Modification of nanocrystalline TiO2 coatings with molecularly imprinted TiO2 for uric acid recognition

Combining the surface modification and molecular imprinting technique, a novel piezoelectric sensing platform with excellent molecular recognition capability was established for the detection of uric acid (UA) based on the immobilization of TiO₂ nanoparticles onto quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) electrode and modification of molecularly imprinted TiO₂ (MIT) layer on TiO₂ nanoparticles. The performance of the fabricated biosensor was evaluated, and the results indicated that the biosensor exhibited high sensitivity in UA detection, with a linear range from 0.04 to 45 μM and a limit of detection of 0.01 μM. Moreover, the biosensor presented high selectivity towards UA in comparison with other interferents. The analytical application of the UA biosensor confirmed the feasibility of UA detection in urine sample.     

基于CRISPR/Cas9技术的基因敲入/敲除策略

成簇的规律间隔性短回文序列(CRISPR)基因编辑系统,因其设计简单操作方便和无种属限制,已成为一种广泛应用的基因组定点编辑工具,在复杂的基因组编辑,例如基因的人源化改造以及条件等位基因的构建中有所应用。在自然界中,CRISPR系统拥有多种类别。其中,CRISPR/Cas9系统是研究最深入、应用最成熟的一种。本文针对CRISPR/Cas9系统,分别从基因敲入/敲除片段的大小、同源臂长短、构型即递送方式等技术环节进行综述,阐述不同设计及操作条件下由CRISPR/Cas9系统介导的基因敲入/敲除的效率差异。     

抗逆转录病毒药对孕育期雌鼠心血管影响*

目的: 评价抗逆转录病毒药对孕育期雌性大鼠心血管功能及某些生化指标的影响。方法: SD大鼠9周龄雌鼠19只、10周龄雄鼠6只,9只/10只雌鼠与3只雄鼠合1笼,共2笼,分为正常对照组(CON)、高效抗逆转录病毒治疗组(HARRT)。其中CON组雌性大鼠每天早、晚生理盐水 (10 ml/kg)灌胃,HARRT组雌性大鼠灌等容积抗逆转录病毒药(AZT 31.25 mg/kg +3TC 15.63 mg/kg +LPV/r (41.67/10.42) mg/kg),连续3个月。记录雌性大鼠体重、存活情况;检测超声心动图,多导生理记录仪检测动脉血压、心脏血流动力学参数;相应试剂盒检测血糖、血脂四项、心肌酶及肝酶;Masson染色及透射电镜分别观察心肌胶原纤维和心肌细胞超微结构。结果: CON组雌性大鼠均存活(9/9),HARRT组雌性大鼠存活6只(6/10);与CON组比较,HAART组雌性大鼠体重减少(P＜ 0.01);LVDd、IVST、LVPWT、LAD增加(P＜0.05);动脉舒张压增加(P＜0.05)、LVP +dP/dt_max减少(P＜0.01);TG减少、Glu增加(P＜0.05)、CK减少(P＜0.01)、GOT减少(P＜0.05);心肌组织胶原纤维增多,心肌细胞超微结构异常。结论: 抗逆转录病毒药可导致孕育期雌性大鼠心血管病变。     

Parameter determination and validation for a mechanistic model of the enzymatic saccharification of cellulose‐Iβ

Cost‐effective production of fuels and chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass often involves enzymatic saccharification, which has been the subject of intense research and development. Recently, a mechanistic model for the enzymatic saccharification of cellulose has been developed that accounts for distribution of cellulose chain lengths, the accessibility of insoluble cellulose to enzymes, and the distinct modes of action of the component cellulases [Griggs et al. (2012) Biotechnol. Bioeng., 109(3):665–675; Griggs et al. (2012) Biotechnol. Bioeng., 109(3):676–685]. However, determining appropriate values for the adsorption, inhibition, and rate parameters required further experimental investigation. In this work, we performed several sets of experiments to aid in parameter estimation and to quantitatively validate the model. Cellulosic materials differing in degrees of polymerization and crystallinity (α‐cellulose‐I_β and highly crystalline cellulose‐I_β) were digested by component enzymes (EG_I/CBH_I/ ) and by mixtures of these enzymes. Based on information from the literature and the results from these experiments, a single set of model parameters was determined, and the model simulation results using this set of parameters were compared with the experimental data of total glucan conversion, chain‐length distribution, and crystallinity. Model simulations show significant agreement with the experimentally derived glucan conversion and chain‐length distribution curves and provide interesting insights into multiple complex and interacting physico‐chemical phenomena involved in enzymatic hydrolysis, including enzyme synergism, substrate accessibility, cellulose chain length distribution and crystallinity, and inhibition of cellulases by soluble sugars. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 31:1237–1248, 2015     

Receptor binding and pH stability — How influenza A virus hemagglutinin affects host-specific virus infection

Influenza A virus strains adopt different host specificities mainly depending on their hemagglutinin (HA) protein. Via HA, the virus binds sialic acid receptors of the host cell and, upon endocytic uptake, HA triggers fusion between the viral envelope bilayer and the endosomal membrane by a low pH-induced conformational change leading to the release of the viral genome into the host cell cytoplasm. Both functions are crucial for viral infection enabling the genesis of new progeny virus.     

