胡杨PeNAC121基因启动子的分离鉴定和胁迫应答模式分析

为了探究NAC转录因子家族成员在胡杨（Populus euphratica）逆境胁迫中的响应和调控机制,利用PCR技术从胡杨中克隆了PeNAC121基因的启动子序列,并采用生物信息学工具对该启动子的结构特征进行了分析,最后利用该启动子驱动GUS报告基因在三倍体毛白杨（Populus tomentosa）中表达,并对获得的转基因植株采用不同胁迫处理后进行了GUS染色和酶活性定量分析。结果表明,克隆获得的PeNAC121基因的启动子长度为1 997 bp（起始密码子ATG上游）,启动序列中除了含有大量的光响应元件,还含有多个与非生物逆境胁迫和激素响应相关的元件,如低温响应元件LTR、干旱响应元件MBS、防卫和胁迫响应元件TC-rich repeats、脱落酸（ABA）响应元件、以及赤霉素（GA）响应元件等。基因的组织表达模式检测结果显示,PeNAC121基因主要在茎中表达,在根和叶中的表达较少。GUS组织化学染色和酶活性检测结果表明,胡杨PeNAC121启动子显著受到NaCl、甘露醇、ABA和4 ℃低温的诱导表达。由上述结果推测PeNAC121基因与胡杨的逆境胁迫应答密切相关,表明该基因的启动子是一个能够应答多种逆境胁迫的诱导型启动子。本研究为阐明PeNAC121基因在胡杨逆境响应和调控中的作用机制提供理论参考。     

Acoustic characteristics of eight common Chinese anurans during the breeding season

Anurans often have species-specific vocalizations. To quantify and compare the characteristics of anuran calls in Gutianshan National Nature Reserve, Zhejiang Province, we recorded the advertisement calls of eight species belonging to four families (Ranidae, Microhylidae, Megophryidae and Bufonidae) from June to September 2012 using Sony ICD-FX8 IC recorders. All recordings were analyzed using the "Praat" software. Five acoustics parameters were measured, including temporal traits (call duration, number of notes or pulse number/call) and spectral traits (fundamental frequency, the first three formants and dominant frequency). The characteristic parameters of Microhyla ornate and Fejervarya limnocharis calls were different as were the calls of some populations of the same species recorded in different regions. The advertisement calls of the eight species were specific. Our study has provided a useful reference for identifying the calls of some common Chinese anurans.     

Dissection of human MiRNA regulatory influence to subpathway

The global insight into the relationships between miRNAs and their regulatory influences remains poorly understood. And most of complex diseases may be attributed to certain local areas of pathway (subpathway) instead of the entire pathway. Here, we reviewed the studies on miRNA regulations to pathways and constructed a bipartite miRNAs and subpathways network for systematic analyzing the miRNA regulatory influences to subpathways. We found that a small fraction of miRNAs were global regulators, environmental information processing pathways were preferentially regulated by miRNAs, and miRNAs had synergistic effect on regulating group of subpathways with similar function. Integrating the disease states of miRNAs, we also found that disease miRNAs regulated more subpathways than nondisease miRNAs, and for all miRNAs, the number of regulated subpathways was not in proportion to the number of the related diseases. Therefore, the study not only provided a global view on the relationships among disease, miRNA and subpathway, but also uncovered the function aspects of miRNA regulations and potential pathogenesis of complex diseases. A web server to query, visualize and download for all the data can be freely accessed at http://bioinfo.hrbmu.edu.cn/miR2Subpath.     

Direct Bio-Utilization of Untreated Rapeseed Meal for Effective Iturin A Production by Bacillus subtilis in Submerged Fermentation

The feasibility of using untreated rapeseed meal as a nitrogen source for iturin A production by Bacillus subtilis 3–10 in submerged fermentation was first evaluated by comparison with two different commercial nitrogen sources of peptone and ammonium nitrate. A significant promoting effect of rapeseed meal on iturin A production was observed and the maximum iturin A concentration of 0.60 g/L was reached at 70 h, which was 20% and 8.0 fold higher than that produced from peptone and ammonium nitrate media, respectively. It was shown that rapeseed meal had a positive induction effect on protease secretion, contributing to the release of soluble protein from low water solubility solid rapeseed meal for an effective supply of available nitrogen during fermentation. Moreover, compared to raw rapeseed meal, the remaining residue following fermentation could be used as a more suitable supplementary protein source for animal feed because of the great decrease of major anti-nutritional components including sinapine, glucosinolate and its degradation products of isothiocyanate and oxazolidine thione. The results obtained from this study demonstrate the potential of direct utilization of low cost rapeseed meal as a nitrogen source for commercial production of iturin A and other secondary metabolites by Bacillus subtilis.     

