基因组学与地球科学迅猛发展,古生物学进入纵深发展新时代——2017年古生物学热点回眸

 古生物学是以化石为主要研究对象,研究地质历史时期的生物界及其发展的科学,属于地球科学与生命科学之间的交叉学科。随着生命科学基因组学与地球系统科学的迅猛发展,古生物学这门古老学科进入了纵深发展的新时代,不断涌现振奋人心的研究进展与新发现。本文回顾了2017年国际古生物研究领域取得的重要进展与研究热点,并介绍了中国古生物学界2017年在早期生命、早期后口动物、古脊椎动物、古人类、古DNA以及演化古生物学等研究方向做出的重要贡献。     

Wnt/β-catenin信号途径在DDR和氧化应激中的作用

Wnt/β-catenin信号途径在调控基因表达与DNA损伤反应(DNA damage response,DDR)中具有重要作用.氧化应激是导致DNA损伤的主要原因,且可以影响Wnt信号.首先总结了Wnt/β-catenin信号途径和DDR,然后综述了Wnt/β-catenin信号途径在DDR和氧化应激中的作用及分子机制,以期为DNA修复缺陷性肿瘤提供更有效的治疗策略.     

染色体结构维持蛋白Smc5/6复合体的结构与功能

真核生物基因组DNA主要以染色体的形式存在于细胞核中，染色体结构的稳定及其动态变化对于真核生物遗传信息从亲代到子代中的准确传递和维持细胞的正常功能是必不可少的。染色体结构维持蛋白（Structure Maintenance of Chromosome，Smc）在染色体结构维持及DNA损伤修复方面发挥着关键性的作用。Smc蛋白家族包括3类：黏连蛋白（Cohesin）、凝缩蛋白（Condesin）和Smc5/6复合体（Smc5/6 complex）。Smc5/6复合体在真核生物中分布广泛且高度保守，在DNA损伤同源重组修复、DNA复制、端粒长度维持及胚胎发育中发挥重要作用。本文系统介绍了Smc5/6复合体结构特征和生物学功能领域的相关进展，为深入研究Smc5/6复合体提供理论参考。     

Diversity and dispersal history of the talitrids (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Talitridae) of Bermuda

Five taxa of talitrid amphipods were found in the archipelago of Bermuda, of which three were recorded there for the first time. Four of these are supralittoral wrack generalists: Platorchestia monodi BOLD:AAB3402, (a unique Molecular Operational Taxonomic Unit according to the Barcode Index Number system), a related species recognized by molecular methods, Platorchestia platensis BOLD:AAA2949, Mexorchestia carpenteri carpenteri BOLD:AAC1491 and Tethorchestia antillensis; and one a terrestrial leaf-litter generalist: Talitroides alluaudi. A key is provided to discriminate between the formally described talitrids of Bermuda. Dispersal mechanisms from the American continent to Bermuda were considered for all taxa based on species distributions along the North American Atlantic coast and also investigated by molecular methods, using genetic population differentiation and haplotype network analysis based on the barcode region of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene. For P. monodi BOLD:AAB3402 the genetic results suggest that some dispersal events occurred before human colonization of Bermuda but are equivocal about the source population and therefore the direction of dispersal. Some very recent synanthropic dispersal is possible with this species. For the other two species studied genetically, P. platensis BOLD:AAA2949 and M. c. carpenteri BOLD:AAC1491, the small population samples analysed support dispersal to Bermuda from the American mainland, before human occupation of Bermuda, although the available sample size was limited for these species. The available limited direct, non-genetic evidence supports synanthropic transport for Talitroides alluaudi. Platorchestia monodi BOLD:AAB3402 is found in the same wrack habitat as P. platensis BOLD:AAA2949 on Bermuda, apparently without interbreeding. No evidence was found that driftwood specialist talitrids had become established in Bermuda.     

An important functional group,benzo[1,3]dioxole,of alkaloids induces the formation of the human telomeric DNA G-quadruplex

Over the past few decades, numerous molecules have been discovered or designed to interact efficiently and selectively with a peculiar DNA structure named G-quadruplex. Some of these molecules have been developed as anticancer agents. To aid the design of anticancer agents, the ability of alkaloids possessing Protoberberine and Benzophenanthridine groups to induce the formation of G-quadruplexes were studied using CD spectroscopy. By careful examination of their structures, we found that a benzo[1,3]dioxole group plays an important role in influencing their inductive properties. The more functional groups the alkaloids have, the stronger their G-quadruplex inductive ability.     

稀溶液中线形DNA分子链结构及扩散的布朗动力学模拟

通过构建全参数化的珠一弹簧分子链模型,并运用一种高效稳定的半隐式预测-校验积分算法求解描述稀溶液中DNA分子链结构演化的随机动力学方程组,系统研究了体积排斥作用、有限伸长弹性作用和涨落流体动力学作用对分子链的回旋半径、质心扩散系数以及相应标度指数的影响.模拟结果能够验证良溶剂中分子链Zimm模型的标度规律,并揭示出3种...     

Serine/threonine protein phosphatases in DNA damage response

DNA damage response (DDR) is among the most important of the mechanisms that maintain genome stability which, when destabilized, predisposes organs to cancer. Reversible phosphorylation mediated by protein kinases and protein phosphatases regulates most, if not all, cellular activities, including DDR. Protein kinase inhibitors have become the main focus of targeted therapy and anticancer drug development. However, our limited knowledge of protein phosphatase function is compromising our capacity to develop therapeutic agents against phosphatases. In this review, we summarize the roles of serine/threonine protein phosphatases involved in DDR and propose that in situ dephosphorylation of phosphoproteins by protein phosphatases, instead of proteasome-mediated degradation of phosphoproteins, is mainly employed by cells.     

Mitochondrial DNA variation analysis suggests extreme low genetic diversity in Guizhou snub-nosed monkeys （Rhinopithecus brelichi）

Guizhou snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus brelichi) is a unique, endangered primate in China, mainly distributed in Fanjing Mountain National Natural Reserve, Guizhou Province, in an area of 275 km2. Recently, habitat loss and fragmentation have caused population isolation. To assess genetic diversity within this species and its population structure, we sequenced 400 bp of the hypervariable I segment from the mitochondrial DNA control region for 128 individuals. Only one haplotype was identified from these individuals. Compared with other primate species, R. brelichi can be regarded as a species with very low genetic diversity, which further adds to the conservation concern.     

LAGE-1DNA肿瘤疫苗的抗肿瘤治疗效果研究

以LAGE-1转染EMT6构建小鼠乳腺癌肿瘤模型;将BalB/c小鼠随机分为4组,以pcDNA3.1/LAGE-1及对照pcDNA3.1分别接种实验组和对照组各三次.于末次免疫后10 d在小鼠左背部、右背部皮下分别种植EMT6肿瘤细胞和EMT6/LAGE1肿瘤细胞．荷瘤后观察成瘤时间、肿瘤大小,并对小鼠脾细胞进行CTL细胞杀伤活性实验来观察DNA疫苗引起的免疫反应.结果显示LAGE-1DNA疫苗在体内能诱导有效的特异性肿瘤免疫应答,该疫苗简便有效.