摘要：
UDP-Glycosyltransferases (UGT) are a large family of enzymes, which catalyze the transfer of a sugar from an activated sugar donor to an acceptor molecule. Both in plants and in mammals, they are important in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. In this study, two genes (designated GhUGT1 and GhUGT2, respectively) encoding putative UGT were isolated from the cotton fiber cDNA library. The deduced proteins contain the signature sequences of plant UGTs in the C-terminal region. The GhUGT1 gene encodes a polypeptide of 457 amino acids, and displays homology at amino acid levels with the known glycosyltransferase genes. Sequence analysis revealed that the GhUGT2 merely encodes a small protein, as there is a nucleotide substitution that results in formation of a stop codon in its open reading frame. Real-time RT-PCR analysis revealed that the expression of GhUGT1 is higher in the fast growth tissues, such as in fibers and roots. GhUGT2 has also higher expression in roots, but with lower expression levels in fibers and other tissues. The results also showed that the expression of GhUGT1 is higher than GhUGT2. Further study showed that GhUGT1 and GhUGT2 expressions are regulated under osmotic stress, suggesting they may be involved in plants responding to osmotic stress.
摘要：
Phytochelatins (PCs) are known to play an essential role in the heavy metal detoxification of some higher plants and fungi by chelating heavy metals. However, three recent papers reported that no PCs could be detected in the hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii Hance upon cadmium, lead or zinc treatment, respectively. In this paper, PC synthesis was assayed again in the mine population of S. alfredii with the help of reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), HPLC-mass spectrometry, and HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry. Our data showed that PC formation could be induced in the leaf, stem and root tissues of S. alfredii upon exposure to 400 mu M cadmium, and only in the stem and root when exposed to 700 mu M lead. However, no PCs were found in any part of S. alfredii when it was subjected to exposure to 1600 mu M zinc. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
摘要：
Effects of two fertilizers, NH(4)Cl and KCl, on the growth of the edible cyanobacterium Ge-Xian-Mi (Nostoc) and four other cyanobacterial strains were compared at pH 8.3+/-0.2 and 25 degrees C. Their growth was decreased by at least 65% at 10 mmol L(-1) NH(4)Cl but no inhibitory effect was observed at the same level of KCl. Meanwhile, the strains exhibited a great variation of sensitivity to NH(4)(+) toxicity in the order: Ge-Xian-Mi>Anabaena azotica FACHB 118>Microcystis aeruginosa FACHB 905>M. aeruginosa FACHB 315>Synechococcus FACHB 805. The 96-h EC(50) value for relative growth rate with regard to NH(4)(+) for Ge-Xian-Mi was 1.105 mmol L(-1), which was much less than the NH(4)(+) concentration in many agricultural soils (2-20 mmol L(-1)). This indicated that the use of ammonium as nitrogen fertilizer was responsible for the reduced resource of Ge-Xian-Mi in the paddy field. After 96 h exposure to 1 mmol L(-1) NH(4)Cl, the photosynthetic rate, F(v)/F(m) value, saturating irradiance for photosynthesis and PSII activity of Ge-Xian-Mi colonies were remarkably decreased. The chlorophyll synthesis of Ge-Xian-Mi was more sensitive to NH(4)(+) toxicity than phycobiliproteins. Thus, the functional absorption cross section of Ge-Xian-Mi PSII was increased markedly at NH(4)Cl levels >or=1 mmol L(-1) and the electron transport on the acceptor side of PSII was significantly accelerated by NH(4)Cl addition >or=3 mmol L(-1). Dark respiration of Ge-Xian-Mi was significantly increased by 246% and 384% at 5 and 10 mmol L(-1) NH(4)Cl, respectively. The rapid fluorescence rise kinetics indicated that the oxygen-evolving complex of PSII was the inhibitory site of NH(4)(+).
通讯机构：
[Geng, Hui] H;Huazhong Normal Univ, Coll Life Sci, Dept Biochem & Mol Biol, 100 Luoyurd, Wuhan 430079, Peoples R China.
关键词：
Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein;Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein;Multiple Epiphyseal Dysplasia;Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein Level;Serum Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein Level
摘要：
Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is a homopentameric protein in cartilage. The development of arthritis, like collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), involves cartilage as a target tissue. We have investigated the development of CIA in COMP-deficient mice. COMP-deficient mice in the 129/Sv background were backcrossed for 10 generations against B10.Q mice, which are susceptible to chronic CIA. COMP-deficient and wild-type mice were tested for onset, incidence, and severity of arthritis in both the collagen and collagen antibody-induced arthritis models. Serum anti-collagen II and anti-COMP antibodies as well as serum COMP levels in arthritic and wild-type mice were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. COMP-deficient mice showed a significant early onset and increase in the severity of CIA in the chronic phase, whereas collagen II-antibody titers were similar in COMP-deficient and wild-type controls. COMP antibodies were not found in wild-type mice. Finally, COMP-deficient and wild-type mice responded similarly to collagen antibody-induced arthritis, indicating no difference in how collagen II antibodies interact with COMP-deficient cartilage during the initial stages of arthritis. COMP deficiency enhances the early onset and development of chronic arthritis but does not affect collagen II autoimmunity. These findings accentuate the importance of COMP in cartilage stability.
