其合理应用提出建议.用正常培养及NaN3作致死处理的人视网膜色素上皮细胞株-19,进行原位贴壁细胞和培养体系上悬液中细胞的台盼蓝拒染实验,并比较其原位法与计数板法所测活细胞率.与计数板法相似,随染液浓度增高或染色时间延长,原位台盼蓝拒染实验的活细胞率检测值逐渐增加.培养...