Vitamin A Supplementation in Early Life Enhances the Intestinal Immune Response of Rats with Gestational Vitamin A Deficiency by Increasing the Number of Immune Cells

Vitamin A is a critical micronutrient for regulating immunity in many organisms. Our previous study demonstrated that gestational or early-life vitamin A deficiency decreases the number of immune cells in offspring. The present study aims to test whether vitamin A supplementation can restore lymphocyte pools in vitamin A-deficient rats and thereby improve the function of their intestinal mucosa; furthermore, the study aimed to identify the best time frame for vitamin A supplementation. Vitamin A-deficient pregnant rats or their offspring were administered a low-dose of vitamin A daily for 7 days starting on gestational day 14 or postnatal day 1, day 14 or day 28. Serum retinol concentrations increased significantly in all four groups that received vitamin A supplementation, as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The intestinal levels of secretory immunoglobulin A and polymeric immunoglobulin receptor increased significantly with lipopolysaccharide challenge in the rats that received vitamin A supplementation starting on postnatal day 1. The rats in this group had higher numbers of CD8⁺ intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes, CD11_C ⁺ dendritic cells in the Peyer''s patches and CD4⁺CD25⁺ T cells in the spleen compared with the vitamin A-deficient rats; flow cytometric analysis also demonstrated that vitamin A supplementation decreased the number of B cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes. Additionally, vitamin A supplementation during late gestation increased the numbers of CD8⁺ intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes and decreased the numbers of B lymphocytes in the mesenteric lymph nodes. However, no significant differences in lymphocyte levels were found between the rats in the other two vitamin A supplement groups and the vitamin A-deficient group. In conclusion, the best recovery of a subset of lymphocytes in the offspring of gestational vitamin A-deficient rats and the greatest improvement in the intestinal mucosal immune response are achieved when vitamin A supplementation occurs during the early postnatal period.     

Physicochemical and structural characteristics of chitosan nanopowders prepared by ultrafine milling

Two different molecular weights of chitosan were pulverized to nanopowders by ultrafine milling. The nanopowders were characterized by viscometry small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), FT-IR spectroscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy. Our results showed that ultrafine milling effectively reduced the particle size of chitosan to a nanoscale. The viscosity average molecular weight (Mv) of chitosan was decreased by the milling treatment. The crystalline structure of chitosan was destroyed by the milling since the nanopowder exhibited an amorphous XRD pattern. In addition, thermal stability of the low molecular weight chitosan was decreased after the milling treatment. FT-IR and UV-vis spectra showed that the milling process did not cause significant changes in the chemical structure of chitosan.     

Magnetic anisotropy of the radula of chiton Acanthochiton rubrolinestus LISCHKE

The magnetic anisotropy of the whole radula, the major lateral radula teeth, and magnetic material in the major lateral radula teeth of the chiton Acanthochiton rubrolinestus LISCHKE have been studied by a magnetic torque meter and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. The length and width axes of the teeth are the easily magnetized axes, while the thickness axis is difficult to magnetize. The width and thickness axes of the radula are the easily magnetized axes, and the length axis is difficult to magnetize. The measurement results of the whole radula and the major lateral radula teeth agree well with each other. The magnetic anisotropy of the magnetic material is given as well as a possible distribution of the magnetic material in the major lateral radula teeth.     

杂交-渐渗进化理论在转基因逃逸及其环境风险评价和研究中的意义

转基因作物的商品化生产和大规模环境释放, 引起了全球对生物安全问题的广泛关注和争议, 其中转基因通过花粉介导的基因漂移逃逸到非转基因作物及其野生近缘种, 进而带来不同类型的环境风险就是备受争议的生物安全问题之一。有效的生物安全评价和研究能够为转基因作物的安全持久利用保驾护航。按照风险评价的原则, 对于转基因逃逸及其潜在环境风险的评价应包括两个重要步骤: (1)检测转基因向野生近缘种(包括杂草类型)群体逃逸的频率; (2)确定逃逸后的转基因能否通过遗传渐渗在野生近缘种群体中存留和扩散。杂交－渐渗是进化生物学中非常重要的科学命题和普遍的自然现象, 杂交－渐渗的进化理论与转基因逃逸及其潜在环境风险的研究和评价有密切的关系。杂交－渐渗过程往往导致物种形成、适应性进化和自然群体的濒危与灭绝, 这是因为在杂交－渐渗过程中, 不同的机制如遗传同化作用、群体湮没效应以及群体的选择性剔除效应等都会在很大程度上影响群体的进化过程。转基因通过杂交－渐渗进入野生群体, 使这一过程更加复杂化。如果转基因能提高群体的适合度, 则更有利于其渐渗速率, 从而在群体中迅速扩散并带来一定的生态后果。杂交－渐渗的进化理论和思想将有益于指导转基因逃逸及其潜在环境风险的研究和评价。     

Combinatorial Control of Recruitment of a Variant PRC1.6 Complex in Embryonic Stem Cells

1. Download high-res image (182KB)
2. Download full-size image