CDP-Diacylglycerol Synthetase Coordinates Cell Growth and Fat Storage through Phosphatidylinositol Metabolism and the Insulin Pathway

During development, animals usually undergo a rapid growth phase followed by a homeostatic stage when growth has ceased. The increase in cell size and number during the growth phase requires a large amount of lipids; while in the static state, excess lipids are usually stored in adipose tissues in preparation for nutrient-limited conditions. How cells coordinate growth and fat storage is not fully understood. Through a genetic screen we identified Drosophila melanogaster CDP-diacylglycerol synthetase (CDS/CdsA), which diverts phosphatidic acid from triacylglycerol synthesis to phosphatidylinositol (PI) synthesis and coordinates cell growth and fat storage. Loss of CdsA function causes significant accumulation of neutral lipids in many tissues along with reduced cell/organ size. These phenotypes can be traced back to reduced PI levels and, subsequently, low insulin pathway activity. Overexpressing CdsA rescues the fat storage and cell growth phenotypes of insulin pathway mutants, suggesting that CdsA coordinates cell/tissue growth and lipid storage through the insulin pathway. We also revealed that a DAG-to-PE route mediated by the choline/ethanolamine phosphotransferase Bbc may contribute to the growth of fat cells in CdsA RNAi.     

辣椒雄性不育系SDH4基因的表达特性分析

为了探究线粒体电子传递复合体Ⅱ的关键酶基因(SDH4)与辣椒细胞质雄性不育的关系,该试验通过GenBank报道的辣椒线粒体基因组序列,特异引物扩增SDH4基因,并通过分析SDH4基因的时空表达及转录本编辑位点,以期找到辣椒细胞质雄性不育系9704A和保持系9704B的差异。结果表明:(1)从辣椒细胞质雄性不育系9704A和保持系9704B中获得的目的基因编码区片段长度一致,全长均为378bp,编码125个氨基酸残基。(2)辣椒保持系不同组织中SDH4基因表达存在差异,种子中表达最高,茎中表达最低。(3)在不同材料花蕾发育的同一时期,SDH4基因表达也不一致,在花粉母细胞减数分裂时期,不育系SDH4基因表达量明显低于保持系;而在造孢细胞增殖期、小孢子单核期和小孢子成熟期的表达量均高于保持系。(4)不育材料中SDH4基因在29位点出现RNA编辑,导致氨基酸由丝氨酸变为亮氨酸,增强了蛋白结构的疏水性能。研究认为,辣椒细胞质雄性不育系9704A和保持系9704B中SDH4基因的表达差异可能引起植物的能量代谢供应出现异常,从而导致雄性不育的产生。     

The relationship between genetic polymorphisms in apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene and osteonecrosis of the femoral head induced by steroid in Chinese Han population

Previous studies suggested that apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genetic polymorphisms (SNPs) may result in abnormal lipid metabolism. Therefore, genetic polymorphisms in ApoE may be associated with the occurrence of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). A case control study was designed to include 580 patients with steroid-induced ONFH and 560 age- and sex-matched non steroid-induced ONFH control subjects to analyze the association between ApoE polymorphisms and susceptibility of steroid-induced ONFH. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was utilized to differentiate two genotypes SNPs (rs7412 C/T and rs429358 T/C) in ApoE gene. Both rs7412 C/T and rs429358 T/C were found to be associated with the risk of steroid-induced ONFH. However, no significant association was observed between the haplotypes T-T, T-C and C-C in ONFH. Furthermore, T allele of rs7412 and C allele of rs429358 carriers were associated with higher levels of TG in steroid-induced ONFH patients (P?<?0.05). The study suggested that ApoE genetic polymorphisms conferred susceptibility to steroid-induced ONFH in Chinese Han population. However, the results need further investigation with large sample size and various populations.     

与胡萝卜胚胎发生相关的胚性细胞蛋白63cDNA分离及其基因表达研究

以胡萝卜(Daucus carota L.)鱼雷形胚状体为材料,以λgt10噬菌体为载体,构建了一个含有6.0×10~8个重组子的cDNA文库。用PCR法扩增的长度为1.1kb的胚性细胞蛋白(ECP)63 DNA片段作探针,从cDNA文库中筛选出一个完整的ECP63 cDNA克隆。ECP63 cDNA核苷酸序列总长为1989bp,编码1个含569个氨基酸残基的蛋白质,分子量为62kD。以ECP63 cDNA全长作探针的Northern分子杂交结果表明,ECP63基因在胚性细胞和不同发育时期的胚状体中高度表达,但在幼苗和非胚性细胞中不表达。在转录水平上,ECP63基因在合子胚胎发生后期大量表达。     

