PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND CALCIFICATION BY EMILIANIA HUXLEYI (PRYMNESIOPHYCEAE) AS A FUNCTION OF INORGANIC CARBON SPECIES

To test the possibility of inorganic carbon limitation of the marine unicellular alga Emiliania huxleyi (Lohmann) Hay and Mohler, its carbon acquisition was measured as a function of the different chemical species of inorganic carbon present in the medium. Because these different species are interdependent and covary in any experiment in which the speciation is changed, a set of experiments was performed to produce a multidimensional carbon uptake scheme for photosynthesis and calcification. This scheme shows that CO₂ that is used for photosynthesis comes from two sources. The CO₂ in seawater supports a modest rate of photosynthesis. The HCO is the major substrate for photosynthesis by intracellular production of CO₂ (HCO+ H⁺→ CO₂+ H₂O → CH₂O + O₂). This use of HCO is possible because of the simultaneous calcification using a second HCO, which provides the required proton (HCO+ Ca²⁺→ CaCO₃+ H⁺). The HCO is the only substrate for calcification. By distinguishing the two sources of CO₂ used in photosynthesis, it was shown that E. huxleyi has a K_½ for external CO₂ of “only” 1.9 ± 0.5 μM (and a V_max of 2.4 ± 0.1 pmol·cell⁻¹·d⁻¹). Thus, in seawater that is in equilibrium with the atmosphere ([CO₂]= 14 μM, [HCO]= 1920 μM, at fCO₂= 360 μatm, pH = 8, T = 15° C), photosynthesis is 90% saturated with external CO₂. Under the same conditions, the rate of photosynthesis is doubled by the calcification route of CO₂ supply (from 2.1 to 4.5 pmol·cell⁻¹·d⁻¹). However, photosynthesis is not fully saturated, as calcification has a K_½ for HCO of 3256 ± 1402 μM and a V_max of 6.4 ± 1.8 pmol·cell⁻¹·d⁻¹. The H⁺ that is produced during calcification is used with an efficiency of 0.97 ± 0.08, leading to the conclusion that it is used intracellularly. A maximum efficiency of 0.88 can be expected, as NO uptake generates a H⁺ sink (OH⁻ source) for the cell. The success of E. huxleyi as a coccolithophorid may be related to the efficient coupling between H⁺ generation in calcification and CO₂ fixation in photosynthesis.     

UNCOUPLING OF SILICON COMPARED WITH CARBON AND NITROGEN METABOLISMS AND THE ROLE OF THE CELL CYCLE IN CONTINUOUS CULTURES OF THALASSIOSIRA PSEUDONANA (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE) UNDER LIGHT,NITROGEN, AND PHOSPHORUS CONTROL1

The elemental composition and the cell cycle stages of the marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana Hasle and Heimdal were studied in continuous cultures over a range of different light‐ (E), nitrogen‐ (N), and phosphorus‐ (P) limited growth rates. In all growth conditions investigated, the decrease in the growth rate was linked with a higher relative contribution of the G2+M phase. The other phases of the cell cycle, G1 and S, showed different patterns, depending on the type of limitation. All experiments showed a highly significant increase in the amount of biogenic silica per cell and per cell surface with decreasing growth rates. At low growth rates, the G2+M elongation allowed an increase of the silicification of the cells. This pattern could be explained by the major uptake of silicon during the G2+M phase and by the independence of this process on the requirements of the other elements. This was illustrated by the elemental ratios Si/C and Si/N that increased from 2‐ to 6‐fold, depending of the type of limitation, whereas the C/N ratio decreased by 10% (E limitation) or increased by 50% (P limitation). The variations of the ratios clearly demonstrate the uncoupling of the Si metabolism compared with the C and N metabolisms. This uncoupling enabled us to explain that in any of the growth condition investigated, the silicification of the cells increased at low growth rates, whereas carbon and nitrogen cellular content are differently regulated, depending of the growth conditions.     

An evolutionary rearrangement of the Xp11.3-11.23 region in 3p21.3, a region frequently deleted in a variety of cancers.

