肺的组织发生与调控

概述了肺的组织发生，综述了调控或影响胎肺发育的相关基因或因子。肺的发育起始于从前肠内胚层发育而来的成对肺芽突起，肺芽以分支形态发生和肺特异性细胞分化的遗传预定模式侵入周围的中胚层间充质。内胚层上皮及其周围间充质成分相互作用，保证了肺的正常形态发生。肺的发育与相关基因或因子是否正常表达密切相关，发育基因的表达将顺次影响许多其它基因的表达。同时，胎肺周围环境因素的改变可以影响相关基因的表达，进而影响胎肺的发育。     

探讨基于平衡能的禽流感病毒结构分析

该文针对高致病禽流感病毒中的H5N1亚型,利用平衡能的方法,从二级结构的角度,对19株病毒做出功能分类,针对其所包含的八个片段,进行关联分析,对于不同片段对病毒的生物特性的影响做出解释。     

Isolation of a homoeo box-containing gene from the engrailed region of Drosophila and the spatial distribution of its transcripts

The engrailed locus of Drosophila melanogaster has the characteristics of both a homoeotic gene and a segmentation gene: like a homoeotic gene, it specifies the development of specific compartments of the Drosophila embryo (the posterior compartments of each segment), and, like mutations of segmentation genes, lethal alleles of engrailed affect also the pattern of segmentation of the embryo. Here we report that like many of the homoeotic genes of the bithorax and Antennapedia complexes, engrailed has a 'homoeo box' sequence: also, like the segmentation gene fushi tarazu, the engrailed gene displays a periodic pattern of expression in Drosophila embryos.     

A region of the Drosophila genome necessary for CNS development.

Mutations in genes involved in essential aspects of central nervous system development in Drosophila melanogaster are expected to be lethal. Thus, when searching for neurogenic mutants attention should be focused on embryonic lethal point mutants, for many of these might affect neural development. However, this approach can be very time consuming, for the location of neurogenic genes is unknown. A more convenient approach, which allows a faster screening of the genome, is to use relatively small chromosome deletions to determine whether the lack of a definite part of the genome affects neurogenesis. Once any region producing an interesting neural phenotype is found, it can be further analysed by the use of smaller deletions or point lethal mutants mapping within it, until the gene(s) responsible can be more precisely localised. We report here on a region of the Drosophila genome which has been found necessary for normal neurogenesis.     

Gene expression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms.

Bacteria often adopt a sessile biofilm lifestyle that is resistant to antimicrobial treatment. Opportunistic pathogenic bacteria like Pseudomonas aeruginosa can develop persistent infections. To gain insights into the differences between free-living P. aeruginosa cells and those in biofilms, and into the mechanisms underlying the resistance of biofilms to antibiotics, we used DNA microarrays. Here we show that, despite the striking differences in lifestyles, only about 1% of genes showed differential expression in the two growth modes; about 0.5% of genes were activated and about 0.5% were repressed in biofilms. Some of the regulated genes are known to affect antibiotic sensitivity of free-living P. aeruginosa. Exposure of biofilms to high levels of the antibiotic tobramycin caused differential expression of 20 genes. We propose that this response is critical for the development of biofilm resistance to tobramycin. Our results show that gene expression in biofilm cells is similar to that in free-living cells but there are a small number of significant differences. Our identification of biofilm-regulated genes points to mechanisms of biofilm resistance to antibiotics.     

An inducible promoter fused to the period gene in Drosophila conditionally rescues adult per-mutant arrhythmicity

The period (per) gene of Drosophila melanogaster is involved in the expression of circadian rhythms of locomotor activity in adult flies. Molecular studies of per (reviewed in ref. 2) have shown that the transcribed and translated products of this gene are present primarily at the embryonic, pupal and adult stages. Here we describe experiments with arrhythmic per mutants bearing an inducible form of this gene which indicate that strongly rhythmic adult behaviour can be obtained only if per expression is induced in the adult, independent of its history of expression earlier in development. Thus per-mutant locomotor-activity phenotypes seem not to result from abnormalities in the development of neural structures or in physiological processes that may be required at pre-adult stages for the expression of this circadian rhythm. Moreover, the action of per after light:dark cycle entrainment seems to be sufficient for activity rhythms to be exhibited in constant darkness; this suggests further that the per product is required only during the time that the rhythmic behaviour is being manifested. Our strategy used a heat-shock gene promotor fused to per coding sequences to obtain conditional gene expression. Heat-shock promoter-driven genes have previously been used to study the mode of action and tissue specificity of a variety of Drosophila genes; our experiments on circadian rhythms demonstrate the use of such gene constructions for the temporal manipulation of genes whose phenotypes, behavioural and otherwise, affect whole organisms.     

