Chromosome painting between human and lorisiform prosimians: Evidence for the HSA 7/16 Synteny in the primate ancestral karyotype

Multidirectional chromosome painting with probes derived from flow-sorted chromosomes of humans (Homo sapiens, HSA, 2n = 46) and galagos (Galago moholi, GMO, 2n = 38) allowed us to map evolutionarily conserved chromosomal segments among humans, galagos, a

Molecular cloning and expression characterization of ApoC-I in the orange-spotted grouper

Endogenous yolk nutrients are crucial for embryo and larval development in fish, but developmental behavior of the genes that control yolk utilization remains unknown. Apolipoproteins have been shown to play important roles in lipid transport and uptake through the circulation system. In this study, EcApoC-I, the first cloned ApoC-I in teleosts, has been screened from pituitary cDNA library of female orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides), and the deduced amino acid sequence shows 43.5% identity to one zebrafish (Danio rerio) hypothetical protein similar to ApoC-I, and 21.2%, 21.7%, 22.5%, 20%, and 22.5% identities to Apo C-I of human (Homo sapiens), house mouse (Mus musculus), common tree shrew (Tupaia glis), dog (Canis lupus familiaris) and hamadryas baboon (Papio hamadryas), respectively. Although the sequence identity is low, amphipathic alpha-helices with the potential to bind to lipid were predicted to exist in the EcApoC-I. RT-PCR analysis revealed that it was first transcribed in gastrula embryos and maintained a relatively stable expression level during the following embryogenesis. During embryonic and early larval development, a very high level of EcApoC-I expression was in the yolk syncytial layer, indicating that it plays a significant role in yolk degradation and transfers nutrition to the embryo and early larva. By the day 7 after hatching, EcApoC-I transcripts were observed in brain. In adult, EcApoC-I mRNA was detected abundantly in brain and gonad. In transitional gonads, the EcApoC-I expression is restricted to the germ cells. The data suggested that EcApoC-I might play an important role in brain and gonad morphogenesis and growth.

Cloning, sequencing and expression analysis of cDNA encoding a constitutive heat shock protein 70 (HSC70) in Fenneropenaeus chinensis

The cDNA encoding hsc70 of Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis was cloned from hepatopancreas by RT-PCR based on its EST sequence. The full length cDNA of 2090 bp contained an open reading frame of 1956 nucleotides and partial 5'- and 3'-untranslated region(5'- and 3'-UTR). PCR amplification and sequencing analysis showed the existence of introns in the region of 1-547 bp, but they did not exist in the region of 548-2090 bp of hsc70 cDNA. When the deduced 652 amino acid sequence of HSC70 was compared with the members of HSP70 family from other organisms, the results showed 85.9% similarity with HSC71 from Oncorhynchus mykiss and HSC70 from Homo sapiens. It also exhibited 85.8% similarity with HSP70 from Mus musculu and 85.4% with HSC70 from Manduca sexta. Expression analysis showed that hsc70 mRNA was espressed constitutively in hepatopancreas, muscle, eyestalks, haemocytes, heart, ovary, intestine and gills in Fenneropenaeus chinensis. No difference could be detected on hsc70 mRNA level in muscle between heat-shocked and control animals.

Molecular characteristics and expression analysis of calreticulin in Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis

Calreticulin (CRT), as an endoplasmic reticulum luminal resident protein, plays important roles in Ca2+ homeostasis and molecular chaperoning. CRT on the surface of the cell can modulate cell adhesion, phagocytosis and integrin-dependent Ca2+ signaling. The full length cDNA of calreticulin (FcCRT) was cloned from Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis. It consists of 1672 by with an open reading frame of 1221 bp, encoding 406 amino acids. This is the first reported cDNA sequence of calreticulin in Crustacea. The deduced amino acid sequence of FcCRT showed high identity with those of Bombyx mori (88%), Drosophila melanogaster (83%), Mus musculus (82%) and Homo sapiens (82%). Highest expression of FcCRT was detected in ovary by Northern blot and in situ hybridization. Different mRNA levels of FcCRT were detected at various molting stages. Expression of FcCRT was induced significantly after 3 h of heat shock treatment, reached the maximum at 4 h and dropped after that. Differential expression profiles of FcCRT were observed in hepatopancreas and haemocytes when shrimp were challenged by white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). From the above results, we inferred that FcCRT might play important roles in Ca2+ homeostasis, chaperoning and immune function in shrimp. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

cDNA cloning, characterization and expression analysis of the antioxidant enzyme gene, catalase, of Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis

