alpha1,2Fucosyltransferase increases resistance to apoptosis of rat colon carcinoma cells

Accumulation of histo-blood group antigens such as Lewis b, Lewis Y and H in colon cancer is indicative of poor prognosis. It is accompanied by increase in alpha1,2fucosyl-transferase activity, a key enzyme for synthesis of these antigens. Using a model of colon carcinoma, we previously showed that alpha1,2fucosylation increases tumorigenicity. We now show that tumorigenicity inversely correlates with the cells' sensitivity to apoptosis. In addition, poorly tumorigenic REG cells independently transfected with three different alpha1,2fucosyltransferase cDNAs, the human FUT1, the rat FTA and FTB were more resistant than control cells to apoptosis induced in vitro by serum deprivation. Inversely, PRO cells, spontaneously tumorigenic in immunocompetent syngeneic animals and able to synthesize alpha1,2fucosylated glycans, became more sensitive to apoptosis after transfection with a fragment of the FTA cDNA in the antisense orientation. Expression of alpha1,2fucosyl-transferase in poorly tumorigenic REG cells dramatically enhanced their tumorigenicity in syngeneic rats. However, in immunodeficient animals, both control and alpha1,2fuco-syltransferase transfected REG cells were fully tumorigenic and metastatic, indicating that the presence of alpha1,2fucosylated antigens allowed REG tumor cells to escape immune control. Taken together, the results show that increased tumorigenicity mediated by alpha1,2fucosyl-ation is associated to increased resistance to apoptosis and to escape from immune control.     

为害云南松的纵坑切梢小蠹 (Tomicus piniperda)经济阈值的研究(英文)

经过对纵坑切梢小蠹 (TomicuspiniperdaL .)种群密度和云南松 (PinusyunnanensisFranch .)生长状况的长期、仔细的调查 ,加上改进的回归分析方法 ,得出了为害云南松的纵坑切梢小蠹防治上的经济阈值 :当林木枯死率不超过 0 .5 2 %时 ,自然控制因子能控制纵坑切梢小蠹种群不向高密度方向发展 ,因而可以不必防治。当林木枯死率达到 0 .5 0 % ,对应的枯捎率为 0 .6 1 % ,以及对应的平均每株侵入孔数为 0 .6 6时 ,防治费用和挽回损失价值相当。所以 ,若既考虑到经济上的合理性 ,又考虑到控制其种群不向高密度方向发展 ,当林木枯死率超过 0 .5 % ,对应的枯梢率超过 0 .6 1 % ,以及对应的平均每株侵入孔数超过 0 .6 6时 ,就有了进行防治的必要。本文还给出了各云南松林区可以用来根据自己的具体情况计算出适合自己的经济阈值的公式。     

边缘海与大洋第三纪钙质超微化石群比较研究

通过南海北部大陆架某钻孔(Y6)和西太平洋DSDP 296钻孔第三纪地层中超微化石群进行直接对比,同时收集Lohmann和Carlson(1981)对17个太平洋深海钻孔、Ellis(1973)对DSDP31航次7个钻孔超微化石研究资料进行间接对比,发现边缘海和大洋第三纪钙质超微化石群的分布有着不同特点,表现在;(1)边缘海陆架地区化石丰度低,而大洋丰度高,是边缘海陆架区的37倍。(2)边缘海陆架地区化石分异度低。(3)小型钙质超微化石在边缘海陆架地区含量丰富,而大个体类型在大洋中含量高。(4)Sphenolithus和 Helicosphaera在边缘海陆架地区多,而 Discoaster在大洋中含量高,几近前者的15倍。文中最后对造成这种差别的原因进行了讨论。     

A Gene Family Derived from Transposable Elements during Early Angiosperm Evolution Has Reproductive Fitness Benefits in Arabidopsis thaliana

The benefits of ever-growing numbers of sequenced eukaryotic genomes will not be fully realized until we learn to decipher vast stretches of noncoding DNA, largely composed of transposable elements. Transposable elements persist through self-replication, but some genes once encoded by transposable elements have, through a process called molecular domestication, evolved new functions that increase fitness. Although they have conferred numerous adaptations, the number of such domesticated transposable element genes remains unknown, so their evolutionary and functional impact cannot be fully assessed. Systematic searches that exploit genomic signatures of natural selection have been employed to identify potential domesticated genes, but their predictions have yet to be experimentally verified. To this end, we investigated a family of domesticated genes called MUSTANG (MUG), identified in a previous bioinformatic search of plant genomes. We show that MUG genes are functional. Mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana MUG genes yield phenotypes with severely reduced plant fitness through decreased plant size, delayed flowering, abnormal development of floral organs, and markedly reduced fertility. MUG genes are present in all flowering plants, but not in any non-flowering plant lineages, such as gymnosperms, suggesting that the molecular domestication of MUG may have been an integral part of early angiosperm evolution. This study shows that systematic searches can be successful at identifying functional genetic elements in noncoding regions and demonstrates how to combine systematic searches with reverse genetics in a fruitful way to decipher eukaryotic genomes.     

