Nuclear matrix of the most primitive eukaryote Archezoa

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人多肽链延伸因子1α四个反转录假基因的鉴别与定位

人多肽链延伸因子1α基因EEF1A是一个在蛋白质合成过程中起重要作用的看家基因。通过对已有GenBank、GDB等数据库的综合分析,鉴别了4个人类多肽链延伸因子1α基因的反转录假基因,并分别将其精细定位于4q2 5、7p15-21、9q34和19q13上。 Abstract:The gene for human polypeptide chain elongation factor-1α(EEF1A)is a house-keeping gene which plays an important role in the process of protein synthesis.By means of comprehensive analysis in the database of Genbank,GDB and ect,we identify 4 retropseudogenes of EEF1A and finely localized to 4q25,7p15-21,9q34 and 19q13,respectively.     

Different flowering phenology of alien invasive species in Spain: evidence for the use of an empty temporal niche?

Flowering phenology is an important and poorly understood plant trait that may possibly be related to the invasiveness potential of alien species. The present work evaluates whether flowering time of invasive alien species is a key trait to overcome the climatic filters operating in continental Mediterranean ecosystems of Spain (characterised by summer drought and low temperatures in winter). We conducted comparisons between the flowering phenology of the invasive species in their native range and in Spain, and between flowering phenology of 91 coexisting invasive–native species pairs. For the alien species, geographical change from the native to the invaded region did not result in shifts in the start and the length of the flowering period. Overall, climatic conditions in the native range of species selected for a flowering pattern is maintained after translocation of the species to another region. Flowering of tropical and temperate invasive alien species peaked in summer, which contrasts with the spring flowering of native and invasive alien species of Mediterranean climate origin. By exploiting this new temporal niche, these invasive alien species native to tropical and temperate regions benefit from reduced competition with natives for abiotic and biotic resources. We suggest that human-mediated actions have reduced the strength of the summer drought filter in particular microhabitats, permitting the invasion of many summer-flowering aliens.     

Did detoxification processes cause complex life to emerge?

Excess oxygen is toxic for many cells and cell function can be disrupted by calcium, even if present in small amounts. Cells avoid the toxic effects of these substances by excreting oxygen-rich or Ca-containing molecules. The origin of macroscopic multi-celled animals (metazoans) can be attributed to the excretion of oxygen-rich collagen molecules (or their precursors) at a time when the seas were for the first time both oxygenated and sufficiently loaded with phosphorus for the energy (ATP) requirements of sizable metazoans. With subsequent increase of Ca in the marine environment, hard parts of CaCO₃ were produced. Excretion of oxygen in combination with abundant phosphorus permitted phosphate biomineralization. In this view, the most informative biological development during the late Neoproterozoic was not the emergence of metazoans but the initial construction of viable tissues. When tissue integrity is lost, whether due to low oxygen, collagen failure, injury, chemical insult or other reasons, individual cells are released from tissue-constraints. To survive, they may then revert to unicellular life-styles that emphasize cellular proliferation and variation. When this occurs in metazoans, the result may be cancer.     

RPB2 sequences reveal a close phylogenetic relationship between tetraploid Hordelymus and diploid Hordeum species in Triticeae (Poaceae)

The origin of Hordelymus genome has been debated for years, and no consensus conclusion was reached. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the RPB2 (RNA polymerase subunit II) gene from Hordelymus europaeus (L.) Harz, and its potential diploid ancestor species those were suggested in previous studies. The focus of this study was to examine the phylogenetic relationship of Hordelymus genomes with its potential donor Hordeum, Psathyrostachys, and Taeniatherum species. Two distinguishable copies of sequences were obtained from H. europaeus. The obvious difference between the two copies of sequences is a 24 bp indel (insertion/deletion). Phylogenetic analysis showed a strong affinity between Hordeum genome and Hordelymus with 85% bootstrap support. These results suggested that one genome in tetraploid H. europaeus closely related to the genome in Hordeum species. Another genome in H. europaeus is sister to the genomes in Triticeae species examined here, which corresponds well with the recently published EF-G data. No obvious relationship was found between Hordelymus and either Ta genome donor, Taeniatherum caput-medusae or Ns genome donor, Psathyrostachys juncea. Our data does not support the presence of Ta and Ns genome in H. europaeus, and further confirms that H. europaeus is allopolyploid.     

Discrimination of geographical origin and adulteration of radix astragali using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and chemometric methods

Introduction – Radix Astragali, one of most widely used and important traditional Chinese medicines, is cultivated in different geographical regions. Because of varying growing conditions, the qualities of Radix Astragali vary, which can give rise to differences in clinical therapy. Detecting adulteration is a routine requirement in pharmaceutical practice. Objective – To develop a simple and accurate approach to discriminate the geographical origin and potential adulteration of Radix Astragali, derived from the root of Astragalus membranaceus (Fischer) Bunge var. mongholicus (Bunge) Hsiao, using Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy and chemometric methods. Methodology – To obtain characteristic IR spectra for accurate discrimination, a one‐solvent extraction method was utilised following a novel evaluation method for selecting appropriate solvents. Samples of Radix Astragali from different geographical origins were discriminated using FT‐IR spectroscopy and discriminant partial least squares (DPLS) methods. FT‐IR spectroscopy combined with Mahalanobis distance was employed to detect adulteration of Radix Astragali. Results – In comparison with other solvents, butanone was more effective at extracting samples. Radix Astragali samples were accurately assigned to their corresponding geographical origins by using FT‐IR spectroscopy and DPLS method. Most adulterated samples were detected accurately by application of FT‐IR spectroscopy combined with Mahalanobis distance. Conclusion – FT‐IR spectroscopy combined with chemometric method was developed and demonstrated to be a useful tool to discriminate geographical origin and adulteration of Radix Astragali. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Photoconsumption of molecular oxygen on both donor and acceptor sides of photosystem II in Mn-depleted subchloroplast membrane fragments

Oxygen consumption in Mn-depleted photosystem II (PSII) preparations under continuous and pulsed illumination is investigated. It is shown that removal of manganese from the water-oxidizing complex (WOC) by high pH treatment leads to a 6-fold increase in the rate of O₂ photoconsumption. The use of exogenous electron acceptors and donors to PSII shows that in Mn-depleted PSII preparations along with the well-known effect of O₂ photoreduction on the acceptor side of PSII, there is light-induced O₂ consumption on the donor side of PSII (nearly 30% and 70%, respectively). It is suggested that the light-induced O₂ uptake on the donor side of PSII is related to interaction of O₂ with radicals produced by photooxidation of organic molecules. The study of flash-induced O₂ uptake finds that removal of Mn from the WOC leads to O₂ photoconsumption with maximum in the first flash, and its yield is comparable with the yield of O₂ evolution on the third flash measured in the PSII samples before Mn removal. The flash-induced O₂ uptake is drastically (by a factor of 1.8) activated by catalytic concentration (5-10 μM, corresponding to 2-4 Mn per RC) of Mn²⁺, while at higher concentrations (> 100 μM) Mn²⁺ inhibits the O₂ photoconsumption (like other electron donors: ferrocyanide and diphenylcarbazide). Inhibitory pre-illumination of the Mn-depleted PSII preparations (resulting in the loss of electron donation from Mn²⁺) leads to both suppression of flash-induced O₂ uptake and disappearance of the Mn-induced activation of the O₂ photoconsumption. We assume that the light-induced O₂ uptake in Mn-depleted PSII preparations may reflect not only the negative processes leading to photoinhibition but also possible participation of O₂ or its reactive forms in the formation of the inorganic core of the WOC.