CDK-dependent phosphorylation of Mob2 is essential for hyphal development in Candida albicans

Nuclear Dbf2-related (NDR) protein kinases are essential components of regulatory pathways involved in cell morphogenesis, cell cycle control, and viability in eukaryotic cells. For their activity and function, these kinases require interaction with Mob proteins. However, little is known about how the Mob proteins are regulated. In Candida albicans, the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) Cdc28 and the NDR kinase Cbk1 are required for hyphal growth. Here we demonstrate that Mob2, the Cbk1 activator, undergoes a Cdc28-dependent differential phosphorylation on hyphal induction. Mutations in the four CDK consensus sites in Mob2 to Ala significantly impaired hyphal development. The mutant cells produced short hyphae with enlarged tips that displayed an illicit activation of cell separation. We also show that Cdc28 phosphorylation of Mob2 is essential for the maintenance of polarisome components at hyphal tips but not at bud tips during yeast growth. Thus we have found a novel signaling pathway by which Cdc28 controls Cbk1 through the regulatory phosphorylation of Mob2, which is crucial for normal hyphal development.     

Mapping QTL for an Adaptive Trait: The Length of Caudal Fin in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lates calcarifer</Emphasis>

The caudal fin represents a fundamental design feature of fishes and plays an important role in locomotor dynamics in fishes. The shape of caudal is an important parameter in traditional systematics. However, little is known about genes involved in the development of different forms of caudal fins. This study was conducted to identify and map quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting the length of caudal fin and the ratio between tail length and standard body length in Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer). One F1 family containing 380 offspring was generated by crossing two unrelated individuals. One hundred and seventeen microsatellites almost evenly distributed along the whole genome were genotyped. Length of caudal fin at 90 days post-hatch was measured. QTL analysis detected six significant (genome-wide significant) and two suggestive (linkage-group-wide significant) QTL on seven linkage groups. The six significant QTL explained 5.5–16.6% of the phenotypic variance, suggesting these traits were controlled by multiple genes. Comparative genomics analysis identified several potential candidate genes for the length of caudal fin. The QTL for the length of caudal fin detected for the first time in marine fish may provide a starting point for the future identification of genes involved in the development of different forms of caudal fins in fishes.     

Physiological and fermentation properties of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus coagulans</Emphasis> and a mutant lacking fermentative lactate dehydrogenase activity

Bacillus coagulans, a sporogenic lactic acid bacterium, grows optimally at 50–55°C and produces lactic acid as the primary fermentation product from both hexoses and pentoses. The amount of fungal cellulases required for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) at 55°C was previously reported to be three to four times lower than for SSF at the optimum growth temperature for Saccharomyces cerevisiae of 35°C. An ethanologenic B. coagulans is expected to lower the cellulase loading and production cost of cellulosic ethanol due to SSF at 55°C. As a first step towards developing B. coagulans as an ethanologenic microbial biocatalyst, activity of the primary fermentation enzyme L-lactate dehydrogenase was removed by mutation (strain Suy27). Strain Suy27 produced ethanol as the main fermentation product from glucose during growth at pH 7.0 (0.33 g ethanol per g glucose fermented). Pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) acting in series contributed to about 55% of the ethanol produced by this mutant while pyruvate formate lyase and ADH were responsible for the remainder. Due to the absence of PDH activity in B. coagulans during fermentative growth at pH 5.0, the l-ldh mutant failed to grow anaerobically at pH 5.0. Strain Suy27-13, a derivative of the l-ldh mutant strain Suy27, that produced PDH activity during anaerobic growth at pH 5.0 grew at this pH and also produced ethanol as the fermentation product (0.39 g per g glucose). These results show that construction of an ethanologenic B. coagulans requires optimal expression of PDH activity in addition to the removal of the LDH activity to support growth and ethanol production.     

Identification of blood-protein carriers of the CA 19-9 antigen and characterization of prevalence in pancreatic diseases

The current best serum marker for pancreatic cancer, CA 19-9, detects a carbohydrate antigen on multiple protein carriers. Better knowledge of the protein carriers of the CA 19-9 antigen in various disease states may lead to improved diagnostic tests. To identify proteins that carry the CA 19-9 antigen, we immunoprecipitated the CA 19-9 antigen from pooled sera and identified the associated proteins using MS. Among the high-confidence identifications, we confirmed the presence of the CA 19-9 antigen on Apolipoprotein B-100 by antibody arrays and Western blot and on kininogen, ARVCF, and Apolipoprotein E by antibody arrays. We characterized the frequency and levels of the CA 19-9 antigen on the four proteins across various patient groups (pancreatic cancer, pancreatitis, and healthy controls) using antibody arrays. Nearly, 10-25% of the subjects showed elevations of the antigen on each protein, but the elevations were not associated with disease state or total CA 19-9 levels. These results contribute to our knowledge of the carrier proteins of an important functional glycan and the rate at which the glycan is displayed. This work also demonstrates a strategy for using the complementary methods of MS and antibody microarrays to identify protein carriers of glycans and assess the diagnostic value of measuring glycans on individual proteins.     

