Patterns and conformations of commonly occurring supersecondary structures (basic motifs) in protein data bank

Short peptides connecting-helices and-strands have been analyzed in 240 proteins refined at resolutions of 0.25 nm or better. Connecting peptides of lengths between one and five residues have been classified as part of supersecondary motifs of four types:, , , and. Careful consideration has been given to the definition of secondary structures on the basis of hydrogen bonds and main-chain conformational angles. Using five classes of residue conformation—a, b, e, l, t—in the nonregular structure regions of, space, 34 classes of supersecondary motifs occurring at least five times have been identified. Among these 34 classes, 11 classes that occur more than 25 times are commonly occurring supersecondary structure motifs. The patterns and conformations of the 11 commonly occurring supersecondary structure motifs have been characterized, demonstrating that patterns and conformations adopted by supersecondary structure motifs are limited. The results have relevance to structure prediction, comparative modeling, and protein folding.     

Funneled landscape leads to robustness of cell networks: yeast cell cycle

We uncovered the underlying energy landscape for a cellular network. We discovered that the energy landscape of the yeast cell-cycle network is funneled towards the global minimum (G0/G1 phase) from the experimentally measured or inferred inherent chemical reaction rates. The funneled landscape is quite robust against random perturbations. This naturally explains robustness from a physical point of view. The ratio of slope versus roughness of the landscape becomes a quantitative measure of robustness of the network. The funneled landscape can be seen as a possible realization of the Darwinian principle of natural selection at the cellular network level. It provides an optimal criterion for network connections and design. Our approach is general and can be applied to other cellular networks.     

丝氨酸蛋白酶超家族分子结构进化研究

采用刚体结构比较法进行蛋白质的结构比较,根据结构比较分数构建分子进化树, 研究丝氨酸蛋白酶超家族分子的进化规律。对分子进化树进行了一些初步分析,得到了一些有意义的结果。根据蛋白质的进化,可以比较精确的确定某物种的进化地位,对于物种的分类具有重要意义。通过对超家族分子进化的研究可以了解蛋白质超家族不同蛋白质之间的亲缘关系和蛋白质之间的进化差异,对于蛋白质工程分子设计提供帮助,对蛋白质结构预测具有一定意义     

丰容对圈养雌性岩羊活动时间分配的影响

为了探究环境丰容和食物丰容对岩羊行为和活动节律的影响,于2017年3月—7月,以上海动物园的5只雌性岩羊(Pseudois nayaur)为研究对象,设计环境丰容和食物丰容试验,利用瞬时扫描法对岩羊进行行为学观察,分析岩羊丰容前后昼间行为的变化。结果表明:经过环境丰容,岩羊的运动行为和反刍行为显著增加,卧息行为和其他行为显著减少,取食行为无明显变化。在环境丰容基础上,开展食物丰容后,运动行为明显减少,取食行为明显增加。卧息行为有所减少、反刍行为和其他行为有所增加,但变化均不明显。丰容后岩羊的昼间活动节律也发生了变化。取食行为呈现2个高峰期(8:00—11:00和15:00—18:00),取食行为普遍提高;运动行为在13:30—17:30时段较丰容前提前一个小时左右发生;卧息行为有相似的波动规律,但丰容后其昼间发生频次在16:00之前均降低;反刍行为波动最大,呈现出明显的2个高峰期(6:00—9:00和10:00—15:00)。试验表明,在进行环境和食物丰容后,岩羊的活动增加,优化了时间分配,福利状况得到了有效改善。     

植物体细胞胚胎发生的调控网络

植物体细胞胚胎发生是一个极其复杂而有序的过程,受到多种内外因素的影响与调控。其中基因的表达与调控是影响体细胞胚胎发生最重要和最根本的因素。这些基因包括PLANT GROWTH ACTIVATOR系列基因、LEAFYCOTYLEDON家族基因、BABY BOOM基因、SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE基因和PICKLE基因等,它们相互作用构成了一个复杂的调控网络。以下结合作者对PLANT GROWTH ACTIVATOR 37等基因的研究,对这一调控网络进行了介绍,并探讨了未来体细胞胚胎发生的研究方向。     

A Vaccine of L2 Epitope Repeats Fused with a Modified IgG1 Fc Induced Cross-Neutralizing Antibodies and Protective Immunity against Divergent Human Papillomavirus Types

