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.     

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。     

In vitro differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells to epithelial lineage

Our study examined whether human bone marrow-derived MSCs are able to differentiate, in vitro, into functional epithelial-like cells. MSCs were isolated from the sternum of 8 patients with different hematological disorders. The surface phenotype of these cells was characterized.To induce epithelial differentiation, MSCs were cultured using Epidermal Growth Factor, Keratinocyte Growth Factor, Hepatocyte Growth Factor and Insulin-like growth Factor-II. Differentiated cells were further characterized both morphologically and functionally by their capacity to express markers with specificity for epithelial lineage. The expression of cytokeratin 19 was assessed by immunocytochemistry, and cytokeratin 18 was evaluated by quantitative RT-PCR (Taq-man). The data demonstrate that human MSCs isolated from human bone marrow can differentiate into epithelial-like cells and may thus serve as a cell source for tissue engineering and cell therapy of epithelial tissue.     

金佛山自然保护区种子植物区系初步研究

根据新近调查资料及对历史文献资料的查阅,整理出重庆市金佛山地区种子植物区系资料。到目前为止,金佛山共分布有种子植物183科1256属4 764种,其中野生植物达160科(其中裸子植物7科,被子植物153科)1111属4093种。野生植物中单种科17个,少型科(2～5种)33个,多种科(6～50种)87个,大科(51～100种)14个,特大科(101种以上)9个,分别占金佛山野生种子植物总科数的10．625％、20．625％、54．375％、8．75％和5．625％;种子植物科的区系成分以热带成分最多,达72科,占金佛山种子植物总科数的45．00％,其次为温带和世界分布型,分别为41科和33科,分别占25．625％和20．625％,特有成分仅17科(统计分析数据以14科计),其中东亚特有科13科,中国特有科4科。属的区系成分按世界分布、热带分布、温带分布、东亚分布和中国特有分布五种成分分别为73属、483属、332属、174属和49属,分别占金佛山种子植物总属数的6．57％、43．48％、29．88％、15．66％和4．41％。金佛山种子植物科的区系成分具备了全国种子植物区系15个分布类型及31变型的10型及10变型,属的区系成分具备14型及24变型。本文还就金佛山与邻近的神农架和壶瓶山等进行了比较分析,总体结论为金佛山在种子植物分布区类型及物种分布数量上都较为丰富,证明了金佛山地区为我国亚热带植物的自然分化和分布中心之一的观点。     

Positive selection at reproductive ADAM genes with potential intercellular binding activity

Many genes with a role in reproduction, including those implicated in fertilization and spermatogenesis, have been shown to evolve at a faster rate relative to genes associated with other functions and tissues. These survey studies usually group a wide variety of genes with different characteristics and evolutionary histories as reproductive genes based on their site of expression or function. We have examined the molecular evolution of the ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloprotease) gene family, a structurally and functionally diverse group of genes expressed in reproductive and somatic tissue to test whether a variety of protein characteristics such as phylogenetic clusters, tissue of expression, and proteolytic and adhesive function can group fast evolving ADAM genes. We found that all genes were evolving under purifying selection (d(N)/d(S) < 1), although reproductive ADAMs, including those implicated in fertilization and spermatogenesis, evolved at the fastest rate. Genes with a role in binding to cell receptors in endogenous tissue appear to be evolving under purifying selection, regardless of the tissue of expression. In contrast, positive selection of codon sites in the disintegrin/cysteine-rich adhesion domains was detected exclusively in ADAMs 2 and 32, two genes expressed in the testis with a potential role in sperm-egg adhesion. Positive selection was detected in the transmembrane/cytosolic tail region of ADAM genes expressed in a variety of tissues.     

The structure and ligand binding properties of the B. subtilis YkoF gene product, a member of a novel family of thiamin/HMP-binding proteins

The crystal structure of the Bacillus subtilis YkoF gene product, a protein involved in the hydroxymethyl pyrimidine (HMP) salvage pathway, was solved by the multiwavelength anomalous dispersion (MAD) method and refined with data extending to 1.65 A resolution. The atomic model of the protein shows a homodimeric association of two polypeptide chains, each containing an internal repeat of a ferredoxin-like betaalphabetabetaalphabeta fold, as seen in the ACT and RAM-domains. Each repeat shows a remarkable similarity to two members of the COG0011 domain family, the MTH1187 and YBL001c proteins, the crystal structures of which were recently solved by the Northeast Structural Genomics Consortium. Two YkoF monomers form a tightly associated dimer, in which the amino acid residues forming the interface are conserved among family members. A putative small-ligand binding site was located within each repeat in a position analogous to the serine-binding site of the ACT-domain of the Escherichia coli phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase. Genetic data suggested that this could be a thiamin or HMP-binding site. Calorimetric data confirmed that YkoF binds two thiamin molecules with varying affinities and a thiamine-YkoF complex was obtained by co-crystallization. The atomic model of the complex was refined using data to 2.3 A resolution and revealed a unique H-bonding pattern that constitutes the molecular basis of specificity for the HMP moiety of thiamin.     

A soluble SNARE drives rapid docking, bypassing ATP and Sec17/18p for vacuole fusion

Membrane fusion requires priming, the disassembly of cis-SNARE complexes by the ATP-driven chaperones Sec18/17p. Yeast vacuole priming releases Vam7p, a soluble SNARE. Vam7p reassociation during docking allows trans-SNARE pairing and fusion. We now report that recombinant Vam7p (rVam7p) enters into complex with other SNAREs in vitro and bypasses the need for Sec17p, Sec18p, and ATP. Thus, the sole essential function of vacuole priming in vitro is the release of Vam7p from cis-SNARE complexes. In 'bypass fusion', without ATP but with added rVam7p, there are sufficient unpaired vacuolar SNAREs Vam3p, Vti1p, and Nyv1p to interact with Vam7p and support fusion. However, active SNARE proteins are not sufficient for bypass fusion. rVam7p does not bypass requirements for Rho GTPases,Vps33p, Vps39p, Vps41p, calmodulin, specific lipids, or Vph1p, a subunit of the V-ATPase. With excess rVam7p, reduced levels of PI(3)P or functional Ypt7p suffice for bypass fusion. High concentrations of rVam7p allow the R-SNARE Ykt6p to substitute for Nyv1p for fusion; this functional redundancy among vacuole SNAREs may explain why nyv1delta strains lack the vacuole fragmentation seen with mutants in other fusion catalysts.