Dynamic evolution of bitter taste receptor genes in vertebrates

Background  

Sensing bitter tastes is crucial for many animals because it can prevent them from ingesting harmful foods. This process is mainly mediated by the bitter taste receptors (T2R), which are largely expressed in the taste buds. Previous studies have identified some T2R gene repertoires, and marked variation in repertoire size has been noted among species. However, the mechanisms underlying the evolution of vertebrate T2R genes remain poorly understood.     

14-3-3 proteins regulate glycogen synthase 3beta phosphorylation and inhibit cardiomyocyte hypertrophy

14-3-3 proteins are dimeric phophoserine-binding molecules that participate in important cellular processes such as cell proliferation, cell-cycle control and the stress response. In this work, we report that several isoforms of 14-3-3s are expressed in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. To understand their function, we utilized a general 14-3-3 peptide inhibitor, R18, to disrupt 14-3-3 functions in cardiomyocytes. Cardiomyocytes infected with adenovirus-expressing YFP-R18 (AdR18) exhibited markedly increased protein synthesis and atrial natriuretic peptide production and potentiated the responses to norepinephrine stimulation. This response was blocked by the pretreatment with LY294002, a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor. Consistent with a role of PI3K in the R18 effect, R18 induced phosphorylation of a protein cloned from the vakt oncogene of retrovirus AKT8 (Akt - also called protein kinase B, PKB) at Ser473 and glycogen synthase 3beta (GSK3beta) at Ser9, but not extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2). AdR18-induced PKB and GSK3beta phosphorylation was completely blocked by LY294002. In addition, a member of the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) family, NFAT3, was converted into faster mobility forms and translocated into the nucleus upon the treatment of AdR18. These results suggest that 14-3-3s inhibits cardiomyocytes hypertrophy through regulation of the PI3K/PKB/GSK3beta and NFAT pathway.     

大鼠心内精氨酸血管加压素免疫反应阳性神经元的观察

本文用精氨酸血管加压素抗血清作为第一级抗体,通过石蜡切片免疫组织化学 PAP 法对大鼠心内神经节进行了研究,发现心内不仅存在精氨酸血管加压素免疫反应阳性的神经纤维,而且含有该免疫反应阳性的神经细胞。关于精氨酸血管加压素免疫反应阳性的胞体和纤维在心内存在的生理学意义本文进行了讨论。     

电活性微生物胞外聚合物的特征与应用

电活性微生物是一类能够通过直接接触、导电菌毛或氧化还原介质与电极或者其他细胞进行胞外电子传递的微生物。而在这个过程中,胞外聚合物(extracellular polymeric substances, EPS)扮演着重要的角色。EPS是微生物生长过程中通过细胞裂解、水解分泌的高分子聚合物的混合物,主要由蛋白质、多糖和腐殖质等物质组成。来自电活性微生物的EPS的不同组成成分和特性会对EPS的电活性以及电活性微生物胞外电子传递产生一定的影响,同时在环境应用方面发挥重要作用。因此,为了更全面了解电活性微生物EPS的电活性及其对电活性微生物胞外电子传递的作用,本文总体介绍了电活性微生物EPS的电活性的直接表征方法,再从组成成分、化学性质、物理性质和空间分布4个方面综述了其对EPS电活性的影响及其在电子传递中的作用,介绍了当前电活性微生物EPS在染料废水脱色、重金属吸附、有机污染物的生物转化和渗滤液管理等方面的环境应用,并从表征方法、试验规模和互作机理研究等角度展望了未来的研究方向。     

有机溶剂中固定化脂肪酶催化硅醇的酯化反应

固定化Mucor miehei脂肪酶可催化有机硅醇和脂肪酸的酯化反应．对固定化酶用量、脂肪酸链长、不同有机硅醇底物、有机溶剂极性和水含量等影响因素进行了初步研究．     

Regulation of Xenopus gastrulation by ErbB signaling

During Xenopus gastrulation, mesendodermal cells are internalized and display different movements. Head mesoderm migrates along the blastocoel roof, while trunk mesoderm undergoes convergent extension (C&E). Different signals are implicated in these processes. Our previous studies reveal that signals through ErbB receptor tyrosine kinases modulate Xenopus gastrulation, but the mechanisms employed are not understood. Here we report that ErbB signals control both C&E and head mesoderm migration. Inhibition of ErbB pathway blocks elongation of dorsal marginal zone explants and activin-treated animal caps without removing mesodermal gene expression. Bipolar cell shape and cell mixing in the dorsal region are impaired. Inhibition of ErbB signaling also interferes with migration of prechordal mesoderm on fibronectin. Cell-cell and cell-matrix interaction and cell spreading are reduced when ErbB signaling is blocked. Using antisense morpholino oligonucleotides, we show that ErbB4 is involved in Xenopus gastrulation morphogenesis, and it partially regulates cell movements through modulation of cell adhesion and membrane protrusions. Our results reveal for the first time that vertebrate ErbB signaling modulates gastrulation movements, thus providing a novel pathway, in addition to non-canonical Wnt and FGF signals, that controls gastrulation. We further demonstrate that regulation of cell adhesive properties and cell morphology may underlie the functions of ErbBs in gastrulation.     

