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ningkeqing

木虫 (正式写手)

[交流] Nature Contents 16 March 2006 (Vol. 440 pp.225-382)

[自然要览]

(选自英国Nature杂志,2006年3月16日出版)


封面故事:构建DNA纳米结构的新方法
Folding DNA to create nanoscale shapes and patterns

DNA是纳米结构的一个流行的构造单元,因为它既能自组装,又具有可编程性,而且还
有大量化学方法可用来对其进行操纵。关于DNA纳米材料的制造问题已有大量文献,但
本期Nature上描述的一个新方法却打破了很多常规。不可思议的是,虽然该方法忽略了
序列设计、链的纯净度和链的集中比例,但它却能使所构建的DNA纳米结构比以前任何
时候所构建的都更大、更复杂。这种从下往上“一锅烩”的方法用几百个短的DNA链来
将一个非常长的链像订书针那样钉成二维结构,就像本期封面所示的那样,可以做成任
何想要的形状,如方形、“纳米脸形”和五角星形。各个“订书针”也可以进行改造,
将其做成纳米尺度的像素,后者可用来在一个100纳米的给定形状上生成表面图案。
(Article p. 297; News and Views)封面美术:Paul W. K. Rothemund/ Nick
Papadakis


模拟恐龙运动的电脑动画研究(LEG WORK)

古生物学家在关于恐龙是怎样站立和行走的研究上已经走得很远。John R. Hutchinson
和 Stephen M. Gatesy在本期Nature上发表了一项案例研究,即用电脑动画和模拟来重
建暴龙(Tyrannosaurus rex)的运动。最大的挑战仍然是,对数千种可能的结果进行
排除,得出一个在科学上比较可信的情景,而不是一个看起来有说服力、但却基本上是
假设的影片。(News and Views Feature p. 292)


可用作抗沙门氏菌药物作用目标的13种酶(Salmomella's strengths)
Robust Salmonella metabolism limits possibilities for new antimicrobials
在一项设计用来显示抗菌素可能作用目标的实验中,研究人员将突变体表现型分析、蛋
白质组合基因组对比等方法结合起来,来确定在小鼠患伤寒和肠胃炎期间沙门氏菌的代
谢网络。由于存在很多多余的通道,沙门氏菌的代谢之旺盛让人吃惊,而且只发现126
种酶是沙门氏菌的致病作用所必需的。当然,其中有13种是很有希望的、未被利用的药
物作用目标。以这些目标为重点,也许可加快对沙门氏菌有活性的急需的抗生素的开
发。(Article p. 303)


银河系中心附近的双螺旋结构(Looks familiar...)
A magnetic torsional wave near the Galactic Centre traced by a 'double
helix' nebula
由“斯皮策太空望远镜”获得的红外图像显示,在我们银河系中心附近有一个形状,生
物学家比天文学家更熟悉它,这个形状就是一个双螺旋。该双螺旋星云垂直于银河系平
面,与银河系中心相距约100秒差距。对该结构的一个初步解释是,它代表一个扭转的
Alfvén波,从银河系圆盘面向外传播,其传播的动力来自一个由磁化的气体构成的转
动的云团。(Letter p. 308)


褐矮星质量和半径的直接测量(Magnificent failures)
Discovery of two young brown dwarfs in an eclipsing binary system
褐矮星是所谓的“失败的恒星”,它们没有足够的质量来维持核反应,但质量又太大而
无法成为行星。由于处在这种“夹在中间的位置”,褐矮星能为我们了解恒星和行星的
性质及起源提供独特的线索。此前,一直不可能直接测量褐矮星的基本物理性质。但现
在,由于在“猎户座”星云恒星形成区域一个正在发生星蚀的双星体系中发现了两颗年
轻的褐矮星,天文学家就有可能同时对两颗褐矮星的质量和半径进行测量了。令人吃惊
的是,质量较小的一颗褐矮星是两者中更热的一颗,这是一个与关于同时期褐矮星的所
有当前理论模型的预测结果都相反的发现。这也许意味着,两颗褐矮星不是同时形成
的,而是在不久前才聚到一起的。(Letter p. 311)


