螺旋藻在光胁迫时的抗逆性研究

螺旋藻对于环境的变化有很强的适应性.以钝顶螺旋藻为实验材料,测定螺旋藻在受到较强光照胁迫时藻体的电导率以及脯氨酸、丙二醛和过氧化氢酶系的含量.在3000 lx光照下,螺旋藻6个藻株的电导率以及脯氨酸、丙二醛和过氧化氢酶系的含量比在1000 lx光照下明显升高,螺旋藻的电导率最高上升了2～6倍;细胞内的脯氨酸含量最多增加5倍,最少增加13%;丙二醛的含量增加40%～100%;过氧化氢酶的含量上升范围在19%～80%,过氧化物酶的含量上升范围在20%～100%.说明螺旋藻在受到光胁迫时自身会启动相关保护机制,产生一定的抗逆性,以适应环境的变化.     

Rapid Diversification of FoxP2 in Teleosts through Gene Duplication in the Teleost-Specific Whole Genome Duplication Event

As one of the most conserved genes in vertebrates, FoxP2 is widely involved in a number of important physiological and developmental processes. We systematically studied the evolutionary history and functional adaptations of FoxP2 in teleosts. The duplicated FoxP2 genes (FoxP2a and FoxP2b), which were identified in teleosts using synteny and paralogon analysis on genome databases of eight organisms, were probably generated in the teleost-specific whole genome duplication event. A credible classification with FoxP2, FoxP2a and FoxP2b in phylogenetic reconstructions confirmed the teleost-specific FoxP2 duplication. The unavailability of FoxP2b in Danio rerio suggests that the gene was deleted through nonfunctionalization of the redundant copy after the Otocephala-Euteleostei split. Heterogeneity in evolutionary rates among clusters consisting of FoxP2 in Sarcopterygii (Cluster 1), FoxP2a in Teleostei (Cluster 2) and FoxP2b in Teleostei (Cluster 3), particularly between Clusters 2 and 3, reveals asymmetric functional divergence after the gene duplication. Hierarchical cluster analyses of hydrophobicity profiles demonstrated significant structural divergence among the three clusters with verification of subsequent stepwise discriminant analysis, in which FoxP2 of Leucoraja erinacea and Lepisosteus oculatus were classified into Cluster 1, whereas FoxP2b of Salmo salar was grouped into Cluster 2 rather than Cluster 3. The simulated thermodynamic stability variations of the forkhead box domain (monomer and homodimer) showed remarkable divergence in FoxP2, FoxP2a and FoxP2b clusters. Relaxed purifying selection and positive Darwinian selection probably were complementary driving forces for the accelerated evolution of FoxP2 in ray-finned fishes, especially for the adaptive evolution of FoxP2a and FoxP2b in teleosts subsequent to the teleost-specific gene duplication.     

Candidate Markers That Associate with Chemotherapy Resistance in Breast Cancer through the Study on Taxotere-Induced Damage to Tumor Microenvironment and Gene Expression Profiling of Carcinoma-Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs)

Recently, emerging evidence has suggested that carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) could contribute to chemotherapy resistances in breast cancer treatment. The aim of this study is to compare the gene expression profiling of CAFs before and after chemotherapy and pick up candidate genes that might associate with chemotherapy resistance and could be used as predictors of treatment response. CAFs were cultured from surgically resected primary breast cancers and identified with immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Flow cytometry (FCM). MDA-MB-231 cells were cultured as the breast cancer cell line. Cell adhesion assay, invasion assay, and proliferation assay (MTT) were performed to compare the function of MDA-MB-231 cells co-cultured with CAFs and MDA-MB-231 cells without co-culture, after chemotherapy. Totally 6 pairs of CAFs were prepared for microarray analysis. Each pair of CAFs were obtained from the same patient and classified into two groups. One group was treated with Taxotere (regarded as after chemotherapy) while the other group was not processed with Taxotere (regarded as before chemotherapy). According to our study, the primary-cultured CAFs exhibited characteristic phenotype. After chemotherapy, MDA-MB-231 cells co-cultured with CAFs displayed increasing adhesion, invasiveness and proliferation abilities, compared with MDA-MB-231 cells without CAFs. Moreover, 35 differentially expressed genes (absolute fold change >2) were identified between CAFs after chemotherapy and before chemotherapy, including 17 up-regulated genes and 18 down-regulated genes. CXCL2, MMP1, IL8, RARRES1, FGF1, and CXCR7 were picked up as the candidate markers, of which the differential expression in CAFs before and after chemotherapy was confirmed. The results indicate the changes of gene expression in CAFs induced by Taxotere treatment and propose the candidate markers that possibly associate with chemotherapy resistance in breast cancer.     

