Special Issue on Plant Epigenetics

Epigenetics refers to gene regulation at the chromatin level. This can occur via modification of the DNA and the core proteins of the chromatin, histones （Liu et al., 2014）. In this issue, Reyes （2014） reviews recent advances in the roles of ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeling complexes on devel- opment, phytohormone response, and RNA-mediated silenc- ing and Da Ines et al. （2014） report the role of chromatin remodeling in homologous chromosome pairing. In addition, Over and Michaels （2014） discuss the emergent roles of plant histone linker proteins in gene regulation, cell division, and development.     

Open and Closed： The Roles of Linker Histones in Plants and Animals

Histones package DNA in all eukaryotes and play key roles in regulating gene expression. Approximately 150 base pairs of DNA wraps around an octamer of core histones to form the nucleosome, the basic unit of chromatin. Linker histones compact chromatin further by binding to and neutralizing the charge of the DNA between nucleosomes. It is well established that chromatin packing is regulated by a complex pattern of posttranslational modifications （PTMs） to core histones, but linker histone function is less well understood. In this review, we describe the current understand- ing of the many roles that linker histones play in cellular processes, including gene regulation, cell division, and devel- opment, while putting the linker histone in the context of other nuclear proteins. Although intriguing roles for plant linker histones are beginning to emerge, much of our current understanding comes from work in animal systems. Many unanswered questions remain and additional work is required to fully elucidate the complex processes mediated by linker histones in plants.     

血小板生成素

血小板是止血的一个必要成分。它是由骨髓和脾脏的多功能干细胞分化的巨核细胞（ｍｅｇａｋａｒｙｏｃｙｔｅ,ＭＫ）产生的。通常患癌症接受化疗或骨髓移植的病人的血小板水平恢复非常缓慢,会有因大出血而死亡的危险。因此,寻找可以加速血小板再生的血细胞生长因子就显...     

灰金合欢根瘤类菌体繁殖及其宿主细胞的超微结构

根瘤细胞早期发育阶段,以宿主细胞器和根瘤菌转化类菌体的数量增多为特征。随后类菌体增殖到填满宿主细胞内的大部分区域。各个类菌体周膜内含有1至几个类菌体。晚期共生发育阶段,类菌体细胞结构和宿主细胞器数量发生了变化。文中还讨论了根瘤的共生固氮作用。     

封面说明

图案说明:2009年瑞典卡罗林斯卡医学院宣布诺贝尔生理学或医学奖授予美国科学家伊丽莎白·布莱克本、卡萝尔·格雷德和杰克·绍斯塔克,以表彰他们发现端粒和端粒酶是如何保护染色体的。端粒和端粒酶的发现,解决了DNA末端复制这一基础生物学的问题,这一问题从端粒的角度揭示细胞分裂潜能控制,细胞衰老和癌变的分子基础,与疾病有密切关联,意义重大。     

《癌细胞》：新发现神经母细胞瘤相关基因

德国研究人员发现了一种参与细胞分裂的基因,该基因与神经母细胞瘤（neuroblastoma）有关,研究结果为研制相关治疗药物提供了新方法。相关论文发表在《癌细胞》上。     

2009年诺贝尔生理学或医学奖

2009年诺贝尔生理学或医学奖被授予了三位科学家Elizabeth H．Blackburn、Carol W．Greider和Jack W．Szostak,以表彰他们解决了生物学中的一个重要问题：在细胞分裂期间,染色体是如何被完整地复制的,它们又是如何受到保护而不被降解。三位获奖者在染色体的末端——端粒找到了答案,并且发现了形成端粒的酶——端粒酶。     

Effects of Acetylcholine, Cytochalasin B and Amiprophosmethyl on Phloem Transport in Radish （Raphanus sativas）

