向日葵幼苗环旋运动的三维轨迹

采用光学显微镜标尺和垂线原理制作的三维空间点测定仪,对向日葵（Ｈｅｌｉａｎｔｈｕｓ ａｎｎｕｕｓＬ．）幼苗的环旋运动进行了连续测量。结果表明：向日葵环旋运动的轨迹有椭圆型、摆动型和不规则型;同一植株在不同生长阶段所表现的环旋运动轨迹不一定相同,同一株龄的不同个体也不一定具有相同的运动轨迹;运动的方向有左旋和右旋,圆周运动光源可以显著地改变运动方向;从三维角度看,在整个下胚轴生长阶段,环旋运动的振幅存在一个由小变大再由大变小的变化规律     

A novel mechanism underlies caspase-dependent conversion of the dicer ribonuclease into a deoxyribonuclease during apoptosis

During C. elegans apoptosis, the dicer ribonuclease (DCR-1) is cleaved by the cell death protease CED-3 to generate a truncated DCR-1 (tDCR-1) with one and a half ribonuclease III (RNase III) domains, converting it into a deoxyribonuclease (DNase) that initiates apoptotic chromosome fragmentation. We performed biochemical and functional analyses to understand this unexpected RNase to DNase conversion. In full-length DCR-1, tDCR-1 DNase activity is suppressed by its N-terminal DCR-1 sequence. However, not all the sequence elements in the N-terminal DCR-1 are required for this suppression. Our deletion analysis reveals that a 20-residue α-helix sequence in DCR-1 appears to define a critical break point for the sequence required for suppressing tDCR-1 DNase activity through a structure-dependent mechanism. Removal of the N-terminal DCR-1 sequence from tDCR-1 activates a DNA-binding activity that also requires the one half RNase IIIa domain, and enables tDCR-1 to process DNA. Consistently, structural modeling of DCR-1 and tDCR-1 suggests that cleavage of DCR-1 by CED-3 may cause a conformational change that allows tDCR-1 to bind and process DNA, and may remove steric hindrance that blocks DNA access to tDCR-1. Moreover, a new DNase can be engineered using different RNase III domains, including the one from bacterial RNase III. Our results indicate that very distantly related RNase III enzymes have the potential to cleave DNA when processed proteolytically or paired with an appropriate partner that facilitates binding to DNA. We suggest the possibility that this phenomenon may be extrapolated to other ribonucleases.     

Ancient genomes reveal the genetic inheritance and recent introgression in Chinese indigenous pigs

Science China Life Sciences -     

Comparison of the effects of symmetric and asymmetric temperature elevation and CO2 enrichment on yield and evapotranspiration of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Under the changing climate, asymmetric warming pattern would be more likely during day and night time, instead of symmetric one. Concurrently, the growth responses and water use of plants may be different compared with those estimated based on symmetric warming. In this work, it was compared with the effects of symmetric (ETs) and asymmetric (ETa) elevation of temperature alone, and in interaction with elevated carbon dioxide concentration (EC), on the grain yield (GY) and evapotranspiration in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) based on pot experiment in the North China Plain (NCP). The experiment was carried out in six enclosed‐top chambers with following climate treatments: (1) ambient temperature and ambient CO₂ (CON), (2) ambient temperature and elevated CO₂ (EC), (3) elevated temperature and ambient CO₂ (ETs; ETa), and (4) elevated temperature and elevated CO₂ (ECETs, ECETa). In symmetric warming, temperature was increased by 3°C and in asymmetric one by 3.5°C during night and 2.5°C during daytime, respectively. As a result, GY was in ETa and ETs 15.6 (P < 0.05) and 10.3% (P < 0.05) lower than that in CON. In ECETs and ECETa treatments, GY was 14.9 (P < 0.05) and 9.1% (P < 0.05) higher than that in CON. Opposite to GY, evapotranspiration was 7.8 (P < 0.05) and 17.9% (P < 0.05) higher in ETa and ETs treatments and 7.2 (P < 0.05) and 2.1% (P > 0.05) lower in ECETs and ECETa treatments compared with CON. Thus, GY of wheat could be expected to increase under the changing climate with concurrent elevation of CO₂ and temperature as a result of increased WUE under the elevated CO₂. However, the gain would be lower under ETa than that estimated based on ETs due to higher evapotranspiration.     

Genetically encoded redox biosensor system for H2O2 measurement in four subcellular compartments in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells

Science China Life Sciences -     

利用蚕豆根观察植物有丝分裂

洋葱因取材方便、发根条件简单、染色体数目少（2n=16）,因此常作为有丝分裂实验的首选材料^[1]。但由于菜农在采收洋葱后会喷洒一种植物保鲜剂—青鲜素（MH）,这就阻碍了洋葱发根。根据笔者的发现,春季（3、4月）洋葱发根根多,其他时间发根根非常少^[2],因此对开展此实验,取材在时间上受到限制,但若采用蚕豆根尖,可避免此问题,     