三体量子态的实验演示(Three into one does go)
Evidence for Efimov quantum states in an ultracold gas of caesium atoms
在量子物理的奇异世界中,三种相互作用的粒子能形成一个松散约束的体系,即便二粒
子引力太弱、不允许结合成一个粒子对。这种奇异的三聚状态是在35年前由俄罗斯物理
学家Vitali Efimov预测的,他为解决极为困难的量子力学三体问题找到了一个引人注
目的、违反直觉的方法。Efimov著名的结果在理论“少体”(few-body)物理学中是一
个里程碑式的结果,但此前这些奇异的量子态一直未能通过实验来演示。现在,研究人
员在一个由铯原子构成的超冷气体中做到了这一点。该气体的存在证实了一些关键的预
测,使少体量子体系为进一步实验研究敞开了大门。(Letter p. 315; News and
Views)


德国南部新发现一兽脚类恐龙化石(Feather outlook)
A new carnivorous dinosaur from the Late Jurassic Solnhofen archipelago
晚侏罗纪的小型食肉恐龙在世界范围内都很少见,在欧洲只发现了名为Compsognathus
的两个保存状况很差的骨架化石。Chiappe 和 Goelich描述了一种以前未知的兽脚亚目
的恐龙,同Compsognathus和大多数始祖鸟一样,也是来自德国南部Solnhofen的晚侏罗
纪地层。 新发现的化石同始祖鸟保存得一样完好,但令人吃惊的是,它绝对没有羽毛
状皮肤覆盖物的任何迹象,这说明在恐龙类动物中羽毛演化的历史要比以前所认为的更
为复杂。(Letter p. 329; News and Views)


能用超声波交流的青蛙(Frog chorus)
Ultrasonic communication in frogs
有些蝙蝠、海豚和啮齿类动物因能够产生和探测超声频率,而使它们显得与其他脊椎动
物有所不同。现在,一种两栖动物也首次得以能够加入这个行列。过去,据说由一种青
蛙发出的类似鸟叫的壮观的声音也属于超声的范畴。现在,研究人员发现这些青蛙把超
声波用作一种交流形式。至少雄性在竞争领地的过程中是这样做的。从演化上来说,青
蛙与使用超声波的其他已知动物相差很远,所以这种本领似乎是分几次独立演化形成
的。也可能是很多其他物种也在用超声波进行交流,只是没有人注意到它们而已。
(Letter p.333)


人类第12号染色体的分析结果(Finishing touch)
The finished DNA sequence of human chromosome 12
Nature曾发表了关于已完成测序的人类染色体的系列论文,本期又发表了人类第12号染
色体的分析结果。该染色体占人类基因组的4.5%,其上有若干在特定类型的癌症、运动
失调症、以及还可能包括“阿尔茨海默氏症”在内的疾病中发生突变的基因。(Letter
p. 346)


“阿尔茨海默氏症”的早期信号(Early warning of Alzheimer's)
A specific amyloid-β protein assembly in the brain impairs memory
在患“阿尔茨海默氏症”近15年后才被诊断出来的患者身上,研究人员注意到了记忆力
减退的迹象。现在,用“阿尔茨海默氏症”的一种小鼠模型所做的实验,追踪到了这种
早期信号的一个可能的原因,即一种可溶性淀粉质贝塔-肽聚合物在细胞外的积累。当
将该物质从患类似于“阿尔茨海默氏症”的疾病的小鼠身上分离出来、随后注射进大鼠
体内时,大鼠也表现出短暂的记忆力减退,而这种记忆力减退与斑块形成或神经元损失
(“阿尔茨海默氏症”的典型特征)无关。这项工作表明该物质是一个潜在的诊断目
标,同时也提出这样一个可能性:如果能够足够早地针对这个目标采取措施,也许能够
防止或延迟该疾病后期典型的永久性结构变化的出现。(Letter p. 352; News and)


在单分子层次上对基因表达的直接观测(Single-gene biochemistry)
Stochastic protein expression in individual cells at the single molecule
level
分子生物学上一个中心假设是,细胞通过将DNA转录成信使RNA来发挥作用,后者然后又
被翻译成蛋白质。这个假设我们都非常熟悉,而且也没有争议。但基因表达一直没有在
一个活细胞中、在单个分子基础上被直接实时观测到。现在,研究人员开发出一个活细
胞分析体系,它使得这种单分子直接观测成为可能,并且可以显示基因表达在活细胞中
是怎样进行的。在大肠杆菌、酵母和小鼠胚胎干细胞中试验过的这个分析体系表明,蛋
白分子是脉冲式产生的,每个脉冲中分子的分布可以被测定出来,以指示基因表达水
平,后者可在不同条件下进行比较。这一成果有可能将基因表达分析工作的灵敏度提高
到远远超过当前方法所能达到的水平。(Letter p. 358)


