毛乌素沙地油蒿叶性状对光能利用效率动态的影响

目前对于荒漠灌木光能利用效率（LUE）的季节变异及其调控因素,尤其是其生物调控因素的认识非常有限,导致了荒漠生态系统生产力模型的不确定性。拟验证假设：长期干旱环境下,典型荒漠灌木油蒿光能利用效率日均值（LUE_day）的动态变化与叶片性状的季节性调整有关。试验采用Li-6400便携式光合仪定期测量了油蒿生长季叶片LUE_day的季节动态及相关叶性状指标,探究叶性状对LUE_day的影响。结果表明：LUE_day的季节波动范围为0.003-0.017 mol/mol,整体变异系数（CV）为38.75%。完全展叶期LUE_day均值相比生长季平均值降低17.37%,相比展叶期和落叶期时降低30%;8个叶性状的季节变异幅度差异较大,其中总叶绿素含量（Chl）、类胡萝卜素含量（Car）和叶氮含量（LNC）均表现出较大的季节变异性（CV ≥ 20%）,叶碳含量（LCC）和叶片相对含水量（LRWC）的变异程度最低（CV<7%）。LRWC与所有叶片化学性状（Chl、Chl a/b、Car、LNC和LCC）均存在显著相关,表明其变化与叶片的养分吸收、光合色素合成以及碳同化的运输过程密切相关;油蒿LUE_day的相对变化与LRWC、Chl a/b和LNC显著正相关,而LRWC和LNC的季节动态受空气温度（T_a）和土壤含水量（VWC）的共同调节,Chl a/b的季节波动主要由浅层土壤含水量（10 cm VWC）控制。以上研究结果强调,在未来预计极端的气候事件（如极端干旱和持续热浪事件）发生更频繁的旱地场景中,时间尺度植物叶性状对于土壤干旱和高温的适应性调整应当被充分考虑到旱地生态系统的通量建模方案中。该结果将为构建叶片尺度的光合生理模型与厘清LUE的生物调控机制提供理论依据。     

利用微嫁接技术促进麻疯树再生不定芽的生长

该研究以麻疯树种子实生苗的小芽和芽条为接穗,以带有胚根的实生苗下胚轴为砧木进行无菌微嫁接,试图建立新的有效微嫁接方法,解决农杆菌介导的麻疯树遗传转化体系中再生的转化不定芽难以顺利发育成完整植株的问题。结果表明:(1)抗生素对嫁接苗的生长有显著的抑制作用。(2)进行微嫁接所用砧木的苗龄以5d为宜。(3)进行微嫁接时适宜采用的砧木类型为带有部分胚根的下胚轴。(4)嫁接苗在0.3mg/L IBA+2mg/L谷氨酰胺+1/2MS培养基上的生长效果最好。(5)嫁接苗的移栽成活率最高可达76.40%。(6)以小芽或芽条为接穗的嫁接苗均可正常生长。该研究建立的麻疯树微嫁接体系,为解决麻疯树转化不定芽或芽条生长发育困难的问题提供了一条新的途径。     

APE/Ref-1在中枢神经系统氧化应激反应中的保护作用

化学性质活泼的自由基（free radicals）在保持产生和清除平衡的稳衡性动态下能履行正常的生理功能,但超过生物体的清除能力则可导致多种疾病.无嘌呤/无嘧啶核酸内切酶/氧化还原因子1（apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease/redox-factor 1, APE/Ref-1）是一种体内分布广泛的多功能蛋白质,通过修复DNA的无嘌呤/无嘧啶（apurinic/apyrimidinic, AP）部位参与DNA的碱基切除修复(base excision repair, BER).APE/Ref-1还可通过还原许多转录因子的半胱氨酸残基使之易于与DNA结合而调控真核细胞的基因表达.APE/Ref-1的抗细胞凋亡作用使其在自由基所致中枢神经系统病变如脑缺血-再灌注损伤、神经退行性病变、脑动脉粥样硬化中发挥了重要作用.     

cDNA sequence and tissues expression analysis of lipoprotein lipase from common carp (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cyprinus carpio</Emphasis> Var. Jian)

A full-length cDNA coding lipoprotein lipase (LPL) was cloned from liver of adult common carp (Cyprinus carpio Var. Jian) by RT-PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) approaches. The cDNA obtained was 2,411 bp long with a 1,524 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding 507 amino acids. This amino acid sequence contains two structural regions: N-terminus (24–354 residues) and C-terminus (355–507 residues). Before N-terminus, 1–23 residues is signal peptide, 6–23 residues is transmembrance helix. At N-terminus, some conversed functional sites were found, including two N-linked glycosylation sites Asn⁴¹ and Asn⁸⁸; one catalytic triad Ser¹⁷⁴, Asp¹⁹⁸ and His²⁸³; one conserved heparin-binding site Arg³²¹ to Arg³²⁴ (RKNR); eight cysteines residues Cys⁶⁹ and Cys⁸², Cys²⁵⁸ and Cys²⁸¹, Cys³⁰⁶ and Cys³²⁵, Cys³¹⁷ and Cys³²⁰ which are involved in four disulfide bridges; one polypeptide “lid” that participates in substrate specificity. At C-terminus, Asn⁴⁰¹ is another N-linked glycosylation site, and Trp⁴³⁴ and Trp⁴³⁵ (WW) is lipid-binding site. The amino acid sequence has a high similarity, and shows similar structural features to LPL of other species. Tissue distribution of LPL mRNA in liver, head kidney, mesenteric adipose tissue, heart and white muscle of common carp was analyzed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR method using β-actin gene as internal control. The result showed that the expressions of LPL mRNA were detected in all examined tissues of common carp. The expression levels of LPL in the mesenteric adipose tissue was highest among these tissues, following in liver and head kidney, and the lowest expression was found in heart and white muscle.     