Catalase is an important antioxidant protein that protects organisms against various oxidative stresses by eliminating hydrogen peroxide. The full-length catalase cDNA of Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis was cloned from the hepatopancreas using degenerate primers by the method of 3' and 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends PCR. The cDNA sequence consists of 1892 bp with a 1560 bp open reading frame, encoding 520 amino acids with high identity to invertebrate, vertebrate and even bacterial catalases. The sequence includes the catalytic residues His71, Asn144, and Tyr354. The molecular mass of the predicted protein is 58824.04 Da with an estimated pl of 6.63. Sequence comparison showed that the deduced amino acid sequence of F. chinensis catalase shares 96%, 73%, 71% and 70% identity with that of Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei, Abalone Haliotis discus hannai, Zhikong scallop Chlamys farreri and Human Homo sapiens, respectively. Catalase transcripts were detected in hepatopancreas, hemocytes, lymphoid organ, intestine, ovary, muscle and gill. by real-time PCR. The variation of catalase mRNA transcripts in hemocytes and hepatopancreas was also quantified by real-time PCR and the result indicated that the catalase showed up-regulated expression trends in hemocytes at 14 h and in hepatopancreas at 37 h after injection with white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A lectin (CfLec-2) aggregating Staphylococcus haemolyticus from scallop Chlamys farreri

Lectins are a family of carbohydrate-recognition proteins which play crucial roles in innate immunity. In this study, a new lectin (CfLec-2) gene was cloned from Chlamys farreri by EST and RACE approaches. The full-length cDNA of CfLec-2 was composed of 708 bp, encoding a typical Long form carbohydrate-recognition domain of 130 residues. The deduced amino acid sequence showed high similarity to Brevican in Homo sapiens, C-type lectin-1 and lectin-2 in Anguilla japonica. The cDNA fragment encoding the mature peptide of CfLec-2 was recombined into plasmid pET-32a (+) and expressed in Escherichia coli Rosseta-Gami (DE3). The recombinant CfLec-2 (rCfLec-2) protein exhibited aggregative activity toward Staphylococcus haemolyticus, and the agglutination could be inhibited by D-mannose but not EDTA or D-galactose, indicating that CfLec-2 was a Ca2+ independent lectin. Moreover, rCfLec-2 could suppress the growth of E. coli TOP10F'. These results suggested that CfLec-2 was perhaps involved in the recognition and clearance of bacterial. pathogens in scallop. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular cloning and responsive expression to injury stimulus of a defender against cell death 1 (DAD1) gene from bay scallops Argopecten irradians

Apoptosis is an active process of cell death, which is an integral part of growth and development in multicellular organisms. The defender against cell death 1 (DAD1), the regulatory protein to inhibit the apoptosis process, was first cloned from the bay scallop Argopecten irradians by randomly sequencing a whole tissue cDNA library and rapid amplification of cDNA end (RACE). The full-length cDNA of the A. irradians DAD1 was 607 bp, consist of a 5'-terminal untranslated region (UTR) of 63 bp, a 3'-terminal UTR of 205 bp with a canonical polyadenylation signal sequence AATAAA and a poly (A) tail, and an open reading frame of 339 bp. The deduced amino acid sequence of the A. irradians DAD1 showed 75.5% identity to Araneus ventricosus, 74.5% to Drosophila melanogaster, and 73.6% to Homo sapiens, Sus scrofa, Mesocricetus auratus, Rattus norvegicus and Mus musculus. Excluding the Saccharomyces cerevisiae DAD1 homologue, all animal DAD1 including A. irradians DAD1 homologue formed a subgroup and all plant DAD1 proteins formed another subgroup in the phylogenetic analysis. The A. irradians DAD1 was expressed in all examined tissues including adductor muscle, mantle, gills, digestive gland, gonad and hemolymph, suggesting that A. irradians DAD1 is expressed in most body tissues. Furthermore, the mRNA expression levels of A. irradians DAD1 gene of hemolymph were particularly high after injury, suggesting that the gene is responsive to injury stimuli.