O‐GlcNAcylation of protein kinase A catalytic subunits enhances its activity: a mechanism linked to learning and memory deficits in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized clinically by memory loss and cognitive decline. Protein kinase A (PKA)‐CREB signaling plays a critical role in learning and memory. It is known that glucose uptake and O‐GlcNAcylation are reduced in AD brain. In this study, we found that PKA catalytic subunits (PKAcs) were posttranslationally modified by O‐linked N‐acetylglucosamine (O‐GlcNAc). O‐GlcNAcylation regulated the subcellular location of PKAcα and PKAcβ and enhanced their kinase activity. Upregulation of O‐GlcNAcylation in metabolically active rat brain slices by O‐(2‐acetamido‐2‐deoxy‐d ‐glucopyranosylidenamino) N‐phenylcarbamate (PUGNAc), an inhibitor of N‐acetylglucosaminidase, increased the phosphorylation of tau at the PKA site, Ser214, but not at the non‐PKA site, Thr205. In contrast, in rat and mouse brains, downregulation of O‐GlcNAcylation caused decreases in the phosphorylation of CREB at Ser133 and of tau at Ser214, but not at Thr205. Reduction in O‐GlcNAcylation through intracerebroventricular injection of 6‐diazo‐5‐oxo‐l ‐norleucine (DON), the inhibitor of glutamine fructose‐6‐phosphate amidotransferase, suppressed PKA‐CREB signaling and impaired learning and memory in mice. These results indicate that in addition to cAMP and phosphorylation, O‐GlcNAcylation is a novel mechanism that regulates PKA‐CREB signaling. Downregulation of O‐GlcNAcylation suppresses PKA‐CREB signaling and consequently causes learning and memory deficits in AD.     

Inhibition of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) biofilm by cationic poly (D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles

Abstract

The emergent need for new treatment methods for multi-drug resistant pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has focused attention on novel potential tools like nanoparticles (NPs). In the present study, a drug-free cationic nanoparticles (CNPs) system was developed and its anti-MRSA effects were firstly investigated. The results showed that CNPs (261.7?nm, 26.1?mv) showed time- and concentration-dependent activity against MRSA growth, killing ～ 90% of planktonic bacterial cells in 3?h at 400?μg ml^?1, and completely inhibiting biofilm formation at 1000?μg ml^?1. Moreover, CNPs at 400?μg ml^?1 reduced the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of vancomycin on inhibition of planktonic MRSA growth (～ 25%) and biofilm formation (～ 50%). The CNPs–bacteria interaction force was up to 22 nN. Overall, these data suggest that CNPs have a good potential in clinical applications for the prevention and treatment of MRSA infection.     

Factors affecting adhesion of Fibrobacter succinogenes subsp. succinogenes S85 and adherence-defective mutants to cellulose.

Fibrobacter succinogenes subsp. succinogenes S85, formerly Bacteroides succinogenes, adheres to crystalline cellulose present in the culture medium. When the cells are suspended in buffer, adhesion is enhanced by increasing the ionic strength. Heat, glutaraldehyde, trypsin, and pronase treatments markedly reduce the extent of adhesion. Treatment with dextrinase, modification of amino and carboxyl groups with Formalin or other chemical agents, and inclusion of either albumin (1%) or Tween 80 (0.5%) do not decrease the degree of adhesion. Adherence-defective mutants isolated by their inability to bind to cellulose exhibited different growth characteristics. Class 1 mutants grew on glucose, cellobiose, amorphous cellulose, and crystalline cellulose. Class 3 mutants grew on glucose and cellobiose but not on amorphous or crystalline cellulose. No substantial changes were detected in the endoglucanase, cellobiosidase, and cellobiase activities of the wild type and the mutants. These data suggest that adhesion to crystalline cellulose is specific and that it involves surface proteins.     

四川贡嘎山国家级自然保护区鸟兽多样性

四川贡嘎山国家级自然保护区位于全球生物多样性热点地区之一的横断山区, 是我国生物多样性保护优先区。本文利用红外相机影像和已发表文献对该保护区的大中型兽类和地面活动鸟类进行编目并提出未来监测建议。2011-2018年在97个1 km × 1 km的网格安放红外相机, 累计39,881个相机日, 获得独立有效照片20,932张, 其中野生兽类16,244张, 鸟类2,775张, 牲畜1,737张, 人176张。鉴定出野生兽类30种, 另有文献报道4种和观察3种, 分属于5目15科; 鸟类78种, 分属于9目22科; 牲畜6种。包括12种国家I级和28种国家II级重点保护野生动物; 被CITES附录I收录的有11种, 附录II收录的有12种。被IUCN红色名录评估为濒危(EN)和易危(VU)等级的分别有3种和8种。被《中国脊椎动物红色名录》评估为极危(CR)、濒危和易危等级的分别有5、5和11种。相对多度指数(relative abundance index, RAI)排名前三的兽类是毛冠鹿(Elaphodus cephalophus, 147.39)、水鹿(Rusa unicolor, 66.10)、野猪(Sus scrofa, 36.03); 鸟类是血雉(Ithaginis cruentus, 14.64)、白马鸡(Crossoptilon crossoptilon, 10.43)、大噪鹛(Garrulax maximus, 8.05)。阔叶林、针阔混交林、高山灌丛草甸和高山流石滩是调查薄弱生境, 后期应开展重点调查, 以厘清本区域大中型兽类资源。