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- Author or Editor: Wei Yang x
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C-reactive protein (CRP) is an established marker of inflammation and has been proposed to play a proinflammatory role in pathologies of several diseases. CRP is primarily produced by the liver and released into circulation as a pentameric molecule composed of five identical subunits. It has been suggested that the activation of the proinflammatory actions of CRP requires sequential conformational changes triggered by local inflammatory conditions. These include the dissociation into the subunit form (monomeric CRP, mCRP) and further reduction of the intra-subunit disulfide bond of mCRP. This model predicts that mCRP is the primary isoform present in inflamed but not healthy tissues, however the supporting evidence is lacking. Herein, we stained tissue samples across multiple anatomical locations from several types of human diseases with highly selective monoclonal antibodies that can differentiate CRP and mCRP. The results indicated that mCRP is the predominant form existing in the lesions. Further immunoblotting of the patient tissue samples revealed the potential presence of reduced mCRP. Together, we conclude that mCRP but not CRP is the major isoform present in local inflammatory lesions, supporting the so-called cascading model of CRP function and regulation.
Partial abortion of gametes possessing S-5 j in S-5 i / S-5 j genotype at locus S-5 is responsible for hybrid sterility between indica and japonica subspecies in rice ( Oryza sativa L.), while a single wide compatibility (WC) allele S-5 n can restore normal hybrid fertility between the two groups. In this study, Pei’ai 64S, one of the most popular WC line widely used for subspecific hybrid rice breeding program in South China was studied for location of its S-5 locus. Twenty SSR (Simple Sequence Repeat) markers derived from Cornell SSR linkage map and 9 developed using sequences from GenBank database were employed to perform bulked segregant analysis of the mapping population derived from a three-way cross (Pei’ai 64S/T8//Akihikari) to tag fine location of the hybrid sterility locus, S-5 . This S-5 locus was mapped on chromosome 6 approximately 0.2 cM from GXR6 and RM276 SSR markers. This tight linkage of the markers and the S-5 locus would be very useful for efficient marker-assisted selection for WC varieties and for map-based cloning of the gene.
Aegilops sharonensis (Sharon goatgrass) is a valuable source of novel high molecular weight glutenin subunits, resistance to wheat rust, powdery mildew, and insect pests. In this study, we successfully hybridized Ae. sharonensis as the pollen parent to common wheat and obtained backcross derivatives. F1 intergeneric hybrids were verified using morphological observation and cytological and molecular analyses. The phenotypes of the hybrid plants were intermediate between Ae. sharonensis and common wheat. Observations of mitosis in root tip cells and meiosis in pollen mother cells revealed that the F1 hybrids possessed 28 chromosomes. Chromosome pairing at metaphase I of the pollen mother cells in the F1 hybrid plants was low, and the meiotic configuration was 25.94 I + 1.03 II (rod). Two pairs of primers were screened out from 150 simple sequence repeat markers, and primer WMC634 was used to identified the presence of the genome of Ae. sharonensis. Sequencing results showed that the F1 hybrids contained the Ssh genome of Ae. sharonensis. The sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis profile showed that the alien high molecular weight glutenin subunits of Ae. sharonensis were transferred into the F1 and backcross derivatives. The new wheat-Ae. sharonensis derivatives that we have produced will be valuable for increasing resistance to various diseases of wheat and for improving the quality of bread wheat.
