Requirement of the spindle checkpoint for proper chromosome segregation in budding yeast meiosis

The spindle checkpoint was characterized in meiosis of budding yeast. In the absence of the checkpoint, the frequency of meiosis I missegregation increased with increasing chromosome length, reaching 19% for the longest chromosome. Meiosis I nondisjunction in spindle checkpoint mutants could be prevented by delaying the onset of anaphase. In a recombination-defective mutant (spo11Delta), the checkpoint delays the biochemical events of anaphase I, suggesting that chromosomes that are attached to microtubules but are not under tension can activate the spindle checkpoint. Spindle checkpoint mutants reduce the accuracy of chromosome segregation in meiosis I much more than that in meiosis II, suggesting that checkpoint defects may contribute to Down syndrome.     

Streptonigrin: effect on the first meiotic metaphase of the mouse egg

Streptonigrin, an antibiotic and antitumor agent, alters the chromosomes of the mouse ovum during meiosis. Agglutination of bivalents or achromatic gaps and breaks occurred in the larger pairs both in vitro and in vivo. This newly detected cytogenetic effect suggests that such agents can gain access to developing mammalian ova and destroy the normal progress of meiosis.     

斑马鱼卵母细胞第一次减数分裂过程中MAPK的表达及定位

用不同浓度的促滤泡激素(FSH)和17α,20β-双羟孕酮分别作用于斑马鱼卵母细胞。结果表明,1 IU/mL的FSH和5 ng/mL的17α,20β-双羟孕酮对斑马鱼卵母细胞生发泡破裂都具有明显促进作用。其中17α,20β-双羟孕酮的作用效果较好,经过SDS-PDGE电泳和WesternBlot检测发现,5 ng/mL 17α,20β-双羟孕酮对斑马鱼卵母细胞诱导后,分裂原蛋白激酶被激活,生发泡破裂的卵母细胞数目增多。免疫组化检测证实,第Ⅰ期的卵母细胞中分裂原蛋白激酶没有激活,第Ⅱ期、第Ⅲ期细胞质中分裂原蛋白激酶开始激活,第Ⅴ期卵母细胞的胞质与核区同时存在活性的分裂原蛋白激酶,并伴有生发泡破裂。以上结果说明分裂原蛋白激酶在斑马鱼卵母细胞第一次减数分裂恢复过程中发挥重要作用,并且随着分裂原蛋白激酶激活,其活性部位从细胞质转移到细胞核。     

斑马鱼卵母细胞第一次减数分裂过程中MAPK的表达及定位

用不同浓度的促滤泡激素(FSH)和17α,20β-双羟孕酮分别作用于斑马鱼卵母细胞。结果表明,1 IU/mL的FSH和5 ng /mL的17α,20β-双羟孕酮对斑马鱼卵母细胞生发泡破裂都具有明显促进作用。其中17α,20β-双羟孕酮的作用效果较好,经过SDS-PDGE电泳和Western-Blot检测发现,5 ng/mL 17α,20β-双羟孕酮对斑马鱼卵母细胞诱导后,分裂原蛋白激酶被激活,生发泡破裂的卵母细胞数目增多。免疫组化检测证实,第Ⅰ期的卵母细胞中分裂原蛋白激酶没有激活,第Ⅱ期、第Ⅲ期细胞质中分裂原蛋白激酶开始激活,第Ⅴ期卵母细胞的胞质与核区同时存在活性的分裂原蛋白激酶,并伴有生发泡破裂。以上结果说明分裂原蛋白激酶在斑马鱼卵母细胞第一次减数分裂恢复过程中发挥重要作用,并且随着分裂原蛋白激酶激活,其活性部位从细胞质转移到细胞核。     

Requirement for caspase-2 in stress-induced apoptosis before mitochondrial permeabilization

A current view is that cytotoxic stress, such as DNA damage, induces apoptosis by regulating the permeability of mitochondria. Mitochondria sequester several proteins that, if released, kill by activating caspases, the proteases that disassemble the cell. Cytokines activate caspases in a different way, by assembling receptor complexes that activate caspases directly; in this case, the subsequent mitochondrial permeabilization accelerates cell disassembly by amplifying caspase activity. We found that cytotoxic stress causes activation of caspase-2, and that this caspase is required for the permeabilization of mitochondria. Therefore, we argue that cytokine-induced and stress-induced apoptosis act through conceptually similar pathways in which mitochondria are amplifiers of caspase activity rather than initiators of caspase activation.     

