Localization of calmodulin and calmodulin-like protein and their functions in biomineralization in P. fucata

Calmodulin （CAM） and calmodulin-like protein （CaLP） are two proteins involved in biomineralization. Their localizations in Pinctada fucata mantle epithelia were studied by Western blot （WB） analysis of the nuclear/cytosol fraction of primary cultured P. fucata mantle cells and immunogold electron microscopy. The results showed a completely different distribution of these two proteins at the subcellular level. CaM was distributed throughout both the nucleus and cytoplasm of the mantle epithelium but CaLP was distributed only in the cytoplasm. The functions of these two proteins in biomineralization were investigated by shell regeneration. During this pro- cess, the expressions of CaM and CaLP were greatly enhanced in different organelles of the mantle epithelium. Overexpression of these two proteins and a mutant of calmodulin-like protein （M-CaLP） that lacks an extra C-terminal tail in MC3T3-E1 promoted the mRNA expression of osteopontin, a biomineralization marker for osteoblasts. All of the results indicated that CaM and CaLP have completely different distributions in the mantle epithelium and affect the biomineralization process at different levels. The extra C-terminal tail of CaLP is important for its functions in biomineralization in P. fucata.     

Cloning, Characterization, and Expression Analysis of Calreticulin from Pearl Oyster Pinctada fucata

Calreticulin is a unique calcium-binding protein with multiple functions mostly located in the sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum. A large amount of calcium is absorbed from the medium and transported to mineralization sites during biomineralization in pearl oyster. This paper describes the cloning of the full-length cDNA of calreticulin from Pinctada fucata, namely PCRT. PCRT encodes a deduced 414-amino acid protein, which includes a predicted 17- amino acid signal peptide and an endoplasmic reticulum retrieval sequence HDEL. The protein shows 63%-76% sequence identity and shares some common characteristics with calreticulins from other species. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR indicates that PCRT is ubiquitously expressed in all tissues tested with the highest expression in the hemolymph and the mantle. In situ hybridization analysis of PCRT in the mantle showed strong signals in the inner fold, the inner side of middle fold, and the inner side of outer fold of the mantle epithelium, All these results suggest PCRT might be involved in Ca^2＋ transport and storage during oyster biomineralization.     

Cloning and characterization of 37 kD laminin receptor precursor in pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata

A 1063bp cDNA clone encoding a putative 37 kD laminin receptor precursor (37 kD LRP) is isolated from the mantle tissue of pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata. The amino acid sequence predicted from the cDNA sequence is 301 residues long, with a calculated molecular mass of 33.5 kD. RT-PCR analysis shows that 37 kD LRP mRNA is especially highly expressed in the mantle while widely expressed in several tissues. In situ hybridization analysis reveales that 37 kD LRP is expressed in the outer epithelial cells of the mantle edge, suggesting its involvement in cell proliferation and secretion in P. fucata. The identification and characterization of 37 kD LRP in the pearl oyster will help us to further understand the signal transduction in the processes of mantle epithelial cell proliferation and tissue formation.     

Extraction and Purification of Matrix Protein from the Nacre of Pearl Oyster Pinctada fucata

A soluble matrix protein P14 with an apparent molecular mass of 14.5 kDa was isolated from fragmented nacre of pearl oysters （Pinctada fucata） treated with 10% NaOH solution to investigate the nacre matrix proteins and their effect on the CaCO3 crystal. The protein was characterized by gel exclusion chromatography and reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography after demineralization by 10% acetic acid. The X-ray diffraction pattern of P14 crystals indicates that P14 plays an important role in nacre biomineralization. P14 can induce aragonite formation, stimulate CaCO3 crystal formation, and accelerate aragonite precipitation. Heating of the acid insoluble nacre residue, which was named conchiolin, in 10% sodium dodecyl sulfate solution supplemented with 10% β-mercaptoethanol solution for 10-20 min at about 100℃ gave two other soluble proteins having molecular masses of 19.4 kDa and 25.0 kDa. The present study suggests that these two proteins are linked to the insoluble organic matrix by disulfide bridges because the extraction yield increases when β-mercaptoethanol is added to the medium.     