生物催化法合成6-氰基-（3R，5R）-二羟基己酸叔丁酯

利用E.coli BL21／pCDFDuet-gdh—cr-X共表达全细胞催化6-氰基-（5R）-羟基-3-羰基己酸叔丁酯不对称还原合成6-氰基-（3R,5R）-二羟基已酸叔丁酯。结果表明：在菌体用量4．85g/L、葡萄糖与底物质量浓度比为1：1、温度28℃、pH7．0条件下,80．0g／L6-氰基-（5R）-羟基-3-羰基己酸叔丁酯生物还原2h后,底物转化率可达99．0％,产物d.e．值大于99．5％。在考察范围内,NADP^＋用量对催化效率无显著作用。     

Apelin Ameliorates TNF-α-Induced Reduction of Glycogen Synthesis in the Hepatocytes through G Protein-Coupled Receptor APJ

Apelin, a novel adipokine, is the specific endogenous ligand of G protein-coupled receptor APJ. Consistent with its putative role as an adipokine, apelin has been linked to states of insulin resistance. However, the function of apelin in hepatic insulin resistance, a vital part of insulin resistance, and its underlying mechanisms still remains unclear. Here we define the impacts of apelin on TNF-α-induced reduction of glycogen synthesis in the hepatocytes. Our studies indicate that apelin reversed TNF-α-induced reduction of glycogen synthesis in HepG2 cells, mouse primary hepatocytes and liver tissues of C57BL/6J mice by improving JNK-IRS1-AKT-GSK pathway. Moreover, Western blot revealed that APJ, but not apelin, expressed in the hepatocytes and liver tissues of mice. We found that F13A, a competitive antagonist for G protein-coupled receptor APJ, suppressed the effects of apelin on TNF-α-induced reduction of glycogen synthesis in the hepatocytes, suggesting APJ is involved in the function of apelin. In conclusion, we show novel evidence suggesting that apelin ameliorates TNF-α-induced reduction of glycogen synthesis in the hepatocytes through G protein-coupled receptor APJ. Apelin appears as a beneficial adipokine with anti-insulin resistance properties, and thus as a promising therapeutic target in metabolic disorders.     

草地贪夜蛾幼虫在玉米和小麦上的取食和生长发育特性比较

【目的】评估草地贪夜蛾Spodoptera frugiperda转移至小麦上为害和暴发的风险。【方法】采用室内饲养观察与调查统计的方法,测定和比较了23℃下草地贪夜蛾在玉米和小麦上的取食和生长发育特性及种群生命表参数。【结果】草地贪夜蛾在小麦上可以完成世代,其3龄后幼虫取食小麦的取食量及体重指标显著地高于同处理后时间在玉米上取食的;而食物利用效率、幼虫存活率、幼虫发育历期、卵孵化率均显著低于取食玉米的。取食玉米和取食小麦的草地贪夜蛾的平均蛹重、产卵前期、单雌产卵量等指标间无显著差异。另外,生命表参数比较结果表明,取食玉米和取食小麦的草地贪夜蛾的平均世代周期(T)、内禀增长率(r_m)和周限增长率(λ)间均无显著差异,取食玉米的草地贪夜蛾的净增殖率(R_0)为303.55±2.04,显著高于取食小麦的。【结论】草地贪夜蛾取食小麦时,生长发育速度快,能够完成世代生活史,但其食物利用效率、种群繁殖能力等却均低于取食玉米时,说明草地贪夜蛾更适宜在玉米上取食为害,存在转移至小麦为害的风险,但考虑到虫源、自然温度等条件,草地贪夜蛾在小麦上暴发的风险较小。本研究结果为明确草地贪夜蛾在小麦上为害和暴发的风险以及草地贪夜蛾的科学防控提供了理论依据。     

Palmitate-derivatized human IL-2: a potential anticancer immunotherapeutic of low systemic toxicity

Purpose and experimental design

Recombinant human IL-2 (rhIL-2) is a potent cytokine and FDA-approved anticancer drug. However, its clinical use has been limited by severe toxicity, associated primarily with systemic administration with excess protein distributing freely throughout the body. We hypothesized that rhIL-2 in alternate forms permitting more restricted localization may exert stronger antitumor efficacy and less toxicity. Here, we have tested the utility of palmitate-derivatized rhIL-2. rhIL-2 was reacted with N-hydroxysuccinimide palmitate ester. The resultant lipidated rhIL-2 (pIL-2), when mixed with cells, could spontaneously transfer from solution to cell surfaces. Next, anticancer efficacy of pIL-2 was assessed in two modalities. For adoptive T cell therapy, antitumor cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) were protein transferred (“painted”) with pIL-2 and injected into mice bearing lymphoma. For in situ therapy, pIL-2 was injected intratumorally into mice bearing melanoma. Tumor growth and IL-2-associated toxicity were determined.

