Identification of kinship and occupant status in Mongolian noble burials of the Yuan Dynasty through a multidisciplinary approach

The Yuan Dynasty (AD 1271–1368) was the first dynasty in Chinese history where a minority ethnic group (Mongols) ruled. Few cemeteries containing Mongolian nobles have been found owing to their tradition of keeping burial grounds secret and their lack of historical records. Archaeological excavations at the Shuzhuanglou site in the Hebei province of China led to the discovery of 13 skeletons in six separate tombs. The style of the artefacts and burials indicate the cemetery occupants were Mongol nobles. However, the origin, relationships and status of the chief occupant (M1m) are unclear. To shed light on the identity of the principal occupant and resolve the kin relationships between individuals, a multidisciplinary approach was adopted, combining archaeological information, stable isotope data and molecular genetic data. Analysis of autosomal, mitochondrial and Y-chromosomal DNA show that some of the occupants were related. The available evidence strongly suggests that the principal occupant may have been the Mongol noble Korguz. Our study demonstrates the power of a multidisciplinary approach in elucidating information about the inhabitants of ancient historical sites.     

Human HDAC isoform selectivity achieved via exploitation of the acetate release channel with structurally unique small molecule inhibitors

Herein we report the discovery of a family of novel yet simple, amino-acid derived class I HDAC inhibitors that demonstrate isoform selectivity via access to the internal acetate release channel. Isoform selectivity criteria is discussed on the basis of X-ray crystallography and molecular modeling of these novel inhibitors bound to HDAC8, potentially revealing insights into the mechanism of enzymatic function through novel structural features revealed at the atomic level.     

Identification of the calmodulin binding domain of connexin 43

Calmodulin (CaM) has been implicated in mediating the Ca(2+)-dependent regulation of gap junctions. This report identifies a CaM-binding motif comprising residues 136-158 in the intracellular loop of Cx43. A 23-mer peptide encompassing this CaM-binding motif was shown to bind Ca(2+)-CaM with 1:1 stoichiometry by using various biophysical approaches, including surface plasmon resonance, circular dichroism, fluorescence spectroscopy, and NMR. Far UV circular dichroism studies indicated that the Cx43-derived peptide increased its alpha-helical contents on CaM binding. Fluorescence and NMR studies revealed conformational changes of both the peptide and CaM following formation of the CaM-peptide complex. The apparent dissociation constant of the peptide binding to CaM in physiologic K(+) is in the range of 0.7-1 microM. Upon binding of the peptide to CaM, the apparent K(d) of Ca(2+) for CaM decreased from 2.9 +/- 0.1 to 1.6 +/- 0.1 microM, and the Hill coefficient n(H) increased from 2.1 +/- 0.1 to 3.3 +/- 0.5. Transient expression in HeLa cells of two different mutant Cx43-EYFP constructs without the putative Cx43 CaM-binding site eliminated the Ca(2+)-dependent inhibition of Cx43 gap junction permeability, confirming that residues 136-158 in the intracellular loop of Cx43 contain the CaM-binding site that mediates the Ca(2+)-dependent regulation of Cx43 gap junctions. Our results provide the first direct evidence that CaM binds to a specific region of the ubiquitous gap junction protein Cx43 in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner, providing a molecular basis for the well characterized Ca(2+)-dependent inhibition of Cx43-containing gap junctions.     

Monitoring channel activities of proteoliposomes with SecA and Cx26 gap junction in single oocytes

