The biological activity of rat intestinal retinoic acid metabolites in the vaginal smear assay

Vitamin A-deficient rats were given a single intrajugular injection of 1 mg all-trans-[11-³H]retinoic acid and 3 h later the rats were killed. The small intestines were extracted and chromatographed by high-performance liquid chromatography to yield distinct metabolites. These were quantitated using the assumption that the specific activity of the metabolite is equal to that of the parent [³H]retinoic acid. The biological activity of all discernible metabolities was determined in the vitamin A-deficient female rat by vaginal smear assay. Retinoic acid and retinoyl-β-glucuronide from the preparation had equal activity while no activity was found for any of the other metabolite fractions. Thus, no evidence for an unknown metabolite having potent epithelial differentiating activity could be found in this target tissue of vitamin A action.     

Identification of the nucleotide sequences involved in the interaction between Escherichia coli 5 RNA and specific 50 S subunit proteins

Pancreatic RNase partial digests of ³²P-labelled 5 S RNA-protein complexes have been fractionated by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels. Specific fragments of the 5 S RNA molecule have been recovered from electrophoresis bands containing polynucleotide-protein complexes. These digestion-resistant complexes are only found if RNase treatment is carried out in the presence of at least one of the two 50 S subunit proteins L18 and L25, which are able to bind to 5 S RNA individually and specifically. The sequences of the isolated fragments have been determined. From the results, it can be concluded that sequence 69 to 120 and, possibly, sequence 1 to 11, are involved in the 5 S RNA-protein interactions which are responsible for the insertion of 5 S RNA in the 50 S subunit structure. Sequence 12 to 68, on the other hand, has no strong interactions with proteins L18 and L25. Each protein certainly binds to several nucleotide residues, which are not contiguous in the primary structure. In particular, good experimental evidence has been obtained in favour of the binding of protein L25 to two distant regions of the 5 S RNA molecule, which must have a bihelical secondary structure. The importance of the 5 S RNA conformation for its proper insertion in the 50 S subunit is thus confirmed.     

Modelling time to growth of Escherichia coli as a function of water activity and undissociated lactic acid

Aims: To model the effect of water activity (a_w) and concentration of undissociated lactic acid (HLac) on the time to growth (TTG) and the growth/no growth boundary of acid‐adapted generic Escherichia coli, used as model organisms for Shiga toxin‐producing E. coli (STEC). Methods and Results: For each of two E. coli strains, the TTG in brain heart infusion broth at 27°C was estimated at 30 combinations of a_w (range 0·945–0·995) and concentration of HLac (range 0–6·9 mol m^?3) by using an automated turbidity reader. Survival analysis was used to develop a model predicting the TTG and the growth/no growth boundary. Conclusions: The present model can be used to predict the TTG and to indicate the growth/no growth boundary of acid‐adapted E. coli strains as a function of a_w and concentration of HLac. Significance and Impact of the Study: Fermented food products have been implicated as sources of STEC in several outbreaks. The study results are relevant for modelling of growth of STEC in fermented food and can be used in microbiological risk assessments or in the design and validation of food‐production processes.     

The endocrine disruption potential of betamethasone using Japanese medaka as a fish model

The presence of synthetic glucocorticosteroids (GCs) in surface water and their potential endocrine disruption (ED) activity at environmental concentrations has not been fully investigated. Synthetic GCs may interfere with endogenous receptors within the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and disruptions of this pathway can result in decreased reproduction and/or adverse developmental effects. Betamethasone, a synthetic GC, has been on the market in the United States since the 1980's. The Pharmaceutical Assessment and Transport Evaluation model estimated betamethasone concentrations to be <0.6 ng/L in 95% of all U.S. surface waters. Concentrations of 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 µg betamethasone/L were used in a two-generation fish full life cycle study with Japanese medaka. Gross endpoints, secondary sexual characteristics, and vitellogenin expression were evaluated. The highest concentration at which ED outcomes are not anticipated was determined to be 0.1 µg/L. The ratio of the predicted environmental concentration to the no effect concentration for ED is less than one, indicating no risk to aquatic life from environmentally relevant concentrations of betamethasone.     

重组CC16蛋白对慢性阻塞性肺疾病小鼠肺组织结构及MMP-9和TIMP-1表达的影响

目的研究重组大鼠CC16(rCC16)蛋白质对减轻慢性阻塞性肺疾病(chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,COPD)小鼠模型肺组织损伤的作用,及对肺组织中基质金属蛋白酶(MMP)-9和基质金属蛋白酶组织抑制因子(TIMP)-1表达的调节作用。方法将40只清洁级C57BL/6小鼠随机分为4组,分别为空白组、COPD模型组、rCC16剂量组1和剂量组2。除空白组外,其余小鼠均采用吸烟3月法制备COPD模型,从第3月开始空白组和模型组给予PBS滴鼻,rCC16剂量组1和剂量组2分别给予1μg/g体重和2.5μg/g体重的rCC16滴鼻干预。观察各组小鼠精神状态、饮食情况、体重变化及大小便情况等,H&E染色观察各组小鼠肺组织形态结构变化,荧光定量聚合酶链式反应、免疫组织化学法检测MMP-9和TIMP-1信使RMA(mRNA)和蛋白质的表达变化。结果空白组小鼠体重随饲养周期增大,COPD组小鼠体重较空白组明显减轻,rCC16干预组后,干预组2小鼠体重逐周增大,但干预组1小鼠体重增加较缓慢,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05);COPD模型组小鼠肺组织结构明显破坏,肺泡间隔增宽,部分形成肺气肿,rCC16干预组后,小鼠肺部的肺泡结构趋于完整,肺大泡的形成也减少;COPD模型组小鼠肺组织MMP-9和TIMP-1的表达均明显高于空白组(P<0.05);rCC16干预后,均可降低MMP-9和TIMP-1的表达,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05),rCC16对MMP-9的降低作用具有剂量依赖性,而对TIMP-1的调节不呈剂量依赖性。结论 rCC16滴鼻干预可以减轻COPD小鼠肺组织的损伤,降低肺组织中MMP-9和TIMP-1的表达,对COPD的治疗具有积极意义。     

