Table of Content

20 November 2003, Volume 39 Issue 6

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Why the Double Helix Model of DNA Structure is Considered as a Milestone in 20th Century's Life Sciences

XU ZHihong

2003, 39(6):  749-752. 

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The author elucidated the milestone significance of the double helix model of DNA structure in three aspects at the 50th anniversary of the model proposed: its influence on the allocation of research resources, on the regime change of the life science researches, and its impact on the entire scientific community and society. It has been concluded that the progress of science and technology is irresistible, and the rationality of the human being will finally shine in the dark and bring our society a promising future.

DNA Open the Door of Life
- Heredity Development and Evolution

FAN Qichang,ZHU Zuoyan

2003, 39(6):  753-759. 

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The discovery of DNA double helix structure directly leaded to establish a fundamental theory of modern life science - the Central Dogma. In the past 50 years, life science has been thaumaturgically changed. Almost every branch of biology has been improved dramatically. Many of new biology branches and frontier sciences have been founded in succession. New biotechnology has induced the emergence of profound reform in the structure of production. Many of biology concepts have been penetrated into almost every corner of society. The door of life opened by the reveal of DNA double helix structure will draw more and more people to challenge the mysteries of life science.

Development of Gene Theory

CHEN Yanhui,YANG Xiaoyuan,QU Lijia

2003, 39(6):  760-763. 

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The discovery of DNA double helix structure is one of the most important discoveries in the last century. The core rule and the technology of gene cloning provide us powerful tools to elucidate the nature of human beings. In the history of molecular biology, the importance of DNA, which is the carrier of genetic information, and its double helix structure, is clearly recognized. The completion of the human genome project opens up a broad field, and makes it possible for us to study the biological processes at the whole-genome level, and the biology is going into post-genome era.

DNA Double-Helix will Lead Human into a Biological Century

PAN Aihua

2003, 39(6):  764-769. 

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Life science will be at the forefront of all sciences. Biotech industry is projected to become an unparalleled industrial mainstay. In 2020, human society will go into a bioeconomy era. Life science, as a tool, has provided new research methods and new thinking ways for other natural sciences. Similarly, life science also could provide research methods and thinking ways for social science to form the “Social-genology” and“Econo-genology”. By using the principle and methodology of life science to study the moving regularity of human society, the“social-genology” theory is expressed. A family is a“triplet code ” of a society, the“working units” is the “gene” of a society, and a“community” is the“cell” of a society. Adam Smith, the father of Economics, bought an “invisible hand law”. The questions and the concept on market economy are same as“the First Law of Genetics” proposed by Gregor Mendel. Therefore, the Adam Smith's theory also could be called as“the First Law of Econo-genology”. The mathematical, physical, chemical or biological recombination shows the same function occurred in the recombination of economy and capitals. The fundamental of bioeconomy is based on the research, development and application of life science and biotechnology. On the bases of the biotechnological products and industrialization, bioeconomy consists of three key points: (a) the economy is built on the biotech products with industrialization that are also based on the fundamental of development and application of life science and biotechnology; (b) for any changes on economy are brought by biological incidents (such as pestilence, bio-terror, or bio-war); (c) the economics theory and models are built by using the principles and concepts from life science and medical knowledge. Therefore, after done the Human Genome Project (HGP), the research on Social Genome Project (SGP) and the Economy Genome Project (EGP) should be started now.

DNA and RNA Which Plays the Lead?

ZHU Shenggeng

2003, 39(6):  770-774. 

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DNA and RNA exist together and they can be a pair of twin molecules. It seems that the earliest era of life origin is referred to as the“nucleic acid world”, afterwards DNA and RNA were generated separately by differentiation. In the modern life system, DNA, RNA and protein together play a decisive role, and the system is a three-horse-drawn carriage. The discovery of RNA interference shows that the change of phenotype of the gene can be controlled by RNA. The posttranscriptional processing of RNA is probably a reflection of the procedure of RNA evolution. Therefore, it is an urgent task to understand RNA again in life sciences.

DNA Sequence Divergence of Mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase Ⅱ of Polyura narcaea in China

WANG Rongjiang,WAN Hong,LEI Guangchun,LI Shaowen

2003, 39(6):  775-779. 

