Characterization of Chrysanthemum ClSOC1-1 and ClSOC1-2, homologous genes of SOC1

The MADS-box gene SOC1/TM3 (SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS 1/ Tomato MADS-box gene 3) is a main integrator in the Arabidopsis flowering pathway; its structure and function are highly conserved in many plant species. SOC1-like genes have been isolated in chrysanthemum, one of the most well-known ornamental plants, but it has not been well characterized thus far. We isolated and characterized ClSOC1-1 and ClSOC1-2, two putative orthologs of Arabidopsis SOC1, from the wild diploid chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium, to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of flowering time control in chrysanthemum. Expression analysis indicated that ClSOC1-1 and ClSOC1-2 were expressed in all examined organs/tissues (leaves, shoot apices, petioles, stems and roots) with different expression levels, and with high expression in the shoot apices and leaves during the early stage of floral transition. The expression levels of ClSOC1-1 and ClSOC1-2 in the shoot apices increased at different developmental stages with the highest expression levels after 7 days of short-day treatment. Overexpression of ClSOC1-1 and ClSOC1-2 in wild-type Arabidopsis resulted in early flowering, which was coupled with the upregulation of one of the flowering promoter genes LEAFY. Our results suggested that the ClSOC1-1 and ClSOC1-2 genes play an evolutionarily conserved role in promoting flowering in Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium and could serve as a vital target for the genetic manipulation of flowering time in the chrysanthemum.     

小鼠子宫颈部位输卵管蛋白表达的初步研究

用RT-PCR及免疫印迹法检测证实小鼠子宫颈粘膜上皮细胞具表达输卵管蛋白的能力,宫颈部所获得的输卵管蛋白转录产物, 310到 714的405bp的cDNA片段经序列测定及blast比较表明与输卵管部位表达的输卵管蛋白完全一致(100%)。小鼠子宫颈输卵管蛋白在动情周期的表达波动情况与输卵管粘膜上皮的类似,其表达于小鼠动情期明显增加。Westernblot显示小鼠子宫颈提取物中存在两种不同分子量(60KD,30KD)的输卵管蛋白。原位杂交结果则提示子宫颈粘膜上皮细胞含丰富的输卵管蛋白mRNA信号。通过"原体中风"实验未发现输卵管蛋白在体外对精子活动有影响,其功能尚须进一步分析。     

Molecular phylogeny of the entomopathogenic fungi of the genus Cordyceps (Ascomycota:Clavicipitaceae) and its evolutionary implications

Cordyceps is an endoparasite ascomycetous genus containing approximately 450 species with a diversity of insect hosts,traditionally included in the family Clavicipitaceae of Ascomycota.Establishing the relationships among species with a varied range of morphologies and hosts is of importance to our understanding of the phylogeny and co-evolution of parasites and hosts in entomopathogenic ascomycetes.To this end,we used a combination of molecular index and morphological characters from 40 representative species to carry out comprehensive molecular phylogenetic analyses.Based on the phylogenetic tree,we used the program DISCRETE for inferring the rates of evolution and finding ancestral states of morphological character.The phylogenetic analyses revealed two important points.(i) Types of perithecia attached to stroma reflected an evolutionary trend in Cordyceps.The vertically immersed perithecia form was the ancestral state,superficial and obliquely immersed perithecia were derived characters,obliquely immersed was irreversible.Species with obliquely immersed perithecia were in a closely related group and were the derived group.(ii) A strong correlation between fungal relatedness and the microhabitat supported the hypothesis that the host jumps through commingling in soil microhabitats.Based on the results of these analyses,host switching explains the diversity of entomopathogenic fungi of the genus Cordyceps.     

基于酵母水平的高通量药物筛选

随着后基因组时代的到来,越来越多的药物靶标蛋白将会被发现,基于靶标蛋白设计出的化合物也将大量涌现,高通量药物筛选日趋重要。酵母基因组的易操作性及其简单稳定的培养条件,使得该真核微生物成为一种理想的药物筛选工程细胞。本文讨论了选择酵母系统进行细胞水平筛选的优缺点,并从基于靶点和表型两种筛选模式对酵母水平的高通量药物筛选做一总结。     

