Brain region and gene specificity of neuropeptide gene expression in cultured astrocytes

Astrocytes have many neuronal characteristics, such as neurotransmitter receptors, ion channels, and neurotransmitter uptake systems. Cultured astrocytes were shown to express certain neuropeptide genes, with specificity for both the gene expressed and the brain region from which the cells were prepared. Somatostatin messenger RNA and peptides were detected only in cerebellar astrocytes, whereas proenkephalin messenger RNA and enkephalin peptides were present in astrocytes of cortex, cerebellum, and striatum. Cholecystokinin was not expressed in any of the cells. These results support the hypothesis that peptides synthesized in astrocytes may play a role in the development of the central nervous system.     

Heterochromatin and epigenetic control of gene expression

Eukaryotic DNA is organized into structurally distinct domains that regulate gene expression and chromosome behavior. Epigenetically heritable domains of heterochromatin control the structure and expression of large chromosome domains and are required for proper chromosome segregation. Recent studies have identified many of the enzymes and structural proteins that work together to assemble heterochromatin. The assembly process appears to occur in a stepwise manner involving sequential rounds of histone modification by silencing complexes that spread along the chromatin fiber by self-oligomerization, as well as by association with specifically modified histone amino-terminal tails. Finally, an unexpected role for noncoding RNAs and RNA interference in the formation of epigenetic chromatin domains has been uncovered.     

Spatial control of gut-specific gene expression during Caenorhabditis elegans development

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was transformed with constructs containing upstream deletions of the gut-specific ges-1 carboxylesterase gene. With particular deletions, ges-1 was expressed, not as normally in the gut, but rather in muscle cells of the pharynx (which belong to a sister lineage of the gut) or in body wall muscle and hypodermal cells (which belong to a cousin lineage of the gut). These observations suggest that gut-specific gene expression in C. elegans involves not only gut-specific activators but also multiple repressors that are present in particular nongut lineages.     

Hijacking of host cell IKK signalosomes by the transforming parasite Theileria

Parasites have evolved a plethora of mechanisms to ensure their propagation and evade antagonistic host responses. The intracellular protozoan parasite Theileria is the only eukaryote known to induce uncontrolled host cell proliferation. Survival of Theileria-transformed leukocytes depends strictly on constitutive nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) activity. We found that this was mediated by recruitment of the multisubunit IkappaB kinase (IKK) into large, activated foci on the parasite surface. IKK signalosome assembly was specific for the transforming schizont stage of the parasite and was down-regulated upon differentiation into the nontransforming merozoite stage. Our findings provide insights into IKK activation and how pathogens subvert host-cell signaling pathways.     

Viral shedding and transmission between hosts determined by reovirus L2 gene

Two reovirus isolates (type 1 Lang and type 3 Dearing) differ in their transmissibility between littermates of newborn mice. They also differ in the amounts of virus excreted by the gastrointestinal tract. With the use of reassortant viruses, these properties were mapped to the L2 gene. Thus environmental spread of reovirus is a genetic property.     

果蝇抗菌肽基因（Andropin）的原核表达与活性分析

【目的】克隆果蝇抗菌肽Andropin基因,以期利用原核表达系统生产高活性抗菌肽。【方法】首先化学合成了目的基因的2个片段和1对引物,然后利用重叠区互补PCR法得到抗菌肽Andropin的全基因序列。构建了融合表达载体pET32a-Anp,并转入感受态细胞OrigammiB进行原核融合表达。重组菌株诱导表达后,用His-Tag Purification kit亲和层析柱纯化融合蛋白,纯化的蛋白用肠激酶切割并进行活性分析。【结果】在诱导温度37℃、1mmol/LIPTG诱导培养4h的条件下,可获得高效表达的融合蛋白;融合蛋白的表达量占总蛋白的30%,分子质量约为28ku,可溶性达70%以上;抗菌活性试验表明,表达产物对大肠杆菌和金黄色葡萄球菌均有抑制作用。【结论】重组工程菌表达得到Andropin的融合抗菌肽,且其具有抗菌生物学活性。     

Genetic control of song specificity in crickets

The calling song of male field crickets is composed of stereotyped rhythmic pulse intervals, which are predictable expressions of genotype. Females identify conspecific males by their song. Two species of crickets were found to exhibit species-specific song preference, and hybrids between them preferred hybrid calls over either parental call. These results imply genetic control of song reception as well as transmission.     

