Electrolyte transport in the seminiferous tubules of the rat studied by the stopped-flow microperfusion technique

Zusammenfassung Mit Hilfe der «stopped-flow»-Mikroperfusionstechnik wurden am Samenkanälchen Elektrolyttransportprozesse untersucht. Es wurde gefunden, dass die Kanälchen ein kaliumreiches Primärsekret bilden. Dieses unterscheidet sich in seiner Zusammensetzung von dem Sekret, das man gewöhnlich unter ungestörten Fliessbedingungen findet.

---

---

This project was supported by the Rural Bank of Australia. One of us (R.D.H.) thanks the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia for the award of a B.Sc. (med.) studentship for 1970.     

Intragenic amplification and divergence in the mouse alpha-fetoprotein gene

The DNA sequences of the 14 exon junctions in the murine alpha-fetoprotein gene were determined using cloned genomic DNA. When these exons were examined with respect to the polypeptide segments they encoded, a direct correspondence between a threefold repeat of four exons and three protein domains was observed. Nucleotide sequence comparisons among the four exons of each domain were used to deduce the likely structure of the primordial domain, and the order and mechanism of its triplication to form the tripartite ancestral gene from which both alpha-fetoprotein and serum albumin arose. Sequence homologies among the four exons that constitute a single domain also suggest that they were derived, at least in part, from a common sequence which underwent successive amplification and divergence.     

Structural mechanism for sterol sensing and transport by OSBP-related proteins

The oxysterol-binding-protein (OSBP)-related proteins (ORPs) are conserved from yeast to humans, and are implicated in the regulation of sterol homeostasis and in signal transduction pathways. Here we report the structure of the full-length yeast ORP Osh4 (also known as Kes1) at 1.5-1.9 A resolution in complexes with ergosterol, cholesterol, and 7-, 20- and 25-hydroxycholesterol. We find that a single sterol molecule binds within a hydrophobic tunnel in a manner consistent with a transport function for ORPs. The entrance is blocked by a flexible amino-terminal lid and surrounded by basic residues that are critical for Osh4 function. The structure of the open state of a lid-truncated form of Osh4 was determined at 2.5 A resolution. Structural analysis and limited proteolysis show that sterol binding closes the lid and stabilizes a conformation favouring transport across aqueous barriers and signal transmission. The structure of Osh4 in the absence of ligand exposes potential phospholipid-binding sites that are positioned for membrane docking and sterol exchange. On the basis of these observations, we propose a model in which sterol and membrane binding promote reciprocal conformational changes that facilitate a sterol transfer and signalling cycle.     

Analysis of the DNA sequence and duplication history of human chromosome 15

Here we present a finished sequence of human chromosome 15, together with a high-quality gene catalogue. As chromosome 15 is one of seven human chromosomes with a high rate of segmental duplication, we have carried out a detailed analysis of the duplication structure of the chromosome. Segmental duplications in chromosome 15 are largely clustered in two regions, on proximal and distal 15q; the proximal region is notable because recombination among the segmental duplications can result in deletions causing Prader-Willi and Angelman syndromes. Sequence analysis shows that the proximal and distal regions of 15q share extensive ancient similarity. Using a simple approach, we have been able to reconstruct many of the events by which the current duplication structure arose. We find that most of the intrachromosomal duplications seem to share a common ancestry. Finally, we demonstrate that some remaining gaps in the genome sequence are probably due to structural polymorphisms between haplotypes; this may explain a significant fraction of the gaps remaining in the human genome.     

基于Workbench的防辐射挖掘机驾驶舱支座的有限元分析

增加了屏蔽层的防辐射驾驶舱较之原来驾驶舱增重了5.5 t,有必要对其支座的强度进行分析与校核.本文应用ANSYS Workbench对防辐射挖掘机驾驶舱支座进行有限元分析,得到其应变和应力分布情况;采取支撑板和回转平台底板加厚等措施对驾驶舱支座进行结构优化.最后对挖掘机回转平台进行模态分析,得出回转平台前十阶的固有频率和振型.模态分析为支撑座的强度设计,减少驾驶舱的振动提供了理论依据.     

Cloning of a representative genomic library of the human X chromosome after sorting by flow cytometry

A library of 50,000 recombinants representative of the human X chromosome has been constructed. Human X chromosomes were physically separated using a fluorescence-activated cell sorter. The DNA was purified from the chromosomes, digested to completion with the restriction enzyme EcoRI and cloned into the phage lambda gtWES.lambda B. The X-derived nature of the recombinants was confirmed by hybridization to rodent/human cell line DNA containing only the human X chromosome. Such libraries will be particularly useful for the investigation of genetic diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, where the basic defect has not been elucidated, and of neoplasia, where several specific chromosomal anomalies, particularly for the leukaemias, have been identified.