Mutations in U4atac snRNA, a component of the minor spliceosome, in the developmental disorder MOPD I

Small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) are essential factors in messenger RNA splicing. By means of homozygosity mapping and deep sequencing, we show that a gene encoding U4atac snRNA, a component of the minor U12-dependent spliceosome, is mutated in individuals with microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type I (MOPD I), a severe developmental disorder characterized by extreme intrauterine growth retardation and multiple organ abnormalities. Functional assays showed that mutations (30G>A, 51G>A, 55G>A, and 111G>A) associated with MOPD I cause defective U12-dependent splicing. Endogenous U12-dependent but not U2-dependent introns were found to be poorly spliced in MOPD I patient fibroblast cells. The introduction of wild-type U4atac snRNA into MOPD I cells enhanced U12-dependent splicing. These results illustrate the critical role of minor intron splicing in human development.     

Diagnosing feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) infection: an update for clinicians

With the commercial release in Australia in 2004 of a vaccine against feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV; Fel‐O‐Vax FIV®), the landscape for FIV diagnostics shifted substantially. Point‐of‐care (PoC) antibody detection kits, which had been the mainstay for diagnosing FIV infection since the early 1990s, were no longer considered accurate to use in FIV‐vaccinated cats, because of the production of vaccine‐induced antibodies that were considered indistinguishable from those produced in natural FIV infections. Consequently, attention shifted to alternative diagnostic methods such as nucleic acid detection. However, over the past 5 years we have published a series of studies emphasising that FIV PoC test kits vary in their methodology, resulting in differing accuracy in FIV‐vaccinated cats. Importantly, we demonstrated that two commercially available FIV antibody test kits (Witness? and Anigen Rapid?) were able to accurately distinguish between FIV‐vaccinated and FIV‐infected cats, concluding that testing with either kit offers an alternative to PCR testing. This review summarises pertinent findings from our work published in a variety of peer‐reviewed research journals to inform veterinarians (particularly veterinarians in Australia, New Zealand and Japan, where the FIV vaccine is currently commercially available) about how the approach to the diagnosis of FIV infection has shifted. Included in this review is our work investigating the performance of three commercially available FIV PoC test kits in FIV‐vaccinated cats and our recommendations for the diagnosis of FIV infection; the effect of primary FIV vaccination (three FIV vaccines, 4 weeks apart) on PoC test kit performance; our recommendations regarding annual testing of FIV‐vaccinated cats to detect ‘vaccine breakthroughs’; and the potential off‐label use of saliva for the diagnosis of FIV infection using some FIV PoC test kits. We also investigated the accuracy of the same three brands of test kits for feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) diagnosis, using both blood and saliva as diagnostic specimens. Based on these results, we discuss our recommendations for confirmatory testing when veterinarians are presented with a positive FeLV PoC test kit result. Finally, we conclude with our results from the largest and most recent FIV and FeLV seroprevalence study conducted in Australia to date.     

Oxidant effects on californian coastal sage scrub

Causes for the reduced cover of native species of coastal sage scrub in certain southern Californian sites wvere sought among 43 habitat variables. The mean annual concentration of oxidants (which averaged 18 parts per 100 million on the 11 most polluted sites) is statistically indicated as the most likely causal factor. Sites of high oxidant levels in the region are also characterized by declining species richness and equitability.     

中国亚热带地区不同发育阶段杉木林生物量、凋落物及养分流

杉木生长快、产量高、材质好,是中国亚热带地区最重要的造林树种之一,在中国南方人工林经营中占有重要地位。对8、14和24年生杉木人工林生物量、凋落物及其养分流进行的研究结果表明:杉木人工林具有很高的生物生产力和50%-70%的树干生物量积累比例。杉木是低养分归还的针叶树种,凋落量少,而且针叶凋落前养分发生一定程度的转移,凋落物养分含量低,短轮伐期连栽收获制度造成的养分损失是导致杉木人工林地力衰退的原因之一。图1表7参22。     

欧亚大陆地上森林凋落物的研究

根据一个包括471个林分的森林凋落物数据库,本文对欧亚大陆森林生态系统的凋落物产量进行了估计。结果表明:欧亚大陆森林生态系统凋落物产量为每年6.53 Pg (1 Pg = 1015g),其中二分之一发生在热带和亚热带森林,三分之一发生在寒带森林,剩余的发生在温带森林。因此,在欧亚大陆森林生态系统中,森林凋落物每年从森林植被转移大约2.94 Pg 碳到土壤亚系统。表3参18。 关键词:碳流动;欧亚大陆森林;森林凋落物     

Regulation of yeast replicative life span by TOR and Sch9 in response to nutrients

Calorie restriction increases life span in many organisms, including the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. From a large-scale analysis of 564 single-gene-deletion strains of yeast, we identified 10 gene deletions that increase replicative life span. Six of these correspond to genes encoding components of the nutrient-responsive TOR and Sch9 pathways. Calorie restriction of tor1D or sch9D cells failed to further increase life span and, like calorie restriction, deletion of either SCH9 or TOR1 increased life span independent of the Sir2 histone deacetylase. We propose that the TOR and Sch9 kinases define a primary conduit through which excess nutrient intake limits longevity in yeast.