肌动蛋白是多头绒泡菌细胞核骨架和染色体骨架的组成成分

自多头绒泡菌(Physarum polycephalum Schw.)的原质团中分离细胞核和染色体,分别经DNaseⅠ消化和2 mol/L NaCl抽提后制备成细胞核骨架和染色体骨架。以抗肌动蛋白的抗体作一抗、FITC标记的羊抗兔IgG抗体作二抗进行的间接免疫荧光实验结果显示,细胞核骨架和染色体骨架都分别与抗体呈阳性反应。间接免疫斑点印迹实验结果进一步证实,细胞核骨架和染色体骨架的蛋白质成分中存在与肌动蛋白抗体呈阳性显色反应的抗原。以抗肌动蛋白的抗体作一抗、金颗粒标记的蛋白A作二抗的间接免疫电镜实验结果表明,在实验组间期细胞核的核仁、集缩染色质和核基质以及中期染色体上都有很多金颗粒分布。上述结果证明,肌动蛋白是多头绒泡菌细胞核和染色体及其骨架的组成成分。     

对吸附式电极记录装置的技术改进

本文介绍一种用吸附式电极记录合体细胞组织生物电位的改进装置。它的特点是在建造负压的注射器和吸附式电极之间设置一分离的小室。这一小室既保障了放大器与实验标本之间的电路连系,又可直接放置在实验标本附近,负压由改进的注射器经过充有空气的塑料管抽吸,注射器可以放在任何方便的位置上。该方法在记录小动物,如蜗牛、青蛙、等的心脏、消化道等组织器官的生物电位时都能获得比较理想的效果,对研究小动物合体细胞组织的正常机能及药物作用等都具有较好的适用价值,并具有定位准确、操作方便的优点。     

多头绒泡菌核仁及其骨架中原肌球蛋白的免疫细胞化学鉴定

分离多头绒泡菌(physarum polycephalum)细胞的核仁,先用Dnase I消化,去除核仁内的DNA;然后用025mol/L (NH4)2ＳＯ４和2mol/L NaCl相继抽提去掉大部分蛋白质,制备成核仁骨架。SDSPAGE分析结果表明,核仁骨架中含有约20种多肽,其中包括37kD左右与原肌球蛋白分子量相当的多肽。以兔抗原肌球蛋白抗体为一抗,FITC标记的羊抗兔IgG抗体为二抗的间接免疫荧光检测结果表明,核仁和核仁骨架样品都能发出明亮的荧光,而对照样品未见明亮的荧光。间接免疫斑点印迹检测结果进一步证明,在核仁骨架的蛋白质成分中存在原肌球蛋白。胶体金免疫电镜检测结果显示,标记原肌球蛋白抗体的标本上有较多的金颗粒,而对照组标本上只有极少的金颗粒。金颗粒在核仁中主要呈散在分布。     

Study on Tissue Cultures of Legume Plants

Plant regenerations were achieved from tissue cultures of 31 species of 15 genus of legume plants on A and B media. Various factors including medium composition (major elements, minor element:s, organic components and phytohormones), seed germination rate, illumination and temperature conditions were tested for their effects on callus differentiation in tissue cultures. Combinations of major elements of A or B medium, minor elements and organic components of B5 medium, illumination of 1500–2500 lx, and temperature of 18–27℃ were found suitable for callus differentiation of most legume plants. The calli induced from freshly collected seeds had higher differentiation capacity than from seeds sored for three years. Four types(a,b,c and d) of callus were morphologically distinguished during the differentiation in legume plant tissue cultures. Generally, calli from plants of the same genus belonged to the same type.     

Helical Structure Revealed upon the Condensation and Decondensation of Chromosomes of Vicia faba

By using conventional and stereo electron microscopy, helical structures were revealed in prophase and telophase chromosomes of root tip cells of Vicia faba. Longitudinal and transverse sections of the chromosomes showed that both prophase and telophase chromosomes were composed of chromatin fibres about 0.5μm in diameter and among the 0.5μm chromatin fibre thinner chromatin fibres with a diameter of about 0.2μm were found. In transverse sections, prophase chromosomes appeared to be a circular structure which contained a low electron density centre encircled by the 0.5 μm fibre. In longitudinal section of the chromosomes, the 0.5 μm fibres were seen to be orientated parallel to each other while constituted roughly a right angle to the long axis of the chromosome. Helical coils consisting of the 0.5μm fibre were identified easily by stereo electron microscopy. In transverse sections of telophase chromosomes, both the circular structure similar to that of the prophase chromosomes and the hoof-shaped structure composed of the 0.5μm fibre were observed, demonstrating4 the de-spiralization of the helical coils in the decondensation of the chromosomes. Based on these observations, the radial loop. model and the multiple coiling model are discussed.