Effect of internal deletion of Myosin II on growth and development ofDictyostelium discoideum

Four deletion mutantDictyostelium myosin II heavy chain genes, MyΔ824-941 (Δ1/ 3S2), MyΔ934-1454 (ΔS2), MyΔ934-1194 (ΔS2-1) and MyΔ1 157–1454 (ΔS2-2), were transformed by standard electfoporation into mhcA-cells (T-null), a mutantDictyostelium cell devoid of endogenous myosin II heavy chain gene. The growth, development and formation of fruiting bodies of cells expressing those mutant myosin II s under suspension culture were investigated by comparison with the wild type cell. The results indicate that internal deletion of myosin II affeds the growth and development ofDictyastelium. Furthermore, the longer the length of deletion, the more serious the defect in phenotype.     

复合助剂对VPO催化剂物性的影响

以V2O3、浓H3PO4为原料,浓Hcl和柠檬酸作还原剂,加入一定含量不同金属离子作为助剂采用超临界流体干澡法制备了VPO催化剂,并在不同气氛下进行活化．应用BET、XRD、XPS等表征手段,考察了各VPO催化剂粒子的比表面积、晶相结构及表面V离子价态等物性．实验表明：采用超临界流体干燥法可使催化剂的比表面积显著增加,助剂的种类和量不同,活化气氛不同,对催化剂比表面积的影响也不同,助剂的种类对催化剂的晶相结构也有一定的影响．但对催化剂表面V离子价态影响不大．     

Meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies of asthma in ethnically diverse North American populations

Asthma is a common disease with a complex risk architecture including both genetic and environmental factors. We performed a meta-analysis of North American genome-wide association studies of asthma in 5,416 individuals with asthma (cases) including individuals of European American, African American or African Caribbean, and Latino ancestry, with replication in an additional 12,649 individuals from the same ethnic groups. We identified five susceptibility loci. Four were at previously reported loci on 17q21, near IL1RL1, TSLP and IL33, but we report for the first time, to our knowledge, that these loci are associated with asthma risk in three ethnic groups. In addition, we identified a new asthma susceptibility locus at PYHIN1, with the association being specific to individuals of African descent (P = 3.9 × 10(-9)). These results suggest that some asthma susceptibility loci are robust to differences in ancestry when sufficiently large samples sizes are investigated, and that ancestry-specific associations also contribute to the complex genetic architecture of asthma.     

Monoamine oxidases in development

Monoamine oxidases (MAOs) are flavoproteins of the outer mitochondrial membrane that catalyze the oxidative deamination of biogenic and xenobiotic amines. In mammals there are two isoforms (MAO-A and MAO-B) that can be distinguished on the basis of their substrate specificity and their sensitivity towards specific inhibitors. Both isoforms are expressed in most tissues, but their expression in the central nervous system and their ability to metabolize monoaminergic neurotransmitters have focused MAO research on the functionality of the mature brain. MAO activities have been related to neurodegenerative diseases as well as to neurological and psychiatric disorders. More recently evidence has been accumulating indicating that MAO isoforms are expressed not only in adult mammals, but also before birth, and that defective MAO expression induces developmental abnormalities in particular of the brain. This review is aimed at summarizing and critically evaluating the new findings on the developmental functions of MAO isoforms during embryogenesis.     

T-cell co-stimulation through B7RP-1 and ICOS

T-cell activation requires co-stimulation through receptors such as CD28 and antigen-specific signalling through the T-cell antigen receptor. Here we describe a new murine costimulatory receptor-ligand pair. The receptor, which is related to CD28 and is the homologue of the human protein ICOS, is expressed on activated T cells and resting memory T cells. The ligand, which has homology to B7 molecules and is called B7-related protein-1 (B7RP-1), is expressed on B cells and macrophages. ICOS and B7RP-I do not interact with proteins in the CD28-B7 pathway, and B7RP-1 co-stimulates T cells in vitro independently of CD28. Transgenic mice expressing a B7RP-1-Fc fusion protein show lymphoid hyperplasia in the spleen, lymph nodes and Peyer's patches. Presensitized mice treated with B7RP-1-Fc during antigen challenge show enhanced hypersensitivity. Therefore, B7RP-1 exhibits co-stimulatory activities in vitro and in vivo. ICOS and B7RP-1 define a new and distinct receptor-ligand pair that is structurally related to CD28-B7 and is involved in the adaptive immune response.     

