Sequence of human tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases and its identity to erythroid-potentiating activity

Collagen fibres form the stable architecture of connective tissues and their breakdown is a key irreversible step in many pathological conditions. The destruction of collagen is usually initiated by proteinases, the best known of which is the metalloproteinase collagenase (EC 3.4.24). Collagenase and related metalloproteinases are regulated at the level of their synthesis and secretion, through the action of specific stimuli such as hormones and cytokines, and also at the level of their extracellular activity through the action of a specific inhibitor, TIMP (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases), which irreversibly forms inactive complexes with metalloproteinases. Although the mechanisms governing the production of TIMP are unknown, immunologically identical forms of this glycoprotein have been detected in a wide variety of human body fluids and cell and tissue culture media. We therefore suggested that under physiological conditions this ubiquitous inhibitor predominates over active metalloproteinases and that tissue destruction may arise when any perturbation of this controlling excess arises. However, further progress towards testing this theory has been hindered by a lack of knowledge about the structure of TIMP and insufficient material for studying it in model systems. Here we describe the structure of TIMP predicted from its complementary DNA, its synthesis in Escherichia coli and transfected animal cells, and the finding that it is identical to a protein recently reported to have erythroid-potentiating activity (EPA).     

Increment of antioxidase activity of transgenic tobacco with betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the leaves of transgenic tobacco plants with betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH) gene was about 36% higher than that in the control plants (parent plants), activities of peroxidase (POD) and catalase (Cat) increased by about 62% and 88% respectively. Activities of ascorbate peroxidase (AsSPOD), dehydroascorbate redutase (DAsAR) and glutathione reductase (GR) in ascorbate-glutothion pathway located at chloroplasts increased by 67.7%, 47.9% and 38.8% respectively. These results indicated that the H₂O₂ produced by SOD catalyzing superoxide anion radicals (O^-₂) could be fully decomposed, and could not derive to form the strongest toxicant radicals ·OH. This is the first report to elucidate quantitatively that the activities of two kinds of antioxidative enzymes decomposed radicals and active oxygen were matched. Photoinhibition tolerant capacity of the transgenic tobacco plants was 35% higher than that in the parent plants. Increment of photoinhibition tolerant capacity in the transgenic tobacco plants might be due to increment of antioxidative enzymes activities, in turn being able to more effectively scavenge active oxygen and radicals, protect organization and function of chloroplasts. These results showed that the increment of antioxidative enzymes activities in the transgenic tobacco might be one of the reasons for the increment of resistance in the transgenic tobacco.     

Pollen indicators of human activity

The study of past human activities and their environmental effect is high in the agenda of global change research. A record of pollen assemblages is one of the most common proxies employed for detecting the impact of human activities on the landscape. In this review, we provide a summary and discussion on the recent progress on the use of pollen as indicators of human activity. For most of the studies related to human impact, the following features have been focused on： （1） decline of certain tree pollen; （2） flourishing of pioneer plant pollen; （3） concomitant occurrence of cereal-type pollen and cropland weed pollen; （4） abrupt changes in pollen concentration and richness; and （5） occurrence of nitrophi- Ious plants and pastoral weed. Pollen of anthropogenic plants （weeds and cereal-type plants） is ideal indicators of human activities. Different types of human activities will result in different pollen assem- blages. Patterns of human-impacted pollen spectra would vary between forested areas and grassland. In the study of human impact with pollen data, high resolution in both time and space must be consid- ered. High resolution in space will help to inform the complexity of the landscape. More importantly, it can help to reveal the interference of human activities on the landscape, hence avoiding the bias created by the limited data points. Fine resolution in time will make accurate recording of short-lived events possible, hence avoiding the exclusion of events related to human activities. The combination of palynology with other proxies will help to decipher more accurately landscape changes through time. Charcoal is a particularly useful proxy for recording the disturbance of humans on vegetation. Its peak values usually occur with pronounced drop of tree pollen and significant rise of anthropogenic pollen.