作者：
Wang, Xin;Luo, Feng;Wu, Fei-Jian;Chen, Qi-Cai;Jen, Philip H. S.*
期刊：
NEUROREPORT,2008年19(8):861-865 ISSN：0959-4965
通讯作者：
Jen, Philip H. S.
作者机构：
[Chen, Qi-Cai; Luo, Feng; Wu, Fei-Jian; Wang, Xin] Cent China Normal Univ, Coll Life Sci, Wuhan, Peoples R China.;[Jen, Philip H. S.] Univ Missouri, Div Biol Sci, Columbia, MO 65211 USA.;[Jen, Philip H. S.] Univ Missouri, Interdisciplinary Neurosci Program, Columbia, MO 65211 USA.
通讯机构：
[Jen, Philip H. S.] U;Univ Missouri, Div Biol Sci, Columbia, MO 65211 USA.
关键词：
bat, duration selectivity, inferior colliculus, pulse–echo pairs, recovery cycle
作者机构：
[Wu, F. J.; Chen, Q. C.; Bibikov, N. G.] Cent China Normal Univ, Coll Life Sci, Wuhan 430079, Peoples R China.;[Bibikov, N. G.] NN Andreyev Acoust Inst, Moscow 117036, Russia.
通讯机构：
[Wu, F. J.] C;Cent China Normal Univ, Coll Life Sci, Wuhan 430079, Peoples R China.
摘要：
We recorded extracellular activity from 402 single units located in the inferior colliculus (IC) of barbiturate-anesthetized albino mice. The stimuli were pure tones at characteristic frequency (CF) with durations of 10, 40 and 100 ms and intensities ranged from 5 to 25 dB above unit's minimum threshold (MT). The tones were presented with different repetition rates (RRs) ranging from 0.2 to 20.0 Hz. At low intensities (5 dB above MT, determined at RR of 0.5 Hz) the great majority of units exhibited a strong decline of their responses when the stimulus RR was increased. About one-half of the units did not respond to 40 ms tones when they were stimulated with the RR of 3.0 Hz. This effect was even more pronounced for 100 ms tones. Generally, the increase in stimulus intensity led to an increase in the high-frequency border of RR. Nevertheless, even at intensities of 20-30 dB above MT, some units showed no response when the RR exceeded 5.0 Hz. In many cases the band-pass or high-pass duration tuning of the single unit was transformed to low-pass or all-pass when the rate was low enough to guarantee the independence of successive presentations of the stimuli. Responses of a very small group of IC units, however, were enhanced when the RR was increased. Our data have shown that the changes in the RR radically modify many features of the neural response (number of spikes, latency, discharge pattern, duration selectivity). We suggest that long-lasting inhibitory processes may be induced by low intensity stimuli in many units of the IC. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
通讯机构：
[Li, Xue-Bao] H;Hua Zhong Normal Univ, Hubei Key Lab Genet Regulat & Integrat Biol, Coll Life Sci, Wuhan 430079, Peoples R China.
摘要：
Fasciclin-like arabinogalactan proteins (FLAs), a subclass of arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs), are usually involved in cell development in plants. To investigate the expression profiling as well as the role of FLA genes in fiber development, 19 GhFLA genes (cDNAs) were isolated from cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). Among them, 15 are predicted to be glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchored to the plasma membranes. The isolated cotton FLAs could be divided into four groups. Real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction results indicated that the GhFLA genes are differentially expressed in cotton tissues. Three genes (GhFLA1/2/4) were specifically or predominantly expressed in 10 days post-anthesis fibers, and the transcripts of the other four genes (GhFLA6/14/15/18) were accumulated at relatively high levels in cotton fibers. Furthermore, expressions of the GhFLA genes are regulated in fiber development and in response to phytohormones and NaCl. The identification of cotton FLAs will facilitate the study of their roles in cotton fiber development and cell wall biogenesis.
作者：
Du, X. Z.;Zhou, L.;Zhao, H. B.;Wang, Y. F.*;Gui, J. F.
期刊：
Fish Physiology and Biochemistry,2008年34(2):175-184 ISSN：0920-1742
通讯作者：
Wang, Y. F.
