Sim2基因对PC12细胞分化的影响

[摘要] 目的 探讨位于Down综合征关键位点的Sim2基因对PC12细胞分化的影响及其机制。 方法 以pcDNA3-mSim2真核表达载体稳定转染PC12细胞,以倒置相差显微镜镜观察PC12细胞神经突起的变化;以RT-PCR方法检测神经元分化相关基因GAP43和Synapsin I mRNA表达水平的变化;流式细胞仪检测GAP43蛋白的表达。 结果 RT-PCR结果显示, pcDNA3-mSim2转染后,mSim2 mRNA表达明显上调;与对照组相比,转染mSim2的PC12细胞突起数量显著减少,长度明显变短;GAP43和Synapsin I mRNA表达水平明显降低（P<0.05）;流式细胞仪检测发现,转染mSim2的PC12细胞GAP43蛋白表达水平显著降低（P<0.05）。 结论 Sim2基因可通过影响神经元的分化参与Down综合征的发生。     

蝉棒束孢菌子实体对大鼠肾小管上皮细胞的影响

对蝉棒束孢菌子实体（0.75g/kg）重复灌胃SD雄性大鼠90d及恢复28d的早期肾损伤生物标记物肾损伤分子-1（KIM-1）和中性粒细胞明胶酶相关载脂蛋白（NGAL）进行测定,评估蝉棒束孢菌子实体对肾小管上皮细胞的影响;研究不同剂量蝉棒束孢菌子实体（0.25g/kg、0.5g/kg、1.0g/kg）对肾小管上皮细胞增殖和增生能力的影响。给药30、60、90d及恢复28d时,SD大鼠血清中KIM-1浓度与对照组相比均无显著差异（P>0.05）,给药30d、60d时,SD大鼠血清中NGAL浓度与对照组相比均无显著差异（P>0.05）,给药90d及恢复28d时,SD大鼠血清中NGAL浓度低于对照组（P<0.05）,且给药90d组与对照组相比有显著性差异（P<0.01）;免疫组化检测增殖细胞核抗原法（PCNA）及四甲基偶氮唑盐微量酶反应比色法（MTT）表明：与对照组相比,蝉棒束孢菌子实体能使肾小管上皮细胞增生能力增强,未导致肾小管上皮细胞凋亡。     

Suppressed recombination rate in 6VS/6AL translocation region carrying the Pm21 locus introgressed from Haynaldia villosa into hexaploid wheat

Pm21 is an effective gene for powdery mildew resistance transferred from Haynaldia villosa into common wheat cultivars. No virulence against this gene has been detected so far. A set of 42 powdery mildew isolates collected in Israel and tested in the current study also revealed no virulence against this gene. Pm21 was previously reported to be located on the short arm of 6VS/6AL translocation chromosome. We constructed a high-density genetic map of chromosome 6A, consisting of 28 PCR markers and the Pm21 gene. A comparison with previously published genetic maps of wheat chromosome 6A revealed that the recombination rate in the 6VS/6AL translocation region was poor. We assume that suppressed recombination caused by the alien H. villosa genetic material is the most reasonable explanation for the tight genetic linkage and the inadequacy between the Pm21 genetic map and the Pm21 physical map of 6A. A large number of sequence-tag sites (STS) and simple sequence repeat markers, which co-segregate with or are closely linked to the Pm21 gene, and the conversion of three resistance gene analog markers into new STS markers, provide a reliable and easy-to-use molecular tool for marker-assisted selection of Pm21 in wheat breeding programs. An additional gene, Pm31, previously reported to be derived from Triticum dicoccoides, was mapped into a similar genomic location to Pm21. Screening of the parental lines and the mapping population with Pm21 diagnostic markers clearly confirmed that the donor line of Pm31 is H. villosa and not T. dicoccoides. Therefore, we conclude that Pm21 and Pm31 refer to the same gene, derived from H. villosa, and that the designation of Pm31 as a new Pm gene was erroneous.     

A male sterility-associated cytotoxic protein ORF288 in Brassica juncea causes aborted pollen development

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is a widespread phenomenon in higher plants, and several studies have established that this maternally inherited defect is often associated with a mitochondrial mutant. Approximately 10 chimeric genes have been identified as being associated with corresponding CMS systems in the family Brassicaceae, but there is little direct evidence that these genes cause male sterility. In this study, a novel chimeric gene (named orf288) was found to be located downstream of the atp6 gene and co-transcribed with this gene in the hau CMS sterile line. Western blotting analysis showed that this predicted open reading frame (ORF) was translated in the mitochondria of male-sterile plants. Furthermore, the growth of Escherichia coli was significantly repressed in the presence of ORF288, which indicated that this protein is toxic to the E. coli host cells. To confirm further the function of orf288 in male sterility, the gene was fused to a mitochondrial-targeting pre-sequence under the control of the Arabidopsis APETALA3 promoter and introduced into Arabidopsis thaliana. Almost 80% of transgenic plants with orf288 failed to develop anthers. It was also found that the independent expression of orf288 caused male sterility in transgenic plants, even without the transit pre-sequence. Furthermore, transient expression of orf288 and green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a fused protein in A. thaliana protoplasts showed that ORF288 was able to anchor to mitochondria even without the external mitochondrial-targeting peptide. These observations provide important evidence that orf288 is responsible for the male sterility of hau CMS in Brassica juncea.     

