罗氏沼虾不同群体线粒体COI基因的序列差异和遗传标记研究

利用PCR方法扩增获得罗氏沼虾（Macrobrachiumrosenbergii）线粒体DNA的COI基因,测定该基因片段序列。分析了罗氏沼虾缅甸原种F1代、江苏养殖群体和广西选育F2代3个群体共17只个体的序列核苷酸位点差异和遗传多态。结果表明,缅甸原种F1代遗传多样性最为丰富,江苏养殖群体和广西选育群体的遗传多样性相对贫乏。在长度为498bp的基因片段中,共检测到10个多态性核苷酸位点（占2.01%）,17只个体具有5种基因型,3群体各自的平均核苷酸位点差异分别为0.88%、0.07%和0。UPGMA分子系统聚类树显示,江苏养殖群体和广西选育群体的遗传关系最近,其单倍型混杂聚成一支,而缅甸原种F1群体相对独立为另外一支。COI基因可以作为区分两分支群体的遗传标记。     

The Role of Antioxidant Systems in Cu2+ Stress Resistance in Alternanthera philoxeroides

CuSO4 was added into Hoagland solution to imitate Cu2+ polluted water environment, and the roles of the two antioxidation systems in resisting Cu2+ stress in Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb. was studied. The results showed that Cu2+pollution less than 70 mg/L in concentration could stimulate the accumulation of superoxide radical (O-·2), thus lead to lipid peroxidation and increase of membrane permeability. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) were both induced in high level and took important parts in antioxidation at higher concentration of Cu2+ and in middle and late phases of Cu2+ stress. Catalase (CAT) had little effect. Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) was induced in lower level and showed its function in lower Cu2+ concentration and in early phase. Ascorbic acid (AsA) could also function at higher Cu2+ concentration by transition from reduced state to oxidized state.     

Purification and characterisation of an alkaline protease used in tannery industry from Bacillus licheniformis

An extracellular alkaline protease produced by Bacillus licheniformis AP-1 was purified 76-fold, yielding a single 28 kDa band on SDS-PAGE. It was optimally active at pH 11 and at 60 degrees C (assayed over 10 min). The protease was completely inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and diodopropyl fluorophosphate, with little increase upon Ca2+ and Mg2+ addition.     

Expression of Selenoproteins Is Maintained in Mice Carrying Mutations in SECp43, the tRNA Selenocysteine 1 Associated Protein (Trnau1ap)

Selenocysteine tRNA 1 associated protein (Trnau1ap) has been characterized as a tRNA^[Ser]Sec-binding protein of 43 kDa, hence initially named SECp43. Previous studies reported its presence in complexes containing tRNA^[Ser]Sec implying a role of SECp43 as a co-factor in selenoprotein expression. We generated two conditionally mutant mouse models targeting exons 3+4 and exons 7+8 eliminating parts of the first RNA recognition motif or of the tyrosine-rich domain, respectively. Constitutive inactivation of exons 3+4 of SECp43 apparently did not affect the mice or selenoprotein expression in several organs. Constitutive deletion of exons 7+8 was embryonic lethal. We therefore generated hepatocyte-specific Secp43 knockout mice and characterized selenoprotein expression in livers of mutant mice. We found no significant changes in the levels of ⁷⁵Se-labelled hepatic proteins, selenoprotein levels as determined by Western blot analysis, enzymatic activity or selenoprotein mRNA abundance. The methylation pattern of tRNA^[Ser]Sec remained unchanged. Truncated Secp43 ^Δ7,8mRNA increased in Secp43-mutant livers suggesting auto-regulation of Secp43 mRNA abundance. We found no signs of liver damage in Secp433-mutant mice, but neuron-specific deletion of exons 7+8 impaired motor performance, while not affecting cerebral selenoprotein expression or cerebellar development. These findings suggest that the targeted domains in the SECp43 protein are not essential for selenoprotein biosynthesis in hepatocytes and neurons. Whether the remaining second RNA recognition motif plays a role in selenoprotein biosynthesis and which other cellular process depends on SECp43 remains to be determined.     

氧化胁迫下稻苗体内积累的脯氨酸的抗氧化作用

水稻幼苗在外源·OH和1O2氧化胁迫下,体内脯氨酸明显积累,而和H2O2处理对稻苗体内脯氨酸含量无影响。强光亦能诱导稻苗体内脯氨酸积累。脯氨酸预处理则显著抑制·OH、1O2及强光所诱导的稻苗膜脂过氧化作用。在活性氧的产生／检测系统中,脯氨酸对·OH和1O2所引发反应有明显的竞争效应,但对和H2O2的作用没有形响。这些都表明,氧化胁迫下稻苗体内积累的脯氨酸具有抗氧化作用;脯氨酸对活性氧的清除有一定的专一性,即只对·OH和1O2有明显的清除活性。     

