谷氨酸棒杆菌ilvE基因的敲除对相关氨基酸合成的影响

L-缬氨酸是谷氨酸棒杆菌SYPS-062发酵生产L-丝氨酸的主要副产物.为减少L-缬氨酸的积累,利用基因重组技术敲除SYPS-062转氨酶B编码基因ilvE内部的987 bp核苷酸序列,构建了ilvE基因缺失突变株SYPS-062△ilvE.研究表明,重组菌ilvE基因的缺失直接导致了分支氨基酸(Val、Ile、Leu)的合成能力的降低,影响了菌体的生长,其中Ile成为生长限制性因子,在培养基中添加分支氨基酸能明显促进其生长.重组菌培养96 h,发酵液中L-缬氨酸含量低于0.5 g/L,与出发菌株相比,其生成率降低90％.     

硫酸乙酰肝素3-O硫酸基转移酶5的表达、纯化及酶学性质研究

经过PCR克隆得到硫酸乙酰肝素3-O硫酸基转移酶5(3-OST-5)的基因,将其与大肠杆菌表达载体pET-15b连接后,在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中诱导表达,使用镍亲和层析柱纯化得到具有活性的3-OST-5。经测定纯化后的3-OST-5比活达到0.58 U/mg,是纯化前的5.27倍,回收率达80.4%。在此基础上,研究了该酶的酶学性质,酶反应的最适温度为35℃,稳定范围为20-40℃;最适pH为7.0,在pH7.0-9.0范围内稳定。在反应液中加入终浓度为1 mmol/L的K+、Ca2+、Ba2+对酶促反应有一定的促进作用。     

乳果糖联合美常安治疗成人功能性便秘的临床疗效观察

目的 观察乳果糖联合美常安(枯草杆菌肠球菌二联活菌)治疗成人功能性便秘的疗效及安全性.方法 采用随机分组、平行对照试验.按入选标准选择成人便秘患者64例,随机进入试验组和对照组,每组均为32例.试验组服用乳果糖15 mL bid和美常安500 mg tid;对照组服用乳果糖15 mL bid,疗程2周.观察排便次数、大便性状及便秘伴随症状的变化.结果 试验组48 h首次排便率(78.12％)明显高于对照组(53.33％)(P＜0.05);试验组平均每周排便次数明显高于对照组(P＜0.01);治疗后试验组和对照组大便恢复正常率分别为87.50％和60.00％(P＜0.05),试验组腹胀缓解率(84.00％)及排便困难缓解率(92.59％)均明显高于对照组(56.52％和65.38％)(均为P ＜0.05);试验组总有效率(93.75％)明显高于对照组(73.33％)(P＜0.05);两组均无严重不良反应发生.结论 乳果糖联合美常安治疗成人功能性便秘比单纯应用乳果糖治疗症状改善快、效果好、安全.     

人胰高糖素样肽-1及其突变体在大肠杆菌BL21中的表达与生物活性研究

以人胰高糖素样肽-1（human glucagons-like peptide-1,GLP-1））为研究对象,以克隆载体pPblu2SKP/（GLP-1A2G）2基因为模板,利用PCR扩增获得GLP-1与其突变体GLP-1A2G的编码基因,并将其插入原核表达质粒pGEX-4T-1中,利用氯化钙法将其转入表达宿主大肠杆菌（Escherichia coli）BL21（DE3）中诱导表达,经IPTG诱导后,收集菌体。菌体经超声破碎后,裂解液用GST亲和层析纯化得到融合蛋白,经凝血酶酶解,用Superdex G-75凝胶层析,得到GLP-1及其突变体GLP-1A2G的样品,经SDS-PAGE电泳测定,样品纯度〉90%。小鼠糖耐量试验表明,相对于空白对照组而言,GLP-1及其突变体GLP-1A2G可以明显地控制血糖的水平,两者的生物活性并无明显差异。由于突变体GLP-1A2G较GLP-1可以更加有效的抵制DPPⅣ的降解,提示突变体GLP-1A2G较GLP-1在白蛋白融合或PEG修饰等方面具有更大的优势。     

RXLR-mediated entry of Phytophthora sojae effector Avr1b into soybean cells does not require pathogen-encoded machinery