Noise in gene expression: origins, consequences, and control

Genetically identical cells and organisms exhibit remarkable diversity even when they have identical histories of environmental exposure. Noise, or variation, in the process of gene expression may contribute to this phenotypic variability. Recent studies suggest that this noise has multiple sources, including the stochastic or inherently random nature of the biochemical reactions of gene expression. In this review, we summarize noise terminology and comment on recent investigations into the sources, consequences, and control of noise in gene expression.     

A glycine-dependent riboswitch that uses cooperative binding to control gene expression

We identified a previously unknown riboswitch class in bacteria that is selectively triggered by glycine. A representative of these glycine-sensing RNAs from Bacillus subtilis operates as a rare genetic on switch for the gcvT operon, which codes for proteins that form the glycine cleavage system. Most glycine riboswitches integrate two ligand-binding domains that function cooperatively to more closely approximate a two-state genetic switch. This advanced form of riboswitch may have evolved to ensure that excess glycine is efficiently used to provide carbon flux through the citric acid cycle and maintain adequate amounts of the amino acid for protein synthesis. Thus, riboswitches perform key regulatory roles and exhibit complex performance characteristics that previously had been observed only with protein factors.     

Dynamic optimization of odor representations by slow temporal patterning of mitral cell activity

Mitral cells (MCs) in the olfactory bulb (OB) respond to odors with slow temporal firing patterns. The representation of each odor by activity patterns across the MC population thus changes continuously throughout a stimulus, in an odor-specific manner. In the zebrafish OB, we found that this distributed temporal patterning progressively reduced the similarity between ensemble representations of related odors, thereby making each odor's representation more specific over time. The tuning of individual MCs was not sharpened during this process. Hence, the individual responses of MCs did not become more specific, but the odor-coding MC assemblies changed such that their overlap decreased. This optimization of ensemble representations did not occur among olfactory afferents but resulted from OB circuit dynamics. Time can therefore gradually optimize stimulus representations in a sensory network.     

黄条鰤PTEN基因克隆、组织分布及早期发育阶段的表达分析

为探究PTEN在黄条鰤Seriola aureovittata生长发育过程中的分子作用机制,采用同源克隆和cDNA末端快速扩增(RACE)技术克隆了黄条鰤生长调控因子PTEN的cDNA全长序列,并采用实时荧光定量PCR(qPCR)技术分析了PTEN mRNA的时空表达特征。结果表明:黄条鰤PTEN cDNA序列全长为1575 bp,开放阅读框为1287 bp,编码428个氨基酸,PTEN编码的蛋白具有脊椎动物PTEN的共同特征,含有PTP(PTPc基序)和PTEN-C2结构域;序列比对分析发现,黄条鰤与高体鰤Seriola dumerili同源性较高,一致性达到了95%;通过系统进化树分析表明,黄条鰤与鲈形目及鲽形目鱼类聚为一支;经qPCR分析发现,黄条鰤PTEN mRNA在心脏中的相对表达量最高(P<0.05),其次在脾脏、头肾、肾脏、胃、肠、鳃中表达量较高,PTEN mRNA在多种组织中的广泛表达,暗示着其可能参与多种生理过程的调控;同时分析了PTEN mRNA在黄条鰤早期发育阶段(胚胎期、仔稚幼鱼期)中的时序表达特征,发现PTEN在早期胚胎发育中持续表达,从低囊胚时期(38 hpf)表达量显著升高(P<0.05),初孵仔鱼时期相对表达量最高(P<0.05);在仔稚幼鱼时期,PTEN mRNA相对表达水平逐渐降低,35日龄表达量显著下降(P<0.05)并保持较低表达水平。研究表明,PTEN在胚胎及仔稚幼鱼发育过程中具有重要调节作用,本研究结果可为黄条鰤早期生长发育过程的调控机制研究及苗种培育提供数据资料。