萤火虫的荧光颜色变化的诱因(Flying colours)
Structural basis for the spectral difference in luciferase bioluminescence
萤火虫利用彩色光进行交流,这种彩色光是当一种被电子激发的氧化荧光素(由荧光素
酶产生)恢复到其基态时发射出来的。这种酶的点突变能大大改变这一生物光的颜色,
而且尽管荧光素酶的X-射线晶体结构以前已经获得,但这种颜色变化的精确性质却一直
让生物学家们捉摸不透。现在,Nakatsu等人解决了处于几种不同状态的荧光素酶的X-
射线晶体结构,并且发现一种异亮氨酸残体中的一个特定构象变化是生物光颜色变化的
诱发因素。(Letter p. 372)
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ningkeqing

木虫 (正式写手)

----------------------
NEWS AND VIEWS
----------------------
Nanostructures: The manifold faces of DNA
When it comes to making shapes out of DNA, the material is there, and its
properties are understood. What was missing was a convincing, universal
design scheme to allow our capabilities to unfold to the full.
Lloyd M. Smith
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v440/n7082/full/440283a.html

Alzheimer's disease: A needle from the haystack
Abnormal protein clumps of many varieties build up in the brains of
individuals with Alzheimer's disease. But which types actually cause memory
deficits? The behaviour of model mice might help to find out.
Richard Morris and Lennart Mucke
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v440/n7082/full/440284a.html

Chemical biology: A pocketful of colour
Joshua Finkelstein
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v440/n7082/full/440285a.html

50 & 100 years ago
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v440/n7082/full/440286a.html

Photochemistry: Lighting up nanomachines
A cleverly engineered molecule uses light to generate a charge-separated
state and so cause one of its components to move. It's the latest study of a
molecular machine that exploits nature's most plentiful energy source.
Euan R. Kay and David A. Leigh
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v440/n7082/full/440286b.html

Palaeontology: Scales, feathers and dinosaurs
A fossil dinosaur that 'nests' with feathered relations in the dinosaur
phylogenetic tree did not, it seems, have feathers. The discovery will
encourage a re-evaluation of feather evolution.
Xing Xu
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v440/n7082/full/440287a.html

Analytical chemistry: Forever blowing bubbles
Magdalena Helmer
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v440/n7082/full/440289a.html

Quantum physics: A menage a trois laid bare
Quantum bodies that can't settle down together in pairs get on fine in a
cosy threesome. This startling claim about the private life of particles has
just seen its first experimental confirmation.
Brett D. Esry and Chris H. Greene
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v440/n7082/full/440289b.html

Obituary: Pierre Potier (1934-2006)
Pharmacist and natural-products chemist, who devised widely used treatments
for cancer.
Francois Chast
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v440/n7082/full/440291a.html

----------------------
NEWS AND VIEWS FEATURE
----------------------
Dinosaur Locomotion: Beyond the bones
How did dinosaurs stand and move? Computer simulation and other methods have
told us much about how dinosaurs did and did not move, but they have not yet
reached their full potential.
John R. Hutchinson and Stephen M. Gatesy
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v440/n7082/full/440292a.html

----------------------
BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS
----------------------
Photocatalyst releasing hydrogen from water
Enhancing catalytic performance holds promise for hydrogen production by
water splitting in sunlight.
Kazuhiko Maeda, Kentaro Teramura, Daling Lu, Tsuyoshi Takata, Nobuo Saito,
Yasunobu Inoue and Kazunari Domen
Abstract: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v440/n7082/abs/440295a.html
Article: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v440/n7082/full/440295a.html

BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS ARISING
Geophysics: Hot fluids or rock in eclogite metamorphism?
M. G. Bjornerud and H. Austrheim
Abstract:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... bs/nature04714.html
Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... ll/nature04714.html

Geophysics: Hot fluids or rock in eclogite metamorphism? (Reply)
Alfredo Camacho, James K. W, Bastiaan-J. Hensen and Jean Braun
Abstract:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... bs/nature04715.html
Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... ll/nature04715.html

