Constitutive activation of G-proteins by polycystin-1 is antagonized by polycystin-2.

Polycystin-1 (PC1), a 4,303-amino acid integral membrane protein of unknown function, interacts with polycystin-2 (PC2), a 968-amino acid alpha-type channel subunit. Mutations in their respective genes cause autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Using a novel heterologous expression system and Ca(2+) and K(+) channels as functional biosensors, we found that full-length PC1 functioned as a constitutive activator of G(i/o)-type but not G(q)-type G-proteins and modulated the activity of Ca(2+) and K(+) channels via the release of Gbetagamma subunits. PC1 lacking the N-terminal 1811 residues replicated the effects of full-length PC1. These effects were independent of regulators of G-protein signaling proteins and were lost in PC1 mutants lacking a putative G-protein binding site. Co-expression with full-length PC2, but not a C-terminal truncation mutant, abrogated the effects of PC1. Our data provide the first experimental evidence that full-length PC1 acts as an untraditional G-protein-coupled receptor, activity of which is physically regulated by PC2. Thus, our study strongly suggests that mutations in PC1 or PC2 that distort the polycystin complex would initiate abnormal G-protein signaling in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.     

Reducing Mg Anode Overpotential via Ion Conductive Surface Layer Formation by Iodine Additive

Electrolytes that are able to reversibly deposit/strip Mg are crucial for rechargeable Mg batteries. The most studied complex electrolytes based on Lewis acid‐base chemistry are expensive, difficult to be synthesized, and show limited anodic stability. Conventional electrolytes using simple salts such as Mg(TFSI)₂ can be readily synthesized, but Mg deposition/stripping in these simple salt electrolytes is accompanied by a large overpotential due to the formation of a surface layer on the Mg metal with a low Mg ion conductivity. Here the overpotential for Mg deposition/stripping in a simple salt, Mg(TFSI)₂‐1,2‐dimethoxyethane (DME), electrolyte is significantly reduced by adding a small concentration of iodine (≤50 × 10^?3m ) as an additive. Mechanism studies demonstrate that an Mg ion conductive solid MgI₂ layer is formed on the surface of the Mg metal and acts as a solid electrolyte interface. With the Mg(TFSI)₂‐DME‐I₂ electrolyte, a very small voltage hysteresis is achieved in an Mg‐S full cell.     

Tumor-specific gene expression patterns with gene expression profiles

Gene expression profiles of 14 common tumors and their counterpart normal tissues were analyzed with machine learning methods to address the problem of selection of tumor-specific genes and analysis of their differential expressions in tumor tissues. First, a variation of the Relief algorithm, “RFE_Relief algorithm” was proposed to learn the relations between genes and tissue types. Then, a support vector machine was employed to find the gene subset with the best classification performance for distinguishing cancerous tissues and their counterparts. After tissue-specific genes were removed, cross validation experiments were employed to demonstrate the common deregulated expressions of the selected gene in tumor tissues. The results indicate the existence of a specific expression fingerprint of these genes that is shared in different tumor tissues, and the hallmarks of the expression patterns of these genes in cancerous tissues are summarized at the end of this paper.     

The Receptor-Like Cytoplasmic Kinase OsRLCK102 Regulates XA21-Mediated Immunity and Plant Development in Rice

Receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs) belong to a large subgroup of kinases that play pivotal roles in plant development and in protecting plants from various stresses. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of rice OsRLCK102, from the OsRLCK VII subgroup. Silencing of OsRLCK102 compromised receptor kinase XA21-mediated resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) but did not affect plant basal resistance to Xoo or Magnaporthe oryzae (M. oryzae). Plants with silenced OsRLCK102 exhibit architecture alterations, including reduced plant height, enlarged angle of the lamina joint, decreased rates of seed setting and enhanced sensitivity to hormone brassinolide (BR). Collectively, our study reveals that OsRLCK102 positively regulates XA21-mediated immunity and negatively regulates rice development through BR signaling in rice.     

Four receptor‐like cytoplasmic kinases regulate development and immunity in rice

Receptor‐like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs) represent a large family of proteins in plants. However, few RLCKs have been well characterized. Here, we report the functional characterization of four rice RLCKs – OsRLCK57, OsRLCK107, OsRLCK118 and OsRLCK176 from subfamily VII. These OsRLCKs interact with the rice brassinosteroid receptor, OsBRI1 in yeast cell, but not the XA21 immune receptor. Transgenic lines silenced for each of these genes have enlarged leaf angles and are hypersensitive to brassinolide treatment compared to wild type rice. Transgenic plants silenced for OsRLCK57 had significantly fewer tillers and reduced panicle secondary branching, and lines silenced for OsRLCK107 and OsRLCK118 produce fewer seeds. Silencing of these genes decreased Xa21 gene expression and compromised XA21‐mediated immunity to Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. Our study demonstrates that these OsRLCKs negatively regulate BR signalling, while positively regulating immune responses by contributing to the expression of the immune receptor XA21.     

垂珠花自然居群表型性状及遗传多样性分析

为探索垂珠花自然居群间表型差异的内在因素,该研究用14个表型性状和微卫星分子标记法对6个垂珠花自然居群进行遗传多样性分析。结果表明:(1)14个表型性状在居群间和居群内皆存在极显著差异;居群间平均表型分化系数(V_(st))为22.64%,垂珠花自然居群内的表型变异大于居群间的表型变异,说明居群内变异是垂珠花居群的主要变异来源。(2)4对微卫星引物在87个个体上共检测到43个等位基因,平均每条引物10.63个,平均多态位点百分率(P)为100%;平均观察杂合度(H_o)和平均期望杂合度(H_e)分别为0.659和0.811,Shannon多样性指数(I)平均达1.894;居群内遗传多样性(H_s)高达0.811,居群间遗传多样性(D_(st))仅为0.110,居群间遗传分化系数(F_(st))为0.118,说明11.8%的遗传变异来自于居群间,88.2%的遗传变异来自于居群内,与表型变异研究所得结论大体相一致。表型性状和微卫星分子标记结果均表明垂珠花自然居群存在丰富的遗传变异,较高的基因流(Nm=2.050)使得垂珠花居群间的遗传变异小于居群内的遗传变异。     

长期施磷对黄壤旱地磷库变化及地表径流中磷浓度的影响

对贵州黄壤旱地进行采样以及盆栽试验,探索黄壤旱地磷库的变化及其对地表径流磷量的影响。结果表明,长期施磷后黄壤旱地无机磷占全磷的比例逐渐增高,Al-P、Fc-P和Ca-P积累的顺序为Fe-P>Al-P>Ca-P。长期施磷后黄壤旱地的有效磷和藻类可利用的总磷也不断积累,高磷（Olsen-P>25mg·kg^-1)旱地藻类可利用的总磷与Al-P、Fe-P和Ca-P的相关系数分别为0.859、0.903和0.650,Fc-P对藻类可利用磷量的影响起着最重要的作用。在模拟雨强为63.2mm·h^-1下,降雨30min后,低磷黄壤旱地（Olsen-P为4.62-15.9mg·kg^-1)径流中磷酸根磷含量仅为2.81-4.17μg·L^-1,生物有效性磷含量为0.723-0.876mg·L^-1;高磷黄壤旱地（Olsen-P)为29.4-59.2mg·kg^-1)径流中磷酸根磷含量达到0.026-0.714mg·L^-1,生物有效性磷含量增加到0.996-1.281mg·L^-1;高磷黄壤旱地地表径流磷量能加速水体富营养化的产生。