碱性β-甘露聚糖酶基因异源表达的研究

亚克隆的碱性β-甘露聚糖酶基因(man)来源于嗜碱芽孢杆菌N16-5,构建了大肠杆菌-枯草芽孢杆菌诱导型表达质粒pDG-man,在大肠杆菌JM109中获得了活性表达,经0.5 mmol/L的IPTG诱导后,可表达5 U/mL碱性β-甘露聚糖酶。重组大肠杆菌DE3-RIL(pDG-man)表达β-甘露聚糖酶水平是大肠杆菌JM109(pDG-man)的2倍。重组枯草芽孢杆菌WB600(pDG-man)可表达19.2 U/mL碱性β-甘露聚糖酶。     

β-甘露聚糖酶AuMan5A/Af酶学性质的改善与其Asp320的相关性分析

【目的】为改善宇佐美曲霉5家族β-甘露聚糖酶(AuMan5A)的酶学性质,本实验室前期将AuMan5A底物结合凹槽内一个7肽(~(316)KSPDGGN~(322))组成的loop替换为烟曲霉5家族β-甘露聚糖酶对应的氨基酸片段(PSPNDHF),得到loop替换突变酶AuMan5A/Af。为揭示AuMan5A/Af酶学性质显著改善与其Asp~(320)的相关性,定点突变构建突变体AuMan5A/Af~(D320G)。【方法】采用大引物PCR技术将AuMan5A/Af基因(Auman5A/Af)中编码Asp~(320)的密码子GAC突变为Gly~(320)的GGT,构建出突变体基因Auman5A/Af~(D320G),并在毕赤酵母GS115中进行表达,分析表达产物AuMan5A/Af~(D320G)的酶学性质。【结果】AuMan5A/Af~(D320G)的最适温度T_(opt)为70.0℃,变性温度T_m为71.5℃,介于AuMan5A(T_(opt)=65.0℃,T_m=64.5℃)和AuMan5A/Af(T_(opt)=75.0℃,T_m=76.6℃)之间;在70.0℃的半衰期为40 min,高于AuMan5A的10 min,但较AuMan5A/Af的480 min显著缩短;比活性分别是AuMan5A和AuMan5A/Af的2.7和0.3倍;催化效率(k_(cat)/K_m)分别是AuMan5A和AuMan5A/Af的3.9和0.3倍。【结论】将Asp~(320)突变为Gly~(320)显著影响了AuMan5A/Af的酶学性质,证明了Asp~(320)对AuMan5A/Af温度特性改善、比活性和催化效率显著提高的重要作用。     

β-甘露聚糖酶Man5A和木聚糖酶Tlxyn11B的融合表达

甘露聚糖酶和木聚糖酶是主要的半纤维素降解酶,在食品、饲料、纺织、造纸等工业应用广泛且通常搭配使用。文中将蓝状菌Talaromyces leycettanus JCM12802来源的性质优良的甘露聚糖酶编码基因man5A的CBM(Carbohydrate-bindingmodule)编码区去除,留下连接区和催化区,并将木聚糖酶基因Tlxyn11B成熟区编码序列与man5A的连接区进行融合,形成Tlxyn11B-linker-man5A融合基因,并在毕赤酵母中成功表达,获得了融合蛋白Tlxyn11B-Man5A。Tlxyn11B、不含CBM区的Man5A和Tlxyn11B-Man5A的理论分子量分别为21.6kDa、41.0 kDa、62.6 kDa。对纯化后的融合蛋白进行了性质分析,融合蛋白同时具有高的木聚糖酶和甘露聚糖酶活性。融合后的木聚糖酶的最适温度为70℃,较单独表达时提高了5℃。甘露聚糖酶的最适温度为90℃,与融合前一致。融合后的木聚糖酶热稳定性明显提高,60℃处理1 h剩余48%的酶活力,单独表达的木聚糖酶60℃处理20 min仅剩余20%的酶活力。融合后的木聚糖酶和甘露聚糖酶的最适pH分别为4.0和5.0,较单独表达时分别提高了0.5和1.0个单位,融合后酶的作用pH范围有所拓宽。融合前后的蛋白均具有较好的pH稳定性。融合后木聚糖酶和甘露聚糖酶的比活分别为1 784.3 U/mg和1 639.6 U/mg,较单独表达时比活(8 300 U/mg和1 979 U/mg)降低,与融合酶分子量增大相关。融合后的木聚糖酶和甘露聚糖酶的K_m值分别为1.2 mg/mL和1.7 mg/mL, V_(max)分别为2 000.0μmol/(min·mg)和2 831.6μmol/(min·mg)。综合其性质特点,融合木聚糖酶和甘露聚糖酶在饲料、食品等工业生产中有较大应用潜力,并为酶的性能改良提供了新的思路。     

