Structures of the bacterial ribosome at 3.5 A resolution

We describe two structures of the intact bacterial ribosome from Escherichia coli determined to a resolution of 3.5 angstroms by x-ray crystallography. These structures provide a detailed view of the interface between the small and large ribosomal subunits and the conformation of the peptidyl transferase center in the context of the intact ribosome. Differences between the two ribosomes reveal a high degree of flexibility between the head and the rest of the small subunit. Swiveling of the head of the small subunit observed in the present structures, coupled to the ratchet-like motion of the two subunits observed previously, suggests a mechanism for the final movements of messenger RNA (mRNA) and transfer RNAs (tRNAs) during translocation.     

Structure of the 70S ribosome complexed with mRNA and tRNA

The crystal structure of the bacterial 70S ribosome refined to 2.8 angstrom resolution reveals atomic details of its interactions with messenger RNA (mRNA) and transfer RNA (tRNA). A metal ion stabilizes a kink in the mRNA that demarcates the boundary between A and P sites, which is potentially important to prevent slippage of mRNA. Metal ions also stabilize the intersubunit interface. The interactions of E-site tRNA with the 50S subunit have both similarities and differences compared to those in the archaeal ribosome. The structure also rationalizes much biochemical and genetic data on translation.     

Translational operator of mRNA on the ribosome: how repressor proteins exclude ribosome binding

The ribosome of Thermus thermophilus was cocrystallized with initiator transfer RNA (tRNA) and a structured messenger RNA (mRNA) carrying a translational operator. The path of the mRNA was defined at 5.5 angstroms resolution by comparing it with either the crystal structure of the same ribosomal complex lacking mRNA or with an unstructured mRNA. A precise ribosomal environment positions the operator stem-loop structure perpendicular to the surface of the ribosome on the platform of the 30S subunit. The binding of the operator and of the initiator tRNA occurs on the ribosome with an unoccupied tRNA exit site, which is expected for an initiation complex. The positioning of the regulatory domain of the operator relative to the ribosome elucidates the molecular mechanism by which the bound repressor switches off translation. Our data suggest a general way in which mRNA control elements must be placed on the ribosome to perform their regulatory task.     

Crystal structure of Thermotoga maritima ribosome recycling factor: a tRNA mimic

Ribosome recycling factor (RRF), together with elongation factor G (EF-G), catalyzes recycling of ribosomes after one round of protein synthesis. The crystal structure of RRF was determined at 2.55 angstrom resolution. The protein has an unusual fold where domain I is a long three-helix bundle and domain II is a three-layer beta/alpha/beta sandwich. The molecule superimposes almost perfectly with a transfer RNA (tRNA) except that the amino acid-binding 3' end is missing. The mimicry suggests that RRF interacts with the posttermination ribosomal complex in a similar manner to a tRNA, leading to disassembly of the complex. The structural arrangement of this mimicry is entirely different from that of other cases of less pronounced mimicry of tRNA so far described.     

湖南双季杂交晚稻对细菌性条斑病的田间抗性及条斑病发生动态

为明确湖南双季杂交晚稻品种对细菌性条斑病的田间抗性表现及双季晚稻细菌性条斑病的发生特点,通过2014—2016年连续三年的田间系统调查与统计分析,研究了湖南双季杂交晚稻主栽品种上条斑病的田间发病情况及大田细菌性条斑病的发生流行动态,绘制了条斑病发生动态与进展曲线图。结果表明,12个湖南双季杂交晚稻主栽品种中,仅‘深两优5814’、‘天优3301’、‘欣荣优华占’、‘五优308’等4个品种田间抗性表现较好,其余8个品种包括近年种植面积较大的品种如‘天优华占’、‘广两优2010’、‘威优227’、‘H优518’等均表现易感条斑病,揭示湖南双季杂交晚稻对条斑病的抗性水平整体较低;湖南双季杂交晚稻条斑病的始发期在8月中旬,约8月11—15日间,流行高峰期在9月上中旬。上述研究结果可为湖南双季杂交晚稻生产上适时防治细菌性条斑病提供科学依据与指导。     

Crystal structure of the eukaryotic ribosome

Crystal structures of prokaryotic ribosomes have described in detail the universally conserved core of the translation mechanism. However, many facets of the translation process in eukaryotes are not shared with prokaryotes. The crystal structure of the yeast 80S ribosome determined at 4.15 angstrom resolution reveals the higher complexity of eukaryotic ribosomes, which are 40% larger than their bacterial counterparts. Our model shows how eukaryote-specific elements considerably expand the network of interactions within the ribosome and provides insights into eukaryote-specific features of protein synthesis. Our crystals capture the ribosome in the ratcheted state, which is essential for translocation of mRNA and transfer RNA (tRNA), and in which the small ribosomal subunit has rotated with respect to the large subunit. We describe the conformational changes in both ribosomal subunits that are involved in ratcheting and their implications in coordination between the two associated subunits and in mRNA and tRNA translocation.     

