The distance dependence prediction of the Janzen-Connell hypothesis: a meta-analysis

The Janzen-Connell hypothesis explains the maintenance of tropical diversity through the interacting effects of parent-centered dispersal patterns and distance- and density-dependent propagule survival. These effects were thought to support regular spacing of species within tropical forest, enhancing diversity. One of the predictions of the hypothesis is that seed and seedling survival should improve with increased parental distance. Although there are many independent tests of this hypothesis for individual species, there are few synthetic studies that have brought these data together to test its validity across species. This paper reports the results of a meta-analysis of the effect of distance on enhancing propagule survival, employing an odds-ratio effect size metric. We found no general support for the distance-dependent prediction of the hypothesis, and conclude that further testing to explore this hypothesis as a diversity-maintaining mechanism is unnecessary. However, we did find that distance from parent slightly reduces survivorship in the temperate zone, as contrasted with the tropics, and we saw stronger evidence in support of the hypothesis for seedlings than for seeds. The phenomenon of enhanced propagule survival with distance from the parent may be important for the population biology of particular species, but it is not a general phenomenon across communities, life history stages or life forms.     

Down－regulated expression of atypical PKC－binding domain deleted asip isoforms in human hepatocellular carcinomas

INTRODUCTIONCell polarity is the reflection of complex mechanisms that establish and maintain the functionally specialized regions in the plasma membrane and cytoplasm, and is fundamentally important for differentiation, proliferation, morphogenesis and other functions of simple and complicated organisms[1].Molecular mechanisms of cell polarity during animal development have been analyzed mainly in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster[2]. In early …     

水杉人工林树冠结构及生物生产力的研究

研究了水杉人工林的树冠结构和林分生物生产力。结果表明,不同密度及林龄的林分树冠结构存在较大差异,随着树冠部位上升和林分密度增大,分枝角度逐渐减小;径阶大小与枝叶率成反比,与树冠重量成正比,径阶增大,树冠最大叶量层的集团上移,有效光合面积相对减少,树冠结构的变化直接影响到林分的生物量生产、分配分配和经济生物量,林分干、枝、叶的干物质累积趋势可用Ｒｉｃｈａｒｄ方程描述;林龄增大,分配到主干的生物量比例     

NOX4-Derived Reactive Oxygen Species Drive Apelin-13-Induced Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation via the ERK Pathway

Apelin is the endogenous ligand of the G-protein-coupled receptor, apelin–angiotensin receptor-like 1 (APJ). Vascular smooth muscle cells express both apelin and APJ, which are important regulatory factors in the cardiovascular system. Apelin-13 significantly stimulated vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. However, little is known about the precise cellular mechanisms responsible for vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation induced by apelin-13. Here, we present novel data that indicate the key role of NADPH oxidase 4-derived reactive oxygen species in proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells treated with apelin-13. Apelin-13 stimulated reactive oxygen species production in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, DPI impaired apelin-13-induced reactive oxygen species generation and vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. Apelin-13-treatment increased the expression of NADPH oxidase 4 in a dose-dependent manner. Down-regulation of NADPH oxidase 4 using siRNA prevented apelin-13-induced reactive oxygen species generation and vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. An increase in reactive molecules can trigger the activation of ERK stress-sensitive signaling pathways. Additionally, siRNA-NOX4 and DPI reversed the phosphorylation of ERK induced by apelin-13. Apelin-13 induced vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation by NOX4-derived ROS via the ERK signaling pathway.     