杂合β-甘露聚糖酶AuMan5A~(loop)的H321对其酶学性质的影响

目的:将loop置换杂合β-甘露聚糖酶AuMan5A~(loop)的H321突变回野生型酶AuMan5A对应的Gly,以分析杂合酶的酶学性质与H321的相关性。方法:采用大引物PCR技术将AuMan5A~(loop)基因(Auman5Aloop)编码H321的密码子CAC突变为Gly的GGT,构建突变酶基因Auman5A~(loop/H321G);借助表达质粒pPICZαA将该突变酶基因在Pichia pastoris GS115中实施表达,并分析重组表达产物AuMan5A~(loop) H321G的酶学性质。结果:AuMan5A~(loop/H321G)置换前后的最适温度T_(opt)均为75℃,高于AuMan5A的65℃;AuMan5A~(loop/H321G)在70℃的半衰期t_(1/2)~(70)为300 min,介于AuMan5A(10 min)和AuMan5A~(loop)(480 min)之间;AuMan5A~(loop/H321G)比活性分别为AuMan5A和AuMan5A~(loop)的12.8和1.43倍;催化效率k_(cat)/K_m为后两者的14.1和1.12倍。结论:通过H321G置换及对3种酶的温度特性、比活性和催化效率的测定及比较,证实了H321对AuMan5A~(loop)的酶学性质有一定的影响。     

枯草杆菌manA基因的克隆及定点突变

manA是编码β-甘露聚糖酶(β-1,4-mannan mannohydrolase EC3.2.1.78)的基因。将枯草杆菌A33株的manA基因插入到pET-32a载体,并在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中实现了异源非融合表达,表达活力为41.58U/mL。为了提高酶的表达活力,当采用PCR介导的定点突变技术将该基因第2号密码子CUU突变为GUU,构建成突变表达载体pET-32a-manA*并转入大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中表达,目标酶表达活力增加到138.65U/mL。说明当β-甘露聚糖酶N端第二号氨基酸由亮氨酸突变为缬氨酸后,酶在大肠杆菌中的表达活力大大提高。推测是由于突变后的β-甘露聚糖酶在大肠杆菌中的稳定性增强所致。突变表达的β-甘露聚糖酶最适作用温度和pH值并没有发生明显改变。     

置换β-甘露聚糖酶底物结合槽内环结构序列改善其酶学特性

位于酶分子活性位点(又称活性中心)附近的环结构对酶促反应特性具有重要影响.本实验室先前在宇佐美曲霉Aspergillus usamii中发现了一种新的5家族β-甘露聚糖酶Au Man5A.通过同源建模、分子对接及多序列比对,发现位于Au Man5A底物结合凹槽侧壁的一段环结构可能对酶的功能有影响.为证明该假说,本研究采用Au Man5A为母本,利用PCR技术将其底物结合槽内的7肽环结构316KSPDGGN322替换成与两种木霉属β-甘露聚糖酶对应的8肽片段AQSNSDPY,构建了杂合酶基因Auman5ALoop,并在毕赤酵母GS115中进行表达,经纯化获得了杂合β-甘露聚糖酶Au Man5ALoop.酶学特性分析结果显示,与原酶Au Man5A比较,Au Man5ALoop的最适反应p H由3.5~4.0扩宽至3.5~5.5;最适反应温度由65℃提高至70℃;以角豆胶为底物,测得Au Man5ALoop的比活性由351.2 U/mg提高至2 089.2 U/mg.利用双倒数作图法测得动力学常数揭示,Au Man5ALoop的Km值较Au Man5A降低了36%,而kcat值是Au Man5A的6.8倍;同时,Au Man5ALoop的催化效率(kcat/Km)提高了10.7倍.我们的结果说明,通过替换Au Man5A底物结合槽内环结构,可明显改进其酶学特性.我们的结果还提示,活性位点附近的环结构对β-甘露聚糖酶的酶学特性具有重要影响.     