Establishing recordable channels in membranes of oocytes formed by expressing exogenous complementary DNA (cDNA) or messenger RNA (mRNA) has contributed greatly to understanding the molecular mechanisms of channel functions. Here, we report the extension of this semi-physiological system for monitoring the channel activity of preassembled membrane proteins in single cell oocytes by injecting reconstituted proteoliposomes along with substrates or regulatory molecules. We build on the observation that SecA from various bacteria forms active protein-conducting channels with injection of proteoliposomes, protein precursors, and ATP–Mg²⁺. Such activity was enhanced by reconstituted SecYEG–SecDF•YajC liposome complexes that could be monitored easily and efficiently, providing correlation of in vitro and intact cell functionality. In addition, inserting reconstituted gap junction Cx26 liposomes into the oocytes allowed the demonstration of intracellular/extracellular Ca²⁺-regulated hemi-channel activities. The channel activities can be detected rapidly after injection, can be monitored for various effectors, and are dependent on specific exogenous lipid compositions. This simple and effective functional system with low endogenous channel activity should have broad applications for monitoring the specific channel activities of complex interactions of purified membrane proteins with their effectors and regulatory molecules.     

珠三角河网浮游植物生物量的时空特征

珠三角河网水域是珠江之水流入南海的必经之地,对2012年该水域浮游植物生物量的时空特征及其影响因素进行系统阐析。调查期间共发现浮游植物7门,383种(包括变种、变型),其中硅藻和绿藻是最主要类群,其次是裸藻和蓝藻。颗粒直链藻原变种是调查水域的本底物种,也是最优势种;而变异直链藻和网球藻分别是枯水季节和丰水季节的指示物种。从季节变动看,浮游植物总生物量呈现枯水季节高、丰水季节低的特征,主要与径流导致的稀释作用和透明度升高引发的沉降损失有关。从空间分布看,总生物量呈现自西南向东北升高的趋势,主要与营养盐的空间分布格局有关,而且空间分布格局无季节差异。从不同类群的相对组成上看,硅藻占据绝对优势地位,绿藻和裸藻次之,这与20世纪80年度初的调查结果基本一致。硅藻在枯水季节占据绝对优势地位,而在丰水季节由于绿藻和裸藻优势的明显增大,导致硅藻的优势下降,这与流域中一些死水区域如水库、浅滩中的蓝绿藻和裸藻在丰水期涌入干流有关,PCA分析结果也证明了这一点。此外,不同站位在相对组成上的季节变动还受盐度的影响。综上,物理因子包括与径流相关的稀释作用和与透明度相关的沉降损失不仅影响总生物量的季节变动,也影响不同类群的相对组成;而化学因素如营养盐含量是决定总生物量空间分布的关键因素,与河口潮汐作用相关的盐度变化对类群相对组成的空间分布起到一定的影响作用。     

黄淮海平原玉米施氮量对后茬小麦土壤剖面硝态氮和产量的影响

在冬小麦-夏玉米一年两熟模式下,玉米品种“郑单958”（植株密度9株/m^2）和小麦品种“93-9”（基本苗704株/m^2）,冬小麦基施144kg N/hm^2,研究了玉米5个施N量（0、90、180、270和360kg/hm^2）对后茬小麦期间土壤剖面硝态氮含量、无机氮总量,以及小麦氮素吸收利用和产量的影响.结果表明：（1）与不施氮相比,玉米施氮显著增加小麦季0～200cm土壤硝态氮含量;自拔节起,0～40cm、0～130cm和0～200cm硝态氮含量均随施氮量增加而递增,在硝态氮含量较高的小区增幅也大.（2）轮作一周期后,不施氮和施氮360kg/hm^2显著影响0～130cm和0～200cm无机氮总量,但在90～270 kg/hm^2之间,施氮量的影响不明显.（3）施氮小于180kg/hm^2时,成熟期小麦植株氮素和籽粒氮素积累量、氮肥利用率均随施氮量增加而递增,但不明显.（4）与不施氮相比,施氮90kg/hm^2的小麦产量和麦玉轮作总产均增加但不明显,施氮180 kg/hm^2均显著增加,施氮270kg/hm^2与180kg/hm^2无明显差异.本试验条件下,夏玉米施氮90～180 kg/hm^2是适宜的.     

