Paternity assessment: application on estimation of breeding value in body-weight at first egg trait of egg-laying duck (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Anas platyrhynchos</Emphasis>)

Paternity index was analyzed using five microsatellite loci among Chinese egg-laying ducks (Anas platyrhynchos). Based on the paternity relationship that was identified by paternity index analysis, the estimated breeding value (EBV) was calculated using BLUP (best linear unbiased predictor) method. Body weight at first egg (BWF) is the only considered trait in this study. In total, 12 sires, 31 dams and 77 daughters were involved in the EBV calculation. The results demonstrated that five microsatellite loci’s polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged from 0.795 in locus AY493338 to 0.957 in locus AY493264 with average 0.899; the parent–offspring relationships were built by these microsatellites’ genotype, 12 families of half sibling and 2 families of full sibling were involved, and the relationship error is smaller than 10⁻⁷. The EBV results suggest that the average EBV was significantly higher in females (average EBV is 10.234 and 0.1045 for mother and daughter, respectively) than males (average EBV is just −26.44). The EBV results on BWF were in good agreement with the principle of GH (growth hormone) expression in poultry. These results show that paternity analyses of Chinese egg-laying ducks were basically resolved using the five microsatellite loci selected. The paternity relationships can apply in Chinese egg-laying duck breeding to quicken the improvement of genetic progress.     

The association of CLOCK gene T3111C polymorphism and hPER3 gene 54-nucleotide repeat polymorphism with Chinese Han people schizophrenics

Many reports have shown that the biologic rhythm could be altered due to mutations of circadian gene hClock or hPeriod, and the mutations of circadian genes have some relationship with psychosis according to recent studies. A preliminary study has been conducted to examine wether the T3111C single nucleotide polymorphism of the hClock gene or the length polymorphism of the hPer3 gene is associated with the development of schizophrenia. The samples from schizophrenics (n = 148, male: 57.4%, female: 42.6%) and normal controls (n = 199, male: 59.3%, female: 40.7%) were examined. Allele frequencies of T3111C SNP of hClock were significantly different between schizophrenics and controls (χ² = 19.738, P < 0.05). Schizophrenics had a significantly higher frequency of the C allele compared with controls (OR = 2.613, 95% CI = 1.693–4.034). On the other hand, there is no significant difference of allele frequencies of 18 exon of hper3 between schizophrenics and controls (χ² = 0.192, P > 0.05). Our results suggest that the T3111C (RS1801260) polymorphism of hClock gene is associated with schizophrenia, but it seems that the length polymorphism of 18 exon of hPer3 may not be associated with schizophrenia. It is important to address of the relationship between circadian gene polymorphisms and dopamine functions in further study.     

In vitro circadian ANP secretion by gene transferring cells encapsulated in polycaprolactone tubes: gene chronotherapy

A new insofar as chronobiologic therapeutic approach by atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) for hypertension and/or congestive heart failure (CHF) is based on the release of ANP from ANP cDNA transfected Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells encapsulated in polycaprolactone (PCL) tubes. ANP secretion was maintained for at least 6 months. The encapsulated cells remained viable during culturing. Control cells without transferred ANP cDNA were negative. ANP secretion is circadian periodic, peaking around 04:18, shifted to around 07:56 by melatonin treatment. The encapsulation technique, based on principles of chronotherapy, may provide a more efficient gene therapy, applicable for eventual human implantation of gene transferred cells.     

MiR-29a/b/c regulate human circadian gene hPER1 expression by targeting its 3/UTR

Several essential biological progresses in mammals are regulated by circadian rhythms. Though the molecular mechanisms of oscillating these circadian rhythms have been uncovered, the specific functions of the circadian genes are not very clear. It has been reported that knocking down circadian genes by microRNA is a useful strategy to explore the function of the circadian rhythms. In this study, through a forward bioinformatics screening ap- proach, we identified miR-29a/b/c as potent inhibitors for the human circadian gene hPER1. We further found that miR-29a/b/c could directly target hPER1 3/untranslated region （UTR） and down-regulate hPER1 at both mRNA and protein expression levels in human A549 cells. Thus, our findings suggested that the expression of hPER1 is regulated by miR-29a/b/c, which may also provide a new clue for the function ofhPER1.     

