Regulation of the G2/M phase of the cell cycle by sperm associated antigen 8 (SPAG8) protein

Sperm associated antigen 8 (SPAG8), a testis‐specific protein produced during male germ cell differentiation, was isolated from a human testis expression library using antibodies found in the serum obtained from an infertile woman. It was found to have a close functional relationship with microtubules. In this study, we generated a stably expressing SPAG8 CHO‐K1 cell line. Immunofluorescence confocal microscopy showed that SPAG8 was concentrated at the microtubule‐organizing center (MTOC) during prophase. As the cells progressed into metaphase, it co‐localized with α‐tubulin on the spindle. In anaphase, it was detected on both astral microtubules and mid‐zone. Following cytokinesis, SPAG8 resumed its localization on the MTOC. Meanwhile, flow cytometry analysis found that SPAG8 prolonged the G2/M phase of CHO‐K1 cells stably expressing SPAG8. Furthermore, 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay showed that SPAG8 inhibited the proliferation of the stable cells. SPAG8 might be involved in the regulation of cell cycle by changing the phosphorylation level of Tyr15 on cdc2. These results suggest that SPAG8 might play a role in cell division during spermatogenesis. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Efficient,Large Area,and Thick Junction Polymer Solar Cells with Balanced Mobilities and Low Defect Densities

The high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of laboratory‐scale polymer‐based organic solar cells are yet to translate to large area modules because of a number of factors including the relatively large sheet resistance of available transparent conducting electrodes (TCEs), and the high defect densities associated with thin organic semiconductor junctions. The TCE problem limits device architectures to narrow connected strips (<1 cm) causing serious fabrication difficulties and extra costs. Thin junctions are required because of poor charge transport (imbalanced mobilities) in the constituent organic semiconductors. These issues are addressed using a combination of approaches to create thick junctions conformally coated on low sheet resistance metal grid TCEs. An essential feature of these thick junctions is balanced carrier mobilities, which affords high fill factors and efficient carrier extraction. Conformal coating is achieved by promoting enhanced intermolecular interactions in the coating solution using a high molecular weight polymeric semiconductor and appropriate solvent system. This combination of balanced mobilities, conformal coating and metallic grid TCEs is a simple and generic approach to the fabrication of defect‐free large area organic solar cells (OSCs). The approach is demonstrated with 25 cm² monolithic devices possessing aperture‐corrected power conversion efficiencies of 5% and fill factors exceeding 0.5.     

Glucose alleviates cadmium toxicity by increasing cadmium fixation in root cell wall and sequestration into vacuole in Arabidopsis

Glucose(Glu) is involved in not only plant physiological and developmental events but also plant responses to abiotic stresses. Here, we found that the exogenous Glu improved root and shoot growth, reduced shoot cadmium(Cd) concentration, and rescued Cdinduced chlorosis in Arabidopsis thaliana(Columbia ecotype,Col-0) under Cd stressed conditions. Glucose increased Cd retained in the roots, thus reducing its translocation from root to shoot signi fi cantly. The most Cd retained in the roots was found in the hemicellulose 1. Glucose combined with Cd(Glu t Cd) treatment did not affect the content of pectin and its binding capacity of Cd while it increased the content of hemicelluloses 1 and the amount of Cd retained in it signi fi cantly. Furthermore, Leadmium Green staining indicated that more Cd was compartmented into vacuoles in Glu t Cd treatment compared with Cd treatment alone, which was in accordance with the R e ssigni fi cant upregulation of the expression of tonoplastlocalized metal transporter genes, suggesting that compartmentation of Cd into vacuoles also contributes to the Glu-alleviated Cd toxicity. Taken together, we demonstrated that Glu-alleviated Cd toxicity is mediated through increasing Cd fi xation in the root cell wall and sequestration into the vacuoles.     

Identification and characterization of Mini1, a gene regulating rice shoot development

The aerial parts of higher plants are generated from the shoot apical meristem(SAM). In this study, we isolated a small rice(Oryza sativa L.) mutant that showed premature termination of shoot development and was named mini rice 1(mini1). The mutant was first isolated from a japonica cultivar Zhonghua11(ZH11) subjected to ethyl methanesulfonate(EMS)treatment. With bulked segregant analysis(BSA) and map-based cloning method, Mini1 gene was finally fine-mapped to an interval of 48.6 kb on chromosome 9. Sequence analyses revealed a single base substitution from G to A was found in the region, which resulted in an amino acid change from Gly to Asp.The candidate gene Os09g0363900 was predicted to encode a putative adhesion of calyx edges protein ACE(putative HOTHEAD precursor) and genetic complementation experiment confirmed the identity of Mini1. Os09g0363900 contains glucose-methanol-choline(GMC) oxidoreductase and NAD(P)-binding Rossmann-like domain, and exhibits high similarity to Arabidopsis HOTHEAD(HTH). Expression analysis indicated Mini1 was highly expressed in young shoots but lowly in roots and the expression level of most genes involved in auxin biosynthesis and signal transduction were reduced in mutant.We conclude that Mini1 plays an important role in maintaining SAM activity and promoting shoot development in rice.     

One SNP in COLD1 Determines Cold Tolerance during Rice Domestication

<正>With the effect of global climate change on grain yield and distribution of crops,to understand how plant responds to extreme temperature stress is becoming crucial.Plants have evolved fine-tuned mechanisms in response to a wide variety of environmental stresses.During rice(Oryza sativa L.)domestication,two main genotypes are bred and extendedly     

高粱、紫苏叶脉密度与光合特性的关系

叶脉是植物叶片光合作用水分输送的重要结构。为阐述叶脉与光合特性之间的关系,以C4植物高粱(Sorghum bicolor)、C3植物紫苏(Perilla frutescens)为实验材料研究了叶脉密度和光合特性之间的关系。结果表明,与紫苏相比,高粱叶片叶脉密度大,导水能力强,蒸腾速率高,但气孔密度小。进一步分析表明,高粱叶片近轴侧气孔密度占总气孔的比例明显高于紫苏。叶脉密度大的高粱具有较高的净光合速率;而紫苏叶脉密度小,净光合速率也较低。由此表明,较高的叶脉密度有利于支持较高的光合速率,但研究表明叶脉密度和气孔密度可能不存在严格的协同变异关系。研究结果对理解植物光合作用适应有重要意义。