Conventional Freezing,Straw, and Open-Pulled Straw Vitrification of Mouse Two Pronuclear (2-PN) Stage Embryos

Little is known on the cryopreservation of mouse pronuclear (PN) stage embryos. In the present experiment the mouse 2-PN stage embryos were cryopreserved by conventional freezing, straw, or open-pulled straw (OPS) vitrificaiton methods. The conventional freezing solution was 1.5 mol/L ethylene glycol (EG), and vitrification solutions were EFS30 (30% EG, Ficoll, and sucrose), EFS40 (40% EG, Ficoll, and sucrose), EDFS30 (15% EG, 15%dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO], Ficoll, and sucrose), or EDFS40 (20% EG, 20%DMSO, Ficoll, and sucrose). The blastocyst rate of 2-PN stage embryos cryopreserved by conventional method (30.4%) was lower than those vitrified by straw method with EDFS (56.9% to 69.1%), by OPS method (66.0% to 85.7%), and that of control (80.8%) (P < 0.05). With a given vitrificaiton solution EFS30, EFS40, EDFS30, or EDFS40, the blastocyst rate of embryos vitrified by the OPS method (66.7%, 66.0%, 85.7%, or 76.9%) was higher than that of those vitrified by the straw method (46.8%, 43.8%, 69.1%, or 56.9%) (P < 0.05). When mouse 2-PN-stage embryos were vitrified with EDFS30 by straw or OPS method, the highest blastocyst rate was achieved (69.1% or 85.7%) and was similar to that of the control, respectively. The embryos transfer results revealed that the full-term development of blastocysts derived from 2-PN stage embryos vitrified by OPS method with EDFS30 (19.9%) was similar to that of the control (23.5%), and higher than that of those cryopreserved by conventional freezing (9.3%) (P < 0.05). The present research demonstrates that the OPS method, especially with EDFS30, is more effective in cryopreserving mouse 2-PN embryos.     

Ethoxysanguinarine Induces Apoptosis,Inhibits Metastasis and Sensitizes cells to Docetaxel in Breast Cancer Cells through Inhibition of Hakai

Ethoxysanguinarine (ESG) is a benzophenanthridine alkaloid extracted from plants of Papaveraceae family, such as Macleaya cordata (Willd) R. Br. The anti-cancer activity of ESG has been rarely reported. In this study, we investigated the anti-breast cancer effect of ESG and its underlying mechanism. MTT assay and flow cytometry analysis showed that ESG inhibited the viability and induced apoptosis in MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. Western blot revealed that ESG triggered intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways, as evidenced by the activation of caspase-8, caspase-9 and caspase-3. ESG attenuated breast cancer cell migration and invasion through Hakai/E-cadherin/N-cadherin. Moreover, Hakai knockdown sensitized ESG-triggered viability and motility inhibition, suggesting that Hakai mediated the anti-breast cancer effect of ESG. In addition, ESG potentiated the anti-cancer activity of docetaxel (DTX) in breast cancer cells. Overall, our findings demonstrate that ESG exhibits outstanding pro-apoptosis and anti-metastasis effects on breast cancer via a mechanism related to Hakai-related signaling pathway.     

小麦根系与土壤水分胁迫关系的研究进展

几十年来,大量科学工作者为拓宽小麦根系对土壤水分的吸收能力和调控根系对干旱的适应能力,挖掘干旱地区的生产潜力,实现高产做了大量细致的研究工作,取得了许多重要研究成果,综述了土壤水分胁迫对小麦根系形态、构型建成和生理指标影响的影响。过去进行的研究表明,干旱胁迫条件下,不仅表达小麦根系形态和构型建成指标的根系数量、根系比表面积、根冠比、根生长势、根水势,导管直径等发生显著变化,而且表达根系生理指标的伤流流、根呼吸速率、根系质膜透性、膜脂过氧化水平、保护酶及其同工酶等也发生相应改变,虽然不同的研究者所获得的研究结果不同,有的甚至相互矛盾,但从总体看,各种变要是对干旱胁迫的一种适应性反应,有利于提高小麦的抗旱能力,对干旱条件下产量的形成具有重要作用。     

睾丸支持细胞对精原干细胞发育的调节

精原干细胞(spermatogonial stem cells,SSCs)是位于睾丸曲精小管基膜上既能自我更新,又能定向分化的一类原始精原细胞.鉴于其独具的生物学特性,SSCs研究在干细胞生物学、医学、畜牧业等领域均具有重要意义,但目前有关其更新、分化的调控机制仍不清楚.干细胞的发育受其外部特定发育环境及其内在因素的综合调控.最近以睾丸支持细胞为主要结构组分的发育环境对SSCs行为的调控研究备受关注且取得快速进展.综合相关报道,主要就哺乳动物睾丸支持细胞对SSCs更新、分化的调节进行了评述,以期为本领域及其他干细胞研究提供借鉴.