Distribution,Molecular Structure and Functional Analysis of Carnitine Transporter (SLC22A5) in Canine Lens Epithelial Cells

While carnitine has been reported to have an anti-oxidative role on the ocular surface, there has been no report on the existence of a carnitine transporter (SLC22A5) in the lens. Therefore, we investigated the carnitine transport activity of canine lens epithelial cells (LEC) and determined the molecular structure of canine SLC22A5. The carnitine transport activity was 7.16 ± 0.48 pmol/mg protein/30 min. Butyrobetaine, the analogue of carnitine, reduced 30% of the activity at 50 µM. A coding sequence of canine carnitine transporter was 1694 bp long and was predicted to encode 557 amino acid polypeptides. The deduced amino acid sequence of canine carnitine transporter showed >80% similarity to that of mouse and human. Western blot analysis detected the band at 60 kDa in the membrane of lens epithelial cells. The high content of carnitine in the lens is possibly transported from aqueous humor by SLC22A5.     

短吻贫齿龙(双孔亚纲:海龙目)的新材料及补充研究(英文)

记述了产自贵州关岭法郎组瓦窑段(上三叠统)短吻贫齿龙一新材料。新标本头后骨骼十分完整,使我们对该海龙的全身骨骼形态有了一个完整的认识,尤其是澄清了其肩带及前、后肢的解剖学特征。短吻贫齿龙牙齿稀少且局限于上、下颌的前端,以及末端指/趾骨(爪)扁平等性状表明,该种不是纯粹的肉食动物。依据新材料,短吻贫齿龙在局部形态上存在个体变异,并确认后肢趾趾式(2-3-4-5-5)可作为该海龙的特征之一。     

DWARF50 (D50), a rice (Oryza sativa L.) gene encoding inositol polyphosphate 5‐phosphatase,is required for proper development of intercalary meristem

Rice internodes are vital for supporting high‐yield panicles, which are controlled by various factors such as cell division, cell elongation and cell wall biosynthesis. Therefore, formation and regulation of the internode cell‐producing intercalary meristem (IM) are important for determining the shape of internodes. To understand the regulation of internode development, we analysed a rice dwarf mutant, dwarf 50 (d50). Previously, we reported that parenchyma cells in the elongated internodes of d50 ectopically deposit cell wall phenolics. In this study, we revealed that D50 encodes putative inositol polyphosphate 5‐phosphatase (5PTase), which may be involved in phosphoinositide signalling required for many essential cellular functions, such as cytoskeleton organization, endocytosis and vesicular trafficking in eukaryotes. Analysis of the rice genome revealed 20 putative 5PTases including D50. The d50 mutation induced abnormally oriented cell division, irregular deposition of cell wall pectins and thick actin bundles in the parenchyma cells of the IM, resulting in abnormally organized cell files of the internode parenchyma and dwarf phenotype. Our results suggest that the putative 5PTase, encoded by D50, is essential for IM formation, including the direction of cell division, deposition of cell wall pectins and control of actin organization.     

PRODUCTION OF 1-METHYLADENINE INDUCED BY CONCANAVALIN A IN STARFISH FOLLICLE CELLS

Concanavalin A (Con A) was found to induce maturation of oocytes with follicular envelopes in the starfish, Asterina pectinifera . Treating a Con A sample with 85% ethanol and heat revealed that the maturation-inducing activity of the sample was not due to possible contamination with 1-methyladenine, but to Con A itself. However, Con A had little maturation inducing effect on isolated oocytes from which the follicular envelope had been removed, suggesting that its effect is indirect and probably mediated by the follicle cells. When follicle cells were incubated in seawater containing Con A, a maturation-inducing substance was found to have been produced in the incubation medium. This was purified and identified as 1-methyladenine. Therefore it is concluded that Con A has the same capacity as GSS, a gonad-stimulating peptide hormone of neural origin, to induce production of the maturation-inducing substance. Other plant lectins such as phytohemagglutinin P and wheat germ agglutinin had little effect in inducing production of 1-methyladenine in follicle cells.     

短吻贫齿龙(双孔亚纲:海龙目):头后骨骼及系统关系研究

短吻贫齿龙是根据一保存较完整的头骨和下颌标本建立的;标本采自贵州关岭地区三叠系法郎组灰岩。对其头后骨骼进行了详细描述。短吻贫齿龙在肩带的乌喙骨和间锁骨及腰带的肠骨显示了与众不同的特征,例如:紧靠肩臼后方乌喙骨有一明显的凹,间锁骨后半部比前部要窄很多,及肠骨背突末端加宽等。头骨进一步细修表明,其中一些部位需要进行重新记述。依据头后骨骼和头骨中的新信息,对短吻贫齿龙的特征作了修订。系统关系分析表明,贫齿龙是个askeptosaurid,其下颌宽大于长的反关节突和肱骨缩小的三角-胸大肌嵴表明它与产自瑞士和意大利的Askeptosaurus关系最近。