Extension of cell membrane boosting squalene production in the engineered Escherichia coli

Squalene is a lipophilic and non-volatile triterpene with many industrial applications for food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Metabolic engineering focused on optimization of the production pathway suffer from little success in improving titers because of a limited space of the cell membrane accommodating the lipophilic product. Extension of cell membrane would be a promising approach to overcome the storage limitation for successful production of squalene. In this study, Escherichia coli was engineered for squalene production by overexpression of some membrane proteins. The highest production of 612 mg/L was observed in the engineered E. coli with overexpression of Tsr, a serine chemoreceptor protein, which induced invagination of inner membrane to form multilayered structure. It was also observed an increase in unsaturated fatty acid in membrane lipids composition, suggesting cellular response to maintain membrane fluidity against squalene accumulation in the engineered strain. This study potentiates the capability of E. coli for squalene production and provides an effective strategy for the enhanced production of such compounds.     

The complete sequence of the rice (Oryza sativa) chloroplast genome: intermolecular recombination between distinct tRNA genes accounts for a major plastid DNA inversion during the evolution of the cereals

Summary The entire chloroplast genome of the monocot rice (Oryza sativa) has been sequenced and comprises 134525 bp. Predicted genes have been identified along with open reading frames (ORFs) conserved between rice and the previously sequenced chloroplast genomes, a dicot, tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), and a liverwort (Marchantia polymorpha). The same complement of 30 tRNA and 4 rRNA genes has been conserved between rice and tobacco. Most ORFs extensively conserved betweenN. tabacum andM. polymorpha are also conserved intact in rice. However, several such ORFs are entirely absent in rice, or present only in severely truncated form. Structural changes are also apparent in the genome relative to tobacco. The inverted repeats, characteristic of chloroplast genome structure, have expanded outward to include several genes present only once per genome in tobacco and liverwort and the large single copy region has undergone a series of inversions which predate the divergence of the cereals. A chimeric tRNA pseudogene overlaps an apparent endpoint of the largest inversion, and a model invoking illegitimate recombination between tRNA genes is proposed which accounts simultaneously for the origin of this pseudogene, the large inversion and the creation of repeated sequences near the inversion endpoints.     

Hot spot of recombination within DXS164 in the Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene.

The DMD gene, which spans more than 2,000 kbp, has been assigned to band Xp21 of the X chromosome. Two subclones (PERT 87-1 and PERT 87-15) of the intragenic locus DXS164 physically are separated by approximately 60 kbp. Linkage studies were done in 49 informative DMD families by using the LINKAGE program. Crossing-over between the loci studied occurred in four families. A recombination rate of 4% (support interval [Zmax-1] 1%-10%), which was 54 (support interval 14-135-fold) times higher than expected, was found with a maximum lod score of 13.50. These data suggest a hot spot for recombination within DXS164.     

脑片诱发电位计算机处理系统及其使用实例

用计算机处理脑片诱发电位可大大提高数据处理效率和信息提取率,并使大量、连续观察成为可能,本系统数据采集板与计算机之间采用DMA方式进行数据传送,包括采样子程序在内的全部处理程序均用高级BASIC语言编写,文中介绍了该程序各项功能和有关编程技巧以及海马脑片实验中的应用实例。     

电针、吗啡镇痛和耐受时某些脑区线粒体结合钙的变化

采用 Tb~(3+)荧光探针和离子选择电极研究了电针和吗啡镇痛及镇痛耐受时,动物不同脑区游离 Ca~(2+)和线粒体膜结合 Ca~(2+)的变化。实验结果表明,电针和吗啡都有较强的镇痛作用,与此同时,导水管周围灰质和下丘脑的线粒体膜结合 Ca~(2+)升高。脑室内预注钌红,则能降低这两个脑区的线粒体膜结合 Ca~(2+)和痛阈。另一方面,在电针或吗啡耐受时,两脑区的游离 Ca~(2+)浓度增加,线粒体膜结合 Ca~(2+)降低。结果提示,神经细胞质膜内外 Ca~(2+)的移动可能在电针和吗啡镇痛中起某种调节作用。     

Biochemical Mapping of Peptidyl-Glycine α-Amidation Activity in the Rat CNS

Peptidyl-glycine alpha-amidation enzyme activity has been measured in 36 nuclei or areas in the rat CNS and pituitary using D-Tyr-Phe-Gly as the substrate. The distribution of this enzyme is highly uneven, with highest activity levels (greater than 30 pmol/mg of protein/h) in hypothalamic nuclei, substantia grisea centralis, and nucleus ruber; moderate activity levels (10-30 pmol/mg of protein/h) in globus pallidus, septum, midbrain, pons, medulla oblongata, and cervical spinal cord; and low activity levels (1-10 pmol/mg of protein/h) in other telencephalic and thalamic structures. Almost no alpha-amidation activity (less than 0.5 pmol/mg of protein/h) was detected in cerebellar cortex. The Km values in several brain regions are of the same order.     

钙调素抑制剂——三氟拉嗪对肿瘤细胞增殖和微管组装的影响

本文用钙调素抑制剂——三氟拉嗪处理人胃癌MGC-803细胞,用免疫荧光细胞化学方法,放射免疫法和速流荧光分析等方法研究了钙调素对细胞增殖,环核苷酸代谢及微管组装,有丝分裂等细胞功能的调节作用。实验结果表明,TFP明显地抑制了人胃癌细胞的增殖,这种抑制增殖的作用,具有剂量和时间依赖关系,细胞群体中G_1期细胞增多,S期细胞下降,DNA合成明显地受到抑制。TFP处理的胃癌细胞仅在短时间内(5'-30')cAMP含量升高,cGMP浓度降低,cAMP/ ??cGMP比值比对照组高4.4倍,但此后环核苷酸含量又很快恢复到对照组水平。本实验还观察到TFP处理后的MGC-803细胞胞质铺展,细胞形态的改变与胞质微管的分布有密切联系,实验结果表明TFP加强了人胃癌细胞MTOC对微管的组装能力,使微管分布得到恢复,微管纤维呈放射状延伸到细胞边缘,充满胞浆,使细胞呈现出展平的多边形,趋向于正常上皮细胞形态的变化,本实验结果表明TFP抑制癌细胞增殖及使微管组装加强可能是通过对CaM活性的抑制作用。此结果有助于说明转化细胞内钙调素的变化,可能是与转化细胞增殖失控和胞质微管消退有关。     

用核酸斑点杂交法比较油桐尺蠖核型多角体病毒与某些昆虫杆状病毒的同源性

有关核型多角体病毒基因同源性的研究报道不多,结果也不甚一致。目前,国内外普遍用SDS-PAGE法分析昆虫杆状病毒结构多肽,以限制性内切酶谱法测定基因组大小,借此区分来自不同宿主的病毒株,和基因组密切相关     

韦氏鳞(虫八)的精子结构(双尾目)

韦氏鳞(虫八)(Lepidocampa weberi)精子为细长的鞭毛精子,成束排列成精索。顶体由三层结构组成;核圆柱形,接于顶体后;鞭毛轴丝微管式为“9+9+2”,9条副微管排列不整齐,集中于轴丝的一侧;两条细长的线粒体衍生物位于顶体、核与轴丝之间,贯穿于精子中部;精子尾部围有大量片层结构。结果表明韦氏鳞(虫八)精子与康(虫八)精子较为接近,但可能比康(虫八)精子更为特化。