The manganese superoxide dismutase gene in bay scallop Argopecten irradians: Cloning, 3D modelling and mRNA expression

A novel manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) was cloned from bay scallop Argopecten irradians by 3' and 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) PCR. The full-length cDNA of MnSOD was of 1207 bp with a 678 bp open reading frame encoding 226 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence contained a putative signal peptide of 26 amino acids. Sequence comparison showed that the MnSOD of A. irradians shared high identity with MnSOD in invertebrates and vertebrates, such as MnSOD from abalone Haliotis discus discus (ABG88843) and frog Xenopus laevis (AAQ63483). Furthermore, the 3D structure of bay scallop MnSOD was predicted by SWISS-MODEL Protein Modelling Server and compared with those of other MnSODs. The overall structure of bay scallop MnSOD was similar to those of zebrafish Danio rerio, fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis, human Homo sapiens, and had the highest similarity to scallop Mizuhopecten yessoensis and abalone H. discus discus. A quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assay was developed to detect the mRNA expression of MnSOD in different tissues and the temporal expression in haemocytes following challenge with the bacterium Vibrio anguillarum. A higher-level of mRNA expression of MnSOD was detected in gill and mantle. The expression of MnSOD reached the highest level at 3 h post-injection with V. anguillarum and then slightly recovered from 6 to 48 h. The results indicated that bay scallop MnSOD was a constitutive and inducible protein and thus could play an important role in the immune responses against V anguillarum infection. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

cDNA cloning and overexpression of acidic ribosomal phosphoprotein P1 gene (RPLP1) from the Giant Panda

RPLP1 is one of acidic ribosomal phosphoproteins encoded by RPLP1 gene, which plays an important role in the elongation step of protein synthesis. The cDNA of RPLP1 was cloned successfully for the first time from the Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) using RT-PCR technology, which was also sequenced, analyzed preliminarily and expressed in E. coli. The cDNA fragment cloned is 449bp in size, containing an open reading frame of 344bp encoding 114 amino acids. Alignment analysis indicated that the nucleotide sequence and the deduced amino acid sequence are highly conserved to other five species studied, including Homo sapiens, Mus musculus, Rattus norvegicus, Bos Taurus and Sus scrofa. The homologies for nucleotide sequences of Giant Panda PPLP1 to that of these species are 92.4%, 89.8%, 89.0%, 91.3% and 87.5%, while the homologies for amino acid sequences are 96.5%, 94.7%, 95.6%, 96.5% and 88.6%. Topology prediction showed there are three Casein kinase II phosphorylation sites and two N-myristoylation sites in the RPLP1 protein of the Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). The RPLP1 gene was overexpressed in E. coli and the result indicated that RPLP1 fusion with the N-terminally His-tagged form gave rise to the accumulation of an expected 18kDa polypeptide, which was in accordance with the predicted protein and could also be used to purify the protein and study its function.

