蛋白质序列的六维表示与相似性分析

给出了蛋白质序列的一种六维表示方法,根据这种表示方法有3种不同表示形式,利用这3种形式来构造距离矩阵的信息熵,然后通过信息熵向量的欧式距离、夹角来比较序列之间的相似性。     

Ultrastructural and hormonal changes in rat cauda epididymal spermatozoa induced by Boswellia papyrifera and Boswellia carterii

Boswellia papyrifera and Boswellia carterii diffuses smoke polluting air that adversely affects indoor environment that certainly harm human health. Therefore, this study aims at ascertaining the effect of these plants on gonadal hormones and molecular changes in rat spermatozoa. The animals were exposed to 4 g/kg body weight of B. papyrifera and B. carterii daily for 120 days along with suitable controls. Significant decreases in FSH, LH and testosterone levels were evidenced, along with a reduction of protein, sialic acid, and carnitine levels. In sperm physiology, sperm count, motility, speed decrease, whereas sperm anomalies increase. TEM observation indicates morphological changes in plasma and acrosomal membranes, cytoplasmic droplet in the tail region, vacuolated, and disorganization of the mitochondrial sheath. These findings demonstrate that B. papyrifera and B. carterii smoke affects the process of sperm formation and maturation, which indicates the detrimental effects of these plants on the reproductive system.     

Potential of the luminol reaction in the sensitive detection of pesticide residues by flow injection analysis.

This study presents the first analytical application of the luminol chemiluminescence (CL) reaction for the sensitive detection of carbamate residues. Some experiments have been carried out to check the influence of the presence of traces of a N-methylcarbamate (carbaryl) on the CL emission produced from the oxidation of luminol using different oxidants, showing a significant enhancing effect on the CL emission when the oxidation of luminol is produced by potassium permanganate in alkaline medium, this enhancement being proportional to the carbaryl concentration. This fact has permitted the establishment of a sensitive chemiluminescence flow-injection (CL-FIA) method for the direct determination of carbaryl. The optimization of instrumental and chemical variables influencing the CL response has been carried out by applying experimental designs. Under the optimal conditions, the CL intensity was linear for a carbaryl concentration over the range 5-100 ng/mL with a detection limit of 4.9 ng/mL. This luminol-KMnO4-based FIA-CL system in basic medium shows an easy, fast and cheap alternative detection mode for the analysis of carbaryl residues in environmental water samples.     

Modeling the mammalian circadian clock: sensitivity analysis and multiplicity of oscillatory mechanisms

We extend the study of a computational model recently proposed for the mammalian circadian clock (Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 100 (2003) 7051). The model, based on the intertwined positive and negative regulatory loops involving the Per, Cry, Bmal1, and Clock genes, can give rise to sustained circadian oscillations in conditions of continuous darkness. These limit cycle oscillations correspond to circadian rhythms autonomously generated by suprachiasmatic nuclei and by some peripheral tissues. By using different sets of parameter values producing circadian oscillations, we compare the effect of the various parameters and show that both the occurrence and the period of the oscillations are generally most sensitive to parameters related to synthesis or degradation of Bmal1 mRNA and BMAL1 protein. The mechanism of circadian oscillations relies on the formation of an inactive complex between PER and CRY and the activators CLOCK and BMAL1 that enhance Per and Cry expression. Bifurcation diagrams and computer simulations nevertheless indicate the possible existence of a second source of oscillatory behavior. Thus, sustained oscillations might arise from the sole negative autoregulation of Bmal1 expression. This second oscillatory mechanism may not be functional in physiological conditions, and its period need not necessarily be circadian. When incorporating the light-induced expression of the Per gene, the model accounts for entrainment of the oscillations by light-dark (LD) cycles. Long-term suppression of circadian oscillations by a single light pulse can occur in the model when a stable steady state coexists with a stable limit cycle. The phase of the oscillations upon entrainment in LD critically depends on the parameters that govern the level of CRY protein. Small changes in the parameters governing CRY levels can shift the peak in Per mRNA from the L to the D phase, or can prevent entrainment. The results are discussed in relation to physiological disorders of the sleep-wake cycle linked to perturbations of the human circadian clock, such as the familial advanced sleep phase syndrome or the non-24h sleep-wake syndrome.     

The stability of predator-prey systems subject to the Allee effects

In recent years, many theoreticians and experimentalists have concentrated on the processes that affect the stability of predator-prey systems. But few papers have addressed the Allee effect with focus on the their stability. In this paper, we select two classical models describing predator-prey systems and introduce the Allee effects into the dynamics of both the predator and prey populations in these models, respectively. By combining mathematical analysis with numerical simulation, we have shown that the Allee effect may be a destabilizing force in predator-prey systems: the equilibrium point of the system could be changed from stable to unstable or otherwise, the system, even when it is stable, will take much longer time to reach the stable state. We also conclude that the equilibrium of the prey population will be enlarged due to the Allee effect of the predator, but the Allee effects of the prey may decrease the equilibrium value of the predator, or that of both the predator and prey. It should also be pointed out that the impact of the Allee effects of predator and prey due to different mechanisms on different predator-prey systems could also vary.     

Rejoinder to Use of Principal Component Analysis and the GE -Biplot for the Graphical Exploration of Gene Expression Data

Summary This note is in response to Wouters et al. (2003, Biometrics 59, 1131–1139) who compared three methods for exploring gene expression data. Contrary to their summary that principal component analysis is not very informative, we show that it is possible to determine principal component analyses that are useful for exploratory analysis of microarray data. We also present another biplot representation, the GE‐biplot (Gene Expression biplot), that is a useful method for exploring gene expression data with the major advantage of being able to aid interpretation of both the samples and the genes relative to each other.     

