一株软骨霉状菌的纯化方法

从武夷山的一枯枝上分离得到了一株稀有软骨霉状菌,在培养过程中发现,该株黏细菌在人工培养基上只有在与一种未知的细菌共培养的状态下才能长出典型的子实体并保持菌种的活力.然而要从共培养的菌落中纯化这株黏细菌,使用常规的黏细菌纯化技术几乎是不可能.在这种情况下对伴生细菌进行16SrDNA菌种鉴定,再根据鉴定为施氏假单胞菌(Ps...     

Opposing effects of polyglutamine expansion on native protein complexes contribute to SCA1

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by expansion of a glutamine-encoding repeat in ataxin 1 (ATXN1). In all known polyglutamine diseases, the glutamine expansion confers toxic functions onto the protein; however, the mechanism by which this occurs remains enigmatic, in light of the fact that the mutant protein apparently maintains interactions with its usual partners. Here we show that the expanded polyglutamine tract differentially affects the function of the host protein in the context of different endogenous protein complexes. Polyglutamine expansion in ATXN1 favours the formation of a particular protein complex containing RBM17, contributing to SCA1 neuropathology by means of a gain-of-function mechanism. Concomitantly, polyglutamine expansion attenuates the formation and function of another protein complex containing ATXN1 and capicua, contributing to SCA1 through a partial loss-of-function mechanism. This model provides mechanistic insight into the molecular pathogenesis of SCA1 as well as other polyglutamine diseases.     

Combining exchange rate forecasts: What is the optimal consensus measure?

In this paper a high-quality disaggregate database is utilized to examine whether individual forecasters produce efficient exchange rate predictions and also if the properties of the forecasts change when they are combined. The paper links a number of themes in the exchange rate literature and examines various methods of forecast combination. It is demonstrated, inter alia, that some forecasters are better than others, but that most are not as good as a naive no-change prediction. Combining forecasts adds to the accuracy of the predictions, but the gains mainly reflect the removal of systematic and unstable bias.     

外显生长指数

基于一篇文章所引用的参考文献和该文的被引频次两个维度,提出了衡量该文外显成长度的相对指标.该研究涉及的引用数据及每条参考文献的被引数据均来自网络版科学引文索引(Web of Science),检索日期为2010年4月最后一周.     

Insights from the genome of the biotrophic fungal plant pathogen Ustilago maydis

Ustilago maydis is a ubiquitous pathogen of maize and a well-established model organism for the study of plant-microbe interactions. This basidiomycete fungus does not use aggressive virulence strategies to kill its host. U. maydis belongs to the group of biotrophic parasites (the smuts) that depend on living tissue for proliferation and development. Here we report the genome sequence for a member of this economically important group of biotrophic fungi. The 20.5-million-base U. maydis genome assembly contains 6,902 predicted protein-encoding genes and lacks pathogenicity signatures found in the genomes of aggressive pathogenic fungi, for example a battery of cell-wall-degrading enzymes. However, we detected unexpected genomic features responsible for the pathogenicity of this organism. Specifically, we found 12 clusters of genes encoding small secreted proteins with unknown function. A significant fraction of these genes exists in small gene families. Expression analysis showed that most of the genes contained in these clusters are regulated together and induced in infected tissue. Deletion of individual clusters altered the virulence of U. maydis in five cases, ranging from a complete lack of symptoms to hypervirulence. Despite years of research into the mechanism of pathogenicity in U. maydis, no 'true' virulence factors had been previously identified. Thus, the discovery of the secreted protein gene clusters and the functional demonstration of their decisive role in the infection process illuminate previously unknown mechanisms of pathogenicity operating in biotrophic fungi. Genomic analysis is, similarly, likely to open up new avenues for the discovery of virulence determinants in other pathogens.     

Direct observation of individual RecA filaments assembling on single DNA molecules

Escherichia coli RecA is essential for the repair of DNA double-strand breaks by homologous recombination. Repair requires the formation of a RecA nucleoprotein filament. Previous studies have indicated a mechanism of filament assembly whereby slow nucleation of RecA protein on DNA is followed by rapid growth. However, many aspects of this process remain unclear, including the rates of nucleation and growth and the involvement of ATP hydrolysis, largely because visualization at the single-filament level is lacking. Here we report the direct observation of filament assembly on individual double-stranded DNA molecules using fluorescently modified RecA. The nucleoprotein filaments saturate the DNA and extend it approximately 1.6-fold. At early time points, discrete RecA clusters are seen, permitting analysis of single-filament growth from individual nuclei. Formation of nascent RecA filaments is independent of ATP hydrolysis but is dependent on the type of nucleotide cofactor and the RecA concentration, suggesting that nucleation involves binding of approximately 4-5 ATP-RecA monomers to DNA. Individual RecA filaments grow at rates of 3-10 nm s(-1). Growth is bidirectional and, in contrast to nucleation, independent of nucleotide cofactor, suggesting addition of approximately 2-7 monomers s(-1). These results are in accord with extensive genetic and biochemical studies, and indicate that assembly in vivo is controlled at the nucleation step. We anticipate that our approach and conclusions can be extended to the related eukaryotic counterpart, Rad51 (see ref.), and to regulation by assembly mediators.