一种耐热偏酸性β-甘露聚糖酶基因克隆与高效表达

【目的】克隆半纤维素降解高效菌株Bacillus subtilis BE-91的甘露聚糖酶基因并进行原核表达,对表达产物进行酶学性质研究。【方法】采用PCR扩增法从B. subtilis BE-91菌株中克隆β-甘露聚糖酶基因,分别连接到pEASY-E1和pET28a载体,导入Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)进行诱导表达。用DNS法对工程菌株的胞内和胞外β-甘露聚糖酶进行定量分析,选取胞外甘露聚糖酶活力高的组分进行酶学性质研究。【结果】从B. subtilis BE-91菌株中克隆的β-甘露聚糖酶基因(GenBank登录号：KP277209)在E. coli中获得高效表达,工程菌株pEASY-man/BL产胞外β-甘露聚糖酶的活性可达229.1 IU/mL;该基因序列全长960 bp,包含319个氨基酸的编码序列和一个终止密码子;表达产物的最适反应温度为65 °C,最适反应pH为6.0,属于耐热偏酸性β-甘露聚糖酶;该酶稳定温度≤65 °C,稳定pH为4.5?7.0;1 mmol/L的Cu2+、Mn2+、Zn2+、Ca2+对该酶有激活作用,而Ba2+和Pb2+有强烈抑制作用。【结论】B. subtilis BE-91拥有珍贵的β-甘露聚糖酶基因资源,其胞外表达产物的耐热偏酸性酶学性质在开发饲料添加剂方面具有潜在的应用前景。     

短小芽孢杆菌耐碱性β-甘露聚糖酶基因的异源表达及其酶学特性

摘要:【目的】本研究报道了一种新颖的耐碱性β-甘露聚糖酶基因的异源表达并研究其酶学特性,为其工业应用奠定基础。【方法】通过基因同源性分析以及染色体步移技术,从短小芽孢杆菌Nsic-2中克隆得到甘露聚糖酶基因(manB)。然后分别将manB基因在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)和枯草芽胞杆菌WB800N中进行表达,并研究其酶学特性。【结果】克隆得到的manB基因序列有一个含1104 bp的开放阅读框,编码一种含有367个氨基酸的甘露聚糖酶(ManB)。经预测其蛋白序列N末端有一个含有31个氨基酸的信号肽。将ManB的氨基酸序列进行同源性分析,发现其与来源于短小芽孢杆菌CCAM080065的甘露聚糖酶具有很高的一致性,可以推测ManB属于糖苷水解酶家族26。manB基因在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中成功地表达,得到甘露聚糖酶最高酶活为11021.3 U/mL。与其它甘露聚糖酶比较,ManB在碱性条件下表现出较高的稳定性,在pH6.0－9.0之间酶活相对稳定。纯化后的ManB比活可达4191±107 U/mg。酶反应动力学参数Km和Vmax分别为35.7 mg/mL和14.9 μmol/(mL·min)。同时,在枯草芽胞杆菌WB800N中也成功地实现了重组蛋白ManB的分泌表达。【结论】β-甘露聚糖酶基因成功实现异源表达,并得到其酶学性质。本文是首次报道从臭豆腐卤液中分离菌株,克隆表达甘露聚糖酶,并描述其酶学特性。ManB在碱性条件下的酶活稳定性,使得其在工业应用中具备较高的潜在应用价值。     

技术与方法理性设计改造牛肠激酶的热稳定性

以牛肠激酶作为研究对象,利用理性设计的方法提高其热稳定性。首先通过分子动力学模拟软件Gromacs v 4.5.5,FlexService以及B-FITTER软件预测出了肠激酶的柔性区Fragment 64～69,Fragment 85～90;然后结合β-转角序列统计学信息以及引入位置原有的残基不参与形成氢键的原则,确立了3个突变位点S67P,R87P以及Y136P;通过Quik Change^TM 定点突变的方法引入突变位点,并进行了酶热稳定性分析。结果表明,R87P突变体酶的失活半衰（t_1/2）和T₅₀¹⁰ 较野生型分别提高了3.1 min和11.8℃,同时,动力学常数（K_m/k_cat）测定结果显示酶活未受到显著影响。该策略有潜力应用于其他工业酶分子的热稳定性改造,为推动生物酶的工业化应用奠定基础。     