Architecture of ribonucleoprotein complexes in influenza A virus particles

In viruses, as in eukaryotes, elaborate mechanisms have evolved to protect the genome and to ensure its timely replication and reliable transmission to progeny. Influenza A viruses are enveloped, spherical or filamentous structures, ranging from 80 to 120 nm in diameter. Inside each envelope is a viral genome consisting of eight single-stranded negative-sense RNA segments of 890 to 2,341 nucleotides each. These segments are associated with nucleoprotein and three polymerase subunits, designated PA, PB1 and PB2; the resultant ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs) resemble a twisted rod (10-15 nm in width and 30-120 nm in length) that is folded back and coiled on itself. Late in viral infection, newly synthesized RNPs are transported from the nucleus to the plasma membrane, where they are incorporated into progeny virions capable of infecting other cells. Here we show, by transmission electron microscopy of serially sectioned virions, that the RNPs of influenza A virus are organized in a distinct pattern (seven segments of different lengths surrounding a central segment). The individual RNPs are suspended from the interior of the viral envelope at the distal end of the budding virion and are oriented perpendicular to the budding tip. This finding argues against random incorporation of RNPs into virions, supporting instead a model in which each segment contains specific incorporation signals that enable the RNPs to be recruited and packaged as a complete set. A selective mechanism of RNP incorporation into virions and the unique organization of the eight RNP segments may be crucial to maintaining the integrity of the viral genome during repeated cycles of replication.     

Occultation of X-rays from Scorpius X-1 by small trans-neptunian objects

Since the discovery of the trans-neptunian objects (TNOs) in 1992, nearly one thousand new members have been added to our Solar System, several of which are as big as--or even larger than--Pluto. The properties of the population of TNOs, such as the size distribution and the total number, are valuable information for understanding the formation of the Solar System, but direct observation is only possible for larger objects with diameters above several tens of kilometres. Smaller objects, which are expected to be more abundant, might be found when they occult background stars, but hitherto there have been no definite detections. Here we report the discovery of such occultation events at millisecond timescales in the X-ray light curve of Scorpius X-1. The estimated sizes of these occulting TNOs are < or =100 m. Their abundance is in line with an extrapolation of the distribution of sizes of larger TNOs.     

Subgroup-specific structural variation across 1,000 medulloblastoma genomes

Medulloblastoma, the most common malignant paediatric brain tumour, is currently treated with nonspecific cytotoxic therapies including surgery, whole-brain radiation, and aggressive chemotherapy. As medulloblastoma exhibits marked intertumoural heterogeneity, with at least four distinct molecular variants, previous attempts to identify targets for therapy have been underpowered because of small samples sizes. Here we report somatic copy number aberrations (SCNAs) in 1,087 unique medulloblastomas. SCNAs are common in medulloblastoma, and are predominantly subgroup-enriched. The most common region of focal copy number gain is a tandem duplication of SNCAIP, a gene associated with Parkinson's disease, which is exquisitely restricted to Group 4α. Recurrent translocations of PVT1, including PVT1-MYC and PVT1-NDRG1, that arise through chromothripsis are restricted to Group 3. Numerous targetable SCNAs, including recurrent events targeting TGF-β signalling in Group 3, and NF-κB signalling in Group 4, suggest future avenues for rational, targeted therapy.     

Crystal structure of a membrane-embedded H+-translocating pyrophosphatase

H(+)-translocating pyrophosphatases (H(+)-PPases) are active proton transporters that establish a proton gradient across the endomembrane by means of pyrophosphate (PP(i)) hydrolysis. H(+)-PPases are found primarily as homodimers in the vacuolar membrane of plants and the plasma membrane of several protozoa and prokaryotes. The three-dimensional structure and detailed mechanisms underlying the enzymatic and proton translocation reactions of H(+)-PPases are unclear. Here we report the crystal structure of a Vigna radiata H(+)-PPase (VrH(+)-PPase) in complex with a non-hydrolysable substrate analogue, imidodiphosphate (IDP), at 2.35?? resolution. Each VrH(+)-PPase subunit consists of an integral membrane domain formed by 16 transmembrane helices. IDP is bound in the cytosolic region of each subunit and trapped by numerous charged residues and five Mg(2+) ions. A previously undescribed proton translocation pathway is formed by six core transmembrane helices. Proton pumping can be initialized by PP(i) hydrolysis, and H(+) is then transported into the vacuolar lumen through a pathway consisting of Arg?242, Asp?294, Lys?742 and Glu?301. We propose a working model of the mechanism for the coupling between proton pumping and PP(i) hydrolysis by H(+)-PPases.     

夫妻分别财产制与债务处理探析

夫妻分别财产制是适应社会发展趋势的新型夫妻财产关系。在市场经济条件下，完善夫妻分别财产制、规范债务处理，使经济生活秩序化，使婚姻质量得到提高，这对维护夫妻双方及第三人的合法权益，都有十分重要的现实意义。