Beta声学指数的特征和应用

随着录音设备性能的提高和硬件价格的降低,基于录音评估声景来反映生境特征和生物多样性的方法得到快速发展。声学指数是对声音整体特征的量化,受到录音生境和生物组成的共同影响,因此可构建声学指数与生境特征和生物组成的关联。按照作用的尺度,声学指数可分为两类:反映录音内信息的alpha声学指数和比较不同录音之间差异的beta声学指数。随着录音设备的普及,以及在大尺度上进行生物监测工作的增加,对不同时间、不同地点的录音进行比较的需求日益迫切。因此,beta声学指数的开发和应用是声学指数研究的重要方向。本文介绍了11个常用的beta声学指数,并探讨了这些指数的数学特征(非负性、同一性、对称性、直递性、有限性)。本文还通过文献检索获取了beta声学指数在实证中的应用情况,发现研究中常使用beta声学指数反映时间节律、生境特征的差异或生物组成的改变。最后,本文指出了beta声学指数研究/应用中迫切需要发展的3个方向:开发新的指数、优化已有指数的计算方式、增加实证研究。     

安全、便捷技术再生一次性医用口罩的实验研究

在防控新型冠状病毒(2019 novel coronavirus, 2019-nCoV)疫情中,为了减少病毒的传播,一次性医用口罩是普通民众必不可缺少的防护品。然而,随着2019-nCoV的蔓延,口罩短缺现象严重。本研究旨在探讨一次性医用外科口罩(口罩)的再生方法,以达到既有个人防护的效果又能节省资源。用流行性感冒病毒(简称流感)模拟2019-nCoV污染口罩,采用常用的恒温烘箱干烤及电吹风机热风处理2种方法,对表面污染有流感病毒的医用口罩进行病毒灭活,洗脱口罩上已灭活处理的病毒,感染Mardin-Darby狗肾细胞(Mardin-Darby canine kidney cell,MDCK细胞),观察细胞病变并定量检测病毒基因组拷贝数以评价病毒灭活效果。同时采用抽滤系统和PM2.5监测仪对以2种相似热灭活方式处理过的口罩滤过截留PM2.5的效果进行评价。结果显示电吹风机30 min热风处理后病毒基因组拷贝数降低至原来的1/1 000 000～1/10 000 000,接近未感染组,但烘箱56 ℃ 30 min干热处理仅灭活部分病毒。2种热灭活方式对口罩的PM2.5滤过截留效果无显著影响。本研究提供了一个安全、便捷处理一次性医用外科口罩的方法,为个人防护用品口罩表面污染病毒的灭活及其再生利用提供了科学依据。然而,应注意的是在口罩匮乏的非常时期,普通人群可采用该简便技术再生口罩后再次使用,但该方法再生的口罩不适合密切接触患者的人群、医护人员及实验室工作人员使用。     

Molecular interaction and functional regulation of connexin50 gap junctions by calmodulin

Cx50 (connexin50), a member of the α-family of gap junction proteins expressed in the lens of the eye, has been shown to be essential for normal lens development. In the present study, we identified a CaMBD [CaM (calmodulin)-binding domain] (residues 141-166) in the intracellular loop of Cx50. Elevations in intracellular Ca2+ concentration effected a 95% decline in gj (junctional conductance) of Cx50 in N2a cells that is likely to be mediated by CaM, because inclusion of the CaM inhibitor calmidazolium prevented this Ca2+-dependent decrease in gj. The direct involvement of the Cx50 CaMBD in this Ca2+/CaM-dependent regulation was demonstrated further by the inclusion of a synthetic peptide encompassing the CaMBD in both whole-cell patch pipettes, which effectively prevented the intracellular Ca2+-dependent decline in gj. Biophysical studies using NMR and fluorescence spectroscopy reveal further that the peptide stoichiometrically binds to Ca2+/CaM with an affinity of ~5 nM. The binding of the peptide expanded the Ca2+-sensing range of CaM by increasing the Ca2+ affinity of the C-lobe of CaM, while decreasing the Ca2+ affinity of the N-lobe of CaM. Overall, these results demonstrate that the binding of Ca2+/CaM to the intracellular loop of Cx50 is critical for mediating the Ca2+-dependent inhibition of Cx50 gap junctions in the lens of the eye.