Homoeobox gene expression in mouse embryos varies with position by the primitive streak stage

Pattern formation in animal development requires that genes be expressed differentially according to position in the sheets of cells that make up the early embryo. The homoeobox-containing genes of Drosophila are control genes active both in the establishment of a segmentation pattern and in the specification of segment identity. In situ hybridization experiments confirm that these genes are expressed in a segmentally-restricted manner and that their expression presages morphological differentiation of segmental structures. Homoeobox genes have recently been isolated from the mouse and have been shown to be expressed during mouse development. Using in situ hybridization, we show here that expression of the mouse homoeobox gene Mo-10 (ref. 7) is spatially restricted in the developing embryo and that localization of expression is already evident within the germ layers before their morphological differentiation. These findings support the suggestion that the homoeobox genes of mammals, like those of Drosophila, may be important in pattern formation.     

Biological properties of human c-Ha-ras1 genes mutated at codon 12

Vertebrate genomes contain proto-oncogenes whose enhanced expression or alteration by mutation seems to be involved in the development of naturally occurring tumours. These activated genes, usually assayed by their ability to induce the malignant transformation of NIH 3T3 cells, are frequently related to the ras oncogene of Harvey (Ha-ras) or Kirsten (Ki-ras) murine sarcoma viruses, or a third member of this family (N-ras). Activation involves point mutation which often affect codon 12 (refs 16-26) of the encoded 21,000-molecular weight polypeptide (p21). To provide insight into structural requirements involved in p21 activation, we have now constructed 20 mutant c-Ha-ras1 genes by in vitro mutagenesis, each encoding a different amino acid at codon 12. Analysis of rat fibroblasts transfected with these altered genes demonstrates that all amino acids except glycine (which is encoded by normal cellular ras genes) and proline at position 12 activate p21, suggesting a requirement for an alpha-helical structure in this region of the polypeptide. The morphological phenotype of cells transformed by the activated genes can, however, depend on the particular amino acid at this position.     

Importance of IL-2 receptors in intra-thymic generation of cells expressing T-cell receptors

During development, lymphoid stem cells migrate into the thymic rudiment where they proliferate, rearrange their antigen receptor genes and become differentiated into functionally mature T cells. At present, the regulation of these processes is poorly understood, although recent studies have shown that early fetal and adult immature thymocytes express receptors for the T-cell growth factor, interleukin-2 (IL-2). We now present direct evidence that IL-2 receptors have a function in intra-thymic development by demonstrating that proliferation and the generation of cells expressing the T-cell antigen receptor (alpha beta TCR), which is responsible for the recognition of antigens in the context of MHC, are inhibited when antibodies to IL-2 receptors are added to fetal thymus organ cultures. The inhibition is specific in that it does not affect pre-thymic stem cells and can be partially reversed by addition of exogenous recombinant IL-2.     

Isolation and characterization of 4 gametophytic male sterile mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana

In flowering plants, male fertility depends on the formation and development of normal male gametophytes or pollen grains. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms that regulate the processes. Here, we report the identification of four novel independent Arabidopsis gametophytic male sterile mutants, apam1, apam2, apam3 and apam4 (Arabidopsis pollen abortion mutant). The four mutants that were generated by the insertions of geneand enhancer-trap Ds transposon elements were defective in pollen development. Genetic analysis results showed that all four mutations resulted in the loss of male gametophytic function, but did not affect female gametophytic function, and the Ds elements were linked to the mutations tightly in all four mutants. Localization of the Ds insertion sites by thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR (TAIL-PCR) showed that the Ds elements were inserted in four different loci distributed on three chromosomes, chromosomes II, III and V. In summary, the apam4 is allelic to AHA3, while the other three were located in places where there are no genes that have been known to be involved in pollen development, suggesting that they are novel mutations involved in pollen development.     

OsNAC2转录因子介导生长素代谢通路调节水稻早期根的发育

NAC家族是植物特有的一类转录因子,在植物的生长发育和逆境胁迫等方面具有重要的功能.研究发现,OsNAC2基因的过表达(ON11)和RNAi(RNAi31)转基因株系,早期主根的长度有显著变化的特征.与野生型日本晴水稻(WT)相比,ON11植株的主根变短,而RNAi31的主根变长.通过对早期OsNAC2pro∶∶GUS株系根尖染色结果表明OsNAC2在根尖具有时序性表达.不同激素诱导OsNAC2表达谱和OsNAC2pro∶∶GUS株系对激素响应结果显示OsNAC2受生长素显著性诱导.结合芯片数据和qRT-PCR分析,OsNAC2转基因株系中生长素合成代谢及信号通路相关基因表达量变化较为明显.同时,ON11根尖淀粉粒发育及其向重力性受到抑制.因此,推测OsNAC2可能通过抑制生长素的合成代谢及信号通路相关基因的表达,降低生长素含量,并参与生长素响应通路,最终影响水稻根的生长.     

西部开发中可持续发展及生态合理性探讨

在实施西部大开发过程中,面对西部地区某些自然优势和十分脆弱的生态环境及影响有可持续发展的诸多因素,建立经济、社会、生态一体化综合决策机制是可持续发展战略的关键所在。     

Identification of genes induced during Medicago sativa nodule development by using the cDNA-AFLP technique

Under limited nitrogen conditions, rhizobia are ableto induce the formation of nitrogen-fixing root nodules on their leguminous plant host. This organogenetic process is triggered by a complex exchange of molecu- lar signals between the host plant and bac…