贵州省荔波发现百花锦蛇

2010年7月～2012年8月,在贵州省荔波南方喀斯特世界自然遗产地进行脊椎动物物种多样性调查时,分别在板寨、瑶山、翁昂和洞塘采集到游蛇科蛇类标本共5条,经分类鉴定为锦蛇属(Elaphe)的百花锦蛇(E.moellendorffi),为该物种在贵州省内首次发现,增加了其在国内的分布点.     

Photoperiodic reaction in the beet webworm Loxostege sticticalis L. (Pyraloidea, Crambidae) from eastern and western parts of its Eurasian range

The beet webworm, Loxostege sticticalis L., is a very dangerous polyphagous insect pest whose outbreaks periodically occur in southern Russia and northern China. The aim of our work was to describe the photoperiodic response of beet webworm populations from western (Krasnodar Territory and Rostov Province) and eastern [Buryatia and China (Hebei Province)] parts of the pest range. The insects were reared under constant photoperiods of 12–18 h and constant temperatures of 19–25°C. Incidence of diapause at different photoperiods did not show any considerable geographic differences, and the critical day length at which 50% of prepupae arrested their development was about 14–15 h in all the populations studied at experimental temperatures. The results obtained agree with the hypothesis on the existence of an area (or areas) where the pest survives during adverse periods and wherefrom it spreads when an outbreak begins (Saulich et al., 1983; Goryshin et al., 1986). Presumably, the larger part of the pest native habitats (to the north of the steppe zone) is occupied by temporary populations, incapable of surviving for long periods without an inflow of migrants from more southerly steppe regions.     

optix functions as a link between the retinal determination network and the dpp pathway to control morphogenetic furrow progression in Drosophila

optix, the Drosophila ortholog of the SIX3/6 gene family in vertebrate, encodes a homeodomain protein with a SIX protein–protein interaction domain. In vertebrates, Six3/6 genes are required for normal eye as well as brain development. However, the normal function of optix in Drosophila remains unknown due to lack of loss-of-function mutation. Previous studies suggest that optix is likely to play an important role as part of the retinal determination (RD) network. To elucidate normal optix function during retinal development, multiple null alleles for optix have been generated. Loss-of-function mutations in optix result in lethality at the pupae stage. Surprisingly, close examination of its function during eye development reveals that, unlike other members of the RD network, optix is required only for morphogenetic furrow (MF) progression, but not initiation. The mechanisms by which optix regulates MF progression is likely through regulation of signaling molecules in the furrow. Specifically, although unaffected during MF initiation, expression of dpp in the MF is dramatically reduced in optix mutant clones. In parallel, we find that optix is regulated by sine oculis and eyes absent, key members of the RD network. Furthermore, positive feedback between optix and sine oculis and eyes absent is observed, which is likely mediated through dpp signaling pathway. Together with the observation that optix expression does not depend on hh or dpp, we propose that optix functions together with hh to regulate dpp in the MF, serving as a link between the RD network and the patterning pathways controlling normal retinal development.     

Migration-stimulating factor (MSF) is over-expressed in non-small cell lung cancer and promotes cell migration and invasion in A549 cells over-expressing MSF

Migration-stimulating factor (MSF), an oncofetal truncated isoform of fibronectin, is a potent stimulator of cell invasion. However, its distribution and motogenic role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have never been identified. In this study, real-time PCR and immunohistochemical staining (IHC) were performed to detect MSF mRNA and protein levels in tumor tissues and matched adjacent tumor-free tissues. Furthermore, to examine the effect of MSF on invasiveness, MSF was upregulated in A549 cells. The invasiveness and viability of A549 cells were then determined using a transwell migration assay and the 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) viability assays, respectively. The expression level of MSF in NSCLC tissue was markedly higher than in matched adjacent tumor-free tissue. Additionally, the level of MSF protein expression in stage III and IV NSCLC samples was higher than in stage I and II NSCLC samples. More importantly, we also demonstrated that migration and invasion of A549 cells increased substantially after upregulating MSF, although proliferation remained unchanged. Meanwhile, we found no correlation between increasing motility and invasiveness of MSF-overexpressing cells and expression levels and activities of matrix metalloprotease MMP-2 and MMP-9. Our current study shows that MSF plays a role in migration and invasion of A549 cells and suggests that MSF may be a potential biomarker of NSCLC progression.     

Whole-Exome Sequencing Identifies Mutated C12orf57 in Recessive Corpus Callosum Hypoplasia

The corpus callosum is the principal cerebral commissure connecting the right and left hemispheres. The development of the corpus callosum is under tight genetic control, as demonstrated by abnormalities in its development in more than 1,000 genetic syndromes. We recruited more than 25 families in which members affected with corpus callosum hypoplasia (CCH) lacked syndromic features and had consanguineous parents, suggesting recessive causes. Exome sequence analysis identified C12orf57 mutations at the initiator methionine codon in four different families. C12orf57 is ubiquitously expressed and encodes a poorly annotated 126 amino acid protein of unknown function. This protein is without significant paralogs but has been tightly conserved across evolution. Our data suggest that this conserved gene is required for development of the human corpus callosum.     

Potato purple top phytoplasma‐induced disruption of gibberellin homeostasis in tomato plants

Phytoplasmas are phloem‐inhabiting, cell wall‐less bacteria that cause numerous plant diseases worldwide. Plants infected by phytoplasmas often exhibit various symptoms indicative of hormonal imbalance. In this study, we investigated the effects of potato purple top (PPT) phytoplasma infection on gibberellin homeostasis in tomato plants. We found that PPT phytoplasma infection caused a significant reduction in endogenous levels of gibberellic acid (GA₃). The decrease in GA₃ content in diseased plants was correlated with down regulation of genes responsible for biosynthesis of bioactive GAs ( GA20ox1 and GA3ox1) and genes involved in formation of GA precursors [geranyl diphosphate synthase (GPS) and copalyldiphosphate synthase (CPS)]. Exogenous application of GA₃ at 200 µmol L^?1 was able to restore the GA content in infected plants to levels comparable to those in healthy controls, and to attenuate the characteristic ‘big bud’ symptoms induced by the phytoplasma. The interesting observation that PPT phytoplasma‐infected plants had prolonged low expression of key GA biosynthesis genes GA20ox1 and GA3ox1 under GA deficiency conditions led us to hypothesise that there was a diminished sensitivity of the GA metabolism feedback regulation, especially GA biosynthesis negative feedback regulation, in those affected plants, and such diminished sensitization in early stages of infection may represent a central element of the phytoplasma‐induced disruption of GA homeostasis and pathogenesis.