温度胁迫下棉花粉蚧热激蛋白基因的表达分析

【目的】为了研究热激蛋白 Hsp70, Hsp70-4和Hsp90在棉花粉蚧Phenacoccus solenopsis抵抗逆温中的作用。【方法】在测序棉花粉蚧转录组的基础上,分析了该虫热激蛋白Hsp70基因家族的2个序列［Pshsp70（GenBank登录号为KJ909505）和Pshsp70-4（GenBank登录号为KJ909506）］和Hsp90基因家族的1个序列,［Pshsp90(GenBank登录号为KJ909507)］,采用实时荧光定量 PCR（RT-qPCR）检测了在不同温度（18和32℃恒温, 37, 39, 41, 43和45℃热激1 h 后26℃恢复1 h)下棉花粉蚧不同发育阶段（2龄若虫、3龄若虫、雌成虫）3种热激蛋白基因的表达量。【结果】Pshsp70 cDNA序列包含1 923 bp的开放阅读框,编码641个氨基酸,理论分子量和等电点分别为70.9 kDa和5.65; Pshsp70-4 cDNA序列包含1 962 bp的开放阅读框,编码654个氨基酸,理论分子量和等电点分别为71.8 kDa和5.38;Pshsp90 cDNA序列包含2 172 bp的开放阅读框,编码724个氨基酸,理论分子量和等电点分别为83.5 kDa和4.93。Pshsp70 和Pshsp70-4均含有Hsp70基因家族高度保守的基序,Pshsp70编码的氨基酸序列与烟粉虱Bemisia tabaci和家蚕Bombyx mori等昆虫的Hsp70 的氨基酸序列一致性为 85%;Pshsp70-4编码的氨基酸序列与白蜡蚧Ericerus pela和点蜂缘蝽Riptortus pedestris等昆虫的Hsp70的氨基酸序列一致性高达95%;Pshsp90也含有Hsp90基因家族高度保守的基序,Pshsp90编码的氨基酸序列与赤拟谷盗Tribolium castaneum和东亚小花蝽Orius sauteri等昆虫的Hsp90 的氨基酸序列一致性为 87%。热激蛋白基因表达量分析结果表明,在18℃恒温条件下,粉蚧2龄若虫的3个PsHsps基因的mRNA相对表达量均比对照(26℃)低,在32℃恒温条件下,各龄期的Hsp70基因的相对表达量均显著高于对照。在37~45℃下热激1 h并在26℃下恢复1 h,棉花粉蚧3个龄期的3个热激蛋白PsHsps基因的相对表达量随温度的升高总体呈增加趋势,相关性分析表明,除Pshsp70-4在雌成虫中的表达量与热胁迫温度的相关系数为0.225外,各龄期中3个基因的表达量与温度的相关系数均大于0.6,显著相关;43℃和45℃胁迫下,各龄期的3个热激蛋白基因相对表达量均显著高于对照组（P<0.05）。【结论】棉花粉蚧热激蛋白基因的表达与温度呈正相关,在该虫应对高温中起着重要作用。     

石杉科植物石杉总碱含量的测定及基于紫外光谱的除趋势对应分析

对来自浙江、福建境内石杉科植物蛇足石杉（Huperzia serrata）、柳叶马尾杉（Phlegmariurus cryptomerianus）10个不同地理居群的石杉总碱含量进行了测定．并基于紫外光谱,对它们的表型分化进行了除趋势对应分析。结果表明：①石杉科这两种植物叶片的石杉总碱含量普遍高于茎中的含量;②来自浙江磐安的蛇足石杉居群的叶、茎石杉总碱含量都明显高于其它居群。可以选择该居群作为栽培蛇足石杉的种源;③DCA排序发现,产自磐安的蛇足石杉样品,特别是叶的提取液,其紫外光谱明显不同于其它样品．表明紫外光谱法能够用于鉴别石杉总碱含量较高的蛇足石杉药材。     

Binding and Uptake of RGD-Containing Ligands to Cellular α v β 3 Integrins

The cyclic peptide, cRGDf[N(me)]V, binds to the α _v β ₃ integrin and can disrupt binding of the integrin to its natural ligands in the extracellular matrix. In this work, the ability of a water-soluble, fluorescently labeled variant of the RGD-containing peptide (cRGDfK-488) to bind to integrins on human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVEC) and subsequently undergo endocytosis was characterized. This information was compared to the binding and uptake properties of an α _v β ₃ integrin-specific monoclonal antibody, LM609X. The specificity of the RGD-containing peptide is assessed by comparison with control peptide that does not bind to the α _v β ₃ integrin, cRADfK-488. Using a high purity construct, it is shown that the RGD ligand exhibits dissociation constants in the micromolar range whereas LM609X exhibits dissociation constants in the nanomolar range. However, the RGD ligand showed greater uptake following incubation at temperatures which permit endocytosis. A 7.4-fold increase in uptake of the RGD peptide was observed following a 1 h incubation with HUVEC at 37°C (an endocytosis permissive temperature), as compared to that at 4°C (an endocytosis prohibitive temperature). In contrast, only a 1.9-fold increase in cell-associated fluorescence was observed for similar incubations with LM609X. Results from fluorescence microscopy supports the notion that the RGD peptide is rapidly endocytosed at 37°C as compared to LM609X. These results are discussed with regard to previous work indicating that RGD ligands enter cells by integrin-independent pathways. These studies provide well-controlled measures of how RGD ligands stimulate endocytosis. This may be of considerable interest for intracellular delivery of ligand-associated drugs in anti-angiogenic applications.     