We investigated the role of the ＂sieve tube-companion cell complex＂ lining the tube periphery, particularly the microfilament and microtubule, in assisting the pushing of phloem sap flow. We made a simple phloem transport system with a living radish plant, in which the conducting channel was exposed for local treatment with chemicals that are effective in modulating protoplasmic movement （acetylcholine, （ACh） a neurotransmitter in animals and insects; cytochalasin B, （CB） a specific inhibitor of many cellular responses that are mediated by microfilament systems and amiprophos-methyl, （APM） a specific inhibitor of many cellular responses that are mediated by microtubule systems）. Their effects on phloem transport were estimated by two experimental devices： （i） a comparison of changes in the amount of assimilates in terms of carbohydrates and ^14C-labeled photosynthetic production that is left in the leaf blade of treated plants; and （ii） distribution patterns of ^14C-labeled leaf assimilates in the phloem transport system. The results indicate that CB and APM markedly inhibited the transfer of photosynthetic product from leaf to root via the leaf vein, while ACh enhanced the transfer of photosynthetic product in low concentrations （5.0×10^-4 mol/L） but inhibited it in higher concentrations （2.0×10^-3 mol/L） from leaf to root via the leaf vein. Autoradiograph imaging clearly reveals that ACh treatment is more effective than the control, and both CB and APM treatments effectively inhibit the passage of radioactive assimilates. All of the results support the postulation that the peripheral protoplasm in the sieve tube serves not only as a passive semi-permeable membrane, but is also directly involved in phloem transport.     

U46619双向调节系膜细胞DNA合成的研究

Mene用血清或佛波醇肉豆寇乙酸(PMA)预失活化系膜细胞的PKC,可抑制U46619所致的IP合成及细胞内Ca~(2 )的升高,提示PKC预先活化后,可对再次活化PLC-PKC的物质起负反馈抑制作用。血清中含有血液凝固时血小板释放的血小板源性生长因子(PDGF),可活化PLC及PKC,可能对U46619的作用起负反馈抑制,使U46619促增殖作用丧失。第三,TXA_2可能直接或间接刺激前列腺素(PG)E_2或PGI_2的合成,而后两者有抑制细胞增殖的作用。不论何种机制参与,U46619这种抑制作用在病理上可能有积极意义:在正常状态下,体内肾小球系膜细胞为静息状态,肾小球合成的PG及TX极少,当肾小球产生炎症时,肾小球白细胞及血小板浸润增多,合成的PG、TX及PDGF增多,这时TX的升高可能有抑制PDGF所致细胞增殖的作用。 摘要 本实验用[~3H]TdR掺入法测定TXA_2类似物U46619对大鼠系膜细胞DNA合成的调节作用,测定系膜细胞合成的DAG及1,4,5-IP_3量,用PKC抑制剂Calphostin C预处理系膜细胞,观察其对U46619促增殖作用的影响。结果表明,U46619促进生长停滞的系膜细胞的DNA合成及IP_3的生成。本文首次证实U46619也促进DAG的生成并发现PKC抑制剂可抑制U46619的促增殖作用,提示U46619使生长停滞的系膜细胞的PLC活化,促进IP及DAG生成,进而激活PKC,促进系膜细胞DNA合成     

肺炎链球菌CcrZ蛋白在细胞周期调控中的作用

为了维持基因组稳定性,细胞在增殖过程中不仅需要对细胞周期各事件(DNA复制、DNA分离和细胞分裂)进行单独调控,还要将这些事件彼此协调起来。在细菌中, DNA复制起始和细胞分裂分别由复制起始蛋白DnaA和细胞分裂体(divisome)蛋白FtsZ负责,然而这两个过程的协调机制少有报道。最近在肺炎链球菌(Streptococcus pneumoniae)中发现一种细胞周期时空调节子CcrZ,其具有三个功能:(1)激活DnaA依赖的复制起始;(2)参与后期细胞分裂体的组装;(3)通过将Z环(Z-ring)适时定位在细胞中央以使DNA复制和细胞分裂相协调。基于CcrZ的结构和保守性,该文综述了以CcrZ为代表的多种蛋白调控DNA复制起始、Z环组装和定位的机制,并展望了多细胞周期事件协调子在相关领域的应用前景。