Analyses of non-leucine-rich repeat (non-LRR) regions intervening between LRRs in proteins

Background

Many proteins have LRR (leucine-rich repeat) units interrupted by non-LRRs which we call IR (non-LRR island region).

Methods

We identified proteins containing LRR@IRs (LRRs having IR) by using a new method and then analyzed their natures and distributions.

Results

LRR@IR proteins were found in over two hundred proteins from prokaryotes and from eukaryotes. These are divided into twenty-one different protein families. The IRs occur one to four times in LRR regions and range in length from 5 to 11,265 residues. The IR lengths in Fungi adenylate cyclases (acys) range from 5 to 116 residues; there are 22 LRR repeats. The IRs in Leishmania proteophosphoglycans (ppgs) vary from 105 to 11,265 residues. These results indicate that the IRs evolved rapidly. A group of LRR@IR proteins—LRRC17, chondroadherin-like protein, ppgs, and four Pseudomonas proteins—have a super motif consisting of an LRR block and its adjacent LRR@IR region. This indicates that the entire super motif experienced duplication. The sequence analysis of IRs offers functional similarity in some LRR@IR protein families.

General significance

This study suggests that various IRs and super motifs provide a great variety of structures and functions for LRRs.     

喀斯特山地城市内山体绿地对城市热岛的减温效应——以安顺市西秀区为例

山体绿地是喀斯特山地城市内典型的城市绿地景观类型,其对于改善城市生态环境、提升喀斯特山地城市生态服务功能具有重要作用.以黔中典型喀斯特山地城市安顺市为研究对象,运用2011年和2016年两期热红外遥感影像和城市景观结构空间数据,在反演分析城市热岛效应及其强度时空分布特征的基础上,运用冷热点分析剖析了山体绿地与城市热岛效...     

Ultrastructure and histochemistry of the subepithelial glands of the nasal septal island in dromedaries with special reference to the possible functions

The nasal septal island (NSI) is a sensory patch of neuroepithelium located within the soft tissue of the nasal septum in dromedaries. The island has unique anatomical features, including the specialized subepithelial glands. The aim of the present study was to describe the microscopic features and ultrastructure of these subepithelial glands and to speculate the possible functions. A total of 10 camel heads were used for the study. Unlike the serous and mucous airway glands, the NSI glands’ ultrastructural features were typical for cells of the (Amine Precursor Uptake and Decarboxylation, APUD) system. These features were included, membrane bound secretory vesicles of varying electron density, smooth endoplasmic reticulum in the form of vesicles; electron dense mitochondria, abundant rough endoplasmic reticulum and free ribosomes. Alcian-PAS identifiable mucus granules were not observed, except for few clusters of cells, located at the luminal surface. The probable functions were discussed on basis of cellular morphology and context. In a conclusion, the NSI subepithelial glands in dromedaries had unique anatomical structures, and as many other APUD cells, they had the machinery required for synthesis of a variable number of biologically active peptides, amines and chemical mediators.     

The heat shock response of adult Artemia franciscana

1. We studied responses of adult brine shrimp, Artemia franciscana, to high temperature, including LT₅₀ determination, induced thermotolerance (ITT), the Hsp-70 family of stress proteins and protein synthesis before and after heat shock.

2. Adults were grown in laboratory cultures from encysted embryos (cysts) obtained from San Francisco Bay (SF) and much warmer culture ponds in Vietnam (V).

3. Adults from V cysts were more tolerant of high temperatures than those from SF cysts, but this difference essentially disappeared in the second generation of adults.

4. Levels of constitutive Hsc-70 were very low in adults of both groups, but were strongly upregulated by a sublethal heat shock (37°C, 30 min), with V adults showing the greater degree of upregulation. Heat shock also induced Hsp-67, to a greater extent in V compared to SF adults

5. Incorporation of ¹⁴C-leucine into protein did not result in the “classic” heat shock response, possibly due to increased permeability of heat-shocked animals to the tracer.

