Optimal pollinator attraction strategies in Trollius ranunculoides Hemsl. (Ranunculaceae) at different altitudes: increased floral display or promotion of nectar output?

For alpine plant species, patterns of resource allocation to functional floral traits for pollinator attraction can be highly significant in adaptation to low pollinator abundance and consequent pollen limitation. Increased pollination can be achieved either through a larger floral display or production of more pollen rewards. In this study, variation in resource allocation to different components for pollinator attraction was studied along an altitudinal gradient in Trollius ranunculoides, an obligate self‐incompatible out‐crosser of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. We compared resource allocation to conspicuous yellow sepals (which mainly provide visual attraction) and degenerate petals (which provide the major nectar reward) between populations at four altitudes. Furthermore, we investigated the contribution of sepals and petals to pollinator attraction and female reproductive success in an experiment with sepal or petal removal at sites at different altitudes. At the level of single flowers, resource allocation increased to sepals but decreased to petals with increasing altitude. Consistent with these results, sepals contributed much more to visitation rate and seed set than petals, as confirmed in the sepal or petal removal experiment. Sepals and petals contributed to female reproductive success by ensuring visitation rate rather than visitation duration. To alleviate increasing pollen limitation with increasing altitude, resource allocation patterns of T. ranunculoides altered to favour development of sepals rather than petals. This strategy may improve pollination and reproductive success through visual attraction (sepal) rather than nectar reward (petal) over a gradient of decreasing pollinator abundance.     

Scale specific determinants of tree diversity in an old growth temperate forest in China

The major processes generating pattern in plant community composition depend upon the spatial scale and resolution of observation, therefore understanding the role played by spatial scale on species patterns is of major concern. In this study, we investigate how well environmental (topography and soil variables) and spatial variables explain variation in species composition in a 25-ha temperate forest in northeastern China. We used new variation partitioning approaches to discover the spatial scale (using multi-scale spatial PCNM variables) at which environmental heterogeneity and other spatially structured processes influence tree community composition. We also test the effect of changing grain of the study (i.e. quadrat size) on the variation partitioning results. Our results indicate that (1) species composition in the Changbai mixed broadleaf-conifer forest was controlled mainly by spatially structured soil variation at broad scales, while at finer scales most of the explained variation was of a spatial nature, pointing to the importance of biotic processes. (2) These results held at all sampling grains. However, reducing quadrat size progressively reduced both spatially and environmentally explained variance. This probably partly reflects increasing stochasticity in species abundances, and the smaller proportion of quadrats occupied by each species, when quadrat size is reduced. The results suggest that environmental heterogeneity (i.e. niche processes) and other biotic processes such as dispersal work together, but at different spatial scales, to build up diversity patterns.     

Interleukin-8 induces the endothelial cell migration through the activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Rac1/RhoA pathway

Endothelial cell migration is essential for tumor angiogenesis, and interleukin-8 (IL-8) has been shown to play an important role in tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis. This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism of IL-8 induced endothelial cell migration. Our results indicated that IL-8 induced a rapid rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton in EA.Hy926 cells, generating extensions resembling membrane ruffling and stress fibers. These processes required parallel upregulation of the small GTPases Rac1 and RhoA. Moreover, we demonstrated that IL-8 activated PI3K following the same kinetics observed from IL-8 induction of cytoskeletal rearrangement, suggesting the participation of PI3K in these processes. Taken together, our study demonstrates that PI3K-Rac1/RhoA signaling pathway plays a vital role in IL-8 induced endothelial cell migration, and provides new insight into the molecular mechanisms by which IL-8 contributes to tumor angiogenesis and metastasis.     

A vertebrate case study of the quality of assemblies derived from next-generation sequences

The unparalleled efficiency of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has prompted widespread adoption, but significant problems remain in the use of NGS data for whole genome assembly. We explore the advantages and disadvantages of chicken genome assemblies generated using a variety of sequencing and assembly methodologies. NGS assemblies are equivalent in some ways to a Sanger-based assembly yet deficient in others. Nonetheless, these assemblies are sufficient for the identification of the majority of genes and can reveal novel sequences when compared to existing assembly references.     

