A double staining method for differentiating between two classes of mycobacterial catalase in polyacrylamide electrophoresis gels

Mycobacteria produce two classes of catalase, designated T and M. Only the T-catalase also has a peroxidase-like function. When a 3,3'-diaminobenzidine (DAB) peroxidase stain was applied to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gels, followed by a ferricyanide negative stain for catalase, isoenzymes of T-catalase appeared as dark bands within a zone of clearing in the green background; the M-catalase appeared only as a clear zone. Heated and unheated preparations could be used to demonstrate the presence of comigrating bands of M and T. The application of the ferricyanide stain after the DAB stain of T-catalase resulted in marked intensification of the positive bands of T-catalase due to nonenzymatic, peroxide-independent reduction of the ferricyanide by the DAB product.     

Cytosine-specific DNA modification interferes with plasmid establishment in Escherichia coli K12: involvement of rglB

Summary Several chimeric pBR322/328 derivatives containing genes for cytosine-specific DNA methyltransferases (Mtases) can be transformed into the Escherichia coli K12/E. coli B hybrid strains HB101 and RR1 but not into other commonly used E. coli K12 strains. In vitro methylation of cytosine residues in pBR328 and other unrelated plasmids also reduces their potential to transform such methylation sensitive strains, albeit to a lesser degree than observed with plasmids containing Mtase genes. The extent of reduced transformability depends on the target specificity of the enzyme used for in vitro modification. The role of a host function in the discrimination against methylated plasmids was verified by the isolation of K12 mutants which tolerate cytosine methylated DNA. The mutations map in the vicinity of the serB locus. This and other data indicate that the host rglB function is involved in the discrimination against modified DNA.     

MSI2通过下调circRNA_001214促进急性髓系白血病细胞HL60生长

Musashi-2（MSI2）是一种RNA结合蛋白质,对维持造血干细胞功能具有重要作用。研究表明,MSI2高表达能促进急性髓系白血病（acute myelocytic leukemia, AML）进展,但其作用机制尚不明确。本研究稳定沉默HL60细胞MSI2后,第1、2、3、4 d对照组的相对细胞生长率分别为1.931 ± 0.027、3.070 ± 0.073、4.017 ± 0.092和4.215 ± 0.246;敲减组分别为1.927 ± 0.035、2.564 ± 0.090、2.825 ± 0.097和3.223 ± 0.182,两组相比具有统计学差异,P<0.001;细胞凋亡明显增加(7.967% ± 0.698% vs 3.400% ± 0.322%., P<0.01);G₀/G₁期细胞比例明显增高（67.430% ± 4.390% vs. 50.360% ± 2.160%, P<0.01）;NUMB蛋白明显上调,LEF1明显下降。环状RNA（circular RNA, circRNA）芯片筛选和荧光定量PCR验证显示,MSI2沉默组circRNA_001214表达水平是对照组3.48倍。这一结果也在NALM6细胞得到证实。进一步用生物信息学分析,显示circRNA_001214最可能与miR-1273a、miR-1273e和miR 5095结合,进而影响参与细胞凋亡相关基因（CYCS、AKT1、BAX、TNFRSF10A、TNFRSF10D）、Wnt信号基因（WNT4、WNT2B、WNT7B、 DKK2、SFRP1、CSNKE1和LEF1）以及参与细胞代谢相关基因（RPE, PGAM4, PGAM1, TAT, CBS、RPE、SUCLG2、PGAM4、PGAM1和 IDNK）。总而言之,MSI2可能通过干扰circRNA_001214生成,减少靶miRNA对凋亡、Wnt信号及细胞代谢相关基因表达的影响,促进细胞生长。     

酪氨酸对大鼠离体Leydig细胞睾酮和cAMP生成的影响

本实验采用胶原酶消化,Ficoll 密度梯度离心,制备大鼠睾丸 Leydig 细胞悬浮液进行体外培养(每管内含有10~6 细胞),以研究酪氨酸对 Leydig 细胞睾酮和cAMP 生成的影响。实验结果表明,hCG(100mIU)能明显地促进Leydig 细胞睾酮和 cAMP的生成。睾酮从对照组的3.08±0.58ng(X±SD,下同)增加到41.61±1.52ng,cAMP 含量从19.62±2.56pmol增加到153.24±5.92pmol。若将酪氨酸(60μg)与hCG同时加入到细胞培养液中,则睾酮和cAMP 含量分别下降到 19.22±.0.52ng(P<0.01)和92.63±6.02pmol(P<0.05)。但是,酪氨酸羟化酶抑制剂(α-甲基酪氨酸)对酪氨酸抗hCG致睾酮生成作用无阻断效应,而酪氨酸对外源cAMP(2.5mM)诱导的睾酮生成,则有明显的抑制作用,睾酮含量从27.56±1.53ng降至 19.50±0.47ng(P<0.01)。以上实验结果表明,酪氨酸抗hCG致睾酮生成的作用机理与cAMP有关。     

