Dynamic reprogramming of histone acetylation and methylation in the first cell cycle of cloned mouse embryos

Epigenetic reprogramming is thought to play an important role in the development of cloned embryos reconstructed by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). In the present study, dynamic reprogramming of histone acetylation and methylation modifications was investigated in the first cell cycle of cloned embryos. Our results demonstrated that part of somatic inherited lysine acetylation on core histones (H3K9, H3K14, H4K16) could be quickly deacetylated following SCNT, and reacetylation occurred following activation treatment. However, acetylation marks of the other lysine residues on core histones (H4K8, H4K12) persisted in the genome of cloned embryos with only mild deacetylation occurring in the process of SCNT and activation treatment. The somatic cloned embryos established histone acetylation modifications resembling those in normal embryos produced by intracytoplasmic sperm injection through these two different programs. Moreover, treatment of cloned embryos with a histone deacetylase inhibitor, Trichostatin A (TSA), improved the histone acetylation in a manner similar to that in normal embryos, and the improved histone acetylation in cloned embryos treated with TSA might contribute to improved development of TSA-treated clones. In contrast to the asymmetric histone H3K9 tri- and dimethylation present in the parental genomes of fertilized embryos, the tri- and dimethylations of H3K9 were gradually demethylated in the cloned embryos, and this histone H3K9 demethylation may be crucial for gene activation of cloned embryos. Together, our results indicate that dynamic reprogramming of histone acetylation and methylation modifications in cloned embryos is developmentally regulated.     

植物生长发育和逆境响应中SR-like蛋白的研究进展

同一基因pre-mRNA经可变剪接(alternative splicing, AS)后能够产生不同的转录本,使得编码的蛋白在细胞中的定位、稳定性和翻译后修饰的功能发生改变,进而增强应答发育及环境胁迫的能力,富含丝氨酸-精氨酸蛋白(serine/arginine-rich proteins, SR proteins/SR)是决定可变剪接效率和准确性的一个重要剪接因子家族。该文在简要介绍SR蛋白概念、分类的基础上,首次系统综述了植物特有的SR蛋白亚家族SR-like(SR45/45a)结构特点、成员构成、亚细胞定位和转录调控功能,尤其是对于非生物胁迫应答过程中相关基因可变剪接的调控机制进行了阐述,并展望了未来植物SR-like可能的前景方向和研究内容。     

The Cancer Mutation D83V Induces an α-Helix to β-Strand Conformation Switch in MEF2B

MEF2B is a major target of somatic mutations in non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Most of these mutations are non-synonymous substitutions of surface residues in the MADS-box/MEF2 domain. Among them, D83V is the most frequent mutation found in tumor cells. The link between this hotspot mutation and cancer is not well understood. Here we show that the D83V mutation induces a dramatic α-helix to β-strand switch in the MEF2 domain. Located in an α-helix region rich in β-branched residues, the D83V mutation not only removes the extensive helix stabilization interactions but also introduces an additional β-branched residue that further shifts the conformation equilibrium from α-helix to β-strand. Cross-database analyses of cancer mutations and chameleon sequences revealed a number of well-known cancer targets harboring β-strand favoring mutations in chameleon α-helices, suggesting a commonality of such conformational switch in certain cancers and a new factor to consider when stratifying the rapidly expanding cancer mutation data.     

基于焦磷酸测序技术建立基因编辑水稻检测方法

基因编辑技术发展迅速,但对应的检测方法较少。为寻找创建基因编辑作物适用的检测方法,以 PL3 基因编辑水稻编辑位点为靶标,有效设计了焦磷酸测序的扩增引物及测序引物,并进行有效性检测,分别利用Sequence to Analyze等程序以及SNP和AQ两种模式完成了对PL3 基因的定性和定量检测试验,建立了 PL3 基因编辑水稻编辑位点焦磷酸测序检测方法。结果表明,基于焦磷酸测序技术可以通过检测编辑位点从而将基因编辑型水稻与野生型水稻进行区分。与常规的转基因检测方法相比,该检测方法具有较好的准确性、高效性及高灵敏度等优点,在基因编辑型水稻编辑位点定性和定量检测分析方面具有很好的应用前景。     

