Polar PIN localization directs auxin flow in plants

Polar flow of the phytohormone auxin requires plasma membrane-associated PIN proteins and underlies multiple developmental processes in plants. Here we address the importance of the polarity of subcellular PIN localization for the directionality of auxin transport in Arabidopsis thaliana. Expression of different PINs in the root epidermis revealed the importance of PIN polar positions for directional auxin flow and root gravitropic growth. Interfering with sequence-embedded polarity signals directly demonstrates that PIN polarity is a primary factor in determining the direction of auxin flow in meristematic tissues. This finding provides a crucial piece in the puzzle of how auxin flow can be redirected via rapid changes in PIN polarity.     

A role for flavin monooxygenase-like enzymes in auxin biosynthesis

Although auxin is known to regulate many processes in plant development and has been studied for over a century, the mechanisms whereby plants produce it have remained elusive. Here we report the characterization of a dominant Arabidopsis mutant, yucca, which contains elevated levels of free auxin. YUCCA encodes a flavin monooxygenase-like enzyme and belongs to a family that includes at least nine other homologous Arabidopsis genes, a subset of which appears to have redundant functions. Results from tryptophan analog feeding experiments and biochemical assays indicate that YUCCA catalyzes hydroxylation of the amino group of tryptamine, a rate-limiting step in tryptophan-dependent auxin biosynthesis.     

A brown dwarf mass donor in an accreting binary

A long-standing and unverified prediction of binary star evolution theory is the existence of a population of white dwarfs accreting from substellar donor stars. Such systems ought to be common, but the difficulty of finding them, combined with the challenge of detecting the donor against the light from accretion, means that no donor star to date has a measured mass below the hydrogen burning limit. We applied a technique that allowed us to reliably measure the mass of the unseen donor star in eclipsing systems. We were able to identify a brown dwarf donor star, with a mass of 0.052 +/- 0.002 solar mass. The relatively high mass of the donor star for its orbital period suggests that current evolutionary models may underestimate the radii of brown dwarfs.     

A molecular switch and proton wire synchronize the active sites in thiamine enzymes

Thiamine diphosphate (ThDP) is used as a cofactor in many key metabolic enzymes. We present evidence that the ThDPs in the two active sites of the E1 (EC 1.2.4.1) component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex communicate over a distance of 20 angstroms by reversibly shuttling a proton through an acidic tunnel in the protein. This "proton wire" permits the co-factors to serve reciprocally as general acid/base in catalysis and to switch the conformation of crucial active-site peptide loops. This synchronizes the progression of chemical events and can account for the oligomeric organization, conformational asymmetry, and "ping-pong" kinetic properties of E1 and other thiamine-dependent enzymes.     

A targeting motif involved in sodium channel clustering at the axonal initial segment

The sorting of sodium channels to axons and the formation of clusters are of primary importance for neuronal electrogenesis. Here, we showed that the cytoplasmic loop connecting domains II and III of the Nav1 subunit contains a determinant conferring compartmentalization in the axonal initial segment of rat hippocampal neurons. Expression of a soluble Nav1.2II-III linker protein led to the disorganization of endogenous sodium channels. The motif was sufficient to redirect a somatodendritic potassium channel to the axonal initial segment, a process involving association with ankyrin G. Thus, this motif may play a fundamental role in controlling electrical excitability during development and plasticity.     

A binary source model for extension-related magmatism in the great basin, Western north america

Models for extension-related magmatism based on decompression melting of asthenospheric mantle poorly simulate fluxes and bulk compositions of magmas produced during early stages of continental extension. For the Great Basin of western North America, it is proposed that magmatism proceeded in two stages, the first involving melting of lithospheric mantle sources between 40 and approximately 5 million years ago (Ma), followed (since approximately 5 Ma) by melting of upwelling asthenospheric mantle in areas where extension has exceeded about 100 percent. This transition in magma sources is diachronous, depending on initial variations in lithosphere thickness and on rates of lithospheric thinning.     

A conserved domain in axonal targeting of Kv1 (Shaker) voltage-gated potassium channels

Axonal voltage-gated potassium (Kv1) channels regulate action-potential invasion and hence transmitter release. Although evolutionarily conserved, what mediates their axonal targeting is not known. We found that Kv1 axonal targeting required its T1 tetramerization domain. When fused to unpolarized CD4 or dendritic transferrin receptor, T1 promoted their axonal surface expression. Moreover, T1 mutations eliminating Kvbeta association compromised axonal targeting, but not surface expression, of CD4-T1 fusion proteins. Thus, proper association of Kvbeta with the Kv1 T1 domain is essential for axonal targeting.     

奶牛GPR109A基因SYBR GreenⅠ实时荧光定量PCR检测方法的建立

[目的]建立奶牛G蛋白偶联受体109A基因(GPR 109A)的实时荧光定量PCR检测方法,为开展奶牛产后脂类代谢紊乱及酮病发生机理研究奠定基础.[方法]根据GenBank中奶牛GPR 109A基因和卢-actin基因(内参基因)的mRNA保守序列设计合成两对引物,以奶牛肝脏组织cDNA为模板,PCR扩增目的基因后与载体连接构建重组质粒,以SYBR Green Ⅰ实时荧光定量PCR进行扩增,绘制标准曲线,并对其特异性、敏感性、重复性等进行检验.[结果]GPR109A基因和β-actin基因的实时荧光定量PCR标准曲线方程分别为y=-3.309x+10.92(R2=0.9985)和y=-3.289x+9.794(R2 2=0.9997),扩增效率分别为101.0％和100.0％.特异性试验结果显示,GPR 109A基因和β-actin基因的溶解曲线峰单一,无引物二聚体和非特异性扩增产物生成;敏感性试验结果显示,线性扩增范围广,可检测到1.8×102个拷贝的GPR109A基因;重复性试验结果显示,各扩增反应的变异系数(CV)小于或等于1.7％.[结论]基于GPR109A基因建立的SYBR Green Ⅰ实时荧光定量PCR具有操作简便、敏感性高、特异性强和重复性好等特点,可用于牛源性GPR109A基因表达量的快速检测和定量分析.