Molecular linkage underlying microtubule orientation toward cortical sites in yeast

Selective microtubule orientation toward spatially defined cortical sites is critical to polarized cellular processes as diverse as axon outgrowth and T cell cytotoxicity. In yeast, oriented cytoplasmic microtubules align the mitotic spindle between mother and bud. The cortical marker protein Kar9 localizes to the bud tip and is required for the orientation of microtubules toward this region. Here, we show that Kar9 directs microtubule orientation by acting through Bim1, a conserved microtubule-binding protein. Bim1 homolog EB1 was originally identified through its interaction with adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) tumor suppressor, raising the possibility that an APC-EB1 linkage orients microtubules in higher cells.     

Sustained microtubule treadmilling in Arabidopsis cortical arrays

Plant cells create highly structured microtubule arrays at the cell cortex without a central organizing center to anchor the microtubule ends. In vivo imaging of individual microtubules in Arabidopsis plants revealed that new microtubules are initiated at the cell cortex and exhibit dynamics at both ends. Polymerization-biased dynamic instability at one end and slow depolymerization at the other end result in sustained microtubule migration across the cell cortex by a hybrid treadmilling mechanism. This motility causes widespread microtubule repositioning and contributes to changes in array organization through microtubule reorientation and bundling.     

Proapoptotic Bcl-2 relative Bim required for certain apoptotic responses, leukocyte homeostasis, and to preclude autoimmunity

Apoptosis can be triggered by members of the Bcl-2 protein family, such as Bim, that share only the BH3 domain with this family. Gene targeting in mice revealed important physiological roles for Bim. Lymphoid and myeloid cells accumulated, T cell development was perturbed, and most older mice accumulated plasma cells and succumbed to autoimmune kidney disease. Lymphocytes were refractory to apoptotic stimuli such as cytokine deprivation, calcium ion flux, and microtubule perturbation but not to others. Thus, Bim is required for hematopoietic homeostasis and as a barrier to autoimmunity. Moreover, particular death stimuli appear to activate apoptosis through distinct BH3-only proteins.     

A TOG:αβ-tubulin complex structure reveals conformation-based mechanisms for a microtubule polymerase

Stu2p/XMAP215/Dis1 family proteins are evolutionarily conserved regulatory factors that use αβ-tubulin-interacting tumor overexpressed gene (TOG) domains to catalyze fast microtubule growth. Catalysis requires that these polymerases discriminate between unpolymerized and polymerized forms of αβ-tubulin, but the mechanism by which they do so has remained unclear. Here, we report the structure of the TOG1 domain from Stu2p bound to yeast αβ-tubulin. TOG1 binds αβ-tubulin in a way that excludes equivalent binding of a second TOG domain. Furthermore, TOG1 preferentially binds a curved conformation of αβ-tubulin that cannot be incorporated into microtubules, contacting α- and β-tubulin surfaces that do not participate in microtubule assembly. Conformation-selective interactions with αβ-tubulin explain how TOG-containing polymerases discriminate between unpolymerized and polymerized forms of αβ-tubulin and how they selectively recognize the growing end of the microtubule.     

Growing microtubules push the oocyte nucleus to polarize the Drosophila dorsal-ventral axis

The Drosophila dorsal-ventral (DV) axis is polarized when the oocyte nucleus migrates from the posterior to the anterior margin of the oocyte. Prior work suggested that dynein pulls the nucleus to the anterior side along a polarized microtubule cytoskeleton, but this mechanism has not been tested. By imaging live oocytes, we find that the nucleus migrates with a posterior indentation that correlates with its direction of movement. Furthermore, both nuclear movement and the indentation depend on microtubule polymerization from centrosomes behind the nucleus. Thus, the nucleus is not pulled to the anterior but is pushed by the force exerted by growing microtubules. Nuclear migration and DV axis formation therefore depend on centrosome positioning early in oogenesis and are independent of anterior-posterior axis formation.     

