Sympathetic neuron can promote osteoblast differentiation through BMP signaling pathway

Communication between sympathetic neurons and osteoblasts through the adrenergic receptor pathway has already been reported. To investigate whether the sympathetic neurons have a direct effect on osteoblast differentiation, an in vitro Transwell coculture system was established in which osteoblasts were cocultured with sympathetic neurons with no cell-to-cell contact. The expression of osteogenesis-related genes was upregulated in osteoblasts cocultured with sympathetic neurons. Meanwhile, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) mRNA and protein expressions were detected in sympathetic neurons, and BMP secretion from sympathetic neurons was also confirmed. However, transfection with BMP-2 and/or BMP-6 siRNA in sympathetic neurons caused a down-regulation of osteogenesis-related genes in the cocultured osteoblasts. Sympathetic neurons promoted osteoblast differentiation through BMP signaling pathway, implying that the integrity of sympathetic neurons was important for optimal bone formation and remodeling.     

Structure of the Type VI Effector-Immunity Complex (Tae4-Tai4) Provides Novel Insights into the Inhibition Mechanism of the Effector by Its Immunity Protein

The type VI secretion system (T6SS), a multisubunit needle-like apparatus, has recently been found to play a role in interspecies interactions. The Gram-negative bacteria harboring T6SS (donor) deliver the effectors into their neighboring cells (recipient) to kill them. Meanwhile, the cognate immunity proteins were employed to protect the donor cells against the toxic effectors. Tae4 (type VI amidase effector 4) and Tai4 (type VI amidase immunity 4) are newly identified T6SS effector-immunity pairs. Here, we report the crystal structures of Tae4 from Enterobacter cloacae and Tae4-Tai4 complexes from both E. cloacae and Salmonella typhimurium. Tae4 acts as a dl-endopeptidase and displays a typical N1pC/P60 domain. Unlike Tsi1 (type VI secretion immunity 1), Tai4 is an all-helical protein and forms a dimer in solution. The small angle x-ray scattering study combined with the analytical ultracentrifugation reveal that the Tae4-Tai4 complex is a compact heterotetramer that consists of a Tai4 dimer and two Tae4 molecules in solution. Structure-based mutational analysis of the Tae4-Tai4 interface shows that a helix (α3) of one subunit in dimeric Tai4 plays a major role in binding of Tae4, whereas a protruding loop (L4) in the other subunit is mainly responsible for inhibiting Tae4 activity. The inhibition process requires collaboration between the Tai4 dimer. These results reveal a novel and unique inhibition mechanism in effector-immunity pairs and suggest a new strategy to develop antipathogen drugs.     

荒漠破碎化生境中长爪沙鼠集合种群野外验证研究

近年来,人类活动和自然干扰,导致内蒙古阿拉善荒漠区生境的破碎化,出现了长爪沙鼠在不同斑块间的不连续分布,每一斑块内可能存在一个局域种群,而集合种群建立的前提条件,是局域种群斑块状分布在离散的栖息地环境中。2002~2012年每年的4~10月,在阿拉善荒漠区禁牧、轮牧、过牧和开垦4种人为不同利用方式形成的生境斑块中,采用标志重捕法对长爪沙鼠（Meriones unguiculatus）种群进行定点监测。通过分析长爪沙鼠种群动态,计算各局域种群的灭绝风险,利用Spearman秩相关系数检验种群动态的空间同步性,同时以种群周转率对长爪沙鼠扩散能力进行评估,以检验阿拉善荒漠区长爪沙鼠种群空间结构是否具有经典集合种群的功能。结果表明：（1） 不同生境斑块可被长爪沙鼠局域种群占据,11年间捕获长爪沙鼠2~7次不等;（2） 长爪沙鼠所有局域种群均具有灭绝风险,在轮牧区和禁牧区灭绝率高达1.000 0,开垦区灭绝率最低,也达到0.333 4,而本研究期间最大局域种群（2008年过牧区,26只/hm²）,在2010年发生了局域灭绝;（3） 不同生境斑块间没有明显的空间隔离而阻碍局域种群的重新建立,长爪沙鼠扩散能力较强,绝大部分月份的种群周转率在50.0%以上,特别是周转率达到100.0%的月份较多;（4） 不同生境斑块间仅轮牧区和禁牧区中长爪沙鼠种群密度显著正相关（P<0.05）,而其他生境斑块间相关性均不显著（P >0.05）,长爪沙鼠局域种群整体显示出明显的非同步空间动态。阿拉善荒漠区长爪沙鼠种群满足作为经典集合种群物种区域续存的4个条件,具有作为研究小哺乳动物集合种群的潜在价值。     

一株产纤溶酶菌株的分离、鉴定及其酶活特征的初步研究

[目的]分离筛选并鉴定产纤溶酶的菌株.[方法]采用血粉培养基富集,琼脂糖-纤维蛋白平板筛选,从自然界中分离筛选出一株产纤溶活性物质的菌株.通过形态学特征、生理生化特征研究,并结合16S rRNA基因序列分析及分子系统发育树的构建结果,确定菌株的种类.[结果]从自然界分离筛到一株产纤溶酶的菌株EF608,经鉴定该菌株为粪肠球菌(Enterococcus faecalis). SDS-PAGE和纤维蛋白自显影表明该纤溶酶的分子量为37 kD,最适反应温度和pH分别为35℃和7.5,EDTA能完全抑制其纤溶活性,而PMSF对其活性无抑制作用.菌株EF608发酵液不仅可以直接水解纤维蛋白,而且具有体外溶栓的作用,对血红细胞没有溶解作用.[结论]筛选到一株具有纤溶活性的粪肠球菌——EF608,为获取新型纤溶酶提供了一种的新的菌源.     