Cloning, Characterization, and Expression Analysis of Calreticulin from Pearl Oyster Pinctada fucata

Calreticulin is a unique calcium-binding protein with multiple functions mostly located in the sar-coplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum.A large amount of calcium is absorbed from the medium and transported to mineralization sites during biomineralization in pead oyster.This paper describes the cloning of the full-length cDNA of calreticulin from Pinctada fucata,namely PCRT.PCRT encodes a deduced 414-amino acid protein,which includes a predicted 17- amino acid signal peptide and an endoplasmic reticulum retrieval sequence HDEL.The protein shows 63%-76% sequence identity and shares some common characteristics with calreticulins from other species.Semi-quantitative RT-PCR indicates that PCRT is ubiquitously ex-pressed in all tissues tested with the highest expression in the hemolymph and the mantle.In situ hybridiza-tion analysis of PCRT in the mantle showed strong signals in the inner fold,the inner side of middle fold,and the inner side of outer fold of the mantle epithelium.All these results suggest PCRT might be involved in Ca2+ transport and storage during oyster biomineralization.     

Inhibition of Alkaline Phosphatase from Pearl Oyster Pinctada fucata by o-Phthalaldehyde： Involvement of Lysine and Histidine Residues at the Active Site

Alkaline phosphatase from Pinctada fucata was inactivated by o-phthalaldehyde （OPA）. The inactivation followed pseudo first-order kinetics with a second rate constant of 0.167 （mmol/L）^-1·min^-1 at pH 7.5 and 25℃. A Tsou＇s plot analysis showed that inactivation occurred upon formation of one isoindole group. The OPA-modified enzyme lost the ability to bind with the specific affinity column and the presence of substrates or competitive inhibitors protected the enzyme from inactivation. The results revealed that the OPA-reaction site was at the enzyme substrate binding site. Prior modification of the enzyme by lysine or histidine specific reagent abolished formation of the isoindole derivatives, suggesting that lysine and histidine residues were involved in the OPA-induced inactivation. Taken together, OPA inactivated the alkaline phosphatase from Pinctada fucata by cross-linking lysine and histidine residues at the active site and formed an isoindole group at the substrate binding site of the enzyme.     

合浦珠母贝幼苗的正常生长

调查珍珠养殖合浦珠母贝人工培育幼苗的管养和生长情况,认为合浦珠母贝的幼苗生长正常,不存在“贝种退化”的影响,成活率和生长率的提高,明显是由于幼苗营养方法的改良。     

H-ATPase in the plasma membrane of Arabidopsis pollen cells is involved in extracellular calmodulin-promoted pollen germination

In this paper, the role of the plasma membrane (PM) H⁺-ATPase in extracellular calmodulin (CaM)-promoted pollen germination and in tube growth of Arabidopsis thaliana was investigated. Pollen germination, pollen tube growth rate, free cytosolic Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_cyt) and Ca²⁺ channel activity in the PM of pollen cells were measured. In response to fusicoccin or CaM treatment, in vitro pollen germination and pollen tube growth rate, [Ca²⁺]_cyt and activity of a hyperpolarization-activated Ca²⁺-permeable channel increased. Sodium vanadate inhibited the promotion of these parameters by extracellular CaM. The results suggest that H⁺-ATPase may be involved in extracellular CaM-regulated pollen germination and in tube growth by modulation of the hyperpolarization-activated Ca²⁺ channel in the PM of A. thaliana pollen cells.     

二倍体及三倍体马氏珠母贝核型

二倍体马氏珠母贝为广西北海野生贝,２龄－３龄。三倍体马氏珠母贝用６－ＤＭＡＰ诱导获得,１．５龄。核型分析结果,二倍体２Ｎ＝２８,核型公式为７Ｍ＋３ＳＭ＋３ＳＴ＋１Ｔ,ＮＦ＝４８,三倍体３Ｎ＝４２,核型公式为７Ｍ＋３ＳＭ＋３ＳＴ＋１Ｔ,ＮＦ＝７２。染色体按Ｌｅｖａｎ等人的标准分类。     

模拟微重力大鼠T淋巴细胞发育异常的初步研究

对模拟空间微重力条件下大鼠T细胞发育受阻的神经免疫调节机理进行初步探究.采用流式细胞检测技术测定模拟微重力大鼠胸腺中不同发育阶段T淋巴细胞的数量变化,用ELISA法测定胸腺组织中去甲肾上腺素(NE)和内源性糖皮质激素(GC)的含量.结果表明模拟微重力模型大鼠出现明显胸腺萎缩(p<0.05),CD3⁺CD4⁺CD8^-和CD3⁺CD4^-CD8⁺T细胞数量明显减少(p<0.05);模拟微重力大鼠胸腺中NE和GC含量有升高的趋势.模拟微重力大鼠胸腺中发生了从双阳性T细胞向单阳性T细胞的发育阻滞,这种异常可能与神经内分泌免疫调控相关.     