Translation of polarity cues into asymmetric spindle positioning in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos

Asymmetric divisions are crucial for generating cell diversity; they rely on coupling between polarity cues and spindle positioning, but how this coupling is achieved is poorly understood. In one-cell stage Caenorhabditis elegans embryos, polarity cues set by the PAR proteins mediate asymmetric spindle positioning by governing an imbalance of net pulling forces acting on spindle poles. We found that the GoLoco-containing proteins GPR-1 and GPR-2, as well as the Galpha subunits GOA-1 and GPA-16, were essential for generation of proper pulling forces. GPR-1/2 interacted with guanosine diphosphate-bound GOA-1 and were enriched on the posterior cortex in a par-3- and par-2-dependent manner. Thus, the extent of net pulling forces may depend on cortical Galpha activity, which is regulated by anterior-posterior polarity cues through GPR-1/2.     

银灰杨花粉母细胞减数分裂与微管骨架变化

减数分裂是植物有性生殖过程中配子形成的必要阶段,是生殖生物学研究领域的热点。本文以银灰杨雄花枝为研究材料,运用醋酸洋红染色法和间接免疫荧光技术,开展银灰杨花粉母细胞减数分裂及其微管骨架动态变化研究。结果表明:1)银灰杨花药颜色变化可作为初步判别其花粉母细胞减数分裂时期的形态学标记,花粉母细胞从减数分裂细线期发育至四分体时期,花药颜色从嫩绿色,经由黄绿色、微红色、浅红色、鲜红色转为深红色。2)银灰杨花粉母细胞减数分裂末期Ⅰ可观察到与着丝粒微管紧密相连的落后染色体,由于染色体两侧着丝粒微管的均衡牵引而致使其停滞于细胞板中央,不移向两极而被遗弃,造成配子染色体的不平衡,可能是导致银灰杨花粉部分败育的机制。3)银灰杨的胞质分裂属于典型的连续型胞质分裂类型,受辐射状微管系统的调节,从细胞周沿向心扩展,直至细胞质完全分离。4)银灰杨花粉中存在天然2n花粉,其发生可能与减数分裂中期Ⅱ的平行纺锤体和三极纺锤体有关。本研究首次报道了银灰杨花药颜色变化与其花粉母细胞减数分裂进程的关系,从新的角度阐释了银灰杨落后染色体的形成原因及其花粉败育机制,并探索了银灰杨天然2n花粉的发生机理,为银灰杨遗传改良策略的制定奠定了基础。      

EBI2调节抗体依赖型免疫反应中B细胞运动的研究进展

EBI2受体为7次跨膜偶联受体,是EBV感染淋巴细胞使表达上调最高的基因之一。文中对EBI2调节抗体依赖型免疫反应中B细胞运动的研究进展进行了综述,为今后EBI2的分子机制及其生物学功能研究提供了理论依据。     

An ATP gate controls tubulin binding by the tethered head of kinesin-1

Kinesin-1 is a two-headed molecular motor that walks along microtubules, with each step gated by adenosine triphosphate (ATP) binding. Existing models for the gating mechanism propose a role for the microtubule lattice. We show that unpolymerized tubulin binds to kinesin-1, causing tubulin-activated release of adenosine diphosphate (ADP). With no added nucleotide, each kinesin-1 dimer binds one tubulin heterodimer. In adenylyl-imidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP), a nonhydrolyzable ATP analog, each kinesin-1 dimer binds two tubulin heterodimers. The data reveal an ATP gate that operates independently of the microtubule lattice, by ATP-dependent release of a steric or allosteric block on the tubulin binding site of the tethered kinesin-ADP head.     

Regulation of microtubule dynamics by reaction cascades around chromosomes

During spindle assembly, chromosomes generate gradients of microtubule stabilization through a reaction-diffusion process, but how this is achieved is not well understood. We measured the spatial distribution of microtubule aster asymmetry around chromosomes by incubating centrosomes and micropatterned chromatin patches in frog egg extracts. We then screened for microtubule stabilization gradient shapes that would generate such spatial distributions with the use of computer simulations. Only a long-range, sharply decaying microtubule stabilization gradient could generate aster asymmetries fitting the experimental data. We propose a reaction-diffusion model that combines the chromosome generated Ran-guanosine triphosphate-Importin reaction network to a secondary phosphorylation network as a potential mechanism for the generation of such gradients.     

