Notch signaling: cell fate control and signal integration in development

Notch signaling defines an evolutionarily ancient cell interaction mechanism, which plays a fundamental role in metazoan development. Signals exchanged between neighboring cells through the Notch receptor can amplify and consolidate molecular differences, which eventually dictate cell fates. Thus, Notch signals control how cells respond to intrinsic or extrinsic developmental cues that are necessary to unfold specific developmental programs. Notch activity affects the implementation of differentiation, proliferation, and apoptotic programs, providing a general developmental tool to influence organ formation and morphogenesis.     

Malaria parasite development in a Drosophila model

Malaria is a devastating public health menace, killing over one million people every year and infecting about half a billion. Here it is shown that the protozoan Plasmodium gallinaceum, a close relative of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, can develop in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Plasmodium gallinaceum ookinetes injected into the fly developed into sporozoites infectious to the vertebrate host with similar kinetics as seen in the mosquito host Aedes aegypti. In the fly, a component of the insect's innate immune system, the macrophage, can destroy Plasmodia. These experiments suggest that Drosophila can be used as a surrogate mosquito for defining the genetic pathways involved in both vector competence and part of the parasite sexual cycle.     

Deuterium oxide effect on temperature-dependent survival in populations of Drosophila melanogaster

A comparison of the mean life-spans for populations of Drosophila melanogaster at 10 degrees , 20 degrees , 25 degrees , and 30 degrees C maintained on media prepared with distilled water and with 50 percent deuterium oxide shows that deuteration decreases longevity at all four temperatures. The magnitude of the difference between the mean survival times of populations maintained on deuterated and nondeuterated media is inversely related to temperature between 10 degrees and 30 degrees C.     

硒与霉菌相互影响的研究

研究了高硒对镰刀菌的生长抑制作用和霉菌生长繁殖时对硒的消耗,并调查了自然高硒区粮食中霉菌污染情况.结果表明,20 mg/L和40 mg/L的硒对木贼镰刀菌、半裸镰刀菌、拟枝孢镰刀菌、三线镰刀菌、禾谷镰刀菌、串珠镰刀菌均有明显的抑制作用;但自然高硒并不能减少粮食中霉菌的污染,而且镰刀菌中产毒菌株达78%.镰刀菌属、青霉属和曲霉属、其它腐生霉菌对粮食中的硒消耗明显,最高达47%,提示克山病、大骨节病区原本缺硒的贮粮在霉菌的作用下变得更加缺硒.在低硒和真菌毒素的双重作用下,使发病加剧.     

Association between potassium concentration and serological type of sheep red blood cells

When red blood cells from 115 sheep were classified for the presence or absence of antigenic factor M and for high (as opposed to low) potassium concentration levels, the cells of the 22 M-negative sheep were low in potassium.     

Genome-wide RNAi analysis of growth and viability in Drosophila cells

A crucial aim upon completion of whole genome sequences is the functional analysis of all predicted genes. We have applied a high-throughput RNA-interference (RNAi) screen of 19,470 double-stranded (ds) RNAs in cultured cells to characterize the function of nearly all (91%) predicted Drosophila genes in cell growth and viability. We found 438 dsRNAs that identified essential genes, among which 80% lacked mutant alleles. A quantitative assay of cell number was applied to identify genes of known and uncharacterized functions. In particular, we demonstrate a role for the homolog of a mammalian acute myeloid leukemia gene (AML1) in cell survival. Such a systematic screen for cell phenotypes, such as cell viability, can thus be effective in characterizing functionally related genes on a genome-wide scale.     

Transient expression of homologous genes in Drosophila cells

A cloned Drosophila heat shock protein 22 gene was transfected into two independently established Drosophila cell lines. Each line carried a different heat shock protein 22 allele, distinguishable by electrophoresis of the protein. The transfected gene was not expressed at 25 degrees C but could be induced at 36 degrees C. In one line, two heat shock protein 22 electromorphs were synthesized.     

Crossmodal interactions between olfactory and visual learning in Drosophila

Different modalities of sensation interact in a synergistic or antagonistic manner during sensory perception, but whether there is also interaction during memory acquisition is largely unknown. In Drosophila reinforcement learning, we found that conditioning with concurrent visual and olfactory cues reduced the threshold for unimodal memory retrieval. Furthermore, bimodal preconditioning followed by unimodal conditioning with either a visual or olfactory cue led to crossmodal memory transfer. Crossmodal memory acquisition in Drosophila may contribute significantly to learning in a natural environment.     

