Partial characterization of the N－linked oligosaccharide structures on Pselectin glycoprotein ligand－1（PSGL－1）

PSGL-1, a specific ligand for P-, E- and L-selectin, was isolated from in vivo [3H]-glucosamine labeled HL-60 cells by a combination of wheat germ agglutinin-agarose and P- or E-selectin-agarose chromatography. N-linked oligosaccharides were released from the purified, denatured ligand molecule by peptide: N-glycosidase F treatment and, following separation by Sephacryl S-200 chromatography, partially characterized using lectin, ion-exchange and size-exclusion chromatography in combination with glycosidase digestions. The data obtained suggest that the N-glycans on PSGL-1 are predominantly core-fucosylated, multiantennary complex type structures with extended, poly-N-acetyllactosamine containing outer chains. A portion of the outer chains appears to be substituted with fucose indicating that the N-glycans, in addition to the O-glycans on PSGL-1, may be involved in selectin binding.     

扬子区后Llandovery世（志留纪）胞石的发现及其意义

坟头组时代争论长期不能统一的原因之一,在于各家对坟头组涵盖范围理解不一,坟头组有广义和狭义之分：以侯家塘组的顶为底,以秀山动物群的最高层位为顶的坟头组概念,为狭义坟头组,以侯家塘组,茅山组之间岩层的总答和为坟头组的概念,为广义坟头组,本文建议使用狭义坟头组概念,以求定义统一。坟头组之上,茅山组之下还存在寨山组和新河庄组（新组）。宁镇山脉志留系存在倒序,脱顶,丢层等问题,建议将坟头组,寨山组的标准剖     

灌浆期高温对冬小麦籽粒氨基酸含量和组成的影响

以强筋小麦品种郑麦366和中筋小麦品种洛旱2号为材料,采用盆栽和人工气候室模拟的方法,研究了花后不同时段(灌浆前期即花后5 d,灌浆中期即花后15 d)和持续时间(处理2 d和4 d)的高温胁迫对籽粒氨基酸含量和积累量(以单粒中氨基酸含量表示)的影响。结果显示:(1)高温胁迫显著增加了小麦籽粒中必需氨基酸(EAA)、非必需氨基酸(NAA)和总氨基酸(TAA)含量,但降低了其积累量和EAA/TAA,2品种表现一致;(2)灌浆前期高温胁迫对2品种籽粒氨基酸含量的影响大于灌浆中期,而对氨基酸积累量的影响则相反;(3)高温持续时间对籽粒氨基酸含量的影响在2品种间存在差异,洛旱2号籽粒赖氨酸、EAA、NAA和TAA含量均随高温持续时间的延长显著增加,而郑麦366籽粒中上述指标仅在高温胁迫4 d下较对照增加显著;(4)从受高温胁迫的影响看,籽粒EAA/TAA对高温时段更敏感,而氨基酸含量表现为更易受高温持续时间的影响;(5)高温时段与持续时间的互作效应体现在:灌浆前期籽粒氨基酸积累量2品种均以高温胁迫4 d的影响最大,而灌浆中期则均以高温2 d的降幅最大。上述结果表明,小麦籽粒氨基酸及其组分对高温胁迫的响应不仅在品种间存在差异,且受高温时段和持续时间的影响。     

SLRP interaction can protect collagen fibrils from cleavage by collagenases

Decorin, fibromodulin and lumican are small leucine-rich repeat proteoglycans (SLRPs) which interact with the surface of collagen fibrils. Together with other molecules they form a coat on the fibril surface which could impede the access to collagenolytic proteinases. To address this hypothesis, fibrils of type I or type II collagen were formed in vitro and treated with either collagenase-1 (MMP1) or collagenase-3 (MMP13). The fibrils were either treated directly or following incubation in the presence of the recombinant SLRPs. The susceptibility of the uncoated and SLRP-coated fibrils to collagenase cleavage was assessed by SDS/PAGE. Interaction with either recombinant decorin, fibromodulin or lumican results in decreased collagenase cleavage of both fibril types. Thus SLRP interaction can help protect collagen fibrils from cleavage by collagenases.     