云南叶螨属一新种(蜱螨目:叶螨科)

在鉴定云南叶螨标本时,发现叶螨属一新种,现记述如下。模式标本保存于上海农学院。本文量度单位均为微米。 食禾叶螨Tetranychus graminivorus新种(图1—14) 雌螨 体长(包括喙)454,宽298。椭圆形。浅黄绿色。须肢端感器圆柱形,长6.8,     

A neuraminidase from Streptococcus sanguis that can release O-acetylated sialic acids

The naturally occurring sialic acids can have different types of N- and O-substitutions, resulting in more than 20 known isomers and compounds. Most methods for the detailed study of these various sialic acids require that the molecules be first released from their alpha-glycosidic linkage. When mild acid hydrolysis is used for this purpose, significant destruction of O-substituent groups occur. On the other hand, the presence of O-substituent groups renders the sialic acid molecule partially or completely resistant to the action of the currently known neuraminidase. To circumvent this problem, we searched for a neuraminidase whose activity is not affected by O-substitution. We reasoned that because Streptococcus sanguis from the human oral cavity is continually exposed to O-substituted sialic acids, its extracellular neuraminidase might not be blocked by O-substitution. We therefore purified this enzyme 3100-fold (56% yield) using ammonium sulfate precipitation, N-(p-aminophenyl)oxamic acid-agarose affinity chromatography, and chromatography on quaternary aminoethyl (QAE)-Sephadex, sulfopropyl (SP)-Sephadex, and Sephacryl S-200. The purified preparation is free of other significant glycosidase activities and proteolytic activities. It is capable of quantitatively releasing all the O-acetylated sialic acids that we studied with the single exception of the 4-O-acetylated sialic acid of equine submaxillary mucin. The activity of the enzyme is also not restricted by the type pf sialic acid linkage or the nature of the underlying oligosaccharide. However, it has maximal activity on gangliosides only in the presence of detergents. The general properties of this enzyme are described and its substrate specificities are contrasted with those of the commonly used neuraminidase from Vibrio cholerae.     

Surface Antigens of Smooth Brucellae

Surface antigens of smooth brucellae were extracted by ether-water, phenol-water, trichloroacetic acid, and saline and examined by immunoelectrophoresis and gel diffusion with antisera from infected and immunized rabbits. Ether-water extracts of Brucella melitensis contained a lipopolysaccharide protein component, which was specific for the surface of smooth brucellae and was correlated with the M agglutinogen of Wilson and Miles, a polysaccharide protein component devoid of lipid which was not restricted to the surface of smooth brucellae and was not correlated with the smooth agglutinogen (component 1), and several protein components which were associated with internal antigens of rough and smooth brucellae. Immunoelectrophoretic analysis of ether-water extracts of B. abortus revealed only two components, a lipopolysaccharide protein component, which was correlated with the A agglutinogen, and component 1. Component 1 from B. melitensis and B. abortus showed identity in gel diffusion tests, whereas component M from B. melitensis and component A from B. abortus showed partial identity with unabsorbed antisera and no cross-reactions with monospecific sera. Attempts to prepare monospecific sera directly by immunization of rabbits with cell walls or ether-water extracts were unsuccessful. Absorption of antisera with heavy fraction of ether-water extracts did not always result in monospecific sera. It was concluded (as has been described before) that the A and M antigens are present on a single antigenic complex, in different proportions depending upon the species and biotype, and that this component is a lipopolysaccharide protein complex of high molecular weight that diffuses poorly through agar gel. Components 1, A, and M were also demonstrated in trichloroacetic acid and phenol-water extracts. With all extracts, B. melitensis antigen showed greater diffusibility in agar than B. abortus antigens. After mild acid hydrolysis, B. abortus ether-water extract was able to diffuse more readily.