The novel proteins Rng8 and Rng9 regulate the myosin-V Myo51 during fission yeast cytokinesis

The myosin-V family of molecular motors is known to be under sophisticated regulation, but our knowledge of the roles and regulation of myosin-Vs in cytokinesis is limited. Here, we report that the myosin-V Myo51 affects contractile ring assembly and stability during fission yeast cytokinesis, and is regulated by two novel coiled-coil proteins, Rng8 and Rng9. Both rng8Δ and rng9Δ cells display similar defects as myo51Δ in cytokinesis. Rng8 and Rng9 are required for Myo51’s localizations to cytoplasmic puncta, actin cables, and the contractile ring. Myo51 puncta contain multiple Myo51 molecules and walk continuously on actin filaments in rng8⁺ cells, whereas Myo51 forms speckles containing only one dimer and does not move efficiently on actin tracks in rng8Δ. Consistently, Myo51 transports artificial cargos efficiently in vivo, and this activity is regulated by Rng8. Purified Rng8 and Rng9 form stable higher-order complexes. Collectively, we propose that Rng8 and Rng9 form oligomers and cluster multiple Myo51 dimers to regulate Myo51 localization and functions.     

Trade‐Off between Trap Filling,Trap Creation,and Charge Recombination Results in Performance Increase at Ultralow Doping Levels in Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

Doping of organic bulk heterojunction solar cells has the potential to improve their power conversion efficiency (PCE). Deconvoluting the effect of doping on charge transport, recombination, and energetic disorder remains challenging. It is demonstrated that molecular doping has two competing effects: on one hand, dopant ions create additional traps while on the other hand free dopant‐induced charges fill deep states possibly leading to V _OC and mobility increases. It is shown that molar dopant concentrations as low as a few parts per million can improve the PCE of organic bulk heterojunctions. Higher concentrations degrade the performance of the cells. In doped cells where PCE is observed to increase, such improvement cannot be attributed to better charge transport. Instead, the V _OC increase in unannealed P3HT:PCBM cells upon doping is indeed due to trap filling, while for annealed P3HT:PCBM cells the change in V _OC is related to morphology changes and dopant segregation. In PCDTBT:PC70BM cells, the enhanced PCE upon doping is explained by changes in the thickness of the active layer. This study highlights the complexity of bulk doping in organic solar cells due to the generally low doping efficiency and the constraint on doping concentrations to avoid carrier recombination and adverse morphology changes.     

细菌胞外多糖的生物合成与基因控制

细菌胞外多糖是指细菌在生长发育过程中合成并分泌到细胞外的长链,高分子糖类聚合物。细菌胞外多糖的生物合成途径涉及装配、多聚化及运输三个过程,是多种酶和转运系统的结果,其发生的部位包括胞内和胞外,有些合成过程会发生在细胞壁上,对于胞外多糖合成相关基因的报道,发现控制胞外多糖合成是一大类基因簇,不同的菌株其基因簇的数量和种类各不相同。这些研究的不断更新为将来胞外多糖的应用提供了更加广阔的前景。     

木根麦冬（Ophiopogon xylorrhizus）干叶提取DNA用于RAPD分析

木根麦冬（Ｏｐｈｉｏｐｏｇｏｎｘｙｌｏｒｒｈｉｚｕｓ）是我国珍稀濒危植物,分布仅限于云南西双版纳雨林,在植物系统学和保护生物学研究中具有独特的意义。随机扩增多态ＤＮＡ（ＲＡＰＤ）方法是揭示群体遗传多样性的高效、简便方法,但一般均以新鲜材料提取总ＤＮＡ,对一些分布边远地区物种难以采用此法。本文研究从木根麦冬干叶片中提取总ＤＮＡ,进行ＲＡＰＤ分析。样品取自４个居群、４９个个体。选取生长旺盛的叶片,在野外用硅胶快速干燥保存样品。采用高盐低ｐＨ值法提取总ＤＮＡ,每克鲜重所得的干叶可得８０～１６０μｇ。通过对模板ＤＮＡ的各种处理和ＰＣＲ扩增程序的调整,解决了扩增片段边缘弥散、界线模糊、产率低等问题,获得了理想的扩增带型。这一成果对其它从野外直接采样的干叶提取ＤＮＡ进行ＲＡＰＤ研究具有指导意义