促葡萄糖转运蛋白基因家族的分子进化研究

葡萄糖转运蛋白是一个在结构上相似功能上不同的多基因家族（ＧＬＵＴ１－ＧＬＵＴ５）。由于这一组蛋白和体内的葡萄糖利用有关,因此被认为是糖尿病胰岛素抵抗（抗性）的一个候选基因。本文比较了不同种生物这一基因家族的氨基酸和核苷酸顺序;推测了亲水性和疏水性分布;计算了蛋白质和核苷酸的进化距离,并在此基础上构建了分子进化树。研究表明：这一基因家族具有高度的同源性、极为相似的亲水性和疏水性分布以及结构的对称性。提示这一基因家族起源于一个共同的祖先并可能通过基因的重复而形成。这一进化机制可能有利于氨基酸结构的稳定及抵抗突变的作用。由于邻元法构建的进化树其分支长度存在差异,提示在这一基因家族的进化过程中,各分支上的进化速率并不相同。蛋白质进化距离和核苷酸进化距离所构建进化树的差异提示了在基因组中可能存在隐匿替换。两种方法构建的进化树都提示了ＧＬＵＴ１、３、４在结构和功能上要更为保守。     

The Stenopodainae (Hemiptera,Heteroptera) of Argentina

In Argentina, 10 genera and 33 species of Stenopodainae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) have been recorded. Diagnoses of the genera, subgenera and species are given, and an illustrated key to genera is provided. Six species are new records for Argentina and an additional seven species represent new records for provinces.     

A novel role of RNA helicase A in regulation of translation of type I collagen mRNAs

Type I collagen is composed of two α1(I) polypeptides and one α2(I) polypeptide and is the most abundant protein in the human body. Expression of type I collagen is primarily controlled at the level of mRNA stability and translation. Coordinated translation of α(I) and α2(I) mRNAs is necessary for efficient folding of the corresponding peptides into the collagen heterotrimer. In the 5' untranslated region (5' UTR), collagen mRNAs have a unique 5' stem-loop structure (5' SL). La ribonucleoprotein domain family member 6 (LARP6) is the protein that binds 5' SL with high affinity and specificity and coordinates their translation. Here we show that RNA helicase A (RHA) is tethered to the 5' SL of collagen mRNAs by interaction with the C-terminal domain of LARP6. In vivo, collagen mRNAs immunoprecipitate with RHA in an LARP6-dependent manner. Knockdown of RHA prevents formation of polysomes on collagen mRNAs and dramatically reduces synthesis of collagen protein, without affecting the level of the mRNAs. A reporter mRNA with collagen 5' SL is translated three times more efficiently in the presence of RHA than the same reporter without the 5' SL, indicating that the 5' SL is the cis-acting element conferring the regulation. During activation of quiescent cells into collagen-producing cells, expression of RHA is highly up-regulated. We postulate that RHA is recruited to the 5' UTR of collagen mRNAs by LARP6 to facilitate their translation. Thus, RHA has been discovered as a critical factor for synthesis of the most abundant protein in the human body.     

Shift work and sleep disorder comorbidity tend to go hand in hand

Taking into consideration that shift work has a wide-ranging impact on circadian and sleep functioning, it seems likely that shift work increases the risk of a general sleep disturbance, spread out over a multitude of comorbid sleep disorders. The aim of the present study is to analyze and present the sleep disorder data of 250 shift workers and 971 permanent day workers, taken from a nationally representative sample. Additional data concerning duration, timing, and quality of sleep, daytime functioning and social/family variables were added to the analyses. The results showed that the shift workers experienced significantly more difficulties with the variability of their sleep times, reported more napping and considered themselves more as poor sleepers than the day workers. Most importantly, shift work, in comparison with day work, appeared associated with a significantly higher prevalence of the clinical, International Classification of Sleep Disorders’ defined symptoms of nearly all main sleep disorders (including shift work disorder). For shift workers, the prevalence of a general sleep disturbance was 39.0% (95%CI 33.2 – 45.2), significantly higher than for day workers (24.6%, 95%CI 22.0 – 27.4). Moreover, shift workers were characterized by high levels of sleep disorder comorbidity. In addition, exclusively for shift workers, the prevalence of disordered sleep systematically decreased across decades of life and was considerably higher for single versus partnered shift workers. This study adds to the insight into the interacting factors that determine shift work coping and may play a role in occupational health interventions aimed at reducing sleep problems and thus improving the resilience and tolerance of the shift worker.     