Effects of helpers on juvenile development and survival in meerkats

Although breeding success is known to increase with group size in several cooperative mammals, the mechanisms underlying these relationships are uncertain. We show that in wild groups of cooperative meerkats, Suricata suricatta, reductions in the ratio of helpers to pups depress the daily weight gain and growth of pups and the daily weight gain of helpers. Increases in the daily weight gain of pups are associated with heavier weights at independence and at 1 year of age, as well as with improved foraging success as juveniles and higher survival rates through the first year of life. These results suggest that the effects of helpers on the fitness of pups extend beyond weaning and that helpers may gain direct as well as indirect benefits by feeding pups.     

Site-specific recombination between homologous chromosomes in Drosophila

The ability to mark a cell and its descendants genetically so that the resulting cell clone can be distinguished from neighboring cells facilitates studies in animal biology and development. A method of generating clones by inducing homologous mitotic recombination in Drosophila with a site-specific yeast recombinase is described. This method allows for frequent mosaicism after mitotic exchange is induced at predefined sites in the genome.     

微生物与土壤矿物相互作用的研究进展

微生物体吸附于矿物表面后,其活性将发生改变,从而影响到土壤中与生物和生物分子相关的一系列土壤过程,如矿物形成与演化、土壤结构体稳定性、土壤养分有效性、土壤污染物质的毒性以及污染土壤的生物修复等。因此,研究土壤矿物、微生物相互作用,不仅有助于深入了解土壤微生物过程,而且对评估和预测土壤体系中有机污染物降解和转化的特点与动态,进而提高污染物的修复效率等有着重要的实际意义。     

植物与病原菌互作理论研究进展

植物病原菌与其寄主相互作用过程中,关于病原菌操控植物和植物又反抗病原菌侵染的作用机制,学术界存在多种模型和假说,从最早的Flor"基因对基因"假说到警戒假说,再从警戒假说到"诱饵"假说,再到目前学术界较为认同的Zigzag理论。对这些植物与病原菌互作理论进行了总结,着重介绍了"诱饵"假说和Zigzag理论。     

离岸人民币与在岸人民币的互动关系分析

人民币的国际化是近来我国国际金融领域的热门话题。而人民币离岸市场的发展则是人民币国际化逐步推进的具体表现。将研究方向聚焦于在岸人民币价格（CNY）与离岸人民币价格（CNH）的互动关系可以反映出人民币离岸市场的定价机制。基于人民币在岸价格和离岸价格的最新数据,通过建立双因素VAR模型,并且运用格兰杰因果关系检验以及脉冲响应分析,实证结果显示CNY对CNH的影响要大于CNH对CNY的影响,即现阶段在岸人民币价格对离岸人民币价格形成有着重要的引导作用。     

Glycosylation restores survival of chilled blood platelets

Cooling of blood platelets clusters the von Willebrand factor receptor complex. Macrophage alphaMbeta2 integrins bind to the GPIbalpha subunit of the clustered complex, resulting in rapid clearance of transfused, cooled platelets. This precludes refrigeration of platelets for transfusion, but the current practice of room temperature storage has major drawbacks. We document that alphaMbeta2 is a lectin that recognizes exposed beta-N-acetylglucosamine residues of N-linked glycans on GPIbalpha. Enzymatic galactosylation of chilled platelets blocks alphaMbeta2 recognition, prolonging the circulation of functional cooled platelets. Platelet-associated galactosyltransferase produces efficient galactosylation when uridine diphosphate-galactose is added, affording a potentially simple method for storing platelets in the cold.     

Regulation of JNK by Src during Drosophila development

In Drosophila, the Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK) homolog Basket (Bsk) is required for epidermal closure. Mutants for Src42A, a Drosophila c-src protooncogene homolog, are described. Src42A functions in epidermal closure during both embryogenesis and metamorphosis. The severity of the epidermal closure defect in the Src42A mutant depended on the amount of Bsk activity, and the amount of Bsk activity depended on the amount of Src42A. Thus, activation of the Bsk pathway is required downstream of Src42A in epidermal closure. This work confirms mammalian studies that demonstrated a physiological link between Src and JNK.