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Genetic differentiation of Polyura narcaea in China and the effect of Taiwan strait was inferred from DNA sequence of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase Ⅱ(COⅡ). It was showed that there was 0.75%～1% sequence divergence between P. narcaea genes of Taiwan and the mainland. It was estimated that P. narcaea of Taiwan and the mainland differentiated 375～500 thousand years ago. Taiwan strait might effectively obstruct gene flow between P. narcaea of the both sides. Significant sequence divergence between P. narcaea of Taiwan and the mainland might be related to different subspecies. There was significant sequence divergence between different localities in the mainland. Therefore, it was inferred that there might be 2 subspecies of P. narcaea in the mainland of China.

A Study on the Ultrastructural Changes in Tobacco Pollens during the Course of Cold Treatment

HUANG Tengbo,YOU Ruilin

2003, 39(6):  780-791. 

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The degenerate characteristics, including morphological, structural and vigorous changes of tobacco pollens were studied following different durations of cold treatment at 4℃ by using light and electronic microscopy, as well as TTC (triphenyltetrazolium chloride) assay. The following results were obtained: (1) After cold treatment, some of the pollens became empty and the cytoplasm of those pollens shrank. The longer the cold treatment lasted, the higher frequency of the degenerate pollens could be detected. (2) The degeneration of pollens was also detected at ultrastructural level. However, ultrastructural changes did not occurred synchronously with the duration of the treatment. Usually, dictyosomes and plastids degenerated first, followed by mitochondria and then the nucleus. During the process of the degeneration, vacuoles and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) played an important role. Vacuoles eroded and digested the surrounding cytoplasm gradually by partial or whole disappearance of tonoplasts. The proliferation of ER occurred as the time of the treatment increased. Simultaneously, the cisternae of ER became bulged, engulfing the cytoplasmic components. Finally, the cytoplasm shrank and converted into a dark disorganized mass when the pollen died. (3) Frequency of the vigorous pollens was detected by the TTC assay. It was shown that the frequency of the vigorous pollens decreased as the cold treatment went on. After 20 days of treatment, almost all the pollens lost their vigor. As a result, the degeneration of cold treated tobacco pollens occurred gradually and increasingly. It was PCD.

Numerous of Conserved Non-coding Sequences in the Pig (Sus scrofa) Genome

ZHONG Lan,LI Songgang,LI Wei

2003, 39(6):  792-798. 

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Aligning 1.9 millions of porcine random reads to the genomes of human and mouse respectively, and then filtering out known exons and newly predicted human coding regions, the authors obtained large amount of reads containing conserved non-coding sequences (CNSs). Among the porcine reads, 11.05% contained pig-human two-way CNSs, 3.13% contained pig-mouse two-way CNSs and 1.86% contained pig-human-mouse three-way CNSs, and the three-way CNSs are more similar with human than with mouse. Besides, many of the human and mouse ncRNA genes had similarity with these above porcine reads containing CNSs at least once.

GAP-43 mRNA Levels Change of the Hippocampus in Rat after Impact Traumatic Brain Injury

YU Ruiyuan,SUN Jiurong,MU Xiaodong,WANG Yanfeng

2003, 39(6):  799-803. 

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With DIG (digoxigenin) labeled GAP-43 cDNA as probe, the in Situ hybridiztion method was set up with the rat hippocampus slides as positive controls. The change of GAP-43 gene expression after traumatic brain injury was detected at CA3, CA1 and DG fields of hippocampus. The level of GAP-43 mRNA rised greatly 48h after brain injury, in which the CA3 field was the greatest, and the injuried side rised more greatly than the opposite side. The high expression of GAP-43 gene sustained to 1 and 2 weeks after the operation, but lower than that of 48h, the period of the highest gene expression is some time in 1 week. The results demonstrate the relationship between brain injury and hippocampus GAP-43 mRNA level, and provide the useful information for the mechanism of plasticity of central nervous system and physiological functional compensation following traumatic brain injury.

