Structural Comparisons of Muscle and Nonmuscle Actins Give Insights Into the Evolution of Their Functional Differences

Actin is a highly conserved protein although many isoforms exist. In vertebrates and insects the different actin isoforms can be grouped by their amino acid sequence and tissue-specific gene expression into muscle and nonmuscle actins, suggesting that the different actins may have a functional significance. We ask here whether atomic models for G- and F-actins may help to explain this functional diversity. Using a molecular graphics program we have mapped the few amino acids that differ between isoactins. A small number of residues specific for muscle actins are buried in internal positions and some present a remarkable organization. Within the molecule, the replacements observed between muscle and nonmuscle actins are often accompanied by compensatory changes. The others are dispersed on the protein surface, except for a cluster located at the N-terminus which protrudes outward. Only a few of these residues specific for muscle actins are present in known ligand binding sites except the N-terminus, which has a sequence specific for each isoactin and is directly implicated in the binding to myosin. When we simulated the replacements of side chains of residues specific for muscle actins to those specific for nonmuscle actins, the N-terminus appears to be less compact and more flexible in nonmuscle actins. This would represent the first conformational grounds for proposing that muscle and nonmuscle actins may be functionally distinguishable. The rest of the molecule is very similar or identical in all the actins, except for a possible higher internal flexibility in muscle actins. We propose that muscle actin genes have evolved from genes of nonmuscle actins by substitutions leading to some conformational changes in the protruding N-terminus and the internal dynamics of the main body of the protein. Received: 15 March 1996 / Accepted: 14 July 1996     

中国大陆尼罗罗非鱼引进群体间遗传关系分析

为了从分子水平上评价中国大陆尼罗罗非鱼（Oreochromis niloticus）主要引进群体间遗传关系、遗传分化及基因流状况,研究利用12对多态性微卫星引物,以埃及土著群体为对照组,分析中国大陆尼罗罗非鱼9个代表性引进群体的遗传关系。结果显示:①群体间四种遗传距离[D_A、D_C、D_SW和（δμ）2]同时表明,USA群体和EGY群体间的遗传距离最小[D_A=0.2174,D_C=0.4140,D_SW=0.8769,（δμ）2=22.6904];D_A和D_C表明GD群体和XJF群体间遗传距离最大（D_A=0.5851,D_C=0.6789）;D_SW和（δμ）2表明USA群体与XJF群体间遗传距离最大[D_SW=4.0907,（δμ）2=138.18]。② EGY群体和GD群体间遗传分化最小（F_ST=0.0326,R_ST=0.0337）,XJF群体和LY群体间遗传分化最大（F_ST=0.2098,R_ST=0.2655）。所有成对群体间均存在显著的遗传分化（P < 0.05）。③群体间系统树显示,WY群体、GD群体、EGY群体和USA群体被聚为一类,BL群体、LY群体和EW群体被聚为一类,JNM群体和GLD群体被聚为一类,XJF群体位于独立的分支;贝叶斯聚类分析将10个群体划分为2类,XJF、BL、LY、EW群体被归入第一类,WY、GD、EGY、USA、GLD和JNM群体被归入第二类。分子方差分析和主成分分析支持了系统树和贝叶斯聚类分析的结果。④根据成对F_ST值和R_ST值估算的群体间历史基因流平均值分别为2.4427和2.1983。群体间近期基因流检测结果显示,各群体中发生第一代迁移的个体数在0-7个,占样本数的0-23.3%。总体而言,我国尼罗罗非鱼引进群体间遗传分化显著,群体间存在一定程度的历史基因流和近期基因流。研究结果为开展我国尼罗罗非鱼引进群体的种质资源保护和综合利用提供了科学依据。     

Additive effects on the improvement of insecticidal activity: Design,synthesis, and insecticidal activity of novel pymetrozine derivatives

A series of new pymetrozine analogues containing both methyl on the imine carbon and phenoxy group at the pyridine ring were designed and synthesized. Their insecticidal activities against bean aphid (Aphis craccivora), mosquito larvae (Culex pipiens pallens), cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera), corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) and oriental armyworm (Mythimna separata) were evaluated. The results of bioassays indicated that most of the target compounds showed good insecticidal activity against bean aphid; especially, IIIf (80%) and IIIl (80%) exhibited higher aphicidal activity than pymetrozine (30%) at 5 mg/kg, and the two compounds still showed 20% and 30% mortality at 2.5 mg/kg, respectively, whereas pymetrozine displayed no activity at the same concentration. These compounds exhibited a completely different structure–activity relationship to that of known pymetrozine derivatives, in which it is thought introducing alkyl group on the imine carbon could be detrimental to the activities. Our new result suggested that the methyl on the imine carbon and phenoxy group at the pyridine ring of phenoxy group may play additive effects on the improvement of aphicidal activity. Besides this, compound IIIs, containing an allyl at the para position of phenoxy group, exhibited excellent insecticidal activity against mosquito larvae, lepidoptera pests cotton bollworm, corn borer and oriental armyworm.     

