Isolation and partial characterization of basic proteinases from stem bromelain

Crude bromelain extracts from pineapple stems (Ananas comosus) were fractionated by two-step FPLC-cation-exchange chromatography. At least eight basic proteolytically active components were detected. The two main components F4 and F5 together with the most active proteinase fraction F9 were characterized by SDS-PAGE, mass spectroscopy, multizonal cathodal electrophoresis, partial amino acid sequence, and monosaccharide composition analysis. F9 amounts to about 2% of the total protein and has a 15 times higher specific activity against the substratel-pyroglutamyl-l-phenylanalyl-l-leucine-p-nitroanilide (PFLNA) than the main component F4. The molecular masses of F4, F5, and F9 were determined to 24,397, 24,472, and 23,427, respectively, by mass spectroscopy. Partial N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis (20 amino acids) revealed that F9 differs from the determined sequence of F4 and F5 by an exchange at position 10 (tyrosineserine) and position 20 (asparagine glycine). F4 and F5 contained fucose, N-acetylglucosamine, xylose, and mannose in ratio of 1.02.01.02.0, but only 50% of the proteins seem to be glycosylated, whereas F9 was found to be unglycosylated. Polyclonal antibodies (IgG) against F9 detected F4 and F5 with tenfold reduced reactivity. ThepH optimum of F4 and F5 was betweenpH4.0 and 4.5 and for F9 close to neutralpH. The kinetic parameters for PFLNA hydrolysis were similar for F4 (K _m 2.30 mM,k _cat 0.87 sec^–1 and F5 (K _m 2.42 mM,k _cat 0.68 sec^–1), and differed greatly from F9 (K _m 0.40 mM,k _cat 3.94 sec^–1).Dedicated to H. Tschesche, Bielefeld, Germany, on behalf of his 60th anniversary.     

蚊幼对狼蛛的营养作用研究

研究蚊子幼虫（子孓）以拟水狼蛛（Ｐｉｒａｔａｓｕｂｐｉｒａｔｉｃｕｓ）的营养,繁殖作用,结果表明狼蛛对蚊幼的捕食符合ＨｏｌｌｉｎｇⅡ型功能反应,喂以蚊幼和不喂蚊幼处理狼蛛的体重增长率和生殖有极显著差异,在相同蚊幼密度下,狼蛛初始体重越小,增长率越大,经计算狼蛛每增重１ｍｇ,需消耗１０．５８ｍｇ蚊幼,这基本符合生态系统营养级能量流动的１／１０法则,狼蛛体重大小对褐飞虱的捕食量有明显差异,体重大的个体     

Novel DNA binding proteins highly specific to UV-damaged DNA sequences from embryos of Drosophila melanogaster.

Three new proteins which selectively bind to UV-damaged DNA were identified and purified to near homogeneity from UV-irradiated Drosophila melanogaster embryos through several column chromatographies. These proteins, tentatively designated as D-DDB P1, P2 and P3, can be identified as different complex bands in a gel shift assay by using UV-irradiated TC-31 probe DNA. Analysis of the purified D-DDB P1 fraction by native or SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and FPLC-Superose 6 gel filtration demonstrated that it is a monomer protein which is a 30 kDa polypeptide. The D-DDB P2 protein is a monopolypeptide with a molecular mass of 14 kDa. Both D-DDB P1 and P2 highly prefer binding to UV-irradiated DNA, and have almost no affinity for non-irradiated DNA. Gel shift assays with either UV-irradiated DNA probes demonstrated that D-DDB P1 may show a preference for binding to (6-4) photoproducts, while D-DDB P2 may prefer binding to pyrimidine dimers. Both these proteins require magnesium ions for binding. D-DDB P1 is an ATP-preferent protein. These findings are discussed in relation to two recently described [Todo and Ryo (1991) Mutat. Res., 273, 85-93; Todo et al. (1993) Nature, 361, 371-374] DNA-binding factors from Drosophila cell extracts. A possible role for these DNA-binding proteins in lesion recognition and DNA-binding proteins in lesion recognition and DNA repair of UV-induced photo-products is discussed.     

