Polychlorinated biphenyls disrupt cell division and tip growth in two species of fucoid algae

Environmental contaminants, including poly‐chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), are enriched in coastal sediments, and despite a 1977 moratorium by the United States Environmental Protection Agency on the production of PCBs, levels remain high, more so near former industrial plants. The effects of these contaminants on sessile species in the intertidal zone, particularly nonanimal species such as the ubiquitous fucoid brown algae, are not well known. We investigated the developmental effects of chronic PCB treatment beginning at fertilization on two species of marine rockweed, Fucus vesiculosus Linnaeus and Silvetia compressa (J.Agardh) E.Serrão, T.O.Cho, S.M.Boo & Brawley. A mixture of the most widely used PCB congeners, Aroclors 1221, 1242, and 1254, was delivered at concentrations well below levels found in contaminated sediments, and resulted in severely delayed mitosis and cytokinesis in both species. In F. vesiculosus, this delay was accompanied by abnormal spindle morphology. PCB treatment also dramatically slowed or arrested rhizoid growth after 2–4 d, and by 7 d F. vesiculosus embryos were dead; in contrast, polar secretion of adhesive, germination, and photopolar germination were not affected. The dramatic delay in the first cell division and reduction in tip growth within the first week of development are likely to compromise S. compressa's ability to reproduce and establish new generations. Thus, the data presented here suggest that PCBs still present in coastal sediments may be inhibiting recruitment in these species. Moreover, as sediment dredging causes temporary spikes in PCB concentrations, these kinds of bioremediation steps may exacerbate the disruption of fucoid development.     

Molecular characterization and antigenic properties of a novel Babesia gibsoni glutamic acid-rich protein (BgGARP)

Identification and molecular characterization of Babesia gibsoni proteins with potential antigenic properties are crucial for the development and validation of the serodiagnostic method. In this study, we isolated a cDNA clone encoding a novel B. gibsoni 76-kDa protein by immunoscreening of the parasite cDNA library. Computer analysis revealed that the protein presents a glutamic acid-rich region in the C-terminal. Therefore, the protein was designated as B. gibsoni glutamic acid-rich protein (BgGARP). A BLASTp analysis of a translated BgGARP polypeptide demonstrated that the peptide shared a significant homology with a 200-kDa protein of Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis. A truncated BgGARP cDNA (BgGARPt) encoding a predicted 13-kDa peptide was expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli), and mouse antisera against the recombinant protein were used to characterize a corresponding native protein. The antiserum against recombinant BgGARPt (rBgGARPt) recognized a 140-kDa protein in the lysate of infected erythrocytes, which was detectable in the cytoplasm of the parasites by confocal microscopic observation. In addition, the specificity and sensitivity of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with rBgGARPt were evaluated using B. gibsoni-infected dog sera and specific pathogen-free (SPF) dog sera. Moreover, 107 serum samples from dogs clinically diagnosed with babesiosis were examined using ELISA with rBgGARPt. The results showed that 86 (80.4%) samples were positive by rBgGARPt-ELISA, which was comparable to IFAT and PCR as reference test. Taken together, these results demonstrate that BgGARP is a suitable serodiagnostic antigen for detecting antibodies against B. gibsoni in dogs.     

Synthesis and antitumor-evaluation of 1,3-selenazole-containing 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives

A series of novel 1,3-selenazole-containing 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives bearing Schiff base moieties were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro antiproliferative activities against human breast cancer cell MCF-7 and mouse lymphocyte leukemia cell L1210 by CCK-8 assay. The majority of the compounds showed better activity against MCF-7 cell, compared with lead compound PCS. In particular, compound 6c was the most potent compound with IC₅₀ value of 4.02 μM.     

Pyrrole and furan oligoglycosides from the starfish Asterina batheri and their inhibitory effect on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells

Three new pyrrole oligoglycosides, astebatheriosides A–C (1–3), and a new furan oligoglycoside, astebatherioside D (4), were isolated from the starfish Asterina batheri by various chromatographic methods. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical methods. Compounds 2, 3, and 4 moderately inhibited IL-12 p40 production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) with IC₅₀ values of 36.4, 31.6, and 22.8 μM, respectively.     

