Isolation and characterisation of arthropod gap junctions

Gap junctions have been isolated from the hepatopancreas of the crustacean arthropod, Nephrops norvegicus (Norway lobster). SDS-PAGE of these preparations shows two major protein bands, mol. wt. 18 000 (18 K) and mol. wt. 28 000 (28 K). The 18-K and 28-K proteins are interconvertible, cannot be distinguished by two dimensional tryptic and chymotryptic peptide mapping, and therefore appear to be different (most likely monomeric and dimeric) forms of the same protein. The protein can also aggregate to higher multimeric forms mol. wt. 38 000 (presumed trimer), and mol. wt. 52 000 (presumed tetramer). The buoyant density of the isolated gap junctions in continuous potassium iodide gradients is 1.260 g/cm³. The junctions are progressively solubilized in increasing SDS concentrations, mostly between 0.1% and 0.2% SDS, and this is accompanied by the release of the 18-K and 28-K forms of the junctional protein. The Nephrops hepatopancreas 18-K junctional protein has antigenic determinants in common with the vertebrate 16-K junctional protein as shown by cross-reactivity with two different affinity purified antibody preparations. However, no detectable similarity can be seen between the major ¹²⁵I-labelled tryptic and chymotrytpic peptides of the Nephrops hepatopancreas 18-K protein and the mouse liver 16-K protein.     

卵泡刺激素受体短肽的表达及纯化

目的:表达人卵泡刺激素受体(follicle-stimulating hormone receptor,FSHR)N端第18-34氨基酸片段.方法:将FSHR N端第18-34氨基酸片段克隆p-pGEX4T-1中,构建成重组质粒pGEX4T-1-FSHRN(18-34位氨基酸).将该重组质粒转化E.coli BL21后,IPTG诱导其表达,经亲和层析进行分离纯化,western blot鉴定.结果:克隆成功,并表达FSHRN端第18-34氨基酸片段,所表达的融合蛋白中60%为可溶性蛋白.结论:成功克隆、表达、纯化了人FSHRN端第18-34氨基酸片段,为后续动物免疫试验提供抗原.     

C-MET在大鼠胰腺发育过程中的表达

目的:研究CMET在大鼠胰腺发育阶段的表达和细胞定位.方法:运用RT-PCR和WesternBlot技术分别检测C-MET在大鼠胰腺发育阶段的mRNA和蛋白表达水平;运用免疫组化和免疫荧光技术检测不同时期C-MET在胰腺的组织细胞学定位.结果:RT-PCR结果显示E18.5 C-METmRNA高表达.Western Blot结果显示其蛋白在P14,P21高表达,并存在两种亚型,分子量分别为190KD和170KD.免疫组化和免疫荧光结果显示在不同发育时期C-MET在胰岛B细胞和间充质细胞都有表达.结论:C-MET在大鼠胚胎发育后期及生后出现高表达,并表达于胰岛B细胞和间充质细胞,可能参与了胰岛形成、结构重塑和功能维持.     

UV-induced changes in phytoplankton cells and its effects on grazers

1. This review addresses the effects of UV-radiation on the morphology and biochemistry of phytoplankton and the potential effects on grazers.
2. UVA and UVB radiation inhibit the uptake of inorganic nutrients in phytoplankton. Reduced rates of ammonium and nitrate uptake in marine diatoms, and reduced uptake of phosphorus in freshwater flagellates are reported. The effects on cell stoichiometry are not settled.
3. UVA and UVB radiation promote increased cell volumes owing to a decoupling between the photosynthetic processes and cell division. Loss or inactivation of flagellae and loss of motility are also reported for a number of phytoplankton species.
4. UVA and UVB radiation may affect major biochemical constituents. Accumulation of intracellular, photosynthetic products (lipids or carbohydrates) is a common, although not unique, property of UV-stressed algae. Fatty acid (FA) profiles seem susceptible to UV radiation. A relative increase of short-chained, and a decrease in polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) are reported. The important membrane FA like eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20 : 5ω3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22 : 6ω3) seem particularly susceptible, owing to lipid peroxidation or reduced biosynthesis.
5. UV-related responses are highly dependent on taxonomy, cell-cycle stage, nutrient-limitation and the UV : PAR (photosynthetic active radiation)-ratio.
6. Nutrient deficiency, cell size, cell wall properties and FA can all have significant impacts on grazers. Thus the reported effects on cell morphology and biochemical constituents could have profound effects on grazers and energy transfer in aquatic foodwebs.     