Results

In the lymphoma model, painting of the antitumor CTLs with pIL-2 markedly increased their viability and titer. In the melanoma model, intratumoral injection of pIL-2, but not rhIL-2, increased the number of activated CD8⁺ T cells (IFN-γ⁺) in the spleen, reduced lung metastasis and prolonged the survival of treated mice. Moreover, while repeated intratumoral injection of rhIL-2 at an excessively high dose (10 injections of 10,000 IU/mouse) caused marked vascular leakage syndrome, the same regimen using pIL-2 caused no detectable toxicity.

Conclusions

Transferring spontaneously from solution to cell surfaces, pIL-2 may bypass the current limitations of rhIL-2 and, thus, serve as a more effective and tolerable anticancer drug.     

一株紫罗兰蓝色素产生菌的分离、鉴定及其活性产物的特性分析

[目的]调查秦巴山地区微生物物种的多样性,建立用于活性产物筛选的微生物代谢产物库和菌种资源库,通过数据库平台进行资源共享.[方法]采用不同的分离方法,分离存在于不同生境的微生物类群,通过形态、生理生化及分子生物手段鉴定菌种,发酵并通过甲醇提取代谢产物.[结果]从本地区土壤样本中分离获得一株产水溶性紫罗兰蓝色素的放线菌Str-4331,在高氏培养基上其气生菌丝为白色,产生水溶性紫罗兰色素,镜检观察孢子丝螺旋形,孢子椭圆形至长圆形,通过形态、生理生化特征初步确定为链霉菌.利用ClustalX对其16S rRNA进行序列比对,用Neighbor-Joining (NJ)构建系统发育树,并用Bootstraping法对其评价.实验结果表明,该菌基因序列与砖红链霉菌(Streptomyces lateritius) LMG 19372基因序列有99％的最高相似性.抑菌试验表明,活性产物具有较强的抗革兰氏阳性细菌活性.色素在水溶液中颜色随着pH的变化而变化.质谱分析显示3个主要化合物,分子量分别为557.68、588.43、485.18 kD,其中分子量为557.68 kD化合物与榴菌素B分子量一致.[结论]根据菌株的16S rRNA序列分析结果,结合菌株的培养特性和生理生化特性,将菌株Str-4331归属为砖红链霉菌(S.lateritius).该菌种首次在本地区分离到,具有进一步研究开发的价值.     

酒红朱雀的繁殖生态初步报道

2012年6月至8月期间,在甘肃莲花山国家级自然保护区发现3巢酒红朱雀(Carpodacus vinaceus).巢呈碗状,筑于小云杉(Picea asperata)或小灌木上,距地面高1.5～1.9 m.卵的大小为(21.06 ±0.59)mm ×(14.81±0.26)mm,重(2.32±0.08)g(n =6).雌鸟单独孵卵,雌雄共同育雏,孵卵期约14 d,育雏期约13 d.     

携带blaNDM-1的质粒pNDM-BJ01在鲁氏不动杆菌中的适应度代价

[目的]了解编码新德里金属-β-内酰胺酶-1(blaNDM-1)的质粒pNDM-BJ01在鲁氏不动杆菌10621菌株中的适应度代价,进而评估该质粒在鲁氏不动杆菌群体中存续和扩散的潜能.[方法]通过不含亚胺培南的液体培养基连续传代培养,获得抗性质粒丢失的10621衍生菌株,利用生长曲线、生物被膜、无营养生存时间等体外适应度测量实验,分析10621NDM-1(+)及质粒缺失的10621NDM-1(-)之间的适应度差异.[结果]pNDM-BJ01在10621菌株中不稳定,连续传代11次即在群体中完全丢失.在26℃和37℃下,10621NDM-1( -)与10621NDM-1(+)菌株的生长曲线无显著性差异.在26℃条件下,10621NDM-1( -)菌株形成生物被膜的能力明显强于10621NDM-1(+),而在37℃条件下,10621 NDM-1(+)强于10621NDM-1(-).在无营养的PBS缓冲液中,10621NDM-1(-)菌株生存能力明显高于10621NDM-1(+).[结论]编码blaNDM-1的质粒pNDM-BJ01在鲁氏不动杆菌中具有较大的适应度代价,缺失这一质粒的菌株在外界环境中的生存能力强于抗性菌株,pNDM-BJ01在鲁氏不动杆菌存续与扩散的能力有限.