The association of phosphoinositide 3-kinase enhancer A with hepatic insulin receptor enhances its kinase activity

Dysfunction of hepatic insulin receptor tyrosine kinase (IRTK) causes the development of type 2 diabetes. However, the molecular mechanism regulating IRTK activity in the liver remains poorly understood. Here, we show that phosphoinositide 3-kinase enhancer A (PIKE-A) is a new insulin-dependent enhancer of hepatic IRTK. Liver-specific Pike-knockout (LPKO) mice display glucose intolerance with impaired hepatic insulin sensitivity. Specifically, insulin-provoked phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt signalling is diminished in the liver of LPKO mice, leading to the failure of insulin-suppressed gluconeogenesis and hyperglycaemia. Thus, hepatic PIKE-A has a key role in mediating insulin signal transduction and regulating glucose homeostasis in the liver.     

Purification and characterization of a highly selective sucrose isomerase from Erwinia rhapontici NX-5

A highly selective sucrose isomerase (SIase) was purified to homogeneity from the cell-free extract of Erwinia rhapontici NX-5 with a recovery of 27.7% and a fold purification of 213.6. The purified SIase showed a high specific activity of 427.1 U mg⁻¹ with molecular weight of 65.6 kDa. The K _m for sucrose was 222 mM while V _max was 546 U mg⁻¹. The optimum pH and temperature for SIase activity were 6.0 and 30 °C, respectively. The purified SIase was stable in the temperature range of 10–40 °C and retained 65% of the enzyme activity after 2 weeks’ storage at 30 °C. The SIase activity was enhanced by Mg²⁺ and Mn²⁺, inhibited by Ca²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Co²⁺, completely inhibited by Hg²⁺ and Ag²⁺. The purified SIase was strongly inhibited by SDS, while partially inhibited by dimethylformamide, tetrahydrofuran, and PMSF. Additionally, glucose and fructose acted as competitive inhibitors for purified SIase.     

SPARC在子宫内膜癌组织中的表达及意义

目的：探讨富含半胱氨酸的酸性分泌型蛋白（secreted protien,acidic and rich in cysteine,SPARC）在子宫内膜癌组织中的表达及其临床意义。方法：应用组织芯片技术研究SPARC在正常子宫内膜、增生的子宫内膜和子宫内膜癌组织中的表达情况。结果：SPARC在正常子宫内膜、增生的子宫内膜和子宫内膜癌组织中的阳性表达率分别为96.55%、76.79%、59.50%,差异具有统计学意义（P〈0.05）。在子宫内膜癌中,SPARC的表达强度与手术-病理分期、组织学分级、肌层浸润深度和淋巴结转移相关,差异具有统计学意义（P〈0.05）。结论：SPARC表达的缺失与子宫内膜癌的发生、发展密切相关,检测SPARC可为子宫内膜癌的早期诊断、进一步治疗及预后判断提供一定的理论依据。     

Upregulated microRNA-29a by hepatitis B virus X protein enhances hepatoma cell migration by targeting PTEN in cell culture model

Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) plays important roles in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) contribute to cancer development by acting as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. Previously, we reported that HBx was able to promote the migration of hepatoma HepG2 cells. However, the regulation of miRNAs in the development of HBV-related HCC is poorly understood. In the present study, we reported that miR-29a was a novel regulator of migration of hepatoma cells mediated by HBx. Our data showed that the expression of miR-29a was dramatically increased in p21-HBx transgenic mice, HBx-transfected hepatoma HepG2-X (or H7402-X) cells and HepG2.2.15 cells that constitutively replicate HBV. However, our data showed that miR-29a was upregulated in 4 of the 11 clinical HCC samples. We found that the overexpression of miR-29a promoted the migration of HepG2 cells, while a specific miR-29a inhibitor could partially abolish the enhanced migration of HepG2-X cells. Moreover, we identified PTEN was one of the target genes of miR-29a in HepG2 cells. The deletion of the miR-29a-binding site was able to abolish the role of miR-29a in suppression of luciferase activity of the PTEN 3'UTR reporter. Meanwhile, the overexpression of PTEN was able to reverse the promoted migration of HepG2 cells mediated by miR-29a. Moreover, our data showed that the modulation of Akt phosphorylation, a downstream factor of PTEN, was involved in the cell migration enhanced by miR-29a, suggesting that miR-29a is responsible for the cell migration through its target gene PTEN. Thus, we conclude that miR-29a is involved in the regulation of migration of hepatoma cells mediated by HBx through PTEN in cell culture model.