人体海马CA1区锥体细胞胞体的发育

目的：探究人体海马CA1区神经元锥体细胞胞体发育的过程。方法：取19孕周（19GW）、20GW、26GW、35GW、38GW水囊引产胎儿和8岁（8Y）死亡儿童各1例,所有标本来源符合相关法律法规和伦理要求,采用Golgi染色技术,借助配备有＂Neurolu-cida＂软件的共聚焦显微镜观察CA1区锥体细胞胞体,分析细胞体的长度和面积。结果：19GW和20GW细胞体形态尚不明显。26Gw、35Gw、38Gw、8Y海马CA1区锥体神经元胞体长度分别为56．5±2．5（μm）、80．8±8．5（μm）、85．9±12．2（μm）、91．3±9．6（μm）;胞体面积分别为254．5±13．7（μm^2）、362．5±15．5（μm^2）、380．5±22．8（μm^2）、460．8±25．7（μm^2）。26GW锥体细胞胞体长度和面积与35GW、38GW、8Y相比差异明显（P〈0．05）;8岁胞体长度和面积与38GW相比有小幅度增大;细胞形态学：26GW、35GW、38GW锥体细胞胞体切面呈椭圆形或三角形,随胎龄增大,胞体长度和面积逐渐增长增大,特别是细胞基底部增宽。胞体形态由椭圆形逐渐转换为三角形;细胞底部的基树突数量也逐渐增加,到38GW时可以达到4—7个,8Y锥体细胞胞体在切面上基本上都呈三角形,细胞长度和面积与38GW相比稍微增大,相对趋于稳定。结论：人体在发育过程中,锥体细胞长度呈逐渐增长、面积呈逐渐增大趋势,26GW与35GW之间变化最大,38GW与8Y胞体面积差异不明显,整个变化趋势逐渐变慢并趋于稳定。     

人乳头状瘤病毒DNA检测在宫颈病变筛查中的应用研究

目的：探讨高危型人乳头状瘤病毒（HR-HPV）DNA检测方法在宫颈病变筛查中的应用意义。方法：580例妇女同时进行薄层液基细胞学（TCT）、第2代杂交捕获法（HC Ⅱ）和阴道镜下宫颈组织活检,并以病理组织学检查结果作为确诊标准进行对比分析。结果：①580例受检者中病理诊断为炎症207例（35.69%）,CIN Ⅰ 224例（38.62%）,CIN Ⅱ 96例（16.55%）,CIN Ⅲ 38例（6.55%）,浸润癌15例（2.58%）;②TCT检测异常者中炎症52例（25.12%）,CIN Ⅰ 177例（79.02%）,CIN Ⅱ 85例（88.54%）,CIN Ⅲ36例（94.74%）,浸润癌15例（100%）,其中CIN Ⅱ和CIN Ⅲ组间差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）,但显著高于炎症组和CIN Ⅰ组,低于湿润癌组（P〈0.01或0.05）;③HPV DNA检测阳性者中炎症66例（31.88%）,CIN Ⅰ 152例（67.86%）,CIN Ⅱ 83例（86.46%）,CINIII 35例（92.11%）,浸润癌组15例（100%）,除CIN Ⅱ和CIN Ⅲ组间差异无显著性外（P〉0.05）,其余各组间差异均有统计学意义（P〈0.05或0.01）,且HPV-DNA检测阳性组CIN和浸润癌发病率明显高于阴性组（P〈0.01）;④30岁以下高危险型HPV感染率（65.53%）显著高于30岁以上34.47%感染率（P〈0.01）;⑤联合应用TCT、HPV-DNA检测诊断宫颈癌及癌前病变的敏感度和特异度分别为96.14%和69.28%,高于TCT或HPV-DNA的单独检测。结论：宫颈高危险型HPV感染是CIN及宫颈癌的主要发病因素,并与病变严重程度密切相关,而HPV-DNA和TCT联合应用可提高宫颈癌及癌前病变的检出率。     

超微七味白术散对菌群失调小鼠的疗效研究

目的：研究超微七味白术散对抗生素引起的菌群失调小鼠的疗效。方法：将70只小鼠随机分为7组,以灌胃生理盐水建立对照组,以灌胃氨苄西林、头孢拉定、盐酸林可霉素复合抗生素构建菌群失调小鼠模型,以七味白术散传统汤剂及超微全量、1／2量、1／4量、1／8量治疗,通过粪便判断疗效。结果：七味白术散超微药剂与传统汤剂均能治疗抗生素引起的小鼠茵群失调,且超微七味白术散1／2量对小鼠的治疗效果已能达到传统汤剂水平。结论：超微七味白术散对菌群失调小鼠具有良好的治疗效果,与传统药物相比具有节约药材的价值。