Rescue of photoreceptor degeneration in rhodopsin-null Drosophila mutants by activated Rac1

Rhodopsin is essential for photoreceptor morphogenesis; photoreceptors lacking rhodopsin degenerate in humans, mice, and Drosophila. Here we report that transgenic expression of a dominant-active Drosophila Rho guanosine triphosphatase, Drac1, rescued photoreceptor morphogenesis in rhodopsin-null mutants; expression of dominant-negative Drac1 resulted in a phenotype similar to that seen in rhodopsin-null mutants. Drac1 was localized in a specialization of the photoreceptor cortical actin cytoskeleton, which was lost in rhodopsin-null mutants. Thus, rhodopsin appears to organize the actin cytoskeleton through Drac1, contributing a structural support essential for photoreceptor morphogenesis.     

Direct control of germline stem cell division and cyst growth by neural insulin in Drosophila

Stem cells reside in specialized niches that provide signals required for their maintenance and division. Tissue-extrinsic signals can also modify stem cell activity, although this is poorly understood. Here, we report that neural-derived Drosophila insulin-like peptides (DILPs) directly regulate germline stem cell division rate, demonstrating that signals mediating the ovarian response to nutritional input can modify stem cell activity in a niche-independent manner. We also reveal a crucial direct role of DILPs in controlling germline cyst growth and vitellogenesis.     

Wolbachia enhance Drosophila stem cell proliferation and target the germline stem cell niche

Wolbachia are widespread maternally transmitted intracellular bacteria that infect most insect species and are able to alter the reproduction of innumerous hosts. The cellular bases of these alterations remain largely unknown. Here, we report that Drosophila mauritiana infected with a native Wolbachia wMau strain produces about four times more eggs than the noninfected counterpart. Wolbachia infection leads to an increase in the mitotic activity of germline stem cells (GSCs), as well as a decrease in programmed cell death in the germarium. Our results suggest that up-regulation of GSC division is mediated by a tropism of Wolbachia for the GSC niche, the cellular microenvironment that supports GSCs.     

Male and female Drosophila germline stem cells: two versions of immortality

Drosophila male and female germline stem cells (GSCs) are sustained by niches and regulatory pathways whose common principles serve as models for understanding mammalian stem cells. Despite striking cellular and genetic similarities that suggest a common evolutionary origin, however, male and female GSCs also display important differences. Comparing these two stem cells and their niches in detail is likely to reveal how a common heritage has been adapted to the differing requirements of male and female gamete production.     

Ectopic expression of germline genes drives malignant brain tumor growth in Drosophila

Model organisms such as the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster can help to elucidate the molecular basis of complex diseases such as cancer. Mutations in the Drosophila gene lethal (3) malignant brain tumor cause malignant growth in the larval brain. Here we show that l(3)mbt tumors exhibited a soma-to-germline transformation through the ectopic expression of genes normally required for germline stemness, fitness, or longevity. Orthologs of some of these genes were also expressed in human somatic tumors. In addition, inactivation of any of the germline genes nanos, vasa, piwi, or aubergine suppressed l(3)mbt malignant growth. Our results demonstrate that germline traits are necessary for tumor growth in this Drosophila model and suggest that inactivation of germline genes might have tumor-suppressing effects in other species.     

Sevenless: a cell-specific homeotic mutation of the Drosophila eye

Each ommatidium in the compound eye of the Drosophila mutant sevenless lacks photoreceptor number seven (R7) from the normal ommatidial complement of eight photoreceptors. A comparison of mutant and normal development reveals that this deficit is caused by the cell-specific transformation of the cell normally fated to produce R7 into a lens-secreting accessory cell, a cone cell.     

Genetic transformation of Drosophila with transposable element vectors

Exogenous DNA sequences were introduced into the Drosophila germ line. A rosy transposon (ry1), constructed by inserting a chromosomal DNA fragment containing the wild-type rosy gene into a P transposable element, transformed germ line cells in 20 to 50 percent of the injected rosy mutant embryos. Transformants contained one or two copies of chromosomally integrated, intact ry1 that were stably inherited in subsequent generations. These transformed flies had wild-type eye color indicating that the visible genetic defect in the host strain could be fully and permanently corrected by the transferred gene. To demonstrate the generality of this approach, a DNA segment that does not confer a recognizable phenotype on recipients was also transferred into germ line chromosomes.     

Drosophila melanogaster treated with LSD: absence of mutation and chromosome breakage

Injection of lysergic acid diethylamide in Drosophila melanogaster males induced no mutations or chromosome breaks in premeiotic, meiotic, or postmeiotic sperm. Tests included those for sex-linked lethals, sex-linked visibles, a specific visible (dumpy), and translocations. Some implications of these experiments are discussed.     