Quantitative evaluation of siRNA delivery in vivo

Effective small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated therapeutics require the siRNA to be delivered into the cellular RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). Quantitative information of this essential delivery step is currently inferred from the efficacy of gene silencing and siRNA uptake in the tissue. Here we report an approach to directly quantify siRNA in the RISC in rodents and monkey. This is achieved by specific immunoprecipitation of the RISC from tissue lysates and quantification of small RNAs in the immunoprecipitates by stem-loop PCR. The method, expected to be independent of delivery vehicle and target, is label-free, and the throughput is acceptable for preclinical animal studies. We characterized a lipid-formulated siRNA by integrating these approaches and obtained a quantitative perspective on siRNA tissue accumulation, RISC loading, and gene silencing. The described methodologies have utility for the study of silencing mechanism, the development of siRNA therapeutics, and clinical trial design.     

多发性骨髓瘤细胞中一个表达上调基因的克隆与分析

根据GenBank收录的多发性骨髓瘤细胞株 (ARH 77)表达上调ESTAF4 2 5 30 0设计引物 ,运用RT PCR检测了 5例多发性骨髓瘤患者及 4例正常人骨髓细胞中该EST的表达水平 .Northern印迹杂交分析该EST在多种组织中的表达 .进一步利用该EST作探针 ,筛选ARH 77cDNA文库 ,获得全长cDNA克隆 ,对该序列进行了分析 .结果显示 ,该EST在多发性骨髓瘤患者骨髓细胞中亦有较高的表达 ,而在正常人骨髓细胞中低表达 .经测序证实 ,该cDNA全长为 4 5 2bp(GenBank收录号 :AF4 87338) .预测其编码一个 5 7个氨基酸的小分子量蛋白质 ,属于与DNA复制有关的解旋酶 引物酶基因家族的新成员 .该基因在多发性骨髓瘤细胞中表达上调 ,其表达水平的改变可能与多发性骨髓瘤的发生与发展有关     

Expression analysis of a type S2 EUL-related lectin from rice in Pichia pastoris

Rice (Oryza sativa) expresses different putative carbohydrate-binding proteins belonging to the class of lectins containing an Euonymus lectin (EUL)-related domain, one of them being OrysaEULS2. The OrysaEULS2 sequence consists of a 56 amino acid N-terminal domain followed by the EUL sequence. In this paper the original sequence of the EUL domain of OrysaEULS2 and some mutant forms have been expressed in Pichia pastoris. Subsequently, the recombinant proteins were purified and their carbohydrate binding properties determined. Analysis of the original protein on the glycan array revealed interaction with mannose containing structures and to a lesser extent with glycans containing lactosamine related structures. It was shown that mutation of tryptophan residue 134 into leucine resulted in an almost complete loss of carbohydrate binding activity of OrysaEULS2. Our results show that the EUL domain in OrysaEULS2 interacts with glycan structures, and hence can be considered as a lectin. However, the binding of the protein with the array is much weaker than that of other EUL-related lectins. Furthermore, our results indicate that gene divergence within the family of EUL-related lectins lead to changes in carbohydrate binding specificity.     

用PO4细胞为靶细胞检测人血清中Epstein-Barr病毒IgA/MA抗体以诊断鼻咽癌

近年来,常用未经丙酮固定的、由丁酸和巴豆油激活的B95-8细胞或P3HR-1细胞为靶细胞,检测人血清中EB病毒IgA/MA抗体以早期诊断鼻咽癌,效果良好。但由于B95-8细胞含有多种EB病毒抗原,不能用丙酮固定,需多次离心沉淀,在浮悬状态下检测,技术比较复杂。     

外源基因表达造成的群体感应细菌生存压力的建模分析

外源基因的表达及其对细菌种群的影响对于群体感应系统和合成生物学产业的研究具有重要意义。然而,人们对于表达外源蛋白的细菌本身的行为模式仍然知之甚少。为了研究菌落生长和外源基因表达的过程究竟受到哪些因素的影响,文中测量了受Lux类受体调控的外源基因在N-酰基高丝氨酸内酯 (N-acyl homoserine lactone,N-AHL) 信号分子诱导下的表达,并模拟了其对细菌种群动态的影响。文中建立了一个假设性的数学模型,对信号分子诱导表达下细菌种群生长受影响的现象进行了分析。先前的研究通常将细菌种群生长受群体感应系统影响的现象归咎于合成群体感应信号分子的消耗与N-AHL信号分子的毒性,文中提供了对于这种生存压力的另一种可能的解释。