Improving the Secretory Expression of an α-Galactosidase from Aspergillus niger in Pichia pastoris

α-Galactosidases are broadly used in feed, food, chemical, pulp, and pharmaceutical industries. However, there lacks a satisfactory microbial cell factory that is able to produce α-galactosidases efficiently and cost-effectively to date, which prevents these important enzymes from greater application. In this study, the secretory expression of an Aspergillus niger α-galactosidase (AGA) in Pichia pastoris was systematically investigated. Through codon optimization, signal peptide replacement, comparative selection of host strain, and saturation mutagenesis of the P1’ residue of Kex2 protease cleavage site for efficient signal peptide removal, a mutant P. pastoris KM71H (Mut^s) strain of AGA-I with the specific P1’ site substitution (Glu to Ile) demonstrated remarkable extracellular α-galactosidase activity of 1299 U/ml upon a 72 h methanol induction in 2.0 L fermenter. The engineered yeast strain AGA-I demonstrated approximately 12-fold higher extracellular activity compared to the initial P. pastoris strain. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the highest yield and productivity of a secreted α-galactosidase in P. pastoris, thus holding great potential for industrial application.     

脂肪酶产生菌的筛选及鉴定研究

为寻找合适的产脂肪酶野生菌,以期能高效的催化合成生物柴油。通过添加橄榄油作为惟一碳源进行富集培养,然后以透明圈平板筛选法从油污土壤样品中成功地筛选到了一株酶活力值为10.12U/ml产脂肪酶菌株。通过对该菌株表型、生理生化特征分析及16S rRNA部分序列的系统进化发育分析鉴定该菌为芽胞杆菌属,定名为BacilluspumilusB2。     

Metallothionein alleviates cardiac dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetes: role of Ca2+ cycling proteins, NADPH oxidase, poly(ADP-Ribose) polymerase and myosin heavy chain isozyme

Diabetic cardiomyopathy contributes to high morbidity and mortality in diabetic populations. It is manifested by compromised ventricular contraction and prolonged relaxation attributable to multiple causative factors including oxidative stress. This study was designed to examine the effect of cardiac overexpression of the heavy metal scavenger metallothionein (MT) on cardiac contractile function, intracellular Ca(2+) cycling proteins, stress-activated signaling molecules and the myosin heavy chain (MHC) isozyme in diabetes. Adult male wild-type (FVB) and MT transgenic mice were made diabetic by a single injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Contractile properties were evaluated in cardiomyocytes including peak shortening (PS), time-to-PS (TPS), time-to-relengthening (TR(90)), maximal velocity of shortening/relengthening (+/-dL/dt) and intracellular Ca(2+) fluorescence. Diabetes significantly depressed PS, +/-dL/dt, prolonged TPS, TR(90) and intracellular Ca(2+) clearing, elevated resting intracellular Ca(2+), reduced caffeine-induced sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) release and dampened stress tolerance at high stimulus frequencies. MT itself exhibited little effect on myocyte mechanics but it significantly alleviated STZ-induced myocyte contractile dysfunctions. Diabetes enhanced expression of the AT(1) receptor, phospholamban, the p47(phox) NADPH oxidase subunit and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), depressed the level of SERCA2a, Na(+)-Ca(2+) exchanger and triggered a beta-MHC isozyme switch. All of these STZ-induced alterations with the exception of depressed SERCA2a and enhanced phospholamban were reconciled by MT. Collectively, these data suggest a beneficial effect of MT in the therapeutics of diabetic cardiomyopathy, possibly through a mechanism related to NADPH oxidase, PARP and MHC isozyme switch.