Chromosome evolution in the owl monkey,Aotus

We have reported nine distinct karyotypes for Aotus, of four pelagic phenotypes, and suggest that this single species has undergone extensive subspeciation. We reconstruct the mechanism of chromosomal evolution and propose a hypothesis about the events of subspeciation in Aotus. We speculate that isolated groups of ancestral individuals living in several confined areas have separately accumulated a fusion or inversion pair as a result of inbreeding. A subsequent reassociation of descendants from these individuals led to the formation of offspring with mixtures of fusion or inversion pairs in their complements. They, in turn, radiated into different ecological niches accompanied by adaptive genetic changes and eventually gave rise to the present forms of Aotus distinguishable by their karyotypes, but not easily recognizable by ordinary taxonomic criteria.     

Mesangial cells of lupus-prone mice are sensitive to chemokine production

Infectious antigens may be triggers for the exacerbation of systemic lupus erythematosus. The underlying mechanism causing acceleration and exacerbation of lupus nephritis (LN) is largely unknown. Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is capable of inducing an accelerated model of LN in NZB/W mice, featuring diffuse proliferation of glomerular resident cells. We hypothesized that mesangial cells (MCs) from LN subjects are more responsive to LPS than normal subjects. Cultured primary NZB/W and DBA/W (nonautoimmune disease-prone strain with MHC class II molecules identical to those of NZB/W) MCs were used. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and osteopontin (OPN) expressions either in the baseline (normal culture) condition or in the presence of LPS were evaluated by real-time PCR, ELISA, or western blot analysis. NF-κB was detected by ELISA, electrophoresis mobility-shift assay, and immunofluorescence. First, either in the baseline condition or in the presence of LPS, NZB/W MCs produced significantly higher levels of MCP-1 and OPN than the DBA/W MC controls. Second, NZB/W MCs expressed significantly higher levels of Toll-like receptor 4, myeloid differentiation factor 88, and NF-κB than the DBA/W MC controls, both receiving exactly the same LPS treatment. In conclusion, NZB/W MCs are significantly more sensitive than their normal control DBA/W MCs in producing both MCP-1 and OPN. With LPS treatment, the significantly elevated levels of both chemokines produced by NZB/W MCs are more likely due to a significantly greater activation of the Toll-like receptor 4-myeloid differentiation factor 88-associated NF-κB pathway. The observed abnormal molecular events provide an intrarenal pathogenic pathway involved in an accelerated type of LN, which is potentially infection triggered.     

胆碱脱氢酶的动力学性质

本文对增溶胆碱脱氢酶的稳态初速度及产物抑制动力学做了。底物胆碱和ＰＭＳ的相互影响：变化一个底物的浓度,另一个底物的Ｋｍ及Ｖｍａｘ均变化。该酶的产物三甲胺 地 制表现为对底物胆碱非竞争性而地ＰＭＳ竞争性,在胆碱饱和的情况下,三甲胺乙醛对酶的抑制仍表现为对ＰＭＳ竞争性。这些结果表明增溶胆碱脱氢酶的催化机制搂双底物双产物乒乓机制。１－ＰＣ与９－ＡＣ对增溶胆碱脱氢酶均有抑制作用,且均为混和型抑制,Ｋ１分别     

Gene expression profiling of human diseases by serial analysis of gene expression

Until recently, the approach to understanding the molecular basis of complex syndromes such as cancer, coronary artery disease, and diabetes was to study the behavior of individual genes. However, it is generally recognized that expression of a number of genes is coordinated both spatially and temporally and that this coordination changes during the development and progression of diseases. Newly developed functional genomic approaches, such as serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) and DNA microarrays have enabled researchers to determine the expression pattern of thousands of genes simultaneously. One attractive feature of SAGE compared to microarrays is its ability to quantify gene expression without prior sequence information or information about genes that are thought to be expressed. SAGE has been successfully applied to the gene expression profiling of a number of human diseases. In this review, we will first discuss SAGE technique and contrast it to microarray. We will then highlight new biological insights that have emerged from its application to the study of human diseases.     

耐高温α-淀粉酶基因在马铃薯中的表达

我们将从地衣芽孢杆菌(Bacilluslicheniformis)克隆的约1．68kb的耐高温α-淀粉酶基因构建成表达载体,并转入根癌农杆菌。以马铃薯栽培品种“杂交荷兰7号”块茎圆盘为外植体,按本实验室建立起的再生实验系统[9]及杨美珠等的方法[8]进行转化。采取共培养、芽的诱导、芽的选择再生三步方法获得抗性芽。将抗性芽通过先诱导生根壮苗,再进行卡那霉素筛选,最后再诱导生根的方法得到可能的转基因植株。 对部分可能的转基因植株按改进的王广立等的PCR简单快速鉴定转基因植物的方法[12]进行检测,株号102001、102607、110402均可见到特异性片段的存在。参照张振清[13]及王福荣等[14]的方法对这些植株进行耐高温α—淀粉酶活力测定,这些植株具有相对较强的耐高温α—淀粉酶活性。实验结果表明,耐高温α—淀粉酶基因可能已转入上述植物基因组中,并获表达。     

豌豆细胞核仁中U3 snoRNA的分布和转运

rRNA前体剪切是发生在核仁中重要生物学事件。U3 snoRNA作为rRNA的一个剪切因子被认为是rRNA前体剪切第一步,即5′ETS剪切所必需的,鉴定U3能够为确定rRNA前体剪切位点和剪切产物转运提供间接证据。,本文利用原位杂交技术研究了豌豆（Pisum sativum L.)核仁中U3 snoRNA的分布和转运。结果表明,U3 snoRNA分布在致密纤维组分（dense fibrillar component,DFC)和颗粒组分（granular component,GC)中,在纤维中心（fibrillar center,FC)没有分布 ,当用放线菌素D（actinomycin,D,AMD)处理豌豆根端分生细胞时,rDNA转录受到抑制,标记信号减弱,随着AMD处理时间的延长,标记信号逐渐变弱并出现在DFC远轴区域和GC区域。本文结果提示,rRNA前体剪切发生在DFC和GC区域,剪切产物从围绕FC的区域向周边转运。