Cloning and functional characterization of an O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase-encoding gene in wild soybean (Glycine soja)

The terminal step of soybean cysteine synthesis is catalyzed by O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase (OAS-TL, EC 2.5.1.47). In this study, we isolated and characterized an OAS-TL gene from a wild soybean material (designated as GsOAS-TL1). GsOAS-TL1 cDNA sequence showed strict conservation at both nucleotide and amino acid levels compared with that from cultivated soybean. Genomic structure analysis of GsOAS-TL1 indicated that it contained 10 exons and 9 introns in the coding region with conserved exon sizes and intron locations compared with Arabidopsis thaliana OAS-TL-like genes. Among the complete GsOAS-TL1 cDNA and three part-deletion fragments, only expression of the full-length cDNA could rescue the NK3 cys⁻ Escherichia coli auxotroph, which was coherent with the assayed enzyme activity of purified fusion proteins. For RT-PCR analysis in different wild soybean tissues, GsOAS-TL1 showed lower expression in roots and developing seeds, whereas total OAS-TL activity of corresponding tissues showed significantly higher level in seeds than other tissues. To our knowledge, this is the first report on cloning and characterization of an OAS-TL gene from wild soybean. Our results are informative to further elucidate the function and evolution of OAS-TL in soybean.     

Autophagy alleviates neurodegeneration caused by mild impairment of oxidative metabolism

Thiamine deficiency (TD) causes mild impairment of oxidative metabolism and region‐selective neuronal loss in the brain, which may be mediated by neuronal oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and neuroinflammation. TD‐induced brain damage is used to model neurodegenerative disorders, and the mechanism for the neuronal death is still unclear. We hypothesized that autophagy might be activated in the TD brain and play a protective role in TD‐induced neuronal death. Our results demonstrated that TD induced the accumulation of autophagosomes in thalamic neurons measured by transmission electron microscopy, and the up‐regulation of autophagic markers LC3‐II, Atg5, and Beclin1 as measured with western blotting. TD also increased the expression of autophagic markers and induced LC3 puncta in SH‐SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. TD‐induced expression of autophagic markers was reversed once thiamine was re‐administered. Both inhibition of autophagy by wortmannin and Beclin1 siRNA potentiated TD‐induced death of SH‐SY5Y cells. In contrast, activation of autophagy by rapamycin alleviated cell death induced by TD. Intraperitoneal injection of rapamycin stimulated neuronal autophagy and attenuated TD‐induced neuronal death and microglia activation in the submedial thalamus nucleus (SmTN). TD inhibited the phosphorylation of p70S6 kinase, suggesting mTOR/p70S6 kinase pathway was involved in the TD‐induced autophagy. These results suggest that autophagy is neuroprotective in response to TD‐induced neuronal death in the central nervous system. This opens a potential therapeutic avenue for neurodegenerative diseases caused by mild impairment of oxidative metabolism.

     

红松阔叶混交林林隙土壤水分分布格局的地统计学分析

以小兴安岭原始红松阔叶混交林林隙为研究对象,采用网格法布点,通过对生长季内林隙各样点土壤含水量的连续观测,利用基本统计学和地统计学的方法分析并揭示了林隙土壤含水量的时空分布格局,旨在为红松阔叶混交林的可持续经营提供基础数据和理论参考。结果表明:林隙土壤含水量不仅存在明显的空间异质性,而且空间异质性的强度、尺度和空间结构组成随时间而改变。浅层土壤水分空间异质性大于深层,林隙0—7.6 cm、0—12 cm和0—20 cm土壤含水量大小顺序均为9月>7月>8月>6月。林隙、郁闭林分和空旷地土壤含水量大小顺序均为0—7.6 cm>0—12 cm>0—20 cm。生长季内6月土壤含水量不同空间样点极差最大,各月变异都属于中等变异程度;基台值和变程大小顺序同样为0—7.6 cm>0—12 cm>0—20 cm;林隙月平均土壤含水量斑块连接度高,形状复杂,0—7.6 cm、0—12 cm和0—20 cm平均土壤含水量最大值均分布在林隙中心及其附近,最小值分布位置不固定;生长季内土壤含水量及其变化程度均为空旷地最大,林隙次之,郁闭林分最小。     

E3 ubiquitin ligase tripartite motif 38 negatively regulates TLR-mediated immune responses by proteasomal degradation of TNF receptor-associated factor 6 in macrophages