Uto­pia języka dosko­na­łego w euro­pej­skim kręgu kul­tu­ro­wym

Homo sapiens, gatu­nek nie­mal pod każ­dym wzglę­dem jed­no­rodny fizjo­lo­gicz­nie, pod­dany pra­wie jed­na­ko­wym pro­ce­som bio­lo­gicz­nym i spo­łecz­nym, o podob­nej ewo­lu­cyj­nej prze­szło­ści; gatu­nek, który poro­zu­miewa się tysią­cami róż­nych języ­ków. Ludzie są iden­tycz­nie zbu­do­wani, ale nie posłu­gują się jedną, uni­wer­salną mową. Korzy­ści, jakie wyni­ka­łyby ze wspól­nego, zro­zu­mia­łego dla każ­dego czło­wieka języka, są oczywiste. Tęsk­nota za takim języ­kiem jest obecna we wszyst­kich cywi­li­za­cjach. Wątek pomie­sza­nia języ­ków (The Con­fu­sion of Ton­gues), rekon­struk­cja i kon­struk­cja języka dosko­na­łego snuje się przez wszyst­kie kul­tury. W mito­lo­gii wie­lość języ­ków to nie­szczę­ście i sła­bość ludz­ko­ści. Sta­ro­żytni Per­so­wie wie­rzyli, iż wie­lo­ję­zyczny ród czło­wie­czy doczeka się w końcu wspól­nego języka w kró­le­stwie Ormuz­do­wym.

Small-bodied humans from Palau, Micronesia.

UNLABELLED: Newly discovered fossil assemblages of small bodied Homo sapiens from Palau, Micronesia possess characters thought to be taxonomically primitive for the genus Homo. BACKGROUND: Recent surface collection and test excavation in limestone caves in the rock islands of Palau, Micronesia, has produced a sizeable sample of human skeletal remains dating roughly between 940-2890 cal ybp. PRINCIPLE FINDINGS: Preliminary analysis indicates that this material is important for two reasons. First, individuals from the older time horizons are small in body size even relative to "pygmoid" populations from Southeast Asia and Indonesia, and thus may represent a marked case of human insular dwarfism. Second, while possessing a number of derived features that align them with Homo sapiens, the human remains from Palau also exhibit several skeletal traits that are considered to be primitive for the genus Homo. SIGNIFICANCE: These features may be previously unrecognized developmental correlates of small body size and, if so, they may have important implications for interpreting the taxonomic affinities of fossil specimens of Homo.

The role of human demographic history in determining the distribution and frequency of transferase-deficient galactosaemia mutations

Classical or transferase-deficient galactosaemia is an inherited metabolic disorder caused by mutation in the human Galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase (GALT) gene. Of some 170 causative mutations reported, fewer than 10% are observed in more than one geographic region or ethnic group. To better understand the population history of the common GALT mutations, we have established a haplotyping system for the GALT locus incorporating eight single nucleotide polymorphisms and three short tandem repeat markers. We analysed haplotypes associated with the three most frequent GALT gene mutations, Q188R, K285N and Duarte-2 (D2), and estimated their age. Haplotype diversity, in conjunction with measures of genetic diversity and of linkage disequilibrium, indicated that Q188R and K285N are European mutations. The Q188R mutation arose in central Europe within the last 20 000 years, with its observed east-west cline of increasing relative allele frequency possibly being due to population expansion during the re-colonization of Europe by Homo sapiens in the Mesolithic age. K285N was found to be a younger mutation that originated in Eastern Europe and is probably more geographically restricted as it arose after all major European population expansions. The D2 variant was found to be an ancient mutation that originated before the expansion of Homo sapiens out of Africa. Heredity (2010) 104, 148-154; doi:10.1038/hdy.2009.84; published online 29 July 2009

The 'human revolution' in lowland tropical Southeast Asia:the antiquity and behavior of anatomically modern humans at Niah Cave (Sarawak, Borneo)