Intraspecific plant–soil feedback and intraspecific overyielding in Arabidopsis thaliana

Understanding the mechanisms of community coexistence and ecosystem functioning may help to counteract the current biodiversity loss and its potentially harmful consequences. In recent years, plant–soil feedback that can, for example, be caused by below‐ground microorganisms has been suggested to play a role in maintaining plant coexistence and to be a potential driver of the positive relationship between plant diversity and ecosystem functioning. Most of the studies addressing these topics have focused on the species level. However, in addition to interspecific interactions, intraspecific interactions might be important for the structure of natural communities. Here, we examine intraspecific coexistence and intraspecific diversity effects using 10 natural accessions of the model species Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. We assessed morphological intraspecific diversity by measuring several above‐ and below‐ground traits. We performed a plant–soil feedback experiment that was based on these trait differences between the accessions in order to determine whether A. thaliana experiences feedback at intraspecific level as a result of trait differences. We also experimentally tested the diversity–productivity relationship at intraspecific level. We found strong differences in above‐ and below‐ground traits between the A. thaliana accessions. Overall, plant–soil feedback occurred at intraspecific level. However, accessions differed in the direction and strength of this feedback: Some accessions grew better on their own soils, some on soils from other accessions. Furthermore, we found positive diversity effects within A. thaliana: Accession mixtures produced a higher total above‐ground biomass than accession monocultures. Differences between accessions in their feedback response could not be explained by morphological traits. Therefore, we suggest that they might have been caused by accession‐specific accumulated soil communities, by root exudates, or by accession‐specific resource use based on genetic differences that are not expressed in morphological traits. Synthesis. Our results provide some of the first evidence for intraspecific plant–soil feedback and intraspecific overyielding. These findings may have wider implications for the maintenance of variation within species and the importance of this variation for ecosystem functioning. Our results highlight the need for an increased focus on intraspecific processes in plant diversity research to fully understand the mechanisms of coexistence and ecosystem functioning.     

A bicyclic pentapeptide-based highly potent and selective pan-SIRT1/2/3 inhibitor harboring Nε-thioacetyl-lysine

Past few years have seen an active pursuit of the inhibitors for the deacylation catalyzed by the seven human sirtuins (i.e. SIRT1-7) as valuable chemical biological/pharmacological probes of this enzymatic deacylation and lead compounds for developing novel therapeutics for human diseases. In the current study, we prepared eight monocyclic and one bicyclic analogs of a linear pentapeptide-based potent (sub-μM IC₅₀’s) pan-SIRT1/2/3 inhibitor Zheng laboratory discovered recently that harbors the catalytic mechanism-based SIRT1/2/3 inhibitory warhead N^ε-thioacetyl-lysine at its central position. We found that the bicyclic analog exhibited largely comparable SIRT1/2/3 inhibitory potencies to those of the parent linear pentapeptide, however, the former is proteolytically much more stable than the latter. Moreover, the bicyclic analog displayed very weak inhibition against SIRT5/6/7, was cell permeable, and exhibited an anti-proliferative effect on the human SK-MEL-2 melanoma cells. This bicyclic analog could be a lead for the future development of more potent and still selective pan-SIRT1/2/3 inhibitors whose use in studies on human sirtuin biology, pharmacology, and medicinal chemistry could complement with the use of the potent inhibitors selective for a single human sirtuin.     

A novel Golgi mannosidase inhibitor: Molecular design,synthesis, enzyme inhibition,and inhibition of spheroid formation

Effective chemotherapy for solid cancers is challenging due to a limitation in permeation that prevents anticancer drugs from reaching the center of the tumor, therefore unable to limit cancer cell growth. To circumvent this issue, we planned to apply the drugs directly at the center by first collapsing the outer structure. For this, we focused on cell–cell communication (CCC) between N-glycans and proteins at the tumor cell surface. Mature N-glycans establish CCC; however, CCC is hindered when numerous immature N-glycans are present at the cell surface. Inhibition of Golgi mannosidases (GMs) results in the transport of immature N-glycans to the cell surface. This can be employed to disrupt CCC. Here, we describe the molecular design and synthesis of an improved GM inhibitor with a non-sugar mimic scaffold that was screened from a compound library. The synthesized compounds were tested for enzyme inhibition ability and inhibition of spheroid formation using cell-based methods. Most of the compounds designed and synthesized exhibited GM inhibition at the cellular level. Of those, AR524 had higher inhibitory activity than a known GM inhibitor, kifunensine. Moreover, AR524 inhibited spheroid formation of human malignant cells at low concentration (10 µM), based on the disruption of CCC by GM inhibition.     