Effector proteins secreted by oomycete and fungal pathogens have been inferred to enter host cells, where they interact with host resistance gene products. Using the effector protein Avr1b of Phytophthora sojae, an oomycete pathogen of soybean (Glycine max), we show that a pair of sequence motifs, RXLR and dEER, plus surrounding sequences, are both necessary and sufficient to deliver the protein into plant cells. Particle bombardment experiments demonstrate that these motifs function in the absence of the pathogen, indicating that no additional pathogen-encoded machinery is required for effector protein entry into host cells. Furthermore, fusion of the Avr1b RXLR-dEER domain to green fluorescent protein (GFP) allows GFP to enter soybean root cells autonomously. The conclusion that RXLR and dEER serve to transduce oomycete effectors into host cells indicates that the >370 RXLR-dEER-containing proteins encoded in the genome sequence of P. sojae are candidate effectors. We further show that the RXLR and dEER motifs can be replaced by the closely related erythrocyte targeting signals found in effector proteins of Plasmodium, the protozoan that causes malaria in humans. Mutational analysis of the RXLR motif shows that the required residues are very similar in the motifs of Plasmodium and Phytophthora. Thus, the machinery of the hosts (soybean and human) targeted by the effectors may be very ancient.     

Effects of vanadium-containing compounds on membrane lipids and on microdomains used in receptor-mediated signaling

There is increasing evidence for the involvement of plasma membrane microdomains in insulin receptor function. Moreover, disruption of these structures, which are typically enriched in sphingomyelin and cholesterol, results in insulin resistance. Treatment strategies for insulin resistance include the use of vanadium (V) compounds which have been shown in animal models to enhance insulin responsiveness. One possible mechanism for insulin-enhancing effects might involve direct effects of V compounds on membrane lipid organization. These changes in lipid organization promote the partitioning of insulin receptors and other receptors into membrane microdomains where receptors are optimally functional. To explore this possibility, we have used several strategies involving V complexes such as [VO(2)(dipic)](-) (pyridin-2,6-dicarboxylatodioxovanadium(V)), decavanadate (V(10)O(28)(6-), V(10)), BMOV (bis(maltolato)oxovanadium(IV)), and [VO(saltris)](2) (2-salicylideniminato-2-(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-dihydroxypropane-oxovanadium(V)). Our strategies include an evaluation of interactions between V-containing compounds and model lipid systems, an evaluation of the effects of V compounds on lipid fluidity in erythrocyte membranes, and studies of the effects of V-containing compounds on signaling events initiated by receptors known to use membrane microdomains as signaling platforms.     

Halothiobacillus neapolitanus carboxysomes sequester heterologous and chimeric RubisCO species

Background

The carboxysome is a bacterial microcompartment that consists of a polyhedral protein shell filled with ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO), the enzyme that catalyzes the first step of CO₂ fixation via the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle.

Methodology/Principal Findings

To analyze the role of RubisCO in carboxysome biogenesis in vivo we have created a series of Halothiobacillus neapolitanus RubisCO mutants. We identified the large subunit of the enzyme as an important determinant for its sequestration into α-carboxysomes and found that the carboxysomes of H. neapolitanus readily incorporate chimeric and heterologous RubisCO species. Intriguingly, a mutant lacking carboxysomal RubisCO assembles empty carboxysome shells of apparently normal shape and composition.

Conclusions/Significance

These results indicate that carboxysome shell architecture is not determined by the enzyme they normally sequester. Our study provides, for the first time, clear evidence that carboxysome contents can be manipulated and suggests future nanotechnological applications that are based upon engineered protein microcompartments.     

Gold complexes as prospective metal-based anticancer drugs

Medical and therapeutic value of gold has been recognized thousands of years ago, but its rational use in medicine has not begun until the early 1920s. Cisplatin is one of the first metal-containing compounds with anti-cancer activity discovered in the 1960s. Despite the fact that cisplatin treatment is efficient for several types of solid tumors, its effectiveness is limited by toxic side effects and tumor resistance that often leads to the occurrence of secondary malignancies. Since gold(III) is isoelectronic with platinum(II) and tetracoordinate gold(III) complexes have the same square-planar geometries as cisplatin, the anticancer activity of gold(III) compounds has been investigated. Previous studies suggested that, in contrast to cisplatin, gold complexes target proteins but not DNA. Recently, we have investigated gold(III) dithiocarbamates for their anticancer activity and showed that their primary target is the proteasome. Treatment of human breast tumor-bearing nude mice with a gold(III) dithiocarbamate complex resulted in significant inhibition of tumor growth, associated with proteasome inhibition and massive apoptosis induction in vivo. Better understanding of physiological processing of gold compounds will provide a rational basis for their further development into novel anticancer drugs.