Cyphastrea kausti sp. n. (Cnidaria,Anthozoa, Scleractinia), a new species of reef coral from the Red Sea

A new scleractinian coral species, Cyphastrea kausti sp. n., is described from 13 specimens from the Red Sea. It is characterised by the presence of eight primary septa, unlike the other species of the genus, which have six, ten or 12 primary septa. The new species has morphological affinities with Cyphastrea microphthalma, from which it can be distinguished by the lower number of septa (on average eight instead of ten), and smaller calices and corallites. This species was observed in the northern and central Red Sea and appears to be absent from the southern Red Sea.     

昆虫几丁质酶基因家族功能研究进展

昆虫几丁质酶的研究历史很长,研究内容也非常广泛;但仅局限于传统的方法研究某个昆虫单个基因的功能及应用。近年来,随着生物信息学和RNAi技术在生命科学研究工作中的广泛应用,在昆虫几丁质酶的研究方面也取得了较大进展。本文主要以生物信息学在几丁质酶家族基因鉴定和分类研究过程中的应用,以及利用RNAi技术分析几丁质酶不同家族成员在赤拟谷盗和褐飞虱两种昆虫生长发育中的功能比较分析,对全面认识昆虫几丁质酶基因家族功能和作用机理,并利用几丁质酶基因防治害虫奠定良好的基础。     

基于亲权鉴定的千岛湖社鼠家群遗传结构与亲缘关系特征研究

于2009年7月至2010年11月,对浙江千岛湖两个岛屿上的社鼠(Niviventer confucianus)种群进行标志重捕,并采用8个高多态性的微卫星位点,对两个岛屿的社鼠种群进行家群分析和亲权鉴定,探讨了社鼠家群的亲缘关系特征。结果显示,8个微卫星位点能可靠地对两个岛屿社鼠种群进行亲权鉴定,A岛已确定亲缘关系的71只社鼠分为12个家群,家群中的个体数最多达到19个,B岛已确定的49只社鼠个体共分为11个家群,家群中的个体数最多达到14个。家群内部成员之间的亲缘关系表现为配对繁殖的个体对间亲缘系数最小,揭示了社鼠倾向于选择亲缘关系较远的异性作为配偶。家群中雄性后代个体之间与雌性个体之间的亲缘关系相比,两岛表现情况相反,该结果暗示两岛屿上社鼠扩散行为可能有所不同。通过计算与同一雄性(或同一雌性)交配的个体间的亲缘系数,发现两个岛屿上的社鼠在与不同异性交配时也存在选择性,即避免选择亲缘关系较近的异性作为混交的对象。     

Comparative metagenomics revealed commonly enriched gene sets in human gut microbiomes.

Numerous microbes inhabit the human intestine, many of which are uncharacterized or uncultivable. They form a complex microbial community that deeply affects human physiology. To identify the genomic features common to all human gut microbiomes as well as those variable among them, we performed a large-scale comparative metagenomic analysis of fecal samples from 13 healthy individuals of various ages, including unweaned infants. We found that, while the gut microbiota from unweaned infants were simple and showed a high inter-individual variation in taxonomic and gene composition, those from adults and weaned children were more complex but showed a high functional uniformity regardless of age or sex. In searching for the genes over-represented in gut microbiomes, we identified 237 gene families commonly enriched in adult-type and 136 families in infant-type microbiomes, with a small overlap. An analysis of their predicted functions revealed various strategies employed by each type of microbiota to adapt to its intestinal environment, suggesting that these gene sets encode the core functions of adult and infant-type gut microbiota. By analysing the orphan genes, 647 new gene families were identified to be exclusively present in human intestinal microbiomes. In addition, we discovered a conjugative transposon family explosively amplified in human gut microbiomes, which strongly suggests that the intestine is a 'hot spot' for horizontal gene transfer between microbes.