Are dendrites in Drosophila homologous to vertebrate dendrites?

Dendrites represent arborising neurites in both vertebrates and invertebrates. However, in vertebrates, dendrites develop on neuronal cell bodies, whereas in higher invertebrates, they arise from very different neuronal structures, the primary neurites, which also form the axons. Is this anatomical difference paralleled by principal developmental and/or physiological differences? We address this question by focussing on one cellular model, motorneurons of Drosophila and characterise the compartmentalisation of these cells. We find that motorneuronal dendrites of Drosophila share with typical vertebrate dendrites that they lack presynaptic but harbour postsynaptic proteins, display calcium elevation upon excitation, have distinct cytoskeletal features, develop later than axons and are preceded by restricted localisation of Par6-complex proteins. Furthermore, we demonstrate in situ and culture that Drosophila dendrites can be shifted from the primary neurite to their soma, i.e. into vertebrate-like positions. Integrating these different lines of argumentation, we propose that dendrites in vertebrates and higher invertebrates have a common origin, and differences in dendrite location can be explained through translocation of neuronal cell bodies introduced during the evolutionary process by which arthropods and vertebrates diverged from a common urbilaterian ancestor. Implications of these findings for studies of dendrite development, neuronal polarity, transport and evolution are discussed.     

青藏高原1979-2007年间的积雪变化

利用雪深被动微波遥感数据产品,对青藏高原1979—2007年积雪深度、积雪日数的分布变化及其趋势进行了分析。结果表明:青藏高原积雪日数、积雪深度和海拔三者之间在空间上具有显著正相关;青藏高原积雪在1988年发生突变,该年前后积雪分布有显著不同,这与20世纪80年代中后期青藏高原由暖干时期进入暖湿时期有关;将青藏高原按夏季水汽来源不同将其分为南北两部分,发现29年来北部积雪日数变化与全国积雪变化相反呈极显著增加趋势(R2=0.39,P0.01),以1.40 d/a的趋势增加,主要原因是西北部地区冬季积雪日数增加;南部积雪深度与全国积雪变化一致呈极显著减少趋势(R2=0.24,P0.01),以-0.04 cm/a的趋势减少,主要原因是东南部春、夏、秋三季积雪深度减少。     

温度胁迫下棉花粉蚧热激蛋白基因的表达分析

【目的】为了研究热激蛋白 Hsp70, Hsp70-4和Hsp90在棉花粉蚧Phenacoccus solenopsis抵抗逆温中的作用。【方法】在测序棉花粉蚧转录组的基础上,分析了该虫热激蛋白Hsp70基因家族的2个序列［Pshsp70（GenBank登录号为KJ909505）和Pshsp70-4（GenBank登录号为KJ909506）］和Hsp90基因家族的1个序列,［Pshsp90(GenBank登录号为KJ909507)］,采用实时荧光定量 PCR（RT-qPCR）检测了在不同温度（18和32℃恒温, 37, 39, 41, 43和45℃热激1 h 后26℃恢复1 h)下棉花粉蚧不同发育阶段（2龄若虫、3龄若虫、雌成虫）3种热激蛋白基因的表达量。【结果】Pshsp70 cDNA序列包含1 923 bp的开放阅读框,编码641个氨基酸,理论分子量和等电点分别为70.9 kDa和5.65; Pshsp70-4 cDNA序列包含1 962 bp的开放阅读框,编码654个氨基酸,理论分子量和等电点分别为71.8 kDa和5.38;Pshsp90 cDNA序列包含2 172 bp的开放阅读框,编码724个氨基酸,理论分子量和等电点分别为83.5 kDa和4.93。Pshsp70 和Pshsp70-4均含有Hsp70基因家族高度保守的基序,Pshsp70编码的氨基酸序列与烟粉虱Bemisia tabaci和家蚕Bombyx mori等昆虫的Hsp70 的氨基酸序列一致性为 85%;Pshsp70-4编码的氨基酸序列与白蜡蚧Ericerus pela和点蜂缘蝽Riptortus pedestris等昆虫的Hsp70的氨基酸序列一致性高达95%;Pshsp90也含有Hsp90基因家族高度保守的基序,Pshsp90编码的氨基酸序列与赤拟谷盗Tribolium castaneum和东亚小花蝽Orius sauteri等昆虫的Hsp90 的氨基酸序列一致性为 87%。热激蛋白基因表达量分析结果表明,在18℃恒温条件下,粉蚧2龄若虫的3个PsHsps基因的mRNA相对表达量均比对照(26℃)低,在32℃恒温条件下,各龄期的Hsp70基因的相对表达量均显著高于对照。在37~45℃下热激1 h并在26℃下恢复1 h,棉花粉蚧3个龄期的3个热激蛋白PsHsps基因的相对表达量随温度的升高总体呈增加趋势,相关性分析表明,除Pshsp70-4在雌成虫中的表达量与热胁迫温度的相关系数为0.225外,各龄期中3个基因的表达量与温度的相关系数均大于0.6,显著相关;43℃和45℃胁迫下,各龄期的3个热激蛋白基因相对表达量均显著高于对照组（P<0.05）。【结论】棉花粉蚧热激蛋白基因的表达与温度呈正相关,在该虫应对高温中起着重要作用。