Requirement of the inositol trisphosphate receptor for activation of store-operated Ca2+ channels

The coupling mechanism between endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium ion (Ca2+) stores and plasma membrane (PM) store-operated channels (SOCs) is crucial to Ca2+ signaling but has eluded detection. SOCs may be functionally related to the TRP family of receptor-operated channels. Direct comparison of endogenous SOCs with stably expressed TRP3 channels in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells revealed that TRP3 channels differ in being store independent. However, condensed cortical F-actin prevented activation of both SOC and TRP3 channels, which suggests that ER-PM interactions underlie coupling of both channels. A cell-permeant inhibitor of inositol trisphosphate receptor (InsP3R) function, 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate, prevented both receptor-induced TRP3 activation and store-induced SOC activation. It is concluded that InsP3Rs mediate both SOC and TRP channel opening and that the InsP3R is essential for maintaining coupling between store emptying and physiological activation of SOCs.     

Requirement of AMPA receptor GluR2 phosphorylation for cerebellar long-term depression

Cerebellar long-term depression (LTD) is a model of synaptic memory that requires protein kinase C (PKC) activation and is expressed as a reduction in the number of postsynaptic alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) receptors. LTD was absent in cultured cerebellar Purkinje cells from mutant mice lacking the AMPA receptor GluR2 subunit and could be rescued by transient transfection with the wild-type GluR2 subunit. Transfection with a point mutant that eliminated PKC phosphorylation of Ser880 in the carboxy-terminal PDZ ligand of GluR2 failed to restore LTD. In contrast, transfection with a point mutant that mimicked phosphorylation at Ser880 occluded subsequent LTD. Thus, PKC phosphorylation of GluR2 Ser880 is a critical event in the induction of cerebellar LTD.     

Requirement of nuclear prolactin for interleukin-2--stimulated proliferation of T lymphocytes

Prolactin (PRL) is necessary for the proliferation of cloned T lymphocytes in response to interleukin-2 (IL-2). Translocation of PRL into the nucleus occurs during IL-2--stimulated mitogenesis. Therefore, the function of intranuclear PRL in T cell proliferation was tested. Eukaryotic expression vectors were prepared to express wild-type PRL [PRL(WT)], PRL that lacks the signal sequence for translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum [PRL(ER-)], and chimeric PRL in which the signal peptide was replaced with the sequence that directs the nuclear translocation of the SV40 large T antigen [PRL(NT+)]. Expression of these constructs in a T cell line (Nb2) responsive to PRL and IL-2 resulted in localization of PRL in the extracellular milieu, cytoplasm, or nucleus, respectively. Stimulation with IL-2 alone resulted in a five- to tenfold increase in the incorporation of [3H]thymidine by cells expressing PRL(NT+) or PRL(WT) as compared to PRL(ER-) or the parental Nb2 cells. Only the PRL(NT+) clone proliferated continuously with IL-2 stimulation in the presence of antiserum to PRL. These results demonstrate that nuclear PRL is necessary for IL-2--stimulated proliferation and suggest that a peptide hormone can function in the nucleus without binding to its cell surface receptor.     

Distinct properties of the XY pseudoautosomal region crucial for male meiosis

Meiosis requires that each chromosome find its homologous partner and undergo at least one crossover. X-Y chromosome segregation hinges on efficient crossing-over in a very small region of homology, the pseudoautosomal region (PAR). We find that mouse PAR DNA occupies unusually long chromosome axes, potentially as shorter chromatin loops, predicted to promote double-strand break (DSB) formation. Most PARs show delayed appearance of RAD51/DMC1 foci, which mark DSB ends, and all PARs undergo delayed DSB-mediated homologous pairing. Analysis of Spo11β isoform-specific transgenic mice revealed that late RAD51/DMC1 foci in the PAR are genetically distinct from both early PAR foci and global foci and that late PAR foci promote efficient X-Y pairing, recombination, and male fertility. Our findings uncover specific mechanisms that surmount the unique challenges of X-Y recombination.     