Population dynamics of an Ac-like transposable element in self- and cross-pollinating arabidopsis.

Theoretical models predict that the mating system should be an important factor driving the dynamics of transposable elements in natural populations due to differences in selective pressure on both element and host. We used a PCR-based approach to examine the abundance and levels of insertion polymorphism of Ac-III, a recently identified Ac-like transposon family, in natural populations of the selfing plant Arabidopsis thaliana and its close outcrossing relative, Arabidopsis lyrata. Although several insertions appeared to be ancient and shared between species, there is strong evidence for recent activity of this element family in both species. Sequences of the regions flanking insertions indicate that all Ac-III transposons segregating in natural populations are in noncoding regions and provide no evidence for local transposition events. Transposon display analysis suggests the presence of slightly higher numbers of insertion sites per individual but fewer total polymorphic insertions in the self-pollinating A. thaliana than A. lyrata. Element insertions appear to be segregating at significantly lower frequencies in A. lyrata than A. thaliana, which is consistent with a reduction in transposition rate, reduction in effective population size, or reduced efficacy of natural selection against element insertions in selfing populations.     

Time and dose dependent effect of indomethacin on BCG induced PMN migration in mice.

The effect of three doses of indomethacin (Indo) on BCG-induced PMN migration at different times of day was studied in Swiss mice kept on a lighting regimen of LD 12:12, with L from 07:00 to 19:00. Experimental granulomas were induced by subcutaneous implantation of BCG-impregnated cell traps for a time span of 480 min. Doses of 1, 3 and 9 mg/kg of Indo were given orally one hour before trap implantation, at 01:00, 05:00, 09:00, 13:00, 17:00 and 21:00 hr. In sham animals, the maximal PMN count occurred at 17:00 hr. In treated mice, Indo increased or decreased the number of PMN/mm2 as a function of time of administration. Cell migration was inhibited at 17:00 hr by all 3 Indo doses, while the number of PMN in the cell trap increased at 21:00 hr. Various dose-effects were obtained at the other times of day. Several hypotheses are proposed to explain the conflicting data. The results indicate the importance of the time of drug administration in biology.     

Viral load increases in SJL/J mice persistently infected by Theiler's virus after inactivation of the beta(2)m gene.

We show that inactivating the beta(2)m gene increases the viral load of SJL/J mice persistently infected by Theiler's virus. Together with previous results, this shows that the characteristics of Tmevp1, a locus which controls the amount of viral RNA that persists in the central nervous system, are those of an H-2 class I gene.     

Impacts and management of unowned and owned cats at a seabird colony on Reunion Island (Western Indian Ocean)

Biological Invasions - Cats (Felis catus) introduced on islands have strong impacts on biodiversity, and the main conservation actions to protect native fauna is cat eradication or control (i.e.,...     

The actions of in ovo cortisol on egg fertility,embryo development and the expression of growth‐related genes in rainbow trout embryos,and the growth performance of juveniles

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) oocytes were incubated for 3 hr in ovarian fluid alone (CC), or cortisol‐enriched ovarian fluid [100 or 1,000 ng ml^?1 (CL and CH, respectively)], after which they were fertilized; the growth and development of the embryos reared from these oocytes was monitored until first feed, and the juveniles were monitored for 9 months. The hatching rates of the CH group were significantly reduced, but the overall survival as measured at 40‐week post‐fertilization was similar in the three treatment groups. In addition, significant apparently biphasic changes relative to the CC group were found in the expression of some key growth‐related genes in the CL and CH treatment groups, particularly IGF‐1, IGF‐2, GH1, GH2, GH receptors, and thyroid hormone receptors (TRα and TRβ). Moreover, the juveniles of the CL (but not the CH treatment group) exhibited enhanced growth; the enhanced growth could not be explained on the basis of increased feed conversion efficiency or changes in serum GH levels at the juvenile stage. Additionally, relative growth rates from the three treatment groups were similar, suggesting that the biphasic growth‐enhancing effects of cortisol occurred very early in embryogenesis. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 77:922–931, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.