5-甲基胞嘧啶水解反应机理的理论研究

采用密度泛函理论方法,在B3LYP/6-31G**水平下研究了5-甲基胞嘧啶(m5C)水解反应的微观机理和势能剖面.计算结果表明,5-甲基胞嘧啶的水解反应有两条反应途径:(A)水分子进攻m5C生成中间体IM1,然后氨分子充当桥生成终产物胸腺嘧啶;(B)水分子进攻m5C首先生成四配位的中间体IM2,然后中间体分解成终产物胸腺嘧啶和氨分子.能量计算结果表明,5-甲基胞嘧啶的水解反应决速步的活化能垒较高,在自发状态下,5-甲基胞嘧啶的水解反应难于进行.     

多源卫星热点产品的融合与交互检验

卫星遥感是快速获取地面火灾信息的有效手段,不同频次不同空间分辨率的各类卫星热异常产品记录了大量火情信息,然而在大范围空间尺度上很难对其进行地面火灾监测有效性的验证,影响着多源卫星火情监测融合产品的实际应用。本文研究以贵州地区为例,运用较高空间分辨率的中分辨率成像光谱仪(moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer, MODIS)和可见光红外成像仪(visible infrared imaging radiometer suite, VIIRS)监测热点对两个先进的静止气象卫星葵花成像仪(advanced himawari imager, AHI)监测热点产品进行检验和评估,分别量化两个AHI热点算法的侦测性能。结果表明：在8 h时间窗内,两个AHI热点算法相对于MODIS和VIIRS热点的误分率在39.2%～71.7%,漏分率在52.7%～68.5%,而相对于地面调查火灾的误分率为25.5%和33.3%。随着格点内极轨卫星热点像元数的增加,两个AHI算法侦测到的概率迅速增大,当5 km×5 km格点上出现4个MODIS和10个VIIRS以上...     

The SRA domain of UHRF1 flips 5-methylcytosine out of the DNA helix

Maintenance methylation of hemimethylated CpG dinucleotides at DNA replication forks is the key to faithful mitotic inheritance of genomic methylation patterns. UHRF1 (ubiquitin-like, containing PHD and RING finger domains 1) is required for maintenance methylation by interacting with DNA nucleotide methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), the maintenance methyltransferase, and with hemimethylated CpG, the substrate for DNMT1 (refs 1 and 2). Here we present the crystal structure of the SET and RING-associated (SRA) domain of mouse UHRF1 in complex with DNA containing a hemimethylated CpG site. The DNA is contacted in both the major and minor grooves by two loops that penetrate into the middle of the DNA helix. The 5-methylcytosine has flipped completely out of the DNA helix and is positioned in a binding pocket with planar stacking contacts, Watson-Crick polar hydrogen bonds and van der Waals interactions specific for 5-methylcytosine. Hence, UHRF1 contains a previously unknown DNA-binding module and is the first example of a non-enzymatic, sequence-specific DNA-binding protein domain to use the base flipping mechanism to interact with DNA.     

Global hotspots of species richness are not congruent with endemism or threat

Biodiversity hotspots have a prominent role in conservation biology, but it remains controversial to what extent different types of hotspot are congruent. Previous studies were unable to provide a general answer because they used a single biodiversity index, were geographically restricted, compared areas of unequal size or did not quantitatively compare hotspot types. Here we use a new global database on the breeding distribution of all known extant bird species to test for congruence across three types of hotspot. We demonstrate that hotspots of species richness, threat and endemism do not show the same geographical distribution. Only 2.5% of hotspot areas are common to all three aspects of diversity, with over 80% of hotspots being idiosyncratic. More generally, there is a surprisingly low overall congruence of biodiversity indices, with any one index explaining less than 24% of variation in the other indices. These results suggest that, even within a single taxonomic class, different mechanisms are responsible for the origin and maintenance of different aspects of diversity. Consequently, the different types of hotspots also vary greatly in their utility as conservation tools.     

Insights into the dynamics of mantle plumes from uranium-series geochemistry

The long-standing paradigm that hotspot volcanoes such as Hawaii or Iceland represent the surface expression of mantle plumes--hot, buoyant upwelling regions beneath the Earth's lithosphere--has recently been the focus of controversy. Whether mantle plumes exist or not is pivotal for our understanding of the thermal, dynamic and compositional evolution of the Earth's mantle. Here we show that uranium-series disequilibria measured in hotspot lavas indicate that hotspots are indeed associated with hot and buoyant upwellings and that weaker (low buoyancy flux) hotspots such as Iceland and the Azores are characterized by lower excess temperatures than stronger hotspots such as Hawaii. This direct link between buoyancy flux and mantle temperature is evidence for the existence of mantle plumes.     

