Expression of biologically active human clotting factor IX (hF IX) in the mammary gland of transgenic mice

The DNA of human factor IX (hF IX) gene vector pMC IX m, which had been proven to be able to express inin vitro and living cells, was introduced into 586 zygotes of Kunming Whlte Mice by positive pressure microinjection technique with manual operation. The 499 survival embryos after microinjection were then transferred into pseudopregnant recipient mice and 216 F, pups were born. The analysis of PCR and Southern blot hybridization showed that, of the 216, 6 (2 females and 4 males) were integrated with foreign DNA in their genornes, giving an integration frequency of 3% (6/216). Two F₀ female transgenic mice could express hF IX protein in their milk and the content was over 100 ng/mL as measured with ELISA. The biological activities of hF IV in the milk of two F₀ mike were 44.67 % and 79.43 %, respectively.     

外源基因在转基因动物乳腺中的特异性表达研究

动物基因工程研究最大的突破就是转基因动物研究的进展,自八十年代初第一批转基因小鼠问世以来,转基因动物的研究已从方法学研究步入了应用性研究阶段,转基因动物除作为研究工具广泛应用于发育生物学、免疫学、遗传学以及医学等生命科学领域外,外源基因在转基因动物的特异性表达,尤其是在乳腺的表达,又可将转基因用作生物反应器进行了生物活性蛋白的生产而于商业生产,在转基因动物乳腺的特异性表达研究中,寻找乳蛋白基因调控     

乳腺肿瘤患者血清中微量元素的测定及相关因素分析

用石墨炉原子吸收光谱法测定了２１３名健康妇女，３６例乳腺良性瘤和３８例乳腺恶性瘤手术前后血清中Ｚｎ，Ｆｅ，Ｃｕ，Ｍｎ，Ｐｈ，Ｃｄ，Ｃｒ，Ｎｉ和Ｍｏ九种微量元素的含量．结果发现三组血清中有五种元素有显著性差异，其中血清Ｚｎ，Ｃｕ，Ｎｉ和Ｆｅ的含量乳癌患者明显高于对照组，血清Ｍｏ则乳癌患者低于对照组，而且血清Ｚｎ，Ｃｕ，Ｎｉ随病情发展而升高，血清Ｍｏ则相反；乳癌患者血清Ｃｕ／Ｚｎ值（１．４８）高于健康组（１．３０）．     

大熊猫（Ailuropoda Melanoleuca）卵巢的年龄变化

对比观察了5只不同年龄大熊猫(包括青年、中年和老年)的卵巢皮质石蜡切片。可见皮质结构有较大的年龄变化。主要表现在:性成熟后,卵巢皮质的厚度随年龄的增长有减薄的趋势。成年的各级正常卵泡数量较少,初级和次级的更少;闭锁卵饱和间质腺较多,并呈现出随年龄增长而增多的动向。老年卵巢结构变化明显,皮质纤维化,卵泡全部消失,仅有较多囊泡,小动脉管壁增厚,管腔变小。老年卵巢的外形、体积和重量等方面与成年之间未见明显年龄变化。     

达乌尔黄鼠冬眠期与非冬眠期的产热活性及激素调节

测定了达乌尔黄鼠(Spermophilus Dauricus)冬季冬眠时和秋季非冬眠时的产热活性及其激素调节．达乌尔黄鼠下丘脑促甲状腺激素释放激素(TRH)冬眠时含量显著高于非冬眠时的，血清中三碘甲腺原氨酸(T3)、甲状腺素(T4)质量浓度也有明显增加．表明达乌尔黄鼠下丘脑甲状腺轴激素水平和功能存在季节性变化，冬眠时该轴是激活的，这个轴的激活，有利于黄鼠冬眠觉醒中褐色脂肪组织(BAT)的产热．冬眠时达乌尔黄鼠下丘脑促肾上腺激素释放激素(CRF)的质量分数、肾上腺皮质酮的质量分数和肾上腺质量明显比非冬眠季节的个体低．表明达乌尔黄鼠在冬眠过程中，下丘脑CRF-肾上腺轴受到抑制，从而解除了对BAT产热的抑制作用．     

