Cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB) participates in the heat-inducible expression of humanhsp90β gene

Human heat shock protein 90b gene ( hsp90b ) is a constitutively expressed heat shock gene existing in most of cell types tested that can be further induced by heat shock. Chloramphenical acetyl transferase (CAT) reporter plasmids driven by different regulatory fragments of hsp90b gene were constructed and transfected into Jurkat cells to explore the role of a cAMP response element (CRE) in the upstream of the gene. Results show that, in comparison with the wild type construct, a severe reduction (~2/3) in the increased folds of promoter activity induced by heat shock at 42℃ for 1 h was observed in a construct with CRE-containing fragment (-173/-91bp) deleted. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) showed that phosphorylated CRE-binding protein (CREB) in the nuclear extract of heat shocked Jurkat cells is specifically bound to the fragment. Additionally, both of the phosphorylation on CREB and the activity of protein kinase A (PKA) were found in Jurkat cells to be enhanced with extending time of heat shock treatment. Our results indicate that in addition to the intronic HSE/HSF pathway, phosphorylated CREB also participates in the heat shock induced expression of human hsp90b gene via its interaction with CRE which may be regulated by PKA-sig- naling pathway.     

Hydrothermal plume anomalies along the Central Indian Ridge

Water column turbidity and temperature were investigated along the Central Indian Ridge （CIR） from 25°19＇S to 23°48＇S during a December 2005 cruise on board Chinese PJV DayangYihao. Measurements were made using NOAA＇s MAPR （Miniature Autonomous Plume Recorder） sensors during CTD casts, TV grabber operations, and tow-yo profiles, yielding the following results on hydrothermal plume anomalies： （1） Strong hydrothermal turbidity and temperature anomalies were recorded over the previously discovered Kairei （25°19.2＇S, 70°02.4＇E） and Edmond （23°52.7＇S, 69°35.8＇E） vent fields, with the plume anomalies concentrated at depths of 2150--2300 m and 2700--2900 m, respectively. The maximum height of the turbidity anomalies near the Kairei vent field recorded in December 2005 was slightly below 2100 m, which is consistent with the plume depth measured in June 2001, indicating that the Kairei plume may have maintained its buoyancy flux in the intervening 4.5 years. （2） The water column beneath the Kairei plume has background anomalies of about 0.005ANTU, whereas no such background turbidity anomalies were observed below the Edmond hydrothermal plume. （3） No visible turbidity anomalies were detected from 24°42＇S to 24°12＇S including the Knorr Seamount. Thus 24°12＇S marks the southern end of the hydrothermal plume. （4） Significant turbidity anomalies were observed at four individual sections from 24°12＇S to 23°56＇S at the depth of 2500--3000 m along the eastern rift valley wall. Whether the individual sections of anomalies are connected is still unknown due to the absence of data at the intervening gaps. If the four sections are connected with each other and are linked to the Edmond vent field farther to the north, the total along-axis length of the plume anomaly would be more than 37 km, implying a plume incidence value Ph of 0.38, greater than the predicted Ph of 0.21 --0.25 based on the spreading rate of the Central Indian Ridge.     

Induction of Apoptosis in Protoplasts and Suspension Cultures of Plant Cells

IntroductionApoptosisisacellularautodestructionprocessfortheactiveeliminationofunwantedcells[1].Apoptosishasbeenobservedinmanyanimaltissuesandwasfoundtoplayavitalroleinnormaldevelopment,maintenanceofhomeostasisandpathologicalprocessesassociatedwithvariousdiseases[2,3].Thereismoreandmoreevidenceshowingthatapoptosisalsooccursinhigherplants[4].However,comparedwiththeresearchinanimals,thestudyofapoptosisinplantsisstillinitsinitialstage.Ourstudyinvestigatestheapoptosis-inducingeffectsofsomeabiotic…     

Construction of a cell-free system using extracts from apoptotic plant cells

To study the mechanism of plant apoptosis, a cell-free system has been developed using the extracts prepared from tobacco cells that become committed to apoptosis induced by heat shock treatment. Tobacco nuclei have displayed such characteristics of apoptosis as nucleus condensation and formation of apoptotic bodies during incubation in this system. Besides, these morphological changes are accompanied by DNA fragmentation, which is detected by DNA laddering and comet assay. Furthermore, both morphological changes and DNA cleavage are not affected by pepstatin A, leupeptin or EDTA, but are partly inhibited by iodoacetamide. This profile is consistent with Caspases, which are vital to animal apoptosis, suggesting that cysteine-protease like Caspases may be involved in apoptosis in plants.     

