The N-terminal extension of S12 influences small ribosomal subunit assembly in Escherichia coli

The small subunit (SSU) of the ribosome of E. coli consists of a core of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) surrounded peripherally by ribosomal proteins (r-proteins). Ten of the 15 universally conserved SSU r-proteins possess nonglobular regions called extensions. The N-terminal noncanonically structured extension of S12 traverses from the solvent to intersubunit surface of the SSU and is followed by a more C-terminal globular region that is adjacent to the decoding center of the SSU. The role of the globular region in maintaining translational fidelity is well characterized, but a role for the S12 extension in SSU structure and function is unknown. We examined the effect of stepwise truncation of the extension of S12 in SSU assembly and function in vitro and in vivo. Examination of in vitro assembly in the presence of sequential N-terminal truncated variants of S12 reveals that N-terminal deletions of greater than nine amino acids exhibit decreased tRNA-binding activity and altered 16S rRNA architecture particularly in the platform of the SSU. While wild-type S12 expressed from a plasmid can rescue a genomic deletion of the essential gene for S12, rpsl; N-terminal deletions of S12 exhibit deleterious phenotypic consequences. Partial N-terminal deletions of S12 are slow growing and cold sensitive. Strains bearing these truncations as the sole copy of S12 have increased levels of free SSUs and immature 16S rRNA as compared with the wild-type S12. These differences are hallmarks of SSU biogenesis defects, indicating that the extension of S12 plays an important role in SSU assembly.     

Sampling adequacy in an extreme environment: species richness patterns in Slovenian caves

Caves harbor a rich fauna unique to subterranean environments. Although extensive records of cave animals are available, only a small fraction of known caves in any region have been biologically assessed. We investigated the impact of incomplete sampling using one of the richest, best documented cave faunas in the world – that of the Dinaric karst of Slovenia. We utilized time snapshots (1940, 1970, and 2000) of the caves and cave fauna to analyze stability of hotspots, spatial pattern, and relationship between number of species and number of caves. Using data aggregated into 100km² hexagons, the location of hotspots, black–white joins, Moran's I, and spatial autocorrelation all remained constant, at least from 1970 on. The linear regression coefficient of the relationship between number of caves and number of species declined with time. Most hexagons had been sampled, but there was no indication that any hexagon had been sampled intensively enough for the accumulation curve of number of caves versus number of species within a hexagon to reach an asymptote. This appeared to be the result of a highly skewed distribution of species richness among caves. Number and position of hotspots can be predicted from information on these few high diversity caves.     

天童常绿阔叶树种栲树生殖个体大小及其生殖构件特征

对浙江天童木荷-栲树林内的常绿阔叶树种栲树(Castanopsis fargesii Franch.)的生殖个体大小、生殖构件的分布及其动态变化特征进行了研究。结果表明, 该地区栲树生殖个体的胸径在17~50 cm 间, 平均胸径为31. 2±8.0 cm, 平均年龄约36.3±6.6 年;林缘附近的生殖个体小于木荷-林内。相对稳定的群落和比较丰富的土壤养分条件有利于生殖枝数量和花序数量的增多。栲树生殖个体的数量在两年中变化较大, 部分栲树个体可以在连续年份中生殖。从枝系水平分析:在持续生殖的栲树个体上, 生殖枝数量有明显变化, 并非所有的生殖枝在两年中都可开花或结果, 保持连续生殖的枝系约占48.2%。栲树果序枝数量在连续年份有明显差异(p < 0.01), 而且果序枝上的幼蕾数、果实数量及结实率等都有明显差异(p < 0.05)。     

功能矫形前伸青春期大鼠下颌后翼外肌MyoD、myogenin的表达

目的：探讨＂应力-生长（改建）＂在细胞水平上的体现,为功能矫形治疗和矫治效果的保持提供新思路和实验依据。方法：本实验选用20只4周龄,雄性SD大鼠随机分为8组。其中实验组大鼠经戊巴比妥麻醉后佩戴上颌斜面导板,对照组未佩用。依据时间不同又分为四组：1d,7d,14d,21d。采用RT-PCR技术分析各组大鼠翼外肌组织中肌分化相关基因MyoD、myogenin mRNA的表达变化。结果：未施加功能矫形力的大鼠翼外肌组织MyoD表达伴随其生长发育呈现递减趋势,实验组在第7 d出现表达上调。同时,力学刺激后实验组动物myogenin的表达与对照组相比较在14 d组出现明显上调。结论：功能矫形力作用于翼外肌组织可以诱导MyoD和myogenin的表达上调进而诱导成肌细胞的分化。     