Pituitary adenoma predisposition caused by germline mutations in the AIP gene

Pituitary adenomas are common in the general population, and understanding their molecular basis is of great interest. Combining chip-based technologies with genealogy data, we identified germline mutations in the aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein (AIP) gene in individuals with pituitary adenoma predisposition (PAP). AIP acts in cytoplasmic retention of the latent form of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor and also has other functions. In a population-based series from Northern Finland, two AIP mutations account for 16% of all patients diagnosed with pituitary adenomas secreting growth hormone and for 40% of the subset of patients who were diagnosed when they were younger than 35 years of age. Typically, PAP patients do not display a strong family history of pituitary adenoma; thus, AIP is an example of a low-penetrance tumor susceptibility gene.     

空间诱变水稻重要性状的遗传与变异

【目的】研究空间诱变水稻后代重要性状的遗传与变异情况,为水稻空间诱变育种提供借鉴。【方法】利用返回式卫星搭载籼型水稻单株纯系品种广恢998、HR15、特B、湛B、双青B和II-32B的干种子,以各品种地面种子为对照,在相同条件下种植后,考察其后代(SP1~SP4代)主要经济性状(粒长、粒宽、穗粒数、千粒质量、单株粒质量、结实率)和农艺性状(株高、剑叶长、剑叶宽、穗数、穗长)的表现及其遗传变异情况。【结果】6个空间诱变水稻品种SP1代的大多数性状与各自地面对照差异不明显;而SP2代的主要农艺性状和经济性状则出现了正、反2个方向的强烈分离变异,各品种突变株主要性状的极差和变异系数均值均远大于其对照,还出现了特大粒、特大穗等特殊突变体,变异类型极为丰富;SP3代的性状大体与SP2代相似,SP2代中的突变性状大多在SP3代中重现;至SP4代时,大部分变异性状已基本稳定。【结论】水稻干种子在空间条件下所产生的变异,能稳定地遗传给后代;空间诱变育种可以成为一种新的水稻诱变育种方法。     

用胚挽救方法获得月季杂交后代植株

研究了3个接种时期和5个杂交组合对月季胚挽救效率的影响.结果表明:在含有0.05mg/L 6-BA,0.1 mg/L NAA的MS培养基上,杂交组合阳光粉×阿斯米尔黄金的幼胚芽苗再生率最高,为88.6%;接种时期以50~80 d的幼胚培养效果最佳,芽苗萌发率达83.3%,芽苗生根移栽后,其成活率可达90%以上.     

利用反向遗传操作技术拯救重组新城疫病毒

将新城疫病毒(Newcastle disease virus,NDV)Anhinga株的全长cDNA的克隆质粒以及L、P、NP的表达质粒共转染稳定表达T7 RNA聚合酶的BSRT7/5细胞,得到拯救病毒。通过RT-PCR扩增、酶切鉴定、测序验证拯救病毒中分子标签的存在,并通过血凝试验测定病毒的血凝效价、测定蚀斑形成单位确定病毒滴度,从而证明病毒拯救成功。新城疫病毒Anhinga株的拯救成功为该病毒进行结构基因研究和疫苗研制奠定了基础。     

Truncated RanGAP encoded by the Segregation Distorter locus of Drosophila

Segregation Distorter (SD) in Drosophila melanogaster is a naturally occurring meiotic drive system in which the SD chromosome is transmitted from SD/SD+ males in vast excess over its homolog owing to the induced dysfunction of SD+-bearing spermatids. The Sd locus is the key distorting gene responsible for this phenotype. A genomic fragment from the Sd region conferred full distorting activity when introduced into the appropriate genetic background by germline transformation. The only functional product encoded by this fragment is a truncated version of the RanGAP nuclear transport protein. These results demonstrate that this mutant RanGAP is the functional Sd product.     

Catalysis of the olivine to spinel transformation by high clinoenstatite

Although enstatite is a major constituent of the Earth's upper mantle and subducting lithosphere, most kinetic studies of olivine phase transformations have typically involved single-phase polycrystalline aggregates. Transmission electron microscopy investigations of olivine to spinel and modified spinel (beta phase) reactions in the (Mg, Fe)(2)SiO(4)-(Mg,Fe)SiO(3) system show that transformation of olivine in the stability field of spinel plus phase begins with coherent nucleation of spinel on high-clinoenstatite grains. These observations demonstrate that high clinoenstatite can catalyze the transformation by enhancing nucleation kinetics and therefore imply that secondary phases can influence reaction kinetics during high-pressure mineral transformations.     

Resetting the circadian clock by social experience in Drosophila melanogaster

Circadian clocks are influenced by social interactions in a variety of species, but little is known about the sensory mechanisms underlying these effects. We investigated whether social cues could reset circadian rhythms in Drosophila melanogaster by addressing two questions: Is there a social influence on circadian timing? If so, then how is that influence communicated? The experiments show that in a social context Drosophila transmit and receive cues that influence circadian time and that these cues are likely olfactory.     

离体胚培救技术在百合育种中的应用

 离体胚培救技术在植物育种中发挥着极为重要的作用。在百合的育种工作中,胚培救技术的应用是获得远缘杂交后代的关键因素。就国内外关于百合胚培救技术的应用,着重分析了不同杂交组合基因型、不同胚龄败育胚的培养方法、不同培养条件等因素对胚培救效果的影响。     

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.