Ancient invasions: from endosymbionts to organelles     

Dyall SD  Brown MT  Johnson PJ 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2004,304(5668):253-257

The acquisitions of mitochondria and plastids were important events in the evolution of the eukaryotic cell, supplying it with compartmentalized bioenergetic and biosynthetic factories. Ancient invasions by eubacteria through symbiosis more than a billion years ago initiated these processes. Advances in geochemistry, molecular phylogeny, and cell biology have offered insight into complex molecular events that drove the evolution of endosymbionts into contemporary organelles. In losing their autonomy, endosymbionts lost the bulk of their genomes, necessitating the evolution of elaborate mechanisms for organelle biogenesis and metabolite exchange. In the process, symbionts acquired many host-derived properties, lost much of their eubacterial identity, and were transformed into extraordinarily diverse organelles that reveal complex histories that we are only beginning to decipher.  相似文献   

Protein displacement by DExH/D "RNA helicases" without duplex unwinding     

Fairman ME  Maroney PA  Wang W  Bowers HA  Gollnick P  Nilsen TW  Jankowsky E 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2004,304(5671):730-734

Members of the DExH/D superfamily of nucleic acid-activated nucleotide triphosphatases are essential for virtually all aspects of RNA metabolism, including pre-messenger RNA splicing, RNA interference, translation, and nucleocytoplasmic trafficking. Physiological substrates for these enzymes are thought to be regions of double-stranded RNA, because several DExH/D proteins catalyze strand separation in vitro. These "RNA helicases" can also disrupt RNA-protein interactions, but it is unclear whether this activity is coupled to duplex unwinding. Here we demonstrate that two unrelated DExH/D proteins catalyze protein displacement independently of duplex unwinding. Therefore, the essential functions of DExH/D proteins are not confined to RNA duplexes but can be exerted on a wide range of ribonucleoprotein substrates.  相似文献   

Nanominerals, mineral nanoparticles, and Earth systems   总被引：4，自引：0，他引：4  

Hochella MF  Lower SK  Maurice PA  Penn RL  Sahai N  Sparks DL  Twining BS 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2008,319(5870):1631-1635

Minerals are more complex than previously thought because of the discovery that their chemical properties vary as a function of particle size when smaller, in at least one dimension, than a few nanometers, to perhaps as much as several tens of nanometers. These variations are most likely due, at least in part, to differences in surface and near-surface atomic structure, as well as crystal shape and surface topography as a function of size in this smallest of size regimes. It has now been established that these variations may make a difference in important geochemical and biogeochemical reactions and kinetics. This recognition is broadening and enriching our view of how minerals influence the hydrosphere, pedosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere.  相似文献   

A haptoglobin-hemoglobin receptor conveys innate immunity to Trypanosoma brucei in humans     

Vanhollebeke B  De Muylder G  Nielsen MJ  Pays A  Tebabi P  Dieu M  Raes M  Moestrup SK  Pays E 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2008,320(5876):677-681

The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei is lysed by apolipoprotein L-I, a component of human high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles that are also characterized by the presence of haptoglobin-related protein. We report that this process is mediated by a parasite glycoprotein receptor, which binds the haptoglobin-hemoglobin complex with high affinity for the uptake and incorporation of heme into intracellular hemoproteins. In mice, this receptor was required for optimal parasite growth and the resistance of parasites to the oxidative burst by host macrophages. In humans, the trypanosome receptor also recognized the complex between hemoglobin and haptoglobin-related protein, which explains its ability to capture trypanolytic HDLs. Thus, in humans the presence of haptoglobin-related protein has diverted the function of the trypanosome haptoglobin-hemoglobin receptor to elicit innate host immunity against the parasite.  相似文献   

The bST debate: The relationship between awareness and acceptance of technological advances     

David E. Smith  J. Robert Skalnik  Patricia C. Skalnik 《Agriculture and Human Values》1997,14(1):59-66

