Genome sequence and analysis of the tuber crop potato

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is the world's most important non-grain food crop and is central to global food security. It is clonally propagated, highly heterozygous, autotetraploid, and suffers acute inbreeding depression. Here we use a homozygous doubled-monoploid potato clone to sequence and assemble 86% of the 844-megabase genome. We predict 39,031 protein-coding genes and present evidence for at least two genome duplication events indicative of a palaeopolyploid origin. As the first genome sequence of an asterid, the potato genome reveals 2,642 genes specific to this large angiosperm clade. We also sequenced a heterozygous diploid clone and show that gene presence/absence variants and other potentially deleterious mutations occur frequently and are a likely cause of inbreeding depression. Gene family expansion, tissue-specific expression and recruitment of genes to new pathways contributed to the evolution of tuber development. The potato genome sequence provides a platform for genetic improvement of this vital crop.     

碳酸盐建造天然储层及其在地质历史中的演化

流体分布特征及其在储层中的运移取决于岩石的储集性和层序内部结构。块状储层一般是礁或浮游生物建造,部分属地台底栖生物建造,其中流体可进行垂向和横向运移;层状储层是典型的底栖生物建造,具不同渗透性的岩层成互层状,以横向运移为主;岩性圈闭储层产于未补偿拗陷的沥青质-硅质、粘土-碳酸盐建造。层状储层遍及整个显生宙,但其相型、孔隙空间的组成及特征均有所改变。礁块储层的意义在地质历史中随其厚度及非均质性的增加均有所增长。在中生代末的浮游生物建造中常有块状储层。岩性圈闭储层自泥盆纪以来零星出现于较年轻的沉积中。     

Development of the new Pacinian corpuscles. Studies on the foreign innervation of mesentery

Zusammenfassung Nach Implantation des proximalen Stumpfes eines afferenten, somatosensiblen Nerven in das Mesenterium einer Katze bilden sich um die auswachsenden Nervenfasern nach 3–5 Monaten neue, aber dem Ort entsprechende Rezeptoren aus, im Fall des Katzenmesenteriums also Pacinische Körperchen, Rezeptoren, die normalerweise nicht im Gebiet des implantierten Nerven vorkommen.     

Specific structural features of LnZrOx (Ln: La, Sm) mixed oxides prepared by different methods

LnZrOx(Ln: La, Sm) mixed oxides of Ln: Zr = 1 were prepared by different methods(complex polymerized method, sorption of cations on starch from aqueous salt solution and conventional co-precipitation with additional redispersion of precipitate by ultra sound) and calcined at 700–1300 °C. Their specific structural features and changes were studied and discussed. Various characterization methods were used such as X-ray diffraction,Electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, X-Ray absorption fine structure and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.The formation of pyrochlore structure occurred at 1100–1300 °C from fluorite-like pseudocubic phase ZrO_2 regardless the method of preparation. This phase had a block-like structure consisting of ZrO_2 nanocrystals stabilized by Ln cations and residual anions such as hydroxyls and carbonates. The desorption of such anions with heating already started at 900 °C and lead to local changes of Zr cations coordination to octahedral and to the formation of pyrochlore nanodomains inclusions within fluorite-like phase. The increased cation mobility and further elimination of anions caused by further heating was accompanied by the formation of bulk pyrochlore phase at 1100–1300 °C. Even after calcination at 1300 °C the local microheterogeneity as well as defects were identified at domains boundaries or sintered microstructure. These specific features of the formed pyrochlores depend on the method of preparation.     

Mitochondrial permeability transition in cardiac ischemia–reperfusion: whether cyclophilin D is a viable target for cardioprotection?

Growing number of studies provide strong evidence that the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (PTP), a non-selective channel in the inner mitochondrial membrane, is involved in the pathogenesis of cardiac ischemia–reperfusion and can be targeted to attenuate reperfusion-induced damage to the myocardium. The molecular identity of the PTP remains unknown and cyclophilin D is the only protein commonly accepted as a major regulator of the PTP opening. Therefore, cyclophilin D is an attractive target for pharmacological or genetic therapies to reduce ischemia–reperfusion injury in various animal models and humans. Most animal studies demonstrated cardioprotective effects of PTP inhibition; however, a recent large clinical trial conducted by international groups demonstrated that cyclosporine A, a cyclophilin D inhibitor, failed to protect the heart in patients with myocardial infarction. These studies, among others, raise the question of whether cyclophilin D, which plays an important physiological role in the regulation of cell metabolism and mitochondrial bioenergetics, is a viable target for cardioprotection. This review discusses previous studies to provide comprehensive information on the physiological role of cyclophilin D as well as PTP opening in the cell that can be taken into consideration for the development of new PTP inhibitors.     

Actin-dependent organelle movement in squid axoplasm.

Studies of organelle movement in axoplasm extruded from the squid giant axon have led to the basic discoveries of microtubule-dependent organelle motility and the characterization of the microtubule-based motor proteins kinesin and cytoplasmic dynein. Rapid organelle movement in higher animal cells, especially in neurons, is considered to be microtubule-based. The role of actin filaments, which are also abundant in axonal cytoplasm, has remained unclear. The inhibition of organelle movement in axoplasm by actin-binding proteins such as DNase I, gelsolin and synapsin I has been attributed to their ability to disorganize the microtubule domains where most of the actin-filaments are located. Here we provide evidence of a new type of organelle movement in squid axoplasm which is independent of both microtubules and microtubule-based motors. This movement is ATP-dependent, unidirectional, actin-dependent, and probably generated by a myosin-like motor. These results demonstrate that an actomyosin-like mechanism can be directly involved in the generation of rapid organelle transport in nerve cells.