嗜热β-甘露聚糖酶的研究进展

β-甘露聚糖酶在生物能源、饲料、食品和纺织等工业中均有着重要的应用前景。其属于半纤维素酶类,广泛存在于动植物和微生物中,微生物来源尤为广泛。随着极端微生物和极端酶的广泛研究,嗜热甘露聚糖酶因其在高温环境中具有较高酶活性和稳定性而倍受关注,并取得了较大的研究进展。本文综述了β-甘露聚糖酶的来源、分类和水解催化方式,以及嗜热甘露聚糖酶的优势和其在基因资源挖掘、重组表达以及分子改良方面的研究进展,展望了嗜热β-甘露聚糖酶未来可能的研究方向和发展前景。     

Characterization of β-mannanase and β-mannosidase secreted from the yeast Trichosporon cutaneum JCM 2947

Y. ODA AND K. TONOMURA. 1996. β-Mannanase and β-mannosidase were purified from the culture fluid of the yeast Trichosporon cutaneum JCM 2947 (= T. beigelii CBS 5790). The molecular weights of the two enzymes were estimated to be 49 900 and 114000 by SDS-PAGE and 4500 and 193 000 by gel filtration, respectively. β-Mannanase contained 43% molecular weight as carbohydrate. The K _m and V _max values of β-mannanase for konjac glucomannan were 2.7 (mg ml^-1) and 10.6 (U mg protein^-1), and those of β-mannosidase for p -nitrophenyl β-D-mannopyranoside were 0.25 (mmol l^-1) and 91.7 (U mg protein^-1). Maximal activities were observed between pH 4.0 and 6.5 at 50°C for β-mannanase and around 6.5 at 40°C for β-mannosidase.     

Directed modification of the Aspergillus usamii β-mannanase to improve its substrate affinity by in silico design and site-directed mutagenesis

β-Mannanases (EC 3.2.1.78) can catalyze the cleavage of internal β-1,4-d-mannosidic linkages of mannan backbones, and they have found applications in food, feed, pulp and paper, oil, pharmaceutical and textile industries. Suitable amino acid substitution can promote access to the substrate-binding groove and maintain the substrate therein, which probably improves the substrate affinity and, thus, increases catalytic efficiency of the enzyme. In this study, to improve the substrate affinity of AuMan5A, a glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 5 β-mannanase from Aspergillus usamii, had its directed modification conducted by in silico design, and followed by site-directed mutagenesis. The mutant genes, Auman5A ^Y111F and Auman5A ^Y115F, were constructed by megaprimer PCR, respectively. Then, Auman5A and its mutant genes were expressed in Pichia pastoris GS115 successfully. The specific activities of purified recombinant β-mannanases (reAuMan5A, reAuMan5A^Y111F and reAuMan5A^Y115F) towards locust bean gum were 152.5, 199.6 and 218.9 U mg^?1, respectively. The two mutants were found to be similar to reAuMan5A regarding temperature and pH characteristics. Nevertheless, the K _m values of reAuMan5A^Y111F and reAuMan5A^Y115F, towards guar gum, decreased to 2.95 ± 0.22 and 2.39 ± 0.33 mg ml^?1 from 4.49 ± 0.07 mg ml^?1 of reAuMan5A, which would make reAuMan5A^Y111F and reAuMan5A^Y115F promising candidates for industrial processes. Structural analysis showed that the two mutants increased their affinity by decreasing the steric conflicts with those more complicated substrates. The results suggested that subtle conformational modification in the substrate-binding groove could substantially alter the substrate affinity of AuMan5A. This study laid a solid foundation for the directed modification of substrate affinities of β-mannanases and other enzymes.     

闽江口海蜇渔业生态学研究

根据1993年5～9月的调查材料,研究了福建闽江口海域海蜇的渔业生态学。其密度和生物量高峰分别出现在6月20日和7月10日;群体伞径范围为18～546mm,平均328.8mm.体重范围为0.5～9540g,平均2877.4g;伞径为345～485mm的雌性有性繁殖力在1120.6×10⁴～3754.8×10⁴粒,平均2444.7×10⁴粒,有性生殖期在8月初至11月;采用高次方程和指数高次方程分别模拟伞径和体重生长,生长方程为:Φ_t=12.1337+17.7048t+3.1385t²-0.2049t³+0.00302t⁴,log_eW_t=-0.5749+1.4818t-0.0771t²+0.00129t³;以生物经济学原理确定7月20日为合理开捕期,开捕伞径为465.8mm.讨论分析了执行合理开捕期和开捕规格,对保护和合理利用海蜇资源,提高经济效益的重要意义.     