Current human papillomavirus (HPV) major capsid protein L1 virus-like particles (VLPs)-based vaccines in clinic induce strong HPV type-specific neutralizing antibody responses. To develop pan-HPV vaccines, here, we show that the fusion protein E3R4 consisting of three repeats of HPV16 L2 aa 17–36 epitope (E3) and a modified human IgG1 Fc scaffold (R4) induces cross-neutralizing antibodies and protective immunity against divergent HPV types. E3R4 was expressed as a secreted protein in baculovirus expression system and could be simply purified by one step Protein A affinity chromatography with the purity above 90%. Vaccination of E3R4 formulated with Freunds adjuvant not only induced cross-neutralizing antibodies against HPV pseudovirus types 16, 18, 45, 52, 58, 6, 11 and 5 in mice, but also protected mice against vaginal challenges with HPV pseudovirus types 16, 45, 52, 58, 11 and 5 for at least eleven months after the first immunization. Moreover, vaccination of E3R4 formulated with FDA approved adjuvant alum plus monophosphoryl lipid A also induced cross-neutralizing antibodies against HPV types 16, 18 and 6 in rabbits. Thus, our results demonstrate that delivery of L2 antigen as a modified Fc-fusion protein may facilitate pan-HPV vaccine development.     

祁连山南坡主要河谷NDVI时空变化及影响因素分析

为进一步保护祁连山生态环境及合理开发利用河流沿线的植被资源,该文基于MODIS数据的NDVI产品及DEM数据集,对祁连山南坡主要河流谷地2000—2018年植被生长季的NDVI时空分布特征进行了研究,并提取研究区的主要地形因子,分析其对河流谷地植被生长季NDVI的影响.结果表明:随着河流两侧缓冲区距离逐渐增大,各年份的...     

叶面喷施亚精胺对盐碱胁迫下番茄幼苗生长及其叶绿素合成前体含量的影响

以盐碱敏感型番茄品种‘中杂9号’幼苗为试验材料,研究叶面喷施0.25mmol·L-1亚精胺(Spd)对75mmol·L-1盐碱溶液胁迫下番茄幼苗生长、净光合速率及叶绿素合成前体物质含量的影响,探讨Spd在缓解番茄盐碱胁迫伤害的生理机制。结果显示:(1)盐碱胁迫下番茄叶片叶绿素合成前体物质原卟啉Ⅸ(ProtoⅨ)、镁-原卟啉Ⅸ(Mg-protoⅨ)、原叶绿素酸(Pchl)含量均显著降低,而δ-氨基酮戊酸(ALA)、胆色素原(PBG)、尿卟啉原Ⅲ(UroⅢ)显著积累,UroⅢ到ProtoⅨ的转化受阻,引起叶片叶绿素a(Chl a)、叶绿素b(Chl b)和总叶绿素(Chl)含量显著降低,以及幼苗叶片净光合速率(Pn)、叶面积、叶片相对含水量、地上和地下部干鲜重的生长指标均显著降低。(2)盐碱胁迫下,叶面喷施Spd可显著促进番茄幼苗的生长,抑制叶片内ALA、PBG、UroⅢ的积累,并提高ProtoⅨ、Mg-protoⅨ、Pchl、Chl a、Chl b、Chl含量和相应Pn值。研究表明,盐碱胁迫显著抑制番茄幼苗的生长,叶面喷施Spd可通过缓解UroⅢ到ProtoⅨ的转化受阻程度,促进盐碱胁迫下番茄叶片的叶绿素合成,提高叶绿素含量和净光合速率,减轻盐碱胁迫对幼苗生长的伤害。     

Combined effects of enhanced ultraviolet-B radiation and doubled CO2 concentration on growth, fruit quality and yield of tomato in winter plastic greenhouse

Five different doses of ultraviolet-B (UV-B)radiation were supplied to tomato (Lycopersicon esculeutum.in the winter plastic greenhouse.The influences on the seedling growth,fruit quality and yield of tomato were investigated.Results showed that the seedling growth,and the contents of UV absorbing compounds,soluble sugar,organic acid,vitamin C and lycopene of tomato fruits,and yield of tomato increased under doubled CO2 concentration.Under the doubled CO2 concentration the effects of lost doses of UV-B radiation could further promote the effects of doubled CO:concentration.However,there is no significant increase in yield of tomato.The best dose of UV-B radiation is about 1.163 kJ.m-2.When the dose of UV-B radiation is more than it,the effects of UV-B will be reduced.