基于生态网络效用的城市碳代谢空间分析——以杭州为例

城市碳排放占全球碳排放总量的78%,通过模拟生物代谢来剖析城市碳代谢机理从而控制城市碳排放是缓解全球气候变暖危机的关键。为研究杭州城市化过程中土地利用变化对城市碳代谢的综合作用,以4个时间段(1995—2000,2000—2005,2005—2010,2010—2015)为例,建立了一个"碳流"模型来分析城市生态系统中自然和人工分室在城市碳代谢正负"碳流"产生中的作用,之后利用生态网络效用方法分析"碳流"产生的生态关系及其空间分布,同时利用互惠指数M综合评价土地利用变化对城市碳代谢的综合作用。结果显示(1)净"碳流"在研究期间持续呈现负值且在2000—2005年间达到峰值,负"碳流"主要源自耕地与工业用地之间的转换,正"碳流"主要源自工业用地与城市用地之间的转换。(2)1995—2000年互惠指数(M)呈现先增加后减少再增加的变化趋势,M平均值小于1,说明土地利用变化对城市碳代谢的综合作用是消极的。(3)竞争关系集聚在高负碳代谢密度分室,互惠共生关系主要集聚在高正碳代谢密度分室。(4)从1995—2000至2010—2015,以每5年为时间间隔,生态关系分布空间变化如下:掠夺限制生态关系呈现向西北、西南和南部方向蔓延—西北方向移动—东南方向移动的变化趋势,竞争生态关系呈现东南方向移动—南部和西北部方向蔓延—零星分布的变化趋势,互惠共生生态关系呈现向东南方向移动—暂时不存在—零星分布的变化趋势。研究结果为低碳城市发展提供了理论依据。     

Identification of amino acid residues of GABA(A) receptor subunits contributing to the formation and affinity of the tert-butylbicyclophosphorothionate binding site

A chimeric GABA(A) receptor subunit was constructed that contained the beta3 sequence from the N-terminus to the first two amino acids of the second transmembrane (TM2) domain. The remaining part of this chimera had the sequence of the alpha1 subunit. On co-expression with alpha1 subunits, this chimera was able to form heterooligomeric channels that were open in the absence of GABA. Picrotoxin and tert-butylbicyclophosphorothionate (TBPS) were able to block these channels with low potency. These channels exhibited high-affinity [3H]muscimol but no high-affinity [35S]TBPS binding sites. Introduction of V251, A252, and L253 of the beta3 subunit into the chimera resulted in the formation of closed channels that could be opened by GABA. The introduction of A252 and L253 of the beta3 subunit into this chimera was sufficient to reconstitute the specific high-affinity [35S]TBPS binding site in receptors composed of the chimera and alpha1 subunits. Replacement of other amino acids of the TM2 region of the chimera with corresponding amino acids of the beta3 subunit modulated the affinity of this [35S]TBPS binding site. Results obtained provide important information on the structure-function relationship of GABA(A) receptors.     

The theoretical basis and practical application of relationships between different disease intensity measurements in plants

The literature concerning relationships among different measures of plant disease intensity is reviewed. Some previous confusion over the definition of the terms “incidence” and “severity” is noted and clarified. The review highlights the common features of relationships between incidence and severity, incidence and disease density, and incidence at pairs of scales in a spatial hierarchy. These relationships often show a similar saturation curve form that can frequently be described empirically using the complementary log‐log transformation. A catalogue of alternative functional forms is provided. Practical applications in varietal evaluation are discussed.     

Evolutionary relationship between Enterobacteriaceae: comparison of the ATP synthases (F1F0) of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae

The ATP synthase complex of Klebsiella pneumoniae (KF₁F₀) has been purified and characterized. SDS-gel electrophoresis of the purified F₁F₀ complexes revealed an identical subunit pattern for E. coli (EF₁F₀) and K. pneumoniae. Antibodies raised against EF₁ complex and purified EF₀ subunits recognized the corresponding polypeptides of EF₁F₀ and KF₁F₀ in immunoblot analysis. Protease digestion of the individual subunits generated an identical cleavage pattern for subunits , , , , a, and c of both enzymes. Only for subunit different cleavage products were obtained. The isolated subunit c of both organisms showed only a slight deviation in the amino acid composition. These data suggest that extensive homologies exist in primary and secondary structure of both ATP synthase complexes reflecting a close phylogenetic relationship between the two enterobacteric tribes.Abbreviations ACMA 9-amino-6-chloro-2-methoxyacridine - DCCD N,N-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide - FITC fluorescein isothiocyanate - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate - TTFB 4,5,6,7-tetrachloro-2-trifluoromethylbenzimidazole