利用Himawari-8数据监测森林火情初探

以2015年10月15日印度尼西亚苏门答腊岛森林火灾为例, 探索通过云水检测、潜在火点提取、太阳耀斑剔除、背景窗口确定等步骤, 利用新一代地球同步气象卫星——Himawari-8卫星数据提取森林火灾火点的方法。在所研究的时空范围内, 共提取Himawari-8火点10109个(有效时刻数142个), 单一时刻火点数最高为267个(当地时间03:40)。通过对时空分布的定量化比较发现, 与相应时刻的MODIS火点相比, 所提取的Himawari-8火点数量较少, 空间分布更分散, 但二者的空间分布在总体上非常相似, 且所提取的Himawari-8火点空间分布及数量特征与Himawari-8真彩色图反映的森林火情较为吻合, 说明利用该方法提取的Himawari-8火点可以较好地反映森林火情, 能够为森林火灾监测提供有效信息。     

Expression of a bacterial modification methylase gene in yeast

Methylation of specific cytosines in the DNA is generally believed to play some role in the regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes. However, some eukaryotes, such as Drosophila and yeast (S. Hattman, personal communication) seem not to contain 5-methylcytosine in their DNA. It would be interesting to test, how gene expression in such organisms would respond to the methylation of specific cytosines in the genome. As a first step towards this goal, we have introduced the gene encoding the Bacillus sphaericus R modification methylase, which methylates the internal cytosine within the recognition sequence 5'-GGCC, into yeast cells. Southern-type hybridization to DNAs isolated from the transformed yeast clones revealed that the yeast plasmid carrying the prokaryotic methylase gene, as well as the two chromosomal genes tested (his3 and leu2) were methylated, whereas the bulk of the yeast DNA remained largely unmethylated. This indicates that the Bacillus sphaericus modification methylase was expressed in yeast but it modified only certain parts of the yeast DNA.     

Aberrant DNA methylation patterns in cultured mouse embryos

Mouse early embryos undergo genome-wide demethylation and remethylation events during pre-implantation development. Abnormal methylation reprogramming is thought to be associated with development arrest. Using immunofluorescence staining with an antibody against 5-methylcytosine (MeC), we examined the genome methylation patterns of mouse embryos cultured in vitro. The results did not show the difference in staining patterns between development-blocked two-cell embryos that cultured in vitro and the two-cell embryos that were freshly collected from the donor mice. But in vitro-arrested morulae displayed a strong positive staining when compared to the morulae freshly collected from the donor mice. At the blastocyst stage, although most embryos showed the expected methylation patterns, with highly stained inner cell mass (ICM) and weekly stained trophectoderm (TE), a proportion of embryos were dimly stained in both ICM and TE. These results indicated that the methylation profile of the embryos could be changed by culturing in vitro when the embryos were in the transition from morulae to blastocyst.     

顾及案件多维特征的犯罪热点语义挖掘——以北京市入室盗窃案件为例

为了从语义结构特征的角度对不同犯罪热点进行挖掘分析,设计了一种顾及案件多维特征的犯罪热点语义挖掘方法,通过构建案件多维特征标签体系,实现犯罪热点内案件的标签匹配,并对案件语义特征标签构建共现网络,以获得犯罪热点内案件更为详细的特征。以北京市2018年入室盗窃案件为例,进行了相应的实证分析实验。结果表明,该方法能够对犯罪热点进行更为深入的挖掘,得到更为精细化的热点特征,对警务部门开展针对性的犯罪打击和防控有一定的实用价值。     

PGC7 binds histone H3K9me2 to protect against conversion of 5mC to 5hmC in early embryos

The modification of DNA by 5-methylcytosine (5mC) has essential roles in cell differentiation and development through epigenetic gene regulation. 5mC can be converted to another modified base, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), by the tet methylcytosine dioxygenase (Tet) family of enzymes. Notably, the balance between 5hmC and 5mC in the genome is linked with cell-differentiation processes such as pluripotency and lineage commitment. We have previously reported that the maternal factor PGC7 (also known as Dppa3, Stella) is required for the maintenance of DNA methylation in early embryogenesis, and protects 5mC from conversion to 5hmC in the maternal genome. Here we show that PGC7 protects 5mC from Tet3-mediated conversion to 5hmC by binding to maternal chromatin containing dimethylated histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9me2) in mice. In addition, imprinted loci that are marked with H3K9me2 in mature sperm are protected by PGC7 binding in early embryogenesis. This type of regulatory mechanism could be involved in DNA modifications in somatic cells as well as in early embryos.     

