Efficient cap-dependent translation of polycistronic prokaryotic mRNAs is restricted to the first gene in the operon.

Certain polycistronic prokaryotic mRNAs, when modified at their 5'-termini with a cap structure, are translated as efficiently as, or more efficiently than eukaryotic mRNAs in a eukaryotic cell-free protein synthesising system. However, in this case efficient cap-dependent translation is apparently restricted to the 5'-proximal coding sequence. Moreover, certain translational regulatory signals potentially used by these prokaryotic mRNAs to regulate their levels of expression seem to be recognised by the eukaryotic translational components. The evolutionary significance and practical implications of these results are discussed.     

5'-Terminal 7-methylguanosine in eukaryotic mRNA is required for translation.

Unmethylated reovirus and VSV mRNAs are specifically methylated to form 5'-terminal structures of the type, m-7-G(5')ppp(5')N by protein synthesising extracts prepared from wheat germ and mouse L cells. Reticulocyte mRNA also contains 5'-terminal m-7-G. MRNAs having 5'-terminal m-7-G stimulate protein synthesis in vitro. Removal of m-7-G by beta-elimination abolishes translation of the mRNAs.     

The subunit structure of the eukaryotic chromosome.

New strucutral data have been obtained from neutron scattering studies of chromatin. The concentration-dependent meridional peak at 10-11 nm comes from the interparticle spacing of a subunit structure. Peaks at 5.5 and 3.7 nm have a different contrast behaviour to those at 11.0 and 3.7 nm showing that histones and DNA have a different spatial arrangement in the subunit. A globular model in which apolar segments of histones from the core surrounded by DNA complexed with the basic segments of histones agrees with the data.     

X-ray structure of a prokaryotic pentameric ligand-gated ion channel

Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) are key players in the early events of electrical signal transduction at chemical synapses. The family codes for a structurally conserved scaffold of channel proteins that open in response to the binding of neurotransmitter molecules. All proteins share a pentameric organization of identical or related subunits that consist of an extracellular ligand-binding domain followed by a transmembrane channel domain. The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is the most thoroughly studied member of the pLGIC family (for recent reviews see refs 1-3). Two sources of structural information provided an architectural framework for the family. The structure of the soluble acetylcholine-binding protein (AChBP) defined the organization of the extracellular domain and revealed the chemical basis of ligand interaction. Electron microscopy studies of the nAChR from Torpedo electric ray have yielded a picture of the full-length protein and have recently led to the interpretation of an electron density map at 4.0 A resolution. Despite the wealth of experimental information, high-resolution structures of any family member have so far not been available. Until recently, the pLGICs were believed to be only expressed in multicellular eukaryotic organisms. The abundance of prokaryotic genome sequences, however, allowed the identification of several homologous proteins in bacterial sources. Here we present the X-ray structure of a prokaryotic pLGIC from the bacterium Erwinia chrysanthemi (ELIC) at 3.3 A resolution. Our study reveals the first structure of a pLGIC at high resolution and provides an important model system for the investigation of the general mechanisms of ion permeation and gating within the family.     

PROTOS70烟支传输机构前盖漏油问题的解决

PROTOS70烟支传输机构运行一段时间后,前盖存在漏油问题．通过分析找出了漏油原因,提出了由循环润滑代替密闭润滑的解决方案．对设备的机械和电气进行了改进,并应用于PROTOS70和ZJ17卷接机组上．改进后传输机前盖骨架油封使用寿命由原来的4000h左右提高到了6000h左右的正常使用寿命．     

Internal initiation of translation of eukaryotic mRNA directed by a sequence derived from poliovirus RNA

Poliovirus RNA is naturally uncapped, therefore its translation must proceed via a cap-independent mechanism. Translation initiation on poliovirus RNA occurs by binding of ribosomes to an internal sequence within the 5' noncoding region. This novel mechanism of initiation may explain the disparate translation of several other eukaryotic messenger RNAs.     

Atomic force microscopy observation on nuclear reassembly in a cell-free system

Cell-free system is interesting and useful for studying nuclear assembly in mitosis. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), which is a simple way for imaging fixed reassemble nuclei with high resolution, has not been used in the cell-free system. In this paper, we put forward an air-drying sample preparation for AFM. Using AFM, we observed nuclear reassembly process within 100 nm resolution in a cell-free system. As a result, we found that the images were artifact-free, and with higher resolution compared with fluorescent optical microscope images. Furthermore, the morphology of membrane vesicles was obtained dearly, and a dynamic change of morphology during the vesides‘‘ approaching to nuclear envelope was also observed, which is enlightened to understand the mechanism of nuclear envelope assembly.     

Construction of a cell-free system using extracts from apoptotic plant cells

To study the mechanism of plant apoptosis, a cell-free system has been developed using the extracts prepared from tobacco cells that become committed to apoptosis induced by heat shock treatment. Tobacco nuclei have displayed such characteristics of apoptosis as nucleus condensation and formation of apoptotic bodies during incubation in this system. Besides, these morphological changes are accompanied by DNA fragmentation, which is detected by DNA laddering and comet assay. Furthermore, both morphological changes and DNA cleavage are not affected by pepstatin A, leupeptin or EDTA, but are partly inhibited by iodoacetamide. This profile is consistent with Caspases, which are vital to animal apoptosis, suggesting that cysteine-protease like Caspases may be involved in apoptosis in plants.     

新型表面活性剂类硫脲高效催化硝基烯烃的不对称Michael加成(英文)

由N-BOC-胺甲基吡咯烷和异硫氰酸盐反应合成了一种新型结构的硫脲分子,将该具有表面活性剂类型的硫脲分子用作有机催化剂来催化硝基烯烃的不对称Michael加成,条件实验探索结果表明,最优的实验条件是,10 mol%催化剂,10 mol%的苯甲酸作为添加剂,用水做溶剂以及在室温反应温度.在该最优条件下,可以非常顺利地实现各种硝基烯烃与各类醛和酮的Michael加成,得到较高的收率(76%~97%),良好的几何选择性(顺∶反=82∶18~99∶1)以及对映选择性(ee值达到97%).