铜离子急性胁迫对虎纹蛙肝脏中三羧酸循环及自由基代谢的影响

为探明铜离子(Cu2+)对两栖动物肝脏线粒体中三羧酸(Tricarboxyl acid, TCA)循环及自由基代谢的毒理作用,采用静水暴露实验,研究了Cu2+不同浓度和不同暴露时间对虎纹蛙(Hoplobatrachus chinensis)肝脏线粒体中异柠檬酸脱氢酶(ICDHm)活性、-酮戊二酸脱氢酶(-KGDH)活性、抗超氧阴离子(anti-O2)活性、过氧化氢(H2O2)含量、抑制羟自由基(inhabit-OH)活性、一氧化氮(NO)含量以及一氧化氮合成酶(NOS)活性的影响。暴露实验共设置6个Cu2+浓度组(0.0、2.0、4.0、6.0、8.0和10.0 mg/L),分5个暴露时间(0、24h、48h、72h和96h)取材,对每个浓度的不同暴露时间分别取6个样本,测定TCA循环及自由基代谢的相关指标。结果显示,在TCA循环中随着Cu2+浓度的增加和暴露时间的延长,时间和浓度因素对ICDHm活性影响无显著性交互作用(P0.05),暴露时间的延长对ICDHm活性无显著性影响(P0.05),但随着Cu2+浓度的增加ICDHm活性逐渐减小;而时间和浓度因素对-KGDH活性影响有显著交互作用(P0.05),暴露处理后-KGDH活性下降,分别在24h和96h的4.0、6.0 mg/L时活性最低。在自由基代谢中,时间和浓度因素对抗O2活性、H2O2含量影响有显著交互作用(P0.05),而对抑制OH活性、NO含量、NOS活性的影响无显著性交互作用(P0.05)。不同时间随着Cu2+浓度的增加,抗O2活性均呈现出逐渐下降的趋势;实验处理后H2O2含量升高,在24h的6.0 mg/L时含量最大;随着暴露时间的延长和Cu2+浓度的增加抑制OH活性均逐渐降低;而NO含量和NOS活性的变化趋势基本相同,即随着Cu2+浓度的增加先增加后减少并趋近0浓度组,且都在6.0 mg/L时达到最大。研究结果表明急性Cu2+暴露对虎纹蛙肝脏线粒体中TCA循环及自由基代谢有显著的毒性作用。       

我国湖泊表层沉积物生物硅的空间分布特征

选取我国东北、西南、西北及中北部地区的10个典型湖泊,调查了表层沉积物生物硅含量变化情况,并通过区域对比分析了生物硅含量变化的原因,寻找我国湖泊生物硅变化的空间规律。结果表明,西北及中北部地区湖泊生物硅含量平均值整体低于东北和西南地区湖泊,可能是由于西北及中北部地区较低的温度和较少的降水量导致硅藻生长受限,从而造成生物硅含量偏低。东北湖泊与西南湖泊生物硅含量相对较高,但其形成原因不同。东北2个湖泊均靠近人类聚居区,属富营养型湖泊,虽然东北地区年均温较低,但充足的营养盐为硅藻生长提供了必要因素。而西南地区湖泊大多为中贫营养型湖泊,其生物硅含量整体较高可能主要归因于较高的温度和较多的降水。     

Apple Fruit Diameter and Length Estimation by Using the Thermal and Sunshine Hours Approach and Its Application to the Digital Orchard Management Information System

In apple cultivation, simulation models may be used to monitor fruit size during the growth and development process to predict production levels and to optimize fruit quality. Here, Fuji apples cultivated in spindle-type systems were used as the model crop. Apple size was measured during the growing period at an interval of about 20 days after full bloom, with three weather stations being used to collect orchard temperature and solar radiation data at different sites. Furthermore, a 2-year dataset (2011 and 2012) of apple fruit size measurements were integrated according to the weather station deployment sites, in addition to the top two most important environment factors, thermal and sunshine hours, into the model. The apple fruit diameter and length were simulated using physiological development time (PDT), an indicator that combines important environment factors, such as temperature and photoperiod, as the driving variable. Compared to the model of calendar-based development time (CDT), an indicator counting the days that elapse after full bloom, we confirmed that the PDT model improved the estimation accuracy to within 0.2 cm for fruit diameter and 0.1 cm for fruit length in independent years using a similar data collection method in 2013. The PDT model was implemented to realize a web-based management information system for a digital orchard, and the digital system had been applied in Shandong Province, China since 2013. This system may be used to compute the dynamic curve of apple fruit size based on data obtained from a nearby weather station. This system may provide an important decision support for farmers using the website and short message service to optimize crop production and, hence, economic benefit.     

Excessive rainfall leads to maize yield loss of a comparable magnitude to extreme drought in the United States

Increasing drought and extreme rainfall are major threats to maize production in the United States. However, compared to drought impact, the impact of excessive rainfall on crop yield remains unresolved. Here, we present observational evidence from crop yield and insurance data that excessive rainfall can reduce maize yield up to ?34% (?17 ± 3% on average) in the United States relative to the expected yield from the long‐term trend, comparable to the up to ?37% loss by extreme drought (?32 ± 2% on average) from 1981 to 2016. Drought consistently decreases maize yield due to water deficiency and concurrent heat, with greater yield loss for rainfed maize in wetter areas. Excessive rainfall can have either negative or positive impact on crop yield, and its sign varies regionally. Excessive rainfall decreases maize yield significantly in cooler areas in conjunction with poorly drained soils, and such yield loss gets exacerbated under the condition of high preseason soil water storage. Current process‐based crop models cannot capture the yield loss from excessive rainfall and overestimate yield under wet conditions. Our results highlight the need for improved understanding and modeling of the excessive rainfall impact on crop yield.