Embryo sac isolation inArabidopsis thaliana: A simple and efficient technique for structure analysis and mutant selection

Arabidopsis thaliana has been widely used as a model plant in gene function analysis. However, its tiny flower and curved embryo sac make it difficult to study gene expression during megagametogenesis, fertilization, and early embryogenesis, especially in the screening of mutants from those developmental processes. The techniques currently available are sectioning and whole-mount clearing of ovules; however, sectioning is time consuming and laborious for quantitative analysis, and whole-mount clearing, makes clear cytological observation impossible. Reported here is a simple and efficient method based on enzymatic isolation of embryo sacs that enables both quantitative analysis and elaborate cytological observation for gene expression investigation and mutant screening.     

SDX on the X chromosome is required for male sex determination

Dear Editor, Sex determination is one of the most fundamental develop-ment processes,as gender is the first and most important identity of human.In most mammals...     

Intratumoral expression of IL-17 and its prognostic role in gastric adenocarcinoma patients

In this study, we characterized the intratumoral expression of IL-17 and CD8(+) TILs in gastric adenocarcinoma patients after resection and determined the correlation between the survival probability of gastric adenocarcinoma patients and the expression of IL-17 in tumor. Expression of IL-17 and CD8 was assessed by immunohistochemistry, and the prognostic effects of intratumoral IL-17 expression and CD8(+) TILs were evaluated by Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analysis. Immunohistochemical detection revealed the presence of IL-17 and CD8(+) cells in gastric adenocarcinoma tissue samples (90.6%, 174 out of 192 patients and 96.9%, 186 out of 192 patients, respectively). We have also found that intratumoral IL-17 expression was significantly correlated with age (p=0.004) and that the number of CD8(+)TILs was significantly correlated with UICC staging (p=0.012) and the depth of tumor invasion (p=0.022). The five-year overall survival probability among patients intratumorally expressing higher levels of IL-17 was significantly better than those expressing lower levels of IL-17 (p=0.036). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses revealed that intratumoral IL-17 expression (HR: 0.521; 95% CI: 0.329-0.823; p=0.005) was an independent factor affecting the five-year overall survival probability. We conclude that low levels of intratumoral IL-17 expression may indicate poor prognosis in gastric adenocarcinoma patients.     

东北阔叶红松林群落类型划分及物种多样性

运用TWINSPAN分类方法,对我国东北阔叶红松林群落类型进行划分,对乔木层树种进行聚类,并对东北地区长白山、大秃顶子山、平顶山和丰林保护区4个样点的物种多样性进行对比研究.结果表明:24个样地中共记录到维管束植物264种,隶属于64科147属.经过聚类,将阔叶红松林划分为3个群落类型组和7个群落类型;同时,将33个乔木树种间的关联性划分为8组.阔叶红松林群落的物种丰富度和多样性为草本层>灌木层>乔木层.在4个样点中,长白山的样地平均物种丰富度最高,为63.长白山和大秃顶子山乔木层和灌木层的物种多样性略高于平顶山和丰林保护区;丰林保护区草本层的物种多样性为2.83,高于其它3个样点.平顶山灌木层和长白山草本层的均匀度最低,分别为0.71和0.80.     

Overexpression of an Arabidopsis magnesium transport gene, AtMGT1, in Nicotiana benthamiana confers Al tolerance

Aluminium (Al) toxicity is the most important limiting factor for crop production in acid soil environments worldwide. In some plant species, application of magnesium (Mg(2+)) can alleviate Al toxicity. However, it remains unknown whether overexpression of magnesium transport proteins can improve Al tolerance. Here, the role of AtMGT1, a member of the Arabidopsis magnesium transport family involved in Mg(2+) transport, played in Al tolerance in higher plants was investigated. Expression of 35S::AtMGT1 led to various phenotypic alterations in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. Transgenic plants harbouring 35S::AtMGT1 exhibited tolerance to Mg(2+) deficiency. Element assay showed that the contents of Mg, Mn, and Fe in 35S::AtMGT1 plants increased compared with wild-type plants. Root growth experiment revealed that 100 microM AlCl(3) caused a reduction in root elongation by 47% in transgenic lines, whereas root growth in wild-type plants was inhibited completely. Upon Al treatment, representative transgenic lines also showed a much lower callose deposition, an indicator of increased Al tolerance, than wild-type plants. Taken together, the results have demonstrated that overexpression of ATMGT1 encoding a magnesium transport protein can improve tolerance to Al in higher plants.     

巨噬细胞凋亡对结核分枝杆菌感染的机制研究进展

结核病是一种严重危害人类健康的慢性传染性疾病,主要由结核分枝杆菌感染导致,结核分枝杆菌进入人体后,与免疫防御的第一道屏障—巨噬细胞发生反应,部分菌株在细胞内长期生存、繁殖,是导致结核病转归的决定性因素。感染早期,结核分枝杆菌的繁殖受到巨噬细胞凋亡的抑制,随着高效价、高毒力菌株繁殖速度的增加,抗巨噬细胞凋亡作用不断增强,使自身繁殖得到有效保护,为菌株的生长提供了充足、适宜的胞内环境。因此,调控结核分枝杆菌对巨噬细胞凋亡进程的抑制作用,是预防和治疗结核病的关键。     

High air humidity is sufficient for successful egg incubation and early post‐embryonic development in the marbled crayfish (Procambarus virginalis)

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An NO Donor Approach to Neuroprotective and Procognitive Estrogen Therapy Overcomes Loss of NO Synthase Function and Potentially Thrombotic Risk

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