Oxygen binding in cyanmet hybrid and normal hemoglobins: applicability of sequential and two-state concerted models

The cyanmet hybrid hemoglobins alpha(2)beta(+CN)(2) and alpha(+CN)(2)beta(2) are widely held to be similar or equivalent in structure and subunit interactions to the partially oxygen-liganded species alpha(2)(beta * O(2))(2) and (alpha * O(2))(2)beta(2), respectively. An analysis of precise data on oxygen binding to the cyanmet hybrids and normal hemoglobin shows that if this is the case, then cooperative ligand binding in hemoglobin is more properly described by some model of the sequential type than by any twostate concerted model.     

Decoding in the absence of a codon by tmRNA and SmpB in the ribosome

In bacteria, ribosomes stalled at the end of truncated messages are rescued by transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA), a bifunctional molecule that acts as both a transfer RNA (tRNA) and a messenger RNA (mRNA), and SmpB, a small protein that works in concert with tmRNA. Here, we present the crystal structure of a tmRNA fragment, SmpB and elongation factor Tu bound to the ribosome at 3.2 angstroms resolution. The structure shows how SmpB plays the role of both the anticodon loop of tRNA and portions of mRNA to facilitate decoding in the absence of an mRNA codon in the A site of the ribosome and explains why the tmRNA-SmpB system does not interfere with normal translation.     

A kinetic partitioning model of selective binding of nonnative proteins by the bacterial chaperone SecB

An in vitro assay for the interaction of SecB, a molecular chaperone from Escherichia coli, with polypeptide ligands was established based on the ability of SecB to block the refolding of denatured maltose-binding protein. Competition experiments show that SecB binds selectively to nonnative proteins with high affinity and without specificity for a particular sequence of amino acids. It is proposed that selectivity in binding is due to a kinetic partitioning of polypeptides between folding and association with SecB.     

利用Xa21基因改良杂交稻白叶枯病抗性

以转Xa 21基因的水稻优良恢复系BR527为抗白叶枯病基因供体,分别与不育系金23A、G46A、D62A、D200A进行组配,研究该基因在改良杂交水稻白叶枯病抗性方面的作用。分子检测表明,供体基因能够稳定遗传给杂交组合;田间接种鉴定发现杂交组合对P1,P2,P3,P4,P6和CII,CIV,CV等白叶枯病菌生理小种均表现出抗或高抗,揭示Xa 21基因的抗性好,抗谱广;农艺性状考察结果显示这些杂交组合的农艺性状与对照组合比较没有明显改变。说明该基因可以作为一个显性抗白叶枯病基因在杂交水稻抗性改良上上加以应用,与此同时,得到了四个白叶枯病抗性改良的优良杂交水稻组合。     

基于高通量测序的超级稻不同生育期土壤细菌和古菌群落动态变化

为阐明超级稻生长不同生育期土壤细菌和古菌群落特征及其影响因素,选取湖南高产区(湖南隆回)和低产区(湖南宁乡)两个水稻种植区,利用Illumina Mi Seq高通量测序技术分别对超级稻移栽前,分蘖期、抽穗期、收获期的稻田土壤进行16S r DNA分析,并解析土壤性质对细菌和古菌群落的影响。结果表明:高产生态区土壤微生物多样性在超级稻生育期显著大于移栽前(P0.05),而低产生态区各时期间差异不显著(P0.05)。两个生态区的共同优势细菌为Proteobacteria、Acidobacteria、Chloroflexi和Verrucomicrobia,而Bacteroidetes只是高产区的优势细菌类群。Chloroflexi在低产区相对丰度显著大于高产区(P0.05),Bacteroidetes和Proteobacteria的相对丰度则在高产区显著大于低产区(P0.05),Acidobacteria和Verrucomicrobia的相对丰度在两种生产区差异不显著(P0.05)。低产区古菌数量显著大于高产区(P0.05),是高产区的2.8~5.5倍。低产区和高产区相对优势古菌群分别是泉古菌门(Crenarchaeota)和广古菌门(Euryarchaeota)。随生育期的变化,Crenarchaeota、Euryarchaeota、Acidobacteria和Verrucomicrobia的相对丰度呈先减少后增加的趋势,Bacteroidetes和Proteobacteria呈下降趋势,Chloroflexi呈先上升后降低的趋势。RDA分析表明,Proteobacteria的动态变化主要受土壤有机质含量影响,而Bacteroidetes主要受土壤速效磷驱动。高产区和低产区细菌和古菌群落动态变化的主控因子分别是土壤速效氮和速效磷。研究表明,超级稻高产和低产生态区土壤细菌和古菌群落结构差异明显,且随生育期有一定变化,说明土壤速效养分含量是影响土壤细菌和古菌群落的主要因素。     

