植物AGAMOUS同源基因的表达调控

AGAMOUS基因（AG基因）是控制高等植物花器官发育的一类非常重要的基因.以拟南芥AG基因为例,重点综述了近20年来AG基因及其同源基因的结构、功能及与其它基因之间的调控关系的研究进展。在此基础上,对AG基因的表达和应用进行了探讨.     

华山新麦草小孢子发生及雄配子体的形成

采用石蜡切片、扫描电镜等方法对华山新麦草 (Psathyrostachys huashanica Keng.)小孢子发生和雄配子体形成过程进行了观察。结果表明 ,小孢子母细胞减数分裂为连续型 ,四分体为左右对称型 ,成熟花粉为 3 -细胞型 ,与小麦属特征一致。花粉发育后期的营养竞争可能是近二核时期花粉败育的主要原因。华山新麦草的花粉败育影响其有性生殖 ,但不能直接阻碍其有性生殖 ,因此 ,华山新麦草花粉败育可能不是致濒的主要原因。     

Rapid regulation of steroidogenesis by mitochondrial protein import

Most mitochondrial proteins are synthesized on cytoplasmic ribosomes and imported into mitochondria. The imported proteins are directed to one of four submitochondrial compartments--the outer mitochondrial membrane, the inner mitochondrial membrane, the intramembraneous space, or the matrix--where the protein then functions. Here we show that the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), a mitochondrial protein required for stress responses, reproduction, and sexual differentiation of male fetuses, exerts its activity transiently at the outer mitochondrial membrane rather than at its final resting place in the matrix. We also show that its residence time at this outer membrane and its activity are regulated by its speed of mitochondrial import. This may be the first example of a mitochondrial protein exerting its biological activity in a compartment other than that to which it is finally targeted. This system enables steroidogenic cells to initiate and terminate massive levels of steroidogenesis within a few minutes, permitting the rapid regulation of serum steroid hormone concentrations.     

The Polycomb group protein EZH2 directly controls DNA methylation

The establishment and maintenance of epigenetic gene silencing is fundamental to cell determination and function. The essential epigenetic systems involved in heritable repression of gene activity are the Polycomb group (PcG) proteins and the DNA methylation systems. Here we show that the corresponding silencing pathways are mechanistically linked. We find that the PcG protein EZH2 (Enhancer of Zeste homolog 2) interacts-within the context of the Polycomb repressive complexes 2 and 3 (PRC2/3)-with DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and associates with DNMT activity in vivo. Chromatin immunoprecipitations indicate that binding of DNMTs to several EZH2-repressed genes depends on the presence of EZH2. Furthermore, we show by bisulphite genomic sequencing that EZH2 is required for DNA methylation of EZH2-target promoters. Our results suggest that EZH2 serves as a recruitment platform for DNA methyltransferases, thus highlighting a previously unrecognized direct connection between two key epigenetic repression systems.     

Energy-dependent regulation of cell structure by AMP-activated protein kinase

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK, also known as SNF1A) has been primarily studied as a metabolic regulator that is activated in response to energy deprivation. Although there is relatively ample information on the biochemical characteristics of AMPK, not enough data exist on the in vivo function of the kinase. Here, using the Drosophila model system, we generated the first animal model with no AMPK activity and discovered physiological functions of the kinase. Surprisingly, AMPK-null mutants were lethal with severe abnormalities in cell polarity and mitosis, similar to those of lkb1-null mutants. Constitutive activation of AMPK restored many of the phenotypes of lkb1-null mutants, suggesting that AMPK mediates the polarity- and mitosis-controlling functions of the LKB1 serine/threonine kinase. Interestingly, the regulatory site of non-muscle myosin regulatory light chain (MRLC; also known as MLC2) was directly phosphorylated by AMPK. Moreover, the phosphomimetic mutant of MRLC rescued the AMPK-null defects in cell polarity and mitosis, suggesting MRLC is a critical downstream target of AMPK. Furthermore, the activation of AMPK by energy deprivation was sufficient to cause dramatic changes in cell shape, inducing complete polarization and brush border formation in the human LS174T cell line, through the phosphorylation of MRLC. Taken together, our results demonstrate that AMPK has highly conserved roles across metazoan species not only in the control of metabolism, but also in the regulation of cellular structures.     

蛋白激酶C对转录延伸正调节因子b(P-TEFb)的影响

本文探讨了PKC的4种亚型α、βⅡ、γ和λ对PTEFb各蛋白组分的表达影响.成功构建了带有HA标签的pcDNA3.1 PKC的各亚型真核表达载体,并转染HEK293细胞株,用Western bolt检测其表达情况,发现这四种PKC亚型在细胞中表达良好。将PKCβⅡ或者PKC λ转染进入HEK293细胞株 ,发现其可使CDK9和Cyclin T蛋白表达量升高;但在细胞中高表达PKCα和PKCγ,对P-TEFb各组分表达量没有影响.表明PKC可通过提高P-TEFb的组分表达量,从而上调某些基因的表达.     

