拟南芥高亲和性K~+转运蛋白AtHAK5功能位点的鉴定

AtHAK5是拟南芥高亲和性钾转运体,其基因表达受低钾条件强烈诱导,编码蛋白在低钾条件下可以整合到质膜.生物信息学分析发现其氨基酸序列含有多处潜在的磷酸化位点.本研究假设这些位点对于AtHAK5的功能至关重要,为探讨AtHAK5的功能位点,分别将AtHAK5 cDNA和带有13种不同点突变位点的AtHAK5转化到athak5突变体中,获得14种稳定表达的转基因植株.利用athak5突变体根对Cs敏感的表型,最终确定T549A和T666A为非核心磷酸化位点.如下11个位点为AtHAK5功能必需位点:F85L,T86A,T311A,T359A,P551S,D552N,S603A,S604A,K668E,S698A和V713L.     

Linking microarray reporters with protein functions

Background  

The analysis of microarray experiments requires accurate and up-to-date functional annotation of the microarray reporters to optimize the interpretation of the biological processes involved. Pathway visualization tools are used to connect gene expression data with existing biological pathways by using specific database identifiers that link reporters with elements in the pathways.     

Supramolecular structures of peptide assemblies in membranes by neutron off-plane scattering: method of analysis

In a previous paper (Yang et al., Biophys. J. 75:641-645, 1998), we showed a simple, efficient method of recording the diffraction patterns of supramolecular peptide assemblies in membranes where the samples were prepared in the form of oriented multilayers. Here we develop a method of analysis based on the diffraction theory of two-dimensional liquids. Gramicidin was used as a prototype model because its pore structure in membrane in known. At full hydration, the diffraction patterns of alamethicin and magainin are similar to gramicidin except in the scale of q (the momentum transfer of scattering), clearly indicating that both alamethicin and magainin form pores in membranes but of different sizes. When the hydration of the multilayer samples was decreased while the bilayers were still fluid, the in-plane positions of the membrane pores became correlated from one bilayer to the next. We believe that this is a new manifestation of the hydration force. The effect is most prominent in magainin patterns, which are used to demonstrate the method of analysis. When magainin samples were further dehydrated or cooled, the liquid-like diffraction turned into crystal-like patterns. This discovery points to the possibility of investigating the supramolecular structures with high-order diffraction.     

铅锌镉联合染毒及营养干预对大鼠血液系统的影响研究

目的：了解铅锌镉联合染毒对大鼠血液系统的影响及营养干预对其损伤的修复作用。方法：选择SPF级初断乳Wistar大鼠72只,随机分为对照组、染毒组和干预组,分别采用生理盐水、铅锌镉联合染毒液及染毒后以营养干预液灌胃28天和56天之后,检测其血液系统中五元素和血细胞的指标。结果：染毒组较对照组大鼠血铜、血锌含量高,血钙含量低于对照组,差异均有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;染毒组血铜含量高于干预组,血钙含量低于干预组,差异均有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;干预组红细胞（RBC）计数、血红蛋白（Hb）、血细胞比容（HCT）均高于染毒组,差异均有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;对照组白细胞（WBC）计数高于染毒组、干预组,差异均有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论：铅镉对大鼠血铜、血钙、血锌水平有影响;综合营养干预对重金属元素造成的血液系统损伤有明显的拮抗作用,对血液系统有一定的保护及修复作用。     

Dopamine receptor genetic polymorphisms and body composition in undernourished pastoralists: An exploration of nutrition indices among nomadic and recently settled Ariaal men of northern Kenya

Background  

Minor alleles of the human dopamine receptor polymorphisms, DRD2/TaqI A and DRD4/48 bp, are related to decreased functioning and/or numbers of their respective receptors and have been shown to be correlated with body mass, height and food craving. In addition, the 7R minor allele of the DRD4 gene is at a higher frequency in nomadic compared to sedentary populations. Here we examine polymorphisms in the DRD2 and DRD4 genes with respect to body mass index (BMI) and height among men in two populations of Ariaal pastoralists, one recently settled (n = 87) and the other still nomadic (n = 65). The Ariaal live in northern Kenya, are chronically undernourished and are divided socially among age-sets.