低浓度紫杉醇诱导A549细胞凋亡研究

采用0、1．5、3、6nmol／L紫杉醇处理A549细胞,建立低浓度紫杉醇诱导非小细胞肺癌凋亡模型．分别采用流式细胞术、细胞计数和免疫印迹法分析细胞凋亡、细胞增殖和Bcl-2家族凋亡相关分子的表达。结果表明,低浓度紫杉醇以浓度和时间依赖的方式诱导细胞凋亡并上调Bim分子表达,而对Bcl-2家族其他凋亡相关分子无显著影响。     

皖西白鹅产蛋期卵巢的显微与超微结构

[目的]探讨皖西白鹅产蛋期卵巢的组织学结构。[方法]应用光镜和透射电镜技术,观察皖西白鹅产蛋期卵巢形态学结构。[结果]皖西白鹅卵巢表面被覆生殖上皮,下方是白膜,其实质由皮质和髓质组成。皮质内含有不同发育阶段的卵泡和萎缩卵泡,大卵泡突出了卵巢表面,卵泡无卵泡腔,也无卵泡液,排卵后不形成黄体。电镜下,卵泡颗粒细胞胞质中有线粒体、内质网、脂滴、高尔基复合体等丰富的细胞器,并且这些细胞器随着卵泡的发育而逐渐增多。卵巢基质中有卵泡外膜细胞、间质细胞和空泡细胞3种细胞,前2种细胞胞质中有丰富的内质网,而空泡细胞胞质中脂滴较多。[结论]阐明了皖西白鹅产蛋期卵巢的显微结构与超微结构。     

Visuomotor coordination in reaching and locomotion

Locomotion and reaching have traditionally been regarded as separate motor activities. In fact, they may be closely connected both from an evolutionary and a neurophysiological viewpoint. Reaching seems to have evolved from the neural systems responsible for the active and precise positioning of the limb during locomotion; moreover, it seems to be organized in the spinal cord. The motor cortex and its corticospinal outflow are preferentially engaged when precise positioning of the limb is needed during locomotion and are also involved during reaching and active positioning of the hand near objects of interest. All of these motor activities require visuomotor coordination, and it is this coordination that could be achieved by the motor cortex and interconnected parietal and cerebellar areas.     

Zeylenone对急性淋巴细胞白血病细胞增殖及凋亡的影响

目的探讨Zeylenone体外抗急性淋巴细胞白血病(Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia,ALL)效应及作用的可能机制。方法应用MTT法比较Zeylenone对肿瘤细胞、正常细胞增殖的影响;AO/EB染色观察其对ALL细胞(Reh、RS4;11)凋亡形态学的改变;流式细胞仪检测药物对细胞凋亡及细胞周期的影响。结果 Zeylenone对多种细胞呈现增殖抑制作用,且对ALL细胞株呈现更高的敏感性,而对外周血单个核细胞(Peripheral blood mononuclear cell,PBMC)抑制作用较小,抑制Reh、RS4;11细胞增殖呈时间依赖性和剂量依赖性;Zeylenone能够诱导ALL细胞凋亡,阻滞细胞周期于G0/G1期。结论 Zeylenone体外具有抗ALL细胞增殖的作用,其作用与诱导细胞凋亡、阻滞细胞周期相关。     

绿豆根尖染色体的G显带

用风油精法在绿豆根尖细胞染色体上显示出了Ｇ带,其带纹数目随染色体浓缩程度而变化,以早中期和早后期的Ｇ带较为清晰,同源染色体带纹的数目、大小和分布基本一致,本文还讨论了风油精在Ｇ带诱导中的作用机制。     

Semaphorin 3E and plexin-D1 control vascular pattern independently of neuropilins

The development of a patterned vasculature is essential for normal organogenesis. We found that signaling by semaphorin 3E (Sema3E) and its receptor plexin-D1 controls endothelial cell positioning and the patterning of the developing vasculature in the mouse. Sema3E is highly expressed in developing somites, where it acts as a repulsive cue for plexin-D1-expressing endothelial cells of adjacent intersomitic vessels. Sema3E-plexin-D1 signaling did not require neuropilins, which were previously presumed to be obligate Sema3 coreceptors. Moreover, genetic ablation of Sema3E or plexin-D1 but not neuropilin-mediated Sema3 signaling disrupted vascular patterning. These findings reveal an unexpected semaphorin signaling pathway and define a mechanism for controlling vascular patterning.     