Retrogression characteristics of a novel Al-Cu-Li-X alloy

Retrogression characteristics of a novel Al-Cu-Li-X alloy of 2A97 were studied by hardness testing, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The retrogression treatments of aging at 155℃ for 12 h followed by aging at 220 and 240℃ were chosen by determining the peak temperature of δ' precipitation at 230℃ by DSC. The retrogression treatment at a lower temperature of 220℃ causes the precipitation and coarsening of δ' and θ' phases in the matrix, resulting in an increase in hardness. Retrogression at a higher temperature of 240℃ causes the dissolution and coarsening of δ' and θ' precipitates in the matrix and on the grain boundaries, resulting in a decrease in hardness. Microstructural changes upon retrogression including the appearance of equilibrium precipitates such as T₁, T₂, δ', and θ are confirmed by the selected area electron diffraction and the bright and dark field image analysis.     

Discovery of C<Subscript>4</Subscript> species at high altitude in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Plant specimens are collected from the areas between latitude 27°?2′N and 40°57′N, and longitude 88°93°E and 103°24′E, with an altitudinal range from 2210 to 5050 m above the sea level in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The stable carbon isotope analysis indicates that two of Chenopodiaceae and six of Poaceae in the samples are C4 plants. Four of the C4 plants are found in 11 spots with altitudes above 3800 m, and Pennisetum centrasiaticum, Arundinella yunnanensis and Orinus thoroldii are present in six spots above 4000 m, even up to 4520 m. At low CO2 partial pressure, that sufficient energy of high light improving C4 plant's tolerance of low temperature and precipitations concentrating in growing season probably are favorable for C4 plants growing at high altitude in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.     

A convenient preparation of enantiopure 1,1′-bi-2-naphtholsvia an inclusion complexation in the solid state

Inclusion reaction of racemic 1,1′-bi-2-naphthol and (S)-proline was examined under the solid state and the solid-liquid conditions. The results indicated that a solid mixture of racemic 1,1′-bi-2-naphthol and (S)-proline in a 1∶1 molar ratio was kept at 50–80 °C for 3–4 h, followed by treatment with benzene to give an insoluble solid and a benzene solution, from which (S)-(−)- and (R)-(+)-1,1′-bi-2-naphthols of a modest level of optical purity were obtained. After “kinetic” crystallization, both essentially enantiopure isomers were provided in 15%–35% overall yields, respectively. Foundation item: Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (29972033) and the Key Science Research Foundation of Hubei Province (891P1305) Biography: Shan Zi-xing (1945-), male, Professor, research direction: asymmetric synthesis.     

云芝多糖影响人宫颈癌HeLa细胞的增殖和凋亡的研究

研究云芝多糖(CVP)对宫颈癌HeLa细胞系的增殖、凋亡及产生途径。采用MTT法测定了CVP对HeLa细胞增殖的体外抑制作用,流式细胞仪检测凋亡细胞的比例,qRT-PCR检测P53、Bcl-2和Fas基因在细胞处理前后表达量的变化。结果显示：CVP以时间和剂量依赖的方式抑制HeLa细胞的生长。作用时间在24 h,48 h和72 h时对细胞抑制的抑制率分别为92%、95%和98%;当CVP浓度达到1.25 mg/L时,作用24 h、48 h和72 h时的IC50值分别为0.2507±0.01 mg/L、0.2720±0.04 mg/L和0.2736±0.03 mg/L;当CVP浓度为0.5 mg/L时,作用24 h和48 h后细胞凋亡率分别为26.36% 和63.81%;CVP处理HeLa细胞24 h后,Bcl-2基因的表达被显著下调。研究表明：CVP促进HeLa细胞凋亡,其作用机制与Bcl-2基因的表达下调有关,推测是通过Bcl-2介导的途径促进细胞凋亡。图4表1参30     