Purification and characterization of xylanase from alkali-tolerant Aspergillus fischeri Fxn1

Abstract Alkali-tolerant Aspergillus fischeri Fxn1 produced two extracellular xylanases. The major xylanase ( M _r 31000) was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation, anion exchange chromatography and preparatory PAGE. Xylose was the major hydrolysis product from oat spelt and birch wood xylans. It was completely free of cellulolytic activities. The optimum pH and temperature were 6.0 and 60 °C, respectively. pH stability ranged from 5 to 9.5 and the t_{1 / 2} at 50 °C was 490 min. It had a K _m of 4.88 mg ml⁻¹and a V _max of 588 μmol min⁻¹ mg⁻¹. The activity was inhibited (95%) by AlCl₃ (10 mM). This enzyme appears to be novel and will be useful for studies on the mechanism of hydrolysis of xylan by xylanolytic enzymes.     

Cloning and bioinformatics analysis of a novel acidophilic β-mannanase gene,Auman5A,from Aspergillus usamii YL-01-78

The full-length cDNA sequence, which encodes a novel acidophilic β-mannanase (abbreviated as AuMan5A) of Aspergillus usamii YL-01-78, was amplified by 3′ and 5′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) using the total RNA as template. The cDNA sequence is 1,427 bp in length, including 5′ and 3′ non-coding regions and an open reading frame (ORF). The ORF encodes a 21-aa signal peptide, a 17-aa propeptide, and a 345-aa mature peptide (AuMan5A) with the calculated M.W. of 37,614 Da and pI of 4.09 and two putative N-glycosylation sites. Online analysis of amino acid sequence homology demonstrated that the AuMan5A belongs to the glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 5. Its three-dimensional structure was predicted using Pred3D Web Server 1.0 based on the crystal structure of the T. reesei RutC-30 β-mannanase (1QNO) from the GH family 5. Furthermore, the complete DNA sequence encoding the AuMan5A, designated as Auman5A, was cloned from the genomic DNA of A. usamii YL-01-78 by the conventional PCR and pUCm-T vector-mediated PCR techniques. The cloned Auman5A is 2,168 bp in length, harboring 5′ and 3′ flanking regulatory regions and the full-length cDNA sequence in which two short introns with 63 and 60 bp are inserted, respectively.     

Stimulation of Ca efflux from fura-2-loaded platelets activated by thrombin or phorbol myristate acetate

We investigated the restoration of [Ca²⁺]_i in fura-2-loaded human platelets following discharge of internal Ca²⁺ stores in the absence of external Ca²⁺. After stimulation by thrombin [Ca²⁺]_i returned from a peak level of 0.6 μM to resting levels within 4 min. When ionomycin discharged the internal stores the recovery was slower with [Ca²⁺]_i still elevated at around 0.5 μM after 5 min. Thrombin added shortly after ionomycin could accelerate the recovery of [Ca²⁺]_i and restore resting levels within 5 min, an effect that was mimicked by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA). Since the continued presence of ionomycin precluded reuptake into the internal stores we conclude that thrombin and PMA stimulate Ca²⁺ efflux, perhaps via protein kinase C actions on a plasma membrane Ca²⁺ pump.     

温度和CO2浓度升高对荒漠藻结皮光合作用的影响

2007年,对腾格里沙漠东南缘沙坡头地区1956年(51龄)和1981年(26龄)人工植被区及自然植被区的藻结皮净光合速率(P_n)变化,及其与结皮含水量(>100%、40%～60%和<20%)、大气CO₂浓度(360和700 mg·L^-1)和温度(13 ℃、24 ℃ 和28 ℃)的关系进行研究.结果表明：51龄、26龄人工植被区和自然植被区的藻结皮P_n分别为3.4、4.4和3.2 μmol·m^-2·s^-1,且51龄人工植被区藻结皮的P_n显著高于26龄人工植被区和自然植被区;藻结皮含水量对其P_n影响显著,且中等含水量(40%～60%)藻结皮的P_n显著高于低含水量(<20%)和高含水量(>100%);CO₂倍增(700 mg·L^-1)后,中等和高含水量藻结皮的P_n增加了1.8～3.3倍,而低含水量时,藻结皮的P_n变化不明显;高含水量和中等含水量处理时,24 ℃和28 ℃条件下藻结皮的P_n较13 ℃时提高27%～66%,而在低含水量时,不同温度的藻结皮P_n值无显著差异.     