放牧对黄河低阶地盐化草场土壤水盐空间异质性的影响

选定黄河低阶地地形大致相近的放牧草场与封育草场,按实地情况分别设置长770m（放牧）、370m（放牧）和240m（封育）3条样线,采用校正后的便携式WET Sensor以10m为间隔进行土壤水盐的分层（0～10cm,10～20cm）测定,并对其进行地统计学分析.结果表明：黄河低阶地盐化草场表层土壤水盐的变异系数和相关性高于下层,土壤水分的变异系数低于土壤盐分且层间的相关性较高;放牧使土壤水盐之间的相关程度增大,变异降低,且使土壤水分存在一定的冗余.所研究草场的土壤水盐表现为中等或强烈空间自相关,封育盐化草场水盐空间相关尺度的差异较小,而放牧草场则相反.持续放牧已经成为一种稳定影响盐化草场水盐空间分布的结构性因素,使盐化草场的水盐空间异质性减弱.盐生植物在草场内随机分布且不受放牧干扰,是封育盐化草场随机作用较强的最可能原因;而放牧草场内牲畜的啃食和践踏对盐生植物和土壤结构改变所形成的反馈作用大大降低了这些植物对水分特别是盐分的再分配,进而导致放牧草场水盐的含量趋于增大且分布格局趋于简单.     

北亚热带马尾松净生产力对气候变化的响应

掌握马尾松生产力与气候变化的关系,特别是在马尾松自然分布的北界研究生产力对气候变化的响应具有重要意义,以马尾松自然分布北界的河南鸡公山国家级自然保护区内的老龄马尾松林作为研究对象,根据河南信阳的马尾松生物量与树高胸径的关系,利用样地调查和年轮宽度推算出过去的30a中的生物量和生产力动态,并用当地的温度、湿度、降水、光照以及帕尔默干旱度指数5项气候因子与生产力做相关分析,在此基础上用多元逐步回归得到了气候因子与生产力的回归方程。结果显示:鸡公山马尾松林生物量从1980年的59.00 t/hm²逐步增加到2009年的254.75 t/hm²,30a中平均年净生产力为6.64 t/hm²;气候分析表明年净生产力与气候因子关系较为密切:上年8月降水、当年2月温度、3月湿度以及10月的光照和温度与生产力正相关,当年5月光照、10月的降水和湿度与生产力负相关,当年2月到9月的PDSI都与生产力正相关,并且在6月的相关系数最高。研究表明,北亚热带的马尾松生产力的年际变化主要是气候因素引起的,受当年生长季的长短和生长季的土壤水分可用性限制,在未来该地区升温增湿的条件下马尾松林的生产力可能会升高。     

Somatic cell cryopreservation and protoplast regeneration of important disease-resistant wild rice Oryza meyeriana Baill

Oryza meyeriana Baill is one of the three wild rice species found in Chiia.O. mcyeriana possesses valuable characteristics but is reluctant in cell culturein vitro. In a series of experiments, callus with no regeneration ability was induced from young panicle ofO. meyeriana. The callus was subcultured and propagated. Embryogenic cell clones were obtained after cryopreswation. Suspension cultures were established and protoplasts were isolated and regenerated into plants. Results of artificial inoculation ofXanthomonas campestris pv.Oryzae showed that the strong resistance did not change in the regenerated plants. The development of protoplast-to-plant system is an important progress towards utilization ofO. meyeriana via cellular engineering. The experiments demonstrated that cryopreservation of plant calli was a new way to obtain embryogenic cell line. Project partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 392704361, Foundation for Outstanding Young Teachers of China, State Key Program of China and Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province, China.     