上海闵行区园林鸟类群落嵌套结构

城市中的园林绿地呈现斑块状分布,其栖息地特征与岛屿栖息地相似。2008年11月至2009年10月,对上海市闵行区内的7块城市绿地进行调查,记录雀形目鸟类的分布情况,并运用Nestedness temperature calculator软件,检验其群落结构是否符合嵌套结构。运用Arc GIS软件分析该地区的卫星图片,收集7块样地的面积、绿地盖度、水源距离和人为干扰程度等数据,结合实地调查所得到的数据,分析这一嵌套结构的形成原因和影响因素。结果显示：上海市闵行区城市绿地中的雀形目鸟类分布是显著的嵌套结构,园林面积、绿地面积和水源情况都对其嵌套结构有显著影响。但是与真正岛屿上存在的群落分布嵌套结构不同,人为干扰程度对这一结构也有非常明显的影响。基于上述结果可以看出,影响上海市园林鸟类的群落嵌套结构的主要原因是栖息地的结构和人为干扰程度。因此,建议在规划和建设城市公园和绿地时,应该偏重于面积较大,植被盖度和丰富度高,结构合理的园林,并且尽量减少人为干扰。     

Cloning and characterization of two cellulase genes from Lentinula edodes

The effect of overproduction of the Hsp70 system proteins (DnaK, DnaJ, GrpE) and/or ClpB (Hsp100) from plasmids on the process of formation and removal of heat-aggregated proteins from Escherichia coli cells (the S fraction) was investigated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Two plasmids were employed: pKJE7 carrying the dnaK/dnaJ/grpE genes under the control of the araB promoter and pClpB carrying the clpB gene under the control of its own promoter (sigma(32)-dependent). In the wild-type cells the S fraction after 15 min of heat shock amounted to 21% of cellular insoluble proteins (IP), and disappeared 10 min after transfer of the culture to 37 degrees C. In contrast to this, in the clpB mutant the S fraction was larger (35% IP) and its elimination was retarded, nearly 60% of the aggregated proteins remained stable 30 min after heat shock. This result points to the importance of ClpB in removal of the heat-aggregated proteins from cells. Overproduction of the Hsp70 system proteins (exceeding by about 1.5-fold that of wild-type) in wild-type and DeltaclpB cells completely prevented the formation of the S fraction during heat shock. Overproduction of ClpB (exceeding by about eight-fold that of wild-type) in the same background did not prevent protein aggregation after heat shock and only partly compensated for the effect of the mutation in the clpB gene. Monitoring the S fraction during co-production of DnaK/DnaJ/GrpE and ClpB in the DeltaclpB mutant revealed that both the levels of expression and the ratios of ClpB to Hsp70 system proteins had a significant effect on the formation and removal of protein aggregates in heat-shocked E. coli cells. In the presence of excess ClpB, an increase in the levels of DnaK, DnaJ and GrpE was required to prevent aggregate formation upon heat shock or to efficiently remove protein aggregates after heat shock. Therefore, it is supposed that a high level of ClpB under some conditions, especially at insufficient levels of Hsp70 system proteins, may support protein aggregation resulting from heat shock and may lead to stabilization of hydrophobic aggregates.     

热刺激在植物体内的传递效应

以高粱(Sorghum bicolor)和大豆(U.S.Soybean)幼苗为材料研究了仅植物很部受到热刺激时,其未直接受到温度影响的叶组织细胞的反应。当13天龄的高粱幼苗根部经受45℃4小时热处理时,发现其未直接受到热刺激的叶细胞内合成了一些异常的蛋白质,估测的分子量分别为80kD、70kD、33kD和17kD。最明显的两条蛋白质谱带是70kD和17kD。6天龄的大豆幼苗,当其根部经受40℃3小时热处理时,在其叶细胞内也检测到两条较为明显的蛋白质谱带,其分子量分别为60kD和17kD。观测到的这些异常蛋白质命名为‘热应激效应蛋白’,并与热应激蛋白在分子量大小分布上进行了比较。另外,还报道了利用蛋白质合成抑制剂,亚胺环己酮(cyclohexlmide)探讨了热应激蛋白与植物热耐性方面的可能关联。     

NaCl胁迫对PSII光能利用和耗散的影响

用荧光动力学的方法研究了不同浓度的ＮａＣｌ 处理对ＰＳＩＩ光能利用和耗散的影响。结果表明,在较低的光强下,与对照、１００ｍ ｍｏｌ／Ｌ 和２００ｍ ｍｏｌ／Ｌ ＮａＣｌ 处理相比,经３００ｍ ｍｏｌ／Ｌ 和４００ｍ ｍｏｌ／Ｌ ＮａＣｌ 处理的小麦,其荧光光化学淬灭效率较低,荧光非光化学淬灭效率较高,Ｆｏ 淬灭系数较大,ＱＢ － 非还原性ＰＳＩＩ反应中心含量较大; 而在较高光强下, 其荧光非光化学淬灭效率和Ｆｏ 淬灭系数则相对较低。