作者机构：
[Zhao, H. B.; Du, X. Z.; Wang, Y. F.; Zhou, L.] Cent China Normal Univ, Coll Life Sci, Wuhan 430079, Peoples R China.;[Gui, J. F.] Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Hydrobiol, Wuhan Ctr Dev Biol, State Key Freshwater Ecol & Biotechnol, Wuhan 430072, Peoples R China.
通讯机构：
[Wang, Y. F.] C;Cent China Normal Univ, Coll Life Sci, Wuhan 430079, Peoples R China.
摘要：
Hir/Hira (histone regulation) genes were first identified in yeast as negative regulators of histone gene expression. It has been confirmed that HIRA is a conserved family of proteins present in various animals and plants. In this paper, the cDNAs of the Hira homolog named CagHira and CaHira were isolated from gynogenetic gibel carp (gyno-carp) and gonochoristic color crucian carp (gono-carp) respectively. The full-length CagHira is 3,860 bp in length with an open reading frame (ORF) of 3,033 bp that encodes 1,011 amino acids, while the full-length CaHira is 3,748 bp in length and also has an ORF of 3,033 bp. The deduced amino acid sequences of both Hira homologs contain seven WD domains and show high identity with other HIRA family members. RT-PCR analyses revealed strong expression of Hira in the ovaries, whereas no expression was detected in the testes of either of the fishes. Hira transcription was not detected in the liver of gyno-carp, but a high level of Hira mRNA was observed in gono-carp. The temporal expression pattern showed that the Hira mRNA is consistently expressed during all embryonic development stages in gyno-carp. However, the abundance of CaHira mRNA significantly decreased (P < 0.05) shortly after fertilization and then increased again and remained stable from gastrula till hatching. The varying spatiotemporal expression patterns of Hira genes in gyno-carp and gono-carp may be associated with the differing reproductive modes used by these two closely related fishes. Our results suggest that Hira may play a role not only in the decondensation of sperm nucleus and the formation of pronucleus during fertilization, but also in gastrulation and the subsequent development of embryos.
作者机构：
[Yang, X.; Lu, Z.; Qiao, Y.; Yan, Y.] Cent China Normal Univ, Coll Life Sci, Hubei Key Lab Genet Regulat & Integrat Biol, Wuhan 430079, Peoples R China.;[Lu, Z.; Li, C. M.; Qiao, Y.; Yan, Y.] Nanyang Technol Univ, Sch Chem & Biomed Engn, Singapore, Singapore.
通讯机构：
[Yang, X.] C;Cent China Normal Univ, Coll Life Sci, Hubei Key Lab Genet Regulat & Integrat Biol, Wuhan 430079, Peoples R China.
关键词：
Formaldehyde;Learning;Memory;Morris water maze;NMDA receptor;Oxidative stress
摘要：
UNLABELLED: In this study, we investigated the effect of inhaled formaldehyde on learning and memory capacity. After exposure to 0 (control), 1 and 3 mg/m(3) of gaseous formaldehyde respectively, the behavior of mice in a Morris water maze, the expression of NR1, NR2B mRNA and oxidative damage levels in mice brain were analyzed. The water maze performance, the activities of dismutase superoxide (SOD) and levels of glutathione (GSH) decreased significantly in 3 mg/m(3) group (P < 0.01, compared with control group); while malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and expression of NR1 and NR2B genes increased significantly after exposure to 3 mg/m(3) of gaseous formaldehyde (P < 0.05, <0.01, <0.01, compared with control group). These findings indicate that inhaled formaldehyde negatively affects learning and memory at 3 mg/m(3) of gaseous formaldehyde but not at lower levels. Oxidative stress-induced neuron damages in the brain may be the possible mechanism for these effects. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: This study indicates that inhaled formaldehyde starts to negatively affect learning and memory at a middle concentration of formaldehyde without interference of other indoor air pollutants. Oxidative damage, and the alteration of NMDA receptor expression, which were induced by formaldehyde inhalation, may be the possible mechanism for gaseous formaldehyde-induced neurotoxicity.
期刊：
CHINESE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY,2008年51(1):13-26 ISSN：0304-4920
通讯作者：
Wu, Fei-Jian
作者机构：
[Wu, Fei-Jian] Cent China Normal Univ, Coll Life Sci, Wuhan 430079, Peoples R China.;[Jen, Philip H. -S.] Univ Missouri, Div Biol Sci, Columbia, MO 65211 USA.;[Jen, Philip H. -S.] Univ Missouri, Interdisciplinary Neurosci Program, Columbia, MO 65211 USA.
通讯机构：
[Wu, Fei-Jian] C;Cent China Normal Univ, Coll Life Sci, Wuhan 430079, Peoples R China.
