γ-Irradiation induces P2X7 receptor-dependent ATP release from B16 melanoma cells

Background

Ionizing irradiation causes not only growth arrest and cell death, but also release of growth factors or signal transmitters, which promote cancer malignancy. Extracellular ATP controls cancer growth through activation of purinoceptors. However, there is no report of radiation-induced ATP release from cancer cells. Here, we examined γ-irradiation-induced ATP release and its mechanism in B16 melanoma.

Methods

Extracellular ATP was measured by luciferin–luciferase assay. To investigate mechanism of radiation-induced ATP release, we pharmacologically inhibited the ATP release and established stable P2X₇ receptor-knockdown B16 melanoma cells using two short hairpin RNAs targeting P2X₇ receptor.

Results

Cells were exposed to 0.5–8 Gy of γ-rays. Extracellular ATP was increased, peaking at 5 min after 0.5 Gy irradiation. A selective P2X₇ receptor channel antagonist, but not anion transporter inhibitors, blocked the release of ATP. Further, radiation-induced ATP release was significantly decreased in P2X₇ receptor-knockdown cells. Our results indicate that γ-irradiation evokes ATP release from melanoma cells, and P2X₇ receptor channel plays a significant role in mediating the ATP release.

General Significance

We suggest that extracellular ATP could be a novel intercellular signaling molecule released from cancer cells when cells are exposed to ionizing radiation.     

水稻早世代稳定相关的SSR标记

以具有早世代稳定特性的9个水稻品系和7个栽培稻进行杂交得到130个杂交组合。发现在同一个组合的F2群体中除出现孟德尔式分离株系外还出现性状整齐一致的稳定株系,在F2群体中出现了32个不同农艺性状的稳定株系。SSR标记结果表明：稳定株系F2与其F1单株的标记一致,都是纯合的,且双亲的标记在后代都有出现,双亲的标记位点在后代的染色体上同时出现,说明稳定株系为真杂种;分离株系F2与其F1单株SSR标记均为杂合;大部分稳定株系在RM276、RM258、RM248、RM1这4个标记位点都较高频率地出现非父母带型。推测出现变异的配子激活杂种合子体细胞减数分裂,合子经过减数分裂后,4个单倍体细胞经过胚胎发育选择,其中一个细胞染色体加倍而发育为纯合的二倍体植株。     

Tasmanian lentic wetland lawns are maintained by grazing rather than inundation

Vertebrate grazers have been shown to be a critical element in maintaining lawns, although lawns can also form in places without such herbivores. In Tasmania lawns are widespread in lentic wetlands. We used environmental observations and exclosure experiments at two altitudinally contrasting lentic wetland lawns, and waterlogging experiments, to test the hypotheses that their structure is maintained (i) periodic inundation; and (ii) grazing. Waterlogging experiments and field observations demonstrated that the two main invading shrubs were indifferent to immersion for several months and that the distribution of the lawns was independent of inundation period, results inconsistent with the first hypothesis. The exclosure experiments showed that both woody and non‐woody plants became taller in the lawns when marsupial grazers and rabbits were excluded. It therefore seems that the lawn structure is maintained by grazing and that alternative structural states result from exclusion of grazing pressure in less than 2 years.     

Striped dolphins and short‐beaked common dolphins in the Gulf of Corinth,Greece: Abundance estimates from dorsal fin photographs

Capture‐recapture methods relying on dorsal fin natural markings have never been applied successfully to striped dolphins, Stenella coeruleoalba, and were rarely used to assess abundance of short‐beaked common dolphins, Delphinus delphis. We used digital photo‐identification to obtain abundance estimates of striped and common dolphins living in mixed groups in the Gulf of Corinth, Greece. The proportion of either species was calculated based on the relative number of photographs of adult animals showing relevant portions of their body during conspicuous surfacings. Striped dolphins and common dolphins averaged 95.0% and 3.2% of all individuals, respectively. Animals showing intermediate pigmentation accounted for another 1.8%. Striped dolphin numbers were relatively high, with a point estimate of 835 animals (95% CI = 631–1,106). Common dolphins numbers were low (point estimate 28 animals; 95% CI = 11–73) and individuals were scattered within striped dolphin groups, indicating that this common dolphin population may be nonviable. Within a semiclosed Gulf exposed to considerable anthropogenic impact, the future of both dolphin species is of concern due to their suspected geographic isolation and restricted extent of occurrence. Information provided here can be used to inform timely conservation efforts.     