梨品种需冷量评价模式

为确定梨需冷量适宜的评价模型,2009-2012年对28份梨品种应用≤7.2℃模型、0～7.2℃模型和犹他模型进行测试比较分析。结果表明,以秋季日平均温度稳定低于7.2℃的日期为需冷量测定的起点,以≤7.2℃模型累积低温值作为梨需冷量的评价标准比较适宜;0～7.2℃模型在长需冷量范围内能有效预测休眠的结束,不适宜低需冷量品种的测定;犹他模式不适宜作为梨品种需冷量评价模式。     

Requirement of JNK2 for scavenger receptor A-mediated foam cell formation in atherogenesis

In vitro studies suggest a role for c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) in proatherogenic cellular processes. We show that atherosclerosis-prone ApoE-/- mice simultaneously lacking JNK2 (ApoE-/- JNK2-/- mice), but not ApoE-/- JNK1-/- mice, developed less atherosclerosis than do ApoE-/- mice. Pharmacological inhibition of JNK activity efficiently reduced plaque formation. Macrophages lacking JNK2 displayed suppressed foam cell formation caused by defective uptake and degradation of modified lipoproteins and showed increased amounts of the modified lipoprotein-binding and -internalizing scavenger receptor A (SR-A), whose phosphorylation was markedly decreased. Macrophage-restricted deletion of JNK2 was sufficient to decrease atherogenesis. Thus, JNK2-dependent phosphorylation of SR-A promotes uptake of lipids in macrophages, thereby regulating foam cell formation, a critical step in atherogenesis.     

Argonaute2 is the catalytic engine of mammalian RNAi

Gene silencing through RNA interference (RNAi) is carried out by RISC, the RNA-induced silencing complex. RISC contains two signature components, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and Argonaute family proteins. Here, we show that the multiple Argonaute proteins present in mammals are both biologically and biochemically distinct, with a single mammalian family member, Argonaute2, being responsible for messenger RNA cleavage activity. This protein is essential for mouse development, and cells lacking Argonaute2 are unable to mount an experimental response to siRNAs. Mutations within a cryptic ribonuclease H domain within Argonaute2, as identified by comparison with the structure of an archeal Argonaute protein, inactivate RISC. Thus, our evidence supports a model in which Argonaute contributes "Slicer" activity to RISC, providing the catalytic engine for RNAi.     

马铃薯需水规律试验研究

对马铃薯各生育阶段需水规律进行研究,结果表明:马铃薯最佳的水分下限指标为苗期65%、块茎形成期75%、块茎增长期80%、淀粉积累期60%～65%;马铃薯不同阶段的需水量不同,呈现前期耗水强度小、中期逐渐变大、后期又减小的近似抛物线的趋势;马铃薯耗水量354.59～372.69 mm是确定经济灌溉定额的主要研究范围;其块茎增长期需水量最多,需水敏感期为开花期。研究马铃薯各生育阶段的需水量和需水规律,科学用水,可为今后种植马铃薯、优化灌溉制度和水量分配提供参考。     

Requirement of hippocampal neurogenesis for the behavioral effects of antidepressants

Various chronic antidepressant treatments increase adult hippocampal neurogenesis, but the functional importance of this phenomenon remains unclear. Here, using genetic and radiological methods, we show that disrupting antidepressant-induced neurogenesis blocks behavioral responses to antidepressants. Serotonin 1A receptor null mice were insensitive to the neurogenic and behavioral effects of fluoxetine, a serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor. X-irradiation of a restricted region of mouse brain containing the hippocampus prevented the neurogenic and behavioral effects of two classes of antidepressants. These findings suggest that the behavioral effects of chronic antidepressants may be mediated by the stimulation of neurogenesis in the hippocampus.