蜜蜂NADPH-细胞色素P450还原酶基因在大肠杆菌中的表达及酶学特性分析

10-羟基-2-癸烯酸（10-HDA）是蜂王浆中的主要脂肪酸成分,具有抗菌、抗癌、延缓衰老等多种生理活性,但目前关于10-HDA生物合成的分子机制还不清楚。通过克隆蜜蜂NADPH-细胞色素P450还原酶（EC 1.6.2.4,NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase,CPR）,在大肠杆菌中异源表达,并对其酶学特性进行分析。结果表明重组菌经IPTG诱导后表达蛋白的分子量与预期一致,为86.29 kDa,Ni-NTA亲和纯化后测得其比活性为77.33（EU of CPR）/μg。酶学性质分析结果表明蜜蜂CPR酶最适温度与pH分别为40℃和8.0,并对一些金属离子及有机溶剂具有不同程度的耐受性。其对底物细胞色素C的动力学参数K_m和k_cat分别为76 μM和268/min。以上研究为探究CPR在10-HDA生物合成途径中的功能奠定理论基础。     

Prostanoid formation in primary astroglial cell cultures: Ca-dependency and stimulation by A 23187, melittin and phospholipases A2 and C

Prostaglandin (PG) and thromboxane B₂ (TXB₂) biosynthesis was studied in cultured astrocytes from neonatal rat brain hemispheres. After two weeks of cultivation, prostanoids were formed with the spectrum: PGD₂ > TXB₂ > PGF₂ > PGE₂, as measured by specific radioimmunoassays. Under basal conditions PGD₂ biosynthesis (9.55 ng/mg protein/15 min) was in the same order of magnitude as the sum of the other prostanoids. The formation of prostanoids was stimulated in a concentration dependent manner (up to 6–10 fold) by the calcium ionophore A 23187 (0.01–10 μM) as well as by melittin (0.01–5 μg/ml), phospholipase A₂ (10–40 U/ml) and phospholipase C (0.01–1 U/ml). Basal and evoked PG and TXB₂ biosynthesis depended on the availability of Ca²⁺, as demonstrated in Ca²⁺ free incubation medium containing Na₂EDTA (1 μM), or with verapamil (100 μM) and 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoic acid-8-(diethylamino)-octylester-HCl (TMB-8, 1–100 μM). Indomethacin (10 μM), mepacrine (100 μM) and p-bromophenacylbromide (50 μ M) inhibited basal and evoked PG formation. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) detection after incubation of the cells with [³H]arachidonic acid (1 μCi/ml, for 60 min) confirmed the results obtained by radioimmunoassay. Incubation of [³H]arachidonic acid labelled cells with inonophore or phospholipases, followed by lipid extraction and TLC, showed that A 23187 liberated [³H]arachidonic acid predominantly from phosphatidylethanolamine, whereas phospholipase A₂ and C reduced mainly the labelling of the phosphatidyl-inositol/-choline fraction. Potassium depolarization of the cells did not enhance prostanoid formation. Similarly, drugs with affinity to - or β-adrenoceptors, or to dopamine-, 5-hydroxytryptamine-, muscarine-, histamine-, glutamate-, aspartate-, GABA, adenosine- and opioid-receptors failed to stimulate prostanoid biosynthesis. Also compounds like angiotensin, bradykinin and thrombin were ineffective in this respect.

In conclusion, our results confirm that cultured astrocytes possess the complete pattern of enzymes necessary for prostanoid formation and hence might play a crucial role in brain prostanoid biosynthesis. Stimulation of prostanoid biosynthesis involves Ca²⁺-dependent activation of phospholipase A₂, cyclooxygenase reaction and further PG metabolism. However, the endogenous stimulus for enhanced prostanoid synthesis in the brain still has to be established.