Expression of human cytomegalovirus DNA polymerase in insect cells using baculovirus expression system: Purification and biochemical characterizations

Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA polymerase gene was overexpressed in insect cells using the baculovirus transfer system. A6. 2 kb HCMV Rsr II-EcoRI DNA fragment with intact HCMV pol gene coding sequence was engineered into NheI site of vector pBlueBac under the control of polyhedrin promoter of Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV). Recombinant AcNPV carried HCMV pol gene was generated by cotransfection of Spodoptera frugiperta cell (SF21) with AcNPV DNA and baculovirus transfer vector with HCMV pol gene. Infection of SF21 cell with recombinant virus lead to the expression of 140 kD peptide of HCMV specific DNA polymerase at the level approximately 2 mg per 10⁸ cells. The polypeptide was purified from the infected SF21 cells by a series of column chromatography to homogeneity. The purified enzyme had a molecular weight of 140 kD and reacted with antiserum specific for HCMV DNA polymerase. It exhibited both 3′–5′ and 5′–3′ exonuclease activities. This enzyme is also sensitive to phosphono acetate. Ye Linbai: born in Feb. 1948. Professor. Current research interest is in Vitology and Molecular Biology Supported by Public Health Service Grants CA21773, CA15036 and AI12717 from the National Institutes of Health     

Surface recrystallization of a single crystal nickel-base superalloy

The recrystallization behavior of a single crystal nickel-base superalloy was investigated by shot peening and subsequent annealing. Two kinds of recrystallization microstructures, which are intensively dependent on the annealing temperature, are shown in the nickel-base superalloy after shot peening and subsequent annealing. Surface recrystallized grains are obtained when the superalloy is annealed at solution treatment temperature. The nucleation of recrystallization originates from the dendritic core, where rapid dissolution of γ' particles occurs. Cellular recrystallization is observed after annealing at lower temperatures. Cellular structures induced by high diffusivity of the moving boundary and more γ' particles dissolution led by residual stress are developed from the surface region. Recrystallized kinetics of the shot-peened alloy annealed at 1050℃ accords with the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov equation. The low Avrami exponent is caused by the inhomogeneous distribution of stored energy, the decreasing of stored energy during recovery, and the strong resistance of boundary migration by γ' particles.     

Paleoproductivity records for the past 30 ka in the southern Nansha area, the South China Sea

This note presents productivity variations for the past 30 ka in the southern Nansha area, the South China Sea, from the gravity core 17962 (7°11′N, 112° 5′E, core length: 8 m, water depth: 1 968 m). Estimated surface productivity demonstrates that at the last glacial maximum the productivity was about 1.6 times as much as that in the Holocene, and the change may be ascribed to an increase of terrestrial nutrients as sea level lowered in the glacial time.     

The changes in telomerase activity and telomere length in HeLa cells undergoing apoptosis induced by sodium butyrate

The changes in telomerase activity and telomere length during apoptosis in HeLa cells as induced by sodium butyrate (SB) have been studied. After a 48 h SB treatment, HeLa cells demonstrated characteristic apoptotic hallmarks including chromatin condensation, formation of apoptotic bodies and DNA Laddering which were caused by the cleavage and degradation of DNA between nucleosomes. There were no significant changes in telomerase activity of apoptotic cells, while the telomere length shortened markedly. In the meanwhile, cells became more susceptible to apoptotic stimuli and telomere became more vulnerable to degradation after telomerase activity was inhibited. All the results suggest that the apoptosis induced by SB is closely related to telomere shortening, while telomerase enhances resistance of HeLa cells to apoptotic stimuli by protecting telomere.     

Cloning,sequencing and structural analysis of a pea cDNA encoding EF-1α

A cDNA library with the capacity of 2.0 × 10⁶ was constructed using mRNA extracted, from gibberellic acid (GA)-treated G2 pea seedlings and a 1.6 kb cDNA with 100 nucleotides of 5′ non-coding region and 223 nucleotides of 3′ non-coding region was obtained by random screening. The DNA fragment contains an open reading frame of 1 344 nucleotides and encodes 447 amino acids. Sequence analysis of DNA and deduced polypeptide demonstrated that it encoded for a pea elongation factor 1-alpha (EF-1α). The functional domains of EF-1α is well conserved and EF-1α can be a good candidate for studying molecular evolution.     

