群体感应系统调控乳酸菌细菌素合成的研究进展

乳酸菌细菌素具有广谱的抑菌活性,但其合成量低,限制了行业应用。群体感应是细胞间的通信过程,细菌通过感知信号分子浓度变化,调控相关的生物学过程。三组分系统在调控细菌素合成的过程中发挥了核心作用。本文中,笔者综述了调控乳酸菌细菌素合成的三组分系统的组成、Ⅰ类和Ⅱ类细菌素合成调控的基因与结构的差异性以及细菌密度和共培养等因素对细菌素的合成的影响,以阐明乳酸菌素合成的群体感应调控机制,对于其在食品、生物和医疗领域的应用都有重要的意义。     

乳酸菌素研究进展及应用

乳酸菌素是在乳酸茵代谢过程中通过核糖体合成机制产生并胞外分泌到环境中的一类对革兰阳性茵(尤其是亲缘性较近的细菌)具有抑制作用的杀菌蛋白或多肽,大多对热稳定,能够通过在细胞膜上形成孔道或抑制细胞壁合成来达到溶茵目的.乳酸菌素作为一种无毒副作用的天然食品防腐剂,比抗生素更具优点的抑菌素以及无残留的饲料添加剂,有着广阔的市场前景,逐步得到科研重视.对乳酸菌素产生茵的选育,生物合成及影响因素,应用方向和措施、趋势方面进行综述.     

细菌群体感应与Ⅱ类乳酸菌细菌素的合成调控

Ⅱ类乳酸菌细菌素具有抑菌谱广,尤其对单核细胞增生李斯特菌表现出强抑制作用,被视为一类新型、安全的天然食品防腐剂,具有广泛应用前景,但合成量低是目前限制其应用的瓶颈之一。群体感应是细菌细胞间的相互交流,从而感知自身信号分子浓度进行基因表达调控的一种生理行为,已经证明乳酸菌群体感应系统能调控细菌素的合成。本文综述了细菌群体感应调控机制及其对乳酸菌细菌素生物合成调控的作用,为通过群体感应系统调控提高乳酸菌细菌素的产量提供思路。     

细菌素的合成与作用机制

细菌素是由细菌产生的抗菌蛋白,可以杀死与产生菌相近的细菌。很多乳酸菌产生不同多样性的细菌素,虽然这些细菌素都是由发酵或非发酵食品中发现的乳酸菌产生的,但是迄今只有乳酸链球菌素(Nisin)作为食品防腐剂被广泛应用。和抗生素不同的是,细菌素由核糖体合成,需经翻译后修饰活化并且通过特定转运系统输到胞外才能发挥其功能,它一般通过作用于靶细胞膜来抑制靶细胞的生长,同时本身合成细菌素的细胞对其产物具有免疫性。细菌素能安全有效地抑制病原体生长,在食品行业中具有广阔的应用前景。     

乳酸菌抗菌机理研究进展

乳酸菌的抗菌机理涉及其产生的各种代谢产物 ,包括酸性物质、乳酸菌素、二氧化碳和过氧化氢等。其中酸性物质可以消耗大量细胞能量并影响细胞膜的稳定性 ;乳酸菌素可作用于细胞膜 ,造成膜内物质和能量的泄漏。对于它们抗菌机理的认识有助于我们更好的将乳酸菌应用到食品的安全生产中。     

生物防腐剂乳酸菌素的研究进展

简要介绍了乳酸菌素的定义、分类、性质、生物合成、影响产量的因素及活性检测方法、食品安全性、利用方式等,并就研究中存在的问题提出了乳酸菌素的研究方向。     

产Ⅱ类细菌素乳酸菌群体感应及其应用

群体感应(quorum sensing,QS)是微生物通过感知与细胞密度相关的信号分子的浓度来调控基因表达的一种行为。许多产Ⅱ类细菌素乳酸菌通过自诱导肽介导的QS系统调控其细菌素的合成。本文综述了乳酸菌Ⅱ类细菌素合成的QS调控现象、调控机制、QS系统组分以及QS的应用。产Ⅱ类细菌素乳酸菌QS的研究,必将为揭示发酵调控机理、调控发酵过程提供新的研究平台,为食品级基因表达系统的开发提供新的选择。     

