BackgroundReactive carbonyl species (RCS), such as methylglyoxal (MG) and glyoxal (GO), are synthesized as toxic metabolites in living systems. Mechanisms of RCS detoxification include the glutathione (GSH)-dependent system consisting of glyoxalase I (GLO1) and glyoxalase II (GLO2), and GSH-independent system involving glyoxalase III (GLO3). Hsp31 and DJ-1 proteins are weakly homologous to each other and belong to two different subfamilies of the DJ-1/Hsp31/PfpI superfamily. Recently, the Escherichia coli Hsp31 protein and the DJ-1 proteins from Arabidopsis thaliana and metazoans have been demonstrated to have GLO3 activity.ResultsWe performed a systematic survey of homologs of DJ-1 and Hsp31 in fungi. We found that DJ-1 proteins have a very limited distribution in fungi, whereas Hsp31 proteins are widely distributed among different fungal groups. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that fungal and metazoan DJ-1 proteins and bacterial YajL proteins are most closely related and together form a sister clade to bacterial and fungal Hsp31 proteins. We showed that two Schizosaccharomyces pombe Hsp31 proteins (Hsp3101 and Hsp3102) and one Saccharomyces cerevisiae Hsp31 protein (ScHsp31) displayed significantly higher in vitro GLO3 activity than S. pombe DJ-1 (SpDJ-1). Overexpression of hsp3101, hsp3102 and ScHSP31 could confer MG and GO resistance on either wild-type S. pombe cells or GLO1 deletion of S. pombe. S. pombe DJ-1 and Hsp31 proteins exhibit different patterns of subcellular localization.ConclusionsOur results suggest that fungal Hsp31 proteins are the major GLO3 that may have some role in protecting cells from RCS toxicity in fungi. Our results also support the view that the GLO3 activity of Hsp31 proteins may have evolved independently from that of DJ-1 proteins.

The Pit-1 gene was studied as a candidate for genetic markers of growth and carcass traits. Angus beef cattle that were divergently selected for high- or low-blood serum IGF-I concentration were used in this study. The single-strand conformation polymorphism method was used to identify polymorphism in the Pit-1 gene including regions from intron 2 to exon 6. Two polymorphisms, Pit1I3H (HinfI) and Pit1I3NL (NlaIII), were detected in intron 3 of the Pit-1 gene. One polymorphism, Pit1I4N (BstNI), was found in intron 4, and a single nucleotide polymorphism, Pit1I5, was found in intron 5. The previously reported polymorphism in exon 6, Pit1E6H (HinfI), was also studied in 416 Angus beef cattle. Associations of the polymorphisms with growth traits, carcass traits, and IGF-I concentration were analyzed using a general linear model procedure. No significant associations were observed between these polymorphisms and growth and carcass traits.

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We collected Chinese cobras (Naja atra) from one island (Dinghai) and four mainland (Huangshan, Lishui, Quanzhou, and Baise) populations in southeastern China, and used sequence data derived from the ND2 (1032 bp) and cytochrome b (1117 bp) genes and molecular variance estimates to investigate the population genetic structure of the species. Our sequence data show that: (1) the three eastern (Dinghai, Huangshan, and Lishui) populations are genetically segregated from the two southern (Quanzhou and Baise) populations; (2) the Quanzhou and Baise populations consist of two well-defined subclades, suggesting that the two populations have been well differentiated; (3) N. atra from the Huangshan population do not differ from those from the Lishui population, and lineage sorting in the northeastern part of the cobra's distributional range has not yet been completed because of the young age of Zhoushan Islands. The three eastern populations, the Quanzhou population, and the Baise population should be regarded as different management units (MUs). For these MUs, we suggest that in-situ protection measures should be taken because of their genetic uniqueness. Re-introductions or translocations are required to protect or re-establish natural populations of N. atra , but great care should be taken to enhance or retain local genetic variation.

Background: Most eukaryotes contain only one tRNase Z gene involved in both nuclear and organellar tRNA 3Ј-end maturation. Results: Schizosaccharomyces pombe has two tRNase Z genes required for nuclear and mitochondrial tRNA 3Ј-end processing, respectively. Conclusion: The evolution of two tRNase Z genes and their differential expression in fission yeast may avoid toxic off-target effects. Significance: The results advance our understanding of tRNA 3Ј-end maturation.