----------------------
ARTICLES
----------------------
Folding DNA to create nanoscale shapes and patterns
Paul W. K. Rothemund
Abstract:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... bs/nature04586.html
Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... ll/nature04586.html

Robust Salmonella metabolism limits possibilities for new antimicrobials
Daniel Becker, Matthias Selbach, Claudia Rollenhagen, Matthias Ballmaier,
Thomas F. Meyer, Matthias Mann and Dirk Bumann
Abstract:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... bs/nature04616.html
Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... ll/nature04616.html

----------------------
LETTERS
----------------------
A magnetic torsional wave near the Galactic Centre traced by a "double
helix" nebula
Mark Morris, Keven Uchida and Tuan Do
Abstract:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... bs/nature04554.html
Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... ll/nature04554.html

Discovery of two young brown dwarfs in an eclipsing binary system
Keivan G. Stassun, Robert D. Mathieu and Jeff A. Valenti
Abstract:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... bs/nature04570.html
Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... ll/nature04570.html

Evidence for Efimov quantum states in an ultracold gas of caesium atoms
T. Kraemer, M. Mark, P. Waldburger, J. G. Danzl, C. Chin, B. Engeser, A. D.
Lange, K. Pilch, A. Jaakkola, H.-C. N?¤gerl and R. Grimm
Abstract:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... bs/nature04626.html
Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... ll/nature04626.html

Visualizing dislocation nucleation by indenting colloidal crystals
Peter Schall, Itai Cohen, David A. Weitz and Frans Spaepen
Abstract:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... bs/nature04557.html
Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... ll/nature04557.html

A mechanism to thin the continental lithosphere at magma-poor margins
Luc L. Lavier and Gianreto Manatschal
Abstract:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... bs/nature04608.html
Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... ll/nature04608.html

A new carnivorous dinosaur from the Late Jurassic Solnhofen archipelago
Ursula B. Gohlich and Luis M. Chiappe
Abstract:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... bs/nature04579.html
Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... ll/nature04579.html

Ultrasonic communication in frogs
Albert S. Feng, Peter M. Narins, Chun-He Xu, Wen-Yu Lin, Zu-Lin Yu, Qiang
Qiu, Zhi-Min Xu and Jun-Xian Shen
Abstract:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... bs/nature04416.html
Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... ll/nature04416.html

Prioritizing global conservation efforts
Kerrie A. Wilson, Marissa F. McBride, Michael Bode and Hugh P. Possingham
Abstract:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... bs/nature04366.html
Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... ll/nature04366.html

Multiple rounds of speciation associated with reciprocal gene loss in
polyploid yeasts
Devin R. Scannell, Kevin P. Byrne, Jonathan L. Gordon, Simon Wong and
Kenneth H. Wolfe
Abstract:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... bs/nature04562.html
Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... ll/nature04562.html

The finished DNA sequence of human chromosome 12
Steven E. Scherer et al.
Abstract:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... bs/nature04569.html
Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... ll/nature04569.html

A specific amyloid-[beta] protein assembly in the brain impairs memory
Sylvain Lesne, Ming Teng Koh, Linda Kotilinek, Rakez Kayed, Charles G.
Glabe, Austin Yang, Michela Gallagher and Karen H. Ashe
Abstract:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... bs/nature04533.html
Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... ll/nature04533.html

Stochastic protein expression in individual cells at the single molecule
level
Long Cai, Nir Friedman and X. Sunney Xie
Abstract:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... bs/nature04599.html
Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... ll/nature04599.html

The PerR transcription factor senses H2O2 by metal-catalysed histidine
oxidation
Jin-Won Lee and John D. Helmann
Abstract:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... bs/nature04537.html
Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... ll/nature04537.html

Crystal structure of the non-haem iron halogenase SyrB2 in syringomycin
biosynthesis
Leah C. Blasiak, Frederic H. Vaillancourt, Christopher T. Walsh and
Catherine L. Drennan
Abstract:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... bs/nature04544.html
Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... ll/nature04544.html

Structural basis for the spectral difference in luciferase bioluminescence
Toru Nakatsu, Susumu Ichiyama, Jun Hiratake, Adrian Saldanha, Nobuyuki
Kobashi, Kanzo Sakata and Hiroaki Kato
Abstract:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... bs/nature04542.html
Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... ll/nature04542.html
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