Population dynamics of GC-changing mutations in humans and great apes

The nucleotide composition of the genome is a balance between the origin and fixation rates of different mutations. For example, it is well-known that transitions occur more frequently than transversions, particularly at CpG sites. Differences in fixation rates of mutation types are less explored. Specifically, recombination-associated GC-biased gene conversion (gBGC) may differentially impact GC-changing mutations, due to differences in their genomic distributions and efficiency of mismatch repair mechanisms. Given that recombination evolves rapidly across species, we explore gBGC of different mutation types across human populations and great ape species. We report a stronger correlation between segregating GC frequency and recombination for transitions than for transversions. Notably, CpG transitions are most strongly affected by gBGC in humans and chimpanzees. We show that the overall strength of gBGC is generally correlated with effective population sizes in humans, with some notable exceptions, such as a stronger effect of gBGC on non-CpG transitions in populations of European descent. Furthermore, species of the Gorilla and Pongo genus have a greatly reduced gBGC effect on CpG sites. We also study the dependence of gBGC dynamics on flanking nucleotides and show that some mutation types evolve in opposition to the gBGC expectation, likely due to the hypermutability of specific nucleotide contexts. Our results highlight the importance of different gBGC dynamics experienced by GC-changing mutations and their impact on nucleotide composition evolution.     

南通沿海滩涂耐盐植物重金属抗性内生细菌的筛选及生物多样性

【目的】沿海滩涂耐盐植物重金属抗性内生细菌的筛选及其促生长潜在能力的研究有助于我们获得一些能够耐受并促进耐盐植物在被Cd2+、Pb2+、Hg2+、Cu2+,Zn2+等重金属离子污染的贫瘠的沿海滩涂上正常生长的菌株,达到既能够利用广袤的滩涂生物资源产生经济价值又能够净化生态环境的目的。【方法】以江苏南通沿海滩涂地区的4种耐盐植物为材料,采用稀释平板涂布法从中分离得到45株内生细菌,从中挑取23株代表性的菌株,对其进行抗重金属Cu2+、Pb2+、Cd2+、Zn2+,Hg2+的活性筛选;固氮、解磷、吲哚乙酸(IAA)的产生、1-氨基环丙烷-1-羧酸(ACC)脱氨酶活性等促生指标以及NaCl耐受能力的筛选。【结果】发现分离所得的大多数细菌能够耐受高浓度的Cu2+以及Pb2+,但是对Cd2+、Zn2+,Hg2+的耐受能力则较弱;26.1%的细菌具有固氮能力,21.7%的细菌具有解磷能力,60.9%的细菌能够产生IAA,39.1%的细菌含有ACC脱氨酶。对他们进行16S rRNA基因鉴定后发现,他们分属于芽胞杆菌属(Bacillus)、喜盐芽胞杆菌属(Halobacillus)、海洋芽胞杆菌属(Oceanobacillus)、微小杆菌属(Exiguobacterium)、沙雷氏菌属(Serratia)、短波单胞菌属(Brevundimonas)、弧菌属(Vibrio)、葡萄球菌属(Staphylococcus)共8个属,显示了丰富的多样性。其中菌株KLBMP 2432以及菌株KLBMP 2447为潜在的新种。【结论】沿海滩涂地区的耐盐植物内生细菌具有丰富多样的生物多样性以及促生长能力,且存在潜在的新种资源,并对重金属Cu2+,Pb2+具有较强的抗性。     

Growth,phenology, and biomass allocation of alien Solidago species in central Europe

Plant invasion is a major threat to the integrity of an ecosystem. Exceptionally successful invaders in Europe are the American species of Solidago genus. In this study we examined growth, reproduction, and phenology of Solidago species, of American origin, growing in central Europe (S. altissima, S. canadensis, S. gigantea, S. graminifolia). These taxa were compared with two native species: Solidago virgaurea and Tanacetum vulgare. We observed high differentiation in height, number of shoots, and biomass production between individuals within taxa. Generally, the invasive species produced substantially (two to five times) more biomass than the native ones, being statistically significant in the comparison of alien Solidago graminifolia and S. gigantea versus native S. virgaurea and T. vulgare. The ratio of biomass of reproductive parts to overall biomass varied considerably among years, but generally the lowest one was for Solidago altissima, and the highest for S. graminifolia. It shows a lack of a clear pattern of differentiation between alien and native species in terms of biomass investment in reproduction. We observed a general tendency of allocation of a major part of biomass in rhizomes by phalanx species (S. graminifolia and S. gigantea), while species with guerrilla strategy (S. altissima and S. canadensis) invested more biomass in stems and leaves. However, because of the high variability there was no clear, stable pattern of statistically significant differences between these two groups. The results suggest that S. graminifolia reveals a strong potential of invasion, in spite of its, so far limited, distribution in Europe.     