A meta‐analysis of bird and mammal response to short‐rotation woody crops

Short‐rotation woody cropping (SRWC) refers to silvicultural systems designed to produce woody biomass using short harvest cycles (1–15 years), intensive silvicultural techniques, high‐yielding varieties, and often coppice regeneration. Recent emphasis on alternatives to fossil fuels has spurred interest in producing SRWC on privately owned and intensively managed forests of North America. We examined potential bird and small mammal response at the stand level to conversion of existing, intensively managed forests to SRWCs using meta‐analysis of existing studies. We found 257 effect sizes for birds (243 effect sizes) and mammals (14 effect sizes) from 8 studies involving Populus spp. plantations. Diversity and abundance of bird guilds were lower on short‐rotation plantations compared with reference woodlands, while abundance of individual bird species was more variable and not consistently higher or lower on SRWC plantations. Shrub‐associated birds were more abundant on SRWC plantations, but forest‐associated and cavity‐nesting birds were less abundant. Effects on birds appeared to decrease with age of the SRWC plantation, but plantation age was also confounded with variation in the type of reference forest used for comparison. Both guilds and species of mammals were less abundant on SRWC plantations. These conclusions are tentative because none of these studies directly compared SRWC plantations to intensively managed forests. Plantations of SRWCs could contribute to overall landscape diversity in forest‐dominated landscapes by providing shrubby habitat structure for nonforest species. However, extensive conversion of mature or intensively managed forests to SRWC would likely decrease overall diversity, especially if they replace habitat types of high conservation value.     

二核苷酸重复多态性的非同位素检测及其在基因诊断中的应用

本文报道了一种检测二核苷酸重复多态性的简便的非同位素法,利用重复序列两侧的特异引物进行ＰＣＲ扩增,产生的等位片段在薄层变性聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳上分离,再用灵敏的银染法显色。该方法不需要标记ＰＣＲ产物,简便、快速,分辨率可达１ｂｐ,并可用多对引物同时进行多重ＰＣＲ分析。用此方法对ＤＭＤ家系成员ｄｙｓｔｒｏｐｈｉｎ基因的５＇－脑型外显子止游区和３＇－非翻译区的两个（ＣＡ）。位点进行了扩增片段长度多态性分     

SRY盒基因在斑马鱼和胡子鲇中的保守性分析

本文采用人类SRY基因探针,与EcoRI消化的中国的胡子鲇(Clarias fusc us)和美国的斑马鱼(Brachydanio rerio)基因组DNA进行了Southern印迹杂交分析。首次在这两种鱼中发现了SRY盒基因及其存在特征;在斑马鱼中发现了明显的限制性片段长度多态性; 并深入分析了SRY盒基因的进化保守性。 Abstract:Using,Southern bloting analysis,EcoRI-digested genomic DNA from Clarias fuscus and Brachydanio rerio were hybridizae to human SRY probe.Hybridization occurred in both male and female of the two species.RFLP associated with SRY-box genes was observed in Brachydanio rerio.The conservation of SRY-box genes was analysed.     

The muscle ankyrin repeat proteins: CARP, ankrd2/Arpp and DARP as a family of titin filament-based stress response molecules

CARP, ankrd-2/Arpp, and DARP, are three members of a conserved gene family, referred to here as MARPs (muscle ankyrin repeat proteins). The expression of MARPs is induced upon injury and hypertrophy (CARP), stretch or denervation (ankrd2/Arpp), and during recovery following starvation (DARP), suggesting that they are involved in muscle stress response pathways. Here, we show that MARP family members contain within their ankyrin repeat region a binding site for the myofibrillar elastic protein titin. Within the myofibril, MARPs, myopalladin, and the calpain protease p94 appear to be components of a titin N2A-based signaling complex. Ultrastructural studies demonstrated that all three endogenous MARP proteins co-localize with I-band titin N2A epitopes in adult heart muscle tissues. In cultured fetal rat cardiac myocytes, passive stretch induced differential distribution patterns of CARP and DARP: staining for both proteins was increased in the nucleus and at the I-band region of myofibrils, while DARP staining also increased at intercalated discs. We speculate that the myofibrillar MARPs are regulated by stretch, and that this links titin-N2A-based myofibrillar stress/strain signals to a MARP-based regulation of muscle gene expression.