Three RNA Binding Proteins Form a Complex to Promote Differentiation of Germline Stem Cell Lineage in Drosophila

In regenerative tissues, one of the strategies to protect stem cells from genetic aberrations, potentially caused by frequent cell division, is to transiently expand the stem cell daughters before further differentiation. However, failure to exit the transit amplification may lead to overgrowth, and the molecular mechanism governing this regulation remains vague. In a Drosophila mutagenesis screen for factors involved in the regulation of germline stem cell (GSC) lineage, we isolated a mutation in the gene CG32364, which encodes a putative RNA-binding protein (RBP) and is designated as tumorous testis (tut). In tut mutant, spermatogonia fail to differentiate and over-amplify, a phenotype similar to that in mei-P26 mutant. Mei-P26 is a TRIM-NHL tumor suppressor homolog required for the differentiation of GSC lineage. We found that Tut binds preferentially a long isoform of mei-P26 3′UTR, and is essential for the translational repression of mei-P26 reporter. Bam and Bgcn are both RBPs that have also been shown to repress mei-P26 expression. Our genetic analyses indicate that tut, bam, or bgcn is required to repress mei-P26 and to promote the differentiation of GSCs. Biochemically, we demonstrate that Tut, Bam, and Bgcn can form a physical complex in which Bam holds Tut on its N-terminus and Bgcn on its C-terminus. Our in vivo and in vitro evidence illustrate that Tut acts with Bam, Bgcn to accurately coordinate proliferation and differentiation in Drosophila germline stem cell lineage.     

Platelet activating factor induces transient blood‐brain barrier opening to facilitate edaravone penetration into the brain

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) greatly limits the efficacy of many neuroprotective drugs' delivery to the brain, so improving drug penetration through the BBB has been an important focus of research. Here we report that platelet activating factor (PAF) transiently opened BBB and facilitated neuroprotectant edaravone penetration into the brain. Intravenous infusion with PAF induced a transient BBB opening in rats, reflected by increased Evans blue leakage and mild edema formation, which ceased within 6 h. Furthermore, rat regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) declined acutely during PAF infusion, but recovered slowly. More importantly, this transient BBB opening significantly increased the penetration of edaravone into the brain, evidenced by increased edaravone concentrations in tissue interstitial fluid collected by microdialysis and analyzed by Ultra‐performance liquid chromatograph combined with a hybrid quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer (UPLC‐MS/MS). Similarly, incubation of rat brain microvessel endothelial cells monolayer with 1 μM PAF for 1 h significantly increased monolayer permeability to ¹²⁵I‐albumin, which recovered 1 h after PAF elimination. However, PAF incubation with rat brain microvessel endothelial cells for 1 h did not cause detectable cytotoxicity, and did not regulate intercellular adhesion molecule‐1, matrix‐metalloproteinase‐9 and P‐glycoprotein expression. In conclusion, PAF could induce transient and reversible BBB opening through abrupt rCBF decline, which significantly improved edaravone penetration into the brain.

     

Structural variation in two human genomes mapped at single-nucleotide resolution by whole genome de novo assembly

Here we use whole-genome de novo assembly of second-generation sequencing reads to map structural variation (SV) in an Asian genome and an African genome. Our approach identifies small- and intermediate-size homozygous variants (1-50 kb) including insertions, deletions, inversions and their precise breakpoints, and in contrast to other methods, can resolve complex rearrangements. In total, we identified 277,243 SVs ranging in length from 1-23 kb. Validation using computational and experimental methods suggests that we achieve overall <6% false-positive rate and <10% false-negative rate in genomic regions that can be assembled, which outperforms other methods. Analysis of the SVs in the genomes of 106 individuals sequenced as part of the 1000 Genomes Project suggests that SVs account for a greater fraction of the diversity between individuals than do single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These findings demonstrate that whole-genome de novo assembly is a feasible approach to deriving more comprehensive maps of genetic variation.