Enhanced resistance to stripe rust disease in transgenic wheat expressing the rice chitinase gene RC24

Stripe rust is a devastating fungal disease of wheat worldwide which is primarily caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp tritici. Transgenic wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) expressing rice class chitinase gene RC24 were developed by particle bombardment of immature embryos and tested for resistance to Puccinia striiformis f.sp tritici. under greenhouse and field conditions. Putative transformants were selected on kanamycin-containing media. Polymease chain reaction indicated that RC24 was transferred into 17 transformants obtained from bombardment of 1,684 immature embryos. Integration of RC24 was confirmed by Southern blot with a RC24-labeled probe and expression of RC24 was verified by RT-PCR. Nine transgenic T₁ lines exhibited enhanced resistance to stripe rust infection with lines XN8 and BF4 showing the highest level of resistance. Southern blot hybridization confirmed the stable inheritance of RC24 in transgenic T₁ plants. Resistance to stripe rust in transgenic T₂ and T₃ XN8 and BF4 plants was confirmed over two consecutive years in the field. Increased yield (27–36 %) was recorded for transgenic T₂ and T₃ XN8 and BF4 plants compared to controls. These results suggest that rice class I chitinase RC24 can be used to engineer stripe rust resistance in wheat.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of a folate-targeted rhaponticin conjugate

To improve the therapeutic effect of rhaponticin (RHA), a folate receptor (FR) targeted RHA conjugate was synthesized by utilizing a hydrophilic peptide spacer linked to folic acid (FA) via a releasable disulfide linker. This water-soluble conjugate was found to retain high affinity for FR-positive cells, and it produced specific, dose-responsive activity in vitro. Treatment of FRHA with a reducing agent indicated that the amino-reactive derivative of RHA would be released spontaneously following disulfide bond reduction within the endosomes. FRHA also proved to be active predominantly specific against FR-positive syngeneic and xenograft models in vivo, and possible curative activity resulted with minimal to moderate toxicity. The FRHA conjugate greatly enhanced the therapeutic effects and reduced the toxicity of RHA. In conclusion, FRHA represents a folate-targeted chemotherapeutic that can produce potent activity against established sc tumors. Hence, this report has a great significance in pharmacology and clinical medicine as well as methodology.     

The discovery of colchicine-SAHA hybrids as a new class of antitumor agents

A novel class of colchicine-SAHA hybrids were designed and synthesised based on the synergistic antitumor effect of tubulin inhibitors and histone deacetylases (HDAC) inhibitors. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first design of molecules that are dual inhibitors of tubulin and HDAC. Biological evaluations of these compounds included the inhibitory activity of HDAC, in vitro cell cycle analysis in BEL-7402 cells as well as cytotoxicity in five cancer cell lines.     

岩溶区不同植被下土壤水溶解无机碳含量及其稳定碳同位素组成特征

自2010年7月至2011年7月对重庆青木关岩溶区典型植被下的土壤水进行了月动态取样,分析了土壤水溶解无机碳含量(DIC浓度)及其稳定碳同位素组成(δ13CDIC值)的时空变化特征,以揭示岩溶土壤系统碳酸盐岩溶蚀作用及其碳汇效应。研究结果表明:草地和针叶林地土壤水的DIC浓度和δ13CDIC值相对较低,分别为59.12 mg/L和-17.22‰,31.47 mg/L和-16.37‰;而旱地、灌丛地、退耕还林地土壤水具有较高的DIC浓度和δ13CDIC值,分别达153.88 mg/L和-12.2‰,221.82 mg/L和-11.9‰,97.30 mg/L和-11.23‰,其中灌丛和退耕还林地的δ13CDIC值与DIC浓度呈正比,且雨季较旱季偏高约4‰—5‰。根据δ13CDIC值,结合各植被类型下土壤水DIC浓度与其相应的土壤碳酸盐含量呈正相关,判断旱地、灌丛地、退耕还林地等岩溶土壤水中的DIC主要来自土壤中碳酸盐岩矿物的碳酸溶蚀,即岩溶土壤中存在着碳酸盐岩碳酸溶蚀作用,从而在一定程度上减少了土壤系统向大气排放的CO2量。     

分子马达生物传感器检测食源性轮状病毒

通过分子马达生物传感器技术建立一种特异、便捷、快速的食源性轮状病毒检测方法.以F0F1-ATPase为核心构建分子马达,以轮状病毒保守片段VP7设计各血清型通用探针,通过生物素-亲和素系统将探针与分子马达连接构建F0F1-ATPase分子马达检测装置.提取病毒RNA并将其与生物传感器结合的同时启动ATP合成,比较其荧光强度的差别,可以对样品中的RNA进行检测.此方法的病毒RNA检测灵敏度为0.005 ng/mL,对轮状病毒检测特异,与甲肝病毒、诺如病毒无交叉反应,在1h内即可完成检测.运用此方法随机检测15份样品,检测结果与RT-PCR一致.结果表明,分子马达生物传感器检测轮状病毒的方法灵敏、特异,可用于食源性轮状病毒的快速检测.