120 例初治、年轻、中高/ 高危弥漫大B细胞淋巴瘤的临床分析

目的:探讨初治、年轻、中高/高危弥漫大B细胞淋巴瘤(diffuse large B cell lymphoma,DLBCL)的临床特征、治疗措施及预后影响因素。方法:回顾性分析2006年1月至2014年5月军事医学科学院附属医院淋巴瘤科收治的年龄≤60岁、年龄调整的国际预后指数(aa IPI)评分≥2分的初治DLBCL病例,进行疗效及预后相关因素的分析。结果:共收集到资料完整的DLBCL病例120例,中位随访28(4-106)个月,3年PFS率53.25%,OS率61.52%。单因素分析结果显示B症状、治疗方案及近期疗效、自体移植对无进展生存(PFS)及总体生存(OS)率的影响有统计学意义。多因素分析结果显示治疗方案、自体造血干细胞移植是影响PFS、OS率的独立影响因素。结论:年轻、中高/高危DLBCL具有高度异质性,病理细胞来源、Ki-67等在本组病例中未见显著预后意义,有待临床进一步探索。     

功能矫形前伸青春期大鼠下颌后浅层嚼肌细胞凋亡的研究

目的：研究功能矫形前伸大鼠下颌后浅层嚼肌细胞凋亡的变化规律,探讨功能矫形的肌肉改建机理。方法：选用50只5周龄Sprague-Dawley（SD）雄性大白鼠,随机分为实验组和对照组各25只。实验组大鼠戴自制上颌功能矫治嚣,引导下颌前伸,并打开咬合。利用RT-PCR方法检测两组大鼠浅层嚼肌Bcl-2和Bax基因表达情况,利用TUNEL方法检测浅层嚼肌细胞凋亡情况。结果：①Bcl-2和Bax基因表达随大鼠戴用矫治器时间的延长而升高,至第3周开始下降但仍高于对照组,但Bax的表达高于Bcl-2。Bax/Bcl-2比值随大鼠戴用矫治器时间的延长而升高,至第4周开始下降。②TUNEL实验结果显示浅层嚼肌细胞在戴用矫治器1天后,开始出现凋亡,随着时间延长而增加,至第3周达到顶峰,第4周开始下降。结论：①Bax/Bcl-2比值升高促进浅层嚼肌细胞凋亡。②功能矫形可引起浅层嚼肌细胞凋亡,导致肌肉的结构和功能发生适应性改建。     

RPN2与肝癌患者预后及对肝癌细胞生长的作用

目的:探讨核糖蛋白2(ribophorin II,RPN2)在肝细胞肝癌(HCC)组织中的表达和对HCC患者生存的影响,同时分析RPN2对肝癌HepG2细胞生长和克隆形成的作用。方法:应用免疫组化方法和HCC公共芯片数据,从蛋白和m RNA水平检测HCC组织中RPN2的表达,同时分析RPN2与HCC患者临床参数的关系及预后相关性;进一步利用MTS法和克隆形成实验在肝癌HepG2细胞中检测RPN2对细胞生长的作用。结果:98例肝癌组织中,RPN2阳性表达率88.78%,对应癌旁肝组织中,RPN2阳性表达率74.49%;癌组织中RPN2染色评分为5.80±3.15,癌旁肝组织RPN2染色评分为2.13±1.59,肝癌组织中RPN2表达显著上调(P0.001)。3个肝癌公共芯片数据(共522例肝癌)中RPN2的m RNA表达水平同样显著升高(均P0.001)。98例肝癌患者RPN2表达水平与肿瘤直径(P=0.004)、门脉侵袭(P=0.012)和TNM分期(P=0.009)相关;RPN2高表达的患者总体生存期(OS)和无复发生存期(RFS)较RPN2低表达的患者短(OS:P=0.027;RFS:P=0.036)。肝癌HepG2细胞转染RPN2小干扰RNA后,细胞生长能力显著受抑制。结论:RPN2在肝癌中表达显著升高,RPN2的表达与肝癌的恶性进展有关,RPN2显著促进肝癌细胞生长。