A synaptic model for pain: long-term potentiation in the anterior cingulate cortex

Investigation of molecular and cellular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity is the major focus of many neuroscientists. There are two major reasons for searching new genes and molecules contributing to central plasticity: first, it provides basic neural mechanism for learning and memory, a key function of the brain; second, it provides new targets for treating brain-related disease. Long-term potentiation (LTP), mostly intensely studies in the hippocampus and amygdala, is proposed to be a cellular model for learning and memory. Although it remains difficult to understand the roles of LTP in hippocampus-related memory, a role of LTP in fear, a simplified form of memory, has been established. Here, I will review recent cellular studies of LTP in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and then compare studies in vivo and in vitro LTP by genetic/ pharmacological approaches. I propose that ACC LTP may serve as a cellular model for studying central sensitization that related to chronic pain, as well as pain-related cognitive emotional disorders. Understanding signaling pathways related to ACC LTP may help us to identify novel drug target for various mental disorders.     

Selective knockdown of AT1 receptors by RNA interference inhibits Val5-ANG II endocytosis and NHE-3 expression in immortalized rabbit proximal tubule cells

Receptor-mediated endocytosis of extracellular ANG II has been suggested to play an important role in the regulation of proximal tubule cell (PTC) function. Using immortalized rabbit PTCs as an in vitro cell culture model, we tested the hypothesis that extracellular ANG II is taken up by PTCs through angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT₁; or AT_1a) receptor-mediated endocytosis and that inhibition of ANG II endocytosis using a selective AT₁ receptor small-interfering RNA (siRNA; AT₁R siRNA) or endocytotic inhibitors exerts a physiological effect on total and apical sodium and hydrogen exchanger isoform 3 (NHE-3) protein abundance. Western blots and live cell imaging with FITC-labeled ANG II confirmed that transfection of PTCs with a human specific AT₁R siRNA for 48 h selectively knocked down AT₁ receptor protein by 76 ± 5% (P < 0.01), whereas transfection with a scrambled siRNA had little effect. In nontransfected PTCs, exposure to extracellular ANG II (1 nM) for 60 min at 37°C increased intracellular ANG II accumulation by 67% (control: 566 ± 55 vs. ANG II: 943 ± 160 pg/mg protein, P < 0.05) and induced mitogen-activated protein kinase extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 phosphorylation (163 ± 15% of control, P < 0.01). AT₁R siRNA reduced ANG II endocytosis to a level similar to losartan, which blocks cell surface AT₁ receptors (557 ± 37 pg/mg protein, P < 0.05 vs. ANG II), or to colchicine, which disrupts cytoskeleton microtubules (613 ± 12 pg/mg protein, P < 0.05 vs. ANG II). AT₁R siRNA, losartan, and colchicine all attenuated ANG II-induced ERK1/2 activation and total cell lysate and apical membrane NHE-3 abundance. The scrambled siRNA had no effect on ANG II endocytosis, ERK1/2 activation, or NHE-3 expression. These results suggest that AT₁ receptor-mediated endocytosis of extracellular ANG II may regulate proximal tubule sodium transport by increasing total and apical NHE-3 proteins. extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2; kidney; sodium transport; receptor internalization; ribonucleic acid interference     

异翅负蝗配子发生过程中c-kit蛋白表达动态

应用免疫组织化学和生物统计分析相结合的方法,对异翅负蝗Atractomorp haheteroptera Bei Bienko配子发生过程中c-kit特异表达特点和动态进行研究。结果表明,(1)精子发生过程中,精原细胞、初级精母细胞、次级精母细胞和成熟精子中均有不同程度的c-kit蛋白表达,精巢末端还有较粗大的阳性颗粒分布;(2)卵子发生过程中,第1~6阶段卵母细胞中有不同程度的c-kit蛋白特异性表达,但随着卵黄发生的开始逐渐消失;(3)此外,滤泡细胞、输卵管和受精囊的腺细胞中有c-kit蛋白颗粒的存在;(4)从c-kit蛋白季节动态变化看,精子发生和卵子发生中的阳性表达都随着时间的延续出现下降的态势。因此,c-kit蛋白的特异性表达提示该蛋白参与配子发生过程的阶段性调控,具有重要的生理作用。     

Metabolic engineering of Escherichia coli for efficient osmotic stress-free production of compatible solute hydroxyectoine

Compatible solutes are key for the ability of halophilic bacteria to resist high osmotic stress. They have received wide attention from researchers for their excellent osmotic protection properties. Hydroxyectoine is a particularly important compatible solute, but its production by microbes faces several challenges, including low titer/yield, the presence of the byproduct ectoine, and the requirement of high salinity. Here, we aimed to metabolically engineer Escherichia coli to efficiently produce hydroxyectoine in the absence of osmotic stress without accumulating the byproduct ectoine. First, combinatorial optimization of the expression strength of key genes in the ectoine synthesis module and hydroxyectoine synthesis module was conducted. After optimization of the expression of these genes, 12.12 g/L hydroxyectoine and 0.24 g/L ectoine were obtained at 36 h in shake-flask fermentation with the addition of the co-substrate α-ketoglutarate. Further optimization of the addition of α-ketoglutarate achieved the sole production of hydroxyectoine (i.e., no ectoine accumulation), indicating that the supply of α-ketoglutarate is critically important for sole hydroxyectoine production. Finally, quorum sensing-based auto-regulation of intracellular α-ketoglutarate pool was implemented as an alternative to α-ketoglutarate addition by coupling the expression of sucA with the esaI/esaR circuit, which led to 14.93 g/L hydroxyectoine with a unit cell yield of 1.678 g/g and no ectoine accumulation in the absence of osmotic stress. This is the highest reported titer of sole hydroxyectoine production under salinity-free fermentation to date.     

