Insertion of the eukaryotic transposable element Ty1 creates a 5-base pair duplication

The his4-912 mutation results from insertion of a transposable element into the 5'-non-coding region of the his4 gene of yeast. A duplication of 5 base pairs of wild-type his4 DNA flanks the inserted element. The major class of His+ revertants result from excision of most of the transposable element, leaving an inserted segment of 334 base pairs flanked by the 5-base pair repeats.     

Evidence for host-cell selection of influenza virus antigenic variants

Extensive antigenic variability and a capricious epidemiology are characteristics of influenza A and B viruses of man. The haemagglutinin (HA) undergoes frequent and progressive antigenic drift as a result of selection, under immunological pressure, of viruses possessing alterations in the amino acid sequences at specific sites in the molecule. Here we present evidence for an additional selection mechanism for antigenic variants of influenza virus that depends on differing host cell tropisms of virus subpopulations. These studies were initiated after earlier observations of the occurrence of a marked degree of antigenic variation during passage of laboratory strains of influenza virus in eggs and cell cultures (J.C.J., in preparation). We have now shown that cultivation of influenza B viruses in eggs selects subpopulations which are antigenically distinct from virus from the same source grown in mammalian cell cultures. As antigenic characterization of influenza virus strains for epidemiological purposes and for the preparation of influenza vaccines conventionally relies on the cultivation of virus in eggs, our findings may have important practical implications for vaccine design and efficacy.     

A conserved sequence in the immunoglobulin J kappa-C kappa intron: possible enhancer element

Several functionally important genetic elements (such as the TATA box, mRNA splice sequences, poly(A) addition signal) were first detected as short segments of unexplained sequence homology within non-coding regions of different genes. A short region of unknown sequence in the intron between the human J kappa and C kappa immunoglobulin coding regions was found to be sufficiently homologous to the corresponding segment of the mouse gene to form stable heteroduplexes. Although no specific function has yet been definitely ascribed to this region (which we call the kappa intron conserved region, or KICR), some functional significance has been inferred from the findings that (1) activation of B lymphocytes induces a DNase hypersensitivity site in this region and (2) deletions including this region reduce expression of kappa genes introduced into lymphoid cells. To delineate the KICR more precisely and to test the generality of the sequence conservation in a third species, we have sequenced this region of the human and mouse genes and have examined the corresponding region of a recently cloned rabbit kappa gene. We find a segment of about 130 base pairs (bp) that shows striking conservation in all three species, demonstrating homology significantly higher than within the C kappa coding region itself. Two short sequences from the J kappa-C kappa intron that were noted by other investigators to be homologous to proposed 'enhancer' sequences both lie within the conserved region.     

Mutual mate choice in the Asiatic toad, Bufo gargarizans, exerts stabilizing selection on body size

Sexual selection is critical to both reproduction and evolution.The effects of male–male competition and female choice regarding body size have been examined in a large number of taxa,including toad species.Males and females have different optimal reproductive strategies,achieving breeding advantages in discrepant ways.Further,the relative contributions of intra-and inter-sexual size selection vary among species.Thus,to understand the mechanisms affecting mating success,it is important to consider both male–male and male–female interactions simultaneously and elucidate their interrelationship.In this study,we measured body sizes of all mated and unmated individuals in a population of Asiatic toad(Bufo gargarizans)and counted fertilized eggs of several clutches.Based on correlation and regression techniques,we tested for female choice and intra-sexual competition among males relative to body size gradients,and we compared the relative importance of these two processes for mating success.Our results reveal that male–male competition and female choice simultaneously contribute to sexual selection in toads.Furthermore,both interactions are most intense among smaller toads.The synergistic trends of male–male competition and female choice support the mutual mate choice hypothesis and works to stabilize body size in B.gargarizans.Normal distributions of breeding success relative to body size were detected for both sexes,suggesting that medium-sized individuals enjoy a reproductive advantage in the population studied.     

视频抖动矫正系统中的运动滤波

数码相机拍摄的视频往往带有因为拍摄人手的不稳定而引入的抖动,因此该文给出了一个视频抖动矫正方案,包括全局运动估计、运动的抖动分量滤除、抖动补偿3个模块。对摄像机运动模型,该文考虑了最常见的水平、垂直平动和平面转动这3个运动参数来进行全局运动估计,首先采用基于块匹配运动估计方法来得到运动参数的初始值,然后用Newton迭代法进行参数优化;从运动学的角度出发设计了一种以二次B样条方法为基础来拟合摄像机的运动轨迹方案。实验证明这种滤波器的设计方法能够很好地去除视频抖动,明显改善视频的主观效果。该方法不仅简单,而且不需要预知抖动的模式就能够确保运动轨迹的平滑。     

Identification of selenocysteine insertion sequence (SECIS) element in eukaryotic selenoproteins by RNA Draw program

The computer program RNA Draw was used to identify the secondary structures in the 3′ untranslated regions (3′UTRs) of the mRNAs from 46 eukaryotic selenoproteins among 7 species. The program found one or two possible SECIS elements in these selenoproteins. The SECIS element consists of a stem-loop or hairpin structure with three conserved sequences of AUGA-(A)AA-GA. SECIS element was not found by the RNA Draw program in randomly selected non-selenoproteins. The results showed that SECIS element is the unique character of the genes of eukaryotic selenoproteins. Thus it is possible to use RNA Draw to search the SECIS elements in gene bank for potential new selenoproteins.     

Evidence for free precession in a pulsar

Pulsars are rotating neutron stars that produce lighthouse-like beams of radio emission from their magnetic poles. The observed pulse of emission enables their rotation rates to be measured with great precision. For some young pulsars, this provides a means of studying the interior structure of neutron stars. Most pulsars have stable pulse shapes, and slow down steadily (for example, see ref. 20). Here we report the discovery of long-term, highly periodic and correlated variations in both the pulse shape and the rate of slow-down of the pulsar PSR B1828-11. The variations are best described as harmonically related sinusoids, with periods of approximately 1,000, 500 and 250 days, probably resulting from precession of the spin axis caused by an asymmetry in the shape of the pulsar. This is difficult to understand theoretically, because torque-free precession of a solitary pulsar should be damped out by the vortices in its superfluid interior.     

Evidence for a viral superantigen in humans.

Superantigens bind class II major histocompatibility proteins and stimulate powerful proliferative responses of T lymphocytes bearing particular V beta sequences as part of their alpha beta antigen receptor. Exogenous bacterial superantigens are responsible for food poisoning and toxic shock syndrome. Murine virus-encoded self-superantigens induce clonal deletion of T lymphocytes. Although superantigen-like properties have been suggested for human immunodeficiency virus-1, no viral superantigen has been identified in humans. Here we report that the nucleocapsid of the rabies virus is an exogenous superantigen specific for V beta 8 human T lymphocytes which binds to HLA class II alpha-chains.