磷石膏浸提液对豌豆种子生理及幼苗生长的影响

利用不同浓度的磷石膏浸提液处理豌豆种子,测定豌豆种子淀粉酶活性、可溶性糖、种子生命力、吲哚乙酸含量、吲哚乙酸氧化酶活性和发芽率、苗高、植株鲜重。结果表明:磷石膏浸提液处理后,豌豆种子可溶性糖含量和吲哚乙酸含量分别比对照增加6.7%～43.3%和9.4%～40.8%。豌豆幼芽中α-淀粉酶活性和吲哚乙酸氧化酶活性分别比对照高出8%～64%和15.2%～30.9%;发芽率、苗高和植株鲜重分别比对照提高10%以上。表明磷石膏能促进豌豆萌发和生长。     

槲皮素诱导Hep G2自噬与胞内游离Ca2+浓度的变化相关

槲皮素具有诱导细胞自噬、抑制肿瘤细胞增殖等抗癌功能,但其诱导细胞自噬的分子机制还不太清楚. 本文通过激光共聚焦显微镜观察槲皮素对Hep G2细胞自噬的影响; Fluo-3 AM和Cyto-IDTM Green Detection Reagent染色标记, 流式细胞术测定了槲皮素对Hep G2细胞内游离钙离子浓度［Ca2+］_i 及Ca2＋螯合剂BAPTA-AM对自噬水平的影响. 探讨了槲皮素诱导人肝癌细胞 Hep G2自噬过程中［Ca2+］i的变化. 结果表明, 在槲皮素较低浓度范围内(0 ～ 50 μg/mL), 可明显抑制Hep G2细胞增殖, 并以剂量依赖方式诱导细胞自噬. 同时发现,槲皮素刺激Hep G2细胞可使［Ca2+］i明显增加, 进而促进自噬. 而当胞内Ca2＋螯合剂 BAPTA-AM存在时, 细胞的自噬水平受到一定的抑制. 这些结果表明,细胞内［Ca2+］i的升高可促进自噬, ［Ca2+］_i 的降低可能会抑制自噬. Hep G2细胞自噬与细胞内游离钙离子浓度的变化有关系.     

Plant Trait-Species Abundance Relationships Vary with Environmental Properties in Subtropical Forests in Eastern China

Understanding how plant trait-species abundance relationships change with a range of single and multivariate environmental properties is crucial for explaining species abundance and rarity. In this study, the abundance of 94 woody plant species was examined and related to 15 plant leaf and wood traits at both local and landscape scales involving 31 plots in subtropical forests in eastern China. Further, plant trait-species abundance relationships were related to a range of single and multivariate (PCA axes) environmental properties such as air humidity, soil moisture content, soil temperature, soil pH, and soil organic matter, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) contents. At the landscape scale, plant maximum height, and twig and stem wood densities were positively correlated, whereas mean leaf area (MLA), leaf N concentration (LN), and total leaf area per twig size (TLA) were negatively correlated with species abundance. At the plot scale, plant maximum height, leaf and twig dry matter contents, twig and stem wood densities were positively correlated, but MLA, specific leaf area, LN, leaf P concentration and TLA were negatively correlated with species abundance. Plant trait-species abundance relationships shifted over the range of seven single environmental properties and along multivariate environmental axes in a similar way. In conclusion, strong relationships between plant traits and species abundance existed among and within communities. Significant shifts in plant trait-species abundance relationships in a range of environmental properties suggest strong environmental filtering processes that influence species abundance and rarity in the studied subtropical forests.     

目标?鄄诱饵库搜索策略在蛋白质组质谱鉴定和质控中的应用及研究进展

基于串联质谱的蛋白质组研究会产生海量的质谱数据,这些数据通常使用数据库搜索引擎进行鉴定分析,并根据肽段谱图匹配(PSM)反推真实的样品蛋白质．对于高通量蛋白质组数据的处理,其鉴定结果的可信是后续分析应用的前提,因此对鉴定结果的质量控制尤为重要,而基于目标-诱饵库(target-decoy)搜索策略的质量控制是目前应用最为广泛的方法．本文首先介绍了基于目标-诱饵库搜索策略搜库和质量控制的实施流程,然后综述了基于目标-诱饵库搜索策略的质量控制工具,并提出了目标-诱饵库搜索策略的不足及改善方法,最后对目标-诱饵库搜索策略进行了总结与展望．     

未折叠蛋白质的普遍初始热力学亚稳态

探索和理解蛋白质折叠问题一直是分子生物学、结构生物学和生物物理学的终极挑战.未折叠的蛋白质应该存在一种普遍初始热力学亚稳态,否则无法解释蛋白质是如何在剧烈的热振动干扰下完成快速精确折叠的.本文通过分析水溶液环境和蛋白质折叠的相关性,揭示了一种由水分子屏蔽效应引起的未折叠蛋白质的普遍初始热力学亚稳态,该亚稳态的存在是水溶液环境中水分子的物理性质决定,并赋予未折叠蛋白质抵抗热扰动和避免错误折叠的能力.我们通过研究已发表的实验数据和建立分子模型,找到了该初始热力学亚稳态存在的相关证据,并推测了该亚稳态导致蛋白质精确折叠的相关物理学机制.