Ajuba: a new microtubule-associated protein that interacts with BUBR1 and Aurora B at kinetochores in metaphase

Background information. The role of the LIM‐domain‐containing protein Ajuba was initially described in cell adhesion and migration processes and recently in mitosis as an activator of the Aurora A kinase. Results. In the present study, we show that Ajuba localizes to centrosomes and kinetochores during mitosis. This localization is microtubule‐dependent and Ajuba binds microtubules in vitro. A microtubule regrowth assay showed that Ajuba follows nascent microtubules from centrosomes to kinetochores. Owing to its contribution to mitotic commitment and its microtubule‐dependent localization, Ajuba could also play a role during the metaphase—anaphase transition. We show that Ajuba interacts with Aurora B and BUBR1 [BUB (budding uninhibited by benomyl)‐related 1], two major components of the mitotic checkpoint. Inhibition of BUBR1 by siRNA (small interfering RNA) disrupts chromosome alignment at the metaphase plate and modifies Ajuba localization due to premature mitotic exit. Conclusions. Ajuba is a microtubule‐associated protein that collaborates with Aurora B and BUBR1 at the metaphase—anaphase transition and this may be important to ensure proper chromosome segregation.     

南京汤山驼子洞鬣狗粪化石的孢粉分析

南京汤山驼子洞洞穴堆积中鬣狗粪化石含有相对丰富的孢粉,推测草食性哺乳动物食用带有孢粉的植物后,经鬣狗的猎杀、摄食、消化和排泄,孢粉较好地保存在鬣狗粪中,形成粪化石,成为洞穴地层的组成部分。虽然鬣狗粪化石中的孢粉含量不及湖沼相地层中丰富,但有几种植物的花粉保存较好且相对集中,如Pinus,Tsuga,Quercus,Carpinus,Artemisia,Cyperaceae,Polygonum,Polypodiaceae出现的频率较高。孢粉组合揭示早更新世南京地区植被主要是草原或森林-草地,气候凉干或半干旱半湿润,可以和地层中脊椎动物群反映的自然环境相互印证。在研究洞穴古环境的代用指标中,堆积物中的鬣狗粪化石中包含的孢粉是比较好的研究对象,对环境有一定的指示意义。     

水稻、玉米和狼尾草花粉低温贮藏期间激素和维生素含量及呼吸速率变化

测定了水稻、玉米和狼尾草花粉在低温(4±1℃)贮藏时内源激素(IAA、GA3、ZT和ABA)、维生素B.维生素C、维生素E、类胡萝卜素含量和呼吸速率的变化,结果表明IAA、GA3、ZT、维生素B2、维生素C、维生素E、类胡萝卜素的含量和呼吸速率在贮藏期间下降,而脱落酸的含量不断上升.与短寿命的水稻和玉米花粉相比,长寿命的狼尾草花粉的IAA和GA3含量及呼吸速率低,下降速度慢,而ABA始终保持较高水平.     

A Surface-Induced Asymmetric Program Promotes Tissue Colonization by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

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Bt-Cry5Aa 基因转化棉花及其抗虫性鉴定

我国棉花抗虫基因大都为Cry1Ab/c,抗性风险日趋增加。本研究依据棉花密码子偏好,人工合成Bt-Cry5Aa抗虫基因,通过花粉管通道法转入棉花,并通过卡那霉素法及PCR方法对不同世代转化株进行鉴定,同时进行了抗虫性测试。结果表明,通过花粉管通道法成功获得转Bt-Cry5Aa基因植株,通过田间卡那霉素鉴定,阳性株率T1为7.76%,T2为73.1%,T3为95.5%;PCR检测显示,T1阳性率为2.35%,T2为55.8%,T3为94.5%;田间抗性试验分析,转Bt-Cry5Aa株系对第2、3、4代棉铃虫校正死亡率分别达到85.42%、75.35%和62.79%,其抗虫性与GK19相比差异不显著;Bt-Cry5Aa能够部分替代目前主流鳞翅目抗虫基因,是棉铃虫的新抗源。     

Non-muscle tropomyosin (Tpm3) is crucial for asymmetric cell division and maintenance of cortical integrity in mouse oocytes

Tropomyosins are actin-binding cytoskeletal proteins that play a pivotal role in regulating the function of actin filaments in muscle and non-muscle cells; however, the roles of non-muscle tropomyosins in mouse oocytes are unknown. This study investigated the expression and functions of non-muscle tropomyosin (Tpm3) during meiotic maturation of mouse oocytes. Tpm3 mRNA was detected at all developmental stages in mouse oocytes. Tpm3 protein was localized at the cortex during the germinal vesicle and germinal vesicle breakdown stages. However, the overall fluorescence intensity of Tpm3 immunostaining was markedly decreased in metaphase II oocytes. Knockdown of Tpm3 impaired asymmetric division of oocytes and spindle migration, considerably reduced the amount of cortical actin, and caused membrane blebbing during cytokinesis. Expression of a constitutively active cofilin mutant and Tpm3 overexpression confirmed that Tpm3 protects cortical actin from depolymerization by cofilin. The data indicate that Tpm3 plays crucial roles in maintaining cortical actin integrity and asymmetric cell division during oocyte maturation, and that dynamic regulation of cortical actin by Tpm3 is critical to ensure proper polar body protrusion.     

Heterocyst patterns without patterning proteins in cyanobacterial filaments

We have quantitatively modeled heterocyst differentiation after fixed nitrogen step-down in the filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 without lateral inhibition due to the patterning proteins PatS or HetN. We use cell growth and division together with fixed-nitrogen dynamics and allow heterocysts to differentiate upon the local exhaustion of available fixed nitrogen. Slow transport of fixed nitrogen along a shared periplasmic space allows for fast growing cells to differentiate ahead of their neighbors. Cell-to-cell variability in growth rate determines the initial heterocyst pattern. Early release of fixed nitrogen from committed heterocysts allows a significant fraction of vegetative cells to be retained at later times. We recover the experimental heterocyst spacing distributions and cluster size distributions of Khudyakov and Golden [Khudyakov, I.Y., Golden, J.W., 2004. Different functions of HetR, a master regulator of heterocyst differentiation in Anabaena sp PCC 7120, can be separated by mutation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 101, 16040-16045].     

高粱九个性状遗传参数的分析

1991─1992连续两年,在水、旱地两种环境条件下,对20个品杂种,9个性状进行了3个遗传参数的分析。从遗传进度的估算中确定了较高增量的性状。在遗传相关的分析中,又得出14对性状遗传相关系数较高,表现型相关系数水、旱地都达到显著水准。但在相关遗传进度的估算中,其增量幅度旱地明显地小于水地,这说明旱地培育高产品种的困难较大。通过对12 4个指数项目的分析,提出了水、旱地育种各自应采用的较好的选择方案。