Despite concerns of consumer protection andenvironmental groups that the use of geneticallyproduced growth hormone in milk-producing cows mayadversely impact the safety of the milk supply,scientific evidence and governmental findings from theUSA appear to indicate that milk fromtreated cows is identical in quality, taste, andnutritional value to milk from untreated cows. Limitedexperience to date in the USA demonstrateslittle consumer resistance to milk from cows that havereceived the growth hormone, which can lead to a 15%increase in milk production. In fact, if there is noperceived differentiation between the two forms ofmilk, the issue offers little choice to consumers atlarge, and may result in economic benefit only toselected dairy farmers, as well as the producers ofthe genetically produced growth hormone. Thissituation in the USA may be an example ofdysfunctional technology transfer, with desirablebenefits to a few, and as yet unknown benefits to thesociety. The USA has taken a bold move inapproving the use of bovine growth hormone in milk-producing cows, while the European Union has takena divergent approach by enacting lengthy moratoriumsagainst its use. The basic lesson to be learned fromthe bST case is that lack of awareness amonggovernment officials and the public at large serves asa significant impediment to the adoption of newtechnologies. Accordingly, delays may occur indelivery of significant social benefits to thepopulation as a whole. Obviously, the issue extendsbeyond bST.  相似文献   

Medicine. Clinical trials and industry     

Baird P  Downie J  Thompson J 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2002,297(5590):2211

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Sex matters in meiosis     

Hunt PA  Hassold TJ 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2002,296(5576):2181-2183

In mammals, fertilization typically involves the ovulation of one or a few eggs at one end of the female reproductive tract and the entry of millions of sperm at the other. Given this disparity in numbers, it might be expected that the more precious commodity-eggs-would be subject to more stringent quality-control mechanisms. However, information from engineered mutations of meiotic genes suggests just the opposite. Specifically, the available mutants demonstrate striking sexual dimorphism in response to meiotic disruption; for example, faced with adversity, male meiosis grinds to a halt, whereas female meiosis soldiers on. This female "robustness" comes with a cost, however, because aneuploidy appears to be increased in the resultant oocytes.  相似文献   

Retraction     

Davis ST  Benson BG  Bramson HN  Chapman DE  Dickerson SH  Dold KM  Eberwein DJ  Edelstein M  Frye SV  Gampe RT  Grifffen RJ  Harris PA  Hassell AM  Holmes WD  Hunter RN  Knick VB  Lackey K  Lovejoy B  Luzzio MJ  Murray D  Parker P  Rocque WJ  Shewchuk-Chapman L  Veal JM  Walker DH  Kuyper LF 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2002,298(5602):2327

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Differences between tight and loose cultures: a 33-nation study     

Gelfand MJ  Raver JL  Nishii L  Leslie LM  Lun J  Lim BC  Duan L  Almaliach A  Ang S  Arnadottir J  Aycan Z  Boehnke K  Boski P  Cabecinhas R  Chan D  Chhokar J  D'Amato A  Ferrer M  Fischlmayr IC  Fischer R  Fülöp M  Georgas J  Kashima ES  Kashima Y  Kim K  Lempereur A  Marquez P  Othman R  Overlaet B  Panagiotopoulou P  Peltzer K  Perez-Florizno LR  Ponomarenko L  Realo A  Schei V  Schmitt M  Smith PB  Soomro N  Szabo E  Taveesin N  Toyama M  Van de Vliert E  Vohra N  Ward C  Yamaguchi S 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2011,332(6033):1100-1104

With data from 33 nations, we illustrate the differences between cultures that are tight (have many strong norms and a low tolerance of deviant behavior) versus loose (have weak social norms and a high tolerance of deviant behavior). Tightness-looseness is part of a complex, loosely integrated multilevel system that comprises distal ecological and historical threats (e.g., high population density, resource scarcity, a history of territorial conflict, and disease and environmental threats), broad versus narrow socialization in societal institutions (e.g., autocracy, media regulations), the strength of everyday recurring situations, and micro-level psychological affordances (e.g., prevention self-guides, high regulatory strength, need for structure). This research advances knowledge that can foster cross-cultural understanding in a world of increasing global interdependence and has implications for modeling cultural change.  相似文献   

Different B cell populations mediate early and late memory during an endogenous immune response     

Pape KA  Taylor JJ  Maul RW  Gearhart PJ  Jenkins MK 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2011,331(6021):1203-1207

Memory B cells formed in response to microbial antigens provide immunity to later infections; however, the inability to detect rare endogenous antigen-specific cells limits current understanding of this process. Using an antigen-based technique to enrich these cells, we found that immunization with a model protein generated B memory cells that expressed isotype-switched immunoglobulins (swIg) or retained IgM. The more numerous IgM(+) cells were longer lived than the swIg(+) cells. However, swIg(+) memory cells dominated the secondary response because of the capacity to become activated in the presence of neutralizing serum immunoglobulin. Thus, we propose that memory relies on swIg(+) cells until they disappear and serum immunoglobulin falls to a low level, in which case memory resides with durable IgM(+) reserves.  相似文献