Physiological roles of STIM1 and Orai1 homologs and CRAC channels in the genetic model organism Caenorhabditis elegans

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans provides numerous experimental advantages for developing an integrative molecular understanding of physiological processes and has proven to be a valuable model for characterizing Ca(2+) signaling mechanisms. This review will focus on the role of Ca(2+) release activated Ca(2+) (CRAC) channel activity in function of the worm gonad and intestine. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP(3))-dependent oscillatory Ca(2+) signaling regulates contractile activity of the gonad and rhythmic posterior body wall muscle contraction (pBoc) required for ovulation and defecation, respectively. The C. elegans genome contains a single homolog of both STIM1 and Orai1, proteins required for CRAC channel function in mammalian and Drosophila cells. C. elegans STIM-1 and ORAI-1 are coexpressed in the worm gonad and intestine and give rise to robust CRAC channel activity when coexpressed in HEK293 cells. STIM-1 or ORAI-1 knockdown causes complete sterility demonstrating that the genes are essential components of gonad Ca(2+) signaling. Knockdown of either protein dramatically inhibits intestinal cell CRAC channel activity, but surprisingly has no effect on pBoc, intestinal Ca(2+) oscillations or intestinal ER Ca(2+) store homeostasis. CRAC channels thus do not play obligate roles in all IP(3)-dependent signaling processes in C. elegans. Instead, we suggest that CRAC channels carry out highly specialized and cell specific signaling roles and that they may function as a failsafe mechanism to prevent Ca(2+) store depletion under pathophysiological and stress conditions.     

Estimation of Short-Term Effects of Air Pollution on Stroke Hospital Admissions in Wuhan,China

Background and Objective

High concentrations of air pollutants have been linked to increased incidence of stroke in North America and Europe but not yet assessed in mainland China. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between stroke hospitalization and short-term elevation of air pollutants in Wuhan, China.

Methods

Daily mean NO₂, SO₂ and PM₁₀ levels, temperature and humidity were obtained from 2006 through 2008. Data on stroke hospitalizations (ICD 10: I60–I69) at four hospitals in Wuhan were obtained for the same period. A time-stratified case-crossover design was performed by season (April-September and October-March) to assess effects of pollutants on stroke hospital admissions.

Results

Pollution levels were higher in October-March with averages of 136.1 µg/m³ for PM₁₀, 63.6 µg/m³ for NO₂ and 71.0 µg/m³ for SO₂ than in April-September when averages were 102.0 µg/m³, 41.7 µg/m³ and 41.7 µg/m³, respectively (p<.001). During the cold season, every 10 µg/m³ increase in NO₂ was associated with a 2.9% (95%C.I. 1.2%–4.6%) increase in stroke admissions on the same day. Every 10 ug/m³ increase in PM₁₀ daily concentration was significantly associated with an approximate 1% (95% C.I. 0.1%–1.4%) increase in stroke hospitalization. A two-pollutant model indicated that NO₂ was associated with stroke admissions when controlling for PM₁₀. During the warm season, no significant associations were noted for any of the pollutants.

Conclusions

Exposure to NO₂ is significantly associated with stroke hospitalizations during the cold season in Wuhan, China when pollution levels are 50% greater than in the warm season. Larger and multi-center studies in Chinese cities are warranted to validate our findings.     

根霉超氧化物歧化酶同工酶类型的鉴别

利用ＫＣＮ、Ｈ_２Ｏ２和ＳＤＳ的选择性反应引起的ＳＯＤ同工酶谱带变化即可鉴别粗抽提液中的ＳＯＤ同工酶类型;用这种方法对五株不同种根霉的鉴别实验表明,它们均不同程度地含有Ｃｕ,Ｚｎ型和Ｍｎ型两种ＳＯＤ,前者约占８０％左右,后者只占２０％左右。用邻苯三酚自氧化法对样品中ＳＯＤ活性测定结果与在同工酶谱上的鉴别结果基本一致。