乳酸菌在合成生物学中的研究现状及展望

乳酸菌作为传统食品级微生物,长期应用于食品工业、生活保健、临床医学领域中。随着人们对乳酸菌特殊功能需求的提升,传统筛菌方法由于其技术繁复、周期长、成功率低等缺点,逐渐成为制约乳酸菌行业发展的瓶颈。合成生物学技术的出现,将具有特定功能的基因电路网络导入细胞基因组中,让细胞来完成设计者设想的各种任务,可为解决乳酸菌功能菌株开发难题提供新的机遇。探讨了乳酸菌的菌种特点及其作为合成生物学底盘的优势,综述了乳酸菌合成生物学中元件设计、载体选择、转化方法和基因编辑技术的发展现状,总结并展望了工程化乳酸菌在疾病诊断治疗、食品改善品质和生物能源等方面的应用,讨论了合成生物学在乳酸菌领域进一步应用所需实现的技术突破,旨为乳酸菌合成生物学的发展提供借鉴。     

细菌素及其潜在新应用的研究进展

细菌素是一种由微生物核糖体合成的抗菌肽,一般作为食品防腐剂使用。近年来,科学家挑选少数的细菌素进行深入的研究,开辟了细菌素新的研究领域,并拓宽了其应用范围。随着遗传学和纳米技术的快速发展,细菌素极有可能发展成为下一代新型抗生素、新型载体分子,肿瘤治疗的药物等。同时,科学家发现一些细菌素具有调节群体感应的功能,这一发现表明细菌素具有应用到新领域的可能。目前,革兰氏阴性菌产生的细菌素主要用于细菌素翻译修饰研究,而革兰氏阳性菌(主要是乳酸菌)产生的细菌素主要进行细菌素应用方面的研究。当前,细菌素的应用正从食品领域扩展至人类健康方面。综述了细菌素的功能及其作用效果,并且详细描述了其从食品领域到人类健康方面的应用,表明了细菌素的重要性,旨在为进一步研究细菌素在食品防腐、人类疾病防治和生物防治等领域奠定基础。     

离子交换色谱在细菌素分离纯化中的应用

近年来,乳酸菌细菌素在食品防腐剂和医药领域有着广泛的应用前景,而细菌素的分离纯化是其分子结构及遗传学特性等相关研究的重要基础。离子交换色谱是细菌素分离纯化的主要手段之一。本文阐述了离子交换色谱原理,分析了影响离子交换色谱分离纯化细菌素的各种因素,探讨了细菌素分离纯化中离子交换色谱条件的选择。     

Renal stem cell reprogramming: Prospects in regenerative medicine

Stem cell therapy is a promising future enterprise for renal replacement in patients with acute and chronic kidney disease, conditions which affect millions worldwide and currently require patients to undergo lifelong medical treatments through dialysis and/or organ transplant. Reprogramming differentiated renal cells harvested from the patient back into a pluripotent state would decrease the risk of tissue rejection and provide a virtually unlimited supply of cells for regenerative medicine treatments, making it an exciting area of current research in nephrology. Among the major hurdles that need to be overcome before stem cell therapy for the kidney can be applied in a clinical setting are ensuring the fidelity and relative safety of the reprogrammed cells, as well as achieving feasible efficiency in the reprogramming processes that are utilized. Further, improved knowledge about the genetic control of renal lineage development is vital to identifying predictable and efficient reprogramming approaches, such as the expression of key modulators or the regulation of geneactivity through small molecule mimetics. Here, we discuss several recent advances in induced pluripotent stem cell technologies. We also explore strategies that have been successful in renal progenitor generation, and explore what these methods might mean for the development of cell-based regenerative therapies for kidney disease.     