Synthesis, structure and electronic spectra of new three-coordinated copper(I) complexes with tricyclohexylphosphine and diimine ligands

Three new copper(I) complexes with tricyclohexylphosphine (PCy₃) and different diimine ligands, [Cu(phen)(PCy₃)]BF₄ (1) (phen = 1,10′-phennanthroline), [Cu(bpy)(PCy₃)₂]BF₄ (2) (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) and [Cu(MeO-CNN)(PCy₃)]BF₄ (3) (MeO-CNN = 6-(4-methoxyl)phenyl-2,2′-bipyridine), have been synthesized and characterized. X-ray structure reveals that complexes 1 and 3 are three-coordinated with trigonal geometry, while complex 2 adopts distorted tetrahedron geometry. Complexes 1 and 3 exhibit ligand redistribution reactions in chloromethane solution by addition of excess amount of PCy₃, in which three-coordinated 1 changes into four-coordinated [Cu(phen)(PCy₃)₂]⁺, and 3 leads to form [Cu(PCy₃)₂]BF₄ and CNN-OMe. All the three complexes display yellow ³MLCT emissions in solid state at room temperature with λ_max at 558, 564 and 582 nm for 1, 2 and 3, respectively, and red-shift to 605, 628 and 643 nm at 77 K in dichloromethane solution.     

Neuro-endocrine basis for altered plasma glucose homeostasis in the Fragile X mouse

Background

The fragile X mouse model shows an increase in seizure susceptibility, indicating an involvement of the GABAergic system via an alteration in cellular excitability. In the brain, we have previously described a reduction in GABA_A receptor expression as a likely basis for this susceptibility. In the brains of fragile X mice, this reduction in receptor expression culminates with a concomitant increase in the expression of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), the enzyme responsible for GABA synthesis. Further, voltage-sensitive calcium channel expression is reduced in the pancreas of the fragile X mouse. Since there are considerable similarities in the GABAergic system in the brain and pancreas, we evaluated the protective role of taurine in pancreatic islet development in both wild type (WT) and fragile X mice (KO).

Methods

One-month-old FVB/NJ males or age-matched fmr1-knockout (KO) mice were supplemented with taurine in drinking water (0.05% w/v) for four weeks. Age-matched controls were fed water only for the same duration. At four weeks, mice were sacrificed and pancreases processed for histology and immunohistochemical studies on changes of insulin, glucagon and somatostatin expression. Additional mice were subjected to a glucose tolerance test.

Results

Taurine treatment resulted in a significant increase in the number and size of islets. WT taurine-fed mice, slightly hypoglycemic prior to glucose injection, showed significantly reduced plasma glucose at 30 min post-injection when compared to control mice. KO mice had normal baseline plasma glucose concentration; however, following glucose injection they had higher plasma glucose levels at 30 min when compared to controls. Supplementation of taurine to KO mice resulted in reduced baseline levels of plasma glucose. After glucose injection, the taurine-fed KO mice had reduced plasma glucose at 30 min compared to KO. Concomitant with the increased islets size and glucose tolerance observed in taurine-fed mice there was an increase in insulin, glucagon and somatostatin immunoreactivity in the islets of WT mice. In the KO mice however, insulin levels were not affected whereas glucagon and somatostatin levels were reduced. Exocytosis of these hormones is calcium-dependent, therefore any exacerbation of calcium homeostasis could affect hormone release. We found the expression of the voltage sensitive calcium channels (VSCC) is drastically reduced in the pancreas of fragile X mice.

Conclusions

During early development, the VSCC play an important role in calcium-dependent gene expression. Since these channels are also involved in depolarization and calcium-mediated vesicular release of neurotransmitters and pancreatic hormones, alterations in the expression of VSCC not only will affect calcium-mediated gene expression but also hormonal and neurotransmitter release creating therefore a neuroendocrine perturbation in the fragile X that may potentially affect other organ systems. We find that in the fragile X mouse, taurine treatment may partially restore functionality of the neuro-endocrine pancreas.

     

Axial nature of the cupule‐bearing organ in Caytoniales

Abstract Caytoniales are an important group of seed plants, and the nature of their female reproductive organ may influence interpretations of the seed plant phylogeny and the origin of angiosperms. Although not convincingly demonstrated by clear evidence, cupules on previously described specimens were interpreted as being distichously arranged, implying that the cupule‐bearing organ in Caytoniales was a pinnate megasporophyll. Here a female reproductive organ of Paracaytonia hongtaoi gen. et sp. nov. (Caytoniales) is reported from Liaoning, China. The well preserved specimen clearly shows a spiral arrangement of cupules along the reproductive axis, suggesting that the cupule‐bearing organ in Caytoniales is not a megasporophyll but a branch. This new information on the axial nature of the cupule‐bearing organ in Caytoniales has significant implications on the placement of Caytoniales in the seed plant phylogeny and interpretation of the relationship between Caytoniales and angiosperms.     

一种云芝发酵所产胃蛋白酶抑制剂的纯化及部分性质研究

云芝发酵液经超声波细胞破碎,离心和大孔树脂脱色得上清液.上清液再经DEAE-52、Mono Q离子交换层析和UltroGel ACA-54凝胶过滤分离得到一种胃蛋白酶抑制剂.它的成分是蛋白质,经UltroGel ACA-54凝胶过滤和SDS-PAGE鉴定为单亚基,相对分子量为22.31 kDa.该抑制剂热稳定性良好,对胃酶有很强的抑制作用,半抑制浓度IC50值为29.26 μg/mL,抑制类型属于非竞争和反竞争混合型抑制模式,其Ki值为0.996 μmol/L.