A Cladistic Study on Sublepidodendron (Nathorst) Hirmer and Its Related Genera

WANG Qi,HAO Shougang,WANG Deming

2003, 39(6):  858-870. 

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Sublepidodendron (Nathorst) Hirmer is considered one of the index plant megafossils in the Late Devonian of China. Historically, this genus lacks an indispensable study on its biological characters, so its taxonomy has long been a debatable subject, which hinders a true appreciation of this generic systematic position and of evolutionary lineages within the lycopsids. The present cladistic study suggests that Sublepidodendron possesses many similar synapomorphies to those phylogenetically more advanced genera in the families Sigillariaceae, Lepidodendraceae and Diaphorodendraceae rather than the order Protolepidodendrales as formerly thought. Thus, the authors present a new taxonomical system for Sublepidodendron, which is referred to the family Sublepidodendraceae, and assigned in turn to the order Isoёtales sensu lato. In the authors cladogram, Sublepidodendraceae is phylogenetically bridging between the families Leptophloeaceae and Sigillariaceae rather than constituting any sister groups with one of members in the order Protolepidodendrales. The cladistic pattern reveals that the Carboniferous more advanced arborescent lycopsids must have evolved by the Late Devonian (Famennian) rather than precipitately occurred in the Carboniferous. Sublepidodendron may represent one of the members of the phylogenetically more advancedarborescent lycopsids or one of the ancestral groups to the families Lepidodendraceae or Diaphorodendraceae.

Studies on the General Performance of Partial Hydrolyzed Polyacrylamide Used in Oil Flooding

LIAO Guangzhi,MA Jiming,SUN Gang,NIU Jingang,ZHOU Jisheng,LIU Fengqi

2003, 39(6):  815-820. 

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The weight-average molecular weight (M_w)，root mean square radius (RMS) and second viral coefficient(A₂) of hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) were investigated by a static laser light scattering. The results show that there is a relation between M_wand M_η (viscosity-average molecular weight) of HPAM and also point out the difference between ultra-high M_ηsalt-resistant HPAM and conventional HPAM by comparing the micro-performance. All of these show that the limits and errors in the characterization method of HPAM which is still used in some oilfields now. The suggestion is to add some micro-parameters in the characterization methods, so that an effective way can be elected to evaluate the general performances of HPAM correctly and to select more effective polymers which can improve technological and economical effects on Polymer Flooding.

The Principle and Geological Application of Unspiked K-Ar Dating

LEI Yongliang,MU Zhiguo,HUANG Baoling,MIAO Guojun

2003, 39(6):  821-828. 

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Precise measurement of Argon is considered to be one of the most important geochronological subjects in K-Ar dating of young volcanic materials. Based on the presumption that ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar ratio is equal to 295.5 during conventional K-Ar dating, it has been studied that dating was constrained in some cases, especially for young samples. A technique of unspiked Argon measurement has been improved and applied in recent years. The merits for this method are that argon will not be contaminated by spike ³⁸Ar systematically, thus, the contents of ⁴⁰Ar, ³⁸Ar and ³⁶Ar will be measured by calibrating with standard atmosphere. Considering the interference of mass fractionation of argon in volcanic rocks, it is allowed to calibrate ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Arratio with ³⁸Ar/³⁶Ar ratio of the sample. Therefore, radiogenic ⁴⁰Ar^* and age of sample will be calculated accurately. At present, unspiked K-Ar dating has been widely used in geological researches. It is able to acquire reliable ages including late Tertiary and Quaternary to interpret the geological events and reconstruct the magmatic history. It implies that, for K-Ar chronology, a powerful means and approach will be used to study volcanic rock younger than late Tertiary by introducing the principle and geological application of unspiked K-Ar dating.

The Effect on the Rock Mass Stability due to Hydro-Occurrence Environment in Longmen Grottoes of Luoyang

ZHANG Chengyu

2003, 39(6):  829-834. 

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By contrast with other grottoes in China, Longmen Grottoes have very typical hydro-environment for its groundwater and many karst caves. By using the basic theory and the way in rock mass mechanics - Coulomb criterion and Mohr circle, the effect on the rock mass stabilization due to the hydrooccurrence environment was discussed. With the calculation on the decrease of critical sliding shear intensity and showing by stress Mohr circle, the conclusion can be drawn that, hydrooccurrence in the surface of slope full of unloading fissures obviously decreased the mechanical intensity of rock mass, and it is the vivid factor to make the rocks lose stabilization slowly.