Crystal structure of the ribosome at 5.5 A resolution

We describe the crystal structure of the complete Thermus thermophilus 70S ribosome containing bound messenger RNA and transfer RNAs (tRNAs) at 5.5 angstrom resolution. All of the 16S, 23S, and 5S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) chains, the A-, P-, and E-site tRNAs, and most of the ribosomal proteins can be fitted to the electron density map. The core of the interface between the 30S small subunit and the 50S large subunit, where the tRNA substrates are bound, is dominated by RNA, with proteins located mainly at the periphery, consistent with ribosomal function being based on rRNA. In each of the three tRNA binding sites, the ribosome contacts all of the major elements of tRNA, providing an explanation for the conservation of tRNA structure. The tRNAs are closely juxtaposed with the intersubunit bridges, in a way that suggests coupling of the 20 to 50 angstrom movements associated with tRNA translocation with intersubunit movement.     

玉米单倍体诱导系间杂交种评价及其杂种优势分析及其杂交组合选育

利用2个诱导系与25个单倍体诱导率呈现梯度变化的材料,采用NCII设计,组配了50个杂交组合,并对其诱导率及农艺性状进行了评价。结果表明,诱导性状的杂种优势不显著,F1代诱导率呈现出接近中亲值或略低于中亲值的特点,但F1的农艺性状较双亲有了显著提升,尤其是在株高、雄穗长度等方面表现出较强的杂种优势。经筛选评价,2个杂交组合诱导率稳定在8.5%以上,可在今后的育种中加以利用。     

Distinct modes of signal recognition particle interaction with the ribosome

Signal recognition particle (SRP), together with its receptor (SR), mediates the targeting of ribosome-nascent chain complexes to the endoplasmic reticulum. Using protein cross-linking, we detected distinct modes in the binding of SRP to the ribosome. During signal peptide recognition, SRP54 is positioned at the exit site close to ribosomal proteins L23a and L35. When SRP54 contacts SR, SRP54 is rearranged such that it is no longer close to L23a. This repositioning may allow the translocon to dock with the ribosome, leading to insertion of the signal peptide into the translocation channel.     

论中国古典园林艺术中的听觉美

中国古典园林是以视觉为主要感知方式的综合的空间造型艺术。其中,听觉美乃是中国古典园林艺术所追求的高妙境界之一。要实现中国古典园林“雅静之至”的理想境界,确实也离不开令人荡气回肠的听觉因素。在园林中听觉与视觉往往是交织在一起的。建构园林的各种因素,包括人为因素都可以形成听觉美。园林听觉美对现代景观的效果也起到了很好的作用。参8     

The mechanism for activation of GTP hydrolysis on the ribosome

Protein synthesis requires several guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) factors, including elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu), which delivers aminoacyl-transfer RNAs (tRNAs) to the ribosome. To understand how the ribosome triggers GTP hydrolysis in translational GTPases, we have determined the crystal structure of EF-Tu and aminoacyl-tRNA bound to the ribosome with a GTP analog, to 3.2 angstrom resolution. EF-Tu is in its active conformation, the switch I loop is ordered, and the catalytic histidine is coordinating the nucleophilic water in position for inline attack on the γ-phosphate of GTP. This activated conformation is due to a critical and conserved interaction of the histidine with A2662 of the sarcin-ricin loop of the 23S ribosomal RNA. The structure suggests a universal mechanism for GTPase activation and hydrolysis in translational GTPases on the ribosome.     

高抗青枯病大果型番茄杂交一代新品种'浙杂204'的选育

培育抗病品种是防治青枯病最经济、最有效的手段.本研究选育出高抗青枯病大果型杂交一代大红果番茄品种--'浙杂204'.其母本'T9175'系从亚洲蔬菜研究发展中心的高抗青枯病材料'CL1466'的后代中经7代单株选择而成,父本'T9185'是从欧洲引进的'T9502'和亚洲蔬菜研究发展中心引进材料'T9132'杂交后经8代株系选择而成.'浙杂204'主要适合长江流域和华南地区青枯病高发地区种植.其品质优良,贮运性佳,高抗青枯病和枯萎病,抗番茄花叶病毒(ToMV)病,中抗叶霉病,座果能力强,平均(6穗果)可达316.37 kg·hm-2.