淀粉质体DNA的研究现状

淀粉质体含有丰富的DNA,平均每个淀粉质体含有数百个基因组拷贝。其分布特点因物种而异,大都集中于拟核区,有的分散于质体内。在淀粉质体发育过程中,DNA含量不断增加,成熟期达到顶峰,以贮藏形态存在,为种子的萌发和幼苗的形态建成提供核苷酸等原料。淀粉质体DNA具有与叶绿体DNA同源的序列,存在一些表达基因,如：16SrRNA、psbA。但在抑制区域富甲基化,尤其是5-甲基胞嘧啶,碱基的甲基化在aDNA基因的表达调控中起重要作用。     

国际生命周期社会影响评价研究的可视化分析

为全面了解国际生命周期社会影响评价(Social Life Cycle Assessment,S-LCA)的研究进展,探索其研究热点及趋势。选取Web Of Science的S-LCA领域文献,利用文献计量方法和文献可视化分析软件,对样本文献的研究国家和机构、作者合作、研究热点及趋势等方面进行分析。结果表明,S-LCA领域的发文量整体呈现出稳定增长的态势,发文集中分布于少数几个期刊,且期刊整体质量较高。国与国、机构与机构间的科研合作并不紧密,但在同一机构或相近地区,以发文量较多的作者为核心形成了作者合作网络群。通过对S-LCA领域的关键词共现和突发性检测分析,可以发现未来S-LCA领域研究的热点与前沿是将着重于指标体系的统一与完善、多元化的模型开发、实际应用及为政府、企事业单位等的决策提供参考性建议等方面的持续努力。     

Aberrant DNA methylation in cloned ovine embryos

By using the approach of immunofluorescence staining with an antibody against 5-methylcytosine （5MeC）, the present study detected the DNA methylation patterns of cloned ovine embryos. The embryos derived from in vitro fertilization were also examined for reference purpose. The results showed that： （1） during the preimplantation development, cloned embryos displayed a similar demethylation profile to the fertilized embryos; that is, the methylation level decreased to the lowest at 8-cell stage, and then increased again at morulae stage. However, methylation level was obviously higher in cloned embryos than in stage-matched fertilized embryos, especially at 8-cell stage and afterwards; （2） at blastocyst stage, the methylation pattern in cloned embryos was different from that in fertilized embryos. In cloned blastocyst, inner cell mass （ICM） exhibited a comparable level to trophectoderm cells （TE）, while in in-vitro fertilized blastocyst the methylation level of ICM was lower than that of TE, which is not consistent with that reported by other authors. These results indicate that DNA methylation is abnormally reprogrammed in cloned embryos, implying that aberrant DNA methylation reprogramming may be one of the factors causing cloned embryos developmental failure.     

Human population in the biodiversity hotspots

Biologists have identified 25 areas, called biodiversity hotspots, that are especially rich in endemic species and particularly threatened by human activities. The human population dynamics of these areas, however, are not well quantified. Here we report estimates of key demographic variables for each hotspot, and for three extensive tropical forest areas that are less immediately threatened. We estimate that in 1995 more than 1.1 billion people, nearly 20% of world population, were living within the hotspots, an area covering about 12% of Earth's terrestrial surface. We estimate that the population growth rate in the hotspots (1995-2000) is 1.8% yr(-1), substantially higher than the population growth rate of the world as a whole (1.3% yr(-1)) and above that of the developing countries (1.6% yr(-1)). These results suggest that substantial human-induced environmental changes are likely to continue in the hotspots and that demographic change remains an important factor in global biodiversity conservation. The results also underline the potential conservation significance of the continuing worldwide declines in human fertility and of policies and programs that influence human migration.     

浅议图书馆推荐书目与社会热点的结合

在解释社会热点的特点及类型基础上,阐述了推荐书目的重要性,指出将社会热点与推荐书目相结合,是深化图书馆服务、促使读者走进图书馆的有效途径.     

2021年无人机热点回眸

随着人工智能技术的发展以及机载任务平台性能的提升,2021年无人机技术与应用呈现新的发展态势.从无人机政策法规、自主控制、反无人机、应用领域等多方面回眸了2021年无人机的技术研究热点,分析了无人机技术领域未来的发展动向.人工智能、视觉导航等技术使无人机综合能力更加强大,也使其应用领域向更宽、更深、更综合方向拓展,尤其...     

The thymine glycosylase MBD4 can bind to the product of deamination at methylated CpG sites.

In addition to its well-documented effects on gene silencing, cytosine methylation is a prominent cause of mutations. In humans, the mutation rate from 5-methylcytosine (m5C) to thymine (T) is 10-50-fold higher than other transitions and the methylated sequence CpG is consequently under-represented. Over one-third of germline point mutations associated with human genetic disease and many somatic mutations leading to cancer involve loss of CpG. The primary cause of mutability appears to be hydrolytic deamination. Cytosine deamination produces mismatched uracil (U), which can be removed by uracil glycosylase, whereas m5C deamination generates a G x T mispair that cannot be processed by this enzyme. Correction of m5CpG x TpG mismatches may instead be initiated by the thymine DNA glycosylase, TDG. Here we show that MBD4, an unrelated mammalian protein that contains a methyl-CpG binding domain, can also efficiently remove thymine or uracil from a mismatches CpG site in vitro. Furthermore, the methyl-CpG binding domain of MBD4 binds preferentially to m5CpG x TpG mismatches-the primary product of deamination at methyl-CpG. The combined specificities of binding and catalysis indicate that this enzyme may function to minimize mutation at methyl-CpG.