Field and experimental evidence of the effect of Jenynsia multidentata, a small omnivorous–planktivorous fish, on the size distribution of zooplankton in subtropical lakes

1. Small cladocerans, copepod nauplii and rotifers often dominate the zooplankton community in tropical and subtropical lakes. This is probably because of high predation pressure by small omnivorous–planktivorous fish, but experimental evidence is scarce.
2. This study used two approaches to test the effect of the small omnivorous–planktivorous fish species Jenynsia multidentata , which is frequently abundant in (sub)tropical eutrophic lakes in South America, on the size distribution of zooplankton. In Lake Blanca (Uruguay), which lacks any piscivores, we sampled seasonally for both fish and zooplankton. We also conducted an outdoor mesocosm experiment with treatments containing or lacking J. multidentata .
3. Together, the empirical and experimental data suggest that J. multidentata predation plays an important role in modulating the size structure of the zooplankton community in subtropical lakes. In the absence of J. multidentata , stocked large-sized zooplankters like Daphnia obtusa were abundant in the experiments, while small-sized zooplankton dominated in the presence of fish, as they did in the lake itself from spring to the end of the season.     

Outcomes and moderators of a preventive school-based mental health intervention for children affected by war in Sri Lanka: a cluster randomized trial

We aimed to examine outcomes, moderators and mediators of a preventive school-based mental health intervention implemented by paraprofessionals in a war-affected setting in northern Sri Lanka. A cluster randomized trial was employed. Subsequent to screening 1,370 children in randomly selected schools, 399 children were assigned to an intervention (n=199) or waitlist control condition (n=200). The intervention consisted of 15 manualized sessions over 5 weeks of cognitive behavioral techniques and creative expressive elements. Assessments took place before, 1 week after, and 3 months after the intervention. Primary outcomes included post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depressive, and anxiety symptoms. No main effects on primary outcomes were identified. A main effect in favor of intervention for conduct problems was observed. This effect was stronger for younger children. Furthermore, we found intervention benefits for specific subgroups. Stronger effects were found for boys with regard to PTSD and anxiety symptoms, and for younger children on pro-social behavior. Moreover, we found stronger intervention effects on PTSD, anxiety, and function impairment for children experiencing lower levels of current war-related stressors. Girls in the intervention condition showed smaller reductions on PTSD symptoms than waitlisted girls. We conclude that preventive school-based psychosocial interventions in volatile areas characterized by ongoing war-related stressors may effectively improve indicators of psychological wellbeing and posttraumatic stress-related symptoms in some children. However, they may undermine natural recovery for others. Further research is necessary to examine how gender, age and current war-related experiences contribute to differential intervention effects.     

西藏拉鲁湿地水体冬季可培养丝状真菌多样性及其与理化因子的关系

【背景】拉鲁湿地是我国海拔最高、面积最大的城市天然湿地。开展拉鲁湿地微生物群落结构分析,可为青藏高原生物资源的开发利用和保护提供理论依据,并为湿地生态系统的微生物多样性研究奠定基础。【目的】开展拉鲁湿地水体丝状真菌的多样性研究,探究影响该环境丝状真菌群落分布特征的主要理化因子。【方法】从拉鲁湿地11个水样中分离丝状真菌,应用nr DNA ITS序列分析,并结合经典分类学方法对获得的菌株进行鉴定,运用SPSS和CANOCO软件分析丝状真菌群落结构及其与环境因子的关系。【结果】从拉鲁湿地水体分离的丝状真菌菌株分属于6属13种。拉鲁湿地冬季水体丝状真菌优势属为Mucor、Cladosporium和Galactomyces,优势种为M.hiemalis、M.racemosus和G.geotrichum。总氮与拉鲁湿地水体丝状真菌数量呈显著负相关(P0.05),总氮和总磷对于丝状真菌的分布具有较明显的影响,这2种理化因子与M.racemosus的多度呈正相关性,而与M.hiemalis呈较强的负相关性。【结论】环境因子是影响高原湿地生态系统微生物群落结构的主要因素之一,探讨西藏典型脆弱生态环境中微生物多样性与环境因子的关系具有重要意义。