Escherichia coli protein StpA stimulates self-splicing by promoting RNA assembly in vitro.

An Escherichia coli gene, stpA, has been identified and cloned based on its ability to suppress the Td- phenotype of a resident, splicing-defective phage T4 td (thymidylate synthase) gene. The stpA gene, which was localized to 60.24 min on the E. coli chromosome, encodes a 15.3-kDa protein. Overproduction of StpA in vivo led to an increase in td pre-mRNA levels and modest enhancement of td mRNA:pre-mRNA ratios. Consistent with its in vivo effect, purified StpA promoted RNA splicing in vitro, and facilitated RNA annealing and strand exchange with model substrates. These results suggest that StpA promotes splicing of the intron by binding RNA nonspecifically, resolving misfolded precursor molecules and facilitating association of critical base pair elements. Furthermore, proteinase K treatment of StpA-assembled precursors prior to the initiation of the splicing reaction still resulted in splicing enhancement, indicating that StpA is not required for the catalytic step, unlike the Neurospora splicing effector CYT-18, whose presence was necessary for catalysis to proceed. Together these results suggest that StpA has chaperone activity in vitro, with the property of promoting assembly of the precursors into an active conformation, in contrast to splicing effectors that stabilize the catalytically active intron structure.     

Potential for seed bank formation in seven Great Lakes sand dune species

Seeds of seven dune species were collected from sand dunes of Lakes Erie and Huron and buried to various depths in a natural sand dune habitat along Lake Huron. The seed samples were then retrieved after varying lengths of time and examined for their germinability and dormancy. Results showed that buried seeds remained viable for at least 2.5 years and had the potential to form a persistent seed bank. Seed banks were larger and longer lasting at greater depths of burial than those at shallow burial depths. The results suggested that failure to verify the existence of effective seed banks in previous studies may be due to insufficient number of samples, shallow sample depth, local population variations, and fruiting events. Several species also possessed a temporary, aboveground seed reserve formed by retention of a small proportion of viable seeds on the previous year's inflorescences. In some species, seeds retained aboveground were dormant and thus capable of forming a persistent seed bank when they entered the soil.     

Cloning of the nupC gene of Escherichia coli encoding a nucleoside transport system, and identification of an adjacent Insertion element, IS 186

Escherichia coli is known to contain more than one active transport system for nucleoside uptake. In the present study we report the sequence of a gene encoding a second nucleoside transport system, nupC (in addition to nupG.) An open reading frame (ORF) of 1200bp was identified that codes for a hydrophobic polypeptide of 43 560 Da and an NupC fusion protein was shown to be membrane associated. The native NupC protein is also identified, following over-expression. NupC exhibits short regions of homology to several membrane-associated proteins, including LacY and Cyd. Analysis of the nupC promoter region revealed the presence of at least two putative CRP-binding sites, centred at–40bp and–89bp, which probably flank a CytR-binding site. In addition, an adjacent IS186 element was identified and found to reside within a putative terminator structure, downstream from the nupC ORF. This arrangement is shown to reflect the previously established gene order on the E. coli chromosome.     

中国直背蝗属一新种（直翅目：蝗科）

本文记述采自吉林省长白山蝗虫一新种,黄股直背蝗,新种Ｅｕｔｈｙｓｔｉｒａｌｕｔｅｉｆｅｍｏｒａｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．。该新种近似短翅直背蝗Ｅｕｔｈｙｓｔｉｒａｂｒａｃｈｙｐｔｅｒａ（Ｏｃｓｋ．）。     

Endogenous gibberellins in clover broomrape,a parasitic plant,and its host,clover: Dependency of the parasite on the host for gibberellin production

Endogenous gibberellins were analyzed from a parasitic plant, clover broomrape (Orobanche minor Smith), and its host, clover (Trifolium repens L.). Members of both the early-13- and the early-non-hydroxylation pathways were identified from both the parasite and the host (GA₁₂, GA₂₄, GA₉ GA₄, GA₄₄, GA₁₉, GA₂₀, and GA₁ from clover broomrape; GA₉, GA₄, GA₄₄, GA₁₉, GA₂₀, and GA₁ from clover). Quantitative analyses showed that GA₄₄ was present at high levels in both host and parasite. The similarity in the gibberellins suggests the possibility that the major gibberellins in clover broomrape are transported from clover. However gibberellins such as GA₅₈, GA₃₈, and notably GA₄₇ which was identified from a plant for the first time were detected only from clover broomrape, suggesting that the parasite may have the ability to produce at least those gibberellins     

A comparative analysis of genetic polymorphism in wild and cultivated barley from Tibet using isozyme and ribosomal DNA markers.

This study was conducted to address some of the issues concerning the possible significance of Tibet in the origin and evolution of cultivated barley. A total of 1757 barley accessions from Tibet, including 1496 entries of Hordeum vulgare ssp. vulgare (HV), 229 entries of the six-rowed wild barley H. vulgare ssp. agriocrithon (HA), and 32 entries of the two-rowed wild barley H. vulgare ssp. spontaneum (HS), were assayed for allozymes at four esterase loci. A subsample of 491 accessions was surveyed for spacer-length polymorphism at two ribosomal DNA loci. Genetic variation is extensive in these barley groups, and the amount of genetic diversity in cultivated barley of this region is comparable with that of cultivated barley worldwide. The level of genetic variation of HA is significantly lower than the other two barley groups, and there is also substantial heterogeneity in the level of polymorphism among different agrigeographical subregions. However, little genetic differentiation was detected among the three barley groups (HV, HA, and HS), as well as among different agrigeographical subregions. Comparison of the results from this and previous studies indicated a strong differentiation between Oriental and Occidental barley, thus favoring the hypothesis of a diphyletic origin of cultivated barley.     

几种CAM植物PEP羧化酶同工酶的比较研究

比较研究几种兼性和专一性ＣＡＭ植物材料的ＰＥＰＣ同工酶表明：经自然干旱诱导,兼性ＣＡＭ植物露花（Ｍｅｓｅｍｂｒｙａｎｔｈｅｍｕｍｃｏｒｄｉｆｏｌｉｕｍ）、长药景天（Ｓｕｄｕｍｓｐｅｃｔａｂｉｌｅ）有新的ＰＥＰＣ同工酶的出现,诱导前后各同工酶的天然分子量变化不大;而土三七（Ｓｅｄｕｍａｉｚｏｏｎ）则没有新的ＰＥＰＣ同工酶出现,但诱导后其同工酶的天然分子量有所增大。以上几种兼性ＣＡＭ植物的ＰＥＰＣ同工酶酶谱无明显昼夜变化。专一性ＣＡＭ植物的ＰＥＰＣ酶谱和天然分子量均较一致,亦无昼夜差异。     

铅锌矿尾矿场植被重建的生态学研究Ⅰ.尾矿对种子萌发的影响

在实验条件下,供试的林木、农作物及牧草种子均能在铅锌矿尾矿中萌发,其中萌发率与非污染土壤中的相近,多数种子的萌发速率低于对照组。供试植物幼苗出土30天内没有死苗现象,但与对照相比,株高下降28.4%,复叶数减少34.1%,生物量下降52.6%.