In searching for a tumor suppressor gene in the 3p21.3 region, we isolated two genes, RBM5 and RBM6. Sequence analysis indicated that these genes share similarity. RBM5 and-to a lesser extent-RBM6 also have similarity to DXS8237E at Xp11.3-11.23, which maps less than 20 kb upstream of UBE1. A homologue of UBE1, UBE1L, is located at 3p21. 3. FISH analysis showed that the distance between UBE1L and RBM5 in 3p21.3 is about 265 kb. DXS8237E and UBE1 on the X chromosome have the same orientation, whereas on chromosome 3 the orientation of RBM5 and that of RBM6 are opposite to the orientation of UBE1L. Presumably, part of the Xp11.3-11.23 region has duplicated to chromosome 3. Part of this region on chromosome 3 may subsequently have duplicated again within the same chromosomal region. Inversion at some stage of the evolution of the human genome would explain the change in orientation of the genes on chromosome 3 compared with that of the genes on the X chromosome.     

东北小鲵中枢神经系统形态学与组织学初步研究

本文应用脊椎动物神经标本制作法和HE染色法,对东北小鲵中枢神经系统的外部形态和组织学结构进行了初步研究,描述了东北小鲵神经系统形态和组织学结构的特点,并与无尾两栖类和爬行类相对比,探讨了有尾两栖类的进化地位。结果表明:与无尾两栖类(如蛙)相比,东北小鲵中枢神经系统中,大脑半球较小,结构较为原始,小脑结构简单,是两栖类中较为原始的类群。此外,东北小鲵开始具有了臂神经丛和骶神经丛,但没有爬行类的发达,可作为两栖类向爬行类进化的证据之一。     

Tissue transglutaminase modulates alpha-synuclein oligomerization

We have studied the interaction of the enzyme tissue transglutaminase (tTG), catalyzing cross-link formation between protein-bound glutamine residues and primary amines, with Parkinson's disease-associated α-synuclein protein variants at physiologically relevant concentrations. We have, for the first time, determined binding affinities of tTG for wild-type and mutant α-synucleins using surface plasmon resonance approaches, revealing high-affinity nanomolar equilibrium dissociation constants. Nanomolar tTG concentrations were sufficient for complete inhibition of fibrillization by effective α-synuclein cross-linking, resulting predominantly in intramolecularly cross-linked monomers accompanied by an oligomeric fraction. Since oligomeric species have a pathophysiological relevance we further investigated the properties of the tTG/α-synuclein oligomers. Atomic force microscopy revealed morphologically similar structures for oligomers from all α-synuclein variants; the extent of oligomer formation was found to correlate with tTG concentration. Unlike normal α-synuclein oligomers the resultant structures were extremely stable and resistant to GdnHCl and SDS. In contrast to normal β-sheet-containing oligomers, the tTG/α-synuclein oligomers appear to be unstructured and are unable to disrupt phospholipid vesicles. These data suggest that tTG binds equally effective to wild-type and disease mutant α-synuclein variants. We propose that tTG cross-linking imposes structural constraints on α-synuclein, preventing the assembly of structured oligomers required for disruption of membranes and for progression into fibrils. In general, cross-linking of amyloid forming proteins by tTG may prevent the progression into pathogenic species.     

植物丝氨酸/精氨酸丰富(SR)蛋白的结构和功能及其在植物发育中的作用

丝氨酸／精氨酸丰富（SR）蛋白家族是真核生物中的一类剪接因子,在前体mRNA的组成性和选择性剪接中起作用。本文就近十几年来SR蛋白结构和功能及其在植物发育中的作用的研究进展作以介绍。     

珍稀鹤类巢址的空间聚类识别方法

依据2003年到2005年松嫩平原西部地区珍稀鹤类巢址调查数据,利用三种不同类型的指数进行分析研究:(1)拓扑指数,Voronoi图面积;(2)统计指数,Morishita指数;(3)空间指数,分维数.结果表明珍稀鹤类巢址空间格局具有明显的空间聚类分布,这三个指数使我们对珍稀鹤类巢址的聚类现象有了定量的认识,加深对自然保护区资源保护的重要性.     

Global transcriptional response of pig brain and lung to natural infection by Pseudorabies virus

Background  

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is an alphaherpesviruses whose native host is pig. PRV infection mainly causes signs of central nervous system disorder in young pigs, and respiratory system diseases in the adult.