The Research of the Characteristics of Ultrasonic Velocity Dispersion in Fluid Saturated Rock

DENG Jixin,SHI Ge,YU Jun

2003, 39(6):  835-843. 

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The quantitative relation among Biot's theoretical dispersion, local fluid dispersion and total dispersion are presented under laboratory ultrasonic frequency. Large gap exists between Biot's theoretical dispersion and total dispersion when the hydrostatic pressure is low, Biot's theoretical dispersion can not explain the real dispersion in experiments very well. Using the local fluid model (including Biot's dispersion) can perform well to explain the experimental results. As the hydrostatic pressure increases total dispersion and local dispersion decrease. Especially, under high pressure, Biot's theoretical dispersion is comparable to total dispersion. The dominant dispersion mechanism is able to transform in high - porosity samples with increasing pressure. The close of low aspect ratio cracks with increasing pressure is the fundamental reason to form those experimental results above, because difference of pore stiffness is the base on which the local fluid exists. The effect on velocity dispersion of pore fluid is also examined. As the viscosity of pore fluid increases, total dispersion and local fluid dispersion increase significantly.

Studies on Characteristics of Surfactants Produced by Pseudomonas sp. S-7

HAO Ruixia,WANG Guanyu,PAN Yongqiang

2003, 39(6):  844-849. 

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Pseudomonas sp. S-7 strain can produces glucolipid and lipopeptide in metabolism. The critical micelle concentration of surfactants is 36mg/L. Surfactants make the surface tension of water decrease from 72mN/m to 29.7mN/m, and make the interfacial tension between oil and water reduce from 30mN/m to 1.3mN/m. The fermented broth has stable surface activity at different temperature, pH and salinity; it emulsifies crude oil and makes the viscosity of crude oil decrease 86.95%. The present study states that the surfactants are major factors of S-7 strain in microbial enhanced oil recovery.

Morphological and Molecular Systematic Study on the Origin of Scleractinia

KE Yeyan,QI Wentong,GU Hongya

2003, 39(6):  850-857. 

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Scleractinia, one of the most important builders of modern reefs, are important today and in the geologic past. As one of the most important problems in the coral study, the origin of Scleractinia has remained shrouded in controvery: There is no agreement on whether Scleractinia originated from Paleozoic Rugosa, or a kind of scleractiniamorphs, or a group of anemones. The traditional way based on the morphological characters of extant Scleractinia and their fossil record and the molecular systematics are two means used to study the origin of Scleractinia. The authors used the way of molecular biology to sequence corals’18S rDNA, and reconstructed Class Anthozoan’s phylogenetic trees. The authors conducted comparative study of morphology and molecular systematics, and tried to solve these conflicting problems about the origin of Scleractinia.

Baars' Theater Model of Consciousness

GENG Haiyan

2003, 39(6):  901-907. 

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Some closely related concepts were not distinguished clearly in many studies on consciousness. Baars visualized the relationships between consciousness, attention, working memory and others in his Theater Model, in which working memory is like a theater stage, attention acts as a spotlight, and the players in the spotlight onstage are contents of conscious experience. A great body of evidence can be understood in terms of the Theater Model, and it also yields many testable hypotheses.

Discussion on Green Landscape of Squares in Yan Garden, Main Campus of Peking University

WANG Xiaoxiao

2003, 39(6):  888-895. 

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The author summarizes plant deposition in several main squares in Yan Garden, the campus of Peking University. Application of landscape architecture principles of plant disposition in square design on different functional districts, such as administrative district, teaching and researching district, living district of the campus, is described. The major advantages and disadvantages of each square are discussed separately in the view of landscape architecture. Finally, main measures to make improvement are also put forward.

Effect of Distribution Constant and Gas Liquid Phase Ratio on Sensitivity of Static Headspace Gas Chromatography

WANG Yonghua

2003, 39(6):  896-900. 