棕果蝠取食对两种榕树种子萌发行为的影响

在实验室利用聚果榕（Fieus racemosa）和对叶榕（Fieus hispida）成熟的果实饲喂笼养棕果蝠（Rousettus leschenaulti）,比较了不同处理的3组种子的萌发行为：（1）棕果蝠粪便中的种子;（2）被吐出的果渣中的种子;（3）成熟果实中的种子（对照）。棕果蝠取食行为显著影响了两种榕树种子的萌发过程,3种不同处理的种子萌发过程及最终萌发率（GP）之间都存在显著的差异。聚果榕种子经过棕果蝠消化道后GP显著降低,而对叶榕种子的GP显著提高。棕果蝠粪便中的聚果榕种子萌发开始（GS）和最短萌发时间（Tmin）均比对照种子延迟了2d,但其粪便中的对叶榕种子G5比对照种子提前了1d,Tmin提前了2d;与之相似,前者种子萌发比果实中种子提前2d达到萌发总量的50％（T50）,但后者没有改变T50。不同种榕果果渣中的种子萌发行为也有重大差异：聚果榕果渣中种子的Tmin和T50均比对照种子延迟1d,GS没发生改变;而对叶榕果渣中种子的Tmin比对照种子提前了3d,GS提前1d,T50没有改变。棕果蝠取食两种榕果后在飞行过程中排泄,进而有效的散布种子;而且通过消化明显改变了种子萌发行为,使种子萌发类型更为多样,增加了种子在不同时空条件下萌发的可能性。     

珠江三角洲三水市种植业结构优化研究

珠江三角洲具有悠久的基塘系统立体生态农业的经营历史 ,随着经济的飞速发展 ,农业生产日益追求经济高增长。但由于物质和能量的不合理投入 ,种养方式不科学 ,农业在获得经济效益增长的同时 ,较大程度上恶化了生态环境 ,导致经济与生态的矛盾日益加深。如何协调经济发展与生态保护两者的关系 ,走可持续发展道路 ,成为亟待解决的问题。本文从产业结构和生产模式科学规划布局的角度 ,探讨经济和生态两者相互协调的途径 ,并以珠江三角洲代表性的农业地区三水市种植业系统为研究对象 ,应用层次分析 (ＡＨＰ)法和线性规划 (ＬＰ)法[4 ]构建系统的…     

白腹管鼻蝠华北与东北冬眠群内RAPD分析和亲缘关系的比较研究

用随机扩增ＤＮＡ多态（ＲＡＰＤ）方法分析白腹管鼻蝠在华北和东北两地冬眠群群内与群间个体之间的亲缘关系,探讨冬眠群的结构组成及其相互关系。结果显示：华北两个白腹管鼻蝠冬眠群内个体间遗传相似性平均分别为０８５８和０９３３,两群之间的遗传相似性平均为０８４２,群内与群间个体之间在遗传相似性方面没有明显差别;东北冬眠群内的遗传相似性平均为０６０４;华北和东北两地冬眠群间的相似性只有０５１３和０５２１。据此可认为,在同一及邻近洞中形成的白腹管鼻蝠冬眠群的组成可能是选择来自同一种群中亲缘关系较近的个体,在华北冬眠的种群和在居留地东北冬眠的种群之间的亲缘关系较远。     

Smad在TGF-β超家族信号通路中的调控作用

TGF家族蛋白在哺乳动物的器官发育及形成中起着重要作用,它们经过膜受体的介导将信号传入细胞内,其下游最主要的调控蛋白Smad在胞内通过不同的调节各种基因的表达,这些模式主要有RSmadSmad4复合物直接与DNA结合,Smad蛋白与其他DNA结合因子,Smad蛋白与非DNA结合因子间的相互作用。Smad在BMPs对成骨细胞的分化调节过程中与RasMAPKAP1通路关联,共同决定不同细胞在不同发育阶段的定向分化 。