The expression of vasa gene during zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) oogenesis

vasa gene expression pattern during oogenesis of zebrafish was examined usingin situ hybridization and fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR. During zebrafish oogensis,vasa mRNA is expressed strongly and uniformly distributed in the cytoplasm in stage II oocytes, followed by a distribution among vacuome in stage III. Later in stage IV and V,vasa mRNA is enriched at the cortex and finally localized at the cortex. The fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR shows that the quantity ofvasa mRNA decreases from stage II to stage III, but remains relatively invariable from stage III to stage V. The observed differences invasa mRNA expression in the different stages of zebrafish oogenesis suggest thatvasa gene plays an important role during oogenesis. Foundation item: Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30370744, 30150005) Biography: XIANG Fang (1979-), male, Master candidate, research direction: molecular development of animals.     

苦荞CCT基因家族生物信息学及表达分析

CCT转录因子在调控植物花期、生长发育及抗非生物胁迫等方面发挥着重要的功能。本研究以拟南芥AtCCT基因家族为参考序列,利用本地BLAST并结合保守结构域等生物信息学工具,筛选出苦荞FtCCT基因家族成员,并对其理化性质、染色体分布、基因结构、系统进化及表达水平进行分析。结果显示:从苦荞中共鉴定出35个FtCCT基因,含1-8个内含子;编码蛋白有117-753个氨基酸残基,等电点为4.96-9.51,均为亲水性蛋白。染色体定位分析表明,这些基因在8条染色体上均有分布。苦荞FtCCT基因家族含有10个保守基序和5个保守结构域,且都含有CCT保守结构域。系统进化分析表明,苦荞的FtCCT基因家族与拟南芥一样可分为3个亚家族,其中CMF亚家族的成员最多。35个FtCCT基因在苦荞根、茎、叶和花中的表达水平具有差异性,在叶和花中具有高表达量的成员较多,只有少数的成员在根和茎中高表达。本研究为进一步解析CCT基因调控苦荞花期及生长发育奠定基础。     

Orientation of the peptide formation of N-phosphoryl amino acids in solution

The peptide formation of N-phosphoryl amino acids with amino acids proceeds in aqueous solution without any coupling reagents. After being separated in sephadex gel column, the phosphoryl dipeptides were analyzed by the electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESIMS/ MS). The result demonstrates that phosphoryl dipeptides were detected in all the reaction systems. It is found that the formation of N-phosphoryl dipeptides is oriented: the N-terminal amino acid residues of the N-phosphoryl dipeptides are from N-phosphoryl amino acids, and the peptide elongation happened at the C-terminal. Only a-dipeptide, no β-dipeptide, is formed in the N-phosphoryl dipeptides, showing that a-carboxylic group is activated selectively by N-phosphorylation. Theoretical calculation shows that the peptide formation of N-phosphoryl amino acids might happen through a penta-coordinate carboxylic-phosphoric intermediate in solution. These results might give some clues to the study on the origin of proteins and protein biosynthesis.     

Effects of extracellular calmodulin on pollen germination and tube growth

The effects of calmoddin (CaM) antagonist W7-agarose, anti-CaM serum and exogenous purified CaM on pollen germination and tube growth ofForsythia suspensu were studied. The pollen germination and tube growth were inhibited or completely stopped by CaM antagonist W7-agarose. The addition of exogenous purified CaM stimulated pollen germination and tube growth, whereas the same amount of bovine serum albumin (BSA) had no effect. The inhibitory effects caused by W7-agarose and anti-CaM serum could be reversed completely by the addition of exogenous purified CaM. The tube growth of germinated pollen was also inhibited or completely stopped by W7-agarose. The results suggest that endogenous extracellular CaM initiates pollen germination and tube growth, whereas exogenous CaM enhances the above processes.