大鼠松果体N-乙酰转移酶基因的昼夜节律性表达

探讨12 h光照、12 h黑暗交替(LD)光制下松果体N-乙酰转移酶(NAT)基因的昼夜节律性表达。SD大鼠在LD光制下饲养4周后,在一昼夜内每隔4h采集一组松果体组织,提取总RNA,进行竞争性定量RT-PCR,测定不同昼夜时点(ZT)样品中NAT基因mRNA的相对表达量。用余弦函数获取节律参数,并经振幅检验分析是否存在昼夜节律。结果表明松果体NAT基因mRNA表达呈现昼夜节律性振荡(P<0.05),峰值(mRNA水平为1.07±0.23)和谷值(mRNA水平为0.61±0.15)分别位于ZT16和ZT4,峰值相位-241.80±14.94,振幅0.23±0.13,中值0.84±0.11。证实LD光制下松果体NAT基因存在明显的昼低夜高节律性表达。     

Molecular mechanisms of spider silk

Spiders spin high-performance silks through the expression and assembly of tissue-restricted fibroin proteins. Spider silks are composite protein biopolymers that have complex microstructures. Retrieval of cDNAs and genomic DNAs encoding silk fibroins has revealed an association between the protein sequences and structure-property relationships. However, before spider silks can be subject to genetic engineering for commercial applications, the complete protein sequences and their functions, as well as the details of the spinning mechanism, will require additional progress and collaborative efforts in the areas of biochemistry, molecular biology and material science. Novel approaches to reveal additional molecular constituents embedded in the spider fibers, as well as cloning strategies to manipulate the genes for expression, will continue to be important aspects of spider biology research. Here we summarize the molecular characteristics of the different spider fibroins, the mechanical properties and assembly process of spidroins and the advances in protein expression systems used for recombinant silk production. We also highlight different technical approaches being used to elucidate the molecular constituents of silk fibers. Received 28 February 2006; received after revision 14 April 2006; accepted 22 May 2006 X. Hu and K. Vasanthavada contributed equally to this work.     

Sperm competition, immunity, selfish genes and cancer

Sperm competition is widespread and has played an important role in shaping male reproductive characters such as testis size and numbers of sperm produced, and this is reflected in the rapid evolution of many reproductive genes. Additionally, sperm competition has been implicated in the rapid evolution of seminal fluids. However, our understanding of the molecular basis of many traits thought to be important in sperm competition is rudimentary. Furthermore, links between sperm competition and a range of issues not directly related to reproduction are only just beginning to be explored. These include associations between sperm competition and selfish genes, immunity and diseases such as cancer.We briefly review these topics and suggest areas we consider worthy of additional research.     

Male panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) urine contains kinship information

Chemical communication plays an important role in kin selection and mate choice in mammals. The covariance of odor-genes of rodents has been documented and kinship odor has been proposed and termed, yet little is known of the relationship between genetic relatedness and chemical composition of kinship odors. Giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) rely substantially on chemical communication to mediate their social interactions. To examine the relationship between genetic relatedness and compounds in the urine/anogenital gland secretions, we compared the similarities between genetic relatedness and the chemical profiles of anogenital gland secretions and urine via lineage construction and GC-MS (gas chromatography and mass spectrometry). We found that information about kinship odors was present only in the urine of male adults in the mating season but absent in the non-mating season. Adult females and all sub-adults did not have such kinship odors in either mating or non-mating season. Therefore, kinship odor in the panda was contingent on age, sex, and season. This is the first report about the condition-dependent expression of kinship odor, which may have a sig- nificant implication in the practice of panda conservation in relation to chemical communication and sexual selection.