Impact of S-sulfocysteine on fragments and trisulfide bond linkages in monoclonal antibodies

The quality of recombinant proteins such as monoclonal antibodies produced using Chinese hamster ovary cell-based mammalian systems is dependent on many factors, including cell line, process and cell culture media. Due to these factors, the generated product is heterogeneous and may have chemically-induced modifications or post-translational modifications that affect antibody stability, functionality and, in some cases, patient safety. This study demonstrates that S-sulfocysteine, a cysteine derivative, can increase the antibody specific productivity in different cell lines cultivated with different processes while minimizing trisulfide linkages in generated mAbs, mainly between heavy and light chain. The supplementation of a cell culture feed with S-sulfocysteine also proved to be useful to reduce the percentage of antibody fragments generated from the monoclonal antibody. Overall, this new component used in the upstream process allows a reduction of product heterogeneity.     

Set-back model of division-synchronization: optimal spacing of thermal shocks that accelerate cell cycling.

Monte Carlo simulations have been used to predict the dependence of synchrony on the timing of periodic thermal shocks that synchronize division by cell cycle set-backs. In many of the simulations each set-back augmented the subsequent rate of progression of individual cells through the division cycle. In this study a subtle error in previous synchronization simulations was corrected. The simulations show that whether or not set-backs affect subsequent cell-cycling rates the degree of synchrony attained is acutely dependent on the spacing of thermal shocks administered once per division. Set-back-dependent increases in division-cycling rates usually decrease the difference between maximum and minimum synchrony. According to the simulations the more cell cycle rates between shocks are augmented by set-back the shorter the optimum time span between shocks. Whether or not set-backs affect subsequent division-cycling rates the intershock time span providing maximum synchrony allows cell number to precisely double.     

Directing CAR T cells towards the tumor vasculature for the treatment of solid tumors

For successful application of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy in solid tumors, major hurdles have to be overcome. CAR T cells have to cross the vascular barrier, which is hampered by the anergic state of the tumor vasculature, characterized by suppressed levels of leukocyte adhesion molecules on the endothelium. Additional immunosuppressive mechanisms in the solid tumor microenvironment can affect infiltration, activity and persistence of CAR T cells. Redirecting CAR T cells towards the tumor vasculature poses a possible solution, as molecular targets of tumor endothelial cells can be directly engaged from within the blood.In this review, we discuss recent advances in CAR T cell therapy against solid tumors, with a focus on targeting the tumor vasculature. Furthermore, we discuss opportunities to overcome challenges and barriers through engineering of CAR T cells to enhance trafficking, safety and efficacy.     

Effect of selected hypotensive drugs on the rate of sodium outflow through lymphocyte cell membranes and sodium lymphocyte levels in patients with primary hypertension]

Sodium outflow rate through lymphocyte cell membranes was investigated in patients with primary hypertension with disturbed and normal sodium transport through these membranes during the treatment with hydrochlorothiazide, propranolol, clonidine or verapamil. It was found that hydrochlorothiazide increases total outflow rate of sodium ions through lymphocyte cell membranes and decreases its concentration in the lymphocytes but does not affect ouabain-dependent sodium outflow rate. It was also noted that verapamil increases total and ouabain-dependent sodium outflow rate through lymphocyte cellular membranes and decreases its lymphocyte levels.     

Maternal dietary loads of α-tocopherol depress protein kinase C signaling and synaptic plasticity in rat postnatal developing hippocampus and promote permanent deficits in adult offspring

Vitamin E (α-tocopherol) supplementation has been tested as prophylaxis against gestational disorders associated with oxidative damage. However, recent evidence showing that high maternal α-tocopherol intake can adversely affect offspring development raises concerns on the safety of vitamin E extradosages during pregnancy. Besides acting as an antioxidant, α-tocopherol depresses cell proliferation and modulates cell signaling through inhibiting protein kinase C (PKC), a kinase that is deeply involved in neural maturation and plasticity. Possible effects of α-tocopherol loads in the maturing brain, where PKC dysregulation is associated to developmental dysfunctions, are poorly known. Here, supranutritional doses of α-tocopherol were fed to pregnant and lactating dams to evaluate the effects on PKC signaling and morphofunctional maturation in offspring hippocampus. Results showed that maternal supplementation potentiates hippocampal α-tocopherol incorporation in offspring and leads to marked decrease of PKC phosphorylation throughout postnatal maturation, accompanied by reduced phosphorylation of growth-associated protein-43 and myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate, two PKC substrates involved in neural development and plasticity. Although processes of neuronal maturation, synapse formation and targeting appeared unaffected, offspring of supplemented mothers displayed a marked reduction of long-term synaptic plasticity in juvenile hippocampus. Interestingly, this impairment persisted in adulthood, when a deficit in hippocampus-dependent, long-lasting spatial memory was also revealed. In conclusion, maternal supplementation with elevated doses of α-tocopherol can influence cell signaling and synaptic plasticity in developing hippocampus and promotes permanent adverse effects in adult offspring. The present results emphasize the need to evaluate the safety of supranutritional maternal intake of α-tocopherol in humans.     