多囊蛋白2对低频脉冲电磁场促进成骨细胞分化成熟的影响北大核心CSCD

已知低频脉冲电磁场(pulsed electromagnetic fields,PEMFs)可以促进体外培养大鼠颅骨成骨细胞(rat calvarial osteoblasts,ROBs)的分化成熟,但ROBs感知PEMFs物理信号并启动成骨性分化的机制至今不明。本研究探究了0.6 mT 50 Hz PEMFs促进ROBs成骨性分化与位于ROBs表面的初级纤毛上的多囊蛋白2(polycystin2,PC2)的关系。首先用免疫荧光染色法研究了PC2是否位于ROBs初级纤毛内,然后通过Western blotting检测了经PEMFs处理不同时间后,ROBs内PC2蛋白表达的变化情况。接着用PC2阻断剂盐酸阿米洛利(amiloride HCl,AMI)预处理ROBs,检测碱性磷酸酶(alkline phosphatase,ALP)活性和PC2蛋白表达受PEMFs处理的影响情况,以及与骨形成相关的Runx-2、Bmp-2、Col-1、Osx的蛋白及基因表达的变化情况。再用RNA干扰法抑制ROBs内PC2的表达后,检测与骨形成相关基因表达情况。结果发现,PC2被定位于ROBs初级纤毛上,PEMFs处理增加了PC2蛋白表达量。PC2被AMI阻断后,PEMFs不再能提高PC2蛋白表达水平及ALP活性,PEMFs对成骨相关蛋白和基因表达的促进作用也被抵消。使用RNA干扰法抑制PC2的表达后,PEMFs也不再能提高骨形成相关基因的表达。结果表明:存在于成骨细胞初级纤毛表面的PC2在感知并传递PEMFs发出的物理信号中扮演着不可或缺的角色,PEMFs促进ROBs成骨性分化依赖于PC2的存在。本研究为阐明低频脉冲电磁场促进骨形成及治疗骨质疏松的机制研究奠定了基础。     

马铃薯杂种无性株系的SSR鉴定及花粉育性和染色体构型分析

为明确马铃薯‘MB09’ב陇薯7号’杂种F1无性株系在DNA和细胞遗传学水平上的差异,该试验以亲本材料为对照,利用SSR分子标记技术对其20个优良无性株系(F1无性系一代)的DNA指纹特征进行分析,并采用常规制片镜检方法对已选出的8个杂种优良株系(F1无性系二代)的花粉育性及花粉母细胞减数分裂中期Ⅰ(PMCMⅠ)的染色体配对构型进行了研究,为马铃薯杂交新品系选育提供分子细胞遗传学依据。结果显示:(1)试验共筛选出2对SSR特异引物C57和S25,通过PCR扩增建立了能识别出这20个杂种株系及其双亲的SSR指纹图。(2)杂种优异株系F1-1、F1-2、F1-7、F1-11、F1-13、F1-14、F1-15和F1-20的花粉可育率变幅为36.73%~87.08%,并以株系F1-7最高(87.08%),而且显著超过高亲(83.33%),说明各优良株系花粉育性有一定差异。(3)对8个优异株系花粉母细胞的PMCMⅠ观察发现,各优良株系的染色体配对构型明显不同,均包括单价体、二价体、三价体和四价体4类,其中二价体构型的比例最高,其介于49.13%~82.91%之间,其中以株系F1-7的二价体比例最高(82.91%)。该研究明确了20个马铃薯杂种优良株系的SSR指纹特征和8个优异株系的花粉育性及染色体配对构型差异。     

香蕉肉桂醇脱氢酶基因的克隆及表达分析

肉桂醇脱氢酶(CAD)在木质素合成过程中起关键作用。通过RACE(rapid-amplification of cDNA ends)方法从香蕉根系cDNA均一化全长文库中获得一个肉桂醇脱氢酶基因,命名为MaCAD1(GenBank登录号为KF582533)。MaCAD1是香蕉MYB基因编码框全长cDNA,包含一个1 077bp的最大开放阅读框(ORF),编码358个氨基酸。蛋白质序列同源比对发现,其含有完整的醇脱氧酶的典型保守结构域,属于典型的CAD蛋白。系统进化树比对分析表明,MaCAD1与水稻OsCAD6(CAD39907)的亲缘关系较近。组织特异性研究表明MaCAD1基因组成型表达于香蕉各个组织。在耐病和感病品种中,MaCAD1均上调表达,但在耐病品种中MaCAD1在所有时间点相对于对照增加的倍数均高于感病品种,表明MaCAD1基因在香蕉的抗病性中起着重要作用,MaCAD1可以作为一个新的响应枯萎病侵染的标记基因。     

香蕉类甜蛋白基因MaTLP1的克隆与表达分析

在香蕉EST文库中,通过RACE技术克隆到1个香蕉类甜蛋白基因的全长序列。该序列最大开放阅读框942 bp,编码313个氨基酸。Blast分析发现,它与其他类甜蛋白相似度为56.10%,含有类甜蛋白（TLPs）特有的保守结构域,命名为MaTLP1。系统进化树表明,MaTLP1基因编码蛋白与海枣的亲缘关系较近,与香蕉的进化模式相似。组织特异性分析表明,MaTLP1在根、球茎、假茎中的表达量高,叶中较弱,花和果实中微量表达。实时荧光定量PCR分析显示,在抗病香蕉品种中,接种尖孢镰刀菌古巴专化型(Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.cubense,Foc)枯萎病菌后MaTLP1基因上调表达,在感病香蕉品种接菌2 d后MaTLP1基因受到抑制,虽然在接菌4 d 后上调表达,但是相对于抗病品种上调较小。研究表明,MaTLP1基因可能在香蕉抗枯萎病的过程中起作用。