Inhibition of Plant Microtubule Polymerization in vitro by the Phosphoric Amide Herbicide Amiprophos-Methyl

The phosphoric amide herbicide amiprophos-methyl (APM) produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of taxol-induced rose microtubule polymerization in vitro. Parallel studies on taxol-induced assembly of bovine brain microtubules showed no effect of APM at a concentration ten times that required to give complete inhibition of rose microtubule assembly. The data indicate that (i) APM is a specific and potent antimicrotubule drug and (ii) APM directly poisons microtubule dynamics in plant cells, rather than indirectly depolymerizing microtubules through a previously proposed mechanism involving deregulation of intracellular calcium levels.     

抗禽流感病毒免疫相关基因的筛选与鉴定

 【目的】研究抗禽流感病毒免疫的分子机制,发现新的抗禽流感病毒免疫相关基因,为抗禽流感转基因育种的研究奠定基础。【方法】随机选取40只30日龄AA白羽肉鸡,其中20只鸡注射禽流感H5亚型禽流感灭活疫苗,另20只未注射疫苗鸡作为对照,在注射后第9天取脾脏保存在液氮中。应用mRNA差异显示技术,结合反向northern dot blot鉴定技术,来筛选注射疫苗组和未注射疫苗组的差异表达基因。【结果】筛选出13条差异表达EST,其中未注射疫苗组4条,注射组9条表达量增高。应用BLAST工具将EST对核酸数据库nr和dbEST中所有序列进行了同源性分析。DD3、DD4、DD6、DD9、DD11、DD12与已有核酸数据库中的基因克隆或EST具有较高相似性,为已知的EST,但功能未知。DD10、DD13与鸡核糖体蛋白L7a基因具有很高的相似性。DD1、DD2、DD5、DD8为新的EST,提交到GenBank,分别获得登录号为EB714185、EB714186、EB714187、EB714188。【结论】本研究筛选出的鸡核糖体蛋白L7a基因和其它EST对应的未知功能基因可以作为抗禽流感病毒研究中的候选基因,其具体的功能有待今后进一步研究。     

Stathmin-tubulin interaction gradients in motile and mitotic cells

The spatial organization of the microtubule cytoskeleton is thought to be directed by steady-state activity gradients of diffusible regulatory molecules. We visualized such intracellular gradients by monitoring the interaction between tubulin and a regulator of microtubule dynamics, stathmin, using a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) biosensor. These gradients were observed both during interphase in motile membrane protrusions and during mitosis around chromosomes, which suggests that a similar mechanism may contribute to the creation of polarized microtubule structures. These interaction patterns are likely to reflect phosphorylation of stathmin in these areas.     

甘蔗茎尖细胞有丝分裂过程中微管骨架的变化（英文）

In order to understand the microtubule change of monocotyls stem-tip during mitosis,the arrangement,transformation of microtubule array and its relation with chromosome movement during mitosis were studied with freezing microtome,indirect immunofluorescence,DAPI staining and fluorescence microscopy.The results showed that nucleolus was intact when the cortical microtubules formed;cortical microtubules were changed into phramoplast microtubule bands at mitosis prophase.When phramoplast microtubule came into being,nuclear membrane was ruptured and chromosome was arranged at the position of cell plate;subsequently,phramoplast microtubules were changed into phragmoplast microtubules,phramoplast microtubules were shortening and microtubules on the sides of cell plate were increasing gradually,during this course sister chromatid was separated by microtubules at cell plate and tract to the two poles,forming phragmoplast microtubules.Then the nucleolus of two daughter cells formed and separated in the end with the increase of cells numbers.Therefore,cell division orientation could be judged from the arrangement of cell microtubules in different periods in order to understand its growth status.