Evolution and differentiation of the prion protein gene (PRNP) among species

A total of 937 prion protein gene (PRNP) sequences belonging to 83 species in 56 genera of 26 families were analyzed in order to investigate its evolution and differentiation among species. The length of PRNP coding sequence for all species analyzed varied from 567 to 825 bp, which was mainly because of insertion or deletion in the repeat region within and among the species. TGA and TAG are the main stop codons in the PRNP gene. Bos taurus had the smallest variation in terms of average number of nucleotide differences (0.811), nucleotide diversity (0.0011), and nonsynonymous nucleotide diversity (0.0002) among all the ruminants. The reconstructed phylogenetic tree of PRNP of families and species was basically consistent with the taxonomy of National Center for Biotechnology Information except for Felidae (Felis catus), which was initially clustered with Moschidae rather than Mustelidae or Canidae.     

Expression of recombinant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clostridium difficile</Emphasis> toxin A and B in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus megaterium</Emphasis>

Background  

Major Clostridium difficile virulence factors are the exotoxins TcdA and TcdB. Due to the large size and poor stability of the proteins, the active recombinant TcdA and TcdB have been difficult to produce.     

Two serine protease inhibitors from the skin secretions of the toad, Bombina microdeladigitora

Two serine protease inhibitors (named BMSI 1 and BMSI 2, respectively) were identified from the skin secretions of the toad, Bombina microdeladigitora. The cDNAs encoding BMSIs were cloned from a cDNA library prepared from the toad skin. The deduced complete amino acid sequences of BMSIs indicate that mature BMSI 1 and BMSI 2 are composed of 60 amino acids including 10 half-cystines to form 5 disulfide bridges. A FASTA search in the databanks revealed that BMSIs exhibit sequence similarity with other serine protease inhibitors from amphibians of the genus Bombina. BMSI 1 potently inhibited trypsin and thrombin with a K(i) value of 0.02 μM and 0.15 μM, respectively. Sequence analysis revealed that all serine protease inhibitors from five amphibians of the genus Bombina share highly conserved primary structures.     

农田土壤枯枝落叶分解代谢的灰色分析

研究了农田土壤枯枝落叶分解代谢过程的影响因素。结果表明 ,农田土壤枯枝落叶分解速率有明显的季节变化 ;分解速率的高峰值主要是在 7,8月份。通过灰色关联分析表明 ,影响土壤枯枝落叶分解速率的主要因素是弹尾类动物、线虫类动物、无机磷转化作用和土壤含水量。建立了灰色数学模型     

渭干河-库车河绿洲景观生态安全时空分异及格局优化

渭干河-库车河绿洲(以下简称渭-库绿洲)是我国西北干旱区典型的荒漠绿洲区,维护其生态安全,是实现绿洲可持续发展的重要保障。以1997年、2006年及2016年3期Landsat TM影像数据为主要数据来源,构建渭-库绿洲景观生态安全评价模型,对近20年来研究区的景观生态安全时空特征进行分析。利用最小阻力模型,以水域、林草地为生态源地,将生态安全水平、海拔和坡度作为阻力因子生成最小累计阻力面,划分生态功能区,识别生态廊道和生态节点,从点、线、面综合视角进行景观格局优化。结果表明:(1)1997—2016年渭-库绿洲生态安全区域面积呈波动变化,相对安全区域面积在不断增加,临界安全、敏感和风险区域面积呈减小趋势,景观生态安全度在空间分布上由高到低呈内向外扩展的态势。(2)研究区景观生态安全的Moran′s I值分别为0.6479、0.7049、0.6587,景观生态安全值的空间集聚性呈先增加后降低的趋势;局部空间自相关主要以高-高聚集和低-低聚集类型为主,呈现出"同质聚集、异质分离"的特点。(3)景观格局优化中选取的生态源地占绿洲总面积的12.76%,构建的绿洲生态廊道基本贯穿整个研究区,关键廊道连接了绝大多数的绿洲生态源地,辅助廊道是连接没有与关键廊道连接的源地之间的通道,识别的生态节点主要分布在绿洲生态廊道的薄弱环节处,共计36个。将划分的生态缓冲区、生态连通区、生态过渡区、生态边缘区5个功能区和生态源地、生态廊道及生态节点景观组分相结合,并提出优化建议,以期为维持及进一步改善该绿洲生态环境提供科学依据。     

Ion Competition in Condensed DNA Arrays in the Attractive Regime

Physical origin of DNA condensation by multivalent cations remains unsettled. Here, we report quantitative studies of how one DNA-condensing ion (Cobalt³⁺ Hexammine, or Co³⁺Hex) and one nonDNA-condensing ion (Mg²⁺) compete within the interstitial space in spontaneously condensed DNA arrays. As the ion concentrations in the bath solution are systematically varied, the ion contents and DNA-DNA spacings of the DNA arrays are determined by atomic emission spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction, respectively. To gain quantitative insights, we first compare the experimentally determined ion contents with predictions from exact numerical calculations based on nonlinear Poisson-Boltzmann equations. Such calculations are shown to significantly underestimate the number of Co³⁺Hex ions, consistent with the deficiencies of nonlinear Poisson-Boltzmann approaches in describing multivalent cations. Upon increasing the concentration of Mg²⁺, the Co³⁺Hex-condensed DNA array expands and eventually redissolves as a result of ion competition weakening DNA-DNA attraction. Although the DNA-DNA spacing depends on both Mg²⁺ and Co³⁺Hex concentrations in the bath solution, it is observed that the spacing is largely determined by a single parameter of the DNA array, the fraction of DNA charges neutralized by Co³⁺Hex. It is also observed that only ∼20% DNA charge neutralization by Co³⁺Hex is necessary for spontaneous DNA condensation. We then show that the bath ion conditions can be reduced to one variable with a simplistic ion binding model, which is able to describe the variations of both ion contents and DNA-DNA spacings reasonably well. Finally, we discuss the implications on the nature of interstitial ions and cation-mediated DNA-DNA interactions.