Activation of TLR signaling in the innate immune cells is critical for the elimination of invading microorganisms. However, uncontrolled activation may lead to autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. In this article, we report the identification of tripartite motif (TRIM) 38 as a negative feedback regulator in TLR signaling by targeting TNFR-associated factor 6 (TRAF6). TRIM38 was induced by TLR stimulation in an NF-κB-dependent manner in macrophages. Knockdown of TRIM38 expression by small interfering RNA resulted in augmented activation of NF-κB and MAPKs, and enhanced expression of proinflammatory cytokines, whereas overexpression of TRIM38 has an opposite effect. As an E3 ligase, TRIM38 bound to TRAF6 and promoted K48-linked polyubiquitination, which led to the proteasomal degradation of TRAF6. Consistently, knockdown of TRIM38 expression resulted in higher protein level of TRAF6 in primary macrophages. Our findings defined a novel function for TRIM38 to prevent excessive TLR-induced inflammatory responses through proteasomal degradation of TRAF6.     

山东早始新世五图组的一种古有蹄类Olbitherium millenariusum gen.et sp.nov.(哺乳动物纲,"伪齿兽集目")

记述了在山东省五图盆地下始新统发现的一种“伪齿兽集目”化石 :千禧福兽 (Olbither iummillenariusumgen.etsp .nov.)。千禧福兽其颊齿形态基本上与原始奇蹄类相似 ,同时也具有伪齿兽类的一些特征 ,如m1～ 2下次尖没有与下内尖直接连接的下次脊。千禧福兽的M3次尖具前、后棱 ,这一点似与原始的蹄兔Seggeurius相似。因此 ,新种在目一级的归类有困难 ,暂置于McKenna ( 1 975 )创立的“伪齿兽集目”(“MirorderPhenacodonta”)。千禧福兽的发现进一步证明了奇蹄类可能起源于亚洲和北非类似伪齿兽类 (phenacodontids)的古有蹄类 ,福兽仅是类似伪齿兽类的古新世古有蹄类向奇蹄类进化过程中的一叉支的代表。     

Conductive and Catalytic Triple‐Phase Interfaces Enabling Uniform Nucleation in High‐Rate Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Rechargeable lithium–sulfur batteries have attracted tremendous scientific attention owing to their superior energy density. However, the sulfur electrochemistry involves multielectron redox reactions and complicated phase transformations, while the final morphology of solid‐phase Li₂S precipitates largely dominate the battery's performance. Herein, a triple‐phase interface among electrolyte/CoSe₂/G is proposed to afford strong chemisorption, high electrical conductivity, and superb electrocatalysis of polysulfide redox reactions in a working lithium–sulfur battery. The triple‐phase interface effectively enhances the kinetic behaviors of soluble lithium polysulfides and regulates the uniform nucleation and controllable growth of solid Li₂S precipitates at large current density. Therefore, the cell with the CoSe₂/G functional separator delivers an ultrahigh rate cycle at 6.0 C with an initial capacity of 916 mAh g^?1 and a capacity retention of 459 mAh g^?1 after 500 cycles, and a stable operation of high sulfur loading electrode (2.69–4.35 mg cm^?2). This work opens up a new insight into the energy chemistry at interfaces to rationally regulate the electrochemical redox reactions, and also inspires the exploration of related energy storage and conversion systems based on multielectron redox reactions.     

智力水平还是文化表现?——尼安德特人与现代人文化精致程度差异研究述评

尼安德特人和解剖学意义上的现代人在文化精致程度上的区别已经争论了很长时间,考古学者希望能得出一个确定的答案,两个假设应运而生:智力水平(尼人不能发展出精致的文化)与文化表现(尼人不需要发展出精致程度较高的文化)。古人类与考古材料显示智力水平假设有缺陷:尼人的基因进入了现代人的基因库中,而且他们有能力学习现代人的技术,在"过渡工业"的材料中可以找到相关证据;与此同时,至今还未找到关系到智力水平的大脑结构证据证明尼人智力水平不如现代人。检验文化表现假设的前提是尼人与早期现代人在智力水平上没有差异,却呈现出不同的社会网络和社会组织。本文在讨论尼人与现代人人口与社会交流的基础上,认为现代人复杂的社会组织切割了尼人的生活环境,同时火山爆发引起了资源短缺,最终导致了尼人在欧洲灭绝。