Effect of regulated expression of the fragile histidine traid gene on cell cycle and proliferation

The mechanism of tumor suppressor action of the fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene is unknown. Disruption of cell cycle regulation leads to the tumor formation and many tumor suppressor genes suppress tumorigenesis through their effect on cell cycle regulation. We examined the expression of FHIT during the cell cycle, and determined whether overexpression of FHIT affects cell cycle kinetics and apoptosis. The FHIT cDNA was cloned into the ecdysone-inducible expression vector in both the sense and antisense orientations. Overexpression of the sense or antisense construct did not affect cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution or apoptosis in human 293T cells. Analysis of the FHIT expression in 293T cells collected at various cell cycle phases showed that the expression of FHIT is not under cell cycle regulation. These results indicate that the tumor suppressor activity of the FHIT gene may be independent of an effect on the cell cycle and apoptosis mechanisms.     

Tailoring recombinant protein quality by rational media design

Clinical efficacy and safety of recombinant proteins are closely associated with their structural characteristics. The major quality attributes comprise glycosylation, charge variants (oxidation, deamidation, and C‐ & N‐terminal modifications), aggregates, low‐molecular‐weight species (LMW), and misincorporation of amino acids in the protein backbone. Cell culture media design has a great potential to modulate these quality attributes due to the vital role of medium in mammalian cell culture. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the way both classical cell culture medium components and novel supplements affect the quality attributes of recombinant therapeutic proteins expressed in mammalian hosts, allowing rational and high‐throughput optimization of mammalian cell culture media. A selection of specific and/or potent inhibitors and activators of oligosaccharide processing as well as components affecting multiple quality attributes are presented. Extensive research efforts in this field show the feasibility of quality engineering through media design, allowing to significantly modulate the protein function. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 31:615–629, 2015     

NBT-II carcinoma behaviour is not dependent on cell-cell communication through gap junctions

To study the mechanism(s) underlying the proliferation of heterogeneous cell populations within a solid tumour, the NBT-II rat bladder carcinoma system was used. It has been first investigated whether the different cell populations are coupled through gap junctions (GJIC). Cells overexpressing the Cx43 were generated to test for any tumour suppressive activity in vivo. To determine whether GJIC is essential for tumour proliferation and the establishment of a cooperative community effect, NBT-II cells that are incompetent for cell coupling were generated. The data report that (i) carcinoma cells expressing or not FGF-1 are coupled through GJIC in vitro and in coculture and express the gap junction protein Cx43, (ii) overexpression of Cx43 in these cells does not affect their in vitro coupling capacities and in vivo tumourigenic growth properties, (iii) inhibition of GJIC through antisense strategy has no in vivo obvious consequence on the tumour growth properties of the carcinoma, and (iv) the community effect between two carcinoma cell populations does not critically involve cell coupling through gap junctions.     

Antimicrobial peptides and plant disease control

Several diseases caused by viruses, bacteria and fungi affect plant crops, resulting in losses and decreasing the quality and safety of agricultural products. Plant disease control relies mainly on chemical pesticides that are currently subject to strong restrictions and regulatory requirements. Antimicrobial peptides are interesting compounds in plant health because there is a need for new products in plant protection that fit into the new regulations. Living organisms secrete a wide range of antimicrobial peptides produced through ribosomal (defensins and small bacteriocins) or non-ribosomal synthesis (peptaibols, cyclopeptides and pseudopeptides). Several antimicrobial peptides are the basis for the design of new synthetic analogues, have been expressed in transgenic plants to confer disease protection or are secreted by microorganisms that are active ingredients of commercial biopesticides.