Hydrothermal growth of Ni-based coatings on copper substrates

Ni-based coatings were deposited on copper substrates by a hydrothermal approach. The results showed that a Ni-based cellular microstructure was bridged by "fiber-like" products. A high microhardness of Hv 856 was achieved after 400℃ heat treatment, which is nine times that of copper substrates (Hv 95). Nucleation, growth, and fusion of Ni atoms along the linear direction, induced by a linear-type citrate-metal structural "molecule template", led to in-situ growth of Ni-based fibers between cellular microspheres. After 400℃ heat treatment, the precipitation of NiP and Ni₃P hard phases contributed to the high microhardness of Ni-based coatings.     

A new type of ice formation zone found in the Himalayas

Ice formation was studied on the Dasuopu Glacier located in the Mount Xixabangma (28°23′ N, 85°43'E) in the Himalayas. Snow pits and shallow ice cores are analyzed to reveal ice formation process. The results show that the ice formation process, or in other words, the process of densitifica-tion, on the col (7 000 m a.s. I.) of the Dasuopu Glacier is a stable, slow and gradual process. The snow-ice transformation on the glacier is estimated to be 30-40 m below the surface. The temperature on the Dasuopu Glacier is very low (～ - 14℃ at 10 m) and similar to that in polar type ice cap. We, therefore, speculate that the process of snow-ice transformation is undertaken under snow pressure, and that there is a percolation zone on the Dasuopu Glacier. The high altitude of the col and monsoon snow fall accompnied by heavy cloud and high albedo favorite the percolation zone formation.     

Precipitation variability in central Himalayas and its relation to Northern Hemisphere temperature

Agriculture, industry and hydroelectric power in south Asia are heavily dependent on the performance of the summer (June to September) monsoon rainfall, which provides 75—90% of the annual rainwater over most parts of the area. A weak monsoon year generally corresponds to low crop yields. And strong monsoon usually produces abundant crops, although too much rainfall may produce devastating floods. However, modeling efforts to forecast the monsoon have met with only moderate success[1]. Prev…     

PI3K/Akt signaling pathway involved in regulation of T lymphocyte activation and apoptosis mediated by CD3ε

To study the expression and kinase activity of phosphatidylinositol 3′ -kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (PKB or Akt) during activation and apoptosis of human Jurkat T lymphocytes (TJK) with stable expression of CD8ε chimera fused human CD8α extracellular and transmembrane domains to intracellular domain of mouse CD3ε, Western blot, kinase activities detection and immunoprecipitation were carried out. It was shown that Jurkat cells with expression of wild type chimera CD8ε died by apoptosis after continuous stimulation of anti-CD8 monoclonal antibody. The expressions of PI3K and Akt, and the kinase activity of Akt remarkably increased during the process. However, this phenomenon did not occur in the Jurkat cells (T1JK) with expression of the mutant of CD8ε chimera (Y170F), suggesting that PI3K/Akt signaling pathway is involved in activation and apoptosis of T lymphocyte mediated by CD3ε.     

Sequence analysis of mRNA polyadenylation signals of rice genes

Most eukaryotic mRNAs receive a poly (A) tail at their 3′-ends through a process involving the cleavage of pre-mRNA and the concomitant polymerization of adenosine residues to the cleaved RNA end[1,2]. As un- translated regions (UTRs) may contain importa…     

Identification of thermal effects involved in DSC experiment on Al-Cu-Mg-Ag alloys with high Cu:Mg ratio

Precipitation reactions in the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) of an Al-Cu-Mg-Ag alloy were identified by analyzing the results from hardness test, electrical conductivity test, and transmission electron microscope (TEM) examination. It is discovered that thermal effects can be identified through selected area electron diffraction and bright-field images. The reaction peaks around 171, 231, and 276℃ can be attributed to a structural rearrangement of coherent zones, to the precipitation of Ω phases, and to the precipitation of Ω and θ' and possible combination with the transition of θ'→θ, respectively. In addition, the hardness and electrical conductivity of the alloy change proportionately with the progression of reactions during the heating process. This phenomenon can be attributed to the evolution of the microstructure.