人心肌肌球蛋白轻链1的克隆,表达纯化和单抗制备

报道了中国人心肌肌球蛋白轻链１ｃＤＮＡ的核苷酸序列,并由此推算的氨基酸序列。与国外发表的人心肌肌球蛋白轻链的氨基酸序列比较,发现有两处差异,即在２４位,由谷氨酸变为丙氨酸,则从９８位起至１０１位有４个氨基酸序列的连续差异,即由天冬酰胺－精氨酸－丝氨酸－赖氨酸变为赖氨酸－脯氨酸－精氨酸－谷氨酰妥,推测可能是由于人种差异而引起的。利用该ｃＤＮＡ在大肠杆菌内的表达产物,已获得一株高效的抗中国人心肌肌球蛋     

Expression of the Tobacco Ext 1.4 Extensin Gene Upon Mechanical Constraint and Localization of Regulatory Regions

Abstract: The regulation of the Ext 1.4 gene encoding a tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum L.) extensin was studied in response to mechanical constraints. Transgenic plants carrying chimeric Ext 1.4 promoter/GUS (β-glucuronidase)/ nos terminator or Ext 1.4 3'-end constructs were obtained. Expression of gene fusions was found in tissues where mechanical stresses occur, e.g., during germination, as well as in root and stem tissues. Chimeric genes were successively and transiently expressed in different tissues during germination, i.e., at the tip of the root and then in the hypocotyl, during their growth through the seed coat. Moreover, they were expressed in cortical cells surrounding the emergence of adventitious and lateral roots and developmentally-regulated in nodes. The expression of Ext 1.4 could be induced by imposing mechanical constraints due to curving of either the stems or roots. Expression then occurred in cells where it does not normally occur, i.e., in cortical cells of internodes and in the distal piliferous zone of roots. Accumulation of RNAs occurs several days after the start of the constraint. Promoter regions involved in regulation of expression of Ext 1.4 in stems, roots, and in seedlings upon mechanical constraint could be localized. Moreover, the 3' non-coding region was shown to modulate expression in roots. These results suggest that the regulation of Ext 1.4 following mechanical stress is dependent on both tissue-specific and mechanical-responsive elements.     

Salinity tolerance of Mytilocypris henricae (Chapman) (Crustacea,Ostracoda)

Salinity tolerance, and the effects of temperature upon it, of the Australian ostracod Mytilocypris henricae (Chapman) was determined in direct transfer experiments using adults. Animals were subjected to a combination of 11 salinities (ranging between 0.0 g · 1^–1 and 45.0 g · 1^–1) and 4 temperatures (10, 15, 20 and 25 °C). Survival was analysed using two statistical techniques: the logit linear model and the proportional hazards model. Results show that both salinity and temperature have a significant effect on survival, but there is no significant interaction between temperature and salinity.     

Oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity of a terrestrially hibernating hatchling turtle

Hatchlings of the painted turtle, Chrysemys picta, hibernate terrestrially and can survive subfreezing temperatures by supercooling or by tolerating the freezing of their tissues. Whether supercooled or frozen, an ischemic hypoxia develops because tissue perfusion is limited by low temperature and/or freezing. Oxidative stress can occur if hatchlings lack sufficient antioxidant defenses to minimize or prevent damage by reactive oxygen species. We examined the antioxidant capacity and indices of oxidative damage in hatchling C. picta following survivable, 48 h bouts of supercooling (−6°C), freezing (−2.5°C), or hypoxia (4°C). Samples of plasma, brain, and liver were collected after a 24 h period of recovery (4°C) and assayed for Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and carbonyl proteins. Antioxidant capacity did not vary among treatments in any of the tissues studied. We found a significant increase in TBARS in plasma, but not in the brain or liver, of frozen/thawed hatchlings as compared to untreated controls. No changes were found in the concentration of TBARS or carbonyl proteins in supercooled or hypoxia-exposed hatchlings. Our results suggest that hatchling C. picta have a well-developed antioxidant defense system that minimizes oxidative damage during hibernation.     

Avicins, natural anticancer saponins, permeabilize mitochondrial membranes

Avicins are a class of natural saponins with selective pro-apoptotic activity in cancer cells. In this work, we studied the influence of avicins on metabolic state of rat liver mitochondria. Avicin-treated mitochondria underwent a significant decrease in oxygen consumption rate that was completely restored by addition of exogenous cytochrome c. On the other hand, avicins increased the rotenone-insensitive oxidation of external NADH in the presence of exogenous cytochrome c, long before high amplitude swelling of mitochondria was observed. The increase in external NADH oxidation was cyclosporin A-insensitive. Avicin G significantly accelerated hydroperoxide-induced oxidation of mitochondrial endogenous NAD(P)H, the drop of the inner membrane potential and the high amplitude swelling of mitochondria. The obtained data might explain selective induction of apoptosis in tumor cells by avicins. Based on other studies showing that tumor cells generate hydroperoxides with a very high rate, avicins could provide a new strategy of anticancer therapy by sensitizing cells with high levels of reactive oxygen species to apoptosis.     

The dynamics of food chains under climate change and nutrient enrichment

Warming has profound effects on biological rates such as metabolism, growth, feeding and death of organisms, eventually affecting their ability to survive. Using a nonlinear bioenergetic population-dynamic model that accounts for temperature and body-mass dependencies of biological rates, we analysed the individual and interactive effects of increasing temperature and nutrient enrichment on the dynamics of a three-species food chain. At low temperatures, warming counteracts the destabilizing effects of enrichment by both bottom-up (via the carrying capacity) and top-down (via biological rates) mechanisms. Together with increasing consumer body masses, warming increases the system tolerance to fertilization. Simultaneously, warming increases the risk of starvation for large species in low-fertility systems. This effect can be counteracted by increased fertilization. In combination, therefore, two main drivers of global change and biodiversity loss can have positive and negative effects on food chain stability. Our model incorporates the most recent empirical data and may thus be used as the basis for more complex forecasting models incorporating food-web structure.