日本松干蚧的重要天敌——隐斑瓢虫的初步研究

隐斑瓢虫是近年来在杭州地区发现的日本松干蚧的一种重要捕食性天敌。该虫在杭州一年发生四代,其年发生规律基本上和日本松干蚧的生活周期相吻合,而且能在松林中形成比较稳定的群落。根据测定,隐斑瓢虫对日本松干蚧各虫态的捕食能力较强,一头成虫的日平均捕食量为:显露若虫13.33头,雌成虫4.27头,卵囊3.67个(每个卵囊内平均有卵265.5粒),雄蛹28.27只;一头幼虫全期(或2—4龄和3—4龄)分别能捕食显露若虫39.20—105.56头,雌成虫40.80—47.79头,卵囊39.38—41.79个,雄蛹220.50只。它在引进辽宁省沈阳和旅大地区后,不仅仍能正常的捕食日本松干蚧(显露若虫),其成虫和幼虫喂以各种蚜虫均能正常生殖和发育,并且一年可以繁殖三代:冬季,只要在0℃以上的温度条件下,给予少量的糖水等作补充营养,亦能安全的越冬。据此,作者认为隐斑瓢虫在浙江杭州和辽宁,均具有作为控制日本松干蚧的发生来加以饲养繁殖与利用的价值。     

表观遗传修饰介导的植物胁迫记忆

植物因其固着生长的方式, 已经进化出各类特殊的机制来适应多变的外界环境。为提高自身的存活率, 植物进化出一类胁迫记忆机制, 以适应环境和保护自己。表观遗传修饰不仅能调控植物的正常生长发育, 而且参与植物对各种非生物或生物胁迫的响应。近年的研究表明, 表观遗传修饰在植物胁迫记忆调控中也发挥重要作用。例如, DNA甲基化、组蛋白甲基化及乙酰化等表观遗传修饰参与并维持特定的胁迫记忆。该文主要对表观遗传修饰介导的植物胁迫记忆最新进展进行综述, 并展望未来的重点和热点研究方向。     

Crystallization and main-chain structure of neutral protease from Streptomyces caespitosus

A neutral protease, i.e., a zinc-containing metalloendoprotease from Streptomyces caespitosus, has been crystallized using acetone as a precipitating agent. The crystals diffract to better than 1.5 A resolution when a rotating anode X-ray generator is used as an X-ray source. Protein phase angles were calculated by the multiple isomorphous replacement method using two heavy-atom derivatives (HgCl2 and CH3HgCl). A 6 A resolution electron density map clearly showed molecular boundaries. Although its amino acid sequence is not known, the folding pattern of the polypeptide chain could be traced on a 2.5 A resolution electron density map. A large cleft, which is located on the molecular surface, was proved to be the active site of the enzyme by structure analyses of inhibitor-complex crystals. The highest electron density peak, which corresponds to the cleft, was assigned to a catalytically essential zinc atom on difference Fourier synthesis between native and EDTA-soaked crystals.     

苏芸金杆菌感染粘虫后中肠组织学病变的研究

本文描述了Bacillus thuringiensis HD-1纯晶体感染粘虫Mythimna separata 5龄初幼虫后,其中肠肠壁细胞的超微结构变化.电镜观察表明:首先线粒体,发生病变,随后,细胞顶部肿胀、胞质电子密度下降,顶部胞质之下的各种细胞器均受损伤.随着病变加重,柱状细胞基膜内褶及杯状细胞质突起,这两个富含线粒体的区域发生病变最为明显.最终,肠壁细胞解体从基膜脱落.     

Ca~(2 )对叶绿体中超氧物自由基产生以及由ACC形成乙烯的影响

高浓度Ca~(2 )(0.1 mol/L)使叶绿体产生O_2~ 的能力下降,旋转相关时间(τ_c)增大34.3％,即膜的流动性降低,并抑制ACC形成乙烯;衰老时细胞内的Ca~(2 )作用却与此相反;O_2~ 的生成与乙烯的产量成正相关(r=0.941)。EGTA,吩噻嗪和W_7等加入到叶绿体反应体系中,可使O_2~ 的产量下降,ACC形成乙烯减少;相反,亚油酸作为Ca~(2 )载体,却使之明显升高,但亚油酸本身产生乙烯的量比ACC少得多。因此推测:高浓度Ca~(2 )可能影响叶绿体膜的状态,从而影响EFE的构象或者减少O_2~ 的生成,抑制ACC的转化,衰老时细胞内的Ca~(2 )可启动钙信使系统,使O_2~ 的产量升高,而其中膜脂过氧化是衰老的中心环节,因此O_2~ 的升高可能是诱发衰老启动的重要因素。