Recent research in Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia suggests that we can no longer assume a direct and exclusive link between anatomically modern humans and behavioral modernity (the 'human revolution'), and assume that the presence of either one implies the presence of the other: discussions of the emergence of cultural complexity have to proceed with greater scrutiny of the evidence on a site-by-site basis to establish secure associations between the archaeology present there and the hominins who created it. This paper presents one such case study: Niah Cave in Sarawak on the island of Borneo, famous for the discovery in 1958 in the West Mouth of the Great Cave of a modern human skull, the 'Deep Skull,' controversially associated with radiocarbon dates of ca. 40,000 years before the present. A new chronostratigraphy has been developed through a re-investigation of the lithostratigraphy left by the earlier excavations, AMS-dating using three different comparative pre-treatments including ABOX of charcoal, and U-series using the Diffusion-Absorption model applied to fragments of bones from the Deep Skull itself. Stratigraphic reasons for earlier uncertainties about the antiquity of the skull are examined, and it is shown not to be an `intrusive' artifact. It was probably excavated from fluvial-pond-desiccation deposits that accumulated episodically in a shallow basin immediately behind the cave entrance lip, in a climate that ranged from times of comparative aridity with complete desiccation, to episodes of greater surface wetness, changes attributed to regional climatic fluctuations. Vegetation outside the cave varied significantly over time, including wet lowland forest, montane forest, savannah, and grassland. The new dates and the lithostratigraphy relate the Deep Skull to evidence of episodes of human activity that range in date from ca. 46,000 to ca. 34,000 years ago. Initial investigations of sediment scorching, pollen, palynomorphs, phytoliths, plant macrofossils, and starch grains recovered from existing exposures, and of vertebrates from the current and the earlier excavations, suggest that human foraging during these times was marked by habitat-tailored hunting technologies, the collection and processing of toxic plants for consumption, and, perhaps, the use of fire at some forest-edges. The Niah evidence demonstrates the sophisticated nature of the subsistence behavior developed by modern humans to exploit the tropical environments that they encountered in Southeast Asia, including rainforest. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Middle Stone Age of Eastern Africa

The Middle Stone Age (MSA) covers the evolution, emergence, and dispersal of Homo sapiens. This article focuses on archaeological data and on published material from key stratified sites with some form of geochronological control from across eastern Africa. The MSA is often characterised by a shift from handaxe production towards discoidal and Levallois techniques. Although evidence for the controlled use of fire remains minimal, it seems likely that MSA hominins used it, as well as being highly skilled in working stone and probably bone and wood. MSA hominins appear to have exploited a range of different ecozones and many MSA sites are focused on ecotones, maximising access to resources. Over time, use of rockshelters and caves also seems to have increased. Although much work remains, the MSA is presently one of the most exciting and dynamic periods in the study of human evolution.

Tecnologia lítica da Middle Stone Age da Gruta da Leba (Huíla, SW Angola)

África é hoje o foco principal na investigação sobre a problemática da emergência da humanidade. O registo arqueológico actual sugere que também alinhagem do Homo sapiens surgiu na África subsaariana, tornando a Middle Stone Age no período chave no debate sobre a emergência do comportamento humano moderno. Os primeiros indícios de comportamento humano presumivelmente moderno provêm da África do Sul, mas há um enorme vazio arqueográfico sobre as áreas limítrofes desse território como é o caso de Angola que podem trazer novos dados à discussão. A presente dissertação debruça-se sobre a colecção arqueológica da Gruta da Leba (Huíla, SW de Angola), actualmente parte do Arquivo Científico Tropical (Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical), que permanece inédita, apesar de recolhida em escavação arqueológica pela Junta de Investigações do Ultramar durante os anos 1950, no âmbito da Missão Antropobiológica de Angola. O conjunto é composto por uma indústria lítica com mais de 1500 peças, bem como restos faunísticos e amostras de sedimentos, de uma sequência estratigráfica com três níveis de ocupação da Middle Stone Age. O principal objectivo deste estudo é caracterizar a produção e utilização dos materiais líticos da Middle Stone Age da Gruta da Leba, através da sistematização da informação de cariz tecnológico e tipológico do conjunto artefactual. A partir da análise dos materiais líticos é possível definir padrões de variabilidade na exploração das matérias-primas e cadeias operatórias de produção do sítio. Pretende-se, assim, enquadrar regionalmente as indústrias líticas no panorama mais alargado da Pré-História da África subsaariana, para a validação dos modelos crono-culturais convencionais e avaliação dos parâmetros teórico-metodológicos aplicados na abordagem à tecnologia lítica africana em relação à problemática do comportamento humano moderno.