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The author described the theory of static headspace gas chromatography by determination of methanol, chloroform, n-hexane and p-xylene in water. Effect of distribution constant and gas-liquid phase ratio on sensitivity of static headspace gas chromatography was discussed. The results show that effect of these factors on the sensitivity of static headspace gas chromatography is varied significantly with various compounds.

Variation of Concentration of Atmospheric Peroxides in Beijing and Guangzhou

ZUO Peng,ZHANG Jianbo,YE Peng,ZENG Limin,HU Min,ZHANG Yuanhang

2003, 39(6):  871-879. 

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The concentration of peroxides in atmosphere in Beijing and Guangzhou was measured by using the HPLC post-column derivatization system. The H₂O₂average concentration was 2.33×10^-9, 0.338×10^-9 and 0.148×10^-9(V_H2O2V_air) respectively in May, June and September, 2000 in Beijing. The H₂O₂ average concentration was 0.168×10^-9V_H2O2/V_air) in November, 2000, in Guangzhou. The factors that affected peroxides were discussed. The results showed that peroxide concentration was high in daytime and low at night in both sites. Variation of concentration of organic peroxide is similar to that of hydrogen peroxide. The concentration of peroxides has positive correlation with that of O₃ and HCHO.

Adsorption of Cr(Ⅵ) to Prepared Chitosan Ramifications

LIU Xiaopeng,ZHANG Jianbo,WANG Weijing,LI Feng

2003, 39(6):  880-887. 

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Crosslinked chitosan, butylchitosan and O-carboxymethyl chitosan were prepared by chemical method respectively, and some chitosan with low molar mass was abtained by using γ-ray. Their characters of adsorption Cr(Ⅵ) were observed. For chitosan, the optimum pH of adsorption Cr(Ⅵ) is 5.0～6.0; the time is 2h; 3mg Cr(Ⅵ) can be adsorbed by a gram chitosan and the adsorption rate can be up to 90%. All the adsorption abilities of crosslinked chitosan, butylchitosan and O-carboxymethyl chitosan are stronger than that of original chitosan. For examples, crosslinked chitosan may reach the adsorption saturation in 1h; the optimum pH of adsorption for butylchitosan is near 5.0, so it is more available in acidic condition. After radiation degradation, chitosan has a range of best adsorption in molar mass of (0.4～0.8)×10⁵g/mol.

The Anti-tumor Role of MTS1 Mediated by Adenovirus

YANG Baicheng,GUO Zhenquan,HUANG Yixiu,ZHANG Fengying,ZHU Shenggeng

2003, 39(6):  804-808. 

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MTS1 is a tumor suppressor gene with potential clinical application. It was mutated in many primary tumors and cell lines. For its special properties, adenovirus attracts more and more attentions in tumor gene therapy. Carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) promoter can convey cell type specific expression of genes. MTS1 gene driven by CEA promoter and polyadenylation signal were inserted into the E1 region of adenovirus by means of homologous recombination. The influence of recombinant adenovirus on the growth of breast cancer cell line MCF7 was studied. Results show that the recombinant adenovirus can inhibit the growth of MCF7.

A Preliminary Study to the Origin and Evolution of SARS-CoV

SHE Zhensu,YANG Zhu,OUYANG Zhengqing,ZHU Huaiqiu,WANG Chao,YIN Jianxin

2003, 39(6):  809-814. 

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A random substitution model for the study of the evolution of virus genomes, which is able to determine self-consistently the ancestral genome, as well as the substitution matrix have been developed in this paper. The model is applied to analyze the evolution of four coronavirus genomes including the newly discovered SARS-CoV genome. The nucleotide sequences of the most recent common ancestor are determined at a set of synonymous substitution sites of several conserved protein-coding genes, the substitution matrix is found, and the total variation rate of each sequence since the divergent evolution of the common ancestor is determined. The results suggest that the SARS-CoV has undergone an independent evolution path from the beginning of the divergent evolution from the common ancestor (e.g. the SARS-CoV is as old as any other known coronaviruses). It can be speculated that the SARS-CoV may have stayed silent in its natural host long before it spreads the current large-scale epidemic in human.