Amphipathic Helical Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides Promote Rapid Formation of Crystalline States in the Presence of Phosphatidylglycerol: Lipid Clustering in Anionic Membranes

Five AHCAPs exhibiting a broad-spectrum of antimicrobial activity, were examined with regard to their action in lipid mixtures with two anionic lipids, PG and CL. We find that all of the peptides studied were capable of promoting the formation of crystalline phases of DMPG in mixtures of DMPG and CL, without prior incubation at low temperatures. This property is indicative of the ability of these peptides to cluster CL away from DMPG. In contrast, the well studied antimicrobial cationic peptide magainin 2 does not cluster anionic lipids. We ascribe the lower anionic lipid clustering ability of magainin to its low density of positive charges compared with the five other AHCAPs used in this work. The peptide MSI-1254 was particularly potent in segregating these two anionic lipids. Consequently, clusters enriched in DMPG appear in a lipid mixture with CL. These can rapidly form higher temperature crystalline phases because of the increased permeability of the bilayer caused by the AHCAPs. The polyaminoacids, poly-L-Lysine and poly-l-arginine are also very effective in causing this segregation. Thus, the clustering of anionic lipids by AHCAPs is not confined only to mixtures of anionic with zwitterionic lipids, but it extends to mixtures containing different anionic headgroups. The resulting effects, however, have different consequences to the biological activity. This finding broadens the scope for which an AHCAP agent will cluster lipids in a membrane.     

表达人高致病性禽流感病毒H5N1(安徽株)结构基因的DNA疫苗在小鼠中诱导的免疫应答分析

本研究旨在研发经济、高效的人高致病性禽流感病毒H5N1实验疫苗并优化免疫方案。首先优化并合成H5N1(安徽株)的血凝素基因(HAop)和神经氨酸酶基因(NAop)并证实其正确表达,再构建含有H5N1(安徽株)结构基因的多个单顺反子(HAwt、HAop和NAop)和双顺反子(HAop/M2和NAop/M1)DNA疫苗质粒。随后,采用不同途径的体内电转法在第0周和第3周2次免疫Balb/C小鼠,初步分析了抗原特异性体液免疫(HA血凝抑制抗体,NA特异性抗体,中和抗体)和细胞免疫应答(IFN-γELISpot)的特点。结果表明:含有优化血凝素基因(HAop)和优化神经氨酸酶基因(NAop)的DNA疫苗可以快速激发较强的免疫应答,尤其是细胞免疫应答;皮内电转所激发的体液免疫应答强于肌肉电转。本研究为新型H5N1疫苗的研发以及免疫方案的优化奠定了基础。     

Nanoscale amphiphilic macromolecules as lipoprotein inhibitors: the role of charge and architecture

A series of novel amphiphilic macromolecules composed of alkyl chains as the hydrophobic block and poly(ethylene glycol) as the hydrophilic block were designed to inhibit highly oxidized low density lipoprotein (hoxLDL) uptake by synthesizing macromolecules with negatively charged moieties (ie, carboxylic acids) located in the two different blocks. The macromolecules have molecular weights around 5,500 g/mol, form micelles in aqueous solution with an average size of 20-35 nm, and display critical micelle concentration values as low as 10(-7) M. Their charge densities and hydrodynamic size in physiological buffer solutions correlated with the hydrophobic/ hydrophilic block location and quantity of the carboxylate groups. Generally, carboxylate groups located in the hydrophobic block destabilize micelle formation more than carboxylate groups in the hydrophilic block. Although all amphiphilic macromolecules inhibited unregulated uptake of hoxLDL by macrophages, inhibition efficiency was influenced by the quantity and location of the negatively charged-carboxylate on the macromolecules. Notably, negative charge is not the sole factor in reducing hoxLDL uptake. The combination of smaller size, micellar stability and charge density is critical for inhibiting hoxLDL uptake by macrophages.     

The molecular interaction of a protein in highly concentrated solution investigated by Raman spectroscopy

We used Raman spectroscopy to investigate the structure and interactions of lysozyme molecules in solution over a wide range of concentrations (2.5–300 mg ml^?1). No changes in the amide‐I band were observed as the concentration was increased, but the width of the Trp band at 1555 cm^?1 and the ratios of the intensities of the Tyr bands at 856 and 837 cm^?1, the Trp bands at 870 and 877 cm^?1, and the bands at 2940 (CH stretching) and 3420 cm^?1 (OH stretching) changed as the concentration was changed. These results reveal that although the distance between lysozyme molecules changed by more than an order of magnitude over the tested concentration range, the secondary structure of the protein did not change. The changes in the molecular interactions occurred in a stepwise process as the order of magnitude of the distance between molecules changed. These results suggest that Raman bands can be used as markers to investigate the behavior of high‐concentration solutions of proteins and that the use of Raman spectroscopy will lead to progress in our understanding not only of the basic science of protein behavior under concentrated (i.e., crowded) conditions but also of practical processes involving proteins, such as in the field of biopharmaceuticals. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 103: 237–246, 2015.