The cytoplasmic protein GAP is implicated as the target for regulation by the ras gene product

About 30% of human tumours contain a mutation in one of the three ras genes leading to the production of p21ras oncoproteins that are thought to make a major contribution to the transformed phenotype of the tumour. The biochemical mode of action of the ras proteins is unknown but as they bind GTP and GDP and have an intrinsic GTPase activity, they may function like regulatory G proteins and control cell proliferation by regulating signal transduction pathways at the plasma membrane. It is assumed that an external signal is detected by a membrane molecule (or detector) that stimulates the conversion of p21.GDP to p21.GTP which then interacts with a target molecule (or effector) to generate an internal signal. Recently a cytoplasmic protein, GAP, has been identified that interacts with the ras proteins, dramatically increasing the GTPase activity of normal p21 but not of the oncoproteins. We report here that GAP appears to interact with p21ras at a site previously identified as the 'effector' site, strongly implicating GAP as the biological target for regulation by p21.     

月月竹大、小孢子发生和雌、雄配子体发育研究

月月竹(Menstruocalamus sichuanensis)作为优良的园林绿化竹种,近几年在南京林业大学竹种园中出现开花现象。以月月竹为研究对象,运用石蜡切片技术对其大、小孢子的发生和雌、雄配子体的发育过程进行了研究。结果表明：月月竹花药具4个药室,花药壁由表皮、药室内壁、中层、绒毡层4层结构组成,花药壁发育为单子叶型,绒毡层为腺质型,小孢子母细胞减数分裂中的胞质分裂为连续型,产生左右对称型小孢子。成熟花粉大多二细胞型,具1个萌发孔。月月竹子房为2心皮1室,侧膜胎座,1个倒生胚珠,双珠被,薄珠心。大孢子母细胞由一个雌性孢原细胞直接发育而成,大孢子四分体呈线型,合点端一个大孢子分化为功能大孢子,由功能大孢子发育为蓼型成熟胚囊。     

Dual ion-channel regulation by cyclic GMP and cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase.

Atrial natriuretic peptide, acting through its second messenger guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP), suppresses Na+ absorption across the renal inner-medullary collecting duct and increases urinary Na+ excretion. Patch clamp studies show that cGMP reduces Na+ absorption by inhibiting an amiloride-sensitive cation channel in the apical membrane. We have now examined, using the patch clamp technique, the molecular mechanisms of cGMP inhibition. Cyclic GMP directly and specifically reduced the probability of a single channel being open (open probability, Po) by 39% (inhibition constant, Ki = 7.6 x 10(-7) M) by a phosphorylation-independent mechanism. Cyclic GMP also inhibited the channel by activating cGMP-dependent protein kinase (cGMP-kinase). Exogenous cGMP-kinase completely inhibited the channel by a phosphorylation-dependent mechanism. Activation of a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein by GTP-gamma-S blocked cGMP-kinase inhibition of the channel. By contrast, cGMP-kinase inhibition of Po was completely reversed by GTP-gamma-S. Taken together with the results of a previous study showing that a G protein activates the cation channel, these data indicate that cGMP-kinase and a G protein sequentially regulate the cation channel. Our results show that atrial natriuretic peptide, acting through cGMP, inhibits Na+ absorption across the inner-medullary collecting duct by a dual mechanism, and that cGMP-kinase inhibits the channel by a pathway involving a G protein.     

Structural basis of protein phosphatase 1 regulation

The coordinated and reciprocal action of serine/threonine (Ser/Thr) protein kinases and phosphatases produces transient phosphorylation, a fundamental regulatory mechanism for many biological processes. The human genome encodes a far greater number of Ser/Thr protein kinases than of phosphatases. Protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), in particular, is ubiquitously distributed and regulates a broad range of cellular functions, including glycogen metabolism, cell-cycle progression and muscle relaxation. PP1 has evolved effective catalytic machinery but lacks substrate specificity. Substrate specificity is conferred upon PP1 through interactions with a large number of regulatory subunits. The regulatory subunits are generally unrelated, but most possess the RVxF motif, a canonical PP1-binding sequence. Here we reveal the crystal structure at 2.7 A resolution of the complex between PP1 and a 34-kDa N-terminal domain of the myosin phosphatase targeting subunit MYPT1. MYPT1 is the protein that regulates PP1 function in smooth muscle relaxation. Structural elements amino- and carboxy-terminal to the RVxF motif of MYPT1 are positioned in a way that leads to a pronounced reshaping of the catalytic cleft of PP1, contributing to the increased myosin specificity of this complex. The structure has general implications for the control of PP1 activity by other regulatory subunits.     

The p66shc adaptor protein controls oxidative stress response and life span in mammals

Gene mutations in invertebrates have been identified that extend life span and enhance resistance to environmental stresses such as ultraviolet light or reactive oxygen species. In mammals, the mechanisms that regulate stress response are poorly understood and no genes are known to increase individual life span. Here we report that targeted mutation of the mouse p66shc gene induces stress resistance and prolongs life span. p66shc is a splice variant of p52shc/p46shc (ref. 2), a cytoplasmic signal transducer involved in the transmission of mitogenic signals from activated receptors to Ras. We show that: (1) p66shc is serine phosphorylated upon treatment with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or irradiation with ultraviolet light; (2) ablation of p66shc enhances cellular resistance to apoptosis induced by H2O2 or ultraviolet light; (3) a serine-phosphorylation defective mutant of p66shc cannot restore the normal stress response in p66shc-/- cells; (4) the p53 and p21 stress response is impaired in p66shc-/- cells; (5) p66shc-/- mice have increased resistance to paraquat and a 30% increase in life span. We propose that p66shc is part of a signal transduction pathway that regulates stress apoptotic responses and life span in mammals.