生长激素促进斑马鱼尾鳍的再生

目的建立生长激素过表达的转基因斑马鱼,研究生长激素在斑马鱼尾鳍再生过程中的作用。方法利用Gateway技术构建表达质粒"pDestTol2CG2; ubi:GH-polyA",在一细胞期显微注射表达质粒和转座酶mRNA后,通过荧光显微镜和qPCR技术筛选鉴定GH过表达的转基因斑马鱼。将斑马鱼分为对照组(野生型)和生长激素过表达组,尾鳍横切后,记录分析斑马鱼尾鳍再生过程。结果转基因斑马鱼中心脏被绿色荧光蛋白标记。荧光定量PCR检测结果显示GH表达水平显著高于对照组(P<0.05)。斑马鱼尾鳍横断后,生长激素过表达组的再生速度显著提高(P<0.05)。结论建立稳定生长激素过表达的转基因斑马鱼品系,过表达生长激素能够提高斑马鱼尾鳍再生速度。     

Panmixia supports divergence with gene flow in Darwin's small ground finch, Geospiza fuliginosa, on Santa Cruz, Galápagos Islands

The divergence‐with‐gene‐flow model of speciation has a strong theoretical basis with a growing number of plausible examples in nature, but remains hotly debated. Darwin’s finches of the Galápagos Archipelago have played an important role in our understanding of speciation processes. Recent studies suggest that this group may also provide insights into speciation via divergence with gene flow. On the island of Santa Cruz, recent studies found evidence for adaptive divergence in Darwin’s small ground finch, Geospiza fuliginosa, between ecologically contrasting arid and humid zones. Despite the short geographical distance between these zones, strong disruptive selection during low rainfall periods is expected to generate and maintain adaptive divergence. Conversely, during high rainfall periods, when disruptive selection is predicted to be weakened, population divergence in adaptive traits is expected to break down. Because periods of low and high rainfall irregularly alternate, the geographical pattern of adaptive divergence can be assumed to break down and, importantly, regenerate in situ. Here, we use microsatellite allele frequency data to assess the genetic population structure of G. fuliginosa on Santa Cruz. We sample 21 sites and four ecological zones across the island. We reject hypotheses of population substructure linked to ecological and geographical differences among sites in favour of a single panmictic population. Panmixia implies high levels of gene flow within Santa Cruz, which favours selection over genetic drift as a valid process generating phenotypic divergence in G. fuliginosa on Santa Cruz. We discuss how our findings may support classic adaptation, phenotypic plasticity, matching habitat choice or any combination of these three processes.     

Effects of the timing of initial feeding on growth and survival of spotted mandarin fish Siniperca scherzeri larvae

The effects of delayed first feeding on growth and survival of spotted mandarin fish Siniperca scherzeri larvae were examined under controlled conditions. Morphometric characters [yolk‐sac volume, oil globule volume, head depth (H_D), body depth (B_D), eye diameter (E_D), musculature height (M_H), mouth diameter (M_D) and total length (L_T)], body mass (M), specific growth rate (S_GR) and survival were evaluated under different first‐feeding time (2, 3, 4 and 5 days after hatching). Larvae began to feed exogenously at 2 days after hatching (DAH) and the point of no return (P_NR) occurred between 5 and 6 DAH at 23° C, range ±1·0° C. The yolk volume of larvae first‐fed at 2 days had a significant difference compared with that of larvae first‐fed at 3, 4 and 5 days on 3 and 4 DAH. The larvae first‐fed at 2 days achieved comparatively better growth performance than that of 3, 4 and 5 days. On 5 DAH, all morphometric characters had significant differences between 2 and 5 days and 2 and 4 days initial feeding, respectively. Total mortality was recorded on 9 DAH for the larvae first‐fed at 5 days. On 12 DAH, significant differences were observed between 2 and 4 days and 3 and 4 days initial feeding for all morphometric characters. From 16 DAH to the end of experiment, all growth variables of the larvae first‐fed at 2 days were significantly higher than those in other treatments. The S_GR (2–9 DAH) first‐fed at 2 and 3 days were significantly higher than 4 and 5 day treatments, and the S_GR (9–16 DAH) first‐fed at 2 days was significantly higher than 3 and 4 day treatments. There was no significant difference, however, of S_GR (16–28 DAH) among treatments. Survival rate was significantly higher at 2 days initial feeding (27·42%) when compared with 3 (15·96%) and 4 days (7·92%) initial feeding at the end of experiment. The present study suggests that the first feeding of S. scherzeri larvae should be initiated at 2 days after hatching for achieving good growth and survival.