Tilting Ratchet肌动蛋白双足运动模型的研究

针对肌动蛋白两足交替行走的事实提出TTilting ratchet双足运动模型，并对其运动轨道进行了数学模拟．从而说明所提出的模型能够清楚的描述这种交替行走的运动机制，表明了模型的可行性和有效性．同时还对这种模型中的粒子运动速度和系统效率进行了研究，给出了一些数值模拟结果．     

Impact of nuclear actin on the prophase chromosome construction of Physarum polycephalum

A cell-free system efficiently promoting mitosis has been developed using the precise natural synchronous plasmodium of Physarum polycephalum. The content changes of nuclear cyclin B were exploited to represent the prophase process of Physarum polycephalum. The possible function of nuclear actin on chromosome construction was investigated by detecting the content changes of nuclear cyclin B in the late G2 phase nuclei treated with cytochalasin B and incubated in the cell-free system. Our results showed that nuclear actin plays an important role in the process of the chromosome construction.     

Icariin suppresses bone resorption activity of rabbit osteoclasts in vitro

The effect of icariin on the bone resorption activity of rabbit osteoclasts is assessed in vitro. Osteoclasts were isolated from Japanese white rabbits and cultured on plates with a sterilized bone slice in each well. After treatment with icariin at various concentrations, the bone resorption activity of osteoclasts was evaluated by examining pit areas, superoxide anion (·O2-) generation, size and number of actin rings and intracellular calcium concentration [Ca2 ]i. As revealed by these data, icariin elicited continuous decline of [Ca2 ]i, making actin ring constricted and ·O2- generation decreased. These events resulted in smaller and fewer pits which indicate suppressed bone resorption activity of rabbit osteoclasts by icariin.     

Molecular mechanisms of phagocytic uptake in mammalian cells

Phagocytosis is a highly conserved, complex process that has evolved to counter the constant threat posed by pathogens, effete cells and debris. Classically defined as a mechanism for internalising and destroying particles greater than 0.5 mum in size, it is a receptor-mediated, actin-driven process. The best-studied phagocytic receptors are the opsono-receptors, FcgammaR and CR3. Phagocytic uptake involves actin dynamics including polymerisation, bundling, contraction, severing and depolymerisation of actin filaments. Recent evidence points to the importance of membrane remodelling during phagocytosis, both in terms of changes in lipid composition and delivery of new membrane to the sites of particle binding. Here we review the molecular mechanisms of phagocytic uptake and some of the strategies developed by microbial pathogens to manipulate this process.     

三叶青两个肌动蛋白基因片段的克隆及其分析

根据GenBank中登录的植物肌动蛋白保守序列设计1对引物,对三叶青的块根进行RT‐PCR ,在1次扩增中得到2个不同的肌动蛋白基因片段,分别命名为 ThAct1和 ThAct2．测序结果显示：ThAct1基因片段长度为867 bp ,编码252个氨基酸;ThAct2基因片段长度为1079 bp ,编码152个氨基酸．经Blast分析,ThAct1和ThAct2基因均属于NBD＿sugar‐kinase＿HSP70＿actin superfamily家族,与其它物种Actin基因序列和编码的蛋白质均具有同源性．RT‐PCR结果初步表明：在茎、普通根和块根中 ThAct1和 ThAct2基因的表达未见差异;但在叶中,ThAct1的表达稍强,而 ThAct2的表达稍弱．另外,在茎、普通根和块根中,ThAct1表达比ThAct2强;但在叶中 ThAct1表达比ThAct2弱．结果为分析肌动蛋白基因在三叶青块根发育中的功能奠定了基础;获得的肌动蛋白也可以作为内参基因,在三叶青功能基因组的研究中用于其它基因的定量表达分析．     

The effects of ethanol on embryonic actin: A possible role in teratogenesis

Summary When the neural crest is cultured in the long or short term presence of ethanol, monoclonal anti-actin reveals the development of a disorganized actin cytoskeleton. In the long term, many cells fail to differentiate morphologically, whereas in the short term already differentiated cells rapidly alter their shape and their cell-to-cell contacts.     

Actin-, myosin- and ubiquitin-dependent endocytosis

Endocytosis is a general term that is used to describe the internalization of external and plasma membrane molecules into the cell interior. In fact, several different mechanisms exist for the internalization step of this process. In this review we emphasize the work on the actin-dependent pathways, in particular in the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae, because several components of the molecular machinery are identified. In this yeast, the analysis of endocytosis in various mutants reveals a requirement for actin, calmodulin, a type I myosin, as well as a number of other proteins that affect actin dynamics. Some of these proteins have homology to proteins in animal cells that are believed to be involved in endocytosis. In addition, the demonstration that ubiquitination of some cell surface molecules is required for their efficient internalization is described. We compare the actin, myosin and ubiquitin requirements for endocytosis with recent results found studying these processes usingDictyostelium discoideum and animal cells.     

Roles for microtubule and microfilament cytoskeletons in animal cell cytokinesis

Microtubule and microfilament cytoskeletons play key roles in the whole process of cytokinesis. Although a number of hypotheses have been proposed to elucidate the mechanism of cytokinesis by microtubule and actin flament cytoskeletons, many reports are conflicting. In our study,combining the cytoskeletons drug treatments with the time-lapse video technology, we retested the key roles of microtubule and actin filament in cytokinesis. The results showed that depolymerization of microtubules by Nocodazole after the initiation of furrowing would not inhibit the furrow ingression, but obviously decrease the stiffness of daughter cells. Depolymerizing actin filaments by Cytochalasin B before metaphase would inhibit the initiation of furrowing but not chromosome segregation, resulting in the formation of binucleate cells; however, depolymerizing actin fillaments during anaphase would prevent furrowing and lead to the regress of established furrow, also resulting in the formation of binucleate cells. Further, depolymerizing microtubules and actin filaments simultaneously after metaphase would cause the quick regress of the furrow and the formation of binudeate cells. From these results we propose that a successful cytokinesis requires functions and coordination of both the microtubule and actin filament cytoskeletons.Microtubule cytoskeleton may function in the positioning and initiation of cleavage furrow, and the actin filament cytoskeleton may play key roles in the initiation and ingression of the furrow.